THE first week of May will see Traralgon host the 73rd National Conference for Lions Australia – an event so huge it involves a three-year bidding process (similar to the Olympics) simply to choose a hosting location or even the wider Gippsland/Latrobe Valley region This year’s main event will be held at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium Tourism associations current figures project the economic impact of hosting the convention will benefit the local area by upwards of $2 million and Traralgon’s hosting will be the biggest event on the Lions foundation’s calendar until July’s International conference in Orlando The organisation has around 1.4 million members globally belonging to a huge 48,000 clubs around the world with 26,000 individuals from 1200 Australian Clubs invited to the Traralgon conference Latrobe City’s hosting of the event was strategic – making it close enough to Melbourne to be accessible for interstate travellers of all modes of transport but still offering a distinct community-focused experience that will benefit both the local area and tie in with the core values of the foundation “This is the first time it’s come to eastern Victoria” “Traditionally it’s major cities that attract these events Geelong has hosted once but otherwise it’s stayed in Melbourne when in Victoria “We were approached by the national body who were very keen to have it in Latrobe City as the area has expanded – we initially said no thinking it was too big of a task for one club but have since got some support from surrounding clubs in order to pull together and put our bid in” Traralgon presented their plan at the 2022 Melbourne convention Surrounding clubs that helped make this were Yinnar as well as (outside of the district) Sale and Newcastle respectively.The conference see’s Lions members congregate from all over the country acknowledge and celebrate the work that the vast multitude of Lions clubs across Australia put in throughout the previous 12 months for the betterment of their respective communities This work includes flood/drought and disaster relief contributing to the Traralgon City Band’s trip to Europe later this year and weekly spinning wheel at Traralgon Centre Plaza the conference will see a keynote address from Australian athlete Pat Farmer famous as both not only an accomplished ultra-marathon runner but also as the only person to ever run from the North to South Poles Mr Farmer uses his platform to fundraise for various charities and causes via his sporting endeavours even choosing to give back to Lions Australia themselves He lists his biggest inspiration as Australian athletic icon Cliffy Young but has made a mark on the country himself in a plethora of disciplines even serving as a Member of Parliament for eight years three of which included as Secretary for Education Mr Farmer was also named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012 and has been raising money as a runner for 30 years and the Nanhi Kali Foundation for the education of Indian girls – clearly holding the same spirit as the Lions Foundation Another highlight set for the conference is Sari-Elle Kraemer who raised more than $126,000 for the Lions Foundation in 2024 through her campaign to the World’s Highest Marathon at Everest Base Camp Ms Kraemer will also impressively be heading to the conferences from another challenge an 85-kilometre run tracking from Licola to Traralgon tomorrow (May 1) The run is raising money and awareness in conjunction with the Licola Lions Club to support the Licola Wilderness Village – an institution Ms Kraemer volunteered at over the summer and has since become committed to ensuring its survival The Village is a Lions-supported camp providing support for disadvantaged children and is just one in many of the foundation’s commitment to their charitable mission she will also be joined by the Traralgon Harriers Athletics Club “The convention in Traralgon promises to be a milestone gathering for volunteers nationwide,” Lions Australia Chief Executive Members will take part in multiple keynote addresses from a variety of speakers both in and out of the movement and its partner organisations grand finals of the Youth of the Year and Leo of the Year competitions and official welcoming to the Lions Ride For Sight discussion panels and ‘spotlight sessions’ focusing on Lion’s signature causes (including their world-renowned Hearing Dogs initiative) the convention will move momentarily to Kernot Hall Morwell for the High Country themed Gala Dinner and Dance – a ticket event that sold out in advance The conference will conclude at noon the following day in a closing ceremony to officially hand over the annual tradition to Adelaide for the 2026 event Dale Harriman said the opportunity the conference brings to the region could not be understated “This will be a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of volunteers and the difference they make in each community they serve,” he said “We also cannot wait to showcase Latrobe City to our visitors and hope they can make the most of what our region has to offer.” Cr Harriman is also chairman of the event this year and had a key role in the organisation and booking of the vast activities and highlights of the upcoming event which will include a performance from Gippsland local and The Voice runner-up Lions members will also continue their extravaganza past the closing ceremony travelling onwards to the Licola Wilderness Village to take part in the annual caravan muster to enjoy the only entirely off-the-grid town in Australia Follow the Boomers as they head into the final window of the FIBA 2025 Asia Cup Qualifiers against Indonesia & Thailand A youthful edge will drive the Boomers in the upcoming double-header of FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Traralgon Australia faces Indonesia on 20 February before closing out the campaign with Thailand on 23 February Six will make their first senior Boomers appearance including Emmett Adair (Centre of Excellence) Elijah Pepper (Perth) and Isaac White (Brisbane)   Keegan Crawford (Perth) & Luke Brennan (SEM Phoenix) will join Kerry Williams (Cairns) and Robbie McKinlay (COE) for valuable experience and to assist Head Coach Jacob Chance in this window The area which continues to rise as a basketball hotspot for talent and participation with active players Jack White (Boomers) and Jade Melbourne (Opals) hailing from the region  The games will mark the first ever Boomers international fixtures in the regional Victorian city of Traralgon This initiative has been delivered in partnership with Visit Victoria, Latrobe City Council and TEG Sport and funded by the Regional Events Fund. Click here for information on Destination Gippsland Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium Traralgon - Victoria Tickets available via Ticketek  All games will be broadcast live in Australia via Kayo Sports & ESPN Thursday, 20 February – Boomers vs Indonesia Sunday, 23 February – Boomers v Thailand Who we are Governance National Teams Events Our Partners Contact Us Play Coach Referee National Champs School Champs State Contacts In the spirit of reconciliation Basketball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today Terms & Conditions FAQ Privacy Policy A youthful edge will drive the Australian Boomers in the upcoming double-header of FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Traralgon with both games to be played at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium in Traralgon.   Six players will make their first senior Boomers appearance including Emmett Adair (Centre of Excellence) Luke Fennell (South East Melbourne Phoenix) Elijah Pepper (Perth Wildcats) and Isaac White (Brisbane Bullets) Nine of the 12 players on the roster are NBL players while Melbourne United assistant Jacob Chance will lead the team as head coach SCHEDULE  7:35pm AEDT – Thursday 20 February - Boomers v Indonesia4:40pm AEDT – Sunday 23 February – Boomers v Thailand  Boomers Team - FIBA Asia Cup 2025 QualifiersEmmett AdairNick MarshallLuke FennellMitch McCarronJacob FurphyMitch NortonBen GrisctiDavid OkweraNick KayElijah PepperFabijan KrslovicIsaac White Assistant CoachesKerry WilliamsRobbie McKinlayKeegan CrawfordLuke Brennan The National Basketball League acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work present & emerging as well as all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Community by Media Team on March 14 Traralgon is set to play a key role in Australia’s bowls journey towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games with the 2025 Right at Home Australian Jackaroos Para and Open Trial Camp to be held at Traralgon Bowls Club next week courtesy of support from Latrobe City Council the camp will serve as a vital preparatory event providing Australia’s top para and open players with high-performance training and selection opportunities as they strive for international success The six-day camp will serve as a crucial step in preparation for a number of upcoming international competitions none more prominent and important than the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bowls Australia acknowledges the contribution of Latrobe City Council whose funding has helped secure this event for the region.  Latrobe City Council Mayor Dale Harriman expressed the Council’s excitement in supporting the event “Hosting the Australian Jackaroos Para and Open Trial Camp is a fantastic opportunity for our community to witness elite-level bowls up close and personal,” Councillor Harriman said “This event highlights Traralgon’s outstanding sporting facilities in particular those of Traralgon Bowls Club and our commitment to fostering inclusive and high-performance sport.  “We look forward to welcoming athletes and supporters to our region and showcasing everything Latrobe City has to offer.” Bowls Australia National Coach Gary Willis also highlighted the importance of staging the camp in Traralgon “Traralgon Bowls Club provides an excellent environment for our athletes to refine their skills and compete at the highest level and this trial camp is a critical step in our selection process as we identify and prepare the best players to represent Australia on the world stage “We appreciate the support of Latrobe City Council in making this happen and look forward to an outstanding week of high-performance bowls.” The 2025 Right at Home Australian Jackaroos Para and Open Trial Camp will provide an invaluable platform for Australia’s best bowlers to showcase their abilities and work towards future international selection 30th April 2025 Rising Stars Named for 2025 National Development SeriesThe future of Australian bowls will be on full display this 26th April 2025 2025 World Bowls Indoor Championships: Final day recapAustralia’s Jack McShane has been crowned the 2025 World Bowls Indoor 25th April 2025 2025 World Bowls Indoor Championships: Day 5 wrapAustralia still remains in the hunt for a gold medal at Subscribe to Bowls Australia's official e-newsletter! Link copiedShareShare resultsBy chief election analyst Antony Green posted Fri at 2:00pmFriday 2 May 2025 at 2:00pmFri 2 May 2025 at 2:00pm Updated 3m ago3 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 11:51am updated Yesterday at 5:35amSun 4 May 2025 at 5:35am | Darren Chester (National) since a 2008 by-election. Shadow Minister for Regional Education and Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. (Victories by a party of government are indicated by thick coloured underlining.) National majorities were recorded at all 64 polling places used at the 2022 election, results passing 70% at 41 centres and 80% in 11. Results ranged from 52.7% at Yallourn North Primary to 88.0% at Nambrok-Denison Primary School. (Click on polling place for results) Hine is a senior lecturer in rural and mental health and has spent most of her life living in rural Victoria, including Gippsland since 2020. She has held various community and leadership positions, including as a board member of a family violence service, school council president and leader of community groups. She is also a foster carer and a parent representative on the school council at her son's secondary college. 