Ballarat City Council has awarded the contract for the reconstruction of Gillies Road to Fulton Hogan Industries for a total tendered price of $5,059,269.38 (ex GST).

The project involves the reconstruction of a 4.2 kilometre section of Gillies Road, from Addington Road to Glendonald Road, Ascot.

The reconstruction will replace the existing narrow road with two 3.5m-wide lanes and 1.5m-wide road shoulders, bringing the link road up to modern standards.

The works include minor tree removal and pruning, drainage construction, road pavement construction and sealing, guardrail installation, table drain formation, line-marking and other works.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the works will boost safety along the busy link road in our local road network.

“This significant upgrade of Gillies Road will widen the road and deliver essential safety improvements for our community,” she said.

The $5,059,269.38 (ex GST) total tendered price includes $2,000,000 awarded from the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery Program as well as $3,059,269.38 from the City of Ballarat’s 2024/25 Capital Works Program.  

The City of Ballarat has informed nearby property owners of the upcoming works.

Works are expected to start in May and will take about three months, weather permitting. 

Words & Image: Supplied

Jobbo, formerly Neil Jobson but now mostly answering to just the nickname, has been known in the region for a long time as an artisan builder who sought out recycled products for his work.

But like many people, he wanted a change. One where he still worked for himself but out of the construction game. And it happened like magic.  

Jobbo popped into a barber in Daylesford for a haircut one day a few years back and was offered a job by the owner, Lesley.  

“I’d never cut hair before but I like doing new things. I just said, ‘yeah I’ll cut  people’s hair’, and then I realised I really liked it.”  

Jobbo kept working and then went to barber college, as he called it, for one year  and then opened up his own barber shop. At home. The Barefoot Barber.  (Although he did briefly have to return to building, to create his own very  “recycled and rustic yet warm and inviting” studio in Coomoora.)  

“I love it. I genuinely love it,” he says.  “I like the creativity. I like the connection. I like the conversation.  

“I like the fact that as a builder you spend a lot of time with someone over a short  period of time. This job is like the opposite. You spend a very short period of time  with someone over a very long period of time.  “And you just make good connections. It’s really fun.”  

Unlike many barbers, Jobbo is happy cutting hair for men, women and kids. One  of his most recent cuts was a fairy pixie cut for a female client and then there’s bobs, undercuts and shags.

Men usually choose a fade or a mullet – as Jobbo says, a good  mullet will never go out of style. Business in the front, party in the back.  

And every day people come armed with a photo hoping to look like their  favourite celebrity. Jobbo’s response?

“I just give them the haircut.  

“I think it’s pretty amazing that you can set up a small business out the back of  Coomoora and people can come and get a haircut without it being in the main street.  

“I end up meeting people and they come back in a few months. You have  conversations, you get to know them. I just want to say thank you to everyone who  comes out and gets their hair cut.”  

Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes 

The City of Ballarat is partnering with community and businesses to tackle the ongoing challenge of graffiti as part of a new trial program.

With graffiti escalating across the municipality, the Graffiti Removal Program will aim to empower residents and businesses to remove graffiti from their homes and workplaces at no cost.

The City of Ballarat has previously focused on removing graffiti on City of Ballarat assets only, such as public toilets, skateparks, bus shelters and community facilities.

Councils are usually unable to remove graffiti from non-Council assets, those of third parties, such as utility suppliers and transport providers (for example – power poles, railway and waterway infrastructure), and the assets of private businesses.

However, under the new initiative, third parties and businesses will be able to enter into an agreement with the City of Ballarat that enables the graffiti team to clean up the vandalism. Businesses can also access graffiti cleaning kits to clean up the vandalism themselves.

The trial program includes increased cleaning and staffing resources on the ground, an additional new graffiti trailer and the graffiti cleaning kits.

City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Ben Taylor said tagging and vandalism can impact how the community feels about its city.

“Graffiti isn’t just a City of Ballarat problem – it’s something we all need to tackle together as a community,” he said.

“While the City of Ballarat works hard to clean up our streets, keeping our properties and businesses looking their best requires everyone’s help.

