JANUARY
Wetlands on the way to recovery after floods
By Natasha Fujimoto
VICTORIA Park Lake is Sheppartonís picturesque heart for recreation and events. It is also home to vibrant wetlands where a series of ponds sustain a bountiful ecosystem brimming with native birds, plants and aquatic life.
During the October 2022 floods, the wetlands were engulfed in blackwater, a wash of sediment and organic material that runs off riverbanks and floodplains during deluge to deplete the water quality of affected waterways threatening plant and aquatic life as well as other animals.
FEBRUARY
Assisting your child to meet the biggest challenge
By Natasha Fujimoto
WITH great excitement and anticipation, Foundation classes across the state have completed their first week at school!
With kindergartens and primary schools long working to ensure a smooth transition, there is ample families can also do at home to support their little ones as the new reality takes hold.
Impressed with the way her own Foundation class have already settled in at Gutherie Street Primary School, Carlyn Giles said, ìEstablishing good routines at home is key for building childrenís stamina at school, with strong sleep routines and a goodnightís rest essential.
MARCH
Such is the power of writing
By Natasha Fujimoto
CALLING down the corridors of time, once again, to entice writers of all ages to pen a good yarn or to compose an engaging piece of poetry is the ëFather of the Australian Novel,í Joseph Furphy.
Having published, Such Is Life in 1903 and famous for touting, ëeveryone can write at least one good story,í The Furphy Literary Awards were established in 1992 in the authorís honour and have since gone on to be one of the most esteemed and lucrative writing competitions in the country.
APRIL
Get ready to light up the night!
AFTER a successful launch in 2022, Greater Shepparton City Council is excited to welcome back Illuminate Festival to the shores of Victoria Park Lake next month.
The event creates a full sensory experience incorporating lights, music and food in a way that celebrates the region and puts Greater Shepparton on the map as an abundant, dynamic and cultural capital.
MAY
Duly honoured
By Natasha Fujimoto
SPORTMANSHIP, fair play and professionalism are inherent in umpiring any sport, taking a strength of character and a steely focus that is admirable.
For Yorta Yorta man Glenn James OAM, however, being the first and only Indigenous man to umpire senior VFL/AFL games, the tenacity and talent it took was not only groundbreaking, but seminal.
Having umpired 166 matches between 1977 and 1985, including the 1982 and 1984 VFL Grand Finals, James has been named this yearís Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree across matches 10 and 11 of the AFL premiership season, drawing pride and acclamation from both the Indigenous and football communities.
JUNE
Inspiring youths strive for positive change
By Brittany Drysdale
GOOD habits formed at youth make all the difference. Sheppartonís own youths are proving this to be true with the Rotaract Club of Goulburn Murray bringing together like-minded individuals who are dedicated to making positive change in their community.
Previously operating as the Mooroopna Rotary Satellite Club, once enough members accumulated, the community youth group transitioned to the Rotaract Club of Goulburn Murray, another avenue of Rotary Clubs.
The Rotaract Club is all about youth empowerment and giving young people the tools they need to make a difference.
JULY
Youth volunteers aid flood recovery efforts
By Brittany Drysdale
LAST year, significant flooding left local businesses, homes, people, and areas devastated. Over 8 months later, the impact of the floods is still surmountable in the community. Selfless volunteers have worked around the clock to restore communities, including the altruistic volunteers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), known as The Big Lift.
The Big Lift was launched by the university in 2010 and was founded on the philosophy of ëpaying it forwardí. By organising unique volunteering-based events, the organisation aims to demonstrate the joy and fulfilment that comes from giving back to others.
AUGUST
Marching to the beat of the Goulburn Valley
By Aaron Cordy
A twirl, a hop and a march brought seven teams from as far as Melbourne and Mt Gambier, SA to the region, as the Greater Valley Calisthenics team hosted the first competition of the year on the first weekend of August, 2023 in Shepparton and Mooroopna. Ranging from Tinies to Master, competing in solo and team events, it was the Subs Juniors who walked away with the prize.
Competing in Rods, Clubs, Free Arm, March, Aesthetics and a Song and Dance section, the girls aged between 8-10 from the region make up the SUB Junior team. Finishing with a 5th, a 3rd, two 2nds and two 1sts, they were the overall comp winners in their age group.
SEPTEMBER
A come back for the ages
By Aaron Cordy
THREE last-quarter goals from Ramadan Yze drove the fight-back, leading Shepparton United (SU) to an unlikely GVL Reserves Grand Final victory against the undefeated powerhouse Seymour last Sunday.
Breaking a ten-year Reserveís Grand Final drought, SU appeared to be on their knees at the end of last season when they were smacked by a whopping 200 points in their last game of the season, by a Seymour which was unstoppable. At the start of the 2023 season SU was forced to forfeit games because they couldnít field a side. Then other weeks played with only 16 players.
OCTOBER
Zaidee’s powder stomp
By Aaron Cordy
TIME to gather the friends and family for a roll in the mud with a dash of colour.
The event is a mini mud run with coloured powder at seven powder stations spread around the 3km Kids Town course, with a few pits to get wet and muddy in.
Halley’s comet’s gift to Earth
By Dillon Shelley
EACH year, the Earth intersects with Halleyís Comet trail twice, with the second encounter giving birth to the Orionids meteor shower. The Orionids typically produce meteors at a rate of about 20 per hour at their peak, and these are notably swift and luminous. The annual shower, which Goulburn Valley residents are perfectly situated to view, is a cosmophileís delight due to the fragments of Halleyís comet it contains, a celestial body that graces us every 76 years.
NOVEMBER
Passion driving a giving nature
By Aaron Cordy
WHEN young people glance up from their smartphones and the drudge of social media and selfie culture to open their passionate voices to the local and broader community, it can spark an opportunity to build something great for everyone.
For newly appointed Rotaract Club of Goulburn Murray (RCGM) President, Alison White, it is community-mindedness and her giving nature that has driven her life.
DECEMBER
Shepparton ranked as one of Australia’s most generous cities
GENEROUS. Thatís what Shepparton has been labelled after it made a grand debut on GoFundMeís annual ìYear In Helpî report, marking its place among Australiaís top ten most generous cities for 2023. The report, which ranks cities based on per capita donations, is a testament to the growing philanthropic spirit in Shepparton, even amid rising living and housing costs.
Shepparton ranked seventh overall while Bundaberg, Queensland, took the top spot as Australiaís most generous city for 2023, a position it last held in 2020. The report also highlighted an unprecedented level of generosity across Australia, with a record 1.4 million donations made on GoFundMe in 2023.
