Nominations for the 2010 "Good Neighbour Award" run by Neighbourhood Watch are now open - nominate a person or a couple who you consider to be a "Good Neighbour". The definition is very wide and can include anyone who lives or works the Winchelsea & District area.

The Winchelsea Repertory Society will be putting on a Dinner & Show for its end of year performance, in November - "Out On The Patio" by John Mawson and Rob Smith. Bookings available for November 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 for just $40pp ($20pp BYO nibbles on the 12th November though). The Dinner & Show will be held at The Globe Theatre, Winchelsea.

The WINCH project (Winchelsea Integrated Neighbourhoold Community Hub) is well under way, with a deadline of August 2011 for completion. Comprising a new building in place of the existing clubrooms at the Eastern Reserve, facilities will include change rooms, toilets, storage rooms, a gymnasium, general-purpose room big enough to seat 250 people, and a commercial kitchen. The Shire is currently asking ALL community groups to pass on details of what they would like to see built into the WINCH - but time is tight, so responses need to be received in September.

The Winchelsea Medical Clinic has now moved - now providing care from a contemporary purpose-built venue at 27-31 Willis Street. The premises used to be occupied by the Mirnee Medical Centre who have relocated to Colac. Pathology services continue to be provided from the Winchelsea Medical Clinic's new site.

The DSE and the CFA invite you, your family and members of your community to take part in a bushfire workshop. This opportunity is about  discussing how you would like bushfire planning to happen in your area and to share in the decision-making process for the overall bushfire management of both public and private forested land.

The focus is on community participation, so if you want to represent your views and ideas about your community please come along.  [Other government agencies and authority's will also have an opportunity to participate in the development of the new plan at a later date].

These meetings are about the development of a new Barwon Otway Bushfire Management Plan, as the current 10 year plan is to soon expire.

Click here to download the invitation, with details of 9 local meetings and 1 Melbourne meeting.

The Upper Barwon Landcare Network newsletter for September 2010 now available - see the September UBLN "What's On" monthly bulletin (PDF format), or visit ubln.org.au for more information. The bulletin details upcoming workshops and local landcare groups meetings.

The Winchelsea Uniting Church Art & Photography Show will be held on October 29th to November 1st. Entries are invited;

• Entry to Juniors is FREE but forms must be in by 15th October. All Junior prints and art work must be mounted on card with Name, Age & Phone number on the back. Junior Sections - Under 8, Under 12 and Secondary. Entry forms from Winchelsea Primary School or Winch House, or phone Yvonne (5267 2630).
• Adult entry forms from Winch House or from Yvonne. Entry for the adult section is $5 each, up to 5 entries may be accepted. All exhibits must be received by Thursday October 28th at the Globe Theatre, from 3pm to 7pm.

The draft Winchelsea Industrial Estate Master Plan is now on public exhibition for 6 weeks, until 10 September 2010. The master plan identifies a number of measures to make the industrial estate a more attractive centre for various businesses and to ensure the estate provides jobs and services to the Winchelsea community.

Council invites the community to view the plan at;

• the Shire offices at 25 Grossmans Road, Torquay
• the Winchelsea Visitor Information Centre
• the Shire website, under 'Latest News' (or click here to to the Master Plan page)

To make a submission with your comments on the plan, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or write to Surf Coast Shire, Strategic Planning Department, PO Box 350, Torquay, VIC 3228. For more information contact the Council's Strategic Planning Department on 5261 0535 or visit www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au

"Tiffany Eckhardt and Dave Steel have joined forces to produce their new album "Sunday". It is a collection of songs written by Tiffany, recorded and produced by Dave in their home studio near Winchelsea.

Tiffany's resolutely open-hearted approach to song writing and performing draws her audience in. Dave Steel is also an award-winning songwriter and as an instrumentalist has played with many of Australia's best known artists. The combination of the two is compelling, acoustic guitars, harmonica, mandolin, dobro - Australian folk/roots at its best.

"Sunday", her seventh, is a watershed album. An album that matches vivid, emotional storytelling with the expansive atmosphere of world-class producer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Steel, it's the most fearless and accomplished self-portrait of Tiffany's career"

Michael Dwyer, The Age

The new album Sunday is on sale at the Winchelsea Larder cafe & shop.

Doors open 7pm
Adults $5, children under 16 free

Tickets available from the School office (no allocated seats)

See also the UBLN Quarterly Magazine - download the PDF at http://www.ubln.org.au/tree-talk/winter.pdf

The Upper Barwon Landcare Network newsletter for August 2010 now available - see the August UBLN "What's On" monthly bulletin (PDF format), or visit ubln.org.au for more information. The bulletin details upcoming workshops and local landcare groups meetings.

