Find stories about shows here:Shows Mildura Field Days The Mildura Field Days is an annual two day event which has grown from humble beginnings as a Gadget Day to become an important link between the broader community to agriculture and the associated industries where patrons will see the latest in leisure products for fun on and off the farm & around the home and have easy access to new ideas The event will be two full days for the whole family showcasing a vast array of businesses displaying the latest technology and products alongside a showcase of the best our region has to offer.  Of course there will be plenty of activities for the kids Pony Rides & Field Days favourites Black Snake Productions & EnviroEDU with wildlife displays.  The very popular kids show ‘Get Your Groove On’ will be on the main stage as will a range of talented artists The kids will have hours of fun and fill their goody bags as they visit the stalls along the Future Farmers Trail The kids big and small will love the MadStyle Moto- Trail Bike Stunt Show!  There will be three shows per day- Friday 10am we welcome Far West Helico to the Mildura Field Days.  What better way to check out the event and our glorious Murray River than from above!  Helicopter flight bookings will be available at the event The Tractor Restoration & Appreciation Club’s display of vintage machinery.is sure to please and everyone will love our emergency services display which will feature Victoria Police Crimestoppers and Fire Rescue Victoria.  Joining us also this year is the Royal Flying Doctor Service Free entry into the gate prize of a John Deere Lawn Tractor a Kids John Deere prize pack from our friends at Haeusler’s or $1000 worth of fuel The event will be held on Friday 16th & Saturday 17th of May 2025 at the beautiful Mildura Racing Club The event will be officially opened at 12.30pm- Friday 16th May The Major Gate Prize raffle draws & Best Site Awards presentation Dried Fruits Awards “Industry Contribution Awards***” will take place on Saturday at 2.30pm on the main stage ***The Dried Fruits Australia’s inaugural Industry Contribution Award will be announced on Saturday at 2.30pm on the main stage.  The new award aims to recognise the innovators and changemakers knowledge or skills to the progress of the Australian dried fruit industry 18 and under free.School groups and teachers are admitted free on Friday (almost 400 students have been registered for the event already) Sign up for updates from Australian Rural & Regional News Manage your subscription We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info Check out our Events Calendar for details of ag shows picnic races and other events right across Australia We can sell tickets to your show or event.Competitive rates. Just ask us.Store@ARR.News CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and mental health advocate Penny Moodie and husband Hugh Van Cuylenburg founder of The Resilience Project and the Imperfects Podcast will headline a three-day mental health and wellbeing initiative titled Exploring Wellness in Mildura next month The pair will share their personal journeys with a heartfelt and real conversation about OCD relationships and recovery at the Mildura Arts Centre on Friday 16 May This event has been made possible thanks to Northern Mallee Leaders The morning will start with a meditation and breathwork session by Mental Health Mallee to leave participants feeling refreshed clear-minded and ready to embrace the conversations for the day The afternoon will feature a peer support session aimed at those living with or supporting someone with OCD It forms part of the packed program of events designed to inform empower and connect the community through shared stories and expert insights Hosted by local and national leaders in health and wellbeing the event features a range of interactive sessions for professionals Councillor for Community Health and Wellbeing Troy Bailey said with sessions for professionals "Exploring Wellness aims to connect our community with practical tools real stories and expert insights to support mental health and wellbeing," Cr Bailey said "This initiative brings together a powerful mix of education It's designed to benefit anyone navigating mental illness — whether for themselves or someone they care about." The event kicks off on May 14 with a Masterclass in Mental Health Promotion and evidence-based strategies for promoting mental wellbeing Founder and CEO of Prevention United and hosted by Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit Let's Talk Mental Health offering a free session tailored to women focused on understanding mental health challenges and support pathways followed by a Walk Safe Sunraysia group walk to promote connection and safe inclusive public spaces specialist General Practitioner Dr Emilie Staehr leads a standout session on Adult ADHD exploring how ADHD presents across the lifespan blending medical expertise and personal lived experience The program of events has come together with a partnership through Mildura Rural City Council Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit