Lyn has proved to be a very honest and capable deliverer of our mail.

Come hail or shine she has always worked above and beyond the call of duty.

Our mail regularly arrives early in the morning.

Parcels are delivered safely in a secure place.

She has a smile for everyone and chats to us all.

READ MORE: Cardigan Village residents band together to save beloved postie

Cardigan Village is expanding and covers a large area of approximately 500 people.

In the heat of summer, the freezing cold of winter with regular frosts and fog and strong winds in October, the roads are unsafe.

Most of the pathways are unsealed and we have dirt roads.

An Australia Post motorbike is not an ideal vehicle to use. Lyn has a sensible station wagon.

We are 20 minutes from the nearest post office where parcels may be kept for us.

Delivering the mail will not be quicker- just more laborious.

We know Lyn tendered to continue her delivery run out here. We would like her to continue. Please reconsider and re employ Lyn!

Robin and Christine Crawford, Cardigan.

Last week after I boarded the train to Ballan from Maryborough I realised that I had left my favourite hat on the platform seat at Maryborough Station.

I reported this to the conductor and within minutes I was told the hat had been found and would be delivered to my local station Ballan.

As promised, it was there for me within a day.

Many thanks to Paul the Ballarat conductor and the other Vline staff for their help.

John Kowarsky, Ballan

I read with interest there is a shake up of 79 councils which will enable ratepayers to boot non performing councillors out.

It's about time the state government introduced this measure to lift standards. People are sick and tired of paying increases in their rates only to see their money wasted on overseas junkets.

Geoff Rundell, Ballarat

People should be very concerned by the plan to force local councils to have single member wards.

Despite the Minister's rhetoric, this directly threatens effective representative democracy.

It will greatly exacerbate the move towards local councils being run by political parties.

Ballarat City now has 3 wards with 3 councillors each.

Every resident has direct access to 3 councillors who represent their particular area. Currently each ward has 2 councillors of different political alliances as well as an independent.

In closely following Council meetings over recent years I have rarely observed any indication of political allegiances at play in decision making.

This compares most favourably to reports of other councils and to the Ballarat Council of some years ago.

Single member wards/electorates are a 'winner takes all' system. If your preferred candidate isn't elected it is likely that your views may not be represented effectively.

Stuart Kelly, Ballarat.

When the new bus terminal is completed at the end of the year, why can't all bus routes start and finish at the station? We could have a regular, continuous CBD city circle route with specially marked buses.

This would also connect with country buses and trains enabling visitors to travel with ease.

Doing this would benefit the Ballarat community and visitors.

It would substantially relieve congestion with less buses in our CBD, reduce pollution, create more parking spaces and bring more people into the City therefore benefitting retail and hospitality.

PSOs could patrol the station terminal making our CBD safer.

Graham Pearce, Ballarat.

The State government said no new taxes prior to the election.

Now there is confusion over the new gold levy.

There is a huge difference between a tax and a levy.

A new tax is an unpopular impost.

A levy is much nicer sounding and makes us feel more comfortable.

Unfortunately the exact same amount is taken from us to be tossed into Spring Street. Where would Australia be today if in 1851 the gold industry had been taxed out of oblivion. We would be broke.

Colin Holmes, Ballarat.

The president and committee of the 161 Reconnaissance Flight Association (Victoria Branch) wishes to acknowledge the support and guidance given by the City of Ballarat towards their proposed 54th Reunion planned for October 2019.

Without this community support the cost for many Veterans attending, from all corners of Australia, would be prohibitive.

The Veteran Community recognises Ballarat as one of the most 'Veteran Friendly Cities' within Australia.

We humbly thank you for your support on this occasion.

Tom Jobling (President), 161 Recce Flt Assn (Vic Branch), Mount Pleasant.

I present the following thoughts in response to last week's article on Dairy Australia's Cows Create Careers program in the interest of balance.

It is a wonderful initiative to promote a greater connection between children and animals.

The problem with this article is that it neglects the fact that hundreds of thousands of newborn male calves are considered waste products, born to die in their first weeks of life by blunt force trauma to the head.

It also fails to mention the pain and anguish the mothers and their calves experience through forced separation and the physical toll of repeated forced insemination and pregnancy until cows are no longer profitable and sent to their slaughter.

Our inhumanity toward another species experiencing such cruelty from birth is glaring in its lack of compassion, kindness and equality.

Bryn Hills, Alfredton.