Councillor Column - 8 January 2026 - Cr Tim Drylie

Published on 08 January 2026

Like many people, I began the year with a few New Year resolutions. Drink less coffee. Move more. Paint that skirting board that has been “nearly done” since last winter. Experience suggests some of these will last longer than others.

I’m writing this on the first genuinely hot day of summer, pushing close to 40 degrees. The kind of heat where Creswick feels like an oven, Daylesford footpaths shimmer, and everyone suddenly remembers where the pedestal fan is stored. It’s also the kind of day that makes the latest report from the Climate Council feel very real. The key point this time is not just bushfire risk. It is heat itself. Extreme heat is now the biggest climate-related threat to human health in Australia. It affects how our homes cope, how services function, and who feels the strain first.

January is meant to be about fresh starts, but many people are already stretched. Cost of living pressures, caring roles, health concerns and simple fatigue are part of daily life. So, when we talk about getting involved in our community, it needs to be realistic and kind. Participation looks different for everyone. For some it is volunteering with a local group. For others it might be checking on a neighbour during a heatwave, speaking up calmly when something does not sound right, or choosing not to fuel outrage online.

We have seen a rise in division and hostility, including here at home. The answer is not shouting louder all the time. It is about staying engaged, slowing things down, checking what we hear, and treating one another with decency.

Councils are not distant machines. They are made up of people from this community, trying to make good decisions in complex times. We can always do better, but that happens when more of us lean in, at whatever scale we can manage.

As summer settles in, resilience will matter. It is built through small, practical acts of care, shared locally, in this incredible place we call home, on Dja Dja Wurrung country.