Save the Poowong Earthworm colony
The Giant Gippsland Earthworm (Megascolides australis) is one of the largest known earthworms in the
“It is clear that not doing anything is no longer an option.”-South Gippsland Council statement on Coal Creek
Coal Creek discussion paper starts off by stating a decision needs to be made about
Local Lemon Law update
Second draft at Local Laws by the Council that brought you the Lemon Laws Council
Municipal Office Project Return
Artists Impression of a Municipal Office Project Key Dates 2013 Budget Added $34 Million unallocated
Return of the Municipal Office Project
Leongatha Memorial Hall Feasibility Study Council has begun work on developing a business case and
Local Laws Officers handing out lemons for grass longer than 75mm
Council’s local laws team have been active during the month of November sending out letters of demand to owners of vacant lots across the shire. The letter received by someone in the farm zone near Toora, states that the letter is a courtesy letter to remind the owner to maintain their property and keep the grass short.
Cr Clare Williams the new Mayor of South Gippsland Council-Does it pass the pub test?
With the appointment of Cr Clare Williams to the position of Mayor of South Gippsland
Leongatha Theatre Performance
Councillors approved the South Gippsland Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Strategy 2022-2026 at the July
Council’s road managment plan approved at Council
Images in this article show examples from Council’s Road management plan where restoration work would be triggered.
Council has undertaken a review of the current Road Management Plan (2017) and developed a revised plan, being the Road Management Plan (2022).
How do your local areas roads and footpaths compare?
Subscribe to South Gippsland Voices Online newspaper
Visit the website to sign up for the weekly newspaper South Gippsland Voices.
Independent and covering South Gippsland area.
South Gippsland Election early results
Early count results for South Gippsland election show voters direction
Bald Hills Wind Farm in Supreme Court
Summations in Bald Hills Wind Farm v Noel Uren and John Zakula
The defence team of lawyers contend that the nuisance complaint brought by Lawyers acting for Noel Uren and John Zakula has not been proven but if the Judge were to find that it was proven, that damages should be limited to the following:
Mr Zakula would be entitled to soundproofing of his home, no damages for loss of value of his land, but a small amount could be awarded for past damages caused by distress, annoyance, and inconvenience. Mr Uren would be entitled to similar modest amounts for distress, annoyance, and inconvenience.
Extended voting deadline for South Gippsland Shire Council election
The close of voting for the South Gippsland Shire Council elections has been extended by one week to 6 pm Friday 29 October, to ensure all voters in the Shire have the opportunity to cast a considered vote.
Electoral Commissioner, Warwick Gately, has requested printers to work through the weekend to reprint a number of ballot packs that have not been delivered.
Transparency and public participation
Over the two plus years of administration we have seen all avenues of public participation at council meetings closed to the public. The result has been an organisation that only shows the monthly agenda to the public 5 days before the council meeting. The three public presentation sessions per month have been ended and the administrators and staff have enabled a system of hurdles placed in front of Councillors which prevent any new inexperienced councillors from knowing how to make any changes at Council.
Along with these changes officers requested and administrators approved a new version of the local laws governing Council meetings procedure and the main change made was to prevent councillors calling for a notice of motion to change an existing council policy. Result being that Councillors would only be able to make changes to policies when the officers brought it to a council meeting for review.
Mirboo North pool to open late October
The Mirboo North Pool redevelopment has been on the books at council for more than 10 years and after the 2012 election there was an attempt at Council to curtail its existence. This met with the traditional Mirboo North response to any attempt to close the pool and that was organised resistance!
The resistance team led by the Friends of Mirboo North Pool committee have had 25 years of practice since the pool was on the Council list for “closure” from when the Councils were amalgamated back in 1994. During that time, they honed their skills, and organised themselves to become a finely tuned team in step with the community at all stages.
Council to Remove Voters from Election Roll
Half of Prom Coast Ward could be culled, 1446 voters gone from Prom Coast Ward already. 5650 voters may be removed from Shire voting lists.
All those voters enrolled for the 2016 Council election were still eligible to vote in the current election in South Gippsland. Anyone who purchased a property or changed their address since that date but who was not on the State electoral roll as their principal place of residence at their new South Gippsland property were not included in the CEO Council electoral roll.
Meet Gabrielle Boyd-From Warialda to Welshpool
Meet Gabrielle Boyd, a strong, competent and determined woman, who played a significant role towards incorporating gender equality into the Australian Rugby League and through love, ended up principal of the innovative Welshpool and District Primary School.
