Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Victoria is proud to be hosting the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) APAC Wind Energy Summit in September 2025 following a fantastic 2024 event in Incheon, South Korea, last week. As the first sub-national member of the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA), Victoria’s commitment to a thriving offshore wind industry is clear, and we look forward to welcoming attendees and discussing the ways forward for offshore wind in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region next September. Offshore Wind Energy Victoria (OWEV) is an ambassador sponsor and working closely with the Clean Energy Council, Melbourne Convention Bureau and broader Victorian Government on the exciting return of this leading offshore wind event. 📍 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 16-18 September, 2025.

🤶✨ Planning to host a Christmas catch-up? ✨🎅 Make it sustainable with these steps: 🛍️ Shop local: buy locally-produced food to reduce your carbon footprint. 🥧 Minimise food waste: Only buy what you need – and have a plan for leftovers! Be ready to repurpose food or share with friends. 🍽️ Serve sustainably: Avoid disposable plates and cups that end up in landfill – use the real thing or ask guests to bring their own. 🎄 Eco-friendly decor: Invest in decorations you can reuse, or go natural with flowers, foliage or pinecones instead of single-use plastic decorations. Celebrate sustainably this festive season 💚

Alexandra based helicopter servicing company Helico is aiming for the skies thanks to a $789,766 Forestry Transition Fund grant. 🚁 The grant will go towards a new purpose-built maintenance facility and create 9 jobs, so it can meet the growing demands of the aviation industry.  🔨👷🏼♂️ Operating since 2015, Helico Australia is one of only a few companies in Australia that services Robinson helicopters. Round 2 grants are now open for businesses that want to expand in areas impacted by the end of native timber harvesting. You can find out more by visiting https://lnkd.in/gUarG5Sr or calling 1800 318 182

🎄✨ Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? ✨🎄 Make it sustainable with these tips: 🎁 Gift experiences: Think vouchers – for classes, treatments or special outings – to avoid buying items that may not be used. 🛍️ Shop locally: Choose locally-made gifts to reduce your carbon footprint. ♻️ Buy second-hand: Explore op shops or online marketplaces for unique gifts. 💎Go for quality: Buy items that are built to last, and will have minimal environmental impact over time. Celebrate sustainably this festive season 💚

Offshore Wind Energy Victoria (OWEV) and VicGrid joined potential Gippsland offshore wind energy developers and the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to meet with communities across the Gippsland region in November. About 200 people attended across four diverse sessions in Seaspray, Foster, Traralgon and Yarram, with key areas of interest including: • Development timelines • Turbines and marine life • Jobs and training • Climate change • Local industry involvement • Visual amenity • Local benefits • Feasibility licence processes and declared areas • The broader renewable energy transition. Meeting regularly with the community is invaluable and we thank attendees for generously sharing their knowledge and discussing offshore wind in Gippsland with us. Stay across the latest at https://bit.ly/3Zt7eSi. You can also email us anytime at: offshorewind@deeca.vic.gov.au Star of the South, Ørsted, Gippsland Skies, Blue Mackerel, Iberdrola Australia, RWE , Corio Generation, OW Ocean Winds, BlueFloat Energy #offshorewind

Creating better outcomes for roadside nature 🌳 Did you know that roadside native vegetation can be a critical habitat for the survival of threatened flora and fauna? A permit is usually required to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation unless an exemption applies. Last week, our Natural Environment Program team in the Loddon Mallee region connected with over 100 staff from @Mildura Rural City Council to share about the Road Safety Exemption. We're excited to be working together to: 🌳Protect our native vegetation ✔Foster a better understanding of regulatory requirements 🚧 Ensure native vegetation growing on roadsides is looked after Together, we're building a future where nature and infrastructure thrive. For more information about permits for native vegetation removal, visit: https://lnkd.in/gNaZvMQQ

Ben Matthews, Regional Fuel Management Coordinator for FFMVic in the Loddon Mallee, is back from a study tour of North America. Along with six other delegates from Australia and New Zealand, Ben had the opportunity to explore different regions, starting in Los Angeles where he met with experienced firefighters and learned about recent wildfires. Focus areas included: ☀️ Climate Change 📛 Interagency operations 👩🚒 Fuel management 🍃 Traditional Owners 🚁 Aircraft 🦺 Firefighter safety Now that he’s returned home to the Loddon Mallee region, Ben has shared about the opportunity and how it will continue to influence his work in fire management. Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/gy_zVKv2

Our Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants are open! 🐾 These grants support the efforts of volunteers who care for sick and orphaned wildlife, helping them to recover and be released safely into the wild. Wildlife shelter operators and foster carers can apply for the funding to cover a range of expenses including: 🧰 equipment 💉 vet fees 💊 feed and medication 📚 training Wildlife shelter operators can up apply for up to $3,000. Foster carers can apply for up $2,000. Applications close on Wednesday 5 February 2025. For more information visit https://lnkd.in/dzYHb2h

The next crop of our Incident Controllers are one step closer to obtaining their accreditations after a week-long camp at Flowerdale. Seventeen staff from across the state participated in the Incident Controller Level 1 training program to build on their experience through a series of real-life bushfire scenarios and specialist speakers. The aspiring controllers will now be mentored during the summer by experienced controllers before receiving their final accreditation. Incident Controllers play a critical role in managing bushfires and other emergencies, helping keep communities safe.

Victoria’s leading climate action is guided by science. 🌍 We’ve just released Victoria’s latest Climate Science Report, which will help us plan for and adapt to climate change in Victoria. The report details how Victoria’s climate is changing - becoming hotter and drier, with more intense floods and bushfires. Released every five years, this accessible report simplifies the latest climate science and empowers all Victorians to make informed climate-related decisions.    Read Victoria’s Climate Science Report 2024 here: https://lnkd.in/diQE-gtb