King Valley Community Profile

*King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE* Update**
Volunteer Small Equipment Grants 2003 On International Volunteer Day, 5 December 2002, Senator Vanstone announced the $3 million Volunteer Small Equipment Grants 2003 to help Australia's volunteers to carry on with their vital work. An application form for the grants will be available early 2003. Most grant funding will be available from July 2003. Applicants should call 1800 018 312 and provide their name, address, phone and fax numbers and an email address if applicable, so an application package can be sent when available. Last year, the Whitfield CFA received $5,000 to spend on their volunteers (not the organisation). They purchased a flash Bar-B-Q and a couple of radio receivers. Jamie Newton is still talking about it. If you belong to a volunteer organisation, have a go at getting this grant. If you find that daunting, contact me and I will give you a hand. However - REGISTER NOW - so that you will receive the application as soon as it becomes available.
2003 ... What is in store for The King Valley? What a way to start a new year! Australians are being conditioned to expect war and terrorism. Since it was first settled, the King Valley has always been Victoria's frontier. In the 1870's, it's remoteness was attractive to horse thieves and bushrangers. In the 1970's, it was attractive to marijuana growers and the drug trade. One benefit of being off the beaten track is that it offers some protection against global terrorism today. Our problems are much more local. Terrorism in the King Valley is fear of the unknown, fear of change and fear of being maliciously set upon in the community. If the government's national terrorism awareness campaign is effective, we are at risk of becoming a very closed community. To prevent this, we need to work together to re-enchant community spirit and engender social trust in our community. How do we do that, you ask! We need a community organisation without vested interests to represent the people of the valley. As previously mentioned, the Upper King Valley Action Association has been decimated with the loss of Adele Tyler and Charlie Burder. This organisation has done a lot for the community in the past and, with your involvement, it could be the catalyst we need to make things happen in the future. We need to recognise and encourage the industries that bring people to the King Valley. The wine industry and tourism bring outside money to the local economy. When outside money enters the valley, we should do all we can to keep it here. Currently, most money earned is spent outside the valley. Wherever possible, we must recycle money by supporting local enterprise. This is the only way the economy of the King Valley can be built. Above all, we need more social activity in the upper King Valley to strengthen community spirit. Join the Golf Club, go to the football, play tennis at Edi Upper. Get involved and support your local community groups. We don't need the doom and gloom of war and terrorism killing off our spirit. Over recent months, this newsletter has identified some of the shortfalls in local infrastucture facing the people of the valley. It hasn't mentioned the loss of our younger generation to the wider world or the lack of babies being born in the district. It hasn't mentioned the depressed rural economy or the weakness in real estate values. In the last twelve months, we have had riverside camping stopped at Cheshunt, threats to the manning of Lake William Hovell and the stocking of trout in the King River, refusal to seal local roads because it is not on council's agenda in the next five years, and the imposition of a compulsory waste collection service throughout the rural area. Governments at all levels do not consider the needs of small communities, they act for the good of their own needs. If we want better infrastucture, we need a strong lobby for local improvements. Last year, the Delatite Shire and the Rural City of Wangaratta established a master plan for the Wangaratta to Mansfield Tourist Route. This was not done for the people of the King Valley. It was done to get more people staying in Mansfield and Wangaratta. Our local government councils have also launched the North East Valleys campaign to attract more tourists to the North East region. In 2003, we need to get behind these initiatives and make them work for the King Valley. We need to stay focussed on local needs such as a bus service. We do not need to be distracted by the threat of war and terrorism.
Computer Recycling Program Receives Donated Macs Chris and Peter Jamieson, the CEO of North East Telecentre, have recently sold the hazelnut farm in Lake Buffalo Road, Edi Upper. In the cleanout, two early model Macintosh computers in perfect working order found their way to the Computer Recycling Program. Complete with printers, these computers make perfect word processing machines for the kids to write assignments or for our more senior citizens to write their family history. If you know someone who could use one of these machines, please contact Greg Naylor. The Linux Users Group is in recess until the Friday after New Years Day
Recent Additions to The King Valley Portal Click Logo to visit » » A great new feature has been added to the portal with the addition of a Quick Links scroller that takes you to all those sites you use every day such as the weather details, the newspapers, tattslotto, white pages, train timetables and TV guides. Click on the logo at right to try this new feature. In the Grapevine, we get the rainfall statistics from Whitfield, Moyhu and Myrrhee. But did you know, we have an official weather station in Edi Upper located at Steve and Sue Lowe's vineyard? Using records since 1985, the Bureau of Meteorology provides the historical Climate Conditions for the King Valley. You can also access the Edi Upper Weather Forecast from the Quick Links bar on the portal website..
Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE Update

New Years Resolution

This is the first newsletter for 2003 and my New Year's Resolution is to work towards getting a better deal for the King Valley from our government authorities. Our infrastructure is weak. We need public transport. Our back roads and bridges have passed their use-by date. We need to discuss the issues that affect us and lobby the Rural City of Wangaratta, the State and Federal Governments for the basic services we have a right to expect.

