Ocean Grove Voice - 25th August 2023

Our state champs

Feedback guides dog law

By Matt Hewson

The City of Greater Geelong has completed its community engagement on dog control orders on City managed land and will codify its Dog Control Order after incorporating the public’s feedback.

After receiving 1382 responses from over 1000 contributors, most of the affected areas on the Bellarine have seen restrictions on dog activity ease or remain the same.

BarwonHeadsCommunityParkEquestrian already allowed dogs off-leash when horses were not present, a situation that will now be codified as a Tier 2 Equestrian area.

Lake Lorne Reserve Equestrian Centre and Portarlington Pony Club Reserve, which currently disallow dogs at all times, will join Barwon Heads Community Park as Tier 2 Equestrian areas.

The council’s draft order proposed prohibiting dogs altogether at Ocean Grove’s Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve, but community feedback has seen that amended to allow dogs there on-leash all year round.

Indented Head Woodland Nature Reserve currently has no formal order in place, but will now disallow any dog activity.

Yellow Gum Nature Reserve, which also has no order in place, was proposed to prohibit

dogs, but the decision has been deferred due to works currently underway at the site.

Portarlington’s Ramblers Road Foreshore will see minor changes to its beach area, with dogs now required to be on-leash between 10am and 5pm from April through August.

Geelong councillor Eddy Kontelj said the changes, a direct result of the community’s engagement on the issue, would be “pleasing” to dog owners.

“There are parks in this review where previously dogs were prohibited, and now areas of those parks, (such as) Lake Lorne Reserve, Portarlington Pony Club Reserve, where… dogs are allowed off the leash,” Cr

Kontelj said.

“It’s one of those things that we need to continually be aware of. I know personally from being a dog owner… I’m very mindful of where our dogs can be off-lead or on-lead, but it’s not always simple.

“So I do ask the community to try to familiarise themselves, and if they’re not sure, to contact the council and seek further advice or have a look at the recommendations on our website.”

“Just personally, from all the people that I see walking our paths… most owners are very responsible. So hopefully this goes some way to allowing those activities to occur.”

Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School is the toast of the Bellarine and the state. The Ocean Grove primary school footy team won the School Sport Victoria Australian Football State Finals out of 480 teams across Victoria. The team went on a remarkable 17-game winning streak to win the title against Beaumaris. The team, led by skipper Ollie Warren, stayed humble throughout the tournament according to coach Sam Scott. ■ For the full story, see page 8

10-year plan for caravan parks

Barwon Coast’s Caravan and Camping Parks

Draft Master Plan is hoped to set the direction for improvements and infrastructure priorities over the next 10 years.

Barwon Coast manages Breamlea and Barwon Heads Caravan Parks, Riverview Family Caravan Park and Riverside Campground in Ocean Grove.

The 10-year Master Plan will enhance the character of each park and protect cultural and environmental values, Barwon Coast said.

The caravan parks play a role in providing opportunitiesforpeopletoconnecttoandenjoy the Bellarine’s coastline. They also generate revenue to care for the natural environment and provide facilities and infrastructure to support local and visitor use.

“Wearepleasedtoinvitethecommunityand campers to look at the Draft Master Plan and have their say,” Barwon Coast chief executive Gary McPike said.

“Input from these groups is a vital part of the process. The draft Master Plan has been developed to protect and enhance the cultural and environmental values of Barwon Coast caravan parks and campground while making sure they stay special places to visit into the future.

“We will be organising information sessions to gather feedback from campers, the local community and foreshore users.

“This feedback and input will be considered in finalising the master plan. The final Master Plan is expected to be released, along with a Community Consultation Report, in late 2023.”

With pressures like population growth, ageing infrastructure, sea level rise and demandforcampingopportunities,theMaster Plan is hoped to guide the long term mix of accommodation types and sites available to ensure a range of accessible camping and visitor experiences.

Thecommunityconsultationperiodwillrun until Monday October 2.

More information: barwoncoast.com.au/ projects/masterplan

Accreditation milestone

Bellarine Community Health (BCH) has achieved full accreditation under new National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards.

Accreditation is independent recognition that an organisation meets the requirements of defined criteria or standards, and BCH has beenoneofthefirstorganisationstobeaudited under these standards which were released in May this year.

BCH programs and services assessed includedprimaryhealthandsub-acuteservices, child health and development services, mental health and youth health and wellbeing services and dental health services.

“The accreditation audit covered almost all of BCH services and we’re delighted with the outcome,” BCH chief executive Garry Ellis said. “This result is a huge credit to our staff.”

To meet accreditation requirements, all standards must be ‘met’. Several ‘met with recommendations’ were received and these are opportunitiesforBCHtoimproveevenfurther on services before the next accreditation audit

in three years.

“Whatisreallypleasingisthattheassessment team made special note of the exceptional culture that is evident throughout BCH,” Mr Ellis said.

“It has been wonderful to be able to tell staff that their attitudes, relationships with other team members and their clients and their willingness to provide great service to the community was recognised by the auditors.”

The accreditation report also acknowledged the partnership BCH has with the community, stating the commitment of BCH to effectively partner with their consumers was obvious, and that the organisation had a progressive approach for inclusive service provision and community platforms.

The assessment was undertaken according to the requirements of the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards and Accreditation Program and conducted by independent, certified quality assessors from the company QIP (Quality Innovation Performance).

BCH staff celebrate achieving full accreditation under new National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards. (Supplied)

Barwon Coast chief executive Gary McPike.

GP clinics face payroll pressure

By Matt Hewson

Geelong medical clinics could be hit for up to five years of unexpected payroll taxes for their independently contracted GPs without intervention from the state government.

A recent ruling in NSW, which will affect clinics across the country, deemed GPs employees of medical centres, meaning clinics needed to pay a 4.85 per cent payroll tax on doctors’ income.

GPs argue they are not employees, but independent operators who lease the space from clinics.

State revenue offices are able to apply the tax retroactively, potentially for up to five years.

TheRoyalAustralianCollegeofGPsclaimed one Victorian practice owner had received a bill for nearly $800,000, forcing them to close a clinic that serviced over 100,000 patients.

For the past two decades, general practitioners have been incentivised by federal government payments to move away from solo medicalpractices,wheretherewoulddefinitely benopayrolltax,tocentralisedmedicalclinics.

Geelong GP clinic owner Dr Bernard Shiu, who is also on the board of directors for the Australian GP Alliance (AGPA), said the ruling served to nullify that incentive.

“On the one hand the federal government is pouring millions of dollars into primary care, and (now) the state government is taking that

money back,” Dr Shiu said.

Since the ruling was issued, state governments in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have provided clinics with amnesties or guaranteed not to pursue retroactive taxes.

Dr Shiu said clinics would soon start closing in Geelong if the Victorian government didn’t intervene.

“We’re not surgeons, or neurologists; every single clinic is running a very, very thin profit margin,” he said.

“So who’s going to be affected? The patients. Bulk-billingclinicswillstartchargingpatients, those who have not been bulk-billing will increase their fees by 10 per cent. The other

Author chairs pawsome word event

An Ocean Grove children’s book author will helpinspireaspiringwriterstocreatetheirnext bookthroughherinvolvementattheupcoming Local Word Festival.

Heather Gallagher will chair the festival’s Creating Fantastic Picture Books for Kids panel discussion on Saturday, August 26, at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.

MsGallaghersaidlifeeventsofteninfluenced her writing, and she looked forward to helping writers use their experiences for story ideas.

“Lots of people approach me with ideas that they have for writing children’s books, especially to share with their grandchildren,” she said. “I thought it would be good to demystify the process for people and let them know how to write their own picture book and publish it.

“I feel like literacy is a big social justice issue and creating stories that all kids can enjoy is something that’s really important to me as well.”

Ms Gallagher’s latest 2018 picture book ScaredyCatwasbasedonapersonalexperience of walking her borador Pip, a mix of a labrador retriever and border collie, at the Ocean Grove Dog Beach.

“My dog has anxiety, and he ran away from me at the beach one day and was hiding in the dunes. When he finally came back to me, I said, ‘Pip, why do you have to be such a scaredy cat?’,” she said.

“It was just one of those lightning bolt moments where I went, ‘I’m going to write a picture book about a scaredy cat that is a dog’.

Local Word Festival’s Creating Fantastic Picture Books for Kids panel discussion also features picture book author Sue Lawson, self-published author Sally Learey and illustrator Kat Fox.

Visit www.trybooking.com/events/ landing/1084290 for more information or tickets to the panel.

Jena Carr

Funds for Marshalltown Rd

Marshalltown Road at Grovedale will benefit from a $1.2 million funding injection for upgrades.

Several black spot road projects in the Corangamite electorate will receive more than $2.3 million in Australian government funding, with Grovedale project to include the construction of wombat crossings on each approach to the existing roundabout at Marshalltown Road, reconstruction of the centre island and splitter islands, a new asphalt surface, road drainage and upgraded street lighting.

The project was submitted for funding by the City of Greater Geelong and is included in the $25.6 million of funding for Victoria roads under the Black Spot Program’s 2023–24 funding round.

“The Grovedale Primary School community are all very pleased that the Bailey Street and

MarshalltownRoadareahasbeenidentifiedfor such significant upgrades,” Grovedale Primary School principal Tina Barnett said.

“It’s a busy area and we know that this investment from the federal government will improve the safety of our children and their families for years to come.

“Along with our school council, we have been advocating for preventative measures to be installed since mid-2022 and this announcement has come as a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of protecting our local community members of all ages.”

Corangamite MP Libby Coker said “In announcing these new projects, this government recognises the importance of working with local councils, including the Surf Coast Shire and the City of Greater Geelong, to deliver this program in the state.”

option is to close down.”

Greens MP Dr Sarah Mansfield said the Premier needed to step in.

“Right now, people are already struggling to access GPs and afford basic medical care, especially in rural and regional Victoria,” Dr Mansfield said.

“The Andrews Government needs to… make sure this won’t mean more costs for patients and fewer GPs down the line. Access to affordable healthcare must remain the priority.”

A Victorian government spokesperson said there had been no change to the law or the application of payroll tax to GPs or medical centres.

Indigenous name for Spit

The Ocean Grove Spit has been officially named Bukareeyoo, which recognises Wadawurrung language returning to a specialpartoftheOceanGrovecoastline.

TheWadawurrungTraditionalOwners AboriginalCorporationgavetheareathe Wadawurrung word Bukareeyoo, which means ‘between’ and identifies how it sits between the ocean and the river.

Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation Wadawurrung Elder Aunty Mary Shuttleworth said the area was culturally significant, with generations of people gathering, connecting and feasting there.

“My Spirit lifts and my connection to Country deepens when I hear Wadawurrung Language, the mother tongue of my Ancestors spoken on Wadawurrung dja (Country),” she said.

Barwon Coast and the Wadawurrung

Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporationwillholdasunriseceremony on Saturday, August 26.

Barwon Coast chief executive Gary McPike said he was “delighted” to celebrate the official return of Wadawurrung language to Country.

“We believe the new name will help educate our communities, campers and visitors about Wadawurrung stories and their long history of caring for the coast,” he said.

“At Barwon Coast, we recognise and celebrate the marine and coastal environment of the southern Bellarine Peninsulas as the traditional lands and sea Country of the Wadawurrung people. “

Heather Gallagher, author of picture book Scaredy Cat, and her dog Pip. (Ivan Kemp) 354850_01

Remembering life in a war zone

National Vietnam Veterans Day on Friday, August 18, remembered the men and women who died during the Vietnam War. Independent journalist Jena Carr speaks with Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia’s Geelong and District Sub-Branch president Rieny Nieuwenhof about his time serving the Australian army in Vietnam.

Rieny Nieuwenhof was in his early 20s when he was drafted into the army in 1970 to fight in the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, with Australia becoming involved in 1962.

“I was nervous because at the time there were lots of stuff in the press about the war in Vietnam,” he said.

“There had been many television broadcasts aboutallegedatrocitiesinVietnam,sothatwas a worry, and people were being killed.

“At the same time as that fear, I also had a sense of service that I was going to serve my country and so I accepted that I would need to giveupthosefewyearsundernationalservice.”

Rieny said that when he arrived at Vietnam’s Tan Son Nhat airport near Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City, it was bustling with aeroplanes and was very different from Australia.

“The heat in Australia and the heat in in South Vietnam were completely different and a very high humidity as well,” he said.

“The thing that hits you first when you get off the plane onto the tarmac is the heat and the smells, which we’re not used to here in Australia so that hits you right in the face.

“The smell was damp, and there was a definite smell of faecal matter in there too.

“Onedayyou’resittinginanofficeinSydney, andthenextminuteyou’reinawarzonewithin about eight hours so it’s a bit of a shock to the system.”

Rieny was sent to Nui Dat, the main headquarters for the First Australian Task Force, to assist the 131 Divisional Locating Battery, and spent January to August 1970 in Vietnam.

“I was with the artillery, and as we got there, we had to take on duties,” he said. “It was a bit of a shock to arrive there, and then, within a day, we were sitting on top of Nui Dat Hill doing the work we were asked to do.

“It was completely outside anyone’s experience because nearly all the people in

my battery were national servicemen, except for the officers and some higher ranked non-commissioned officers.”

RienysaidVietnamVeteran’sDayonAugust 18 was a “significant commemoration” for everyone who served in the war and for the Geelong region.

“Vietnam Veteran’s Day is very significant because it’s an opportunity to remember the 523 young Australians who were killed,” he said.

“There were many young men who came

One-woman show to hit the shed

A hybrid scripted/improvised one-woman show is headed to the Potato Shed.

Australian-born Canadian Rachelle Lachland Goulter, whose background in live improvised comedy, lends itself to this interactive performance, titled Every Brilliant Thing.

Directed by Nicholas Brooke, Every Brilliant Thing follows one woman’s pursuit in creating a comprehensive list of everything wonderful about life for her depressed mother.

The acclaimed interactive comedy about family, love, loss, and hope charts the story of this list from the woman’s childhood through adulthood and is built upon through the highs and lows of her life.

However, the woman is never alone in this endeavour as the story becomes a communal experience with audience members playing a very active role in crafting the story in heart-warming and, at times, hilarious ways.

The show is a product of Geelong Contemporary Theatre, a relatively new group on the live performance scene whose mission is to create striking and relevant theatre with an ethos of sharing stories for today.

“While the show explores the depths of mentalhealthchallenges,itdoessorespectfully and in an, at times, comedic way,” Ms Goulter said. “Performed in the round, there’s a lot of audience involvement, and while the play is scripted it does rely on a lot of interaction.

“This is a great time to have a performance that asks, ‘what things are worth living for?’, so hopefully people will come out and continue to show their support for live art.”

Performing at the Potato Shed, Drysdale, Every Brilliant Thing is on September 15 and 16 at 7.30pm and September 23 at 1pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets: tickets.geelongaustralia.com.au/ event/every-brilliant-thing-2023

WHEN ONLY THE BEST WEDDING WILL DO!

from Geelong and the Geelong district who served in the war in Vietnam.

“Geelong is one of the few places where we have an Avenue of Honour dedicated to the Vietnam War which is the space between North Geelong’s Swinburne Street and Princess Highway.”

The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia’s Geelong and District Sub-Branch will march from Swinburne Street on Friday from 10.30am to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial followed by a service at 11am.

Rieny Nieuwenhof is the president of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia’s Geelong and District Sub-Branch. (Ivan Kemp) 339531_07

‘‘ One day you’re sitting in an office ... the next minute you’re in a war zone ’’

- Rieny Nieuwenhof

Rachelle Lachland Goulter will perform the one-woman show Every Brilliant Thing at Drysdale’s Potato Shed. (Supplied)

Drysdale rezoning on exhibition

By Matt Hewson

Geelong council has given the nod for a planning amendment and permit to develop a section of land in Drysdale to be exhibited to the community for feedback.

Amendment C447ggee aims to rezone land in the roughly triangular area between Huntingon Street, Princess Street and the Drysdale Bypass containing 12 properties as General Residential Zone 1 with a Design and Development Overlay.

Nine of the properties are currently Rural LivingZone,twoareTransportZone1andone is Farming Zone.

The planning permit application would see

eight of the Rural Living Zone and the two Transport Zone 1 properties subdivided into just under 200 residential lots.

A local park would be established bordering the Bellarine Rail Trail, which bisects the area, to provide an active transport link and public space for recreational activities.

Councillor Melissa Cadwell said the amendmentandpermitapplicationhad“broad policy support” from the area’s settlement strategy and town structure plan.

“It’s been described as a logical rezoning, as it will facilitate urban growth on the south-eastern edge of Drysdale,” Cr Cadwell said.

“It’s located approximately 1.2 kilometres

south of the Drysdale town centre, positioned quite close to existing sport, community and educational facilities.

“Any interested community members can sign up to alerts at the City of Greater Geelong website, www.geelongaustralia.com. au/amendments in order to be notified when the amendment C447ggee and the planning permit will go up for exhibition.”

Cr Bruce Harwood supported the motion, saying the community should take the opportunity to have their say.

“I think, importantly, this particular opportunity will take a little bit of the pressure off that area, which has had extensive sprawl in recent years,” he said.

“Whileit’sasmallareabycomparison,itstill is a step in the right direction about trying to contain sprawl of residential areas in that part of the Bellarine.”

Geelong mayor and Bellarine Ward councillorTrentSullivansaidsuchtherezoning would support the work that had already gone into protecting town boundaries in the area.

“Part of the trade-off of protecting the green breaksandtownboundariesiswe(willneedto) trend from out-fill to in-fill (within) our town boundaries,” Cr Sullivan said.

“Reserves alongside the Rail Trail will keep that regional country township feel that comes along with living in a beautiful area such as this.”

Help arrives from afar to bolster health services

Geelong’s healthcare system continues to receive a boost from the state government’s Pandemic Repair Plan, which has helped hospitalsrecruitworkersfromacrosstheglobe.

Barwon Health officially welcomed another batch of overseas recruits to its ranks earlier this month, bringing the total number of international workers recruited in the past year to 91, with 22 more in the pipeline.

Coming from Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, UK and USA, the recruits have bolstered Barwon Health’s staffing capacity.

New Singapore recruit Nydalenn Reyes, now a registered nurse at Barwon Health, said the hospital had been amazingly helpful through the process and she loved working in her new environment.

“I’ve been here since COVID-19, doing travel

nursing for the Department of Health, moving all across Australia,” she said. “I’ve been at different hospitals, where it’s very chaotic and some people are not really very happy, even though they’re trying their best.

“Buthere,evenifwe’rebusywe’restillsmiling and laughing while we work. I love working with my team, and my nurse unit manager is just great. Everyone’s very supportive.”

Barwon Health talent acquisition partner

for international recruitment Michelle Jolly supports the hospital’s new recruits once they get to the contract stage of the process, sorting out visas, finding accommodation and support for spouses and family members. She said the international recruits had been critical from a basic staffing standpoint, but had also brought many other positives to Barwon Health.

“Obviously during COVID-19 there was an increase in need for nurses, allied health workers, doctors, right across the board,” Ms Jolly said. But having people from different countries withdifferentideas,we’reseeingsuchapositive vibe from the new international staff members, an absolutely positive impact.”

Matt Hewson

Nature springs forward

By Cr Jim Mason

Spring is an exciting season of revival and reawakening,bothforusandourenvironment.

To celebrate and showcase the wild wonders in our backyard – and encourage people to get out and enjoy the outdoors – council helps deliver the Geelong Nature Festival.

The six-week festival, which is supported by a wide range of community groups, begins mid-September.

It features more than 80 events, including nature-based activities, workshops, guest speakers, presentations and displays.

Some of the early local highlights on the program include:

• Guided Ocean Grove Nature Reserve park walk – September 16 and 23

• Habitats of the Bellarine Art Exhbition at the Artisans of Australia Gallery in Drysdale –from 22 September to 17 October

• Explore the nature of the Bluff and discover itshistoryofshipwrecks,volcanoes,birdsand plants – September 25

• Children’sactivitiesattheFrankEllisReserve playground in Barwon Heads - 27 September

• Explore the Barwon Heads estuary by canoe

– 29 September

Emphasising the diversity we have on our doorstep, the festival will also spend a focused week in each of the six different landscapes we enjoy across Wadawurrung Country.

The Bellarine coastal region will be in the spotlight from October 7-13.

Central Geelong (urban), Armstrong Creek (wetlands),Highton/WaurnPonds(waterways), North Geelong (plains) and Anakie (hills) will also be part of the rolling journey.

The festival is a fantastic way for people to learn more about the natural world we enjoy in our region.

Fostering a connection to our local environment, and better understanding the importance of its biodiversity, is crucial in preserving Geelong’s natural heritage and assets.

Gardening Australia presenter Hannah Moloney will launch the festival at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre on September 15 withagardeningdemonstrationattheGeelong Botanic Gardens the following day.

Best known for her work in permaculture and commitment to climate activism, Hannah will be sharing fun ways of turning your

backyard into a haven for wildlife.

Geelong Nature Festival is organised and supported by the City of Greater Geelong, the Geelong Field Naturalists Club, the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, and many dedicated volunteer groups.

For more information and to see the festival program visit geelongaustralia.com.au/ naturefestival

Cr Jim Mason. (Supplied)

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30km/h trial cancelled

By Jena Carr

The Borough of Queenscliffe has listened to concerns raised by its community and shelved plans to become the first 30km/h municipality.

During its August 23 meeting, the borough announced that the reduced speed limit trial across Queenscliff would not go ahead following a community consultation period.

Close to 79 per cent of people objected to the Draft Active Transport Strategy’s (ATS) proposal, and a petition opposing the trial was created, which attracted 2,179 signatures.

Chief executive Martin Gill said the council had done its best to listen to all the views and concerns raised by the Queenscliff community.

“The revised ATS does not include any strategies that would see the implementation of a 30km/h speed limit across the municipality,” he said.

“The proposal to trial a 30km speed limit in parts of the borough has also been removed in response to community feedback.”

The ATS still references the 30km/h speed limit on pages 59 and 60, which outline that the reduced speed limit would only be implemented where pedestrian safety is at risk.

“Neither of these references indicate that council intends to or is committed to the implementation of a 30km speed limit across the municipality,” Mr Gill said.

“The ATS does acknowledge however in one

statement that there are circumstances where ensuring the safety of pedestrians may require the reduction of speed limits.”

