July 2011
The RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride
The Mighty Murray and the Goldfields
Saturday 26 November - Sunday 4 December 2011
Transport yourself into a week in another world on one of the world's best bike rides: The RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride.
Vincent Ciardulli, Bicycle Victoria's Event General Manager, said: "The RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride is an extraordinary event. Ask someone who has been on the ride, they will tell you that it's a holiday you'll remember all your life".
Organised by Bicycle Victoria, the 2011 bike riding starts in Swan Hill with a loop ride before meandering the Murray River for three days to Echuca.
After a rest day in Echuca enjoying its paddle steamers and boating history, the ride will continue through historic gold towns, before riding triumphantly into Castlemaine.
The 590 kilometre bike riding escape is perfect for people who love exploring, like to have fun, meet people and get fit at the same time.
In 2011 there are a range of options to suit all bike riders.
- 9 day RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride from Swan Hill to Castlemaine (590kms)
- 3 day Mighty Murray Ride from Swan Hill to Barham. 26 – 28 Nov (200kms)
- 3 day Goldfields Ride from Boort to Castlemaine. 2 – 4 Dec (180kms)
- 1 day Great Vic Loop, Swan Hill. 26 Nov (54kms)
- 1 day Great Vic Finale from Maryborough to Castlemaine, 4 Dec (53kms)
Ride Facts:
- The nine-day ride is a fully catered, tent-based holiday. There is extensive back up including luggage transport, a licensed cafe under canvas, massage, full medical team, and bicycle repair facilities.
- The Entry fee for the 9 day ride is $835 for adults, $599 for children under 18, $299 for under 13 years and free for 5 and under. After 29 July prices rise $100.
- The Entry fee for the 3 day (Mighty Murray and Goldfields) ride is $425 for adults, $299 for children under 18, $149 for under 13 years and free for 5 and under. After 29 July prices rise $50.
Public inquiries: People wanting more information can visit www.greatvic.com.au or call 1800 616 600
Bookshop on the Move
The Information Victoria Bookshop is soon relocating to Level 20, 80 Collins Street.
CLEARANCE SALE NOW ON - 100 TITLES UP TO 40% OFF.
Some of the titles on sale are:
- 'Mt Buller: The Story of a Mountain' - was $79.95 now $43.60
- 'A Photographic Guide to Trees of Australia' - was $19.95 now $10.95
- 'Mr Felton's Bequests' - was $89.95 now $50.00
The State of Design Festival
Design That Moves
20-31 July 2011
The State of Design Festival is rapidly approaching, with an exciting line-up of new (mostly free) events, workshops, talks and topics to explore from 20 to 31 July 2011. Hard copies of the 2011 Festival Guide can be found at your local hot spots across Melbourne or you can view the guide online.
The Festival - the largest and most innovative design event in Australia - aims to increase awareness of the value of design to both business and the broader community. This year the Festival theme, Design That Moves, explores design in, on and around projects that are transformative, mobile and networked.
For more information on the State of Design Festival 2011 visit www.stateofdesign.com.au
Melbourne Open House
Melbourne Open House unlocks your city. You'll be able to explore 75 incredible buildings for free. Residents, visitors, families, design buffs, architecture fans - absolutely anyone who loves Melbourne is invited to explore great contemporary, historic and sustainable buildings and spaces.
Visit www.melbourneopenhouse.org to find out more information and to view the 2011 building list.
Showtime: 2011 Victorian State Schools Spectacular
The Victorian State Schools Spectacular is one of the largest recurring performances in Australia. It is a professionally staged production performed at Melbourne Park to an audience of over 10,000 people.
The Spectacular includes a cast of some 2,500 government school students, working towards a common goal in a collaborative, competition-free environment.
Its dual aim is to provide an invaluable performing arts opportunity to Victoria's government school students and to showcase the enormous talent that exists in our schools. This is manifested in a 2-3 hour scripted show that celebrates a diversity of performance mediums, including choir, dance, vocal, drama and orchestra.
Showtime 2011: Victorian State Schools Spectacular will be staged at the Hisense Arena, Melbourne Park on Sunday 18 September 2011 over two performances - a matinee at 11.00am and an evening performance at 5.00pm.
PlanningVIC: Planning Property Report mobile app
Get a Planning Property Report anywhere, anytime
The PlanningVIC: Planning Property Report app provides free access to planning information for any property in Victoria.
The app complements the online Planning Property Report service and includes property details like zoning and overlay controls and any state heritage information that applies to the land.
Features include:
- Free planning information reports for any property in Victoria
- Uses your current location or allows entry of any other address in Victoria
- Search for a property on a map
- Reports are delivered in PDF format and are identical to those which are also available from the Planning Property Report service
- Save or email the report for later offline viewing
Mobile Business Centre
The Mobile Business Centre is an extension of Small Business Victoria and its programs and services. It provides free business mentoring and face-to-face assistance for businesses in regional and rural Victoria and in 2011 for the first time, metropolitan Melbourne and the CBD.
Find out more about the Mobile Business Centre.
Robin Clark Memorial Awards
Nominations are now open for the 10th Annual Robin Clark Memorial Awards and close on Friday 15 July.
The awards are open to everyone working in the child, youth and family service sectors in Victoria - volunteers, individuals and teams from community, government, and academic organisations are encouraged to nominate. This year there will also be a new award for our hard working foster carers.
