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Mildura Weekly : Friday May 23 2014 Vol 8 No 29
Contents
Mildura Weekly – 23/05/14 21 www.milduraphonebook.com.au IN THE RIVERLAND THIS WEEK Bev Story (08) 8588 7203 or email beverley.story@bigpond.com CLOSURE of rail lines from Pinnaroo and Loxton to Tailem Bend will put thou- sands of extra heavy truck movements onto roads that are badly in need of repair, according to Member for Chaffey, Tim Whetstone. Speaking in the House of Assembly after being elected for a second term, Mr Whet- stone spoke of his serious concerns at the situation, and pledged to continue lobbying for road upgrades in the interests of safety for all users. Mr Whetstone is Par- liamentary Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, as well as Parliamentary Secretary for Water and the Murray River. He used his speaking time to express his con- cern at the rail closures and pressures it would put on SA roads, as well as other pressing issues such as wa- ter quality and long-term availability, phone services, fruit fly prevention, the wine industry, research and devel- opment, health and educa- tion. He also spoke on bio- security, expressing concern that after 23 years without any detection of fruit fly in the region, sadly there had been two outbreaks in Janu- ary, although both were rap- idly eradicated to ensure that the Riverland once again en- joyed ‘freedom’ status. This, he said, was vital, especially with the region recognised as the premium food bowl of SA, but there were pressures from other areas, not the least of which are cost increases in water, electricity and taxes, costs that he said were “spiralling out of control.” Mr Whetstone also spoke on the need for work- place training, and the lack of current opportunities. “Businesses are finding it tough with the cost of liv- ing, the cost of doing busi- ness, and therefore they are not taking on apprentices,” he said. “They are not taking on the trainees that we once used to have.” Mr Whetstone spoke with pride of the Riverland’s premium food and wine, the most diverse food bowl in SA, and potentially the na- tion, with world-class prod- ucts. He said there was no doubt water was the region’s biggest challenge. There was a desperate need for at least another 40 gigalitres of supply for future needs. He linked this to the need for future research and develop- ment, and he was pleased to see the Federal Govern- ment step in with a finance package to help the Loxton Research Centre, which he said was now going to be an international centre of ex- cellence for water, adopting cutting edge technology for use in the local region. ALAN Bennett Smith was born in Merbein, near Mildu- ra,in1934andgrewupona fruit block owned by his par- ents, Bob and Olive, in Box Street, Merbein. His grandfather William Bennett Smith had originally taken up a block on the corner of Channel Road and Main Avenue, Merbein in 1920. “I was born in the Park- side Hospital at Merbein,” Alan said. “It is still there, but now it’s a private home. He has fond memories of growing up on the family fruit property near the Murray Riv- er. “We used to hear the whis- tles of the paddlesteamers go- ing past,” he said. “There were a lot of paddle -steamers on the river in those days, before and during the Second World War. “I always said that one day, I wanted to drive one.” It was that dream that brought Alan and Davia to Paringa to live in 1976, but more on that later. Alan went to school at Merbein – riding a push bike, then later a horse, to and from school, as did many stu- dents of the day, including his future wife Davia Edwards, who did the same growing up in Mornington, near Mel- bourne. Alan had to ride about two kilometres, Davia half that distance - something their grandchildren found hard to believe. They wanted to know what the horses did while the kids were in school, thinking their grandpar- ents were having them on. Of course in those days, there were horse paddocks at many schools, because riding to school was common. It was while Alan was at school that he started what would be a lengthy involve- ment with football and crick- et. Aged 16 in 1950, Alan was part of an exceptionally suc- cessful era in both football and cricket for Merbein. He was the second eldest in the Merbein Colts cricket team, made up of players aged between 13 and 16, when they took on the Coo- mealla senior team, which up until then hadn’t been beaten for two years. The Colts went on to win the premiership. Alan made 133 runs not out in that memorable grand fi- nal. His team has since been referred to as “From mice to men” and its members have remained in contact – hold- ing a 50 year reunion in 2000. Many of them were also part of the Merbein Under 16 football team which won the premiership that same year, the first ever by Merbein Un- der 16s. When Alan left Merbein Higher Elementary School at 16 he started work for oil company Caltex, distributing petrol to fruit blocks and pet- rol stations around the dis- trict. In 1953 he was called up for National Service, and sent to Puckapunyal Army Base. • Continued Page 22 Alan Smith, OAM, has packed a lot into the past 80 years. He played and coached cricket for 50 years, also played, umpired and administered football, was a national serviceman, worked for Mobil throughout Victoria, been a river boat captain and put in thousands of hours of community service. Supporting him every step of the way has been his wife of 56 years, Davia. They hosted Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales on board their river boat MV Barrangul, and attended Queen Elizabeth’s 60th birthday garden party in London, volunteered at the Sydney Olympics, been relief managers of caravan parks and hotels/motels, and much, much more. The Mildura Weekly’s Riverland writer BEV STORY spoke to the Smiths about... Making every moment count MP speaks on issues affecting Chaffey SA • A FULL LIFE: Alan and Davia Smith have led a busy, eventful, interesting and colourful life so far...and they’re not finished yet! They are pictured in their garden, and INSET, Alan with one of his many sporting trophies. ALL FESTIVAL & NEW TALENT ENQUIRIES WRITE TO: RIVERLAND COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL COMMITTEE P. O. BOX 623, BARMERA SA 5345 OR PHONE/FAX 08 8588 1030 • Mobile 0417 868 571 • 08 8341 0979 • Email rcmcfest@riverland.net.au www.riverlandcountrymusic.com Come to South Australia on June long weekend 2014 & enjoy well known artists and bands in hotels & clubs throughout the Riverland. Program subject to change
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