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) Moe and Morwell are on the way to receiving more car parking spaces as regional demand grows and Councillor Joanne Campbell were accompanied by Morwell MP and Minister for Development Victoria Harriet Shing at the opening of construction for a new carpark on Traralgon’s Kay Street “We know that parking is a notoriously difficult thing to come across,” Ms Shing said “Finding a spot is one of the really big challenges that we face and it’s a good problem to have because it says that we are growing but we also need to make sure that we are delivering car parking that’s close to where people are catching trains With hopes of the project being completed in mid-2026 the Traralgon carpark is set to bring a five-story parking centre with 430 new parking spaces replacing the existing car park between Kay and Grey streets The project is being delivered through the state government’s Regional Car Parks Fund Mayor Harriman thanked the state government for their investment in the project “Car parking has been a key theme in our annual customer satisfaction survey and many other consultations It is fantastic to have the Kay Street Car Park underway for our community,” he said “The project is set to provide an additional 430 spaces within the Traralgon CBD close to key amenities This is in addition to 112 new spaces recently opened in the Seymour Street Car Park “I’d also like to recognise Katz Architecture for their design work for the project that has incorporated our community’s feedback on what a challenging site is.” A total of 900 new car spots are on the way for Traralgon Local residents can register for SMS project updates and find alternate parking arrangements online at: yoursay.latrobe.vic.gov.au/kay-and-grey-street-car-park THE Reserve Bank board officially cut rates by 25 basis points last week The much-needed rate cut is the first since November 2020 and Westpac all announced they would cut home loan rates by 0.25 per cent Governor Michelle Bullock mentioned that inflation rates are also causing hurt and I understand mortgage rates have increased a lot… but we need to get inflation down because that is the other thing that is really hurting you,” she said “If we don’t get inflation down and you’ll be stuck with inflation and high interest rates it’s really important that we get inflation down.” homeowners with a mortgage of about $500,000 can expect around $80 less on repayments every month More rate relief has been forecasted by the RBA statement of monetary policy “Participants also anticipate two further rate cuts in 2025 and another one in early 2026,” the statement read This forecast comes after average inflation rates are predicted to be lower than those predicted in November 2024 With three more cuts expected up until early 2026 the official cash rate could drop from 4.35 per cent to 3.45 per cent WESTPAC Traralgon branch will close for seven weeks next month due to refurbishing works The Traralgon branch will remain open until 1pm on Friday Westpac customers can complete cash transactions at any branch which includes St George Westpac’s two closest branches to Traralgon are in Sale and Warragul NO MERCY was the name of the S-Trend Table Tennis Victorian Open on April 5 and 6 with the state’s best table tennis players coming to the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium Local players were lucky to win one or even two games as they entered the draws for each section Traralgon players teamed together in most games The open sections started with Traralgon’s Heath Spasato entering the Open Men’s games and Katrina Brandon entering the Women’s Spasato’s games started against Croydon player Yugandh Kiran Zende and Table Tennis Victoria player David Segal Spasato couldn’t quite tip the scales against Zende Croydon’s Ellen Walker and India’s Riti Shankar thrashed Brandon with no mercy Brandon stood 2-11 in all games against Shankar but managed to score four points in the second set against Walker which she easily adjusted her game to in the following set Shankar made it to the championships for the Women’s Open but was eliminated in the first round who followed the same fate in the Men’s Open all Traralgon players also took an individual hit as opponents overpowered them and Burns managed to take points off their opponents who also plays with Traralgon and Bairnsdale but also succumbed to the fate of the other local players Traralgon’s Sheila Whitehead followed suit in the Over 70 Women’s Singles Turning in a slightly more positive note for Traralgon Mick Warr managed to take a win in the Over 40s against Greater Dandenong’s Karthik Kumarasamy who ran each other into the second set with Mick losing 6-11 Mark Strini and Peter Gomez teamed up for the Over 50 Men’s Doubles The team played against Segal and teammate David Pui who once again took a game off Traralgon players Other doubles at the time included the Over 60 Men’s the Warr brothers were a furious duo in the Over 30s beating out Croydon’s John Chan and Greater Dandenong’s Amal Dias The Warr brothers (Steve and Mick) won 11-8 not letting the other team come back from their win in the third set featuring Traralgon’s Jeff Pollard and Brian Considine in the Over 60s Sheila Whitehead and Glenys Marchesi in the Over 70s and Sharon Collins and Shepparton’s Kam Wong in the Over 60 Women’s The Over 60s Mixed Doubles featured Collins and Considine who were beaten by Geelong’s Debbie Wilson and Wayne Greeves Making it to the second round in the Over 65’s Mixed Doubles Whitehead and Pollard beat Shepparton’s Kam Wong and Graeme Edwards in four sets Croydon’s Jeff Dever and Anne Bellion managed to beat Whitehead and Pollard in the next round in three sets with the duo fighting for the game to flip The Traralgon duo managed to increase scores each round Traralgon’s Burns and Marchesi also played in the Over 65 Mixed Doubles but unfortunately didn’t make it into the second round Next lambs to the slaughter saw Brandon and Spasato heading for the Twentites singles The first round passed quicker than it began with Brandon losing to Greater Dandenong’s Ryan McMahon Coburg’s Sho Kawasaki came along next and took Brandon out of the running for the next round but didn’t quite make it into the Championships as Walker swooped in Spasato’s grouping threw challenging games at him but he was able to take a game in four sets against Scorpio Table Tennis Academy’s Ananya Krishna The Over 65 Men’s Singles saw Burns and Pollard unlucky with their pairings Steve Warr lost his first game in the Over 30 Men’s Singles but took out his second against Greater Dandenong’s Tarun Sharma The loss wasn’t so much for Warr as he took two sets off Croydon’s Harsh Madaan The incredible feat from Madaan brought him into the Championships for his age group Strini and Gomez were unlucky in the Over 50s Men’s Singles and many faced off with other people near their ranking Considine won in four against Croydon’s Alan Chan but got swept out in the semi-finals of the Under 1000 Rankings Others who also competed in that section included Whitehead Gomez won against Coburg’s Ross Demirel in four sets where Warrnambool’s Rehan Iqbal later took him out Brandon passed through with flying colours only to be battered down by Sunshine’s Leonie Anstey in the next section who played in the Under 1700s and won the first round against Sunshine’s M Kaunain Beg in three Traralgon’s Maya Gomez played in the juniors section of the weekend but had the same fate as the rest of the local players TRARALGON hosted FIBA basketball for the first time in the region’s history last week with favourable (to say the least) results for Australia over Indonesia and Thailand on Thursday (February 20) and Sunday (February 23) more than 3700 locals packed into Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium (GRISS) with the avid crowd heavily involved and active in each games’ proceedings It was the first time locals had enjoyed international basketball this close to home since 2006 when the Latrobe Valley hosted preliminary matches during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games at the then Traralgon Basketball Stadium Many locals were eagerly anticipating the return of star export Jack White to the region with the hopes of seeing him suit up in the green and gold for the first time since the 2023 FIBA World Cup and his first game in his hometown in over a decade still dealing with a back injury that has kept him side-lined for the past three weeks ahead of Melbourne United’s finals campaign (which begins tomorrow against Perth Wildcats at John Cain Arena) He previously was forced to withdraw from Boomers commitments due to a calf strain in December White arrived back to the region beginning with Friday’s Valley Ford Basketball Super Clinic which saw more than 200 young kids gather on the old show courts at GRISS getting tips and tricks from the game’s best the likes of White and Boomers and South East Melbourne Phoenix player Luke Fennell it was always going to be tough against Australia The Boomers have run rampant over the rest of their group across the past year of qualifying play now going undefeated for six wins between Indonesia Thailand and Korea as they look ahead to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia from August 5 to 17 The closest match Australia had in the group stage came a year ago against Korea where they won by 14 points the Boomers destroyed their opponents by an average of 52 points The Boomers squad that travelled to Traralgon featured six players making their senior debuts Pepper was dominant across both Traralgon games The side was offered veteran leadership from the likes of 2020 bronze medallist Nick Kay and Mitch McCarron who has won two gold medals in each of Australia’s previous FIBA Asia Cup wins Kay and McCarron were both the oldest on the roster at the age of 32 which also boasted three 18-year-olds in Fennell The FIBA Asia Cup was once a qualifying tournament for the preceding FIBA World Cup and Olympics that took place every two years Since Australia joined it is now a standalone competition and runs every four years Australia has been dominant in their two appearances in the FIBA Asia Cup since joining in 2015 with victories in 2017 (in Indonesia) and 2022 (Lebanon) The two regional games completed the group stage circuit with Australia going undefeated for six wins at GRISS in Traralgon’s first international game in almost 20 years While Traralgon’s Jack White wasn’t present the fanatic basketball crowd of more than 1800 was treated to an appearance from home-grown talent Jade Melbourne who was the last local to represent Australia featuring in the Opals bronze medal-winning side at the Paris Olympics Others spotted watching on included Melbourne United and Boomers star Chris Goulding and former NBA player David Anderson Australian basketball royalty Andrew Gaze was courtside for commentary on ESPN’s live broadcast Head coach Jacob Chance was given a youthful touch with six on his side making their senior debuts for the Boomers on Thursday night (February 20) as they faced an Indonesia side that had yet to win a game in group play The ball was thrown up and the game was under way with the crowd overwhelmingly in their country’s corner although a few Indonesia fans were spotted making some noise for the travelling side as Australia scored on the first possession off a put back layup by Nick Kay then led to almost five straight minutes of continuous bricks with no one able to secure a bucket Isaac White broke the game’s scoring drought with a fast break pullup midrange jump shot that began to open the floor up Elijiah Pepper went on a mini run of his own with a quick six points including an and-one conversion and drilling a corner three-point shot Indonesia were unable to find any burst during the first quarter with many of their shots falling short and hitting the front of the rim Australia made five threes to open the game that included three unanswered heading into the first break with a 22-4 lead The clear distinction between the two sides in terms of skill and talent could be seen early on but what was even more apparent was the size differential with Indonesia only boasting one true big man in Lester Prosper Prosper got things going with the first score of the second quarter coming off a midrange swish only for young Wena David Okwera to return favour with a tough score inside plus the foul finally finding the bottom of the hole (mainly from free throws) but Australia still outscored them 28-18 for the term to enter halftime ahead by 28 points Melbourne stepped onto the court to address her faithful Traralgon community in what was her first visit back home since October where she brought her Olympic bronze medal Melbourne was recently awarded with her second consecutive Fan MVP (Most Valuable Player) including all-WNBL second team honours following another exceptional season for AC Capitals in the WNBL She returns to the states soon for WNBA training camp at the start of March before her Washington Mystics play on opening night of the season on May 17 against Atlanta Dream Unflinching in their desire to extend their lead Australia opened the third quarter in a hard press that continued with what had transpired in the first half The Boomers held a 30-plus-point lead all the way through to the final buzzer This gave opportunities for the younger Boomers to remain on the court for a longer period and expose themselves on the international stage bodying the visually bigger Prosper for an easy lay and then