Gabbi was born and raised in the attractive, small town of Warialda; an aboriginal name translating to ‘Place of wild honey’. Warialda is situated in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales and has a population of approximately fifteen hundred people. To this day, Gabbi’s ageing parents remain in the family home, while their offspring have flown the coop in different directions. Visiting each other has sadly been impossible throughout the pandemic.
Magnitude 6.0 earthquake hits Victoria
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred 10km under Mansfield at 9.15am on September 21st.
The quake was felt in Mirboo North and shook houses. No reports at this stage of serious damage.
Proving Ground to close Sept 29th-Vinfast to exit Australia
Earlier this year, Vinfast, the company from Vietnam that purchased the Holden Proving Ground at Nyora announced that it was closing its Melbourne Australian design and engineering office in Port Melbourne, after opening in June 2020. The office was to be a development hub for VinFast petrol and electric vehicles and had employed over 50 previously employees who used to work for Holden Australia and other car companies.
VinFast stated that COVID-19 was the main reason behind the closure but after the closure in June 2021 it was reported in Wheels Australia that the then Australian manager of Vinfast Australia’s operations had also resigned from the company and that the Port Melbourne Technical Centre was being closed. Wheels Australia magazine is quoted as saying that “at least 88 (staff) were to be offered the chance to relocate to Vietnam or be retrenched”.
Finally I’ve seen the light
I cannot believe, having food shopped for a good thirty-five years, I was oblivious to the easy solution to one of my most frustrating annoyances in life! A friend kindly put me out of my misery last week. I’m almost too embarrassed to write of my former dilemma, but if there are others like me with their heads in the sand, I wish to pay my enlightenment forward. Believe me, your food shopping experience will forever revolutionise.
My problem lay with plastic, produce bags. Yes I know, plastic is not ideal, however I reuse these bags, often twice. Trying to pull them apart in an attempt to reveal their opening was an exasperating, time-consuming task that had me cursing profusely under my breath. Simply put, it drove me insane!
Nina is in town
A few weeks ago I received an email from BreastScreen Victoria stating I was due for my biannual routine check-up. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly these appointments come around! Feeling uninspired, but knowing it was in my best interests, I promptly booked wishing to have the procedure done and dusted. Three days prior to my appointment I received a reminder text insisting I not forget to bring a mask. I doubted I would, as face masks were permanent fixtures across the board. Victoria was in yet another lockdown.
Administrators Cancel Public Presentations at Council
Public presentations at South Gippsland Council which used to be held on the third and fourth Wednesday of each month will be no more after the administrators ended them at last week’s Council meeting-see full report on page 5
General Residential properties rates increased by 4.31%. How does Council calculate your total rate rise?
The annual Council rate rise is a simple thing really but complicated to understand. This article attempts to explain not only how the rates bill is calculated but how the rate capping rules allow councils to circumvent the rate capping figure fairly easily.
Most people think mistakenly that the rate capping figure the State Govt mandates Councils use is a maximum that Councils can increase everyone’s rates by. But it is not a maximum that your rates can increase by!
The correct method to evaluate how rates are calculated is to start with the annual revaluation.
Garage Sale 27 Shingler street, Leongatha (Sat 22nd and Sunday 23rd)
Garage Sale-everything must go.
27 Shingler Street, Saturday 22nd May and Sunday 23rd May
Nats support crashes late 2020 in Roy Morgan Polls
A series of opinion polls conducted by Roy Morgan research between Sept 2020 and Nov 2020 show a remarkable shift in support from the Lib/Nat coalition to Labor after Covid-19 restrictions were removed.
Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, said back in Nov 2020:
“Victorian ALP two-party preferred support has jumped 7% points from a month ago after the end of Melbourne’s 16-week lockdown. The Victorian ALP 58.5% (up 7% since mid-October) now has a commanding lead over the L-NP 41.5% (down 7%) on a two-party preferred basis”.
Prom Coast Regional Tourism Committee finally sent on permanent vacation
At the Council meeting on April 21st, 2021 Council received a report titled Prom Coast Regional Tourism (PCRT)-update April 2021.
Administrator Zahra spoke to the motion as follows:
“Madam Chair, what we are dealing with today is the …conclusion of the cancellation process associated with the Prom Coast Tourism. Madam chair this completes a task which the Council has taken on following a decision which was made by the members of the committee of the prom country regional tourism organisation itself. Madam chair it was distributed in the papers a notice of the special meeting which was on the 20th Nov 2019 to consider the special resolution to wind up prom coast regional tourism and other related business.
