A total 91 community groups and organisations received a combined $1,865,500.84 from the the City of Ballarat’s partnerships and grants program over the last financial year.

The figure was highlighted as the council during its September scheduled meeting last week received an overview report of it Annual Partnerships and Grants Report for financial year 2023/24.

The funding paid during the 12 months were:  

• Strategic Partnerships Grants –$499,459.00 was paid to seven organisations.  
• City Partnerships Grants –$919,074.00 was paid to 13 organisations.
• Community Impact Grants – $293,467.84 was paid to 58 community groups and organisations.  
• Tourism Events Grants –$153,500.00 was paid to 13 event organisers.

Those interested to obtain more information about the City of Ballarat’s annual grant programs or to apply for the current round of grants can visit the ‘Grants’ page on the website.  

Agriculture Victoria will be running pop-up information stalls to update the community on bird flu in coming weeks with all interested members of the public able to attend.

The information stalls are scheduled to be held for

• Sunday 29 September: Colour Terang Festival – 9:30 am – 3 pm
• Saturday 5 October: Golden Plains Farmers’ Market: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Saturday 5 October: Terang Local Market: 9 am – 1 pm.

As no further cases of avian influenza have been detected in Victoria since 24 June, the restricted areas around Meredith and Terang have been removed and replaced with control areas. The size of the control areas in both regions have been reduced to match the former restricted areas. They are in the Golden Plains and Corangamite shires.

The housing requirement in the newly designated control areas has been lifted, meaning birds no longer need to remain inside enclosures.

Permits for moving birds, poultry products, and equipment are still required for poultry premises in the control areas.

Agriculture Victoria continues to respond to the detection of avian influenza at 8 poultry farms. Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).

Seven infected properties close to Meredith were infected with a dangerous strain of avian influenza called H7N3. A property near Terang was infected with a highly contagious strain called H7N9.

Disease monitoring is in place in the control areas. Early detection helps to stop disease spreading beyond control areas.

All properties remain in quarantine and poultry has been safely and humanely disposed of.

The Hepburn Shire Council has reviewed the findings from its Business Survey Report and created an Implementation Plan to support the feedback it received.

The Business Survey aimed to gather crucial insights into the current economic landscape, challenges faced by businesses and opportunities.

In a statement issued by the council on Monday, Chief Executive Officer, Bradley Thomas, said that the initiative underpins the council’s commitment to fostering a resilient and thriving business community and providing support.

“We recognise that our local businesses are the backbone of our economy. Through this survey, we aimed to listen to their needs and develop future workplans to support growth and business success,” Mr Thomas said.

The Business Survey targeted businesses located within the Hepburn Shire, reaching 610 subscribers through a direct email via Council’s Business eNewsletter.

In addition, it was promoted on social media, in Council’s Hepburn Life eNewsletter, advertised in a local newspaper and on the council’s website. The survey included 44 questions specifically related to business operations.

The council has reviewed the survey responses and says it will align its work over the next 12-18 months to support the findings.

The survey was an opportunity for the council to understand the challenges and what is considered important for the support, growth and development of local businesses.

The Implementation Plan outlines actions and timelines based on survey findings aimed at fostering a business-friendly environment and stimulating economic growth.

Some of the key findings from the survey feedback received included:

• Over 88% identified an increase in net costs in the past year.
• Challenges with rising costs of goods, services, food, stock, insurances, interest rates, taxes, property rent, rates, power and gas.
• Over 65% hoped to grow their local business.
• Over 69% expected to maintain their current staffing numbers.
• A local business directory would support businesses and buying locally.
• Business workshops or webinars were preferred during business hours.
• Marketing, social media, online sales and business planning were identified as learning priorities.
• 60% of businesses did not have a continuity or emergency management plan.

In response to some of the findings, the council has implemented a business directory.

The online business directory connects residents with local businesses and services located in the Hepburn Shire Council. The directory can be found at Find a local directory.

“Council would like to extend its gratitude to all the business owners and operators who took the time to complete the survey. Your participation and feedback are invaluable and plays a crucial role in shaping the future support for our local businesses,” said Mr Thomas.

The City of Ballarat has taken a step closer towards becoming a circular economy.

