One thousand more Victorian students can now see more clearly and concentrate better at school, thanks to the State Government’s free Glasses for Kids program.

Students in Langley and Bolinda will have better school environments to learn and succeed in, with the Andrews Labor Government funding key maintenance projects at schools right across the state.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas today announced that schools in Langley and Bolinda are among 94 schools sharing in $7.26 million of Planned Maintenance Program funding for vital improvements to classrooms and school grounds.
Bolinda Primary School has been allocated $20,000 and Langley Primary School has been allocated $80,000 for high priority maintenance tasks identified in the school’s Specialist Assessment to address both school’s roof issues.
The Planned Maintenance Program works address priority maintenance issues identified by the Labor Government’s ongoing evaluation of all school facilities – with work including fixing roofs and windows, repainting walls, resurfacing floors and replacing windows, pathways and stairs.
Almost $1 million of the funding will go towards maintenance to Shelter-in-Place buildings at 10 schools, which provide temporary accommodation to staff and students during a bushfire until emergency services arrive, or as a shelter of last resort.
The announcement brings the amount of Planned Maintenance funding the Labor Government has provided to schools in the 2021 school year to more than $47 million.
This fund makes sure all existing buildings at Victoria’s 1,500 government schools are safe, modern and properly maintained to ensure students and staff are comfortable and safe at school.
In the past seven years, the Labor Government has invested more than $10.9 billion in building new schools and more than 1,700 school upgrades, creating more than 13,500 jobs in construction and associated industries.
With 62 schools opening between 2019 and 2024, the Government is well ahead in its work to open 100 new schools will open by 2026, ensuring every Victorian child has access to a great local school.
Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“We’re making sure our local schools in Langley and Bolinda are safe and comfortable – giving our students the best possible settings to learn and thrive in.”
Minister for Education James Merlino said:
“This program is about ensuring that every Victorian school is well maintained and safe to provide the best possible environment for students to learn in.”
“Our record investment in school infrastructure is delivering high quality classrooms for our hard-working principals, teachers and staff, as well as students and families.”

To my great delight, my birdbath’s daily clientele has recently been boosted by “foreigners” – species seldom spotted in this area – desperately seeking food.

Each year, at this time when other regular food sources have shut down we have been raided by bands of scavenging rosellas, various species of lorikeet and other seed eaters, even an occasional yellow-tailed black cockatoo. Main targets are always the rose hips on several antique briar roses and the berries of our cotoneaster horizontalis, while the honey-eaters make a beeline for the flowering gums.

But in the past week our already much-visited ash trees were scoured clean by first, a dozen or so red-browed finches, occasional visitors but never en masse, and second a troupe of New Holland honeyeaters – again- usually a solo visitor. They all spent quite some time among the branches, never resting long enough for my camera.

Best of all, from a flock of rare visitors, were king parrots. Two females peeled off and landed in the ash tree adjacent to our balcony and took no notice of me coming out with my camera. Better still, they came over and perched on the railing when I came back out with a handful of peanuts and crushed walnut…the one in the photo actually came up and almost ate from my hand!

I left them to their own resources and they went back to the trees, rejoining their flock when it returned.

My guess is that they could be part of a migration from the drought and fire ravaged areas. The Bird Man, ornithologist Sean Dooley, talked on the ABC of his sighting a glossy black cockatoo.

It all strengthens the need for all of us to make our gardens a haven for our precious native birds, and it’s really simple for us to make them welcome through “safe” sheltered areas, providing constant supply of cool drinking and bathing water, and planting plenty of indigenous, food-bearing plants.

Keep it natural

I am a survivor of the “pre-enlightment chemical gardening warfare 50s” – when it was deemed quite OK to go into  a greenhouse or garden bed in shorts and sandals armed with a knapsack full of wonderful systemic chemical insecticides.

(Systemic = stays in the plant’s sapstream to permanently destroy bugs and fungal disease.)

Nobody told us it would also stay with us as well and anybody, including Rachel Carson of Silent Spring fame, who said so would be publicly castigated. We just kept wondering where the persistent rashes, allergies and crap immune systems came from.  Odd that, and yet despite finally being banned in the USA most of these chemicals still find their way into the markets of the rest of the world.