Koonwarra fossil bed
The Koonwarra fossil bed was found by accident in 1961 during roadworks to realign a segment of the South Gippsland Highway. Dating from the early Cretaceous 115 million years ago, they are composed of mudstone sediment thought to have been laid down in a freshwater (possibly cool-climate subalpine) lake. The site is an important element of Australia’s fossil record, with plants, insects (including mayflies, dragonflies, cockroaches, beetles, fleas, flies and wasps), spiders, crustaceans and fish recovered.
Car fire in Leongatha
Around 3pm April 19th a car caught fire in Leongatha on Bellingham Street.
Smoke was seen pouring from the engine bay with initial responders using fire extinguishers to try and keep the smoke down while the CFA truck arrived shortly afterwards.
The smoke was acrid but seemed worse further south along the road at Roughead Street. The CFA crew were quickly on scene and opened up the front bonnet before rapidly putting the fire under control.
Monster Toora Garage Sale Anzac weekend April 24th and 25th
Monster Garage Sale @ Toora Hall. April 24th & 25th. 10-4pm.
A large variety of goods. Toys, Books, Jewellery, Kitchenware,
Doonas & Bedroom accessories, Cloths, Plants, Tools, & more.
Bring Cash NO eftpos. Info. Meryl 56816335.
Beloka sheep dog trials Welshpool Easter weekend
Beloka Kelpies is a Kelpie Stud in Welshpool, Victoria, Australia. The stud is run by Paul Macphail and his partner Anneke Homan. Paul started the stud in 1992 and has been breeding and training dogs ever since. Beloka Kelpies are well known in Australia and their dogs have been sold all over the world.
The facilities at the Beloka Farm are excellent with a charming old historic shearing shed alongside yard and race setups that looks like it was put together some time in the past which gives the place a rustic Aussie feel quite unexpected down in South Gippsland.
An Inspiring, Enthusiastic Craft Group At Your Doorstep
Twice a month a group of thirty or so motivated, jovial, skilled women of all ages, some well into their eighties, meet in Korumburra to interact and showcase their creations. Each bringing with them a plate of delectables, they happily engage, share feedback and evolve their passions in a friendly, inviting atmosphere.
The South Gippsland Spinners & Fibre Arts Group Inc. is a community of crafters. Re-forming approximately four years ago (many members have a forty year association with the area), enthusiasts stem from all over South Gippsland to join the knowledgeable and talented gathering. Often individuals bring new skill sets to the table, while others simply wish to learn a craft, which they’ve always wanted to tackle.
Foster-Dumbalk area rocks
A level 3.0 earthquake centred just north of Dumbalk near the township of Foster occured on April 16th around 12.24 am. The quake was at a depth of 10km and was felt within a 25km radius. Reports were submitted from several areas including the Foster township.
Monster Garage Sale Clinton Court
A new initiative in garage sales with this inaugural monster garage sale in Leongatha on Saturday April 17th.
8 houses from same court involved in this community garage sale and hopefully will become an annual venture.
Manna Gums: they taste like chocolate to our koalas
The Sandy Point Koala Group recently finished a three-year project involving a $50,000 grant from the Victorian State Govt to plant additional koala trees to connect up some isolated patches of trees and provide safer passage and future habitat for our current population of koalas. They now need to create a long-term plan for the further restoration and revegetating of areas of koala habitat. They also need to look at ways of improving the koalas’ genetic health to ensure their long-term survival.
Another walk with Bart
It’s late January and the weather forecast is partly cloudy and 25 degrees, ideal for a walk at Wilson’s Promontory National Park. What I didn’t notice was the easterly strong wind warning (but more on that later).
Arrive at the Telegraph saddle car park about 8.00am. The start of the walk is three kilometres downhill along telegraph track, which is a service road, so doesn’t really feel like a walk in the bush. A glance to the right shows the sand dunes of Oberon Bay lit up by sunshine, but where I’m walking the clouds cling to the hills. Passing McAlister Creek, the track levels out and is pretty much flat all the way to four corners. I turn left here to Waterloo Bay. While the track is winding and a little hilly it is well maintained, especially along sections of boardwalk which have been laid over the previous rutted track (thank you parks officers). It is comforting that the whole of this section is monitored by a family of “rock people”.
Bendigo Bank to close its Korumburra Branch
Statement – Closure of Bendigo Bank Korumburra
The way people choose to conduct their banking continues to change. As a result, the Bank regularly reviews its physical branch network, customer transaction activity and visitor numbers to ensure it continues to meet those changing needs.
Following a recent review at Bendigo Bank Korumburra and after considering other options, the Bank has made the difficult decision to close the branch located at 32 Commercial St, Korumburra VIC 3950 at 2pm on 14 May 2021.
