It’s a wet-day timetable at Ararat West primary school - the yard devoid of squealing children, and the small playground dreary and alone at the school entrance.

Inside tells a different story. The inclement weather is juxtaposed by the infectious energy of 260 students, their spirit emanating through the school halls. School principal Terry Keilar says there's been a shift in culture over the past five years.

“The culture has built around acceptance, access to support, and families feeling a lot more comfortable to reach out and ask for help.”

The shift started with the introduction of One Red Tree - a grassroots charity providing mental health care and support throughout Western Victoria. With its base in Ararat, a town 200kms west of Melbourne, the organisation was founded in 2021 to address the local shortage in mental health professionals.

Led by mental health and education practitioners, the organisation partners with local council and universities to provide provisionally registered and early-career psychologists with placement and employment opportunities in schools and aged care facilities.

Keilar says access to mental health services has always been a challenge in the region. He says the charity has been a “game-changer” for Ararat.

“We recognised that some of our students weren't accessing the support services that perhaps they needed. There was nothing else,” he says.

“For a lot of our families, it meant driving to Ballarat (100kms away) or to a larger city, and some of those things were just not accessible.”

Co-founder Tammie Meehan says the program removes barriers to mental health care. Most sessions are provided at low-cost or bulk-billed, and having the service close by mitigates issues related to proximity and waiting lists.

One Red Tree’s integrated approach, she says, has reduced the stigma associated with mental health care.

“Some parents decided their child should not participate in the program due to perceived stigmas. The opposite has happened.”

“The provisional psychologist integrates into the school, they are well-received by the school community and soon other children are asking when they can have a turn. Families are requesting participation for their children.”

A “wraparound” approach

The program operates on a wraparound model. Where many health professionals are often sent to rural and regional areas alone, One Red Tree embeds psychologists in communities, providing supervision, accommodation, and training. 

Meehan says a “drop-in-drop-out model” doesn’t work.

“Rural placements, especially ones like [ours] where the placements engage the provisional psychologists in the community by linking them with peers, opportunities for group activities, having on-the-ground support wherever they’re placed, are crucial for encouraging them to aspire to working rurally when they graduate.”

“This method has helped us recruit many ex-students to be employed by One Red Tree or by other local schools and health services.”

Psychologist Erin Love started her internship at Ararat West primary school and is now working locally in aged care. Originally from Melbourne, she says a model which supports provisional psychologists in their work allows for sustainability in the workforce, particularly in regional and rural settings.

“I was very grateful that One Red Tree is in a position where they can [support] students and cover expenses, otherwise it would’ve been very difficult,” she says.

“You’re not working at all or a lot, so you’re not making the money to support yourself, pay for petrol costs or accommodation. So it’s a really great thing they have to be able to give an allowance.”

Ararat Rural City councillor and One Red Tree board chair, Jo Armstrong, says the organisation's community-centric approach is working.

“Existing government policy settings don’t yet provide surety of workforce supply to regional communities and that’s exactly what’s needed,” she says.

But being a rural, local, grassroots organisation has its setbacks. 

“Departments of government have funding models that habitually rely on a cookie-cutter approach – they roll out service provision to larger regional centres, with minimal regard for the challenges that rural people must overcome to access those services.”

Meehan agrees. “Just because they are national does not mean they know the communities they are working in.”

A practical response

Meehan and her co-founder Carly McKinnis both grew up in Ararat. From a young age, they were exposed to repeated experiences of suicide and mental health struggles in their community.

“Professionally, I had been working as a psychologist in regional areas for over 20 years, including in remote communities, and had seen firsthand how limited access to services can be devastating,” McKinnis, who is also a clinical psychologist, says.

It was during the Covid pandemic that the situation escalated and there was also a spate of suicides in the area.

“I was the only psychologist seeing children across a huge geographic area, with no meaningful referral pathways. Parents, schools and GPs were desperate for help that simply wasn’t available.” 

“Then, a psychology student approached us asking if we could organise a rural placement and we said ‘yes’ before we knew how. 

That first placement at the end of 2021 became the seed for One Red Tree.

“It was a practical response to an urgent community need - creating access to mental health care while also building a sustainable rural workforce.”

When One Red Tree first launched, the team noticed a surge in mandatory reporting by its team of psychologists. This led to the strengthening of ties between families and local agencies such as Uniting VicTas and Orange Door.

“We are engaging families who have been living under the radar and have never engaged with support agencies,” Meehan says.

Over the past five years, the charity has engaged more than 1,000 families through its school program alone, providing more than 12,000 clinical sessions across 26 different schools.

Starting with five practitioners, there have now been more than 100 early-career psychologists who have moved through the organisation.

One Red Tree has now expanded to almost 20 towns around regional Victoria including Warracknabeal, Hepburn and Skipton, operating in schools, aged-care facilities as well as a small number of private clinics.

“A fantastic model”

Western Victoria has a higher than state average rate of mental health conditions in young people and higher youth mortality with Ararat Rural City and Northern Grampians Shire experiencing disproportionately high rates of mental ill-health, suicide risk and family violence compared to the Victorian average. 

According to the Victorian Suicide Register, there were 50 suicide deaths in the Grampians region between 2019 and 2023. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states Australians living in the regions face unique challenges due to their geographic isolation and often have poorer health and welfare than those living in major cities.

“In regional areas like where One Red Tree is based, there's just never going to be enough health professionals,” says Prof Myfanwy Maple, director of the Manna Institute, a mental health research and training institute for regional Australia.

“We know that mental health and just high levels of distress are increasing in young people. And to be able to address that quickly without having waiting lists or anything like that, people who are trusted in the school is a really, really good way of being able to break down some of the barriers between distress and getting the help you need when you need it.”

Prof Maple says such initiatives are exactly what is needed, allowing provisional psychologists to practice in real time, under “really clear supervision”.

“We've looked at whole health hubs in schools where you might have psychologists, social workers, nurses, you might have exercise, physiologists, pharmacists, all sorts of professions could potentially be operating in schools and opening up access to health services to the whole community from the school. 

“What's happening in Victoria is a fantastic model.”

For McKinnis, the solution “must grow from within communities, not be imposed from outside.”

“Mental health isn’t just a health issue, it touches every part of community life,” she says.

“Every community will look different, but the principles are transferable - build on existing strengths, listen to what people need, collaborate across sectors, and create shared ownership.

“Real change often happens in small, human moments. When leaders know people by name, when services talk to each other, and when communities take responsibility together. Those are the conditions where prevention becomes possible.”

Meehan says the team wants to be remembered for strengthening relationships in the community. “Grassroots and local responses work,” she says. “They know their communities and their contexts.”

“The result is that we have a healthy, thriving community.”

As fuel prices continue to squeeze household budgets across western Victoria, the state government’s announcement of free public transport has been framed as a cost-of-living relief measure.

But in a region where services are already stretched, anger is rising over the fact many locals can’t actually access the transport.

