50 years ago October 1974
A young Tasmania woman who has been living in Echuca with her mother and young son for the past 18 months returned to her home state last month to give her brother a life-giving present — one of her kidneys.
Kaye (Catherine) McSherry, 31, lives with her mother, Josie, and her young son, Paul, at the Palace Hotel, and decided to donate the kidney to her brother, John, 33, when his body failed to accept a kidney transplanted in July.
The operation, the first of its kind in Tasmania, was done at the Royal Hobart Hospital on September 24, and is the fourth operation John, the father of three young children, has had this year.
Kaye is a trained theatre sister and was well aware of the consequences of the operation for both John and herself, but felt that, despite the pain she would have to go through, it would all be worth it.
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The luck of the Irish should be with Mr Rod Kelvy, who owns a dairy farm at Koyuga, as this week, two four leaf clovers were discovered growing in a paddock on the farm.
Mr Kelvy found one while an employee, Frank Guascoine, 18, found another.
A Department of Agriculture spokesman told Mr Kelvy that it was extremely rare to find four leaf clovers so large and perfect.
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Confirmation by Echuca City Council of a by-law to regulate the use of motorised vehicles for recreational purposes on certain land within the municipality is likely to be opposed by several local organisations and individuals.
Under the by-law, use of a motorised vehicle will not be permitted without a permit from council on any land within a residential zone or within 100 metres of the nearest point of any other land which is within a residential zone.
Motorised vehicles descried in the by-law include mini-bikes, trail bikes, motor bikes, motor cars, motor scooters, go-karts and any recreational vehicles within the meaning of the Recreational Vehicles Act.
A spokesperson for the Echuca Motor Cycle Club said the club had already written to the council seeking talks on the by-law before it is confirmed.
25 years ago October 1999
With one second remaining on the clock, Bamawm netballer Sharelle McMahon became an instant hero, scoring to give Australia a one-point victory in the netball World Championships against rival New Zealand.
The Aussie attack of Vicki Wilson and Jacqui Delaney struggled against the strong New Zealand defence and were trailing by six goals when McMahon entered the game during the third quarter, replacing Delaney as goal attack.
McMahon immediately added extra impetus to the attack and when Jenny Borlase came on at three-quarter-time for Wilson, the pair proved to be a formidable combination.
With only 10 seconds on the remaining, the Aussies took possession and worked the ball down the court to McMahon a few metres from the post.
With one second on the clock, McMahon’s pressure shot went through and Australian euphoria took over.
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The 19-year family ownership of an Echuca institution MON Beverages has ended following the business’s sale to a South Australian fruit processing company.
In a seven-figure deal formally finalised this week, Australian Pure Fruits have purchased the business from the Popovski and Radevski families.
The announcement comes two weeks after the soft drink manufacturer and food processor celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Director Tom Radevski said the sale would only have a minimal, if, any, impact on the business’s operations.
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The Echuca-Moama team to ride in the 1999 VicHealth Herald Sun Tour has suffered a blow in the withdrawal of Henk Vogels from the team.
Vogels and fellow Australian cyclist Stuart O’Grady were attacked outside a restaurant in France last month, leaving O’Grady hospitalised with a badly lacerated head and Vogels knocked unconscious.
It was initially thought the Vogels would be able to compete in the Echuca-Moama team for the Sun Tour, but he has been suffering from severe migraines, forcing his withdrawal from the race.
Echuca-Moama team organisers narrowed down their search for a replacement to three riders, with News Zealander Jaaron Pode earning the selection off the back of his excellent recent results.
10 years ago October 2014
Overseas buyers are lining up to get their hands on the region’s beef and a leading livestock buyer believes it is only the start.
An insatiable US appetite for grinding beef and Chinese demand for lean cuts has kept Tongala processor HW Greenham and Sons and Echuca buyer Dennis Henderson on their toes.
A Victorian Government 2013-14 Victorian Food and Fibre Export Performance Report, launched on Monday, showed meat had surpassed dairy as Victoria’s major agricultural export.
Victoria exported food and fibre products worth $11.4 billion last year, up $1.2 billion, the report said.
China was the state’s top destination, sending $2.7 billion worth of exports in the 2013-14 year, growing by 15 per cent.
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Tourism might be the Echuca-Moama region’s biggest cash cow — but it does not solve everyone’s problems.
Echuca-Moama Business and Trades Association president Andrew Lochhead said he had spoken to a few businesses in the port area and they ‘‘seemed to be going all right’’.
But he said it was the smaller ‘mum and dad’ retailers in the main streets who are still battling the double whammy of the internet and shoppers drifting towards bigger cities, and Melbourne.
‘‘It is a time when consumers are very price conscious and it’s still been a bit of a struggle,’’ Mr Lochhead said.
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Inexperienced motorcycle and scooter riders will be more visible on the road after new Victorian laws were introduced on Wednesday.
All learner and newly licensed motorcycle and scooter riders will have to wear dayglo vests and ride with their headlights on in daylight.
Highside Motorcycles, Mowers and Marine owner David Kellett thought the new laws were ‘‘great’’.
‘‘Anything that makes riders more visible is a fantastic thing, especially when they’re learning,’’ he said.
‘‘When riders are more casual down the track, they’ve learned to gather more road craft and look after themselves better on the road because car drivers can’t often see riders.’’