The staff have permanent employment and regular salaries but are unable to plan the duplication of the Western Highway in its entirety as complete funding for the planning hasn’t come through.

So they do their best.

Unfortunately that doesn’t include maths, although they are good at cutting down trees.

At the recent hearing in Horsham, councillors were able to point to variations in figures on different pages of the 300-page presentation of the proposed bypass through Riverside.

VicRoads said that the highway duplication from Ballarat to Beaufort would need the removal of 220 trees.

Western Highway Alternative Mindsets questioned the number of trees removed and were told only 820 had to go.

When the government minister asked VicRoads to confirm the figure in writing he was given 1020 trees, many of which were 400 to 800 years old.

Their age didn’t matter as VicRoads replaces them several times over in their highway landscaping.

The trouble is that to replace an old growth tree VicRoads has to protect those metre-high saplings for 600 years.

A Melbourne University professor wonders how carefully particular indigenous species are replaced.

VicRoads does not have to consider bird or wildlife habitat or drivers’ amenity when removing trees.

I wonder how many trees will go for the Grampians Way?

So just sit back and relax Margaret and we’ll leave Victoria’s beautiful future to the experts.

ANGELA TURNER

Laharum

THE recent bi-elections for Polwarth and South West Coast highlighted the weakness of Peter Walsh’s National Party in the state arena.

Sitting members like Emma Kealy must be hoping for better from their party leader.

Let’s hope for the sake of the Coalition that the Nationals can do more.

OLIVER GUTHRIE 

Ballarat

THANK you to anyone who has donated to me.

A big thanks to the four op shops in Horsham and one in Minyip for their great help.

I went to them all and asked if I could please have toys that needed washing or mending and so I have had the most interesting clothesline lately.

I have visited most of the hospitals and nursing homes and have received (in most cases) such a welcome with open arms.

I have given away just on 300 toys and travelled a lot of miles to make so many people happy.

The joy, when you give someone a cuddly toy and sometimes a hug and even a prayer, has been just so rewarding for me.

How lucky am I to be able to do this, but due to age catching up with me I have decided that this is my last year.

Thirteen years ago my friend Irene and I decided to do this.

Sadly she has passed away, but I decided to continue on and I have just loved what I have done.

I have lots of stories of how the toys I have help lots of lonely people.

For the people who have said no to a visit I ask, have you ever been sick, lonely, or just plain old and had someone come in with a smile and a soft cuddly toy?

I have been so lucky to be able to do this and my greatest reward is to be welcomed by staff and patients with open arms.

And that makes me so happy and also humble as I have been able to do this for so many years.

Sadly my age is catching up with me and so this is my last year of these visits.

I have travelled plenty of long miles in that time.

I want to thank Minyip's Dunmunkle Lodge and Donald hospital for lovely morning tea and lunch recently, as I visited them there.

I am so grateful for the many years of playing Santa for so many people so I am saying thank you to so many people.

May God bless our old and sick people and the wonderful nurses and staff who care for them daily.

DOROTHY ARMSTRONG

Horsham

ON behalf of the Tri State Games committee and the Rotary Club of Horsham East, I would like to send a huge thank you to our wonderful community for embracing this year’s Tri State Games.

Thanks again to our many, many volunteers for providing their time, support and encouragement to the athletes, and to our major sponsors – the Horsham Rural City Council, O’Connors Farm Machinery and Axis Worx.

You all ensured that we could provide the very best Tri State Games experience to all involved during this amazing week.

My final thanks goes to all of the amazing athletes, for showing us all what true sportsmanship and friendship looks like.

JENNY REID

Tri State Games host representative