General News
13 July, 2025
Flashback: July 10, 1975
A large eel was found last week swimming in a damn of Mr Ron Carra when caught weighed 10.5 lbs was 4 foot 4 inches long and 10 inches around the girth.
It is rather uncommon to find eels in the Mallee and one this size is even more unusual.
The commercial Bank of Australia limited has appointed Mr. David James as manager of his Hopetoun branch. He succeeds Mr K Turner.
Mr. James comes to Hopetoun from the CBA's Birchip branch. He has had wide banking experience having held appointments in both rural and metropolitan branches.
Both Mr and Mrs James take an active interest in community affairs.
Mr. James sporting interests include golf and bowls.
Mr Mrs James had three sons age 1514 and 12 years, the family forward to renewing their interests and making new friends in the Hopetoun area.
At an enjoyable evening held at the community hotel on Friday June 27 the annual change overnight of Hopetoun Rotary Club was held. President Ron price welcome all to the evening.
In presenting his report he thanked all members for their support over the past 12 months and detailed some of the activities of the Rotary Club over the period.
He congratulated our exchange student miss dawn Rennie on her performance in the Mikado the previous week also Rotarian Don Holland and miss Helen Roberts for their part in the show.
President Ron also thanked the Rotarians for their continued support throughout the year. After completion of 10 years as a Rotary Club he then called on past president Lex McArthur, our first president, to propose a toast to the next decade of Rotary in Hopetoun.
Past president Lex McArthur proposing the toast said over the first 10 years many outstanding occasions have been experienced by our club and by its members.
Exchange students inwards and outwards, district governors and their conferences, district assemblies, working bees, carols by candlelight, walkathons, Hawaiian luaus, Rotafest, formation of the Rotary choir and help to both financially and physically various and numerous organisations in our town and we could go on and on with the activities reached in the many facets of Rotary life.
Consequently, it would be a very bold man who could look into our next 10 years and predict its happenings however we can learn from all our mistakes and if this knowledge is used together with the Rotary spirit that has been generated in this and other Rotary clubs we should have no fear for the future of the Rotary Club of Hopetoun.
President Ron then inducted Rotarian Don Poulton as president and on behalf of the club congratulated him and wished him all the best.
President Don then introduced the Rotary Board for the year. Vice President – Bert Hilton, Secretary Ian Roberts, Treasurer Lex McArthur and Bruce McFarlane, Con O’Sullivan, Jeff Huntington, Murf Merritt and Don MacLean.
After an even first quarter when both sides showed good defence, Hopetoun broke away to gain a commanding lead and take out the points in the under 16's match at Woomelang last Saturday.
A much improved desire to go in for the ball and then do something with it by the Hopetoun players swung the game their way.
PJ Wellington was a good example of this play which helped Hopetoun to kick four goals in the second quarter.
However the Combine forwards were lost against the Hopetoun backs with Graham Price starring in defence.
In the last quarter it was again all Hopetoun and Steven Holland marked well and finish the day with five goals to his credit.
Final score: Hopetoun 10.7, Combine 2.3.