Springs Medical Centre’s campuses in Daylesford, Trentham and Kyneton are now all fully bulk-billed services.

The move comes after an $8.5 billion nationwide investment by the federal government.
Springs Medical GP and co-owner Dr Brad Wyer, above, said the investment was “a real boost for regional general practice”.
“We haven’t seen this kind of investment in primary care in a really long time.”
Springs Medical GP and co-owner Dr Holly Lewis said the centre was often the only clinic in town.
“We don’t want our patients punished for living in the country. Bulk-billing is the right thing to do for our community. It means that our patients will get the exceptional care they need and won’t put off seeing their doctor.”
Ballarat MP Catherine King, below, said it was fantastic to see another local clinic supporting their patients with a transition to bulk billing.

“They’re taking this step because they know a healthy community is essential, and free GP visits are a huge part of making that a reality,” she said.
“People should need their Medicare card, not their credit card, to access high quality healthcare in Australia.” Words: Donna Kelly

Creswick identity and CresFest founder Judy Turner has been honoured at Government House, among a group of older volunteers who are making a difference in their communities.

Judy, 72, says she has been a musician, music educator and community activist all her adult life, and was delighted that at these awards music was recognised for its importance in community wellbeing.
“It was fabulous to be among such a dedicated bunch of older Victorians and to learn about the fantastic projects they are all implementing with the support of many thousands more volunteers,” Judy said.
“It was all the more rewarding to know that music was a crucial part of two out of 10 of this year’s awards, acknowledging its importance in bringing communities together and promoting positive ageing for all.”
CresFest started when Judy and a group of musical friends found time hanging heavily on their hands during Covid, and decided to try and start something lively and joyful to involve the people and the businesses of Creswick and the district.
“When a bunch of retirees get together around a table with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, magic can happen,” she said.
Paying tribute to the hundreds of people who volunteer each year at the festival, not just across the weekend but right throughout the year, Judy said that giving people the chance to do what they are best at is what she loves most.
“We have vollies building our website, managing our database, organising volunteering, creating online marketing campaigns, writing grant applications and much more besides. Team CresFest is a thriving group and it’s been a pleasure to lead them for the first five years of the festival.”
Council on the Ageing Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria CEO Ben Rogers said it was incredible to see these seniors uplifting their communities, inspiring those within them, and bettering their surrounds.
“We know that social connection is crucial to mental and physical health outcomes, and each of today’s 10 recipients work tirelessly within their own communities to accomplish demonstrable results, draw people together, and help them to thrive.”
Judy said work was well underway with CresFest 2026.
She said festival goers should be on the lookout for the New Orleans Second Line Parade on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s going to be really fun. Each year we have what we call an extravaganza, which is when we get people dancing in the streets. And each year it’s been a differently themed one. The first year it was Brass and Bollywood and we had Bollywood dancers up from Melbourne and they worked with the Creswick Brass Band.
“There’s just this fabulous mashup. Last year it was African drumming and dancing. We’re also bringing back the parade which we had for the first two years.
“It’ll be our fifth year and after four years we know much better how to do things and everything will be a bit more streamlined, a bit more audience focused. More things for kids to do and a whole lot of free activities in the street as always.”
Judy said she fell in love with music as a child.
“I was lucky. My mum was a good piano player and she encouraged all of us. We used to sing a lot around the piano. She was a school music teacher for a while and she used to run school musicals and there were always things for us to do. And then she got lessons for all of us in whatever we wanted to play.
“I got lessons on the recorder first and then I played with a lot of kids’ bands. Canberra, where I grew up, was a great place for kids’ music. My high school had a fantastic music program and you could get whatever instrument of the orchestra you wanted, for free. ”
Judy said while she could not choose a favourite instrument, she loved playing both the viola in classical music and the fiddle in folk music.
“I love playing the viola in classical music because you get to sit in the middle of the orchestra which is in the middle of the sound. You’re completely surrounded and you get to really understand what the composer was trying to achieve.
“Playing the fiddle in folk music is wonderful because, well a bit like in an orchestra, you get that massed fiddle sound which I really love. It’s horses for courses, you know. They both feed me in a way that I never would want to be without.”
Judy said the difference between attending a live festival and listening to a digital platform like Spotify was huge. “At a festival you see the people doing it in real time. There’s no digital interference whatsoever. If you come to a festival like ours and you get to see the real music up close and personal. The musicians are playing everywhere so you get to see them and hear them in their true acoustic setting. You see the energy and the skill, it is really inspiring.”
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Contributed

Faster emergency care is being delivered for families across Victoria – reducing wait times and getting paramedics back on the road sooner.

Monash Health’s Clayton campus is one of 16 major health services across the state that will benefit from a $50 million investment, targeting ambulance offload times and emergency department patient flow.

Paramedics and emergency departments continue to face record demand, with more than 98,000 Code 1 lights and sirens callouts and more than 513,200 emergency department presentations in the last quarter.

It’s why Monash Clayton is receiving $4 million to establish an Acute Medical Transition Unit for frail or complex short-stay patients. This will allow for faster, direct transfers for rapid medical review and priority access to diagnostics and direct ward admission – improving patient flow and reducing emergency department congestion.

Eastern Health’s Box Hill Hospital will receive $6.9 million to add 12 inpatient beds in the emergency department, and more staff in medical, nursing and allied health roles – enabling earlier morning admissions from the emergency department, improving ambulance offload times and reducing ramping and the overall length of stay.

While in Geelong, $4.4 million will support Barwon Health to establish a Medical Day Hub – increasing inpatient capacity through additional medical and nursing roles for its Hospital in the Home program, medical day stay beds, and an expansion of its transit lounge.

With greater capacity, the health service can free up the emergency department for new patients, reduce wait times and avoid timely ambulance transfer delays.

Other hospitals across Melbourne that will benefit from this investment include Austin Health, Alfred Health, Western Health, Mercy Health, St Vincent’s Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peninsula Health.

While in regional Victoria, services receiving funding include Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe Regional Health, Grampians Health, Albury Wodonga Health and Bendigo Health.

A new freight processing facility has opened at Melbourne Avalon Airport, supporting hundreds of jobs across cargo handling, warehousing and distribution.

Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Colin Brooks has opened the $8 million facility which will provide a new gateway for international freight and speed up delivery times.

The state-of-the-art facility is capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo – a tenfold increase on current levels.

The facility will operate 24 hours a day and be equipped with advanced scanning technology – making it one of the first airports in Australia to comply with the new Border Force security screening standards, allowing arriving freight to be processed faster.

The facility will process sets and equipment for the upcoming Lady Gaga and concerts.  It will also handle motorsport freight for major events such as MotoGP, Formula 1 and World Superbikes.

The facility will help ease congestion on roads by reducing the number of trucks currently transporting freight between Melbourne Avalon Airport and Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and will benefit from better road connections when the West Gate Tunnel opens in late 2025.

The new freight processing centre is part of the Greater Avalon Employment Precinct and will bolster its role as an economic hub for the surrounding areas. The freight and logistics industry keeps Victoria moving and employs more than 260,000 Victorians.

In another vote of confidence for Victoria, a new branch of a global bank has opened in Melbourne.

The China Merchants Bank branch will create 15 jobs and help grow Victoria’s strong relationship with China.

It will provide corporate and private banking for Victorians and wholesale transactions for large institutions, servicing the increasing number of clients from China who are doing business here.

This is the sixth Chinese bank to operate in Victoria after Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications and China Everbright Bank.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, China Merchants Bank is a leading Chinese commercial bank listed in both the Hong Kong and Shanghai Stock Exchange. It has 143 branches in mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as global branches in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Singapore, Luxemburg and London.

Victoria is a leading destination for financial services with the sector employing more than 120,000 people and contributing $47 billion each year to the local economy.

The new China Strategy: For a New Golden Era, released last month, outlines opportunities in China to create good, stable jobs and drive strong economic growth for Victorians. It is renewing Victoria’s commitment to our relationship with China, highlighting Victoria as a destination of choice to invest, innovate, stay and study.

Shelters, rehoming groups and community vet clinics are receiving grants – making vet care more affordable and helping more pets find loving homes across Victoria.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence has announced the opening of applications for Round 13 of the Animal Welfare Fund, which will invest $1.6 million to support companion animal welfare across Victoria.

