Warrnambool has 11 GP clinics, but only two offer bulk billing to all patients, making it a town with one of the lowest number of bulk-billed practices in the region, despite having nearly triple the amount of clinics compared with nearby towns.

According to healthcare directory Cleanbill’s April 2026 Blue Report, less than half of GP clinics in regional Victoria fully bulk bill their patients, with an average fee of $47.30 per consultation.

How did we get here? Reporting by the University of Sydney notes the gap traces back to a Medicare rebate freeze first introduced by the federal Labor government in 2013 and extended by the Coalition in 2014. 

Nine of Warrnambool’s clinics operate with a mixed billing model.

Is anything being done? The federal government moved to address this at last year’s election, unveiling an $8.5 billion Medicare package that took effect in November.

Out of the 11 clinics in Warrnambool, only Gunditjmara Health Clinic and WRAD offer bulk billing to all patients.

WRAD Health said it provides care to around 2,700 patients a year across eight doctors, with over more than 18,000 consults a year.

As a not-for-profit health service, CEO Mark Powell said in a 2025 statement things like missed appointments can financially impact the clinic.

“If we said conservatively there were 30 did-not-attend appointments every month, that means about $2400 lost revenue which we need to pay the costs of providing a free healthcare service,” he said. 

“We are funded through receipts from Medicare. If people don’t come, we don’t get paid but still have to pay the doctors, nurses, receptionists and other services costs.”

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Corangamite Shire Council is pushing for the state government to fund a study into water security - putting the issue on the table as western Victoria edges closer to its drier season on the back of an El Niño declaration in June.

What happened: Councillors voted at Tuesday’s council meeting to respond to the state government’s Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy, released for feedback earlier this month.

What the council wants: The submission’s main request was a funded feasibility study into practical, affordable water security options for the southern Corangamite and Heytesbury areas.

What they said: Councillor Jamie Vogels told the meeting “water security was fundamental to the future of rural communities and agriculture in Corangamite”. 

Councillor Nick Cole put the stakes bluntly: “if we don’t have water, we don’t have agriculture, therefore we don’t have any food on the shelves or in the supermarkets for people to buy”.

Why it matters: Agriculture is Corangamite’s largest industry, accounting for more than 30 percent of local employment and roughly $1.2 billion in economic output. The shire is also a nationally significant dairy producer.

West Vic’s drought history: The submission comes a year after the region saw the end of its 18-month drought, creating volatile conditions for western Victorian farmers.

El Niño looms: Adding to the pressure, the Bureau of Meteorology officially declared El Nino on June 16.

Aradale Asylum draws 10,000 visitors a year to Ararat - more people than live in the town – but that hasn’t stopped the landlords from shutting the asylum down citing safety concerns. 

Ghost tour workers, as well as member for Ripon Martha Haylett, claim inquiries about the health of the site have been “ignored” for years.  

What happened: Nathaniel Buchanan, who runs Eerie Tours and has led ghost tours at Aradale Asylum for 16 years, told the Brolga the closure is an "economic disaster for the town”. 

The background: Buchanan said it’s been an ongoing battle to have the building  maintained.

“Every repair claim has been ignored,” he said. 

Martha Haylett, the member for Ripon, told the Brolga Melbourne Polytechnic has “ignored” her inquiries for many years and had “failed to recognise the enormous contribution Eerie Tours makes to our local economy, tourism industry and community”. 

“Local motels, restaurants, cafes and retailers are already feeling the impact of this decision, with businesses losing bookings and income almost immediately,” she said. 

Why does it matter? Buchanan said that each weekend, hundreds of people come through the building. 

Full story below.

The topic of wind farms and transmission lines is polarising West Vic farming communities. 

Some think the future of farming is at risk with projects being constructed on prime agricultural land, others believe that lines and turbines can operate alongside traditional farming operations while providing another revenue stream that isn't dependent on erratic seasons.

With their role in Victoria's energy system now firmly a political issue, it's difficult to get a clear view on whether farmers blanket support or oppose the co-existence of the technology alongside farming in the region. 

So if you are a farmer who has just had a wind project approved for your property, what does that look like in the lead up to the November election?

Jason Head just learned the wind turbines he wants to host on his sheep and cropping farm in Normanville have been approved. At the same time, his shire’s Mayor is running for One Nation.

What happened: Head is preparing to host wind turbines on his land as part of the Normanville Energy Park development near Kerang. 

The wind farm site sits within the newly declared North West Renewable Energy Zone, one of five onshore zones in Victoria. 

What’s that?: VNI West is the proposed, and highly contested, 240-kilometre powerline project aimed at connecting Victoria to NSW’s electricity grid, transporting energy generated in renewable zones. 

One Nation would prohibit wind and solar farms being built on agricultural land.

Power for 90,000: The project in Normanville was just approved by the state government and will include 17 turbines generating enough power for 90,000 homes. 

Zooming out: Garner Smith, the mayor of Ganawarra Shire where Head’s farm sits, recently announced he will run for One Nation at the state election in November. 

Head said he doesn’t believe One Nation would be capable of leading the state, and attributed the increase in support for the party to people feeling “disenchanted with the major parties,” adding that “one party will start a project, and the next will cancel it, and you get nothing in the end”.  

He said “major infrastructure should be agreed by both major parties and get on with it”, and that something needs to be done to move away from coal. 

“To do nothing is worse than something that might turn out not to be the best solution,” Head said. “But to do nothing is far worse.” 

Full story below.