throwing down a hard slam dunk with Indonesia breaking down while in transition The third quarter finished with the Boomers in front 77-39 but that wasn’t it for the Australian side as they began the final term on a 24-11 run that included three additional three-point bombs Australia finished with 14 threes to Indonesia’s five Fans were treated to a delightful play in the final minutes as the game ended in a wash Ben Griscti set a high screen for Luke Fennell before diving to the basket (assisted by a down screen from Jacob Furphy) and dished a fine lob pass in the air and threw down the powerful alley-oop to set the crowd ablaze Fennell spoke post-game about playing in the regional area that has strong roots in basketball “Traralgon has a lot of Boomers and Opals come through the ranks which is huge for a country town it’s great for the Boomers to play on home soil let alone in a town that has such a great impact on the Australian basketball community,” he said as well as 15 points from both Adair and Okwera McCarron offered the poise needed for such a young side seven assists and two steals – involved constantly during each of Australia’s scoring runs crushing Thailand to the tune of 50 points on Sunday Sunday festivities at the GRISS included face painting While he may have been absent for the first game Traralgon’s Jack White showed up to support his Boomers teammates in his hometown Melbourne also showed her support for the second time in the week Gaze – again on commentary for ESPN – mentioned that Thailand needed to keep Australia to less than 90 points to have any chance of winning That proved to be something of a difficult feat as the game dragged on The pressure was immense from the first tip-off as both nations vied for early possession and baskets The full court pressure from the Boomers was enough to create turnovers which were translated into buckets for the Aussies Just as it appeared Australia was going to sail away in the opening term something that the Boomers might not have been used to compared to Thursday night Thailand came at the Aussies and forced a number of turnovers to take the lead midway through the opening stanza Australia still had enough class to close out the first quarter with a healthy eight-point lead The Boomers maintained their lead as the second term commenced The style of play from both nations was described by Gaze as “clunky” Thailand found themselves in foul trouble earlier than expected as Australia began to take advantage from the free throw line Pepper continued his hot scoring form by getting up into double digits before halftime while Frederick Lish was an outside danger for Thailand Australia put the foot down in the second half of the second quarter opening up a 21-point lead at the main break Things began to look easy for the Boomers in the second half as they continued to force more and more turnovers which turned into more repeated scoring chances who let up a 6-0 run to start the third term They mounted a quick comeback thanks to big man Emmanuel Ejesu and Lish Pepper remained a massive threat for the Boomers During the second half of the penultimate quarter making the most of the tired-looking Thai legs Lish came off the court toward the end of the third term putting up bucket after bucket to go 28 points up heading into the final quarter of basketball in Traralgon It didn’t take long for Australia’s lead to surpass 30 points as did Isaac White who ran the last quarter The floodgates opened in the final few minutes as Australia pushed the margin over 50 points within the final minute Following the two wins from two in Traralgon the Boomers have qualified for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 The final spot is to be decided between Bahrain the Traralgon Junior International has lived up to the hype it brings to the region with yet another enthralling week of competition and local spectators walked through the gates of the Traralgon Tennis Association to be a part of the 32nd AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International ahead of the main draw’s commencement on Friday On the sixth and final day of main draw competition everything came down to four finals – boys’ and girls’ singles just six of the hundreds of budding tennis stars finished their Traralgon travels with the famous Akubra with top seeds falling in both the boys’ and girls’ singles tournament paving the way for an underdog to write their own story the exposure and learnings they might gain from such experience will only be of benefit to them Take a look at Russian star Mirra Andreeva for example she came runner-up in the girls’ singles before winning the girls’ doubles event hours later She’s currently ranked inside the top 20 women in the world and was the 14th seed at the Australian Open she has already shown she has what it takes to compete with the best only going to show that there are far more storylines yet to be written Even last year’s girls’ champion Australia’s Emerson Jones earnt a wildcard entry into the 2025 Australian Open and despite the tournament being played in the middle of the Australian summer you can never discount a downpour or two during the week-long event play was originally set to start at 4.30pm Despite best efforts to navigate the incoming rain as the finals didn’t properly start until after 2pm the Traralgon Tennis Association was able to crown their champions at an appropriate hour unlike year’s gone past where weather postponed games that finished closer to midnight the Traralgon Tennis Association put on another fantastic show this year adding more for players and the community to do A Family Fun Fest was introduced on Friday Lord Ian Botham graced the Traralgon Tennis Association for its corporate dinner which saw the function room filled to the brim winner of the Traralgon Junior International it’s the new boys’ champion of Traralgon The 17-year-old from Switzerland took out the boys’ singles title at the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International last week on a wet Wednesday Following a crazy first week of the event which saw many of the top seeds eliminated Bernet rose as the eighth seeded boy to earn the world-famous Akubra that he won all matches without dropping a set it was looking as though Bernet would face number one seed Bernet passed with flying colours through to the final with the straight-sets quarter final win over Vinciguerra which prompted another straight-sets victory in the semi final over seventh seed Oskari Paldanius from Finland Making a charge on the other side of the bracket was the unseeded Russian including second seed Amir Omarkhanov from Kazakhstan in the first round Pleshivtsev overcame fifth seed Jagger Leach (USA) in a third-set tiebreak before swiftly dispatching another US product Max Exsted in the semi final in straight sets the final was set between an emerging Swiss and a Russian underdog it was Bernet who flinched first and took charge of the match The Swiss international was first to break the serve of Pleshivtsev Bernet quickly made inroads to secure the first set Pleshivtsev finally got going during his next service games enduring longer rallies as the Swiss youngster closed in on the first set Bernet continued to run hot as he closed out the first set in style by breaking Pleshivtsev again to take a 1-0 set lead over the Russian and turned on the afterburners in the second set displaying many more of his skills to the Traralgon crowd A point to notice was Bernet’s one-handed backhand as it became more and more effective with every point he won looking as if the second set might prove to be a test for both And just like that he had a major advantage just a couple of service games from the title He moved within one game of the title after winning his service game Pleshivtsev valiantly held his own serve despite the hunger shown by Bernet and even though he had cut the lead in the second set to 5-3 Bernet took out the following game to claim the title completing the tournament without dropping a set it must be noted that he is the first boy from Switzerland to win the Traralgon Junior International since Federer DOMINATION is how to accurately describe Belgium’s Jeline Vandromme’s road to being crowned as the girls’ singles champion at the Traralgon Junior International She was so dominant in Traralgon that the first seed claimed the Akubra without dropping a single set Her semi final match-up against China’s Yihan Qu was one of her quicker ones Waiting for her in the final on the other side of the bracket was the 15-year-old unseeded French international before another thrilling three-set win over the 12th seed American She was faced with another uphill battle when coming up against another American before finally catching a break on her way to the final Her semi final match against ninth-seed Brit Hannah Klugman had all the hype to be one of the matches of the tournament But during the first set when Efremova was up 6-5 Klugman was forced to retire due to injury advancing the French international into the final In a crazy match that saw countless breaks of serve it’s incredible that this match didn’t last any longer than it did Within the first four games of the first set both girls had broken each other’s serve once each leaving some questions in the air as to who will do it next It was the first seed Vandromme who made that move first gaining some momentum as she went two games clear Efremova was not going to back down from a fight easily as the 15-year-old showed some grit to break serve again serving for a chance to level things up again in the first set But her inability to hold her serve only fell into the favour of Vandromme who broke yet again to move to a 5-3 advantage She pounced on the opportunity when it presented itself serving successfully to claim the first set the 15-year-old was clearly outsized by her first seed opponent but to her respect she was showing glimpses of potential points of difference in the future and held a service match which was almost the rarer of the two outcomes at this rate as Vandromme saw the victory in her sights and beelined for that outcome then holding her serve for a second time to go 3-1 up in the second set Just when Efremova had the chance to pull some of the momentum back in her direction she stumbled once again as Vandromme’s class began to steal the show The first seed broke again to move three games clear of the French international she seemed destined to storm home from here But Efremova still wasn’t showing signs of giving up The French youngster rallied to pull 0-40 ahead in Vandromme’s service match hoping to throw another spanner into the works Vandromme just could not be defeated from here Vandromme indeed stormed home to win the final game to see herself crowned with the girls’ title THE exciting part of doubles tennis means twice as much talent on court That was certainly the case during the 2025 Traralgon Junior International doubles finals The boys’ doubles final was a case of first versus second seed The first seeds consisted of Great Britain’s Oliver Bonding and USA’s Jagger Leach who faced second seeded pair Maxwell Exsted from the US and Czech Republic’s Jan Kumstat Leach and Bonding were seeded both fifth and sixth respectively in the singles while Kumstat and Exsted were seeded first and 10th in the singles meaning four top-10 seeds shared the court at the same time a one versus two match-up was always going to be close Exsted and Kumstat restored parity by winning the second set 7-5 With everything tied up going into the final set the Traralgon crowd sure was getting what they were looking for It would eventually be the Bonding-Leach pairing that would take the crown denying Exsted of claiming back to back doubles titles in Traralgon The girls’ doubles final still had plenty of talent on display and those in attendance would have been in awe of the ability on display On one side of the court was Serbian Teodora Kostovic (girls’ singles second seed) with Romanian Anamaria Federica Oana Facing them was a set of 15-year-old American twins Annika and Kristina Penickova – who were the third seeded girls’ doubles partnership they had to overcome the Australian sister duo of Renee and Rianna Alame in the second round only getting past in a third-round tie-break But it was smooth sailing for the Penickova twins from there winning their remaining games in straight sets 6-2 to take out the Traralgon doubles title The question begs: they must be the first set of twins to win a doubles tournament at the Traralgon Junior International Last year the twins were compared to former American tennis giants Serena and Venus Williams as the next big sister pairing to climb the ranks the twins certainly have much to look forward to if they are winning titles together at 15 years of age Feature image above: NAB Traralgon branch undergoing renovation which has had