Council services on Catastrophic or Extreme Fire Danger Rated days
General Council services changes
Monday 16 December 2024 has been declared an Extreme Fire Danger rating and Total Fire Ban day. For the safety of our community and staff the following changes will occur for council services:
Service Delivery on Extreme Day – Monday 16 December
Early years services
- Lorne Kindergarten – closed
- Jan Juc Pre- School – closed
- Anglesea Kindergarten – closed
All located in high bushfire risk areas.
*Families will be notified via email and only families scheduled for Monday's kindergarten session.
Family Child Health Services
- KMCC – normal operating hours
- Torquay Children’s Hub – normal operating hours
- No home visits will be scheduled in the Bushfire Risk areas on Mondays
*(no clinical sessions are scheduled at other locations)
Waste Services
- Anglesea Landfill open 5am-10am
- Anglesea Transfer station open from 9am-10am
- Anglesea Re-sale Shed closed
Lorne Transfer Station closed
- Scheduled kerbside bin collections in high risk areas (Lorne and Deans Marsh) will occur between 3am and 10am, with an evening collection if required. Residents asked to put their bins out Sunday night.
- Winchelsea Transfer Station and Torquay drop off are not affected as Monday is not a scheduled opening day.
Litter bin servicing and street litter removal
- No Change to services in low- risk urban zones. Collection in Bushfire risk zones to occur prior to highest risk times (e.g. 10am).
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
- An additional (pm) litter bin service may be provided if conditions sufficiently ease during the day.
Council managed reserves and community facilities regardless of the management model. i.e. CAC or Council managed.
- Services will be provided / facilities can be accessed except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Wurdi Baierr Stadium
Winchelsea Health Club
Torquay Visitor Centre
Youth Services
- There are no Youth activities or events for Monday within Bushfire Risk Areas.
Lorne, Anglesea and Winchelsea Visitor centres
- Sites closed.
- Remote service can be accessed from Torquay.
Communications
Customer Services
Library – Torquay
Library – Mobile
- Open (normal operation in accordance with GRLC policy)
- No Mobile Library Services Scheduled
Food and other premises inspections
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Immunisation sessions
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Building Compliance
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Ranger Services
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Road Inspection – drainage, traffic managements, road safety
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Road opening inspections, vehicle crossing inspections and subdivision inspections
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Nature reserve, rural roads, estuary land management site visits
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Pest plant and animal program site visits and stakeholder meetings
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Planning Compliance
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Arts & Culture
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Events on Council land
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Facilities Management, Open Space Operations and Civil Operations
- All activities to be based within Torquay or Winchelsea Townships. Any works outside of these locations are based on the risk assessment of the task, staff availability and requests from Emergency Services.
Community engagement activities
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Community Health & Development
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Fire prevention program site visits and stakeholder meetings
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Maternal and Child Health Service
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
Youth Development Services
- Services will be provided except in Bushfire risk zones at highest risk times.
- Services in Grassfire risk zones at high-risk times may be affected.
On days of Extreme or Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating there will be changes made to our services for the safety of our community and staff.
Extreme Fire Danger Rating:
- Visitor Information Centre in Lorne will be closed. Anglesea Visitor Information Centre may be closed.
- Torquay Visitor Information Centre may remain open pending advice.
- Anglesea landfill will open only from 5am to 10am.
- Anglesea waste transfer station will open from 9am to 10am.
- Lorne and Winchelsea transfer stations may close - contact Council on 5261 0600 to confirm.
- Changes to kerbside waste collection will occur. Bin collection will start earlier in the morning. If your are scheduled for a bin collection on the day of the Extreme FDR, pout your bin out the night before.
- Roadside litter bins may be emptied from early in the morning.
- Afternoon immunisation sessions in Lorne and Anglesea may be cancelled.
- Winchelsea swimming pool and health club may remain open pending advice.
- Delivered meals may operate with an altered schedule.
- Community engagement sessions and on-site meetings involving Council staff will be rescheduled.
- Mobile library services may not operate in areas of elevated fire risk (including Lorne, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet and Deans Marsh).
- Senior Citizens Centres in areas of elevated fire risk (including Lorne, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet and Deans Marsh) may be advised to close.
Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating:
- No kerbside waste collections will operate, collection services will be be rescheduled.
- Anglesea Landfill and Waste Transfer Station, Lorne and Winchelsea Transfer Stations will be closed.
- Visitor Information Centres in Lorne, Anglesea and Winchelsea will be closed.
- Torquay Visitor Information Centre may remain open pending advice.
- Afternoon immunisation sessions in Lorne and Anglesea will be cancelled.
- Winchelsea swimming pool is likely to be closed pending advice.
- Delivered meals services will not operate and home and community care services will be cancelled.
- Community engagement sessions and on-site meetings involving Council staff will be rescheduled.
- All sport and recreation centres will be closed.
- Council’s Community Bus service will not operate.
- The Geelong Regional Mobile Library service will not operate.
- All Senior Citizens Centres will be advised to close.
- Some services at Council’s Torquay office may operate with reduced capacity.
Schools and Kindergartens changes
The Victorian Department of Education and Training governs arrangements for schools in areas that experience a high bushfire risk. Schools in Lorne, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Bellbrae and Deans Marsh are affected on days of Catastrophic and Extreme Fire Danger Rating.
The Department of Education and Training also puts in place arrangements for kindergartens that are on the Bushfire At Risk Register as follows:
- Parents receive at least 48 hours notice in writing of any closures on potential days of Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating.
- All kindergartens follow their emergency plans on days of Catastrophic or Extreme Fire Danger. Kindergarten staff can provide more information on these plans to parents.
To find out more, visit the Department of Education and Training website.
Event changes
Events scheduled for days that are declared a Catastrophic or Extreme Fire Danger Rating may be cancelled pending advice from the CFA. Check the relevant event websites for details.
To confirm any arrangements for council-run facilities, contact Council within 24 hours of the Catastrophic/Extreme fire danger day on 5261 0600 or check our Facebook or Instagram pages.