Victoria has taken home 18 gold medals from the 2025 WorldSkills National Championships in Brisbane, with a talented apprentice jeweller claiming the prestigious event’s top award.  

Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney joined the gold medallists and their families at Parliament House recently to celebrate the incredible success of the apprentices, trainees and vocational students who represented Victoria at the nation’s largest trades and skills competition.

Melbourne Polytechnic student Lily-Grace Toohill won gold in the jewellery category and was named Best of Nation for being the highest-performing competitor across all categories. She showcased her design and technical skills by working on a three-module pendant piece created from 18-karat yellow gold.

Victorians took home a total of 48 medals, including 18 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze. Victorian competitors also received 26 Medallions for Excellence, awarded to people who demonstrate excellence during the competition.

Team Victoria was made up of 105 apprentices and trainees and more than 100 mentors and team leaders from Victoria’s TAFEs, registered training organisations, and industry. The team also had 25 secondary school students who competed in the Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) program.

Free TAFE has been a game changer for Victorians, with more than 206,000 students saving on average $3,000 per course – getting the skills they need for good jobs that lead to rewarding careers, while putting money back in their pocket and delivering Victoria the skilled workforce it needs. 

The WorldSkills National Championships is Australia’s largest skills excellence competition, which takes place every two years. This year’s event featured over 600 competitors from every state and territory in more than 60 skill categories, ranging from cyber security and cabinetmaking to cookery, floristry and plumbing.

Victoria’s medallists now have the chance to be named in the Skillaroos squad and represent Team Australia at the 48^th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai in September 2026.

The state government is inviting people to have their say on their local parks and green spaces – and how they can be improved as we deliver more homes across Victoria.

Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts Harriet Shing has launched the first phase of the $30 million Pick My Park program, where the community can provide feedback on current and new parks across eligible suburbs in Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.

The Pick My Park program will target areas that are building more homes, including Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop precincts and Activity Centres – because as we continue to grow, we need to grow well, and our parks and open spaces are essential for public health and community connection for people of all ages.

From creating a new ‘pocket’ park in an urban space, improving a playground, adding outdoor fitness equipment, or making accessibility upgrades, to new shade and seating, all ideas are welcomed to create spaces that connect communities.

Ideas from the community will be shared with park and land managers to help shape project proposals, before Victorians are invited to vote on the proposals that will receive a share of grant funding.

Winning projects will receive grants from $20,000 to $250,000 for park upgrades that focus on improving existing parks and open spaces, and new urban parks that will transform underused land into new green spaces for the whole community to enjoy.

The program builds on the broad range of new and upgraded park investments made across Victoria – from the family-friendly playground at Ludwig Stamer Reserve in South Melbourne, to a thriving green community plaza in Carnegie, and the much-loved Belmont Park Dog Park in Geelong. To get involved, or view the full list of eligible suburbs, head online to engage.vic.gov.au, drop a pin on the map, and complete a short survey to tell us about your ideas for your local park.

Women and girls across the state can get the health care they need, closer to home.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently visited the Grampian Health’s Women’s Health Clinic to announce the second round of funding for the Women’s Health Scholarship program for health care professionals working in Victoria’s network of Women’s Health Clinics and Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs.

The program has awarded more than 420 scholarships to date, supporting staff to undertake training and upskilling in the delivery of thorough, safe and comfortable women’s healthcare.

The scholarships offer the chance to grow their skills in areas like IUD insertion, sexual and reproductive health, pelvic physio training, menopause and PCOS, as well as training to promote cultural safety and remove existing barriers for First Nations women, women from migrant and refugee backgrounds and LGBTIQA+ communities.

At Grampians Health, 33 scholarships worth a total of $112,000 have been awarded to health care staff in the past two years to train practitioners and nurses working across a range of professions including nursing, midwifery, obstetrics, gynaecology, psychology, mental health and physiotherapy.

For many women, timely, affordable and safe sexual and reproductive healthcare can be difficult to access depending on where they live, which is why these scholarships are critical to ensure care is delivered when and where they need it.

The new women’s health clinics are making a real difference in regional Victoria too – where some women’s health services like abortion care, have previously been inaccessible.

