The State Government is improving water security for irrigators in the Loddon Campaspe region with new support for farmers to boost on-farm efficiency and productivity, while minimising their impact on the environment.

The State Government has invested $4 million from the Victorian Sustainable Irrigation Program to deliver the Loddon Campaspe Irrigation Region Land and Water Management Plan 2020-2030.
The plan will deliver education opportunities for farmers and local communities and new research and monitoring that will direct investment to tackling the impact inappropriate land and water management can have to livelihoods, biodiversity, and salinity.
Incentives will also be offered to irrigators to encourage the adoption of efficient irrigation technology and soil management and for environmental stewardship projects such as riparian and wetland restoration and replanting native vegetation and regional bio-links.
The plan also presents opportunities to monitor the impacts of irrigation on downstream water users and improve the groundwater monitoring network across northern Victoria.
The plan also creates more opportunities for self-determination and involvement of Traditional Owners and Aboriginal landholders in land and water management.
It will also determine priorities for investing in works and measures in a range of areas helping to ensure public funds are focussed on both local community and Victorian Government priorities.
To view the full plan visit: nccma.vic.gov.au/resources/publications/land-and-wtaer-management-plan-2020-2030
Minister for Water Lisa Neville said:
“This plan will give our irrigators and communities opportunities to improve their practices, helping us protect the environment and our unique mosaic of wetlands and natural water courses.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Water Harriet Shing said:
“The Land and Water Management Plan encourages and supports land managers to be active in their roles as environmental stewards and continue to contribute to environmental outcomes.”
“The plan will see the delivery of many on-ground actions that can make a big difference to an irrigation business.”
North Central Catchment Management Authority Chair Julie Miller Markoff said:
“The actions outlined in this plan will help support the local irrigation industry and protect the vital environmental and cultural values we all cherish.”

Today’s signing of the $1 billion Howitzer defence contract by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea, awarded to Hanwha Defense Australia, is an incredible day for Geelong.

Under the initial contract, Hanwha will deliver 30 self-propelled Howitzers to the Australian Army along with 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles and weapon locating radars.  

An Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence will be built in the Geelong region for the construction, acquisition and maintenance of these state-of-the-art defence vehicles, with works on the manufacturing facility to commence in 2022. 

Not only will this project create at least 300 defence manufacturing jobs, it will generate export and ongoing defence support opportunities for Australian industry until the late 2040s.  

This project is testament to our government’s commitment to Australian defence industry and sovereign manufacturing as well as nation’s defence capability.

The Morrison Government’s May 2019 election commitment to the Howitzer defence project, which included establishing the project in the Geelong region for which I fought so hard, was never matched by Labor.
In 2012, the then Labor federal government cancelled the Howitzer project as part of a large cut in defence spending.  Labor’s entrenched and reckless opposition to the Howitzer defence project means hundreds of manufacturing jobs and a $1 billion investment in Geelong would be at risk if ever Labor and Anthony Albanese were elected.

As the second-hand car market booms, Australians are being warned to check the history of a used car twice before buying, or risk an expensive mistake. 

With more than 12,500 cars being reported as stolen in Victoria each year, experts at CheckTheCar.com.au said those purchasing without doing an official written-off and stolen vehicle check risk losing thousands.

The warning comes as the Holden Commodore VE (MY06-13), Ford Ranger PX (MY 11+) and the Nissan Pulsar N15 (MY95_00) were listed among the countries’ most at-risk vehicles for car theft, according to the latest statistics from The National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC).

In the last financial year alone more than 247 older model Holden Commodores have been stolen from Victorian streets.

Other models Toyota Hilux (MY05_11) and Nissan Navara D22 (MY01_15) also sat in the top five most at-risk vehicles in Victoria.   

In the last year alone (12 months to October) Victoria recorded 12,651cases of car theft (unlawful use of a motor vehicle), down slightly from 4,108 the year prior.

Rafe Berding, head of CheckTheCar.com.au, part of technology company Dye & Durham said buyers are at risk of car repossession, if a car is stolen or finance is still owing on the vehicle.

“Buying a car should be an easy thing to do; however, those looking for a vehicle should be very wary,” Mr Berding said.

“We know car rebirthing and cloning happens to thousands of stolen vehicles each year, so drivers need to take steps to ensure they aren’t purchasing something that isn’t theirs.

“Drivers can also avoid long term mechanical issues from written-off vehicles and more by doing a little research before purchasing,” he said.

Mr Berding said prospective owners can easily check the official status of a vehicle by simply entering a plate registration or vehicle identification number (VIN).

“Finance owing checks aren’t the first thing people consider but it could save you a lot of heartbreak and money.

“We regularly hear horror stories where a buyer has had their car towed, all because it still technically belonged to the bank, and the previous owner failed to pay their bills.”

CheckTheCar.com.au offers affordable and instant PPSR checks on vehicles which cover a vehicle’s stolen status, written-off status, finance owing and more.

Victorian early learning and primary school students are shining a light on the importance of farm safety, using their creativity to send a clear message.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas today met virtually with St Brendan’s Primary School, Coragulac in the state’s west to announce the winners of KidSafe Victoria’s Farm Safety Creative Competition, which included a video made by St Brendan’s prep and Grade 1 students.
The competition encourages students to submit a video, radio ad, invention, poster, illustrated story or collage based on this year’s theme, Think Farm Safe, Be Farm Safe
There were 70 entries across the state including St Brendan’s Primary School, St Augustine’s College in Kyabram, Penshurst Primary School and Marlo Primary School as well as entries from Little Tykes Early Learning in South Elliminyt and Monash Community Family Co-operative in Notting Hill.
22 winning entries will be used as part of a state-wide child farm safety awareness social media campaign aimed at Victorian parents and carers early next year.
The Farm Safety Creative Competition and Campaign is part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $20 million Smarter, Safer Farms program to improve safety and skills outcomes for Victorian farmers, their families, farm workers and visitors.
According to the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU), children under the age of 15 in Victoria’s outer regional areas are four times more likely to die due to injury than children in our major cities.
Common injury hazards for children on farms include vehicles such as quad bikes, motorbikes and tractors, accidents involving animals, water hazards, machinery and poisons.
Find out more about the program here: agriculture.vic.gov.au/.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas
“There were so many bright ideas from our young students across Victoria in the 2021 Farm Safety Creative Competition. Congratulations to all of our winners.”
“As the summer holidays are approaching, it is a timely reminder to all families who visit or live on farms to keep child safety at the front of mind.”
Minister for Workplace Safety Ingrid Stitt said:
“Farms are a great place for children to grow up in – but they can also be dangerous. This initiative gets both kids and adults remembering how to stay safe on farms in a creative way.”
Kidsafe Victoria General Manager Jason Chambers said:
“The quality of entries and important safety messages in this year’s Farm Safety Creative competition demonstrates that children are taking an active role in investigating farm safety issues and feeling empowered to be part of the solution.”

New Gisborne’s Wooling Hill Memorial Estate has wrapped up this year’s Wooling Hill Run raising $13,000 for Kyneton Health’s palliative care program.

Locals and tourists were invited to visit the beautiful grounds of the Wooling Hill Memorial Estate to run or walk from the 12th November to the 12th December.  

Central Highlands Rural Health’s Chief Executive Officer Maree Cuddihy met with Troy and Liddy Upfield, owners of Wooling Hill Memorial Estate, to accept the funds raised and congratulate the prize winners.

Troy and Liddy’s first fundraising target which was to raise enough money to cover the cost of a cuddle bed; a specially designed bed that allows family and friends to provide physical comfort to a loved one during end-of-life care as physical closeness can deepen connections and improve quality of life. The cuddle bed offers an opportunity for loved ones to lay together and provide compassionate care as people near the end of their life.

The Wooling Hill Memorial Estate owners raised enough funds to not only purchase a cuddle bed, but also update the palliative care suite with new soft furnishings to create a comfortable and relaxing space for patients and their visitors.

Troy Upfield said:

“We are thrilled to raise enough funds for the hospital to purchase a cuddle bed for their end of life patients.  We couldn’t have done it without the support of the local community that came and participated as well as the major sponsors, Lisa from Mount Macedon Realty and Deon from Jomor Healthcare.”

Central Highlands Rural Health CEO Maree Cuddihy said:

“The $13,000 raised through the Wooling Hill Run will directly impact our palliative care patients and their families, and we couldn’t be more grateful.  Troy and Liddy’s commitment to the wellbeing of the community is incredible.”

Palliative care helps end-of-life patients manage symptoms and improve their quality of life. Our nurses focus on the needs of the individual and their family and through a combination of medical, emotional, psychological and spiritual support, we enable a person to live with dignity, peace and comfort for the duration of their illness. 

Funds were raised via corporate sponsorship, participant fees and general donations.

For more information please visit: https://woolinghillestate.com.au/charity-run/

Six local artists have today been revealed as the recipients of Castlemaine State Festival’s
Further Residency Program, an initiative aimed at artists with projects at mid-to-late-stage
creative development level to help them reach the next phase of their creative journey.

Central Victorian artists, Brodie Murray, Eliza Hull, Brodie Ellis, Lucas Maddock, Alex
Kelly and Punctum, will each receive up to $15,000 cash support, along with in-house
support and feedback opportunities to develop and create their performing, projection or
visual arts productions. Along with in-house support and feedback opportunities.
Recipients also receive free access to the newly renovated space, Goods Shed Arts
facilities during their residency period.
Following a callout in September announcing the new residency, CSF was on the hunt for
artists that celebrate regional Victoria’s diverse and forward-thinking community and we
were rewarded with a large number of impressive initiatives. The program was initiated in
response to the conditions produced by the pandemic, and an opportunity to engage
artists to create great art, support local creatives, and activate the Festival’s newly
renovated space, Goods Shed Arts.
“It is an honour to be able to support these incredible regional artists and their exciting
projects. Initiatives such as this are indicative of our organisation’s vision for the future by
providing artists both the means and platform for these creations to be completed so they
may be experienced and enjoyed by all.”
Further Residencies will run throughout 2022 at Goods Shed Arts, 21 Kennedy Street,
Castlemaine. For more information visit castlemainefestival.com.au

Santa, aka Richard Herr, and his naughty helpers have come down from the North Pole to Daylesford and will be around town from December 1-25.

I get the feeling everyone is as stunned as I am about Hepburn Shire Council deciding, pretty randomly, to scrap the Hepburn Hub project at The Rex.

It’s not the scrapping of the project as much as losing around $6 million of ratepayers’ money in the process – with nothing to show for it. It’s also that this council was voted in last November very much on the basis of community engagement and consultation – talk about an epic fail just one year later.
The decision was made at its November meeting, done online and not in person, and with no heads up. In fact, the officer’s recommendation was for the project to proceed with a new builder.
And up until that point, no-one, and particularly the Daylesford Community Theatre committee and volunteers, had any idea what was coming. These are people who spent years building up a fabulous community asset at The Rex, and then more years in the wilderness waiting for their home to re-open.
What a kick in the teeth for these people to watch online as their “consultative” council decided to end their dream. They held their final AGM last week.
Newly annointed mayor Cr Tim Drylie, who voted in favour of continuing with the project, said in a media release that councillors realised some in the community would be disappointed.
Talk about an understatement. Even people who don’t give a rat’s arse about council are disappointed. And angry. At the waste of money and lack of consultation.
We are a small rural shire with a small ratepayer base that does not have the money to throw away $6 million – with nothing to show for it but a massive debt.
If we have about 11,000 ratepayers in the shire that is $545 that everyone must pay for this decision. For nothing.
And then it’s back to the drawing board to find somewhere else for much-needed council staff accommodation and the Daylesford Library. Either buying a greenfields site and starting from scratch or another building and probably renovating to make it fit for purpose.
So I really think it’s time to Rethink The Rex decision and put it back on the table. Yes, it will take another $6 million to finish the building but at least we have a work in progress with an end date sometime later next year. And we don’t lose $6 million. And we keep the cinema for the community. And have some public toilets on offer at the lower end of Vincent Street.
A new project would be years away. And for those years, council staff will continue to work in cramped and unsuitable conditions, the library will continue to lack the space it needs to service a growing community, locals and visitors will continue to look despairingly for much-needed public toilets (and let’s include a few for people with disabilities), and the cinema will cease to function.
Hepburn Shire councillors, I reckon you made the wrong decision, and so do many others. It’s time to get on with the job of communicating with and looking after your community.
Please Rethink The Rex. Just sayin’…

Global blockchain gurus and technology players will converge on Melbourne for two significant business events, underscoring Victoria’s leadership in the high-yield sector.

In an Australian first, Melbourne will host the largest blockchain series in the world – The World Block Chain Summit 2022. The event will deliver an estimated economic contribution to the state of $1.3 million, around 600 room nights to boost the Victorian hotel and accommodation sector and drive 600 delegates through the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre doors.
The Summit will run from 15-16 September 2022, bringing together an elite gathering of technology leaders, startups and enterprises from across the world to share and evaluate the latest trends in emerging technologies.
In 2024 Melbourne will be home to the ACM International Conference on Multimedia (ACM MM 2024), the Association for Computing Machinery’s annual international conference on multimedia. It is the field’s premier conference and a key event to display scientific achievements and innovative industrial products in multimedia.
Hosted at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28 October-1 November, ACM MM 2024 will attract 600 delegates and make an economic contribution of almost $4 million to the state.
The successful bids were led by the Melbourne Convention Bureau and were preceded by more good news as Melbourne cemented its position as the number one sustainable city in the Asia-Pacific region for business events in the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index).
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said:
“Victoria is Australia’s innovation state and Melbourne a place that inspires progressive thinking, so it’s the perfect destination to host these world-leading tech events.”
“Our hotels, restaurants and attractions will all benefit as hundreds of delegates experience the best our city has to offer while sharing knowledge and leading the way for the future of technology.”
Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Julia Swanson said:
“Melbourne is a place that inspires experimentation, innovation and creativity. These business events will showcase local talent and spark collaborations between international networks and industries to drive economic growth.”

