Around the region ...

Artwork uncovered

Aboriginal Dreamtime-themed artwork has been installed at Victoria Park in Echuca, alongside the new shared walking and cycling path.

With the Echuca-Moama Bridge Project situated on traditional Yorta Yorta Nation land, a partnership between the project team and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC) resulted in the artwork being unveiled at a special ceremony last week.

Major Road Projects Victoria has worked closely with the YYNAC to manage work on and around culturally significant areas, including The Sandhill in Echuca, and the banks of the Murray and Campaspe rivers.

Lake emptied

Lake Mulwala will be lowered this winter to manage the weed Egeria, and assist with works on the weir and private jetties and retaining walls.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) river operations team confirmed on Tuesday that the lake will be lowered after weeks of speculation that it may not happen.

MDBA Executive Director, Dr Andrew Kremor said lowering the lake provided the best means of controlling the highly invasive water weed Egeria densa but it would also allow other maintenance work to be completed.

Factory raises a stink

An odour of rancid dairy and stagnant drain water coming from the Australian Consolidated Milk factory's waste water treatment plant in Girgarre over the past two years has resulted in the Environment Protection Authority issuing an improvement notice to the dairy factory.

“I'd be trying to dry clothes inside because you couldn't hang nothing on the line and it would be all day and all night ... it was shocking, it would go right through the house,” Girgarre resident James Stewart said.

The issue came to a head late last year when the EPA issued ACM with an improvement notice requiring the company to take actions to “resolve odour problems”.

Farm crime is a far cry

from over

Rising rural crime, including theft of livestock, fuel and equipment from farming properties, has prompted the extension of a public campaign to deter thieves.

Shut Out Farm Crime is a partnership between Crime Stoppers and Victoria Police.

New Crime Statistics Agency data shows livestock theft across the state rose 12.6 per cent in the year to December 2021, costing communities more than $2.7 million.

Diesel theft has also risen, with the value of fuel stolen jumping 20 per cent.