The state government is helping to clean up Port Phillip Bay by backing local community projects that clean up and protect our beach.

Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos has announced the latest round of successful Port Phillip Bay Fund grant recipients.

The government is backing 26 projects with over $2 million to protect the health of the Bay with local community groups leading the way on protecting our waterfront.

Frankston Foreshore Reserve is being protected by removing damaging weeds and planting over 5,000 native species to restore the beach for families to enjoy thanks to a $20,000 investment.

Safety Beach will be protected by an investment of $19,280 into the stabilising of dunes impacted by coastal erosion and invasive weed management so locals and visitors can continue to enjoy the beach.

A project by the University of Melbourne, working Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation will use advanced drone and mobile camera systems to track and analyse changes along the coastline.

This project will help identify where extra protection will be needed under a changing climate with an investment of $194,945.

Other funded projects included restoring oyster reefs in Corio Bay, cultivating juvenile kelp to help restore the natural marine ecosystem, and investigating drivers of algal blooms to improve prediction models.

The Port Phillip Bay Fund is part of the government’s ongoing investment to protect Victoria’s environment so families can enjoy on easy and affordable visits to Victoria’s great outdoors.

For more information, visit marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/grants.

The Victorian government is bringing back the F1 Melbourne Fan Festival in 2026, providing free, family-friendly fun.

Minister Dimopoulos today announced the free festival will be at a new iconic location: Federation Square.

This will extend the thrill of the FORMULA 1 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX beyond the circuit gates and into the heart of the city, making it cheaper and easier for more Victorians to be a part of the action.

The festival will be open from 10am to 10pm from Friday, 6 March through to Sunday, 8 March.

Fans will be able to watch the on-track action of the Formula 1®, Formula 2™, Formula 3™, and Supercars on the big screen from provided seating.

The three-day festival will feature live crosses direct from the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, and exclusive content outside of regular broadcast coverage.

This includes the Melbourne Walk and driver interviews from superstars like Melbourne’s own Oscar Piastri and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Between broadcasts, fans can enjoy racing simulators and access the full range of F1® team merchandise.

Fans can also experience the thrill of stepping onto the top of the podium and can snap a selfie with their favourite driver at the virtual F1 Driver Selfie activation.

For the first time, fans can also get up close to the next generation F1® show car.

Food and beverage options will also be available, ensuring fans can stay fuelled while taking in the action.

To learn more, visit grandprix.com.au/event/fan-festival.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said:

“The Formula 1 Grand Prix doesn’t just create excitement – it brings real economic benefits – drawing visitors from around the country and the world, and supporting local businesses, hotels and jobs.”

“The free fan festival is a fantastic opportunity for Victorians of all ages to soak up the atmosphere of this iconic event, right here in their own backyard.” 

Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Travis Auld siad:

“There’s something really special about seeing the city come alive during race week, and the F1 Melbourne Fan Festival is all about sharing that vibe. Whether you’ve got a ticket to the race or not, we want to give everyone a chance to experience the atmosphere and excitement of the event all across Melbourne.” 

Hi there, I am Kaos. I a one-year-old American bulldog and I love to play, run and explore. Zoomies are fun and I love checking out new sights and smells.
I am a bit of a goofball and I love making people laugh – I love people. Whatever you are doing, I want to be a part of that. I have loads of energy so I need a forever home that can provide regular exercise, playtime, and lots of positive interaction. Microchip no. 956000017374228
Come and meet me at MAAWs in Castlemaine or call 5472 5277.

Laundry blues

Oh, sodden tissue in the wash
What fool has cast you in?
To shred into a million pieces
When you should have gone in the bin.
Now infinite sticky pieces of you
Adhere to all my clothes
And all because I had a cold
And used you to blow my nose
I’ve shaken, I’ve brushed, I’ve done my best
To remove your clinging debris
And I’ve made a vow, next time I sneeze
I’ll reach for my hankie.
Now my pockets I’ll always check
Before filling the washing machine
So I don’t find a white speckled mess
Instead of clothes, damp and clean.

– Wendy Purcell

Wendy Purcell lives in Kyneton, where it’s always too bloody hot or too bloody cold. When not complaining about the weather she likes to write, garden, sew impractical clothes and ride her bicycle downhill. That is not her washing line below.

