Rural Victoria photos: The faces behind the news in April 2021
From a cow giving birth at a farmer’s wedding to the fight to keep a town’s only bank, we look through the lens at the last month of news in rural Victoria.
We celebrated the charitable work of a small Gippsland town, told the extraordinary stories of Australia’s farming veterans and introduced you to one of Australia’s biggest and most highly respected cattlemen. The month of April was jam-packed.
Here’s what the last month of news from The Weekly Times looked like in pictures.
And for more stunning rural images throughout the year, follow us on Instagram.
At Easter we met the little town making a big difference to sick children.
Heyfield, in East Gippsland, has a population of just 2500 and yet had already raised almost $26,000 by the Wednesday before Good Friday.
Yvonne Savage is the co-ordinator for the annual fundraising drive.
Her grandson Tom shaved off his dreadlocks along with Railway Hotel publican Gael McGee for the Good Friday Appeal.
We caught up with Marnoo farmer Jackie Hendy, who during Victoria’s coronavirus lockdown decided to plant a few roses in an old cow paddock.
What she thought would be “just a hobby” has now turned into a full-time job supplying locals and nearby florists with her roses and dahlias.
Rather than sell their blueberries fresh at markets, Amanda Furlong and Rob Mitchell showed us how they found another way to use the fruit — making a special liqueur.
“It was a long process to get it right, but the kids kept saying to us, this stuff is fantastic, you’ve got to put it on the market,” said Rob.
Organic vegetable grower Tash Shields released her Nuffield Scholarship report about the issues and challenges surrounding plastic packaging on fresh produce.
She said further research was needed to better understand the economic impact of COVID-19 restrictions and the short and long-term future preferences for wrapped or packaged food for fresh produce.
Five years on from dairy price collapse, The Weekly Times reported how farmers such as Ron Guyett have found a silver lining in the Murray Goulburn clawback cloud.
Mallee grower Dale Hinkley told us about the dry start to the cropping season.
The grower, whose main farm spans from Wilkur to Watchupga, said crops in the area usually banked on using stored moisture from summer rainfall.
“Our main farm got about 30mm back in January and nothing since anywhere else,” Dale said.
The Weekly Times released its list of Australia’s farming veterans, who have hundreds of years of knowledge and experience between them spanning generations.
They include 82-year-old Victorian sheep and grain farmer Tom Blair.
Farming runs through Tom’s veins — literally. He has had heart surgery twice, including a bovine heart valve replacement.
“I said to the surgeon I could have brought in an animal, took the valve and put the rest of the vealer in the fridge,” Tom said.
He said the surgery gave him “a new lease on life” and he has continued to work on the family farm ever since, alongside his two sons.
RSL subbranches across country Victoria prepared for their first Anzac Day services in two years after last year’s events were curtailed by coronavirus.
Among them was Kyabram RSL, which has two surviving veterans of World War II.
Don Anderson, 97, was on the HMAS Napier which was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered.
Fellow WWII veteran Frank Lloyd recalled working as a flight mechanic.
“It is a good way of remembering those who didn’t come home,” Frank said.
Fears came to light that young farmers might never be able to buy land as rural property prices soar.
Western Victoria’s Mark Treglown said while tough, he thinks it’s still possible to work in agriculture and buy a farm from scratch.
The Bendigo Bank issued a “use it or lose it” ultimatum to rural communities that once saw the bank as its financial saviour.
The bank, the only one with a community-ownership model, has itself closed 27 branches in the past five years.
The Bendigo Bank branch in Korumburra was the only remaining bank in town, following the closure of several branches in recent years.
Following community outcry, the bank’s closure will be delayed for three months.
“We do accept banking has changed, but we’re not ready to be a bankless town,” Korumburra Business Association president Noelene Cosson said.
A Victorian farming couple had their wedding reception interrupted by the birth of a big red and white heifer calf.
Bride Jessa Laws said her wedding dress ended “absolutely trashed” but it was all worth it for the “unforgettable experience”.
To round out the month, AgJournal magazine was released with Peter Hughes on the cover.
Peter is one of Australia’s most highly respected cattlemen and has built one of the largest privately owned Wagyu beef herds in the world.
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