BUS STOP WIN FOR LOCALS

Local Briefs

Haines at School

■ Indi MHR Helen Haines was at Mansfield Rudolf Steiner School to officially open two new buildings last week. Funded by the Federal Capital Works Grant, these new rooms house Class 1 and 2 students and two art studios.

Dr Haines thanked Taungurung Elder Aunty Bernadette Franklin for the Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, and to Principal Glenn Hood for the opportunity to attend this celebration.

Tree Day efforts

■ Murrindindi Shire Council supported several local tree-planting activities by supplying plants, garden stakes, tree guards and equipment, with more than 1000 plants going in the ground across six different sites.

Home Creek Spring Creek Landcare Group, together with Alexandra Scouts, led by Sarah Southam, planted around 250 plants along the Rail Trail in the Fawcett area.

Yea Primary School, with support from Upper Goulburn Landcare Network, planted more than 200 plants along a section of Boundary Creek in Yea , predominantly grasses and ground covers.

Students from St Mary’s Primary School in Alexandra planted 100 shrubs in the existing established garden beds along UT Creek

The Council also arranged for a small group of volunteers to plant sections of Old Josephine Cutting, Grannies Lane and McColl Lane in Alexandra. The group planted around 600 shrubs, grasses, rushes and sedges collectively at these sites.

Wear It Purple

■ Mitchell Shire Council is observing Wear It Purple Day, an annual LGBTIQ+ awareness day, that strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments. Mitchell Youth Services will be hosting free afternoons of fun at its youth rooms including friendship bracelet making, badge making, games and activities, giveaways and pizza.

■ Broadford Youth Room, Monday August 21, 3.30pm to 5pm,

■ Seymour Youth Room, Tuesday August 22, 3.30pm to 5pm,

■ Wallan Youth Room, Wednesday August 23, 3.30pm to 5pm.

Easy access

■ Services Australia’s Mobile Service Centre is travelling through the region, offering locals easy access to Medicare, Centrelink, National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Department of Veterans’Affairs services.

It visited Wallan on Monday, Whittlesea yesterday (Tues.), and Kinglake Hotel, Aitken Crescent today (Wed. 9am-4pm), and Yarra Junction Yarra Centre car park tomorrow (Thu. 9am-3pm).

Volunteer grants

■ The Federal Government’s Volunteer Grants Program is now open and aims to support the efforts of local volunteers as well as increasing participation in volunteering.

■ Plans to build a new bus stop outside the Marton service station have been scrapped thanks to community lobbying together with Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish

Concerns about the proposed location of the new Maroondah Hwy bus stop in such close proximity to the service station and post office had community members worried about safety.

After Ms McLeish called on the Roads Safety Minister Melissa Horne to ensure the location of the new bus stop would not impact businesses in the vicinity, the Minister confirmed the bus stop will not proceed in the proposed location.

“This is a big win for the Merton community and the proprietors of the service station/ post office.” Ms McLeish said.

“The service station proprietor and community members raised their concerns with me that the proposed location could put driver and pedestrian safety at risk.

“The bus stop location on the busy Maroondah Highway would have made access to the service station bowsers and fuel delivery near impossible.”

The Department of Transport and Planning is now investigating other locations for the bus stop in a safe location.

The Minister has advised further consultation will be undertaken once an appropriate location is determined

Property taxes up

■ Victorians are paying the highest property taxes in the nation – driving up rents, making housing less affordable and putting home ownership further out of reach for families. Analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office reveals the full impact of the Andrews Government’s new Rent Tax and COVID Debt Levy will increase total land tax revenue from $783 per person to $1051.