Ocean Grove Voice - 31st May 2024

Footy faces cool change

Ocean Grove continues to make progress with its young list following a 29-point defeat to premiership contender Drysdale in the Bellarine Football League. It was an exciting game between the two teams on Saturday, May 25, with Drysdale taking out the win in the second half, despite the Grubbers putting up a fight.

While the Grubbers remain winless, they did play well in a 14-point loss to an impressive Newcomb in round seven and will wrap up the first half of the season this week with a game against Anglesea.

With the weather looking to be a little grim this weekend, Grovedale is gearing up to take on St Albans at Burdoo Reserve on Saturday, June 1.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecasted a high of 15 degrees with a medium chance of showers on Saturday.

■ Turn to page 26 for the full story on the Ocean Grove vs Drysdale game.

NBAC open for winter

By Matt Hewson

Bellarine swimming enthusiasts will be able to enjoy their new aquatic facility all year round after Geelong councillors decided to keep the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre (NBAC) open throughout winter and autumn.

The council voted unanimously at Tuesday night’s meeting to keep the centre open at reduced hours between the start of June and the end of October. Through that period the 50-metre heated pool will open weekdays from 6amto10amandSaturdaysfrom8amto12pm.

NBAC had not been budgeted to open at all from April through October for financial

reasons, however a successful urgent business item spearheaded by mayor and Bellarine Ward councillor Trent Sullivan at the council’s March meeting saw it remain open until the end of May.

City officers prepared a report for this week’s meeting offering two options; the first was the reduced hours option adopted by the council this week, while the second was to stick to the current budget and close the outdoor pool for five months.

Officers’ recommendation was to close the pool as planned, citing a cost to ratepayers of $423,723 to keep the centre open.

AllthreeBellarineWardcouncillors–Mayor

Sullivan,CrJimMasonandCrEliseWilkinson – strongly endorsed the reduced hours option.

“The North Bellarine have quickly taken this pool into their heart and are very protective of it and I’m certainly supportive of the motion to keep it open all year round,” Mayor Sullivan said. “When you see the passion from the community, when you see a petition come acrossyourdeskthathasover2000signatures… I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one that large or that many signatories come across the chamber in my nigh on seven years on council.”

Cr Wilkinson thanked the community for making their voices heard on the NBAC issue.

“We hear from people every day, stories of

socialconnection,ofimprovedhealthoutcomes, of being able to exercise with young adults and children with neurodiversity, that find indoor pools actually really overwhelming,” she said.

“So this is a really important asset in our community. And while ideally I would like to see it open seven days a week and all the time, this is a compromise, and a sound compromise.”

Cr Mason pointed out the Kardinia Aquatic Centre was more costly to keep open than NBAC despite its higher patronage.

“This is another service like libraries, like aged care, like childcare and other services, and they cost,” he said.

Matthew Piggott in action. (Justin Flynn)

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New truck boosts fire brigade

By Matt Hewson

Leopold Fire Brigade officially welcomed a new tanker to its fleet this week with a fiery display.

Bellarine member Alison Marchant handed over the keys of the new medium tanker on Monday evening (May 27) after taking part in a demonstration of the vehicle’s firefighting capabilities at the brigade’s training area.

The new tanker, which has been on the road for about three months now, replaced a vehicle that had been in operation for well

over 20 years and required most of the crew to sit on the back of the truck under a roll-over protection system.

Leopold Fire Brigade Captain Chris Wilkinson said it was “a relief” to have the new tanker in operational use, given the brigade averages over 150 call-outs each year.

“It’s a good bit of gear that will improve our firefighters’ safety and our communication effectiveness as well,” Cpt Wilkinson said.

“The vehicle’s already made it onto the road for five of our responses since we put it online. Those have been for urban calls, which

includes structure fires, house fires, but it’s absolutelydesignedformorerural(responses), grass fires, wildfires.

“We had a busy summer… just gone, and I think the next one will be similar, where we send trucks well outside of our area.

“So when our main tanker is sent away it means we’ve got a good tanker that stays behind and will still have the urban capacity to protect our local community.”

The new vehicle, which holds 2350 litres of water to suppress fires and includes a crew protection system in the event of burnovers,

School rekindles First Nations spirit

Ocean Grove Primary School (OGPS) will unveil its transformative First Nations Heritage Grant project this Friday as part of Reconciliation Week.

Launching the project with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony at 2.30pm on Friday, May 31 at the school, OGPS invited the community to join in celebrating the completion of the Rekindling the Wadawurrung Spirit in Ocean Grove project.

The project includes the school’s transformed front entrance gates and two tunnels in OGPS’s inclusion playground, featuring an incorporation of traditional

symbols and contemporary art.

Funded through the City of Greater Geelong’s First Nations Cultural Heritage Grant program, the project was delivered by a partnership between Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung artists Billy-Jay O’Toole, First Nations students, school leaders and Visual Arts teacher Jo Chapman.

Ms Chapman expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with First Nations community members and artists.

“The Rekindling the Wadawurrung Spirit in Ocean Grove project is a testament to the

Probus clubs get together

Two Point Lonsdale Probus clubs have come togethertogettoknoweachotheranddiscover what each does within the community.

Committee members from the Combined Probus Club of Point Lonsdale and Point Lonsdale and District Probus Club caught up for a coffee and discussed how the clubs complement each other.

The newly formed Point Lonsdale and DistrictProbusClubinvitesanyoneinterested to attend its meetings at 10am on the first Thursday of each month at the Point Lonsdale Surf Lifesaving Club.

The Combined Probus Club of Point Lonsdale recently celebrated its 23rd birthday and draws membership solely from the 3225 postcode.

The club’s meetings are held at 10am on the fourth Monday of each month at the Point Lonsdale Bowls Club.

Activities provided by Probus clubs include coffee mornings, dining out, walking groups, book clubs, movie nights, and trips within and outside the region.

The monthly meetings of both clubs feature a short general meeting followed by morning tea and a guest speaker. The clubs also welcome mixed genders and are seeking new members.

Email the Combined Probus Club of Point Lonsdale at ptlonsdaleprobus@gmail.com or the Point Lonsdale and District Probus Club at ptlonsdaledistrictprobus@gmail.com for more information.

power of art and culture in education,” she said.

“Itnotonlyenrichesthelearningexperience of our students but also serves as a beautiful symbol of reconciliation and respect for Wadawurrung, the Traditional Custodians of Country and the First Nations community.“

Mr O’Toole said the project would leave a legacy for future generations.

“The most rewarding part of what I do is giving kids a sense of pride, a sense of connection and leaving something significant behindthattheycanalwaysholdclosetothem while they attend this school,” he said.

was purchased through the state government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program, with the brigade contributing over $58,000andreceivingagrantofover$320,000. Cpt Wilkinson acknowledged the time and effort put in by his members to the fundraising and application process, as well as the generosity of the community.

“We set our sights on purchasing the new tanker and will now put our energy back into rebuilding our finances towards further upgrades for our brigade and local township,” he said.

Cash for cans in Ocean Grove

Ocean Grove now has a spot for people to recycle used containers with a new reverse vending machine refund point.

The Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) refund point was installed by TOMRA Cleanaway at Ocean Grove Market Place on 2/20 Kingston Downs Drive, the 20th City of Greater Geelong refund point.

TMRA Cleanaway chief executive JamesDorneysaidprovidingpeoplewith a drop-off location for drink containers helped support the state’s transition to a circular economy.

“We’re very excited to have landed a new CDS Vic refund point in Ocean Grove, adding to the existing network of refund points in Victoria,” he said.

“The community has shown that when provided with a convenient, accessible, and technology-based container deposit scheme network, they will get involved.

“Our machines are quick, convenient, and automated, and able to be seamlessly integrated into retail and community locations...which achieves clean, source-separated commodities.”

The CDS allows people to collect and recycleeligibledrinkbottles,cartonsand cans by returning them through refund points to receive 10 cents per item.

Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos said it was “incredible” to see many people across the state embrace and utilise the scheme.

“(This is) driving progress towards our target of diverting 80 per cent of all material away from landfill by 2030,” he said.

“We’re making it easier than ever for the local community to recycle, with a new CDS Vic refund point now open in Ocean Grove.

Archie, Billy-Jay O’Toole, Jo Chapman, Delilah at Ocean Grove Primary’s new front entrance. (Monica Berry Photography)

Call for duck regulation release

By Jena Carr

A Geelong environmental group is calling for the immediate release of a new draft of hunting regulations for public review and comment.

In an open letter to Minister Steve Dimopoulos, Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting (RVOTDS) called for the draft to be released before the interim regulations expire in September.

RVOTDS’ Sue Williams said the current hunting regulations had been in place since 2012 and are meant to be reviewed every 10 years.

Teresa Duddy and Ben Talbot-Dunn.

(Louisa Jones)

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“Hunting is permitted in over 50 per cent of public land, most areas are not signposted as hunting areas,” she said.

“Over the years, we have been repeatedly advised that any changes to where, when or how hunting takes place would be addressed when the regulations were next reviewed.”

Geelong Field Naturalists Club supported the letter, and president Graham Possingham said it was important for everyone to have a say on the new draft hunting regulations.

“Ifyou’regoingtohaveduckshooting,haveit inawaythatatleastyou’vegotthemechanisms in place to properly protect endangered

species,” he said.

“This is our chance to change the rules. It happens once every 10 years and has to be done properly with wide consultation, not just chatting with the shooters.

“The area around Lake Connewarre and ReedyLakeisquitesignificantforvarioustypes of bird life, some of it was closed, and some of it was open, but it’s all really one interlinked wetland.”

Recreational duck and quail hunting will continue across the state, and important changes are expected to be implemented in 2025.

Sing as you sip makes a returns

If the idea of having a singalong with a beer, wine or lemonade in your hand appeals to you, community choir leaders Teresa Duddy and Ben Talbot-Dunn have just the thing.

The pair, who run the New Swell Choir, are running their popular pop-up choir event, Sip &Sing,atPointLonsdaleBowlsClubonFriday, June 14 and Bells Beach Brewing in Torquay on Saturday, June 15.

