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Nominations for South Gippsland Australia Day Awards open and other shire council projects updates

Updates on South Gippsland Shire Council projects and programs and more.

By news@gippsland - 5th October 2023 - Back to News

Nominations are now open for the 2024 South Gippsland Australia Day Awards. The awards are the perfect opportunity to highlight the achievements of local South Gippsland residents and events. The award categories are:

Citizen of the Year
Young Citizen of the Year
Community Event of the Year

If you know someone or an event that deserves recognition for the amazing work they do, please nominate them for an award at Australia Day Awards page. Nominations close Wednesday 8 November 2023.

2024 South Gippsland Australia Day Awards nominations are live! Recognize outstanding local residents and events in our community

Korumburra railway precinct

Council is calling for expressions of interest from suitably qualified visual artists or art collectives to create a mural on the external wall of 42 Commercial Street, Korumburra. The EOI process calls for artists with experience in delivering high quality murals, creating work in response to the set theme, and liaising with stakeholders.

The theme for the mural project is the local community, landscape, flora and fauna. Artists are invited to complete the EOI and will be assessed on the following criteria:

Capacity to respond to the site and relevant experience to develop a well-considered concept
Demonstrate capacity to create artwork that is innovative and engaging
Experience working with various stakeholders

If you are an artist or know of an artist who is capable of fulfilling the art mural project, please visit Art Mural Project page.

BreastScreen Van Foster

If you are between the ages of 50 and 74 and are due to have a breast screen, there's no better time. The BreastScreen van will be at the South Gippsland Hospital, Foster until 27 October. Appointments for the Foster van can be made online at Breast Screen page.

Join Agriculture Victoria's Great Biosecurity Quest to safeguard Victoria's environment and agriculture. Hunt bugs, spot weeds, and fight pests and diseases

Great Biosecurity Quest

Pull out your magnifying glass and become a protector of Victoria's precious environment and agriculture by taking part in the Agriculture Victoria's Great Biosecurity Quest. From bug hunting to weed spotting, the quest will have you learning how to combat pests and diseases that threaten our beautiful environment.

Everyone is welcome to join and become a citizen scientist. For more information and to be a part of the quest, head to Biosecurity Quest page.

Songwriters Collective at Bena Hall

The South Gippsland Songwriters Project aims to support local songwriters to come together, form a supportive network and build local audiences through concerts throughout the South Gippsland Shire. At the upcoming Songwriters Collective Concert, five songwriters bare their hearts, their hopes and their troubles, with fine musicianship. Here are the concert details:

When: Friday 6 October 2023, 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Where: Bena Hall, Main St, Bena 3946

For more information and to buy tickets, please visit Songwriters Collective page.

Seniors Festival

Seniors across Latrobe, South Gippsland and Baw Baw Shires, are invited to a Combined Gippsland Country Concert, to bring the region together for a morning of great entertainment. Melissa Langton stars in What the World Needs Now, a joyous, foot stomping, hand clapping celebration of the swinging sixties.

Each ticket provides a seat on a bus travelling to and from the venue in Traralgon, and entry to the festival. Buses will be collecting patrons from Korumburra, Leongatha, Mirboo North and Foster.

Thursday 12 October 2023
From 11.00am to 12.00pm

To book a ticket, please visit Seniors Festival page.

Mark your calendar for the Open Studio Art Trail on 7-8 and 14-15 October 2023

Open Studio Art Trail

Art Connect South Gippsland invites you to explore and discover more of South Gippsland through a range of exhibits, open studios and galleries in towns across South Gippsland. A great opportunity to meet with a range of artists and learn more about their work and artistic processes whilst visiting their gallery spaces. The Open Studio Art Trail is being held on the following weekends:

7 and 8 October
14 and 15 October

For more information, visit the attached brochure Art Connect South Gippsland page.

Children's Week 2023 theme: "Children's Right to Play." Join our Council's celebration, featuring free activities like face painting, a petting zoo, and more!

Children's Week

The theme for Children's Week 2023 is "Children have the right to relax, play and take part in activities they enjoy". Council's special Children's Week event will be a celebration of childhood and aim to showcase the greatness of our little locals.

