🧄 Gippsland’s smelliest festival

🎊 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK 🎟️

• THURSDAY, 05/03/26 | Sarah Blasko

• SAT. 28/02 - SUN. 15/03 | Neerim Artsfest

• SUNDAY, 08/03/26 | Hooked on Lakes Seafood and Fishing Festival

🧺 FARMERS MARKETS 🥧

• SATURDAY, 07/03/26 | Trafalgar Market

• SATURDAY, 07/03/26 | Koonwarra Farmers Market

• SATURDAY, 07/03/26 | Farmers' Market Bairnsdale

• SATURDAY, 07/03/26 | Heyfield Market

• SATURDAY, 07/03/26 | Fish Creek Summer Market

• SUNDAY, 08/03/26 | Longford Community Market

• SUNDAY, 08/03/26 | Kongwak Market

🔍 HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🧯 Bushfire detection just got a little bit easier with the help of AI cameras

In the 1920s, Australian bushfire detection relied on humans sitting in elevated towers for long stretches of time, armed with binoculars, tasked to watch out for signs of fires.

Gippsland’s first purpose-built bushfire tower, the Stringers Knob Fire Spotting Tower, was constructed in 1941 in response to Black Friday bushfires of 1939.

Bushfire detection has come a long way since then, and includes surveillance drones and satellite imagery. But a new technology is being introduced – and it’s already improving response times around the country.  

What happened: In December 2023, Australian-founded company Pano AI installed two of its fire detecting cameras at the site of the Delburn windfarm to survey the surrounding landscape.

• The project was developed in collaboration with the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV), and HVP Plantations to improve early detection times.

What windfarm? The 33-turbine Delburn windfarm, Victoria’s first publicly owned windfarm operated by the State Electricity Commission (SEC), began construction in January and is expected to be finished in 2028.

• When it’s completed the farm will include three of the fire detection cameras installed on three meteorological masts around the wind farm.

While the project is not completed, two fire detecting cameras were installed at the site on vantage points, which give them a 30 kilometre radius view of the surrounding landscape.

Read the full story here.

👩‍⚖️ Victoria’s new youth crime laws are now in effect. Will they help prevent offences or exacerbate them?

From today, Victorian children 14 years and older will face adult jail time and possible life sentences under Victorian government reforms the premier has dubbed "Adult Time for Violent Crime".

The legislation has drawn criticism from a range of experts and advocacy groups, including First Nations legal organisations who say the new laws will disproportionately impact Aboriginal children.

What laws have changed?

Under the reforms, children 14 and above who commit the following crimes will face trial in the adult County Court instead of the Children’s Court:

• Aggravated home invasion;

• Home invasion;

• Intentionally causing injury in circumstances of gross violence (includes machete crime);

• Recklessly causing injury in circumstances of gross violence (includes machete crime);

• Aggravated carjacking;

• Carjacking;

• Aggravated burglary (serious and repeated), and;

• Armed robbery (serious and repeated).

What’s the difference? The maximum jail sentence that can be imposed in the Children's Court for any offence is three years.

The County Court, however, can impose jail sentences of up to 25 years for violent crimes such as aggravated home invasion.

Children who received harsher sentences will begin their jail term in youth detention facilities, then be transferred to an adult prison when they turn 18.

Read the full story here.

🐨 How three koalas repopulated Victoria

I made a short video about the history of Victoria’s koala population and how three French Island koalas helped to save the species from extinction. Take a look at the video below.

🐄 Victorian dairy factions bury the hatchet after funding feud

Before the great split of 2023, dairy farmers were represented by the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV), a dedicated section (or “commodity group”) of lobby group the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF).

Then, in 2023, VFF members represented by the United Dairyfarmers group broke off from the federation to form their own independent group, Dairy Farmers Victoria.

Now, things have returned to the way they were, following a decision on Wednesday to again operate as a single voice, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, under the banner of the VFF.

Why did they split? The rift began in September 2023 when UDV’s leadership resigned to establish DFV, citing “poor consultation”, concerns over constitutional reform and claims dairy levy funds were not being adequately reinvested into advocacy for the dairy division.

• A report by the ABC in 2023 detailed criticism of the farmers federation from DFV president Mark Billing, who said dairy farmers were not receiving value for their membership fees.

• 🗣️ "There is a lack of dairy farmer levy money coming back to the commodity to do policy development and advocacy,” Billing told the ABC.

• 🗣️ "There's around $950,000 of dairy farmers' money that is collected … and of that, $10,000 came back … to run our commodity group for the year."

Read the full story here.

🍕 Ultimate guide to affordable eats in Bairnsdale under $20

The Monitor has put together a list of meals in Bairnsdale - from pub specials to souvlaki and pizza - that will get you fed for under $20.

There are no big fast-food chains on this list and no cop-outs with smaller entrée items.

Read the full list here.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

Australian governments have long dreamed of an East Coast high-speed rail - is it a pie in the sky idea or can it actually be delivered?

My colleague Archie Milligan from the National Account delved into an updated proposal for the high-speed rail and whether we can expect to see at least parts of it come to fruition soon.

Take a look at the video Archie made below.