After a successful first Sip & Sing in March last year, Ms Duddy and Mr Talbot-Dunn have run three more of the events, with the number of participants ranging from 100 to 200 people. The sessions will involve working up the

Fleetwood Mac song Dreams to performance level in a relaxed, social environment.

Ms Duddy, whose background is in opera and musical theatre, said no singing or musical experience was necessary.

“(At previous events) people have definitely been brought along by partners; their partner feels more confident singing, or they might be in our weekly choir,” she said.

“And generally the feedback is they were really surprised they could do it; it was really fun, really easy, it sounded beautiful. Or they’ve never sung in harmony before, so that was really exciting.”

Mr Talbot-Dunn, who composes music for TV, short films and documentaries, said seeingpeoplewhohadnotsungbeforesurprise themselves was a beautiful thing to see.

“It’s this magic situation where they’re both performing and they’re a part of a group,” he said. “People can expect a fun, social night out… having a good catch up with friends chatting and also doing something different.”

Visit linktr.ee/newswellchoir to register for the Point Lonsdale or Torquay Sip & Sing events or find out more about the New Swell Choir.

Matt Hewson

A state government spokesperson said people interested in the current review of the Wildlife (Game) Interim Regulations 2023 could provide feedback before the proposed updates come into effect.

“Duck hunting is a legitimate activity, and it matterstothousandsofVictorianswholovethe great outdoors, but more than that, it supports regional communities and economies,” they said. “Our position has not changed and we’re supporting recreational duck and quail hunting to continue in a safe, sustainable and responsible way, with minimal harm to our environment.”

Walking for understanding

Queenscliff community members can learn more about the Wadawurrung culture and gain knowledge and connectionthroughwalkingexperiences.

TheBoroughofQueenscliffepartnered with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC) to deliver three two-hour walking sessions from Wirrng Wirrng. WTOAC Ngarrwa (learning and knowledge) officer Ash Skinner said the event introduced people to the cultural landscape of Wadawurrung country and people, with the first session on May 22.

The Wadawurrung man said it was important for the community to understand that the Wadawurrung peoplewere“stillhere”and“teachingour community”.

“Some of the topics we cover include the importance of interaction with Country and how to understand and interpret the changing of our landscape,” he said. “We also share oral history and insights into the longstanding cultural heritage of the country and the resilience of our people.

“Practices we have undertaken for tens ofthousandsofyearsarestilldonetoday, anditisimportantforlocalcommunities to understand how they can also help care for country.”

A Borough of Queenscliffe spokesperson said “It is a chance to hear Wadawurrung stories that have been passed down through generations, to learn about care of Country, and to expand our knowledge of Wadawurrung culture.”

The next Wadawurrung cultural experience sessions will begin at Wirrng Wirrng on June 14 from 10am to noon.

Supporting new bands, artists

By Cr Jim Mason

Geelong has seen some amazing musical acts come to our city in recent years.

Whether it be Elton John, the Foo Fighters, Midnight Oil, The Killers or Dinosaur Jr, there is something for everyone regardless of individual tastes and preferences.

When you then add in the incredible music festivals we have across our region each year, it speaks volumes of the collective regard few share for the arts.

One thing that all of those bands and the artists in them have in common is that they had to make a start somewhere.

Nobody becomes a household name the moment they form a band, which means musicianshavetoworktheirwayupandputin many hard yards to make it big.

Consequently, having a place to start is a vital ingredient for musical acts, and therefore, smaller festivals are almost as important as the bigger ones.

The upcoming ReSound festival organised by the City of Greater Geelong is one of those where we may get the pleasure of seeing the next big thing.

The free events that make up this festival celebrate music and talent at a host of venues in both Ocean Grove and Central Geelong and aim to support the homegrown musicians we are producing here and small businesses in the Greater Geelong region.

The ReSound festival forms part of our Live & Local program and launches on Saturday, June 1, at Ocean Grove.

There will be live music between 2-6pm at

Blackman’s Brewery, KALA, Bookgrove, The Piping Hot Chicken Shop and Driftwood Café. Forthoselookingtogetanevenbiggermusic fix, on Saturday, June 22, between 2-6pm, you can head to Central Geelong for more live acts. Therewillbe20performancesacrossarange ofcentralvenues,suchasLou’sPizzaandWine, Pistol Pete’s Food n Blues, Medusa, Popcultcha Records & Books, Beav’s Bar, Murran First Nations Hub, and The Hot Chicken Project. Thesesmallermusicfestivalsdoagreatjobof showcasing the talent we have here in Greater Geelong, so it would be terrific to see a large turnout of people supporting the musicians. I strongly encourage music lovers and those who enjoy an afternoon or evening out to go and see some of the eclectic blend of acts ready to entertain you this month.

ForthefullscheduleforReSoundanddetails on the artists performing, visit the Geelong. link/ReSound website.

Portarlington ferry continues

People across the Bellarine can continue using the Portarlington to Docklands ferry and reduce the number of cars on the road thanks to state government support.

Bellarine MP Alison Marchant announced on May 21 that the Portarlington Ferry would be funded through a $30 million investment in the 2024-25 state budget. Ms Marchant said the funding would continue the service for another four years to provide a long-term convenient transport alternative.

“We’ve continuing to invest in this important and direct transport link between the Bellarine and Melbourne,” she said. “This is a great outcome for the Bellarine community and the thousands of visitors who travel here every year.”

The Portarlington Ferry was launched in 2017 and attracted 110,000 users during its pre-COVID peak, with a high of more than 15,000 passengers in January. Close to 128,000 passengers used the service in the last 12 months.

Ferry passengers will also benefit from a revised bus network starting in June, with the public bus timetable aligning better with the ferry service.

Work will continue to be undertaken for the long-term sustainability of the service following a $10 million upgrade to Portarlington Pier in 2022. The work included providing all-weather access from the foreshore to the ferry service, a strengthened pier head, and a new, accessible, low landing for improved water access.

Councillor Jim Mason. (Supplied)

Duck shooting closures debated

By Jena Carr

The Surf Coast community has expressed mixed feelings on duck shooting closures across the region.

Surf Coast Shire Council accepted two contrasting petitions regarding wetland closures during the duck hunting seasons at its Tuesday, May 28, meeting.

The Petition of Permanent Closure of Lake Gherang and Lake Modewarre to Duck Shoot was presented first and was unanimously accepted by council.

The petition opposed the permanent closure of Lake Gherang and Lake Modewarre to duck

shooting following council voting to request a Lake Modewarre season closure at its April 23 meeting.

Councillor Paul Barker said the petition reflectedthe“concernsof315people”,withhalf of the signatures belonging to the Surf Coast community.

“This topic was raised by council at our last meeting and could impact how these areas can be used by individuals who currently enjoy duck hunting, a legitimate recreational activity,” he said.

“Since this issue was raised, I’ve met local hunters and have been thoroughly impressed with their conservation efforts and voluntary

contributions to managing waterways for decades.

“I’m less impressed to learn of how government efforts over these decades have actually resulted in damaging consequences, suchasseriousdisruptionstowaterflowsinthe Connewarre system.”

The second petition, titled Closure of Brown SwampandLakeModewarretoAllNativeBird Shooting, was accepted by seven councillors, while Cr Barker opposed it.

The petition called for council to help stop duck shooting near Brown Swamp, Lake Modewarre and Lake Gherang for the safety of native birds and people.

Wetlands the focus of new exhibition

Artists will tell stories of the region’s wetlands, oneartworkatatime,throughafreeexhibition in Ocean Grove.

The Hive Gallery will host FLOW Stories from the Wetlands from 10am to 4pm throughout June, showcasing many art pieces like sculpture, painting, textiles and digital media.

Artist and educator Jane Millington said the exhibition used art to communicate the importance of sustainability and conservation.

“Art has a really valuable role to play when it can reflect back to someone the beauty of the

place or a particular meaning,” she said. “It’s the largest group exhibition that the Hive has hosted and it’s really playing to the gallery’s strengths where it has been a significant promoterofenvironmentalartandwell-being.”

Ms Millington said close to 25 artists produced themed artworks around wetland sustainability for the exhibition.

“I’mreallylookingforwardtohearingpeople go, ‘I didn’t know that about wetlands’, or ‘I’ve come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for them’,” she said.

“The thing about wetlands is they cover only

one per cent of the earth’s surface, yet they store 20 per cent of carbon and they store them at rates faster than land forests.

“If they can come away with an appreciation or understanding of the wetlands that are surrounding us in the region but also worldwide, then that would be a wonderful thing.”

The exhibition will be open at the Hive Gallery at 1/41 Smithton Grove from June 1 to 30, with an opening event on June 1 at 2pm.

Jena Carr

Cr Kate Gazzard said the petition had received more than 302 signatures, including close to a third from the Surf Coast Shire community.

“It’s really good to hear all sides of the issue fromthecommunity...andthestategovernment has already decided to close Lake Modewarre to duck shooting this season,” she said.

“The main rationale was the public amenity and safety, so this for the closure of sections within 250 metres of residential properties and largely around Brown Swamp where there’s young families.”

MayorLizPattisonsaidbothpetitionswould be debated at a future council meeting.

The craic will be mighty over the June long weekend as the National Celtic Folk Festival celebrates its 20th birthday in Portarlington with a huge lineup of top national and international artists.

The event, which runs from June 7 to 10, will feature international artists such as award-winning Scottish musicians Megan Macdonald, Chloë Bryce and Calum McIlroy, Ireland’s 2016 Young Musician of the Year Órlaith McAuliffe and former All-Ireland winner Dylan Carlos.

The Australian contingent is well-represented by performers such as FionaRossandShaneO’Mara,TheMaes, Austral and legendary singer/songwriter Shane Howard.

Music is not the only thing on the menu, with the Highland Dance Company of New Zealand appearing at the festival for the first time, interactive workshops, gourmet food trucks and a rangeofvenuestocatchupforabeer,hot chocolate or mulled wine.

The band rotunda will also be transformed into a giant lantern through interactive installation Spirit of Story, where festival goers and the general public can create their own shadow puppets and take part in the nocturnal audiovisual display.

Festival director Una McAlinden said the entire festival crew was looking forward to celebrating 20 years in Portarlington.

