I noticed well over 200 houses are for sale just in traralgon,...

I noticed well over 200 houses are for sale just in traralgon, seems quite a lot for a town.

is there something going on there?

There are 140 houses for sale under your $280k mark and there area lot of old houses under $150k.

Just some general observations thats all.

found this article too...


Make sure you allow for the doubling of water rates in your rental price.

cheers...







Residents' last chance
Nicole Jackson



GIPPSLAND Water customers have met with the Essential Services Commission in a last ditch effort to stop water tariffs doubling over the next five years.

A handful of community members attended a public forum in Traralgon this week to discuss the ESC's views on Gippsland Water's five year water plan, following a review.

The forum heard ratepayers' concerns about the impact doubling water rates would have on the public.

Residents also questioned some of the capital works projects listed in the water plan and asked whether it would be possible for ratepayers' costs to be reduced by more government funding.

ESC chairman Greg Wilson said issues raised by the public were valid and would be considered before a final decision about water tariffs was made in mid-June.

"Sometimes at these forums there is a lot of ranting and raving and emotion, but the points were quite well made," he said.

"There were strong views expressed that the government could provide more funding and that's not a decision we can make.

"Certainly where people express those views and concerns, we make sure the government is aware about how the community is reacting to these price increases.

"But ultimately it is something for the government to consider."

Mr Wilson denied it was too late for any changes to be made to the plan and said all comments made by the public would be taken into consideration.

"We've done a pretty exhaustive job and looked at every single project and every single cost but we'll still pursue those issues between now and a final decision in June," he said.

"We've scrutinised all the capital works proposals, expenditure items and so on and registered our draft conclusions.

"People say we need to go further and find ways to actually minimise those costs which is what we will endeavour to do."

He said people were concerned about the future of water supply, water quality and sewerage schemes.

"Unfortunately all these things mean more investment and more costs which transfers to higher prices," Mr Wilson said.

Gippsland Water managing director David Mawer said the ESC's review of its water plan had come to the same conclusions as the water authority had, which would result in water prices doubling.

"It's not about being popular or trying to win people's favour," Mr Mawer said.

"At the end of the day we are charged with having a responsibility to say this is what we'll have to do to bring us to a point that is reflective (of current environmental conditions).

"We're having to deal with a fundamental view of how water is viewed and how we can deal with supply... we've got to accommodate a much bigger variation because we don't know where climate change is going.

"We've got to try and build a system now that is robust and that will be more robust than what it had to be in the past."

Mr Mawer said the majority of the price increase came from a "significant" capital works budget and it was not possible to take any projects out to try and reduce the costs for consumers.