High rivers boosted Murray Cod numbers

100 YEARS AGO

STATION CONCERNS: For the last three months much agitation has been conducted in Red Cliffs with regard to the inadequate accommodation existing on the Red Cliffs railway station for the travelling public. Representations have been made by the Red Cliffs friendly societies, the Trader’s Association, and the stationmaster (Mr L.P.N. Sullivan), pointing out that proper waiting-rooms and conveniences were a matter of absolute necessity now that the passenger traffic has assumed such big proportions.

FLOWER SERVICE: On Sunday afternoon a flower service for children, organized by the Rev. H.C. Russell, was held in St Margaret’s Church, Mildura, and resulted in a great harvest of blossoms of all varieties and colours. During the singing of the hymn, each child, from the boys and girls of the senior classes to tiniest tot in the kindergarten, filed up the communion rails and handed his or hers floral donation.

BOATS ON ORDER: Arising from the request of Mr L. Ducret to lease a portion of the Mildura town council’s land near the Murray bank for the purpose of establishing a boat-building business, a sub-committee has inspected the site, and will report to the council at this afternoon’s meeting. It is understood that the sub-committee will recommend the leasing of a block of land, measuring 60ft by 56ft, at the corner of Cureton Avenue and Punt Road. Mr. Ducret is said to have 100 pounds worth of orders for boats in anticipation of his application being successful, and it is expected that he will put a fleet of pleasure boats on Lake Hawthorn.

75 YEARS AGO

SCHOOL’S OUT: A holiday has been granted to all schools in the shire of Mildura for the Base Hospital Gala Carnival on Tuesday, November 4. This information was contained in a telegram from the Minister of Education (Mr Field) to the manager of the Base Hospital (Mr E.J.R. Taylor). Chambers of Commerce at Merbein have agreed to close all business houses and banks, and government offices, including the post office, will be closed.

FUEL INCREASING: Stocks of fuel were gradually increasing and on the mechanical side everything was in order, the chief mechanical engineer at the Mildura powerhouse (Mr T. Perry) said. The No.3 (Stal) 2500 K.W. turbine had been running almost continuously since 1939, but two Metro-Vickers turbines, of 800 K.W. each, were held in reserve.

PASSENGERS ARRIVING: Paddle steamers Marion and Gem will arrive at Mildura about 4pm after a 350-mile trip from Morgan, South Australia, with 91 passengers. Thirty-four Victorians will disembark and will be replaced by a similar number tomorrow morning, when the steamers depart at 10.30am on the returning trip.

50 YEARS AGO

SALINE WATER: Water users in the Sunraysia irrigation district are being forced to use highly saline water this irrigation. The prolonged dry spell is the cause, according to the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission special operations engineer, Mr Jack Sutcliffe. He said it was because of the lack of water upstream of Sunraysia to blend with highly saline underground flows coming back into life.

FIGHTING HUNGER: The people of Mildura have been thanked personally for their help in this year’s Freedom from Hunger Campaign appeal. The campaign’s Victorian director, Mr Ron Butt, called on the Mayor of Mildura, Cr Kaye Gambetta, this week. He wanted to express the organisation’s thanks to the hunger-fighters who had collected last month, and all those who had given money.

MURRAY VOYAGE: A family of three left Mildura on the second stage of a 1200-mile boat trip that will take them the length of the Murray River. They left Yarrawonga on October 15 and plan to reach the Murray’s mouth on November 14. They are travelling in a 13ft boat, fitted with a 9hp outboard, and towing a smaller boat filled with camping equipment and provisions. The party is covering about 60 miles a day.

25 YEARS AGO

COD TARGETED: After anglers in the greater Sunraysia district enjoyed the best season for Murray Cod in 50 years, there is now a danger of the species again being decimated by illegal fishing. The closed season on Murray Cod, introduced about five years ago to protect the fish during spawning, remains in force until December – yet according to Col Mansell, of the Far West Anglers Association, cod are still being targeted. “There’s no question the Murray Cod are bouncing back in this district,” Mr Mansell said. “We have experienced high river flows at the right time for eight years and this has been a critical factor in the rise in their numbers. Unfortunately there are unscrupulous fishermen who use commercial drum nets, cross lines and wire cage drum nets.”

ENROLMENTS DECLINE: Meringur Primary School may close at the end of this year, according to regional principal consultant Barry McMullan. Mr McMullan said the school’s council will have to decide whether it was to merge with Werrimull P-12 or close as enrolments declined. He said the school would be down to seven students next year and nine the following year. “The longer term prospects aren’t good for increased enrolments,” said Mr McMullan.

PACKERS LOOK TO WINE: Irymple Packing Company, packers of district dried fruits for 97 years, will go into wine production with the upcoming grape crop. With a state-of-the-art plant, IPC subsidiary Irymple Citrus Products Pty Ltd at Merbein will be capable of crushing 10,000 tonnes of grapes from the coming harvest. Costing several million dollars, the winery will be able to produce both white and red wines with the latest technology being adopted for improved red wine production to assist in trying to meet the worldwide demand for red wine. The company spokesman said IPC had seen for many years the changing trend of dried vine fruits being dropped in preference to table grapes and winery use. “The constant ripping out of vines and grapes being diverted to other uses has meant dried fruit production has been reduced to a point where it is difficult to make it profitable. So we decided on moves to make way for the use of grapes in other forms,” he said.