Do repairs to our railway assets before too late
THE Courier front page article on July 21 again highlights the sad state of repair of our precious railway heritage surrounding the historic Ballarat railway precinct.
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The writer has been harking for years that it would appear authorities are working on "demolition by neglect".
We have probably the best collection of railway signal boxes, signal gantries and signal masts in Australia and all are under heritage protection.
We managed to retain the historic railway gates in Lydiard Street during the 1990s and since that time very little maintenance and restoration has taken place on any of these historic assets.
Certainly the three signal boxes have received a coat of paint and some glass replacement.
Can someone in authority please get off their backsides and seek funds to restore our historic assets before it is too late? A good start may be for Sharon Knight, Geoff Howard and Jaala Pulford, our local MPs, to get together with the mayor to determine who is responsible and to arrange maintenance and repair of these historic assets before it is too late.
We have already lost the Macarthur Street signal box and the hay weighbridge shed to fire, and several signal heads have been nicked for use elsewhere.
We boast about Ballarat being a "heritage city" around the world, yet we are letting our historic assets fall into disrepair by way of passing the buck and ducking responsibility.
- Paul Jenkins, OAM, Alfredton
Take a leaf out of South Australia’s book
ON a recent holiday, we visited Steamtown in Peterborough, South Australia, where they have a fantastic rail museum housing a large range of that state's rail history, including many locomotives.
Ballarat also has strong links to our state's rail heritage and it's a pity a lot more is not done to preserve all aspects of it.
- Phonse Liddle, Smeaton
Daffodil Day celebrates its 30th birthday next month
REMEMBER 1986? It was a big year in Australia. Bob Hawke was still our prime minister, Crocodile Dundee hit the cinemas and Hawthorn defeated Carlton in the VFL grand final.
It was also the year that Cancer Council's much-loved Daffodil Day campaign began in Australia, now celebrating an incredible 30 year milestone in 2016.
Since its inception, more than $137 million has been raised nationally for cancer research, prevention programs and support services through Daffodil Day.
Through the support of community members who have volunteered or purchased Daffodil Day merchandise, you have helped make real change in the cancer landscape over the last 30 years.
The funds raised through Daffodil Day have helped to increase the five-year cancer survival rate by about 20 per cent.
Funds have also helped to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer, with thousands of Australians alive today as a result and provide support services and programs, including Cancer Council 13 11 20, an information and support line for people affected by cancer.
The daffodil is an international symbol of hope for people affected by cancer and this year Daffodil Day will be held on Friday, August 26.
Whether it's by wearing a pin, ordering Daffodil Day merchandise to sell, volunteering on the day, or donating, everyone has what it takes to provide hope for a cancer-free future.
On behalf of Cancer Council Victoria, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the community for supporting Daffodil Day for the last 30 years, and for many years to come.
- Todd Harper, chief executive officer, Cancer Council Victoria