Buloke Shire Council

03/06/2026

🚗 NEW DRIVER REVIVER SITE OPENING – WATCHEM ☕🍪
A new Driver Reviver site will open at the Watchem Hotel this King’s Birthday long weekend, giving motorists a safe place to stop, rest and refresh while travelling through Victoria’s north-west.
The opening will also mark the celebration of the hotel’s reopening.

🗓 When: King’s Birthday Weekend
⏰ From 7am till late
📍 Watchem Hotel & Community Hub
The site will offer free tea, coffee and snacks as part of the national Driver Reviver program, helping to reduce fatigue-related crashes on regional roads.

🔥 Saturday highlights include:
• A range of food vans
• A community BBQ
• A welcoming country atmosphere

⚠️ Please note:
• No alcohol will be permitted
• No meals will be available from the hotel
This new site joins more than 150 Driver Reviver locations across Australia, supporting safer journeys and encouraging drivers to take regular breaks.

🚐 A short stop can make a big difference.

Motorists travelling along the Sunraysia Highway are encouraged to stop in, recharge and help ensure they arrive safely.

02/06/2026

📰 Catch up on the latest from Buloke

This week’s Community Update includes:
👶Youth Fest
👷Road Closure at Dumosa
🏊‍♂️Have Your Say - Aquatic Strategy
💼Jobs at Buloke.

📬 The Community Update is published weekly in local rural newspapers, made available in Neighbourhood houses and is also available on Council’s website.

👇 Read the full update here:
https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/community-update

02/06/2026

Community feedback open on Draft Victorian Waterway Management Strategy.

We want to hear your feedback on the new Victorian Waterway Management Strategy.

Victoria’s waterways are the lifeblood of our communities, supporting our health, wellbeing, productivity and unique plants and wildlife.

Consultation has just opened for the new strategy, which guides how we will sustain waterways over the next decade, while balancing the many ways Victorians use and value them.

We will be hosting online webinars so you can hear more about the strategy, and you can provide feedback through an online survey or written submission before 29 June.

To read the draft strategy, visit: https://engage.vic.gov.au/victorian-waterway-management-strategy

02/06/2026

🪧Community Notice
Over the next two weeks, Council has engaged licensed professionals from Complete Vermin Control to manage the local pigeon population in the Buloke Shire area.
This work is being carried out under strict authorisation and in accordance with current regulations.
Local police have been informed as a precaution, to ensure awareness of the works being carried out.
We understand that wildlife management can be a sensitive issue for many in our community.
If you see the contractor working around town, there is no cause for alarm.
Thank you for your understanding.

01/06/2026

👷REMINDER: Road Closure – Donald–Swan Hill Road, Dumosa

The Donald–Swan Hill Road rail crossing at Dumosa will be closed from Tuesday, 2 June to Saturday, 6 June for critical rail maintenance.

A signed detour will be in place via surrounding roads (including Dumosa–Birchip Road).

Motorists are advised to follow all safety and detour signage on site.

To view the traffic management arrangements visit Council's website 👇https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/road-closure-donald-swan-hill-road-dumosa

This is a VicRoads-managed road. Council is assisting with community notification.

01/06/2026

🎨Entries are now open for the 2026 Artful Art Prize.

Artful is an inclusive national art prize for all artists focused on sharing personal perspective through art.

This year's theme is ‘Reflections of Reality' and there are $1000 Eckersley's Art & Craft vouchers up for grabs. Categories include painting, drawing, photography, 3D, mixed media and textiles.

Artful is open to Australian residents of all experience levels.
📆 Entries close Tuesday 30 June.
👉 For details and to enter, visit https://www.achieveaustralia.org.au/artful
The Artful Art Prize is a unique collaboration between Achieve Australia and Accessible Arts

Image description: A pink promotional graphic features a textile artwork of a partial face with detailed eyes and long, colourful hanging threads. A purple eye logo appears above text details for the Artful Art Prize 2026. The artwork is credited as “Self Portrait” by Ella Shearing, Artful Highly Commended 2023.

01/06/2026

You can’t always tell what someone is carrying just by looking—and that’s exactly why we’re sharing this Victorian Department of Health post.
As the weather gets colder, many of us naturally retreat indoors and see less of each other. But that makes it even more important to remember that everyone is facing their own challenges, even if we can’t see them.

For some, it’s long shifts and little sleep.
For others, it’s trying to stay present when everything feels a bit… loud.
It might be waiting on answers.
Or missing someone deeply.

We don’t always see what’s behind someone’s day. That’s why small moments of kindness matter - a check-in, a listening ear, a little patience. And that same kindness counts for yourself, too.

Looking after your mental health doesn’t have to be big or perfect.
It can be stepping outside for some fresh air, sending a message, taking a pause, or reaching out for support.

If you need extra support, there are services across Victoria available 24/7. You’re not alone, and help is there when you need it.

📲 Lifeline: 13 11 14
📲 MensLine Australia (24 hours, 7 days) Tel. 1300 789 978
📲 Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
📲 Su***deLine Victoria (24 hours, 7 days) Tel. 1300 651 251 - for counselling, crisis intervention, information and referral
📲 Su***de Call Back Service (24 hours, 7 days) Tel. 1300 659 467 13YARN (13 92 76) 24/7 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
📍 Mental Health & Wellbeing Locals: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/mental-health-wellbeing-locals

01/06/2026

Help shape the future of Victorian agriculture by joining the Young Farmers Advisory Committee.
If you’re a young farmer, now is your chance to bring your perspective and experience to the table.
Expressions of interest close 14 June 2026.
Agriculture Victoria

31/05/2026

Buloke Community Groups - training available!
Did you know there are opportunities to strengthen volunteer skills and become even more confident, capable and professional in your role?
✅ Professional Development is available
https://www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au/events/upcoming-events/
✅ Subsidies may be on offer
✅ Financial support to attend conferences
https://www.nvc2026.org.au/
✅ Ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs
https://www.volunteeringvictoria.org.au/cpd/
These opportunities are designed to empower you, build your confidence, and help you make an even greater difference in our community.
👉 Who do you know in Buloke who would benefit from training and development?
👉 A volunteer wanting to build skills?
👉 Someone ready to step up and lead?
Let’s support each other to learn, grow, and thrive. 🌱

Volunteering Victoria Volunteering Australia

Financial support is now available to attend the 2026 National Volunteering Conference in Adelaide!

Co-hosted by Volunteering Australia and Volunteering SA&NT, the conference will take place from 16–18 June 2026 under the theme: 'Innovation and Impact: Reimagining Volunteering'.

Thanks to funding from the Department of Social Services, financial support is available to help volunteer leaders from across Australia attend the conference, with support covering:
✔ Registration
✔ Travel
✔ Accommodation

📅 Applications close: Thursday 4 June 2026 (5:30pm AEST)

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://buff.ly/BqtaKLn

29/05/2026

👷Road Closure – Donald–Swan Hill Road, Dumosa

The Donald–Swan Hill Road rail crossing at Dumosa will be closed from Tuesday, 2 June to Saturday, 6 June for critical rail maintenance.

A signed detour will be in place via surrounding roads (including Dumosa–Birchip Road).

Motorists are advised to follow all safety and detour signage on site.

To view the traffic management arrangements visit Council's website 👇https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/road-closure-donald-swan-hill-road-dumosa

This is a VicRoads-managed road. Council is assisting with community notification.