Thus endeth the lesson. Let’s look at some more safe alternative remedies. 

Some plants to dispel insects

Ants – catmint, mint, pennyroyal, spearmint, tansy

Aphids – orange nasturtium, spearmint, southernwood, pyrethrum

Cabbage Moth – dill, hyssop, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, southernwood, spearmint, tansy

Fleas – fennel, pennyroyal, spearmint, tansy, wormwood

Flies – basil, eau-de-cologne mint, pyrethrum, rue, tansy, wormwood

Fruit fly – basil, southernwood, tansy

Mosquitoes – pennyroyal, tansy, southernwood, wormwood

Moths – mint, pennyroyal, sage, southernwood, spearmint, thyme, wormwood

As well as being effective repellents in the garden, they can be dried and put into cloth sachets to do their stuff in cupboards and wardrobes.

There are many recipes for making garden and household sprays in most herb books including one of my favourites An Australian Herbal, one of a plethora of books by Penny Woodward, published by Hyland Press in 1986, but still on some bookshop shelves, and definitely online.

Got a gardening question? Ask Glen. Email glenzgarden@gmail.com

The eight month restoration of the historic Kyneton Shire Hall, funded jointly by the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is set to be completed in December.

Mayor, Cr Jennifer Anderson said the Shire Hall in Mollison Street, Kyneton is one of the most substantial rural shire halls in Victoria, a stunning local landmark, and a physical reminder of days gone by.
“The municipality of Kyneton was founded in October 1857 and the history of Kyneton Shire Hall complex is one of fascinating challenges, competing uses and the influence of the introduction of “talking movies” and one definitely worth reading to appreciate the importance of this building to our community.”
“A unique combination of 1877-1878 offices and 1929 hall/picture theatre main body, which results in a street facade which dates from both eras and yet appears to have been built as one, these civic buildings in the heart of the town have been at the centre of local government for more than 110 years.”
“Of the old shire halls that have always served rural communities, Kyneton’s is one of the most substantial. I am delighted that in partnership with the Federal Government we have been able to restore our Shire Hall to its former glory and that will be not only a functional Council building but its historical value and influence will be appreciated by many generations to come,” she said. Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters said the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is fantastic to see projects, like the restoration of the Kyneton Town Hall, be supported by the Federal government, but we need more funding.”
“The list of desired projects far outweighs the funding allocated and I urge the Government to increase their investment in this space.”
“These works are important for improving safety, as well as boosting economic and social outcomes in the region,” Ms Chesters said.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has allocated $632,000 of Federal Government funding to the project and has added an additional $300,000 to undertake the restoration works that include:
• Paint removal and repainting of exterior façade in heritage colours
• Restoration of render and architectural elements
• Restoration works to the chimneys
• Repair and replacement of downpipes around the building
• Repair of eaves on the south side of the building
• Replacement of awnings to the exterior of the theatre balcony exits.
• Restoration works to windows
• Additional rectification works to the roof
• The installation of additional façade lighting to complement and enhance the heritage aesthetic of the Kyneton Town Hall assisting to further highlight it as a prominent heritage building within the local area.

Kyneton farmers and businesses will soon have access to recycled water, following construction of a 13-kilometre recycled water pipeline project.

Once complete the $7.5 million pipeline will extend north east of the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant providing up to 300 megalitres per annum of recycled water to irrigate 60 hectares of previously dry farmland – and contributing to a healthier Campaspe River.
The new pipeline is part of Coliban Water’s Kyneton Solutions Project, which is upgrading storage and treatment facilities at the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to cater for the region’s growth and protect the Campaspe River by reducing the likelihood of emergency discharges during wet weather events.
As part of the project, the Andrews Labor Government secured $3.75 million from the Commonwealth Government’s National Water Grid Authority, with the remainder funded by Coliban Water.
The Crofton Park property will be the first to benefit from the new pipeline following an EOI process, land capability assessment and a commitment from the owner to partner long-term with Coliban Water.
Under the agreement on-farm infrastructure will be installed, including pivot irrigators, pumps, pipes and land preparation, which will provide water security for summer crops.
Once the project is complete and the first customer is up and running, approved agriculture customers located along the pipeline will be connected for irrigation purposes. For more information on the project visit: connect.coliban.com.au/kyneton-solutions-project
The project is part of the Water for Victoria plan, which sets out new long-term direction for managing Victoria’s precious water resources to meet the challenges of climate change and population growth. For more information on Water for Victoria visit: water.vic.gov.au/water-for-victoria
Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas said:
“Our investment in new water infrastructure is providing more water for agriculture purposes, creating rural jobs and supporting long-term productivity for farmers in the face of climate change.”
Minister for Water Lisa Neville said:
“We’re thrilled to be investing in local projects that will provide water security for farmers and the agriculture sector – giving them confidence to grow their businesses in times of lower-than-average rainfall.”
Coliban Water Managing Director Damian Wells said:
“Coliban Water is proud to be supporting agricultural productivity for the region through this new pipeline project, ensuring we get great value from the reclaimed water resource.”

