DEATHS caused by agricultural accidents in Victoria made up 32 per cent of fatal work accidents last year.
Eight people were killed on farms in 2011, which added to the state's workplace fatalities total of 25.
Of the eight, the eldest, a 94-year-old man in South Gippsland, and the youngest, an 11-year-old boy in Katunga, were killed while using ATVs.
A man was rammed by a cow, another man was charged by a bull, another fell while standing in a cage being raised by a tractor to unload fertiliser, a teen was crushed by a rotary milking machine and a farmer was caught in a baler.
Last year 23 people were killed at work in Victoria, seven on farms.
Small fall in road deaths
FEWER people died on country roads in 2011, with police data showing 157 people were killed compared with 163 the previous year.
But the message from police is Victoria's road toll of 288 for the year is still too high.
Transport Accident Commission data shows more people died on rural roads on Saturdays, and the biggest cause of death were vehicles running off straight roads.
More males, 118 compared with just 39 women, died on country roads.
A Ballarat woman in her 30s became the final fatal statistic for the year when her car ran off the road at Serviceton, near the South Australian border, and rolled.
Head of road policing Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe was pleased to see a slight decrease in trauma on regional roads.
"Victoria Police launched our Regional Victoria Road Trauma Reduction Strategy in July which saw us increase speed detection, expand road- side drug testing and vary our enforcement activity in country areas," he said.
"We have a long-term, strategic approach to road safety in this state that is working well . . . however, we all agree that 288 lives is too many to lose."
Blue Moose is loose again
YOUNG people have a place to hang out this week with Youth Dimension running the Blue Moose program from James Boyle Hall at Little Lake Boort.
Blue Moose is a drop-in cafe run by a Christian group from Warrandyte South.
Loddon Shire Mayor Gavan Holt said the program was an annual event in Boort and would run until this Friday.
He said young people could enjoy food, live music and games from 8pm until late.
Cockatoos drive farmers nuts
COCKIES are driving Victorian hazelnut farmers crazy this year.
Harvest is due to begin towards the end of this month.
But Longwood farmer Mike Emery says the cockatoos are eating into hundreds of kilos of nuts he plans to sell.
He said the cockatoos are picking the nuts off his trees and estimates he has lost 20 per cent of his crop.
Heavens dump on Joel Joel
FARMERS in western Victoria are still cleaning up after heavy storms damaged properties at Christmas.
Stock and fences were washed away at many properties, with Joel Joel east of Stawell getting more than 100mm of rain in an hour.
Farmer Larry McLean from Joel South didn't lose any stock but says the clean-up has kept him busy during the summer break.
Eighty apartments
A $25 million development including 80 apartments and a tavern will be built in Wodonga.
The Quest Serviced Apartments, to be built on the scout hall site in Reid St, will include 80 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
Wodonga Council chief executive Gavin Cator said a demand assessment part-funded by Tourism Victoria in 2007 identified the need for high-quality accommodation in the CBD.
Wodonga Mayor Mark Byatt said the project would create further employment in the region.
A planning application is to be submitted to the council within months.
The development is expected to open next year.