Local Lines features poetry by locals about local and any other matters.
Please submit poems to Bill Wootton at cottlesbreedge@gmail.com

As we scratch up an existence, grinding away for each dollar, collecting tax for a government that doesn’t appear to be doing much about things, we are entitled to ask questions.
And the first question is WTF is going on with AUKUS? Embarrassingly and unresearched when it first hit the headlines, I thought it was spelt orcas, like the killer whale. In my mind it kind of stands to reason to name a war submarine designed after an amazing pack-hunting animal with the intelligence of two Australians, or four Kiwis. (Jokes.)
I am now up to speed with the understanding it’s not a type of submarine, it’s a pact with the USA, UK and of course Oz, and the first part of it is to help us get our hands on some nuclear subs as well as helping us to learn how to maintain them.
While the submarine initiative has dominated the headlines, the AUKUS partnership carries much wider significance in that it will see Oz, the UK and the USA expand their cooperation across a wide range of defence capability and critical technology areas. And that’s where all the money is being dropped like a piss-pot in a pub losing pineapples out of his pockets while reaching for his wallet.
The first couple of down-payments on our submarines, that we may not even get if the USA decides they haven’t got enough in their own fleet, was 1.6 billion. And in terms of tech, we are buying the HQ Holden of the submarines because the Virginia-class attack submarines cost around $4 billion per unit, and we are buying five with delivery expected sometime early in the 2030 decade.
Meanwhile, the new fandangled Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines are projected to cost about $9.15 billion each – but we can’t afford those. To draw an analogy, it is like when I was growing up and my dad fished my first bike out of the dump, gave it a fresh coat of paint and fitted it with chopper handlebars and a banana seat. Meanwhile my mates had brand new Raleigh choppers with the shifter on the bar for gears – Virginia class meet Columbia class.
We also recently dropped a further $30 billion into an Adelaide shipyard, or at least a promissory note, there goes that drunken bar fly again. And I know that this agreement will outlive the current dickhead dictator who works out of the White House but it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow the jagged little pill of shelling out so much of our hard earned to keep us safe. All while I can’t safely drive from Glenlyon to Woodend because the road is so rooted.
Speaking of jagged pills, it is important to keep your first aid training current as I found out recently with my poor crippled wife, Donna, who was running low on a drug that we both use to keep us alive. I take double the dose of Donna, so I offered to cut mine in half to keep her going. Donna swallowed the pill and after a couple of seconds she was letting out noises resembling a blocked drain in need of a fix. She was red in the face and clearly in need of some first aid. Now, most people have heard about the Heimlich Manoeuvre, a lifesaving first-aid technique used to clear a blocked airway by applying upward pressure under the diaphragm to expel foreign objects, but it is not used anymore.
Luckily, I have been doing first aid courses for the past 41 years (every year since I was 17) so I knew this had fallen out of favour. I applied one firm upward thrust between the shoulder blades and out popped the culprit, effectively saving my wife’s life. Keep your training up kids rant over…

Ed’s note. Hmmm, when Kyle says he cut the tablet in half, it was more of a break by hand into a very jagged pill. And I must say it took quite a long few seconds for him to even look up from his phone…

Love locks continue to take over the bridge outside the change rooms at Lake Daylesford.
The first locks appeared there in March 2014 – with one even professing love for The Local. (Think about that…)
Now there are almost 500 of all shapes and sizes running across the bridge’s rails – gaining interest from wandering locals and visitors.
And there are bound to be even more after the March long weekend.
Love locks, or love padlocks, are a phenomenon which took off around the world from 2000.
Sweethearts, friends or family use the locks to symbolise their love, often writing or engraving their names on the lock and then throwing the keys into the water – meaning the locks can never be undone.

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes

Victorians deserve to feel safe and not be ripped off when they book a taxi or ride-share.

That’s why the state government is cracking down on dodgy drivers and strengthening protections for passengers.

From Sunday, 1 March 2026, new reforms will make it easier for Victorians to report misconduct and tougher for the wrong people to stay in the industry.

A new ‘two strikes and you’re out’ rule will mean drivers who commit fare-related offences twice within 10 years can lose their accreditation.

Drivers will also be banned from displaying branding unless they are genuinely affiliated with that provider – so passengers can book with confidence and know exactly who is picking them up.

Mandatory QR codes will be rolled out in all taxi and ride-share vehicles, giving passengers quick access to information about their rights and how to make a complaint.