More services, fewer seats: On the Warrnambool line, overcrowding has been an ongoing issue since older V/Line trains were replaced with VLocity trains in March 2025. 

• While the newer trains run more frequently, - five services a day instead of three - they carry fewer passengers, with about 200 seats per service compared to up to 400 on the previous trains.

Further capacity strain: That shift has reduced total daily seating capacity from roughly 1,200 to about 1,000 - a drop now compounded by a five-week period of replacement coaches from April 11 to May 20 due to track maintenance and upgrades to the train storage yard at Warrnambool station.

• Now, under the temporary timetable, the earliest arrival into Southern Cross Station is 10:40am - more than two hours later than the usual 8:37am service - effectively removing early-morning access to Melbourne for work, appointments or connections.

Ticket sales soar for 2026 Grampians Grape Escape as region emerges from era of repair

The Brolga spoke to Co-Festival Director Kate Kirkpatrick about what the event means for the community.

“Distraught residents”: South West Coast Liberal MP Roma Britnell said the situation had left residents frustrated.

🗣️“We were promised an upgrade … and now what we’ve got is a very substandard service, which goes from bad to worse, and it’s now just a diabolical, chaotic mess.”

• She told the Brolga her office had been contacted by people undergoing cancer treatment and recovering from surgery who were unable to secure seats or get assistance.

🗣️“People are ringing me incredibly distraught … [people] who can’t possibly stand the whole way.”

No reservations: Britnell said the situation had been made worse by changes tied to the free public transport rollout, including the removal of the requirement to pre-book seats, a move she argues has made it harder for regional passengers to plan trips.

🗣️“The announcement of free travel has actually made it worse. More people have to drive now to appointments, so that actually [means] more people using fuel, rather than less.”

Britnell warned the introduction of replacement coaches would only deepen the strain, particularly for regional travellers boarding mid-route with no guarantee of space.

🗣️“We had a case with school kids going on a school camp, they had no way of knowing whether they would have the room to get onto the train that they were heading to Melbourne on, because there's no way of booking.” 

Events clash with service cuts: The issue has also intersected with major local events, including the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival. 

• Initial plans to cancel train services during the event were reversed after a backlash, with train services reinstated between May 5 and 7.

The Brolga has contacted the Department of Transport for comment.

Header image: Victoria’s big build

Ticket sales for this year’s Grampians Grape Escape are already tracking ahead of previous years, as the region continues its recovery following the 2024 bushfires. A community celebration with an impressive amount of wine only seems fit. 

• More than 100 exhibitors have signed up for the iconic food and wine festival, which will take place from May 1-3.

• The Grape Escape has been running in Halls Gap since 1992, and it brings together the best of the best in local wine, brewing, and artisan distilling. 

Image: Grampians Grape Escape

🍷 The deal with local wine: West Vic has a storied history when it comes to wine. 

It’s the birthplace of sparkling shiraz, and the cool-climate vines that dot the region produce a variety of national favourites. 

Co-Festival Director Kate Kirkpatrick told the Brolga the Grampians Grape Escape is a great opportunity to bring the regional wine community together.

🗣️: “We have so many smaller operators and traditional family businesses that only want to see the region grow and want the very best for it.” Kirkpatrick said.

• “The festival plays such a pivotal role, in economic value and tourism. It’s a hallmark event. The economic value the event inputs is very large, helping all small businesses in the area.” 

Image: Grampians Grape Escape

🤸 Bouncing back: Kirkpatrick said the festival is here to help wineries impacted by previous bushfires. 

• “The festival is a really strong supporter of industry that may have lost vintages and vines,” said Kirkpatrick.

🗣️: “We work to get the job done. There’s a real will to see everyone do really well. The connections here are genuine, and we work together to promote the region for the greater good.” 

Image: Grampians Grape Escape

A highlight of the region for Kirkpatrick is the array of wineries on her doorstep. 

• “I love rosé. I’m partial to pink, and I’m lucky enough to live in Pomonal, not far from Pomonal Estate and Black and Ginger.”

Image: Grampians Grape Escape

⌚ What next: Grampians Grape Escape is set to feature artisan winemakers, distillers, and producers set against a backdrop of live music and immersive experiences. Be sure to check out the Coal Pit, a masterclass in low-and-slow cooking that involves direct roasting on open ashes. 

Head here to learn more about the 2026 edition of the festival. 

Image: Grampians Grape Escape

People who grew up in Australia are used to the rhythms of emergency warnings - total fire ban days, flood alerts, heatwave advice. But for many new arrivals, those messages can be confusing, unfamiliar or missed entirely.

That gap is now driving calls to expand a Bendigo-based program designed to help migrant-and-former refugee communities better understand how to stay safe as extreme weather events become more frequent.

What’s happening? Bendigo Community Health Services is pushing for its Emergency Preparedness Program to be embedded across Victoria, after five years of local success.

• The program, delivered in partnership with the Country Fire Authority, the State Emergency Service and the City of Greater Bendigo, provides in-language education on how to prepare for and respond to fires, floods and heatwaves.

Why it matters: As climate change drives more intense and frequent extreme weather events in western Victoria, people who don’t fully understand emergency messaging can face heightened risks.

• “For new arrivals, the new environment and the weather in Australia may be very different to where they come from,” program facilitator Nido Taveesupmai said.

• “There’s often a lack of information in their language and all the messages are designed for mainstream audiences.”

Different worlds: Kaye Graves, a senior leader at BCHS’ migrant and refugee cultural diversity team, told the Brolga many people arriving from countries like Afghanistan and Burma were navigating not just a new climate, but an entirely different way of living.

Owning or renting a house, using transport, or understanding emergency services can all be unfamiliar, let alone how Australian bushfires or floods behave.

🗣️“Fire, flood and heat behave very differently here,” said Graves. “Where they come from, no one has ever asked how they can help them. So if there's an earthquake, a landslide or a bomb, you just have to help yourself.”

Power play at Yangery: Warrnambool battery project could power 40,000 homes

The 120-megawatt development has received the green light from the planning department, with promises to provide grid stability and renewable growth.

Breaking barriers: The program tackles those challenges head-on, with translated fact sheets, 21 in-language videos and face-to-face sessions delivered through trusted community networks.

• More than 2,300 people from refugee backgrounds have attended training sessions, while resources have been distributed more than 8,000 times.

• The training sessions are offered in the Karen, Dinka and Dari languages.

• Community “champions” are also trained each year to share knowledge within their own networks.

“Because we involve the community in all the planning and the development of resources in the program, there's trust, and we know that the model is culturally safe and easily understood,” Graves said.

• That trust is particularly critical for people who may have experienced trauma involving authority figures or uniforms before arriving in Australia.

Real-world impact: Participants are learning how to prepare their homes, use the VicEmergency app, avoid driving through floodwaters and recognise the dangers of extreme heat.

“We’ve seen lots of uptake of knowledge and examples of using that knowledge,” Graves said.

