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Category	Date	Item
News	21/01/2010	All aboard MyBus http://www. If the Partridge Family had encountered the degree of red tape that has beset the Barwon Youth MyBus project, Shirley Jones and her five musical children of the 1970’s might never have left their garage in San Pueblo, California. View
News	21/01/2010	Swin between the weeds http://www. Beaches are a magnet for bathers during summer, but despite the many attractions along Geelong’s waterfront, the water is not one of them. Ian Kenins explores why. View
News	21/01/2010	Local legislation over canines in al fresco areas unenforced http://www. Bylaws regulating canines in al fresco dining areas have largely gone under the radar nor since they were highlighted by Mayor John Mitchell last September. View
News	16/12/2009	Studying schizophrenia http://www. Barwon Health researchers are seeking additional female volunteers to participate in a study on the effects of oestrogen upon sufferers of schizophrenia. View
News	16/12/2009	Volunteers give health services their time http://www. Barwon Health Volunteer Services boasts 934 volunteers who provide support across all its sites within acute health, rehabilitation, residential care, mental health care, community health and palliative care. View
News	16/12/2009	Red Cross craft shop shuts http://www. After seven and a half years of providing Geelong customers with predominately home made hand made goods, the Red Cross craft shop in Bellerine Street will close its doors on the 23rd of December. View
News	16/12/2009	Rallying against rallying http://www. Residents of the Barrabool hills, once alive with the sound of mooing, are upset that the tranquillity of their semi rural setting may be drowned out by the roar of motorcycles and trail bikes. View
News	16/12/2009	Barwon Health struggling http://www. Despite new capital works to boost the size of several wards at the Geelong Hospital, things are decidedly unhealthy at Barwon Health as the region’s largest medical centre struggles under the weight of increased admissions and a $3.8 million operating deficit. View
News	16/12/2009	New News http://www. Last Wednesday evening, in a shed that normally houses two vans, tens of metres of recording cables and assorted equipment used by Gest Media for recording and editing of local sporting events gathered some 100 invited guests to celebrate the launch of News Geelong, the revamped program produced by Noel Fanning. View
News	09/12/2009	A costly mistake http://www. Following the dismissal of now former councillor David Saunderson, resident voters in the Cowie Ward can expect to go to the polls to re-elect a new representative sometime after the Christmas and New Year holiday period has ended. View
News	09/12/2009	Easing heat stree for elderly http://www. In Australia this year 375 deaths occurred due to heat-related illnesses, which is 150 more than Victoria’s bushfires. View
News	09/12/2009	Walking in Santa's boots http://www. For ten-and-a-half months of the year retiree Cliff Watts goes about his daily business. View
News	09/12/2009	A Perfect Alcoa Theatre Season 2010 http://www. Eddie Perfect and a cast of Australia’s best theatrical talent helped Geelong Performing Arts Centre lift the lid on its 2010 theatre season on Friday, December 4. View
News	09/12/2009	Henderson opts for ETS lite http://www. Sarah Henderson, the Liberal’s endorsed candidate for the federal seat of Corangamite, has thrown her support behind new leader Tony Abbott in opposing the government’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). View
News	09/12/2009	Buoyant, bubbly and beaming! http://www. Every Tuesday the ladies and gents from class 10am meet up not for coffee, but fitness and friendship. View
News	09/12/2009	NightBus a success http://www. The Central Geelong NightBus is proving to be a success, the Ocean Grove, Leopold and Torquay routes servicing large amounts of teens every Saturday night. Operating since October 31, the five month trial offers partygoers the chance to bus it home for less than the cost of a bourbon and coke every Saturday night (Sunday morning) to various locations in and around Geelong between 1.30am and 4am. View
News	18/11/2009	Magical Medimime http://www. This November over 50 Geelong Hospital theatrically minded medicos, nurses and volunteers will stage the annual Medimime theatre production and this year it’s perennial favourite Jack and the Beanstalk. View
News	18/11/2009	"Walking Home" for the homeless http://www. Raising awareness of the plight of hundreds of thousands of homeless Aussies, a group of Geelong residents are sacrificing their week to trudge, camp and trek the roads between Warrnambool and Geelong enduring a 189km journey through Victoria’s south west. View
News	18/11/2009	The Ring Road officially an effective decongestant http://www. Truck traffic on Latrobe Terrace has nearly halved since the opening of the Geelong Ring Road according to traffic data released by Road and Ports Minister, Tim Pallas. The Minister said there had been substantial reductions in traffic volumes on several key local and arterial roads throughout the Geelong road network, particularly the volume of commercial vehicles (CVS), along Latrobe Terrace. View