“We’re all proud of our community so let’s protect it and keep it looking vibrant and welcoming.”

The cleaning kits will help Ballarat residents and businesses remove low level graffiti, including paint and tags, and can be collected from the city’s Customer Service at The Phoenix Building, 25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat.

The trial program will run for 18 months.

Story based on a City of Ballarat media release. Image: Supplied

Ian Ellem told his long-time friend Ian Blacket he would meet him back at the car as they each headed into different shops while running errands in the Bendigo suburb of Kangaroo Flat.

But when Mr Ellem returned, he found Mr Blacket collapsed in the carpark.

“He’d cracked his head and was bleeding, but worse, he was grey,” Mr Ellem recalls the moment.

“I started doing CPR and there was another lady nearby who called Triple Zero (000).

“I’d never done CPR before and I didn’t really know what to do, but I just knew it wasn’t time for him to go anywhere.”

Mr Blacket had experienced a cardiac arrest and no one knew for sure how long he’d been on the ground.

Every minute counts in a cardiac arrest – for every minute that cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is delayed, the chances of survival decrease by 10 per cent.

Ambulances soon arrived, as well as an off-duty paramedic who happened to pass by.

One shock was given with a defibrillator and Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics continued CPR and provided ventilation to Mr Blacket.

Soon, they achieved a return of spontaneous circulation but it didn’t mean Mr Blacket was in the clear, and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics intubated him, so they could manage his airway as he was rushed to hospital.

The cardiac arrest happened in November and now a few months down the track Mr Blacket is alive and well – even saying he feels in better health.

“I used to be a heavy smoker and I was often having bad coughing fits,” Mr Blacket said.

“Since it happened, I haven’t touched a cigarette and I’m not having those coughing fits anymore.

“It was always in the back of my mind that I had to give smoking up but that’s as far as it went, until this happened and now it’s been easy to say to myself ‘no more’.”

Mr Blacket had only recently moved to Dunolly from interstate when the cardiac arrest occurred.

He said he is incredibly thankful to his friend Mr Ellem and the paramedics for saving his life.

“Ian finding me when he did and starting CPR – if that didn’t happen and I’d laid there a few more minutes, it quite possibly would have been a different story,” Mr Blacket said.

“Ian is the brother I never had and I can’t thank him enough.

“And a huge thank you to the paramedics, I owe them my life.

“Without their input I’d be a bit of bloody compost!

“You couldn’t script anything happening how it did that day, even the off-duty paramedic coming by and helping.

“It all fell into place to my advantage that day.”

Story based on an AV media release. Image: AV

More than 40 children from six Ballarat primary schools have harnessed their super sorting powers to help improve recycling rates.

The students participated in the City of Ballarat’s first Waste Super Sorter Competition at City Oval last month as part of an educational initiative.

The competition challenged teams to sort their waste into the four waste streams of general household waste, mixed recycling, food organics and garden organics (FOGO) and glass.

Placing items into the correct bin prevents the contamination of recyclables, ensuring more recyclables are reused and repurposed – which means less waste goes into landfill.

Students also participated in seed planting activities, discovered the benefits of worm farms for composting, and learnt about the City of Ballarat’s Soft Plastics Collection Pilot Program.

The City of Ballarat is preparing to introduce a fortnightly FOGO collection service and a monthly glass collection service to begin from November this year.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said it was great to see the municipality’s students having fun testing their super sorting skills while also becoming young champions for the environment.

“We hope our youth can lead the way and encourage everyone to get on board with becoming super sorters,” she said.

“The better we sort our waste and the more we can recycle, the less waste that goes into our general household waste bin – which ends up at the Ballarat Regional Landfill at Smythesdale.

“The introduction of our food organics and garden organics – or FOGO – collection will help us recycle our food and garden waste into new products, like compost, while reducing the amount of food waste sent to landfill.”

From November, food waste can be added to Ballarat households’ FOGO (current green waste) bin with the lime green lid.  

Food organics includes fruit and vegetable scraps, raw and cooked meat and bones, citrus, leftovers, seafood, shellfish shells and eggshells.