and Mental Health and Wellbeing Local 18 March 2025 | Tennis Victoria The 2025 Mildura International came to an exciting close on Sunday March 16 showcasing world-class tennis talent in one of Australia’s premier Pro Tour events The Pro Tour is a series of professional tennis events held throughout the year to bridge upcoming players with the ATP/WTA Tour providing an opportunity to earn significant world ranking points After a tough week competing in temperatures of 39°C plus cooler conditions for finals saw some exciting match ups top seed Australian Lizette Cabrera delivered a dominant performance Cabrera’s powerful start saw her claim the first set without dropping a game before facing a strong challenge from Muramatsu in the second set the Australian held her nerve to close out the match in straight sets and lift the trophy The Men’s Singles Final saw an all-Australian match up showcased his skill and composure to overcome rising star Pavle Marinkov 6-3 Jasika’s strong baseline play and experience proved to be key as he secured his latest Pro Tour title without dropping a set in the final Lizette Cabrera & Gabriella Da Silva-Fick defeated Alicia Smith & Belle Thompson 2-6 6-3 [12-10] In the Men’s Doubles Matt Hume & James Watt defared Joshua Charlton & Ajeet Rai 6-7(7) 7-6(1) [13-11] The Mildura Lawn Tennis Club provided the perfect backdrop for an incredible event The banks of the Murray River are the backdrop to Trail of Lights injecting light and colour along the banks of the Murray River Located just 1.7 kilometres away from Mildura’s CBD on Lock Island the work will consist of 12,500 firefly lights that complement the natural beauty of the river Trail of Lights will consist of 12,500 lights along the Murray River an installation of 22 light sculptures made from fishing rods suspended over the water will complete the whimsical dreamscape on Lock Island Gone Fishing is a contemplative light sculpture made out of fishing rods “Trail of Lights is about creating a moment of stillness and contemplation in an extraordinary natural setting,” says Bruce Munro “The Murray River provides the perfect canvas for light and landscape to interact in a way that is both evocative and deeply personal.” The installation will illuminate Lock Island for two years, enriching Mildura’s art and culture offerings, adding to its allure as a destination for food, wine, and natural beauty Elizabeth Whitehead has been a travel writer since she realised the most interesting stories are the ones about the world we live in birdwatching or exploring in her campervan and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Australian Traveller Media acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Country on which we live and work 400 Gradi Mildura's Louis Sarrou hands Mildura Base Public Hospital coordinator Clare Hammerton a $30 voucher ABOUT 1250 meals were provided to Mildura Base Public Hospital staff on Wednesday to show them a little extra appreciation Editorial [email protected] Advertising [email protected] Admin [email protected] Classifieds [email protected] Victorian harness racing trainer-driver Mattie Craven spent 18 hours on the road this week on a mission to win the Mildura Pacing Cup – but it was his superb drive on the track that saw him capture the time-honored feature Thumbs up from trainer-driver Mattie Craven as he returns with the Barry Bottams Memorial Mildura Pacing Cup winner Young Bluey penciled in the Mildura Cup for his five-year-old gelding Young Bluey months ago after changes to Country Cup conditions meant his improving pacer was ineligible for features closer to home With all of the main chances handicapped on the back row in the $30,000 final the scene was set for a tactical race and it didn’t disappoint – with Craven playing the game best from barrier 10 but we were fortunate to work through early and into a nice spot,” Craven said “When the pace came out of the race we were able to make a move,” he said Craven set Young Bluey alight at the first opportunity zooming around the field to reach the front and from there was able to dictate his terms 29.3 and 29.8 to record a mile rate of 1:58.9 Young Bluey finished 1.9 metres ahead of Catalpa Rescue (Abby Sanderson) and Young Bluey’s stablemate Crime Writer (Lochie Cook) in third It was Young Bluey’s second cup victory in just over a fortnight capturing the Mount Gambier feature on March 15 then heading to Mildura to contest the Cup heats on Tuesday night but he just seems to be able to get around the small tracks so well,” Craven said “I’m just very proud of the horse to do that in the run and still be there at the finish.  He did a terrific job “He hasn’t got the best constitution but I was probably lucky that Tuesday night’s race was a slow run affair and that meant he had enough in the tank for tonight.  