BAIRNSDALE
THE YELLOW ROOF on the Dyers Transport trucks has become a trademark of the iconic brand. But it wasn’t the original intention, it actually came about as a mistake. Graeme Dyer remembers being less than impressed when the truck first came back with a yellow roof. The painter just thought it looked good and went ahead with it. But once it hit the road, something interesting happened. The yellow roof made the truck stand out. People and customers noticed, and before long it became a signature feature across the fleet.
THE 2025 STATEWIDE road policing campaign, Operation Roadwise, will run from Thursday, December 18 until Thursday, January 1, 2026. This period has been identified as a high-risk time for road trauma as many Victorians travel for holidays, attend end-of-year events and return home. Operation Roadwise will focus on the driving behaviours most frequently linked to deaths and serious injuries on our roads. These include speeding, distracted driving (especially mobile phone use), seatbelt and restraint non-compliance, fatigued or drowsy driving and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The aim of the campaign is to prevent lives lost and serious injuries on Victorian roads. Motorists are reminded to stay within speed limits, wear your seatbelt, keep your phone out of reach, avoid alcohol or drug use before driving, and if you’re travelling long distances, take regular breaks; fatigue remains a leading cause of crashes. Unfortunately, road trauma doesn’t just affect those involved. It impacts families, friends, communities, our emergency services and first responders – often for a lifetime. This holiday period the responsibility lies with every road user: make safe choices so everyone arrives home.
CHRISTMAS DAY IS quickly approaching; many people are expecting online deliveries to be delivered to their homes to help Santa out in his busy time. Please be aware that opportunistic thieves are operating in the area, if you are ordering online – request that if you are not home that the parcel is delivered to the closest post office. That way you can be assured that you will receive your parcel from Santa’s helper.
EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE Council will not be responsible for the public toilets at St Mary’s Church after December 31. The toilets located on the church grounds are a St Mary’s Church asset. For many years, council has cleaned and maintained the toilets alongside its lease (from the church) of the building that is now the former Visitor Information Centre building near Subway. There was no formal agreement between council and the church for the toilet cleaning and maintenance, and this was an additional cost covered by council. As part of the end of lease discussions with the church, council advised the cleaning and maintenance would cease when the lease did. The cleaning, maintenance and repair costs of the church toilets are significantly higher when compared to council-owned public toilets. They are vandalised on a regular basis and council has regularly replaced entire cisterns and other components as a result. In discussions, the church has acknowledged the toilets are in a poor state structurally and that they require significant investment to replace the roof and other parts. Keeping the toilets open will be decision for the church and their tenants in this church-owned retail complex. There are multiple other public toilet options within the CBD, including both council-managed and private businesses. Council is currently undertaking a review of public toilets across East Gippsland, covering more than 114 different locations where council has facilities.
THE COUNCIL’S ANNUAL fire-prevention slashing program continues with their two contractor crews having already been to Benambra, Calulu, Cann River, Clifton Creek, Errinundra, Forge Creek, Glenaladale, Goon Nure, Lindenow, Lindenow South, Paynesville, Tamboon, Wallagaraugh, Wangarabell and Wy Yung. They are currently tackling the Nicholson and Sarsfield corridor (heading west toward Bairnsdale), Metung and Lakes Entrance), and Mallacoota working westward. Road maintenance and grading crews are working across a wide range of locations, these include Swindells Road, Bengworden; Boggy Creek and Saunders Roads, Calulu; Hodges Estate Road, Ellaswood; Williams Road, Flaggy Creek; Bunga Creek Road, Lake Bunga; Ocean View Parade, Lakes Entrance; Lake Tyers House Road, Lake Tyers; Howdon Court, Bruce and Bucknall Streets, Mallacoota; Livingstone and Morley Streets, Orbost; Deptford Road, Sarsfield; and Black Mountain Limestone Road, Wulgulmerang.
LAKES ENTRANCE
GIPPSLAND LAKES COMPLETE Health is are thankful of the support the wonderfully generous Nicholas John Op Shop and the Anglican Parish of Lakes Entrance and Metung for their $500 donation towards brand-new books for their three-year-old kindergarten. The fabulous new stories are already sparking imaginations.
LAKE TYERS
SKIDALE RESERVE, ADJACENT to Lake Tyers Tavern and foreshore, has been identified for an upgrade in the Lake Tyers Masterplan by the East Gippsland Shire Council. The project will enhance the reserve by installing new picnic settings, play equipment and landscaped areas to complement the existing natural environment of the park. The new design focuses on upgrading the primary amenity areas including the terraced barbecue and picnic areas to increase amenity of the reserve while celebrating the views and location close to the ocean and beach.
LOCH SPORT
MAINTENANCE TOOK PLACE last week at the Seagull Drive Boat Ramp. The works were part of the Wellington Shire Council’s ongoing commitment to keep the ramp in a safe and serviceable condition for the community while planning continues for the full boat ramp replacement project. The maintenance ensures the ramp remains functional for residents and visitors until the replacement project is delivered.
MAFFRA
AT THE SECONDARY College, the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Jakob and Jeannie Malmo Tertiary Scholarship is Henry Noble. Valued at $30,000, this scholarship will support Noble as he relocates to Melbourne next year to study a Bachelor of Paramedicine.
