Newsletter: Gippsland loses $15 million & October events

Traditional Japanese in Korumburra, farmers market guide and Phillip Island batteries.

Author

Jacob Wallace
October 03, 2025

⏱️ This Friday edition of our newsletter is a six-minute read.

👋 Hello Gippslanders, it’s Jacob here.

🙌 In this week’s newsletter we’ve started compiling our October event lists so you can make the most out of all that Gippsland has to offer.

So far I’ve put together a general what’s on list, which includes festivals, exhibitions and comedy shows.

🥦 We’ve also got our ultimate Gippsland farmers market guide so you can support local growers and makers. I’m thinking of heading to Thorpdale Market this Sunday, so maybe I’ll see you there.

🍣 During the week I had lunch at Tsuko Japan in Korumburra and ended up interviewing the owner Atsuko Tanaka-Morrison. She has been running the restaurant for about 15 months in a combined space called The Coterie, with the help of her husband and two daughters.

❝

I’ve always wanted to have a small business. It’s been my dream for 40 years.

Atsuko Tanaka-Morrison, Tsuko Japan owner

🔋I’m working on a piece about Phillip Island’s new community batteries. The batteries have been operating for just over a month and aim to utilise solar energy from unused holiday homes on the island to help lower resident’s power bills and provide stable power during grid outages.

🏝️ If you live on the island and are getting some of your energy from one of these community batteries I’d love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected] and I’ll be in touch.

💃 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND 🎟️

🧺 FARMERS MARKETS 🥑

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🚀 Alright, let’s jump into the Monitor’s latest yarns, local interviews and silly videos!

🔍 HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🍱 A slice of Japanese cuisine in Korumburra

Tsuko Japan owner Atsuko Tanaka-Morrison spoke to the Monitor about wanting to bring traditional Japanese cuisine to regional Victoria and fulfilling her dream of running a restaurant.

Watch the full video below.

🐈 103 residents wait for cat traps as feral problem explodes

Baw Baw Shire councillor Jess Hamilton spoke at a recent council meeting about the urgent need to cull cat populations in the Latrobe Valley.

Watch the full video below.

🍺 OCTOBER EVENT GUIDES 🕺

🎊 With so many gigs, exhibitions and festivals in Gippsland, the Monitor has compiled a list of the biggest events in the region this month, so have a browse and make the most of it!

🧺 Gippsland markets provide a great opportunity to support local businesses and community endeavours while often paying less for produce and products than what you would normally pay in a supermarket.

☀️ There are plenty of markets across the region providing fresh produce, scrumptious food and handmade arts and crafts through all the seasons.

🎥 WATCH: Gippslanders lost $15 million to poker machines last month 💸

Thanks for catching up with us this week at the Monitor. I hope you enjoy your weekend and make the most of our market and event lists.

I’ll be back in your inbox next week with more October event guides, videos of local businesses, interviews with councillors and plenty more.

As always, if you’d like to share a story you think is being underreported in the news then send us an email at [email protected] and maybe it’ll end up in this newsletter.

Cheers,
Jacob & the Gippsland Monitor team