Month: February 2026

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Call for brigades to compete in 2026 State Championships

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Jai Smith in action for Stawell

CFA is encouraging brigades across Victoria to register a team for the upcoming 2026 CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships in Stawell.

After 20 years, CFA’s showcase event returns to the historic North Park Oval with the Urban Junior competition kicking off on 21-22 March, followed by the Urban Senior, Rural Junior and Rural Senior events on 28-29 March. 

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said it’s great to see the event come back to western Victoria after five successful years in Mooroopna. 

“After several consecutive challenging fire seasons in the west, this is an opportunity to come together, reflect on the strength of our people, and celebrate what CFA does best,” Jason said. 

“One organisation, one competition and everyone’s welcome.” 

For 18-year-old Stawell Fire Brigade member Jai Smith, getting involved in the Championships was a key step in his CFA journey. 

Jai joined CFA at just 14 years old through the junior development program before progressing into the senior competition. 

“Champs is where I learnt a lot early on, both on and off the track,” Jai said. 

“It gave me confidence, helped me build skills, and introduced me to people right across CFA.” 

Now an operational firefighter, Jai has been deployed on multiple strike teams across western Victoria in recent fire seasons, including recent deployments to Skipton and Natimuk during the January bushfires. 

He now plays an active role in supporting and mentoring younger members in the brigade. 

“When you’ve been involved from a young age, you want to help the next group coming through,” Jai said. 

“Champs gives younger members something to aim for and a way to feel part of the brigade early on.” 

Jai said having the Championships return to Stawell would be an important moment for the town and the wider Northern Grampians region. 

“It’ll bring the community alive across both weekends,” Jai said. 

“I’m not old enough to remember the last time State Champs came to Stawell, so for younger members seeing it in their own backyard makes a big difference. 

“If you’re on the fence about registering a team, just give it a go, it’s a great chance to compete, have fun and meet people from all over the state.   

“We can’t wait for competition to begin.” 

Brigades interested in competing in the 2026 CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships are encouraged to register their teams, with entries open now via the VFBV website.  

Entries close Sunday 15 February.

Submitted by CFA Media
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Thank you to Northern Territory teams

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

After two deployments of six days each CFA is saying thank you to Northern Territory firefighters who gave a helping hand to crews in and around the Longwood fire.

The strike teams and Incident Management Support teams from the NT swung into action as soon as they arrived, helping not only fight the fire but supporting the community who had lost so much.  

On their last shift before returning home, one of the teams purchased pellets of animal food and unloaded it all from the truck for local residents to come and collect.  

That night they also presented  Gooram CFA members with an array of vouchers worth hundreds of dollars to go towards community members doing it tough.  

Gooram Fire Brigade Captain Michael Stubbe said the kindness they showed went above and beyond. 

“They were just so willing to help out,” Michael said.  

“What they did went well above what they were expected to do, and the community is eternally grateful. 

First Lieutenant at Gooram Fire Briagde Andrew Douglas said the crew never complained and were ready to help and assist in any role or capacity. .   

“Their generosity was a fantastic light amongst all that has happened,” Andrew said.  

“Amongst all the work they were doing on the fire they got out into the community and were encouraging people to donate to us.” 

The fire in Longwood broke out on Friday, 9 January and has since burned more than 132,000 hectares.  

The fire is now contained but has devastated communities, with homes, businesses, farms, and livelihoods all destroyed.  

In total, there have been 56 personnel from the NT deployed to Victoria over the course of these fires.  

They are part of more than 1,400 personnel from all Australian states and territories, as well as New Zealand and Canada who have assisted with Victoria’s bushfire response in recent weeks.  

Submitted by CFA Media
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Operator appointed for Alkimos Aquatic and Recreation Centre

Source: Government of Western Australia

National leisure and fitness management company, Bluefit Pty Ltd, has been appointed to operate the Alkimos Aquatic and Recreation Centre (AARC).

Following a competitive tender process, BlueFit was selected to manage the $85 million facility on behalf of the City for an initial five-year term.

The AARC will feature indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fully equipped gym, dedicated fitness studios, multipurpose sports courts, a crèche, café, contemporary change rooms and on-site parking.

Mayor Linda Aitken said the appointment marked an important step in preparing AARC to open as a high-quality, welcoming facility for one of Perth’s fastest‑growing communities.

“This is an exciting project for Alkimos and the wider community as our City continues to grow, and it’s important the centre opens strong and continues to perform well into the future,” she said.