Riverside Camping on The King River

Riverside camping has been a major drawcard for holiday makers coming to the King Valley for a long time. In recent years, the number of campers has dwindled due to the lack of facilities we provide for them. Without the traditional camping at Cheshumt, many visiting campers have relocated to other spots on the river. Over the Xmas - New Year period, there were fewer campsites at Gentle Annie Bridge and more at Edi.

There are still many campers at the Edi Cutting, and either side of the Edi Upper road - where the grass had been cut in late November - there were quite a few sites taken through til the New Year. We need to urge those responsible to get ALL of the riverside camp grounds prepared before holiday periods. The grass needs to be mowed and the trees need to be trimmed to prevent branches falling on campers as happenned near Echuca and reported in The Chronicle . Let's get it right for Easter. Another campsite maintenance idea would be to dredge the swimming holes at the campsites to make them deep enough to swim in and to get rid of rubbish in the water. previous report

Who owns a bushfire?

Have you noticed the fire fighters in the Mount Buffalo forest fires wearing green uniforms? That is because they are NRE employees. Have you noticed an absence of the yellow uniforms of the CFA? That is because the fire is not threatening private property yet.

Most of the Region's resources are on site however, but they cannot be put to effective use until tracks are bulldozed to let the fire tankers in. And therin lies an absurdity! NRE won't allow the bulldozers in because they will damage the state forest. However, they are calling for CFA volunteers to go in on foot with rakes. Hello!

It seems the trees of a state forest are more important than the safety of volunteer fire fighters. Last year, we saw the NRE standing by as a fire headed towards crown land. You see, it wasn't their fire. They were not allowed to help the CFA until the fire was on their land. Our emergency services need to work together better than this. Follow Up

Gentle Annie Bridge ... a safety issue?

The Gentle Annie Bridge passes through the Gentle Annie Camping Reserve. During busy periods, the bridge area becomes a traffic hazard with happy campers strolling over the bridge, with kids playing on it and fishing from it. If the bridge is a public road, then pedestrian traffic should be controlled. That's the motorist's view of the bridge.

Let's look at it from the campers viewpoint. Campers in Camping Area A have to cross the bridge apron to get to the toilets and showers in the caravan park and they have to keep their wits about them because cars come speeding around the bend. On the other side of the river in Camping Area B, campers have to run the gauntlet of crossing the bridge to get to the toilets and showers. It is a single lane bridge and there is no footpath. The fact is that the road passes through the middle of the Gentle Annie Caravan Park and Camping Grounds. If the bridge is part of the camping ground, then pedestrians must have the right of way.

The risks are real and, unless they are resolved, someone will be killed on that bridge.

The Gentle Annie Caravan Park is currently for sale and it would be opportune to revisit the replacement bridge that was planned back in the days of the Country Roads Board. Back then, preparations were well underway with the aquisition of land and the driving of test piles which can be found about 100 metres downstream of the bridge. The plan was to relocate the road to the end of Camping area A, straightening out the road through the edge of Sheppard's property rejoining Gentle Annie lane above Jim Newton's gateway.

Imagine the Gentle Annie Park as a whole with the old bridge remaining in the middle of the camping grounds as a pedestrian way and fishing platform for tourists camping there and an access route to camping area B on the other side of the river. It would certainly provide development opportunities for the Tourist park. But then again, in these days of public liability, it may not be safe enough to insure.

An inspection of the bridge shows it to be in a sorry state. The roadway is 10 feet wide and has been laid over a corrugated iron base supported by wooden bearers across four pairs of steel girders. This part of the bridge is in fine shape but the supporting structure is questionable.

The girders are held up by two wooden trestles and a concrete column at the caravan park end. The wooden trestles have eroded and been reinforced with more wooden structures. The base of the western trestle has rotted away and rough concrete pads have been poured inside 44 gallon drums to offer support. This repair does not look like it was engineered by a professional.

The eastern trestle has broken timbers as a result of the 1998 flood when a large tree crashed into the trestle twisting the whole bridge out of alignment. If you look along the railing, it is a wobbly old line from one end to the other. Last year, a load limit of 18 tonnes was put on Gentle Annie Bridge. That means a decent sized truck is not allowed to cross it.

With every year that goes by, the bridge will become weaker. It is time to mount a campaign to get the Gentle Annie Bridge onto the council agenda.

Previous Report

Tip Fees Over the Top

Back in November, this newsletter warned of impending fee rises to use the transfer stations. And, so it has come to pass. The Rural City of Wangaratta have decided to raise prices over the next three years to recover 80% of their costs of operating the tips. From their own figures, that means doubling the amount you will pay from $15 to $36 per cubic metre. Previous Report

In the city precinct, householders don't have old fencing wire, silage wrap, decayed treated pine posts or worn out farm equipment to get rid of. In the rural environment, an impost of $36 per cubic metre to get rid of worthless bulky junk simply becomes another indirect tax on the farmer.