News	18/11/2009	Go Home On Time Day http://www. Research by the Canberra-based think tank The Australia Institue has revealed Australians workers clock up over two billion hours of unpaid overtime each year, and that around half of those employees work more hours than they are paid for. The poll of 1000 workers found that on a daily basis a “typical employee” stays back at the office or factory for an average 49 minutes of unpaid overtime. View
News	18/11/2009	Artists to open their doors http://www. As interesting as a work of art is the work that goes into making art, and this Friday art curios will have the opportunity to watch and put questions to 60 Geelong artists in their studios and galleries. Participants in the free tour will be able to see a diverse range of work taking place including painting, sculpting, jewellery, printmaking and collage. View
News	18/11/2009	Insulation ignites concern http://www. A number of incidents involving the installation of insulation have forced the Federal Government to introduce stricter guidelines for the rebate that was introduced as part of its Energy Efficiency Package. The Opposition's Shadow environment minister, Greg Hunt, has called for a Senate inquiry into the scheme, claiming widespread rorting, and that poor training of installers has led to injuries, house fires and one death. View
News	18/11/2009	Medieval music for the masses http://www. Being the eldest child in the family meant Gary Ekkel got to stay up late, so while his six siblings slept Gary listened to his Dutch born mother play classical music on the piano. He attributes his early home experiences, and a devoted music teacher at Geelong College, Hartley Newnham, as the inspiration behind his own studies and career in music, which have lead the 48 year old to organise the first Advent Festival of music and art at Melbourne University’s Newman College, to be held later this month. View
News	18/11/2009	Dusk fireworks coup for Geelong this NYE http://www. The skies of Geelong will light up with spectacular fireworks not once but twice on New Year’s Eve. View
News	04/11/2009	Asylum seekers sail in to an old problem http://www. The debate over the arrival of boatloads of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers on Australia’s northern shores has once again flared. And criticism from the opposition flies thick and fast over the increasing concern over Australia’s border security and Prime Minister Rudd’s ‘Indonesian Solution’ which aims to process asylum-seekers on Indonesian territory at a cost of $50 million to Australia. View
News	04/11/2009	The naked choir http://www. Nude calendars have become something of a common shock fundraiser for ladies lawn bowls clubs, country women’s associations and rural townships in the past decade. View
News	04/11/2009	This space for rent http://www. As an artist for nearly twenty years, Susan Hayward is aware of how prohibitively expensive exhibition space can be, especially for young graduates with little experience and no real drawing power. View
News	04/11/2009	Beating the beaten track http://www. In July 1942, Japanese troops landed in (now Papua) New Guinea for a campaign to capture the capital Port Moresby, which would have provided them with a base to mount an attack on Australia during WWII. An Australian brigade mounted a counter attack from Kokoda, 133 kilometres away, advancing along a steep, muddied and dense jungle track that proved as treacherous as war itself. They still remain indebted to the local guides they called Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. Hopelessly outnumbered they managed to repel the Japanese army who retreated four months later. View
News	04/11/2009	It’s not easy being Green http://www. One of the sad facts of politics is that any well meaning intent of important legislation is watered down by politicking. And so it is with the current climate change legislation facing Federal parliament. If the reams of media space are any guide, in their attempt to see the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) bill pass both houses, the Labor government has mostly dealt with two independent senators elected by few voters and an Opposition whose environment policies were rejected at the last election. View
News	07/10/2009	Protest and survive? http://www. Last month the Melbourne City Council fined over one hundred cyclists who rode through parks that are off limits to two-wheeled transport. Not surprisingly, this raised the ire of cycling groups, but it was the response from another organisation that was most surprising, not for what they had to say, but for their very existence. View
News	07/10/2009	Darren Cheeseman, on Geelong, politics, and himself http://www. Darren Cheeseman, the member for Corangamite, says Geelong is well placed to grow, with the issue of regional development now gaining some prominence for the first time since the Whitlam government’s plans of the early 1970’s. “The penny has dropped in as far as that governments are recognising that to continue to just add to capital cities like Melbourne and Sydney places enormous costs on the whole state economy because you’ve got to start duplicating services in a very expensive way.” View