For more information or to apply for a scholarship, visit health.vic.gov.au/womens-health-and-wellbeing-program/about-the-program.

Agriculture Victoria is urging farmers to be mindful of import requirements and to keep watch for Red imported fire ants (RIFA) when sourcing fodder from interstate.
Agriculture Victoria Acting Chief Plant Health Officer Stephen Dibley said RIFA or Solenopsis invicta, is one of the worst invasive ant species in Australia.
Native to South America, it was first detected in Brisbane in 2001 and while still largely localised to Greater Brisbane, it has also recently been detected in two separate zones in New South Wales.
‘RIFA is not present in Victoria, and we hope collective efforts continue to ensure that this situation remains unchanged,’ Dr Dibley said.
‘If RIFA made it into Victoria, it could severely affect the state’s economy, agriculture, the environment and the wellbeing of people and livestock.
‘RIFA is mostly spread when it hitchhikes on material that is transported out of an infested area.’
He said with drought forcing farmers to source hay and fodder from interstate suppliers there was a real risk they may inadvertently import RIFA.
‘We know current conditions mean farmers are dealing with unfamiliar fodder sellers, but we still want to protect our agricultural industry from biosecurity threats.
‘Hay and straw are ideal host materials for RIFA, providing shelter, temperature regulation and a food source,’ he said.
Dr Dibley said farmers should be aware that hay or straw purchased from anywhere outside of Victoria must come from a location with an accepted RIFA area freedom certificate.
Fodder purchased from the infested zones, must meet inspection and treatment requirements and be certified by an officer responsible for agriculture in the state or territory of origin.
When coming from these zones, your purchase must also include one of the following types of certificates:
• a Plant Health Certificate (PHC)
• a Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC)
• a Biosecure HACCP Biosecurity Certificate (BHBC)
• a Plant Health Declaration (PHD)
To further protect Victoria, if you suspect that you have found RIFA, report them immediately via the Agriculture Victoria Public Online Reporting Form at agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-insects-and-mites/report-an-unusual-plant-insect-pest-or-disease or by calling the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

Victoria’s doctors, nurses and surgical teams delivered the most planned surgeries on record – marking the second consecutive record-breaking year across the state’s public hospitals.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently met with dedicated healthcare workers at Monash Health – who along with thousands of healthcare workers across the state – helped deliver a record more than 212,000 surgeries.

Monash Health delivered almost 30,000 planned surgeries in the past year, with their strong performance supported by the Integrated Perioperative Care Centre – which streamlines complex and high-risk procedures – taking pressure off the main hospital theatres and improving patient outcomes. 

A record-breaking 58,264 patients received planned surgery in the last quarter – a 13 per cent rise compared to pre-pandemic levels – with the overall waitlist down 3.7 per cent since last quarter. 

This quarter, all Category 1 patients continued to be treated within the recommended time, and median wait times for Category 2 and 3 patients improved by five and 25 days, respectively, from the same quarter last year.

The Planned Surgery Blueprint has guided this reform – shortening wait times, expanding non-surgical alternatives, preparing patients for faster recovery, increasing same day surgeries and boosting capacity through dedicated health infrastructure like Rapid Access Hubs and Public Surgical Centres.

To further support regional patients, the state government is also establishing an additional five new Patient Support Units (PSUs) – helping patients navigate the surgery process by coordinating care, exploring alternative treatment pathways, and keeping patients informed throughout their journey. 

These will be established at Central Highlands Rural Health, Mildura Base Public Hospital, Echuca Regional Health, Colac Area Health and Bass Coast Health – bringing the total number of PSUs to 28 statewide.

Victoria’s emergency departments faced record demand last quarter, with more than 513,200 presentations, and despite this, treatment times improved.

Victoria’s hardworking paramedics continue to face significant winter demand, responding to more than 98,000 lights and sirens cases, averaging almost 1,100 cases every day.

Ambulance Victoria (AV) is applauding Victorians for saving ambulances for the state’s sickest people, with new data showing paramedics are responding 10 seconds faster to the most critically ill.

