Month: March 2026

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Women’s Network members learn about fire tower operations from Michael Robertson

On 19 March, the District 7 Women’s Network held its latest quarterly activity – a visit to the Mt Anakie fire tower.

This was a highly requested activity, and with limited access within the tower, places were capped to 20 participants.

The evening was structured to give participants an understanding of preparedness and readiness activities that take place behind the scenes during the fire season.

Fire tower operator Michael Robertson stepped participants through the day-to-day duties of the role. This includes scanning the landscape for smoke, understanding how weather, visibility and local knowledge all come together in early fire detection, and what happens when a fire is detected.

Commander Sam Miaolo then provided an overview of district readiness and what happens behind the scenes leading up to an elevated fire behaviour day. Participants learned about the District Readiness Matrix, how and when resources are stood up, and the coordination required between groups and the district to ensure crews are prepared to respond.

The session helped connect local brigade activities to the bigger operational picture, with one attendee noting, “It was good to hear how it works at district level.”

The third session focused on fire behaviour, with Anakie Group Officer Brooke Killen speaking about the Anakie Group area, which participants had a fantastic view over from the top of the mountain. He described past fires in the region and covered the Australian Fire Danger Rating System Fire Behaviour Index, which is what determines readiness levels.

One participant reflected, “It was really interesting going through the history of the fires.”

The evening wrapped up with a relaxed networking supper, giving everyone the opportunity to connect, share experiences and continue conversations.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting how valuable it was to gain an insight into what happens behind the scenes during the Fire Danger Period.

Submitted by	Jessica Brittain

Source: Tasmania Police

Man in custody as dangerous driving, carjacking investigation continues

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 12:01 pm.

A 22-year-old Glenorchy man is in police custody following a series of alleged dangerous driving incidents and an attempted carjacking on Thursday.
The man was arrested at Lawitta, on the Lyell Highway, yesterday evening, with police apprehending him as he allegedly tried to steal a car while a female occupant was in the vehicle.
The woman, who was not known to the man, was not physically injured.
Earlier, the man is alleged to have evaded police in a stolen vehicle in the Molesworth area, before he engaged in dangerous driving through Glenorchy, Bridgewater, Brighton and New Norfolk, between 4pm and 5.15pm.
In one instance, the man is alleged to have driven against the flow of traffic while crossing the Bridgewater Bridge.
Further, a police vehicle was damaged at Molesworth, and a police vehicle and private vehicle were damaged in separate collisions at New Norfolk. There were no injuries reported.
Police had initially wanted to question the man on Thursday in relation to unresolved matters in the Bridgewater area.
Investigations are continuing.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has CCTV or dashcam footage of a Mazda BT50 four-wheel-drive being driven in an erratic manner in the Glenorchy, Bridgewater and Derwent Valley areas, is asked to contact police on 131 444.
You can also report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through www.crimestopperstas.com.au

Source: Tasmania Police

12 new constables join Tasmania Police ranks

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 11:53 am.

Tasmania Police has today welcomed 12 new constables into its ranks.
Acting Commander Craig Joel congratulated the new police officers, who have successfully completed an intensive 28-week course.
“Recruit Training Course 5 of 2025 comprises six women and six men, ranging in age from 18 to 32, and I look forward to seeing the contribution they will make to policing in Tasmania,” he said.
Constable Clara Lewis has been awarded Dux of the Course and will be posted to Bellerive.
The 22-year-old said she was “always up for a challenge”.
“Every shift is different in policing and I am excited for a career where I can be challenged and learn something new each day,” she said.
“As a police officer I hope to be able to help vulnerable people within my community.”
Constable Jack Van Voorthuizen has been awarded Runner up Dux and will be posted to Burnie.
The 31-year-old former carpenter decided to join Tasmania Police for a lifelong career.
“I have always been interested in policing – in primary school when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up I still remember writing ‘a policeman’,” he said.
“I am looking forward to contributing to the wider community in a role that not only supports me, but my family.”
Acting Commander Joel said Tasmania Police offered a career with endless opportunities.
“The Tasmania Police Academy continues to play a central role in preparing every Tasmania Police recruit for operational policing,” he said.
“Today’s graduation follows a major milestone earlier this month, when the Academy celebrated 50 years since its doors opened . With further courses scheduled to graduate throughout the year, Tasmania Police will continue to invest in building a contemporary, well trained and community focused workforce.
“If you have ever thought about joining Tasmania Police, we encourage you to get in touch with our recruitment team.”
The new constables will be posted to Hobart, Launceston, Glenorchy, and Burnie, where they will commence duties next week.
“We wish our new constables well and we are confident that the commitment and promise they have shown to reach this point means they will go on to have successful and rewarding careers, as they work to keep our communities safe,” Acting Commander Joel said.
Information about the recruitment process is available at https://recruitment.police.tas.gov.au/

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Hundreds of volunteers are fired up for the final weekend of the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships this weekend with many teams returning after years away from the track.

Multiple running teams from brigades across the state have been training for several months, gearing up for some friendly competition in Stawell on 28 and 29 March.

