Latest news with #Benalla
ABC News
07-07-2025
- General
- ABC News
Winton Wetlands temporary closure sparks concern pest numbers could 'explode'
An ecologist is sounding the alarm on the temporary closure of Victoria's world-class Winton Wetlands, warning the decision could lead to decades of research going down the drain and that the site could be overrun by feral species. The wetlands, about 20 kilometres from the town of Benalla in the state's north-east, span 9,000 hectares and are home to hundreds of species of birds, plants and reptiles. Last week, a committee managing the nationally significant site announced in a statement that despite support from the state government and its partners, it was unable to establish a sustainable business model for the wetlands. "After a brief transition period, land management responsibilities will revert to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). "DEECA has indicated that it will explore alternative management options for the reserve in collaboration with traditional owners, other stakeholders and the community." The decision has led to the closure of the Mokoan Hub and Cafe at the wetlands and the pausing of environmental and research programs. Ecologist Dylan McWhinney, who lives in the area, told ABC Statewide Mornings that the decision had left him devastated and angry on behalf of the staff at the site. "Twelve months ago, the committee of management and DEECA came out and told locals and stakeholders that they had an exciting announcement about the future management of the site," Mr McWhinney said. "There was a tender process that went out for that land management and then we've never heard a word since. "There have been rumours of tenders being awarded to different land management but this recent statement suggests that tender process was absolutely bungled and now the site is left without any committed funding or active management." Mr McWhinney, who formerly worked on the site as a ranger over a decade ago, said the area was incredibly important as wetlands declined across the state. The site was touted as the largest wetland restoration project in the Southern Hemisphere, he said. The decision was a risk to threatened species such as white-bellied sea eagles, brolgas, Australasian bitterns and grass frogs, as well as programs to re-wild other species, he said. "So much work in the last 20 years has gone into the site by the staff there, particularly in terms of managing declared pests and weeds," Mr McWhinney said. "So there has been routine and regular fox baiting and shooting, [and] weed control, and without that continuation, all these threatened species, all these breeding and reintroduction programs, will just go down the gurgler." Mr McWhinney said he was also concerned that an uncertain future and management could lead to an explosion of pests in the area. "This area, this site has really the potential to become the source population for and just explode in terms of fox numbers and weeds that could leave the site and impact not just the ecology in the site but the adjacent land use as well," he said. "I would hope that the site can be funded and actively managed. "I'm concerned in the short term that DEECA won't be able to manage it because if they had the funding to manage it they would just fund the committee of management to manage it. "That's really concerning." Winton Wetlands CEO Dennis O'Brien told ABC Shepparton Breakfast that the decision affected about 20 staff. Mr O'Brien said since the development of the wetlands, it had been managed by a number of committees combining government and the private sector. There was an expectation that the site would become financially self-sustaining, which did not eventuate, he said. Mr O'Brien said the main thing following the announcement was not to let "any of the great work go backwards". In a statement, DEECA's Hume regional director Courtney Bertram said the wetlands were an "environmentally significant site that delivers a range of benefits to local communities". "DEECA is working on arrangements for the future management of the reserve following a decision of the current committee of management to relinquish the site."
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Wedding belle for young Hawthorn star Harry Morrison after heartwarming proposal
The AFL season is reaching the business end, but one Hawthorn star already has plenty to celebrate. Young Hawks star Harry Morrison has announced on social media that he is getting married to long-term girlfriend Olivia Higgins. Morrison proposed to his beau on the beach, the couple pictured sharing a touching embrace after she said yes. 'The Next Chapter,' the couple posted to Instagram. Hawthorn teammates including Jarman Impey, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Conor Nash, Mabior Chol, Jai Newcombe and captain James Sicily were quick to offer their congratulations. 'Epic,' Jack Ginnivan posted with a heart emoji. 'Magical!' added Lloyd Meek. New recruit Josh Battle also congratulated the pair, commenting: 'So good. Congratulations.' Morrison, born in Benalla, Victoria in 1998, began his football journey with the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup. Despite suffering an ACL injury in 2014, he returned strongly the following year and helped the Benalla Saints secure back-to-back premierships. In 2016, he was a standout in the TAC Cup Grand Final, which led to Hawthorn selecting him with pick 74 in the national draft. Morrison made his AFL debut in Round 23, 2017, against the Western Bulldogs. The following season, he became a regular on Hawthorn's half-back flank, played 21 games, and earned a Rising Star nomination in Round 20 before suffering a broken jaw. Over the next few years, he developed into a reliable wingman, reaching a career-best average of 19.2 disposals per game in 2022 and securing a contract extension through 2024. In 2024, he maintained his form with strong performances across 12 games, including finals, which led to another two-year deal keeping him at the club until the end of 2026. By mid-2025, Morrison had reached 117 AFL games and kicked 28 goals and has become a trusted figure in Hawthorn's evolving lineup.
