Just briefly...

Poet Ross Gillett will launch fellow poet Bill Wootton's new poetry collection, Watch, at Radius Arts, 76 Main Road, Hepburn Springs on Saturday, May 6, from 3pm-5pm. All welcome.

Bill runs Local Lines in The Local, spreading the joy, complexity and fun of poetry to its readers every edition. The title poem of his collection, Watch, features in this edition on page 22.

Hepburn Shire Council is running a number of Sustainability and Resilience workshops at the Trentham Neighbourhood House.

They include: Saturday, April 29 - Keeping Backyard Chickens, Wednesday, May 10 - Working with Clay (art as therapy), Saturday, June 3 - Working with Clay (art as therapy), Saturday, June 10 - Eat well, feel well, look well and Saturday, June 24Bringing Solar into your Home. Registrations: www.trenthamnc.org.au/classes

Victoria’s jobs growth is leading the nation.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that 39,200 new jobs were created in Victoria last month with the participation rate now at a record high of 67.7 per cent. Victoria’s regional unemployment rate has also been slashed in half to 3.2 per cent.

A new Environment Protection Authority Victoria registration for farmers using waste tyres in silage production will help reduce the risk of fire and harm to human health and the environment.

Farmers, or anyone, using and/or storing 5m3 (about the size of a small skip bin) of waste tyres as weights for silage production, have until July 1 to apply for a registration. Link: www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-business/permissions/registrations/b04guidance-on-waste-tyres-for-silage-production

The 2023 Victorian Landcare Grants and the 2023 Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity Grants are now open to volunteers and kids care for the state’s precious environment and biodiversity.

Grants of up to $5000 will be available for projects that provide childcare centres, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, scouts, girl guides and youth groups with a chance to participate in hands-on projects including planting indigenous gardens, building habitat to attract native insects and birds, collecting data about nature and excursions to wildlife sanctuaries. Link: environment.vic.gov.au/grants

Traditional owners in south-west and central Victoria are being supported to conduct cultural burning on country as part of ongoing work towards Aboriginal self-determination.

Ten projects will be funded with a total grant of $6.3 million. The grant program supports traditional owners to care for country, investing in projects that promote self-determination through land management and enhance cultural and environmental values on country. Cultural fire is used by traditional owners to heal country and fulfil their rights and obligations to care for country.

Hepburn Shire Council is developing an Agricultural Land and Rural Settlement Strategy, the first of its strategic planning projects that make up Future Hepburn.

The strategy aims to increase understanding of existing and future farming practices, changing trends, emerging technology and farming systems across the shire and establish a long-term plan to manage land use in our farming areas. It will also build understanding about the significant climate change risks in the shire and how land use planning can respond to these risks. The strategy includes a public survey which closes on May 12. Copies of the survey are available at libraries and customer service hubs or head to www.participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/future-hepburn

Hepburn Shire Council has endorsed joining a Visitor Economy Partnership with neighbouring councils in Ballarat, Moorabool, Pyrenees and Golden Plains, along with representatives from the tourism industry and the Victorian Government to continue to boost tourism to the region.

Joining the Visitor Economy Partnership will result in cross-regional cooperation and partnerships, maximising visitation to the broader region, especially in the leadup to the Commonwealth Games in 2026. It will also provide additional industrystrengthening support available to businesses in the west of the shire. The new partnership begins on July 1 and will complement the continued work of Daylesford Macedon Tourism to market and attract visitors to Hepburn Shire. Got a brief to share? Email news@tlnews.com.au