If we had come Tuesday night and had a tough run we might as well have stayed home I think.” Mildura Club representative Alan Lister (right) and the late Barry Bottams’ wife Lorraine present the trophy to Mattie Craven and a representative of the True Blue ownership group Gale Crisp The Cup this year was named in memory of the Club’s long-serving President and volunteer of more than 40 years and the race trophies presented by his wife Lorraine and the significance of the moment was not lost on Craven “Everyone knows where volunteers are concerned they don’t do it on their own – they have to have the support of their family and those around them.  It’s a great honor for Lorraine and for Barry and a great thing for the club to do,” Craven said who has nearly 700 wins as a trainer and more than 1000 as a driver said the Mildura feature was a special one to win “I can remember being a little tiny kid running around and watching the TV and seeing (Terang trainers) Bruce and Neville Clarke up here (they won the Cup in 1993 with The Phoenix) and it’s always been something everyone wanted to win,” he said “A big credit to the team at home and especially to my fiancée Amy mum and dad and Hannah and the ownership group of Bluey It’s been great to see the horse develop to win races like this and be a great asset to our team.” Craven wasn’t likely to make a quick getaway from the Mildura track – with young Terang concession reinsman Lochie Cook “We’ll get home to the stables at about five o clock in the morning and we mightn’t be much good tomorrow but we will enjoy the trip home!” Craven said It was a case of a formality and a boilover in last night’s heats of the Barry Bottams Mildura Pacing Cup with the favourite delivering as expected in the first qualifier and a shock result unfolding in the second Horsham trainer-driver Aaron Dunn turned in a superb drive to ensure four-year-old entire and punters’ elect Dee Roe scored a soft win in the first qualifier for Friday night’s $30,000 final Dee Roe has been in a super patch of form over the past six months including a scintillating last start victory at Swan Hill in super quick time (1:52.9) But there was no need for blistering speed in his Mildura Cup heat – just the ability to avoid a succession of incidents “I got away with murder tonight!” Dunn joked after he was able to work to the lead and cruise through a 64.5sec first half My plan was to go forward as soon as I could but I got pushed wide with a horse galloping and then there was a bit of tightening When I did go around I was surprised how easy I got to the lead “The horse is fast if I can sit up on him and apart from missing a little bit of his beat when having a good look at the sectional board inside the track he went super and should be spot on for the final He’s also a good doer and loves his food so I’ve always got him on a diet.” Dunn races Dee Roe with enthusiastic owner-breeder Helen Friend “Helen has been an owner for probably over 20 years She picked out Dee Roe at the sales,” Dunn said “It’s so pleasing to see the horse in form as he’s been unlucky along the way He ran second in the Breeders Crown after locking wheels one night.” Charlton-trained mare Joe Got Rolled made the most of her opportunities in despatching her more fancied rivals and taking out the second of the Cup heats young Charlton reinsman Luke Dunne got the five-year-old away swiftly and clearly signalled his intention to hold the lead unless a suitable candidate challenged That came with a mile to go in the form of Crime Writer (Mattie Craven) with the unbackable favorite Catalpa Rescue ($1.10) around 40 metres from the leaders at the rear of the field When Sanderson took off to reach the death seat with a lap to go it appeared a race in two – Crime Writer and Catalpa Rescue But Dunne had other ideas and snapped up the opportunity to drive through on the fence with Joe Got Rolled as the tiring leaders shifted off in the run home Winning trainer Joe Thompson was elated with the mare’s first victory since her three-year-old season (2023) “She was a very good two-year-old – at her first start she finished behind The Lost Storm and she was just a couple of metres behind Catalpa Rescue and they came home in 25.7 that night,” Thompson said but she just had some issues and she wasn’t quite happy. I think she might have had a stress fracture but there were some signs that made me think that’s what it was “In the end I gave her six months off She’s come back terrific and placed in all but one of her starts. Her run last week at Swan Hill when she roared home and got within two metres of Dee Roe was sensational.” Qualifiers for Friday night’s final are: (Heat 1) Dee Roe Go Away Again and Credulous (Emergency); (Heat 2) Joe Got Rolled Speedway GP newcomer Brady Kurtz took a giant step closer to his second Australian Championship after racing to maximum points to win round two in Mildura on Sunday Kurtz triumphed in the final ahead of former SGP2 star Keynan Rew Zach Cook and Josh Pickering to charge into an eight-point lead with two rounds to race at Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday and North Brisbane on Saturday Last year’s FIM SGP Challenge winner triumphed in the opening round at Adelaide venue Gillman and tightened his grip on top spot when he blazed through the Mildura heats with a 15-point maximum.  