This month ;

Dung Beetle and Earthworm workshop

Dean Suckling is presenting this workshop on Thursday 5th August between 10:30am— 12:30pm in the Birregurra hall. The workshop will help participants understand the functions of Dung Beetles and Earthworms.

Interpreting Soil Test Results workshop

Cam Nicolson will lead this intensive workshop on Thursday 19th August between 10:00am—3:00pm in the Birregurra hall. Bring along your recent soil results to find out what the numbers really mean.

Jigsaw Farms trip

A bus trip has been organized to visit Jigsaw Farms near Hamilton on Tuesday 10th of August. The bus will depart the Birregurra hall at 8:30am and return late afternoon. Cost is $25 per person. RSVP is essential to the UBLN office by Friday 6th August.

Barwon Rivercare Meeting - Next meeting will be in the Uniting Church hall at 7pm on Thursday 29th July. Jenniy Gregory from DPI will be giving a presentation on `Geothermal Technologies’
Murroon Landcare Group - next meeting will be held at 12:30 pm on Friday 30th July at Jan and Peter Greigs’ property. The meeting will include a presentation on the Otway LEAF project. There will also be a brief presentation on the `structure’ of Landcare, the roles of the various bodies, and how they interact. BYO lunch. Tea and coffee supplied.
Irrewarra Farmcare Group - next activity will be on Wednesday 18th August. It is a trip to Lismore to look at some of the biological farming work that the Lismore Land Protection Group has been running. Bus will leave Irrewarra Football Club at 10am.
Wurdale Landcare Group - no plans for a July meeting. A quick catch up will held at the Dung Beetle workshop
to decide the August activity

Whole Farm Planning course

Starting early August this course will be run at the Irrewarra Football Clubrooms. It is based on the new FarmPlan 21 program and will include an introduction to iFarmer, a web based mapping tool with aerial image of your property.
Contact Nerissa Lovric 5233 5508 for further details.

Community Action Grants

The 2010 round of Federal Government funded `Community Action Grants’ are open for amounts between $5,000—20,000. Contact the UBLN office for assistance if your group has a project proposal. Further details at http://www.nrm.gov.au/cag/index.html

Growing the Next Wave of Rural Leaders in Western Victoria

Organized by WestVic Dairy, this 40 hour course is to be conducted at King Parrot Cottages starting on Friday 27th August. It is aimed at people who already have a leadership role in their community. Preference will be given to people involved in
Agribusiness or farming. Contact Karen Wales for further details on 5562 0021 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A description of the nine-hole Winchelsea Golf Course, as experienced by visiting player Russell Karmel.

Set on approximately 40 hectares, the course offers tree lined fairways and regulation greens. A nine hole golf course (it has different teeing areas if you want to go around a second time), consisting of three par 3s, five par 4s and a par 5.

The Upper Barwon Landcare Network newsletter for July 2010 now available - see the June UBLN "What's On" monthly bulletin, or visit ubln.org.au for more information. The bulletin details upcoming workshops and local landcare groups meetings.

This month ;

• Soil Organic Matter and Soil Carbon Workshop - download the flyer (PDF)
• Focus farm group meetings
• Otway LEAF Project
• NAIDOC Week (National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee)

The April edition of Surf Coast Shire Council's newsletter, "Groundswell", contains a major section on Winchelsea. It includes details of investments in Winchelsea and plans for Winchelsea's growth. Read more for the full articles on Winchelsea, or download the complete Groundswell as a PDF.

Surf Coast Shire Council has developed a draft Playground Strategy providing a rolling 10-year play for upgrades to playgrounds, new standards for playground development and plans for new and upgraded facilities. Four new playgrounds are earmarked for Winchelsea, providing major improvements, while one new playground is proposed in Wurdale.

This is Council's first playground strategy and is particularly important for young families. It has a strong focus on providing facilities in growth areas - from neighbourhood local playgrounds to larger regional and district playgrounds.

Register to receive the Surf Coast Shire news about Council activities by email, and you could win;

• A copy of the definitive Complete Guide to the Great Ocean Road. This invaluable and fascinating resource has been compiled by the principal author and photographer, Richard Everist, and a team of contributors.
• A luscious hamper of the fine produce able to be sampled by taking the Otway Harvest Trail, which winds through the scenic Otways hinterland.
• Six of the best local wines to accompany the feast.

Simply send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the words "Email Contact List" in the subject line. Be sure to provide;

• Your email address
• Your full name
• The postal address to which your rates notices are sent
• the Assessment Number of your Surf Coast Shire property(ies), in the top right of the rates notice