Newsletter: Muggy conditions bring out the mozzies

🎊 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK 🎟️

• SATURDAY, 13/12/25 | Inverloch community Christmas carols

• SATURDAY, 13/12/25 | Moe Christmas carols in the park

• SATURDAY, 13/12/25 | Liz Stringer

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | Christmas Carols Festival

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | The Great Bass Christmas Party

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | Grantville Christmas party and market

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | Wonthaggi Community Carols

🧺 FARMERS MARKETS 🥧

• SATURDAY, 13/12/25 | Coal Creek Farmers Market

• SATURDAY, 13/12/25 | Metung Market

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | Longford Community Market

• SUNDAY, 14/12/25 | Kongwak Market

🔍 HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🙅‍♂️ “Be prepared to stand there and say: ‘No, that's not okay’”: Gippslanders unite against family and domestic violence

More than 100 participants collectively walked over 500km in Yarram on November 25 to mark the beginning of 16 Days of Activism to raise awareness for domestic and family violence in Gippsland.

What happened: Wellington Shire communities are marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with walks, barbecues and community gatherings, including a major event in Sale this week.

• What are the 16 Days of Activism? It is an international event from November 25 to December 10 to raise awareness and call for action to end violence against women and girls.

To launch the 16 days, Yarram Neighbourhood House invited locals to walk around Yarram for as long as they wanted during a 16-hour window between 4am and 8pm.

• The event attracted over 100 participants who collectively walked more than 500km.

Yarram Neighbourhood House coordinator and event organiser Cathy Cook told the Monitor the event was a great way to raise awareness because many locals wanted to know why so many people were out for a walk.

The event finished with a community barbecue in Yarram Memorial Park, supported by Yarram District Health Service, with a speech from Wellington Shire mayor Cindy Madeley. 

• Attendees then tied orange ribbons on the fence of Yarram Memorial Park to represent people who had been impacted by domestic and family violence.

Read the full story here.

🦟 Ross River Virus detected in Gippsland mosquitos. Here’s how to stay safe

Ross River Virus was detected in routine investigations of mosquitos trapped in Wellington and East Gippsland shires on November 25, with mosquito numbers also being high due to wetter and warmer conditions.

The virus is often detected in Gippsland but the amount of cases depends on the mosquito population. Traps are showing higher than average mosquito numbers this season which will likely lead to more Ross River Virus infections.

🧑‍⚕️ How does the virus spread? Ross River Virus (RRV) is spread only by mosquito bites and the incidence of the virus varies from year to year depending on weather conditions. 

• Epidemics occur more often when mosquito breeding conditions are optimised due to heavy rainfall, floods, high tides and moderate temperatures. 

The threat to communities is more prevalent around inland waterways and coastal regions, however it does occur throughout regional Victoria. 

🗣️ Dr Shereen Labib, Medical and Epidemiology Manager at the Gippsland Region Public Health Unit told the Monitor: “Your only protection against Ross River virus and the most effective way to prevent other mosquito-borne diseases is by avoiding mosquito bites.”

🤒 What are the symptoms? The virus can induce symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, tiredness, muscle aches, joint pains and swelling, rash on the body, arms or legs, and swollen lymph nodes. 

While fewer than one quarter of people infected will actually become ill, Labib advises people to seek medical attention if they get symptoms.  

🗣️ Labib said doctors are able to confirm a diagnosis of RRV with blood tests but there is no specific treatment available for a RRV infection.

• “Most people will make a full recovery after a few weeks. Others may have symptoms such as joint pain and tiredness for many months.”

There is no preventative vaccine available for RRV.

Read the full story here.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

This week the National Account’s Archie Milligan interviewed GANGgajang frontman Mark ‘Cal’ Callaghan about copyright and AI.

I thought this was a great interview. Callaghan didn’t mince words when it came to talking about how tech companies are teaching their AI systems on music without compensating the artists who wrote the songs.

Take a look at the full story below.