News	07/10/2009	Giving up your time for the greater good http://www. According to the Bureau of Statistics more than 4.5 million Australians gave up their time to work for non profit institutions but also within education and health sectors. Volunteering Australia is the national peak body working to advance volunteering nationally, but closer to home, no one knows better than Gail Rodgers manager of Volunteering Geelong how vital such roles are to a community. View
News	07/10/2009	Gallery in need of restoration http://www. The heritage listed Shearers Arms gallery in Aberdeen Street, Geelong West, is in desperate need of refurbishment, says Geelong Art Society (GAS) president, Allan Langdon. Although the gallery did receive $128,000 in State Government funding to restore the flooring in most rooms five years ago, Allan Langdon says much more is needed to complete the front two rooms and for repairs to other parts of the premises. View
News	07/10/2009	Safer, but in a roundabout kind of way http://www. Figures obtained from VicRoads reveal roundabouts to be the safest method in reducing crashes at intersections. During the 2006 to 2008 period, ten traffic signal sites on arterial roads within the Geelong region were upgraded under the Safer Roads Infrastructure Program, with an average overall crash reduction of 17 percent. During the same period, five roundabouts have been installed in the Geelong region (including Queenscliff and Bannockburn), with an average overall crash reduction of 75 percent. VicRoads regional director, Robin Miles, says “This is typical of all roundabout installations, as they reduce speed limits, which also reduces the severity of accidents, as well as reducing accidents overall.” He added that, “Typically, traffic signal installations result in a 45-60% crash reduction.” View
News	23/09/2009	Buzz off http://www. For many people there’s a certain buzz that accompanies the onset of spring – football finals, the spring racing carnival, warmer weather, new fashions to show off – but there’s one particular buzz that is more dreaded than anticipated. View
News	23/09/2009	Pedalling a worthy cause http://www. If the ride to work can seem strenuous at times, spare a thought for Geelong local John Collingwood and his lifelong buddy Tyrone McCarroll, who right now are cycling home across the Nullarbor from Perth. Like many adventurers, their self-inflicted ordeal was motivated by a good cause, this one being the shortage of organ donors in Australia. View
News	23/09/2009	Norlane gets a public housing boost http://www. The State Government’s determination to contribute to the building boom will create 160 affordable new homes and units in Norlane, the suburb with the lowest median house price in Geelong of $149,000. View
News	23/09/2009	Geelong City's nightlife safety - four leaders who are addressing the issue. http://www. Our community is demanding a safer environment in our licensed venues and on our streets at night. The Geelong Time’s Erin Pearson talks to four Geelong leaders who are making this a reality. View
News	23/09/2009	Protecting our heritage http://www. Stymied by what heritage overlay means? Don’t be says heritage adviser Dr David Rowe of the City’s Statutory and Planning Department, who’s job it is to explain how it applies to owners wishing to demolish or renovate heritage protected dwellings. Currently across the Geelong municipality, there are 33 heritage regions which include central Geelong, Geelong West, Newtown, Belmont, Barwon Heads, Fyansford and Drysdale. View
News	23/09/2009	Local medico attacks war http://www. Bill Williams, a former Geelong College student and local doctor, has been named president of the national organisation, the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW). Now practicing in Torquay, Dr. Williams was elected by a majority of the 350 members of his association that, for 30 years, has represented doctors and health professionals in their representations to governments and the public to prevent armed conflicts he says are, “to put it bluntly, bad for your health. If we can find ways of resolving conflicts, we won’t have to deal with the maimed and dead. War is a very expensive way of dealing with disputes.” View
News	09/09/2009	Stop the violence http://www. Break The Silence; Stop The Violence! That is the message local secondary catholic college students aim to propagate far and wide as they call for an end to the alcohol and drug related violence on our streets. View
News	09/09/2009	Geelong well-prepared http://www. Geelong is well prepared for the forthcoming fire season, according to CFA Geelong’s Acting Operations Manager David Harrison - strong community awareness and co-operation our ticket for survival. His comments follow the release of the Royal Commission’s interim report on August 17, highlighting measures needed to be taken prior to another hazardous fire season. View
