MAYORAL COLUMN 10 July 2017
Published on 10 July 2017
South West Loddon Pipeline information day
It was great to hear that there was such a good turnout last Tuesday for GWMWater’s South West Loddon Pipeline update and farm planning information day.
Held at the Wedderburn Hall, up to 50 people turned up for the day which provided information around connecting to the South West Loddon Pipeline Project.
The day included an update on the project, information around the design requirements for landholders and Native Vegetation and Cultural Heritage obligations. Agriculture Victoria also provided a presentation regarding on-farm reticulation planning, including farm water reticulation and farm productivity, and learnings from the Wimmera Mallee pipeline.
Farm water reticulation workshops are now being planned, which will give landholders more detailed information about connecting to the project and the needs of their farming business. Topics will include reviewing your farm water budget, pipe size (and how it will affect flow rate), equipment, key issues and mapping a farm water reticulation plan.
For more information regarding the South West Loddon Pipeline Project, please contact GWMWater on 1300 659 961.
Outdoor dining smoking ban from 1 August
A reminder that from 1 August, smoking will be banned in all outdoor dining areas across Victoria. This includes outdoor footpath dining areas, courtyards and beer gardens during times when food is being eaten or is available to be eaten. As well as cigarettes, the ban includes e-cigarettes and shisha tobacco.
For those running or attending events in our region on or after 1 August, it’s important to note that the outdoor smoking ban applies to all outdoor areas at food fairs. Smoking is also banned within 10 metres of a food stall or food vendor at an outdoor event.
The Victorian Government has launched an information campaign regarding the ban, while Council officers will continue visiting local hospitality and food businesses this month to provide information and answer any questions regarding the outdoor dining smoking ban.
To find out more about the outdoor dining smoking ban contact Council’s Public Health services on 5494 1200 or visit www.health.vic.gov.au/tobaccoreforms.
Green waste fees
I just wanted to make mention this week regarding the fee for residents to dispose of green waste at our Shire’s landfills and transfer stations. There have been a couple of concerns raised in the community regarding this fee.
The fee that is charged to dispose of green waste ($10 per cubic metre) is needed so Council can cover the costs of shredding and re-using the green waste material across our landfill sites. This green waste is used as rehab material, helping to manage the sites and keep them clean.
Given the sheer volume of green waste required to be shredded and then spread across landfill sites around our Shire, there are costs involved. However, the re-use of this green waste to rehab these sites is important as it ensures our Shire’s landfills and waste disposal services are able to continue to remain open to all residents.
To find out more about garbage and recycling in our Shire, including landfill and transfer stations sites and times, visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au and click on “Find out when my tip is open”.
Naturally Loddon app launch
It’s fantastic that visitors to the Loddon Valley can now discover our region from their phone with the recent launch of the Loddon Valley Visitor Guide app.
Visitors can use the free app to explore the region via the Calder, Loddon Valley and Wimmera highways. It also lets users search for nearby sights or features, such as rivers and wetlands, antiques and collectables, and local produce.
Users can also call businesses and the Loddon Visitor Information Centre direct as well as visit businesses’ websites and social media sites.
A terrific and convenient way to discover the “must see” attractions of our region, the Loddon Valley Visitor Guide app is available for both Apple and Android devices.