WHILE we love the Central Highlands, waiting for warmer weather to arrive can take a while, so we decided to go and find some summer vibes at Barwon Heads recently.
We have stayed over the bridge at Ocean Grove, which was lovely, but Barwon Heads has a much more laid back feel – more like a little hamlet than a town.

We stayed at Seahaven Village, pictured right, opposite a lovely park, and just a stroll into the town or down to the beach. Our apartment was The Attic, upstairs, with two bedrooms, a lovely open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area, and a little balcony overlooking that park.
We did bring a few things from home in the Esky but ended up eating out for lunches and having Chinese delivered for dinners, on both nights. Meal delivery is a bit of a treat when you live at Glenlyon. The Chinese was excellent, from Ocean Grove’s Ming Terrace.
Barwon Heads is well known for the filming of the TV series SeaChange with Sigrid Thornton and David Wenham, and others, living in the fictional Pearl Bay. And while Diver Dan may be gone his beach shack is still there and is now a wonderful restaurant/bar, At The Heads, pictured below, set over the water. The perfect place for a pre-dinner drink, or a meal.
We also ate at the Barwon Heads Hotel which is another top spot. They take the green tick very seriously, which I like, and the food was great and very affordable. We just chose from the starter menu, which sounds small, but factor in 1kg of chicken wings for Kyle, lamb ribs, calamari and gyoza and you have a pretty substantial meal. All finger licking good.
It was a bit cool for swimming but the beach walks are amazing with views, of course, over to the Mornington Peninsula and Sorrento/Portsea. We thought about getting the ferry over for a few hours but this was a working holiday, so next time.
Oh, getting to Barwon Heads, which is less than a two-hour drive, is a bit of an adventure. And be prepared for a wheel alignment when you get home. Despite plenty of signs talking about improving roads, they are terrible. We drove from Daylesford to Ballan, shocking, and then through Anakie, even worse, and onto the freeway and down a few smaller roads, not too bad.
We decided to come back via Ballarat on the A300, a tiny bit further, but we thought it might be a smoother and quicker run. Wrong. Lots of roadworks, really rough roads and then, surprisingly, random signs saying “rough roads” on the OK places. Still it’s been a long time since I went through Meredith and Buninyong. Not much has changed.
Seafood. Almost forgot about this. If you do head to Barwon Heads, stop at the seafood place at the little airport on the way in. Or the way out. Be prepared because it is a 100kmh piece of road, and no-one slows down, and there are huge potholes at the entrance and exit, but it’s worth the drama.
There’s all you could want and it’s all freshly caught. Or frozen. Take an Esky but they will also pack it pretty well if you ask. We bought a lobster on the way home, the biggest one they had so the most expensive, but how often do you eat lobster. It was fantastic – and they did all the hard work cleaning it – so we just sat down with some seafood sauce and crusty bread. Back home, just in time for the warmer weather. Perfect.

