Parks across East Gippsland and northeast Victoria have been seriously affected by fire.While fire is still an issue, Mother Nature is already slowly starting to regenerate in some areas.The most obvious part of many parks is the plants – towering eucalypts, lush tree ferns, creeping ground covers and flowering shrubs to name a few. Not only are they a source of food for wildlife and critical...

Locals and visitors to Marlo in the past week who have wondered down to the water may have seen a distressing sight as hundreds of dead fish have floated ashore.James Costello, at the Marlo General Store, said the mass fish kill may have happened had the estuary not been reopened last week, but believes the flushing out of the fresh water with the opening contributed to the fish kill.“The river...

With a keen interest to visit the fire-ravaged Far East Gippsland town of Mallacoota, Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, accompanied by her husband, Anthony Howard AM QC, made the trip last Thursday, February 6.The couple received a warm welcome from the emergency service members who gathered at Mallacoota CFA station to meet her.Her Excellency is the first...

Pilot Officer Isabella Filmer did not know what to expect when she recently boarded a flight back to her hometown of Mallacoota for an overnight visit to be reunited with her family.A trainee on basic pilots course at No. 1 Flying Training School at RAAF Base East Sale, she sat alongside returning evacuees and first-responders on board a C-27J Spartan for a flight into Mallacoota.While she was...

Marlo residents were on full alert as the threat of bushfire knocked on their backdoor on the weekend, Cape Conran heavily impacted by fire activity.Australian Defence Force personnel were on hand in Marlo at the ready to assist should evacuation become necessary.Fire activity increased in the Bendoc, Cape Conran and Marlo Plains areas over the past few days, due to high temperatures and strong...