Mr Gill said that the petition received by the council during the consultation process identifiedthataspeedlimitreductionproposed in the ATS to 30km/h was “not asked for or needed”.

The draft ATS featuring the proposed speed changewasinitiallyendorsedbythecouncilon February 22 and placed on public exhibition for 28 days in April.

Borough councillors decided to defer the decision on whether to adopt the updated ATS plan during its August meeting, with the outcome to be determined at a future meeting.

First Nations artists’ work goes on show

Geelong’s Old Courthouse Building will become a site of celebration this weekend asPlatformArtslaunchesasitewideFirst Nations art show.

Two exhibitions, Keepers of the Flame and YOOKAPA - it burns for us, will enact a creative “venue takeover” of the building from the special opening celebration on Saturday, August 26 till Friday, September 22.

Keepers of the Flame is the first major presentation of works by Wurri-Ki Art founders Norm Jurrawaa Stanley and Nikki McKenzie, First Nations individuals, partners and collaborators whose work centres on community and connection.

YOOKAPA is a First Nations-led program created and facilitated by local artist and curator Tarryn Love and supported by Platform Arts, and YOOKAPA - it burns for us presents the work of 11 artists engaged in that program.

While Keepers of the Flame will be showing in the building’s spacious ground-floor Gallery One, YOOKAPAit burns for us will use upstairs space to hangworksaswellaspermeatingtherest of the building with murals and decals.

Ms Love said she was “really excited” to launch the First Nations “Blakout of the space”.

“A big part of it is also how we’ve been abletocomeintothisoldcourthouseand make it our own,” she said.

“This place has context and history, and for a lot of us mob, specific context and history to our families.

“Having those stories there but bringingnewonesinandreclaimingthis space as our own with Blak excellence, it’s pretty powerful.

School kicks away from competition

Our Lady Star of the Sea has the best primary school footy team in the state.

After coming runners-up in the School Sport Victoria Australian Football State Finals last year, the boys went one better to breeze through the competition, culminating in a 51 to 14 grand final thumping of Beaumaris at Port Melbourne.

The Ocean Grove primary school made it through to the state finals and finished unbeaten on top of Pool B, which contained schools from Mildura, Maffra and Burwood.

The final against Beaumaris, which went undefeated in Pool A, was a one-sided affair.

Coach and teacher Sam Scott said the boys had to win 17 straight games to be crowned

state champs. There were 480 teams in the State Championships.

“It’s a pretty tough comp, the Geelong comp was probably the hardest,” he said.

“They just kept winning.”

Mr Scott said the thing that impressed him most was the humble way the boys carried themselves through the entire tournament.

“We’re tremendously proud, the whole school is,” he said.

“The best thing about the boys was that they were so humble, they rotated themselves off to give other teams a chance. They always congratulated their opposition.

“Sometimes Year 5 and 6 kids, they can get a bitaheadofthemselvessometimes,butnotthis

group. They are a remarkable group of boys.”

Many of the boys play together at Ocean Grove Cobras, which helped them gel as a team.

“It was like they were playing club footy like they’d been training together for years and years,” Mr Scott said.

Our Lady Star of the Sea celebrated the win with a school assembly with all of the boys called up to the stage with their medals.

Captain Ollie Warren, who won the best on ground medal in the grand final, gave a speech at the end of the game and congratulated Beaumaris on a terrific tournament.

Justin Flynn

“That’s what it means for us. We talk about what fuels our flame and how you carry your own fire.”

Ms Love said it was an honour to share the space with Nikki McKenzie and Norm Jurrawaa Stanley.

“Nikki and Norm do so much in community, so Keepers of the Flame is about how they carry and hold their knowledge and how they pass it on,” she said.

“(That’s) really powerful and I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than Nikki and Norm to have that space downstairs to celebrate.”

The opening celebration is open to the general public at Platform Arts at 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, August 26.

Matt Hewson

Sam Scott (coach) and Emily Bissell-Barahona (team manager) with the successful team. Absent: Stephen Cruickshank (parent/coach). (Ivan Kemp) 354655_03

Railway upgrades done

Upgrades to the Bellarine Railway have been completed after $3.4 million was invested into the project by the state government.

Bellarine MP Alison Marchant on Monday officially announced the completion of works along the 16.5km line between Queenscliff and Drysdale.

Established more than 140 years ago, the railway has a strong history operating as an important defence line ferrying military traffic from South Geelong to Fort Queenscliff and

Swan Island. The heritage train passes through vibrant scenery and was reborn as a tourist attraction in 1979 run by the Geelong Steam Preservation Society.

“The society and its volunteers do an incredible job running this railway, and it’s fantastic to give them the support they need so this rail experience can continue to attract visitors to the region,” Ms Marchant said.

The railway also hosts the popular Q Train –offering an award-winning dining experience

and the Blues Train featuring live music and dining.

The replacement of sleepers and rails along thelinehaveboostedridequalityandsafetyfor passengers to enjoy the iconic line well into the future.

“The Geelong Steam Preservation Society welcomes the upgrades to the railway that will ensure the viability of the operation for future generations,” Geelong Steam Preservation Society president Steve Dalton said.

Yarning Circle for Voice knowledge

The City of Greater Geelong will hold a series of Voice to Parliament forums in the lead up to the referendum.

Elders, First Nation leaders, MPs and Allies will join Aunty Pat Anderson AO for ‘The Heart II – A Shared Journey’ hosted by the City and Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative. Aunty Pat will be joined by Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative Elders and board members, Aunty Wendy Brabham, and Uncle Glen Shea, along with young leaders Jordyn Flagg and Naomi Edwards, as voices across multiple generations form a Yarning Circle at the City’s civic precinct Wurriki Nyal.

A Yarning Circle is an informal conversation that involves the telling of stories as a way of passing on cultural knowledge.

Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said the Geelong community was privileged to have the opportunity to hear from such a renowned identity.

“Aunty Pat is known both nationally and internationally as a powerful advocate for the health of Australia’s First Peoples,” he said.

“Given her extensive experience in Aboriginal health, including community development, policy formation and research ethics, our community is privileged to have the opportunitytobeapartofhermeeting with various generations of the local First Nations community.

“Joining with Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative in hosting these forums demonstrates the City’s commitment to walking with First Nations Peoples to build a better future.”

St Leonards skate park works begin

Work is now underway to upgrade and expand the St Leonards Skate Park thanks to sustained support from the community.

The $670,000 upgrade, funded in partnership by the City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian government’s Community Sport Infrastructure Stimulus Program, will provide a brand-new skate area that includes a mini-ramp, quarter pipes, rails and a manual pad.

The park, stage one of which saw the installation of two combined basketball/ futsal goals and two netball rings in February, will also get new shelter and seating areas, a drinking fountain and an ENE Hub smart pole as part of stage two.

Community support for the park was spearheaded by Bellarine Secondary College student Ethan Coleman, who gathered 800 signatures for a petition that was presented to the council.

Ethan said advocating for the skate park upgrade helped him see the power of collective action.

“It’s been hard work advocating for the skate park project and I’ve had the privilege of working with many community members,” he said. “To see the skate park project commence is extremely exciting, and it is something that our community has waited a long time for.”

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan commended Ethan and the community for their passion for

the project.

“Local young people have wanted this project for a long time, including Ethan who’s done amazing work to advocate on behalf (of) the community,“ he said.

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant said the state government was proud to invest in the St Leonards community.

“I congratulate the community for their continued advocacy to see St Leonards get the skate park facility they deserve,” she said.

“This new skate park will mean locals have another place to keep active and enjoy the outdoors.”

Stage two of the project is due for completion in November.

The forums are on Monday August 28 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and Tuesday August 29 from 10am to noon at Wurriki Nyal, Wadawurrung Country, 137-149 Mercer Street, Geelong.

Registrations at geelongaustralia. com.au/events/calendar/ item/8db9cca2fcf3a8d.aspx

In addition to the forums residents are invited to attend the remaining Community Kiosks on Thursday August September 14 at Belmont Library from, Wednesday September 27 at Waurn Ponds Library and Thursday September 28 at Ocean Grove Library.

All kiosk sessions run from 11am to 1pm and no registration is required.

Mayor Trent Sullivan, Ethan Coleman, Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant and Councillor Jim Mason at the site of St Leonards Skate Park. (Supplied)

Victorian radio legend turns 80

Doug Aiton was king of drive-time radio in Melbourne for a decade in the late 1980s to late 1990s. With a string of memorable interviews including Sophia Loren, Jimmy Stewart and Michael Parkinson, Doug celebrates his 80th birthday today and talks to Justin Flynn about a stellar career behind, and in front of, the microphone.

Radio came relatively late for Doug Aiton. Before his decade-long stint as drive-time presenter on what was then 3LO, Doug began his working career in newspapers.

Born in Melbourne on August 25, 1943 his family moved to Geelong in 1948 where he would later attend Geelong College.

Beginning work as a copy boy at the Melbourne Herald, days were spent, in his words as a “general messenger boy”.

It wouldn’t take long to earn a cadetship and then a journey to London for a three-year stint at The Times.

“Really enjoyed it,” Doug says. “And I ended up, fortuitously, in the Foreign Department. And there was only about four of us in there, butwewereresponsiblefortheforeigncontent of the correspondents around the world.

“So we’re in touch with them all through the day and organising them and they were organising us and we put out the Times foreign pages.”

Returning to Australia because his visa expired, Doug started reporting for The Age as a feature writer.

Eventually radio came calling some time in his late 30s, first with 3AW and then with the ABC where a glittering career propelled Doug to the pinnacle of the 4pm to 6pm weekday slot.

With exposure came fame and fame was accompanied with a public profile.

“I didn’t like being well known,” he says.

“It’s not my nature I think. I would have been terrible in television because they recognise you physically. Not many people recognise me physically in radio.”

Soon Doug’s show became compulsive listening throughout Victoria and especially Melbourne.

The show became revered for Doug’s ability to attract international stars with his easygoing interview technique.

He was never a ‘shock jock’.

“If anything, I was noted for my noncombative stuff,” he says.

Perhaps ahead of his time, Doug employed female-only producers.

“I thought it offered a balance,” he says.

“Women gave a better idea of the whole problems of the community. When there are men producers and men announcers, women don’t get a say in what goes to air.

“We’d be in the office all day planning the program, two females and one male, and then we’dgotoairhavingdecidedontheprogram.”

The difference between print and radio journalism was profound.

“People were interested in me whereas they weren’t interested in me when they just saw my byline,” he says.

“I found that quite a bit of pressure because people would react to my interviewing rather than what I was interviewing about.

“Some of the people were very nasty, too, but I grew out of that and just accepted it.”

Such was his reputation, before long, celebrities and prime ministers were queuing up to be on Doug’s show.

American actor Jimmy Stewart extended his time on the program because he enjoyed it so much.

Doug interviewed screen siren Sophia Loren in her Melbourne hotel room.

“She opened the door, went to a phone and pickeditupandsaid‘roomservice,myfriends need a drink’,” Doug says.

“She was 50, 52 or something by then and just as beautiful as ever.”

Althoughhedidn’tgettointerviewthegreat and late Michael Parkinson in person, the pre-recorded version was “one of enthusiasm”.

Sir David Attenborough was another memorable conversation, as was Barry Humphries, who responded not just as himself, but also in character as Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.