This round offers Pet Welfare Grants of up to $100,000 for not-for-profit organisations, animal shelters and community foster care networks. Eligible projects include those focused on rehoming, education, emergency animal relief and expanding facilities available to the community during times of crisis.

Low-cost vet clinic grants of up to $50,000 are also available to put towards equipment, upgrades and expansions for not-for-profit and community vet clinics, and up to $200,000 to establish new low-cost vet clinics.

Previous grants awarded under the Animal Welfare Fund Grants program have helped Geelong Animal Welfare Society to establish new kitten enclosures and cat isolation wards, enabled Victorian Animal Aid to purchase a dental x-ray machine and assisted The Australian Animal Protection Society to create a sensory dog park.

Over the past decade, the AWF Grants Program has awarded more than $14.75 million in funding to not-for-profit animal shelters, foster care organisations and community vet clinics – directly improving the wellbeing of companion animals across Victoria.

Applications for Round 13 Animal Welfare Fund Grants are open until 27 November 2025. To apply and for more information visit animalwelfare.vic.gov.au

People are finding the best deal at the petrol pump, with Servo Saver – on the Service Victoria app.
It could save Victorian motorists up to $333 a year at the pump – putting money back in their pockets and helping to alleviate cost of living pressures.
The new app also helps deliver the first phase of the state government’s Fair Fuel Plan by requiring fuel retailers to report their fuel prices in real time, with new legislation set to cap on the daily price.
More than 1,200 retailers across Victoria are now compliant with the new mandatory reporting system and are already meeting requirements to report their fuel prices.
This price data is fed directly into Servo Saver, allowing motorists to see where they will get the best deal in their area or along their route and make informed decisions about when and where to fill up.
Currently, fuel price reporting in Victoria is voluntary and often patchy. While commercial price reporting websites exist, Servo Saver will include every fuel provider, won’t be advertiser funded, and will never promote one outlet over the other.
The servo saver and mandatory reporting will support the next phase of the Fair Fuel Plan – to cap the fuel price once a day and lock that ceiling in place for 24 hours, or when the price is reduced.
This means you’ll be able to check your local area for which service station is offering the best price throughout the next day – and when you arrive in the morning to fill up, there’ll be no surprises.
Under the plan, the price at that outlet can’t rise at any time throughout that day, but there is not intended to be any limit to a company reducing its fuel price. This plan is already well underway.

Local communities are being backed with a new round of sports club grants ─ to ensure they have the equipment and skills they need.
Applications have opened for the latest round of the Sporting Club Grants Program ─ with a focus on supporting growth.
Grants of up to $5,000 are available through the Sporting Club Grants Program for clubs to improve the skills and knowledge of volunteers, coaches and officials, as well as grants of up to $4,000 to help clubs deliver new programs to the community.
Clubs can also apply for grants of up to $1,000 to purchase uniforms and equipment, and $750 travel grants are also available to participate in competitions away from home.
Victorian Roller Derby League is a previous recipient that used almost $1,000 for more skates, bibs and safety gear to lend, enabling more people to try the sport for free.
Traralgon Table Tennis Association also received $1,000 towards new wheelchair-friendly competition tables for para table tennis.
The Sporting Club Grants Program has injected more than $19.5 million into the community and supported thousands of clubs across the state – improving the experience of local community sport for everyone involved.
The program is backed by the Regional Community Sport Development Fund helping more regional Victorians get active and be part of their local sporting club.
Applications for this round close 26 November 2025. For more information and to apply for Sporting Club Grants Program visit sport.vic.gov.au.

Cost-of-living pressures are easing for families by removing the requirement for parents to provide digital devices for primary school students.
Victorian Government primary schools will no longer need to buy a device for their children – saving them more than $500 per student.
Schools will be required to provide access to tablets and laptops for students to use at school. To further support student learning and engagement, screen time limits will also be introduced to all schools.
The changes will be phased in gradually to support schools’ transition to the new arrangements.
From 2027, primary schools will benefit from updated guidance to help set sensible limits on device use in the classroom. This will mean that primary schools will be required to limit digital device use to a maximum of 90 minutes per day for students in Years 3-6, and minimal device time for those in Prep to Year 2.
These new time limits will promote purposeful technology use, reduce overexposure to screens and help students stay focused and engaged.
New guidance and support materials will be distributed to schools in term 1 next year to help schools plan lessons using digital devices. This guidance will ensure that students learn essential digital literacy skills, while reducing distractions in the classroom.
These reforms complement Victoria’s nation-leading mobile phone restrictions, which were introduced in 2020, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing digital distraction, and the overuse and misuse of technology.
Principals and teachers report that the mobile phone ban has improved student focus on learning and increased socialisation and physical activity during breaks.

