News

The state government is helping Victorians get out and enjoy the great outdoors with more major boat ramp upgrades and a brand-new launching point for recreational boaters.

Hepburn Shire Council has released a draft Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS) for community feedback. The strategy forms part of Council’s Future Hepburn strategic planning initiative.

The state government is supporting Victoria’s next generation of cyber security experts – giving them the critical skills they need to keep us all safe.

The H7 avian influenza response in Victoria has come to an end. The outbreak, which began in February, affected four commercial poultry properties.

ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke said that the ACMA takes any disruption to an emergency call service very seriously given there could be devastating consequences for members of the public.

Kids across the state have the chance to design the new youth myki cards that will hit the network next year – unlocking free public transport for every Victorian under the age of 18.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is on the lookout for volunteers to help monitor the health of two key waterways.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne says all major rehabilitation road projects backed by last year’s $964 million road maintenance blitz have wrapped up across Victoria’s west.

The newly formed Victorian Protected Areas Council (VPAC) recently gathered at Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Victorian National Parks Act. 

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll visited St Albans East Primary School to announce a $6 million expansion of The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program, which provides financial help to low-income families and keeps our most vulnerable students engaged at every stage of their education.

Agisting? Manage the biosecurity risks If you’re considering agisting cattle on your property alongside your own herd or sending your stock for agistment elsewhere, taking some simple precautions may help avoid the risk of a costly disease outbreak.

More rail freight upgrades set to benefit producers and operators are being rolled out as longer, heavier and faster trains move more goods and take trucks off regional roads.

Grassroots football and netball clubs are being asked to promote road safety in their communities for a share of $700,000 thanks to the Transport Accident Commission’s Club Rewards Program.

The state government is backing more youth-led events across Victoria - helping young people come together and shape the activities that matter to them during Youth Fest 2025.

The Victorian Budget 2025/26 is investing in real cost of living help for families who need it most, including $152.3 million to increase the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund and $15 million to deliver the popular Get Active Kids Vouchers for another two years.

Hardworking volunteers right across Victoria will benefit from more money for trucks, equipment and modern facilities to help keep themselves and their communities safe with the state government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program.

Australia’s first satellite to mobile texting service now lands on iPhones. Following the launch of Telstra Satellite Messaging on Tuesday (initially rolled out to Samsung Galaxy S25 series family) – Australia’s first satellite to mobile text messaging service – over 100,000 text messages have been sent or received using Telstra Satellite Messaging.

The state government announced the SEC has signed retail contracts to power all Victorian Government operations with cheap, renewable electricity.

The City of Ballarat’s food organics and garden organics (FOGO) and glass recycling kerbside collections will begin from Monday November 3.

Melbourne African Traditional Ensemble (MATE) are headed to Creswick later this month to bring their irresistible sound to Odessa at Leavers Hotel.

By the time you read this, something I just can't believe will have happened.  I will have turned 60.

Businesses looking to set up in Ballarat now have even more opportunities to do so, with 55 additional hectares of industrial land unlocked at the Ballarat West Employment Zone.

In the winter of 2021, I remember doing a call around the real estate agents for our now non-existent Country Life podcast. The market was absolutely red hot and a lot of building had started - if you could secure a builder, and properties' days on market were off the charts.