Firewood collection to close
This year’s autumn domestic firewood collection season on public land closes tonight.
Collections will not be permitted again until the spring session from September 1 to November 30.
Forest Fire Management Victoria’s chief fire officer Chris Hardman warned of “serious penalties” for failing to follow firewood collection rules.
He said that during the designated periods individuals can collect a maximum of two cubic metres of wood each day and 16 cubic metres per household per year.
The limits are to prevent households stockpiling large volumes from public land and denying others firewood supplies.
A list of areas where firewood can be collected during the specified sessions is available at www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood
Mr Hardman said concession card holders and those on low incomes that rely on buying firewood and/or have experienced financial hardship could be eligible for assistance towards the cost.
Details can be found https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au at
Three new full fenced off-the-leash dog parks are now open for use in Baw Baw shire.
The parks at Warragul, Trafalgar and Drouin bring to seven the number of off-the-leash areas in the shire.
They complete a program started by Baw Baw council in 2015 with a 12-month trial and subsequent community consultation.
The new parks at Warragul’s Brooker Park, Drouin’s Bellbird Park and Hollydell Park at the corner of Edward Crescent and Rose Court, Trafalgar, feature air lock entry and exit gates, dog litter bags, bins, drinking water stations, seating and upgraded footpaths and landscaping.
The other dog parks in the shire are at Yarragon’s Dowton Park, St Phillack reserve and Dunstan oval in Rawson and the Darnum recreation reserve.
Mayor Danny Goss said the new parks costing $120,000 were funded in council’s 20192020 capital works program.
The parks come with a list of rules and responsibilities for dog owners that are outlined on signage installed at the sites.
The dog parks can only be used during daylight hours, handlers must be over 16 years of age and remain in the fenced area while their dogs run loose, any droppings must be cleaned up and dogs vaccinated, obedience trained and kept them under effective control.
Puppies using the parks must be at least four months old.
Cr Goss said the shire was home to thousands of dogs.
The dedicated off -the-leash areas provided a safe place for dogs to exercise and socialise and observance of the rules set down were to ensure they were enjoyable for everybody to use, he stated.