There will be no changes to the city’s weekly general household waste collection and fortnightly mixed recyclables collection.

More information about the waste collection changes will be provided to residents in the lead up to the introduction of the FOGO and glass services.

A group of students from Caledonian Primary School scored the highest result in last month’s super sorting challenge. The students won a bus trip to learn more about how recycling is processed for reuse and recycling at Australian Paper Recovery in Melbourne, which sorts the City of Ballarat’s mixed recycling.

Words & Image: Supplied

Victoria has Australia’s best cardiac arrest survival rate and the third best in the world following a record year, a report released last month shows.

Ambulance Victoria has recently released its 2023/24 Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) Annual Report, showcasing groundbreaking advancements in cardiac arrest response and survival rates across the state.

This year’s report highlights the significant impact of early intervention, with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) administered in 79 per cent of witnessed cases and 141 cases receiving a shock from a public Automated External Defibrillator (AED) — the highest number on record.

As a result of these interventions, and the dedication of paramedics and first responders, 422 cardiac arrest patients were discharged from hospital, with 84 per cent returning home to their families.

Ambulance Victoria’s Director Research and Evaluation Dr. Ziad Nehme praised the collective effort that has led to Victoria achieving its highest internationally comparable survival rate of 41 per cent of patients surviving to hospital discharge.

The rise from 36 per cent in 2022/23 marks the largest annual increase in the past decade.

“These improvements in survival are not by chance — they reflect the unwavering dedication of our paramedics and first responders, the responsiveness of the community, and the targeted initiatives that have strengthened the Chain of Survival,” Dr. Nehme said.

“When CPR and defibrillation are provided quickly, survival chances increase significantly. The impact of initiatives such as GoodSAM, enhanced paramedic training, and expanded community education programs cannot be overstated.”

The Ambulance Victoria Cardiac Arrest Improvement Strategy 2023-2028 continues to drive innovation in emergency response.

In 2023/24, Ambulance Victoria launched a first-of-its-kind initiative to notify paramedics when a patient they treated for cardiac arrest was discharged from hospital, reinforcing the importance of quality feedback.

More than 1,200 survivor notification letters have been sent to paramedics since March 2024.

Other key initiatives include the FIRST trial, which equips GoodSAM volunteer responders with ultraportable AEDs to reduce time to defibrillation.

Additionally, the expansion of the Heart Safe Communities program has introduced 12 new communities, trained 3,116 Victorians, and registered 62 new public AEDs in high-risk areas.

Ambulance Victoria’s Executive Director of Quality and Clinical Innovation, Dr Tegwyn McManamny, acknowledged the resilience and skill of paramedics in responding to these time-critical events.

“The dedication of our paramedics and first responders, combined with evidence-based strategies, has delivered some of the best resuscitation outcomes in our history,” Dr McManamny said.

“Through continuous education, real-time performance feedback, and community-driven initiatives, we are making significant strides in improving survival outcomes.”

With 17,327 GoodSAM responders now registered, and 10,304 AEDs available across Victoria, community involvement in cardiac arrest response continues to grow.

Ambulance Victoria is urgeingall Victorians to learn CPR, register as GoodSAM responders, and ensure AEDs are easily accessible in their communities.

This story based on an AV report

Powerful new lights have been installed at Daylesford’s Victoria Park sports oval in recent days and will soon be ready for action.

The pre-existing poles are being removed with the new 100-lux oval lighting and 200-lux netball lighting to take over the task of shedding adequate lighting on after dark sporting fixtures and sessions.

Announcing the installation of the new lights in a recent media statement, the Hepburn Shire Council says the new lights “lift the standard of play and safety and will increase participation for the clubs”.

The council was supported in delivering the project by $250,000 from Sport and Recreation Victoria and $20,000 from the Ballarat Football Netball Club.

Story based on a Hepburn shire Council statement

The Hepburn Shire Council is currently inviting local residents to have a say in response to several proposed road safety and streetscape projects, including two possible mini roundabouts, in Clunes.

The council is encouraging community members to provide feedback responding to several different proposed road safety and streetscape proposals for Clunes. The opportunity to submit feedback opened several weeks ago and is still able to be lodged up until Sunday April 13.

