Notes from Loddon Shire 19 October
Published on 18 October 2020
Fire prevention inspections to start
Council’s Municipal Fire Prevention Officer (MFPO) will be starting fire prevention inspections throughout the Loddon Shire starting this Thursday 22 October.
These fire prevention inspections are designed to help create a safer community by identifying and managing fire risks as we start to head into the warmer months.
The MFPO will inspect properties to assess whether landowners are maintaining appropriate levels of vegetation and reducing fuel loads – particularly in high-risk areas.
Property owners who have excess vegetation (for example large amounts of branches piled up, long grass or debris) will be issued with a fire prevention notice.
A fire prevention notice is a reminder for the property owner to reduce the fire risk. Residents have 14 days to comply with the notice or get in touch with Council to discuss the issue.
If the fire hazard is not removed, Council can organise for a contractor to enter the property and remove the hazard. This is done at the property owner’s cost, plus a Council administrative cost.
A $1,652 penalty infringement notice can also be issued to the landowner for a failure to comply with a fire prevention notice.
Residents are urged to help keep our community safe over the summer months by preparing your property now.
This includes clearing long grass, leaves and branches, undergrowth and vegetation, ensuring gutters are clear, and removing rubbish and other flammable material lying around your property.
You can find out more about how to prepare your property by visiting www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare
For more information regarding fire prevention inspections contact Council on 5494 1200.
Healthy Minds Network Suicide Prevention Forum
The Loddon Healthy Minds Network 2020 Suicide Prevention Forum (SPF20) will be held this Thursday 22 October.
The forum, which will be held online from 9am to 3.30pm, will focus on suicide prevention strategies that work in rural areas.
The keynote speaker will be Ben Brooksby, who will discuss his journey that culminated in the establishment of the mental health awareness initiative the ‘Naked Farmer’.
The SPF20 forum event is free, thanks to support from Carer Support Services and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services. The forum is also supported by Ride4Life and Mental Health Foundation Australia.
To register please visit www.loddonhealthyminds.com.au/suicide-prevention-forum
Registrations close at 5pm, Wednesday 21 October 2020.
Let’s Pivot Discussion Series
Let’s Pivot will be holding the first of its Zoom Discussion Series starting this Wednesday 21 October from 7pm to 8.30pm. The theme for this first discussion is Caring for Self and Others.
This Zoom Discussion is part of a series of eight free sessions being held every Wednesday until 9 December. Each session builds upon the topics from the previous sessions.
These facilitated discussions are designed for people to connect, explore, and enjoy the topics provided.
Everyone is welcome to attend any or all of the sessions, however each session has a limit of 30 places.
To find out more and to register, visit https://makeachange.org.au/events/category/lets-pivot
Farm cash flow online course
A free course from Agriculture Victoria and AgBiz Assist’s Farm Cash Flow 101 will demonstrate how farmers can improve their cash flow management skills.
The two-session course is designed in conjunction with farm business specialists to help farmers understand cash flow budgets, and develop confidence using spreadsheets for cash flow management.
Using case study figures from a farming operation, the course will illustrate how to develop a simple cash flow budget to manage income and expenditure over the next 12 months.
The course will run on Monday 26 October and Wednesday 28 October, from 11am to noon.
To register, visit farm-cash-flow-budgets.eventbrite.com.au
For more information phone Agriculture Victoria Livestock Extension Officer Greg Ferrier on 0438 738 634 or email greg.ferrier@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Get Online Week
Goldfields Libraries is hosting a series of free online sessions this week as part of Get Online Week (19 to 25 October).
The sessions, which are small and beginner-friendly, will help to develop the skills needed to explore what's on offer online, including connecting with others.
The first session Get Started with Zoom, will be held today (19 October) from 2pm to 3pm.
Other sessions this week are: Doing More with Zoom (20 October from 2pm to 3pm), Staying Safe Online (21 October from 2pm to 3pm) and Connecting to Others (22 October from 10am to 11am).
To find out more and to register go to www.facebook.com/pg/GoldfieldsLibraries/events/
Voting reminder
A reminder that completed Loddon Shire Council election ballots must be in the mail or hand-delivered to the election office by 6pm, Friday 23 October.
The election office is located at the Council Chambers at 37 Peppercorn Way, Serpentine.
With the elections being conducted by post, the VEC is urging voters to complete and return their ballot material as soon as possible to make sure their vote is received in time.
As the election for Terrick Ward is uncontested, voters in this ward are not required to vote.