Last month’s Mayoral report ended with a comment of much needed rain. Most areas in our shire have since received in the vicinity of twenty to twenty-five millimetres. I can begin this report with tallies of twenty-five to fifty plus millimeters and not over yet. It’s very comforting for our farming community, particularly so for any that have purchased land in the last twelve months or there abouts. Will this finish drive land prices even higher? From a Council point of view, I actually hope not. Councils and Councillors in all shires cop it in the neck with land revaluations.

West Wimmera Health Service and the Royal Flying Doctors ran a pop-up vaccination clinic from 13 September to 17 September, and in 5 days, immunised 587 residents with Pfizer. Our Shires vaccination statistics as of 27 September 2021 were 85.9% first dose and 54.5% second dose.

I received my second jab last week to join the majority of Australians who are fully vaccinated and can only hope the rest of nation follows suit. All of our communities are very much over the lockdowns and the inconvenience it has created; vaccination is the only way back to "normal". I encourage everyone to roll their sleeve up so we can all be freed from limbo.

Albacutya Bridge construction has been postponed. All A&P Society shows, the Dimboola Steam Punk Festival, Rainbow Desert Enduro, Great Australian Bike Ride, and Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre Engineering Expo events have all been cancelled. Sad times, however we will all come out the other end as strong and robust as ever not too far down the track.

Council issued several building / planning permits last month. Works progress on the all-new Rainbow Library as frame work has started to be built over the past few weeks and road works are underway on several main roads.

Just a reminder that Free Green Waste Month ends on Sunday 10 October 2021 and round one of the Community Action Grants closes on Wednesday 13 October 2021.

The rain tally, since I started this column has gone to sixty and eighty millimetres in some areas, good soaking rain also.

Cr Ron Ismay
Mayor