These changes will make it easier to speak up when something goes wrong – and back the vast majority of drivers who are doing the right thing.

The reforms build on tougher penalties the government introduced on 1 January 2026 for drivers who fail to use the meter properly.

More changes are coming later this year, including better training for wheelchair-accessible vehicle drivers, stronger use of security cameras and audio recording in taxis, and a public register of disciplinary actions.

Safe Transport Victoria will be out in force at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix to inform passengers and drivers about the new rules.

The state government is making kinders more inclusive, accessible and welcoming for every Victorian child.

The Minister for Children has announced more than $6.2 million for kindergartens across Victoria to create safe, accessible spaces and buy IT equipment to engage children of all abilities.

Kindergartens will receive up to $200,000 to upgrade facilities or purchase equipment to improve accessibility through the Building Blocks Inclusion grants.

Recipients include Clifton Childcare Co‑operative in Fitzroy North, who will upgrade their playground and improve children’s bathroom facilities to better support diverse needs.

The government is also providing up to $10,000 for 175 services to buy accessible equipment such as adjustable furniture, mobility stools and sensory resources.

Alexandra Avenue Kindergarten in Sunshine will use their $10,000 grant to purchase sensory and gross motor development equipment, including lights and mats to help create calm, supportive learning environments.

More than $1.5 million in Information Technology grants will fund computers, tablets and televisions for educational programs and service administration as part of the Building Blocks Improvement grants stream.

For a list of recipients and to find out more visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/building-blocks-grants-inclusion or schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/building-blocks-grants-improvement.

The state government is creating new jobs in the booming tech sector – the fastest growing in the nation. 

Minister Pearson has announced ITC Infotech’s new state-of-the-art digital and AI engineering hub in Melbourne.

The new facility will create 150 new high-skilled technology jobs.

It will also serve as the company’s new Asia Pacific headquarters and flagship hub for digital and AI-led engineering.

This announcement cements Victoria’s status as Australia’s leading digital technology and innovation hub.

Victoria’s digital tech sector contributes more than $36 billion to the state’s economy and employs over 306,000 people, representing 30 per cent of Australia’s tech workforce.

ITC Infotech delivers professional technology services for companies across the Asia Pacific using digital engineering, data and AI-led solutions for some of Australia’s leading companies.

As part of its new Melbourne facility, ITC Infotech is also establishing an AI agricultural technology hub.

The agritech hub will turn university-led AI research into practical farm solutions, lifting productivity and climate resilience.

This will strengthen Victoria’s $20 billion agriculture economy and its pipeline of industry-ready talent.

The arrival of ITC Infotech will further strengthen Victoria’s thriving digital technology sector.

Care as you are: Cafs calls on the Central Highlands community to consider foster care this World Care Day
This World Care Day, Cafs is drawing attention to the growing number of children and young people across the Central Highlands who need the safety, stability and belonging that foster care can provide, supported by everyday people who are able to care in ways that fit their lives.
With the theme “Care as you are”, Cafs’ Home-Based Care program is reminding the Central Highlands community that foster carers don’t need to be perfect, have a certain lifestyle, or fit a mould. They simply need the capacity to provide care, stability and connection for children who need support close to home.
“Foster care isn’t about having all the answers or a picture-perfect home,” said Cafs CEO, Wendy Sturgess.
“It’s about showing up as yourself and offering a safe, caring place for a child or young person in our community. You don’t need to change your life to make a difference locally, you just need to open your heart and your home in a way that works for you,” Ms Sturgess said.
Cafs supports foster carers from all walks of life across the Central Highlands region, including single people, couples, families with children, empty nesters, renters, homeowners, and people who work full time or part time. What matters most is the ability to provide a nurturing environment where children and young people feel seen, heard and valued.
“Every foster care journey looks different,” Ms Sturgess said.
“Some carers provide short term care, others long term. Some care for babies, others for teenagers. There is no one right way, and Cafs works closely with carers to find arrangements that fit their lives while meeting the needs of local children.”
OFFICIAL
World Care Day is an opportunity to recognise the commitment of existing foster carers and to encourage others in the Central Highlands region to consider how they might be able to help, in a way that aligns with their own circumstances.
“There are children and young people in our local community right now who need care,” Ms Sturgess said.
“Foster care can be challenging, but it is also incredibly meaningful. Offering safety and belonging close to home can change a child’s story and often changes your own as well.”
Cafs provides training and professional guidance to ensure foster carers are never on the journey alone.
This World Care Day, Cafs invites community members across the Central Highlands region to learn more about foster care and explore how they can care as they are.
Visit Home Based Care to find out more and to reach out.