Words & top & bottom images: Donna Kelly | Centre image: Contributed

A gift that keeps on giving

It’s the same each year. Christmas Day is closing in fast. You’ve still got names on your gift list and mere hours left to fill it. Problem solved. Go garden.
I can’t say I know anybody who wouldn’t appreciate something botanical for their home, whether it be a flowering shrub, a potted plant for the window sill, or even a plant-themed ornament and, of course, there’s a plethora of gardening books.
The good news is that almost all of these are to be found in your local garden outlet or nursery.
Of course, if your friend or relative is a gardener, you have an advantage as the problem is easily solved. At the same time however it pays to consider well what they would find interesting.
Not too big a problem, there are always new varieties or colours available for just about every popular plant.
The automatic choice of a hydrangea, the living Christmas gift most often given, although showy and tempting, could be limited in its appeal either because so many gardeners already have them growing or they don’t have the space for something of that size.
A carefully selected Christmas gift plant could open up a whole new gardening world for the receiver. Fortunately, there are many indoor-tolerant plants and always somewhere they will grow, particularly when there’s a porch or a well-lit windowsill just begging for a little colourful plant life.
Leading the fray and looking at their best in the garden centres at present, are plenty of fine looking ferns, pictured bottom left, philodendrons, sansevieria (snake plant), palms and other ornamental foliage favourites that can be as ornamental and colourful year round.
For floral colour, along with the all-time international favourite floral emblem of Christmas, poinsettias, pictured above, there are African violets, cyclamens and those many coloured, long-flowering phalaenopsis (butterfly) orchids.
But don’t limit your choice to just indoor plants, there are always plenty of colourful shrubs looking at their best right now and a great gift, especially if supplied with an attractive, ornamental pot.
One of the biggest reincarnations in the garden world, with seemingly endless new and different species arriving on the scene is that of what, until recent times, was disparagingly passed off as Granny’s garden plants, the ubiquitous succulent tribe.
The title, succulent, covers more than those strange, parched, spiky-leafed or cabbage-like potted plants on our grandparents’ porch. In fact, if you looked carefully in your own garden you would be surprised to find many plants are, in fact succulents. Frangipani, pictured bottom right, the climbing waxy-flowered hoyas are for a start.
But I stray from the course and will uncover more secret succulents in my next column.
Be that as it may there are myriad small-growing, multi-coloured succulents available which would make excellent gifts and can be used either as pot plants, in window boxes or in dry, sunny aspects in the garden.
Some, as well as having handsome, colourful or interesting foliage also provide colourful flowers at this time of year. Best of all they’re almost bullet-proof, needing little care.
Apart from plant life most garden outlets also stock a great range of attractive pots and complementary ornaments as well as gardening gadgets and tools. All of which make highly desirable gifts for your gardening friends.
Some will also carry a range of gardening books, both pictorial and technical.
If all of that still leaves you wondering about what to give, there’s always the gift voucher to fall back on.
Have a great Christmas, I’ll be back with more of the same next year,
Glen

Got a gardening query? Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

A PETITION is circulating asking for the Minister for Local Government to replace Hepburn Shire Council with an administrator.
The move comes after Hepburn Shire Council decided, at its November 23 meeting, to scrap the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project, which could see a loss of up to $6 million of ratepayer monies.
The council bought the Vincent Street, Daylesford former theatre in 2016 for $6 million. It has since spent $3 million on the building which was to house a cinema, staff offices, library, social enterprise cafe and public toilets, with another $6 million needed to complete the project.

Council officers had recommended the council continue with the project however councillors voted four/three against that recommendation. Those against were Cr Lesley Hewitt, Cr Don Henderson, Cr Juliet Simpson and Cr Brian Hood. Councillors in favour were Cr Jen Bray, Cr Tessa Halliday and Mayor Cr Tim Drylie.
The petition at change.org, created by Daylesford Theatre committee president Gina Lyons, says The Rex project has been mismanaged from the outset and the Hepburn Shire Council needed to be held responsible and accountable.
“The Rex debacle between 2016–2018 has been well documented and has been the subject of investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate. We await their findings with great anticipation.
“In voting to discontinue the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project and to sell the building without any community consultation, councillors have treated our community with contempt. They have failed to follow their own Community Engagement Policy.”

