BULLETIN
COLLIE RIVER VALLEY Published by LOCALS for LOCALS EDITION No. 122
Thursday, March 2, 2023
$2.50
Heritage group hits back:
Shed is not shop CANCER CRUSADERS THREE Collie people who have lost loved ones to cancer are planning to ride 200 kilometres to raise money for research into the disease. Shelly Matthews, Casey Jones and Colin Bebbington have formed a team, Cranking for Cancer, to take part in the event in October. See story page 7.
Restored truck unveiled IT TOOK a community effort over two years to restore the Geldert 1926 Chevy truck to its former glory. Page 3.
Football lights fallout Eagles Football Club president Matt Blackford has hit back at claims the club gets “free kicks”. Pages 4 and 5.
THE Collie Goods Shed is heritage, not a shop. That is the reaction of Collie Heritage Group president, Bob Oehlman, to comments made to Collie Shire Council by “pop-up market” operators Glenda Savic and Tina Long. “What they have said is totally untrue,” he said. Mr Oehlman said the first his group knew about the approach to council seeking the lease to the goods shed was when they read the Bulletin’s front page story. He said there has been no contact from the council about holding discussions about the approach. “Our usual association meeting will be held tomorrow, and we will be discussing this matter,” Mr Oehlman said. He said the group, which holds the lease of the goods shed, is a very happy group. “We have been operating the fortnightly markets for 20 years now, and we have a very harmonious group,” he said. “We are happy with our fortnightly opening, that’s what markets are. “We are also interested in rail heritage, and we have our rail museum. We are not interested in being a shop, which is apparently what these people want to operate.” Mr Oehlman said the two ladies had asked permission to operate stalls on two days a week. “We agreed to that, at a very cheap
rate, but basically as they wanted more space, and more and more hours, they were making a takeover bid,” he said. “They wanted their space, and they used it as a storage space, there weekin and week-out. They wanted extended hours, a shop open five days a week – that’s not markets. “Some long term people who have had stalls at our Sunday markets left as they didn’t like the atmosphere which was developing, and others were not happy as the ladies wanted their space and had asked them for it, so they left.” Mr Oehlman said the members who worked in the rolling stock shed restoring wagons and coaches habitually adjourned to the goods shed for their tea break, using the tea making facilities there, and sitting around for a chat. “They (the ladies) did not want them there, they didn’t want the guys having their tea and coffee,” Mr Oehlman said. “We have people coming through who are railway enthusiasts and the guys enjoy talking to them about what they are doing. People like to see the shed, which is heritage listed. If we are not open, people can contact Keith Robinson and he will come down and open up for them. “We have done that for school groups and others. “Any funds which are generated from the markets are put into promoting rail heritage,” he added.