The free event is open to all families and children, and will include face painting, a petting zoo, sausage sizzle, story time with Myli - My Community Library, and a variety of arts and craft activities.

When: Thursday 26 October
Time: 10.00 - 1.00pm
Where: Coal Creek Community Park and Museum (at the Pig and Whistle Cafe)

We look forward to having you be a part of Children's Week 2023.

Join the Ambrose event supporting the Go Girls Foundation on October 15, 2023, BBQ breakfast at 9:00 AM, tee-off at 10:00 AM, and afternoon tea by Foster Golf Club

Go Girls Golf Day

Join the Go Girls Foundation for a day of golf at the Foster Golf Club. The charity golf day aims to honour, empower and celebrate women from all walks of life. Bring your group of two or four, or let the organisers tee you up with another golfer.

For more information and to purchase a ticket to the event, please visit Go Girls Golf Day page.

Fishy Stories Festival

The two-day festival in Fish Creek is where families both residential and visiting will converge in Fish Creek for a weekend of free workshops by authors and illustrators, ticketed children's performances and events including all day storytelling and story making.

Fishy Stories is on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November. For more information, please visit Fishy Stories page.

Sporting Club grants program

As part of the Australian government's commitment to make community sports more inclusive and accessible, the latest round of Sporting Club Grants are now open for application.

If you are part of a community sporting group in need of funding for equipment, uniforms or even to promote your club, the Victorian government's Sporting Club Grant Program could be for you. Applications for this round of funding closes Thursday 12 October at 4.00pm. For more information and to apply, please visit Local Sporting Club Funding page.

Halo Halo Gippsland

Halo Halo Gippsland is a Community Connections Program connecting new residents with local community groups. This project is a response to our growing multicultural community providing more than just a 'buddy program'.

A grant of $10,000 will be provided to six community organisations/groups across Gippsland, to connect with community members and progress identified goals for both participants and hosts. Applications close Friday 13 October. For more information and to apply, please view the attached document Halo Halo Gippsland page.

Small Regional Presenters Fund

Small Regional Presenters is a funding program aimed at supporting regional communities to program and present shows in their areas. The funding is available to both emerging volunteer small regional presenters, and returning volunteer community presenters. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Small Regional Presenters Project Manager to discuss their application.

Funding of up to $15,000 is available per successful applicant
Applications close Monday 30 October at 5.00pm

For more information and to apply, head to Regional Arts Victoria Funding website.

Line up of workshops

Get Online Week

The South Gippsland Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is holding an information day about recognising and avoiding online scams. The aim of this event is to increase the digital literacy of the community, particularly among senior members. Here are the event details:

When: Thursday 19 October
Where: Meeting Room 1, Michael Place, Leongatha
Time: 11.00am to 2.00pm

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own devices such as smartphones, computers, tablets etc. with any queries to the session where staff will do their best to sort out any problems with accessing information on the device. If you are looking to attend, please RSVP by Monday 16 October to CAB on 5662 2111 or email South Gippsland Citizen Advice Bureau.

GippSport Workshops

Volunteers come out in huge numbers, in all weather conditions and at all hours of the day to ensure sports activities go ahead. Regional Sport Victoria in collaboration with GippSport are providing workshops to help sporting clubs deliver great volunteer programs.

The four workshops will focus on building the capacity and confidence of sports clubs to deliver great volunteer programs through the topics of planning, recruiting, select and guiding, and encouragement and recognising.

For more information and to register, please visit Thrive with Support Workshops page.

Event Registration and Attendee Management Training

Advertising, registering and keeping track of the numbers attending your events can be difficult, especially if you are juggling multiple events over the year or even all at the one time. This workshop will empower community groups to use online event management systems to create events management systems to create events, engage their communities and register and manage their attendance with confidence.

Here are the event details:

Saturday 21 October
9.30am to 12.00pm
Leongatha Council Chambers (Meeting Room 1)
Free Workshop
Light Lunch Included

For more information and to reserve a spot, please visit Event Management Workshop page.

Advanced Grant Writing Workshop

This workshop is for you if you are actively involved in grant writing for your community group and have experience or have previously participated in a grant writing workshop. Here are the event details: