Another Yarra Ranges correspondent to the Premier this month expressing similar frustrations with DEPI is Laurence Gaffney, Friends of Hoddles Creek. Laurence has repeatedly raised issues arising from the East Central Bushfire Risk Landscape Strategy meeting held in Healesville last May. It appears that informed volunteers are being completely ignored by our Environment Minister and that DEPI staff are unable, or are not permitted, to release policy documents that not only concern the community but which have the potential to affect our own planning for bushfire safety. However, DEPI  has since notified a wide range of community groups that they  would like to hear ‘about your specific fire management issues, concerns and priorities as they relate to the proposed Draft Fire operations plans in your local area, August 1-28: www.depi.vic.gov.au/

Our grateful thanks to Coral for continuing to set this newsletter into a legible format and also to Adrian who is working on a new website after the HEWI site was hacked recently. Best wishes go with Evelyn and Michael Feller who are returning to their Canadian home and commitments there for another few weeks. The exhilarating news of the  endangered Spotted-tailed Quoll (Tiger Quoll) having been sighted in the Great Otway National Park for first time in 24years has just been announced – YAY!