BAIRNSDALE
POLICE ARE SEEKING public’s assistance to help locate Christopher Hepworth. Multiple warrants have been issued for the 39 year-olds arrest. He is known to frequent the Latrobe Valley and East Gippsland areas. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
SMOKE FROM RECENT fires is impacting air quality across parts of Victoria and an air quality advice message has been issued for the whole state on VicEmergency. Poor air quality can affect your health, especially if you have asthma or other respiratory conditions. Please stay indoors where possible, keep your windows and doors closed, have your management plans ready. Stay safe and look out for each other. If someone is having trouble breathing or experiences chest pain/tightness, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. If you’re concerned about your symptoms, but it’s not a life-threatening emergency, there are a number of urgent healthcare options available to you. Get virtual emergency care from the comfort of your home by contacting the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department at www.vved.org.au or attend in person at an Urgent Care Clinic.
FOR THOSE AFFECTED by the current fire situation, Bairnsdale Stockfeeds has received some donations from both local and interstate people so they have some hay/feed available for horses that have been evacuated due to the fires. If you are in need of feed, please call in or give us a call and have a chat. Please keep in mind, they will be checking eligibility to make sure that this feed is donated to the right people.
BEFORE THE DYERS logo became a familiar sight on our roads, it started with a simple idea and a lot of thought about trucks. Back in the late 1960s, Graeme Dyer was inspired by the trucks of the time. The prime movers and trailers ran on five axles, and as fate would have it Dyers has five letters. From that connection, the idea was born. Dyer began sketching the logo using five circles, each representing a wheel. Originally every circle was drawn to look like a tyre in motion, capturing the feeling of forward movement. Then a sign writer made a suggestion to put an arrow through it and everyone was happy. In 1969 the Dyers corporate logo was officially registered. Today, the logo is still proudly used. While the arrows have since been replaced with circles for a more modern feel, the meaning remains the same: movement, progress, and always looking forward.
BENAMBRA
AFTER LAST WEEK’S bushfires locally, a number of community members voiced their concerns about long grass along rural roads and the safety risks it can bring. Since, council has began slashing in the area, part of an expanded program rolling out across the region. Some areas will be slashed fence to fence to help reduce fire risk, going beyond the usual program. Emma Halafihi, the council’s Northern district place facilitator, will be in Benambra on Fridays and Wednesdays from January 16 to listen, answer questions and provide support. Drop in for a chat at the Benambra Neighbourhood House between 10am-1pm. While the council’s Municipal Fire Prevention Program roadside slashing during spring and summer is normally carried out from the west of the shire to the east to align with the grass curing process, they are now prioritising communities such as Benambra and Omeo, with some of the earliest fuel management and vegetation clearances East Gippsland has seen.
BRIAGOLONG
THE ANNUAL AUSTRALIA Day breakfast will take place at the Briagolong Hall from 8am on Monday, January 26. This year the Briagolong RSL team will be cooking and serving for the Briagolong community.
The CFA barbecue trailer has again been made available, and organisers hope that it is not all of a sudden needed for a local fire emergency. This breakfast is funded by the Australia Day Council.
BRUTHEN
THE BULLANT BRUTHEN will open this Thursday, with cold beer and good vibes in a family-friendly environment. It will be open Thursday-Sunday offering beer and bites. Expect cob loafs, local fish and chips, slow cooked ribs, fresh salads, pizza, burgers, wings and share platters, from 11am to late.
CANN RIVER
FIVE-TIME GUINNESS World Record Holder, Nathan “Whippy” Griggs will be live at the Recreation Reserve on January 27 from 7-8pm. It’s a must-see show of whip cracking fun, stunts, Aussie banter, music and more. Griggs will also appear on the Metung Village Green on January 26. He is officially the quickest whip cracker on the planet. He also holds the title for possessing and cracking the world’s longest whip, which measured 100 metres long.
DARGO
THE AUSTRALIAN DISASTER Recovery Allowance (DRA) will be available for Victorians impacted by the ongoing bushfires. The allowance provides financial assistance to people residing or working in designated areas who have experienced partial or total income loss due to the bushfires. Employees and sole traders may receive up to 13 weeks of income support. Applications will be accessible to eligible residents in Alpine, Ararat, Colac Otway, Corangamite, East Gippsland, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Horsham, Mansfield, Mildura, Mitchell, Moira, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi, Pyrenees, Strathbogie, Towong, Wellington, as well as the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort. To be eligible, your income must have fallen below the average Australian weekly income because of the bushfires. This support is in addition to the already announced Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and other assistance jointly funded by the Australian Government and Victorian Government under the Disaster Recovery. Applications opened on Thursday January 15, with he quickest way to claim AGDRP and DRA is online through myGov.
