News, views, reviews from Moyne Shire

Councillors have allocated the second round of the community assistance fund, a total of $30,573.

This comes on the back of the first round of allocation for the fund, where $205,456 was passed on to the community.

On moving the motion to approve round two of funding, Cr Jim Doukas talked up the value of the fund.

"It is another good project the council has," he said.

"The projects are from a wide variety of groups across the whole of the shire and no doubt we will see the outcome of those funds."

Projects funded are:

Cudgee Progress Association ($148) to purchase a defibrillator at Cudgee Primary School.

The Dundonnell Hall committee ($12,035) for a water bore and pump equipment. This will be accessed by the CFA to help fight fires.

Garvoc and District Residents Inc ($490) will buy an iPad for administration needs.

The Hexham Community Association ($1088) will erect a community notice board at the old school site.

Koroit Cricket Club ($6857) for a new storage shed at Victoria Park.

Mailors Flat Hall committee ($1420) for new trestle tables.

Mt Shadwell Calisthenics Club ($2018) to purchase a storage container for club equipment.

Nullawarre Hall and Township committee ($2500) for the re-surfacing of the hall car park.

Port Fairy Playgroup ($1000) for toys and other equipment.

Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail ($350) toward the installation of a new picket fence.

A Koroit Men's Shed committee has been formed.

The Koroit Lions Club facilitated a meeting last week to gauge interest in the possibility of forming a committee.

Thirty people attended the meeting, with 18 signing on as inaugural members and a committee of nine formed.

An executive was formed consisting of Dennis Morgan (president), Noel Button (secretary) and Ian Coulson (treasurer).

The meeting was chaired by Moyne Shire councillor Jim Doukas and heard from guest speakers from Moyne Health Services and the Warrnambool Men's Shed.

The committee will meet next on December 12 at 5pm at the Blackwood Centre.

The committee already has a temporary home, with Moyne Health Services loaning it the use of a double garage at its Koroit campus.

Equipment had already been donated to the committee.

Koroit Lions Club member John Featherby said he was thrilled with the response to the meeting.

"It went really well, everyone was keen and it was very positive," he said.

"To get the committee up and going is a good start and now things like funding and finding a permanent home can be explored."

A campaign to call out violence against women is being embraced by the Moyne Shire Council.

Respect Victoria's Respect Women: Call It Out campaign, is 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

This runs from November 25 to December 10.

Selected Moyne Shire Council owned buildings will be lit up by orange lighting - the colour of the campaign - at night to support the initiative.

The campaign is also being supported by Moyne Health Services, with chair of that organisation Karen Foster leading the way.

"Gender violence is an issue that affects our entire community," she said.

"We need to work together to make our community safe."

A new community group has been formed for Koroit.

A meeting was held last week to officially bring to life the Koroit and District Progress Association.

The association executive is Sam Rudolph (president), Kevin Dwyer (vice-president), Renee Lane (secretary) and Ted Phillips (treasurer).

General committee members are Sheryl Duncan, Mark Gervis, Adele MacDonald, Lisa MacDonald, Anthony Brady, Reilly McCutcheon, Daneel Robinson and Rachel Wright.

Dates for two high-profile Koroit community events have been locked in for 2020.

The Koroit and District Primary School Easter Fair will be held on Friday, March 20, with applications now available from the school for those wishing to have stalls at the event.

The Koroit Sheepdog Trials will be held at Victoria Park from January 28 to February 2. The six-day event will include the Australian Sheepdog Championship.

A busy week ahead for Port Fairy's Bandari Project with two events planned.

The first is a Bowling for Bandari fundraiser at the Port Fairy Bowls Club on Friday night from 6pm. The $15 entry fee gets a game of bowls and a barbecue.

An information presentation will be held on Sunday at Port Fairy Community House from 10am.

This will provide information for those interested in taking part in the project's next trip to Tanzania in May.

The Port Fairy Folk Festival has been added to the events that will host stages of the Festival of Small Halls.

Scotland's Paul McKenna and Melbourne singer-songwriter Alana Wilkinson will play at the Lecture Hall during the Folkie.