Happy New Year and welcome to 2022! The start of a new year provides us with a great opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months, while we look ahead and set ourselves some goals for the future. Whether or not you believe in New Year resolutions, I’m sure we can all find something in our lives that we plan to do differently this year. As a Council we will continue working hard for this great community to make sure its needs are met.

This time of year also provides a great opportunity to get out there and explore our own backyard. Head out on that walk you have always wanted to do. Visit a different beach and explore. Support your favourite local shops and businesses and maybe give some new ones a try. We are also starting to see our local events calendar filling up once again, so it couldn’t be easier to support local this summer.

Are you heading down to the beach this summer? In Bass Coast we are incredibly lucky to have around 180 kilometres of fantastic coastline to enjoy, as long as we remember to do it safely. There are plenty of hidden hazards associated with swimming in the ocean and spending time under the hot summer sun. Remember to swim between the flags on patrolled beaches, learn how to spot a rip and don’t forget to slip, slop, slap! It is a great idea to download the Beachsafe App, which contains up to date information on beach conditions and also provides a lots of information on how to stay safe in the surf.

It's also really important to stay heat safe this summer. Some helpful tips to beat the heat include drinking plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty, take a cool shower, wear light, natural fibre clothing such as linen and keep your house cool by closing blinds during the day. It’s also really important to check in on sick or elderly friends and family and keep an eye on your pets too! For more heat health tips, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/heat