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THE ALPINE
BRIGHT - POREPUNKAH - MT BEAUTY - TAWONGA - TAWONGA SOUTH Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Phone: (03) 5752 1058
COVID cases starting to drop
www.alpineobserver.com.au
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN, FOR A SPECIAL CAUSE PEDAL power was everywhere on Saturday, as around 1400 cyclists - of varying ages and abilities - rode between 60kms to 320kms on roads around Bright, Mt Buffalo, Mt Beauty, Falls Creek, Mt Hotham as part of the 36th annual Alpine Classic. While many did it for self satisfaction, to test themselves over a mountainous course, this group of Alpine Everesting riders (pictured) led by Bec Hoschke and Dr Elly Warren, had extra motivation. The contingent of riders were seeking to help raise $80,000 for cancer support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This year’s Alpine Classic reportedly went off without a hitch, with organisers pleased and police saying there were no issues during the event. PHOTO: Courtesy Alpine Everesting
By MARTIN DAVIS THE Alpine Shire’s active COVID case numbers are heading in the right direction, falling from 152 last week to 112 as of Monday, according to the Victorian Government’s Coronavirus daily data. There were 11 new cases reported on Sunday, but there are hopes that the current outbreak on the back of the highly transmissible Omicron variant may be have peaked. The combination of staff absences and COVID cases has seen both the region’s major health services - Albury Wodonga Health and Northeast Health Wangaratta - go to ‘code brown’, where resources are redirected to acute care, with nonurgent elective surgeries and some allied health services on hold. Alpine Health said on Monday that while it was not on ‘code brown’ and their services remained as normal, they couldn’t rule out future impacts. Reggie the COVID vaccination bus visited Mount Beauty on Friday where the team delivered 40 vaccinations with 32 being kids, ahead of going back to school. Across the Alpine Shire more than 25 per cent of eligible people have had their vaccine booster while more than 85 per cent of people are double vaccinated. Alpine Health’s COVID testing facilities remain open seven days a week in Bright and Mount Beauty from 7.30am to 9.30am, with Myrtleford being open each day other than Wednesdays from 7.30am to 9.30am. The Bright vaccination clinic is open on Monday’s at the Alpine Community Health Centre, the Myrtleford clinic is open on Tuesday’s at the Myrtleford Hospital’s Multi-Purpose Room; and the Mt Beauty clinic is open on Wednesday’s at the Lakeside Community Centre. All three clinics are open from 9am to 3pm. You can make a booking for the Alpine Community COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics by calling the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398. For updated restrictions and close contact rules go to https://www. coronavirus.vic.gov.au/how-we-live and https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ checklist-contacts.
$1.50 (inc.GST)
Brigade’s big build Room to ggrow....and communityy bushfire session this Sundayy By MARTIN DAVIS B POREPUNKAH CFA brigade remain hopeful that construction of a large three bay shed adjacent to their existing station will be able to get underway within months. The brigade last November received more than $60,000 through the State Governments 2021/22 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP), which they’re using with other funds they’ve raised and had donated towards the near $500,000 project. Brigade captain Mick Dalbosco said last week that start times for the build are to be confirmed by the CFA shortly and “we’re hoping construction will begin in the next couple of months”.
He said H id the th expansive i new facilities will allow the brigade to better house their current equipment, which are a heavy tanker and an ultra-light vehicle, with potential to house a small town pumper, as well as allow more modern facilities for members to train. Captain Dalbosco said the redevelopment is needed as Porepunkah and surrounding areas are continuing to grow and the CFA need to be more prepared to combat house fires in the area. “Getting more diversity in combating structural fires, with higher water pressure and the different pumps is important,” he said. “As the community grows and
changes we need be able h d tto b bl tto change as well.” In line with fire preparedness, the Porepunkah CFA is holding a Bushfire Awareness information sessions this Sunday. The CFA will be on site with the AV van, and Community Fireguard coordinator Maureen Piera will at the session to provide information to community members who may be interested in preparing themselves and their properties in the event of future fire activity. Brigade community safety coordinator, Kitty Knappstein, said the session is to keep people up to date with their fire preparations. “These are normally done at the start of the season but given
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the reasons with th ith la l Nina Ni and d people stressing around COVID, we have been able to do it a bit later in preparation for the remainder of this year,” she said. The la Nina system that has been going through this summer which has brought increased rainfall across Australia has assisted many farmers, but the extra rain also means there is more fuel for when a bushfire breaks out. “People just need to be made aware of what they need to have prepared for when a fire occurs,” Ms Knappstein said. The CFA Bushfire Awareness information sessions will be held this Sunday at the Porepunkah Community Hall from 1.30pm to 3pm.
03 5752 2995
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