Journalist Natalie Croxon's noteworthy stories of 2018

The world’s largest imperial dragon, Sun Loong, this year made his first appearance outside Bendigo since his arrival 48 years ago, parading in Melbourne during Lunar New Year celebrations. Seeing the impressive dragon introduced to a new audience was special.

In January 2016, Samantha Kelly – a woman described as a doting mother and a kind and fun-loving person – was murdered. Two and a half years after her death, a jury found the final two people accused of involvement in her death, Christine Lyons and Ronald Lyons, guilty of murder and attempted murder respectively. Ms Kelly’s family expressed relief at the verdicts, her brother Michael saying he believed the jury had got it right. Christine Lyons was later sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for her role as the “architect” of Ms Kelly’s death, while Ronald Lyons received a 12-year sentence.

Using dance, art and music, a youth social work initiative is helping Bendigo’s young people find a creative outlet to express themselves and become leaders in their community.

There is nothing certain in life, as the famous saying goes, but taxes and death. Two central Victorian women are trying to make people more comfortable with the latter inevitability, bringing death out of the realm of the morbid and into a place more everyday.

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