From the south-west 🗞️

💢 “Snuck in immorally”: Glenelg council adopts budget, but not without questions over four-year-old $3.5m rate change

“Sticking to my principles, and with my moral compass, I cannot vote for this budget tonight.”

Those were the words of Glenelg Shire councillor John Pepper as he cast the lone vote against the council's 2026-27 budget, capping off a tense meeting dominated by long-running disputes over rates and an unprecedented wave of community feedback.

What happened: Glenelg Shire council ultimately adopted the budget last Tuesday with a 2.75 percent rate rise – in line with the Victorian Government’s rate cap – but not before hearing questions from residents on everything from farm rates and FOGO charges to a controversial rates decision made four years ago.

• The level of public interest prompted councillors to move question time to the beginning of the meeting after receiving almost 500 submissions on the draft budget.

Read the full story here.

🥖 Mack’s Snacks owner Diane Coates hanging up the apron after more than 40 years

When Diane Coates first walked through the doors of Mack’s Snacks as a teenager in the 80s, she never imagined she would one day own one of Warrnambool's best-known cafes.

Saying goodbye: After four decades working at the Liebig Street institution, first as a waitress, then a chef and finally owner, Coates is hanging up her apron as she hands the business to a new custodian and prepares for retirement.

A brief history: Coates began working at the cafe straight out of school. After starting a family, she later returned part-time, completed her chef's apprenticeship under then-owner Paul McLeod, grandson of the original owner Aubrey, and eventually bought the business in 2010.

Read the full story here.

💰️ Colac Otway Shire’s budget looks $5.73 million in the red, but the CEO says don't panic

A $5.73 million deficit in Colac Otway Shire Council's newly adopted budget has been described as an “accounting anomaly”, with the shortfall caused by an early payment of $8 million in federal grants.

What happened: Councillors unanimously adopted the 2026-27 budget last Tuesday, which included a rate rise of 2.75 percent, as well as $1.5 million included to fund a new bike track and upgrades to the Deans Creek-Pound Road intersection.

Read the full story here.

From the Central Highlands ⛰️ 

🖼️ From coastal glass to historical textile collections: Seven West Vic galleries worth visiting this winter

When the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, things can slow down around West Vic. Why not take the time to stroll through a local gallery? 

Think we missed something? Reach out to [email protected] with your suggestions. 

Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery

Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery has bi-monthly exhibitions. A current exhibition sees 19 artists employ various mediums - ceramics, charcoal, watercolour, oil, mixed media - to contribute to a portion of a “collective cultural weaving” tapestry. 

Where: 48 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet 

Ararat Gallery TAMA

The permanent collection of textiles has been curated since the 1970s. There are also  visiting exhibitions. 

Currently, the work of First Nations artist Lisa Waup is on display. Waup specialises in blending printmaking, sculpture, textiles and weaving. 

Where: 82 Vincent Street, Ararat 

Bromley & Co

David Bromley is a well-known name across the country, and on Daylesford’s main street paintings, multimedia and sculpture showcase different phases of his 20-year career. 

Where: Shop 8/47 Vincent Street, Daylesford  

Hamilton Gallery

Hamilton Gallery opened in 1961, and currently hosts a permanent collection of 10,000 artworks from Europe, East Asia and Australia. 

Some of this collection is currently part of the Forces of Nature exhibition, highlighting Chinese and Japanese pieces that centre around the natural world through seasons and elements. 

Where: 107 Brown Street, Hamilton 

The Convent Daylesford

From 19th-century nunnery to multi-level art gallery. The Convent displays a variety of visiting and local artists on an eight-week rotation. Each level features artwork, alongside museum-like displays of the building’s history. 

It’s surrounded by lush gardens and panoramic views of the surrounding Daylesford and Wombat Forest. 

Where: 7 Daly Street, Daylesford 

Read the full story here.

🛠️ Hepburn Shire permanently hands greater planning power to staff

Hepburn Shire Council receives more than 300 planning applications each year and, following a council meeting, has voted to change the process in an effort to cut backlogs and speed up decisions. 

❓What happened: This week’s June council meeting saw Hepburn Shire vote to give staff greater decision-making power for planning applications without a councillor vote. 

• This change will mean a planning application will be dealt with by council staff.

• To reach councillors, a threshold of five objections must be reached for farming-zone applications, or 10 objections for general applications before it requires a council vote to go ahead. 

• This process has been implemented through an 18-month trial that began in December 2024. 

What evidence? An 18-month trial implementation of the process showed increased efficiency and reduced wait times. 

Dissent in the ranks: Councillor Tim Drylie was the only member of council to vote against the change. 

🗣️: “Council has only been able to determined one application in the last 18 months… there’s actually been quite a reduction in local democratic oversight,” Councillor Drylie told the chamber. 

Director of Development and Community Ron Torres said the trial report showed how the rights of constituents were being protected through the change. 

• “Applicants have been able to share feedback on conduct, the processing and the decisions,” Mr Torres said. “Part of that feedback also includes their ability to challenge an officer’s decisions at VCAT [Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal]. It shows that applicants are exercising their rights appropriately.”  

Council CEO Bradley Thomas stated the councillors had been regularly updated in detailed briefings throughout the trial period that have ensured they are well-informed. 

Councillor Brian Hood told the Brolga he welcomes the improvement in processing times. 

On Your Feed 📱

West Vic farmers told me how working to reduce emissions has helped prepare for drought and extreme weather:

Zara went into more detail on how planting trees now will bring koalas to the region later: