Latest News

		Swan Hill Primary School hosts Family Day Care sessions
		Play, literacy and language is the focus for children and carers with Swan Hill Family Day Care who have been operating Monday morning play sessions in the Swan Hill Primary School art room this term.

		Victorian Open Water Murray Cod Aquaculture Industry Development Plan
		In 2003 the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) commenced a research project that looked at finding ways to achieve multiple water use by adding value and sustainability to agricultural landscapes. The research project centred on a major case study involving partnerships with three, large scale irrigated horticulture farms at Red Cliffs.

		A Message from the Mayor
		Last week Council’s Economic Development Manager, Economic Development Officer and I took a trip to Bendigo for the Energy Futures Conference – an absolutely fantastic opportunity to see what is happening with the future of energy, the technology that is out there and what people are doing with this new technology.

		Swan Hill Toyota 2009/2010 New Year’s Eve celebrations at Riverside Park
		The Swan Hill Toyota 2009/2010 New Year’s Eve Committee is thrilled to announce that they have secured top Melbourne cover band Farren Jones to perform at the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Riverside Park.

		Don’t forget to nominate for the 2009 Local Government Awards
		Swan Hill Rural City Council is reminding residents to ensure they put forward their nominations for the 2009 Local Government Awards by Thursday, 26 November.

		New Council program to drive the community
		A new and innovative program, Driving the Community will soon commence in Swan Hill and Robinvale and aims to assist 10 Aboriginal youth gain 120 hrs of driving experience, prior to applying for their probationary licence.

		Dietitians Association of Australia dispels fresh food expense myth
		Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Food For All program has supported the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) dispelling of the myth that healthy, fresh food is more expensive than unhealthy food.

		Discover how you can participate in the emerging Murray Cod aquaculture industry
		Farmers and investors are invited to take part in information sessions in both Swan Hill and Mildura regarding the open water Murray Cod aquaculture industry development plan.

		Rates valuation objections due 16 November 2009
		Swan Hill Rural City Council is reminding ratepayers that if they do not agree with the valuation assigned to their property they may lodge an objection.

		Municipal Rate Subsidy information for ratepayers
		After the announcement from the State Government regarding the 30% Municipal Rate Subsidy (MRS) as part of the 2009 drought package last month, Council would like to remind ratepayers to contact the Rates Department to clarify their eligibility and any supporting documentation requirements before paying their rates.

		Australian Food Safety Week 2009: Safe food – smart and great value
		With home cooking becoming more popular, Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Public Health Services has urged residents to make food safety a top priority.

		Discover the difference art can make to agriculture at the ACRE seminar
		A seminar about how art can make a difference to agriculture’s bottom line will be explored at the Australia’s Creative Rural Economy (ACRE) event at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery on Wednesday, 25 November.

		Immunisations 10 November 2009
		The next immunisation clinic will be conducted on Tuesday, 10 November 2009 between 10.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. at the Masonic Hall, Beveridge Street, Swan Hill.

		Parents encouraged to check their child is fully immunised
		Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Public Health Services is encouraging parents who have a child aged between four and five years to check their child’s immunisation status to ensure they are fully immunised.

		A Message from the Mayor
		Last week the CEO, MAV delegate Cr Norton, Cr Quayle and I attended the Municipal Association of Victoria’s (MAV) State Council and conference, which not only had a range of excellent guest speakers and an opportunity to mix with councils and politicians, but also enabled councils to present a unified front to put forward motions to the MAV to act on and that we would also like the State and Federal Governments to action.

		The City of Swan Hill Community Plan - Public Meetings
		Come along and contribute your ideas and vote for the initiatives that you would like to have included in the City of Swan Hill Community Plan by attending one of the three Public Meetings to be held at the Town Hall, McCallum Street Swan Hill, on the following dates.

		Jett tells of what makes a city perfect
		Swan Hill’s Community Planning process continues to see a number of community members putting forward their suggestions towards making the city perfect, including three-year old Jett, who at a recent barbecue held in conjunction with the Swan Hill Police at George Lay Park, told Council’s Community Planning Officer during discussion time to “please get rid of the prickles”.

