April 2012
2012 Regional Victoria Living Expo
Discover what Regional and Rural Victoria can offer you, 27-29 April 2012
Discover what Regional and Rural Victoria can offer you at Victoria's first Regional Living Expo. The 2012 Regional Victoria Living Expo is a FREE event and will run for three days from 27-29 April, 2012.
The Expo will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre giving you the chance to explore everything that's great about living and working in country Victoria. Event exhibitors will include regional and rural councils, education providers and employers who will provide detailed information and assistance for those thinking of moving to country Victoria.
The event will also be complemented by a range of arts, sports and cultural activities from regional and rural Victoria to showcase country the depth and breadth of country Victoria's cultural activities which will be staged in Melbourne in the days surrounding the Expo.
ANZAC Day Commemoration Ceremonies
ANZAC Day commemorations are conducted to enable current and ex-servicemen and women to honour their comrades who made the supreme sacrifice. It covers all conflicts in which Australia has been involved from the Boer War to Afghanistan.
Commemorations commence with a Dawn Service and Stand To at the Shrine of Remembrance at 6:00am followed by a Gunfire Breakfast prepared by the Defence Force School of Catering. The breakfast represents the last meal before battle and the public is invited to participate for a gold coin donation, proceeds to assist veterans.
A Commemoration March commences at 9:00am outside the National Gallery of Victoria and all serving and ex-service personnel are invited to participate. Descendants of deceased veterans of conflicts up to WW2 are also invited on the basis of one per deceased veteran.
A Commemoration Service is held at the Shrine of Remembrance at the completion of the Commemoration March at approximately 1:00pm.
Victorian Women's Honour Roll
The new inductees for the 2012 Victorian Women's Honour Roll were announced as part of International Women's Day celebrations in March.
Each year, the Honour Roll recognises and celebrates truly remarkable women across Victoria who through their vision, leadership, commitment and hard work, have made an exceptional contribution to their communities or areas of expertise.
Since its launch in 2001, 498 women have been included on the Honour Roll. Women have been nominated for their contributions in a diverse range of fields including health, science, law, social justice, sport, arts, media and education, as well as their involvement in ethnic and Indigenous communities.
National Gallery of Victoria - Kids Space
NGV Kids Space: An Excellent Adventure invites children on a journey inspired by a time when sailing ships explored the seven seas.
Peek into cabinets of curiosities to examine ushabti figures from Egypt, ancient stories recorded on artworks from the Mediterranean and Asian symbols found throughout the NGV collection. Through hands-on and multimedia experiences, children aged 0-8 and their families can explore the world through art.
Participation for CALD Seniors
A new small grants program to create or expand opportunities for isolated culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) seniors to participate in the community is now open.
As part of the Victorian Government's Participation for CALD Seniors Grants Program, eligible organisations can apply for up to $10,000 to help generate opportunities for socially isolated CALD seniors to engage in their communities. The grants program will have four grant rounds over four years.
The first round is now open for applications until 27 April 2012.
For more information about the grants – including the application form for download – visit Seniors Online. You can also contact Georgia Nicholls on (03) 9096 1052 or at georgia.nicholls@health.vic.gov.au with further inquiries.
Teacher Refresher Courses
In 2012 the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) is offering refresher courses throughout the year for qualified teachers wishing to return to teaching in Victorian Government schools, particularly in hard-to-staff subject areas and locations.
Teachers returning from leave, or other employment, interstate or international teachers have the opportunity to learn together, investigating current school and classroom practices, in particular curriculum and pedagogy.
The 2012 Teacher Refresher Courses support participants to explore the role of the contemporary teacher through workshop and site based learning in Victorian Government Schools. There is no cost for participants.
Programs are scheduled for: Melbourne CBD, Flemington, Geelong, Dandenong, Ballarat, Preston, Traralgon, Sunshine and Bendigo. Course details and an application form are available at www.education.vic.gov.au.
Enquiries should be directed to Celine Chu, Project Coordinator, Victoria University on (03) 9919 2763 or email celine.chu@vu.edu.au.
Autumn Firewood Collection Season
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) is reminds Victorians that the Autumn Firewood Collection Season has commenced. Firewood collection from designated firewood collection areas on public land is allowed from 1 March 2012 to 30 June 2012.
Firewood collection areas are shown on the collection area map.
agIdeas NewStar
26 April - 21 June 2012
agIdeas NewStar - An inspiring display of NewStar finalists.
