New park name honours war heroes

The Sub-Branch of the Longwarry RSL is delighted that Baw Baw Councillors voted unanimously at the April 12 meeting to accept the proposal to rename the park on the corner of Bennett St and Koo wee rup Rd The Longwarry Memorial Park.

The war monument is in this park and Anzac and Remembrance Day services are held there. The process to rename the park began in October last year, when a formal application was made to council to have the area renamed to reflect this.

In moving the motion to accept the proposal, Cr Keith Cook gave a brief outline of the monument’s history.

Initially unveiled on November 12. 1919 it was located in the middle of the intersection of Mackey Street and Princess Ave. just north of the rail crossing.

Over the years traffic flow increased and it became a hazard so it was moved down near the public hall which was not a prominent; position.

With the construction of the park on land that was formerly railway land, the monument was moved again, to its permanent home in well maintained surroundings with plenty of space for the services held there.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell, in seconding the motion endorsed Cr Cook’s comments and said what a wonderful opportunity it was to name the area The Longwarry Memorial Park in the lead up to ANZAC Day.

As sub branch spokesman I said told council that the application actually goes back further when it was decided to put forward a proposal to coincide with the Centenary of the Gallipoli Landings. However there was not enough time to go through the process of community consultation, approval from the State Geographical Names Office and then putting it forward to council.

This is more than just a symbolic gesture. The park is a well maintained centre piece of the town where children play; locals walk their pets or sit in the sun. Travellers can break their journey with a barbecue lunch and of course hundreds of people gather at the CFA market adjacent to the area each month.

These are things we value about living in this country and district, just some of the values that brave local men and women made sacrifices to protect in the past and continue to make today. It is an ongoing living example of our appreciation.

There will be a brief dedication of the Park after the Anzac Day Ceremony to be held on Sunday April 23. Commencing at 2pm at the monument. All local residents and visitors are invited to attend.

Russell Ford, Longwarry sub branch RSL local residents, but also to attract visitors into the town to shop.

There would be an increase in employment opportunities too if such businesses were able to get a foothold. At present this land lies vacant even though it right now would solve initial short and long term parking issues that are choking the streets.

Warragul has enormous potential but the town planning and traffic and parking issues need to be resolved. Council should be more proactive rather than reactive, because with the high prices for houses in Melbourne, Warragul is now being seen as a viable alternative.

People will stay if the services, facilities and shopping opportunities are also in keeping with what is available elsewhere.

Greg Tuck, Warragul business expertise.

Not many graduated to running the school tuck shop let alone successfully running and growing our economy. Paul Pietsch, Warragul

In her letter Jennifer Meyer-Smith (Gaz 11/4) said she respects the advice of businesses like the CSIRO, who rely heavily on government climate grants to boost their bottom line. Asking these businesses for climate advice is like asking a car dealer which car you should buy.

Science isn’t about opinions, beliefs or advisers. It’s about observation, the collection of empirical evidence and following that evidence wherever it leads. In science we don’t have political organisations like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC that has predetermined the outcome. Genuine scientists don’t vilify sceptical scientists or try and starve them of funding, because they want their hypothesises rigorously tested.

Ms Meyer-Smith would like to congratulate South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill for fitting an insignificant battery into the most expensive and unreliable electricity grid in Australia; praise for failure.

Japan alone has committed to building 45 new coal-fired power stations as it plans to diversify its power generation away from nuclear; whilst we worry that Gaia will strike us down for replacing Hazelwood with a modern, clean, efficient equivalent.

Instead of the Greens fighting a rear guard action against the Adani coal mine, why don’t they send Mr McKelvie and Ms Meyer-Smith to India to sell the alleged benefits of solar and wind power?

These alternative energy advocates have five things in common: no plans, no feasibility study, no cost benefit analysis, no environmental impact assessment and can’t give an example of it being done successfully anywhere in the world. Their passion for alternative energy is only surpassed by their ignorance on the subject.

Marc Shellekens, Drouin

The public has seen the exact same wines, from the exact same vineyard only for over six years at all Lardner Park events.

Time to embrace and look forward to the change as I’m sure the new caterers have everything local in focus and remains a key part of their operation.

Bouquets to the staff who worked tirelessly to present an excellent Farm World. The new display site plan in the official program generally indicating site numbers, which replaced the old plan which showed individual sites, was very clear and easy to follow.

A brick to Baw Baw Shire Council for chopping down an established healthy tree in the town centre.

This tree has provided shade for many a weary shopper or busker. I am very disappointed to see it gone.

To town householders who don’t regularly sweep their street footpaths of debris to ensure walkers and joggers are able to easily and safely use the paths.

It seems that the chief executive of Incitec Fertilisers, James Fazzino has been hooked in to the plot by the gas producers and potential frackers to get the ban on fracking in Victoria reversed.

We have seen opportunistic and untruthful ventures into the public debate from APPEA at every level from the electricity supply problems of SA to the closure of Hazelwood.

The truth is the gas industry is perpetuating a magnificent con on our politicians and the public. To say that there is a gas shortage, when we will soon become the biggest exporter of gas in the world, with enough of the stuff to supply ourselves forever, yet they refuse to reserve any of it for domestic use at a reasonable price and in doing so, manufacture a domestic shortage, calling it a national emergency and then demand that we imperil the clean and green image of our farming exports by allowing gas on productive farm land, most of which relies on water from environmentally sensitive aquifers. That is some achievement.

Also sucked into the plot is the Labor Government in SA and the Federal Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who say that farmers should be given the right of veto over gas production on their land. Very nice sentiments, until you realise that in the Lock the Gate surveys nine out of 10 people called for a ban on gas exploration in their district. This leaves one in 10 who would allow gas drillers in. That 10 per cent would be the thin end of the wedge for this invasive industry and as we have seen in Queensdland, the first to move will be richly rewarded, but as the countryside gets degraded by the drilling, pipelines and access roads, the rest of the now divided community is forced to go along with it and get paid “market value” which in truth barely compensates them for the loss of production on their once unpolluted farms. Farming is forever; gas has a once off use. It is burnt and then becomes greenhouse gas in the atmosphere driving climate change. Dan Caffrey Latrobe Valley Sustainability Group

I’d like to offer a bouquet to the woman who assisted my son at Woolworths when he lost his wallet. I’d also like to offer a bouquet to the person who handed the wallet in to Woolworths. It has been returned to my son.

To drivers who enter roundabouts without indicating a right had turn before entering the roundabout.

Also, to drivers who indicate a left hand or right had turn a few metres from the corner in question.

Bricks to the Trader for printing a 1967 photograph of the Warragul High School boys captain and prefects but not the girls captain and prefects in a 50 years ago feature.

The boys and girls were photographed separately and the decision on which was printed made on photograph quality.

Still, it is important to recognise the girls who included Jennifer Oakes, Gaye Handley, Margaret Oliver, Rosalyn McDonald, Judith McLeish (school captain), Dianne Titheridge, Annette Spencer, Lorraine Sharpe, Frances Slade and Ann Russell.

Bricks and bouquets is your chance to have your say. All submissions must include a full name and address and daytime contact number, however, contributors will not be identified in print. Please send your submissions to editorial@warragulgazette.com.au or use our website www.thegazette.com.au or our mobile phone: 0458923429.