“Hedidn’tdothatoften,ifatall,”Dougsays.

“It was a very good hour of radio.”

Prime ministers Hawke, Keating and Howard all respected Doug and his show and appeared regularly.

His relaxed style meant he was not out to shock, cause controversy or drive anyway away.

“I don’t think you should chase people out of the studio like a lot of people do,” he says.

“And good on them too for doing that. But I’m not that type.”

After a decade and strong ratings, the end camerelativelyquicklyandveryunexpectedly.

“One of the executives at the ABC decided my time was up and I’d done 10 years or 12 years,” he says. “And so I went and I just picked up little jobs.”

The backlash was fierce.

Prime Minister John Howard personally phoned Doug to voice his displeasure at the decision.

“He wanted to talk to me, but he ran into Judy, my wife, first,” he says.

“He was in Sydney and I was in Melbourne and he said ‘do you mean to say they got rid of you?’

“I said ‘well sort of, yeah, it’s normal, I’ve been there 12 years’. And he said ‘well I’m going to make my feelings thought about this’, but he didn’t have any luck.

“And the editor of The Age was Bruce Guthrie and he was amazed that I was dealt with in that way so he kept up this support,” he says.

“He kept the story going for some days.”

The ABC’s loss was Geelong’s gain with

Doug taking on a weekly program at community radio station 94.7 The Pulse.

DougsaysthebestinterviewerinAustralian radio history is his good friend Derryn Hinch.

“No one goes near him,” Doug says.

“He’s very good indeed. He’s more confrontational than I am, but he’s a very nice bloke and very unconceited.”

These days Doug is happily retired in Ocean Grove with his wife Judy although the effects of a stroke has hampered his mobility.

“I have three dogs and I’m very interested in them,” he says.

“I walk them when I can and we’re right up against a park in Ocean Grove and when I have the energy I love to walk them.

“Other interests are the internet. I’m always on the computer seeing what’s happening around the world.

“Reading - Graeme Greene particularly.”

Doug has no hesitation when asked about the one story that made everything, and everyone, stop.

“It was September 11 in America,” he says.

“The producer came and said ‘someone’s flying into the World Trade Center’. It was an intervalinaprogram.ItdevelopedwhileIwas on air.”

Doug will have a low-key 80th birthday on August 25, having dinner with Judy locally before a larger family gathering in Melbourne on Saturday.

Manor Suite Wine Bar at Oakdene is a favourite.

“We often go to the Barwon Heads pub for dinner and the Ocean Grove pub,” Doug says. Anyone wanting to send a birthday card or well wishes to Doug can do so at PO Box 185 Queenscliff, Victoria, 3225.

Legendary radio announcer Doug Aiton is celebrating his 80th birthday. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 354856

‘‘ I didn’t like being well known. It’s not my nature I think. I would have been terrible in television ... Not many people recognise me physically in radio ’’

- Doug Aiton

Arts centre tells creative story

The Geelong Arts Centre is officially open, featuring traditional stories of the surrounding land and language woven into the building’s designs and artworks.

The four-year $140 million redevelopment project on 50 Little Malop Street opened on Saturday, August 19, and has a four-week Grand Opening Festival of free and ticketed events until September 23.

Geelong Arts Centre, Arm Architecture, the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and First Nation artists co-designed the building to respect the local art history.

Geelong Arts Centre chief executive and creative director Joel McGuinness said having FirstNationsstoriesbeapartofthe“veryfabric of the building” was important.

“There are these amazing First Nations stories in the fabric of the walls, carpet, woodwork, landscaping, and the paving,” he said. “You go through each level with this cohesive narrative throughout and having that framework also wrapped around the building allowed the artists to respond in a way that was really beautiful.”

Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corrina Eccless said First Nations people had been “comingtogetherforsong,danceandstory”on the land for more than 60,000 years.

“We use the word Koling Wada-Ngal, let us walk together,” she said.

“How can we make people feel that when they’re standing here, they’re part of the stories that belong to this land and country? So, we started with that conversation.”

ARM Architecture principal architect Ian McDougall said the building design showcased the shared history of Geelong and the surrounding environment.

“Integrating Indigenous stories, particularly in Geelong with the Wadawurrung, into the

building right at its core and right through really says, ‘this is about Geelong’,” he said.

“The First Nations people presented us with imagery and discussion about the actual elements that we could articulate through the building.”

‘‘ Integrating Indigenous stories ... into the building right at its core and right through really says, ‘this is about Geelong’ ’’

- Ian McDougall

The redeveloped Geelong Arts Centre has officially opened. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 351294

Every student enrolling at St Ignatius has the opportunity to be a leader.

Inspiring young leaders

Saint Ignatius College Geelong is a co-educational secondary Catholic college, situatedonexpansivegroundsontheBellarine Peninsula educating young people in the Ignatian tradition.

Saint Ignatius College, through an engaging and invigorating curriculum, develops young people with competence, conscience, compassion and commitment who are dedicated to being young people for, and with, others.

Guided by dedicated and skilled staff, in state of the art facilities, students embrace the Ignatian value of ‘striving for the Magis’ (the more) in all aspects of their academic and cocurricular programs. An innovative Cura Personalis Program (the development of the whole self) at the Year 7 and Year 8 levels, compliments an already established and

celebrated GISSA Program, whereby students are able to select either engagement or GISSA activities on a weekly basis.

The new House system at the Senior School ensures that students develop a deep sense of connectedness and belonging to the College, essential in ensuring the wholistic wellbeing and academic development of each, and every student.

A broad curriculum and an outstanding cocurricular program ensures that every student enrolling at the College has the opportunity to be a leader of their respective pathway. St Ignatius. Inspiring me to be a leader.

For further information, contact the Registrar on (03) 5251 1136.

Students thrive on GROW

Newcomb Secondary College is exceptionally proud of its innovative GROW program. The GROW program focuses on personal and academic development of students: Getting Ready for the Outside World. This program aims to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their future endeavours and links to Newcomb’s Positive Futures Framework. The GROW program is designed to provide students with a holistic approach to their education, incorporating academic subjects alongside personal development activities. This includes workshops on Collaboration, Digital Literacy, and Design Methodology, as well as opportunities for community service, leadership development and as well as linking

to the Geelong Tertiary Futures Program. The GROW program has already seen significant success at Newcomb Secondary College, with students reporting higher levels of engagement and motivation in their learning. The program has also been praised for its ability to develop well-rounded individuals who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in all aspects of life. Students get out and about in our community to learn about the world they will haveapositiveimpactonasyoungadults,they learn about their employability skills and strengths, develop their financial and digital literacy and pathways to success throughout and beyond their final years at Newcomb Secondary.

Positive Futures

Newcomb Secondary College is proud of its innovative GROW program.

Left: Bellarine Secondary College school production

‘We Will Rock You’.

Above: Students look forward to the Year 12 alpine camp.

Right: Bellarine Secondary College’s welbeing dog Samson is a great friend.

College offers engaging learning program

Bellarine Secondary College is the local school on the Bellarine Peninsula and enjoys a long history of serving the community.

Celebrated for its diverse and engaging learning program, the college provides students with learning that is embedded in the Victorian curriculum, with the essential learning in years 7 to 10 building a foundation for success in the later years.

The Ocean Grove campus provides the perfect transition into secondary school with students sharing the campus with similar aged students before transitioning to the larger Drysdale campus for years 9 to 12.

Thecollege’slearningprogramisdiverseand provides for individual pathways as students progress into the later years and pathways in the VCE and the new VCE-Vocational Major.

The college’s VCE results in 2022 were exemplary with the College Dux achieving at ATAR of 98.6 and 10 per cent of students achieving an ATAR in 90s, 20 per cent achieved an ATAR greater than 80, 45 per cent of students achieved an ATAR of greater than 70 and the Median ATAR in 2022 was 66.05.

“Highlights of the college’s learning program include studies in VET Music, outdoor education, the performing and visual

arts, agriculture and horticulture, equine studies and a diversity of theme-based studies in science, humanities, health and physical education and technology,” principal Wayne Johannsen said.

“The study of Indonesian is a core subject until the end of year 9 and English and mathematics and student literacy and numeracy a college priority.”

The college enjoys modern facilities and award-winning grounds.

ThejuniorcampusenjoysuseoftheBellarine Sports and Aquatic Centre, excellent oval, modern and well-maintained classrooms.

The senior campus is expansive and includes a three court gymnasium, use of the Potato ShedPerformingArtsCentreandpartnerships with Farm My School and Landcare adding to the engaging classroom curriculum.

The Yani-Iny-ngitj centre provides state of art learning classrooms that foster independent and collaborative learning while the partnership with Farm My School is unique to the college and the first of its kind in Australia.

The college’s well being program supports students to be ready to learn, healthy and well adjusted.

MY BELLARINE

What is your connection to Geelong?

I have lived and worked within the Geelong region for more than 30 years, where my family calls home.

What do you like about where you live?

As I live in Ocean Grove, I love that I’m just 30 minutes from Geelong. Everything is on our doorstep with a short walk to the beach or the nature reserve, a short train ride to Melbourne and just a 40-minute drive to the airport.

I also love the diversity of our cafes, restaurants and the many stunning locations within an hour’s drive from home.

What, if anything, would you change about where you live?

I would selfishly add Brisbane as a destination we could fly to from Avalon Airport.

Our airport is such a bonus for our region, and I have no doubt that our travel options will grow domestically and internationally.

Where is your favourite place to spend time?

I love to spend time walking on the beach with my dog Charlie, and we have some beautiful beaches in our region.

You will find me most of the time at Ocean Grove Beach, followed by a coffee at The Grove (Coffee Company).

What is something people may not know about you?

I have a new title that has changed my life. I am

now a grandma, although I’ve opted for “GG”, and Freddie will be five months old at the end of August.

My daughter Libby and her husband Ben live in Brisbane, so come on Avalon!

What do you like about your role with the Geelong Community Foundation?

I am honoured to support our amazing community through my work at the Geelong Community Foundation.

I have so much respect and admiration for those who work within the many community organisations we are fortunate to have supporting people living in our region.

Fundraising is challenging, but we have a generous community of individuals, families andbusinessespassionateabouthelpingothers.

I am lucky to be working with the Geelong Community Foundation team through building an asset that will be given forever to help our community.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I encourage anyone reading this piece who may not know our community sector to take a look.

Many of the organisations doing incredible work supporting others in our town were started in our town by selfless people with a vision and passion for improving the lives of others.

Take the time to research, be proud of our community sector, and donate if you have the capacity.

Gail Rodgers is a proud “GG” to grandchild Freddie and the Geelong Community Foundation chief executive. She talks with Indy journalist Jena Carr about what she loves about living and working in the Geelong and Ocean Grove regions.

Geelong Community Foundation chief executive Gail Rodgers. (Ivan Kemp) 354672_05

Window watching from sick bed

Unfortunately, I haven’t been out and about over the last few weeks as I’ve been confined to barracks due to illness.

I’ve been watching the red-rumped parrots, New Holland honeyeaters, common mynas, spotted doves, common starlings, common blackbirds and house sparrows inthegarden.Luckilythere’safewnative birds in that mix.