When I lived in Melbourne, there was a free annual roadside pickup of anything you wanted to get rid of. This included furniture, car parts, building materials, ... anything that you could get out onto your naturestrip. Many of the households would have between 20 and 50 cubic metres of junk out there. The council sent a number of trucks out, one to collect metals, another to collect paper, etc. The material was recycled and the council recovered their costs in selling off the collection. This process continues today throughout the metropolitan area. Why can't the Rural City of Wangaratta investigate this process.

Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal
The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE Update

Vandalism comes to the King Valley

Three of the four stained glass windows at Federation Hall in Lions Park Moyhu have been vandalised. The King Parrot, the Whitfield Railway, and the Horticulture scene (shown at right) have been punctured or cracked requiring expensive, expert repairs. The clear glass above the lead light windows has also been broken.

Early last year, the King Valley Learning Exchange passed a motion to fund the protection of these artworks with polycarbonate sheeting as the potential for vandalism was identified from the outset. I guess the stable door will be shut now that the horse has bolted.

These beautiful windows, listed on the Rural City of Wangaratta's Public Art Register, were designed and constructed by community members. Each depicted a different aspect of life in the King Valley. The only one to escape the damage was the Harvest Scene designed by Juliana Jones.

Bulldozers and Bushfires Update
In the last issue, I referred to the separation of bushfire management between the CFA and the NRE (now Dept of primary Industry). This article prompted a response from a CFA Volunteer from Cullen's Bus Lines who has been working on the fire control. He says: (14 Jan)

Dear Greg.
Re your comments regarding the current bushfires. I would assume by your comments that you have not been involved in the current situation. I have been on site since last saturday transferring crews in the Myrtleford area. Last night there were no less that 4 dozers in the staging area, all of which had been operating in the bush under Dept of primary Industry directions. My only comment to you is, GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT BEFORE YOU MAKE COMMENT - HELLO!!!

The previous article referred to the deployment of bulldozers in the Harrietville area which is apparently more sensitive than the Myrtleford area. I stand corrected.

Australia Day in the King Valley
We have a variety of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, 26 January taking place in the King Valley. The day will kick off with the traditional Australia Day Breakfast in Moyhu. Hosted and catered by the Moyhu Lions Club, breakfast will be served from 7.30 am. Australia Day will be celebrated with the local Youth of the Year Awards.

At Cheshunt, Australia Day celebrations will commence at 7.00 pm over a Bar-B-Q. You are asked to bring your own drinks and sweets. The celebrations will commence at 7.30 pm with the official opening of the new Rotunda alongside the Cheshunt Hall. Mrs Doreen Petersen will unveil a plaque in memory of her husband and family at the rotunda (to be known as the Keith Petersen Rotunda)

For those in the lower King Valley, the Wangaratta Australia Day Celebrations commence at 5.30 pm and the Oxley Hall at 6.30pm. - Official Opening - Oxley Memorial Hall Extension - Community BBQ/$2 per plate - Children's Activities and Prizes - Musical Entertainment - Australian Poems - Flag Raising Ceremony

King Valley Linux Users Group back in action ... and need some help
The King Valley Linux Users Group meets at the Moyhu Youth Club every Friday night at 7.30 pm. Over the holiday break, they have been setting up a cross platform network/training room with Linux, Windows and Macintosh computers. With a laser printer and scanner, this has to be the most outstanding computer network in the King Valley and it has all been done with donated equipment. This new training facility is where you can learn how to use a computer and operate a Linux based machine

Whilst there is a wealth of Linux and Windows knowledge in the group, they are looking for a local Mac fanatic to join the group. Membership is free and is open to anyone interested in learning about computers beyond the screen and keyboard. The members range from teenagers to retirees who all learn from each other.

The group also operate the North East Computer Bank which collects obsolete equipment from the community, schools and business houses - refurbishes it and gives it away to people who would not otherwise get involved with computers. If you would like to donate some old equipment or you know someone who would like to receive a free computer, come along on Friday night or you can email or phone us.

To complete the new facility at the Moyhu Youth Club, the Linux Users Group is looking for some community support in the following areas. They need a flourescent fitting, shelving timbers and curtains for the window. If you have any of these layong around, phone 57-298-081 and they will pick them up. They also need to raise some funds to install a telephone at the Youth Club for Internet access as well as a general facility for the Youth Club. If any business cares to sponsor this installation, it would be most appreciated.

Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal
The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE Update

Bushfires at Powers Lookout

Fire broke out about 5.00 pm on Saturday, 18th January, down the Powers Lookout Road. It was attended by ten tankers coming from as far afield as Bonnie Doon. At a time when the North East bushfires are making increasing demands on fire fighting resources, this is an outstanding turnout.

There was some confusion early on when crews were directed to the Kelly Tree at Tatong to find no fire in that area. These crews were redirected to Powers Lookout which possibly accounts for so many units turning out.

