BendimoWeekly ISSUE 737 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2011
■
www.movember.com
www.bendigoweekly.com.au
Art funding go-ahead Page 5 ■ Carnival axed Page 7 ■ Fortuna friends battle on Page 9
Thieves ransack tram history THIEVES have ransacked five of Bendigo’s iconic heritage trams. Bendigo Tramways crews have been left disheartened after discovering the trams, which were housed at the Gas Works, were burgled on October 29. One of the trams affected was the restaurant tram Ninesevensix, with 24 items being taken from the trams overall. The shameless thieves had an eye for polished brass, carefully removing controller handles, conductor bells and brackets. Alcohol and CD players were also among the stolen goods. “Among the trams which had their controller handles stolen were tram No’s 5 and 7, both of which were original features from when the trams were built in 1913 and 1917 respectively,” BT manager Jos Duivenvoorden said. “The controller handles share the story of each of these trams and have travelled the tracks to Eaglehawk, Golden Square and Spring Gully, used by every person who has ever driven them.
FIRE ALARM UNHAPPY: Anita Bagley of the Bendigo Tramways with one of the damaged trams.
Continued Page 7
By ANTHONY RADFORD
BENDIGO is unprepared for this year’s fire season, despite predictions it could be one of the region’s worst. Heavy rains have left most of Victoria lush, with spring growth flourishing around Central Victoria. Despite the obvious risk, and terrible recent history, locals have failed to attend recent CFA Fire Ready meetings. CFA Loddon Mallee Region Community Education co-ordinator Paul Tangey said the community was not ready.
Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN. More photos at www.bendigophotos.com
Residents unprepared for season
“People are being complacent, very complacent,” he said. “They are thinking it has happened here it won’t happen again. “That is dangerous thinking.” Mr Tangey said some places in the region were aware of the dangers, but most weren’t. Recent meetings in Mandurang and Heathcote attracted strong crowds, yet only five people attend-
ed a Fire Ready meeting at Kangaroo Flat and none at Wedderburn. “There are very, very complacent areas in our region,” Mr Tangey said. “The further out of the urban areas the more people are getting to the meetings. “They take responsibility for what needs to be done. “The complacency grows the closer you get to urban areas.
“They think it won’t affect them.” CFA State Duty Officer Craig Brownlie said locals had to be aware. “We live in one of the most fire-prone regions in the world and it only takes weeks or even days of hot, dry and windy weather to create dangerous fire conditions,” he said. Mr Brownlie said favourable growing conditions across Victoria
in 2011 promoted an above-average grassfire risk this fire season. “Grassfires should not be underestimated; they can be extremely dangerous and cause death, trauma or serious injury,” he said. “Now is the time to protect your home and property by slashing, mowing, grazing, spraying and using herbicide, and creating fuel breaks by removing all fuel (vegetation) down to the soil.
Continued Page 3
1111