A long-standing scholarship and exhibition program for young designers and one of the largest annual international design events held in Australia.
Students from around Australia and across the globe are invited to submit examples of their best work in 2D, 3D and multimedia.
The submissions are short-listed by celebrated Australian and New Zealand designers and the top 30 ‘new stars' are selected and their work displayed at Melbourne Museum.
Assessing Fitness to Drive - changes to medical standards
There have been changes to the Assessing Fitness to Drive medical standards for licensing and clinical management guidelines. These guidelines help health professionals determine fitness to drive and manage health conditions in relation to driver safety. See the Austroads website to access relevant documents.
People with the following medical conditions may be affected:
- Alcohol and other substance use disorders
- Blackouts, Diabetes, Dementia and cognitive impairment
- Hearing problems
- Heart conditions including heart attacks
- Psychiatric conditions
- Seizures and epilepsy, Stroke and other neurological conditions
- Vision problems
Speak with your doctor to determine if the changes to the medical guidelines may affect you.
The law states that you must report any long-term or permanent medical condition or disability that could affect safe driving. Your doctor will be able to advise you regarding which conditions need to be reported to VicRoads.
Community Interest and Engagement with Science and Technology in Victoria 2011
What do Victorians think about science? Do they seek out science information? Do they get enough science in the media? Are they more likely to engage with sport, a movie or read about science? Does science cause more problems than it solves?
The Department of Business and Innovation has been tracking community attitudes and engagement with science since its benchmark survey in 2007.
The 2011 study, Community Interest and Engagement with Science and Technology in Victoria 2011 shows how things have changed and stayed the same since 2007. The report was prepared by Sweeney Research for the Victoria Government and is also available on data.vic.gov.au.
Search the 2011 DataAnalyse the 2011 data by demographic groups, chart question against question and make comparisons with the 2007 data using the simple interactive data tool available on the Sweeney Research: Community Interest and Engagement with Science in Victoria website.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
28 Mar 2012 - 22 Apr 2012
2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festival has rolled around again throughout March and April 2012- the greatest comedy caper in the Southern Hemisphere. This year some of the special events include:
- Roadshow - visiting Ararat, Bayswater, Bendigo, Colac, Frankston, Hamilton, Horsham, Marysville, Mildura, Morwell, Newport, Pakenham, Ringwood East, Rutherglen, Sale, Swan Hill, and Warburton.
- Deadly Funny National Showcase - Australia’s best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander comedians come together in one deadly gig.
- The (Very) Big Laugh Out- The (Very) Big Laugh Out is an all-embracing, family-friendly – and FREE – program of roving acts and entertainers that takes the comedy outside across the course of the Festival.
The Comedy Festival doesn't come cheap on talent, but the tickets are. There's even an extensive free program to suit the most fiscally challenged of punters. Great value laughs are dished out by the most popular of local comics and some very special international guests - from stand-up to theatre, music, film and even visual art.
New Publications
General Publications
The Age Cheapeats 2012
by Rousseau, Nina & Egger, Simone@ $24.95
Home Dairy: Keeping a House Cow, Goat or Sheep and How to Make Cheese, Yogurt and Other Dairy Products
by Cliff, Ann @ $24.95
How to Write and Publish Your Family Story in Ten Easy Steps
by VicRoads @ $33.95
How to Apply for Probate in Victoria (January 2012 Edition)
by Legal Kits Victoria @ $99.95
Local Histories
The Great Ocean Road
by Hyett, Rodney @ $22.95
Mapping Products
Geelong Suburban Street Map 385
by UBD/Gregory's @ $7.95
Big River - Rubicon - Woods Point Forest Activities Map
by Rooftop Mapping Services @ $11.95
Bush Huts Around Mansfield
by Rooftop Mapping Services @ $6.95
Government Reports
Government Advertising and Communications
by the Auditor General Victoria @ $20.00
Public Transport Performance
by the Auditor General Victoria @ $20.00
Melbourne Markets Redevelopment
by the Auditor General Victoria @ $20.00
Agricultural Food Safety
by the Auditor General Victoria @ $20.00
Food Safety Program Template for Class 2 Retail and Food Service Businesses (No 1. Version 2)
by Food Safety Victoria @ $55.00
VicRoads Publications
Bike Ed Instructor's Manual
by VicRoads @ $33.00
Bike Ed Kit
by VicRoads @ $88.00
Crossing the Road Jigsaw Puzzle
by VicRoads @ $18.00
Curing of Concrete
by VicRoads @ 44.00
Don't Forget the Cheese, Pa!