More Victorians will have a place to call home thanks to the State Government’s social housing investment in the Ballarat and wider Grampians area.

Minister for Housing Richard Wynne officially opened nine apartments today as part of more than $70 million invested in the Ballarat, Ararat and Stawell to build 279 homes for those who need it most.
The $3.6 million Wendouree project delivers nine homes – six one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments – and is one of three developments funded in partnership with housing provider Centacare which will be constructed by a local builder and result in 85 local jobs.
Residents will move in this month and come from a range of backgrounds and circumstances with a mix of singles and small families.
Another two Centacare developments in Delacombe, which will deliver a total of 25 townhouses, will commence construction in coming weeks and be allocated to people on the Victorian Housing Register.
The Delacombe developments are two of nine projects being built in Ballarat by the Labor Government in partnership with community housing providers.
These projects are on top of $39.6 million of Government investment for a further 131 homes in Ballarat under the Big Housing Build.
In addition, $7.5 million is being invested to build 30 new homes in Ararat and $4.5 million to build 20 homes in Stawell for singles, couples and families facing homelessness.
The houses are part of the Government’s landmark $5.3 billion Big Housing Build – the largest single investment in social and affordable housing in Australia’s history – which is delivering more than 12,000 new homes and creating an average of 10,000 jobs per year over the next four years.
The Big Housing Build is investing $1.25 billion in regional areas – with a minimum investment guarantee of $80 million for Greater Ballarat – ensuring the economic and social benefits are felt in communities across the state.
Minister for Housing Richard Wynne said:
“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and these new developments provide just that, allowing people to live a life of stability.”
“This investment is an opportunity for community housing agencies to work together with private, non-profit and local government partners for their communities, and creates secure housing for low-income Victorians.”
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said:
“These homes in Wendouree will transform lives and make a real difference to people who need it most.”
”The social housing developments across Ballarat are proof of our Government’s committment to tackling homelessness and investing in real and tangible soloutions.”

The Conservation Regulator and Forest Fire Management Victoria are reminding campers and day-trippers visiting forests and parks over the festive season to protect themselves and the environment by following important public land rules.

Anyone spending their Christmas and New Year break in the Victorian bush is responsible for knowing the rules around campfires, rubbish, and four-wheel driving and trail bike riding.
Around 10 per cent of bushfires in Victoria are caused by illegal campfires, including unattended campfires. Since the start of November, Authorised Officers have detected 70 unattended campfires across the state.
Check weather conditions and warnings on the Vic Emergency website or app before lighting a campfire and never light a campfire on a day of Total Fire Ban. Bring a bucket and if there is no water available make sure to bring enough with you as it can take at least three full buckets of water to extinguish a campfire. In state forests, use a purpose-built fireplace or light a campfire in a trench at least 30cm deep. Branches and logs on a campfire must be less than one metre long. Never leave a campfire unattended and use water, not soil, to completely extinguish the campfire before leaving. Visitors to state forests must also take out anything they bring in, including rubbish. For four-wheel drivers and trail-bike-riders, there is an extensive network of roads and tracks in parks, forests and reserves open to the public. Sticking to these will prevent soil erosion and native vegetation destruction and keep drivers and riders on the right side of the law. Track updates can be found at https://mapshare.vic.gov.au/mapsharevic/ or on the More to Explore app.
Authorised Officers will be patrolling across the state, ensuring everyone enjoys their outdoor and recreational experiences responsibly. Penalties will apply to anyone caught breaking the rules.
For more information, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/rules-in-state-forests. Report environmental crime to 136 186.
Ash Bunce, Conservation Regulator Director Regulatory Operations said:
“The festive period is a great time to spend in the bush and we want all visitors to be happy and safe.”
“We are already seeing thousands of people exploring parks and forests and while most people are doing the right thing, not following these key public land rules risks the safety of all visitors and the environment.”

