Community
3 July, 2026
Emergency commissioner visits Skipton
SKIPTON saw a special visit from Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) commissioner Tim Wiebusch and deputy commissioner relief and recovery Mariela Diaz last Monday.
Following a visit to the Carranballac Recreation Reserve and meeting with people affected by the Caranballac-Skipton and Larralea fires in January, the duo paid a visit to the ‘From the Black to the Green: From Heartache to the Long Journey of Recovery’ exhibition at the Skipton Mechanics Institute Hall.
During the tour of the exhibition, they met with Corangamite Shire councillors and the chief executive officer, as well as their counterparts from Pyrenees and Ararat Rural City Council.
A Corangamite Shire Council spokesperson said the combined councils passed on community concerns about the long wait for site clean-ups – particularly asbestos – and the danger of fire-affected trees on state-managed land along roadsides and fence lines.
“They also called for streamlining disaster relief programs so residents could apply once and avoid the stress of duplicated applications,” the spokesperson said.
“Councillors Kate Makin and Nick Cole also asked that they emphasise to the state government the importance of funding to bring the Skipton Recreational Reserve up to scratch as an Emergency Relief Centre and Bushfire Place of Last Resort.
“While in Skipton the EMV leaders got first-hand accounts from a group of Corangamite residents about the barriers they have faced during the recovery period and how things could be improved for future emergencies.
“They then toured the BlazeAid Camp at Bradvale where they heard volunteers have cleared 342.5km of burnt fencing and rebuilt 227.55km.”
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