a presence in the community for nearly 140 years is undergoing on a significant transformation with a $2.3 million refurbishment NAB’s Eastern Victoria Retail Customer Executive Lisa Goodwin said the team is looking forward to welcoming customers to the new-look site “We’ve been in Traralgon for more than a century and over that time This renovation marks the beginning of a new chapter for both our team and the community “We can’t wait to open the doors to the upgraded site at the end of September “The redesigned branch will feature an open-plan layout dedicated areas for in-depth discussions with banking specialists and a digital banking education zone equipped with iPads for customer use “There will also be 24/7 services available with Smart ATMs With renovations now underway at NAB’s Traralgon branch customers can rely on the NAB Moe and Sale branches for service Customers will also be able to do their banking at the Australia Post outlets across the Latrobe Valley including the nearest one further down Franklin Street please contact the NAB Media Line on 03 7035 5015 NAB’s Chadstone branch will throw open its doors for Saturday trading bringing the total number of branches open on Saturday to 31 across Australia NAB’s Yeppoon team has opened the doors to the brand-new branch in the heart of the regional Queensland town following a $1.3 million investment in the community NAB to temporarily close 46 branches and eight business centres across QLD and Northern NSW amid Cyclone Alfred threat visit NAB’s Business Research and Insights Subscribe to NAB News to receive news straight to your inbox You will not receive any advertising material by signing up to receive NAB News Thank you for subscribing to NAB News to receive news straight to your inbox © National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686. Website Terms. Privacy Policy AN incident requiring emergency services near Traralgon forced Gippsland Line services to temporarily suspend on the morning of Wednesday Normal services resumed shortly after midday with the 1.27pm Traralgon to Southern Cross service the 12.54pm Bairnsdale to Southern Cross service and the 10.23am Southern Cross to Traralgon service the first back to normal Keep an eye on service information via the V/Line app, or X (Twitter) @vline_gippsland, or via the V/Line website. THE Traralgon Tennis Association has been a hive of activity over the past week, with festivities beginning as early as Wednesday, January 8 for the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International. Qualifying rounds had competition underway, as the club ramped up toward the main draw which begun last Friday (January 10). TO celebrate the start of the main draw, the Traralgon Tennis Association hosted the Family Fun Fest on the evening of January 10, filled with multiple activities including a native animals display, inflatable tennis, a pickleball come and try, face painting, and food and drink stalls. Not only the community, but also some of the international competitors made their way down to the carpark to check things out and get involved. Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester even made an appearance at the Traralgon courts for the community event. ACTION on the courts begun as early as the first round of the main draw, as top prospects bundled out of the singles draw. On Day 1, the second-seeded boy from Kazakhstan, Amir Omarkhanov fell in straight sets to Russia’s Egor Pleshivtsev. Pleshivtsev, who is the 47th ranked boy in the world, has since powered through into the quarter finals, following back-to-back-back wins, all by straight sets. There was more upsets on the first day of action in the girls bracket, with four of the top five seeds being knocked out. Second seed Serbian, Teodora Kostovic was eliminated in straight sets to Indian qualifier Krisha Mahendran. Third seed American, Kristina Penickova forced a third set in her fixture but was eventually eliminated by Australian wildcard entry Tahlia Kokkinis. The fourth seed from Czech Republic, Tereza Krejcova was downed by Slovakian, Mia Pohankova in straight sets, while fifth seed Elizara Yaneva of Bulgaria was knocked out in straight sets by British qualifier, Brooke Black. MOVING onto Saturday, January 11, the upsets continued to roll through, as it appeared no easy match was played. In the boys, Number 1 seed, Czech’s Jan Kumstat rolled through to the third round, but third seed Spaniard, Andres Santamaria Roig was upended in straight sets by his Bulgarian counterpart. Fourth seed from the US, Jack Kennedy, was also stopped in his tracks, beaten in straight sets by the Italian Jacopa Vasami. Half of the seeded players that remained in the third round were outside the top 10, meaning the favouritism had spread more than before. For the girls on Day 2, first seed from Belgium Jeline Vandromme made sure of her progression with a dominant win. Three more surprise exits were formalised. Sixth seed from Bulgaria Rositsa Dencheva (three sets), seventh seed from Czech Republic Jana Kovackova (straight sets), and eighth seed from Czech Republic Vendula Valdmannova (three sets) were all eliminated. THAT night, the Traralgon Tennis Association hosted its annual Traralgon International Corporate Dinner. English cricket legend, Lord Ian Botham was once again in the region as the special guest for the dinner. Botham was in the region two years ago for a string of sportsman nights with sporting clubs, including the Traralgon Golf Club, where he enjoyed a round. Botham shared many stories of his career and life at the night which was hosted by Gareth Marriott. Also making an appearance at the dinner was AGL Loy Yang General Manager, Christo van Niekerk, Latrobe City Council Deputy Mayor, Sharon Gibson, and former Tennis Australia President and Chairman of the Board of Tennis Australia, Geoff Pollard. AS the third day of play resumed on Sunday, January 12, a clearer picture could be drawn on the potential fancies for the championship. Boys Number 1 seed, Kumstat, was eliminated in three sets to 14th seed William Rejchtman Winciguerra from Sweden. Also surprising was the exit of sixth seed Bonding, who also went down in three sets, this time to 10th seed from the US, Max Exsted. Fifth seed Jagger Leach powered through to the quarter finals, but will face the unknown test of Pleshivtsev, who defeated the second seed in the first round. Due to those exits, Leach is now the highest seeded player remaining. Following him is seventh seed from Finland Oskari Paldanius, eighth seed from Switzerland Henry Bernet, and Exsted. Danger will be sensed from Vinciguerra, who beat Kumstat, and the only unseeded player left, Pleshivtsev who continually produces upsets and is yet to drop a set. During the girls third round matches, qualifier Black progressed to face the Number 1 seed Vandromme after both won. Black defeated 10th seed Mika Buchnik from Israel. The only Australian still standing is Sydney’s Alana Subasic, who knocked out the 11th seed in the second round, and will now face Chinese qualifier Yihan Qu in the quarter final. The UK’s Hannah Klugman moved forward. Klugman played at the international last year, so has experience in Traralgon. She and Vandromme are the only two seeded players remaining in the girls singles draw. First seed boys duo consists of Bonding and Leach, who have already stamped themselves into the second round, as has the second seed duo of Kumstat and Exsted. Exsted won the doubles championship last year with Cooper Woestendick. At the time of print, the girls’ first seeded duo of Bulgaria’s Dencheva and Yaneva were looking primed to progress, while the Czech Republic’s second seed duo of Krejcova and Valdmannova had progressed to the second round, as had US third seed pair Annika and Kristina Penickova. Facing the Penickova sisters will be the Australian Alame sisters of Renee and Rianna, after they progressed to the second round in straight sets. Results from the later stages of Monday, January 13 onwards were unknown at the time of print. The finals for the Traralgon Junior International will take place from 4.30pm today (Wednesday, January 15). The City of Traralgon Band will host a farewell concert on Saturday, May 17, at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, […] FOLLOWING the release of his recent single ‘Panic!’, Traralgon-raised pop artist Thomas Headon surprised fans with a new seven-track EP, wasn’t a fighting kid, accompanied by a 20-minute short film. Announced less than a week before its release, this quick follow-up was welcomed by avid listeners, who expected Headon’s next musical release to be his debut album, which he declared finished in December 2023 via social media platform X. While the blossoming songwriter has shared stages with an impressive list of music’s elite, to his mother, Andrea, he’s still a Latrobe Valley boy whose passion for music began in their Traralgon home. “I thought he was going to have a career in theatre”, Andrea Headon recalled. “He was always performing”, attributing some of his ability to his involvement in Latrobe Valley musical theatre growing up.” Thomas developed his natural performative abilities in several productions, including Latrobe Theatre Company’s rendition of The Sound Of Music, and later a lead role in Oliver. “That’s where he really got a grasp on commanding an audience, early on,” his mother said. Thomas did all this while also studying various instruments in and out of school, including the O’Dowd School of Singing in Moe, building the strongest foundation for his musical career he could. It is clear from the 24-year old’s current standing in the music world that this constant dedication to his art gained him the traction he has today. Andrea remembers a specific turning point for her son, during his high school years at St Pauls Anglican Grammar. “It was in Year 9, during an assembly, when he got up with his guitar and loop pedals and performed an Ed Sheeran song, just him on stage in front of the whole school,” she said. “The applause he got – I think that’s when he decided, ‘I want to do this.’ That was before he even started busking, and I reckon that’s when the bug hit. “At that point it was the biggest crowd he’d played.” That crowd was eclipsed some years later, and in the most dramatic way imaginable, when Thomas played in support of Elton John for his Farewell Yellow Brick Road at Hyde Park. “That was absolutely nuts”, Andrea recalled. “The weird thing was, the managers pitched to him thinking he wouldn’t to do it, because of the age demographic between someone like Elton John and a pop artist like Thomas in his 20s.” But with works like The Lion King having a formative influence on the young Traralgon boy’s work, he jumped at the chance. Elton John isn’t the only industry giant to be in the Thomas Headon corner. The studio he works out of now in London is owned by producer Sacha Skarbek, who is best known for co-writing Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball, and some of James Blunt’s biggest songs. It was people like Skarbek, and Thomas’s two German managers, Max and Titus, who eased Andrea’s concerns when Thomas moved to pursue his career. “We packed him off on his own right after he finished Year 12 at Kurnai College”, where Thomas completed his final years of study, “and I was like, oh my god are these guys for real?” The management had been in contact with Thomas for several years online after discovering the budding artist via his YouTube channel, where he had built a promising fanbase posting covers of Ed Sheeran and One Direction songs over his teenage years. “I was honestly worried he would get to Heathrow and never hear from them again or be told to wait a few weeks on the promise of touching base later. In these kinds of industries you hear about people making all these promises that don’t come to fruition, but they picked him up personally from the airport and from that moment on have really looked after him as not only managers but mentors and friends,” Andrea said. The gamble paid off, 100 million streams later, with 85 shows across 13 countries – all while still calling the Latrobe Valley home. “He still has the same friends he had when he was growing up here, some even since primary school. He’s definitely still got his connection here with the Valley, and everyone in it,” Andrea said. “When he’s home it’s like he never left. He may be painted as ‘the boy from Melbourne’ in interviews abroad, but he’s still a Traralgon kid at heart. The only thing that’s really changed is I don’t have to pay his rent anymore,” she laughed. Thomas Headon’s new EP is available to stream and download now on all platforms, and the accompanying short film can be found on his YouTube channel. Traralgon claimed back-to-back Strzelecki North Division 1 weekend pennant premierships last Saturday, after defeating Newborough. Played at the Newborough