As The Wimmera Mail-Times celebrates 150 years of publishing, we're looking back at some of the biggest stories in the region.
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WATER has dominated headlines in The Wimmera Mail-Times since its inception.
The issue also featured heavily in its predecessors, The Horsham Times and The West Wimmera Mail, dating back to the 1800s.
The prominence of water in the local media, today and in the past, reflects its significance as the region's lifeblood.
The importance of this precious resource prompted individuals in the community to rally for piping as an alternative to a wasteful channel system.
In The Wimmera Mail-Times' 50th anniversary special, former Mail-Times editor Maurice Lawson said the issue of piping the Wimmera-Mallee water supply was first raised at a meeting in Patchewollock in 1928.
He said the Mail-Times fought 'tooth and nail' for piping. He was more determined to see the project come to fruition after State Rivers and Water Supply Commission engineer Claude Evans said: ''The Wimmera-Mallee will never be piped. It would cost too much.''
''It was a thrill to see the first stage of the project, the Northern Mallee Piping Project, completed by 2000, in 10 stages at a cost of $52 million," Mr Lawson said.
"Too costly? Ask any Mallee farmer today whether he or his wife would return to the old channel system.''
The Northern Mallee Piping Project started piping the entire Wimmera-Mallee supply, fed from the Grampians.
Mr Lawson said the project's success sparked optimism about piping throughout the district.
''Well I remember Cr Darryl Argall of Kiata addressing a meeting of community leaders to celebrate the Northern Mallee Piping Project saying: 'What's to stop us now piping the whole Wimmera-Mallee?'," he said.
"That marked the start of the second stage.''
Mr Lawson said community pressure on Canberra and the Victorian Government eventually resulted in a commitment to pipe the rest of the system.
''It was the end of a dream which started at a meeting in Patchewollock in 1928,'' he said.
Other significant water developments:
- In 1980 Horsham Water Trust installed 4000 water meters at a cost of $196,000. For the first time residents of Horsham were paying only for the water they used instead of a flat service rate.
- In April 1980, an action committee formed to push for piping of the Wimmera-Mallee water system developed after a meeting at Birchip.
- The committee was the forerunner of a later group of dedicated pipeline supporters representing the Wimmera-Mallee Municipal Pipeline Committee, which in an attempt to gain funding made a well-publicised 'run to Canberra' in August, 1983. The 1600km round trip resulted in a brief meeting with the Minister for Resources and Energy, Senator Walsh. Initially unsuccessful, the five representatives demonstrated the length to which the Wimmera-Mallee people were prepared to go in an effort to not only improve the efficiency of the existing open channel water supply system.
- In 1981, replacement of 15km of the Mount Zero to Horsham main pipeline was completed.
- In January 1987, tenders were called for the first stage of piping of the Wimmera-Mallee Water Supply System.
- 1992: Construction of the Northern Mallee Pipeline covering 65,000 hectares begins.
- 2002: The Northern Mallee Pipeline is completed.
- 2002: Federal and state governments announce funding for the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline.
- 2006: November, work commences on stage one of the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline project.
- 2007: Victorian Minister for Water Tim Holding, GWMWater board chairman Barry Clugston and Member for Mallee John Forrest turn the wheel to bring water from the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline system to Rainbow on October 12.
- 2010: March 30, Final pipe of the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline is laid near Lubeck.
Ben Fraser
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