AV Acting Executive Director Regional Operations Michael Georgiou said demand for ‘lights and sirens’ ambulances fell by 3.5 per cent between April and June, compared with the same time last year, coinciding with an AV community information campaign to save paramedics for emergencies.

“April to June last year was AV’s busiest three months on record – with 102,419 Code 1 emergencies,” Mr Georgiou said.

“Across the same period this year, we’ve responded to 98,874 Code 1 cases.

“I thank our highly skilled paramedics and first responders who do a remarkable job providing best care to their communities, each and every day.

“We’re grateful to Victorians who are choosing to use alternative care for non-urgent issues — it means ambulances are available faster for emergencies. That community effort is helping us save lives.

“From April to June 2025, the state-wide average response time to Code 1 emergencies was 15 minutes and 27 seconds – down from 15 minutes and 37 seconds a year ago.

“There has also been an improvement in the percentage of Code 1 cases responded to within 15 minutes.”

During this quarter, AV crews across Victoria responded to 65.3 per cent of Code 1 cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes, up from 64.2 per cent a year ago.

In the Grampians Region crews responded to 4,194 Code 1 cases between April and June 2025, down from 4,418 last year, but up from 3,960 three months ago.

Compared with the same time last year, performance improved in 53 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The biggest improvements in the Grampians Region were in the Ararat and Northern Grampians LGAs and the major population centre of Bacchus Marsh.

• In the Ararat LGA, paramedics attended 65.9 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – up from 55 per cent a year ago – the biggest improvement in the state. As a result, Code 1 response times decreased by one minute and 46 seconds.
• In the major population centre of Horsham, paramedics attended 87.9 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – which was the best result in the state
• In the Northern Grampians LGA, paramedics attended 61.6 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – up from 57.1 per cent a year ago.
• Compared with a year ago, Code 1 response times decreased by one minute and 39 seconds in the major population centre of Bacchus Marsh.

AV is urging people not to be complacent, with demand for emergency ambulances climbing again as winter illnesses spread through the community.

“We’ve already seen a 3.7 per cent jump in Code 1 demand since the first three months of 2025,” Grampians Regional Director Steve Doyle said.

“Winter is always our busiest time. Our paramedics are focused on reaching the sickest patients first — but every day, more than 500 calls to Triple Zero (000) don’t need an emergency ambulance.

“There are many options people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice but don’t need an emergency ambulance, including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department and Urgent Care Clinics.

“Our expert Secondary Triage team — made up of nurses and paramedics — plays a vital role by connecting people with the right care and freeing up ambulances for life-threatening emergencies. Between April and June alone, they redirected 46,015 non-urgent cases away from an emergency response.”

Ambulance Victoria is working closely with hospitals, emergency services and government partners to keep ambulances on the road and patients moving through the system.

“The new Standards for Safe and Timely Ambulance and Emergency Care are already making a difference — improving patient flow in hospitals and helping our crews get back on the road sooner,” Mr Doyle said.

“We’re grateful to our hospital partners for their efforts — it’s helping us reach more patients, faster.

“Since June, 117 new graduate paramedics have joined the frontline across Victoria. And earlier this year, the largest-ever single intake of 30 Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) intern paramedics hit the road — delivering a major boost to critical care statewide.”

The Victorian Government is making sure the voices of all victim-survivors of historical abuse in government schools are heard, that their experiences are reflected on the public record and that Victoria’s education system learns from the grave failures of the past to make sure this never happens again.

The Government will establish the Forum for Truth and Recognition and will now begin a systemic review into historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools.

Ms Angela Connors has been appointed as Chair of the independent truth-telling Forum for victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in all Victorian Government schools and certain other schools prior to the year 2000.

Ms Connors has extensive experience across the public service, not-for-profit and consulting sectors and has led work supporting vulnerable and diverse cohorts as Executive Director, Client Services at Life Without Border, specifically in the Disability, Mental Health, Aged Care and Children, Youth and Families portfolios.

Work is underway to establish the Forum’s workplan and information on how victim-survivors can participate will be available in the coming months, with a timeline for engagement determined by the Forum.