Ben Cook and former world champion Chris Holder There was drama in semi-final two as reigning Aussie champion Rohan Tungate crashed out with Jack Holder also suffering mechanical problems to exit the round with 14 championship points Zach Cook won the rerun ahead of Pickering With Holder unable to add to his 29-point tally in the final he has it all to do in second place if he is to regain the Aussie Championship trophy he won in 2023 it was a night to forget for Victorian racer Fricke Despite taking his place in his second race and scoring a point he withdrew from the remainder of the meeting This leaves him 10th in the overall standings on 12 points and all but out of contention to win his fourth Aussie crown Second spot for Rew leaves him in the hunt on 28 in third with Chris Holder still in touch with top spot on 26 as he chases title No.6 The top two riders in the championship secure places in the 2025 Speedway GP qualification rounds for the 2026 Speedway GP World Championship They are joined by the winner of the FIM Oceania Championship at Gillman on January 25 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 2/4): EKSTRALIGA | VACULIK LEADS GORZOW TO DERBY DELIGHT ZMARZLIK LANDS MAXIMUM POINTS IN LANDSHUT AFTER SPEEDWAY GP & SPRINT DOUBLE ZMARZLIK TAKES SPEEDWAY GP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER WINNING LANDSHUT SPRINT RACE That story is no longer available or has been moved Editorial [email protected] Advertising [email protected] Admin [email protected] Classifieds [email protected] Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au We were pleased to officially open our relocated Mallee regional office to a more modern and central location in the Mildura central business district (CBD) on Thursday 18 July Following a smoking ceremony with Lajti Lajti traditional custodians Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes addressed staff and stakeholders to formally mark the start of operations Noting the anticipated population growth in the Mallee region the Attorney-General reflected on the importance of the early resolution of legal problems She noted the new facility is critical to provide culturally safe services for the large First Nation’s population in the region as well Having worked from a co-located office within Sunraysia Community Health Service (SCHS) since 2017 it will be our organisation's first standalone office space in Mildura ‘We are thrilled to be relocating to a new and modern premises that aligns with our mission to provide accessible and high-quality legal assistance’ said Regional Manager Heidi Deason ‘The move underscores our dedication to improving service delivery in the regions the new office is a short walk away from the Mildura Magistrates’ Court and other partner organisations such as the Mallee Family Care Community Legal Centre the office’s central location enhances visibility and reinforces our commitment to a local resource for legal information Our Mildura team supports people from across the Mallee and can help with a range of legal problems including parenting disputes after separation we progressively welcomed additional roles to the team including a Family Advocacy and Support Services lawyer as part of a nationwide expansion of the program in 2022 The team’s expansion allows us to better support clients with multiple legal matters who may have previously needed to go elsewhere ‘Expanding services is also beneficial where a private lawyer or community lawyer might be unable to help a client for conflict reasons,’ said Heidi ‘We are always looking to improve our services and service models so that we can better respond to the needs of our community – work that we do collectively as a sector as well.’ Find out more about our office locations across Victoria Locals across the Mildura region are invited to take part in a community-wide conversation about improving our response to extreme weather events Let's Talk About BIG Weather is an initiative led by Make a Change Australia in partnership with Mildura Rural City Council Mallee Catchment Management Authority and Mallee Family Care students and community groups together to share experiences and explore local solutions to help our region prepare for the challenges posed by the changing climate Councillor for Environmental and Sustainability Jodi Ewings said it was an important conversation for the community to have the more governments realise this is a big topic that we care about," Cr Ewings said "It's understanding the impacts that storms their mental health and their livelihoods and then growing that resilience." Mallee Family Care CEO Teresa Jayet said some families in the community were more vulnerable to these impacts than others "Mallee Family Care is deeply committed to addressing the needs of vulnerable families who are disproportionately affected by climate-related events," Ms Jayet said "These families face a range of challenges - from property damage & displacement to emotional & mental distress - which can further exacerbate existing vulnerabilities." Let's Talk about BIG Weather will include two community events in June offering practical information and discussions on how people can make their homes businesses and outdoor spaces more resilient Liveable & Resilient Homes – Mildura there's still an opportunity to have a say concerns & ideas about the impact of extreme weather Submit feedback here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/wdyr-mildura Organisers say the program is a chance for the community to come together & create locally relevant practical solutions for dealing with the predicted challenges ahead Bronte Nieuwenburg has outlined her selections and suggested game plan for Wednesday's meeting at Mildura R1 – 6.17pm – Club Aquarius Supports Teal Pace – 1790m Powersofpersuasion is returning from a spell and the times he was running in his last preparation were notably faster than those of the rest of this field If he doesn’t get shuffled too far back NOTE - Gear Added: Hopples - Length 59 lengthened from 56 BACK: 9 Powersofpersuasion – 2 units (win) R2 – 6.47pm – Verde At The Gateway Supports Teal Pace – 2190m Tough Aint Enough has finished in the top three in all seven of his starts He is lightly raced and is likely to improve again this preparation so he will be relying on luck to get into a handy position he looks to be the class runner in this event BACK: 9 Tough Aint Enough – 2 units (win) / 1 unit (place) R3 – 7.13pm – McDonalds Irymple And Mildura Supports Teal Pace – 2190m R4 –7.45pm – Jade Benham Supports Teal Pace – 2190m R5 – 8.10pm – Happy 70th Birthday Ross Weightman Pace – 2190m Although she’s been out of the winner's circle since November last year Mariah's Shadow has been performing sectionally better than this field She’s third up since moving to the Naomi Kerr stable so she’s likely to get into a handy position early BACK: 9 Mariahs Shadow – 3 units (win) R6 – 8.37pm – Club Merbein Supports Teal Pace – 2190m Oh Sweet Creature is first up for Aaron Coad and he’s drawn the golden barrier of one here at Mildura so he may be worse than three back on the fence He shouldn’t have to work too hard early he may find himself back in the winner's circle here BACK: 1 Oh Sweet Creature – 2 units (win) R7 – 9.04pm – Zilzie Wines Supports Teal Pace – 2190m R8 – 9.30pm – Happy 43rd Birthday Matt Sim Pace – 2190m R9 – 10.05pm – Park Douglas Printing Supports Teal Maiden Pace – 1790m For all your harness form in one place go to goodform.thetrots.com.au  ** A betting unit is typically a percentage of the total bankroll or the amount of money you are willing to risk on a particular bet – for example 1 unit is 10% of your bankroll, therefore with a $100 bankroll 1 unit equals $10. Chances are you’re about to lose. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. Play Duration: 5 minutes 34 seconds5m Brought to you by Echuca shipwright Adam Auditori purchased the PS Melbourne in 2024, leaving many residents concerned the iconic paddlesteamer would leave the Mildura region. Mr Auditori decided to give the boat a chance to stay local, taking passengers out onto the water three times a day to test the viability of local operations. However, despite marketing efforts, only a few hundred people have boarded the vessel since January 1. Mr Auditori said similar vessels in Echuca had already carried about 6000 people each. He said he would keep the boat in Mildura and potentially purchase another, if it was to become viable over the next few months. The PS Melbourne first travelled Mildura's waters in 1966.(Landline: Jennifer Douglas) Published: 15h agoSun 4 May 2025 at 8:35pm Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Rex flight ZL3682 from Melbourne landed at Mildura Airport and was met by emergency services THE reported smell of smoke in the cabin of a Rex flight from Melbourne to Mildura has sent emergency services rushing to the town's airport Editorial [email protected] Advertising [email protected] Admin [email protected] Classifieds [email protected] Play Duration: 6 minutes 45 seconds6m Brought to you by Mildura's new Mayor Helen Healy says providing more housing, attracting private investment and advocating for more state and federal grants are her top priorities for the four years ahead. Elected by fellow Councillors, Cr Healy won the count 7-2 ahead of Glenn Milne who was the only other nomination. In the deputy race, councillor Ali Cupper won a majority 5 votes, running against Troy Bailey. Mayor Healy told ABC Mildura Swan Hill Breakfast she was proud to become the first female mayor in 24 years. Cr Healy says the taskforce could become a powerful lobbying group. (ABC News: Peter Sanders) Mildura will be rebranded as Tropical North Victoria as part of the biggest tourism campaign in the region’s history. Popular Australian actor Shane Jacobson was unveiled as the brand’s ambassador to community leaders and key stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sectors at a marquee event at the Mildura Arts Centre last night. The campaign specifically targets holiday makers who typically travel to Queensland, boasting that Mildura has more sunny days than the Sunshine Coast and highlighting its exquisite dining experiences and great outdoor activities – excluding the crocodiles. Mildura Mayor Liam Wood said the Tropical North Victoria rebranding and marketing campaign would be a landmark moment for the region’s tourism industry. “We’ve always known we have something special in the Mildura region in terms of the unique experience we have to offer visitors, and as Tropical North Victoria we’re aiming to make sure the rest of the country knows as well,” Wood said. “This is also our chance to enter into some friendly rivalry with our Queensland counterparts, who we have a great working relationship with. It is now time to steal some of their thunder in the tourism market. Game on!” Jacobson will be promoting Mildura as a must-visit destination on a series of television commercials, as well as through social media and the national media, including an appearance from Mildura on popular breakfast TV show Sunrise on Monday morning. “I think Mildura is one of the hidden gems of Australia but the secret is out now, so it’s hidden no longer,” said Mr Jacobson, who was recently voted Australia’s most likeable celebrity by the Australian Talent Index. “Mildura is a great place to escape cold weather and warm the soul whilst enjoying all the things that calm the heart and mind. The mighty Murray River divides Victoria and NSW; Mildura is the place that unites them.” The campaign includes the new Mildura.com website, providing an enhanced digital platform that offers comprehensive information, interactive features and resources for both visitors and industry partners. Mildura Rural City Council’s general manager strategy and growth Peter Alexander said it was crucial to continue to grow and protect the tourism industry, which equates to more than half a billion dollars of economic benefit to the region. “Our Projection Scenarios show that even a relatively minor increase in visitation percentage will provide enormous economic benefit to the region,” Alexander said. “Only a five per cent increase would equate to 50,000 more visitors and more than $25 million in economic benefit to the region. “If we were to capture just 1.6 per cent of the Queensland tourism market, we would double our annual tourism market.” Sunday night’s campaign launch also featured a host of other big announcements that will help redefine the tourism landscape in the region. The locations for two distinct and highly anticipated art installations by the renowned Bruce Munro, Trail of Lights and Fibre Optic Symphonic Orchestra (FOSO), were announced for both sides of the Murray River. FOSO, the NSW side of the installation, will now be located four kilometres from Wentworth, on Log Bridge Road, with the iconic Perry Sandhills and Thegoa Lagoon as the backdrop. FOSO is a world-first display featuring a full symphonic orchestra music. It will also provide an outback experience for visitors. Trail of Lights, the Victorian side of the installation, will be staged on Lock Island, subject to government approval, paving the way for a significant increase in accommodation, visitation and tourism spend across the region. Trail of Lights is an epic light display that will feature 12,500 ‘firefly’ lights among other attractions. Geelong Cats AFL star and avid fisherman Patrick Dangerfield will be spruiking cod fishing through his popular Podcast, joining a host of celebrity influencers who have been lined up to promote all that the region has to offer. Volunteer and career firefighters from Mildura Fire Brigade, supported by members from Irymple Red Cliffs and Merbein brigades participated in the biannual full field exercise conducted by and held at Mildura Airport Approximately 35 CFA personnel attended the exercise including Operations Manager John Breaks.  This year’s exercise focused on a mock aircraft accident that came to grief on one of the two runways at Mildura Airport which is capable of carrying 74 passengers and five crew was substituted by a bus from the local depot The Dash 8 Q400 flies in and out of Mildura several times a day, along with other passenger aircraft The aircraft was carrying 57 passengers and five crew all of whom were live patients played by volunteers from local drama schools St John Ambulance and Red Cross volunteers and family and friends of participating personnel Most of the patients attended the airport hours before the exercise to have realistic moulage injuries applied by St John volunteers Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police were notified and responded to reports of an aircraft accident at the airport The first CFA vehicle on scene was Mildura aerial pumper led by SSO Leigh Allan SSO Allan confirmed the aircraft was down and was on fire and then assumed the role of Incident Controller and CFA Commander.  