The Victorian Government will maintain enhanced quarantine arrangements for overseas travellers to protect the state from the new Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern until more is known about the strain.

These public health measures – being implemented by Victoria and New South Wales – are in line with additional national border security measures from the Commonwealth and are a precautionary response to Omicron.
There are currently no known cases of the Omicron variant reported in Victoria.
In line with the Australian Government’s measures, all travellers arriving in Victoria who have visited South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi during the 14-day period before their arrival must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days – regardless of their vaccination status.
As the Seychelles has been removed from the Commonwealth’s list of countries of concern, Victoria will no longer consider it a country of concern from 11:59pm tonight.
Continuing measures announced on Sunday, all other overseas travellers must complete a PCR test and isolate for a full 72 hours at a nominated address or accommodation.
Travellers may exit isolation after 72 hours and following a negative PCR test. Travellers must also complete an additional PCR test between days 5 to 7 after arrival.
All flight crew who have been overseas during the 14-day period before their arrival in Victoria must comply with requirements for overseas returning travellers, until their next flight.
All vaccinated Australian based aircrew who have been to one of the eight countries above must quarantine for 14 days at their place of residence or alternate accommodation.
All vaccinated Australian based aircrew arriving from another international country and have not been to one of the eight countries listed above must quarantine at home or their place of residence for 72 hours.
International aircrew who do not reside in Victoria will have to quarantine in Victoria’s hotel quarantine program for 72 hours or 14 days or until their next flight – depending on whether they have been in one of the eight countries or not. Testing requirements also apply.
Anyone who has already arrived in Victoria who has been in any of the eight African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.
Premier Daniel Andrews said: “The last couple of days have shown us that this isn’t over, and our response needs to be nimble. We’re taking proportionate, precautionary steps to keep Victorians safe until we know more about Omicron and the risks it poses to our community.”
Minister for Health Martin Foley said:
“As we continue to learn to live with COVID, the best thing you can do to keep your family and your community safe is get vaccinated – and if you’re eligible for a booster, book in today.”

WHILE Victorian fire services are predicting a milder bushfire season given most of Victoria has received above-average rainfall, residents are being urged to remain vigilant and be prepared.

According to the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for summer 2021-22, released last week, Victoria is expecting below-normal bushfire potential in the east of the state. But fast-running grassfires will be a risk across Victoria this summer, with winter and spring rain leading to significant growth in paddocks and roadsides.
The delayed harvest due to recent rain will heighten the fire risk associated with cropping, compared to previous years, according to Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, who stressed residents and visitors to regional Victoria, particularly tourist destinations like the Hepburn and Macedon Ranges shires, needed to understand the local fire risks.
“When grasses and crops are close to fully dry, there is a very high potential for fire behaviour to rapidly escalate under elevated fire weather conditions. Normal fire potential is expected in grasslands and dry forests, and short-duration fires are still likely to occur on hot, dry and windy days. Know where you can go to get good information to make good decisions. Stay informed over summer – listen to information and warnings and be ready to enact your plan.”
The climate outlook for summer indicates average rainfall for most of Victoria, with warmer than average conditions in the west of the state and cooler than average in the east. Mr Crisp said anyone who lived in or travelled through regional areas needed to monitor conditions and have a plan for dry, hot and windy days.
Meanwhile, the spring 2021 firewood collection season closed last week and it is now illegal to collect firewood from public land. During the two-month collection period across the region, larger quantities of wood were collected as a result of the June storm. Forest Fire Management Victoria deputy chief fire officer for the Grampians region, Tony English, said his crews were still recovering wood from storm-affected areas in time for the autumn collection season next year. People caught breaking firewood collection rules can face penalties of up to $9087 and/or up to a year in prison, if the matter is taken to court. Vehicles and equipment may also be seized.
Finally, the Central Highlands region is a major domestic tourism destination with one of the largest numbers of accommodation sites. Operators are encouraged to plan for the fire season with the Tourism Business Fire Ready Kit. Accommodation owners, including Airbnb operators are urged to use the kit, particularly to provide information for tourists in the event of a bushfire emergency. The kit is free and can be found on the CFA’s website https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/fire-ready-kit

Film-going captured me at the age of seven. The thrill of sharing in The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone in 1938 are with me still.