		Food for All Fridge Assist program
		Ensuring the ability to continue to store basic fresh food is the main objective of the Food For All Fridge Assist Program being run in Swan Hill, which was developed to overcome the shortage of food storage facilities in community households.

		Outstanding attendance for Food Handling course in Swan Hill
		Council’s Volunteer Support Training Program’s latest course in Food Handling has once again seen strong attendance numbers, with 37 people turning up to the Swan Hill Town Hall café to attend the course.

		Local Councillor named as Ambassador for Year of Women in Local Government
		Swan Hill Rural City Councillor Yvonne Jennings has been named as one of 21 Ambassadors from around Australia for the International Year of Women in Local Government for 2010.

		Public invited to share their opinion regarding CBD Master Plan Report
		Swan Hill Rural City Council is inviting community members to come along to the Swan Hill Town Hall on Tuesday, 10 November to view key features of the CBD Master Plan Report and share their thoughts.

		Victorian Open Water Murray Cod Aquaculture Industry Development Plan
		Australia's iconic freshwater fish, the Murray Cod, could play a major part in a significant new industry that involves multiple water use, adding value and sustainability to the precious water resources of the Murray-Darling Basin.

		Go North Arts Festival to showcase local art this Sunday at the Artist Market
		Featuring the work of local and visiting artists and artisans, everyone is invited to come along to the Swan Hill arts precinct this Sunday and discover the artistic talent and diversity at the Go North Arts Festival Artist Market.

		Discover the hidden talents of Swan Hill this Friday with Swan Hill’s Got Talent!
		Don’t miss your chance to catch the wonderful and the wacky at the Swan Hill Town Hall this Friday as the ultimate talent quest - Swan Hill’s Got Talent takes to the stage.

		Nyah Recreation Reserve October Update
		The Nyah Recreation Reserve Focus Group is another step closer in developing a plan for the upgrades to the kitchen and bar facilities at the Reserve after a meeting was held on Wednesday, 14 October.

		Loddon Mallee Trails to Attract Tourists This Way - Positioning the Loddon Mallee Region as a Premier Trail Destination
		Swan Hill Rural City Council is part of an investigation being conducted to examine the potential for the Loddon Mallee region to be developed as a premier destination for users of tracks and trails.

		2009 Fairfax Festival Gala Performance evening to take place this Thursday!
		Swan Hill’s Pioneer Settlement has set the scene for the 2009 Fairfax Festival as students and teachers, working with industry professionals, attend workshops and rehearsals in preparation for the Gala Performance evening this Thursday.

		Don’t miss all the action as the Go North Arts Festival continues this week!
		Community members and visitors alike are being urged to ensure they don’t miss out on all the great events on offer this week as the 2009 Go North Arts Festival continues until Sunday, 1 November.

		Learn how the Community Volunteer Skillsbank can benefit your community group
		Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Volunteer Support Program is extending an invitation to all community organisations, clubs and services to attend a free Community Volunteer Skillsbank database workshop tomorrow (27 October).

		Change of bin collection day for some residents
		Swan Hill Rural City Council in conjunction with Ellwaste would like to advise of a change to the waste and recycle collection day for some residents within the Swan Hill township.

		Discover the story of Pondi the giant Murray Cod
		Over the past 14 days and nights a giant Murray cod has been swimming through the Swan Hill Aboriginal Health Service and on some nights he makes it down to the steps at Riverside Park –have you seen him?

		A Message from the Mayor
		Sunday, October 11 saw the inaugural Murray River Challenge Cup take place at the Swan Hill Recreation Oval – an absolutely fantastic concept that brought communities together for a great day out.

		Community brings their thoughts to the table about what makes a city perfect
		Swan Hill Rural City Council would like to invite community members to come along and contribute to what makes a city perfect? by participating in one of the three Community Plan public meetings in November.

		Come and have a cuppa with a Living Book at the Swan Hill Regional Library
		Community members are invited to come along to the Swan Hill Regional Library this Monday and discover the story of local Archana Patney, as part of the Living Books event for the Go North Arts Festival.