The State Government is making it easier for Victorian recreational anglers whose first language is Cantonese or Vietnamese to stay across fishing rules before casting a line.

The free VicFishing smartphone app now offers in-language content, outlining bag and size limits, closed seasons and permitted fishing equipment, as well as colour illustrations of more than 100 fish species for which catch limits apply.
The app, which is available for download via the App Store or Google Play, also consists of a ‘Can I Fish Here?’ function to help anglers and divers avoid marine parks and sanctuaries.
Developed by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) with support from Chinese and Vietnamese stakeholders, the fully translated content sits alongside equivalent English content within the VicFishing app.
In addition, there is also new translated sections of the VFA website in Cantonese and Vietnamese, outlining the basics for those unfamiliar with recreational fishing in Victoria.
The in-language web content is designed for ease of navigation and has a stand-alone section that seamlessly links between pages and stays within the language the entire time.
The new in-language apps and web arenas complement translated versions of the Recreational Fishing Guide and new animated videos recently added to the VFA YouTube channel.
Animations range from safe shore diving and rock fishing to understanding slot limits, using the right gear, buying a fishing licence, correctly handling fish, and biosecurity tips for boating and diving.
This is all part of the Government’s Go Fishing Victoria initiative to get more people fishing more often through a record investment of $81 million into recreational fishing over the last seven years.
The VicFishing app can be downloaded for iOS or Android via the App Store or Google Play.
To find the new in-language web content visit: vfa.vic.gov.au/chinese or vfa.vic.gov.au/vietnamese.
Minister for Fishing and Boating Melissa Horne said:
“Fishing is a pastime that transcends culture and language – the addition of Chinese and Vietnamese versions to the free VicFishing app ensures more people can enjoy the best Victoria’s waterways have to offer safely and responsibly.”
Acting Minister for Multicultural Affairs Shaun Leane said:
“The new in-language apps and online resources are a step in the right direction to helping multicultural Victorians stay across sustainable fishing practices to ensure we can all access healthy fisheries for generations to come.”

The State Government is expanding kindergartens across Victoria, helping more families in growing communities access crucial early childhood services to give their children the best start in life.

Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt today announced the Labor Government will invest $14.7 million in an extra nine Building Blocks Capacity grants, building and expanding kindergarten services to create an extra 356 places across the state.
The grants will improve access to local early childhood services by supporting new kindergartens to be built in some of the state’s fastest-growing areas, and supporting existing services to create extra infrastructure capacity for more kids to enrol in funded kindergarten.
Projects funded in this round include the new Merrifield South Integrated Child, Family and Community Centre in Hume, a new modular kindergarten facility at Foster Primary School in South Gippsland, and the expansion of Narre Warren North Kindergarten in Casey to add extra capacity.
These announcements bring the total funding the Labor Government has provided under the 2021 Building Blocks Capacity grants rounds to $52.3 million – supporting 34 projects that will create more than 1,800 kindergarten places in areas of demand.
In an Australian-first, the Government has invested almost $5 billion to deliver a full 15 hours of Three-Year-Old Kinder to children across the state over this decade, with the roll-out beginning in selected areas in 2020 and expanding in 2022 to support five hours of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten statewide.
As part of this roll-out, the government is co-investing $1.68 billion with the early childhood sector to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state.
The Labor Government is also ensuring that every new Victorian primary school set to open from 2021 will have a kindergarten on-site or next door, reducing the burden on parents by helping them ditch the ‘dreaded double drop-off’.
To find out more about the grants, visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Building-Blocks-Grants-Capacity.
Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt said:
“We want every Victorian child to have access to fantastic early years education, close to home – because we know how vital it is in setting our kids up for the rest of their lives.”
“We’re expanding and opening new kinders in Victoria’s fastest-growing areas, making sure every family has a great local kinder nearby to start their kids’ education journeys well.”