The current opportunity for members of the public to provide feedback marks the second and final stage of the Fraser Street Island trial consultation. It’s part of a process, aimed at improving safety for all road users in the township, which began last year and involves the trial of pedestrian safety islands at the intersection of Fraser and Service streets.

The five areas currently identified for consideration, and on which people can now have a say, are:

A speed reduction to a 40 km/h zone through the centre of Clunes

Proposed safety treatments for the Templeton Street and Bailey Street intersection

Proposed safety treatments for the Service Street and Bailey Street intersection, including the possible inclusion of a mini roundabout

Proposed safety treatments for the Ligar Street Precinct

Proposed safety treatments for the Fraser Street and Service Street intersection, including the possible inclusion of a mini roundabout

Those keen to have a say are being encouraged to review the concept designs and submit feedback at https://ow.ly/5is250VhJJV via the Have your Say portal on the council’s website.

A paper set of consultation plans are also available to view at The Warehouse Clunes during opening hours.

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media statement

Meg Warren, 51, survived a cardiac arrest in December but her experience highlights the value in learning CPR first aid.

“I was at home, chatting with my eldest daughter Hannah when mid-sentence, I fell backwards,” Meg, a Strathmore resident, said.

Hannah, 22, immediately called Triple Zero (000) and launched into cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), giving compressions to her mum for about six minutes before a Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crew arrived, soon followed by Ambulance Victoria (AV) crews.

Younger daughter Abi, 17, was also home at the time and was able to tell the arriving emergency services what had happened and about her mum’s medical history.

Paramedics delivered one shock with a defibrillator and the FRV crew continued CPR, and almost 30 minutes after the Triple Zero (000) call, Meg’s pulse returned.

Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics intubated Meg, allowing them to better manage her airway while she was rushed to hospital, still in a critical condition.

Meg spent just six days in hospital, where she was fitted with a pacemaker before being discharged home.

Now, just a few months later, she’s back at work and has almost no lasting effects.

“I feel fantastic – I do rehab once a week and think I feel stronger now than I did beforehand,” Meg said.

“The thing I’m most grateful for is that Hannah was so quick to start CPR, so I didn’t have oxygen starvation of my brain.

“I’ve had no reduction of my faculties at all – once I woke up, I remember everything from my time in hospital and coming back to work, I’ve been able to keep up and haven’t forgotten how to do anything.

“You bring kids into the world and you hope you can instill some kind of courage and bravery in them.

“To actually see it come into action in this way from both my daughters is just phenomenal.

“I’m lost for words at how much love and appreciation I have for these girls.”

Meg was incredibly thankful to the paramedics, FRV crew and hospital staff who all played vital roles in her survival and recovery.

“I’d also like to say a big thank you to my husband Tim, for his support of me and the girls,” Meg said.

“He has been a great sounding board for us all as we have navigated back to normality.”

Story based on an AV media release

A new tree planted in the historic Daylesford Avenue of Honour remembers the life of Daylesford’s Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War I.

“We gather to honour and remember Private Thomas Alfred Chaplain, a son of Daylesford, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War,” said Hepburn Shire Council mayor, Cr Don Henderson, attending the tree planting ceremony last Sunday (March 31).

Born in 1882, Thomas attended Daylesford State School and later worked as a miner. In May 1915, at the age of 33, he enlisted in Brisbane, joining the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force.

Thomas’ journey led him to the battlefields of Gallipoli, where he faced harrowing conditions of war. Tragically, he succumbed to dysentery on November 8, 1915, aboard the hospital ship HS Galeka. He was laid to rest at sea and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial in Turkey.

“May this tree grow strong and tall, a lasting symbol of their resilience and sacrifice,” Cr Henderson said.

“And may we, as a community, always honour their memory by living lives worthy of the price they paid.”

This story based on a Hepburn shire Council media statement. Image: supplied

Thirteen organisations will receive a share of $800,000 to bolster or expand their services through the state’s LGBTIQA+ sector strengthening program grants.

