Local News - Wandong, Victoria, Australia

ARTC Inland Rail has finally released the Environment Report for Inland Rail project Beveridge to Albury for public comment before Sunday 28th November.

You can read it at the following website page: https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/where-we-go/

projects/tottenham-to-albury/status/

WANDONG CHRISTMAS CAROLS

The Wandong Christmas Carols will be held on Sunday 15th December 2024

WANDONG HISTORY GROUP CANCELS HUT RELOCATION PROJECT AND RETURNS $50,000

Two years ago the Wandong History Group was awarded $50,000 for a project to relocate a donated historic hut to a location where it would be renovated and used as a history museum for Wandong Heathcote Junction residents and visitors. Until a few months ago when Mitchell Shire finally agreed on a site it had provided little support and had unreasonably tripled the cost of the project. The site then proved unviable due to Goulburn Valley Water restrictions. After all the Mitchell Shire obstacles and lack of support, then GVW requirements, and after much agonizing, the $50,000 funding has been returned.

Mitchell Shire Concert Band

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Mitchell Shire Concert Band regular Saturday Bingo sessions at the Band Hall at Chittick Park, Seymour, have been suspended until further notice

The Band has now resumed rehearsals on Tuesday evenings, 7pm to 9pm. Any new players will be given a warm welcome

GET WHATS NEWS BY EMAIL

If you would like to receive "Whats News" by email each month, send your name and email details to <whatsnewswhj@gmail.com>

“Whats News” will still be available each month at businesses in Wandong, Broadford, Kilmore, Wallan, Upper Plenty and Whittlesea and remember

"Whats News" is always made available on the <www.wandong.vic.au> websit

EPA’s online help for farmers

Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) offers online advice for the agricultural community, and is taking requests on what farmers need next.

The Agricultural Guidance section of EPA’s website supports farmers in managing the farm in a way that minimises harm to the environment and human health, meets Victorian regulations, and keeping the property in good condition for the next generation.

It also includes a two-minute survey that lets farmers ask for the environmental advice they most value.

EPA’s advice for agricultural community is at:

www.epa.vic.gov.au/business-and-industry/guidelines/agricultural-guidance

It offers advice on protecting the environment and human health; meeting Victorian law and regulations; and issues like livestock planning, farm waste, chemicals, noise, water, sediment and dust.

Anyone on the land can make a request or provide feedback, at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/EPAwebpagereview

Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24 hour hotline, 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).

Litter is a burning issue

Flicking cigarette butt from car window a severe fire danger and environmental risk: EPA, fire and rescue services say.

With North East Victoria’s fire danger period projected to continue into May, EPA, Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire Brigade are calling for cigarette butt litterers to check their habit, and for members of the community to report this kind of littering.

Given that most human-cause fire incidents in Victoria are caused by lit cigarette butts, the potential cost to the community and environment is extreme. “EPA counts on members of the public to report people who flick their butts out of car windows,” said EPA North East Region Manager Emma Knights. “Flicking lit cigarettes out your car window is a serious fire hazard, as recent fire tragedies across our state have shown. “And cigarette butt litter pollutes our roadsides and chokes our waterways,” Ms Knights said.

The CFA regularly attends to fires caused by cigarettes, and some of Victoria’s worst bushfire tragedies were sparked by cigarette butt litter. CFA Chief Officer Steve Warrington said roadside fires pose a “significant danger to drivers not only from smoke, but flames or falling burning trees or branches, and there’s high potential for tragic consequences.” Mr Warrington said more than half of Victorian bushfires are deliberately lit or caused by reckless behaviour. “One of the most common causes is inappropriately disposing of cigarette butts. “Recklessly caused fires are often viewed by the community as accidental, but in reality, the potential for injury, loss of life, property damage and drain on resources is the same as that caused by arson.” Mr Warrington said. MFB Chief Officer Dan Stephens said that firefighters respond to more than 10 fires caused by carelessly discarded smoking materials every month across the Melbourne metropolitan district alone.

Last financial year, EPA handed out over $5 million in fines to more than 11,000 Victorians for discarding litter, mostly cigarette butts, from their vehicles. EPA litter fines range from $322 for a small piece of rubbish or unlit cigarette up to $645 for a lit cigarette.

People can report littering via EPA’s website, through its smartphone litter app, or by calling 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).

FRIENDS OF DISAPPOINTMENT

Are you interested in the history, conservation and community of the Mount Disappointment State Forest and
surrounding areas.
Join “Friends of Disappointment” to share history, photos and ideas.
https://www.facebook.com/
mountdisappointmentclonbinane/

Volunteers for Young Care Mentor Program urgently Needed

Have you got some spare time? Are you a good listener? Would you like to help a young person continue with their schooling? Not-profit organisation Villa Maria Catholic Homes has young carers in the Heathcote Junction area who desperately need support from an adult to help them cope with their day-to-day responsibilities.

Contact Marion Rak on (03) 5722 9046.

Do you consider commuting emails in your fatigue & working hours considerations?

With the installation of Wi-Fi on our rail system here is a study from the UK on extended work hours.

Researchers have suggested that as UK commuters are apparently so regularly using travel time for work

emails that their journeys should be counted as part of the working day. The study from the University of the West of England found wider access to wi-fi on trains & the spread of mobile phones has extended the working day.

The study involved interviews with 5,000 rail passengers on commuter routes into London as wi-fi

became more available. The study, presented this week at the Royal Geographical Society, found that

54% of commuters using train wi-fi were sending work emails. Those on the way to work were catching up with emails sent ahead of the coming day, while those on the return journey were finishing off work not completed during regular working hours. The study examined the impact of an upgrade to free wi-fi on the London to Birmingham & London to Aylesbury routes. It showed that as internet access improved it had the consequence of extending working hours, using laptops & mobile phones. Researchers suggested that smartphones & mobile internet access had caused a blurring of boundaries between work & home life, & this now applied to the journey to work. Instead of technology giving people more flexibility over working, the study showed that people were working extra hours on top of their time in the office. The head researcher from the university's Centre for Transport & Society indicated that it is a real challenge in deciding what constitutes work. Do you account for this in your work hour considerations? Your IT/Telco records will indicate this post incident.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NATURAL GAS PROJECT INFORMATION
CLICK HERE FOR THE REPORT FROM THE “SAVE WANDONG ACTION GROUP”
CLICK HERE FOR THE BYPASS OF KILMORE, THE WESTERN OPTION AND THE VERY FAST TRAIN

TRAIL BIKE AND 4WD DRIVERS

Residents in Wandong - Heathcote Junction, particularly in Affleck Street and Dry Creek Crescent are getting no response from authorities to curtail the noise, parking problems and destruction of the Mt Disappointment State Forest by rail bike and 4WD drivers. It is no longer safe to walk or horse ride on the mountain trails due to these uncontrolled vehicles. Mt Disappointment could rival the Dandenongs for beauty and tourism but no authority seems prepared to stop the damage.