MAY 24, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
‘Big dry’ relief flowing Water customers in Riddells Creek, Sunbury and Diggers Rest have been switched to the Melbourne supply system as below-average rainfall continues to place pressure on farmers and reserves. With the area’s main supply, Rosslynne reservoir, near Gisborne, down to just 16 per cent capacity, Western Water said it was likely that supply to Gisborne, Macedon and Mount Macedon would also be switched in the next few months. Customer and community relations general manager Graham Holt said the summer of 2015-16 had been Victoria’s third-hottest on record. “Autumn has also been warmer than average so far,’’ he said. The switch is expected to allow Western Water to continue to meet demand by making the most of its existing supplies. Mr Holt said customers might notice a change in the taste or texture of their drinking water as a result of the change. ‘‘It’s normal to notice a change in taste or hardness … water from different sources varies,’’ he said. Western Water could also send some Melbourne drinking water to towns such as Woodend, Lancefield and Romsey. Bureau of Meteorology figures show that just 117.2 millimetres of rain fell in Gisborne between January and the end of April – well below the long-term average for those months of 211.8 millimetres. While rainfall has been more frequent in recent weeks, Angelo Seelan, of Clarkefield’s Fenton Hill
Organic Farm, said it had come after an extremely dry summer and autumn. He said the operations of the family farm, which produces strawberries and garlic available at independent organic stores around Melbourne, were being held back by the lack of rain. ‘‘It’s a bit of a gamble because a lot of the planting occurs now,’’ Mr Seelan said. ‘‘We’ve planted our garlic and it’s coming up well, but we’re now about to plant strawberries and just hoping that we get the rainfall.’’
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We’re being very careful … the rain is so uncertain - Angelo Seelan
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Mr Seelan said only about one hectare of the 20-hectare farm had been planted. ‘‘We’re being very careful not to expose ourselves too much because the rain is so uncertain,’’ he said. ‘‘Last winter was just terrible. We’re relying on tank water … the dam is slowly coming back, but we need a lot more rain.” As reported by Star Weekly Weekly, 11 municipalities in central and western Victoria are currently classed as drought-affected, with Bendigo council recently deciding to write to the state government asking to be added to the list. Macedon Ranges council economic development and tourism manager Kylie Lethbridge said that while water was high on the agenda at recent meetings of the shire’s agribusiness forum, the council had yet to request drought status.
(Luke Hemer)
By Matt Crossman
Gymnast vaults into limelight A Sunbury gymnast who’s been honing her skills since the age of three is launching herself on to the national stage. Matilda Gavaghan, 14, is representing Victoria at the Australian Gymnastics Championships, which started at Melbourne’s Hisense Arena on Monday. The Salesian College student, who began competing in gymnastics as a five-year-old, will contest the women’s artistic section. Tilly has been training up to 19 hours a week. “I just love it,” she says. After the titles, Tilly will attend an Australian Institute of Sport camp before joining fellow Sunbury gymnast Ava Salopayevs at the Waikiki Gym Fest in Hawaii next January. Matt Crossman