Wednesday, November 1, 1978
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News photographer John A. Douglass has quivered in the big cats’ cage at Ashton's Circus.
He has squatted centimetres beside a tent peg as a mounted trooper charged at full gallop with lance lowered to rout the peg, sneaked to a window to snap hostages being held by a gunman inside SPC, and was the first press photographer at the Southern Aurora train disaster at Violet Town.
But he has never known what it was like to be in the middle of a Melbourne Cup field.
That feeling was imminent for Douglas this morning.
Seventy horses, most of them just broken and unused to traffic, were being herded from the Ford Rd property of horse dealer John Donan to Shepparton saleyards for the first horse sale by Australian Estates in four and a half years.
The motorist somehow eluded a police escort vehicle manned by Sen Constables Ken Craig and Graeme Dealy to drive into the herd, until then quietly moving down towards the yards guided by John Donan, Les Lyons, Jill Percival, Susan Baker, Elizabeth Baker and Rhonda Bateman, all on horseback.
When the mob stampeded they galloped off in all directions, some back down Ford Rd to the Fairleys SSW car park and into Dunlop's, dangerously close to the busy Goulburn Valley Hwy, some along Verney Rd in both directions, and others down Pine Rd.
Sgt Glen Gunstone and Const Dowie Bux were called in to assist.
Riding hard to wheel them, Rhonda Bateman was thrown off her mount in Ford Rd.
Elizabeth Baker's horse, sensing the panic of the herd, also bolted into an orchard where it fell and rolled on her, leaving her with a suspected broken wrist.
At 8.15 am, two hours after they started on the mere 2 km drive to the saleyards, John Donan and his drovers had most of the horses in the yards, but there were still a half-dozen grazing at the west end of Ford Rd, 100 m off the GV Highway, and another mob in Pine Rd.
Monday, November 6, 1978
Blacksmith Oz Paterson captured the eye of spectators at Shepparton Lions Club's gala arts and crafts day at Victoria Park Lake yesterday.
Oz, who hails from Mia Mia, showed the large crowd the basics of the old art.
Throughout the day he demonstrated making candleholders, gate hinges and other odds and ends.
Country Bulletin, Tuesday, November 7, 1978
Steamer in a paddle of glory
Alexander Arbuthnot, in its 62 years’ history, has seen both worlds.
It worked on the River Murray for many years but spent quite a few on the river's bed.
It battled the currents as a cargo and tow boat before being neglected in 1947 when a high rising river forced the old paddle steamer to the bottom.
But now Alexander Arbuthnot lives in a blaze of glory.
It is the latest attraction at Shepparton's International Village.
Alexander Arbuthnot now churns the water in the channel surrounding the Village.
Its new lease of life is the culmination of years of hard work salvaging the vessel and restoring it to seaworthiness.
'Born’ at Echuca
Alexander Arbuthnot was ‘born’ in Echuca in 1918.
It worked as a tow boat for Arbuthnot mill until 1942 and then became a charcoal carrier and later a transporter of firewood.
But in 1942 the working vessel became redundant and was tied at Yielima where it started sinking.
Salvage operations were put in force and Alexander Arbuthnot was tied at the Yielima Homestead, until it sank in 1947.
It was not until December 31, 1973, that Alexander Arbuthnot viewed the open world again.
It was soon to be transported to Shepparton, where restoration took place, and the vessel now paddles, full of honour again, on the village waterways.
Friday, November 10, 1978
3000 Italians at Murchison
About 3000 Italians will gather at Murchison on Sunday for the annual Service of Remembrance.
The service will be held at the Ossario, adjoining the Murchison cemetery.
Girls from St Mel's Shepparton School will form the choir.
Mass will be celebrated in Italian by Father Dino of St Mel's.
After the Mass will be the blessing of the flags.
The Italian flag, the Australian flag, and flags of the various battalions will be blessed by Fr Dino.
The Vice-Consul for Italy, Italians from all over Victoria, and two bus loads from Griffith, NSW, will be present.
Fr Dino says no speaker has been arranged, to give a longer time for fellowship and fraternisation.
Groups will meet for a picnic lunch at Waranga Basin and Nagambie.
This is the eighth year these services of remembrance have been held at Murchison in November.
Monday, November 13, 1978
A former member of the Alpine Corp of the Italian Army is pictured at the Remembrance Day at the Ossario near Murchison on Sunday.
About 3500 attended the service where many former comrades met.
The Ossario is sited where the prisoner of war camps were during the last war.