Bowling Club, the top-seeded Traralgon basked in all that Grand Final days bring and never looked to be under much pressure all day, despite the best efforts of Newborough. Traralgon was led by James Scullin and his rink of Jedd Ladgrove, Ron Sherlock and Wayne Barnes, who won won 23 to 16 against Kevin Lovett and his rink of Tony Knipping, Steve Gibcus and Jo-Anne Michaels. Matt Ferrrari and his rink of Michael Morgan, Shane Chapman and Wayne Lynch defeated Sheryl Atkinson and her rink of Jo Gibcus, Alan Ryan and Alan Grubb 24-12. For Newborough, Scott Jones and his rink of Fran Clark, Danny Van Zuylen and Wayne Arnold defeated Michael Yacoub and his rink of Pat Trewin, Julian Wildenberg and Ian Kirkup 19-18, and Nathan Lewis and his rink of Lisa Arnold, Rod Lewis and Neale Houston defeated Vin McIlwain and his rink of Tom Irvine, Ian Hilsley and Matt Eccles 22-12 leaving Traralgon the winners by eight shots. The younger Ladgrove starred for Traralgon, solidifying some important shots during their run home and was made all the more comfortable due to the support of his teammates not just in the thick of battle but by those that had already wrapped up and watched on. Traralgon were always going to be the team to beat having gone through the season with only two losses to their name and again proved to shine on the biggest stage. Newborough should be applauded for their efforts in coming from fourth on the ladder to make the big dance for the second year in a row. Last year, Traralgon prevented Newborough from winning five Division 1 premierships in a row, breaking their run of four-straight flags. Traralgon go on to play Wonthaggi on March 15 to see who travels to Moama for the State Pennant finals. MORWELL Club continued their good form from the second semi-final, again defeating Moe; this time with all rinks up. Glenn Trembath and his rink of Duncan Hanlon, Sue Karleusa and Lynne Smith won 23-20 against Sandy Caines and his rink of Dave Wurlod, Stan Myers and John Harvey. Tara Harle and her rink of Jo Leslie, Vaughan Reimers and Roger Rejmer defeated Steve Pallot and his rink of Fred Martin, Darren Kane and John Westerlo 25-21. Brett Harle and his rink of Matthew Rogers, David Broadbent and John Woischuk defeated Chris Goldsbrough and his rink of Flynn Pallot, Stuart Caines and Barry Hawkett 17-16, while Neil Whitelaw and his rink of Gail Rejmer, Jody Capp and Alan Campbell defeated Michael Smogavec and his rink of John Williams, Lachlan Sim and Jayde Leech 23-16 leaving Morwell Club the winners by 15 shots and a well-earned return to Division 1. BOOLARRA had a 12-shot win over Newborough (2), with Joel Anderson and his rink of Joelene Laukens, Darren Napier and David Caldwell winning 22-12 against Robbert Cook and his rink of Graham Smith, Phil Marston and Barry Daley. David Stevens and his rink of Bruce Davey, Janet Napier and Terry Parker won 24-12 against Peter Policha and his rink of Chris Wagstaff, Mary Whelan and Len Middling. For Newborough (2), Trevor Kennedy and his rink of Brian Carpenter, Carmel Goss and Albert Van Stekelenburg defeated Ron Lyfield and his team of Jack Cleaver, Mark Whiley and Steven Davy 19-18 and Jeff Wetzel and his rink of Michael Holroyd, Julie Jackson and Ed Whelan defeated Chris Ward and his rink of Tony Snell, John Cargill and Jorma Takanen 27-18. LONGWARRY (2) had a 12-shot win against Yarragon, with Graham Woolstencroft and his rink of Dale Hendrik, Pauline Dixon and Simon Counsel winning 20-12 against Sam Mazza and his rink of Kaye McLaren, Gordon Wright and Margaret Arnold. John Majkut and his rink of Matthew Bail, Ian Charge and Mark Light defeated Kevin McLaren and his rink of Ross McDermott, Harry Langres and Jarrod Grigg 18-17. John McCarthy and his rink of Colleen Butterworth, Sharon Twite and Geoff Bailey defeated Richard Polmear and his rink of Rhett Galley, Gary Green and Kevin Arnold 22-18. For Yarragon, Jason Roberts and his rink of Richard Chetland, Bevan Romans and Murray Grigg defeated Gerard Mitchell, Kevin Dixon, Blake Bartrop and Mark Serong 20-19. TRARALGON RSL (3) defeated Traralgon (5) by nine shots with Margaret Gibbins and her rink of Don Wight, Eric Warfe and Ron Osler having a 32-14 win over Joyce Hales and her rink of Megan Harrison, Ingrid Snell and Carolyn Roscholler. For Traralgon (5), Ron Hales and his rink of Noel Murray, Bill Justin and Mich Reynolds defeated Frank Metcalf and his rink of John Eaton, Lynette Mackintosh and Shirley McKenzie 23-17 and Peter Dobell and his rink of Jim Barling, Bob Lorenz and David Frith defeated John Farquhar and his rink of Donna Street, Greg Inman and Joe Ward 20-17. NEWBOROUGH (4) defeated Moe (3) in a tense match with three extra ends needed to determine a result, with Newborough (4) winning by one shot after Peter Bertoli and his rink of Diane Slayford, Jesse Hebbard and Anne-Mary Ryan defeated Jan Parniak and his team of Bob Essler, Chris O’Reilly and Paul Graham 24-20. For Moe, John Kerr and his rink of Coral Read, Robyn Dodd and Hilda Woods defeated Charlie Amos and his rink of Colin Croot, Don Armstrong and Ron Carwell 19-16. TRARALGON RSL (4) defeated Traralgon (7) by nine shots, with Ian Eddy and his rink of Brian Curtis, Trevor Nelson and Bev Plant defeating Jim Goodwin and his rink of Carolyn Thoonen, Terry Hart and Ken Ford 25-12, whilst for Traralgon (7) Colin Stilburn and his rink of Ines McCausland, Wim Detering and Nadia Curnick defeated Marianne Hodson and her rink of Wendy Inman, Peter Hore and Julie Sutcliffe 19-16. who served as president of Traralgon from 2008 through to 2023 wrote to Victorian Racing Minister Anthony Carbines in a last ditch attempt to rescue greyhound racing in Traralgon The move comes after Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) suspended racing at the much maligned venue in July following repeated lure malfunction issues which resulted in the loss of race meetings But the problems at the unique J-Curve track run far deeper with the track failing to successfully integrate into the racing landscape from both a wagering and racing perspective despite costing in the vicinity of $7.6 million to develop Frustrated by the decision to abandon racing at Traralgon which has been a staple of the industry since 1973 Haley wrote to Minister Carbines last week "Greyhound racing at Traralgon needs to survive,” Mr Haley said “The Traralgon Club entered into Voluntary Administration with GRV in July This undertaking was mutually agreed to after a refusal by GRV to honour earlier promises to provide the Club with additional funding following the loss of race meetings due to issues with the battery operated lure.   the lure breakdowns continued with the subsequent loss of race meetings having a prolonged negative impact on the Club.   2024 GRV handed management of Traralgon to the Sale Greyhound Racing Club and with previously programmed Traralgon meetings now held at Sale 2024 a notice appeared on GRV's website ‘Please be advised that due to a lure failure on 15/7/2024 Traralgon will be removed from the racing calendar until further notice‘.   GRV CEO Stuart Laing announced that since the opening of the J-track at Traralgon two years earlier there had been ongoing issues with the battery operated lure and that GRV were now considering whether to terminate racing at this venue and ‘maybe' proceed as a trial track only.” While GRV is yet to formally declare a final position it's understood to be all but a formality that the J-Curve experiment at Traralgon – at least from a racing perspective – is over But while the Gippsland region will lose one of its three racing venues leaving Sale and Warragul to fill the void a region that has been starved of racing and trialling opportunities since its closure due to safety concerns in 2022 while supporting a resumption to racing at Cranbourne says that it should not come at the expense of Traralgon which has "proudly contributed to local charities and provided great entertainment and support to the wider Latrobe Valley community" for decades.    "It is my opinion that the battery operated lure system can easily and cheaply be rectified by modifying the shape of the rail that the lure runs on," Mr "The lure manufacturer (Safechase) has declared that the other 12 tracks throughout Australia which have this lure do not experience anywhere near the level of issues that Traralgon does.  The other alternative to a battery operated lure is to install a cable lure but to be honest I don't think GRV has the willpower or incentive to seriously pursue either option "It would be a tragedy for local supporters to witness the downfall of this once thriving Club just because the people entrusted to operate this near new $7.6m facility do not have the commitment or wherewithal to fix their self-inflicted problem "I believe Victorians would be horrified to think that literally millions of dollars have been wasted by GRV in building new facilities at Traralgon to only walk away when things get a bit tough." GRV's Executive General Manager – Operations "Racing was suspended at Traralgon in mid-July following ongoing lure system issues at Traralgon," Mr progressed with the planning and subsequent installation of a conventional cable lure system at the track but ultimately the project has proven unfeasible and with no guarantee of working Significant investment has been made in Traralgon but the unique shape of the track has caused no shortage of issues "Options are now being explored for Traralgon The options include turning Traralgon into a trial only track as well as exploring potential limited racing use "As part of the development of GRVs racing asset and infrastructure plan all options needs to be considered in conjunction with other venues Cranbourne and other venue plans such as the Sale GRC's Kilmany project are to be considered as to what best serves now and the future GRV is committed to finding solutions to better service greyhound trainers and participants in Melbourne's south-east and hope to be in a position to make an informed decision and subsequent announcement as to what the solutions are sometime in November." Schools from around the country battled it out at the National High School Team Championships in Traralgon Traralgon, VIC, 5 December 2024 | Tennis Australia The 2024 edition of the Gallipoli Youth Cup saw Australia’s best high school teams competing for the National High School Championship title The Gallipoli Youth Cup was first held in 2008 as a Junior ITF event and now incorporates the National High School Team Championships, supported by PRO IT and in collaboration with Youth of Tomorrow despite rain impacting four days of the event the standard of tennis was incredibly high and the team culture and camaraderie was there for all to see Australian tennis legend and co-founder of the Gallipoli Youth Cup continues to be excited about the delivery of the event “We’re delivering legacy and impact through the Gallipoli Youth Cup and transforming tennis through increased opportunities for secondary school athletes in Australia,” Cash said Co-founder of the Gallipoli Youth Cup and CEO of Youth of Tomorrow “We are proud to see the development of tennis but also the commemorative aspect of the Gallipoli Youth Cup,” he said “This is the generation that will lead the commemoration of the fallen soldiers at Gallipoli so it’s imperative we continue to make it a priority within a sporting environment” The boys final was a repeat of 2023’s battle between Brisbane Boys College and The McDonald College winning all four singles matches and claiming the first set of the #1 doubles to guarantee the result and the title for a second straight season with powerhouses Meriden School looking to secure their third straight title over a gallant Maribyrnong College Despite three of the four singles matches going to deciding match tiebreaks Meriden held a 3-1 lead after singles play and won the #1 doubles match to secure their 10th National High School title Winning schools received a limited-edition figurine containing authentic sand from Gallipoli, which were kindly donated by Military Shop Bronze medal winners were Marryatville High School for the girls and Palm Beach Currumbin State High School for the boys while Endeavour Sports High and Applecross Senior High School were Sportsmanship Award recipients for girls and boys respectively Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun CFA was called to the car fire at 6.35am today (Wednesday 31 July) in Traralgon South When firefighters arrived at their station they discovered the station had been broken into and their slip-on vehicle was missing CFA’s Traralgon Fire Brigade and FRV responded to the incident and found the burnt vehicle was the missing CFA slip-on District 27 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell said Traralgon South Fire Brigade has been taken offline while police are investigating “The area is well resourced by local CFA and FRV stations ensuring service capability will not be affected,” Bryan said “However to lose one of our vital assets required to protect the community is devastating especially for our volunteer brigade members “The slip-on vehicle was brigade owned which means they worked hard to receive community donations to fund this vehicle “The brigade will hopefully be back online later today and will operate with their two trucks on station.” View all stories View more contacts The Facebook feed is contained within an iframe and as such is not available via keyboard access. 