Loddon Shire Mayoral Column 30 September 2019
Published on 30 September 2019
Tidy Town finalist
Congratulations Campbells Forest and District Community Action Planning Group Inc. for being named a finalist in the Keep Victoria Beautiful 2019 Tidy Towns – Sustainable Communities Awards.
Keep Victoria Beautiful (KVB) will be visiting Campbells Forest on Friday 4 October to present a finalist certificate and to acknowledge the participation of the group.
The group has been working together since 2008 to ensure the long-term future of the community’s farming families. Their vision is ‘Community working together to achieve positive change and to maintain our rural appeal.’
It is wonderful that through this award, hard-working individuals are acknowledged for the valuable contribution they make to their communities. This good work is vital to keep our region vibrant and prosperous.
The winners of the awards will be announced on 26 October 2019 and we wish Campbells Forest every success.
Festival of Paddling
The annual Festival of Paddling, hosted by Bendigo Canoe Club brings paddlers of all ages and abilities to enjoy the beauty of the Loddon River and the Serpentine Creek.
The Social River Trip on Sunday 29 September was an opportunity to explore the Serpentine Creek Trail that was developed by the Loddon Shire Council. The 5km trail takes in historical and natural points of interest along the creek. If you haven’t discovered this trail yet, you might like to give it a try: visit http://www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Visit/Serpentine-Creek-Canoe-Trail for details.
The Community Fun Paddle, a few weeks later on Sunday 19 October, takes place on the Loddon River at Bridgewater. This family event offers paddlers of all abilities and crafts the opportunity to experience the fun of paddling and enjoy our beautiful Loddon River. For more information including the times, costs and other details, visit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2447625741965908/
Community Reporting Tool
The Loddon Shire Council has joined other councils to participate in the Community Reporting Tool trial which has been developed by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (the Commission).
The Commission found that many people from other cultures and people who speak other languages had trouble understanding and standing up for their rights. After speaking to multicultural and multifaith leaders, the Commission found that it was often intimidating or difficult for people to make a complaint if they felt that they needed justice.
The Community Reporting Tool has been developed to provide a simple form that makes it easier for people to make short, direct and confidential reports about racism, discrimination, hate-speech and religious vilification. The tool allows someone to log an incident in a more simple way and still have the option of taking it further, but doesn’t replace the existing complaints service.
This demonstrates that Loddon Shire Council is committed to creating a safe and inclusive neighbourhood for all residents.
The Community Reporting Tool may be accessed at the Loddon Shire Council website http://www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Live/Health-and-wellbeing/Victorian-Equal-Opportunity-Human-Rights-Commission-Reporting-Tool until the conclusion of the trial period, which is the end of 2019.
Connect over a country cuppa
The Victorian Rural Women’s Network is encouraging women in rural communities to take part in Country Cuppas, an initiative to celebrate the International Day of Rural Women on Tuesday 15 October.
It is important for Victorian women to build strong connections for personal and professional wellbeing. Country Cuppas provides an opportunity to connect with new friends and old to share experiences and ideas and to empower one another to succeed.
Gatherings will take place across the state on 15 October. To host an event or find out where your nearest event will be, visit https://extensionaus.com.au/VRWNetwork/introducing-country-cuppas/.
Laanecoorie boat ramp extension
It is pleasing to see that the extension of the boat ramp at the Laanecoorie foreshore has been completed ahead of the warmer weather and is already in use. These works will make launching boats at the Laanecoorie boat ramp much easier, without the worry of boat trailers dropping off the end of the launch pad.
Work on the canoe launch pad requires some finalisation before the official opening, which is planned to occur in the coming months.
Managing farm water
Now is the time for making plans leading up to peak water demands over spring and summer. Agriculture Victoria has produced a booklet – Managing Farm Water Supplies – to help with such things as planning stock water requirements, water testing, calculating dam volume and capturing rainfall from roof areas.
The booklet includes many handy tables and charts as well as useful tips to help plan for the summer months. It can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/2UPsdL4 or contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186.
Busy spring
October is a great time to be out and about in the Loddon Shire. Some of the many spring events that are on include the Activities Weekend at Terrick Terrick Natural Park and the Laanecoorie Gold Bash. Both events, which take place over the weekend 4 to 6 October, involve plenty of outdoor family entertainment and showcase the unique heritage of our region.