BAIRNSDALE
A BIG NIGHT is planned for Animal Aid on Friday from 3-7.30pm, with a Twilight Adoption Night. It will be a fun-filled evening of adoptions, music, food, and community vibes. There will be a free sausage sizzle, delicious food vans and live music, as well as discounted adoption fees on dogs and cats, including free microchipping. The local dog club will give dog obedience demonstrations, there will be question and answer with local vet, Jade Hammer.
SENSITIVE SANTA IS coming to town this Thursday from 1.30-5pm at the library. He will be bringing all the Christmas magic, taking a break from the North Pole to spend time with local families, share a chat, and maybe snap a festive photo. Sensitive Santa sessions offer a calm, low-sensory environment, perfect for children and families who would benefit from a quieter, more supported Christmas experience. Each child can enjoy a free, private 20-minute visit with Santa.
LAST WEDNESDAY WAS International Men’s Day, where the theme was “Supporting Men and Boys” – a reminder that support can be as simple as checking in on a mate, having a chat, or offering advice when it’s needed. The day celebrated the men who lead with courage, compassion and integrity – the ones who quietly make their communities stronger and look out for the people around them.
SEARCHING FOR YOUR next read? Currently popular at the local libraries are Payback in Death (J.D. Robb), Safe Enough and Other Stories (Lee Child), Broad River Station (Fleur McDonald), Dead Tide (Fiona McIntosh) and The Waiting (Michael Connelly).
THE PARLIAMENT OF Victoria has been working with Deaf Victoria Incorporated on introducing Auslan into its processes. Last week, its president Philip Waters and speaker Maree Edwards, announced a number of initiatives. These include short videos on how the Parliament operates in Auslan with captioning, some of the tour guides learning Auslan and in this it became obvious that a number of Parliament terms were not covered in Auslan, so that needed to be overcome as well.
AFTER 23 YEARS, Dyers’ longest serving operations manager, Matt Coverdale has sadly decided to pursue a career change and a slower paced work life. Coverdale has had an amazing positive impact on the family owned business, personally granted hundreds of motivated individuals a chance to prove themselves in logistics and trained, mentored and developed them all to be their best. After starting as a manager in the company’s fledgling Bairnsdale depot in 2002, he has been an integral part of the company’s growth in Bairnsdale and throughout Australia and risen to be Group Operations Manager Gippsland. Director, David Dyer along with patriarch Graeme Dyer OAM and next generation executives Bess and James Dyer thanked Coverdale for his distinguished service at a staff barbecue last week.
VICTORIAN REAL ESTATE agents will be required to publish a property’s reserve price at least seven days before it goes to auction under a state government crackdown on illegal underquoting. Last week, the State Government unveiled Australian-first laws requiring real estate agents to publish reserve prices — the minimum amount a seller will accept for a property — ahead of an auction or fixed-date sale. The laws will mean agents who fail to disclose the reserve price within the timeframe cannot proceed to auction or sale. They never could afford the property in the first place.
NAGLE COLLEGE IS excited to announce that in 2026 it is restarting the Eco Warrior program. In previous years, students from these classes have been involved in lots of different environmental projects, including the nesting boxes, which are now installed in Landcare sites around East Gippsland.
FROM DECEMBER 10, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms. Those under-16s will still be able to see publicly available social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account. Most standalone gaming and messaging apps, as well as many services that support health and education, will not be affected by the new law. There are no penalties for under-16s who access an account on an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers. This is about making the platforms take greater responsibility for the safety of children and they face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they don’t take reasonable steps to implement the changes.
BENAMBRA
THE SES TAMBO Valley Unit last week visited the local CFA for a barbecue, taking their rescue truck along to show them over what they have and how they can support each other. It was a great night, with both organisations looking forward to doing more training together in the future.
