First responders collaborate in training exercise

Wingeel Rural Fire Brigade, south-west of Inverleigh, is situated in an isolated farming area. Consequently, it could be half-an-hour or more for back-up to arrive and our firefighters turning out to a vehicle accident need to be prepared to deal with any eventuality.

Training officer, Peter Koster, organised an elaborate training exercise recently involving three vehicles at a mock Motor Vehicle Accident. To make it more realistic, he invited Birregurra Police Senior Constable Josh Goonan, the Winchelsea SES and the Colac Camera Club to take part.

Five members from the SES acted as crash victims – one trapped in an electric car, another was hunched in the ute’s driver seat and incoherent, while the passenger door was open. Meanwhile, the driver of a Subaru station wagon was wandering around aggressively wielding a garden fork. He could have been drunk or on drugs.

“This is where the police are invaluable,” said Peter Koster. “They are trained to handle dangerous people and interfering bystanders, so that our firefighters can get on with the job.” The interfering bystanders were represented by members of the Colac Camera Club acting as pesky journalists looking for a story.

As if dealing with aggressive, injured and possible missing persons was not bad enough, a little later smoke started erupting from beneath the electric vehicle and then a cylinder on the back of the ute started ‘leaking’. The cylinder was labelled anhydrous ammonia, which is deadly when inhaled and apparently is regularly transported along the Hamilton Highway.

Hopefully not all those scenarios would happen all at once, but any one of them could occur and first responders need to know how to deal with them.

Senior Constable Josh Goonan said, “Multi-agency exercises like this are such a beneficial experience for everyone involved. It was a great opportunity for me to meet members of the Wingeel CFA and Winchelsea SES and to take learnings away to be better prepared when attending incidents such as motor vehicle collisions.”

It was a learning experience for our firefighters as well. Captain Stewart Hamilton said, “I was responsible for killing us all, twice, but I learned a lot.” And this was a key message that Peter Koster hoped to get across – the number one rule when turning out is your own safety first. He said, “It’s no good trying to rescue people if you get killed in the process.”

All-in-all everyone taking part enjoyed the exercise. Nutty Nellie from Channel 9 CCC aka Lynn Sargeant from the Colac Camera Club said, “We were in tears of laughter on our way home. Although it is a very serious exercise and the more practice the better for these people who do a fantastic job in horrible conditions. I take my hat off to them.”

Thank you to Senior Constable Josh Goonan, members of Winchelsea SES and the Colac Camera Club for their assistance in a very worthwhile training experience.

Cathy Cheadle Wingeel Rural Fire Brigade

GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE COUNCIL From the Mayor’s Desk August 2023

As we head into the last month of winter, I’d like to again thank the Golden Plains community for their valuable input throughout our Budget 2023/24 journey. Now adopted, Council looks forward to rolling out more than $49m to deliver over 70 services to the Golden Plains community.

Last month, I joined Member for Eureka Michaela Settle MP to attend the official opening of the Meredith Multi Playspace and funding announcement for the Teesdale Oval Upgrade.

The Meredith Multi Playspace features an upgraded skate park and new BMX track. It was fantastic to see this community-driven project come to life, and I look forward to seeing kids and families enjoy the space.

It was great to also join local footballers and tennis players in

Teesdale to welcome the allocation of $250,000 from the Victorian Government’s 2022-23 Country Football and Netball Program for the anticipated upgrade to the oval at the Don Wallace Recreation Reserve.

I’m excited to see the upgrades come to life for our ever-growing sporting community.

It was also great to see the implementation of speed limit reductions in Linton, Smythesdale, Teesdale and Bannockburn to enhance pedestrian safety across the Shire. Council has been working closely with the Department of Transport to advocate for these speed limit reductions and ensure the safety of all road users and pedestrians in Golden Plains.

We continue to work to identify upgrade projects that will improve safety for all residents and visitors to the Shire.

Council has begun to seek feedback from the community for the development of our Footpath Strategy 2023-2033. The Footpath Strategy will assist Council to manage its current footpath assets and develop pedestrian networks to every township.

I encourage residents to consider the footpath networks in their township and provide valuable feedback on what they think can be improved for the benefit of the local community. It is fantastic to see the extension of Council’s Community Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Program for the next six months.

The extension of the program will enhance testing capacity and detect COVID-19 cases quickly, contributing to community health management and control measures.

Finally, I am looking forward to the return of the Active Golden Plains ‘Spring into Summer’ Program which is set to begin next month.

I encourage residents of all ages around the Shire to keep an eye on Council’s website for the upcoming timetable and participate in the fun activities.

Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham

Council will host a free environmentally focused Photography and Plant Identification workshop titled ‘Photo[Synthesis]’ for residents to capture the environmental significance of the local flora and fauna of Golden Plains.

Open to all residents of all photography abilities, the workshop will be held on Saturday 12 August at the Don Wallace Teesdale Grassy Woodlands Reserve, 1164 Bannockburn-Shelford Road, Teesdale, from 10am until 12pm.

Participants of the workshop will not only develop their photography skills in the natural environment, but also gain a deeper knowledge of local native and non-native plant species.

Photos captured as part of the workshop will also be eligible for entry in Golden Plains Shire Council’s Spring in the Shire photography competition, returning in 2023.

Participants are required to bring their own device to capture photos (camera, phone etc.)

For more information and to register for the Photo [Synthesis] workshop, visit goldenplains.vic.gov.au/events