Next month ARC Justice and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council will host two free information sessions to help residents manage the insurance process during emergencies.

The sessions will take place in person at Romsey on June 6, and online on June 18, and will cover the essential steps to take before, during and after an emergency

Each session will also cover how to manage the claims process, tips for dealing with insurance companies, how to navigate insurance disputes effectively and where to get additional free help.

More information is available through the council’s website.

The City of Ballarat council has approved a three-year funding and service agreement with Commerce Ballarat to the total of $415,725 to help support the not-for-profit organisation.  

Commerce Ballarat provides advocacy for the local business community, as well as a broad range of support services to more than 650 member organisations from across Ballarat. Many programs are also available to non-member businesses.

The extension of the agreement following a vote of the council at its scheduled meeting last month adds three more years to the 20 year collaboration.  

The funding helps Commerce Ballarat deliver a range of programs and events including networking events, conferences, industry forums, skill development works, promotions, and the annual Business Awards.

Commerce Ballarat’s purpose is to better business in Ballarat by:  

• Creating and driving business activity;
• Providing leadership and advocacy;
• Collaborating with key stakeholders to advance business; and
• Facilitating knowledge and skills development for business.

The agreement also helps Commerce Ballarat hold events by providing a facility in kind to be used for the annual Business Awards launch.  

The funding has increased from $113,575 per annum to $138,575 per annum and this helps Commerce Ballarat deliver new events responding to emerging business needs, such as:

• Forage and Feast program to support the local producers and hospitality sector.  
• Mental health support programs  
• Themed industry specific chats, such as trade breakfasts and hospitality discussions.  
• Ballarat Business month, held in August.  

As well as supporting Commerce Ballarat via this agreement, the City of Ballarat is also helping to fund and promote the Commerce Ballarat Business Assistance Program to which City of Ballarat has allocated $20,000.

This connects local businesses to local support and advice on a broad range of business areas, such as business planning, finance and marketing.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said Commerce Ballarat was an incredible advocate for businesses across the city.  

“Commerce Ballarat creates a united voice for all Ballarat businesses and the support and leadership they provide our local operators is invaluable,” he said.  

“The City of Ballarat is proud to support a trusted organisation, that delivers business activity and facilitates knowledge and skills for our business community.”  

Commerce Ballarat CEO Jodie Gillet thanked the City of Ballarat Councillors for voting to continue to support Commerce Ballarat.  

“We feel this is recognition of the services we provide to the local business community and the importance of having a strong, independent voice for business in our region,” she said.  

“This is an incredibly tough business environment and now more than ever, Ballarat businesses need a partner that understands and can offer support through advocacy, marketing and development.”  

Words& Image: Supplied.

From next Saturday May 25 until the 1st of June, Wheatsheaf local David Robertson will be tackling in the Long Ride for Prostate Cancer.

But he won’t be on his own. He’ll be among an anticipated 197 other riders from across Australia all preparing to have a ball as they tackle the Long Ride that this year will go from Kyneton to Port Douglas.

The fundraising motorcycle ride was established by Chris and Gail Dunne in 2004 and there have been 11 rides since which have raised awareness of and money for prostate cancer support.

“My first Long Ride was in 2014 to Uluru and I have since completed rides to Margret River, Tasmania and Darwin,” David said.

“I am motivated to ride as I have first-hand experience of prostate cancer. In 2006 at the age of 50 I had a health check that showed an elevated PSA which concerned my GP who sent me to a specialist.

“After more tests and a biopsy it was recommended that I have a radical prostatectomy. This was quite a shock to me and my family, but having caught it early my prognosis was good.

“This has turned out to be true although there has been recurrence.

“Later I learnt that my father was being treated for PC when he died. I shared my diagnosis with my four brothers, two of whom were found to have high PSA and went on to be treated at some point.”

More information about the upcoming Long Ride is available from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

Following a year that saw CFA volunteers respond to 815 incidents caused by escaped burn-offs, fire crews are now urging landowners to take extra precautions before lighting up.

With fire restrictions now lifted across the state, private residents are taking the opportunity to burn off grass, stubble, weeds, and undergrowth to maintain their properties.

While encouraged, CFA reminds Victorians to monitor local weather forecasts in the lead up to ignition.

In 2023, over 22,500 volunteer hours were utilised responding to incidents involving escaped private burn-offs. Most call outs were during April and May and later in spring from September to November.

