Coal Hole

16/09/2024

Get around it!! Jessica Reeves from Fed Uni championed Coal Hole when it was just the idea of a sculpture that caught on fire once a year!! She's leading the best conversations in town with the right pathways to actual change!

23/01/2024

PollyannaR and The Palette and Kiln are curating a community art exhibition for the 10 year anniversary of the mine fires. If you have any work gathering coal dust in the back of the studio that you made in response to the fire or the process of recovery and transition we'd love to get it out in the world. All mediums welcome..

📧 To Participate: To express your interest and learn more about the opportunities available for artists, please submit an application here
https://forms.gle/8iNsKVMBErYiM3KG6

🎨 Calling All Artists: Be Part of 10-Years-On: Community Day! 🎨
Are you a local artist, who has created works that commemorate the time of the mine fire, and its significant impact it had on the community? Maybe works that celebrate the success, power and reflect on the strength of community to advocate for change? This is the opportunity for you!

As we commemorate the decade since the Hazelwood Mine fire, we're seeking submissions from artists to contribute to a one-off exhibition called 10-Years-On: Art After Fire. Curated by Gippsland visual artists PollyannaR and Steph Shields of The Palette and Kiln, this exhibition is open to works developed in response to the mine fire in 2014, works developed in the 10 years since, and new works.

This is a community organised and volunteer run event. There is no entry fee for work submission. The spirit of the event is to amplify community voice upon submission and connect community members through the event. All mediums welcome!

📧 To Participate: To express your interest and learn more about the opportunities available for artists, please submit an application here: https://forms.gle/8iNsKVMBErYiM3KG6

We'd love to hear your ideas and discuss how your art can be a part of this special day.

Please tag or share this with the artists in your life 🎉

09/01/2024

Get around this good thang!!

Happy New Year! 🎉
We hope you enjoyed some quality time with your loved ones over the holiday and your year is off to a great start.

To start 2024 with a little gratitude, we wanted to say how incredibly grateful we are for the various kinds of support we’ve received and to everyone involved in the event planning so far. Thank you also, for following this page and spreading the word. We are absolutely thrilled by the number of ticket registrations, and excited to share more program details with you very soon!

In the meantime, we are on the lookout for some wonderful people, willing to lend a hand, volunteering on the day. There's a few different shift times & roles available. Including, set-up & pack-down, creative tasks working with art, archival & kids activities.
Plus, plenty of opportunities, front of house, to connect with community members, groups & organisations!

If you’re keen to get involved, please fill out the form below
10-Years-On: Community Day Volunteer Details Link: https://forms.gle/U8U1tYuYYWVtLTcq7

18/06/2023

When local artist Josie Sleepy and Stephanie Sabrinskas have created not just a rad podcast but are now on ABC TV + iview. Amplifying the wendy farmer relentless advocating for the Valleys health and future and a critical moment in our history worthy of sharing to the world!

4 years ago they came into our Hi Viz wearable art workshop 4 years ago they left with a now iconic hi viz bikini and apron along with a determination to tell their own story of what is happening in their home and the future they want. Not only have they achieved us but they are paying it forward to commissioning art from PollyannaR Dee Ross , Bridgette Colman, and Amanda Thompson. Can not wait to see what is next to come!

After The Smoke tells the story of Wendy Farmer as she recounts the devastating 2014 Hazelwood mine fire, leading to the formation of Voices of the Valley, who were instrumental in the Latrobe Valley's fight for change.

05/10/2022

Too often when coal mines close, operators want to slap on a band-aid and call it a day.

But the massive, toxic pits left behind need proper rehabilitation – to keep the communities that have powered Victoria, and the rivers, lakes, plants and animals we love, safe from ongoing harm.

The Victorian government has just released some important regulations that will play an important role in making sure coal mine operators clean up properly.

After countless submissions made by Latrobe Valley community members and people across the state in solidarity, the Declared Mine Regulations now contain much stronger measures for community consultation, transparency, and accountability. 🎉

These stronger regulations mean that coal mine operators must:
- Allow 60 days for community consultation on rehab plans (up from 28 days!)
- Make their full rehab plans available to the public, not just a summary
- Operators must hand submissions over to the Government, who must consider the public’s opinion in approving plans
- Meet stronger requirements around reporting on risks and the content of rehabilitation plans

We think these regulations are an important victory. It’s a win that was only possible because people across the state made submissions and called on the Victorian Government to listen – and step up.

But there’s a long road ahead to ensure Victoria’s closing coal mines are rehabilitated properly, and communities aren’t left with the toxic leftovers.

Want to stay in the loop and find out what’s next for our work on coal mine rehab? Sign up for updates 👉 https://envirojustice.org.au/the-hazelwood-mine-rehabilitation-environmental-effects-statement/

24/07/2022

22/07/2022

Update - tickets have sold out.

We're working hard behind the scenes to launch the Gippsland New Energy Conference 2022 👏

The Gippsland New Energy Conference is a Council initiative and we've partnered with the Gippsland Climate Change Network, Gippsland Community Power Hub and other key organisations to develop a working group and make it a reality 👇

📍 It's all happening on 11 and 12 August 2022 at The Wedge, 100 Foster Street, Sale.

Join us in Sale for a gathering of leaders who are driving Gippsland's energy transformation. This two-day conference will bring together industry, government, business and training organisations to share the models, technology and trends shaping energy transformation and the opportunities for local communities, business, education and tourism.

The GNEC 2022 will showcase the $33 billion of renewable energy projects planned across Gippsland 👌

🌐 tickets are available now and the program proves it's an event not to be missed! Jump onto www.gnec.com.au to find out more.

Program sneak peek 👇

💡 Transmission and connection
💡 Transforming Gippsland into a new energy superpower
💡 Re-designing the energy market
💡 Preparing the workforce for the new energy transition
💡 Unlocking energy potential
💡 Solar energy, electric vehicles and storage
💡 Gippsland's geothermal and bioenergy future
💡 Sustainable development
💡 Ensuring communities are part of the new energy journey

AGL Australia Gippsland Community Leadership Program DELWP Gippsland Federation University Australia H2X Global Latrobe City Council Latrobe Valley Authority AusNet Services Solar Victoria South Gippsland Shire Council Star of the South Project The Middle of Everywhere EnergyAustralia TAFE Gippsland Gippsland Times The Bridge -Local News The Bridge-Local News Heyfield News

22/06/2022

Local artists Josie Sleepy and Stephanie Sabrinskas are documenting the Latrobe Valley's brown coal mine rehabilitation story for the world to watch and learn from. They are supporting a new post mining economy by investing in local artist to help tell our story. In might I add a totally badass way. If you have a couple of dollars to help them on the ground level it would be a great investment in Valley talent.

https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/life-after-coal/?fbclid=IwAR1kbTnVrLKmiaw4-B2SzTwMX2mMf6MG-oUMX0lTXbVWOdK1HQgLtmi5ukM

Life After Coal is set against the backdrop of Morwell, a Victorian mining town perched on the edge of the world’s largest open-cut brown coal mine, and two power stations one set to close by 2028. The economic landscape of an area once responsible for producing 85% of Victoria’s electricity is ...