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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) THE City of Traralgon Band is well into planning a return trip to the UK and France for June 2025 After the outstanding success of the band’s Tour of Remembrance in 2015 a similar tour is in the final planning stage with the focus again on education and honouring the fallen who did not return after World War 1 The City of Traralgon Band has a long history; established in 1881 The band performed at the Traralgon Railway Station each time troops departed for the Great War Some members of the band did not return and will be remembered during performances across northern France Daryl Hill said of the 2015 Tour of Remembrance: “We very quickly realised that we were not only representing our region but the whole of Australia Emotions were running high and we were very proud” The UK component of the tour will start in the Saddleworth district of Yorkshire where the band will compete in the world famous Whit Friday Brass Band competitions to again perform at the Tower of London and potentially even Buckingham Palace The band will then travel to northern France and perform at the many battlefield sites of the Somme culminating in a joint concert with the Amiens Brass Band in Villers Bretonneux then onto Paris to perform at the Eifel Tower and again at the Arc de Triomphe the band has received support for a potential concert in Copenhagen All members of the band are volunteers and although contributing a portion of the tour cost themselves various fundraising efforts are now underway including a farewell concert at GPAC set for May next year The City of Traralgon Band Charitable Trust is established so that individuals and businesses can make tax deductible donations to support the band Further information can be obtained by phoning Alan Wilson on 0418 513 060 or emailing cityoftraralgonband@gmail.com Traralgon Ford Aussie Hoopers took centre court for a girls vs It was a night to remember for our Traralgon Ford Aussie Hoops participants who had the incredible opportunity to take the court at the Boomers vs The excitement kicked off when the young players lined up to high-five the Boomers as they made their pre-game entrance and the kids were buzzing with excitement as they prepared for their own big moment at halftime the Traralgon Ford Aussie Hoops players split into a girls vs displaying the skills and teamwork they’ve developed in the program proving that both teams were evenly matched in talent and determination Officiating the game was Traralgon junior referee Boston Vella ensuring the match was played fairly and with great sportsmanship A huge thank you goes to Ford Aussie Hoops coach Ed Cowlishaw who helped coordinate the kids and delivered an inspiring pre-game pep talk to get them game-ready We also extend our appreciation to the Traralgon Amateur Basketball Association for their fantastic support in making this experience possible This event was a fantastic opportunity for our young players to step onto a big stage We can’t wait to see more Ford Aussie Hoops kids enjoying these amazing experiences in the future IF you’re going to try and take racing away from Traralgon Just as local horse trainers did when the then Traralgon Racing Club folded 22 years ago those who call Glenview Park home for their greyhounds are also not backing down The local horse racing industry rallied to see the sport continue in Traralgon all those years ago and now the same appears to apply for the besieged Traralgon Greyhound Racing Club The pleas of local greyhound trainers was heard last week in a packed public meeting at Traralgon RSL Close to 100 people crammed the RSL function space on Monday where a number of motions were put forward the message was loud and clear – local trainers vowing to do all they could to ensure the long term viability of the sport (which employs dozens) in Traralgon Former Latrobe City Councillor Lisa Proctor chaired the meeting and was joined by current sitting councillor Dale Harriman and former Traralgon Greyhound Racing Club President Haley served as club president for more than 10 years and was noticeably emotional when speaking of the club’s plight The club’s Glenview Park facility has faced a litany of issues since reopening in 2021 with its supposed state-of-the-art ‘J Curve’ track plagued by misfortune While the track was designed to improve greyhound safety problems with the lure system forced Greyhound Racing Victoria to suspend racing at Traralgon last July the lure system has led to dogs becoming startled as it seemingly disappears from their eye sight near the finish line were implemented against the will of local trainers not our track,” one discerning voice from the meeting called out Compounding the problem has been the fact Sale Greyhound Racing Club has been administrating the Traralgon club for the last few months Traralgon GRC had previously entered voluntary administration in July 2023 With Sale announcing plans to construct a new track in Kilmany there are fears Traralgon will soon be out of the picture altogether those present voted to arrange a meeting with state racing Minister Anthony Carbines in Traralgon the Sale committee and the Minister for Racing provide an update on the current options being considered to all owners trainers and the community,” one of the motions read in part Martin Cameron asked Mr Carbines to visit Traralgon during his most recent sitting week The meeting acknowledged the effort the local MP had gone to bring the greyhounds issue to light Trainers want to see two meetings per week at Glenview Park some did not discount the possibility of calling for a vote of no confidence in the GRV board The partnership will see the Phoenix head back to Traralgon for the fourth and fifth time to play at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.  South East Melbourne would like to acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government through the Significant Sporting Events Program Phoenix CEO Tommy Greer expressed gratitude to the local community and the hospitality they provide every time the team arrives.   “It's a highlight for us each year and we encourage everyone to head down to the Gippsland region immerse yourself in the local community and make a trip of seeing elite basketball in the country,” Greer said "We extend our gratitude to the Latrobe City Council and the Victorian Government for their involvement and I’m confident our fans in the region join me in thanking them for making this great event possible." the Phoenix will take on the Brisbane Bullets in Traralgon on Saturday The Phoenix will look to have a fourth sellout in Latrobe City with each of the prior three games held at the venue reaching maximum capacity.   Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said “The Phoenix have a great track record in Traralgon and the economic benefits flow into local businesses and communities.” “I encourage basketball fans from across the state to get their tickets and help Phoenix secure another great win at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.” said the extension of the partnership is exciting news for Latrobe City and will have a positive impact on the whole community “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with SEM Phoenix for another two years bringing top-tier basketball back to Latrobe City The previous matches at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium have been sold-out events with full and energetic crowds,” said the Mayor “Basketball is a popular and accessible activity that has many positive benefits such as improving social wellbeing and inclusion An event like this brings people together and creates a sense of belonging that resonates throughout the entire community “The team are dedicated to engaging one-on-one with the community and regularly provide clinics and training sessions at local schools inspiring the next generation and strengthening their connection with our region “The partnership is a testament to the loyal support from the community and the relationship Council has established with SEM Phoenix Council is committed to continue nurturing this relationship for many years to come and look forward to welcoming the team back to their regional Victoria home base next year.” Tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday, November 19 via Ticketek AN alleged attack of a 49-year-old Traralgon woman travelling on V/Line’s Gippsland Line has intensified calls from The Nationals, for the state government to act on passenger safety. Speaking in state Parliament, The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victorian, Melina Bath said the state government must significantly boost the number of Protected Services Officers (PSOs) at Gippsland train services. Ms Bath told state Parliament about Traralgon’s Naomi Sheppard, who fell victim to an alleged attack, which led to a heart attack. “While Ms Sheppard tried to protect herself, the alleged assailant’s actions violently dislodged her implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) embedded in her chest,” Ms Bath explained. “The heart regulating device malfunctioned, causing Ms Sheppard to go into cardiac arrest – following local emergency medical treatment, she was transferred to Melbourne’s Heart Hospital where she spent one week. “The incident, which was not isolated, could have cost Ms Sheppard her life, meanwhile the alleged assailant walked away without capture. “V/Line staff deserve to work safely without harassment and regional passengers should not have to endure any level of verbal or physical treatment on the service.” On Thursday, March 12, Ms Sheppard, along with Ms Bath and Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, told her story, which has left her traumatised. Following a weekend in Melbourne, Ms Sheppard caught the Gippsland Line back to Traralgon before midday on Sunday, February 9. After taking her seat by the window on the already “packed” train, Ms Sheppard was “aggressively” approached by another woman when the train arrived at another metropolitan station. “(She) aggressively asked me if I could move my things, using some colourful language, and I did move my belongings so that she could sit in the seat next to me,” Ms Sheppard said. Another train passenger that witnessed the incident informed the conductor of the woman; however, nothing was done to change the situation. Ms Sheppard said she felt intimidated for the entire train journey. “When we were approaching the regional stations for her to hop off, she was once again aggressive towards me. I moved so she could get out of the seat,” Ms Sheppard said. “After some more colourful language, she chose to spit in my face. At that stage, I tried to defend myself.” When the woman tried to leave the train, Ms Sheppard asked for the conductor to be called, as well as the police. But things soon escalated once again. “At that stage, she did actually grab me in general armpit region and at that stage I believe she felt my internal defibrillator and as she felt that she actually tried to turn the defibrillator in my chest,” Ms Sheppard said. “Straight away, I knew that something was happening, I was quite unwell immediately.” The conductor arrived at the scene as the woman left the train, but again Ms Sheppard remained uncertain as to why they could not do anything. At that time, Ms Sheppard identified she was having a heart attack and had to sit down. “The conductor then approached me and assured that it wasn’t personal, as she had been demonstrating antisocial behaviour towards somebody else on the train prior to myself, which was quite disheartening when nothing was done because we were closer to a metro station, and I… was assuming that she would have been removed at a further station along,” she said. Ms Sheppard asked the conductor to organise police and ambulance at Traralgon Train Station, after nothing was done on board. Once she arrived at Traralgon, Ms Sheppard’s husband had to call Triple Zero (000) as no ambulance was on the scene. She arrived at the hospital at around 3.20pm. Further tests at Latrobe Regional Health showed that she was suffering from a heart attack, which prompted her transfer to The Victorian Heart Hospital. After more tests, Ms