Looking back at the year that was, here are just a few snapshots from The Local's continuing Walks of the Central Highlands Series featuring good walks of the region as tackled by journalist Eve Lamb in company with experienced local bushwalker Paddy H... and others.
Police are urging people to obey all fire bans and do their part to protect the community from bushfire after officers responded to six illegal campfires in high-danger areas on Boxing Day.
Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, has launched a project in Vietnam to demonstrate AquaWatch Australia, a new water quality monitoring and forecasting system.
The Daylesford Community Childcare Centre is turning empty containers into fresh opportunities with their latest initiative to raise funds for Joe’s Kitchen Garden, an inspiring project aimed at teaching children the invaluable skills of growing and cooking their own vegetables.
The CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has successfully trialled its game-changing hydrogen production technology at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks in New South Wales, demonstrating affordable and renewable hydrogen can be generated at scale to help decarbonise heavy industry.
Growing environmental concerns have driven a surge in bioplastics, but unclear labelling for disposal is creating challenges, according to a new report from Australia's national science agency, CSIRO.
A new report from Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, has projected Australia’s hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing (HEM) sector could generate $1.7 billion in revenue and create nearly 4000 jobs by 2050.
This is one of my fav Clunes walks. It’s a slight adaptation of a loop walk that appears in a newly released brochure detailing several choice walks and saunters in and around the Clunes township. More on that later.
The state government says it is boosting funding for Victoria’s wildlife rescue volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.
Wombat Forestcare convenor Gayle Osborne says the community is angered by the failure of the State Government to introduce the bill to create the new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park as promised.
A new white-flesh fish variety could be swimming onto Australian plates adding more than $1 billion to the economy, following successful breeding trials by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and promising initial market testing with chefs and consumers.
With below average rainfall leading to unusually low water levels in many farm dams, Agriculture Victoria has issued a timely reminder for farmers and landholders to keep a close eye on their dams and other water supplies.
A new venture from the CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has secured $15 million in seed funding to commercialise next generation solar thermal technology that will help reduce industrial emissions, which account for 20 per cent of Australia’s annual carbon footprint.
Local households and businesses are being urged to prepare for possible power outages in extreme conditions this summer with the Bureau of Meteorology anticipating “warmer than average days and nights” ahead.
Coming up at the Trentham Neighbourhood Centre, Hepburn Energy are doing a presentation on electrification of the home and covering energy efficiency options for households, businesses and community facilities.
A world-first soft robotic ‘hand’, developed by researchers at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, could revolutionise the delicate, labour-intensive process of cultivating baby corals in laboratories, offering a groundbreaking approach to coral restoration efforts.
An Australian-led scientific breakthrough to increase oil yield from plants is expected t help advance the production and use of biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel.
We’re “guinea pigs” today, joining the Great Dividing Trail Association on a walk led by Professor Barry Golding. It’s a kind of test run for a walk forming part of a fairly spesh little public tour series that Prof Golding will lead in early December. More on that later.
Gurutjanga (Mount Kooroocheang), Nyaninuk (Mount Beckworth), Mount Greenock, Dharrang Gauwa (Mount Tarrengower), Liyanganyuk banyul (Mount Alexander) and Lalgambuk (Mount Franklin). If these ancient peaks of southern Dja Dja Wurrung country could speak they’d no doubt tell remarkable stories like those to be found in the significant new book by Professor Barry Golding.
The Victorian state government is supporting farmers to reduce their emissions and improve the productivity of their farm with free training opportunities on offer across the state.
The CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, last week released a comprehensive report on findings from one of the largest national surveys examining Australian attitudes towards mining.
The critical role of research infrastructure in addressing complex global challenges - from climate change and food sustainability to pandemic preparedness and understanding the universe - will be explored in the world’s leading research infrastructure conference taking place in Brisbane, Australia, this December.
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is gathering environmental entrepreneurs across the Indo-Pacific region in a Demo Day to showcase their innovative solutions to tackle plastic waste.
If you're passionate about taking action on climate change and helping the community reduce greenhouse gas emissions, then the Hepburn Shire's Z-NET Roundtable may be for you.
Central Highlands Water says the installation of a new Choose Tap water fountain at the Ballarat Wildlife Park earlier this month aims to help promote more sustainable practices.
His Majesty King Charles III visited CSIRO’s National Bushfire Behaviour Research Laboratory in Canberra last week, fueled by his passion for the environment and interest in climate change impacts.
Annual fire prevention activities in areas managed by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council are ramping up in coming weeks, aiming to keep grass low and trees a safe distance away from powerlines.
The Container Deposit Scheme machine in Creswick will be now open both Saturday and Sunday 9am - 5pm (for a three-month trial) giving locals who are keen to recycle more time to bring their eligible drink containers.
Hepburn Shire residents and property owners can dispose of green waste for free at transfer stations in Daylesford, Creswick and Trentham during November.
The region's electric car owners are breathing a sigh of relief following the completion of long-awaited upgrade work to the RACV’s electric vehicle charging stations in Ballarat.
Do not be complacent. That's the main message to Australians as the latest strain of bird flu virus is rated as representing a genuine health risk to people as well as to birds and other animals.
Agriculture Victoria’s long-term cropping research in the Victorian Mallee is unearthing important results which could impact agricultural land management in the region.
The Victorian Government is backing farmers impacted by drought conditions in Victoria’s South West with a package of support to deliver on-farm infrastructure grants and increase the region’s resilience into the future.