Fortunately, the weather conditions were mild and the fire was able to be contained within a few hectares. Water bombing was also used to drop water from the sky. By 1.00 am, the fire crews had the fire under control and proceeded to put it out. Sunday was spent mopping up by the relief crews on the Whitfield, Edi Upper, Cheshunt and Myrrhee tankers. The cause of the fire is to be investigated.
Monday 20 Jan: The sun rose as an apparition of a scarlet moon giving an eerie red glow to the parched paddocks. Brought about by the north eastern bushfires on Mt. Buffalo, the mountains were concealed by the smoke drifting accross the King Valley with visibility down to a few hundred metres.

Mobile Service Now Available in the King Valley .. full story RCoW site

Residents and visitors to the Rural City of Wangaratta's King Valley are now enjoying the benefits of a CDMA mobile phone service following the construction of a mobile phone tower at the King Valley exchange.
Comment: Whilst the CDMA phone tower is a major boost to our local infrastructure, the addition of a Digital Repeater would encourage tourists from our capital cities to spend more time (and money) in our unique valley. Since it began operation in November, Telstra have found that it works better than they anticipated. Maybe we could get them to test out digital coverage before they leave the area.

Community Grants Program 2002/3 - the Year of the Halls

At its January meeting, the Rural City of Wangaratta ratified its Community Grants for the coming year and the moneys allocated to The King Valley should see some much needed improvements to local facilities.

The Cheshunt Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee were granted $300 to paint, maintain and upgrade the Hall interior. Another $500 to replace old chairs and $1,000 is being provided to upgrade the kitchen facilities. We look forward to seeing the renovations later in the year at the Flower Show and the proposed New Year's Eve Dance. The Cheshunt Wild Dog Destruction League also received $50 to go towards a bounty for dogs destroyed in the area

Grants to Whitfield were shared around a bit more with the Council continuing the Student Achievement Award of $50 to the Whitfield Primary School. The Whitefield Cemetary Trust received $198 for the purchase of a sign for the newly established lawn cemetary whilst the Whitfield & District Neighbourhood Watch received $100 towards publishing their regular newsletter. The Whitfield RSL Sub Branch will install a new hot water system with a $300 grant and the Whitfield Recreation Reserve Special Committee received $500 towards reburbishing the public toilets. It was interesting to see that the Whitfield Primary School got knocked back on their application for the rejuvenation of Jessies Creek in Whitfield as their was "no evidence of support from the local Landcare Group" when only a month ago, it was published in the local papers that the Landcare Group had received a grant of $25,000 for the Jessies Creek project.

The Edi Hall and Recreation Reserve Special Committee also received funding for some well overdue renovations. The major grant of $4,314 will be used to carry out maintenance works at the Edi Hall and extend/construct external shelters on the northern and southern sides. $500 has been allocated to provise additional water access and reticulation to the external surrounds of the reserve and $250 has been granted for a dance and disco for the younger members of the community.

At Moyhu, the Youth Club will be able to replace some rotted wooden window frames with aluminium ($500) whilst another $1,025 will be spent on two large gymnastic mats. The Moyhu Recreation Reserve Committee of Management received $200 for fencing around the childrens Playground and the Moyhu & District Grapevine received $100 towards production costs.

All told, the King Valley fared well in this year's grants receiving around $10,000 out of a pool of $70,000. It is now up to the community to support these groups and to share in the benefits of the improved facilities in the King Valley.

Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal
The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

King Valley COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

Important Meeting ... GMO Update ... 30th March
There will be a North East Community Meeting at the CWA Hall in Templeton Street Wangaratta on Thursday night at 7.30 pm to discuss tactics in the protest against the proposed release of Genetically Modified Canola in the district. Please come along and have your say.

Late last year, the RCoW and the Dept. Human Services called a public meeting regarding the imminent release of Genetically Modified canola into the north east region. The meeting was well attended and, to their credit, the council read the mood of the people and have joined them in their protest to this release.

The issue was raised at the January Council Meeting, and whilst the RCoW has no power to stop the release or declare a moratorium, they wish to raise public awareness so that people power is heard. Another public meeting has been called in early March. Make sure you attend this one!

The meeting this week is separate to the Council sponsored meeting and will be a forum to develop a plan of attack. For further detail, phone June Vearing on 57-293-555.

The dilemma of our unsealed roads

Last year, the Rural City of Wangaratta rejected a petition of Whitfield residents regarding the upgrading of some of our gravel roads as they were not on the councils five year plan. Well, it is time to revisit this need.

The Edi Back Road has become dangerous to both tourists and residents alike. Late last year it was resurfaced with gravel more suited to road bases than as a top surface. The result is that above 50 KMH, the motorist cannot control a vehicle and accidents will occur. Complaints to the council have resulted in the installation of temporary signs showing a car skidding out of control. Considering the number of heavy vehicles using this road, and that people have been killed on this road before, this is not good enough!