		Who will be Australia’s next poetry slam champion? The search is on for Victoria’s best talent!
		Swan Hill Regional Library Service is calling all poets, hip-hop artists and other outspoken wordsmiths to polish their rhymes and lyrics for the Australian Poetry Slam ‘09, an annual slam contest offering over $20,000 in cash and prizes.

		Come down to Riverside Park and celebrate your community this Saturday
		Community members throughout the Swan Hill region are invited to come along to Riverside Park on the 24 October and celebrate the region, its people and culture.

		Get ready for the 2009 Go North Arts Festival getting underway this Friday, 23 October
		With an array of visual arts, performances, concerts, open studios, living books, children’s activities and much more, the 2009 Go North Arts Festival will bring to life the sights, sounds and flavours of the heart of the Murray, when it gets underway this Friday, 23 October.

		Support our next generation of stars - don’t miss the 2009 Fairfax Festival gala!
		Community members are being urged to ensure they purchase their tickets now to avoid missing out on the 2009 Fairfax Festival Gala Performance evening to be held on Thursday, 29 October as part of Go North Arts Festival.

		Businesses asked to participate in survey to determine demand for natural gas supply
		Businesses within the Swan Hill Rural City are being asked to complete an online survey in order to establish the demand for the potential future supply of natural gas to the region.

		New spring produce available at the Robinvale Community Growers’ Market this Saturday
		Don’t miss your opportunity to purchase fresh spring produce this Saturday when the Robinvale Community Growers’ Market gets underway in Caix Square from 8.30am.

		Works on Karinie Street roundabout to get underway this Thursday
		Works to construct a new roundabout at the intersection of Murray Valley Highway, Nyah Road, Karinie Street and Curlewis Street are expected to get underway this Thursday, 15 October.

		A Message from the Mayor
		On Saturday, Cr Les McPhee and myself went on a tour of the Wimmera–Mallee region, first of all to Horsham for the Tidy Towns Awards on Saturday and then to Manangatang on Sunday for the opening of the 2009 Seniors Festival Week.

		New bag dispensers enable pet owners to clean up after their dogs
		Dog owners can now ensure that their beloved pets don’t leave behind surprises for the rest of the community with Council introducing dog waste bag dispenser units in parks and reserves.

		Why not create a Christmas tree for charity?
		Swan Hill Rural City Council in conjunction with the Swan Hill and District Committee for the Ageing is inviting residents and community groups to take part in the 15th annual A Forest of Christmas Trees exhibition for local charity.

		Inaugural Murray River Challenge Cup to take place this Sunday
		Communities from Victorian regional centres will get the chance to meet former Australian cricketer and Murray River Challenge Cup Ambassador Jason Gillespie this week when all the action of the Twenty20 competition gets underway in Swan Hill this Sunday, October 11.

		Pre-CAL students learn about the life and times of Arthur Feldtmann
		Swan Hill College Pre-CAL students, who have completed their work on the redesign of Feldtmann Park, have learned about the park’s namesake, Arthur Feldtmann, after Victoria Police historian Ralph Stavely made a visit to Swan Hill last month.

		Don’t forget to nominate for Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Cultural Achievement Awards
		With less than two weeks to go until nominations close, Swan Hill Rural City Council’s cultural programs is reminding residents to ensure they put forward names for the 2009 Cultural Achievement Awards.

		Immunisations - 6 October 2009
		The next immunisation clinic will be conducted on Tuesday, 6 October 2009 between 10.00 am and 11.00 am at the Masonic Hall, Beveridge Street, Swan Hill.

		Community Rabbit Action Projects – community meeting 8 October 2009
		Regional landholders and Landcare members are invited to attend a community meeting hosted by Swan Hill Rural City Council regarding the Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) proposed target zones to control rabbits throughout the Mallee region.

		Two weeks left to apply for Council's annual Community Grants program
		With just two weeks to go, community and sporting groups within the municipality are still being urged to apply for Swan Hill Rural City Council’s annual Community Grants Program.