The Big Aussie Bird Count is happening again and there's still time to be involved in the nation-wide citizen science event which helps gain a birds' eye view on how our feathered friends are faring.
Victoria’s state government says it is empowering thousands of young Victorians to protect and care for the state’s natural environment and wildlife into the future.
A "spring carnival of a different kind" is set to take off in the Loddon River system during October, according to the North Central Catchment Management Authority.
The Victorian Government is supporting vulnerable cat owners and addressing cat over-population by providing grants to local councils to partner with animal rescue shelters to increase cat desexing rates.
We’ve walked to the famed lollipop tree on the summit of Mount Beckworth near Clunes many a time, but never before from the western flank of the little mount, via its old Feldspar Mine.
The Hepburn Shire Council has unanimously adopted Township Structure Plans for Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, Glenlyon, and Trentham, and also a Rural Hepburn Strategy at a Special Council Meeting held last week.
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and Murdoch University have launched The Bioplastics Innovation Hub, an $8 million collaboration that will work with industry partners to develop a new generation of 100 per cent compostable plastic.
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is calling on Australians to record koala sightings in the Koala Spotter app, to help build the most accurate national population count to date.
A poultry housing requirement that has been in effect to control the spread of high pathogenicity avian influenza near Terang and Meredith was lifted as of last month for some birds.
The Macedon Ranges status as a declared distinctive area and landscape is among key aspects contained in the shire's submission to the state government's Plan for Victoria.
Two returning Macedon Ranges Shire Council grant programs – and a new climate action-focused grant program – have opened with eligible community groups invited to apply throughout September.
There is still time to grab a ticket to the Wimmera Biodiversity seminar that is back for its 27th edition with the theme 'Pests, Partnerships and People Power'.
The City of Ballarat is inviting public input and suggestions on how best to improve walking and cycling corridors across Ballarat and linking to surrounding areas, including Creswick.
The City of Ballarat has joined forces with Compost Revolution to provide residents with rebates delivering up to 40 per cent off the retail price of compost bins and worm farm products.
Victoria’s biosecurity system will be strengthened with a $6.1 million investment by the Victorian Government for projects that help prevent, monitor, and control diseases in cattle, sheep, goat, swine and honeybee industries.
Beekeepers are being reminded to report and treat notifiable diseases after a large scale commercial western Victoria apiarist was found guilty of failure to manage American foulbrood (AFB) in hives.
Thousands of families have managed to slash an annual $279 million off their energy bills with more than five million individual solar panels installed on rooftops, and help from the state’s Solar Homes program.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council says it will soon begin its annual street tree planting and elm leaf beetle treatment programs, to improve and protect the natural environment.
The township of Trentham hosted a celebration late last week for recipients of grants aimed at improving biodiversity and environmental health throughout the Hepburn Shire.
Macedon Ranges residents are being encouraged to take advantage of the shire’s four libraries as free ‘warm spaces’ and enjoy an abundance of literature and free activities during the colder months.
A throng of more than 50 volunteers turned up in recent weeks to plant out hundreds of native trees on a crown land site at Johns Road in North Creswick.
The City of Ballarat is assessing community feedback gathered during the recent flood modelling mapping consultation to help complete the final report.
Clunes residents are being encouraged to start thinking about what items they may like to discard - or instead donate to their nearest tip shop - ahead of the town's annual hard rubbish collection.
An ugly spate of vandalism may have put Ballarat's electric vehicle charging stations near Big W out of action for at least another month but it's now expected that the well-used charge points will be back and operating from next month.
en thousand households across the Ballarat municipality will now be able to recycle their ‘scrunchable’ soft plastics as part of a new 12-month kerbside collection pilot program.
Macedon Ranges residents now have another option for recycling their usable goods or picking up a bargain, following the opening of a new resale shop at the Romsey Resource Recovery Facility.
Macedon Ranges residents are now being encouraged to join an expanded shire-wide kerbside soft plastics recycling pilot, following an encouraging earlier trial in Romsey.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council is inviting feedback on its designated dog off-leash and prohibited areas to help improve amenity for both pet owners and non-pet owners.
Hepburn shire residents have helped divert an impressive 275 tonnes of composable material from landfill in the first three months since the shire's new food and garden organics household bins started being collected.
The Clunes Landcare and Waterways Group is preparing to plant and inviting everyone to get along to an upcoming series of working bees beside the Creswick Creek at Clunes.
Local landowners are being encouraged to sign up for the upcoming Healthy Landscapes Holistic Grazing Management short course now taking applications until July 28, for the next group of students.
The Hepburn Shire Council recently hosted David from Central Highlands Water at Lake Daylesford's new Choose Tap water fountain installed at Chatfield Reserve.
The City of Ballarat’s first landfill cell capping project using geosynthetic materials has been underway on more than two hectares of land at the Ballarat Regional Landfill in recent days.
Clunes residents will soon have added financial incentive to recycle many of their glass and plastic containers following the installation of a reverse vending machine in Fraser Street.
The Hepburn Distillery is providing a great example of the circular economy in operation with the Hepburn Shire Council publicising it as an example as it promotes a special toolkit for businesses.
To celebrate National Water Week, October 21-27, Central Highlands Water is inviting local early learning, kindergarten and primary school students to enter this year’s National Water Week poster competition.
I had some time last week so I did a bit of a Google around about farmland and farm zones. I realise there are experts just waiting on Facebook but instead I went to the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning.
Large parts of Central Victoria are covered with mining exploration licences with potential to impact your home, property, our environment, our groundwater and waterways.