Sheppard spent a week in hospital, two weeks off work from her own business, and she says she is still recovering and isn’t at full capacity following what was diagnosed as a stress induced heart attack. Ms Sheppard said she felt “devastated and disgusted” after knowing that no one was available to come to her aid. “I assumed that there were PSOs at stations, obviously regional there are not, which I have just found out. It’s as if we are second-class citizens in regional compared to our metro counterparts,” she said. Since the incident, police have not yet confirmed the identity of the woman. Ms Bath described Ms Sheppard’s experience as “truly shocking” and must serve as a wake-up call to the state government on the rising crime and violence occurring on regional public transport. “Surely when you hop on the train in Melbourne to come home to Traralgon you would expect that you would arrive home safely – but that was the absolute opposite for what happened to Naomi Sheppard recently,” Ms Bath told media last Wednesday (March 12). “It is unacceptable that one individual can perform multiple acts of aggressions in one two-hour journey and not be apprehended. “There is only two PSOs stationed at Traralgon at any given time, which is woefully inadequate. In contrast, every one of Melbourne’s 212 train stations are protected by PSOs, while only four regional stations state-wide have a PSO presence.” Victoria Police confirmed that one of the four regional PSO hubs is at Traralgon Railway Station, detecting and deterring antisocial behaviour from 6pm until the last train each day. Despite this, a Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed that “there are no plans to change existing PSO arrangements on the Gippsland train line”. PSOs can be alerted to incidents in a number of way, including calls via 000 (Triple Zero), reports from the public, or calls from other PSOs or police. They are also known to detect and respond to crime on the spot as they unfold. “PSOs can request a person’s name and address, arrest and detain persons, search people and property, seize items such as weapons, graffiti implements, drugs and alcohol, issue infringement notices, and issue a direction to ‘move on’ from the area,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said. “In addition, Transit police officers roam the public transport network, and local police also carry out regular patrols of regional station precincts to ensure people using public transport are not only safe, but feel safe.” In 2022, Victoria Police received funding for an extra 50 PSOs over two years. ABC News News HomeTraralgon residents fear Coalition's nuclear proposal will hurt house prices but some see opportunityShare Traralgon residents fear Coalition's nuclear proposal will hurt house prices but some see opportunityBy William Howard just kilometres from where the Coalition wants to build one of seven nuclear reactors weigh in on the Coalition's plan to build a nuclear reactor in their neighbourhood There are concerns a nuclear reactor could drive house prices down and drive locals to surrounding towns Loy Yang A power station is set to close by 2035 and advocates say nuclear power would provide a much-needed boost to a region grappling with changing industry Link copiedShareShare articleDriving through Traralgon South in Victoria's east you could be forgiven for not realising there was a coal-fired power station just a few kilometres away leafy streets are large homes with well-manicured gardens Traralgon South is surrounded by a nature reserve for flora and fauna Traralgon South Primary School's website describes "modern spacious facilities" surrounded by a "picturesque bushland setting" "We're very blessed to have this beautiful nature on our doorstep," said Traralgon South resident Yvonne McInnes "People love coming out here because it is so beautiful We're very close to Tarra-Bulga National Park." Yvonne McInnes is concerned by the prospect of having a nuclear reactor in her backyard is one of Victoria's biggest powerhouses With a capacity of 2,210 megawatts Loy Yang A generates about 30 per cent of the state's power The Loy Yang A coal-fired power station is scheduled to close by 2035 and Ms McInnes was beginning to think her days of living in a community at the centre of Australia's energy debate were over Under its plan, the opposition has said the first sites would be operational between 2035 and 2037 — and provide a cost-effective solution to Australia's net zero transition However, according to the CSIRO, building a large-scale nuclear power plant in Australia would cost at least $8.5 billion and produce electricity at roughly twice the cost of renewable sources Regardless of whether it goes ahead or not Ms McInnes is concerned by the Coalition's proposal "I hope it doesn't happen," she said "I don't think it's a bad idea," Mr Folks said "When you take into account the number of nuclear power stations around the world one or two accidents is bound to happen sooner or later and safety is much better than what it was." Christopher Folks is hopeful the Coalition's proposal will go ahead Mr Folks admitted opinion amongst neighbours was divided with many preferencing wind and solar farms over a nuclear reactor But a common concern shared by all residents the ABC spoke to was the potential impact on house prices Research conducted by real estate agency Barrows and Forrester in 2023 found properties situated close to nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom commanded about a fifth less than the wider market said this was "no doubt down to the public's perception that living close to a nuclear site is not only a potential eyesore but also poses a potential risk." The ABC attempted to speak with several real estate agents in Traralgon but none were willing to speak on the record the possibility the value of his family home could drop overnight was worrying there's not much you can do about it," he said When Victoria's power industry was privatised in the 1990s, the Latrobe Valley's unemployment rate soared into the double digits, numerous businesses went under, and the housing market collapsed. The region has never made a full recovery. Transmission lines are a common sight across the Latrobe Valley. (ABC Gippsland: William Howard) Latrobe City councillor Graeme Middlemiss has lived in the Valley for 78 years, 35 of which he spent as a power station operator at Loy Yang. After witnessing such enormous change, he has hesitations about the possible construction of a nuclear reactor in his community. "The environmental movement gave us a bad name because of our relationship with coal and I think we could get another bad name because of our relationship with nuclear if this proposal goes ahead," Cr Middlemiss said. Graeme Middlemiss says the region's population was affected by the privatisation of the power industry. (ABC Gippsland: Jarrod Whittaker) In the late 1990s, Latrobe City's population was about 75,000. In the 30 years since, it has barely grown. "We've stood still while places around us have expanded," Cr Middlemiss said. This is in stark comparison to cities like Ballarat and Bendigo where the number of residents living in the regional centres has ballooned to about 101,000 and 124,000 respectively. Cr Middlemiss said a nuclear reactor could see more people make the move to surrounding towns, including Warragul and Sale. "Those who have the money may shift," he said. Still, as the Latrobe Valley finds its feet in the shift away from coal, some residents believe a nuclear power plant could provide a much-needed economic boost to the region. In 2019, Saikrishna Madarapu and Reshma Gande moved to Traralgon South. (ABC Gippsland: William Howard) In 2019, Saikrishna Madarapu and Reshma Gande packed up their lives in Benalla, in Victoria's north-east, and moved to Traralgon South. They own and operate the suburb's only general store, but business has been tough. "When we moved here, we didn't know Loy Yang was scheduled to be closed," Mr Madarapu said. "This, with the timber industry shutting down, means a lot of locals have moved out of the town. The main road connecting Traralgon South with surrounding suburbs. (ABC Gippsland: William Howard) The couple said the construction of a reactor could result in an influx of people to the area, but they were pessimistic about the housing market. "There are a lot of questions about the safety and security of the power," Mr Madarapu said. When speaking to his constituents, Cr Middlemiss estimated community opinion was split about 50-50 over whether a reactor should be built in Traralgon. The site of the Coalition's proposed nuclear reactor in Victoria's east is just kilometres from a leafy residential suburb. (ABC Gippsland: William Howard) While half were staunchly opposed to nuclear energy, he said the other half were staring down the barrel of ongoing job losses and wondering how the community would look in a decade's time. "The closure of the power industry will have a dramatic effect on our community," he said. FORMER Latrobe Valley councillor and passionate community advocate Lisa Proctor is currently calling on the community to attend a meeting to discuss the future of facilities at Traralgon Greyhound Racing Club Proctor said a decision on facilities and use of the track will be going before Greyhound Racing Victoria and the Minister for Racing before the end of the year I was fighting to retain this facility 20 years ago and here we are again in 2024,” she said “It is alarming that there has been no community consultation and input on this decision Racing ceased months ago and assets have already been removed and are now being used in Melbourne venues This venue has been used since 1978 and the continual use for purpose is what we want maintained into the future.” the GRV facility has no locals represented on the committee and is currently being managed by Sale Greyhound Racing Club “Sale has announced they will be building a new facility at Kilmany let’s hope this is not at the expense of the Traralgon facilities closure or reduction to trialling only which could ultimately see the facility close due to a very small income,” Proctor said Proctor understands there has been around $15 million spent on the Traralgon facility and that an upgrade is required due to lure problems Similar problems have been overcome throughout Australia so this can be fixed if there is a desire by GRV and the Minister which would see a full return to racing Proctor also understands there has already been discussion with Latrobe City Council and GRV on the facilities but is waiting for further details on the specifics “Community want to see the Traralgon community represented formally and not through a Sale Committee,” Proctor said “There have already been job losses which we don’t want to see and there has been economic loss in the community which is not what Latrobe Valley wants or needs.” Proctor is urging the community to attend the meeting at Traralgon RSL next Monday (October 28) from 6.30pm concerns can be raised and potential solutions then submitted to GRV and the Minister for Racing the 2025 Traralgon Rodeo went ahead at Glenview Park despite a thunderstorm and heavy rain falling at the start of the event with patrons enjoying classic country fun and entertainment Music blared and people slid in the mud heading from one end of the grounds to the other to get view of the show and to visit stalls featured around the arena broncos and bulls came ready to throw cowboys and cowgirls around adding further challenge to the already wet ride and course Junior barrel racers flew through the barrel racing courses some with crowd encouragement such as local Glengarry girl Joe McGennisken who also got inner-arena assistance from her mum The commentator bellowing “that the pony wanted to make mum run!” Dodgem cars and twirly teacup rides were also a fixture throughout the afternoon Local Wellington/Latrobe artists Three Chain Road closed the show on stage Forgot your password? Every Thursday the Get On team try & find you an edge in assessing the form for the weekend races in Victoria & around the country and Charlotte Littlefield take a deep dive into the behind the scenes world of the horse racing industry Join Ben Asgari for a full analysis on all the big races Our form men look for a winner in the early markets Weekly program hosted by Racing.com's Terry Bailey highlighted by live studio interviews with racing participants.  