Ratepayer’s persistence uncovers another Council resolution officers failed to act upon
At the March Council meeting Ms Penny Hamlett submitted written questions and responses are provided as follows.
Question 1 Did feedback from the community consultation contribute to the closure of the Franklin River Reserve and Bass Valley Camping ground?
Response Bass Valley Campground was closed due to a public health order. Franklin River Reserve was closed due to infrastructure and environmental issues, a report was presented at the 24 June 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting.
Council asks for your say on the Economic Development and Visitor Economy Strategies
How to have your say on the Economic Development and Visitor Economy Strategies
South Gippsland Shire Council is encouraging all community members, local businesses and visitors to share their thoughts on how to best position South Gippsland as a prosperous and thriving economy and a key visitor destination.
Community consultation is now open and participants have the opportunity to shape Council’s 10-year Economic Development and Visitor Economy strategies.
These strategies will be developed with consideration of all feedback received and with the support of expert Economic Development and Visitor Economy Advisory Groups.
VCAT mediation fails to stop Fish Creek quarry expansion and reveals South Gippsland Council’s appalling levels of hypocrisy
The Fish Creek community delegation came up against an army of barristers, lawyers and South Gippsland Council officers as quarry owner Cameron Goldsmith of Hallam Based Goldsmith Quarries used his economic might to force his environmentally devastating project on our community and its stunningly beautiful landscape. The community members aren’t against quarries but are completely against the inappropriate position of this proposal and also note that the quarry is deemed non-essential with over 10,000 acres of similar rock available on flat ground not hanging over our water supply or requiring the destruction of some of the very last stands of our local old growth.
Foster has a history of gold prospecting from the 1870 era
In 1869 some timber harvesters discovered alluvial gold at the present site of Foster township on Stockyard Creek. Within a year the about 30 miners were exploring for gold on their working claims. By the start of 1871 there were around 200 miners and after a dispute arose between two of the miners a local magistrate had to be brought to the area to settle the matter. The magistrate was named William Foster from Sale and the “locals” decided to name the place after him and so the township of Foster was born.
5 ways to spot if someone is trying to mislead you when it comes to science
It’s not a new thing for people to try to mislead you when it comes to science. But in the age of COVID-19 — when we’re being bombarded with even more information than usual, when there’s increased uncertainty, and when we may be feeling overwhelmed and fearful — we’re perhaps even more susceptible to being deceived.
The challenge is to be able to identify when this may be happening. Sometimes it’s easy, as often even the most basic fact-checking and logic can be potent weapons against misinformation.
But often, it can be hard. People who are trying either to make you believe something that isn’t true, or to doubt something that is true, use a variety of strategies that can manipulate you very effectively.
Here are five to look out for.
Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee (CIAC) appointed
A recommendation from the Internal Audit – Budget Management for Capital and Major Works Budget, December 2019, recommended the establishment of a Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee (CIAC) that captures a broad cross section of demographics, interest, and knowledge within the community.
At the September 2020 Council meeting, Council approved a proposal for a new committee called the Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee (CIAC). The closing date for applicants was initially set at Oct 19th, 2020 then October 29th but was then further extended to December 13th according to a Council spokesperson, due to a concentration of applicants from one town.
How hard are the Administrators working at Council on Wednesdays?
A comparison between the time periods of October to March show how many briefing sessions were worked through by the Councillors from Oct 2018 to March 2019 and the Administrators from Oct 2020 to March 2021. The result raises several concerns.
Councillors worked through 76 sessions whereas the Administrators could only manage 37 in the matching period.
The breakdown by month is as follows:
The Bay Gourmet-Jupiter Boulevard, Venus Bay
Meet Bridget Assender, a young, passionate, proficient woman, who materialised her dream and established The Bay Gourmet in beautiful Venus Bay. Having recently celebrated its 3rd anniversary, the food and wine store is a popular eatery among the coastal shopping village. Its warm, inviting ambiance feels a little European, while the teasing, fresh aromas wafting from the kitchen are incredibly enticing.
Royal flush for Ken (Kenny) Parnall at Exchange Hotel Foster
At the weekly poker game held at the Exchange Hotel Foster on Wednesday evenings at 7pm and after a year’s absence due to Covid-19 and not wanting to catch it, Kenny Parnall after much encouragement from some other regulars, turned up to the regular weekly event.
Kenny had some great hands early on and managed to have some convinced that he was a “newbie” poker player and that let him in to steal the pot with some well disguised hand obtain is called a royal flush. A royal flush is made up from the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit. The odds of having such a hand is around 40,000 to 1. In other words, one does not see many in their poker career.
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