“We’re pleased to work with BlueFit to support the successful establishment of the AARC and deliver the best outcome for the community.”

BlueFit operates more than 50 centres across Australia including the WACA’s Pavilion aquatic and health facility and Belmont Oasis.

The City will retain oversight of the centre through contract management, service standards and performance monitoring.

The AARC is expected to open in November 2026.

The project is supported by funding commitments of $30 million from the Australian Government, $12.6 million from the State Government and $14.2 million through the Alkimos-Eglinton Developer Contribution Plan.

*The award of this contract is subject to the execution of formal documentation in accordance with the Local Government Act 1995 (WA)

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HEASLIP RD/LOVEY RD , PENFIELD (Grass Fire)

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
13 Feb 2026 15:53

Warning area
Northern Expressway, Penfield Road, Lovey Road, Ranger Road, Heaslip Road and Womma West Road in Penfield in the Northern Adelaide Plains.

Warning level
Advice – Avoid Smoke

Action
Smoke from the PENFIELD fire is heading north westerly in the vicinity of the Northern Expressway, Penfield Road, Lovey Road, Ranger Road, Heaslip Road and Womma West Road areas.

Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.

Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.

If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.

More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

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Primary students say thank you to Beeac Fire Brigade

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

More than 100 primary students from Colac and Beeac recently dropped into Beeac Fire Station to say thank you to local CFA volunteers for their hard work and service this fire season.

On Monday morning (9 February), a contingent of Grade 3 and 5 students from St Mary’s Primary School in Colac and Beeac Primary School beamed into the station with energy and enthusiasm, with countless handcrafted thank you posters in tow.

The bright red and orange posters with impressive firefighting drawings and words of gratitude, became the backdrop of the day, with a mural-like spectacle decorating the station roller doors.

The idea to pay tribute was floated by a grade 1 student, Eileen Reid, who just happened to be the daughter of Beeac Fire Brigade firefighter Peter Reid.

“It was a case of Eileen seeing a sign that someone had painted on your way into Colac thanking CFA volunteers that she then suggested to me that they should do the same at school,” Peter said.

“She mentioned it when I dropped her off on her first day, so I spoke to the Principal Michael Mahoney that afternoon, and he thought it was a great idea and said he would look into it.

“He started off with seven kids in two cars coming down, before it climbed to 30 and the eventual 100.”

Throughout the morning, several students had the opportunity to express verbally how proud they were of the firefighters and thanked them for their efforts.

While 14 budding students tasked the firefighters with some hard-hitting questions about their response to recent fires, how they can be more fire safe at home, what it feels like to be on a truck and how the equipment works.

Peter said it was a fantastic morning and a wonderful event for the community to come together for, with brigade members grateful for CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and CFA District 6 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Peter Lockwood joining in on the day too.

“The kids were really engaged, and they were really wanting to find out more about what we did, and what it takes to be a firefighter,” Peter said.

“Like many of the kids, I can see the passion in Eileen, and when my pager goes off in the middle of the night, she wakes up too and says, ‘Daddy go get the fire!’

The appreciations follow the brigade members deployments on several strike teams across the south west throughout January, particularly in the Otways.

“We had three to four strike teams, and a couple of swing shifts in Carlisle River, Irrewillipe and Gellibrand over recent weeks,” Peter said.

“We also supported Cressy, Derrinallum and Noorat on the extreme fire days, and on Tuesday (27 January) we were stationed at Lismore to protect the township if something happened.”

The budding future firefighters finished the morning with ice creams and fruit, plenty of high fives and photos with Captain Koala and a climb through a CFA truck.

Submitted by CFA media
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Sod turn marks construction start for $45M Gallery redevelopment

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Construction is about to start on the Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment – the largest ever civic infrastructure project to be delivered by the City of Greater Bendigo.

A sod turning ceremony held today marked the beginning of the project, which will be delivered by local company Fairbrother Construction.

The project is expected to create an additional 260 jobs in the local construction sector and an additional 170 jobs in the local economy when the Gallery reopens in 2028.

Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the project team was ready for the task ahead.  

“Today we take the next step on this exciting journey to creating a building of national and international significance,” Cr Prince said.

“This will be a vibrant and timeless building that will serve our community for decades to come, while contributing to Victoria’s visitor economy and reinforcing Bendigo’s status as a cultural capital in regional Australia.”