News	09/09/2009	Room 99 - special restrictions http://www. The recent police raid at the Geelong nightclub Room 99 over reports of alcohol substitution has subsequently seen special alcohol service conditions placed on the controversial club. View
News	09/09/2009	Geelong's car crash figures no accident http://www. Figures released by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) reveal that the Geelong Police Service Area (PSA), which includes the City of Greater Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, had the fifth highest road trauma statistics in Victoria for the 2008 calendar year. View
News	09/09/2009	Little Malop mauled but still alive http://www. The success of Westfield Plaza and the downturn in trading along Moorabool and Ryrie Streets may have had an adverse affect on Little Malop Street. At present there are 13 empty shops in the two blocks between Yarra and Gheringhap Streets, and the past few bleak winter months have turned Geelong’s only quaint retail precinct almost ghostly. But it wasn’t always like this. View
News	09/09/2009	Geelong Racing Club receives grants for upgrades http://www. After recent track refurbishments The Geelong Racing Club has announced it was to receive State Government grants of $380,000 towards the construction of a stormwater harvesting system and $150,000 to upgrade the sand jog track. View
News	26/08/2009	More news from Geelong http://www. The light infotainment program, Geelong News Beat, which has screened on Melbourne-based, and Geelong-reached, community station Channel 31 for the past eight years, is soon to get a harder edge after receiving $95,000 in funding from the recent City of Greater Geelong annual budget. The show will be renamed News Geelong and will be “a true news service with punchier items, and not a Mickey Mouse current affairs thing,” said producer Noel Fanning. View
News	26/08/2009	Osteoporosis study http://www. An in-depth osteoporosis study will take place at Barwon Health next month, aimed at bridging the gap between risk factors and education initiatives. Researchers at Barwon Health will investigate barriers to osteoporosis treatment by interviewing 200 women and men in the Barwon region, to find out what people know and think about the condition. View
News	26/08/2009	Solidarity in song http://www. The Geelong Trades Hall Choir has much to sing about with some colourful developments on the horizon and of late. The 20-strong member choir rehearses weekly at the Geelong Trades Hall, mostly performing a-cappella at rallies and related functions such as the Geelong Women’s Union Network annual dinner, singing songs of solidarity, among others, and oft-times with a twist, says organizer and participant, Jeanette Johanson. “We sing some of the various union songs and some of our own adaptations.” View
News	26/08/2009	Travelling the hippy trail to Kathmandu http://www. Rich in history, vivid description and a subtle way of depicting a harsh land as a vibrant opportunity, Pauline Hyland embraces her experience as a rugged young woman travelling through the jagged areas of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal in her new memoir, Space Cake in Chicken Street. View
News	26/08/2009	CSIRO/Gordon TAFE partner-up http://www. A Research Collaboration Agreement between CSIRO Geelong’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory and the Gordon Institute of TAFE aims to strengthen biosafety and bio-containment expertise within Australia, and globally. Signed in Geelong earlier this month, the agreement is the first step towards establishing a specialised international biocontainment training course for people working in, or seeking to work in, the two highest designated biosafety level laboratories – BSL3 and BSL4. View
News	12/08/2009	Outside In - a timely look at teen issues http://www. Unveiling her first stand-alone book this month, acclaimed local author Chrissie Keighery’s text on adolescent self-identity has an eerie relevance at a time when teen issues are tabloid fodder rather than taboo. View
News	12/08/2009	CoGG - no satisfaction http://www. The City of Greater Geelong has received a thumbs-down from ratepayers in the 12th annual Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey, scoring below the state average in 10 out of 13 key measures. View
News	12/08/2009	Doctor in Dili http://www. During summer holidays most people choose to relax, but not Candice Simpson. Instead, on the day last December that she was officially deemed a doctor in Australia, she set off to join the renowned Dr Dan Murphy in East Timor. View
News	12/08/2009	Locals to contribute to burn off plans http://www. Geelong’s bushfire prevention plans for the coming summer season will be directly impacted by the findings of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday fires, local CFA chief Bob Barry said. View
News	12/08/2009	CoGG to give us a CLUE http://www. Against a backdrop of high vacancy rates among retail shops in what used to be considered the heart of Geelong CBD, the City of Greater Geelong and the State Government will join forces to conduct a census of the 1500 commercial businesses in central Geelong. View