CASSILIS
THE CHRISTMAS Market for the Cassilis Recreation Reserve Committee of Management which will be held on Sunday, December 7. All funds raised goes towards maintaining the Cassilis Recreation Reserve and supporting local small businesses.
DARGO
POLICE ARE REMINDING hikers and walkers before they hit the trail to plan their trip and ensure they make it home. It’s important to know your limitations, always pack extra food and water, dress for conditions, bring extra and have wet weather clothing available. Always carry spare batteries or a portable charging pack and have a map and compass and know how to use them. GPS and mobile phones help but they do not replace experience. If you are lost or require help, phone Triple Zero (000).
GLENMAGGIE
TRUE GRIT, AUSTRALIA’S ultimate military-inspired obstacle course, is holding its annual obstacle course event this Saturday, bringing more mud, obstacles and adrenaline than last year.
HEYFIELD
THE LOCAL LIONS Club will be conducting a massive on-site clearing sale/auction at 40 Brewers Hill Road, Maffra, on Saturday, December 6, from 10am, with gates opening at 8am. Cash or card will be accepted, with items on sale including vegetable and agriculture machinery, steel pipes, irrigation equipment, plus assorted hardware, and much more. Everything must sell.
LAST WEEK SAW Happy National Ag Day 2025, the day of celebration for the backbone of the economy – our incredible agriculture industry. From dairy farms and premium beef production to world-class horticulture and ag-tech, our farmers continue to innovate and lead the way.
LAKES ENTRANCE
AT GIPPSLAND LAKES Complete Health’s recent 50th Annual General Meeting, they farewelled Director Bruce Hurley, who has stepped down from the board after more than a decade of dedicated service. Hurley previously led GLCH as CEO from 2004–2011, guiding the organisation through a period of significant growth before joining the Board in 2021. John Kavadis has joined the board, bringing strong governance experience and expertise in IT, cybersecurity, strategy and financial management.
LAKE TYERS
THE ABORIGINAL TRUST are installing solar and battery storage to save money, boost supply certainty and fully benefit from existing solar panels. Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Service will install batteries at five sites across the Trust. This is just one of many ideas underway at the Trust.
LOCH SPORT
THE BOATING FACILITY was a hive of activity last week with local council carrying out important sand removal works at the Loch Sport Charlie Street boat jetties and ramps. The works were undertaken to maintain safe access and protect boating assets, facilitated by clearing sand build-up from the jetties and ramps. It was hard not to notice the works, with plenty of heavy machinery on site, including a tip truck, 20-ton excavator, bobcat/skid steer, and a transport truck.
MAFFRA
THE ROTARY CLUB is currently unveiling the 2026 Maffra Mardi Gras fundraising entrants. Tami Beechey from the First Stratford Scouts is raising funds, so that they can have a new shed put up, while Linda Allman and Rebecca Berry (joint entrants) from Stretton Park and Laurina Lodge Aged Care are raising money to purchase a hoist and lifting equipment to better support their residents with limited mobility. Fundraising events will run between January 29 and March 14 2026, with other entrants expected to join the race.
MEERLIEU
LOCALS ARE IN disbelief with recent thefts from the site of the old primary school which has been closed since 2015. Firstly the front fence disappeared, followed by the ring-lock fence off the basketball court, now the fence along Bengworden Road has gone. Earlier in the year the school’s air conditioner was taken.
METUNG
STAGE ONE OF the Metung Boardwalk Revitalisation Project is now complete. The upgraded boardwalk is more durable and low-maintenance and offers a safer walking experience for everyone. Highlights include solar-powered bollard lighting – making evening strolls safer, accessible ramp with compliant handrails and grab rails – ensuring everyone can enjoy the boardwalk, and toe caps and tactile indicators – improving edge protection and accessibility.
