Fingers crossed for Brenda

She must wait for the conditions to be just right.

It all comes down to the weather and the channel conditions.

While Brenda kicked off her long distance swimming campaign six years ago with one of the most iconic in the world - the English Channel - it is expected this will be her toughest challenge to date.

The success rate of completion is just 10 per cent, and the waters are infested with jellyfish.

Good luck, Brenda.

All of Deni and district is with you ... as always.

Farewell Barassi

Deniliquin’s Barry family is among those across the country mourning the loss of AFL legend Ron Barassi this week.

Barassi was connected with a number of AFL clubs over the years, including the Sydney Swans where Leo Barry jnr was a player.

Leo snr said by coincidence, Barassi’s last game coaching the Swans was the same game in which Leo jnr made his debut for the AFL.

Leo jnr would have also trained under the football great when playing for the reserves, and a professional relationship would have continued through Barassi’s connections to the Swans after he stepped down as coach.

Barassi was the first player to be inaugurated into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a ‘Legend’ and is one of four Australian rules footballers to be elevated to the same status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Barassi died at the weekend aged 87. His death is believed to have occured after a fall.

Off the water ... permanently

The Pride of the Murray will not be able to cruise again.

Owner Richard Kinnon has announced that despite recent salvage efforts after six months on the floor of the Thomson River in Longreach, the damage to the 99-year-old boat was too extensive.

“If there had been an obvious reason for her sinking and a simple fix for that, we would have done it. That was always what we intended,” Mr Kinnon said.

“But the boatbuilders made it clear that, after a sinking, a boat of this age would need to be virtually rebuilt from scratch to guarantee she would pass certification requirements.

“I know many, many people who have followed her progress will be very disappointed and I can assure them that no-one is more disappointed than we are after all the effort and love we’ve put into her.

“The place we all wanted her was back on the water. But I can do the next best thing by giving her a berth beside the river, restoring her glory and giving her a new role in telling the story of pioneer riverboats.”

Mr Kinnon said the fact a large portion of her hull and superstructure needed to be replaced to bring the Pride of the Murray to a current certifiable standard for a passenger vessel was an issue.

He also referenced that getting insurance underwriting would “be impossible or prohibitively expensive”.

Despite those setbacks, Mr Kinnon said he was committed to restoring the Pride of the Murray for a land-based role and he would commission a replica paddlewheeler to take over her cruise duties.

Capture the essence of Deni

The Deniliquin Buisness Chamber has begun taking entries for its annual phone book cover competition.

Photos entered will be published in the Deniliquin Pastoral Times and on Deniliquin Business Chamber’s Facebook page.

The cover photo will be chosen by public vote.

The winning photo will not only be printed on hundreds of copies of next year’s phone book, but whoever took the photo will recieve a $50 Deni Gift Card, Do It In Deni t-shirt and stubby holder.

Get your listing sorted

While on the topic of the phone directory, now is the time to be submitting your listing for the 2024 edition.

You’ll find the forms for white page entries inserted in today’s edition.

If you need more forms, drop into our office at 230 Cressy St.

The forms are to be used for any new listing, or alterations to existing listings.

If your phone number or address have not changed, you don’t have to do a thing.

If you would like your business in the pink pages, get in touch with Amber on 5881 2322 or phonebook@denipt.com.au by the end of next week.