NEWS of 2020
July
After a delay in opening, Mt Baw Baw had a dumping of snow that saw keen skiers and snow lovers descend on the mountain for the first time. The 20cm layer allowed the mountain to open to visitors and saw the return of overnight accommodation in line with the COVID safe protocols that became the norm in 2020.
Local police along with Baw Baw Shire Council set out to review speed limits at a “dangerous” intersection in Trafalgar. The Princes Hwy at Davey Drv was deemed an accident hot spot by police who said it was one to be monitored closely.
Coles Warragul shoppers rallied behind the “Big Freeze” FightMND campaign to purchase 2000 beanies and raise a staggering $43,000. Warragul’s store ranked second in Australia for beanie sales and third in Australia for overall funding.
Metropolitan and regional areas were separated by Premier Daniel Andrews’ ring of steel, which saw police set up a check point at the Bunyip River to stem the flow of COVID-19. It came as COVID tests doubled at Gippsland clinics with more than 13,000 undertaken by Gippslanders up until the end of June.
Russell Ford was installed as the new president for the Drouin Rotary Club, taking over from Tim Wills. Despite a COVID affected year, the Rotarians provided a total of 1550 hours of service, which is an average of 30 hours per member.
St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School kindergarten students brightened the spirits of Abbey Garden residents through some art works. They created their own unique pieces of art that they then attached to the room of a resident with a little message alongside.
The Bunyip and District Community House provided much need support for those doing it tough throughout the pandemic. They were able to supply free boxes of food which contained groceries, soup, pasta, tissues, and toilet paper.
Warragul’s new early learning centre at the Warragul Primary School opened its doors, the new centre one of the Council’s key infrastructure projects. The new facility has the capacity for 132 three- and four-year-old kinder placements, something that was much needed in the area. It includes spacious multi use activity rooms, as well as two consultation rooms for dedicated allied health, maternal and child health services.
As facemasks became a mandatory requirement across the region, mother-daughter team Denise Higgins and Natalie Pusey set to work, sewing many different variations to sell. The duo put in 12-15-hour days to fulfil their orders of over 230 masks within one day of posting on Facebook.
A brazen break in occurred at the DELWP site in Noojee, where three 2019 model Landcruisers were stolen, alongside an assortment of tools. One vehicle was later recovered near Officer the next day.
August
It was a familiar story at the beginning of August, as Victoria was plunged back into lockdown amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. Employees were forced to work from home and restaurants were only able to provide takeaway to customers. The hope that community sport seasons could continue were also dashed, with the restrictions forcing a cancellation across the board. A curfew was introduced for metropolitan councils who moved to stage four restrictions, while regional Victoria was put back into stage three restrictions.
The first week of August brought with it the chills of winter as an icy blast blew through West Gippsland. The maximum temperature reached just 8.2 degrees at Nilma North on Tuesday August 4, with snow falling in Neerim North, Icy Creek and other high lying areas.
West Gippsland residents welcomed five new defibrillators which were installed at Longwarry, Ellinbank, Yarragon, Trafalgar and Thorpdale. The defibs are accessible 24 hours a day and paramedics welcomed the additions, explaining how the first few minutes are critical in a cardiac arrest situation.
Former V8 supercar driver Jason Bargwanna joined an elite list of athletes recognised in the Baw Baw Shire’s sporting walk of fame. The Warragul based racing driver was the 20th inductee, joining fellow driver Jason Bright, as well as other local sporting heroes Gary Ablett senior, Barry Round, Peter Knights and boxing legend Lionel Rose.
The renowned ring of steel was relocated to Nar Nar Goon from Longwarry for operational reasons after four weeks based at the Caltex service station. The move was made to help make the checkpoint more efficient and effectively intercept drivers illegally travelling into regional areas.
A Drouin man spent a Sunday walking in circles not quite believing his luck after discovering he’d scored a division one prize win in TattsLotto. The local man scooped $847,000 in the draw and said he hopes to use it to help his children and retire a little earlier than first planned.
Darnum locals Robert and Helen Bormann had a timely reminder for many not to forget about the contents of their microwave after theirs malfunctioned while heating up a wheat pack. It was only when his wife Helen smelt the burning material that they were able to prevent a proper fire from breaking out.
A $7.5 million dollar motel and retail development proposal was unveiled for Drouin. The major multi-level development features accommodation, restaurant, rooftop bar and seven retail premises.
Police reminded locals to lock their vehicles whenever not in use after a spate of thefts around the region. Many of the incidents occurred on regional properties, calling for resident to remain vigilant no matter where they live.
September
Community lobbying delivered more than $1.1 million worth of new projects to last year’s Baw Baw Shire budget. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were committed to design and feasibility plans to ensure projects are shovel ready to take advantage of state and federal funding opportunities.
Wild winds left a trail of destruction for SES workers, with several large trees toppling over in the nasty conditions. SES members activated and completed 86 jobs within 24 hours, with a further 60 jobs coming later. Among the closures was the Drouin Country Club, which needed time to repair the damage before golfers were able to return.
Stage three restrictions began to ease, but the road to normal would be a long one for Victorians. It meant some social interaction for people from two households, with a single person bubble also being permitted.
Farmers and agents were desperate to save the weekly calf market held at the Warragul saleyards. The arrangement is set to end in March, but on behalf of agents, Alex Scott and Staff agent Neil Darby wrote to the VLE pleading that they extend the arrangement a further 12 months.
Fifteen-year-old Seth O’Brien brought kindness to his Trafalgar street during lockdown, every week bringing in his neighbours’ bins for them on a Tuesday night. Seth, who has nonverbal autism, began his weekly routine at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with neighbours appreciating the kind gesture.
Spoonville became a phenomenon during lockdown, to help keep the connection between communities thriving during social isolation. The Robinson family in Trafalgar began their own Spoonville, with the community soon joining in adding to it. Each day runners and walkers were able to take in the creations, bringing a smile to their face.
Businesses around town embraced outdoor dining as restrictions lifted. It meant dine in was back on the menu, albeit outside, for those who wanted to support local restaurants and cafes.
The Warragul skatepark was reopened, with several skaters and riders hitting the rails again. A few had spent the lockdown practicing at home, giving them extra motivation to get back to the park to perfect their tricks.
After a long layoff, driver’s license testing officially returned to regional Victoria. Eager learners were ready to try for their licenses, with a backlog dating back until March. Those who made appointments before March were first in line to claim their all-important ‘P’ plates.