BAIRNSDALE
COMMUNITY SEWING EAST GIPPSLAND recently made another generous donation to the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS) Theatre team. The group delivered a wonderful collection of handmade teddies, quilts, gowns, and fidget toys for young patients. With around 30 members, the group meets every Tuesday at the Lakes Entrance Coast Guard Rooms to enjoy a cuppa, socialise and sew. The members create items to donate to East Gippsland charities and regularly support both BRHS Theatre and Oncology services. This latest donation took approximately five to six weeks to complete and will be warmly received by the next cohort of children undergoing surgery. The group also regularly donates trauma teddies and their next project involves creating colourful scrub caps for children. Community Sewing East Gippsland always welcomes new members and appreciates donations of fabric to support their work.
EASTWOOD LANDCARE GROUP continues its operations year-round across all seasons. Over summer and autumn, volunteers tackled weeds across The Knoll, Granite Creek and Goose Gully, targeting problem species such as blackberry and Chilean needle grass. A standout success was the early detection and removal of the garden escapee, New Zealand mirror bush, along Granite Creek. In autumn, the group planted an incredible 500 indigenous plants along Granite Creek to restore habitat and boost local biodiversity. Meeting twice a month, their hands-on work keeps these spaces healthy and accessible. The group’s efforts are supported by a 2025 Victorian Landcare Grant, funded by the Victorian Government.
NAGLE COLLEGE year 10 students Charlotte, Sebastian and Sesali have been named recipients of the 2026 Monash Scholars Program. The prestigious program brings high-achieving students together, allowing like-minded participants to build social networks that sustain them through their final years of school and into university. Scholars will gain access to a range of activities and events designed to support their high school success and provide a firsthand glimpse into university life.
PEOPLE WANTING TO join Victoria Police in Gippsland will soon be able to complete their recruit training closer to home following the announcement of a new regional training program. The Gippsland Regional Training Program will allow recruits to undertake the same 25-week course, meet the same entry standards and complete the same assessments as those training in Melbourne, without the need to relocate. The State Government stated that recruiting and training officers locally will help fill vacancies more quickly, strengthen the regional workforce and improve long-term retention. Graduates will be deployed directly to regional stations, providing an immediate boost to frontline policing. The initiative follows the Mildura Regional Training Program and forms part of Victoria Police’s broader regional recruitment strategy. The government also announced funding this year for an additional 50 Protective Services Officers and 200 police reservists statewide.
RESIDENTS CAN NOW connect directly with local police to raise general community concerns by emailing NHP-EAST-GIPPSLAND-MGR@police.vic.gov.au. East Gippsland Police hope this initiative makes it easier for residents to highlight community-based issues so they can be addressed collaboratively. Police note that this email address is not a crime reporting channel. To report a crime in progress or if you are a victim or witness, call Triple Zero (000). To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
DEDDICK VALLEY
THE DEDDICK RIVER Landcare Group is delivering a targeted project to restore nature within an agricultural landscape bordering the Alpine National Park. Mistletoe infestations have heavily impacted large eucalyptus trees, prompting the group to implement stock exclusion fencing and revegetation programs. Volunteers have already completed fencing for four wildlife corridors and conducted weed control to prepare the ground for indigenous plantings. The project aims to strengthen habitat connections and support native wildlife, including ground-dwelling species. The initiative is supported by the Victorian Government through the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) 2025 Victorian Landcare Grants program.
FULHAM
LAST WEEK, CORRECTIONAL officers at Fulham Correctional Centre walked off the job as part of an ongoing pay dispute with employer GEO Group. Staff ceased work at both Fulham and the Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Deer Park for four hours during the morning and again in the evening. Community and Public Sector Union members are seeking an 18 per cent pay increase over three years alongside improved paid parental leave conditions.
HEYFIELD
ROADWORKS ARE SET to cause traffic delays over the next three months on the Rosedale-Heyfield Road. Works commenced on Monday, with Agright Pacific constructing a new farm entrance way and associated turning lanes. The project will involve temporary lane closures approximately 200 metres southeast of Cairnbrook Road. Traffic signals will be in place, with delays expected to be capped at five minutes.
THE LOCAL MEMORIAL Hall hosted the Wellington Blue Light Disco last Friday night, drawing approximately 91 children for an evening of games and dancing. DJ Andrew provided the music, with volunteers from the Wellington Blue Light Committee, Sale CFA and the Heyfield Hall committee assisting. Victoria Police members also attended in their own time to dance and judge the dance competition. The next Wellington Blue Light Disco will take place on Friday, November 13 in Stratford, featuring a Halloween theme.
KALIMNA
A NEW FOOTPATH sweeper has arrived at the East Gippsland Shire Council’s Kalimna West depot to help maintain the municipality’s public spaces. The larger machine increases capacity to service footpaths across East Gippsland while providing operators with an upgraded, comfortable working environment. The sweeper will undergo commissioning and operator training before officially hitting the streets.
LAKES ENTRANCE
BURRUNAN WATCH IS returning this winter, giving the public an opportunity to join the Marine Mammal Foundation (MMF) on Bullock Island this Saturday and Sunday. Burrunan Watch is MMF’s premier citizen science program, dedicated to recording and reporting Burrunan dolphin sightings and vessel movements across the Gippsland Lakes. Participants will learn how to log sightings and contribute data toward applied research and conservation initiatives. The activity is funded through the 2025 East Gippsland Shire Council Community Impact Grant.
