🪶 Rare birds return

Plus: Are EVs more affordable?

Author

Jacob Wallace
June 05, 2026

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

👋 Hello Gippslanders, it’s Jacob here.

On Wednesday, I spoke to Sean Phillipson from the East and West Gippsland Catchment Authorities about the magpie geese that have been spotted in the lakes near Bairnsdale for the second year in a row.

Phillipson doesn’t think the three birds sighted this year are among the six spotted last year, as the current gaggle appears to be juvenile.

He said he’s hopeful this is a sign the species, which used to be abundant in Victoria prior to European settlement, is returning to the state.

❝

As an avid bird watcher it's always exciting to see new species in the region.

Sean Phillipson

👀 Looking ahead. In this week’s newsletter we’re talking about:

  • 🪶 The rare visitors to Gippsland lakes;

  • 🔋 The final outline of Gippsland’s Renewable Energy Zones;

  • ⚡️ If there will be pollution from Latrobe Valley’s proposed waste-to-energy facility;

  • 💰 How the price of EVs compares to petrol cars, and;

  • 🍻 Whether Gen Z is drinking less.

🎊 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK 🎟️

🧺 FARMERS MARKETS 🥧

🚀 Alright, let’s jump into the Monitor’s latest yarns!

🔍 HEARD THIS WEEK👂

Magpie geese have returned to the lakes around Bairnsdale for a second year, raising hopes they might make Gippsland’s ponds a permanent travel destination.

The birds are distinct due to their black and white plumage, yellowish legs and a characteristic knob on the crown of their heads.

Last year, three of the birds were spotted near Newry Creek before three more were then seen around Bairnsdale.

This year three were sighted around Bairnsdale in May.

The Victorian government has locked in the state’s six Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), including two in Gippsland.

What’s an REZ? An REZ is an area identified by the government to either host solar, wind, hydro or battery storage facilities.

Where are the two Gippsland zones?

  • The Gippsland REZ is located between Morwell and Sale, and includes parts of Wellington Shire, Latrobe City and South Gippsland councils.

  • The Gippsland Shoreline REZ will not host clean energy projects. Instead, the underground cables required for the offshore wind industry to connect turbines to the grid will be located there.

🗑️ People asked if a proposed waste-to-energy plant in the Latrobe Valley would pollute. Here's what an expert says

This week, I made a video responding to people concerned about the levels of pollution a waste-to-energy facility in the Latrobe Valley may produce.

I dived into some of the data and talked to the Chair of Circular Economy at the University of Melbourne, Professor Damien Giurco, about the potential for pollution.

Take a look at a video explainer below.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

Are young people drinking less?

My colleague Archie Milligan from the National Account spoke with Eleanor Costello from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation about new data that shows Gen Z is drinking less, but young women are drinking more.

Take a look at their chat below.

🎥 Watch: Are EVs more affordable than petrol cars? 🚗

After chatting with South Gippsland retiree and EV owner Sharon Willcox last week, I decided to compare the fuel cost of my 2010 RAV4 to an EV.

According to the charging costs Willcox supplied, I could be saving between $90 and $120 per 1,000km if I was charging an EV instead of filling up my RAV with petrol.

Take a look at a video comparing EV costs with petrol cars below.

Thanks for catching up with us this week at the Monitor. I hope you enjoyed this Friday issue of our newsletter and we’d love to hear from you.

☎️ Call out. Next week, I’m looking to write a story on whether the snow season on Gippsland’s Alpine Ranges is being impacted by a warming climate. If you’re someone who frequents or works at the ski fields and you’re happy to chat, please reach out to us at [email protected].

We’ll be back in your inbox next Wednesday with more local yarns, informative stories and chats with Gippslanders, so stay tuned.

Cheers,
Jacob & the Gippsland Monitor team

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