CFA Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook said the findings from these statistics are a timely reminder for private landowners to make sure they have enough people and water on hand to monitor, contain and extinguish their burn-off safely.

“The incidents in 2023 resulted in over 12,100 volunteers jumping on the truck to respond. This year, we would love to see that number decline significantly,” Garry said.

“We know burn-offs can flare-up several days afterwards, so it is important residents are consistently monitoring wind conditions before and after their burning day, while also notifying their neighbours to be mindful of smoke.

“The overarching message is clear – please don’t leave your burn-off unattended.”

Victorians are urged to register their burn-offs online through the Fire Permits Victoria website to provide agencies with important information to manage fire risk effectively and to allow Triple Zero call takers to focus on emergency calls.

“Of the 815 escaped burn offs, 69 per cent of them had no record of being registered and 113 required more than five CFA vehicles,” Garry said.

“If you light a fire to burn-off, you own it. Registering it is important and may avoid unnecessary responses from CFA brigades, but it does not remove your responsibility.”

Words & Image: CFA

The Hepburn Shire Council has overturned a planning officer recommendation on a permit application for a dwelling at Dry Diggings in a 4-3 split decision amid concerns zoning provisions are being eroded.

The proposed development is at 4/4935 Midland Highway, on a heavily vegetated 2.35 hectare site on Wild Cat Creek on the northwest corner of Midland Highway and Richardsons Lane.

The land is located in a Farming Zone and subject to a Bushfire Management Overlay and an Environmental Significance Overlay. It abuts a Public Conservation and Resource Zone.

The Shire’s Strategic Planning Office had raised concerns that the application did not support agricultural land use and that continued fragmentation of Farming Zone land would lead to longer term food production and agricultural issues in the Shire.

However the council went ahead and narrowly passed an amended motion put by Cr Halliday to give notice of approval for the development with a number of conditions relating to wastewater, bushfire risk and environmental impact.

Councillors Simpson, Halliday, Bray and Drylie supported the amended motion. Councillors Hood, Hewitt and Henderson opposed the development.

Cr Halliday argued that the land was clearly not currently used as farming land and that clearing the land for farming would further destroy the existing biodiversity. She argued that the area was inappropriately zoned and should in future be rezoned as a rural living zone.

Cr Henderson argued for respect of the current zoning saying that the community overwhelmingly supported the retention of the current farming zones.

He also wondered why the council was bothering with the current Rural Strategy if it wasn’t going to take the zoning into consideration in assessing development applications.

A new Daylesford chapter of the Queer Book Club has started this week.

Club founder Robyn said “Queer Book Club started in 2022, we’ve been attracting people who are not only interested in exploring LGBTQIA+ literature, but also connection to community.”

After moving regionally, they found there were fewer opportunities for social meetups specifically within the LGBTQIA+ community.

The monthly meetup has resonated with many and has now branched out with Daylesford is the newest chapter to bring people together monthly for the love of literature and community connection.

The new Daylesford chapter start this Wednesday 15 May 2024, and will now meet monthly on the third Wednesday at a local hospitality venue.

Attendance at meet-ups is free, and food and drinks are available to purchase at the venue.

The queer books for discussion were chosen by an annual online survey of book club members. Members can access the books by buying them (most are available as ebooks) or borrowing them from a library or friend.

Queer Book Club hopes to donate some copies of the selected queer books to Hepburn Libraries so they are available for the whole community.

Anyone interested can obtain more information about the Daylesford chapter by joining the Queer Book Club private Facebook group.

Police are investigating after $100,000 worth of statues and paintings were damaged at a museum in Bendigo on Sunday May 5.

It is understood an unknown man and woman attended the museum on Bridge Street about 1.30pm.

Investigators believe the duo used a liquid to cause damage to multiple statues and paintings, worth around $100,000.

They left the scene in a silver Toyota Prado. The pair were also with two children who were not involved in the incident.

Investigators have released images of two people (including the one above) they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information was being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online via the Crime Stoppers website.

Tomorrow evening the Palais Hepburn is hosting a special show dedicated to the great tenor and soprano arias.

Set for Saturday evening May 18, Great Tenors and Sopranos will feature big operatic hits like the Mario Lanza Medley, Nessun Dorma, The Drinking Song from Traviata, La Boheme, Summertime, The Prayer, Time to Say Goodbye and many more.