At its September scheduled meeting last week the council adopted its Waste as a Resource: Our Circular Economy Strategy 2024-2028, designed to transition the municipality to a circular economy.

It updates the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Strategy 2018-2022 and provides an overarching vision that includes the City of Ballarat’s waste service offerings, local waste and reduction and diversion targets, waste education, litter and illegal dumping.

The strategy is designed to provide a vision and framework to shape how the City of Ballarat can work with the community to reduce waste and support the municipality’s transition to a circular economy.

It sets circular economy targets that include reducing total kerbside waste generation for every person in Ballarat by 15 per cent between 2020 and 2030 and increasing City of Ballarat circular economy initiatives by 20 per cent each year to deliver a Circular Ballarat by 2050.

This story based on a City of Ballarat media release.

The first five months of a food and garden organics service for Hepburn Shire are proving successful, the council is reporting.

Changes to the kerbside collection in Hepburn Shire townships started in April this year.

They included the introduction of a weekly food and garden organics service for – Creswick, Daylesford, Hepburn, Hepburn Springs and Trentham while trial of the service continued at Clunes.

Residents also adapted to a change from weekly to fortnightly general rubbish collection, with recycling remaining fortnightly. About 5550 households across the region are now receiving this service. 

In a press release issued by the council last week, Mayor Cr Brian Hood said the early results from the changes are that they are working for the broader community and helping to meet the shire’s environmental goals. 

“The results so far show a 26% reduction in waste sent to landfill over the five-month period,” Cr Hood said.

“This means greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided thanks to the efforts of our community – who must be congratulated for taking on the change so well.”

The changes to the council’s waste service have responded to requirements of the Victorian Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021 which states that councils must provide services for collection of general rubbish, recycling, food and garden organics (and separate glass). 

Around 443 tonnes of organic materials (8 April until end of August) have now been collected for composting and will improve local soils.  

“We know that overall people want to do what’s right for the environment and by using the new service that’s exactly what people are doing. Our contamination rate within the organics bin is only 1.6%,” Cr Hood said. 

Inspections undertaken two months into the project showed that most of the contamination comes from a small number of bins.

The main contaminants were food in containers, bagged organics, nappies and textiles while the Hepburn Shire has a bagless organics bin service. 

A bagless service was deemed to be best-practice as bags can hide contaminants, don’t break down quickly enough – even compostable and biodegradable ones – and bags are hard to remove from organic matter.  

 “Our contamination rates are currently low, and we keep this low and recover and recycle as much waste into a reusable product that we can,” Cr Hood said.

“When organics or recycling is contaminated the cost for all of us increases.”

Using the organics service is one way that the community and visitors to the region can help reduce their environmental impact and it is a key goal in Hepburn’s Sustainable Hepburn Strategy and Council Plan. 

“We heard of concerns about the changes during the run up to the implementation, including at the pop-up information sessions, however early results indicate while there are still some areas for improvement most people have been able to embrace and excel at these new processes,” said Cr Hood. 

The City of Ballarat has adopted a new Footpath Construction Strategy, a key document which will prioritise and fund where new footpaths are built in the regional city into the future.

Factored in are efforts to improve safety, transport choices, health and wellbeing, as well as supporting local economic activity and productivity.

The strategy identifies where new footpaths are needed most, where sealing of existing unsealed footpaths should take place, and highlights missing links in the city’s footpath network.

It includes a current top 100 priority list of footpaths across the municipality.

The strategy features an equitable approach to the construction of footpaths, outlining a community-informed prioritisation framework for identifying which gaps in the footpath network should be built first.

The new Footpath Construction Strategy was adopted at the council’s September scheduled meeting held last week and the last such monthly scheduled meeting for the council prior to going into caretaker mode ahead of the state’s upcoming October local government elections.

This story based on a City of Ballarat media release.

A recent CFA survey revealed that 45% of Victorians living in bushfire-prone areas are not concerned about bushfire safety despite being at increased risk.

People in these areas were also waiting too long to leave in the event of a fire, putting themselves and their families in jeopardy.

CFA’s annual Bushfire Community Survey also revealed that 22% of residents did not interact with CFA within the last six months because they felt they did not require more information or were unaware of CFA’s programs and resources.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan expressed concern over these statistics, urging all residents in fire-risk areas to take their safety more seriously and begin preparation now.