La Trobe University researchers have developed a new way to measure and report the environmental performance of farms in a move that could pave the way for future ‘sustainability ratings’ on consumer food and fibre products.  

Published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, the measurement, developed across 50 mixed grazing and cropping farms in south‑eastern Australia, addresses one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture: the rising demand for accurate, farm‑level data on biodiversity, ecosystem services and environmental sustainability. 

Lead author Dr Jim Radford, Director of La Trobe’s Research Centre for Future Landscapes, said the Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting method was the first to combine production data, remote sensing, ecological modelling and on-ground assessments to deliver transparent and verifiable farm-scale accounts.  

“In order to truly value the systems that underpin agricultural productivity, we need to put natural capital on the books,” Dr Radford said. 

“Farmers need robust, repeatable and scientifically sound ways to understand the condition of their land’s natural capital—and to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to global markets.” 

Aligned with the UN’s System of Environmental Economic Accounting framework, the Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting method allows farmers to quantify their natural assets including soil, water and biodiversity, and their contribution to production through pollination, pest control, forage production, shade and shelter for livestock and habitat for wildlife. 

The method also incorporates measures of environmental performance such as greenhouse gas emissions, water‑use intensity and pollution. 

Fifty-eight per cent of Australia’s land is managed by farmers, but Dr Radford said natural capital assets were invisible in conventional financial accounting systems. 

“Farmers are under increasing pressure to measure and report on their farm’s environmental management but there is no currently agreed method to do so at a farm-scale level.” 

Farm-scale Natural Capital Accounting offers farmers practical insights for improving management, identifying degraded areas and tracking changes over time. It also provides supply chains and retailers with trusted, verifiable reporting, helping to counter false or exaggerated ‘greenwashing’ sustainability claims. 

“Retailers and consumers are increasingly demanding proof of sustainability. This framework delivers the transparency required to strengthen trust across the entire supply chain,” Dr Radford said.  

Dr Radford said the method could easily be adapted to develop environmentally friendly product ratings that could ultimately appear on food and fibre packaging like the widely recognised Health Star Ratings.  

Dr Radford and his team are already working with Woolmark Plus to develop its Nature Positive farming framework, which enables a verifiable certification of Australian wool growers’ environmental performance. 

Looking forward, the researchers aim to expand the application of Farm‑scale Natural Capital Accounting across more farming systems and regions.  

“Our goal is to accelerate the transition to nature‑positive agriculture,” Dr Radford said. “We’ve also been able to show in related research that livestock farms with higher levels of natural capital are more productive, profitable and drought resilient.” 

“By giving farmers clear, credible and repeatable measures of natural capital, we can help promote both environmental resilience and productive and profitable farming.” 

This project was jointly funded through La Trobe University, Odonata Foundation and the Australian Government through funding from the National Landcare Program under the Natural Heritage Trust. 

The state government is strengthening Victoria’s frontline against invasive pests, backing Community Pest Management Groups to drive decisive, community-led projects across the state.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence has announced the recipients of the Partnerships Against Pests grants program – empowering communities to lead the fight against invasive pest species at local and regional levels.

The Victorian Blackberry Taskforce will receive $76,553 over the next 12 months to collaborate with communities, delivering innovative and practical solutions to manage blackberry infestations.

The Victorian Rabbit Action Network will receive $44,900 to continue operating the Community Leadership in Rabbit Management Course, along with $31,400 over two years for a rabbit exclusion fencing video series.

A further $99,000 has been allocated over two years for a directory to manage public enquiries for rabbits, gorse and serrated tussock.

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party has also been allocated $47,500 over two years to assist with business partnerships for financial sustainability. In total, $347,753 will support the strategic expansion of these initiatives, including improved planning and long-term sustainability.

The Community Pest Management Groups are known for delivering strong results where they matter most – on the ground and in local communities – helping recipients embed their expertise through local leaders and champions, educate community leaders within areas and allow the groups to maintain a focus on state-wide issues.

For more information and a full list of previous recipients, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/funds-grants-programs/partnerships-against-pests-grants

It is easier and safer for farmers to raise cattle with the first approved virtual fencing technology.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence announced that the Halter’s P5 electronic collar system is the first to be approved in Victoria for virtual fencing.