After hanging up their running boots nearly a decade ago, Wodonga West has formed a new Rural Seniors team who are ready to give it red hot go this weekend.

Wodonga West Fire Brigade volunteer firefighter Aneka Newport helped form the running team of five members from the brigade, three of which will be competing at the State Championships.

“We’re a bit nervous as it’s our first time competing at the State Championships in the seniors competition, but we’re ready to give it a go,” Aneka said.

“One of our team members, Addi Pearce, has been competing for several years in the junior State Championships but she’s just transitioned to seniors which has been great for our team.

“We’ve been training every week for the past few months in the lead up to this event.

“Competing in the champs is a great way to represent our brigade but it’s also a lot of fun and I really enjoy it.”

Aneka encourages CFA volunteers to form a team in the future to be part of the action.

“You’re not on the fireground, you’re trying a new learning experience, meeting new people and having some friendly competition,” Aneka said.

CFA Acting Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic AFSM said it was exciting to see the youngsters battle it out last weekend and looks forward to seeing some good rivalry this weekend.

“The Championships are an important and much-loved event on the CFA calendar, which builds strong relationships and helps grow the future of the organisation,” Alen said.

“The teams work hard for many months, some train year-round, and compete in several regional events in the lead up to the major event.

“Congratulations to everyone involved, including those behind the scenes who help make this momentous event happen.

“Good luck to all the competitors this weekend!”

Wodonga West will join the other 152 Urban Senior and Rural Senior and Junior teams at Stawell’s North Park Recreation Reserve this Saturday from 8am.

Submitted by	CFA media

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

While we may still have some hot days ahead and parts of Victoria are still dry, we wanted to say a huge thank you to all our members after what was a very big summer season for CFA.

Some key stats from the season: 

Submitted by	A/CEO Jason Heffernan and A/Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic AFSM

Source: New South Wales Health – State Government

Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) has released the investigation report into the fungal outbreak that occurred in the transplant ward at Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital between October and December 2025.
SLHD extends its deepest condolences to the families of the patients who died and sincerely apologises to all patients and families affected by the outbreak.
Upon confirming the cluster, SLHD acted as quickly as possible to address the risk posed to patients.
The cluster investigation was promptly undertaken by a team of senior clinicians who specialise in transplant medicine and infectious diseases.
The report has also been considered by an expert advisory panel chaired by Dr Kerry Chant, NSW Health’s Chief Health Officer.
The patients impacted or their next of kin have all received a copy of the report and have also been given the opportunity meet with executives and clinicians of RPA to discuss its findings.
While the investigation team was unable to determine a single conclusive cause of the outbreak, the balance of evidence indicates the balcony and nearby construction activities posed the greatest exposure risk, rather than the water ingress in September 2025.
This assessment reflects the ward location of the identified cases relative to the balcony and the proximity of construction works.
Key recommendations have been made in the report:

Update the RPA Redevelopment Infection Control Management Plan to include a clear governance pathway for monitoring and reporting, including:

Air sampling reports to be provided to the Facility Infection Prevention and Control Committee
Decisions relating to the frequency of surveillance programs
Required actions when concerning mould is detected or mould counts increase, including escalation processes, mitigation strategies, testing timeframes, and retesting to confirm effectiveness.

Ensure notices of works, which are documents required before any work can commence at the hospital include all known impacted operational and clinical areas (including air intakes, windows and balconies), along with proposed risks and mitigation measures.
Establish a district‑wide process to better prioritise maintenance and requests for repair within high‑risk clinical areas such as transplant wards.
Create a formal governance process involving infectious diseases specialists, infection control experts and senior clinicians to monitor and respond to any increase in invasive fungal infections for the duration of construction works.

SLHD is fully committed to implementing every recommendation from the report and strengthening our procedures to prevent future patients and families being impacted.
The report’s findings and recommendations are also being reviewed by NSW Health so the learnings can be applied throughout the public health system.
SLHD has already established a fungal surveillance committee and a clinical reference group to strengthen oversight and improve responsiveness.
The fungal surveillance committee, comprising of infectious diseases and infection control specialists, hospital executive and engineering staff, is designed to enhance coordination of cleaning and maintenance activities and ensure issues are reviewed and escalated promptly.
The RPA redevelopment clinical reference group brings together clinicians, engineering teams, Health Infrastructure and redevelopment contractors to review all planned future works and to provide advice on what, if any, additional measures need to be put in place to ensure the safety of our patients.
SLHD would like to acknowledge the contribution of the expert advisory panel and our clinical staff who assisted with this investigation.
The report is available online: Cluster Investigation Report

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

After a successful summer in the south east, CFA’s ‘Vols on Hols’ program will be trialed in areas of the north west over the Easter school holidays to ensure popular tourist towns have additional coverage.

The program, which has seen huge success since starting in Mallacoota in 2023, boosts response capability of popular holiday locations, by allowing CFA volunteers to respond while travelling to the area.

This Easter the program will head north west within CFA’s District 20, with nine brigades along the Murray River signing up to host volunteers from other areas to assist their response over the busy period.