TV Recycling Service
Between 2010 and the end of 2013, analog TV broadcasts will be progressively switched off around Australia.
On 5 May 2011, many parts of regional and rural Victoria switched from analog to digital transmission resulting in large numbers of households electing to purchase new television to watch free-to-air broadcasts.
As a result, high volumes of old televisions are being disposed of.
The scheme will provide free disposal services at 11 locations across the state based at council resource recovery centres and waste transfer stations in Bendigo, Ballarat, Colac, Hamilton, Horsham, Nhill, Mildura, Swan Hill, Wodonga, Sale and Shepparton.
The service will commence on Thursday 30 June and close on Sunday 31 July 2011.
New Publications
General Publications
Checking in the Rear View Mirror
by Crocker, Robyn & Godkin, David @ $39.95
Rails to Old Walhalla
by Anchen, Nick @ $29.95
Walks of the Surf Coast
by Martin, Ken @ $24.95
John Gould: An Australian Perspective
by Dawes, Sean @ $49.95
Local Histories
Welcome to Little Europe: Displaced Persons and the North Camp
by Sestokas, Josef @ $45.00
Mapping Products
Sydney and Region City Handy Map - 10th Edition
by Hema Maps @ $6.95
Where to Ride: Western and Northern Victoria
by Marshall, Craig & Lawrie, Sandra @ $34.95
Where to Ride: Eastern Victoria
by Whiteley, Peter @ $34.95
Spatial Vision's VicMap Book - South West Region (3rd edition)
produced by Spatial Vision @ $90.00
Central Australia Regional Map - 9th Edition
by Hema Maps @ $8.95
Central Queensland Map - 9th Edition
by Hema Maps @ $8.95
Government Reports
Management of Major Road Projects
by the Victorian Auditor-General @ $20.00
Indigenous Education Strategies for Government Schools
by the Victorian Auditor-General @ $20.00
Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative
by the Victorian Auditor-General @ $20.00
The Garnaut Review: Australia in the Global Response to Climate Change
by Garnaut, Ross @ $39.95
Municipal Solid Waste Management
by the Victorian Auditor-General @ $20.00
Allocation of Electronic Gaming Machine Entitlements
by the Victorian Auditor-General @ $20.00
New Legislation
New Acts
| A15.11 | Dental Hospital Land Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A16.11 | Family Violence Protection Amendment (Safety Notices) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A17.11 | Health Services Amendment (Health Innovation and Reform Council) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A18.11 | Residential Tenancies Amendment (Public Housing) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A19.11 | Victoria Law Foundation Amendment Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A20.11 | Crimes Amendment (Bullying) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A21.11 | Fisheries Amendment Act 2011 | $5.70 |
| A22.11 | Public Holidays Amendment Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A23.11 | Appropriation (2011/2012) Act 2011 | $5.70 |
| A24.11 | Appropriation (Parliament 2011/2012) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A25.11 | Environment Protection Amendment (Landfill Levies) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A26.11 | Equal Opportunity Amendment Act 2011 | $12.20 |
| A27.11 | Justice Legislation Amendment (Infringement Offences) Act 2011 | $3.80 |
| A28.11 | State Taxation Acts Amendment Act 2011 | $7.80 |
| A29.11 | Statute Law Revision Act 2011 | $7.80 |
New Statutory Rules
Reprinted Acts
| A59.86 | Mental Health Act 1986 Reprint 10 | $22.90 |
| A6315 | Metropolitan Fire Brigades Act 1958 Reprint 11 | $15.75 |
| A12.04 | Road Management Act 2004 Reprint 3 | $22.90 |
| A81.96 | Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996 Reprint 5 | $15.75 |
| A114.86 | Ambulance Services Act 1986 Reprint 4 | $12.20 |
Reprinted Statutory Rules
| S57.06 | Drugs Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006 Reprint 1 | $15.75 |
| S132.05 | Metropolitan Fire Brigades (General) Regulations 2005 Reprint 1 | $7.80 |
Visit the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website for a list of all Victorian acts and statutory rules.
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The Garnaut Review: Australia in the Global Response to Climate Change
Ross Garnaut re-examines the case for action in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and recent developments by major countries to reduce emissions and prepare for a low-carbon future.
Whooping cough vaccine - free to parents
The availability of a free whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine for parents of newborn babies has been extended to 30 June 2012.
The Melbourne International Film Festival turns 60 this year.
It's hard to keep a good plant down - Shiny Nem bounces back after fire.
A critically endangered plant species, with only 11 mature individuals known to exist in the wild - worldwide - has survived the 2009 Black Saturday fires in the Yarra Ranges and is now being further protected.
Mt Baw Baw
The 13,300 ha Baw Baw National Park covers a substantial part of the Baw Baw Plateau and sections of the Thomson and Aberfeldy River valleys.
Spectacular summer wildflower displays and snowy woodlands in winter highlight the changing beauty of Baw Baw National Park. Gnarled Snow Gums and Alpine heaths stretch across the Baw Baw Plateau, while majestic tall forests grow within the surrounding river valleys. Whether shooting the rapids on the Thomson River or skiing a cross-country trail, Baw Baw National Park offers a wealth of natural experiences.
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