Colac Otway
When the mercury hovers around 25C, West Vic snakes are on the move
Catcher Benny McNamara, who can take up to nine calls in a day, says warmer weather is shortening the hibernation season.
Wildlife
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Mobile blackspots, local knowledge and volunteer numbers: What West Vic has learned from January’s bushfires
With below-average spring rainfall forecast across parts of the region, locals will look to July’s parliamentary inquiry recommendations for better preparation and response.
CFA
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Meet the French expat starting an escargot farm from scratch in West Vic
Starting with fewer than 1,000 snails, Beech Forest farmer Coralie Schaff hopes to prove the food has a future in the region.
Profiles
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Beyond the blaze: Why Otways locals fear they’ll be forgotten
“Impacts often peak months later, when initial support winds down and people are left managing loss and uncertainty.”
CFA
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Otways bushfire has doubled in size since Saturday to 11,000 hectares, officials say
More than 170 vehicles and 390 responders were on the scene as of Tuesday.
CFA
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Lending a hand at Gellibrand: Firefighting crews from across West Vic travel to help combat blaze
Crews from Port Fairy, Wangoom and Nullawarre were among volunteers who jumped on a tanker and grabbed a hose.
CFA
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“Time to go”: Thousands of Otways locals urged to evacuate as 40-degree weather brings severe fire risks to the region
With the Otways still burning weeks after dry lightning first struck, Carlisle River and Gellibrand residents have faced more challenging days of extreme heat and stressful fire conditions.
CFA
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“A dome of heat” to loom over Victoria as south west faces another total fire ban
West Vic will face extreme heat and elevated fire danger less than a fortnight after fires and flash floods damaged parts of Victoria’s coast and hinterland.
CFA
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The aftermath: Tens of thousands of hectares scorched in Western Victoria
Bushfires at Carlisle River and Kennedys Creek in the Otways remained out of control on Monday afternoon.
CFA
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How Teghan Fraser's love for cooking took her on the journey of a lifetime
From 15 years in the navy to running a local business.
Profiles
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From Oxford blues to West Vic grandeur: The tale of Coragulac House’s first owner
Built in 1873 for George Pringle Robertson, the sprawling estate has been restored by Garry and Sharryn Gibson.
History
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