Around the region:

Missing teen from Echuca

The teenage girl missing in floodwaters in Queensland for more than a week has been confirmed as Echuca’s Krystal Cain.

The 14 year-old was separated from her father, Lenny Cain, in the recent floods.

Police were called to reports of a man and his teenage daughter caught in what is believed to have been a Toyota Camry sedan near the Burnett Hwy in Booubyjan on January 8.

The pair managed to flee the vehicle before it was swept away, however, ended up separated from one another in the traumatic ordeal.

Mr Cain clung to a tree and was rescued several hours later.

The Cains were on their way to Agnes Water visiting relatives when Mr Cain’s car was swept into floodwaters.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up for the family.

Special food farm

Koalas at the Kyabram Fauna Park are set to enjoy a lifetime supply of their favourite leaves from a new koala food forest planted through a partnership between the park and Gargarro Botanic Gardens.

Park general manager Lachlan Gordon said the trees planted in September would provide an ongoing food source for the koalas at the park, as well as for wild koalas being looked after by other wildlife carers.

Five species of eucalypt were planted, all of which are preferred by koalas: manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), swamp gum (Eucalyptus ovata), southern blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) Gippsland red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis subsp. mediana) and river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis).

The Kyabram Fauna Park and Gargarro Botanic Gardens received $4000 from the Campaspe Shire Council Community Grants Program in 2020 to establish the food forest.

Fun charity calendar

Some of your favourite celebrity photos have been recreated by Shepparton and district tradies as part of a second annual charity calendar.

The blokes at GV Plaster Products posed for the Real Tradie Calendar in a bid to raise awareness and funds for mental health foundation, This is a Conversation Starter.

Taking it up a notch from last year’s calendar, the boys put on a show parodying well-renowned images of celebrities and films, not shying away from a touch of makeup or the occasional wig.

Get tested, says survivor

Cobram’s Lisa Laffan has called on wider testing parameters for breast cancer, using her own cancer battle as a cautionary tale.

The 55 year-old said if she hadn’t decided to get a mammogram on a whim in 2019, while living in Townsville, she likely wouldn’t be here today.

When Lisa’s mother passed away six years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, she and her sister were told to get mammograms which came back clear.

She decided to get tested again in 2019 after passing a BreastScreen van, and a mass was found.

Stemming from her experience of breast cancer and treatment, she is calling for everyone of all ages to go out and get their breasts checked, even if they don’t have a family history or symptoms.