THE RECENT BUSHFIRES and smoke in the region can impact your rainwater supply – even if the fire didn’t reach your property. Bushfires produce large amounts of smoke, ash, and debris that can contaminate tank water. While ash from vegetation usually doesn’t pose a health risk, it can make water taste smoky or dusty and affect clarity. To prevent this happening, disconnect or divert your tank’s catchment pipe and cover any open inlets, monitor ash levels – if it’s on your car, it’s likely on your roof too, keep your tank isolated until the fire is out and rain has flushed your roof, check water quality before drinking and do not use water from rivers or creeks in fire-affected areas for drinking or cooking unless properly treated.
HEYFIELD
WORKS WILL SOON begin to replace the Rainbow Creek Bridge on the Traralgon-Maffra Road, to provide a safe and secure future road connection. The existing bridge will remain open, whilst a new bridge is constructed. Lane closures will be in place at times to allow crews to work near the existing bridge and realign the road on both sides of the new bridge. During these times, traffic management, including temporary traffic signals and a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit, will be in place to help road users travel safely through the area. There may be short periods during specific bridge construction activities when the existing bridge needs to be fully closed. These activities will be completed at night when traffic volumes are at their lowest to minimise disruption. Further communication will be provided in advance of any closures. The new bridge will replace the original aging timber structure, which was built in 1947, with a new reinforced concrete bridge. The bridge replacement works include realignment of the curve on the southern approach, new road and pavement on approaches to the bridge, installation of safety barriers on each approach and railings on the bridge and upgraded road surface and line marking. The benefits of the new bridge include safer and more reliable journeys for all road users, improved connectivity, safer travel by realigning to the curve, better protection with safety barriers if vehicles run off the road and reduced maintenance costs.
LAKES ENTRANCE
THE AQUADOME LEARN to swim pool was closed late last week for urgent repairs.
MAFFRA
THE LOCAL POOL was closed last Thursday due to an overnight break–in, which caused significant damage to the facility’s power supply, leaving the venue unable to operate safely. A disappointing result for the pool team, especially at this time of year when so many in the community rely on the pool.
GIPPSLAND VEHICLE COLLECTION will close at the of January, so that the roof can be replaced. It will be reopening in July with a brand new display.
MEERLIEU
ROAD WORKS HAVE started on the Lindenow–Meerlieu Road. Crest widening works will be carried out by Whelans Group Investments Pty Ltd, involving the widening of approximately 900 metres of road, starting near the entrance to the Meerlieu Cricket Club. Once completed, the road will have an 8.2-metre bitumen seal. The project is expected to take four to five weeks, subject to weather conditions. Temporary traffic management will be in place during the works. Access for local residents and emergency services (including CFA) will be maintained at all times. Other road users are encouraged to use alternative routes where possible. Any vegetation removal required will be kept to a minimum. Road users are advised to allow extra travel time and take care when driving through the area.
SALE
HEALTH WORKERS UNION (HWU) including those employed at the local hospital are currently not supporting elective surgery procedures until February 1. The work bans don’t apply to emergency care, and children and pregnant mothers are exempt from the surgery bans. Exemptions also apply to those in bushfire-affected areas where necessary. Workers involved include orderlies, security guards, ward clerks, chefs, theatre technicians and allied health assistants. The HWU is pushing for a new wages deal that delivers a pay rise above inflation.
SEASPRAY
THE LOCAL SURF Life Saving Club will celebrate Australia Day with a free community barbecue and live music. The barbecue will commence from around 11am on Monday, January 26.
WOODSIDE
THE LOCAL SURF club recently held it 2024/2025 club presentations after a nippers session. award winners were Darby Taylor (Bruce Wight memorial trophy), Darryl Rabbitt (club person of the year), Lara Kee (patrol person of the year), Charlie Dillow and Madison Avery (resuscitation and first aid award), Charlotte Dillow and Jude Williams (most promising bronze members), Dexter Dent and Eleanor Adams (most promising cadet members), Thomas Batters (club captain’s award), and Blake Hall (Kara Schultz memorial – patrol person with most hours) Awards were presented to 100 hour club members for the season, Blake Hall, Nicholas Rabbitt, Dexter Dent, Lara Kee, Thomas Batters, Eleanor Adams, Shannon Beer, Charlie Hall, Zaylee Anderson, Lexie Anderson, Oliver Tettamanti, Gracie Proud, Aroha Anderson and Lilly-May Dillow. Other award winners were Porscha Linklater and Billy Tettamanti (nipper endeavour award), Charlie Dillow (Brian Hinkley memorial Award), Tim Tettamanti (social shield), Shannon Beer (volunteer of the year) and Lilly-May Dillow (Neil Cooper award). Certificates of appreciation were presented to Wyatt Kilgower, Michelle Graham-Beer and Brydie Hurrell. The 2025/2026 season presentations will be on the June long weekend.
YARRAM
LOCAL MUSICAL DUO Ally Row will feature at the Australian Open. They will perform their set on Australia Day, on the same card as Spacey Jane, The Veronicas, Mallrat, Velvet Trip and Run Jungle Band.
