The Alexandra Eildon Marysville Standard
The Yea Chronicle
150+ years serving the Murrindindi region
And our most valued reader is still YOU.
Read the newspaper online
Interested in reading the news online? You can.
Alexandra Newspapers offers a digital subscription service allowing you to read the Alexandra Standard and the Yea Chronicle online.
If you're a current subscriber, or interested in purchasing a subscription, click the link below.
Browse our News Articles
And in other news!
Here's what's happening on our Facebook Page.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
LONGWOOD BUSHFIRE - ROAD CONDITIONS REMAIN DANGEROUS - TRAVEL ONLY IF NECESSARY
PRESS RELEASE: Murrindindi Shire Council is urging residents and organisations providing relief and recovery services to take extreme care when travelling in and around fire-affected areas, with road conditions remaining hazardous following the recent fire.
While some roads have reopened under restricted conditions, more than 450 kilometres of local roads remain legally closed and are accessible only to authorised emergency and response services. These closures apply to all members of the public, including residents, property owners and visitors, due to significant and ongoing safety risks.
Residents seeking to return to damaged or destroyed properties should not enter closed roads unless formally authorised, as these roads have not been deemed safe for travel, and access is not permitted under current emergency restrictions.
Visitors are welcome to the wider region; however, they must not attempt to access closed local roads in the Longwood fire‑affected area. Access to these roads remains strictly limited, and conditions are unpredictable and hazardous.
Community safety remains the highest priority and Council is working closely with the Incident Control Centre to assess damage, clear hazards and progressively re-establish safe access to roads impacted by the fire. Residents are strongly encouraged to travel only on approved routes, including major roads and key connecting roads that have been inspected, made safe or opened under restricted access.
Roads outside the fire impacted area remain open with travellers encouraged to monitor VicEmergency and check VicTraffic prior to travel.
There are many crews working across the road network, including arborists, specialist tree contractors, bridge assessors, engineers and construction workers. These complex assessments take time, and the community’s patience is greatly appreciated.
Driving conditions after dark are extremely dangerous and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Fire has destroyed critical road safety infrastructure including reflectors, barriers, signage and line marking, making navigation difficult, particularly at night.
There is also a significant risk of livestock and native wildlife moving freely across roads due to damaged or destroyed fencing. These hazards may be difficult to see, especially in low light.
Road conditions can change at any time. A road may reopen and then close again if additional trees fall or further damage is identified. There will be a high volume of heavy machinery and crews on local roads as fallen trees and debris are removed. Drivers are asked to remain alert and patient, and not to overtake unless it is safe to do so.
Council will continue to provide updates as inspections and clean-up efforts progress.
Tourists and visitors are actively encouraged to explore areas of the region outside the fire-impacted zones and enjoy the diverse experiences available. Council’s web site, Discover Dindi and the Tourism North East app are valuable resources when planning travel, alongside VicEmergency.
Mayor of Murrindindi Shire Council, Cr Damien Gallagher, said the safety of the community must come before convenience.
"While we understand the desire to return to normal travel as quickly as possible, the reality is that many roads in the Longwood fire-affected area remain unsafe and unpredictable,” Cr Gallagher said.
“Trees can fall without warning, road surfaces and safety infrastructure have been damaged, and conditions can change at any time. We are asking people to travel only if necessary, stick to approved routes, and avoid driving after dark wherever possible.
“Our crews are working closely with partner agencies to inspect and clear roads as safely and quickly as they can, and I thank the community for their patience and cooperation as this critical work continues.”
For the latest information on road closures and conditions, visit: murrindindi.vic.gov.au/longwoodfire
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
STAY INFORMED: Acheron, Alexandra, Ancona, Cathkin, Caveat, Creightons Creek, Devils River, Dropmore, Fawcett, Ghin Ghin, Gobur, Gooram, Highlands, Kanumbra, Kelvin View, Killingworth, Koriella, Limestone, Longwood, Longwood East, Maintongoon, Merton, Molesworth, Old Longwood, Ruffy, Tarcombe, Terip Terip, Thornton, Upton Hill, Woodfield, Yarck, Yea.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Survivor guilt doesn’t care what you lost.
After the 2019–20 fires in Sarsfield, Victoria, I sat in a community meeting I’ll never forget.
The room was full of people who had lost everything. Homes. Stock. Machinery. A lifetime of work reduced to ash.
And then there was a young woman.
She hadn’t lost her house.
She hadn’t lost family.
She’d “only” lost a shed.
And yet she was the most distressed person in the room. Inconsolable. Shaking. Unable to speak.
I watched people shift uncomfortably.
I could feel the unspoken comparison hanging in the air.
Why is she this upset? Others have lost so much more.
This is survivor guilt.
Phoenix Australia and trauma researchers like Dr Kate Brady remind us that trauma isn’t measured by the size of the loss, it’s shaped by threat, fear, helplessness, and the way our nervous system processes danger.
Survivor guilt often sounds like:
• “I shouldn’t feel this bad.”
• “Others had it worse.”
• “I don’t deserve help.”
And that guilt can silence people. It can delay recovery. It can make people feel weak when they’re actually injured.
This is what I really want people to hear: it doesn’t matter how big or small your disaster or challenge is, if it is impacting your mental health and wellbeing, you are worthy of seeking help.
That young woman wasn’t overreacting.
Her system had been overwhelmed.
And guilt was making it worse.
If you survived a disaster and you’re struggling, even if your losses feel small compared to others, you are not broken. You are human and worthy of help and support.
Recovery isn’t a competition.
Pain is not a ranking system.
Compassion, for others and for ourselves, is part of rebuilding capacity and recovery.
If this resonates, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry it quietly.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Another Load of Donated Animal Food
This morning we collected another load of donated animal food from the Lilydale CFA Fire Brigade station. One of our members had to head down south, so dropped their trailer at the Lilydale Fire Station while attending to some tasks in the local area.
In the meantime, the troops on standby for today's hot weather loaded up the trailer. This load will be staged at the Buxton Fire Station until the weather is a little more favourable for delivering to Embling Rural in Alexandra.
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