I jumped at the chance to join the Daylesford Community Theatre and to attend the succession of well-chosen films presented at The Rex.
I would go with friends to view the latest film to find other friends, the volunteers running the cinema, friends who made an enjoyable visit possible.
Film-going is an escape from day-to-day reality to new experiences, drama, comedy, challenging viewpoints, to travel to distant lands or past times. TV films are fine but lack the impact of the big screen.
For four long years we have missed the benefits of our local cinema. So many missed film masterpieces.
The enthusiasts who worked hard to establish our cinema and the generous donors who funded equipment have seen their achievement destroyed.
Hepburn Shire Council has an urgent obligation to find and contribute funds to establish a replacement, centrally located cinema venue for this community.

• David Hall, Daylesford

At the council meeting on November 23, 2021, Cr Don Henderson said that there was no community consultation about The Rex.

The following day, Mayor Cr Tim Drylie echoed this comment when he referred to “the lack of depth of community consultation at the beginning of this project”.
I would like to remind both councillors that their comments are not borne out by the evidence. There was a report to the August 16, 2016 council meeting. This report gave the background to the proposal to purchase The Rex and commented on the “extensive range of public consultation” which had taken place.
“The community consultation has included 10 public sessions in The Rex (attended by approximately 200 people), media announcement, public newspapers and Facebook information, and hard copy feedback forms. A number of additional presentations on the proposal were delivered at the request of local community groups, or to individuals that were unable to attend the advertised sessions.”
The report outlined the key themes which emerged from the community consultation process. The number one theme was “Concern for the Daylesford Cinema”.
The community consultation added to the work the then CEO had been doing with council staff in 2014 around staffing accommodation needs.
It seems to me that history is being rewritten in an attempt to portray The Rex project as negatively as possible.

• Gina Lyons, Daylesford

Summer has arrived and Council is pleased to announce the re-opening of the two outdoor pools in Woodend and Lancefield.

The Lancefield and Woodend outdoor pools will open for the 2021/22 summer season on Saturday 4 December and will remain open until the Labour Day long weekend on Monday 14 March 2022.
The two outdoor pools will open in line with COVID-19 restrictions and density requirements for the 2021/22 summer season. The pools will open in accordance with the temperature based guidelines that include:
December, school holidays and weekends
 26 degrees and above: 12 noon–6pm (possible extension of hours past 6pm dependent upon patronage and weather conditions)
 25 degrees and under – closed
Monday–Friday (during school term 1, 2022)
 26 degrees and above: 3.30pm–6pm (possible extension of hours past 6pm dependent upon patronage and weather conditions)
 25 degrees and under – closed
Opening hours are determined according to Bureau of Meteorology temperature forecasts for Kyneton, checked at 4.30pm the day prior.
Council’s outdoor pools aquatic centres will be closed on Christmas Day, 25 December, and opened free of charge on 26 January (Australia Day), provided minimum opening temperatures are forecast.
Save with our swim membership special
We are offering an early bird special on family and adult swim season passes to outdoor pools in either Lancefield or Woodend.
Council is offering residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor pools over summer at a fraction of the normal cost. Members of the community can purchase a family season pass for only $106 (regular price is $222). Terms and conditions apply.
For more information about pool opening hours and fees, family passes and season tickets, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/outdoor-pools or call (03) 5422 0333.

Council’s decision on The Rex is indicative of the following:

They do not care about council staff, the crappy conditions they work in and the fact that they have been waiting for new premises since 2014;
They do not care about library staff, also working in substandard conditions, in a library which is too small for the community;
They do not care about the much-valued community cinema, which has nowhere to go;
They don’t care that they are locking in a $6 million dollar cash loss;
They don’t care that they will have to hand back the $500K library grant; and
They don’t care that in the next five years they will be starting from scratch, spending more funds on consultants, community consultation, site selection, the planning process, tendering, to build the ‘new Hub’.
The council seems to be under the delusion that abandoning the project now, locking in the $6 million cash loss, buying more land and then completing a building in five years’ time is going to be cheaper than finishing it now.
Disappointingly, we are continually let down by our council. In 12 months the community could have been reaping the benefits of The Rex, now just a ‘wreck’.

• Vanessa Craven, Daylesford