The petition continues on, saying that council and library staff work in substandard conditions in non-compliant buildings. It says the community cinema, built up over more than four years into a community asset is now facing closure.
“The appalling mismanagement of the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project and capricious decision-making is in full view, the impact of which is massive for council staff and the community. We believe the council is not acting in the community’s interests and should be replaced by an administrator.”
Ms Lyons told The Local the petition would be open for signatures until the end of January and she hopes to gain 1000 signatures by that time. The petition had more than 600 signatures at the time of going to print.
However, Cr Jen Bray has put forward a Notice of Motion that will go before councillors at a meeting this Tuesday, December 21, which could slow down or even stop the sale of The Rex.
Cr Bray will ask councillors to “defer action on the sale of The Rex building until officers prepare a comprehensive report on current council-owned facilities and other possible properties, and provide options to council that consider staff accommodation needs, and access to community facilities”.
She is also asking for a community, staff and stakeholder engagement process to be held and for council officers to prepare the reports and conduct community input to council as soon as practicable in 2022. The council would then make a final decision on the Hepburn Hub project at a future council meeting in 2022.
Ms Lyons told The Local that Cr Bray’s motion was “a good faith attempt to try and stop the sale process until additional information is gathered to input to a decision on the future of The Rex”.
“What she is proposing is that a lot of work be done next year to come up with a list of alternate properties and options for dispersing council staff across the shire. This information would then be used to inform a community engagement process and then council would make a decision on the Hepburn Hub project in 2022. That work is likely to take all of next year.
“A lot of time and money will be wasted to potentially end up where we are now, that is, The Rex, or at some other site.
“In the latter case, detailed design will then be required (along with) the planning process, tendering and construction. It will take years to complete. It is likely that the project will not be finished in the term of this council.
“(And) building costs are increasing, so it is highly likely that the total cost of whatever solution the council comes up with will be around the same as if they had awarded a contract at the November council meeting.”
Mayor Cr Tim Drylie told The Local the decision had been made in accordance with all relevant governance rules and the Local Government Act.
Cr Drylie, who was one of three councillors who voted in favour of continuing the project at The Rex, said he had a post graduate degree in cinema studies and was a big supporter of the arts but as mayor he supported the council’s decision.
He said there had been discussions at a council level on the ability to reverse the decision and Cr Bray’s motion would look at some of the options available.
The purchase of The Rex building and other matters relating to the project remain under investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate with a report pending.
Meanwhile, two weeks ago, the council received reports of unauthorised access and activity inside The Rex. A query by The Local was responded to with a statement saying the damage included graffiti, smashed glass on external doors, smashed glass in the lightwells in the carpark, and a number of fires lit inside the building. The value of the damage was not yet known.

Petition link: https://chng.it/GrjFBJMNGP
Words & images: Donna Kelly

A LONG, hard slog appears to be approaching an end with the $2 million-plus redevelopment of the Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club.
Central to the project is the creation of four all-weather courts (some floodlit) that can be used at night, ending the annual April to October shutdown.
Known for having one of the best country grass courts in the State, Daylesford used to attract many Melbourne players on weekends such as the Australia Day and Labour Day weekends. Now it still draws city players during events such as ChillOut.
Club secretary David Tindal says the project has been moving slowly for the nine years he has been in the position, but now the council has given permission for rezoning and sub-dividing, there was fresh impetus.
It took six years to get the land rezoned residential, with a massive amount of work continuing to be done by club president Dr Greg Malcher, pictured.
The club has satisfied all but three of 25 council subdivision conditions. Under state law, the council gets five per cent of the purchase price, but Dr Malcher hopes that this may be returned in some form.
There will be five grass and four all-weather courts in the top area. The first four of the 10 grass courts will become all-weather courts. “Juniors don’t learn to serve and volley on grass,” says Dr Malcher. “All-weather courts are rallying courts.”
As well, senior players will be able to use them in late autumn and early spring.
The present fifth grass court will provide access to two or three lower courts. All up, this will give the club 11 or 12 courts.
The clubhouse, an old farm building that was moved in many years ago, will go, to be replaced by a new one. Originally, the club was with the bowling club in Camp Street, but moved in the 1940s to what Dr Malcher says was then the outskirts of town.
The 110-member club has owned the land for many decades. The sold land may be used for townhouses. All up, 7300 square metres will be sold in the block bordered by West, Albert, Perrins and Raglan streets.
“We’re not going to end up with $1million in our pockets,” says Dr Malcher, noting delays caused by the pandemic and ever-rising building costs.
“The physical clubrooms and courts will just be the environment for, literally, fun and games.”
As well as the money from the sale, the club is seeking state and federal grants, but not relying on them, Mr Tindal said. If possible, it would like the sold land to include low-cost social housing, but this could not be guaranteed.
Dr Malcher recalled a visit five years ago by the manager of the Albert Grounds in Melbourne where players practice for the Australian Open who said the Daylesford courts were as good as his. Dr Malcher paid tribute to the volunteer curator, Peter Risstrom and the volunteer team who mow and line the courts.
As for the date of the opening of the new clubhouse and courts, Dr Malcher said: “Optimistically, four to six months, but I’ve been saying four to six months for quite a while.”