The Forum will share the experiences of victim-survivors and contribute to the public record in a trauma-informed way to support healing and inform future action in response to Recommendation 3 of the Board of Inquiry. A final report will be provided to the Government in May 2026.

In parallel, the Department of Education will today begin a systemic review into the failings across the government school system over the same period which will examine how historical child sexual abuse matters were treated and examine patterns of offending and institutional failings.

Ms Julia Griffith PSM has been appointed as Independent Monitor to ensure the systemic review is conducted in accordance with the Terms of Reference. A final report will be provided to the Minister for Education by Tuesday, 31 March 2026.

Ms Griffith has a wealth of experience working in program development and service delivery including as Deputy Commissioner and Acting Commissioner for the Victorian Public Sector Commission and Deputy Secretary at the Department of Justice and Community Safety.

At the completion of both these processes in 2026, the Labor Government will publish a public record of these findings and deliver a formal apology in Parliament, in consultation with victim-survivors.

All nine recommendations of the Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools were accepted by the Government – supported by an investment of more than $48 million.

For more information about the Forum for Truth and Recognition visit vic.gov.au/forum-truth-and-recognition.

For more information about the Department of Education systemic review visit vic.gov.au/progress-updates-board-inquiry-recommendations.

In an Australian first, Ambulance Victoria is transforming stroke care by making it easier for patients to receive expert treatment without leaving their local hospital.

The Victorian Telestroke Inpatient Service (VTIS) ensures that stroke patients admitted to participating hospitals have direct access to Ambulance Victoria’s team of stroke specialists and neurologists via telemedicine.

This innovative model delivers timely diagnosis, tailored management and coordinated discharge planning – all in one place.

The VTIS is part of Ambulance Victoria’s broader Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) service, helping doctors across the state work together to provide best-practice stroke care.

Director of Stroke Services at Ambulance Victoria Professor Chris Bladin said VTIS is a game-changer for hospital stroke care in regional areas.

“VTIS has allowed us to extend the expert stroke care we already deliver in the Emergency Department into hospital ward rounds, all undertaken by telemedicine,” he said.

Since launching at Werribee Mercy Hospital in March 2025, 118 patients have benefited from VTIS. Many of these patients would previously have required ambulance transfer to a larger hospital for specialist care.

John Delaney, 74, was one of these patients. The great grandfather was enjoying a quiet evening at home in Werribee on 22 March when he suddenly became unwell.

His wife Margaret recognised the signs of stroke and immediately called Triple Zero (000).

Paramedics arrived quickly, identifying that John was experiencing a stroke, and transported him to Werribee Mercy Hospital, where he initially received a VST consultation in the Emergency Department and subsequently became the first patient to benefit from the VTIS service in the ward at Werribee Mercy Hospital.

“Receiving all my care in Werribee was brilliant. It’s close to home and I was extremely happy with the service,” John said. “Through this experience, I’ve learned that following F.A.S.T. can lead to full recovery. Everything worked in my favour.”

Thanks to the combination of VTIS and the specialist team at Werribee Mercy Hospital, John received expert care from the moment paramedics arrived through to his hospital discharge.

“The VTIS partnership has been a fantastic addition to the services we can offer patients,” Associate Professor Peter Lange, Clinical Service Director Medicine and Subacute Care at  Werribee Mercy Hospital said. “It complements the expertise of our own on-site stroke physicians, ensuring patients receive the highest standard of care close to home.”

Werribee Mercy Hospital Executive Director Brad Van Ooi highlighted that delivering a successful health service relies on continually evolving and strengthening partnerships.

“Our community is growing rapidly and so are the services we provide. Initiatives like VTIS reflect our commitment to providing exceptional care within our local area, where it matters most.”

The VTIS improves diagnostic accuracy, reduces duplication of services and is cost effective for local health services. In 2023, just 35% of regional stroke survivors received formal stroke unit care.

Ambulance Victoria encourages Victorians to familiarise themselves with the F.A.S.T. stroke signs (Face, Arms, Speech, Time).

Translated resources are available from the Stroke Foundation to help communities across Victoria act quickly if stroke is suspected.

The state government is urging Victorians to have their say on owners corporation laws, with public consultation beginning today as part of a review into the laws.