The Edi - Cheshunt Road, along with many throughout the RCoW, also carry road closure signs prohibiting vehicles over 12 tonne between June 26 and November 1 each year. These road closures have been gazetted by the State Government in recognition of their inferior quality. There is no policing of this regulation as milk tankers, school buses, earth moving machinery and indeed the council garbage collection trucks all have a gross weight limit above 12 tonnes.

This may well be the RCoW Achiles Heel on this matter. If they enforce the road closure, they will be destroying the commercial viability of the businesses along this road including a major dairy farm, vineyards, tobacco farms, cellar doors, and an earth moving business. A new enterprise in Lake Buffalo Road plans to bring tourist buses to their business. As it has been gazetted, they cannot simply rescind the regulation and are obliged to enforce it.

The RCoW appear to be backfooted on the issue suggesting that everyone who uses the road can get an exemption from the law. Really?. Creating a safety hazard with the wrong gravel and putting out warning signs is certainly not the answer. It is time the RCoW faced the reality of the danger and upgrade the road accordingly.

Community Calendar makes way for bushfire updates

This calendar usually appears on the Portal main page and keeps us informed of what is happening in the King Valley. Until the bushfire danger has passed, it has been replaced by the CFA reports being dynamically generated all day long. Consequently, the calendar will appear here until the fires are over.

Community Cohesion still a problem in the King Valley

At a public meeting in August 2001, the Whitfield community established that there was a lack of cooperation between our community groups. In February 2003, nothing has changed. On Sunday, 9th February, there are three competing events that could easily have been staggered to different dates. With our low population, they can't all be as successful as they deserve to be.

The Tolmie Family Sports day has operated for over a century on the 2nd Sunday in February and is an event that deserves our support. Typo Locals Day, which is usally on the last Sunday of february has been moved forward. Typo is "our" local charity and fully deserves community support. Then there is the Edi Upper Mystery Car Tour being held the same day. I would have enjoyed that one!

One cannot go to all of these very worthwhile events. The King Valley does not have many social events. So, why can't our event organisers check out what other organisations are doing? Let's hope they don't reschedule the postponed Australia Day Celebrations to the 9th February.

Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal
The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

written by Greg Naylor ... Community Contributions & Comments Welcome
Phone: 57-298-081: Mobile: 0427-313-331 Fax 57-298-112: Email gnaylor@netc.net.au
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Archives: Nov.2002 | Dec.2002 | Current Issue

