Guitar decorating
Why not combine your love of art with a love of music in the lead-up to this year’s Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival.
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Community members are invited to decorate a guitar for the festival, with five sessions being held at Echuca library.
Competition categories are: adult (24 and over), young adults (16-23), 13-15-year-olds and 5-12-year-olds.
Sessions are on at Echuca library, 310 Hare St, Echuca, on July 10 at noon, 1.15pm, 2.30pm, 3.45pm and 5pm.
The entry fee is $5 per guitar, which helps keep the Winter Blues weekend free. All paint and decorating materials are provided at no cost.
Places are limited and bookings at www.campaspe.vic.gov.au/library or phone 5481 2400.
Blood van to roll into the region
Have some time next month? Donate blood and save lives.
One in three people in Echuca will need blood, and they need people like you to give it.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood mobile donor centre will be in Echuca from July 8 to 24. Book your slot today.
Session run on Monday, July 8, 15, and 22, from 3.15pm to 6pm; Tuesday, July 9, 16, 23, and Wednesday, July 10 and 17, from 12.30pm to 7.30pm; Thursday, July 11 and 18, from 9.30am to 4.30pm; Friday, July 12 and 19, and Wednesday, July 24, from 7.45am to 10.45am.
To schedule an appointment, phone 131 496, head to lifeblood.com.au or download the app.
The van will be located in its regular position, set up in High St car park, 438-454 High St, Echuca.
Fees, services get green light
Goulburn-Murray Water’s fees and services for the next four years are set, ensuring stable prices for customers.
The Essential Services Commission – which serves as the independent regulator for Victoria’s water, energy, and transport sectors – found that G-MW’s price submission was a “high quality” proposal that demonstrated “prudency and efficiency”.
The new price submission will come into effect on July 1, 2024, with many gravity irrigation customers set to experience a steady or lower typical bill before inflation, and some medium and large gravity irrigation customers experiencing slight increases. Overall, G-MW’s average prices will increase less than 1 per cent across the four years before inflation.
Customers will be sent a full 2024-25 list of prices in the coming days and will receive their 2024-25 fixed charges bills from the end of July.
Staying safe at work
Meet UMM, the tall, orange, furry character spreading the word on safety for young workers.
Named for the expression that comes to mind when we’re unsure of what to say or do, the quirky character features in a new series of WorkSafe videos, social media, regional press and digital communications.
The videos include UMM responding to a range of common unsafe scenarios young workers may face in retail, manufacturing, fast food, hospitality, health care and construction.
Since last year, 3501 workers under 25 have been seriously injured at work in Victoria.
This includes 151 in the Loddon-Campaspe area, which includes the Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Greater Bendigo, Loddon, Macedon Ranges and Mt Alexander local government areas.
For information about safety for young workers visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/umm
Nominate an outstanding senior citizen
Community members are being asked to recognise the contributions of senior Victorians by submitting nominations for the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.
Nominations are open for the 2024 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards, celebrating senior Victorians who share their skills, experience, time and energy with our community.
There are six categories of awards.
This year, the nomination process is more accessible than ever before. Nominations can be submitted digitally through a new online platform until August 11, making it even easier to nominate a deserving senior. Nominees must be aged 60 or over, and 50 or over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians.
To make a nomination, visit Seniors Online and complete a nomination form at seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards
Water storages steady
Water storages are holding steady as we enter winter, despite a drier autumn, according to Coliban Water.
Executive general manager strategy Anna Lamont said the combined storage volume of Upper Coliban, Lauriston and Malmsbury Reservoirs is at 77 per cent.
And 52,239 megalitres is being held in Lake Eppalock.
Coliban Water has eight separate water supply systems across its region, each with a different supply source and level of water security, all reliant on winter and spring rainfall or groundwater.
While acknowledging the storages collectively hold 1.5 gigalitres less than this time last year, Ms Lamont said forecasts are looking good for our catchment.
Despite a positive outlook, Ms Lamont is reminding customers to keep water conservation in front of mind.
Visit coliban.com.au for information on water security and water saving tips.
RIV Herald