Boating is being made safer and more enjoyable, with new upgrades and works across Victoria.

Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos has announced almost $1 million for 19 projects to create a better experience on local waters.

More than $475,000 will be spent on maintenance projects at 13 sites, including repairing the Newhaven boat ramp jetty on Phillip Island, and replacing damaged concrete at the Kirrang Point boat ramp on Lake Eppalock.

Parks Victoria will receive nearly $60,000 to replace the faulty timber jetty at the Bridgewater Lakes boat ramp with an accessible floating pontoon, extend the existing boat ramp, and re-sheet the asphalt car park.

The Lake Charlegrark Recreation Reserve Committee will receive more than $56,000 to repair and extend the concrete boat ramp, improving access at a greater range of water levels at the popular Wimmera waterway.

Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee will receive nearly $39,000 to replace jetty ladders at the Indented Head boat ramp and improve surfacing and drainage at the Steeles Rock ramp car park.

At Stony Point in Western Port, $28,000 will fund repairs to cracked concrete in the centre lane, improving safety and usability.

In Nelson, at the state’s far south-west, the Simsons Landing Road boat ramp carpark will be resurfaced to make parking safer and easier.

A further six projects will share in more than $500,000 through the Labor Government’s Dredging and Access Grants Program, including $110,000 to dredge the Mallacoota boat ramp off Allan Drive to restore safe access currently affected by sand build-up.

Additional dredging works are planned at Clifton Springs, Kananook Creek and Point Richards, along with channel dredging at Tootgarook and preliminary investigations at the Brighton–North Road boat ramp.

To learn more about boating upgrades across Victoria, visit betterboating.vic.gov.au

For Kristy Kemp, founder of Flash Farm, connection is at the heart of everything she does. With a background in social work and wellbeing, Kristy saw how people benefit when they are given the space to slow down, connect with animals, and experience nature with presence and care.

That insight grew into Flash Farm, a peaceful space in Myers Flat where visitors can learn about animal-assisted wellbeing, care for Country, and explore the links between personal and environmental health. The farm’s programs support mindfulness, emotional regulation, and confidence through gentle, guided activities that centre on respect for both people and animals.

This thoughtful approach has earned Flash Farm widespread recognition, including the 2025 Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards for Climate Leadership and Social Procurement. Kristy’s work shows how wellbeing, inclusion, and environmental care can come together to create something truly unique.

Now the farm is inviting others to share in that experience.

Join the Flash Farm Experience: Grow, Breathe, Connect

Be part of this calm, hands-on Unboxed Festival event, presented with the City of Greater Bendigo’s Beat the Power Bills Business Program. Participants will plant indigenous plants, take part in a guided animal mindfulness activity, and gain insights into Flash Farm’s approach to wellbeing and sustainability.

Sessions: 8 and 14 November
Location: Flash Farm, 1103 Loddon Valley Highway, Myers Flat
Tickets: $30 adults | $15 children (8–17) | $75 family pass

Bookings: bendigoregion.com.au/explore-bendigo/tours/flash-farm-experience-grow-breathe-connect

Irrigators in the Mildura region are encouraged to attend upcoming workshops running from November to December hosted by Agriculture Victoria.

The suite of workshops includes a 2-day irrigation management course, a drip monitoring and maintenance workshop and a soil moisture monitoring workshop (both half days).

Agriculture Victoria Regional Manager Irrigation Mallee Jeremy Giddings believes irrigators get a lot of value from these in-person workshops.

‘We find the workshops facilitate healthy discussion among irrigators about data, techniques and systems and enhance their understanding of irrigation principles,’ said Mr Giddings.

‘Participants learn how to get the most from their irrigation systems and use water as efficiently as possible on their crops to enhance farm profitability.