*King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE* Update**
New Years Resolution This is the first newsletter for 2003 and my New Year's Resolution is to work towards getting a better deal for the King Valley from our government authorities. Our infrastructure is weak. We need public transport. Our back roads and bridges have passed their use-by date. We need to discuss the issues that affect us and lobby the Rural City of Wangaratta, the State and Federal Governments for the basic services we have a right to expect.
Riverside Camping on The King River Riverside camping has been a major drawcard for holiday makers coming to the King Valley for a long time. In recent years, the number of campers has dwindled due to the lack of facilities we provide for them. Without the traditional camping at Cheshumt, many visiting campers have relocated to other spots on the river. Over the Xmas - New Year period, there were fewer campsites at Gentle Annie Bridge and more at Edi. There are still many campers at the Edi Cutting, and either side of the Edi Upper road - where the grass had been cut in late November - there were quite a few sites taken through til the New Year. We need to urge those responsible to get ALL of the riverside camp grounds prepared before holiday periods. The grass needs to be mowed and the trees need to be trimmed to prevent branches falling on campers as happenned near Echuca and reported in The Chronicle . Let's get it right for Easter. Another campsite maintenance idea would be to dredge the swimming holes at the campsites to make them deep enough to swim in and to get rid of rubbish in the water. previous report
Who owns a bushfire? Have you noticed the fire fighters in the Mount Buffalo forest fires wearing green uniforms? That is because they are NRE employees. Have you noticed an absence of the yellow uniforms of the CFA? That is because the fire is not threatening private property yet. Most of the Region's resources are on site however, but they cannot be put to effective use until tracks are bulldozed to let the fire tankers in. And therin lies an absurdity! NRE won't allow the bulldozers in because they will damage the state forest. However, they are calling for CFA volunteers to go in on foot with rakes. Hello! It seems the trees of a state forest are more important than the safety of volunteer fire fighters. Last year, we saw the NRE standing by as a fire headed towards crown land. You see, it wasn't their fire. They were not allowed to help the CFA until the fire was on their land. Our emergency services need to work together better than this. Follow Up
Gentle Annie Bridge ... a safety issue? The Gentle Annie Bridge passes through the Gentle Annie Camping Reserve. During busy periods, the bridge area becomes a traffic hazard with happy campers strolling over the bridge, with kids playing on it and fishing from it. If the bridge is a public road, then pedestrian traffic should be controlled. That's the motorist's view of the bridge. Let's look at it from the campers viewpoint. Campers in Camping Area A have to cross the bridge apron to get to the toilets and showers in the caravan park and they have to keep their wits about them because cars come speeding around the bend. On the other side of the river in Camping Area B, campers have to run the gauntlet of crossing the bridge to get to the toilets and showers. It is a single lane bridge and there is no footpath. The fact is that the road passes through the middle of the Gentle Annie Caravan Park and Camping Grounds. If the bridge is part of the camping ground, then pedestrians must have the right of way. The risks are real and, unless they are resolved, someone will be killed on that bridge. The Gentle Annie Caravan Park is currently for sale and it would be opportune to revisit the replacement bridge that was planned back in the days of the Country Roads Board. Back then, preparations were well underway with the aquisition of land and the driving of test piles which can be found about 100 metres downstream of the bridge. The plan was to relocate the road to the end of Camping area A, straightening out the road through the edge of Sheppard's property rejoining Gentle Annie lane above Jim Newton's gateway. Imagine the Gentle Annie Park as a whole with the old bridge remaining in the middle of the camping grounds as a pedestrian way and fishing platform for tourists camping there and an access route to camping area B on the other side of the river. It would certainly provide development opportunities for the Tourist park. But then again, in these days of public liability, it may not be safe enough to insure. An inspection of the bridge shows it to be in a sorry state. The roadway is 10 feet wide and has been laid over a corrugated iron base supported by wooden bearers across four pairs of steel girders. This part of the bridge is in fine shape but the supporting structure is questionable. The girders are held up by two wooden trestles and a concrete column at the caravan park end. The wooden trestles have eroded and been reinforced with more wooden structures. The base of the western trestle has rotted away and rough concrete pads have been poured inside 44 gallon drums to offer support. This repair does not look like it was engineered by a professional. The eastern trestle has broken timbers as a result of the 1998 flood when a large tree crashed into the trestle twisting the whole bridge out of alignment. If you look along the railing, it is a wobbly old line from one end to the other. Last year, a load limit of 18 tonnes was put on Gentle Annie Bridge. That means a decent sized truck is not allowed to cross it. With every year that goes by, the bridge will become weaker. It is time to mount a campaign to get the Gentle Annie Bridge onto the council agenda. Previous Report
Tip Fees Over the Top Back in November, this newsletter warned of impending fee rises to use the transfer stations. And, so it has come to pass. The Rural City of Wangaratta have decided to raise prices over the next three years to recover 80% of their costs of operating the tips. From their own figures, that means doubling the amount you will pay from $15 to $36 per cubic metre. Previous Report In the city precinct, householders don't have old fencing wire, silage wrap, decayed treated pine posts or worn out farm equipment to get rid of. In the rural environment, an impost of $36 per cubic metre to get rid of worthless bulky junk simply becomes another indirect tax on the farmer. When I lived in Melbourne, there was a free annual roadside pickup of anything you wanted to get rid of. This included furniture, car parts, building materials, ... anything that you could get out onto your naturestrip. Many of the households would have between 20 and 50 cubic metres of junk out there. The council sent a number of trucks out, one to collect metals, another to collect paper, etc. The material was recycled and the council recovered their costs in selling off the collection. This process continues today throughout the metropolitan area. Why can't the Rural City of Wangaratta investigate this process.
Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