Words: Kevin Childs | Image: Contributed

DAYLESFORD & Hepburn United Soccer Club’s Under 15s, under coach Danny Koleski, have won the Ballarat Soccer League Competition for the third time.
Committee member Ivan Carter said it was worthwhile reflecting on how far the juniors had come.
“They’ve bonded as a group, the core players have put in massive efforts every season, taken new players in and supported them to become the great team they still are today.
“Bear in mind that at the beginning of each season, particularly the past two years, we didn’t know if we could field a team. Common denominator here, apart from the core players, is coach Danny.
“Captain Tulley Pelham thought he would like to say a few words when receiving the flag after the win so he did his own research. Danny has been coaching him for eight years. He signed up at age seven and is now 15.
“It’s an understatement to say that Danny’s done a great job with these kids and long may he continue in this role or another. Special mention to Joshy who stepped in when Danny was unavailable and kept the fire burning and the good results continuing.
“These players are exemplars for our club. They play with passion, intent, style, ability and aggression but they are fair, humble and respectful to opposition and referees. We should be very proud of their efforts.”
Mr Carter said the team was the 2018 league winners and cup winners for the U13 Division 2 winning the league 10 points clear of Vic Park White with a goal difference of +63. The top three goal scorers were Zach Koleski, Mehdi Bennani and Otis Smith. The team won the grand final over Vic Park White with 5-4.
The following year they were the 2019 league winners in the U13 open winning the league by six points clear of the Vikings with a goal difference of +5.
Monty Hughes was 3rd highest scorer followed by Frey Pelham at 7th, Zach Koleski at 8th, Tate Koleski at 12th and Logan Koleski at 16th. Tulley was the centre defensive midfielder – and leading yellow card recipient with four. The team lost to Vikings in the grand final 1-0.
Last year, they were leading the U14 open league after four games by three points and 19 goals but the season was shut down by Covid.
This year there were no finals, again with Covid, but the team were the 2021 league winners in the U15 open finishing equal on points but with a goal difference of +15. Zach won best and fairest.

The current team, pictured, from left, back row, Valentine Smith, Acen Slater, Codie Chapman and Bernard Kelly, middle row, Murray Pelham (manager), Jacob Slater, Monty Hughes, Zach Koleski, Alex Schroder and Danny Koleski (coach), front row, Tulley Pelham (captain), Samuel Ashby, Frey Pelham and Tate Koleski, absent, Mehdi Bennani, Ellah Carpenter and Madeline Lemphers

Image: John Mayger

MEMBERS of the Malmsbury Cemetery Trust will be at the cemetery on Christmas Day offering light refreshments, shade and seating for those visiting passed family or friends.
Board member Jeff Smith said whether people were “coming to contemplate, visit family or loved ones, or just take in the serenity of it all, we will be there to offer some company, beverages, and snacks to everyone that wants them”.
“We all know that Christmas can be a lonely time for some people and visiting loved ones on this special day is a tradition for many families. So, we are inviting people to the cemetery to remember those that we can no longer give that big Christmas hug that fills our hearts with joy. We’d love for people to come along and enjoy Christmas with those that are missed and take a small break and tell us a story about them.”
Mr Smith said the Trust members appreciated learning more about the people that they are looking after.
“It reminds us of the strong bonds of community and family in the district. Providing people with the opportunity to comfortably reflect and reminisce on Christmas Day seems a perfect way to honour those that rest with us.”
Chris Byrnes, pictured left with registrar Ray Brindle in front of the historic Malmsbury bluestone lodge near the main entrance, said Trust members would be at the cemetery between 10am and 11.30am.
“It’s an initiative by the Trust to engage more with the local community and make the cemetery a more integrated part of the community.
“We have been having discussions during the year about what we can do to achieve that, and one member came up with the idea of morning tea on days like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Of course, with Covid, we couldn’t do that, but Christmas Day will be the perfect time to provide support and comfort. It’s a kindness thing.”
Chris said most people would be locals or those coming to visit passed loved ones.
“We are not sure how many people we will get but we will definitely be looking at doing this again on other important days throughout the year.”
The first burial at Malmsbury Cemetery, which overlooks the Malmsbury Reservoir, was in 1862.