This technology will help farmers to save on the cost of building and maintaining cattle fencing through smart, real-time technology.

We’ve heard from many farmers using various forms of virtual fencing, and it was clear that the technology made a significant difference to the health of their stock, their pastures and their workloads.

Halter’s P5 system features a collar connected to an app, allowing farmers to virtually fence, move and monitor wellbeing of their cows while receiving real-time insights into animal health and pasture conditions.

Farmers can virtually fence around waterways and sensitive land or vegetation, while still allowing native animals to access them, promoting faster pasture recovery, healthier riparian zones and reduced reliance on fertiliser.

The technology has been approved following rigorous animal welfare testing at the Ellinbank SmartFarm.

This will create over 70 new jobs, working directly with cattle farmers to install this technology.

Approvals are reliant on accurate record keeping and reporting, use of approved technology, training provided by the manufacturer, maintaining physical boundary fences or barriers and ensuring collars are checked regularly.

This technology is now available for purchase, with other Victorian manufacturers encouraged to apply so that more virtual fencing technology can be approved. A second application is currently being considered.

Electronic collars for livestock species other than cattle can only be used when a scientific licence has been granted under the POCTA Act, and the use is approved by an Animal Ethics Committees.

The state government is continuing to back Victoria’s vibrant multicultural communities by keeping events affordable for working families.

The Premier recently launched the new Chinese Community Hall Hire program making it easier to hire safe and accessible venues for events.

With venue hire costs rising, the program will help groups stay connected without added financial pressure.

Chinese community organisations can apply for grants of up to $40,000 to deliver activities, workshops and cultural celebrations.

It builds on the government’s recent $2 million investment into the Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund.

Victoria is proudly home to almost 430,000 people of Chinese ancestry who have helped to shape and enrich our state.

Victoria is a proudly multicultural and multifaith state.

Applications are now open and close on 30 March 2026.

For more information and to apply for the grant, visit vic.gov.au/chinese-community-hall-hire-program.

The Federal Governments are investing an extra $180 million to support women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence in Victoria.

This vital funding boost, funded equally by both Governments, will help organisations deliver critical frontline family, domestic, and sexual violence services to meet local needs.

For too long, children and young people experiencing family violence that do not have a parent to support them have struggled to access the services specifically designed to help them.

That’s why funding has been allocated to provide specialist support to young people, including:

• Amplify program – delivered by Melbourne City Mission, supporting young people aged 15-19 through trauma-informed case management, safety planning, peer support, and access to legal, financial and education-related assistance.
• Aspire program – delivered by Meli, helping young people aged 12-25 living in regional Victoria, including risk assessment and safety planning, help to remain engaged with education, and assistance accessing legal, financial and housing supports.

Alongside youth-focused services, system-wide initiatives across frontline support services and early-intervention initiatives will be delivered, including:

• A major boost to crisis responses and safer accommodation options, reducing reliance on motels and expanding safer, trauma informed crisis accommodation.
• A joint commitment to Aboriginal community led action through the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum, with dedicated funding enabling the Dhelk Dja Koori Caucus to set priorities consistent with the Dhelk Dja 10-Year Agreement and Closing the Gap.

This funding boost is thanks to the renewed Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2025-30 Federation Funding Agreement that commenced on 1 July.

Across all jurisdictions, the new funding is delivering more than $700 million in new, matched investments from the Commonwealth and states and territory governments.

Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek:

“The Federal Government is focused on delivering real change, to break cycles of violence and keep women and children safe.”

“That’s why we have invested over $4 billion in keeping women and their children safe.”

“We know that when young people flee family violence without a protective parent, they can fall through the cracks in our system.”

“Children who experience violence in their homes carry that trauma with them and without the right support, it can impact them for life.”

“By investing in prevention, early intervention and crisis responses, we’re supporting more Victorians to safely leave and heal with specialist services to support them.”

Victorian Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Ingrid Stitt:

“Every child deserves to grow up safe and free from abuse and violence. That’s why we are backing programs that keep children safe and support them to recover.”

“No young person should face crisis alone. Amplify and Aspire are supporting young people in need, when they have nowhere else to go.”

“This funding is an important injection into work already underway in Victoria to support young people experiencing family violence, including through The Orange Door Network and statewide case management and counselling support.”