BAIRNSDALE
THE NEXT SUNDAY market at Howitt Park will be held this weekend.
BAIRNSDALE BOWLING Club’s free barefoot bowls on a Friday night between 5-7pm is proving popular with punters.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW open for the 2025 East Gippsland Shire Council Youth Ambassador program. This is a committee of people aged 12-25 that works to make the region better for young residents. Youth Ambassadors are also an advocacy voice to Council on matters affecting young people.
THE BAIRNSDALE CAROLS will be held this Sunday night at the All Abilities Playground from 7pm. It is recommended people take their picnic rug or a chair for wonderful night of Christmas Carols hosted by East Gippsland Music, featuring the combined ensembles of East Gippsland Brass, East Gippsland Symphonia, East Gippsland Training Band and The Bairnsdale Gentlemen’s Choir along with guest artists Gaylene Bruce and Tony Porter. It’s a free family event, with the inclement weather venue being Lucknow Primary School Hall.
SANTA’S CHRISTMAS HOUSE is running through to the December 24 at 8 Service Street, from 8-10.30pm.
BRIAGOLONG
THE BRIAGOLONG ART Gallery’s final exhibition for the year has opened and will be on display until February 16. The annual members show ‘Senses of Summer’; the sights, sounds, smells, particular to the season, has been transformed into visual vignettes by the artists.
BUNDALAGUAH
WELLINGTON RURAL SCHOOLS recently held Cluster Cultural Education Day at Nakunbalook, with more than 150 students from participating primary schools (Airly, Bundalaguah, Cobains, Cowwarr, Loch Sport and Wurruk) coming together to connect with culture, guided by local community members. The day was packed with hands-on activities, including damper making, boomerang decorating and throwing, weaving workshops, cultural dance performances, storytelling sessions and shelter building.
COWWARR
NOT-FOR-PROFIT State School’s Relief has provided free glasses for students at Cowwarr, Rosedale and Gormandale District primary schools, and Sale District Specialist School.
EAGLE POINT
WITH THE WARMER weather now upon us, it’s important to take care of ourselves and our pets. Never leave pets in a hot car. It’s dangerous and illegal if temperatures are 28 degrees or higher. Even a few minutes can cause heatstroke. Always check pavement heat, if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your pet’s paws. Keep them cool at home, move beds to shady spots, offer fun ice treats and provide multiple bowls of water in case one spills.
GLENMAGGIE
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING the circumstances surrounding a burglary in Glenmaggie between November 27 and December 6. It is believed unknown offenders attended the Licola Road residence between the above dates and accessed the property, stealing a secured firearm as well as a compound bow. There was also additional damage to the property. Police are urging anyone who was in the area during the above dates and witnessed anything suspicious, or anyone with CCTV/dashcam footage, to come forward.
HEYFIELD
RAY RALPH IS the first timber worker inducted in to the Heyfield Timber Workers Hall of Fame. Councillor Catherine Bannerman from the Wellington Shire Council and Ray Akers representing the Heyfield Lions Club gave great speeches as Ralph unveiled the honour board and was presented with a plaque.
JOHNSONVILLE
ON THURSDAY DECEMBER 5 at 5pm, Bairnsdale Highway Patrol intercepted a Blue Holden Commodore Ute bearing Victorian registration plates in Johnsonville. A 54-year-old driver was unlicensed and driving an unregistered vehicle and failed a roadside drug test. The vehicle was impounded for 30 days at $1350, while the driver will receive a summons to attend court at a later date.
KALIMNA
THE NEW BEER Garden is up and running at the Kalimna Hotel.
LAKES ENTRANCE
RIDING JET SKIS can be fun and great way to cool your jets, but it’s important to make sure it’s done safely. While enjoying a day on the water, always remember to stick to five knots when near other boats, ramps, jetties, swimmers and surfers, and the shore, while wearing the correct lifejacket type at all times. Have a waterproof and buoyant torch for signalling in emergency situations and have your jet ski license with you when you’re using a jet ski registered in Victoria.
THE ICONIC PEELS Cruises turned 104 years old last week and still takes thousand of people for tours of the Gippsland Lakes each and every year.
PETER MURRAY FUNERAL Services last week held its 16th annual Christmas memorial services in both Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale, and was humbled by the record numbers who joined in. These services are a special time to come together as a community, to honour and remember loved ones during the festive season.
LONGFORD
THE TWILIGHT MARKET will be held at the Longford Recreation Reserve on Sunday from 4-8pm. There will be plenty of festive food stalls, gift ideas for everyone, Ally Row performing live, a car show “n” shine and of course Santa will be there.
LOCH SPORT
MARINE FLARES ARE vital for emergencies, but once expired, they can be a serious hazard. It’s imperative recreational boaters do the right thing and dispose of expired flares responsibly, don’t just throw them in the bin. Flares contain hazardous chemicals that can cause harm if not handled correctly, so if you have any please drop off at the Sale Police Station. Most flares expire after three years, so check yours today and dispose of them safely to keep everyone out of harm’s way.
