We take a look in the rear-view mirror to all the news from 15 years ago, August 2004.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
ON TRACK
Plans for a Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail received a boost with Moyne Shire Council committing $15,000 for a feasibility study into the project. The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), who own the land, had yet to fully back the project. DSE representatives said issues such as track maintenance, fire hazards and safety concerns all needed to be addressed.
DAMAGED
About 50 metres of Port Fairy's wharf was to be rebuilt due to white ant damage. Moyne Shire Council tourism and business director James Purcell said 16 piles needed to be replaced. The full cost was expected to be $500,000, with repairs to take 19 weeks.
FLOCKING IN
Caravan parks in Moyne Shire had 10,000 extra visitors in 2003-04. This increase helped council's financial bottom line by $172,420.
FOOTBALL
Koroit's Brett Harrington won the Hampden juniors under 14s best-and-fairest award. The leading vote-getter for Port Fairy in the count was Kyle Duncan, who finished seventh.
Former Tower Hill Football Club coach Don Grossman passed away at the age of 83. Grossman coached Tower Hill to its last two premierships, in 1959 and 1961. He played in the 1945 VFL grand final for South Melbourne.
HEROICS
Fire caused extensive damage to Shamrock House in Crossley. Koroit CFA member Danny Keane said quick thinking from Shamrock House residents restricted the damage. "The occupants grabbed all of the fire extinguishers and they did a great job to make sure it didn't get any further than the front room," Mr Keane said. "The fact this old house is stone probably saved it though. If it had have been weatherboard it would have gone." Mr Keane estimated the damage at $20,000.
PROGRESS
Illowa proved to be a Moyne Shire hot spot for building permits with works totaling more than $1.4 million approved in the hamlet. This money was for 12 building projects.
HOOKED UP
Port Fairy's chances of being connected with natural gas was buoyed by plans for expansion of the GlaxoSmithKline factory. The availability of natural gas would help seal the deal on the expansion.
GONE
A bypass for Port Fairy, which had been mapped out 50 years ago, was dumped by Moyne Shire Council. Councillors voted to abandon VicRoads' bypass alignment and consider a new location.