*King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE* Update**
Vandalism comes to the King Valley Three of the four stained glass windows at Federation Hall in Lions Park Moyhu have been vandalised. The King Parrot, the Whitfield Railway, and the Horticulture scene (shown at right) have been punctured or cracked requiring expensive, expert repairs. The clear glass above the lead light windows has also been broken. Early last year, the King Valley Learning Exchange passed a motion to fund the protection of these artworks with polycarbonate sheeting as the potential for vandalism was identified from the outset. I guess the stable door will be shut now that the horse has bolted. These beautiful windows, listed on the Rural City of Wangaratta's Public Art Register, were designed and constructed by community members. Each depicted a different aspect of life in the King Valley. The only one to escape the damage was the Harvest Scene designed by Juliana Jones.
Bulldozers and Bushfires Update In the last issue, I referred to the separation of bushfire management between the CFA and the NRE (now Dept of primary Industry). This article prompted a response from a CFA Volunteer from Cullen's Bus Lines who has been working on the fire control. He says: (14 Jan) Dear Greg. Re your comments regarding the current bushfires. I would assume by your comments that you have not been involved in the current situation. I have been on site since last saturday transferring crews in the Myrtleford area. Last night there were no less that 4 dozers in the staging area, all of which had been operating in the bush under Dept of primary Industry directions. My only comment to you is, GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT BEFORE YOU MAKE COMMENT - HELLO!!! The previous article referred to the deployment of bulldozers in the Harrietville area which is apparently more sensitive than the Myrtleford area. I stand corrected.
Australia Day in the King Valley We have a variety of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, 26 January taking place in the King Valley. The day will kick off with the traditional Australia Day Breakfast in Moyhu. Hosted and catered by the Moyhu Lions Club, breakfast will be served from 7.30 am. Australia Day will be celebrated with the local Youth of the Year Awards. At Cheshunt, Australia Day celebrations will commence at 7.00 pm over a Bar-B-Q. You are asked to bring your own drinks and sweets. The celebrations will commence at 7.30 pm with the official opening of the new Rotunda alongside the Cheshunt Hall. Mrs Doreen Petersen will unveil a plaque in memory of her husband and family at the rotunda (to be known as the Keith Petersen Rotunda) For those in the lower King Valley, the Wangaratta Australia Day Celebrations commence at 5.30 pm and the Oxley Hall at 6.30pm. - Official Opening - Oxley Memorial Hall Extension - Community BBQ/$2 per plate - Children's Activities and Prizes - Musical Entertainment - Australian Poems - Flag Raising Ceremony
King Valley Linux Users Group back in action ... and need some help The King Valley Linux Users Group meets at the Moyhu Youth Club every Friday night at 7.30 pm. Over the holiday break, they have been setting up a cross platform network/training room with Linux, Windows and Macintosh computers. With a laser printer and scanner, this has to be the most outstanding computer network in the King Valley and it has all been done with donated equipment. This new training facility is where you can learn how to use a computer and operate a Linux based machine Whilst there is a wealth of Linux and Windows knowledge in the group, they are looking for a local Mac fanatic to join the group. Membership is free and is open to anyone interested in learning about computers beyond the screen and keyboard. The members range from teenagers to retirees who all learn from each other. The group also operate the North East Computer Bank which collects obsolete equipment from the community, schools and business houses - refurbishes it and gives it away to people who would not otherwise get involved with computers. If you would like to donate some old equipment or you know someone who would like to receive a free computer, come along on Friday night or you can email or phone us. To complete the new facility at the Moyhu Youth Club, the Linux Users Group is looking for some community support in the following areas. They need a flourescent fitting, shelving timbers and curtains for the window. If you have any of these layong around, phone 57-298-081 and they will pick them up. They also need to raise some funds to install a telephone at the Youth Club for Internet access as well as a general facility for the Youth Club. If any business cares to sponsor this installation, it would be most appreciated.
Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

*King Valley COMMUNITY PROFILE* Update**
Bushfires at Powers Lookout Fire broke out about 5.00 pm on Saturday, 18th January, down the Powers Lookout Road. It was attended by ten tankers coming from as far afield as Bonnie Doon. At a time when the North East bushfires are making increasing demands on fire fighting resources, this is an outstanding turnout. There was some confusion early on when crews were directed to the Kelly Tree at Tatong to find no fire in that area. These crews were redirected to Powers Lookout which possibly accounts for so many units turning out. Fortunately, the weather conditions were mild and the fire was able to be contained within a few hectares. Water bombing was also used to drop water from the sky. By 1.00 am, the fire crews had the fire under control and proceeded to put it out. Sunday was spent mopping up by the relief crews on the Whitfield, Edi Upper, Cheshunt and Myrrhee tankers. The cause of the fire is to be investigated. Monday 20 Jan: The sun rose as an apparition of a scarlet moon giving an eerie red glow to the parched paddocks. Brought about by the north eastern bushfires on Mt. Buffalo, the mountains were concealed by the smoke drifting accross the King Valley with visibility down to a few hundred metres.
Mobile Service Now Available in the King Valley .. full story RCoW site Residents and visitors to the Rural City of Wangaratta's King Valley are now enjoying the benefits of a CDMA mobile phone service following the construction of a mobile phone tower at the King Valley exchange. Comment: Whilst the CDMA phone tower is a major boost to our local infrastructure, the addition of a Digital Repeater would encourage tourists from our capital cities to spend more time (and money) in our unique valley. Since it began operation in November, Telstra have found that it works better than they anticipated. Maybe we could get them to test out digital coverage before they leave the area.
Community Grants Program 2002/3 - the Year of the Halls At its January meeting, the Rural City of Wangaratta ratified its Community Grants for the coming year and the moneys allocated to The King Valley should see some much needed improvements to local facilities. The Cheshunt Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee were granted $300 to paint, maintain and upgrade the Hall interior. Another $500 to replace old chairs and $1,000 is being provided to upgrade the kitchen facilities. We look forward to seeing the renovations later in the year at the Flower Show and the proposed New Year's Eve Dance. The Cheshunt Wild Dog Destruction League also received $50 to go towards a bounty for dogs destroyed in the area Grants to Whitfield were shared around a bit more with the Council continuing the Student Achievement Award of $50 to the Whitfield Primary School. The Whitefield Cemetary Trust received $198 for the purchase of a sign for the newly established lawn cemetary whilst the Whitfield & District Neighbourhood Watch received $100 towards publishing their regular newsletter. The Whitfield RSL Sub Branch will install a new hot water system with a $300 grant and the Whitfield Recreation Reserve Special Committee received $500 towards reburbishing the public toilets. It was interesting to see that the Whitfield Primary School got knocked back on their application for the rejuvenation of Jessies Creek in Whitfield as their was "no evidence of support from the local Landcare Group" when only a month ago, it was published in the local papers that the Landcare Group had received a grant of $25,000 for the Jessies Creek project. The Edi Hall and Recreation Reserve Special Committee also received funding for some well overdue renovations. The major grant of $4,314 will be used to carry out maintenance works at the Edi Hall and extend/construct external shelters on the northern and southern sides. $500 has been allocated to provise additional water access and reticulation to the external surrounds of the reserve and $250 has been granted for a dance and disco for the younger members of the community. At Moyhu, the Youth Club will be able to replace some rotted wooden window frames with aluminium ($500) whilst another $1,025 will be spent on two large gymnastic mats. The Moyhu Recreation Reserve Committee of Management received $200 for fencing around the childrens Playground and the Moyhu & District Grapevine received $100 towards production costs. All told, the King Valley fared well in this year's grants receiving around $10,000 out of a pool of $70,000. It is now up to the community to support these groups and to share in the benefits of the improved facilities in the King Valley.
Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.