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

Middle Eastern chicken baked with rice

This is a simple, satisfying dish with a middle eastern vibe. You throw everything into a pot and bake it in the oven…what’s not to like? I recommend using homemade or good quality chicken stock, it really boosts the flavour. If you can be bothered, toast the cumin, coriander or cardamom seeds then grind them in a pestle and mortar, but it won’t be the end of the world if you don’t. You can use harissa instead of sumac if you like a bit of heat. I added a few carrots in with the chicken for good measure…use your imagination.

Serves 4

3 tblsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
8 bone-in chicken pieces, thighs or drumsticks
2 tblsp sumac (or harissa to taste)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teasp each ground cumin and coriander or cardamom
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear (don’t skip this step)
6–8 dates, deseeded and chopped
1 orange (or failing that, a lemon) zest and juice
1 bay leaf
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
2 tblsp chopped pistachios
Chopped parsley, to finish

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Heat 2 tblsp oil in a wide pan suitable for the oven (if you don’t have one just fry the onions in a pan and transfer to an ovenproof dish or tray). Add the onions, reduce heat to medium low, add a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, put the chicken in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper, add remaining oil and sumac and toss to coat.

Add garlic to the onions and cook for a minute more. Add the spices and stir well. Add the rice and stir again, then add the dates, orange zest and juice and bay leaf. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken on the rice and add the stock. Now is the time to add additional vegetables if you like.

Bring to the boil, then transfer the pan to the oven (uncovered) and cook for 40 minutes. Check after about 25 minutes that there is enough liquid, and add more stock or water if it looks dry. When the stock is absorbed and the chicken is cooked, scatter with pistachios and parsley and serve immediately.

DAYLESFORD couple Tony De Marco and Theresa Albioli have bought the historic Wombat Park homestead and estate at auction.
The asking price for the 101-hectare property on the Daylesford-Malmsbury Road was between $7 million and $7.7 million however the final price was not disclosed.
Wombat Park was created by William E Stanbridge and is known for its Arts and Crafts home and impressive garden.
Mr De Marco said he had been visiting Daylesford since he was 10 years old and had always loved driving past Wombat Park’s stunning driveway. He said the property would become the couple’s home.
“We’re just rapt. We’re going to live in it and be the next custodians. We have a bit of family around who can come and stay and it will be nice to have a place that we can be very proud of and love. We really love the garden and there are some productive acres so we will run a few sheep and cattle.
“It will just be our home and we will enjoy it, look after it and do whatever needs to be done. But that is very little. We are not going to modernise it at all, not even paint it. But we are lucky in that we have resources and we can give the garden a bit more maintenance and bring it up to scratch. The garden will be a real focus for both of us. We just want to get it up to where it used to be in its heyday.”
Mr De Marco said there were only three Arts and Crafts properties in Victoria. The Arts and Crafts movement has its origins in England during the second half of the 19th century and was a reaction against the mass production and homogenisation of Victorian design.
Features generally include an open floor plan, natural materials such as stone, brick, and wood, airy, light-filled rooms that encourage interaction with the outdoors and the tasteful arrangement of a few well-designed, decorative, and useful objects.
“The home has up to 16 bedrooms, so pretty massive, and it is a really interesting place. The history is just wonderful and the whole garden is magnificent.”
Mr De Marco said they had asked groundsman Stuart Henderson to stay on and would be opening the gardens to the public for future charity events.
“We do a lot of fundraising with Rotary Victoria and we will be having open gardens, to raise money for whatever we need around the local area, and also because the garden can’t be hidden away, people need to see it.”
Mr De Marco, who with Ms Albioli, owns holiday home accommodation business The Houses Daylesford, Bellinzona, the former Hepburn Chalet and Alkina Lodge on the Great Ocean Road, said settlement was not until July next year giving the family of the previous owner, the late Isabel Mackenzie, time to remove the home’s belongings.
He said, with a section of Wombat Park also sold for residential development, he would be planting “plenty of quick growing trees” along that fence line.
“But you can’t see that from the house and at the end of the day when you are inside, you can’t hear anything, it is just beautiful and all we need to do is add our own styling and that’s it.
“I said to Theresa ‘there is no work to do here’. I am done with renovation, totally worn out. We have been going hard for the past six years so I just can’t wait to take over in July and sit back and enjoy.”

