Ralph Behrendt, Senior Technical Specialist – Sheep and Beef Networks After two tough years, many farmers across the state now have good numbers of lambs on the ground approaching weaning time. Weaning is a routine job on the calendar. But for lambs, it is one of the biggest changes they will face. Overnight, they move […]

Agriculture Victoria is continuing its crackdown on the illegal network trading in exotic pest animals, with another investigation resulting in convictions and significant fines. A Melbourne aquarium business and its director have been convicted and fined a combined $25,000 for offences involving noxious aquatic species and the illegal trade of protected native wildlife. M&R Aquarium […]

Hot hay, high risk 23 October 2026 Michele Jolliffe, Dairy Extension Officer, Hamilton Harvest has started and so has the risk of heating hay. Every year, Victorian farmers lose hay, machinery and sheds to hay fires caused by heating bales. A few simple checks in the weeks after baling can help prevent a costly and […]

Back at the beginning of August I saw a post on the Grapevine by a local woman I hadn’t met, Jodie Hawkins, with photos of the Senior Cits room at the back of the Daylesford Town Hall, asking whether anyone would be interested in getting together there as a community. Well, there was an overwhelming […]

Hepburn Shire Council’s interim CEO Janet Dore is loving her new role, saying the region is “a delightful place to be in – it’s just a little gem”. But Ms Dore also recognises there are financial challenges but says the council has a plan to ensure it can recover its financial health. “I think the […]

The state government will invest $7.8 million to upgrade Daylesford Aged Care through Central Highlands Rural Health. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas made the announcement on her Facebook page saying the funding is part of the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF), which gives rural and regional health services the opportunity to put forward their priorities for […]

Hepburn Shire Council’s Duke Street building in Daylesford is no longer fit for purpose. Council staff based at the office will be relocated to other workplaces, including 24 Vincent Street, the Daylesford depot and the Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre during this month and next. Interim CEO Janet Dore said council’s customer service channels would […]

The Daylesford water supply system has received improvements with Central Highlands Water successfully completing works on the high-level water basin at the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Daylesford customers are now receiving water from the improved basin, which is back in full service in time for this summer. These works ensure the long-term viability of the […]

The federal and state governments are getting on with a jointly funded $175 million upgrade to roads across Wallan, north of Melbourne. The Watson Street Interchange Upgrade is now more than halfway complete and due to open six months early in mid-2027. The new full diamond interchange at the Hume Freeway will deliver more direct […]

The state government is giving WorkSafe inspectors the power to issue on-the-spot fines to protect Victorian workers from deadly falls from height. From Wednesday, March 31, 2027, employers can be fined on the spot for failing to control fall risks, starting high-risk construction work without a Safe Work Method Statement, or failing to keep safety […]

The state government is backing up to 51 new local jobs, supporting an innovative quantum sensing company to expand in Victoria. Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Melissa Horne recently announced the expansion of Nomad Atomics’ facility in Richmond, enabling the company to manufacture its world-leading quantum sensors locally. Over the next three years, Nomad […]

Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel said: “Recently I met with the Premier to discuss concerns about safety and security at voting centres. “Every Victorian has the right to participate in the upcoming election safely and free from intimidation or interference of any kind. “My team and I are working hard to make sure that continues. “We […]

Professor Tezer Kutluk points to six decades of progress and the growing role of personalised treatment, while warning that access to care still determines children’s chances. ISTANBUL, Türkiye – Childhood cancer treatment success has risen from around 25% in the 1960s to approximately 87% today, according to Professor Tezer Kutluk, Chair of Medicana’s Scientific Board […]

The state government is planning more parkland for Melbourne’s growing north, giving families space to get outdoors as new neighbourhoods take shape. Minister for Environment Jaclyn Symes announced $1 million to help define the proposed wallan wallan Regional Park boundary and map out how to deliver it. The park could serve around 430,000 people by […]

Bushfires are costing Australia an average of $6 billion a year, according to a new report from Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA). Over the next 30 years, the bill tops $180 billion. The modelling, by ConnellGriffin, counts the cost to people’s health and wellbeing (32 per cent of the total), lost productivity and damage […]

The Victorian Government will trial innovative drone technology to help livestock farmers reduce livestock predation on their properties. Agriculture Victoria has commissioned a Victorian-based company Drone-Hand to explore and test drone technology as part of the Dingo Drone Pilot Project. The project will assess whether drone-enabled monitoring can provide timely and accurate information to support […]

The state government is strengthening the powers of Victoria’s public sector integrity agencies. New laws recently passed the Victorian Parliament so corruption can no longer slip through the cracks. Now, a $139.5 million investment by the state government will support agencies to deliver this important reform. The additional funding will support the work of: the […]

Following Young Onset Dementia Awareness Day, held recently, Dementia Australia is calling for greater awareness of young onset dementia and the specific challenges experienced by people living with the condition, as well as their families and carers. Young onset dementia refers to dementia diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 64 years. In 2026, there […]

Victorian families deserve more homes and schools close to jobs, transport and the city. More than 10,000 people will call Arden Central home, with the precinct set to deliver more homes and a new secondary school thanks to the state government. A developer has been appointed to deliver more than 5,400 homes – an increase […]

A safer Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat in western Victoria is being built, with major construction planned to start this month. Works will proceed thanks to an additional $446 million joint investment from the state and federal governments in the 2026/27 State and Federal Budgets to ensure the project will be delivered. The upgrade […]