While the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance applauds Hepburn's efforts in the Rural Hepburn Strategy to protect agricultural land from further inappropriate development for so-called lifestyle blocks we assert that the town structure plans as drafted will thwart this intent to the detriment of both valuable farmland and the character and liveability of our shire's towns.
I want to start by acknowledging the sheer enormity of the work council staff have undertaken in the development of the draft structure plans for the entire shire.
I’m part of the family who owns the farm on East Street, Daylesford (called Mayfield) which is being proposed to be rezoned, and I’m currently living on that farm.
When Dr Matt Boon from Prime Livestock Veterinary Services put his hand up to work on emergency animal disease outbreaks, he did it with the bigger picture in mind.
The Hepburn Shire Council has overturned a planning officer recommendation on a permit application for a dwelling at Dry Diggings in a 4-3 split decision, amid concerns existing zoning is being ignored.
Landowners with a passion for improving land management practices are invited to join in a special evening to learn more about the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s award-winning Healthy Landscapes program.
The EPA Victoria and Macedon Ranges Shire Council have raised serious concerns about building industry practices after inspected 34 building sites around Gisborne and New Gisborne.
ARC Justice – a rights-based organisation incorporating the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre and Housing Justice based in Bendigo – is set to receive $1 million over the next four years to help expand its work into climate justice.
The severity, complexity and changing nature of Australia’s bushfire seasons and the research that informs planning and response are showcased in a new podcast series.
Victoria Police Marine Search and Rescue team and Fisheries Victoria have joined forces to tackle fishy activity across the state’s south-west as part of Operation Barrel in recent days.
Two Kyneton residents who stole firewood from the Metcalfe State Forest for profit have been ordered to pay a combined amount of $3000 and forfeit the tools and machinery used in their offending, after being found guilty of six charges each at Kyneton Magistrates’ Court.
Volunteer hiking and biking group, the Great Dividing Trail Association, has launched an innovative, environmentally friendly interpretive signage project along the length of the 87km Lerderderg Track from Daylesford to Bacchus Marsh.
Today we’re tackling the Andersons Tramway Walk at Mollongghip just east of Newlyn. This 8km (16km return) bushwalk is a bit of a surprise packet. Who could have guessed there would be a “tramway” running through the bush here?
Mill View, a passive solar house in Smeaton near Daylesford will feature as part of national Sustainable House Day this Sunday April 21 alongside over 100 of Australia’s most inspiring sustainable homes.
Two Macedon Ranges Shire Council programs driving sustainable agriculture practices and waste reduction measures have been announced as finalists in the 2024 LGPro Awards for Excellence.
Ballarat area business owners can now shift to a new 100 per cent renewable energy program to cut their emissions and costs via two programs – the Business Renewables Buyers Group and the Ballarat Energy Network.
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has announced a $20 million investment to provide small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with greater access to vital research and development (R&D) opportunities to accelerate their growth.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council will call on the federal gvernment to factor in wildlife trauma and fatalities metrics in federal road safety funding models.
The Hepburn Shire Council has launched its Circular Hepburn Toolkit, a guide to help local businesses reduce costs, reduce their impact on the environment and boost the circular economy.
Scientists from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have led an international team to a clean energy breakthrough by setting a new efficiency record for fully roll-to-roll printed solar cells.
Work has begun to explore opportunities to make Ballarat's Forest Street in Wendouree safer, more enjoyable and more accessible for people walking and cycling.
The Regional Victorian Power Alliance, representing western and north western Victorian communities, has issued a resolute declaration opposing the proposed construction of high voltage transmission towers in regional Victoria.
The Jackson’s Lookout walk taking in Wyuna, Argyle and Golden Springs is a great option for going just that little bushland bit beyond the more heavily traversed tourist saunters out of Hepburn Springs Reserve - even if you’re strapped for time.
The City of Greater Bendigo Council last week adopted a planning scheme amendment introducing a buffer overlay around Eaglehawk Landfill to minimise future environmental impacts.
Agriculture Victoria is urging livestock owners to ensure all animals in their care are adequately protected from harsh weather conditions, including extreme heat.
The Victorian government has strengthened enforcement power and increased penalties to better manage biosecurity incidents and protect Victoria’s valuable agriculture sector for the future.
The Moorabool Shire council is taking a pro-active approach to beautifying the shire and creating healthy habitats by giving away free native plants throughout autumn.
Applications are now open for the City of Ballarat’s third Nature Stewards program, where community members can discover new exciting ways to learn and care for nature.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council has renewed its reusable nappy, sanitary and incontinence product rebate program to reduce waste in landfill and assist residents in accessing affordable reusable items.
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and Swinburne University of Technology have established a new partnership to tackle global decarbonisation with innovative green steel and mineral processing research and development.
Despite so many people having air conditioning at home now, many are still unsure how to use it efficiently, prompting the CSIRO to publish a new report detailing how to use air conditioning to best effect, save energy and reduce energy wastage.
The CFA has issued a public statement thanking the many people who supported its preview screenings of the Australian movie 'Force of Nature: The Dry 2'.
Coming up Sunday February 18th, the Trentham Fashion Swap team will host their first of four clothing swaps for 2024, at the Trentham Neighborhood Centre.
Kerbside bin collection is set to change in townships in Hepburn Shire with the introduction of a weekly food and garden organics service (also called FOGO) from Monday April 8.
