Monday, November 30, 2009

09/10 1406 Strike Team Roster - Short Haul

Arthurs Creek's turns are highlighted in blue.

Weekly Media Report

Kris Perkovic

Media & Marketing Coordinator
CFA Outer Metro Norwest Area

Hurstbridge Farmer's Market

Another 3 months has rolled around, and it's time to man the gates again at the Hurstbridge Farmers Market and collect donations for the Brigade.

It is on Sunday 6 December at Brockie's BBQ at Hurstbridge.  There are two shifts available: 07:30-10:30 and 10:30-13:30.  We need at least 6 people for each shift.  Please contact Geoff if you can help.

Community news is moving

As you can tell from the blog, there is a lot of community news that gets posted.  Although I am happy to post it, I think it can sometimes overpower the specific Brigade posts.  As such, I'm creating a new blog to hold the community news: http://acrfb-community.blogspot.com/

I welcome you all to follow both blogs.

Geoff

Thursday, November 26, 2009

SCRA - Minutes

Strathewen Community Renewal Association Inc


Chocolate Lillies Community Choir at Strathewen Community Centre

After their visit two weeks ago, the Chocolate Lillies Community Choir is coming again to the Strathewen Community Centre this Sunday 29 November from 12.30 - 2.30. The Choir includes singers from local areas who have been learning songs of beauty and joy and of the land.

The Choir leader Nerida Kirov welcomes all voices who want to join in the 3/4 part harmonies. Children are welcome too with a supervising adult. The choir usually rehearses at the St Andrews Hall on Sundays and all are welcome.

Come and enjoy the vibe.

Contact Barbara Joyce 9714 8553
E: barbara@dunmoochin.org

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Minutes - General Meeting - 5 October 2009

Geoff

Christmas Pudding Making at Strathewen

Are you interested in making your own Christmas Pudding, and having a little fun along the way?

Agnus Perry will be helping us to make these. All ingredients will be supplied, you just need to bring along your wooden spoon, a tea towel and a bowl to make it in. 5”-6”.

We are prepared to run two sessions TUESDAY 1ST DECEMBER, 2009 FROM 10.30am. AND / OR WEDNESDAY 2ND EVENING from 7.00pm. depending on interest.

Please advise your preference to Mary Avola via email maryavola3754@gmail.com or by phone 0418 315 810 as soon as possible.

Hope you will come along.

Strathewen Community Renewal Association

Letter from Hall Committee

Please find attached a letter from the Hall Committee.

Strathewen Community Renewal Association Inc

Landholder information sesssion Sat 5th December 9AM

An information session will be held on Saturday 5 December from 9am-1pm at 470 Eagles Nest Road, Strathewen.

This session will discuss a range of land management recovery topics including an introduction to property recovery planning, pasture recovery, pest plant and animal control, dams and erosion, waterway management and biodiversity. The session will be followed by lunch where representatives from relevant agencies will be available for informal discussion. Please RSVP to Georgia Ramsey on 9433 3210 or email Georgia.Ramsey@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

Strathewen Community Renewal Association Inc

Declaration of Fire Danger Period - 30 November 2009

Good Morning All,

Chief Officer Rees has approved the declaration of the Fire Danger Period as follows:

To commence from 0100 hours on 30 November 2009
  • Mitchell Shire
  • Murrindindi Shire
  • City of Banyule (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • City of Manningham (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • City of Maroondah (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • Shire of Nillumbik (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • Melton Shire
  • City Hume (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • City of Whittlesea (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • Wyndham City (That part outside of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade District)
  • Hepburn Shire
  • Macedon Ranges Shire
  • Moorabool Shire
  • City of Ballarat
  • Northern Grampians Shire
  • Ararat Rural City
  • Pyrenees Shire
  • Shire of Mansfield
  • Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resort
  • Alpine Shire
  • Towong Shire
  • Mt Hotham Alpine Resort
  • Falls Creek Alpine Resort
Notice of this will be published in a General Government Gazette on Thursday 26th November 2009.

Kind regards

Michelle Koehler
SECC Officer State Control Centre (SCC)

CFA DSE Joint SOPs

Since Geoff sent out the email below, a few minor amendments have been made to CFA/DSE SOPs 2.03 (IMT Preparedness Arrangements) and 3.08 (Appointment of the Incident Controller) which were sent to you last week. I have attached the amended versions.

Doreen and Mernda Bank Project

Hi all,

Sorry if you have already received this email but it is so important that we need to make sure that everyone received this wonderful news. We am so pleased to inform you that due to the overwhelming support from the community Valley Financial services has provided us with the follow time line for the establishment of our community bank. Please find the attached PDF file which contains the exciting news to all involved with the setting up of our community bank. It is thanks to you our pledgees that we are now at this point. There is still alot of work to do and the pledging will continue as long as possible. I urge you to read the attached file and ask us any questions that it might have.

Regards

The Steering Committee of the Doreen and Mernda Community Bank Project

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Re-building expo - car-parking assistance

We have been asked to help with car-parking for the re-building expo being held on Saturday 29 November at Ryders Flat (opposite Arthurs Creek station).

We’ll require two shifts of people: 10:00-13:00 and 13:00-16:00.

Can you please call, e-mail or SMS Geoff if you are available to help.