The north west pilot will include Bamawm Extension, Echuca, Echuca Village, Koondrook, Lake Charm, Murrabit, Torrumbarry, Wyuna and Yambuna.

These locations have been chosen to account for the increase in visitors to the area, as people take advantage of getting away for the much-loved Easter break and school holidays.

Current operational members who are firefighters are invited to turn out with the participating brigades while they are on holiday.

Members bring along their pager and gear, and if there is a call they are welcome to respond, however the program is purely voluntary.

CFA Deputy Chief Officer North West Region Trevor Weston said the program hopes to provide a big boost to the area.

“The Vols on Hols program has already had huge benefits in other parts of the state, and we are excited to see it come to the north west,” Trevor said.

“While holidays are of course for spending time with family and friends, we know that our members always want to help, and may wish to assist the local CFA brigade if they are in town.

“With plenty of people expected to head to the area over the upcoming holidays, any of the nine brigades taking part would welcome some extra hands on deck.”

CFA members heading to the area who are interested in taking part in the program, please fill in the expression of interest form, or get in touch with the Volunteer Sustainability Team by emailing North West Region Volunteer Sustainability Team Manager Lisa Clinch – l.clinch@cfa.vic.gov.au.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

SHEIDOW PARK

Issued on
26 Mar 2026 21:27

Grass fire in Sheidow Park

At approximately 4:45pm, the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) responded to a grass fire near Lonsdale Road in Sheidow Park.

Two MFS appliances, along with a command vehicle and bulk water carrier, attended the scene, with support from the CFS. In total, approximately 32 firefighters were involved in the response.

Crews worked through steep and challenging terrain to control the perimeter of the blaze, containing the fire in approximately one hour. The fire was fully extinguished in just over two hours.

Approximately three hectares were burned. Firefighters’ efforts prevented the fire from spreading further into the surrounding 177-hectare conservation park.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. The matter has been handed over to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Message ID 0009371

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are continuing to call for information in relation to violent incidents that occurred in Darwin City early on Friday morning.

Around 1am on 20 March 2026, shortly before another violent incident,  a man was seen on CCTV being assaulted by a group of people on Mitchell Street, between Knuckey and Peel Streets.

The victim is described as being in his 30’s or 40’s, of Caucasian appearance and wearing dark coloured shorts, a maroon t-shirt and black thongs.

This incident is believed to be related to a series of incidents being investigated by the Serious Crime Squad.

Investigators are urging this man and anyone with information, including dash cam or CCTV footage, to contact police on 131 444. Please quote reference number P26082073. Reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Residents and visitors can rediscover the joy of play this autumn through a vibrant Play Bendigo Region destination campaign celebrating nostalgia, retro fun, and immersive experiences across the Bendigo Region*.

Over 60 events and experiences are featured in the program to entice visitors and residents to put down their mobiles and discover a renewed connection through traditional play and the joy that it brings.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the campaign was a wonderful reminder that there is no age limit to having fun and being playful.

“This campaign turns the Bendigo Region into one big, connected play zone, full of nostalgic references to spark childhood memories and rediscover a sense of fun through games, interactive adventures and brainteasers,” Cr Prince said.

“There are many free experiences in the program such as Hop, Scotch, Jump along View Street, Bendigo, Inglewood Main Street and Heathcote High Street (near the playspace), Dragons and Ladders at the piazza in Rosalind Park, Duck and Seek at various locations, Floor is Lava on Pall Mall, an Imaginary Jungle with augmented reality animals and plants in Hargreaves Mall and much more.

“The free Play Passport invites you to explore other places in the region including new discoveries and old favourites that you may not have visited for a while. Complete the passport to go into a draw to win a fantastic ‘Tram Driver for a Day’ experience from Bendigo Tramways.

“Thank you to all those involved in this exciting destination campaign to attract visitors and entice more locals to explore the incredible offerings in our own region. Local hospitality and tourist attractions are joining the fun with nostalgic flavours, trivia, cocktails, and retro-inspired play themes.

Loddon Shire Mayor Cr Dan Straub said the Bendigo Region program captured many immersive and unique experiences.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to explore Loddon surrounds with some exciting events such as the Rheola Charity Carnival on April 6, a Retro Paddle on the Serpentine creek on April 11 and May 3, the amazing Spanner Autumn Outdoor Adventure at the Spanner Man Sculpture Garden on April 18, and the chance to prospect for gold with the Gold Nugget Hunter on April 18 and May 16 as part of the Gold Fever – Loddon Gold Experience,” Cr Straub said.

“Loddon Shire Council is proud to partner with the City of Greater Bendigo to showcase incredible events across the Loddon region.

“By working together to promote our towns, experiences and local businesses, we’re encouraging more visitors to explore the wider region, supporting local businesses and helping grow our visitor economy.”

*Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon is the evolution of the Bendigo Tourism Board, recognised by the Victorian Government as the Visitor Economy Partnership (visitor economy lead) for Greater Bendigo, Heathcote, and Loddon.