I went for a walk one day and was swooped mercilessly by a masked lapwing near the corner of Heathwood Way Coastal Boulevard and Blue Mallee Drive.Obviously,thisbirdwasprotecting a nest or maybe a hatchling that I didn’t see, but I just wanted to warn residents that this bird was quite aggressive and if you were not used to them swooping like this it could be quite scary.

These birds have pointed spurs on the wings that they use as a threat, but they are just ornaments, as they don’t crash into anything and use the spurs as spears, or they would severely injure themselves.

Unlike Australian magpies that can actually hurt when they swoop (they have a strong and sharp beak, which they are happy to use as a weapon),maskedlapwingsjustusescaretactics when protecting their young.

They nest in urban areas so they face many obstacles when rearing their offspring such as cars, dogs, cats and people, so they are quite frantic in their protective efforts.

The tawny frogmouth pair that I’ve been watchingforyearsinOceanGrovehadmevery worried over winter. On my regular visits to say hello they were either nowhere to be seen, or a few times only the smaller female bird was seen.

I was very worried that the magnificent male bird had been killed or had abandoned his mate. My friend Susie B who also checks on the pair was also concerned.

Then by some miracle I looked up in a high gum tree one morning last week and two tawnies were huddling together in the winter sun and it was such a relief to spot them both. Hopefully it won’t be long until they are nesting.

I received an email from Joseph, who was spending his free time at Portarlington, and noticed what he assumed to be crested terns swimming by in the shallows and managed to

Barwon Coast Update

SUBANTARCTIC FUR SEAL MAKES FULL RECOVERY AND RETURNS HOME

Our rangers were happy to help the Zoos Victoria Marine Response Unit rerelease this male Subantarctic Fur Seal last month (pictured below).

He was spotted and safely captured on 13th Beach, entangled in a fishing net and with significant injuries. He was then transported to the Melbourne Zoo for veterinary care. He made a full recovery, and was released on 13th Beach a couple of weeks later.

If you see a marine animal in distress, call the Melbourne Zoo Marine Response Unit on 1300 245 678.

JOIN US TO CELEBRATE BUKAREEYOO

Join Barwon Coast and the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation to celebrate the return of Wadawurrung language to a very special area of Wadawurrung Country.

7.30am, Saturday 26 August

At the tip of Bukareeyoo (Ocean Grove Spit)

Representatives from Wadawurrung will perform a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, followed by a didgeridoo performance.

Access the event from the 20W car park on Barwon Heads-Ocean Grove Rd and follow the signs.

For more information about this event, visit barwoncoast.com.au/projects/bukareeyoo

capture them.

Joseph named the fantastic photo ‘Terns Synchronised Swimming’. Joseph explained that he is not a bird photographer and that he just happened to be there at the right time.

Joseph then sent me a few photos of rainbow lorikeets in his neighbour’s backyard. I’m afraid I have to disagree with Joseph. I think he is a ’bird’ photographer and his images were lovely.

HAVE YOUR SAY: CARAVAN AND CAMPING PARKS DRAFT MASTER PLAN

We are pleased to be able to share the draft Barwon Coast Caravan and Camping Parks Master Plan with the community and invite you to provide your feedback through our online survey or by making a submission.

• Read the draft Master Plan (available on our website)

• Share your thoughts via our online survey

• Attend a community drop-in session:

Barwon Heads

9-11am Saturday 2 September

Barwon Heads Arts & Community Hub

5 Clifford Parade, Barwon Heads

Ocean Grove

1-3pm Saturday 2 September

Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club

Training Room

28 Surf Beach Rd, Ocean Grove

You can read the draft Master Plan, get the link to the survey and find out more about the Caravan and Camping Parks Master Plan, on the dedicated project web page: barwoncoast.com.au/projects/masterplan

The Subantartic Fur Seal makes his way back into the wild.

Photo credit: Nikole Ramsay

Joseph’s lorikeets in a neighbour’s backyard and, inset, crested terns in Portarlington. (Pictures: Supplied)

MATILDAS

TheMatildashaveinspired

anation.

Nowit'suptoustohonourtheir legacyoffthepitch.

That'swhytheAlbaneseGovernment ismakingarecordinvestmentin women'ssport.

TILDAS

$200millionPlayOurWay

Our programwill improvesportingfacilitiesandequipmentspecifically forwomenandgirlsacrossthecountry.

We'llalsomakesurethatmoreiconicwomen'ssportingeventsare increasinglyavailableforallAustralianstowatchonfreetoairTV.

Support is strong for local traders in Ocean Grove

Left: Anna Teague with her mother Marie and son Otis. Above, left to right: Tegan Williams and daughter Minnie; Richard and Bernie Tinning; Les and Helen Taylor from Melbourne.

Left to right: Sarah Byars from Batesford; Peter and Dorothy Heard; Lyn Salter, Nola Jenkins and Kerry Hilton; Kaitlin Wapshott with children Arlo and Bella. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 354656

Bird Machine flies in for charity

By Matt Hewson

Alt-rock/pop duo Bird Machine return to Geelong once more to perform as part of Barwon Health Foundation’s Catwalk4Cancer.

Husband and wife Luke and Jenna Grbin will perform on Saturday, September 2 at the Geelong Arts Centre for the annual fashion show, which will raise funds to support the Andrew Love Cancer Centre.

Luke, who originally hails from Geelong, and Jenna currently reside in her native New Zealand but will cross the Tasman to play during design house Bird Skin’s show, which is the finale for the event.

Luke said he always looked forward to coming back to Geelong, especially if he got to perform while here.

“It’s my home, and playing to people from (Geelong) who haven’t seen us perform as Bird Machine, it’s really nice to share that,” he said.

“It’s always a blast when we go back. We try to catch up with as many people as we can in a short amount of time.”

Blending diverse influences such as Jeff Buckley, Florence and the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins and singer/songwriter Brooke Fraser, Bird Machine feature clever pop melodies over sometimes rocky, sometimes dreamy riffs, all recorded and produced in their Hamilton, New Zealand home studio.

Bird Machine has just launched their latest single, Hellos and Frowns, last month and will release their second EP in October this year.

GRTC is set to stage a Canadian theatre classic

The Geelong Repertory Theatre Company (GRTC) will present landmark Canadian play

The Drawer Boy at the Woodbin Theatre this September.

Directed by amateur theatre veteran John Bishop and starring Glenn Baker, Glen Barton and Ryan O’Connor, GRTC’s production of The Drawer Boy includes 10 performances between Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 23.

The Drawer Boy, set in the early 1970s, chronicles the experiences of a young Toronto actorwhosignsupforastintofworkexperience at an Ontario farm in search of authentic material for a new play.

Miles’ hosts, farm co-owners Morgan and Angus, live with the indelible marks of their experience in London during the Blitz in World War II.

Morgan’s regular retelling of their shared story helps to calm Angus, who acquired a brain injury during the Blitz and has lost his memory.

As he continues to dig for fodder for his play, the curious but earnest Miles discovers the truth of Morgan and Angus’ story may be something quite different than what Morgan recounts.

Director John Bishop said he was excited to bring The Drawer Boy to Geelong.

“I saw it done over a decade ago, and I just thought what a beautiful play,” Bishop said.

“I was really taken with the subject matter, not just the fact that it was set on a farm, but introducing this young city boy who is very naive,veryidealistic,intothedynamicbetween the two farmers who were quite happily going along (but) living a lie, in actual fact.

“We learn a lot about truth versus lies, and the results they can have on people. It’s quite illuminating, actually.”

Visit geelongrep.com for tickets and information.

Glenn Baker as Angus, Glen Barton as Morgan and Ryan O’Connor as Miles in The Drawer Boy. (Supplied)

Matt Hewson

Bird Machine’s Luke and Jenna Grbin. (Supplied)

Look no ’father’ than Claribeaux to spoil your dad

Treating the father figure in your life to a sumptuous dining experience on Father’s Day is assured at award winning Bellarine restaurant, Claribeaux.

TheFrenchfusionbistroisofferingarangeof epicurean options on the day – a lavish buffet breakfast feast, a fabulous buffet luncheon and a la carte dining for the evening meal.

For brunch lovers, Claribeaux is taking breakfast to the next level with a very special buffet feast.

Featuring all the breakfast favourites and more – the cold offerings include fresh fruit platters, house made granola, tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad with sherry vinaigrette, smoked salmon as well as a lineup of mouth-watering pastries, cakes and slices.

The hot buffet features scrambled or fried eggs, Barwon Valley smokehouse bacon, pork sausages, thyme roasted mushroom and tomato, hash brown, baked beans, harissa and corn fritters, leek and goats cheese quiche tart.

You can also indulge in crepes, berry compote or perhaps brioche french toast with fresh berries.

Aselectionofjuicesaswellasabaristacoffee, Tea Drop loose leaf tea or hot chocolate upon arrival.

Buffet Breakfast 7am-10.30am

Adults $49

Curlewis members $44

Children 3-12 years $24.50

If you’re after a hearty lunch time feed, look no ‘father’. Lunch includes a pot of beer, cider or shiraz for every dad.

FATHER’S DAY BUFFET LUNCH MENU

The feast commences with a selection of shared entrees

• Charcuterie of pork terrine, duck rillette, liver pate, crudites, melba toasts

• Gravlax of salmon creme fraiche blinis

• Goats cheese filled tempura zucchini flowers, zucchini and mint salad

It will then be time to head to the carvery buffet loaded up with the following culinary delights on offer:

• Pork belly rolled and roasted with crispy skin

• Beef Wellington

• Ratatouille Napoleon tian

• Broccolini and beans with pistachio

• Miso marinated roast pumpkin

• Baked cauliflower gratin

• Roast new potatoes

• Baked mash potatoes

• Roasted baby carrots

• Garden salad

• French baguette

DESSERT BUFFET

• Chocolate pudding with chocolate sauce and double cream

• Apple and rhubarb crumble with double cream and creme anglaise

• Selection of cakes and petit fours

BUFFET LUNCH

Noon-3.30pm

Adults $90

Curlewis members $85

Children 3-12 years dine from the Claribeaux kids menu

If an evening experience suits best, Claribeaux will be serving up its signature, award winning a la carte menu from 5pm. Head to claribeaux.com.au and lock in your dad’s day dining of choice.

FLYING BRICK CIDER CO

Funky, Fabulous, Fun.

• Landmark Bellarine venue

• Innovative space

• Delicious food

• 100% naturally crafted ciders

• Luxurious grounds & vineyard

• OPEN 7 Days 11am-5pm

1251 Bellarine Hwy, Wallington 03 5250 6577 flyingbrickciderco.com.au

12606701-KG21-23

JACK RABBIT VINEYARD

• Iconic Bellarine winery

• Unrivalled panoramic views

• Contemporary a la carte

• Sophisticated wines

• Lunch / Wine Tastings

• OPEN 7 Days 85 McAdams Lane, Bellarine 03 5251 2223 jackrabbitvineyard.com.au

12606706-RR21-23

RANGE @CURLEWIS

Finesse your form or just for fun.

• Lunch / Dinner / Snacks

• Burger, Beverage & Balls packages

• Barista coffe, beer, wine & cocktails

• OPEN 7 days 1201 Portarlington Rd, Curlewis Ph 5251 1111 curlewisgolf.com.au

LEURA PARK ESTATE

Artisan wines without compromise

• Sensational setting

• Stunning pizzas, platters & fresh local fare

• Live Music Sundays

• Wine Tastings

• Open Thurs - Sunday 11am - 5pm 1400 Portarlington Rd, Curlewis 03 5253 3180 leuraparkestate.com.au

Head to Claribeaux this Father’s Day.