“When we came to Portarlington 20 yearsagoitwaswithbigdreamsandvery little money,” Ms McAlinden said.

“To be able to fulfil so many amazing things over the 20 years is something we needtocelebrate,sowe’reprettyexcited.” Festival marks two decades

Jane Millington at the Hive Gallery, where the FLOW exhibition will be held. (Louisa Jones) 409818_08

Funding for an equal playing field

By Jena Carr

Twocommunitysportingprojectswillcontinue to help prevent violence against women and families, thanks to state government support.

Community-based sports projects ‘An Equal PlayingField’and‘LeadersonandofftheField’ received funding through the $1.2 million Preventing Violence Through Sports Grants program.

Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West partnered with other organisations on both projects. Chief executive Jodie Hill said sport had a “strong impact within the community”.

“We can see right now that Australia is in a

Barwon Coast Committee of Management chair Sandy Gatehouse and Bellarine MP Alison Marchant at the recently updated 36W Beach Access. (Supplied)

Money flows for a safer coast

Coastal land managers across the Bellarine arehelpingreducetheregion’scoastalriskand improve public access through identification, mitigation, and monitoring.

The 2023-24 Coastal Public Access and Risk Grants program has provided financial assistance to support a strategic and balanced approach to risk management along the coast.

Barwon Coast Committee of Management has received $130,050 for the 11W beach access stairs at Ocean Grove Main Beach and $137,900 to replace the existing structure of the 30W beach access stairs through the program.

Chair Sandy Gatehouse said the funding improved the structure of the stairs to provide better access to the beach.

“These upgraded structures ensure the community can safely access our beloved beaches while minimising impacts on the dynamic coastal environment,” she said.

“Barwon Coast thanks the Victorian Government for providing funding through the Coastal Public Access and Risk Grants to replace ageing beach access stairs at 30W and 11W.”

Member for the Bellarine Alison Marchant said having “safe access points for beach users” across the Bellarine was important.

“These grants will assist in updating access in a matter that has minimal impact to the natural coastal processes,” she said.

Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee of Management received $108,500 for its Portarlington All Abilities Beach Access and $70,000 for its North Bellarine Beach Access Feasibility Study.

The Borough of Queenscliffe received $37,191 for an extension of the Dog Beach wet sand fence and warning signs of unstable sand dunes and $24,971 for a beach emergency/ warning and information signage audit.

crisis following recent events which has been intolerable against violence this year,” she said.

“We’re lucky to be funded given the challenging budget we find ourselves in, and it has allowed us to continue our work to get some action against violence.

“Anything we can do and anyone we can activate to act against violence is important and...all the different methods like sport need to continue as they are our weapons against violence.”

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence said the program promoted a culture that preventedviolenceagainstwomenandfamilies.

“These projects run by sporting clubs across Victoria play a key role in addressing

‘‘ Sport has the power to influence and shape positive community attitudes and behaviours ’’ - Vicki Ward

inequality and promoting safe environments for everyone,” she said.

“Our community sporting clubs play a vital role in shifting attitudes and promoting positive cultures in local communities that are respectful and free from violence.”

Minister for Prevention of Family Violence

Vicki Ward said the grants supported sporting

groups to unite people, shape culture and challenge behaviours that could lead to violence.

“Sport has the power to influence and shape positive community attitudes and behaviours which is why the Preventing Violence Through Sports Grants is critically important,” she said.

“We are continuing to support clubs in creating respectful and inclusive environments for all members and changing the culture of violence against women and families.”

Visit sport.vic.gov.au for more information aboutthegrantsprogramandtheorganisations running projects.

Help is available through 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Tax cuts for

Winter construction blitz coming

A winter construction blitz will occur across the Geelong and Surf Coast regions to ease traffic congestion and deliver safer journeys.

The federal government has provided close to $785 million, with the state government contributing the remaining $149.5 million to the $933.6 million regional rail revival project.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the blitz would greatly benefit passengers.

“We are on the home stretch for our massive investment in critical upgrades to rail infrastructure in Geelong and

Warrnambool,” she said.

“This significant investment will increase road safety and reduce the risks of serious crashes and fatalities, helping to keep southwest Victorians safe.”

Coaches will replace trains between Geelong and Warrnambool from June 15 until August 25 to allow upgrades to be finished at the Marshall and South Geelong stations.

State Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson said “getting on with future proofing the Geelong Line” was important.

“We are making critical investments across Victoria’s southwest to keep people moving

Alliance unites services

An alliance of diverse, community-focused organisations officially launched this week in Portarlington.

Bellarine Wellbeing Connect, a group of community-minded organisations and service providers, have joined to create connections supporting the health and wellbeing of people on the Bellarine.

The event, held at Parks hall in Portarlington on Wednesday, May 29, launched the partnership and showcased a range of community-based services available on the Bellarine.

About 20 groups are represented in Bellarine Wellbeing Connect, including Ambulance Victoria, Barwon Health, Barwon Community Health (BCH), Feed Me Bellarine, Meli and Pulse Community Radio/Cultura, as well as the City of Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliffe and Alison Marchant, MP.

BCH’s acting chief executive Kathy Russell said the aim of the alliance was to build meaningful connections to allow community memberstomoreeasilynavigatethesometimes complex pathways to services.

“Thiscollaborationhascomeaboutfollowing a forum last year organised by Bellarine Community Health in a bid to identify and understand any unmet health and wellbeing needs of the community,” Ms Russell said.

“Among the insights gained from those attending the forum was a willingness to be better connected and identify possible partnerships that could help reach those individuals and communities that experience the most disadvantage.”

“We hope Bellarine Wellbeing Connect will providelongtermpartnershipsthatcanbenefit local communities on the Bellarine now and into the future.”

faster and safer,” he said.

“Removing the first two regional level crossings, duplicating track and upgrading stations to enable more frequent and reliable services for Geelong communities.”

The Fyans Street roundabout will be closed from June 12 until August 26 to realign the intersection under a 2000-tonne rail bridge.

The Surf Coast Highway will also be closed at the level crossing in late July to remove the crossing and complete road resurfacing.

Federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker said delivery of the infrastructure would improve the region’s safety and match the continued population growth.

“More and more people are choosing to call southwest Victoria home, so we’re investing in the infrastructure this area needs to keep up with the growing demand,” she said.

Construction on the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication to rebuild two stations and remove two congested level crossings is set to be finished later this year.

Additional level crossing closures will take place between South Geelong and Grovedale on Yarra Street, Swanston Street, Barwon Terrace, Reserve Road and Marshalltown Road for the track duplication later in winter.

Visit regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/geelong for more information about the project.

Barwon Community Health’s Kathy Russell, Michael Devine and Karen Laing. (Louisa Jones) 409747_24

Pushing up for mental health

By Jena Carr

The Geelong community will push-up for better mental health and engage people through physical activity with the return of The Push-Up Challenge.

The nationwide event will involve participants doing 3,249 push-ups across 24 days from June 5 to 28 to raise money for mental health charities.

headspace Geelong and headspace Corio centre manager Tenille Favazza said the Push-Up Challenge helped “encourage meaningful conversations about mental health”.

“The challenge is great because it fosters teamworkandconnectionwiththecommunity in a really fun and engaging way,” she said.

“The target number of push-ups changes each day to reflect the different mental health statistics and encourage conversations about mental health.

“It’s so important that we continue to get conversations happening around mental health as we all need to put our hands up to access support at some time or another.”

Business owner Andrew Bews will participate in the Push-up Challenge alongside

Pursuing reconciliation

Geelong residents came together for National Reconciliation Week to learn about the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Events began on Monday, May 27, with a reflection and lunch in North Geelong hosted by the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative forNationalSorryDay,withtheweekfinishing up on June 3.

A spokesperson said Sorry Day was an “opportunity for mob and allies to come together” and that close to 350 people attended the event.

“(We) reflect on the significance of the day and the trauma that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still carry relating to the Stolen Generation,” they said.

“It is always important to acknowledge our true history and our past while we commit to walking together to build a better future.

“Events like these not only provide a space

and an opportunity for the mob to come together and heal but also for our allies to show up and show support.

“We get huge numbers to our community events,anditisgreattoseethesupportthatthe allies in our region have for our organisation and our community.”

Reconciliation in the Park will also occur on Sunday, June 2, at Johnstone Park from 10am to 3pm.

The free event will feature a Welcome to Country, local dancers, community performers, hands-on and kid’s activities, arts and crafts markets, and a BBQ starting at 11.30am.

Reconciliation Australia stated that this year’s theme was ‘Now More Than Ever’, meaning the fight for justice and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people would continue.

Jena Carr

COMMUNITY INPUT SHAPES BREAMLEA STORE’S FUTURE

The Breamlea General Store has served the coastal community for decades. As Barwon Coast considers its future, they’ve valued input from residents, campers, and local groups. A Community Consultation Report summarises feedback received through surveys, workshops, and focus groups held late last year, capturing key themes and priorities. Unfortunately, no submissions were received from potential operators during the recent Expression of Interest process.

Recognising the store’s importance, Barwon Coast will re-evaluate options, aiming to balance community benefit and financial sustainability. They’ll continue operating the store while reviewing services and models to inform the 2024-25 budget. The Phase 1 report is available at barwoncoast.com.au/projectsbreamleageneralstore/ with further updates coming in July 2024.

VOLUNTEERS CELEBRATED FOR COASTAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS

A special evening was recently held to celebrate the valuable work of local volunteer groups caring for the iconic Barwon Coast environment. The event, held during National Volunteer Week at 13th Beach Surf Life Saving Club in Connewarre, recognised organisations like Friends of the Bluff, Friends of the Lobster Pot,

his team from Sync Fit Geelong to raise money for headspace.

“If we can get just somebody talking about it, then it’s going to grow bigger legs and be a bigger event than what we’ve seen so far,” he said.

“The team building, camaraderie, and community are all the big key things that lift this one above many other challenges.

“To be able to have conversations about the reason we’re doing the number of push-ups per day and the statistic that it relates to, brings it to life.”

The Push-Up Challenge founder, Nick

Hudson, said it was likely that everyone would experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives.

“By getting down, pushing up and learning about mental health, we hope to break down the stigma attached to mental illness so that Australians don’t think twice about reaching out for help,” he said.

Visit thepushupchallenge.com.au to sign up for the Push-Up Challenge to raise funds and awareness for mental health. Help is available in person at headspace GeelongorCorio,throughLifelineon131114, or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Ocean Grove Coastcare, Breamlea Coastcare, Barwon EstuaryWatch, and Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine.

Their tireless efforts in environmental protection, education initiatives, and community betterment were commended. Barwon Coast CEO Gareth Smith highlighted the volunteers’ immense impact, contributing over 300 hours to the Coastal Discovery Program in January alone, providing experiences for over 1,800 locals and visitors engaging with the Barwon Coast.

Local MPs Libby Coker and Alison Marchant praised the community spirit and vital roles played by these environmental advocates. While each group has unique objectives, together they’re greater than the sum of their parts in caring for this special region. However, one evening of appreciation isn’t enough –we should recognise the invaluable work of volunteers all year round.

There’s a brand-new staircase behind The Heads Restaurant, enhancing access to the region’s renowned walking trails. The sturdy stairs, boasting wide treads and a handrail, connect the waterfront pathways to the iconic Bluff precinct. This addition is a boon for outdoor enthusiasts and locals alike, providing an improved link along the Barwon Coast.

JETTY UPGRADES UNDERWAY AT BARWON HEADS PORT

The Port of Barwon Heads is undergoing vital maintenance, with works progressing well on the Main Jetty. Stage 3 commenced on May 14th, focusing on replacing around 60 rotted decking planks and weathered timber capping on the jetty approach. Corroded fasteners will also be swapped for stainless steel in this area. While the upgrades are underway, the jetty will remain closed to the public, with an anticipated re-opening in mid to late June 2024. These improvements will ensure the iconic structure’s longevity and continued safe use for the coastal community. Residents are advised to observe signage and avoid the work zones during this renewal period.

Auntie Denise Charles, Uncle Richard Fry, Auntie Sandy Manning and Auntie Naomi Surtees at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative’s Sorry Day event. (Louisa Jones) 409718_01

Helping students find their voice

North Geelong Secondary College assistant principal Brad Headlam has received the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals award for his work on the Be Bold Be Heard program. He spoke with Jena Carr about the award and the importance of ensuring young people have a voice within their communities.

Ocean Grove’s Brad Headlam loves finding ways to help young people realisetheirvoiceanduseitwithintheir communities.

In 2018, the North Geelong Secondary College assistant principal explored regional data alongside other principals and discovered something troubling.

He found that students aged 14, 15 and 16 across Years 9 and 10 felt “unhappy about their opportunity to use their voice in school”.

“Girls were rating well below that than boys and we started a bit of an exploration as to what was going on,” he said.

“We started to talk to the students, and the students highlighted that they love their schools, they enjoy their schools, but in the classroom, they don’t feel like they get much of a say.

“Wetalkedtostudentsandfoundthatgetting all the students together at a forum where they could collaborate, share ideas and maybe take action would be a way of improving that area.”

Brad helped set up the Be Bold Be Heard program to build student confidence. The programbeganwiththreeschoolsandnowhas 15 schools across Geelong, including Tarneit.

“They(schools)sendaboutfiveto20students from each school to participate in four forums per year, which are designed to build up their confidence,” he said.

“(It also) teaches them how to set actions and get them speaking up to people such as principals or members of the community to elicit a change that they think is important for their college.

“The girls do a fantastic job with the actions they put in place, and the students set up their theories as to why things aren’t as great as they could be in their schools.”

Brad said the program was “greatly rewarding and really successful” in helping reduce the gender gap by students helping

make a change in their school community.

“I think it’s important that, and particularly me being a male, I share that I’m here to listen and empower students to take action for the rest of your life,” he said.

“I have a daughter, and I don’t like feeling that students in our teenage years feel that

distant from boys in the way in which they can share their ideas or thoughts in the classroom or the college.

“We’ve got 150 students now that participate in a volleyball program because girls felt that was more accessible to them.

“To use that to go and, ‘we’re going to now change our uniform so we feel more comfortable’, and incidentally we have huge numbers of girls participating in our sports programs this year as a result.”

Brad recently received the Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals award for his work on the Be Bold Be Heard program.

He said the funding from the award allowed him to explore what other schools worldwide are doing to provide a voice for their students.

“It was a professional learning award, and it was of the amount of $5000 to spend on my learning and my development,” he said.

“I was overwhelmed, thrilled and really excited.IthenhadtoworkoutwhatIwoulddo with the money I was given as it (the program) was a project I’m working on that has been fantastic in the community.

“I wanted to improve it and find ways to lead that better. So, when the dust settled, I looked into it and saw an opportunity to go to a conference in Canada.

“I want the community to know that our girls are having a crack at making a difference, that people are supporting that and that there are positive programs out there to build the voice of girls.”

North Geelong Secondary College assistant principal Brad Headlam, second right, with students Rushneet Gill, left, Maddie Solly and Thoma Kacprazak. (Louisa Jones) 409493_17

Celebrated duo tour new album

By Matt Hewson

Collaboration has formed a huge part of the careers of Australian guitar greats Slava and Leonard Grigoryan.

The brothers’ new album, Amistad, is a celebration of their love of collective creation, featuring the compositions of some of the other masters of music they have worked with in the past.

“It’s kind of everything for us; Lenny and I are both very reluctant soloists, we do it occasionally, but we’re definitely much more comfortable when we’re together or when we’re surrounded by other people,” Slava said.

“That sort of music conversation is the most enjoyable and rewarding aspect of being a musician.It’safascinatingexperienceandone that evolves.

“If musicians are always trying to improve, there’s never really a use-by date. It’s an ongoing journey, and collaboration is a part of that.”

SlavasaidAmistad,whichmeansfriendship in Spanish, came about when renowned Cuban classical guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer sent the brothers and email during the COVID lockdowns.

“He’s a huge name in the classical guitar world, someone whose music we’ve known and played for all of our lives,” he said.

“He got in touch… saying that he’d just heard our previous album and enjoyed it and wanted to write us a piece.

“It was very surprising, I’ve only met him a few times at festivals over the years. He’s in his 80s, he lives in Cuba, and it just came out of the blue.

“A few months later we received this beautiful piece. And then we kind of questioned, what do we do with this now?”

And so the idea of Amistad was born.

The new album forms a trilogy with the brothers previous two albums Distance (2009) and This Time (2014), both of which embrace new music, diverse influences and collaborations with their musical friends around the world.

Contributions for Amistad come from a range of musical greats, including legendary jazz guitarist Ralph Towner, Sting’s guitarist Dominic Miller and Australian neo-classical pianists Luke Howard and Nat Bartsch.

Slava, who has been signed to major labels since he was a teenager, said his wonder at the power and magic of music had never waned.

“No matter what the genre, it’s just the most beautiful, evocative language,” he said.

“It’s a way of communicating, a way of expressing very profound emotion, excitement, energy.

“The thing that speaks to me the most is that magic that can happen, especially in live performance. Being in the moment, everyone knowing that’s it; we just heard it, we just played, we’ve had this experience and next time it’ll be different, it won’t be exactly the same.

“We’re really proud of the pieces these incredible musicians have composed and we hope to try to convey some of their musical language and share it with audiences.”

Slava and Leonard Grigoryan’s show Amistad is at Geelong West Town Hall on June 7.

Nod to SES volunteers

By Jena Carr

Whether assisting emergency services or helping people experiencing homelessness, volunteers are the lifeblood of the Geelong region.

NationalVolunteerWeek,fromMay20to26, recognised the many volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to the community, with this year’s theme of ‘Something for Everyone’.

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) South Barwon Unit deputy controller Joshua Hutton was brought up with the South Barwon Unit as a third-generation SES volunteer.

“Myfatherandmyuncleweremembers,then both my grandparents were involved in the regional support unit in the late 70s,” he said. “In the early days, some of their rescue trucks were built in our garage at home, so I’ve grown up around it, and it’s something that I’ve just always had that bit of passion for... I joined just before I turned 17. I’m still here and coming up to 28 years as a volunteer.”

In October last year, Joshua was deployed as a crew leader to reports that an aircraft full of skydivers had come off the runway on Lake Connewarre’s southern edge and made an emergency landing.

The plane had crashed on the lake’s northern shore, with Joshua and his team of five volunteers working with other emergency services to assist the aircraft’s 17 passengers.

“A lot of jobs we attend are very dynamic, so you’ve always got to be prepared as things unfold to change your tactics and work out what we can do,” he said.

“All the people on board were extremely lucky, there were concerns with a couple of them, but they were all relatively unscathed, which is a fantastic outcome all things considered.”

VICSES volunteers attended close to 33,000

requests for assistance (RFA) in the last 12 months, with Barwon Southwest regional volunteers supporting the community at more than 3100 RFAs.

genU celebrated its volunteers on May 22, with Lynne and Laurie Hill receiving awards

Orange hearts for end of life

The Bellarine community celebrated National Palliative Care Week through discussions and by encouraging actions around end-of-life planning.

The annual initiative was held last week,May21to27,andtheOrangeHeart symbol was launched for the palliative care sector.

Bellarine Community Health (BCH) Point Lonsdale nurse manager Jacob Miller said it was “extremely important” for people to understand palliative care better.

“Palliative care is so much more than just ‘end of life care’, it aims to improve someone’s quality of life, to help them live well when they have a life limiting illness,”hesaid.“Theorangeheartisused tosymbolisethewarmthandconnection between health care workers and their patients and their families. It’s a symbol of support and the bond established throughout the palliative care journey.”

BCH palliative care nurse Victoria Durbidge said the “unpredictable nature of death and dying” required the palliative care team to manage complex situations.

“The rewards of palliative care nursing are substantial, encompassing the deep human connection with patients and their families and building trust-based relationships,” she said.

for15yearsofservicetopeoplewhoareageing, living with disabilities or experiencing a disadvantage.

“We get satisfaction from seeing people happy,notbeinglonely,feelingworthwhileand reaching their full potential,” they said.

“(While also) maintaining realistic hope, respecting patient choices, alleviating or improving symptoms, and providing the privilege of being present with someone in their final moments.”

SES South Barwon Unit deputy controller and third-generation volunteer Joshua Hutton. (Ivan Kemp) 407962_06 Inset: Laurie and Lynne Hill have received an award for 15 years of volunteering with genU. (Supplied)

Green program renewed

By Matt Hewson

A local program aimed at helping households save money through transitioning from gas to electricity will continue in 2024 after far exceeding expectations last year.

Geelong Sustainability’s 2023 Electric Homes Program assisted 318 households in the region install products such as hot water heat pumps and solar and battery systems, with participants estimated to collectively save over $200,000 annually.

The environmental impact of the program was also far greater than expected, with the participatinghouseholdsreducingtheircarbon dioxide emissions by 770 tonnes per year.

With the release of the results last week, Geelong Sustainability announced preparations for the 2024 Efficient Electric Homes Program were already underway.

Geelong Sustainability chief executive Dan Cowdell said he was “over the moon” with both the interest from the community and the results of the 2023 program.

“We had over 1500 people come along to the information sessions that we ran across the region, from Queenscliff all the way out to Colac and Apollo Bay, so it was really region-wide,” Mr Cowdell said.

“I think people are beginning to get a bit fed up with the winter gas bill particularly, which can be a bit of a shock.

“The outcomes speak for themselves in terms of dollars saved for households… and for us, the environmental impact is the real great outcome. It’s the equivalent of taking 183 cars off the road permanently, which is a huge endeavour.”

“It has really demonstrated that when you do these… relatively easy changes, (such as) switchingyourgasheatertoanefficientelectric heater, there are really tangible benefits for

doing so.”

Mr Cowdell said he also felt very proud to make donations to the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative as part of the program, with 44 solar panels and six hot water systems going to families through the Co-operative.

While the 2023 program focused on the installation of big ticket items such as heating systems and solar, Mr Cowdell said the 2024 program would also include more holistic

Areyouoramemberof yourimmediatefamily celebratingamilestone birthdayorwedding anniversary?

efficiency measures.

“We’re hoping to expand the program so it includes things like insulation upgrades and draft-proofing to seal up gaps and cracks,” he said.

“That’s a really important first step to reducing your energy use while still going ahead with the bigger upgrades.”

Residents can go to electrichomes.com.au to register their interest for the 2024 program.

Club climbs golf rankings

Curlewis Golf Club has leapt up the AustralianGolfDigestrankingsthisyear in an acknowledgement of its continuing improvement of its 18-hole course.

In what is the biggest upward movement of any golf club in Australia, Curlewis improved seven positions, going from 69th best course in the country to 62nd.

The Australian Golf Digest review of the Curlewis Golf Club in April called it a “modern and multi-functional facility” whose “core remains its golf course, which continues to improve”.

In addition to the 18-hole golf course, the club also features a $20 million clubhouse and accommodation facility, award-winning French fusion restaurant Claribeauxand18-baydrivingrangeand teachingacademyTheRange@Curlewis.

Curlewis course superintendent Rob Bradley said the jump in rankings was the result of the club’s commitment to ongoing course innovations and enhancements.

“We have finished off the fairway improvement programme with the final line planting of Santa Ana couch into the last of the lesser fairways,” Mr Bradley said.

“We now have 15 hectares of fairway area compared to 9 hectares in 2015. Reshaping of tees, fairways and surrounds has also been a focus to facilitate better shot-making.”

Mr Bradley said the course team were continually working with acclaimed course designer Mike Clayton on bunker positioning, addition and removal.

Geelong Sustainability chief executive Dan Cowdell. (Louisa Jones) 409298_07

Shopping local in Ocean Grove

Voice photographer Louisa Jones strolled down The Terrace on Wednesday, May 29, to see who was shopping and eating in Ocean Grove.

Ian and Joyce Gierck.

Left: Terry and Steph Christophi. Centre: Janine, Jeff, Robyn and Jennifer Freu (top); Divio Jani and Pramit Haldankar. Right: Abbey Doe. (Pictures: Louisa Jones) 407976

Nola and Russell Kenner on a mystery tour from the Amazing Company.

Decadent winter sweet treats to warm the tastebuds

Winter desserts offer warmth and comfort, often featuring rich flavors and seasonal ingredients that are perfect for the colder months. When dining out, here are some favorite winter desserts to consider:

MoltenLavaCake: A chocolate lover’s dream, molten lava cake features a warm, gooey center of melted chocolate encased in a moist chocolate cake. It’s often served with a scoop of vanillaicecreamoradollopofwhippedcream, providing a delightful contrast of hot and cold.

Bread Pudding: Bread pudding is a classic winter dessert made from bread soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, and spices, then baked until golden and custardy. It’s often enhanced with raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips and served with a rich sauce, such as caramel, bourbon, or vanilla.

Apple Crisp or Apple Crumble: This comforting dessert features baked apples topped with a crunchy streusel or crumble made from flour, butter, and sugar. It’s typically served warm and pairs wonderfully with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding: A British favorite, sticky toffee pudding consists of a moist sponge cake made with dates and topped with a luscious toffee sauce. It’s often served warm with a side of vanilla ice cream or custard, making it a decadent and satisfying winter treat.

CrèmeBrûlée: Crème brûlée is a rich custard dessert with a contrasting layer of hard caramelized sugar on top. The smooth, creamy custard and the crisp caramelized sugar create a delightful combination of textures. It’s often

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flavored with vanilla, but variations with chocolate, coffee, or fruit are also popular.

Hot Chocolate Fondant: Similar to a molten lava cake, a hot chocolate fondant is a decadent dessert with a warm, melting chocolate center. It’s often served with a side of fresh berries, a scoop of ice cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Pecan Pie: Pecan pie is a rich, sweet dessert featuring a filling made from pecans, eggs, butter, and sugar (usually corn syrup). The nutty, caramel-like flavor of the filling and the buttery crust make it a perfect winter

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indulgence. It’s often served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tiramisu: This Italian classic is a layered dessert made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder, and sometimes a splash of liqueur. Tiramisu is creamy, rich, and flavorful, making it a delightful choice for a winter treat.

Gingerbread Cake: Gingerbread cake is a spiced, moist cake made with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses. It’s often served with a tangy cream cheese frosting or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce, capturing the

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essence of winter spices.

Warm Berry Compote with Ice Cream: A lighter option, a warm berry compote consists ofmixedberriescookedwithabitofsugaruntil theyformathick,syrupysauce.It’softenserved overascoopofvanillaicecreamorpairedwith a piece of pound cake or shortbread.

These winter desserts offer a mix of comforting,rich,andindulgentflavorsthatare perfect for enjoying when dining out during the colder months. Each dessert captures the essence of winter with its warm, inviting, and satisfying qualities.

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Sticky toffee pudding is a winter favourite.

Waking up to a powerful owl

There have been some glorious, clear, sunny autumn days over the past few weeks, and other days have been freezing.

I had a few days camping at Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary near Ballarat with Ocean Grove birdwatchers Pete and Chris, which was lovely but very cold overnight in the tent.

Clarkesdale was established in the 1960s by Gordon Clarke, a sheep farmer in Linton and a qualified lawyer, a keen birdwatcher and a conservationist.

Clarke replanted one of his paddocks on his farm with Australian native trees and shrubs to attract birds.

He purchased another few plots of adjoining land. Eventually, he donated all the land to the Australian Bird Observers Club (now Birdlife Australia) and set up a trust to allow for property maintenance.

We spotted around 40 species of birds over two days, including a peregrine falcon, one pink robin, scarlet robins, eastern yellow robins, wedge-tailed eagles, yellow-tailed black cockatoos, and buff-rumped thornbills.

Onenight,Ifellasleeplisteningtoaboobook owl calling and woke up to the sound of a powerful owl.

On the subject of boobook owls, I received an email from Judie, who was contacted by her friend to say that she’d found a beautiful little dead boobook owl in her Ocean Grove backyard.

She suspects the neighbour’s cat killed the owl because she has seen it hunting in her yard before.

My friend Adele from my work lives in Clifton Springs, and recently, a boobook owl crashed into one of her house windows. She was on the ground in her yard for half an hour or so, recovering before flying away. Luckily, Adele does not have a cat that could have killed the owl while it was recuperating.

I received an email from Jillian, who lives in Leopold. Jillian walks at Ocean Grove Nature Reserve (OGNR) regularly, and she (along with me) has failed to see the flame robins there this year.

She has spotted eastern yellow robins and golden whistlers recently. After a recent visit to OGNR, Jillian drove down Mollers Lane in Leopold on the way home and came across a

brown falcon that, fortunately, decided to stay around so she could take a photo.

She then ventured to the end of Ash Road in Leopold at the lookout there and came across someflamerobins.Theywerehappytoposefor a bit, so Jillian attached a couple of pictures.

I could see them hopping and flying low around the adjacent paddock as the flame breast stood out clearly. It was a truly lovely time to see these birds enjoying themselves.

She also saw a couple of wedge-tailed eagles and two white-bellied sea-eagles soaring around on the same visit. That sounds like heaven, Jillian.

Jillian also drove to Gellibrand, where she was fortunate to see lots of scarlet robins, eastern spinebills and yellow robins.

She drove to the California redwood plantation and south to Beech Forest and

was excited to see a pink robin in one of the gullies and a bassian thrush, which was so well camouflaged.

She was able to observe it for over 10 minutes without it being worried and moving away, which is quite amazing, as usually wild birds are so wary and do not hang around people for very long.

I received an email from Phil, who told me that five years ago, he played golf at the Ocean Grove Golf course, and around the eighteenth tee, surrounded by bushland, he often saw beautiful flame robins similar to those in the United Kingdom. Also, in that area, he observed many superb fairy-wrens.

A few days later, Phil was having lunch at the 19th hole and spotted a grey butcherbird, but still no flame robins. I think all the flame robins have remained in Ash Road, Leopold.

Showcasing Geelong’s culture through fashion

TheGeelongHeritageandLibraryCentrewill host a free multicultural fashion exhibition featuring works of the region’s designers and makers.