Scientists travelling as far as 65 degrees south will investigate why the deep ocean currents near Antarctica are slowing, whether the Southern Ocean will continue to absorb heat and carbon dioxide, and how clouds form over the Southern Ocean.
First-hand experience of owning and using an elecric vehicle will be the focus of discussion by a knowledgeable panel of speakers at the free community 'Green Drinks' event coming up Thursday, February 15 at Ballarat's Bunch of Grapes Hotel.
Early next month the Hepburn Shire Council will host a workshop to help local farmers work on strategies to deal with the increasing prevalence of extreme weather events.
CFA firefighters who have recently been deployed in Queensland to support the flood and storm clean-up have spoken about the devastation to affected communities.
The township of Clunes looks as though it may be poised to expand with a planning application lodged seeking to subdivide a 29.31 hectare parcel of land to create 106 new housing lots.
Growing Habitat for Net-Zero in Central Victoria - A new Central Victorian carbon offset project is aimed at helping local councils reach their net-zero emission goals, while providing private landholders all the benefits from growing trees and shrubs on their property.
The Hepburn Shire Council says biodiversity assessments have been conducted to inform township structure plans for its five main towns as part of the ‘Future Hepburn’ program.
Families, nature lovers and history buffs will have more to enjoy at Point Nepean National Park, with a campground extension, new ‘story-telling’ interpretation project, and planning for fort conservation works under way.
The Hepburn Shire Council has welcomed ten community members and two councillors who have joined its Sustainable Hepburn Community Advisory Committee (the “SHAC”!), which met for the first time late last year.
With Grey-headed Flying-foxes travelling great distances to find food, Victorians may be encountering these vulnerable visitors in backyards and public places, prompting some warnings from DEECA.
The Hepburn Shire Council says it's making solar power more accessible to low-income households through the Solar Savers program, which is now in its sixth year.
The recently installed reverse vending machine in Creswick received a record 9500-plus containers in just one-week courtesy of 112 customers, the Hepburn Shire Council has reported.
The Hepburn Shire Council will introduce a weekly kerbside collection of food and garden organics for township residents this year, in a bid to help divert thousands of tonnes of organic material from landfill.
Encouraged by the success of its first ever circular economy breakfast, the Hepburn Shire Council is now inviting more locals to make sure they're part of the next.
Hot, dry summers can play havoc with your garden but if proper precautions are taken during its establishment and early stages of development, the summer months should be pleasurable and present few problems.
Following the success of Hepburn Shire Council's first Sustainable Hepburn Day hosted at Trentham in 2022, the informative community event is set to return on Saturday 16 March 2024 at Victoria Park in Daylesford.
The City of Greater Geelong has been awarded a coveted 6-Star NABERS waste rating for the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct located in the waterside city's Mercer Street.
The Moorabool Shire Council has expressed its disappointment at the verdict handed down by the Supreme Court earlier this month relating to the Western Renewables Link (WRL).
People hoping to gain a building permit projects in the Hepburn shire will now have to lodge their building permit applications with a private building surveyor, rather than the council, following a recent announcement.
A new road safety strategy aimed at protecting both motorists and wildlife features among several significant items that have been endorsed by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council at its final scheduled meeting for 2023.
Central Vic Climate Action members and Central Victorian locals have participated in a week-long December Rebellion in Melbourne, with their Red Rebels leading marches and members of the group arrested.
Late last month the Victorian Supreme Court granted an injunction to stop VicForests timber harvesting operations in a coupe known as ‘Silver Queen’ in the Wombat State Forest. This replaces the interim injunction that has been in place since September.
The future of much-loved Hepburn Wildlife Shelter hangs in the balance with DEECA threatening to enforce the removal of all wildlife in its care from early in the new year.
CCTV surveillance equipment to protect Creswick’s public EV charge station is scheduled for installation this week, Hepburn Shire Council CEO Bradley Thomas has confirmed.
A request to the Minister for Planning to remove the Lancefield Development Plan Overlay, which would have "simplified development requirements" for affected landowners, has been declined.
The City of Ballarat says it will remove and replace 12 poplar, willow and claret ash trees that are at the end of their life or in poor condition around Lake Wendouree.
The Ballarat Animal Shelter has announced that it has limited capacity to take on unvaccinated cats or kittens currently due to the extreme cat vaccine shortage occurring worldwide.
More than 50 regional, state and national environment groups have signed an open letter to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, calling for an immediate end to logging in the west of Victoria and the legislation of three promised national parks.
The Hepburn Shire Council is encouraging local business operators to attend a circular economy themed business breakfast on Thursday 30 November at Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.
Keen local field naturalists, citizen scientists and anyoneone who appreciates getting out in the forest is being invited to join an upcoming wildlife monitoring event being hosted by the Victorian National Parks Association.
Which is better - gas or induction? It's a question an increasing number of householders looking to upgrade a tired old kitchen find themselves asking.
Bendigo is hosting the Australian Women in Agriculture National Conference with a gala dinner this Friday November 24 followed by the main event on Saturday.
The City of Ballarat is helping residents clean up around their house and in their gardens this spring with Free Green Waste Week and Half Price Mattress Week.
It’s a sterling Spring day, late October, as we set off to walk the nine kilometre Wombat Trail that sets out from Trentham’s pretty little Quarry Street Reserve.
In a region such as the Central Highlands, the natural environment is what attracts people to this area, it sustains our tourism industry and by extension, the real estate market as people seek a more permanent escape from the city.
Following the success of the Hepburn Shire Council's e-waste recovery pilot at Daylesford Transfer Station, electronic items are now available for purchase at all of the council's transfer stations - Daylesford, Creswick and Trentham.
