Loddon Shire Mayoral Column 20 October 2023

Published on 20 October 2023

Mayor-Dan Straub

Melbourne Cup travels to Boort Show

Last Saturday (14 October), I had the pleasure of attending the 135th Boort Show, which was made even more special this year by the Victoria Racing Club showcasing the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

It was great to see the community enthusiastically taking the chance to have a photo with the $600,000 trophy, resulting in over 600 printed images from the photo booth. Thank you to the Victoria Racing Club team for making this possible.

Loddon Shire Council is also participating in the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep. This initiative will see 24 rural and regional Cup Tour destinations across Australia be allocated a barrier for the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup. The town which draws the barrier of the Lexus Melbourne Cup-winning horse will be presented with a cash prize of $50,000 to donate to the Royal Flying Doctors Service.

This year, the Boort Truck Show saw record entries reflecting the enthusiasm of both participants and attendees. The shearing competition once again proved its reputation as one the industry’s best, while the dog jumping event brought joy to many – especially the small dog category bringing many smiles to everyone’s faces and the large dogs setting new records.

Judging the Fashion on the Fields was a new experience for me. I was truly impressed by the creative talents within our Shire. There was plenty of stylish outfits and smiling faces. Everyone looked great!

Many hours of voluntary work goes into preparing and planning these events and I’d like to thank all the local community volunteers who tirelessly contributed their time.

Nominations for Australia Day 2024 awards

Forgotten or running out of time to complete and submit your nomination for the Loddon Shire Australia Day Awards? You’re in luck because the closing date for nominations has been extended to Friday, 27 October 2023. These awards celebrate the achievements and contributions made by outstanding members of our community.

Council is receiving nominations for the Citizen of the Year, Community Services Award, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Group/Event of the Year awards.

These awards celebrate the achievements and contributions made by outstanding members of our community who, through their efforts, make us feel proud to be Australian.

Nomination forms and further information is available from: www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Our-Council/Ceremonies/Australia-Day/Australia-Day-awards or by emailing australiaday@loddon.vic.gov.au

Nominations for the awards close on Friday 27 October 2023.

Upcoming Citizenship ceremony

Loddon Shire Council will be conducting a citizenship ceremony on Tuesday 24 October 2023 at 11.45am, in the Loddon Shire Council Chambers, off Peters Street Wedderburn, behind the Wedderburn Office.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Upcoming Council meeting

Council’s October meeting will be held Tuesday 24 October at 3pm in the Loddon Shire Council Chambers, located behind the Wedderburn Council Office, off Peters Street.

You can also watch the Council meeting live via Council’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LoddonShire

Some of the items on the agenda include Community Planning Committee Formal Recognition – Korong Vale, Bridgewater Bowling Club Inc – Fee waiver Application, Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2023, and more.

To view the October Council Meeting agenda visit https://www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Our-Council/Agendas-and-minutes/Agendas-and-minutes-2023

Preparing your property for fire season

I want to take a moment to remind everyone of the steps we can all take to reduce the risk of fires in our homes and businesses.

First and foremost, it is essential to have working smoke detectors in your home and sleeping area. These devices can save lives by providing an early warning in the event of a fire. Remember to test your smoke alarms regularly and replace the batteries as needed.

Below are some steps you can do to prepare for the warmer months around the house:

  • Keep woodpiles away from the house
  • Ged rid of dry grass, leaves, twigs and loose bark
  • Prune lower branches of shrubs to separate from surface fuels underneath
  • Cut back overhanging branches – no braches within 10m of dwellings
  • Keep grass cut to less than 10cm
  • Do not have large shrubs next to or under windows
  • Use pebbles or rocks in garden (not flammable mulch)
  • Keep gutters clear of leaf litter
  • Keep plants well-watered over warmer months

For more information about planning and preparing for fire season visit https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/how-to-prepare-your-property

 

 

Tagged as:
Back to top