What a big week it has been following the Premier’s announcement to gradually relax the Stay at Home

provisions for COVID-19. This will no doubt come as a great relief to many in our community who have

been missing social connection and will help to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation for many of

us.

Although there have been some changes made we must remember that there are now only five reasons

we should be leaving home and that is for essential supplies, medical services and caregiving, exercise

and some recreational activities (with up to 10 people outdoors), visiting family and friends (with up to

five visitors in our homes) and work or education where you are unable to do so at home.

You can learn more about these changes at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/gradual-easing-restrictions-covid-19.

We still have a responsibility to one another to take these provisions seriously and by continuing to

stay at home where we can, washing our hands regularly and keep using social distancing measures

we keep one another safe and can stop the spread.

As we continue through this uncertain time many businesses and community groups have come up

with new ways to go about their usual activities. One we’d like to note in particular was the Fish Creek

Tea Cosy Festival which held their new e-Cosy Exhibition over the weekend.

Over 100 entries were received from all over Australia, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe

under a range of categories and for this year’s theme of ‘Cosies Through the Ages’. We would like to

encourage everyone to take a look and submit their vote for Popular Choice before 31 May to support

this wonderful event at www.teacosyfestival.com.au

If you have a tea cosy that may have missed out on the festival you can still join in the fun. There is

currently a ‘Tea Cosies in Isolation’ competition underway on Instagram. Snap a pic of your cosy with

#teacosiesinisolation before 24 May to go in the running for a Wilson’s Promontory Cruise from

Pennicott Wilderness Journey. What a wonderful way to bring a bit of brightness to our days at the

moment!

Although times are difficult for many businesses at the moment, we’re encouraged that we are

continuing to receive enquiries on establishing and expanding businesses. Some have recently

received approval like the new bakery for Toora, called Red Pig Dreaming which will see the restoration

of the town’s historic scotch oven. Gurneys Cider at Foster are currently undertaking an exciting

project to construct large new cellar that will create new opportunities for the business. This is

wonderful news and we are proud to see this type of investment continuing in our region at the

moment.

Administrators’ Message

While our sporting bodies may not be able to come together at this time we have been giving our local

clubs a call to check in and provide support where possible. Now might be a good time to keep the

administrative side up to date and we are encouraging all groups to update their details for our

community directory. If you are part of a club and know your details need updating please visit

www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/communitydirectory

Everyone has been doing so well over the last few months and we are proud of the camaraderie

demonstrated in our community. Keep up the good work everyone!

Julie Eisenbise, Christian Zahra AM and Rick Brown – Administrators