As far as a growing number of consumers are concerned, they just want to be pretty confident that the eggs for their breakfast omelette have come from a farm where the chooks are content. Paul Righetti is an expert on such matters. So much so he changed the name of his operation from Real Eggs to Honest Eggs and continues to reap the benefits. Even during lockdown.

“In 2018 we changed our name to Honest Eggs because we are very open about our practices and we like people to see how we farm. We are not hiding anything, and we like to be transparent. You don’t get that with industrialised operations including some so-called free range.”

Honest Eggs continues to be a family operation run by the Righetti family, one of the original Swiss families to settle here in the 1850s. Paul is the fourth generation to farm there along with his wife, Jacqui, and their two girls, Olivia and Eve. They live in the original stone homestead built by his great-grandfather.

Their main line of business is merino sheep, of which they have about 5000, but in 2015 they began their open range egg farming operation. “Part of the reason we started to do the eggs was a regenerative thing. The manure of the chooks fertilises the ground, they scratch it up, invigorate the soil and we were actually able to grow more grass with chooks than just with sheep. We still run the sheep but the chooks have made an excellent contribution to the health of the pastures and do not need any extra land to do it.”

What started as a side-line operation has doubled in size in 2020. They now have over 6000 ISA Brown hens producing eggs for wholesale and retail buyers and despite pandemic disruptions, the business continues to grow.

“It’s been an interesting period. Obviously, restaurants and cafes, which are about 30 percent of our business, evaporated overnight when they had to shut down. But our retail demand has been very strong and that has absorbed the losses in the wholesale sector. It was a clear trend before the pandemic as consumers became increasingly aware of the need for proper treatment of farm animals. But then lockdown meant even more people were cooking at home and wanting good produce to do that with.”

The egg farming setup consists of chooks distributed in several locations around their large property. The ISA Brown breed is chosen for its quiet temperament and ability to produce high-quality eggs. On the windy day we visited, in one spot, there were 900 or so gurgling birds huddled around their sheds or eggmobiles. A dutiful maremma dog and an alpaca keep watch over the flock to protect them from foxes and eagles, meaning they are not even locked up at night. With their practice of daily relocation, this amounts to a density of just 30 birds per hectare or less and distinguishes their enterprise from free range, which varies immensely in its stocking rates and practices.

“Free range can just mean you’ve got a shed and a dirt yard. They often don’t even go outside. The ones you buy at the supermarket can be up around 15,000 birds per hectare. It’s simply not regulated so a free-range label means little. In contrast open range is ethically sound, we are moving them onto fresh pasture every day so you don’t end up with any pathogens or build-ups of bacteria. Sunlight is also a great sanitiser and provides important amounts of vitamin D which makes up a large part of our eggs. 15,000 birds in a shed don’t get that sort of sunlight.”

As the lockdown restrictions are wound back, Paul is looking forward to the upcoming months. While he is dismayed at what has happened in the hospitality industry, he is hopeful the restaurants will bounce back quickly. But in the retail sector, now that buyers have been given a chance to get good produce you can cook at home for yourself, Paul is sure they will maintain the purchasing habits they’ve learned over the last months. And Honest Eggs is even optimistic enough to now move into the manufacture of pasta.

“We are doing the trials at the moment,” says Paul. “The idea came about when we were thinking of uses for our secondary products. Normally, if there’s a shell quality issue or something else with a batch of eggs we would have to pulp them. But now we have the equipment and are about to start distributing a real egg pasta, high quality, semolina flour, and our own honest eggs.” 

Above, one of Honest Eggs’ farm tours

Words: Tony Sawrey | Image: Contributed            

The State Government is working to keep raw milk fresher for longer as part of a trial that could unlock more export opportunities and create a sustainable future for northern Victorian dairy farmers.