Hepburn Shire councillors have met with local community groups to acknowledge their 'outstanding work and commitment', after the council awarded them a share of $38,900 in Biodiversity and Landcare Grants.
Fifteen different local landcare, friends groups or networks will benefit from close to $60,000 worth of funding that's just been awarded through the Macedon Ranges Shire Council's annual Environment Group Support Grants.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council's flagship storm waste facility now has a trio of awards to its name, after picking up another accolade at the recent 2023 Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Tidy Towns & Cities Sustainability Awards.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council says it's leading the way in reducing waste to landfill by providing resale shops, textile and polystyrene recycling, and free mulch for residents at its resource recovery facilities.
City of Ballarat residents are being invited to provide feedback on how the community can work to achieve zero recoverable waste going to landfill by 2040.
Ballarat area residents are being encouraged to spring clean their homes and safely dispose of unwanted household chemicals with the free ‘Detox your Home’ event taking place this Saturday.
The Victorian Government is giving a former COVID-19 rapid testing lab a new lease on life – transforming it into an emergency animal diagnostics and plant disease van.
Central Highlands Water and the Hepburn Shire Council joined forces last week to launch a new Choose Tap drinking fountain at Creswick's new Hammon Park Trailhead.
The Hepburn Shire Council will introduce a weekly kerbside collection of food organics and garden organics (FOGO) for township residents early next year in a move aimed at diverting thousands of tonnes of organic material from landfill
Local apiarists remain on high alert for any sign of the dreaded varroa destructor mite after Agriculture Victoria conceded in recent days that it will now transition its emergency response to a management phase for Varroa mite.
Central Vic Climate Action is hosting a number of events to encourage creative action in response to the escalating environmental crisis: a parade of Red Rebels, and screening of the film How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
A temporary burn-off exemption will be introduced throughout October across the Macedon Ranges Shire to help landowners prepare their properties ahead of the upcoming fire season.
Agriculture Victoria’s Horsham SmartFarm recently provided local students hands-on experience of climate action research, with a focus on preserving important grains and plants for the future.
The City of Ballarat will participate in an exciting new project to develop an investment-ready business case for a community battery in the municipality.
Phase two of the City of Ballarat’s LED residential street lighting upgrade is complete, with almost 850 heritage style street lights receiving new fittings.
The Hepburn Shire Council says it's working to help local families with babies make the shift to using cloth nappies in order to help reduce waste to landfill.
Hepburn Shire Council says it's now offering free access to a circular economy platform called ASPIRE for all organisations and businesses with 20 employees or less.
In the last financial year, 165 kilometres of environmental weed control was carried out on approximately 2,500 km of Hepburn Shire-managed roadsides, the council is reporting.
Hepburn Shire residents who keep livestock are being urged to secure their place in the award-winning Healthy Landscapes 2023/2024 Holistic Grazing Course which begins Friday 15 September.
Community Carbon is a new pilot project aimed at delivering local revegetation planting to generate carbon offsets while also providing environmental, social, and economic benefits to the local community. Local landholders and other residents are being invited to be involved.
More than 11,000 megalitres of water for the environment will flow out of Lake Eppalock this month, helping improve the health of the Campaspe River downstream, the North Central Catchment Management Authority says.
Local community-owed renewable energy provider Hepburn Energy and partners are reporting "huge success" with their recent ‘Hepburn Switch’ event as well as a broader heat pump hot water bulk buy scheme.
The Hepburn Shire Council is offering shire residents subsidised compost bins to help them reduce waste to landfill by turning food scraps and garden waste into compost.
The Hepburn Shire Council has confirmed that it is working on possible security measures after the new electric vehicle charge station at Creswick was vandalised recently, rendering it currently offline.
The ‘Hydrogen vehicle refuelling infrastructure’ report released by CSIRO and GHD Advisory sets out the opportunities and challenges for refuelling hydrogen-powered road vehicles in Australia.
Tenders have opened this month for the next part of Ballarat's MR Power Park Masterplan, with installation of a water drainage basin near Morgan Street next on the list for the park.
The City of Ballarat has joined CitySwitch – a free national program that helps office-based businesses reduce emissions and their environmental impact, and is urging office-based businesses to jump on board.
Greening Australia and the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia are teaming up to plant more than 19,000 food and nesting trees to entice one of the nation’s rarest birds back to the mainland.
Hepburn shire locals who are passionate about the environment and who want to take action on climate change are being invited to get involved in a significant native planting program.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council has welcomed a recent state government announcement which it says will 'protect the future of the culturally significant Hanging Rock'.
The state government has purchased Hanging Rock’s East Paddock and released a new masterplan to further protect the cultural significance of the cherished destination.
The state government says it's backing Victoria’s wildlife rescue volunteers so that sick, injured and orphaned native animals get the support they need.
Four years ago Greening Australia embarked on a project to restore habitat for the impressive but nationally endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, when it was realised that their stringybark habitat was in desperate need of help.
Greening Australia and Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation are working on a project to harvest and plant native seeds to improve the drought resilience of farms in the Mid-North and Flinders regions of South Australia.
Respected environmental engineer John Mann was born and raised on a farm near Geelong, where he first discovered the profound impact of environmental conservation.
The Invasive Species Council has welcomed Monday's announcement that the NSW government is consulting on changes to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow aerial shooting as a method to reduce feral horse numbers.
The Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve now has Hepburn Shire’s third electric vehicle charging station as part of a collaboration led by Chargefox with partners Hepburn Energy, the Hepburn Shire Council and Central Highlands Water.
Sustainability, conservation and restoration practitioners from Melbourne and Yarra Valley regions recently gathered for a recent workshop facilitated by Greening Australia at Haining Farm to explore practical and innovative approaches to managing landscapes for future climates.
Greening Australia and its nature-based solutions business, Canopy, have responded to rising demand for high-integrity carbon projects from corporate Australia with a reforestation carbon aggregation, which will see over 2.26 million native biodiverse plants established across 1,228 hectares in 2023 – that’s almost three times the size of Melbourne’s CBD.
Australia and the United Kingdom have highlighted shared ambitions for decarbonising aviation the federal transport minister, MP for Ballarat, Catherine King says.
Federal transprt minister, MP for Ballarat Catherine King has highlighted joint efforts between Australia and Singapore to decarbonise shipping technology.
Community and industry feedback is being invited on Victoria’s new Biosecurity Strategy to help strengthen the existing system against increased pest and disease risks.
Hepburn shire locals feeling the chill are being encouraged to get along to a workshop to find out how to cut their heating bills by making your home more thermally efficient.
Some uplifting news – cameras show Greater Gliders are moving into special hi-tech nest boxes installed last year to help them recover after the bushfires.
A research project led by Greening Australia and funded by The Ian Potter Foundation is set to significantly expand the national native seed sector’s practical knowledge on how to establish and manage effective, climate-ready seed production areas (or SPAs, as they are known in the industry).
Over the past five years, Greening Australia has partnered with the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to revegetate and enhance priority habitat corridors for Malleefowl in the Victorian Mallee.
Over the past five years, Greening Australia has partnered with ACT Natural Resource Management to improve, restore and connect critically endangered Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands in the capital region.
Italian born Daniele Tarasco brings a personal passion for fresh, flavoursome food and his background as a high-end chef to running Meraki certified organic farm at Newlyn North.
Mount Alexander Shire Councillors have unanimously endorsed adoption of the council’s new Climate Change Strategy at the council's recent scheduled June meeting.
Nearly 325 Victorian schools, including Hepburn Primary, Daylesford Primary and Daylesford Secondary, are getting a share in $8.2 million for 'vegetation clearing and activities' intended to reduce the risk of harm from a bushfire, a local MP says.
Ballarat businesses and organisations are joining the City of Ballarat in working to reduce carbon emissions to address climate change, the Ballarat City Council says.
Central Highlands Water has reduced its environmental footprint by using solar to power its water and wastewater treatment plants, the local water manager says.
Veg Action Macedon Ranges has announced the winners of its annual Edgy Veg Awards, celebrating innovation and excellence in culinary use of vegetables by eateries in the Macedon Ranges area.
Hepburn Energy is set to become Australia’s first energy park on the distribution network with wind turbines and battery storage at Leonards Hill after funding from the federal government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program.
EV drivers have been well pleased to discover that the new fast charge station at Creswick is finally up and running. For some it can make the difference between getting home – or not.
The Hepburn Shire Council will continue to 'advocate strongly' for an alternative to the route currently preferred for the Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project, mayor Cr Brian Hood says.
Hepburn shire locals are about to get a little help and added incentive to clean out those unwanted household chemicals from their sheds, cupboards and under their sinks and dispose of them safely at Sustainability Victoria’s free Detox your Home event.
The Hepburn Shire says it has successfully engaged with over 70 participants over the last 12 months to help local farmers and land custodians improve land, soil, water and livestock.
If you're among the legion of people who cringe at the sight of discarded, soiled, disposable infants' nappies dumped in public places, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear that the Hepburn Shire Council says it will soon be announcing some reusable nappy workshops.
Rope canopy bridges have been installed in Wombat State Forest near Springhill to help wildlife move through storm-damaged tree canopies where trees and branches have fallen or broken.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council has adopted a new Single-use Plastic Policy, among a number of significant decisions made by the councillors at last Thursday night’s May council meeting.
The state government is setting one of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the world – cutting Victoria’s emissions by 75–80 per cent by 2035, the Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas says.
Lake Bookar State Game Reserve, north of Camperdown, is closed to hunting from Saturday, 20 May 2023 to prevent disturbance to significant numbers of threatened Hardhead ducks.
Hepburn Shire Council is bringing in a dusk to dawn cat curfew enforceable from 1 July 2023. From that date cats must be securely confined to the owner’s property between sunset and sunrise.
Victorian gardeners are being urged to keep watch for the highly invasive weed water hyacinth following a recent discovery in a residential garden pond.
Volunteers are needed for the Plains-wanderer song meter program and while Hepburn Shire locals do not live in its habitat they're being invited to get involved to help save the critically endangered species.
The Shepherds Flat Landcare Group is inviting the wider community to be part of the next phase of Planting Trees for the Queens Jubilee, later this month.
Local irrigators are being invited to express their interest in a new pump screen that will both save native fish and stop weeds from blocking their systems.
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) team has recently launched a new online course to help developers, builders and plumbers save water, energy and lower the cost of their client’s utility bills.
Local farmers, vignerons and other primary producers are being encouraged to attend the upcoming Climate Outlook Session, taking place in the next few days.
A task undertaken by Agriculture Victoria’s animal health and welfare staff is conducting audits of food outlets to determine how they dispose of their food wastes. This can include visits to pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries and so on.