The upcoming show will showcase the vocal talent of Soprano, Mary-Louise Santa who graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne University and has established her career with The Victorian State Opera and Opera Australia.

Mary-Louise sang the role of Vera Lynn for The Bicentennial Military Tattoo, she toured to every capital city performing to audiences of over 18,000 with baritone Donald Cant.

She shared the stage with Judi Connelli, Rhonda Burchmore, Gina Riley, John Farnham, David Hobson, Marina Prior and The Italian Tenors world tour and studied with the late Luciano Pavarotti.

It also stars Lyric tenor Marco Cinque who sang the role of Tony Candolino in the award-winning production of Maria Callas Masterclass starring Amanda Muggleton.

Marco was part of a live video linkup with Italy celebrating the centenary of Guiseppe Verdi’s death. Marco opened the International David Bowie symposium singing the hit song Heroes accompanied by David Kram as part of the David Bowie Is Exhibition from V and A in London.

More information is available through the venue’s website.

The CFA celebrated its incredible mums this Mother’s Day on Sunday, and Michelle Turnham said her kids inspired her to become a CFA volunteer. 

Michelle Turnham volunteers with Ararat Fire Brigade along with her husband Ash and son Bailey.   

Michelle said volunteering with CFA has given her fulfilment in so many ways she hadn’t expected and it’s given her an outlet.  

“I actually joined because of my kids who were CFA Juniors at the time,” Michelle said.  

“When I started, I spent four years as a non-operational volunteer and then decided I would give firefighting a go and haven’t looked back since.  

“I have done so much more than I expected, I said I wouldn’t ever be more than a wildfire firefighter and now I have completed the low structure course and external breathing apparatus training.”  

Michelle said volunteering and being a busy working mother of three kids doesn’t come without its challenges.  

“We have a bit of a roster as a family that allows me to turn out,” she said.   

“My older boys can look after the youngest if we need and I have friends and family I can call on to support me.   

“It has instilled a sense of community in my kids. My eldest son Jaxon is in the process of joining now and Bailey continues to shine, he has really come out of his shell thanks to CFA.  

“I sometimes turn out alongside Bailey and I love that the dynamic is we are both firefighters working together at an incident, not mother and son.  

“Even my six-year-old is fire truck obsessed and loves ‘checking the tyres’ when he comes down to the station.”  

Kelly-Ann Ryan is the daughter of a former CFA volunteer and now a firefighter with St. Andrews Fire Brigade. Kelly’s mother Jenni was a huge inspiration to her growing up and why she is a volunteer today.  

“My mother was a volunteer at Upper Ferntree Gully and held the position of Secretary,” Kelly-Ann said.   

“Mum is incredibly strong, and I was in awe seeing her turn out when I was a kid, I wanted to be her.  

“Her community values have made a huge impact on me, she was so dedicated to the brigade she did everything from fundraising to supporting other communities on strike teams.  

“She is honestly my best friend; she would do anything for her daughters and grandchildren.”  

Words & Image: CFA

A father whose family escaped a fire that destroyed their Truganina home in a matter of minutes late last year is now calling on Victorians to install smoke alarms in all bedrooms.

Ramesh Gajurel, his wife and child were finishing dinner in their kitchen when their hallway smoke alarm activated.

A fire had ignited in a spare bedroom and was quickly spreading through the house. 

“We had just finished the dinner and were doing the clean-up and all of a sudden we heard the [smoke] alarm in the lounge area,” said Ramesh. 

“We went through each and every room and we found the second bedroom was already on fire – then we just tried to find a way out.” 

The bedroom door had been shut and there was no smoke alarm inside, so by the time the family was alerted to the fire it was already burning aggressively. 

The family safely evacuated, but unfortunately the house was so badly damaged by the incident in November 2023 that it had to be demolished. 

That said, Ramesh sees himself as lucky, because if someone had been sleeping in the bedroom when the fire broke out, it would likely have been fatal. 

“I think it’s really important to have [smoke] alarms in each bedroom, just in case. When you are sleeping in the night …you can act very quickly,” he said. 

The family’s lucky escape has prompted Victorian fire services to once again emphasise that smoke alarms are a bedroom essential. 

FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety Joshua Fischer said fires that start in bedrooms were the ones most likely to kill you. 

“If fire breaks out in your bedroom and the door is shut, the hallway smoke alarm will not activate until the fire has burned through the door, which will be too late,” he said. 

