Mayor’s Column – September 27, 2018

People may have noticed that the concrete beach access ramp immediately below the Point Lonsdale shopping strip has been damaged.

The damage occurred during a recent large sea swell, which caused sections of the access ramp to crack and break.

Because the sea wall and associated infrastructure is managed by the State Government, Council has contacted the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) to report the damage.

Following their assessment and determination of cost to repair the wall, DELWP will provide advice regarding timing of works.

Council is working with DELWP to undertake the repairs as soon as practicable.

In the meantime, a barrier has been erected to prevent pedestrian access to the affected section of the ramp. People are asked to be careful in this area and use another access path to the beach.

Watch out for snakes Our Customer Service Team have been advised that snakes have been seen near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse recently. Please take care when you are out and about, particularly if you are walking or working in and around our dunes, waterways and parklands. If you do see a snake, do not approach it or try to move it.

Please call Council on 5258 1377 if you see a snake on public land. If you find a snake on private land, contact the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Customer Service Centre on 136 186 for advice.

In the very unfortunate event that you are bitten by a snake, call 000 immediately.

Have your say on new Strategic Bushfire Management Plan The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is developing a new Strategic Bushfire Management Plan for Barwon South West Region, and needs your input to help understand what is important to the community and why.

The Strategic Bushfire Management Plan will help determine where and how often risk reduction activity, such as planned burning, takes place, as well as how much land is burnt or modified.

To have your say, complete the online survey at www.engage.vic.gov.au/bushfire-planning/barwon-south-west. Your responses will help develop a strategy that has objectives and actions that reflect what is most valued by the people who visit, live in or work in our community. The online survey is open until Monday 1 October 2018 and takes approximately ten minutes to complete.

Older Men’s Discussion Group An information session to gauge interest in a proposed older men’s discussion group will be held at the Queenscliffe Neighbourhood House on Friday October 12 2018 at 10am. The Council On the Ageing (COTA) has been running older men’s discussion groups, known as OM:NI (older men, new ideas) for over a decade in Victoria.

The OM:NI groups provide an informal social environment for men aged 50 years and over.

A facilitator from an existing OM:NI group in Geelong talk about his group’s experiences at the upcoming information session. Interested members of the community are encouraged to contact Alan Johns on 0411 240 479 or by email at [email protected] to find out more.

Protect yourself during grass pollen season Council reminds everybody, particularly those of you who suffer from hay fever or asthma, to talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect yourself from the risk of thunderstorm asthma during grass pollen season, which begins in October and runs until the end of December.

During grass pollen season, the chance of developing thunderstorm asthma increases.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is thought to be triggered by a unique combination of high pollenlevels and a certain type of thunderstorm.

For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and life threatening. Please visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/thunderstormasthma for more information and advice about managing the risks of thunderstorm asthma, and refer to the thunderstorm asthma forecasting system, emergency.vic.gov.au/prepare/#thunderstormasthma- forecast, to help prepare for high-risk
days.

Public holiday office closure Please note that Council’s offices at 50 Learmonth Street, Queenscliff will be closed on Friday September 28 2018 for the AFL Grand Final public holiday. Our offices will re-open on Monday October 1 2018 at 9am.