Timeless classic that’s perfect for spring

In the realm of salads, few have achieved the iconic status of the Caesar salad. With its perfect balance of flavours and textures, this timeless dish has become a staple in menus around the world. From its intriguing origin story to the delectable combination of ingredients, the Caesar salad has secured its place as a versatile, beloved, and undeniably satisfying culinary creation. With the warmer weather at our doorstep, the Caesar salad is a great way to enjoy a light, but fulfilling meal.

A creation shrouded in history – The Caesar salad’s origin can be traced back to the 1920s, where it was first crafted by Caesar Cardini, an Italian-American restaurateur, in Tijuana, Mexico.ThestorygoesthatCardini,facedwith limited ingredients, improvised a salad using romaine lettuce, garlic, croutons, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce. The resulting creation was an instant hit, and its popularity continues to this day.

The ingredients: a symphony of flavours –Romaine Lettuce: The crisp and sturdy leaves of romaine lettuce serve as the salad’s base, providing a satisfying crunch that pairs well with the creamy dressing.

Croutons: Homemade or store-bought, croutons add a delightful contrast to the greens. They provide a satisfying texture and absorb the flavours of the dressing.

Parmesan Cheese: Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese contributes a rich, nutty, and salty element to the salad, enhancing its overall taste profile.

Caesar Dressing: The dressing is the star of the show, marrying together bold and complementary flavours. Traditional Caesar dressing is made with ingredients like egg yolks, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and anchovy paste, resulting in a

creamy, tangy, and slightly briny blend.

Anchovies: While not always visible, anchovy paste or fillets often find their way into the Caesar dressing, adding depth and umami notes that elevate the entire salad.

Crafting the perfect Caesar salad – Creating a Caesar salad that lives up to its reputation requires attention to detail and respect for its classic components. Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting your own Caesar salad: Prepare the dressing: Whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, anchovy paste, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to create a creamy emulsion.

Assemble the greens: Tear or chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.

Add the cheese: Sprinkle grated or shaved Parmesan cheese over the lettuce. Reserve some for garnish.

Toss in croutons: Add the croutons to the bowl.

Pour the dressing: Drizzle the Caesar dressing over the salad. Start with a small amount and add more as desired, ensuring the greens are coated evenly.

Gently toss: Using tongs, gently toss the salad to ensure every leaf is coated with the dressing.

Garnish: Finish with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and perhaps a few extra croutons for added texture.

TheCaesarsaladismorethanjustadish;it’s a culinary journey that captures the essence of simplicity and sophistication. Its humble beginnings and remarkable evolution are a testament to the power of creativity in the kitchen. With each bite, you experience the satisfying crunch of romaine, the savoury tang of dressing, and the comforting contrast of croutons. As you savour the classic Caesar salad, remember that every forkful pays homage to the ingenuity of its creator and the enduring appeal of a perfectly balanced culinary masterpiece.

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BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES 03 5251 4431

190 SCOTCHMANS ROAD, DRYSDALE scotchmans.com.au

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The Caesar salad can be a light, but satisfying meal. (Shutterstock)

Finals kick off with keen crowds

Donna Ahern, Reagan Ahearn, Keeley Taylor and Lisa Bianca Deckker, Jennie Deckker, Prue Davies and Jess

Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was at Portarlington Recreation Reserve on Saturday August 19 for the first round of the Bellarine Football Netball League finals.

SUDOKU

No. 6259 51763 41

1

QUICK CROSSWORD

5

9

59 16295 4598

easy 2 75 31 86 2

DECODER WORDFIT

46 3 43 936 75

24 678 14 25 8

hard

27 9432 7 8

medium 3 1849 836 6214 7

8 1 4293 91

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

LETTERS ACT ADO ASH ASK ATE BAT CAW CHI COL COO EKE ERA ICY LET NEW OVA PRO RAN ROE SHE SKI TAB TIE

4 LETTERS

Today’s Aim:

8 words: Good

snug, SUFFICING, suing, sung, using

cuffs, fisc, fusing, gins, guns, nisi, scuff, scuffing, sign, sing, sniff, snuff,

No. 147

I G I R G S M G F B E I E S E S R E G O S I M A G E F A B L E T I L E D S L E D S S

2 Director Duncan Jones is the son of which musician?

3 Which actress stars as Alice Chambers in the 2022 film Don'tWorryDarling?

4 On which bay is Cape Town situated?

5 What element has the symbol Au and the atomic number 79?

6 In which film did George Clooney (pictured) play the character Ulysses Everett McGill?

7 What song contains the line 'How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?'?

8 Who wrote the poem Donotgogentleinto thatgoodnight?

9 Iona is a small island off the western coast of which country?

10 Who played the lead role opposite Cary Grant in the 1963 film Charade?

No. 147

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

WANT YOUR

Book club

Leopold CAE book club meets second Tuesday each month from 6.30pm. Very friendly group. New members welcome.

■ Shirley, 0488 055 969

Chess clubs

For chess fun simply come along and see yourself, play some chess, meet some members, with no obligation to join. We welcome players of all abilities. Ocean Grove, Tuesdays at 1.30pm at 101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove; Portarlington, Mondays at 9.30am, Parks Hall, 87 Newcombe Street, Portarlington; and St Leonards, Thursdays at 9.30am, unit 2 1375-1377 Murradoc Road, (on Blanche Street), St Leonards.

■ Ralph 0431-458 100 (Ocean Grove), Rob 5259 2290 (Portarlington), Lyn 5292 2162 (St Leonards)

Carpet bowls

Leopold Hall 805-809 Bellarine Highway, Leopold on Wednesday and Friday from 1pm to 3.15pm. Admission: $4 includes afternoon tea.

■ 0400 500 402

Ocean Grove Senior Citizens 101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove

Weekly

•฀฀Tuesday:฀indoor฀bowls,฀snooker฀and฀ chess 1pm

•฀฀Wednesday:฀beginner฀art฀painting฀class฀ at 9.30am, bingo 1.30pm and chord club jam session for musicians 4pm

•฀฀Thursday:฀social฀afternoons,฀cards฀500฀ and snooker 1pm

•฀฀Friday:฀sketching฀art฀class฀9.30am,฀ indoor bowls 1pm Fortnightly

•฀CWA฀1st฀and฀3rd฀Thursday฀7.30pm Monthly

•฀Book฀group฀1st฀Friday฀1pm

•฀Inhouse฀movies฀3rd฀Wednesday฀1.30pm

•฀฀Ocean฀Grove฀Stamp฀Club฀4th฀Wednesday฀ 10am

■ 5255 2996

TOWN club

The Springs TOWN Club (Take Off Weight Naturally) meets Mondays, 9-10.30am at the Community Hub, 23 Eversley Street, Drysdale. Weigh-in, group therapy and regular relaxation sessions. Cost: $5 per session, $54 annual fee.

■ Bev O’Meara, 0421 636 830

Afternoon tea dance

Life฀Activities฀Club฀[Geelong฀Inc]฀hosts฀an฀ afternoon tea dance on Thursdays, 2-4pm, at Belmont Park Pavilion. Entry: $5.

■ 5251 3529

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Ballroom dance

Leopold Hall, 805-809 Bellarine Higway, Saturday August 26, 7.30-11.30pm.

Admission $10 includes supper.

Music: 4-Piece Band.

■ 0400 500 402

Scottish country dancing classes

GOG Scottish Country Dance classes

7.30pm Tuesdays at Leopold Hill Hall, $5. No partner needed, just comfy casual clothing and flat shoes.

■ Jane, 0481 126 022, or Barbara, 0419 511 781

Probus Club of Ocean Grove Men’s Meets at 10am on the first Monday of each month, except January, at the Surf Life Saving Club on Surf Beach Road.

■ Barry, 0409 161 129

Ocean Grove Voice looks back through the pages of our predecessors

Ocean Grove Day VIEW

Meets second Wednesday of the month, 10.30am for 11am.

■ oceangroveday.viewclub@gmail.com

Drysdale Day VIEW

Supporting The Smith Family for fun and friendship while supporting disadvantaged Students. Meetings at Portarlington Golf Club for lunch on the fourth Friday of each month.

■ Margaret, 0431 636 090

Ocean Grove Evening VIEW

Meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm. Email oceangroveevening.viewclub@gmail.com for details.

■ 0428 546 796

Ocean Grove on Barwon Probus Meets 9.45am for 10am every third Wednesday at Ocean Grove Golf Club.

■ gwen.anne.james@gmail.com

Drysdale Ladies Probus Club Meets at 10.30am on the fourth Monday of each month at the Clifton Springs Golf Club.

■ Lorraine, 0412 805 858

CWA Drysdale

Meets Drysdale RSL, Princess Street, Drysdale on the second Tuesday of the month. Meetings start at 1pm followed by afternoon tea. Friendly group looking to recruit new members.

■ Jenni, 0452 258 333

Portarlington Senior Citizens Bus trip to Fyansford Paper Mill then Bunjil’s Lookout in Maude for a BBQ lunch. Thursday September 21, 9am start back about 4pm.

■ Shirley, 0438 720 076

7 years ago

August 31 to September 13, 2016

An Ocean Grove woman was left with facial injuries after being attacked at Main Beach on Thursday morning. Sharon Kewley, 45, was walking her dog with her partner when she said a man assaulted her.

5 years ago

August 29 to September 12, 2018

A father and son who died in a house fire in Ocean Grove on Monday morning are being remembered as kind souls who were an active part of the community. Paul Solo, 90, and son David, 57, died when their Powell St West two-storey weatherboard house was gutted by a horrific fire around 4am on Monday.

3 years ago

August 26 to September 10, 2020

Works to improve safety at a notorious Ocean Grove intersection are about to begin. Traffic lights and other safety measures are being implemented at the Orton Street and Presidents Avenue intersection, which almost claimed the life of 18-year-old motorcyclist Tyler Peace, after a collision with a car in April 2018.

1 year ago

August 26 to September 8, 2022

Ocean Grove has appointed Dave Farrell as coach of its men’s senior football team for the next three years. Farrell will replace Pete Davey, who informed the club he would not coachthefinalyearofhiscontractduetowork and family commitments.

EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Voice Community Calendar, 1/47 Pakington Street, Geelong West, 3218, or email to newsdesk@voicegroup.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is 5pm Tuesday.

the game a quick lesson will get you in play. The core group of six players adjust to any number and you will enjoy the friendship of like-minded players. Cost: $20 annually and coffee included. At 102 The Terrace, Ocean Grove. ■ Lyn, 5256 2540

Out and about

Geelong Arts Centre’s revamp is complete and Voice photographer Ivan Kemp went along to the community opening day on Sunday August 20.

