Happy New Year! I hope everyone in Bass Coast enjoyed the Christmas and New Year period, and perhaps got to experience some of the amazing events held across the Shire in this time. The three New Year's Eve celebrations held in Bass Coast provided a fantastic night out for everyone and by all accounts, the fireworks displays were incredible. It was also great to see the crowds at the celebrations across the municipality behaving responsibly and being respectful of the great outdoor spaces we have in Bass Coast.

For the first time in a long time, I had my family of five together on Christmas Day, including my London based daughter who flew in and surprised us all. I hope everyone also had the opportunity to enjoy the festive season with loved ones, friends and those important to you.

Whew! We have certainly had a real taste of summer now, with quite a few hot days under our belt. It is, as always, great to see so many people enjoying our region and its beaches, however we have once again experienced a tragedy on our shores, with the drowning of a father and son at Cape Woolamai on Christmas Eve. It is such a sad circumstance, which shows us just how important it is to try and spread awareness and education on water safety as far and wide as possible. We are currently working with Life Saving Victoria and foreshore managers (Phillip Island Nature Parks, Parks Victoria and San Remo Foreshore Committee of Management) to identify improvements and opportunities. We are also looking at communicating with people before they arrive, and raising public awareness. The Beachsafe app is a great resource to help you find out more about patrol locations, facilities, hazards, weather, swell and tide on all of our beaches.

The Bass Coast Agricultural Show was held in Wonthaggi this weekend, and provided a fabulous day of fun for the whole family. It was great to see so many people out there enjoying this local event, which takes a dedicated group of volunteers an awful lot of effort to put on each year. It really is a credit to the hard workers behind the scenes, who keep putting the show on bigger and better every year, in a landscape where the humble agricultural show is sadly disappearing.

Cr Brett Tessari, Mayor

Bass Coast Shire Council