SALE
WELLINGTON SHIRE COUNCIL has announced councillor Cindy Madeley as the new mayor and councillor Liz Foat as deputy mayor for the year ahead – a historic milestone with two female leaders guiding council together. Madeley served as deputy mayor last term, bringing strong advocacy for regional communities and a commitment to ensuring local voices are heard. Foat adds extensive experience in education and youth development, with a passion for creating opportunities for future generations. The council is thankful of the efforts of outgoing mayor Scott Rossetti for his dedicated service and look forward to his continued contribution as councillor.
THINKING ABOUT TRYING something new and different? The Gippsland Lakes Roller Derby could be right up your alley. Roller derby is all about confidence, colour, friendship, teamwork and so much joy on wheels. From the tiniest to adults learning new skills, everyone is welcome. You don’t need experience, fitness, or fancy gear — just a willingness to roll, laugh, learn, and be part of a supportive community. It’s an inclusive and family-friendly club, with supportive coaches and teammates, where kids and adults thrive together. Great for fitness, confidence, and coordination, with new skaters always welcome. Regular training for juniors and adults on Tuesday night.
SALE CATHOLIC COLLEGE class of 1990 recently celebrated its 35-year reunion. After catching up on Saturday night, the group returned on Sunday morning for a tour of the college with their former teacher, Mr Ken Holmes. They spoke highly of the new facilities and said it was wonderful to relive so many memories shared across the campus.
GIPPSLAND GRAMMAR YEAR 11 students Josiah and Isobel have been invited to attend the prestigious Australian Summer Science School. Their invitation comes after outstanding performances in the Big Science competition and the junior and senior science Olympiads, where they stood out among more than 330 students nationwide. Isobel will be diving deeper into biology, while Josiah has been selected for biology, chemistry, and physics.
YEAR 12 STUDENT Regan Leeson is the inaugural winner of Gippsland Grammar’s Visual Arts and Technology Principal’s Prize. The acquisition prize is open to any student studying under the Visual Arts and Technology banner and allows the school to purchase the student’s work for the student works collection. The purchased work will then be displayed in the Garnsey Campus reception area, followed by a prominent location across any of our three campuses. Leeson created this year’s selected work while studying unit 3/4 (year 12) Visual Communication Design which required her to create a design brief and promotional packaging for a fictional local business.
TINAMBA
THIS YEAR’S GIPPSLAND Beer Fest will be held at the local hotel this Sunday from 11am-4pm, featuring beer, cider, food and live music. The event will celebrate all things great about Gippsland Brewers all in one location for a special day. This is a perfect event for you and your friends or a Christmas party with your work colleagues. Buses will run from Sale (via Maffra), Traralgon (via Glengarry / Toongabbie / Cowwarr / Heyfield), Bairnsdale (via Stratford), Coongulla and Lake Glenmaggie.
YARRAM
DEVASTATING NEWS IN town last week with the AKD Yarram sawmill closing immediately, without warning, 70 workers left without jobs and the flow-on impact likely to result in economic hardship for dozens of families. The company released a brief statement, “Today, we have informed employees at our Yarram sawmill that the site will be closed before the end of November with production stopping from today. This difficult decision is a result of the challenging market conditions that AKD continues to face, driven by the sustained slowdown in housing construction in Australia. Broader economic conditions are also contributing to the uncertainty in our industry, with demand remaining soft for both structural and non-structural softwood timber products.” In some positive news, all pay and entitlements, including redundancy payments were fully secure, and workers will have access to financial counselling and mental health support. The company said all staff would be paid for two weeks leave after the closure announcement and there will also be opportunities for workers who are able to relocate to AKD sites in Colac, Tumut, Oberon and Caboolture along with the potential for other Gippsland sawmills to engage skilled workers.
THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW improved the mood in town over the weekend, carrying on over 130 years of tradition, entertaining locals and visitors. Saturday’s event had all the classic show elements, including rides, showbags, sideshow alley, and indoor exhibits (photography, cookery, art, craft, sewing, horticulture, flowers and more). Whilst Sunday was all about the horses at the Wron Wron Recreation Reserve.