Announcing the successful grants recipients, Victoria’s Minister for Equality Vicki Ward on Monday said the state government stands with trans and gender diverse communities, and the funding will improve equitable, inclusive and accessible services that will contribute to safer, stronger and sustainable communities.

Transgender Victoria will deliver a mobile state-travelling service will ensure trans and gender diverse Victorians can access free gender-affirming services. 

Funding for Switchboard will deliver expanded free training to LGBTIQA+ organisations on LGBTIQA+ suicide prevention and bereavement support, while Thorne Harbour Health will provide more affordable mental health support to LGBTIQA+ community members.

Transcend Australia will use its funding to expand support for families of young trans and gender diverse Victorians and improve service accessibility to better assist caregivers and young people living with disabilities. 

Now in its second year, the grants program continues to reinforce the important work of organisations supporting and delivering services to Victoria’s rainbow communities. 

Monday’s Trans Day of Visibility, celebrated around the world annually, acknowledges the achievements and contributions of trans and gender diverse communities while raising awareness of the challenges, discrimination and stigma that they face. 

The grants program is part of the state government’s broader efforts to drive equality in Victoria, a vision outlined in Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022-32. For a full list of recipients, visit vic.gov.au/successful-recipients.

Minister for Equality Vicki Ward: “In Victoria, equality is not negotiable. We’re supporting organisations working to meet the needs of our diverse Victorian LGBTIQA+ communities right across the state – and this year’s funding will go towards some great initiatives that will make a real difference.”

The 13 successful LSS grant organisations for 2025 

• Flat Out
• Thorne Harbour Health
• Transcend Australia 
• Melbourne Queer Film Festival Inc
• Transgender Victoria 
• Victorian Pride Centre 
• Minus18 Foundation Inc
• Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc
• Intersex Human Rights Australia (InterAction) 
• Switchboard (Victoria) Inc 
• Many Coloured Sky 
• Gippsland Pride Initiative Inc 
• LINE Wangaratta 

Story based on a state government media release

As the sun was setting over Safety Beach on the Mornington Peninsula last Tuesday night (March 25) crews from SES, CFA, Victoria Police, Fire Rescue Victoria, and members of the community worked together to free a dog that was stuck in the rocks.

Crews responded just before 7pm and after a long and careful operation to remove Roxy from the rocks that create the breakwater for the entrance to Martha’s Cove, the crews were then faced with the challenge of getting the injured dog off the rocks. 

Roxy was unable to walk after her ordeal, so the crews had the options of carrying Roxy over the rough terrain or waiting for a boat to arrive from Marine Rescue or Coast Guard to take her by sea. 

Light was fading quickly as a personal watercraft operator passed by slowly, allowing firefighters to ask his assistance.

He was happy to help, though the sore Roxy didn’t much like the idea of getting on board. 

Eventually a boat returning to the dock came along, hoping to be in by dark they were swept willingly into the rescue operation. 

With surgeon-like precision, the boat’s captain manoeuvred his craft close to the rocks near the rescuers.

Roxy (safely in a stretcher) and her owner were then able to board the vessel and return safety to dock. 

“This is a great example of the community coming together to assist strangers, without question or hesitation,” Commander Tony Ford said. 

“We really would like to thank the boat and Jet Ski operators for coming to the assistance of the rescue operation,” he said. 

“The good news is that Roxy was able to walk off the boat and jump in the family wagon waiting at the end of the pier.” 

Story based on a CFA report. Images: CFA

The CFA’s Oscar 1 Emergency Response Mine Rescue Brigade has brought home a podium finish at the Victorian Mine Rescue Competition (VMRC) held over last weekend.

VMRC is an annual safety training exercise, which pits mine rescue and emergency response teams from Victoria and New South Wales against each other in a series of simulated emergency situations.       

Organised by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), it also provides an event for teams to share knowledge and experience in a challenging but fun environment. 

Teams gathered on Friday March 28 in Heathcote to compete in eight realistic, high pressure, scenario-based challenges including firefighting, first aid, underground search and rescue, and a ropes exercise.  

The CFA’s team, Oscar 1 claimed a win in the fire exercise scenario and third place in the Breathing Apparatus exercise.  