Regional Runways will present the Tamaduni (meaning tradition in Swahili) Fashion Exhibition on level 5 of the 51 Little Malop Street library from June 6 to July 6. Robyn Lucas co-founded Regional Runways with Catherine Jonathan and said the exhibition supported multicultural and First Nations women in the Geelong region.

“There’s close to 51 different cultural communities (in the Geelong region) and we’re trying to foster that cultural appreciation,” she said.

“The exhibition promotes understanding and inclusivity through interactive and engaging activities with the wider community; the library’s perfect for that.

“Rather than having a fashion parade which would go for one evening, we’re trying to show the work by having it in the library, which has a diverse and intergenerational membership.”

Ms Lucas said the exhibition shared stories through textiles and allowed people to experience a contemporary take on traditional culture.

“We’re trying to create a more inclusive and connected community by advocating to people who might want to take something they’re doing to the next level,” she said.

“It’s equally important to be inclusive of all cultures and genders. That’s why we needed to have something that can go for enough time for people to explore and to get the word out about it.

“The trade and tradition of making fabric and embroidery is an art form and it’s important to share these stories with the Geelong community, which is changing, growing and becoming more diverse.”

Tickets for the exhibition’s June 6 opening night from 6pm to 8pm was essential. Visit eventbrite.com.au/e/ tamaduni-multicultural-fashion-exhibitiontickets-895675809457 to reserve a spot.

Jena Carr

Regional Runways co-founder Robyn Lucas and linen, silk and light wool hand-embroidered shawl creator Salma Gul at the Geelong Heritage and Library Centre. (Louisa Jones) 409944_07

Bassian thrush-jillian, and Boobook owl in Clifton Springs. (Pictures: Supplied)

PUZZLES

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

ACROSS

1 Uncovered (7)

5 Tools used to hold a wood or metal workpiece (1,6)

9 Amply (11)

10 Angry crowd (3)

11 Votary (6)

12 Comfort (7)

14 Directs (4)

15 Uneducated (10)

17 Rival (10)

19 Book ID (1,1,1,1)

20 Induct (7)

22 Resolve (6)

25 Pester (3)

26 Offender (11)

28 Raffle (7)

29 Forest workers (7)

DOWN

1 See (4)

2 Alias, pen-name (9)

3 Lecher (5)

4 Submissive (11)

5 Hair product (3)

6 Launch a tirade at (3,4)

7 Latin American dance (5)

8 Section title (10)

12 Aficionado (11)

13 Partial (10)

16 Christmas plant (9)

18 Instance (7)

21 Spectacle (5)

23 Capital of Italy’s Piedmont region (5)

24 Advantages (4)

27 Narrow beam (3)

once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

1 What kind of food are poffertjes?

2 Who is the narrator in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief?

3 Colloquially, what is a sparky? 4 What kind of fruit is ume? 5 In 1942, Earl Tupper developed the first product for which homeware brand? 6 What year did World War II end?

7 Natasha Lyonne (pictured) stars as Charlie Cale in which comedy series?

8 What is an archipelago?

9 And what is the world’s largest archipelagic state? 10 Advocaat is a traditional Dutch beverage made with eggs, sugar and what kind of alcohol?

No.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Ocean Grove Voice looks back through the pages of our predecessors

8 years ago

May 25 to June 7, 2016

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews received a celebrity welcome as he visited Ocean Grove Primary (OGPS) today, promoting the State Government’s $4m grant for the school.

Excited students clamoured to high-five the Premier as he approached the school’s gates.

6 years ago June 6 to June 19, 2018

A spate of thefts from vehicles and homes in Ocean Grove has prompted calls for residents to be more vigilant. Thenumberofresidentialburglariesand theft from motor vehicles has increased in Ocean Grove over the past four weeks.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

4 years ago June 3 to 16, 2020

The state government’s decision to allow cafes and restaurants to reopen has been welcomed by Bellarine Peninsula businesses.

With 20 people allowed inside cafes and restaurants from June 1, many local businesses have decided to reopen, althoughsomehavepreferredtowaituntil June 22 when 50 customers are allowed.

2 years ago

June 3 to 16, 2022

Local celebrities will brave the ice slide on Saturday, June 4 for Drysdale’s very own Big Freeze. Similar to the Big Freeze before the Melbourne and Collingwood game at the MCG every Queen’s Birthday, Drysdale will be the epicentre for the fight against MND.

WANT YOUR 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.

CWA Nightlights Ocean Grove

CWA Nightlights Ocean Grove meets the first and third Monday of the month, 2.30pm, Seniors Club, 102 The Terrace, Ocean Grove. All welcome.

■ Kareen, 041 924 6346, or Janis, 5255 4585

Bellarine Women’s Workshop Portarlington Girl Guides Hall. Meets every second Thursday, and second Saturday of the month.

■ Facebook: Bellarine Women’s Workshop for further details

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,

SpringDale Felt & Textile Artists

SpringDale Felt & Textile Artists “Wonder of Wool” exhibition, Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9, 10am-4pm at SpringDale community centre High Street, Drysdale.

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: snooker 1pm, chess, indoor bowls 1.15pm. Wednesday: bingo 1.15pm, ukulele class 2pm, guitar jam session 4pm. Thursday: snooker 1pm, cards 500, social afternoons 1.15pm. Friday: art classes 9am.

Fortnightly

CWA 1st & 2nd Thursday 7.30pm Monthly

Inhouse Movies 3rd Wednesday 1.30pm.

■ Dianne, 5255 1372

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

Cards

Ocean Grove Seniors play card game 500 every Thursday at 1.15pm. If you are new to 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: $30 annually and coffee included.

At 101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove.

■ Dianne, 5255 1372

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, 0421 636 830

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

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

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

Out and about

was a nice

1/ Anna White with Ratu. 2/ George and Diane Lioukas. 3/ Orla Grenfell -Fox and Bonnie McCallig. 4/ Petal O’Dell and Mary McCague. 5/ Celeste Tisbury and Kye Arnot.

6/ Pam and Barry Planner. 7/ Brenton and Merrilyn McGee. 8/ Steve Conben and Sue Anderson. 9/ Jessame Caval and Phoebe Malone. 10/ Dave and Bec Fredes with Chet the dog.

(Pictures: Louisa Jones) 407975

It

day at Ocean Grove’s Main Beach on Monday, with Voice photographer Louisa Jones capturing those enjoying the sun.

connectionsonly.VGC. $20.Ph0438513974

DVD playerPhilipsVGC. $20.avconnectonlyPh 0438513974

Construction works has commenced for replacement of the canopy (incl. façade maintenance) around the Ocean Grove Coles Store. The existing canopy is deteriorating and in need for a well-deserved facelift. Works will begin by taking down the existing structure, and thereafter replacing it with a brand new, architecturally designed one. Staark are excited to start the works and we are looking forward to creating a new and more well-suited canopy for the location. The new structure and design have been developed over months working closely with the architects. The new canopy will be fully enclosed and has been developed with the specific site conditions in mind, including materials, colours, and lighting. Maintenance work to repaint the façade and replace cladding along the Western Laneway Elevation will also be taking place. Works will be ongoing for the duration of roughly 12 weeks. Temporary fencing/bollards will be put up around each section of works as well as a few car parking bays – please keep in mind we will always endeavour to minimise as much disruption to the public space as possible but are hoping for your patience during these weeks. We are convinced that the local community will feel as excited as we do to see these works completed.

Want to place an ad but not sure where to start? Call our helpful classified team between 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri for FREE advice!

ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Kelly Clifford Accounting0407 119 283

Roche Accounting5256 2764

ANTENNAS

Arrow Antennas0439 785 703

Kendall Antenna Services0404 019 781

AUTOMOTIVE

Auto Care Ocean Grove (Repco)5255 1045

Gardiner Automotive5255 5380

BEAUTY/HAIR

Hair By Dana0400 065 431

Swish Beauty & Hair - Leopold 5250 3242

BUILDERS & NEW HOMES

Beechmore Building Solutions5250 4638

MB Builders0400 406 030

BUILDING DESIGNERS

Michael Higgins Building Design5255 3355

BUTCHERS

Benno’s Meating Place5254 1828

CARPET CLEANING

Carpet Cleaners Geelong5255 3510

CHIMNEY SWEEPS

A1 Chimney Sweep & Co0426 897 479

CONVEYANCING

Surfside Conveyancing Pty Ltd5255 5556

Vines Conveyancing5255 4480

DENTAL

Drysdale Denture Services

Ryan Davies & Andrew Irving5251 1683

Ocean Grove Denture Services

Ryan Davies & Andrew Irving5255 4533

ELECTRICIANS

Grove Electrical (REC 16943)0404 022 952

Hybrid powering up down under

By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring

With a dim start to electrification of the automobile down under, due considerably to the snail-pace roll-out of charging infrastructure to keep up, many car manufacturers have doubled down on petrol/ electric hybrid models.

Latest switch-on is Hyundai with its new Kona SUV range consisting initially of internal combustion engine vehicles and totally electric powered variants.

The small sports utility hybrid vehicle makes use of a 1.6 litre petrol engine and six-speed dual clutch transmission with a 1.32 kwh battery pack and electric motor, designed to deliver a driving experience similar to a conventional ICE vehicle.

With an exceptional 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres fuel consumption (91 RON) on the combined cycle claimed by the maker, the full 38 litre petrol tank should give a careful driver almost 1000 kilometres of range.

As well as standard features such as AM/ FM/DAB+, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Hyundai Bluelink with calendar integration, Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, USB-C input and Google Fast Pair Service for Android across the Kona range, the test car was specced up to Premium level.

ThisleveladdedBluelinkconnectedsatellite navigation, Bluelink live traffic updates, voice control, SMS playback capability, split-screen function and voice memo function. Options on Premium include wide-glass sunroof at $1500, metallic mica paint $595 and Light Shale Grey/Sage Green interior $295.

The Kona N Line Hybrid is covered by Hyundai’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with battery warranty of eight years or 160,000 kilometres.