Minister for Regional Development and Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas today announced the completion of the White Tide project trial that has tested technology to extend the shelf life of raw milk, enabling it to be exported as part of the Labor Government’s Stronger Regional Communities Program.
Dairy farmers are currently restricted by a 36-hour limit in which raw milk must be processed before it spoils, which prevents them from tapping into overseas export markets.
The trial looks into new game-changing technology that effectively stops the clock, with patented processes and a 24,000-litre tank enabling raw milk to be stored significantly longer and shipped direct from the farmgate to Asia.
This innovation meets strict international standards and could lead to increased dairy exports. In an Australian first, the White Tide project has received import approval for raw milk into one of the country’s major Asian trading partners.
The project is expected to increase dairy farmer profits, create jobs and benefit rural communities boosting raw milk sales.
Victorian dairy farmers will be able to tap into a range of opportunities by having access to international markets. Victoria accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the $13 billion Australian dairy industry, with northern Victoria producing one-third of the state’s total 6 billion litres of milk.
The White Tide Project is a partnership between Greater Shepparton Council, AgriGate Australia, and other local and international partners.
The Stronger Regional Communities Program is part of the Government’s flagship Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, which helps businesses create jobs in regional Victoria, supports community projects and backs councils to build the infrastructure that locals and visitors need.
The Fund is part of the Government’s almost $30 billion investment in regional and rural Victoria since 2015.
Quote attributable to Minister for Regional Development Mary-Anne Thomas
“Victorian dairy farmers have faced many challenges over the years with drought, bushfires and the pandemic – this initiative and game-changing technology will help to make dairy farming more profitable and support local jobs.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp
“The White Tide Project is such an impressive initiative that is changing the way we access raw milk, while boosting export opportunities for our dairy farmers in Northern Victoria.”

High school graduates planning further study or an apprenticeship are encouraged to get ready for 2022 by checking their eligibility and submitting their claims Australian government support payments now.

Minister for Government Services Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC says Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY are the main payments available to students finishing year 12.

“These payments are designed to support students as they finish high school and navigate the next chapter of their lives,” Minister Reynolds said.

“Youth Allowance provides financial support for young people aged 24 and under who are studying an approved course or doing an apprenticeship, while ABSTUDY helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians while they undertake study or training.

“The easiest way for students to check their eligibility and to claim is using their Centrelink online account through myGov.

“Claiming early gives students the best chance of having their payment finalised before their course or apprenticeship starts.”

Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson encouraged students to also check their eligibility for other payments that may help them with study costs.

“Congratulations to our graduating Year 12 students! You’ve shown remarkable resilience in completing your studies during some very challenging times,” Senator Henderson said.

“As our young people embark on their studies, they should check if there is government assistance for their circumstances that may be available to them.

“If you are studying at uni and living away from home, Fares Allowance can help with the costs of travel.

“You may also get Rent Assistance if you are eligible for Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY Living Allowance and pay rent.”

Some students in regional or remote areas may also be able to access payments such as Tertiary Access Payment or the Relocation Scholarship if they need to relocate from their local area in order to study.

For more information about payments and services for students and Australian Apprentices, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/students

The State Government will provide better and safer mental health treatment for Victorian women, under a new nation-leading partnership that delivers on a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

An investment of more than $100 million will deliver the Australian-first Specialist Women’s Mental Health Service – with 35 acute mental health beds in Melbourne and Shepparton to support women with a range of complex conditions.
This service will provide care for those who have experienced trauma and sexual abuse, women presenting with eating disorders, women experiencing perinatal mental health concerns and women who identify as LGBTIQ+, in partnership with Alfred Health, Ramsay Health Care and Goulburn Valley Health.
The Royal Commission recommended that 35 acute beds be created for public patients in a private setting, easing pressure on the public system and ensuring women get the care and support they need, as soon as they need it.
The beds will be established at Ramsay Health Care’s facilities, with 30 beds at Albert Road Clinic in Melbourne and five beds at Shepparton Private Hospital – with an evaluation of the success of this ‘hub and spoke’ model to inform potential future sites across other regional locations.
The Royal Commission heard from many women who described experiences of gender-based harm or abuse in the mental health system – and this unique response model will ensure gender and sexual safety for women in acute inpatient settings, helping them to recover in a setting appropriate to their level of need.
The Specialist Women’s Mental Health Service will also provide ongoing consultation and support to build the capacity of local mental health services across the state, helping all health services deliver world class, trauma-informed care for Victorian women who are experiencing acute mental health conditions.
The proposed model of care has been co-designed in consultation with women with lived experience of all sides of the mental health system.
In addition to these 35 women’s beds, the Labor Government’s work to deliver an extra 144 new general acute mental health beds across the state is well underway, investing $492 million to support Victorians when they need it most.
Acting Premier and Minister for Mental Health James Merlino
“People should feel safe when they seek mental health care – that’s the bottom line. We’re making sure it happens with this Australian-first facility, delivering specialist care for women who need acute support.“
“Many Victorian women told us through the Royal Commission their experiences within the system haven’t supported their recovery effectively – and we’ve worked with many of those women to design services that will meet their needs.“

