Vol. 16 No. 48
FREE PUBLICATION
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 FULL THROTTLE: Yvette O’Kane of Horsham shows off the new Harley Davidson Sportster IRON 883 she won in The Weekly Advertiser, 3WM and MixxFM Win a Harley competition. Pictured with MixxFM Brekky show announcers Nims Azoor and Madz Cassar, Yvette won her prize by filling in an entry form while shopping at Network Video in Horsham. The promotion involved 49 businesses across the region and Yvette was one of more than 30,000 shoppers who entered. The Win a Harley competition represented the start of many major promotions that The Weekly Advertiser, MixxFM and 3WM have planned. Picture: MICK SHANNON
Grain site opportunity By LAUREN HENRY
H
orsham Mayor David Grimble believes GrainCorp’s plan to close nine Wimmera receival and storage sites could create a development opportunity in Horsham.
GrainCorp will invest $200 million over three years across Australia to re-shape its grain storage network. But the changes mean the closure of grain receival and storage sites at Brim, Dooen, Goroke, Horsham, Kaniva, Lah, Lubeck, Marnoo and Serviceton.
The Horsham GrainCorp site, north of the railway line in Hazel Street, could join neighbouring and now disused freight hub as a development site. The possibility of moving the rail line out of Horsham, removing the physical divide between Horsham North and the city centre, has long been a discussion point between Horsham Rural City Council, government departments and community groups. “I’m keen to find out what their long-term plan is as it opens up corridor along the rail track, which could be impor-
IN THIS ISSUE
tant if anything happens with the removal of the rail line in Horsham,” Cr Grimble said. But he said a community’s push for the return of passenger rail to the Wimmera must also be considered in any plans. “We obviously won’t see the rail track removed for many years because it’s going to cost a lot of money and someone is going to have to fund it,” he said. “Any opportunities would not want to impact on the return of passenger rail. We’ve had good discussions with neighbouring councils and southern counterparts about passenger rail
and we’re working on how we might make that happen.” Cr Grimble said GrainCorp needed to outline its long-term plans for receival and storage sites across the region. “The last thing I want to see is a run-down silo in the middle of our city,” he said. “I’m not sure whether GrainCorp will sell or lease the sites to other grain traders or farmers. That’s a question that has to be answered.”
Better outcome
Member for Mallee Andrew Broad said GrainCorp’s plans were a better outcome than if the company was bought by
US food giant Archer Daniels Midland, who had flagged the closure of 100 sites, which the Federal Government opposed. “This is a structural change for the company, not a fall-out of ADM not buying,” he said. Mr Broad said he understood there were some impending site closures, particularly in the West Wimmera Shire, which could cause problems for farmers. He said increasing on-farm storage meant GrainCorp’s changes would not affect many farmers. “But if any grain growers have concerns, talk to us about
it and we can discuss with GrainCorp,” he said. As part of GrainCorp’s Project Regeneration, the company will have a greater focus on rail transport and will group its grain receival and storage sites into clusters, each with one or two primary sites. Rainbow and Beulah will be primary sites in Ouyen South cluster; Warracknabeal and Murtoa in Horsham East cluster; and Nhill in Horsham West cluster. The primary sites will be export-focused, providing fast service for trains between country and port.
• Warracknabeal set to lead • Queen’s Birthday honours • Art Is... wraps
Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
AUDITED: 23,402 COPIES
October 2013 to March 2014 Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au
FOR ALL THAT GLITTERS...
THIS WEEK’S SUPER
SPECIAL DIAMOND EARRINGS
KMART • NQR GROCERY CLEARANCE • SPOTLIGHT • REJECT SHOP • WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALTY STORES • WWW.HORSHAMPLAZA.COM.AU
HORSHAM
PLAZA DARLOT STREET Ph 5382 0912
HP0732
50 OFF %