Styling

The Kona hybrid follows on the futuristic design chops of the all-electric variant. Standout features of the Neoteric (aka modern) Yellow test car included light strip front and back, twin alloy tipped exhaust pipes, N Line body-coloured cladding, N Line front bumper with gloss black front bumper insert, N Line side skirts and N Line-exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels.

There’sablackNLinewing-typespoilerand mirror caps, N Line rear bumper, plus N Line aluminium badging. Dual projector beam headlights combine with LED indicators, black beltline moulding and ‘seamless horizon’ centre LED positioning light.

Interior

With wider-opening doors, back seat space – 77mm more leg room and 11 mm extra headroom – is well ahead of the previous Kona. Second-row shoulder room (1402mm) is also among the largest in class.

Buttons and dials dominate the climate and drive mode controls, so it’s simple to hop into Sport, or adjust the climate. Stacks of storage space is partly the result of the lack of a transmission tunnel with its old-style T-bar gear lever, leaving room for an open centre console.

All-new Kona’s optional N Line pack interior offers leather appointed seating with Alcantara inserts, along with red highlights and N logos. There’s an N Line steering wheel, dark metal door handles, plus leather dashboard tray and highlights. Black headlining and pillar trims may seem a bit too gloomy for some.

The boot has room for 470 litres of cargo with the rear seat backs raised, blowing out to 1421 litres with the backs folded (almost) flat. A temporary spare wheel can be found under the boot base, which is height adjustable.

Infotainment

The Kona follows its Hyundai cousins with a version of the 12.3-inch dual-screen high-resolution full digital set-up. Pleasingly, climate control air-con is via a series of buttons and knobs on the centre stack, not the

touchscreen.

Over The Air software updates lets users perform remote software and firmware updates for key systems, without the need to visit a service centre.

Engines/transmissions

NewforAustralia,theKonahybridpowertrain combines a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with an electric motor plugged into a 1.32 kWh battery pack. The electric motor produces 32 kW of power and 172 Nm of torque, the combined system putting out 104 kW and 265 Nm. The package is mated with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Safety

This is where the Hyundai SmartSense safety system comes into the picture with functions including autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian and cyclist detection), as well as AEB rear. Also included are driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring and assist, lane keep assist, safe exit warning, plus parking sensors. And to help further in pedestrian safety,

the Kona Hybrid, with its almost silent powertrain, features a Virtual Engine Sound System which generates a futuristic sound for pedestrians to hear through a speaker at the frontofthevehicle.Afurtherchimeis‘played’ when the car is reversing.

There are seven airbags in Kona, including a front centre side airbag. Mounted in the left of the driver’s seat backrest, it can prevent or reduce the severity of injuries caused by coming together of front occupants, or collisions between occupants and the interior during a side impact.

Driving

The dash-mounted push-button start fires up theall-butsilentelectricmotor,tobejoinedby the 1.6-litre petrol engine, in an ultra-smooth transition at around 20 to 30 km/h when needed for optimum performance – a great help in town traffic.

It’s not the most powerful vehicle but a heavy-footed take-off can have the Kona’s front wheels spinning in the wet, trust me. Paddles behind the steering wheel allow the driver to get in on the action of the six-speed double-clutch tranny. Oh, and can deliver

different levels of regenerative braking. Claimed fuel economy is a miserly 3.9 litres per 100km on the combined urban/ highway cycle. On test the Kona accrued a fuel consumption figure of 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres over a week’s work on a range of road conditions.

Traffic sign recognition and warning sounds like a good idea but the Kona goes a step too far for my liking, not only issuing a visual warning but beeping too. Frequent changes of speed limit can come up with an incessant ‘one-note’ samba. More annoying than helpful.

Also, the system is inclined to pick up the speed limit of an on or off-ramp while still on the motorway and on test was wont to hold on to a car park 10km/h speed limit when the car was well on its way down the road.

Summary

With skinflint fuel usage without the worry of running out of ‘juice’ it’s a win/win situation with the Kona N Line petrol/electric hybrid SUV. Good looks, space and heaps of high-tech tackle add to the appeal, as does the $40K-plus sales price.

The full 38 litre petrol tank should give a careful driver almost 1000 kilometres of range. (Pictures: Supplied)

Grubbers host Hawks on Pink Day

Ocean Grove hosted Drysdale at Ray Menzies Oval on May 25, winning 72-39 on the club’s annual Pink Day. Justin Flynn was there and took these photos from the A-grade match.

The winning Ocean Grove team in their pink uniforms. (Pictures: Justin Flynn) 408025

Above: Amelia Ford in action for Drysdale. Right: Arlee Bennett with the ball.

Jessica Leader and Aleisha Walters.

Zanna Woods was a star in attack for Ocean Grove with 43 goals from 46 attempts.

Left: Maddison Connally shoots under pressure from Georgia Berry. Centre: Chloe Hobbs was among Drysdale’s best players. Right: Both teams played the game in the right spirit.

Anna Smith was good in defence.

Olivia Young tries to get her team going.

Paige McGrath looks for an option.

Hawks defeat brave Grubbers

Drysdale defeated a gallant Ocean Grove by 29 points at Ray Menzies Oval on Saturday, May 25. Justin Flynn shot some of the action.

Above: Luke Preece takes a strong mark. Above right: Ben Henderson rebounds for Drysdale. Below left: The Hawks celebrate a goal.

Connor Asquith booted two goals for Ocean Grove.

Left: Flynn Chirgwin was busy for Drysdale. Centre: Max Sutton gets clear. Right: Players get tangled up in this passage of play. (Pictures: Justin Flynn) 408026

Kyle Davis and Patrick Norton.

Above: Nathan Down kicks forward. Below: Ben Fennell was again in the best players for the Hawks. Star ruckman Matthew Piggott had another great game.

Ocean Grove continue strong form

Ocean Grove will continue to focus on what it needs to do in the Bellarine Netball League.

Last season’s A-grade premiers sit second with a 7-1 record and are showing some of the form that held them in good stead last season.

Coach Mel Holmes said it had been a great start to the season and she was loving seeing the group turn up for each other each week

“I’m not surprised by our good form,” she said. “For us we lost three of the seven premiership players from the team last year.

“It’s kind of like a new year, new team, new desire to win.

“The girls that were there certainly don’t have a hangover. The new recruits are fitting in really well.

“The group of girls we do have really want to have fun at netball and play for each other.

“I just facilitate that the focus of having fun means they will play well and they will win.”

The Grubbers are coming off a 33 goal win against Drysdale after a three goal win the

week before.

Thethreegoalwinwastheirthirdwinwithin three goals this season.

Holmessaidtheside’sexperiencewascoming to the fore in the key moments. She said some ofthoseclosematchestheyhadn’thadtheirfull side either. “It comes down to experience and backing each other in,” she said.

“We do have some really experienced girls in the team who are really level headed like Georgia Berry, Zanna [Woods].

“They know what it takes to win [and] know what it takes to keep composed in those tough moments.

“I can confidently put out any combination on court and I believe that the girls can get the job done no matter who we’ve got.”

The Grubbers this Saturday face Anglesea at Shell Road Reserve.

Anglesea sits in sixth spot.

Holmes said she was looking forward to the challenge.

“I played with two of the Anglesea girls, Maeve and Breda [O’Kane],” she said. “I know their game style pretty well.

“We focus more on what we have to do ourselves rather than who we are playing against.

“In order to be successful without giving too much away, some of those things are limiting turnovers, applying heaps of defence pressure… Relentless in attack.

“If we stick to that it doesn’t matter who you come up against.”

In other matches on Saturday, Queenscliff facesPortarlington,DrysdaleplaysModewarre, Newcomb takes on Geelong Amateur and Torquay plays Barwon Heads.

Grubbers hold their own

By Justin Flynn

An undermanned Ocean Grove continues to make progress with its young list after a 29-point defeat to premiership contender Drysdale in the Bellarine Football League.

Drysdale, which was without Tom Ruggles and James Breust, booted the first five goals of the round eight match at Steeline Ray Menzies Oval on Saturday, May 25 and it looked like a lopsided result was in store.

However, the Grubbers kicked the next four to be down by only eight points at the long break. Drysdale did enough to win in the second half, 10.10 (70)-6.5 (41).

Ocean Grove was without co-coach Nick Bourke with a slight hamstring strain and Kye Annand was called up for Geelong’s Victorian Football League side.

To make matters worse, Ash Medallist contender Ed Dayman went down with a lower leg injury in the first term and took no further part in the game and will at least miss this week’s clash against Anglesea.

“Fingers crossed for him, he’s tough and stubborn so won’t be any longer out than the minimum,” coach Dave Farrell said of his star ruck.

“It was a real lift for the group to see Kye get and take his chance at Geelong. Unique that to loseaplayerofhiscalibrefromthesidehadthat effect but everyone sees how hard he works and is invested in both the VFL and our program and were so excited to see that recognised again.”

With an already small side made even smaller, Ocean Grove played into Drysdale’s hands early in the match by bombing the ball long into the forward line.

“Their intercept game was a focus point coming into the game so it just took some time to make the adjustment,” Farrell said.

“The two Preece boys (Jack and Luke) read the ball so well for them. The players flattened out their kicks and communication to the ball carrier improved loads after quarter time to get the ball to our advantage or where we could contest it rather than to intercepts and direct turnovers.”

Farrell said injuries opened up some spots from those pushing in the twos and under-18s.

“While you’d ideally have a fit and healthy list to pick from every week, our coaching group is excited about the number of players we have and will continue to expose to 2pm football,” he said.

“The faster paced game, stronger opposition and being supported through additional resources with vision and more coaches is a completely different experience. We are seeing the impact of this with players who have played earlier in the year now playing some really good under age and 12pm footy and better

understanding how this can be a really positive period for their development rather than all being desperate to play at 2pm every week or thinking the time slot they play at right now might define their career.”

After Drysdale kicked the first five goals, Ocean Grove lifted in defence and put more pressure on in the midfield.

“As a group there was a greater emphasis this week on players accepting the role the team needs them to play and focusing on that,”

Farrell said.

“We felt watching on and in conversations with the playing group while the result didn’t go our way, the players executed well in that area.”

While the Grubbers remain winless, they also played well in a 14-point loss to an impressive Newcomb in round seven.