Friday, November 20, 2009

SCRA Newsletter

Strathewen Community Renewal Association Inc

Weekly Media Report

Volunteer Picnic Day Invitation

Please find attached the flyer for this year's Whittlesea Volunteer Picnic to celebrate International Volunteers Day. This year's event is in partnership with the City of Whittlesea, and will have a special focus on the volunteer effort in response to the February bushfires.

All volunteers are welcome, please forward this on to anyone who may be interested

Regards

Annette McKail
Coordinator, Volunteer Resource Service
Whittlesea Community Connections

Thermogel Demo

There is a demonstration of Thermogel on Sunday 22 November 11.00am at Arthurs Creek station. Friends and neighbours are also welcome.

Pre-season BBQ and awards presentation

Reminder that we are holding our pre-season BBQ and awards presentation on Sunday 29 November from 4.00pm at Arthurs Creek station.
 
Could you please reply to me or Michael via e-mail asap if you are attending and how many you are bringing so that Michael can finalise catering.
 
The people due for awards are listed below, so we are particuarly keen to see them at the BBQ:
 
  • Vicki-Anne Mitchell 5 yr cert
  • Ben Apted 10 yr bar
  • Lachlan Bakewell 10 yr bar
  • Keith Jephcott 10 yr bar
  • Gordon Norris 10 yr bar
  • Brendan Parkinson 10 yr bar
  • Michael Chapman 15 yr bar
  • Robyn Harris 15 yr bar
  • Peter Jenkinson 15 yr bar
  • Andrew Alford 20 yr bar
  • Warren Rees 20 yr bar
  • Carole Stubley 20 yr bar
  • Leonard Delacca 25 yr bar
  • Lindsay Brian 25 yr bar
  • Dale Murphy 25 yr bar
  • Marie Apted 30 yr bar
  • Gayle Corr 30 yr bar
  • Patt Corr 30 yr bar
  • Pam Gabler 30 yr bar
  • Bruce Donelly 30 yr bar
  • Lennetta Hurrey 30 yr bar
  • Marilan McGahy 30 yr bar
  • Graeme Simmons 30 yr bar

  • Important resident notification: Temporary GSM mobile coverage turned off with new Next G coverage available

    Notification to residents of Strathewen, Arthurs Creek and Kinglake West

    As Telstra completes construction of three permanent Next G™ mobile base stations in Strathewen, Arthurs Creek and Kinglake West in the Nillumbik and Murrindindi shires, we will be turning off some of the temporary coverage cells we deployed immediately after Black Saturday.

    These temporary coverage cells provided temporary GSM (2G) and Next G™ network coverage in areas where existing coverage was patchy and not reliable. We now have permanent Next G™ mobile coverage - namely Strathewen and Kinglake West, with Arthurs Creek to come online at the end of November 2009.

    Some residents will notice that their older GSM phones won’t get the same coverage as they experienced with the temporary mobile cells. Our permanent mobile coverage investment is in the Next G™ network only – not the old GSM network.

    Telstra recommends customers move across to the Next G™ network to take advantage of the new coverage and our shop at Westfield Shopping Centre in McDonald’s Road in Plenty Valley (03 9437 8650 or mrobins@tlifeplentyvalley.com.au) is ready to help customers move across to the new network.

    This move could be as easy as porting their old number onto a new phone and SIM card at no charge, or could involve a charge depending on the contract and phone customer’s want.

    We are advising customers to visit the store and speak to Michael, Sebastian and the team about their individual circumstances.

    Important tips ahead of the summer

    As Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges residents prepare their homes and families for the bushfire season, it’s also critical they audit their communications devices and services.

    Telstra has also prepared some important tips to help ready residents for the upcoming bushfire season. The tips have been developed in response to customer enquiries about ways to optimise their telephone services during natural disasters, such as the Victorian bushfires or Queensland floods.

    Telstra’s 10 Tips:
    1. Think about a Blue Tick mobile phone – different mobile phones have different capabilities. Telstra’s Blue Tick accreditation program identifies mobile handsets that have enhanced coverage for country areas. People can check here: http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/index.html
    2. Upgrade your 2G SIM – it’s important that customers upgrade their 2G SIM card when purchasing a Next G™ mobile handset to receive the benefits of Telstra’s extensive 3G network coverage. Customer can keep their number and it’s a free service unless a new plan or handset is required.
    3. Have a spare mobile battery – it’s advisable to have a spare, fully charged battery on stand-by.
    4. Carry additional mobile phone chargers – an in-car and a separate AC mains charger are essential in case of evacuation.
    5. Consider a standard fixed phone - power failures will affect cordless PSTN phones and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services that require 240V power to operate. Customers using VoIP should check with their service providers.
    6. Keep essential numbers close by – have a list of essential contact numbers close at hand, including local Police, Fire, SES and Telstra’s fault line - 132203.
    7. Use Triple Zero (000) appropriately – only call Triple Zero in life threatening emergencies. If your situation is not time critical but requires the attention of an emergency services organisation, you can obtain alternate numbers for these organisations by calling Telstra Call Connect – 12456.
    8. Keep calls to a minimum – although Telstra monitors the network closely in times of emergency to avoid congestion, it’s advisable to keep calls to a minimum during natural disasters to allow people to call emergency service organisations.
    9. Gauge the benefits of a satellite phone – if living or travelling in isolated areas, consider purchasing a satellite phone for continuous phone coverage. 10.
    10. Consider a Yagi antennae – having one of these antennas maximises mobile phone reception from your home or vehicle.
    Regards,

    Debra Farrelly
    External Relations Advisor
    Melbourne
    Telstra