ABC News
06-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Benalla business fined $255k for providing farm workers without labour hire licence
A regional Victorian horticulture company and two individuals at the business have been fined a quarter of a million dollars for breaching labour laws. The Supreme Court of Victoria found Cameron Workforce in Benalla contravened state labour laws by providing workers without a labour hire licence. The workers picked grapes and chestnuts on several farms in the Benalla region. The court imposed a $200,000 penalty on the business. It also ordered a company director to pay a $40,000 penalty, and another individual was fined $15,000 for their conduct. The hefty financial penalties come after the Labour Hire Authority (LHA) launched an investigation into overcrowded worker accommodation. The court found workers were housed in overcrowded and substandard housing owned by a company director. It found the business failed to provide workers with a number of entitlements, including written contracts or pay slips. Workers were not provided a minimum hourly rate under the industry award or superannuation contributions, and had their income tax withheld from wages. The court's findings and the financial penalty come after the company's bank account was frozen in 2023 following earlier court action taken by the LHA. The company had agreed not to provide labour hire without a licence. The authority said given the defendant's non-compliance with a range of laws, they would make referrals to other relevant regulators. Labour hire licensing commissioner Steve Dargavel said labour hire workers in the horticulture industry were among the state's most vulnerable. "The industry is a key focus for our expanded compliance and enforcement program," he said. "LHA will use all the tools at its disposal to remove exploitative businesses from the labour hire industry."
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Bushranger Ned Kelly, The Block's Danny Wallis in Melbourne auction action
Victoria is on its way to a post-election auction bump, with a second-chance auction for a piece of Ned Kelly history and serial The Block buyer Danny Wallis among the sales action. PropTrack Data shows the state's clearance rate today came in at 69 per cent, from 629 recorded results. Danny Wallis sold his 6 Gray Lane, Albert Park, property for $2.15m, decently above the $1.8m-$1.95m he had been seeking when Whitefox's Peter Servas sent it under the hammer — and a solid uptick from the $1.8m he paid in 2020. Records show Mr Wallis owned the three-bedroom property through his firm DSAH Holdings. It is the latest in a series of homes he has sold off in response to state government changes to rules around investment properties and landlord requirements in Victoria — including 38A Grey St, St Kilda, which he bought off the hit Channel 9 renovation reality show in 2019. It became the first home the entrepreneur and businessman sold in response to the government's changes including increased land tax to recoup Covid-era losses. Meanwhile, a Benalla property known as the Bootmaker's Shop, which bushranger Ned Kelly fled to before a violent struggle after escaping from the courthouse over the street in 1877. It was sold under the hammer for $360,000 after it tested the market for the second time this year. The shop at 64A Arundel St had initially gone under the hammer on April 11, but only attracted one bidder and passed in at $250,000. A second attempt by Ray White to sell it a month and a federal election later ended with the $360,000 sale of the property to a buyer who indicated they were part of Ned Kelly's lineage. Kelly was 16 when he took refuge in the shop, which today has a plaque installed in it to commemorate the bushranger's visit during which he threatened to shoot constable Thomas Longin after the cop grabbed the criminal's genitalia. Kelly later killed the constable in a gunfight known as the Stringybark Incident. Ray White's Shayne McKean handled the listing, while Jeremy Tyrrell called the online auction which attracted three bidders and a result that was 'off and running at a price that no one was expecting'. While the original auction might have fallen victim to the typical election 'handbrake' on the market, as well as school and public hollidays, the prospect of an interest-rate cut within the fortnight had Mr Tyrrell convinced strong underlying demand from buyers will quickly boost the auction market. 'I think it will only accelerate from here,' he said. Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Jacob Caine backed the call, indicating that after recent weaker clearance rates today's 69 per cent figutre showed 'it's back on in Melbourne'. 'And I would expected that we will start to see that clearance rate really strengthen over the weeks and months ahead,' he said.
Herald Sun
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Country Footy: Echuca starts season unbeaten despite injury ‘curse' in Goulburn Valley league
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News. Echuca is confident a 'cursed' injury toll won't impact its chances of winning a fourth straight premiership in the Goulburn Valley league. Instead, it has ramped up the chance to invest more games into juniors. The Murray Bombers take on the Shepparton Bears in a Goulburn Valley Football League grand final replay on Saturday at Deakin Reserve with both sides winning their opening four matches of the year. However, the unbeaten run has not come without challenges. At one stage the Bombers had 14 players on the injury list including ex-AFL player Ben Reid and Carlton VFL-lister player Aiden Mills who both have season-ending injuries. 'We're a bit cursed,' Echuca coach Simon Maddox said. 'In terms of players' health it hasn't been a good start. 'We knew we were going to be younger and there was going to be chances for kids. 'We've got a few more kids in than expected. 'It has created some great opportunities for some young kids who will now test themselves against the best in the competition on Saturday.' Last weekend against Benalla Echuca fielded a dozen players either under the age of 20 or with under 10 games of senior experience. Despite some nervous moments at the start they still won by 55 points. Maddox said the worst of the crisis was over with a host of players to return this weekend for the trip to Shepparton. Ex-AFL player Sam Reid comes in after missing the Benalla game with Kane Morris also returning. Last year's leading club goalkicker, Liam Tenace, also returns for his first game of the season. 'We're not complaining about Saturday's side, it's a pretty good side,' Maddox said. 'We get three big ins and Lachie Watson is back, he didn't play last week. 'But there'll be different faces to what played on grand final day.' Maddox said he expected a fired up Bears outfit after the 96-point smashing by Echuca in the grand final last year. 'It should be a ripping game of football,' he said. 'Your first point of redemption is when you play them again. 'I expect Shepparton to be red hot at the start of the game. 'It will be a territory battle. 'They are trying to right last year's wrong and we're still trying to make a statement we are one of the best teams in the competition.' The game starts at 2pm.