First Lieutenant of the team Karl Shay said the other teams put up some tough competition.  

“It was an excellent weekend,” Karl said. 

“You get six months of training in just one weekend. 

“On the Friday night our crew actually got a call out to a job with a man stuck down a mine shaft, so it was a great chance to use our skills and assist them to safety.” 

The fire-fighting exercise included one of CFA’s gas prop cars and required participants to run through the scenario of a large car fire.  

Tom Heather, a member of the Oscar 1 team, said the weekend provides a good opportunity to train and get together with all the rescue brigades.  

“It puts us head-to-head, but we treat it like real life training,” Tom said.  

“We are all bouncing off one another. You really come together as a team. 

“I am definitely proud to be part of CFA and to show people what we can do and what we are here for.”  

Members of the CFA Oscar 1 unit also compete across other teams including Central Victorian Mutual Aid with Oscar 1 member Darcy Mcclure-Wallace won the overall individual skills category and was part of the overall winning team, Foster Gold Mine, with other members of the Oscar 1 unit. 

Story and Images: CFA

The rescue of a native bird by the Kyneton Fire Brigade and Wildlife Victoria last week highlights the damage that litter – including discarding fishing line – can cause if left in the environment.

Last Wednesday 26 March, the Kyneton Fire Brigade was called to assist Wildlife Victoria with a bird rescue after the native currawong became entangled in fishing line that was stuck in a tree.

Crews responded at about 1pm to reports of the unfortunate bird stuck in the fishing line that was entangled in the tree along the Campaspe River in Kyneton.  

Wildlife Victoria attempted to free the currawong, which was suspended over the river, tangled in the fishing line. However, despite getting in the water they were unable to free the bird.  

When they were unable to make the rescue, they contacted Kyneton Fire Brigade who arrived promptly and ready to help.  

Crews used their rescue equipment to get the bird out of the tree and it was then able to be disentangled from the fishing line.  

The bird had a damaged beak and a swollen wing but was expected to make a full recovery.  

A spokesperson for the brigade said CFA volunteers are always ready to answer the call for help wherever it might come from. 

“We’re incredibly proud of our volunteers, who never hesitate to step up, no matter who needs help,” they said.  

Story based on a CFA report. Images: CFA

Some of the state’s brightest technology start-ups are working to develop innovative new solutions to challenges facing the agriculture sector. 

Victoria’s Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence last week announced the new CivVic Labs challenge theme will be circular agriculture – with a focus on how technology can be used to maximise efficiency, minimise waste, and unlock new revenue streams.

Delivered by LaunchVic, Victoria’s startup agency and funded by Agriculture Victoria, the CivVic Labs challenge brings together 10 start-ups for an intensive six-week bootcamp, where they receive $15,000 in equity-free funding and specialist advice and support to refine their ideas.

The challenge culminates in a showcase event, where participating start-ups deliver a short pitch of their solutions, and two standout teams are awarded an additional $35,000 to bring their prototypes to life.

The announcement of the new theme follows the previous challenge which invited Victorian AgTech startups to come up with farm safety solutions in response to agriculture’s disproportionate share of workplace fatalities.

Among the farm safety challenge participants is Sam Pritchard, Co-Founder of People in Paddocks, whose AgTech offers a real-time workforce management tool aimed at making farms safer and more productive.

Another innovator who took part in the safety challenge is Laurence Khoo, Founder of AgriAssure, a platform which empowers agribusinesses to identify risks and reduce potential insurance costs.

Agribusiness is a key priority in the state government’s Economic Growth Statement, with continued emphasis on AgTech capability a crucial piece in delivering on Victoria’s export target of $20 billion by 2030.

For more on how to take part in the CivVic Labs Circular Agriculture Challenge, visit launchvic.org/programs/civvic-labs.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence:“We are proud to support innovation in the agriculture sector, which brings together creative start-ups to develop practical, technology-driven solutions to address some of the critical issues facing our farmers.” 

“Embracing fresh perspectives and technological solutions is key to overcoming the complex issues facing our agriculture sector while improving productivity.”

Story based on a state government media release.