A new management plan for the greater Gariwerd landscape will ensure the area’s unique environment and cultural heritage are protected for current and future generations.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today released the final Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan, which sets out how the landscape will be managed over the next 15 years.
The plan was developed in partnership with Traditional Owners – the Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, who invite visitors to learn about the cultural landscape.
The Greater Gariwerd landscape includes the highest concentration of known rock art in Victoria as well as nearly a third of Victoria’s plant species, providing critical habitat for threatened animals.
With more than one million visitors to the Grampians each year, the plan seeks to promote healing and restoration of Country, sustainable visitation and recreation and balance the many different views about how the landscape should be used and protected.
Developed after two years of public consultation it will ensure the parks and reserves are protected for current and future generations.
The Andrews Labor Government has invested $775,000 towards implementing the ongoing governance partnership model with Traditional Owners, restoring and protecting culturally significant places like rock shelters and rock art and creating a free rock-climbing permit system within the next 12 months.
This is part of the Labor Government’s 2020 Economic Stimulus Package which included $18.5 million for initiatives in the Gariwerd landscape which are already underway, such as refreshing the National Park and Cultural Centre (Brambuk) and safety and parking improvements at Mackenzie Falls.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said:
“The Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan promotes healing and restoration of Country by balancing the different views about how this unique and special landscape is used.”
“It ensures the environment and cultural heritage will be protected by setting out where recreation, tourism and other activities can occur.”
“This plan has been developed after thorough consultation with the public and ensures this precious landscape is protected for future generations to enjoy.”

Victorians can now visit three recreational sites in the Wombat State Forest following the forest’s closure after an extreme storm event in October.

Carrolls Springs, Werribee River Picnic Area and Balt Camp are now open to the public.
The Public Safety Zone remains in place across all other parts of the forest to protect people from hazardous trees and to allow Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) crews to safely carry out important recovery works using heavy plant and machinery.
FFMVic, Grampians Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Tony English: “More than 80,000 hectares of forest and 1,500 km roads and tracks have been impacted by the storm in the Wombat State Forest.”
“Our crews have been working around the clock to assess impacted areas, clear fallen trees from roads and tracks, restore recreation sites while also reducing the bushfire risk ahead of summer,” Mr English said.
“We understand the inconvenience and frustration caused when the forest needs to be closed, but rest assured, our crews are working hard to reopen as many recreation sites as possible to coincide with the summer school holidays.
“We’re also working closely with our partner agencies, including the Country Fire Authority (CFA), to prepare and plan for the upcoming fire season, including works to reopen roads and tracks which provide critical access for firefighters to responding to bushfires.
“By providing safer and quicker access for firefighters and heavy machinery, we greatly improve the chance of controlling bushfires before they spread and impact people and property.
“We are also using bushfire modelling technology in storm impacted locations to help identify priority areas for recovery works to reduce the bushfire risk to communities and the environment, including planned burning, slashing and mechanical fuel treatments. The wood from the storm fall is green however and is unlikely to increase bushfire risk.
“We will continue to work with our partner agencies including local governments, Bushfire Recovery Victoria and VicForests to support the community and carry out critical recovery works so we can reopen sites once it’s safe to do so.”
DELWP will continue to review any closures in the Wombat State Forest, with additional areas expected to be open in December.
For information on forest and road closures, please visit: www.ffm.vic.gov.au/permits-and-regulations/closures-of-parks-and-forests