News	12/08/2009	Council digs itself a hole http://www. A rally last Tuesday night at Trades Hall began with steak sandwiches, but the 100 plus union members who gathered there weren’t just chewing the fat (a local chef once confided that good meat was impossible to buy in Geelong). More than one week had passed since the City of Greater Geelong sacked two council workers, Mick Van Beek and Peter Anderson. Their misdemeanour was to accept a free steak sandwich each from the proprietor of the Leopold Sports Club, who requested they use some leftover bitumen to fill a few potholes outside the club premises during a lunch break last November. View
News	12/08/2009	Opals v China in Geelong http://www. The Australian Opals women’s basketball team will fight out a three-game series on home soil against China in August, with game two to be played at the Geelong Arena next Monday. Geelong basketball fans can expect an intense match between the two, with the Opals seeking revenge on the world No.5 side which defeated Australia 2-1 in China in May. View
News	29/07/2009	Welcome to Geelong http://www. An advertising campaign that will put Geelong and the region on to Melbourne television screens will go to air early next month. Initiated by the G21 Alliance with significant input by the City of Greater Geelong marketing department, the ad cost $65,000 to produce, with finance coming from G21, the Committee for Geelong, five local councils, and a host of businesses and government departments including Deakin University, Gordon TAFE, Barwon Health, The TAC, V/Line, Shell, and Target. View
News	29/07/2009	Andy Richards Staying http://www. Geelong councillor Andy Richards has reaffirmed his commitment to his constituents in Buckley Ward following criticism of his recent unsuccessful nomination for the Federal seat of Calwell, in Melbourne’s north-west. View
News	29/07/2009	Liberals parade Corangamite candidate http://www. In 2007, the ACTU’s Your Rights at Work campaign was a major factor in the Labor Party winning the seat of Corangamite for the first time in 23 years. However, that’s old news according to Sarah Henderson, the newly endorsed Liberal candidate. “Darren Cheeseman said he won the seat because of WorkChoices, and if that’s how, then he’s in a lot of trouble because WorkChoices doesn’t exist anymore.” View
News	29/07/2009	A new task for the force's new man http://www. Geelong Police Station’s new inspector, Phil Swindells, brings three decades of experience to the post but hopes there won’t be much call on his area of expertise, organised crime. View
News	29/07/2009	Geelong cares for pets http://www. Geelong dogs and cats have something to wag their tails or purr about after the release of figures by the RSPCA that show their owners are bucking a state-wide rise in abandoned pets. View
News	29/07/2009	Move over motor vehicles http://www. Bikes outsold cars in Australia for the seventh consecutive year, Bicycle Victoria figures show, but the rising popularity of pedal power is producing only a slight increase in sales for Geelong bicycle retailers. View
News	15/07/2009	Tree-hydration http://www. Searing summer temperatures in Geelong and a protracted drought have begun to take a toll on even the most drought-hardy trees but a council-sponsored watering program is easing the issue for some of the region’s most significant trees. View
News	15/07/2009	Netball team scores with Gordon TAFE http://www. Local Geelong netball club, the Flyers, has fought back from the threat of closure to secure prospective finals places and an exciting new partnership with the Gordon Institute of TAFE. View
News	15/07/2009	That "light globe" moment! http://www. Kester Bains and the Highton Kardinia Rotary Club had a bright idea, and it is their glowing initiative that has scored them a nomination in the 2009 Parks Victoria Environment and Sustainability Award. View
News	15/07/2009	Diseases of mice and men http://www. Animal-related viruses and infectious diseases such as swine and bird ‘flu are nothing new, a leading American virologist has told a Geelong conference. Professor Thomas Ksiazek from the University of Texas is an expert in zoonotic diseases and was recently in Geelong as the keynote speaker at the 2009 Snowdon Lecture at the CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory. View
News	15/07/2009	Govt grants make first home buying possible http://www. As Australia continues to defy the worldwide property market downturn, fuelled in large part by generous first home owner grants, Geelong’s Adam Boyce is looking to sell, and purchase his second property – something he says would not have been possible without a government grant. View
News	15/07/2009	Rail Link under way http://www. The Victorian Government’s new Regional Rail Link is under way, with the Geelong line to link via West Werribee, Tarneit and Sunshine on the way to Southern Cross station. The new route will add just “seconds” to the journey from Geelong to Melbourne, Transport Minister Lynne Kosky estimated, although official time changes are yet to be calculated. The billion dollar construction is set to be completed in 2015. View