MALLACOOTA
WOMEN AND GIRLS’ sporting facilities in Gippsland have received a significant boost with three organisations selected to receive funding under Federal Labor’s Play Our Way Program. The Mallacoota Recreation Centre will receive $2 million to house gymnastics, a gym and female-oriented programs, while $467,450 has been allocated for the upgrade of the Meerlieu Reserve cricket pavilion. Sale United Football Club’s Godfrey Baldwin Reserve will also benefit to the tune of $160,000 to install lighting on pitch three. Play Our Way is designed to remove barriers, address discrimination and promote equality for women and girls to participate in sport and physical activity.
MARLO
SAILORS GRAVE’S “DUNETOWN” project is up and running before the peak summer season. The locally-owned business was the beneficiary of a $2.35 million “Regional Economic Stimulus and Resilience Grant” after the Black Summer Bushfires and is another example of diversifying the East Gippsland economy to attract more visitors and increase job opportunities. The grant program was co-funded by the previous Federal Government and the State Government. Celebrated craft brewers Gab and Chris Moore who founded Sailors Grave Brewing have been creating innovative brews for eight years and have embraced the the opportunity to develop a purpose-built facility between Marlo and Cape Conran. Dunetown (as is the case with Sailors Grave) takes its name from the coastal village that existed at Cape Conran until the 1980s and is a nod to the brewery location between the dunes just a short walk from the beach. You’ll find 16 beers on tap, catering for a wide range of tastes, along with Gippsland wine and a cocktail menu, plus Mexican-inspired food.
PAYNESVILLE
THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS Family Fiesta will be held on Saturday at Gilsenan Reserve.
DID YOU KNOW selling vehicles or items on roadsides can put public safety at risk? East Gippsland Shire Council has noticed an increase in roadside sales and while they don’t want to play the Christmas Grinch, it’s important to remember that selling vehicles on roadsides is prohibited under Victorian and local laws. Selling vehicles on roadsides can compromise visibility, particularly near busy intersections or in carparks, cause drivers to slow down or park dangerously to view the vehicles, creating safety hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. Council advises if they see vehicles being offered for sale on roadsides, they will usually request their removal within 24 hours. In some cases, infringement notices may be issued straight away. Items can be sold by using private property, local newspapers or online marketplaces.
SALE
ON NOVEMBER 28, between 8.30am and 12.10pm, unknown offenders smashed a window on a car which was parked on Guthridge Parade in front of Central Gippsland Hospital, Sale. Anyone with information, dash cam footage or who witnessed the incident are urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY came together recently to celebrate the retirement of Helen Farley, a 20-year service volunteer of Friends of the Sale Botanic Gardens. It was a morning filled with warmth and gratitude, as speakers from the Natural Environment and Parks team joined fellow volunteers to share their heartfelt appreciation. Over two decades, Helen poured her time, passion and expertise into helping these gardens thrive, her dedication has leaving vibrant legacy that will continue to bloom for generations to come.
THE SALE MUSIC Festival is on again next year at a different venue, moving to the adjacent to the boat ramp at the Port of Sale. The free festival will be held during the Labour Day long weekend on Sunday, March 9, from 11am to 7pm.
A JURY FOUND Spencer Shumski not guilty of murder in the 2023 stabbing death of Clint Allen in Sale, but guilty to the charge of manslaughter. Allen was fatally stabbed outside a Sale hotel in May 2023 after a night out celebrating his wife’s birthday. Shumski will remain in jail until sentencing.
THE 27TH ANNUAL Keith Hamilton Toy Run held last Saturday has broken all records. With riders ages ranging from 10-95, including some who made the trip from South Australia for the event, final figures show more than $35,000 raised in gifts, raffle and barbecue takings, an increase of $5000 on 2023.
BRETT TOWERS IS the newest life member of the Sale City Football Netball Club. For more than 16 years, Towers has been a cornerstone of the Bulldog football community, serving as a dedicated committee member, former president, assistant coach, Auskick coordinator, volunteering as a trainer, umpire escort and team manager, while also making himself available to operate the scoreboard, collecting gate takings and working in the bar and canteen. He’s the go-to person for any job that needs completing, from affixing signage around the oval to fixing minor repairs. For more than 10 years he has marked both ovals, ensuring they are always game ready, so there is no worthier life member.
WEST SALE
THE WELLINGTON SHIRE Council has launched an expressions of interest for the future of the West Sale Airport. The 190-hectare site in Fulham is owned and managed by council and offers great opportunities for leasing, whether for the entire site or tailored arrangements. It has a massive 1800 metre runway (one of the longest in regional Victoria) and is connectivity across air, road, and rail.