SALE
GIPPSLAND GRAMMAR IS proud to announce that two of this year’s graduates have had their woodwork shortlisted for the prestigious 2026 Top Designs Awards. From more than 400 Victorian entries, Emma Best and Enzo Blackmore are among just 10 students selected for further consideration by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Best designed and created a stunning nest of circular tables from Victorian ash with jarrah inlay. Blackmore crafted a beautifully finished Victorian ash side table, completed with a walnut stain. Top Designs is an annual exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, showcasing outstanding work from VCE and VET students across Victoria in areas such as media, product design, systems engineering, visual communication design and furnishing.
ANOTHER TWO STUDENTS have been recognised by the Rotary Club of Sale with the Young Leader Award 2025. This award acknowledges students who demonstrate leadership, service, and a commitment to making a positive impact in their community. Award winners were Billie Kee (year 11) and Kaitlyn Boers (year nine). Both students embody the Rotary values of service above self through their leadership, kindness, and dedication to others.
WHILE YEAR 12 student Kate Allen has a children’s book out, Nat and Matt, a book about a girl and her best-cat-friend. Allen wrote and published as part of her year 12 media studies.
THE SALE CITY Band recently held its end of year dinner and presentation night. It was an ideal chance to celebrate the hard work everyone has put in, and recognise those that have gone above and beyond, reflect on a great year. The Sale Brass Academy put on performance, playing ‘Joshua’. Awards were presented to Logan Mills (Ray Jago Music Award), Caroline Monck (Jim Woods Trophy for Band Person of the Year), Holly Richards (Most Improved Player) and Graham Patrick (Doug Tulip Attendance Award).
POLICE ARE KEEN to locate Rhys Leone. A warrant has been issued for the 23-year-old’s arrest in relation to an alleged home invasion. He is known to frequent the Wellington, Latrobe Valley, Footscray and Heidelberg areas. Anyone with information on his current whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
STRATFORD
WINNERS WERE LAST week announced for town’s ‘Best Decorated Letterbox’ and ‘Best Decorated Christmas Wheel’. Margaret Balog won the letterbox competition, followed by Liz Waddington, both transforming their letterboxes into gingerbread-inspired creations. Amy Hall and Kandy Miller came in third with their fun pig on a pile of presents. Hadley and Odie Light won the best decorated wheel for their golden rendition of Rudolph. All entries are displayed on the Stratford Bowls Club fence. Second was Shari Balog, who created an ‘S’ and adorned it with baubles – some with nods to businesses, clubs, and festivals based in town. Charlie Gartung’s small, decorated wheel featuring Santa descending a chimney won the third prize.
LAST WEEK WELLINGTON Shire Mayor Cindy Madeley officially opened the new Traill Estate, marking a major milestone for the growing community. This beautiful new development will provide quality housing and strengthen Stratford’s role as one of Wellington’s key growth towns. Future residents will enjoy a welcoming, close-knit community, rich in arts and culture, right by the picturesque Avon River.
ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16 at approximately 2.10 pm Wellington Highway Patrol observed an unregistered dirt bike being ridden along Stewarts Lane, Stratford. The rider was wearing jeans, t-shirt and a helmet. Police attempted to intercept the rider, but he decided that it would be a good idea not to stop. The rider was travelling too fast to negotiate the bends at Weirs Crossing and ran off the road and almost into the water when police caught up to him. The rider, a 44-year-old Stratford man was riding on a disqualified licence, on an unregistered motorcycle and tested positive to drugs. The motorcycle was impounded for a period of 30 days at a cost of $950. The rider will be summonsed to appear at the Sale Magistrates Court at a later date to face a number of offences.
UPPER MAFFRA
THE PHILLIPSON HAS formally donated its 105-hectare property, North Paddock, to not-for-profit organisation BioDiversity Legacy for lasting protection and ecological stewardship. The North Paddock comprises lowland forest, herb-rich forest and swamp scrub communities. It supports a variety of threatened plant species and forms a crucial ecological link between the Coongalla Bushland Reserve, the Avon–Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve and the Victorian Alps.
WINNINDOO
DETECTIVES FROM THE Sexual Crimes Squad are appealing for information following a sexual assault at a Bachelor and Spinsters Ball in Winnindoo last month. Police have been told a 24-year-old woman went to one of the portable toilets around 50 metres from the stage at the Rice’s Lane function about 11pm on Saturday, November 15. When she entered the toilet, a man followed her in from behind before sexually assaulting her and then fleeing the area. She then attended first aid to report the incident and police were called. A second sexual assault is believed to have occurred on the dance floor around 1.15am. Police spoke to a man on the night in relation to the second incident, however at this stage, it is not known if the two incidents are related. A number of items have been seized in relation to the initial sexual assault, and they have been forensically tested. The area was not covered by CCTV, but police are urging anyone who has any photos or vision from the portable toilet area around 11pm to submit them online via Crime Stoppers. Investigators are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed any strange or suspicious behaviour around the portable toilet area to come forward and speak to police. Police are currently working through a list of people who bought tickets and who subsequently attended on the night. Victoria Police encourage all victims of sexual assault and child abuse, and anyone who has knowledge of such a crime, to make a report.
YARRAM
AFTER MONTHS OF preparation, the town’s outdoor pool has reopened.
