Unfortunately, we’ve experienced some technical issues with getting pet registration notices sent out in time. Pet owners in the Shire should start to receive notices in the mail from Monday 20 April. Payment is due on Monday 1 June 2026.
Please note our hubs and libraries will be closed on Saturday 25 April. Transfer stations and visitor information centres will open as usual.
Published on 21 January 2026
Whilst the start of January is the traditional summer break before we all start gearing up for 2026, this summer has bought challenges to Victorians with widespread bushfires and the flash flooding along the Great Ocean Road.
A reminder, if we needed it, to stay prepared and have a plan for emergencies. Thank you to all those CFA and SES volunteers who have been assisting in other areas but also responding to fires and other emergencies in Hepburn Shire. Things can and do change quickly and we need to be prepared. Just last week I got a call to be on standby to move horses when a grass fire threatened. Fortunately, the threat was avoided when firefighters were able to get the fire under control. Responses that ensure community safety don’t just happen, it requires pre-planning, coordination and resources before emergencies happen and Council officers are involved in this before emergencies happen. Council’s responsibility when emergencies occur is to coordinate, set up and manage relief centres and officers are on standby to do this.
Recently friends have sent me AI-generated or digitally altered photos of their Christmas celebrations. Whilst funny and/or charming it did remind me that there is a lot of incorrect or just misleading information out in the virtual world. But how to tell what is real/enhanced or just made up? I’ve used our Council libraries to some reading about AI and learnt about so-called ‘hallucinations” (things just made up). It can be hard to tell. The takeaway was to remain skeptical about what is written, ask who is writing this? Why? What do they want to achieve? What’s their purpose? And, if in relation to Council, what is the most effective way to get change? Direct contact via email, online request, or calling a Councillor works too.