What’s next: With refugee communities spread across regional Victoria, including parts of western Victoria such as Nhill and Horsham, there are growing calls to expand the model.

• “We share the learnings because we want people to understand the importance of a tailored, targeted approach to being safe with these severe weather events,” Graves said. “It’s a human right to be understood and to understand.”

A proposed battery project near Warrnambool could power more than 40,000 homes during peak demand, with locals now invited to have their say on the development.

What’s planned? The proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) would be built on a 23.3-hectare site at the corner of Tower Hill Road and Conn’s Lane at Yangery, next to the existing Koroit Electrical Substation.

• South Energy lodged its planning application with the Department of Transport and Planning in February, with the proposal now accepted and open for public submissions.

• If approved, the project would have a capacity of about 120 megawatts and 480 megawatt-hours of storage - enough to power roughly 42,000 households for up to four hours during peak demand.

How it works: Large-scale batteries store excess energy generated during the day, particularly from solar and wind, and release it back into the grid when demand spikes, such as in the evening.

• Physically, these systems resemble rows of shipping containers that house battery units, connected to the electricity network to help stabilise supply.

From wedding guests to owners: The Daylesford restaurant built on a love of place

Seasonal eating and living with Sault owner Jodi Flockhart.

Jobs and timeline: Construction is expected to take between 12 and 16 months, creating a number of temporary roles, though exact figures and project costs have not been confirmed.

• A larger scale project near Portland which is expected to power 345,000 homes is estimated to cost $1 billion to build.

• Once operational, the facility would employ four permanent full-time staff.

Regional context: The Yangery proposal is the latest in a growing pipeline of battery projects across western Victoria, with similar developments flagged near Cobden, Camperdown and Portland as the region adapts to a changing energy mix.

Twenty years ago, Jodi Flockhart had her wedding at Sault Restaurant, a venue surrounded by 100 acres of lavender fields and aromatic gardens. 

She loved it so much she bought the place, going on to run the business with her husband Damien Aylward.

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

🗣️: “My husband and I were actually married at Sault”, Flockhart told the Brolga. “We had fallen in love with the region, and we loved the idea of a tree change from our Melbourne life and the romance of raising our family in the country. So we bought the restaurant, and here we are 20 years later.” 

Flockhart found the restaurant through romance, but stayed for the joy of providing true nourishment and hospitality. 

💐The origin of Sault: The name, though conveniently condiment-adjacent, is derived from a French town in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in the south of France. 

This French town is famed for its lavender, and the restaurant not only contains its own lavender fields but also an uncanny resemblance to the French countryside. The fountain at the entryway was flown in by the original owners from Paris.

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

🍅Festivities and feasts: Sault has played host to hundreds of weddings, and is surrounded by 100 acres of gardens used for celebration as well as in the kitchen. The menu is entirely seasonal.

• “I have always loved fresh food from the garden”, said Flockhart. “As a child, I would pick fresh strawberries and tomatoes from the garden and taste them with my eyes closed. It was sun-ripened food full of rich flavour.” 

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

💜 Hospitality from the heart: Flockhart said they treat visitors as though they are visiting the dining room of their own home. 

🗣️ “The ethos behind Sault is to nourish guests with a full farm-to-table experience and a feeling of reconnecting to nature and the beauty of eating with the seasons and eating for nourishment.”

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

Many ingredients featured on the menu are picked from the gardens that surround the venue, or come from local suppliers. A shining example is Meredith Farm goat ribs with carrot molasses, toasted hemp seed and pickled Padron pepper with sheep’s milk labneh and advieh. 

🗣️: “We have planted our own seasonal flower fields and picking garden. We love to share the importance of nurturing with our guests, and the joy of sharing what we have made with our own hands.” 

• “As a husband and wife that work together, we want to create a place our children can be proud of, and so they can learn the importance of “it takes a village” of good, kind and creative souls”, said Flockhart.

• “When you eat seasonally, food has ripened fully and the tastes and nutrients are at their fullest.” 

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

🥄 Want a taste? Sault is a day trip worth taking, open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, and lunch on the weekends. 

If you’re looking for adventures in West Vic that only take a day, head here. 

Image: Sault Daylesford Instagram

The Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club has applied for government funding every year for three years. It still doesn't have it. On Tuesday night, Warrnambool City Council voted to back the club's $16 million redevelopment, supporting a revised masterplan for the new facility.

It's a step that keeps the project alive, but doesn't build anything just yet.

“This particular issue is vitally important because the current Surf Life Saving Club rooms don’t have access to the beach at all, and the current rooms have outlived their useful life,” councillor Richard Ziegeler said during the meeting.

“I don’t see why there is even a quibble from the various government departments as to why this shouldn’t go ahead.”

The background: The club has been working towards a redevelopment since 2021, starting with concept plans and community consultation, while also making sure the project fits into council’s broader plans for the foreshore.

• Surf Life Saving Club Captain Jo McDowall said the vision was to create a facility that becomes a real focal point on the beach.

“What we want to do is have something on the Warrnambool foreshore that basically means that all roads lead to the flags,” she said, envisioning a beachfront hub that naturally pulls people towards the safest place to swim.

• The new building would support patrols and water safety education, but also include space for the community and income-generating areas like a restaurant to keep the organisation sustainable.

The Ballarat development that will house 40,000 people just got $8 million more expensive

An unstable economy and complex infrastructure has driven up prices as the City of Ballarat plans ahead.

Who’s paying? The projected cost for the redevelopment is $16 million. While council’s support is a milestone, funding is still the biggest hurdle.

• McDowall said projects like this are usually paid for through a mix of local, state and federal money, with councils often helping fund things like access, parking and surrounding infrastructure.

No easy task: The challenge is getting that first major commitment from government. The club has applied for state funding every year for the past three years and previously sought federal grants, while also raising $67,000 through a community fundraising appeal at last year’s May Racing Carnival.

• The Liberal party has pledged funding for the redevelopment in previous federal election campaigns if it formed government but has failed to do so.

• “It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation,” she said. “You usually need that significant pledge… whether that be state or federal, to really kickstart that process.”

The club’s community appeal is still running on its website.

Ballarat West is a growing residential precinct with a lot of money and planning behind it. It is explicitly designed to support an incoming population increase. 

At the council meeting on March 25th, the City of Ballarat decided to inject even more cash into the project. But what is that money going to buy – and who is picking up the tab? 

❓ What Happened: The mass development of Ballarat West was incorporated into the City’s planning scheme as early as 2012, with an aim to accommodate a rapidly growing population. 

Since then, costs and infrastructure plans have changed.

Council, council: In March’s council meeting, a major amendment was accepted to increase projected costs for the project by over $8 million. In total, the project is now projected to cost $19 million. 

Why’s that? The amendment was brought forward to support connectivity work within the new residential precinct.

🗺️ Where is the money going? Much of the $8 million will be spent on things like roads, crossings, and other urban needs. 

Bags on bridges: Schreenans Road Creek Crossing bridge is a key area of expense. Originally budgeted at $9 million, the cost of the bridge is now sitting closer to $17.2 million.

• The new bridge will connect the Bonshaw precinct (currently in development) to the south-west side of the city. It will be built for a single traffic lane in each direction. 

Due to this increase, another part of the project was altered to accommodate rising costs: 

• The intersection of Ballarat-Carngham Road and Presentation Boulevard was originally slated to have traffic lights installed with a price tag of $3.3 million

• In this amended plan, the intersection will be converted instead into a roundabout with a price of $1.8 million 

💲 Why is the price tag increasing? Councillor Ben Taylor, who moved the amendment, described it as a justifiable change to sustain the expected population growth the precinct will attract. 

Material and labour have additionally increased in cost by roughly 34%. 

Natalie Roberston, Director of Development and Growth with the City of Ballarat, told the Brolga the amendment was the result of a legislated review process. 

🗣️: “The review considers things like updated population projections in Ballarat West, changes in planning policy and changes in infrastructure specifications and costings.” 

Essentially, the work is getting more expensive, but it’s necessary.

Robertson said the “vital” Ballarat West project will provide around 15,000 new houses and accommodate a population of around 40,000.

🔎 Who is footing the bill? The works are funded by the Ballarat West Development Contributions Plan (DCP). 

• This plan, in simple terms, requires developers to cover the cost of installing their infrastructure. 

• It’s designed to ensure the cost of a growing Ballarat isn’t passed onto ratepayers.

• The new amendment will mean a 20 percent levy increase on residential land and 16 percent more for commercial land. 

• The changes and increased costs have created tension with developers, who say the expense of building will result in expensive home lots. 

⌚ What next: For final approval, the amendment has moved to the Victorian Minister for Planning. 

When dry lightning sparked multiple blazes around Skipton on a stormy January night, volunteer firefighter Nick Cole found himself making a quick decision.

“[The night after the Skipton fire broke out], we got thunderstorms, and that's when problems really started,” he said.

“The truck was offline, it couldn't be used because we hadn't done the training.”

Red tape: Despite years behind the wheel as a volunteer firefighter for the Darlington CFA brigade, Cole said administrative requirements meant a newly delivered truck sat idle as fires ignited nearby.

• “I counted seven other fires going in the area from lightning strikes,” he said. “So I decided then to go and get the truck and put it online, because this is ridiculous.”

What happened? Cole’s experience reflects the kinds of challenges firefighters faced during the January fires - issues Corangamite Council, in a submission to the state government’s 2026 January fires parliamentary inquiry, will say must be addressed. 

• Council’s submission outlines seven key recommendations, arguing the scale and complexity of the January fires exposed serious weaknesses in Victoria’s emergency management systems. About 190 appliances were deployed locally to fight the fires, including dozens of private farm units, highlighting the reliance on volunteers and ageing fleets.

Coast to country: 10 easy day trips in West Vic

From wineries to wellness, here’s where to go and how far you’ll need to drive.

Too old, too slow: Cole said outdated firetrucks were a major issue in the region.

“These trucks aren't suitable for the job that they're doing,” he said, recalling a 30-year-old vehicle overheating in 40-degree weather during the Leslie Manor fire.

“The crew that were on it had to blow the radiator out every time they got a load of water, because the truck was overheating all the time,” Cole said.

“If I'm driving the truck, I'm looking at the fire, I'm looking at a few other things. I'm not watching the temperature gauge, that's the last thing I want to be checking.”

What’s recommended? Council is calling for major investment in CFA fleet upgrades, improved communications and back-up power resilience for mobile towers and powerlines, increased roadside fuel management, and better early warning systems for fast-moving grassfires. It also wants more flexible, locally-led recovery funding.

“Our volunteers are extraordinary, but they cannot continue doing more with less,” Mayor Kate Makin said in a statement.

What’s next? The inquiry is accepting submissions until April 19, with council seeking to present directly to the committee.

“I'd like to hope that the equipment gets better and the communication gets better,” Cole said.

Fire-prone country: Victoria’s 2024 Climate Science report notes significant trends in fire weather across Victoria have occurred since 1979, “with an increase of at least 30 percent due to climate change”.

• The heightened risk is mainly driven by rising temperatures, leading to more extreme heat.

• Cole said he had witnessed his fair share of large fires in the region in the past 50 years.

“Unfortunately, we do live in one of the worst bushfire and grass fire-prone areas in the world.”

“When you get these fires like we get up here in this area, they're totally different to a lot of other fires in a lot of other spots,” Cole said. “When we get the bad days, they are just so quick.”

Header image: Skipton CFA

Looking for an easy escape without an overnight stay? These 10 day trip ideas are all within driving distance of the region’s major towns, with times based from Warrnambool, Portland, Colac and Ballarat so you can take the guesswork out of your next outing.

Image: Alt Road

Alt Road Winery

Ten kilometres from Winchelsea, this family-owned winery opened in 2024. Offering wine tastings, pizza, platters and live music every Saturday.

Where: 880 Winchelsea-Deans Marsh Road, Winchelsea South

Drive time: 35 minutes from Colac, 1 hour, 20 minutes from Ballarat

Opening hours: 4-8pm Friday, 12-9pm Saturday, 12-5pm Sunday

More info

Image: Timboon Fine Ice Cream

12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail 

Spend the day eating and drinking, guided by a map of local producers in the Timboon and Port Campbell area, including cheese, wine, chocolate, spirits, fudge and ice cream. 

Where: Various locations starting from Timboon

Drive time: The route is 88km and takes about five hours to complete. Timboon is 55 minutes from Colac and 44 minutes from Warrnambool.

Opening hours: Various, check map ahead of time. 

More info

Image: Cobden Miniature Railway Park

Cobden Miniature Railway Park

This volunteer-run attraction has been chugging since 1994. The railway opens every second weekend and has a playground to keep the kids entertained. 

Where: 48 Grayland Street, Cobden

Drive time: 40 minutes from Colac, 45 minutes from Warrnambool

Opening hours: On open days (check link below for dates) the railway operates from 11am-4pm.

More info

Image: Great Ocean Road Australia

Cape Bridgewater

Cape Bridgewater is a secluded coastal destination known for its wide beach and rugged cliffs, and volcanic geological features formed over millions of years, including blowholes and the petrified forest. Seal tours by boat are available.

Where: Cape Bridgewater 

Drive time: 20 minutes from Portland, 1 hour, 30 minutes from Warrnambool

More info

Image: Visit Victoria

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape

The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site featuring one of the world’s most ancient and expansive aquaculture systems. Take a tour with a local Indigenous guide and finish at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre’s cafe.

Where: Vaughans Road, Breakaway Creek

Drive time: 1 hour, 20 minutes from Warrnambool, 45 minutes from Portland

Opening hours: 9am-4pm Wednesday to Sunday

More info

Image: Visit Melbourne

Shedshaker Brewing Company 

This independent brewery and taproom in Castlemaine’s historic mill precinct offers live music, Italian-inspired meals and plenty of beer options. 

Where: 9 Walker Street, Castlemaine

Drive time: 1 hour, 10 minutes from Ballarat, 30 minutes from Daylesford

Opening hours: 12-9pm Tues-Wed, 12-10pm Thurs, 12-11pm Fri-Sat, 12-8pm Sun

More info

Image: Village Dreaming

Village Dreaming 

Village Dreaming is a 15-acre regenerative permaculture farm and cooking school in Victoria’s central highlands. Whether you’re interested in a workshop, a private cooking class, a course on permaculture or a tour of the farm, a day trip will be quickly filled with activity.

Where: 100 Allisons Road, Blampied

Drive time: 35 minutes from Ballarat, 1 hour, 50 minutes from Colac

Opening hours: 9am-8pm

More info

Image: Visit Victoria

Blue Pyrenees Estate 

Blue Pyrenees Estate is a cool-climate winery established in 1963, known for producing estate-grown wines from its own vineyards. It offers a broad range of reds, whites and traditional sparkling wines.

Where: 656 Vinoca Road, Avoca

Drive time: 1 hour from Ballarat, 50 minutes from Ararat

Opening hours: 11am-5pm

More info

Captains Creek Organic Wines 

Captains Creek Organic Wines is a family-run, certified organic winery set on a historic farm at Blampied near Daylesford, producing wines and ciders grown without synthetic chemicals. Its cellar door offers tastings alongside platters made from local produce.

Where: 120 Kangaroo Hills Road, Blampied

Drive time: 15 minutes from Daylesford, 35 minutes from Ballarat

Opening hours: 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday

More info

Image: Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa

Hepburn Bathhouse 

Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is a Heritage-listed wellness retreat in Victoria’s spa country, offering mineral bathing experiences fed directly from natural underground springs. Established in 1895, it’s one of Australia’s oldest bathhouses.

Where: Mineral Springs Reserve Road, Hepburn Springs

Drive time: 45 minutes from Ballarat, 1 hour, 35 minutes from Ararat

Opening hours: 9am-7pm Mon-Thurs and Sun, 9am-9pm Fri-Sat

More info

Header image: Captains Creek Organic Wines

In 2024, the Victorian Government announced a multi-million dollar project to uplift mental health support for young people throughout the Central Highlands and other regional parts of the state. 

The project was touted to provide a 10-bed centre with a “welcoming, home-like environment” targeting the 16-25 demographic. 

🤝What was promised: The new centre will be one portion of a $141 million project to double the available Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) network. Other centres were announced in Geelong, Shepparton, Heidelberg, and Traralgon. 

• The centre in Traralgon opened in October last year, with Heidelberg following closely with an opening in February.

The project comes in response to findings from the 2018 Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. It recommended YPARC services work to provide 24/7 care in a “home-like setting”, alleviating pressure on hospital admissions. 

🩺Why it’s important: The Royal Commission was set up in response to calls the mental health system in Victoria was failing. It was a sentiment reiterated by former Premier Dan Andrews, who described the system as “broken”.  

🏥 How is Ballarat tracking? According to a media release from the current Premier’s office, construction began in February 2025. 

The Brolga reached out to Grampians Health, who will run the centre once it is opened, and the Victorian Health Building Authority, responsible for delivering the project on behalf of the government. 

Neither were able to deliver an official opening and directed the Brolga to online resources discussing the project. There is no official opening date listed in these resources.

The only indicator of progression is an online video from Dynamic Steel Frame, the Dandenong manufacturer providing the steel, and the view of the construction site from the road. 

❓ What next? With no official opening date, Ballarat remains in limbo. 

Here are eight properties currently on the market for $1 million in Daylesford. 

15 Orford Street, Daylesford

This property was originally built in 1887, and holds onto its heritage character. With high ceilings, the original cottage kitchen, and a butler’s pantry, it’s walking distance to Lake Daylesford and surrounded by its own lush gardens atop Cornish Hill. 

The home boasts three-bedrooms, two marble-finished bathrooms (each featuring spa baths), a gas log fire, and a north-facing deck. There’s even a climate-controlled wine cellar. 

The price tag? $1,055,000 - $1,095,000

19A Camp Street, Daylesford 

Straight out of a hallmark holiday rom-com, this property offers you the chance to buy a heritage church for conversion. Formerly St Andrews Presbyterian Church, the property has pre-approved permits to be converted into a home or accommodation. 

The church was originally built in 1903, with many telling signs of early twentieth-century style and craftsmanship. Its positioning captures many stunning views of Daylesford and its surrounding forests and countryside. Bonus: it comes with a historical organ built by E Cornwall Cook. 

The price tag? $995,000

30 Leggatt Street, Daylesford

If you want to live in the country while maintaining a sleek, modern aesthetic, this property offers just that. 

A predominantly white interior is propped up by large window displays offering snippets of Daylesford's greenery. 

It’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom that sits 100 metres from the shores of Lake Daylesford and is only accessible via a private road in “one of Daylesford’s most tightly held and prestigious pockets”. 

The home proudly advertises something called a Invicta Pharos fireplace, which features heating that rotates 360 degrees. 

There is also a neighbouring home for sale that is identical. 

The price tag? $1,100,000 

102 Central Springs Road, Daylesford

This property is listed as a “beautifully finished Californian bungalow” with striking Art Deco features. It’s leafy and highly endearing. 

There’s an updated kitchen, three bedrooms, gas wood fireplace, and a centrepiece bay window in the living area. There is however, no cooling system. 

The price tag? $1,050,000 

19 Queensberry Street, Daylesford

Named Holly Cottage, this is another hilltop property with the charm of a renovated miner’s cottage. There are two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a garden with views of the Hepburn Regional Park. 

You also get French doors, alfresco entertaining, a brand-new designer kitchen, and a luxurious clawfoot bathtub. 

The price tag? $1,050,000 

18 Howe Street, Daylesford

This is a collection of four cottages sold as a freehold. 

Being a tourist hotspot, it’s a rare opportunity to break into the accommodation market in Daylesford. One of the cottages functions as a primary residence, should you wish to become a modern-day innkeeper. 

The price tag? $1,100,000 - $1,200,000

5988 Midland Highway, Mount Franklin  

Eleven minutes out of Daylesford is this Mount Franklin gem. Its central feature is wood, but the surrounding property features Manchurian pear trees, remains of an 1880s Welsh dairy, and extensive permaculture gardens.  

The property also features a guest house that can be used as accommodation or as a studio. 

The price tag? $1,100,000 - 1,200,000

3034 Ballan Daylesford Road, Daylesford 

This historical cottage, Granleigh, has bushland views and combines the classic miner’s cottage with a modern extension. It’s walking distance to Daylesford’s boutique shops, galleries, and cafes. 

It’s 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and has the enticing bonuses of an upstairs Juliet balcony and spa ensuite. 

The price tag? $1,200,000 - 1,300,000

Once a tragedy seen every few years, bushfires in regional Victoria have become an annual event. For two summers in a row - and within the same year -  the Grampians were set alight in particularly destructive examples of this new norm. 

Only a few years later, the region is asking itself how it might need to adapt.

❓ What Happened: In February 2024 a combination of extreme heat, wind, and thunderstorm lightning caused a blaze in Pomonal that destroyed 46 homes. 

Ten months later, in December, dry lightning struck and ignited another destructive fire through the Grampians National Park. 

• Dry lightning is – as it sounds – when lightning strikes dry ground. The weather pattern creates an accelerated ignition risk due to the lack of rain to suppress sparks. 

Extreme heat was a factor in both fires, and data shows Australia is only getting hotter. 

The impact: In the Grampians, the damage following the 2024 fires was immense. 

• 135,000 hectares were burned, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the national park and including neighbouring farmland. This impacted visitor assets like campgrounds, cultural places, and, most severely of all, biodiversity.

• A heatwave elevated the danger significantly between January 4 and 5 as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees. 

• The cost to the local economy was estimated at $200 million, and a total of $1.3 million in emergency relief payments were paid to affected locals. 

Worse still: Dry vegetation and extreme weather conditions intensified the disaster. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the mean maximum temperature for Victoria in 2024 was “very much above average”, within the highest 10 percent of all years since 1910.  

Even before the summer of 2026, the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer warned of a higher-than-average summer. 

The community at the centre: The Grampians is a famed tourist destination, with picturesque hikes, local zoos, and an abundance of outdoor activities. When it set on fire, the implications for revenue were significant. 

According to Grampians Mallee Tourism, the bushfires caused a tourism revenue loss close to $1.9 million per day. 

Grampians Estate owner Sarah Guthrie lost almost the entirety of her 3,000 acre farm during the blaze, where many of the estate’s vineyards were planted. 

🗣️ “The vine was completely smoke-tainted, so there was no vintage that year,” she told the Brolga. “The perception of safety impacts the whole region.” 

Guthrie is no stranger to devastation, having lost livestock and land to the 2006 bushfire in the region as well. 

• “We never dreamt we’d have another fire of that magnitude in our life.” 

💪 A resilient community: Lucy Black, from Black & Ginger Wines, echoed these statements but says the region has learned to be resilient. 

• “We’ve certainly seen a reduced number of visitors to the region. But the community is really resilient, working hard to band together and putting on a lot of collaborative events to try and stand out.” She told the Brolga. 

Events like a vintage car rally and the Grampians Grape Escape are examples of this community collaboration. 

Business changes: Adrian Manikus, owner of Grampians Outdoors and Grampians Peaks Walking Company, said his business has learned to pivot in times of disaster. 

• “It’s been an interesting journey. Some parts have bounced back quickly, others not so much,” said Manikus. “All of the trails are now open again, and it’s still incredibly interesting to walk through as you can see the story of the fire.” 

• With summer-time bushfires becoming more likely, Manikus said the region is gearing more attractions to the winter months.

• “We’ve had to diversify and be less reliant on the summer market. We are mitigating that by introducing new products in different parts of the state, like a 4-day guided canoe tour down Glenelg River.” 

🗣️: “GLOW Festival is something being offered as an alternative, so if we do lose summer that’s not the whole year written off.” 

Signs of life: Two years on, the Grampians community continues to work together to revitalise itself. This past Easter, the local caravan park was completely booked out and local markets were bustling with out-of-town visitors.

“It’s just a moment in time where you can just be soothed and comforted and have your spirit held by the singing.”

For Adele Kenneally, that moment is at the heart of what the Warrnambool Threshold Choir hopes to offer.

A soothing sound: Formed about a year ago, the Warrnambool Threshold Choir sings at the bedsides of people who are seriously ill or dying, as well as to their loved ones, as a unique form of comfort.

The Threshold Choir is part of a broader movement that began in the United States. The group - now 15 strong - has already sung at the Icon Cancer Centre in Warrnambool, Lyndoch Living aged care, and one private bedside session.

• “We’re not an entertaining sort of choir,” Kenneally told the Brolga. “We sing quiet and soothing a cappella songs, and it’s usually to help soothe people.”

• The singers rehearse on the first and third Thursday of the month at the Hammond Centre in Warrnambool.

• “It’s a beautiful feeling,” Kenneally said. “Singing together… it’s soothing, it’s quietening, and it’s sort of almost meditative at times. It’s just really good for the spirit, I think.”

The regenerative farm that proved its philosophy off the paddock

Brooklands Free Range Farm is a success story in both sustainability and community spirit.

How it works: Kenneally said the choir will sing when invited by aged care, palliative care or hospital staff, or by the loved ones of individuals in care.

• A typical bedside session lasts for about 20 minutes, with a small group of singers gathering close to deliver lullabies, hymns and gentle choral pieces.

• “There is no charge, we sing just in an environment where that’s needed, a soothing environment,” Kenneally said. “When we’ve sung, it’s been really well received … but we’re really keen to get it out there a bit more now.”

Not always easy: Behind the scenes, the emotional weight of witnessing the grief of families losing loved ones is something the group supports each other through.

• “We generally have a bit of a debrief when we get together and we talk about it and support each other through that as well,” Kenneally said. “It’s a very supportive group, very positive and very uplifting.”

Welcoming new singers: The choir is open to anyone - if people are interested in singing, Kenneally encouraged them to contact the choir or come along to a rehearsal. 

The Stawell Gift attracts runners from across Australia and the world every Easter, and the famous foot race has a history full of gold rush beginnings, big prize money pots, twins tricking bookmakers and even an Olympian charging down the field from last place.

Born in the gold rush: First run in 1878, the race began as part of Stawell’s Easter festivities, with seven races and multiple heats organised by the Stawell Athletics Club.

• It remains one of the few professional races in the world still run on grass.

Where slow starters can win: The Gift uses a handicap system, meaning runners are “marked” between zero and more than 10 metres based on their form, with the aim of bringing the field across the finish line together.

• The race was cancelled for four years during World War II and in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Chasing the gold: Prize money has always been a major drawcard. In the 1870s the winner took home £24 - worth more than $7,000 today - and by 1937 the purse had grown to £1,500, roughly equivalent to $175,000 in today’s money. 

• Heats are held across Easter Saturday and Sunday, with semi finals and finals on Easter Monday. Race distances range from 70 metres to 3.2 kilometres - but it’s the 120-metre Gift that remains the race everyone wants to win.

• This weekend, the men’s and women’s winners of the 120-metre Gift each take home $40,000.

The event is also big business for the region, with the Easter weekend meet estimated to bring more than $5 million into the local economy each year.

Ballarat’s cheapest suburbs are only getting less affordable for renters

Wendouree and Sebastopol rent prices are on the up while household income is not.

Kangaroos and meat pies: Over the years, the Gift has produced its share of wild stories. The first winner, William J. Millard, was said to train by chasing kangaroos, and only won after the leading runner fell two yards from the finish line.

