Vol. No. Vol. 2718No. 2 27
FREE PUBLICATION
A FREE PUBLICATION FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS 3WM AND MIXXFM
Wednesday, January 13, 2024 2016 Wednesday, July 10,
LOUD AND PROUD: Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative and Barengi Gadjin Land Council hosted a NAIDOC Week celebration at Dimboola Recreation Reserve for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and their families. With a theme of ‘Keep the fire Burning! Blak, loud and proud’, it was a day of traditional activities, including a welcome to country, smoking ceremony, flag-raising, a cultural walk, boomerang painting, music and a barbecue lunch on Monday. From left, Tyra King, Kalanee Marks-Lovett, Hunter King, Savannah Marks, Jaala Marks-Lovett, Elizabeth Muir, Jandamurra Lauricella, Narla Kennedy and Harley Dempsey join the celebration. The first week of July every year, NAIDOC Week recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories, and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Kangaroo cruelty BY BRONWYN HASTINGS
C
onservation Regulator officers are investigating the illegal killing of 19 kangaroos at Pine Lake at Drung, south east of Horsham, last month.
A family discovered the mob of eastern grey kangaroos, who were allegedly shot and thought to be mowed down by a vehicle. There was evidence of gunshot wounds to the kangaroos and at least three suffered leg injuries consistent
with being hit by a vehicle. Conservation Regulator officers inspected the site and located several dead kangaroos, along with shotgun shells and all-terrain vehicle tyre tracks, following a report from Gerang Gerung Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre’s Stacy Whitehorse. “The young family who found the scene were heartbroken and genuinely frightened,” Ms Whitehorse said. “Those kangaroos were minding their own business on public land –
they did not belong to someone to selfishly destroy, they belonged to everyone to enjoy. “There were big males, mums with joeys in their pouches and joeys at foot – all are dead.” The offences are suspected to have been committed between 5pm on Friday, June 21 and noon on Sunday, June 23. The Conservation Regulator works to maintain the health and heritage of Victorian landscapes by educating
the community, providing support and guidance in encouraging compliance, monitoring compliance, and acting against non-compliance. All wildlife, including kangaroos, are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. It is illegal to hunt, take, destroy, injure, or interfere with wildlife without authorisation and doing so carries a maximum penalty of more than $9870 and-or six months in prison for each offence.
Additional maximum penalties of $98,795 or two years in prison could also apply under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. “As there seems to be a couple of ways the kangaroos have been killed, it’s not related to conservation,” Ms Whitehorse said. “It’s just cruelty.” People are encouraged to report any information about the incident to Crime Stoppers, either by phoning 1800 333 000 or visiting www. crimestoppersvic.com.au.
IN THIS ISSUE • Tobacco raids at Landsborough • Council revisits charter • Wimmera duo off to Paris Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
AUDITED: 21,534 COPIES October 2022 to September 2023
Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au