Real estate is continuing to perform well in rural areas of East Gippsland as COVID-19 prompts city dwellers to think about an alternative lifestyle far away from Melbourne’s fringes.In the High Country, Omeo is proving a popular pick for those wishing to bunker down and escape the city.Elders real estate agent, David Hill, told the Advertiser that inquiries have been phenomenal in the past...

Regional Victoria has reached Step Three on its road to recovery from COVID-19, but its far from sunshine and rainbows for numerous hospitality businesses.Bairnsdale RSL manager, Shane Prendergast, said its simply not viable for the RSL to reopen under the current restrictions, which allow just groups of 10 people per two spaces, for a total of 20, with a cap of 50 people when you include...

The candidates for the East Gippsland Shire Council election have been confirmed.Nominations closed yesterday at noon with just three members of the current council – John White, Dick Ellis and Mark Reeves – re-standing. All are former mayors.Joe Rettino, Natalie O’Connell, Marianne Pelz, Colin Toohey, Ben Buckley and Jackson Roberts will not re-stand.The election has attracted 21 nominees, all...

Bairnsdale Secondary College will farewell the leader of its highly successful music program, Gerry Ciaverella, at the end of this year.Mr Ciaverella, who is the face of music in East Gippsland thanks to his amazing work with the school’s swing and jazz bands which have performed spectacularly for many years at local events and even interstate, says goodbye after 25 years in the job.His decision...

While East Gippsland residents have embraced the recent return of warmer weather, the welcome hasn’t been as kind for the menacing mosquitoes.Residents throughout the East Gippsland Shire have reported an increase in the numbers they are continuing to swat.President of the Bairnsdale Golf Club, Stephen Mann, told the Advertiser “I think they’ve been pretty bad for quite a few months”.“They’re...