The free workshops will take place at Agriculture Victoria, 308-390 Koorlong Ave, Irymple.

The Irrigation Management Course on 6 and 20 November will also provide growers with an overview of soil water principles specific to Mallee soils including the holding capacity of readily available water. Irrigators will also learn about performance, management and scheduling and outlook for water this season.

On 8 December, Irrigators are welcome to attend a workshop from 9 to 11 am which will step them through how to interpret soil moisture monitoring data. Attendees are encouraged to bring their monitoring data to share.

On 10 December, irrigators are invited to attend a workshop from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm to learn how to monitor and maintain their drip irrigation systems at the drip monitoring and maintenance course.

Places are limited so farmers are encouraged to visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to learn more or register directly by email irrigation@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Farmers across the state are using Farm Drought Support Grants to set themselves up for the current, and future droughts.   

Check out the list of some eligible activities below:

• Stock Containment Areas
• reticulated water systems, pipes and troughs
• irrigation system upgrades– including repairs and maintenance
• grain and fodder storage
• internal fencing
• feed system upgrades
• pasture/crop restoration
• water carting for livestock and essential business activities.

Farmers can claim expenses on eligible activities since 30 September 2024.

For program guidelines, a full list of eligible activities, and to apply visit www.ruralfinance.com.au/grants/

Victoria’s world-class medical researchers are tackling childhood cancers, with new funding that could unlock breakthroughs in treatment and improved patient care.

Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson has announced two Victorian research teams will share $770,000 in funding under the Children’s Cancer CoLab’s Innovation Accelerators Impact Program, which brings together critical resources to drive cutting-edge discovery, translational, and clinical research.

Monash Children’s Cancer Biobank, led by oncologist Dr Michelle Martin, will receive a $360,000 grant, while funding of $410,125 will go to the Hudson Institute Living Biobank, led by Associate Professor Jason Cain.

The funding will support the crucial role of these biobanks in safely storing a wide range of clinical samples, which are used to develop treatments and improve care, including for the patients from whom they came.

Biobanks also contribute to broader research into new cancer treatments both in Victoria and internationally, making a difference for children with cancer everywhere.

Biobanks are central to biotechnology sector growth – boosting Victoria’s capacity to attract clinical trials, draw global investment, and strengthen local biotech businesses.

Victoria is home to one of the world’s leading health technology hubs, which is supported by nine universities and 22 globally renowned research institutes.

The government’s contribution of $35 million, alongside the Children’s Cancer Foundation’s commitment of $10 million to establish the Children’s Cancer CoLab brings together the best and brightest minds to undertake cutting-edge research to tackle childhood cancer.

The state government is helping to make boating safer and more enjoyable, with new upgrades and works across Victoria.

Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos has announced almost $1 million for 19 projects to create a better experience on local waters.

More than $475,000 will be spent on maintenance projects at 13 sites, including repairing the Newhaven boat ramp jetty on Phillip Island, and replacing damaged concrete at the Kirrang Point boat ramp on Lake Eppalock.

Parks Victoria will receive nearly $60,000 to replace the faulty timber jetty at the Bridgewater Lakes boat ramp with an accessible floating pontoon, extend the existing boat ramp, and re-sheet the asphalt car park.

The Lake Charlegrark Recreation Reserve Committee will receive more than $56,000 to repair and extend the concrete boat ramp, improving access at a greater range of water levels at the popular Wimmera waterway.

Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee will receive nearly $39,000 to replace jetty ladders at the Indented Head boat ramp and improve surfacing and drainage at the Steeles Rock ramp car park.

At Stony Point in Western Port, $28,000 will fund repairs to cracked concrete in the centre lane, improving safety and usability.

In Nelson, at the state’s far south-west, the Simsons Landing Road boat ramp carpark will be resurfaced to make parking safer and easier.

A further six projects will share in more than $500,000 through the Labor Government’s Dredging and Access Grants Program, including $110,000 to dredge the Mallacoota boat ramp off Allan Drive to restore safe access currently affected by sand build-up.

Additional dredging works are planned at Clifton Springs, Kananook Creek and Point Richards, along with channel dredging at Tootgarook and preliminary investigations at the Brighton–North Road boat ramp.

To learn more about boating upgrades across Victoria, visit betterboating.vic.gov.au