“Smoke will not wake you – in fact, it will put you into a deeper sleep and render you unconscious – so it’s crucial that you have a smoke alarm installed in all sleeping areas. 

“Think about all the items we now find in bedrooms that could catch alight – from rechargeable battery products to electronic devices and heaters. 

“Without a working smoke alarm, you may not get the chance to safely escape. Quite simply, they could save you and your family’s lives.” 

CFA Deputy Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic said a smoke alarm costs as little as $20, with a range of other types on offer depending on your housing and financial situation. 

“Concerningly, FRV and CFA’s most recent survey of Victorians revealed just 17 percent of Victorians have smoke alarms in their bedrooms. Around 47 percent of people do not have a smoke alarm in any living room.”

“This is why we really encourage all Victorians to install smoke alarms in all bedrooms, living areas and hallways.” 

Words & Image: CFA

The EPA Victoria and Macedon Ranges Shire Council have raised serious concerns about building industry practices after inspected 34 building sites around Gisborne and New Gisborne.

Two teams staged a one-day campaign of unannounced inspections in the Willow Estate and Cathlaw Estate, checking that builders, developers and construction workers were meeting their safety, environmental and building compliance obligations.

The EPA issued seven regulatory notices – each one a legally enforceable order to fix a problem by a set deadline – with two more to follw. 

The EPA will also issue an Infringement Notice for a duty holder that had multiple sites with repeated non-compliances that required clean-up.  Four Official Warnings are also planned, which come with no sanction but go on the official record.

Council officers issued 52 infringements for breaches of local law related to building sites with lack of – or non-compliant – building site signage, incorrect management of building waste onsite, lack of toilet facilities, unsecure site fencing, skip bins on council land without a permit, and general rubbish on council land. 

Local laws fficers also issued three parking fines and referred seven unsafe sites to WorkSafe Victoria for further investigation.  

EPA Northwest Regional Manager Paul Ratajczyk says businesses and tradies must know their responsibilities.

“The warnings were about sediment being discharged from sites, paint-contaminated water entering the stormwater system, plaster, brick dust or cement washing into drains and creeks – careless breaches, easily fixed but they should never have happened,” Mr Ratajczyk.

“The regulatory notices dealt with actions such as clean-up of waste, building waste and concrete scraps that were dumped on an empty block,” he said.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council Director Planning and Environment Director Rebecca Stockfeld said Council would continue to take a strong regulatory approach to building site compliance.

“We want to ensure that all building sites across the Macedon Ranges are doing the right thing, for their own benefit and for the environment around them,” she said.

“Officers reported disappointment in the non-compliant state of many of the building sites recently inspected – this is simply not good enough, particularly given the warning of inspections ahead of time.” 

“We encourage members of the public to support us in our monitoring by reporting any alleged breaches directly to Council for further investigation.”

While the inspections were unannounced, EPA and the Council had separately written to more than 50 companies working on the Estates, reminding them of their responsibilities under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Community Local Law 2023.

The General Environmental Duty (GED) in the Environment Protection Act makes it everyone’s job to take reasonable actions to protect the environment.  

For builders that means understanding how their activities can impact land, water and air quality, or cause harm from waste and excessive noise.

Landowners with a passion for improving land management practices are invited to join in a special evening to learn more about the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s award-winning Healthy Landscapes program.

The council will host ‘Healthy Landscapes – Growing the Community’ at the Kyneton Town Hall on 24 May, with a panel of local farmers and land managers sharing stories of their journey through the program.

Since its launch in 2018, the Healthy Landscapes program has delivered webinars to more than 2,000 participants, field days to over 500 participants and has enabled positive environmental change to about 4,000 hectares across the shire.

Through the program, landowners are guided on how to implement sustainable land management practices and make their land healthier and productive by using fewer inputs and creating healthier soils and waterways.

The program won the Premier’s Choice Regional Recognition Award at the Premier’s Sustainability Awards in 2021, and more recently was shortlisted as a finalist – and received a High Commendation – in the Sustainability Initiative category of the 2024 LGPro Awards for Excellence.

It is funded by Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Hepburn Shire Council and City of Greater Bendigo, the North Central Catchment Management Authority, Coliban Water, Melbourne Water and the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network. Mount Alexander Shire Council will also join the program in July 2024.