Every fortnight Clint Hutchison & Warren Huntly review the trials which have caught their eye & who you should be following out of the trials Join Sam Doran as he takes a look at some of the regional towns of Australia Dissect all the latest racing news and talking points with a variety of special guests A comprehensive preview show of Hong Kong racing which focuses on form Racing.com's expert team provides the latest news from the track With Hamish McLachlan & Ross Stevenson takes a look at what’s offbeat over the top & often 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Grace Ramage speaks to trainers & jockeys at trackwork ahead of the Autumn Racing Carnival Dr Turf and Ben Asgari dissect the feature races on Saturday’s metropolitan card to find you a winner The move comes on the back of constant lure issues at the J-Curve track including at the most recent meeting slated for last Monday races and race meetings lost and potential greyhound welfare risks associated with the incidents has led to this decision being made," a GRV spokesperson said in conjunction with the Traralgon GRC (TGRC) and Sale GRC which  administer racing at Traralgon are now progressing with the planning and  subsequent installation of a conventional cable lure system at the track.  "GRV appreciates that such action will be an inconvenience to industry participants; however since opening in January 2022 Traralgon has lost 50 per cent more races relating to lure or rail issues (no race abandoned races and  cancelled meetings) than the rest of the state combined in the same period.   the lure failed during race meetings on Friday 14 June  and Friday 21 June and despite dedicated attempts to resolve the issue the lure  again failed during the most recent meeting on Monday 15 July.  "Planning commenced late in 2023 regarding potential options for the  replacement of the Traralgon lure system the integrity of the industry and racing critical matters that have been taken into consideration in this decision.  “There is no firm time frame available as yet for this project to be completed however it is a key priority for GRV and further information will be provided once known."  With racing at Traralgon sidelined for the immediate future GRV is working through alternative options for the transfer of all future scheduled meetings at the venue.The intent is to have as many of the rescheduled race meetings as possible remain in the region Sale and Healesville are likely to take on the majority of the race meetings.   An immediate change that has been made is that Bendigo will move into the  Friday night timeslot in lieu of Traralgon to provide consistency in this key  timeslot and flexibility in securing a venue to conduct the remaining Friday  meeting in the twilight slot.  Healesville will be added in the day slot on Friday this week and Ballarat will be the replacement meeting in the twilight next  Monday 22 July Sale will host the Wednesday 24 July meeting TRARALGON netballer Stacey Jacobsen will enter the A Grade timeslot for the 300th time this weekend The veteran will become the first Traralgon netballer to play 300 games in the top grade the Maroons are set to host arch rival Morwell and been a Gippsland League Team of the Year representative on six occasions The mid-courter began at the club as a 16-year-old in the Under 17s and Traralgon Football-Netball Club has been her second home ever since it’s such a special club,” she said I’ve been paved through the club and it’s just a great community a great bunch of girls (and) everybody is ready to play no matter how old you are everybody just gets along and supports each other.” Jacobsen pointed to some special moments throughout her career “Winning the 2015 A Grade premiership we won it the same year the seniors won the flag That was a pretty special time,” Jacobsen said “My husband (Mitch Jacobsen) was actually in the senior side when they won and I won with the A Grade side we weren’t together then (though).” Jacobsen (nee O’Brien) also noted being awarded life membership at Traralgon as another significant moment The staunch A Grade superstar took on the captaincy this season alongside teammate Bron Tebb The team has been in a noticeable transition period over the last few years “It’s a really unique side we’ve got this year We’ve got experience and then we’ve got some really young girls who are only 16-years-old playing in the A Grade side,” Jacobsen said “They’ve got a lot of talent these young girls they are going to be absolute superstars and we’re fortunate to have them at Traralgon… hopefully I do try and use my experience to help them out but some games I’m trying to just keep up with them myself and they push me… they’re an exciting group of young girls.” the Maroons are hoping to lock in a finals berth with victory “It’s always a tight clash against Morwell so I expect it to be the same this Saturday,” Jacobsen said “It would be great to secure our spot in finals if we get the win It will certainly make the celebrations even better if we win.” PROFESSIONAL and amateur golfers gathered at the Traralgon Golf Club for the two-day event of the Traralgon Latrobe City WIN Network Pro-Am Classic Ed Donoghue claimed his maiden professional title in a one-shot clinch finishing nine-under par Donoghue praised Traralgon’s surface and while naturally jubilant with the victory admitted the thought of securing his first trophy after so many times finishing second played on his mind it’s the first time I’ve been here so I didn’t really know what to expect but the course (was) definitely better than I thought so I’m just happy to get over the line – very relieved “It was kind of in the back of my head a little bit but I knew I was hitting the ball really nicely I thought I was due to win one and it happened.” Donoghue went bogey-free during his day one six-under performance that featured near perfect weather only to see the second day arrive with a gustily wind leading to five straight pars He would then decompress and refocus to birdie three of his last four holes to jump to the top of the leaderboard I kind of thought I was in with a good chance but yeah I didn’t look at the leaderboard with like nine holes to go so I wasn’t really sure how everyone else was going,” Donoghue said Donoghue did have to sit idly after completing his round as amateur Matthew Dahlsen came through trailing only by one shot arrived at the 18th hole right in front of the clubhouse with his ball sitting off the green – if he nailed it Donoghue would be holding the winner’s trophy with someone else which meant Donoghue finished proceedings a shot clear of the rest with Andre Lautee and Dahlsen on eight-under Donoghue took home more than $5000 for his breakthrough win and his single stand during the Gippsland Swing as he now prepares for the New South Wales Open starting tomorrow (November 14) The pro’s shoot-out proceeded play with Matthew McFarlane collecting the $1000 for the longest drive Traralgon Golf Club hailed the two days as another successful event which gave light to some of those rising in the professional ranks as well as local talent which competed with some of the best Chairman of the Pro-Am Committee at the Traralgon Golf Club Andy Milbourne summed up the pro-am calling it “a great two days” we’ve had a lot of people out watching and following the groups which is always good to see and we’ve seen some good young up-and-coming talent out there on the course as well as far as the pros go,” he said the greens have been running quick with a bit of wind and everything else combined it’s certainly made the play very interesting out there for sure.” Milbourne said the pros found the course to be “a good he’s done a fantastic job with his crew to be able to get the course up to the standard that it is and it’s probably it’s probably one of the best courses in the Gippsland area so we go around and we talk to not only the pros but also the classic players and also the sponsors and just the club golfers who are playing out there and just see how we can make the course better and make the clubhouse experience better form them as well.” Traralgon Golf Club also held their annual junior Ambrose pro-am with nine professionals guiding 27 young “This is our third year that we’ve done this and the pros love coming up for it,” Milbourne said “They just love giving tips to the kids and as a junior it was something I never had the opportunity to experience so we’re trying to pass on that really good experience to the kids and they are relishing (in) the fact that they get to be up close and personal with these pros “We’re looking to try and expand that into the near future so that will be something to look forward to.” Johnny Foster and McFarlane were the winning group with a score of 27 off the stick finishing nine-under the Community Bank Trafalgar & District Trafalgar Pro-Am took place on Wednesday November 6 as the second stop of the Gippsland Swing a part of the PGA of Australia’s Adidas Pro-Am Series Ben Murphy claimed victory after a six-under 64 performance out at the Trafalgar Golf Club Murphy started positively with birdies at holes 10 and 12 and a birdie on the 16th but then mellowed with seven consecutive pars Breaking the wayward streak with an eagle at the Par 5 sixth closing his round of 64 finishing one shot clear of Harrison Wills (65) While this was Murphy’s first time at Trafalgar he said it bowed well having to not overthink it subsequently lauding the country course on what was a beautiful day topping 30 degrees Murphy pocketed $2694 for his win and bogey-free effort A total of 53 professionals participated at Trafalgar alongside 107 amateur golfers Besides a momentary stoppage due to lighting in the afternoon Trafalgar Golf Club Captain Peter Moss said the day ran smoothly “The day was a success for the Trafalgar Golf Club Thanks to all of our wonderful sponsors and the volunteers who assisted leading up to the event and on the day,” he said “All of the professionals spoke highly of the course.” which began its week in Sale before heading to Trafalgar is an integral part of their community venture “Events like these (at Trafalgar) are great to get out into regional areas and promote the sport but promote the game as a whole,” McLeod said “It’s a good opportunity for local amateurs to come and mix it with the pros “It is the only sport where the amateurs get to play in the competition with the professionals.” A fixture of games separated by morning and afternoon players offered professionals and local amateurs a chance to mingle and see the professionals give tips and advice so they are out there and they’re competitive and trying to win against the other pros but there’s a lot of interaction between the pros (and the amateurs),” McLeod said the Trafalgar Pro-Am still carried a significant prize fund meaning there was still a tense feeling among players in the midst of play Geelong professional Matt McFarlane was visibly frustrated with his finish during the morning session Winning does go a long way for these golfers who don’t necessarily live the lifestyle one would expect as professional athletes with the sport only taking up a fraction of their day-to-day lives having to pay for travel and accommodation out of their own pocket a Trafalgar Golf Club official spoke about one professional using his campervan to travel from one event to another – who arrived the night prior to the pro-am and slept at the golf club An additional $600 was on offer for the Trafalgar Golf Club Shoot Out which followed the afternoon players in which all professionals on the day battled it out to see who could drive the furthest – taken out by Jake Hughes The amateur winners were: AM session A Grade: Scott McKinnon (42 points) The 2025 ProMX Championship is set to make a return to Traralgon Thanks to the support of Latrobe City Council the iconic Loy Yang Park track will host its first-ever ProMX round Traralgon joins the 2025 ProMX lineup alongside debut locations Nowra and Warwick Known for its dynamic layout featuring gradient shifts the Loy Yang track promises an exhilarating day of racing across all ProMX classes Traralgon offers visitors an array of hospitality options the area is well-prepared to welcome fans and participants alike The experienced Traralgon Motorcycle Club will host the round marking the halfway point of the 2025 ProMX Championship and further solidifying the club’s reputation as a premier motocross event organiser and MX3 classes will compete in all eight championship rounds the MXW (Women’s) class will appear at four rounds Details on class participation for each round will be announced soon expressed his enthusiasm for the event saying “We are proud to host the 2025 ProMX and provide a new location for riders to test their skills right here in Traralgon and visitors to the event – and hope they can all make the most of what Latrobe City has to offer during their visit.” With its storied history in national motocross events and a challenging track layout Traralgon’s return to the national spotlight promises to be a highlight of the 2025 ProMX Championship 2025 ProMX Championship Calendar:Rd 1: March 22-23 – Wonthaggi The class composition at each round is as follows:Wonthaggi: MX1 MXW (incorporating the FIM Oceania Women’s Motocross Cup) and MX85;Appin: MX1