Gallery Director Jessica Bridgfoot said the Gallery had been completely emptied and all artwork safely stored, ready for construction to start.

“We are excited to mark the start of the construction process and begin the Gallery’s transformation,” Ms Bridgfoot said.

“Together with Fairbrother Construction, we are looking forward to delivering a world-class Gallery space for our community and future generations. 

“In the meantime, we will continue to bring exciting arts and culture offerings to Bendigo, starting with the CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO? Bricks exhibition at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre, which opens on March 3.”

To ensure View Street remains a lively shopping and dining hub during construction, the View Street Amplified program starts on February 28 and will run every month until November.

The free event will showcase upbeat, contemporary musicians, who will perform on the steps of The Capital from 11am – 3pm. View Street businesses are encouraged to participate through market-style offerings to bring added vibrancy to the street. February’s acts include Deano Stanton at 11am, Grim Fawkner at 12pm and Tuck Shop Ladies at 1pm.

The Gallery also has a series of large-scale artist-led events and public artworks planned for the View Street precinct commencing in 2026 and extending into 2027.

Hoarding will be installed around the perimeter of the Gallery later this month, which is intended to be an ‘outdoor gallery’ featuring a curated collection of Gallery works.

The redevelopment project is funded by a $21M investment from the Victorian Government, $9M from the City of Greater Bendigo, $4M from the Gallery Board, and more than $9.35M in philanthropic support, including major contributions of $4M from the Sidney Myer Fund and $3M from The Ian Potter Foundation.

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Sustained statewide response

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Image: Wayne Rigg

This summer has placed sustained demand on Victoria’s fire and emergency services, and CFA’s members have responded at large.

Between 7 January and 27 January, CFA responded to more than 3,300 individual incidents across the state, involving more than 780 brigades and over 1,800 appliances. 

On 9 January, conditions escalated to catastrophic. That day, crews attended almost 200 grass and scrub fires, with more than 80 strike teams mobilised simultaneously across Victoria. 

Since early January, more 23,000 CFA volunteers have turned out, many have responded multiple times while balancing work, family and community commitments during what was the longest heatwave Victoria has experienced since 2009. 

Behind the scenes, Incident Management Teams have operated around the clock alongside CFA’s partner agencies, with welcome support from interstate and international personnel. 

To date, more than 435,000 hectares of private and public land have burned across Victoria. The pace of the season is reflected in the Total Fire Ban declarations alone. There were 12 declared across the entire 2024/25 fire season, by mid-February this year, 26 have already been declared. 

The scale of the fires has also prompted many Victorians to consider how they can contribute. Since 7 January, CFA has received 2,668 expressions of interest from prospective new volunteers. 

Thank you to all members and staff who continue to contribute to this sustained statewide effort. 

Submitted by CFA Media
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Appointment to the Monetary Policy Board

Source: Airservices Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia welcomes the announcement by the Treasurer appointing Professor Bruce Preston to the Monetary Policy Board.

Professor Preston brings a deep understanding of economics and monetary policymaking. His distinguished academic career and experience in public policy will assist him to make a significant contribution to the Board’s deliberations.

Governor Michele Bullock extends her sincere gratitude to Alison Watkins, whose term ends on 28 February, for her invaluable contributions during her time on the Monetary Policy Board and previously on the Reserve Bank Board. Ms Watkins brought thoughtful judgement and a deep appreciation of the challenges facing households, businesses and the broader economy. The Governor thanks Ms Watkins for her dedication and contribution, which have strengthened the work of the RBA through a period of significant change.

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Young creatives invited to enter 2026 RAW Arts

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Entries are now open for the 2026 RAW Arts Awards, celebrating the creativity of young people, aged 25 and under, who live, work or study primarily in Greater Bendigo.

The awards feature four categories: Visual Arts, Literature, Performing Arts, and Short Film, with prizes of $1,500 for winners and $500 for highly commended.

First held in in 1997, the RAW Arts Awards highlight the City’s commitment to recognise, support, and nurture the next generation of artists, performers, writers, and filmmakers.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said RAW continued to be a significant platform for local young creatives to pursue their passion for art and gain recognition for their work publicly.

“RAW is a wonderful way for young creatives to express their ideas, experiences and stories through art, and to share their work with the wider community,” Cr Prince said.

“It is always inspiring to see how creativity is growing across Greater Bendigo. Many RAW participants have gone on to build successful careers in the creative industries which is fantastic.”