The council’s Director Planning and Environment, Rebecca Stockfeld, said the evening was an opportunity to celebrate the program’s successes and connect with other locals with similar land aspirations, share knowledge and foster collaboration.

“We have heard inspiring stories of positive changes resulting from the Healthy Landscapes program since its implementation, so we’re delighted that the program is truly assisting rural landholders in creating a sustainable future,” she said.

The evening will begin at 6:30pm with registrations essential and more information available through the council.

Ballarat Sexual Offences Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have charged a man following a series of allegedly lewd acts across Ballarat East and Wendouree.

It is alleged the man exposed himself and performed a sexual act in the presence of the victims between April 10 and May 6.

On four of the occasions sexual acts were allegedly committed in the presence of children aged between 10 and 14.

Last Thursday afternoon, May 9, detectives arrested a 50-year-old man at an address in Invermay Park.

He has been charged with directing sexual activity at another, seven counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child and one count of stalking.

The Brown Hill man had been remanded to appear at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court last Friday May 10.

Creswick’s mountain bike trail network has an apt new name – “Djuwang Baring”, meaning ‘long track’ in the Aboriginal Dja Dja Wurrung language. 

The Hepburn Shire Council and DJAARA, through the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, have announced the new moniker in recent days.

The milestone naming comes after construction of the locality’s network of 60 kilometres of mountain bike trails began early last year.

Hepburn Shire Council mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that the trails wind their way through Dja Dja Wurrung Country passing through State Forest, Regional Park and HVP Plantation lands. 

“Once open, the network will deliver an unparalleled experience of the local landscape’s cultural values, forested ecology as well as mining heritage,” he said. 

The full network of trails is set to open in late this year when construction is complete.  

Creswick’s Djuwang Baring consists of a series of skill-rated riding experiences along approximately 70 trail segments.

These segments will also be named with half of the names featuring words in the Dja Dja Wurrung language and the other half proposed by the community. The trail naming process is underway with a draft list of trail names expected to be released later in the month.  

“Council is proud for our premier network of trails to carry a name in Dja Dja Wurrung language. It has been a positive experience collaborating with DJAARA to realise the vision of the traditional language returning to use in the land as it once was,” said Cr Hood. 

Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter said DJAARA was very pleased to collaborate with Hepburn Shire Council on the project, which is forecast to bring a significant boost to the region.

“Dja Dja Wurrung People have walked this Country for many thousands of years, and we are proud to share our Country and our Culture with all in the community,” Mr Carter said.

“The project recognises Dja Dja Wurrung People as the Traditional Owners through the naming of the facility, and through the use of Dja Dja Wurrung language on many of the individual trail segments.”

The trailhead for Djuwang Baring, Hammon Park, is open for use and features three lines of cycling jumps, pump track, learn to ride area, BBQ area, children’s play area, rope climbing tower, parking and toilets, including a shower and changing place accessible amenities block. 

“Djuwang Baring is promising to be world-class mountain biking trails which will bring considerable economic benefits to Creswick and our region through business opportunities and increased tourism,” Cr Hood said.

” The various types of  skill-rated  trails offer our community the opportunity to be outdoors in a beautiful environment getting active and healthy.”

The Goongerah Fire Brigade, in a remote East Gippsland settlement, was badly impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires.

Tucked away between two national parks, the small community lost 10 homes and twice that many farm sheds.

As well as slowly rebuilding and repairing their properties, many locals have been putting in a lot of work installing nest boxes for wildlife.

“More than 100 boxes have been installed throughout the valley,” field ecologist, wildlife carer and Goongerah Fire Brigade Lieutenant Rena Gabarov said.

“They are hopefully helping the recovery of dozens of hollow-dependent species that were killed in the fires. Hollows are critical for about 80 species of Gippsland birds, mammals and reptiles.”

The loss of thousands of hollow-bearing trees in the fires has heavily impacted animals such as the threatened gliders, large birds such as black cockatoos, and our rare and endangered forest owls, including the powerful and sooty owls.

The boxes were donated to locals and Goongerah brigade by people from all walks of life, including Fulham Correctional Centre, several Men’s Sheds, Victorian National Parks Association and small businesses.

Goongerah Fire Brigade Captain Tony Bunt said it’s rewarding to see so many of these boxes now being used by native birds and marsupials.

“It gives us a boost to see wildlife slowly returning that would otherwise have had nowhere to shelter and raise their young,” Tony said.

Words & Images: CFA