“Many Victorians may not be aware they’re living in a bushfire-prone area, with fire season fast approaching, it’s vital that Victorians know their level of risk and plan accordingly,” Jason said. 

“It may be a result of people who are new to the area or who have not experienced a significant fire in the past and are unaware of the dangers.”

“CFA has resources available to help people prepare, but it’s vital that the community actively seeks out this information before it’s too late.”

Alarmingly, a further 30% of respondents would delay leaving during a bushfire event, with 14% planning to assess the situation and 16% intending to wait for instructions from emergency services. Twelve per cent stated they would stay and defend their property.

“These are dangerous decisions,” Jason added.

“Bushfires can spread unpredictably and quickly. Waiting to assess the situation or hoping for instructions from emergency services can result in tragedy. The safest option is always to leave early.”

“While CFA is well-prepared to respond to emergencies, it’s crucial to remember that bushfire safety is a shared responsibility.

“We can’t guarantee that every home will be reached in time during a bushfire. Every resident needs to have their own bushfire survival plan and take proactive measures to protect their property.”

The AFAC Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Spring 2024 has further highlighted the need for Victorians to be fire prepared.

Current indications suggest the west and southwest of the state face increased fire risk this coming season due to a notably dry autumn and winter.  

“Considering the outlook, we are urging residents in western and southwestern Victoria to stay updated with the latest warnings this fire season,” Jason said. 

“The increased fire risk in these regions means that understanding and responding to fire danger ratings is more critical than ever. 

“Do not drive into or through high-risk areas on hot, dry, and windy days. Plan an alternate route or postpone your travel if possible.  

“We urge everyone to have a clear bushfire survival plan in place. Know your triggers for leaving early and ensure that all household members know what to do in case of a fire.” 

The CFA is reporting that across the state, Victorians can expect a warmer-than-average spring with an uncertain rainfall outlook.

While the fire risk is considered normal, it’s important not to be complacent; fires can still occur anytime and anywhere when temperatures rise and vegetation is dry.

The CFA is reminding that Victoria’s integrated warning system includes the Vic Emergency website, app and social media channels, VicEmergency Hotline 1800 226 226 and emergency broadcasters including ABC radio.

This story based on a CFA media release. 

The Hepburn Shire Council has announced that it expects Djuwang Baring (Creswick Trails) to be completed by the end of this year.

And following a low-key partial early opening in August, the council has foreshadowed a community celebration and formal opening of the whole trail network in December.  

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, last week said that although construction of the trails began in early 2023, the extensive planning for the project commenced back in 2018 and it will be extremely exciting for the local community to see the full network finished.  

“The community event will be held at Creswick’s Hammon Park Trailhead and we will promote that in the coming months,” said Cr Hood. 

In a media release issued last week the council reported that in the short time that the partial trails have been open, a “huge number” of visitors and locals have utilised them.

“Feedback from local traders has been extremely positive. The very strong increase in visitation brings positive results for local and regional businesses and tourism destinations,” Cr Hood said last week.

“The trails are already proving to be a unique asset for the community with a strong positive input.”   

Nestled in the scenic heart of Creswick, Victoria, these world-class trails are already extremely popular for mountain bike enthusiasts. Djuwang Baring – which means ‘long track’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language – celebrates the rich cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty of the region.  

Djuwang Baring requires names for each trail segment for rider recognition as well as to assist emergency services to locate an individual who has called for assistance. In total, approximately 70 segment names are required for Djuwang Baring.  

DJARRA’s language team, Djali Balak, have provided a list of 35 trail names in Dja Dja Wurrung language along with their English translation. The remaining 35 names were sought from the community earlier this year. 

The engagement on the list of trail names began on 9 September and be live for a period of 30 days. Community members are able to have their say at Creswick Trails Network and Hammon Park Trailhead

A magistrate has discharged the charges against the 66-year-old accused of culpable driving following the tragic deaths of five people in Daylesford last November.

William Swale, 66, had been charged with culpable driving causing death, negligently causing serious injury and reckless conduct endangering lives over the tragic November 5 crash.

But following a three-day committal proceedings hearing that began on Monday, Magistrate Guillaume Bailin has ruled the prosecution would be unable to convict Swale if the case were to go to a trial in the Supreme Court.

During the hearing in the Ballarat Magistrates Court, barrister defending Swale, Dermot Dann argued Swale’s brain function had been affected by a hypoglycemic episode at the time of the incident.

Mr Dann said evidence pointed to Swale having entered a severe hypoglycemic episode at least an hour before the crash, with his blood glucose levels reaching their lowest point in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

On November 5 last year Swale’s SUV mounted the kerb and hit several patrons seated on the front lawn of the Royal Daylesford Hotel just after 6pm.

Pratibha Sharma, 44, daughter Anvi, 9, partner Jatin Kumar, 30, their friend Vivek Bhatia, 38, and his son Vihaan, 11, all died.

A coronial investigation into the deaths remains ongoing.

Ballarat man Lachlan Young is to face a Supreme Court trial for the alleged murder of Clunes woman Hannah McGuire, after pleading not guilty and electing to have his case fast-tracked.

Young, 21, appeared via video link at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court earlier today (Thursday September 19) and formally pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 23-year-old whose body was found in a burnt-out car in Scarsdale near Ballarat, on April 5.

An estimated 50 supporters of the Clunes woman attended today’s hearing, wearing shirts emblazoned with her image and the words “she matters”.

Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz told the court Young had chosen to fast-track his case to the Supreme Court, meaning he will not face a committal hearing in the lower court.

“Mr Young has elected to stand trial,” Magistrate Mykytowycz said.

“The effect of this is that his matter will now be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court.

Young will now be required to face the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on October 3.

With burns and scalds among the leading causes of presentations to The Royal Children’s Hospital each year, the CFA is calling on Victorian parents to make fire safety messaging a focus in households.

Made possible thanks to the support from the Good Friday Appeal (GFA) and CFA’s work in this space, alongside others, two Clinical Nurse Consultants Jess and Emma are focused on providing and coordinating clinical care for young burns patients as part of the RCH’s dedicated Burns Service.

They report that the two most common age groups presenting to the RCH with burn injuries tend to be toddlers and pre-teens, for a similar reason – curiosity.

“Toddlers are explorers, busy discovering the world with their hands. They mainly present with scalds from pulling down cups of hot tea or coffee from a table, or kettles or saucepans that they can reach,” Jess said. 

“Meanwhile, teens and pre-teens are experimenting, so we see injuries related to flames, accelerants, and attempting to copy social media trends,” Emma added.

Cases such as these reinforce just how vital it is for parents to continue fire safety messages beyond the toddler years.

“When kids are little, the messages are more straightforward – that’s hot so don’t touch it, keep out of the kitchen when mum or dad are cooking, don’t get close to the fireplace. But when toddlers grow into pre-teens and teenagers, it gets a bit harder,” said Emma.

Both Jess and Emma emphasised the importance of having frank conversations with older children about the dangers and the after-effects of burns.

“As children gain more independence, they often need more guidance about the potential dangers of some activities, such as cooking, and possible impacts of an injury – a hospital stay, looking different, skin grafts, or scarring,” Emma said.

“There’s some serious repercussions that can happen in an instant, even when you think you’re being safe.”

They said it is also important to consider that most burns happen to children in the home. This was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the RCH saw a 600 per cent increase in severe burns.

Jess and Emma’s suggest parents refer to Kidsafe’s Burns Safety Checklist, which has simple tips for preventing scald burns such as keeping hot drinks far away from small hands, checking if your home has a regulator so water temperature stays under 50 degrees and ensuring you have working smoke alarms.

Meanwhile, in the case of having to provide first aid on a burn of scald, Emma and Jess recommend the age-old advice of running cool – not icy – water on the injury for 20 minutes. Thereafter, covering the burn with a thin layer of cling wrap and seeking help.

Burn injuries can happen to anyone, and with the support of the GFA and its generous donors, Jess and Emma are able to provide ongoing and high-quality care.

This story based on a media release supplied by the CFA.

Seven Victorians have been charged for their alleged role in an international investment scam which swindled unsuspecting victims out of more than $14 million.

Police will allege the group was hired by an international syndicate to open fraudulent businesses and bank accounts with various local financial institutions in order to make the scam look more legitimate.

Overseas scammers – who purport to be bank officials and stockbrokers – allegedly used the local bank accounts to trick victims into believing they were depositing their life savings into fixed-term deposits or purchasing shares through a brokerage.

Police will allege the seven Victorian-based mules, who managed the fraudulent bank accounts, moved more than $14 million offshore between August 2022 and February 2024 and received commissions in return.

Investigators have so far identified 30 victims, from across Australia, who lost millions to the alleged scam.

This includes a 56-year-old ACT woman who unknowingly transferred $1.6 million to a fraudulent account in February 2024.

An 86-year-old Melbourne woman lost $400,000 the same way in July 2023.

Detectives from the Banyule-Nillumbik Crime Investigation Unit – who began investigating more than a year ago – have arrested and charged seven people over the last nine months.

They include:

• A 45-year-old Watsonia woman

• A 45-year-old Watsonia man

• A 51-year-old Preston man

• A 50-year-old Point Cook man

• A 45-year-old Hawthorn man

• A 44-year-old Reservoir man

• A 46-year-old Heidelberg Heights man

All have been charged with knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime, negligently deal with the proceeds of crime and dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime.

The Watsonia pair were remanded, while the rest were bailed or charged on summons.

All will appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 26 September 2024.

The investigation into the Victorian offending remains ongoing.

Police are urging anyone with any information on scam activity to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Those who have been the victim of cybercrime, can call their local police station or report the matter at https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report through the ReportCyber platform.

Police want to hear from anyone with information relating to a fatal crash that happened in Pootilla last week.

It is understood a driver was travelling along Ballarat-Daylesford Road when they left the roadway and crashed into a tree about 2am last Wednesday morning.

The impact forced the car to roll several times before it caught on fire.

Sadly, the female driver died at the scene.

The exact circumstances surrounding the crash were unclear and police investigations remained ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, with dashcam/CCTV footage or information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Police are preparing a report for the Coroner following the light aircraft crash that claimed the life of a man in Redesdale last Friday afternoon.

It is believed the pilot was flying over private property on Coliban Park Road when the aircraft crashed about 12.30pm.

The pilot died at the scene and police had earlier confirmed that he was the only occupant of the aircraft.

Victoria could be facing an earlier start to the fire season this year and the CFA is asking those living in high-risk areas to take action now to prepare their family and property.

The Spring Seasonal Outlook released in recent days predicts an increased risk of fire to the southwest, west and northwestern parts of Victoria due to a drier than average first half of the year.

Without significant rainfall it is likely to lead to an above average fire risk and an earlier start to the fire season during the spring period.

The CFA is warning already that there is an increased level of hazard due to an accumulation in the amount of dead plant material resulting from reduced rainfall in the areas identified as increased risk of fire.  

Grassland curing in these areas are likely to advance earlier than normal in the absence of significant rainfall.

The fire risk across the rest of Victoria is predicted to be normal, noting there is a chance the fire season may also begin earlier than normal in areas dominated by drier forests, woodlands and heathlands – inland and coastal.

The CFA says it’s ready to protect communities, and has been working with Victorian emergency service partners throughout the cooler months to prepare for the approaching fire season.

“Our crews urge the community to understand that fire safety is a shared responsibility between fire services and the community,” CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan says.

“We’re asking all Victorians in high-risk areas to take simple actions to prepare their family and property as the weather begins to warm,” he says.

“If you live near areas with bush, forest, long grass or coastal scrub, these actions and decisions may well save your life and property in the event of a bushfire.

“Find some time to sit down with your family or household and make a Bushfire Survival Plan, and if you already have one, it’s a great time to review it.

“It’s also the perfect time to tidy up your property, this can include clearing your gutters, pruning branches away from your roof or walls, keeping grass shorter than 10cm and removing leaves and twigs from around your property.

“I urge all Victorians to visit the CFA website to learn more about how they can prepare themselves ahead of this bushfire season at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/prepare.”

The CFA is also reminding landholders that all burn-offs must be registered, which can be done online at www.firepermits.vic.gov.au.