The Hepburn Shire Council is inviting residents to have a say on what's important about the shire's rural areas, what should be protected and enhanced through future planning measures.
Traditional owners in south-west and central Victoria are being supported
to conduct cultural burning on country as part of ongoing work towards
Aboriginal self-determination.
Hepburn Shire Council is developing an Agricultural Land and Rural
Settlement Strategy, the first of its strategic planning projects that make up
Future Hepburn.
The 2023 Victorian Landcare Grants and the 2023 Victorian Junior Landcare
and Biodiversity Grants are now open to volunteers and kids care for the
state’s precious environment and biodiversity
Through the 2023 Victorian Landcare grants, $3.95 million is available for Landcare and other environmental volunteer groups and networks that are working to protect and restore land and the environment.
The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) is providing community groups and organisations - including those in the Hepburn Shire area - with the opportunity to apply for grants to manage serrated tussock.
The Victorian Government is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from experienced tree-growing businesses to help regional landowners plant trees and reduce Victoria’s carbon emissions.
In a national first, the Victorian Government has worked with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, to become the first state to include Plantation and Farm Forestry methods in their online carbon abatement calculator “LOOC-C” (‘look see’).
A new Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) registration for farmers using waste tyres as weights in silage production will help reduce the risk of fire and harm to human health and the environment.
From the time Peta and I took over the drought-ridden property that became
our home, we were determined to “practise what I preached” in all my writings and
broadcasts - throw away those chemicals and let nature take its course.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council is launching a reusable nappy, sanitary and incontinence product pilot rebate program to reduce waste in landfill and assist residents in accessing affordable reusable items.
A total of $4.4 million in grants is on offer to help volunteers and the next generation of Victorians in caring for the state’s precious environment and biodiversity.
All foot and stomach... If any zoological name was totally descriptive ‘gastropod’ (stomach foot) surelysums up the gardener’s oldest foe - snails and slugs - undoubtedly among the oldest of the common garden pests.
Central Highlands Water has donated $10,918, raised by team members, to
Water Aid Australia in recognition of World Water Day which took place on March 22.
IT'S been said that “clothes maketh the man” – and there’s little doubt that applies for women as well. But sometimes obtaining snappy threads, so essential to making a vital good first impression, is easier said than done. That’s where Thread Together comes in...
Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, is calling on citizen scientists to find and record egg cases washing up on Australian coasts so researchers can better understand egg-laying sharks, skates and chimaeras.
If you've ever thought about ditching your climate-change fueling petrol guzzler for an electric vehicle then now might be the time to make it happen with an EV Bulk Buy scheme set to launch in Malmsbury at the Malmsbury EV Expo on 15 April.
Forest Fire Management Victoria says it intends t take advantage of favourable weather and forest conditions to undertake planned burns across the Midlands district in the coming weeks to reduce the threat of bushfires to the community.
As the April 5 deadline for submissions looms, The Hepburn Shire Council is urging the community to make a submission on the latest consultation report into the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) project.
DAYLESFORD'S Repair Café is alive and kicking after hiccups caused by Covid. Over the past 12 months the café has stopped almost half a tonne (482kgs) of household items from ending up in landfill.
Local households in Hepburn shire and surrounds will be able to access a new round of the $250 Power Saving Bonus within weeks, as the state government drives down the cost of living across the state.
The Hepburn Shire Council has moved to remind residents they can take their tricky-to-recycle items, including e-waste, to their closest Hepburn Shire Customer Service hub for recycling.
An on-farm emissions action plan ilot aims to help Victorian farmers reduce on-farm emissions with grant support funding from a pool of up to $5 million.
An additional consultation report into the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West project has been released in recent days by the Australian Energy Market Operator and Transgrid.
New research led by scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has shown that future increases in the strength of El Niño may accelerate the irreversible melting of ice shelves and ice sheets in Antarctica.
An expanding research partnership between CSIRO and the US National Science Foundation is hoped to turbo charge international collaboration and joint research.
LIKE a never-ending game of chase, the campaign to protect the Wombat State
Forest manages to save some trees, then logging starts elsewhere in this vast area.
The community is being invited to the official launch of Cool-ER Changesat Kyneton Town Hall on Thursday 2 March from 7pm –8:30pm, to celebrate "tangible climate action already underway" in the shire and outline the vision for further action into the future.
Hepburn Shire Council's annual road reseal program is now in full swing with roads in Blampied, Creswick, Daylesford, Drummond North, Kingston, Lyonville, Newlyn, Smeaton and Ullina all receiving attention.
A priceless collection of fungi has been replicated for the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to support research and management of biosecurity and food safety issues.
Led by researchers at Macquarie University and Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), a portion of our Galaxy has been imaged in detail so great, we may be able to answer long-standing questions about the Milky Way’s stars.
An international consortium of scientists has received a $34 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One) fund to improve crop productivity and food security in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Microbial communities already treat the food waste in your compost bin. In the future, could they treat your plastic waste too? A new article released by the CSIRO suggests they may well.
It’s quite literally at the root of all agriculture. Soil and its intrinsic value has prompted a new push to make funding for a soils education and competition program available for every agricultural show in Australia.
Central Highlands Water’s announcement last week of a $15 million investment in Daylesford’s long-term water supply security has been hailed as a welcome boost for the region’s future growth and climate resilience.
A plan will see Macedon Ranges Shire Council reduce its carbon footprint with a series of initiatives across council-managed facilities and operations.
MEMORIES of the June winter storm that cut a swathe through much of Hepburn Shire last year remain strongly etched in the mind’s eye of Trentham’s Charl Parris.
CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, is part of a nappy recycling trial announced last week to help address the 1.5 billion disposable nappies that end up in Australian landfill each year.
Scientists on CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator have made some exciting finds during recent voyages, including collecting a specimen of a new species of shark and discovering a shark graveyard in the deep ocean.
An alliance of local conservation groups is horrified to discover that the CFMEU is seeking to source sawlogs from the Wombat Forest, in addition to the destructive salvaging of wind fallen timber currently taking place; compromising the very values that ensured it was designated to become National Park.
Landholders in flood affected areas including those throughout the Hepburn Shire may face a range of issues related to the storage and use of chemicals.
The Australian Government is inviting councils and community organisations in the Ballarat electorate to participate in the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) consultation process.
Flooding and heavy rainfall have increased the risk of a range of mosquito-borne diseases in Victoria, including Japanese encephalitis (JE) prompting a warning to farmers and livestock owners.
Our forests are fundamental to water and food security, as well as the habitat and protection of our eco-system. Logging and mining mean pollution and greater risk of flood and fire.
Recent rainfall events have left Central Catchment Management Authority with considerable work to do in assessing damage done to local waterways and the assets built to protect and enhance them.
Primary school-aged artists are being asked to create their own water story as part of Central Highlands Water’s National Water Week poster competition.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will begin its annual elm tree treatment program in the coming weeks as part of the yearly management program to protect the shire’s 2,700 elm trees from the Elm Leaf Beetle.
Hepburn Shire Council has expressed concern at the newly announced overhead transmission lines proposed as part of the Victoria – New South Wales Interconnector West project.
DAYLESFORD Spa Country Railway trains are not far from heading back to Bullarto after the track was covered by fallen trees and debris in the June 2021 storm.
Seed balls consist of the seed of one species or a variety of different species
rolled within a ball of clay.
For the Pollinator Project, we have chosen to add a native plant soil and
compost mix to the clay providing nutrients and protection for the seed during
throwing and sowing!!!
The state government is ensuring injured, sick and orphaned wildlife get the help they need, with a funding boost to support wildlife rescue volunteers.
Smith Development Partnerships has put in a planning application to the Hepburn Shire Council for a housing subdivision at 9 Raglan Street, Daylesford.
FOR many landholders controlling gorse is an uphill or lost battle, says Ron Cosgrave, chair of the Victorian Gorse Taskforce.
But it doesn't have to be, he says.
More than 50 people attended a snap rally in Gisborne last Friday, called by the Wombat Action Group to voice their concerns about the VicForests’ salvage logging in the Wombat State Forest.
ON A recent morning, while approaching the once tranquil creek near her Kingston home, Virginia Imhoff, pictured with Buddy, was stopped in her tracks by this destruction.
It’s estimated 10 Victorian jobs are created for every 10,000 tonnes of waste material kept out of landfill – leading to approximately 3,900 jobs in the next decade.
Hepburn Shire Council has released a tender for construction of the Creswick Trails Network, a major milestone for the multi-million dollar project, which will see 60km of mountain bike trails built in and around the Regional Park, State Forest and plantation lands of Creswick.
ORGANIC waste generated from the cafe trade is very large. Although people may not realise it as they sip on their morning latte or fresh juice, the average cafe can easily generate over 80 kilos of organic waste a week.
CLUNES is a place of firsts. First gold town. First Book Town and now the first country town to tackle the issue of ageing well in the community by bringing the conversation right to its own door.
A vision for the care of the North Central catchment over the next six years has been released, ensuring the land, water, and biodiversity of the area is managed sustainably.
One year on from the devastating storm that impacted Hepburn Shire on June 9, Bushfire Recovery Victoria have announced additional funding to assist with work on community assets and public land.
IT'S been a long two and a half years. And while we are still in a pandemic most of us are vaccinated, know when to pop on a mask and distance, and are ready to either go full speed ahead into the the world, or just take some baby steps.
The Zero G Network is a range of tech free sanctuaries in the great outdoors that don’t get phone reception, and Great Northern has launched a campaign to preserve over 30 of these spots nationally with a petition calling to prevent the encroachment of phone towers into these pockets of untouched nature.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council will be holding a community talk and community round table event as part of National Reconciliation Week 2022, May 27-June 3.
Hepburn Shire will soon have three more electric vehicle charging stations thanks to a collaboration between Hepburn Energy (formally Hepburn Wind), Hepburn Shire Council and Chargefox.
THE Daylesford Field & Game Club can finally return to its home at the Glenlyon Reserve after three years now a final report has found the risk of soil contamination is "low and acceptable".
A unique opportunity has arisen to repair damage to the Campaspe River caused by the Millennium Drought and the 2010-11 floods, in what could be a Victorian first.
Electric buses will enter the regional bus network for the first time as part of a three-year Zero Emissions Bus Trial – creating a cleaner and more sustainable transport network.
Extensive weed control works have been conducted along Hickmans Creek near Mt Cole to prevent the spread of invasive plants as part of the Good Neighbour program.
WHO would guess that to some people big storms and bushfires are almost welcome? The measured pleasure they get is because these disasters may laying bare secrets tucked away in the bush, such as century old timber-getting tramways in the Wombat state forest.
A NEW forest battle is brewing, not even a year after the state government announced three new national parks, including linking the Wombat and Lerderderg state forests to create a new park of 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has invited Victorians to help shape the state’s interim emissions reduction target for 2035.
