Kyabram nurse Liam McConnell has placed in his category in the iconic Finke Desert Race.
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In his first attempt at the gruelling event held during the recent Kings Birthday Weekend, the 22-year-old from Rushworth finished third in Class 1, the over 250 2-stroke category aboard his KTM EXC 300.
Liam described the experience as the “most brutal race I have ever competed in”.
He said because bikes were the last of the vehicles to race after the cars, buggies and trucks they got the worst of the track conditions.
It took Liam five hours and 10 minutes to complete the two 226km legs from Alice Springs to Finke and back on the Sunday and Monday to secure third place in his class.
Liam said it was not the first time he had seen what was to confront him.
“I went up there in February to check things out so knew a little about what to expect,” he said.
Liam said he had inherited his love for the sport from his father Mark who presented him with his first bike when he was eight months old.
“I didn’t start competing in races until I was 16 and have done most of my racing up at Mildura,” he said.
Liam admitted he was not sure at this stage whether he would be tempted do it again.
“It’s a costly thing to do, so I will have a good think about it.”
But he said his first attempt was an experience he would not forget in a long, long time.
Above average rainfall
Rain on Sunday and Monday has boosted Kyabram’s total for June to 76.6mm.
On Sunday 2.2mm was recorded and a further 4.8mm up to noon on Monday.
The June long-term average is 40mm.
The latest falls have taken Kyabram’s yearly total to 220mm, slightly above the average of 213 to this time of the year.
Mixing up weather
Channel 7 weather experts have been putting up weather maps lately with Ouyen where Echuca is and Echuca where Tocumwal is.
Ouyen is nearly 300km from Echuca and Echuca and Tocumwal are 120km apart.
Now that’s not even close.
Kyabram connection
There is a Kyabram connection to a racehorse the experts are claiming as the “next big thing”.
Former Kyabramite Brendon O’Rourke, who lives in Geelong these days, has shares in a galloper called Steparty, who made it three wins from three starts when he won at Flemington last Saturday.
An offer of $1.7 million has been has been reportedly knocked back for the galloper with the prestigious and lucrative Cox Plate in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival now on his radar.
King’s Birthday ‘thumbs up’
It was thumbs up for the revival of the King’s Birthday Weekend steam rally at Echuca.
Returning from recess and now being run by the Echuca Steam Preservation, the day, with innovations to make it more family friendly, was voted a huge success.
Moama Bowling Club’s sponsorship contribution was singled out to be a key player in the revival of the event, which is generally a trip back in time.
Rochy Fight for Light
Rochester has not accepted a recent Campaspe Shire decision not to provide funding for an upgrade of the lighting system at the town’s Moon Oval.
A Fight for Lights campaign initiated by Rochester recreation reserve’s management committee is forging ahead without council support to finance the $1.43 million project.
Theft by deception
A 69-year-old man has pleaded guilty in Echuca’s Magistrate Court on an unusual charge of theft by deception.
He was on a charge of bidding on his own cattle to force up prices.
He was fined $1000 and placed on a good behaviour bond.
Pat McNamara recognised
A former politician and the man who helped put Nagambie on the map as a rowing stronghold was recognised in the recent Kings Birthday honours.
Nagambie-raised Pat McNamara, 73, received a Member of the Order of Austral for his services to rowing, the Victorian Parliament and a variety of roles in the community.
Murray River Council’s chief executive officer Terry Dodds was awarded the Public Service Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
Name change
Tocumwal Golf and Bowls Club has had a change of names.
To simplify that title it will now be known as Club Tocumwal.
The name change is just a start of improvements and upgrades of the club, which include the continuation of the $7 million redevelopment of the clubhouse.
New shire panel
Independent Administrator of the Moira Shire Council John Tanner will lead a newly appointed panel of administrators to run the shire.
The three-member panel will include former State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed and Graeme Emonson, who is a deputy secretary in the Victorian Public Service
The Moira Shire Council was dismissed in March after a Commission of Enquiry ruled the council could not effectively carry out its responsibilities in accordance with the Local Government Act.
Bank withdrawals
Interesting stats on the withdrawal of banks from Australian country towns.
Some 575 towns that have had at least one branch of the Big Four Aussie Banks —Commonwealth, National, Westpac and ANZ — now have no form of bank at all.
State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland is leading a push to advocate for a solution to the situation calling on Regional Development Minister Harriet Shing to support regional towns to ensure vital local banking services remain open.
Driver given good-behaviour bond
A 63-year-old Bendigo truck driver who drove onto rail tracks near Goornong in front of a passenger train in July of last year has escaped with a 12-month good behaviour bond and licence suspension for six months.
The driver had a simple excuse for the incident in which the train collided with his truck.
The magistrate accepted the driver’s “I didn’t see it” excuse, accepting he was not racing or speeding and was of good character.
Luckily no-one was injured.
French Bulldog returned
A French Bulldog valued at $15,000 has been returned to a property at Kilfeera near Benalla.
Five-month-old Daisy was stolen during an aggravated burglary overnight on May 29 but five other puppies were untouched.
Daisy was found unharmed two days later.
Did you know?
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world
The Indian Pacific train link has the longest straight section of train track in the world
The Great Ocean Road is the world’s largest war memorial
The vast rock of Uluru It is one of the few places on the earth to be listed twice as a UNESCO World Heritage site, both on the cultural and natural lists. Amazingly around 2.5km of the rock is thought to be underground connected to the Olgas, where the rock emerges again 16 miles away.
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