News	01/07/2009	When a night out is no fun http://www. As the winter chill sets in, the plight of homeless people, especially those at risk of infection, becomes even more concerning. View
News	01/07/2009	Don't blame the cold for your cold http://www. The (A)H1N1 virus, or swine flu, as it has become known, has created hysteria within the media and among government health ministers. More benign, but far more prevalent, is the common cold. Its longevity, and the billions of dollars given to medical research worldwide, suggests there should be a wealth of information regarding the condition’s causes and cures. Yet myths still abound. View
News	01/07/2009	Job seek and ye shall find http://www. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released last month reveals the hiring intentions of Australian employers are set to improve moderately in the third quarter of 2009. View
News	01/07/2009	Cycling dads http://www. Early nominees for father-of-the-year go to Aaron Oberg (left) and Mick De Vries. The two Geelong West dads are regular cyclists along Geelong streets with their sons, Max and Billy, who get front-row views courtesy of new wee seats. Aaron says the idea is to give their respective mums a break, a comment likely to win them votes for husband-of-the-year. View
News	01/07/2009	A scrap of difference http://www. Since the early 1980s Stephen Kaiser fashioned things on a wood lathe. “Since I was about 12, which was in ’81 … I suppose I always had a bent for it and it came out in the joinery or the woodturning sort of stuff.” View
News	01/07/2009	Hayden helps MS by organising auction at Buckley's http://www. There are some kids who demonstrate compassion way beyond their years that earns them the gratitude of their friends and family. Then there are youngsters like 11-year-old Hayden Loader whose compassion ends up helping a great many people. Since Hayden learnt about how multiple sclerosis had afflicted his gran, Mary-Faye Wilson, he decided he wanted to do something for her, and others suffering the debilitating condition. View
News	17/06/2009	Out of Africa http://www. On most days while attempting to evade dropping bombs, daily life in Northern Africa for 17-year-old Gabriel Mangar as a pre-teen often consisted of covering considerable distances by foot in search of water. Gabriel’s father even covered 6000 miles in search of safety for his family from the conflict-stricken surrounds. View
News	17/06/2009	Hello, Alo! http://www. Geelong artist Marisa Alo will launch her first children’s book this week after years of rejection. The freelance illustrator said it had been a dream of hers to publish a children’s book since she was a child. Her book, Gina and the Dancing Queen, is about a little giraffe desperate to learn the art of dancing, and targets children aged three to eight. View
News	17/06/2009	Not happy, John http://www. Four Geelong councillors - Barbara Abley, John Doull, Jan Farrell and Andrew Katos -were among 55 signatories to an open letter to Premier John Brumby and Planning Minister Justin Madden published in Melbourne newspapers last week, attacking the State Government’s powers to fast-track development. As well as the 55 individuals, the full-page letter also had the endorsement of four Melbourne councils, who called themselves the Coalition of Concerned Councillors. View
News	17/06/2009	Flouride in Geelong's water in June http://www. Fluoride will be introduced into Geelong’s water supply from June 22, after years of debate over the issue. View
News	17/06/2009	AFSM award for 40 years of service http://www. From fighting fires atop the You Yangs to braving intense heat on Ash Wednesday, Geelong fireman Bruce Pickett thought he had seen it all. But the burly bloke was left speechless when he was nominated for a Queens Birthday award, and subsequently awed when honoured with an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) last week. View
News	17/06/2009	A bumper idea! http://www. Central Geelong Marketing (CGM) chairman Mark Davis admitted in the last issue of The Geelong Times (03/06/2009) that the committee's newly devised strategic plan for the next two years contained no new ideas to rejuvenate the city's moribund street shopping precinct, declaring that to be a council responsibility. Mayor John Mitchell said “development of the cosmopolitan heart” was a matter for CGM. Meanwhile, along Moorabool and Ryrie streets a diminishing number of shoppers wander aimlessly past an increasing number of vacant businesses. View
News	03/06/2009	Govt. plans for councillors http://www. The scandal surrounding Brimbank Council shocked the state when it was alleged that MPs and their employed local councillors influenced decisions for their own personal gains. Two City of Greater Geelong councillors, David Saunderson and Cameron Granger, find themselves under similar scrutiny after they were last week charged with conflicts of interest. View