by Smyth, Gwenda & Vane, Mitch @ $4.40
Driving in Victoria : Rules and Responsibilities
by VicRoads @ $14.40
Ed's Excellent Bike Ed Adventure!
by VicRoads @ $5.50
First Best Friends
by Wild, Margaret & Rawlins, Donna @ 4.40
Guide for Learners - Learners Log Book Replacement
by VicRoads @ $16.70
Guide to Geotextile Reinforced Sprayed Seal Surfacing
by VicRoads @ $44.00
Guidelines for Traffic Controllers
by VicRoads @ $2.75
Guides to Surveillance: Technical Bulletins 46 47 48
by VicRoads @ 11.00
Road Safety Songs for Early Childhood
by VicRoads @ $4.00
Road To Solo Driving
by VicRoads @ $14.70
Road to Solo Driving - Arabic
by VicRoads @ $14.70
Road to Solo Driving - Chinese (Mandarin)
by VicRoads @ 14.70
Road to Solo Driving - Turkish
by VicRoads @ $14.70
Road to Solo Driving - Vietnamese
by VicRoads @ $14.70
Starting Out Safely - Early Childhood Traffic Safety Education Resource
by VicRoads @ $75.00
The Victorian Bus and Truck Drivers' Handbook
by VicRoads @ 8.90
Thingle Toodle Jigsaw Puzzle
by VicRoads @ $12.00
Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1: Traffic Management
by VicRoads @ $99.00
VicRoads Drive Test
by VicRoads @ $5.80
Victorian Rider Handbook 2011
by VicRoads @6.30
When Penny was Mum
by Wild, Margaret & Stewart, Chantal @ $4.40
New Legislation
New Acts
New Statutory Rules
Reprinted Acts
| A49.91 | Sentencing Act 1991 Reprint 13 | $35.40 |
| A117.86 | Corrections Act 1986 Reprint 9 | $23.60 |
| A7.09 | Criminal Procedure Act 2009 Reprint 2 | $31.00 |
| A94.98 | Liquor Control Act 1998 Reprint 6 | $31.00 |
Reprinted Statutory Rules
| No Reprinted Statutory Rules this month |
Visit the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website for a list of all Victorian acts and statutory rules.
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Food Safety Program Template for Class 2 Retail and Food Service Businesses (No 1. Version 2)
One of the key features of the amended Victorian Food Act is the requirement of mandatory food safety programs for all food businesses. This template is a legal requirement for Class 2 Food Premises. As you work through the template you will create your own Food Safety Program for your business.
Australian Greenhouse Calculator
The Australian Greenhouse Calculator (AGC) helps you explore how your lifestyle contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Use the AGC to explore how to live more sustainably. By changing your behaviour and selecting energy-efficient options, you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ways that do not compromise comfort and quality of life.
One of Victoria's favourite recreational family activities has gone high-tech with a new free smartphone application making it easier to access a myriad of facts about fishing in Victoria. The new app, the first of its kind in Australia, outlines catch limits, closed seasons and permitted equipment, and mirrored the 2012 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide. To read more go to: www.dpi.vic.gov.au. Download the iPhone app now.
The Victorian Government publishes a variety of newsletters. Please visit each individual newsletter to subscribe.
Gembrook
Delightful Gembrook is nestled in the Dandenong Ranges one hour’s drive from Melbourne.
It was named after the Gembrook Mining Company which extracted gemstones from the area during the mid-19th century.
When Puffing Billy Railway came to Gembrook in 1900, saw milling was the main industry. Today, potato, grape, chesnut and flower farms mix with towering mountain ash forests to create a rich tapestry landscape, with views to the distant blue ranges. Puffing Billy is now a major tourist atttraction and is still running on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook, its operation depending on hundreds of dedicated volunteers.
Visit nearby historic Kurth Kiln and Bunyip State Park or absorb the natural beauty and wildlife of the area by bushwalking, horseriding or camping (4WD and trail bikes are permitted in designated areas).
In town you can visit the Motorist Museum, gift shops and an array of eateries or take a stroll along the Gembrook Park Flora and Fauna Reserve nature trail.
If you would like to see your town mentioned in the Region Focus - send us an email.
We would love to hear your comments about this newsletter. Send us an email to infovic@dbi.vic.gov.au
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