conducted the rescue and assisted with patient handling and triage while ensuring the scene was safe from fire and hazmat for all other emergency services While the ground crews conducted their operation an Emergency Management Team consisting of Commanders from each agency was initially established at the airport’s designated Forward Command Post (FCP) where the services conducted a transfer of control Shortly afterwards the EMT left the FCP and set up an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in the airport's administration office The exercise concluded at approximately 21.00 and all crews and participants were treated to a light barbecue dinner while a hot debrief was undertaken by the airport's Exercise Controller This year’s exercise was particularly complex for a number of reasons the airport and all facilities were completely open This included working alongside the runway in the crash zone while a number of passenger and commercial aircraft arrived It was also the first time the EOC was operated and children were included in the live patient mix was impressed by the exercise and CFA’s contribution “Mildura Airport presents a specific risk to Mildura and local brigades in the Sunraysia Group It was great to see such a large amount of support from volunteer and career firefighters to ensure CFA was well represented at the exercise and they all projected a positive image of CFA to the public participants and other Emergency Services,” Adam said The training used the Mildura aerial pumper To maintain effective fire protection for Mildura the Mildura pumper remained in the area and Irymple pumper stepped up to Mildura for the evening OO Young also acknowledged and thanked the other emergency services for their cooperation and efforts and Mildura Airport for the work and dedication to conducting the operation and allowing CFA to participate It truly was a fantastic night for all participants Photos: Larry Cowley - Pearson Aviation Mildura  Author: Qualified Firefighter Steven Venville View all stories View more contacts The Facebook feed is contained within an iframe and as such is not available via keyboard access. Please visit our Facebook page directly to view the latest feeds. The Instagram feed is contained within an iframe and as such is not available via keyboard access. Please visit our Instagram page directly to view the latest feeds. Tweets by CFA_Updates We are currently experiencing issues with our embedded Twitter feed We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land Copyright 2025 CFA (Country Fire Authority) Play Duration: 12 minutes 40 seconds12m Brought to you by More than 430 people have signed a petition calling on Mildura Senior College to ensure its year 12 students are all able to graduate together. The school has 400 students graduating this year which is it's largest ever cohort. Principal Belinda Hudak says this has led to a location change from the hall at Chaffey Secondary College to the Mildura Sporting Precinct, but neither venue offers a suitable indoor space for the expected crowd of 1600. So for the first time, a split graduation ceremony has been proposed by the school. The split ceremony would be held on the same night but at different times and how it is split is still being determined.  Concerned students Nikkea Cook started the petition and says she wouldn't attend her graduation if she wasn't able to share it with her boyfriend and friends.  Nikkea, fellow student Amy Jones and Nikkea's mum Carmen Stjepovic spoke to Andrew Murdoch on ABC Mildura Swan Hill Breakfast about their concerns and Principal Hudak provided the school's perspective. Mildura Senior College students Kayden Lewis, Nikkea Cook and Amy James don't want a split graduation ceremony.(ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Andrew Murdoch) The tanker was presented to the brigade by Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes at the Sunraysia Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre (VEMTC) today (18 July).  Mildura Captain Jason Currie said the community will be better protected because of the amount of water these new tankers can carry “This is a huge benefit in remote areas where it can sometimes be difficult to refill our tankers when tackling larger incidents,” Jason said “The heavy tankers are fitted with a water tank capable of carrying up to 4000-Litres of water.” Commander Michael Sporton said the new heavy tankers have fantastic safety features for our members “They include vehicle rollover and burn-over protection with a 15-tonne 4x4 crew cab chassis with an automatic transmission,” Michael said “The new features also aim to reduce crew fatigue and improve safety and ergonomics including easy to read electric monitors and electric rewind hose systems.” The heavy tankers were funded through the Victorian Government’s CFA Capability Funding package and are two of the 48 new heavy tankers being rolled out to CFA fire brigades across Victoria to ensure volunteer firefighters are well-equipped to protect their communities The package was announced in June 2020 as part of the State Government’s Fire Services Reform and has so far invested a total of $22.73 million across Victoria The local area will be further boosted by a new fire station at Irymple with works starting on site last month The new station will incorporate environmentally sustainable design principles and features include four drive-through motor bays The Irymple station is expected to be completed by early next year