1/ Kayla White. 2/ Andrew and Jessica Block with daughters Daisy and Penny. 3/ Kristy Harmon and daughter Alice. 4/ Marian Coppins-King and Gordon King. 5/ Noah and Meg Barlow. 6/ Vicki Fletcher and daughter Amira. 7/ Leigh and Delta Smith with children Amaya, Elliot and Catherine. 8/ Jane Lou, Vivian Zhang and Halsey Pan. 9/ Natalie, Dan and Lily Lilford with Louis and Otto. 10/ Elidh Ross and Alexis Infeld. 11/ Elizabeth and Andrew Hirst with Natasha Kruger. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 351294

1300 666 808 BusinessDIRECTORY

1300 666 808

Drive away from the mainstream

By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring

Renault Arkana is a stylish mid-sized SUV that arrived here in 2021 effectively replacing the short-lived Kadjar in Renault’s three-model SUV range. It sits between the compact Captur and the family-sized Koleos.

It’s slightly larger than Kadjar in all exterior dimensions but with almost identical engine outputs.

Renault Arkana comes in three variants: Zen, Intens and R.S. Line. There’s a single drivetrain combining a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive.

Styling

Arkana joins an increasing trend in the evolutions of SUVs with a smoother sloping rear profile that emphasises styling rather than all-road performance. With this in mind Renault is marketing Arkana as an SUV Coupe.

Combining the two different components can be challenging but the Renault designers have managed to do it and have put together a very attractive vehicle. One feature is a high (200 mm) ground clearance which lifts the Arkana without making it look too gawky.

Arkana R.S. Line adds comes with a specific front bumper design with an F1-inspired aero blade, 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, , R.S. Line badging, gun metal grey door trims, and front and rear skid plates.

LED lighting is used extensively including the headlights; daytime running lights; tail lights and turn indicators.

A small powered sunroof is optional on the Intens and standard on the R.S Line.

There are seven colour options, only Blue is standard the others are cost options.

Interior

Our test vehicle was the Arkana Intens with the optional sunroof which, together with the coupe-like lines, meant that entry proved a bit awkward. The driver’s seat has power adjustment but with a limited height range which, even at its lowest level, meant that my head grazed against the roof.

The R.S. Line has carbon-look interior trim, alloy sport pedals, a perforated leather steeringwheelwithR.S.Linebadging,redand grey contrast stitching, and R.S. badging.

It has a fully digital 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a frameless auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and a sunroof.

Rear space is excellent with surprisingly good headroom given the sloping roof and, courtesy of the 2720 mm wheelbase, plenty of kneeroom.

There’s leather and suede upholstery in the Intens and R.S. Line as well as electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated seats for both driver and front passenger.

ThecentrepieceoftheinterioroftheIntensis its9.3-inchportraitshapedtouchscreenwhich not only displays the normal infotainment features but also, through its multi-sense system, controls the pre-set Eco and Sport drive modes to adjust the powertrain and steering.

There’s also a MySense feature which allows the driver to customise these settings to suit their own individual preferences.

Directly below the touchscreen are a series of small buttons including quick access to the multi-sense system, front seat heating / cooling and door locking.

Sensibly, the air conditioning is controlled by three large knobs that are easy to reach and simple to operate. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the audio volume controls which require either a series of taps on small tabs at the bottom of the touchscreen or on small buttons on a steering column stalk behind the steering wheel.

There’s a good-sized space at the centre of the front console for storing smartphones

and, in the R.S., includes a wireless charging pad.TherearetwoadjacentUSBportsdirectly above it as well as AUX and 12-volt power sockets.

A small storage box sits below a slide-out armrest in the centre console.

The boot features a split-level floor that can take up to 485 litres at its lower level. With the 60/40 rear seatbacks folded that can be expanded to 1268 litres. A space-saver spare wheel sits beneath the lower floor setting.

Engine / transmission

Arkana has a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol with outputs of 115 kW at 5500 rpm, and 262 Nm at 2250rpm. It drives the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Safety Renault Arkana comes with a five-star ANCAP safety rating with a high level of features in all variants including six airbags; electronic stability control; adaptive cruise control with speed limiter; blind spot warning; autonomous emergency braking including pedestrian and cyclist detection; lane departure warning and lane keep assist; traffic sign recognition; front, rear and side parking sensors; rear view camera; automatic headlights and windscreen wipers; ISOFIX child seat anchorage points; and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Intens and R.S.Line add rear cross traffic alert and speed limit alert.

Renault’s Easy Park Assist is standard in all models and uses a combination of sensors and rear-mounted camera for hands-free parking.

Arkana Zen: $37,500

Arkana Intens: $41,000

Arkana R.S.: $45,000 SPECIFICATIONS

Renault Arkana Intens 1.3-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatchback

Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Renault dealer for drive-away prices.

Infotainment

ArkanausestheRenaultEasyLinkmultimedia system through a 7.0-inch landscape touchscreen in the Zen and a 9.3-inch portrait touchscreen in the Intens and R.S.Line.

Likewise, the higher-spec variants get a 7.0-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster with the option of a full-digital 10.25-inch screen while the Zen has a 4.2-inch display.

Satellite navigation isn’t offered in the Zen but is standard in the Intens and R.S.Line.

All variants get a six-speaker Arkamys AuditoriumSoundsystem,AppleCarPlayand Android Auto connectivity.

Driving Arkana uses the Renault credit card style key and includes ‘walk-away’ automatic door locking.

Although the rear window is large, its shape together with the broad C pillars do limit side and rear visibility quite significantly.

Arkana is quite sluggish off the mark with

little low-down torque and a jerky dual-clutch transmission. Switching to Sport mode makes a big difference and, apart from motorway cruising, we spent most of our time with it switched on. There is a bit of torque steer to catch the unwary.

Steeringissharpandresponsivewiththere’s only minimal body roll through corners although it is more SUV than coupe in that regard.

Ride provides a nice balance between firmness and comfort.

The extra ground clearance infers off-road capability, however that’s offset by the absence of an all-wheel drive option.

Fuel consumption is listed at 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres, we averaged a fairly good 7.2 L/100 km.

Summing up

Renault Arkana is a classy looking, well-equipped and competent vehicle that’s suretoappealtoloversofFrenchmarquesand anyone else looking for something away from the mainstream.

In terms of pricing, Arkana can be assessed as either a budget-priced Euro premium SUV-CoupecompetitoralaAudiQ3Sportback and BMW X2 or as a fairly expensive offering inthecongestedandhighly-competitivesmall SUV segment. The buying public will make that decision.

Renault Arkana comes with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, five years of capped price services with an impressive 30,000km service interval and five years roadsideassistancewhentheservicesaredone by an official Renault dealer.

Renault Arkana is a classy looking SUV Coupe crossover. (Pictures: Supplied)

Finals time for local footy

Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was at Portarlington for the Drysdale vs Barwon Heads senior footy clash and Mount Moriac Reserve for the Women’s Division 1 preliminary final between Barwon Heads and Grovedale.

Above

It was a tight contest between Drysdale and Barwon Heads.

Above: Harrison King races into the forward line. Far left: Cooper Ward takes control of the ball for Barwon Heads. Left: Jake Hargreaves surveys his options. Right: Kyle Polley takes a strong mark for the Seagulls.

(Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 355585

Above: Ruby Bowers sends Grovedale into attack. Right: The Tigers advanced to the decider. Far right: Grovedale was in front all day (top); Grovedale got though to the Division 1 grand final with a 41-point win against Barwon Heads. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 354484

left:

Left: Oliver Wiltshire takes a screamer. Above: Ben Fennell handpasses to Mitchell Clark.

Winning start for young Grubbers

Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was at Portarlington Recreation Reserve on Saturday August 20 for Ocean Grove’s qualifying final games against Torquay in 17 & Under Division 2 and Drysdale in 15 & Under Division 1. The Grubbers won both games.

Laura Ahearn takes possession.

Left: Ella Brown beats Adele Mills to the ball (top); Alice Sampson in action. Centre: Grace Chapman and Bree Sampson battle for possession. Right: Abhi Sanjeev gets busy. (PIctures: ivan Kemp) 353666

Top: Grace Sadler has the ball. Above left: Scarlett Sadler patrols the wing. Above centre: Alice Molloy looks for a passing option. Above right: Amelia Stanic wins this contest against Cassidy Milburn. Right: Molly McLean wins this contest against Isla Manton. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 353665

Clover Marsh races to collect this pass.

Semi-final time for local tennis

LOCAL TENNIS

Donna

Schoenmaekers

It was semi-final week for Tennis Geelong’s Senior Competition and while the favourites had the upper hand in the majority of first-semis, it wasn’t a good week to finish third, with seven of the 10 bowing out in their elimination matches.

The three Men’s sections saw the minor premiers go straight through to the grand final with Newcomb winning 4-0, while Ocean Grove Blue and Geelong East Uniting scored 4-2 wins.

ThebattlesofthreevsfoursawBannockburn Green have a day out only dropping seven games to Clifton Springs in Section 1, Highton downed Surfcoast Bellbrae 5-1 in Section 2 and Hamlyn Park backed up their round nine win over Drydale getting up four sets to two in Section 3.

It was closer in the Mixed sections with Section 1 and 2 minor premiers Moolap Black and Grovedale winning through 4-2, while Moolap Yellow avenged their round 14 loss to Clifton Springs getting up 5-1, and Eastern Districts reversed their loss in round 11, winning 4-2 against Drysdale.

The elimination finals were tight with Grovedale ahead by three games against Highton Blue in Section 1, Newcomb by five games to Ocean Grove and two games to Western Heights Uniting in Sections 2 and 3, all matches at three sets all.

In Section 4, parents Mel and Chris Smith won the battle of Wandana with their Blue team prevailing over son Tom’s White team four sets to two.

In the Open Sections, Surfcoast Torquay were handed their first loss of season by Wandana Heights White, going down three rubbers to one in Section 1, while Moolap continued their winning run against Clifton Springs.

Moolap had three teams making up the four finalists in Section 2 along with Hamlyn Park, and both finals were tied at two rubbers apiece. Moolap Yellow beat Moolap Black for the second time in the first final by only two

games, while Hamlyn Park followed up their round 12 win over Moolap Gold by two sets and five games.

In Section 3, All Saints remained undefeated with their third win over Lara 4-0 earning direct entry to the grand final, while Surfcoast Torquay had a harder time against Highton White, taking the first two rubbers before White fought back to take the remaining two, but not well enough to overcome the home team, with Torquay finishing ahead five sets to three and by eight games.

While most Girls and Green Ball sections were playing their final matches of the home and away season of Tennis Geelong’s Junior pennant, the Boys were in semi-final week and competition across all grades was fierce. Section 4 was the only Girls section in finals

and saw Drysdale continue their unbeaten run witha5-1winoverOceanGrovetoprogressto the grand final, while Highton won a nailbiter against Western Heights Uniting by three games with the teams tied on sets.

In the Boys, Section 1 saw Wandana Heights have their third win against ladder leaders Geelong Lawn 5-1 to earn the week off, while Grovedalewonthetwodoublestogoahead4-2 over Ocean Grove Blue to keep their chances alive.

Barwon Heads progressed to the grand final in both Sections 2 and 4 with wins over Clifton Springs White and Lara four sets to two, while Wandana Heights came through in the elimination finals of the same grades four sets to two over Grovedale and Surfcoast Jan Juc.

Grovedale had a bad day in Section 3 with

their Yellow team going down to Geelong Lawn 4-2, but will have a second chance at making the decider when they face All Saints who defeated Grovedale Black.