The Grubbers wrap up the first half of the seasonthisweekwithagameagainstAnglesea, another contender.

“Anglesea look really strong, they have put some work into building their list for a crack at a premiership right now and will be a big test for our boys,” Farrell said.

“It’s a big day for the club with a team behind the scenes working on some initiatives to highlight and raise awareness around domestic violence and in particular violence against women. Our playing group is young but understand the responsibilities they have as young leaders in our community and we’re enormously proud of that.”

The reserves were on the end of a 70-point loss. Nick Aringo kicked six goals for the third-placed Hawks while Lachie Allan was Grove’s best.

McLachlan now a Lion

Geelong Falcons livewire forward

Will McLachlan has had his dreams realised, as he was taken by Brisbane with pick six in Wednesday’s AFL mid-season rookie draft.

After kicking 13 goals last season, McLachlan was overlooked in the draft, but responded with strong form in the early stages of the Coates Talent League season.

The 185 centimetre forward has kicked 24 goals in five games this season to be the Coates Talent League’ leadinggoalkicker.Hisimpressivestint including two bags of six and a further two five-goal hauls.

McLachlan was also part of the Young Guns side that played against Vic Metro and Vic Country in April.

He also played six senior games for Colac last season, kicking eight goals.

An elated McLachlan was interviewed on the AFL’s draft broadcast shortly after being selected. He said he had no idea it was coming.

“It’s just surreal... it caught me by surprise a little bit,“ he laughed. “Luckily the manager brought a polo down for me... love the colours.“

Brisbane Lions national recruiting manager Stephen Conole said McLachlan has potential to slot into the senior side.

“Playing with the Geelong Falcons this year as a 19-year-old after not being drafted last year, (he is a) hybrid forward who is strong overhead and can impact at ground level with his speed and agility,“ he said via Brisbane Lion’s social media.

The Lions have been mauled by long-term injuries, granting them four picks in Wednesday’s draft.

On the long-term injury list is small forward Lincoln McCarthy, which could potentially open up the door for McLachlan to push his way into the senior side. The Lions only used three picks.

McLachlan’s Falcons teammate Joe Pike, Geelong Victorian Football League forward-mid Tobyn Murray, Anakie’s Ajang Kuol mun and St Mary’s Matt Ling were among locals that were in contention that didn’t get pickedup.

Geelongdidn’thaveaselectioninthe draft.

Gerald Lynch

Zanna Woods puts up a shot. (Justin Flynn)

408025_06

Ed Dayman is helped from the ground after an early injury. (Justin Flynn) 408026_06

Jets join premier bowls competition

Ocean Grove will join bowls’ showpiece television and spectator event, the Bowls Premier League this November.

The Grovers will play under the banner of the Geelong Jets in the expanded 12-team competition.

The biannual competition will also feature an expansion in the nation’s biggest market, with a new Sydney team, St Johns Park Bowling Club Group, which includes St Johns Park Bowling Club, Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club, Club Wallacia and Wallacia Country Club under the banner of the Sydney Saints.

The Geelong Jets brand will capture support across the 24 clubs situated within the wider Geelong Bowls Region.

Both the Sydney Saints and Geelong Jets teams are committed to having international representation among their team roster to expand the reach and appeal of the event to new markets.

Ocean Grove Bowling Club chief executive Nathan O’Neill said the club was excited

about the prospect of competing in the BPL.

“Ocean Grove Bowling Club is thrilled to secure a licence to establish the Geelong Jets team in what is unquestionably the sport’s premier competition, which further elevates our local and national profile and status as the

largest bowls and entertainment precinct in regional Victoria,” he said.

“OurteamwillproudlyembracetheGeelong identity and foster a strong community supporterbaseunderour‘communityteamon the national stage’ positioning and approach.”

Bowls Australia chief executive Matthew Kennedy said St Johns Park’s Sydney Saints and Ocean Grove’s Geelong Jets were welcome additions and would play an exciting part of the BPL’s evolution.

“The Bowls Premier League has established itself as a prestigious and exciting Australian sportingproductacross19eventsand11years, and it’s fantastic to see the event evolve to another level with the inclusion of two really strong, progressive and committed Clubs in Saint Johns Park and Ocean Grove,” he said.

Under the extension, SEN’s television production arm Rainmaker will continue to produce the sport’s broadcast television production of the BPL and Australian Open events for 2024, 25 and 26.

Sun out for prelim finals

taking a set 6-4, then followed up with Lonny winning the third 7-5 and Grovedale the fourth 6-4.

the second for Grovedale. The Heights won the third and fourth sets 6-4 putting them up three sets to one and level on games.

Return of the garfish

ON THE BITE Peri Stavropoulos

This week we have seen one of our favouritespeciescomebackandinsome prettygoodnumbersbythesoundsofit: the garfish!

Land-based anglers have been finding some good success this past week with good numbers getting around.

Some locations that have fished well and are well worth having a suss at are Grammar School Lagoon, St Helens Rocks, Geelong Waterfront, Lineburners, Clifton Springs Jetty and Swan Bay Jetty.

As mentioned many times, when fishing for these critters use a solid and consistent burley trail with tiny baits suspended under a pencil float.

King George whiting remain a hot topic this week with the Bellarine Peninsula continuing to offer some great fishing for them.

The usual areas we have been mentioning over the past few reports arestillprovingtobethegotolocations. Fishing the stronger tides and late in the afternoon are the prime time to be chasing a feed of them.

Offshore Barwon Heads has been the talk of the town this past week, with barrel tuna arriving in good numbers. The fish are fairly spread out from Cape Schanck all the way along the coast to Torquay.

Most fish have been sitting in around 50 to 60 metres of water feeding on pilchards so your more natural and blue-coloured lures are sure to be the wise colour choice.

The fish could go as quickly as they have showed up, so best try to get out there if you’re chasing one. Please be careful when heading offshore as the passages to get out there can be dangerous.

Gummy and School Sharks are still fishing very well offshore with Gone Fishing Charters AGAIN getting amongst them. Fishing that 30-metre line on anchor has been productive with afewwelcomedpinkysnapperalongthe way also.

It was perfect autumn weather for Tuesday women’s preliminary final week and the teams enjoyed the competition as well as the sunshine.

Surfcoast Torquay travelled to Moriac in section 1 and was hoping to carry on its good form from last week.

Moriac proved tough competition, winning the first two sets 6-4 and 7-5. Torquay counteredinthethirdandfourthset,winning them 6-3 and 7-5.

With the teams tied on sets and Torquay ahead by three games the match was poised for the taking. Liz Scott and Sharon Hannett traded game for game with Fiona Blood and Bronwyn Tasker to 3-2 lead before running away with the set for Torquay winning 6-2. Liz Flower and Megan Williams started slowly against Bridget Laird and Charlotte Wilson with the Moriac pair taking a 4-1 lead. The Torquay pair faced a match point at 5-2 but managed to turn things around, coming out eventual winners 7-5, giving the win to Torquay four sets to two.

TheresultwasevencloserinPointLonsdale, where the home team faced Grovedale. The teams were tied after two sets with both teams

Level on sets and games, the teams needed to steel their nerves to see who would come out on top. Samantha Bakker and Anne Hainsworth did just that, and won the fifth set for Lonny, 6-3.

On the other court, Val Wilson and Kellie Winton battled Bronwyn Attard and Tracy Bromilow, with the latter coming out eventual winners in a tie-break for Grovedale. The final result saw Lonny in front by a game difference of two.

Things were a little more one-sided in section 3 when Barwon Heads had a 5-1 win againstSurfCoastTorquayBlack,winningthe first four sets to put the result beyond doubt.

Surfcoast Torquay Black fared better than its section 3 counterparts in section 4 posting a 6-0 win over Highton. The team were on fire, restricting their opposition to just six games.

Section 5 was expected to be a close affair with Western Heights Uniting and Grovedale playing their third encounter, with the teams each having a close win.

Wendy Bell and Carmel Addlem had a tough fought win for the Heights 7-5 in the first set, while Jinara Schmidt and Jenny Finch helped the scoreboard posting a 6-0 win in

Wendy Bell and Karen Barlett put the result beyond doubt winning the fifth 6-2, giving Bell her third set for the day, while Finch and Tina Thorburn took the last for Grovedale 6-3.

Grovedale’s bad day continued when their section6YellowteamwentdowntoMoolap,in an unexpected result, with Grovedale having posted two 6-0 wins through the season.

The match was tight with two of the first four sets going to Grovedale in tie-breaks, but Moolap managed the other two 6-4 and 6-3 giving them a 1 game lead going into the final two sets. Moolap dug in with Kirsty Matthews and Sheree Holdsworth winning the fifth set 6-2 and Belinda Atkins and Denise Black the sixth 6-4, resulting in the seemingly unexpected win.

For section 7 it was semi finals, due to the six-team draw. Minor premiers Wandana Heights gave themselves a 3-1 lead before splitting the final two sets with Moolap to book their place in next week’s final.

Wandana will face Point Lonsdale after it won the first five sets of the day against Anglesea, with Donna Drury and Pauline Treloar leading the way winning their three sets.

The Barwon River has offered some nice fishing this week with carp on the chew. A great option if you want to avoid weather, take the kids out or only have limited time. Fishing with a very lightly weighted running sinker rig with corn kernels or bread will put you in for a great shot at some of this action.

Gone Fishing with some gummy sharks. (Supplied)

Ocean Grove will join the Bowls Premier League under the banner of the Geelong Jets.

Section 6 Moolap and Grovedale players Teresa Mifsud, Vanessa Armstrong, Denise Black, Kirsty Matthews, Vicky Castven, Belinda Atkins, Therese Wilson, Sheree Holdworth, Kerrie Grinter and Kerry Carlin. (Supplied)

LOCAL TENNIS

Donna Schoenmaekers

Gordon Armstrong Green Resident

If location is a high priority when considering your next move, look no further. Armstrong Green is conveniently located across the road from the Warralily shopping precinct where you will find:

- Woolworths & Aldi

- Specialty shops and cafés

- Fast food outlets

- Bakery

- Bottleshop

- Pharmacy

- Medical Practices

- Allied Health

- Veterinary Practice