King Valley COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Important Meeting ... GMO Update ... 30th March There will be a North East Community Meeting at the CWA Hall in Templeton Street Wangaratta on Thursday night at 7.30 pm to discuss tactics in the protest against the proposed release of Genetically Modified Canola in the district. Please come along and have your say. Late last year, the RCoW and the Dept. Human Services called a public meeting regarding the imminent release of Genetically Modified canola into the north east region. The meeting was well attended and, to their credit, the council read the mood of the people and have joined them in their protest to this release. The issue was raised at the January Council Meeting, and whilst the RCoW has no power to stop the release or declare a moratorium, they wish to raise public awareness so that people power is heard. Another public meeting has been called in early March. Make sure you attend this one! The meeting this week is separate to the Council sponsored meeting and will be a forum to develop a plan of attack. For further detail, phone June Vearing on 57-293-555.
The dilemma of our unsealed roads Last year, the Rural City of Wangaratta rejected a petition of Whitfield residents regarding the upgrading of some of our gravel roads as they were not on the councils five year plan. Well, it is time to revisit this need. The Edi Back Road has become dangerous to both tourists and residents alike. Late last year it was resurfaced with gravel more suited to road bases than as a top surface. The result is that above 50 KMH, the motorist cannot control a vehicle and accidents will occur. Complaints to the council have resulted in the installation of temporary signs showing a car skidding out of control. Considering the number of heavy vehicles using this road, and that people have been killed on this road before, this is not good enough! The Edi - Cheshunt Road, along with many throughout the RCoW, also carry road closure signs prohibiting vehicles over 12 tonne between June 26 and November 1 each year. These road closures have been gazetted by the State Government in recognition of their inferior quality. There is no policing of this regulation as milk tankers, school buses, earth moving machinery and indeed the council garbage collection trucks all have a gross weight limit above 12 tonnes. This may well be the RCoW Achiles Heel on this matter. If they enforce the road closure, they will be destroying the commercial viability of the businesses along this road including a major dairy farm, vineyards, tobacco farms, cellar doors, and an earth moving business. A new enterprise in Lake Buffalo Road plans to bring tourist buses to their business. As it has been gazetted, they cannot simply rescind the regulation and are obliged to enforce it. The RCoW appear to be backfooted on the issue suggesting that everyone who uses the road can get an exemption from the law. Really?. Creating a safety hazard with the wrong gravel and putting out warning signs is certainly not the answer. It is time the RCoW faced the reality of the danger and upgrade the road accordingly.
Community Calendar makes way for bushfire updates This calendar usually appears on the Portal main page and keeps us informed of what is happening in the King Valley. Until the bushfire danger has passed, it has been replaced by the CFA reports being dynamically generated all day long. Consequently, the calendar will appear here until the fires are over.
Community Cohesion still a problem in the King Valley At a public meeting in August 2001, the Whitfield community established that there was a lack of cooperation between our community groups. In February 2003, nothing has changed. On Sunday, 9th February, there are three competing events that could easily have been staggered to different dates. With our low population, they can't all be as successful as they deserve to be. The Tolmie Family Sports day has operated for over a century on the 2nd Sunday in February and is an event that deserves our support. Typo Locals Day, which is usally on the last Sunday of february has been moved forward. Typo is "our" local charity and fully deserves community support. Then there is the Edi Upper Mystery Car Tour being held the same day. I would have enjoyed that one! One cannot go to all of these very worthwhile events. The King Valley does not have many social events. So, why can't our event organisers check out what other organisations are doing? Let's hope they don't reschedule the postponed Australia Day Celebrations to the 9th February.
Promote your Business / Community Group on the King Valley Tourist Route Portal The Community Profile Update comes from the "The King Valley Portal" at http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/users/portal/ Please bookmark this address now and visit it often. If you have a web page, it can be linked free of charge in the cascading menu of the portal. If you would like a web page, but don't know where to start, call Greg Naylor.