Section 5 had the closest matches of the day with both matches decided on games when the sets were tied at three-all. Geelong Lawn WhiteandGreenfacedoffinthefirst-semiand the teams were neck and neck through all the sets, with Green prevailing.

Highton won through to the prelim with a win over Western Heights Uniting by one game. Highton started well winning the first two singles, but the Heights countered winning the third and fourth before the teams split the doubles.

Section 9 also had Geelong Lawn White and Green pitted against each other with another match tied on sets. The teams were dead level going into the doubles, and with White taking the first 6-5 and Green the second 6-4, Green got across the line by just one game. White will have a second chance next week and will play All Saints who took a 5-1 win against Hamlyn Park.

Hamlyn Park fared better in the elimination final in Section 7 where they held on over Drysdale. The Park were ahead 3-1 after the singles, and while Drysdale rallied to win both doubles, they couldn’t make up the game difference. Hamlyn Park will face Grovedale Yellow who went down to Club rivals Grovedale Black 4-2 in the first-semi. Wandana Heights had their fourth win of the morning in Section 6 with a 4-2 win over Ocean Grove, their third for the season, to put them into the prelim next week. They will face Highton White who went down to Geelong Lawn, who also won four matches for the day.

Geelong Lawn had another close one in Section 8 against Bannockburn, when they finished the morning tied at three sets all. The teams were separated by one game going into the doubles, but with a 6-2 win and 6-5 loss, Bannockburn got over the line.

Leopold/Moolap had an easier time in the elimination final with their win over Western Heights Uniting and will relish their chance against Lawn this week.

Grovers delighted to take out indoor bowls title

Ocean Grove 3 saved its best until last to take out the Bellarine Indoor Bias Bowls Division 1 pennant.

The grand finals and presentation night were held at Leopold Bowling Club with the decider being played in Divisions 1, 2 and 3.

Cheyne Verrier, Mark McMahon, Casper John and Matt Flapper (Ocean Grove 3) took centre stage in the Division 1 final against St Leonards 2.

Two weeks earlier the St Leonards foursome of Sharon Hollis, Brendan Ward, Tam Munster and Bill Maloney won the head-to-head battle againstOG3inthefinalroundofthehomeand away season before a grand final rematch was

added to the fixture.

The Grovers took the title 21-11 to claim honours as the Division 1 champions of 2023.

In Division 2, Clifton Springs 1, consisting of GraemeFisher,PaulWebb,JudyBarrasandIan Robinson,showedageisnobarrierinthisgame toconstantlywithstandthepressurefromtheir more youthful opponents led by Ocean Grove’s Tyson Cromie.

The battle was neck and neck throughout as the Ocean Grove 5 team of Chris Lapham, Charlie Saunders and Darren Cottier threw everythingtheycould,butRobinson’sfoursome to good in the end winning the division two premiership 17-13.

The tightest tussle of the evening came in Division 3 when Leopold 3 battled it out with Ocean Grove 6.

The strong Leopold side had dominated all season and in the early stages of the contest it looked as if they would continue that form.

Ian Donald (OG6) along with Brian Grieve, BarryHairandPeterEberlegaveittheiralland matchedtheiropponentbowlforbowluntilthe final delivery. Lucas

Cameron,RileyCameron,JaneMcMenaman and skipper Mark Johnson (Leopold 3) held on to claim the premiership 16-15 in what capped off a terrific celebration of the BIBBA season.

BIBBA events that were played throughout the season resulted in the following:

Men’s Champion of Champions: Mark Johnson (Leopold)

Ladies Champion of Champions: Judy Barras (Clifton Springs)

BIBBA open pairs champions: Jane McMenaman and Nicole Shortis

Left: Section 2 Highton – Grant Elmes, Mark Charles, Allison Blake, Adam Thomas.

Right: Surfcoast’s Jesse Mazur (top), and Lochie Hindle. (Pictures: Supplied)

Division 3 champions: Mark Johnson, Jane McMenaman, Lucas Cameron, Riley Cameron.

Division 2 champions: Graeme Fisher, Judy Barras, Paul Webb and Ian Robinson.

Division 1 champions: Matt Flapper, Cheyne Verrier, Casper John and Mark McMahon.

Grubbers end season on a high

By Justin Flynn

Ocean Grove ended its 2023 season with a 24-point win against Queenscliff, taking its win-loss ratio to 5-13.

It was the only time the Grubbers defeated a side above them on the ladder and the club now goes into the offseason with a lot of work to do to be a finals contender in 2024.

The 13.11(89) to 9.11(65) victory on Saturday August 12 at Queenscliff was a reward for the hard work the side has put in. Ruckman Ed Dayman was superb again while Cameron Fowler, Grady Slocombe, Tom Chalkley, Max Sutton and captain Joe McDonald rounded out the best players.

“We had a number of games that we walked away really proud from, but to play out the season to the last few minutes and walk away with a win against a side in some pretty good form themselves was something we can surely build on as we shift our focus quickly to 2024,” first-year coach Dave Farrell said.

“Our pressure on and around the ball was really good again - they’re so quick, if you give them room to be and we saw that a number

of times on the weekend when they went forward.

“Our defenders stood up as they have all year and made it really difficult for them to get any space or easy shots forward.”

Ocean Grove’s form during the past two months improved dramatically from the first half of the season.

A string of narrow losses against good sides had the team playing confidently right to the end.

“In one word I would sum the season up as ‘busy’,” Farrell said.

“With a new coaching group and playing group coming together and wanting to make somebigchanges,weaskedalotofeveryone.It takes time to develop strong relationships and build a new game style while still maintaining a high level of engagement around the club beyond just our senior men’s program.

“Our players have balanced things super well and expect they will continue to as our netballers and junior footballers go deep into finals.”

Farrell said he expected the playing group to stay together and get better during the

offseason.

“We are really aware there is still plenty of ground to make up on the competition and fully expect them to be on the improve again so we need to make sure everything we do is well considered and we are as efficient as we can be,” he said.

“Thelistcouldn’tbeinbettershapeinregards to gaining early commitment from this year’s group backed by some really talented Under 18s graduating that we’re looking forward to seeing get to work in November.

“We’ll implore our guys to maintain their conditioning over the break so we can build from the level they’re at now and the same with our game method we have a great base to build on there too.”

Despite the optimism, Farrell said there were areas that his side needed to improve upon.

“Definitely our efficiency, both in maintaining the ball to create chains of possession then how we go forward to best give ourselves a chance of converting that into more goals,” he said.

“It took some time to get a handle on the competition and even our own list. Where the opportunities lay and to get a sense of where we were at and how good we could be. The coaching and playing group are well aligned and won’t waste any time in 2024.”

MEANWHILE onballer Max Sutton claimed his first Damian Clark Medal as the senior side’s best and fairest winner in a count held after the final game.

The former Under 19s premiership captain won from ruckman Ed Dayman and captain Joe McDonald.

Ten teams through to the second week of finals

A GrAde – Ocean Grove avenged its final-round loss to Queenscliff by winning when it really mattered.

The 59 to 41 win was clinical with Bec O’Neill strong under the ring with 55 goals while Georgia Finne and Kelsey Ollis played their roles.

The Grubbers increased their lead at each change and will now meet Geelong Amateur in a blockbuster second semi-final on Saturday at 2.30pm. The winner will progress to the grand final.

Captain Emily Moroney won the 2023 Candice Parker Medal as the side’s most valuable player and will be a key player during the finals series.

B GrAde – Ocean Grove had the week off by finishing on top of the ladder and will meet Geelong Amateur in the second semi-final at 12.55pm on Saturday.

Ammos won their way through by defeating Modewarre by 18 goals.

CGrAde– OceanGrovelivedtofightanother daybybeatingTorquayintheeliminationfinal.

Afteraclosefirsthalf,OceanGrovemanaged to pull away slightly in the third term to win 32 to 26.

A Sunday first semi-final match-up against Anglesea awaits starting at 11.45am.

d GrAde – Fresh from a week off, the Grubbers will take on Geelong Amateur on Saturday at 10.40am.

The winner goes straight through to the grand final.

Ammos won their way through by defeating Torquay by three goals.

e GrAde – Barwon Heads defeated Ocean Grove 28 to 25 in the qualifying final.

In a close game throughout, the Seagulls were just slightly too good with Sandy Fry best on court.

TarynLaverty,HannahQuinn(14goals)and Kylie Collett were best for Ocean Grove. Ocean Grove gets another chance this Sunday at 2pm with a first semi-final against Modewarre.

17 & UNder dIVISION 1 – Portarlington prevailed by five goals to progress through to

the second semi-final while Ocean Grove now meets Barwon Heads on Sunday at 9.35am. Maya Hamilton was strong in attack with 20 goals while Ella McGlynn and Giselle Dawson played their roles.

17&UNderdIVISION2– Athree-goalwin against Torquay sets up a huge clash against Geelong Amateur on Saturday at 12.55pm.

Bella Wearmouth’s 17 goals at goalshooter was instrumental in the 25 to 22 win while Clover Marsh and Sienna White played terrific games.

15 & UNder dIVISION 1 – A strong performanceagainstDrysdaleinthequalifying final means Ocean Grove will turn its attention to Geelong Amateur and Saturday’s second-semi at 11.45am.

The 26 to 17 win was spearheaded by shooter Emma Barry (16 goals) while Ella Brown and Bree Sampson were also in sparkling form.

15 & UNder dIVISION 2 – Fresh from a week off, the Grubbers will need to be up early to take on Torquay in the grand final qualifier on Saturday beginning at 8.30am.

13 & UNder dIVISION 2 – A thrilling one-goal win against Torquay sent Ocean Grove through to the second-semi against Geelong Amateur on Saturday at 8.30am.

The 14 to 13 win means the Grubbers have at least two, and possibly three, matches to come.

Ocean Grove has 10 teams competing in the second round of Bellarine Netball League finals at Portarlington this weekend. Justin Flynn looks at how each side is faring after week one.

Bec O’Neill was dominant under the ring. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 353660

Candice Parker Medallist Emily Moroney passes the ball.

Max Sutton won this season’s best and fairest for Ocean Grove. (Ivan Kemp) 350265_11

OVER 55’S You’re invited...

Men’s Day at Armstrong Green

Armstrong Green is RCA Villages newest Village, conveniently located in Armstrong Creek, across the road from the Warralily Shopping Centre, and only 20 minutes from Geelong.

If you are thinking of retirement living, we would love you to join us for a morning where we will explore all things important including men’s health, wellness and shared interests. This session is designed for men, by men.

You will be hearing from various guest speakers, participate in an interactive and insightful workshop, and enjoy complimentary hospitality including a late breakfast, morning tea and lunch. The door prize will be a Bunnings Gift Card.

At the end of the session, we invite the ladies along to join us in the Clubhouse for a gourmet BBQ.

We look forward to seeing you there. Reservations essential.

DATE Thursday September 14, 2023

VENUE Armstrong Green Clubhouse

722-742 Barwon Heads Road

Geelong, Victoria

RSVP Wednesday Thursday Sept 7, 2023

Frecall 1800 777 898

*Places are limited. Event is for over 55’s.

SPECIAL DIETS

Please advise us if you require a Gluten Free, Diabetic, Allergy safe or Vegan/Vegetarian meal when you RSVP.

PLEASE NOTE

As this is a catered onsite event we will not be able to provide special requirements unless advised prior to the event.