Nathan Spicer looks back at the events and issues from October in The Guardian’s Year in Review series.
Tuesday, October 11
– Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh called for rural Victorians to get “fired up” about unmanaged roadside vegetation. He said anything from discarded cigarettes to broken glass bottles thrown out of cars could cause a grass fire.
– Swan Hill SES unit controller Darren Barnes warns locals to remain vigilant, after 35mm of rainfall. He said the continual we weather will cause issues with the rivers and the local flooding areas.
Friday, October 14
– A total of 78.6mm of rain fell within a 24-hour period, with some residents waking to floodwaters at their front door. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a “top priority” severe weather warning for the Mallee.
– Mask regulations in Victorian public schools were ditched. Physical distancing and vaccination rules for staff and school visitors were also scrapped following the revised guidelines for schools after the expiry of the State Government’s pandemic declaration.
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