• Identical twin brothers Scott and Paul Antonich famously duped the Gift’s bookies in the 1980s.  

• After coming back from an injury at the previous year’s semi-final, runner Scott ran the fastest heat time at the 1988 Gift, which saw the bookmakers shorten his odds of winning the final.  

• Scott, who went on to win the race, was preparing in the club rooms at Central Park, while his brother Paul, wearing Scott’s tracksuit, walked out and bought himself a pie and a can of Coke and circled around the betting ring. 

• He was spotted by the bookmakers and the odds for his brother winning the race blew out. 

A full hall of fame: Olympian Cathy Freeman is among many famous names tied to the Gift - winning the women’s 400m from scratch in 1995, before returning in 1996 and, despite interference and miserable conditions, chasing down the field to win again.

Header image: Stawell Gift

Wendouree and Sebastopol were once considered inexpensive spots to rent a house in Ballarat. 

The median rental price in greater Ballarat sits somewhere between $430 and $460, while things get more expensive for renters in suburbs like Cardigan Village, where rent sits at $490 per week. 

Wendouree and Sebastopol are still at the cheaper part of town - but the number next to the word “cheaper” is going up. 

🏡 How much did it cost in the past? 

• Between September 2021 and August 2022, the median rental price in Wendouree was listed as $350 a week, according to PropTrack. 

• In Sebastopol, the median rental price during the same period was sitting at $340 per week. 

💰 How much does it cost now? 

• Since then, the median rental price in Wendouree has increased by 3.9 percent. It’s listed as $400 per week. 

• Data in Sebastopol shows an increase in median rental price of 5.1 percent. It’s listed as $410 per week. 

❓ Why is it getting more expensive? The Brolga spoke to Will Munro, Director at Ray White Ballarat, about the factors driving this increase. 

“The biggest driver is that because there’s not enough houses being built for investment, supply is low. When supply drops and demand is high, prices go up,” he said. 

• “More costs are added with compliance checks, having to get things fixed before going to market, and things like the land tax increase. Owners are upping rent so they’re not out of pocket.” 

🦘A national problem: A recent report from property research firm Cotality showed that, on a national scale, rent has increased 43.9 percent in the past five years. Wages, on the other hand, have grown only 17.5 percent in the same timeframe. 

In Australia, renters are paying, on average, 33.4% percent of their income on rent. 

In short: Rent has risen 2.5 times faster than wages. 

According to Cotality, the increases are felt more in regional markets where rent is up 6.2 percent against 4.8 percent in capital cities. 

This national trend is clearly showing up in Ballarat’s most affordable spots. 

📅 What next?  If this trend continues, suburbs like Wendouree and Sebastopol could continue to drift further away from an accessible price point – though they are still amongst the cheapest in the region.

• It’s unfortunate news against ABS data showing increased cost of living across all households.

A dispute over 40 centimetres of predicted sea level rise has sparked a flood mapping debate in Nelson that is now headed to an independent planning panel.

What happened? Glenelg Shire councillors voted unanimously last Tuesday to send unresolved objections to external review after residents challenged the accuracy of the flood modelling behind proposed new planning controls.

What’s the dispute about? At the centre of the disagreement are two future sea level rise scenarios used in the flood study: 0.8 metres and 1.2 metres by the year 2100.

• Some residents argue the higher scenario is too extreme and could wrongly place properties inside flood overlays, potentially affecting land values and their ability to build on their land.

• Council and flood authorities, however, say the modelling follows state guidelines and is designed to plan for future risk, not just current conditions.

The background: The flood study, first flagged in 2017, looks at land along the Glenelg River, from north of Dartmoor to the Nelson river mouth.

• The planning scheme amendment was authorised by the state government in October 2025 and went to public consultation between December to February. Five objections were received. 

• Because the dispute between objectors and council centres on technical evidence, the matter must now be tested through an independent planning panel.

Heritage Ballarat Train Station now fit for wheelchair-access that suits the 21st century

The regional city is renovating heritage sites to make them open to all.

Significant concerns: Councillor Mike Noske said the key issue raised by Nelson residents was whether the land height data used in the modelling was accurate.

• “There are significant concerns about the methodology of the flood study amongst the Nelson community,” he said.

• “There are also significant concerns that there is a differentiation between survey height of land and and the aerial height of land that was fed into the modelling,” he said. 

• “The hydrology can’t be perfect, but if the model says the land is a metre lower than it really is, then it's going to show it as being underwater compared to what reality might be.”

An expensive exercise: Councillor Michael Carr said he was frustrated the matter had reached the planning panel stage, which will cost the council about $25,000, but said it was the only path forward.

• “Applying a 1.2 metre level versus the mandated, legislated 0.8 metres, it's [74] years away. We're potentially devaluing these people's land right here, right now,” he said.

Now what? The panel will meet on May 4 and June 15 before reporting back to council, which will then decide whether to adopt the flood overlays.

Ballarat has updated their century-old train station to fit the times. More specifically, the heritage-listed train station now features an overpass and wheelchair-friendly lifts to improve accessibility. 

❓ What happened? The overpass opened to the public on March 30. It connects both platforms over the tracks, featuring wheelchair-accessible lifts. 

Before the installation, passengers with mobility needs had to physically leave the station and cross the road at the level crossing to switch platforms. 

Internal access was limited to a 19th century footbridge and staircase. This did not accommodate wheelchairs. 

🌇 The station’s story: Ballarat Station is 164-years-old, officially opening in April of 1862. The building is on the Victorian Heritage Register and is one of only three railway stations left from this era that still retains the original train shed. 

It’s an architecturally striking structure, with a clock-tower stretching into the sky and historic charm at every turn. 

Big money: The project to upgrade the station has cost approximately $51 million, with some local complaints about damaging the aesthetic value of the building. Petitions circled from residents calling for the project to be cancelled.

Prominent detractors of the project included Western Victorian MP Joe McCracken and shadow transport minister Matthew Guy. They criticised the design and cost of construction. 

Grampians Disability Advocacy have campaigned for this change for decades. It opens up multiple kinds of accessibility. 

"You don't have to have a disability to need to use that lift. You could have luggage, a pram. You could be helping someone who is injured. You could have an injury yourself," executive officer Peter Harrison said. 

👏 An accessible Ballarat: Next on the list is the Art Gallery of Ballarat. The building closed last year to begin renovations that would install similar wheelchair-accessible lifts, ensuring the facility can welcome all visitors no matter their mobility needs. 

A third of Victoria is still in a hydrological drought state from a drought that ended 15 years ago. For Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, home to almost all of Australia's mineral springs and a $612 million tourism economy, the implications could be significant.

What is a mineral spring? Aside from a lyrical phrase, mineral springs are a form of groundwater that arise in soil where volcanoes were once active. 

• This water contains a high mineral content and varies in temperature. 

• It is recognised for alleged unique health benefits, often attracting the establishment of spa settlements in their vicinity. 