The RAW Arts Awards entries close on Monday May 4, 2026.

The 2026 RAW Arts Awards and Showcase will be on Thursday, June 4 at 6pm at The Capital with the Mayor Cr Thomas Prince announcing the winners.

Works submitted for the awards will also feature in an exhibition at Dudley House which will open on the same night as the awards showcase in June.

To read the guidelines and complete the online application, please visit:

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ACCC seeks views on Australia Post’s proposed stamp price increase

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC is seeking feedback from businesses and consumers on Australia Post’s draft proposal to increase stamp prices for ordinary small and large letters by 8.8 per cent from mid-2026. The proposed price increases are as follows:

 

Current price

Proposed price

Increase

Small letter (basic postage rate)

$1.70

$1.85

8.8%

Large letter up to 125g

$3.40

$3.70

8.8%

Large letter between 125 and 250g

$5.10

$5.55

8.8%

Australia Post is also planning to increase the prices of several of its other reserved letter services from mid-2026, including priority labels and various business products such as PreSort and Print Post.

While these services are outside the scope of the ACCC’s price notification assessment process, a full list of proposed prices can be found in Australia Post’s draft price notification.

Australia Post is not proposing to increase the price of concession stamps (60 cents each) or seasonal greeting card stamps (65 cents each). Concession card holders are now also eligible to purchase up to 75 concession rate stamps per year (up from 50), following a recommendation by the ACCC.

“We welcome the views of consumers, businesses and other stakeholders on Australia Post’s proposed increases to the price of stamps,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

“The feedback we receive will help inform our consideration of Australia Post’s proposal, with a preliminary view to be released in the coming months.”

The ACCC is required to assess Australia Post’s price notification under the Competition and Consumer Act, and notify Australia Post of whether it objects to the proposal.

The ACCC does not have the role of approving any proposed price increase under the Australia Post price notification framework. Only the Minister for Communications has the power to reject a price increase proposed by Australia Post.

Australia Post has also indicated potential pricing for future years, proposing increases to the basic postage rate of 20 cents in both 2027 and 2028. However, these potential future prices will not be assessed as part of this current price notification process.

The ACCC has released a consultation paper outlining the key issues relating to Australia Post’s proposal.

In addition to feedback received, the ACCC’s assessment will also consider Australia Post’s ability to recover the efficient costs of providing the reserved letter service, including a reasonable rate of return.

Consultation on Australia Post’s proposed price increase is now open until 13 March 2026. Submissions can be sent via email to postalservices@accc.gov.au.

For more information about the consultation process, including guidelines for making a submission, see consultation on Australia Post’s draft price notification.

Background

Under the Competition and Consumer Act, the ACCC is responsible for assessing proposed price increases by Australia Post for its reserved ordinary letter services delivered to the regular timetable. The ACCC must consider Australia Post’s proposed price increases of these services and may decide to:

  • not object to the price increase
  • not object to a price that is less than that proposed, or
  • object to the price increase.

Australia Post is required to provide written notice of the proposed price increase to the Minister for Communications. It can only increase the basic postage rate if the Minister does not disapprove the proposal within 30 days.

Australia Post’s reserved ordinary letter services are services for which Australia Post has a statutory monopoly and are declared as ‘notified services’ under the Competition and Consumer Act.

Australia Post cannot increase the prices of its notified services without providing written notice of the proposal to the ACCC and the Minister for Communications. The current declaration for Australia Post’s notified services is due to expire on 31 December 2028.

The lodgement by Australia Post of a draft price notification provides the ACCC with time to undertake a public consultation process and economic assessment of the proposed increase.

After considering submissions received in this consultation process, the ACCC will publish a preliminary view on Australia Post’s draft price notification and facilitate another round of public consultation on this view.

Following this process, Australia Post may lodge a formal price notification with the ACCC and the Minister. The ACCC must make an assessment within 21 days and provide Australia Post with notice of its assessment. Australia Post cannot increase prices during the 21-day period. It may only increase prices if the Minister does not disapprove the proposal within 30 days.

The last price notification from Australia Post considered by the ACCC was in 2024, and prior to that in 2023 and 2022.

While the ACCC did not object to Australia Post’s last price notification, it made a series of recommendations in its June 2025 decision regarding Australia Post’s cost allocation model, forecast data and engagement with its customers. A summary of Australia Post’s implementation of these recommendations is available at Appendix 2 of the draft price notification.