Community feedback will help the panel conducting the review to understand the issues Victorians face when dealing with owners corporations.

One in four Victorians live in developments that are overseen by an owners corporation, with this number expected to continue to increase over coming years.

The expert panel will consult those who own and live in owners corporations, owners corporation managers, industry groups and developers to ensure they function fairly and efficiently.

The review will examine reforms made to the Act in 2021 to strengthen the governance and management of owners corporations and consider current stakeholder concerns.

It will focus on specific issues including hardship arrangements for paying corporation fees, dispute resolution, voting requirements, and enforcing breaches of owners corporation laws.

The review will examine the effectiveness of the Act to discourage and protect against dishonest practices and conflicts of interest, as well as the collective sale of buildings managed by owners corporations.

It will also look at the Owners Corporations (Short-Stay) Accommodation Act 2018 (Short-Stay Act), which introduced reforms to address poor behaviour in short stay accommodation.

Marsha Thomson, a former Minister for Consumer Affairs will chair the expert panel while Karen Chester, an accomplished economist with expertise in regulatory policy and David McKenzie, one of Victoria’s leading owners corporation lawyers will also join the panel.

Public consultation will ensure any changes to the laws are informed by the lived experience and interests of property owners and people living in strata developments, as well as people working or involved in the industry.

Public consultation is open until September 2 via the Engage Victoria website https://engage.vic.gov.au/OCActReview

The expert panel will deliver its findings and recommendations to the Minister of Consumer Affairs by December 1, 2025.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council Director Community, Maria Weiss, will depart the organisation in coming weeks to take up the role of Director Community Life at Maribyrnong City Council.
Chief Executive Officer Bernie O’Sullivan has congratulated Maria on her achievements over the three and a half years she spent in the role.
“Maria will leave a positive impression on our organisation with her successful contribution to our Council both in service and program delivery, and the encouraging growth in our culture. Some of her achievements include rebuilding and guiding the Community Directorate, leading the successful transition of Aged Care services, and delivering a new kindergarten in Lancefield,” he said.
“During her time with us, Maria has been integral to our Emergency Management response in a rural context – supporting the community through floods, storms and bushfires; presenting to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2022 flood insurance response; and acting as CEO particularly during the December 2024 bushfire event.
“We congratulate Maria on her contribution to the Macedon Ranges Shire Council and her leadership appointment at Maribyrnong City Council, and wish her and her family every success in the future. Thank you, Maria, you have been a valued member of the Executive Team.”
Council will now work through and confirm acting and recruitment arrangements.

Victorian agricultural and pastoral societies will receive greater support to upgrade infrastructure and participate in regional shows.
Applications are open for this year’s Agricultural and Pastoral Society Grants Program, helping organisations with projects that encourage community involvement and promote Victoria’s rich agriculture industry.
The grants provide successful applicants with up to $10,000 to support infrastructure development and upgrades to celebrate Victoria’s agricultural communities, industries and produce.
The grants can be used to upgrade or establish new facilities, enhance public amenities, improve essential infrastructure, improve business management activities, biosecurity planning and promote reporting of livestock movements.
Agricultural and Pastoral Societies are community groups with a shared interest in agriculture, horticulture or livestock.
These groups can be found across rural and regional areas, dedicating their time to a wide range of roles in their communities, such as hosting events and fundraisers to support local priorities and agricultural activities.
With over 100 societies across the state, the grant program plays a significant role in regional Victoria’s vibrant calendar of events – building community spirit by celebrating agriculture in a fun, entertaining, educational and inclusive environment.
Applications for the latest round of grants close on September 12.

Link: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/funds-grants-programs/agricultural-and-pastoral-society-grants

Grants are available for projects that boost social connections and open up work and study opportunities. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas has encouraged applications for the 2025 Connecting Carers in their Community program, with more than $760,000 in funding available.
Delivered in partnership with Carers Victoria and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), the program offers grants of up to $25,000 for small organisations, First Nations-led groups and community organisations.
More than 700,000 unpaid carers across Victoria provide vital care to family, friends and others, sometimes leaving little time to focus on their own health, connect with their community or pursue education and employment.
Last year’s program supported more than 40 projects across the state including Kyneton Community House.
Carer support groups, community health services, councils, neighbourhood houses and other grassroots organisations are encouraged to apply, especially those supporting carers in regional and rural areas.
Applications are open until August 18.

For more information or to apply, visit carersvictoria.org.au or vaccho.org.au.

Due to third party works by Optus, Telstra has been asked to shut down parts of its mobile base station for Health & Safety purposes at Mount Franklin.

This will result in disruption to its mobile services in the area.

Temporary disruptions

Telstra mobile customers will receive texts advising of the upcoming work.

There will be varying impact to the service during the following period:

• Monday 11 August to Sunday 17 August. Between the hours of 7:00am to 7:30pm

Tips for improving connectivity while works are underway.

Telstra customers can continue to make calls and send texts during disruption to mobile services by switching on Wi-Fi Calling. This is a free setting on most popular mobile phones and allows your mobile to make and receive mobile calls while connected to Wi-Fi. Customers require an active Internet connection.

Telstra also encourages business owners talk to their bank about connecting their EFTPOS terminals to their NBN / Starlink or Wi-Fi connection to prevent delays in processing transactions.

Leading conservationists have welcomed the decision to declare the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET) at Western Port Bay a “controlled action” under federal nature laws.

Following a recent decision by Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, the project will now undergo a comprehensive environmental assessment to determine whether it can proceed without damaging  endangered wildlife and habitats in the Ramsar-listed wetlands.

The terminal, proposed for the state-owned Port of Hastings, would involve dredging and land reclamation of habitats of threatened migratory birds, seagrass meadows, fish nurseries and rare marine life.

While the newly reduced scope of dredging and wetland loss represents an improvement on the rejected 2023 plan, questions remain why an internationally recognised wetland is the right location for the terminal.

The Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) and the Western Port Biosphere welcome the reduced scope but are seeking assurance that alternative locations were genuinely considered and compared on environmental grounds.

“We are still yet to be presented with convincing rationale for why this terminal must be built in the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar-listed wetland,” said VNPA marine campaigner Shannon Hurley.

“We want certainty that the project can be done in a way that doesn’t cause unacceptable harm to the Western Port wetlands, and we aren’t confident that’s been achieved yet.”

VNPA, community groups, tourism businesses, and local councils are calling for a more strategic and science-based approach to managing Western Port’s future from the Allan Government.

“The impacts of this project are likely to extend well beyond its immediate footprint. Marine life and water don’t recognise boundaries – they move throughout the bay, and so do the consequences,” Hurley said.

“When you consider these impacts alongside declining water quality and pressures from other industries, the cumulative effect could be devastating for the health of the bay.

“That’s why we urgently need a whole-of-bay marine spatial plan to take a coordinated, sustainable approach to looking after the bay and protecting nature and the community’s future.”

Read more about the community plan to protect Western Port Bay here.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Heather Mutimer Honour Roll, celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) in Hepburn Shire.

Each year, the Honour Roll recognises women who have made outstanding contributions to gender equity and community wellbeing. Nominees will have demonstrated leadership, shared their skills and knowledge, driven lasting and sustainable change for women, and introduced creative or innovative initiatives that benefit the broader community.

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said that the council’s IWD event had become a standout occasion on the shire’s calendar, drawing a large attendance and featuring impressive keynote speakers.

“We are encouraging our community to nominate local women who have made a positive impact, whether from the past or present, by sharing their inspiring stories of achievement. Age is no barrier and we encourage young women who are showing leadership to be nominated,” he said.

Since its commencement in 1911, IWD on March 8 has been celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women globally. In 2005, the Heather Mutimer Women’s IWD Honour Roll was established to pay tribute to women in the Hepburn Shire whose contributions, courage, and exemplary actions have led to significant social change for women.

Successful nominees will be announced and inducted into the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll at a special event hosted by Council in March 2026.

“The event offers an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the achievements of local women who have made a positive impact on their community and serve as role models for future generations,” said Cr Don Henderson. 

The community is invited to nominate women who they think deserve to be recognised.

Nominations are open until 30 September 2025.