• Daylesford and Hepburn Springs have become known as “Spa Country” in Victoria for this reason. 

What’s happening to them? Mineral springs heavily rely on rainfall as a method of replenishing the underground aquifers that sustain them. 

An Integrated Water Management Plan put together by Alluvium Consulting, Central Highlands Water, and Hepburn Shire in 2022 listed Daylesford as a region vulnerable to water supply issues due to the area’s reliance on seasonal rainfall. 

In short: If there’s less rain, that could spell trouble. The southern parts of Australia have encountered this already, due to something called the Millennium Drought. 

The Millennium Drought: Between 1997 and 2009, the Millennium Drought saw the worst drought recorded in recent Australian history. It fundamentally changed the way Australians interacted with their water supply. 

It was a generation-defining event in our climate history, as dry years set new records and severe water-use regulations were heavily pushed. 

Since 2021, The Victorian Government, Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO have partnered on the Victorian Water and Climate Initiative, finding "the weather systems that contribute to Victorian rainfall changed significantly after the Millennium Drought."

They also found: 

• Groundwater levels declined and streamflow remained significantly lower following the drought’s end 

• Overall rainfall has declined, while heavy rainfall events have shown an increase. These events can lead to contamination of the springs with biological materials 

• The climate in Victoria is expected to continue warming and rainfall is expected to decrease further.

Have you ever seen the rain? Tim Peterson, Associate Professor at Monash University, is an expert in hydrology, groundwater, and environmental statistics.

🗣️ “A third of Victoria hasn’t recovered from the Millennium Drought. Catchments continue to be in a hydrological drought state.” Peterson told the Brolga.

This “hydrological drought state” has changed many beliefs around the way rivers and groundwater catchments behave. Previously, it was thought they always recovered from drought, it just took a while. Now, it appears they remain in a changed state even after rains return. 

• “Even now, with the same rain, there is significantly less streamflow, because the catchments change behaviour,” said Peterson. “Research shows that as recently as 2022, these catchments haven’t recovered from the drought that ended in 2009.” 

Associate Professor Peterson said Monash University is still actively investigating the impact of this changed behaviour. While climate is a factor, the way groundwater is extracted has a large impact as well. 

• A research paper that Professor Peterson co-authored in 2023 included data showing that a drop in rainfall by even 1mm lowers groundwater in the region surrounding spa country by 40mm - 60mm. 

So what about spa country? Tourism is a rich industry in the region, and without the central attraction this could change. The consequences of any negative impact on the area’s mineral springs would be far-reaching.

• Statistics collected through the Mineral Springs Master Plan 2025 - 2032 showed that the region saw $612 million in tourism spend in the year ending December 2024.

• Tourism additionally created more than 5,700 jobs. 

• Between 2022 and 2023, tourism accounted for just under 10 percent of the region’s economy. 

The question is, would this money still be spent in spa country without the very basis for its name? If not, what happens to the businesses and the townspeople left behind? 

According to Councillor Brian Hood, any threat to the mineral springs would be a serious issue for Hepburn Shire. 

🗣️: “Tourism keeps our shops, cafes, pubs, wellness facilities, and tourist sites very busy. It’s great for local jobs,” he told the Brolga, “The natural environment is a huge attraction for visitors in this beautiful part of Victoria - and that includes the natural mineral spas. Any threat to the mineral spas would be a serious issue for us.”  

Not only would environmental changes be an issue, but there’s also the added issue of human use of the springs. 

“Excessive extraction of mineral water for commercial purposes is also of concern.” Cr Hood said. 

The human element: Victoria’s Mineral Springs Master Plan was released in 2025, after two years of community consultation, to mitigate concerns and implement strategies for responsible management of the natural resources. 

Extraction methods and amounts have previously been a cause for concern for local residents. 

In March, two hate-motivated attacks took place in Ballarat against members of the Muslim community. The incidents occurred less than a week apart. 

Home affairs minister Tony Burke said it represented the opposite of who Australians are. 

🗣️“People that go in to shout abuse at people, intimidate people and use dehumanising language against people for observing their faith - don’t pretend you’re patriotic,” said Burke. 

Ballarat has historically had several brushes with extreme hate. In 2023, there were several incidents of verbal abuse in the street against people of colour and, at the end of the year, a neo-nazi rally. 

The Muslim community in Ballarat is relatively small - less than 1,000 according to 2021 census data - but its targeting has locals concerned.

❓Quick catch up: 

• On March 8, a half-clothed, self-declared far-right individual reportedly invaded an Iftar dinner in Ballarat, allegedly screaming racial slurs, terrifying children and attempting to attack Muslim attendees of the community event.

• On March 14, a pharmacy worker and an intern had a regular customer get frustrated with a certain protocol. The customer began yelling racists phrases such as “f*** all of you Muslims, I’m going to another Aussie pharmacy from now, f*** Islam.” 

• No arrests were made at either incident. 

The City Of Ballarat Mayor, Tracey Hargreaves, released a statement on March 10 denouncing any form of hatred in the community: 

• “We strongly condemn racial discrimination and intimidation and acknowledge how important it is for people of all cultures and religions to celebrate their traditions in a safe and friendly environment,” said Hargreaves. “The City of Ballarat is committed to achieving a safe, connected, and welcoming community for all.” 

An expert perspective: Matteo Vergani, an Associate Professor in Sociology at Deakin University, was one of four authors of a recent report from Islamophobia Register Australia studying Islamophobia. It found an increase in reported incidents by community members. 

Vergani told the Brolga a lot of factors throughout daily life have contributed to the increase.

Media reporting under the microscope: Vergani said the media plays a crucial role in shaping narratives. The way world events are delivered to the public has an impact on community perceptions, and it is “important to have responsible language”.

• “There’s also a double standard in the way Muslim victims versus other victims are reported on,” said Vergani. “Responsible language minimises the impact this reporting can have on reinforcing prejudice.” 

The study found far-right politicians often villainise immigration and multiculturalism, casting it as a threat to the so-called Australian way of life. 

• “Far-right parties in both Australia and globally are capitalising on the perception that migration impacts negatively on the life of people,” said Vergani. “It’s true, quality of life is declining. Migration is often used as a scapegoat as a simple way to explain why lives are more difficult.” 

Community response: In response to the March attacks, a rally was organised in central Ballarat in late March by the Ballarat Anti-Racism Collective. Belinda Coates, a community advocate and former deputy mayor, was a key speaker at the event. 

🗣️: “It is just so incredibly important to stand up and speak out publicly, now more than ever,” Coates told the Brolga. “The vast majority of people in our community support multiculturalism, but there has been an alarming rise in racism, not just in recent weeks or months but over the last few years.”

• “Increase in reported racism is only the tip of the iceberg, most people don’t report it formally.” 

• “It’s really emboldened by politicians actively and stridently promoting racism and bigotry with very little scrutiny and consequence.” 

The offenders from both cases have not faced charges.