Caring at Kaniva

At the height of the Depression in 1931, Flora Champness made headlines with an act of generosity that brightened Christmas Day for swagmen wandering the Victorian Wimmera. She prepared a sumptuous three-course meal for seven unemployed men, who were camping in Kaniva while they walked the roads looking for whatever work they could find

Flora was a well-known member of the community. Her husband, Roy, served as shire president for a number of years and was highly regarded for his farming abilities, while Flora was appreciated for her splendid efforts supporting the Kaniva hospital. When an auxiliary was formed in 1924 to raise money for the facility, Flora was elected as the first president. She held the position for 22 years.