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

HEPBURN Golf Club champions for 2021 are, pictured from left, Wendy Wetzel – B grade champion, Bev Smith – club champion and Ann Bull – C grade champion.

Runners-up: Vicky Horrigan – B grade, Sue Howard – A grade and Jill Johnstone – C grade.

A FIREFIGHTING training camp in Creswick played host to nearly 50 of Forest Fire Management Victoria’s newest recruits ahead of the impending bushfire season.
The course covered hands-on training in tackling a forest bushfire including dry firefighting techniques, given water is a scarce commodity in many situations, and skills needed to construct a mineral earth control line.
FFMV is responsible for fire management in state forests, national parks and protected public lands.
More than 600 seasonal firefighters have been recruited for the coming bushfire season with a further 154 permanent staff added to FFMV workforce.
This is part of the state government’s recent announcement of a $517 million investment in the 2021/2022 budget for firefighting services.

Words: Narelle Groenhout

CENTRAL Highlands’ singer/songwriter Donna Fisk has capped off the year with an original Christmas tune, You are Christmas to me.

Garlands Of Tinsel
Carols By Candlelight
The first Noel
Silent Night
Mum’s plum pudding
Leave some cake for Santa Claus
Have you been good? Girls and boys
More than all the things
That Yule tide brings
More than all the gifts beneath the tree
You that lights my way forever more
You are Christmas
You are Christmas to me

During her career Donna has shared the stage with artists including John Denver, Donny Osmond, Dame Edna Everage, Tom T. Hall, Canned Heat, Muhummad Ali, Brian Cadd, Susan Raye, James Morrison, Tommy Emmanuel, Dave Dudley, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and The Seekers.
She has won five consecutive Southern Hemisphere Country Music awards, been nominated for the Variety Entertainment MO Award and both the national & Victorian Female Vocalist of the Year.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHEQygSn5xs

Mass times for St Augustine’s Creswick and St Peter’s Daylesford

Friday, December 24, 6pm – Creswick
Saturday, December 25, 9.30am – Daylesford
Sunday, December 26, 9am – Creswick
Sunday, December 26, 10.30am – Daylesford
Saturday, January 1, 9am – Creswick
Saturday, January 1, 10.30am – Daylesford
Sunday, January 2, 9am – Creswick
Sunday, January 2, 10.30am – Daylesford
Services are open to all, vaccinated or non-vaccinated as per the Victorian Government’s latest update. People will need to use the QR code at the entrance.

Daylesford Community Brass Band

Wednesday, December 22, Carols by Candlelight, Hepburn Sound Shell, 8.30pm
Friday, December 31, New Year’s Eve Gala at Daylesford
Saturday, January 1, Glenlyon Sports Day at noon

Christ Church Daylesford

Friday, December 24, Blue Christmas, 6pm
Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve Service, 11.30pm
Saturday, December 25, Christmas Day Service, 9am

Glenlyon Sports Day

Saturday, January 1, New Year’s Day, Glenlyon Reserve

The Local Government sector and community members are invited to have their say on the Local Government Culture Project Discussion Paper.
The state government commissioned the Local Government Culture Project earlier this year and the paper, released today, will guide discussions about practical methods to improve culture at Victorian councils.
Three main themes have been identified for discussion including ‘role, responsibilities and supporting mechanisms’, ‘councillor journey’ and ‘dispute resolution and resolving conflict’.
The Local Government Culture Project will promote a more positive environment at councils, create more representative councils, improve governance and enhance public trust.
This work has been undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in partnership with eminent academics Professor Graham Sansom, Adjunct Professor at University of Technology Sydney, and Professor Anona Armstrong AM, Emeritus Professor at the Victoria University College of Law and Justice.
Feedback on the discussion paper is open until 28 February 2022. To read the discussion paper and make a submission visit localgovernment.vic.gov.au.
Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane: “Victorians deserve the best from their elected representatives, and this is an opportunity for the local government sector to work towards improving the culture of councils across the state so that they can best serve their communities.
“Councils do not get enough credit for the great work they do in their communities, sadly the poor behaviour of a few can taint the whole sector if not properly addressed.
“I invite members of the sector and the community to have their say as part of this project to help strengthen councils and build a sector we can all be proud of.”