THE GIPPSLAND LAKES Complete Health Drop-In Centre in Jemmeson Street continues to provide a vital, social space for the community. Visitors can share a hot meal, use the laundry and shower facilities, tackle jigsaw puzzles, or simply chat over a cup of tea. Staff offer practical support and a listening ear for residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The centre is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 10am to 3pm.
THE LIONS CLUB of Gippsland Lakes Lionesses presented a donation to the Lakes Entrance Ambulance Auxiliary during their recent indoor market. The Lionesses praised the auxiliary team for their dedicated work in supporting the local ambulance station and its frontline staff.
LOCH SPORT
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY House and Public Hall bid farewell to its loyal photocopier last week, which recorded more than 1.9 million copies over eight years of service. A replacement machine was installed by Gippsland Business Machines. The acquisition was made possible via a $6,000 Wellington Shire Council Smarty Grant, with the Loch Sport Community House funding the remainder.
LONGFORD
MULLIGAN’S BISTRO, operated by the team from Jack Ryan’s at the Sale Golf Club, has quickly become a popular dining addition for both club members and the broader Longford community. Launched in May through a partnership between the golf club and the local venue, the bistro provides a quality dining option in a scenic setting. Mulligan’s Bistro opens every Friday and Saturday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
LUCKNOW
BAIRNSDALE COMMUNITY GARDEN will host a ‘Living Soils, Living People’ lunch and presentation this Saturday. The event kicks off at 12 noon at the garden site, located at 134 Princes Highway.
MAFFRA
LAST WEEK, THE Wellington Shire Council hosted a function at the Maffra Memorial Hall to celebrate local volunteers. Around 60 volunteers representing a diverse range of community groups gathered to share a meal and connect. Council representatives noted that volunteers are the heart of the community, dedicating their time to supporting local events, sporting clubs and community groups.
NEWMERALLA
REHABILITATION WORKS ON a 1.6-kilometre stretch of Corringle Road have been completed by contractors Fulton Hogan and Hiway. The project utilised an innovative pavement recycling method, combining the existing road base with cement and foamed bitumen before topping it with a new layer of crushed rock. By reusing onsite materials, the project saved roughly 8000 tonnes of new crushed rock and was completed in seven days, significantly reducing traffic disruptions.
PAYNESVILLE
COUNCIL HAS CONFIRMED that construction on the Dinni Birrarrk Walk project is complete, and the track is now open to the public. The project was a collaborative effort, with Council thanking contractors Cal Civil for their workmanship and professionalism. Council also acknowledged Paynesville Landcare for their consistent support and involvement throughout the planning and construction phases. The finished walk improves local access while allowing residents and tourists to experience the natural environment of the Paynesville foreshore.
SALE
JORDAN STUBBE HAS been appointed as the new assistant principal of Sale College and will be based at the Guthridge Campus. Stubbe is well known in the local community for his commitment to continuous school improvement and student development, having previously held several key educational leadership roles across the region.
GIPPSLAND GRAMMAR English teacher Bri Hassett has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Reading Australia Fellowship. The nationally competitive fellowship recognises outstanding literacy educators and will support Hassett’s research into how teachers can foster authentic writing skills in students amidst the rise of artificial intelligence. Through her project, ‘Writerly Reading: Developing Authentic Australian Student Voices in the Age of AI’, Hassett will work alongside years 7–10 students to explore Australian literature and the creative process. The resources developed during the fellowship will be shared with educators nationwide.
AQUA ENERGY’S NEW car park is now open, giving members and swim school families direct, swipe-in access to the aquatic facility. The upgraded space features four disability bays, four parents-with-prams bays, 33 general parking spaces, and 46 overflow bays along Guthridge Parade.
THE NORTH SALE Wetlands and Biodiversity Reserve officially opened last week, marking the completion of a project more than a decade in the making. Mayor Cindy Madeley and councillors were joined by Tom McIntosh MP and state government representatives to unveil the five-hectare reserve. The infrastructure will support North Sale’s housing growth by managing urban stormwater and reducing local flood risks, while providing an expansive recreational space. The reserve features walking paths, seating, open lawns, and more than 116,000 wetland and terrestrial plants to create a dedicated local wildlife habitat. The project recently won an Engineering Excellence Award at the Victorian IPWEA Public Works Conference and was funded through a $1 million Regional Development Victoria grant alongside Council investment. The reserve is located off Northlands Drive.
THE AIR FORCE Roulettes delivered a spectacular aerobatic display over Sale last Friday afternoon. Established in 1970, the precision flying team consists of highly qualified instructors based at the Central Flying School at RAAF Base East Sale. Outside of public displays, the pilots train Australian Defence Force personnel to become flying instructors. The flyover coincided with a base graduation ceremony, which included Traralgon local Sarah Bryan, who graduated as a RAAF Weapons Systems Officer. Officer Bryan will now join the Air Combat Group, where she will serve in the rear cockpit of either F/A-18F Super Hornet or EA-18G Growler aircraft, managing advanced sensors, targeting data and precision weapon deployments.
SWAN REACH
AFTER AN INCREDIBLE 21 years of dedicated service as the business manager at Swan Reach Primary School, Julie Irvine officially retired last week. The school community extended its deepest appreciation to Irvine for her decades of work keeping operations running smoothly behind the scenes.
TINAMBA WEST
THE LOCALLY BASED Little Jem Foundation has received a significant financial boost following a $15,000 donation from the Traralgon Rodeo. Charity founders Mat and Amy Daly said the contribution represents the single largest donation the foundation has received in its 12-year history. The Little Jem Foundation was established in 2014 to support Gippsland families navigating the loss of a baby or child by funding funeral costs, providing professional counselling, and facilitating peer support programs.
