Maryborough is still vulnerable to bushfire, despite not being included on an official list of 52 towns which are considered at risk during the coming fire season, local CFA officials have warned.

The list of towns, which includes nearby St Arnaud and Castlemaine, was released to the public following the completion of the recent Royal Commission into the horrific Black Saturday bushfires, which claimed the lives of 173 Victorians.

Maryborough Police have interviewed three local teenagers over recent graffiti vandalism.

The three teens were interviewed and processed following search warrants being executed on Maryborough addresses.

The searches located a number of spray cans, as well as other graffiti paraphernalia.

The teens were interviewed in relation to criminal damage offences over the recent graffiti spree, as well as theft-related crimes.

Seventy-three million dollars of completed rail upgrades are set to speed the return of passenger rail services to Maryborough.

The upgrades to the Mildura rail freight corridor, an area which encompasses Maryborough, were officially declared complete by Victorian Premier, John Brumby, during a visit to the Maryborough Railway Station last week, alongside Minister for Transport, Lynne Kosky and Member for Ripon, Joe Helper.

Graffiti vandals who targeted a local church have been branded a “disgrace” by Maryborough Police.

In a spree of mindless vandalism, vandals defaced the St Augustine’s Catholic Church in Burke Street, as well as the Maryborough Guide Hall in Napier Street, the Central Goldfields Shire Council’s Nolan Street offices and a Burke Street building supplies business, leaving a damage bill totalling in the thousands in their wake.

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP

Prime Minister

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

August 14, 2009

Dear Prime Minister,

Restrictions on the Parallel Importation of Books

We write to you on behalf of our community to express directly, the deep opposition of the community, joined increasingly by the swelling chorus of others, to the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on the abolition of the Restrictions on the Parallel Importation of Books.

Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has been invited to visit Maryborough and take a first-hand look at the devastating impact the abolishment of Australia’s parallel book importations could have on the area.

In a joint letter from Central Goldfields Shire Mayor, Cr Chris Meddows-Taylor, and Maryborough Advertiser managing editor, Michael Rossi, written on behalf of the people of the Central Goldfields Shire, the Prime Minister, his deputy and key Federal Cabinet members have been invited to Maryborough to talk with members of the community and the printing industry about the flow-on effects the Productivity Commission’s recommended changes could have on the local economy.

Crime has dropped by nine percent in the Central Goldfields Shire in the last year.

An overall total of 917 offences were recorded during the 12-month period between July 31, 2008 to July 31, 2009 — a drop of 91 compared with the 1008 crimes committed during the previous year.

A number of deep alluvial mines were in operation on the Alma Lead in the 1870s, yielding large quantities of gold, and the Seaham Company mine was among them.

A 25 horse power steam engine was erected on its claim when it began in 1869 and promising yields were found from a depth of 93 feet.