The state government has released a blueprint to build and support Victoria’s mental health workforce, with extra funding to immediately deliver more than 350 jobs to make sure the once-in-a-generation mental health reforms are matched with a workforce to deliver the specialist care Victorians need, close to home.
The new Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2021-2024 will guide the government’s work to grow the mental health system’s most important asset: a workforce that delivers world-class care, with clinicians who feel rewarded and supported in their vital work.
The strategy was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and includes initiatives to deliver four key priorities: increasing workforce supply; improving workforce skills, knowledge and capabilities; supporting the safety, wellbeing and retention of the workforce; and supporting better system planning and sustainability.
The Strategy is being delivered alongside an immediate investment of $41 million, which will support an extra 358 full-time equivalent positions across the mental health system, allocated to boost the workforce at existing services as well as staffing new services across the state delivered as part of the system’s reform.
The Royal Commission also recommended an increase of 60 allied health graduate positions, providing a pipeline of skilled workers into the future.
The government is delivering above and beyond this recommendation, with an extra 132 graduate occupational therapists, social workers and psychology registrars to begin work in January 2022 at health services right across the state – 30 per cent of which will be located in regional Victoria.
This investment will also support 18 new allied health clinical educator roles, ensuring graduates are supported to develop and grow as they begin their careers in mental health.
While the Strategy steps out a pathway for Victoria, it acknowledges that professional organisations and other levels of government – including the Commonwealth, also need to invest to deliver real, lasting change.
The government will continue to advocate to the Commonwealth to help Victoria deliver a pipeline of local tertiary education and training opportunities – and strengthened skilled and student migration pathways – that will support a strong, sustainable mental health workforce for many years to come.
The release of the Strategy is supported by a new statewide campaign to attract more mental health workers to the growing Victorian system, with vacancies at all levels across the sector to provide good jobs for hundreds of Victorians.
Acting Premier and Minister for Mental Health James Merlino: “While we build the mental health facilities our state needs, we’re investing in our most precious asset: the workers who care for Victorians around the clock. This plan means more than 350 workers to help those who need it right now, and a pipeline of thousands more in the coming years.
“There’s never been a better time to consider a career in mental health – we’re growing our system in every corner of the state, and we need hundreds of Victorians to join the sector at every level.”

The state government is ensuring the right programs and systems are in place to help people who are drunk in public get the support they need to stay safe.
Minister for Health Martin Foley has announced four trial sites that will help develop a health-based response to public drunkenness.
The four trial sites are located within varying local government areas – including two in regional Victoria – ensuring the model is tested in diverse settings.
The sites in the City of Yarra, the City of Greater Dandenong and the City of Greater Shepparton and Castlemaine will be established and managed in partnership with local health services and Aboriginal organisations.
The trial sites will inform how this new public health model will be rolled out across the state. Trial sites will begin operations over the coming months, beginning with outreach teams to provide on-the-ground support for people who need it.
The new health model will promote therapeutic and culturally safe pathways to assist people who are drunk. This will include more outreach services, training for first responders and new sobering up services – making sure people are transported to a safe place where they can receive appropriate support.
The trials are the first step towards implementing the Summary Offences Amendment (Decriminalisation of Public Drunkenness) Act 2021, which paves the way for public drunkenness to be treated as a health issue and not a crime.
Current public drunkenness laws have caused an unacceptable and disproportionate impact on Aboriginal Victorians and reform is long overdue.
The Government is continuing to work with Aboriginal communities, health experts and stakeholders – including Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Aboriginal Community Justice Panels, and unions – to ensure a safe and effective model that strikes the right balance between protecting people who are drunk in public and community safety.
The Government has invested $26.4 million to establish the trial sites and provide safer pathways to help people who are drunk on our streets.
Minister for Health Martin Foley: “A drunk person should be looked after, not locked up. It is a health issue – we’re making sure it’s treated as one. This health model will mean people who are drunk in public get the help they need, and it will save lives.”