News	03/06/2009	A foggy day in Geelong town http://www. September is described as the windy month, although that extended throughout most of last summer. October is supposed to bring spring rain, but that concept died with the drought over a decade ago, and May usually means fog. At least the latter remained true for the past few weeks when visibility in the region was down to little more than 100 metres on the most extreme mornings. According to the website, weatherquestions.com, autumn fogs are known as “radiation fog” caused by land and water surfaces, still warm from the summer, evaporating moisture into the atmosphere throughout the increasingly longer nights, but with little heat to dry them out during the cold mornings. View
News	03/06/2009	Research into regional veterans http://www. A pilot study into veterans struggling with their post-war lives but reluctant to seek help has started in the Geelong and South Barwon region. The “How Are You Travelling Now?” program involves five organisations including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Australian centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and The Geelong Clinic, who have been advertising for veterans who are yet to call on any of the professional health services available to them. View
News	03/06/2009	"Outrage" over lack of tram funding http://www. This magazine’s push for trams to be returned to Geelong received a fortuitous and purely coincidental 30-second exposure on national television last month. Before closing the ABC Sunday morning financial affairs program, The Insiders, host Barrie Cassidy replayed one of the hundreds of sound bites recorded on Budget night in Canberra. He explained that once the budget speech has been read, representatives from vested interest groups form what he described as a “conga line of committees that line up at the boxes and give their one minute of spin” for television news bites. View
News	03/06/2009	Hyatt at Glendinning House http://www. Referred to as one of Australia’s top water-colourists, Hyatt is well known for her strong and creative evocative work. BIconic Australian and local artist Amanda Hyatt will present her works to the Geelong public over the next month as she exhibits work from her 30 years as an artist. orn in the artistic environment of Eltham, the mainly self-taught artist has travelled the globe with her artwork. Holding two exhibitions in New York in 1998 and 1999 with follow-ups in Madrid, Hyatt has held more than 30 exhibitions worldwide and is bringing her amazing talent to the Glendinning House Gallery in Ryrie St. View
News	03/06/2009	Jumps Racing overcoming hurdles http://www. Jumps racing may not be held in Geelong but the chief executive of the Geelong Racing Club, Paul Carroll, has welcomed Racing Victoria Ltd’s recommendation to continue to run the sport with stricter new guidelines. View
News	03/06/2009	Good morning, Geelong! http://www. The dream of performing in front of thousands of people motivates many aspiring musicians and for one Geelong student the dream has come true - with a twist. Instead of standing on a stage, Belmont’s Joel Carnegie is broadcasting his talents in a different way, via a microphone and pair of earphones. The 23-year-old has scored his dream job at 3MBS 103.5fm, broadcasting classical music to more than 189,000 listeners every Saturday morning. View
News	20/05/2009	Gold Coast gets on board http://www. A light rail network similar to that proposed in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt (The Geelong Times, May 6) and suggested for Geelong is set to begin construction on the Gold Coast in 2011. Running from Coolangatta to Helensvale, the $550 million project is intended to provide the Gold Coast with a modern, fast and reliable service. View
News	20/05/2009	Library loses to State Government http://www. The State Government’s recent decision to override council powers and fast-track large-scale planning developments has angered Andrew Katos, the City of Greater Geelong’s Planning portfolio holder. View
News	20/05/2009	Swine flu? http://www. The director of CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory, and expert in viral diseases, Dr Martyn Jeggo, has said that the media have got it wrong in their reporting on the so-called swine flu. Dr. Jeggo said the World Health Organisation have been stressing that the “pandemic” is actually a human-to-human spread virus, with there being no evidence of pigs being the cause of any outbreak. View
News	20/05/2009	Glee amongst the gloom http://www. There’s nothing magical or funny about a recession that has affected most industries, including children’s entertainment. Dazzling Dan the Magic Man says it’s difficult to gauge the recession’s effect now, as work usually disappears at the beginning of the school year after parents have spent money on fees and other expenses. However, the 25-year-old isn’t complaining. He says the last holiday period of last November and December, and January this year, were the best he’d had in his conjuring career. “Christmas time is normally my busiest time, but I was doing a show every day - end-of-year conferences and celebrations, and kinder break-ups. Come Christmas, people aren’t going to stop spending on their kids.” View
News	20/05/2009	Epilepsy awareness http://www. Epilepsy Foundation Victoria recently called for greater community awareness about epilepsy, to reduce the stigma in the community and alert people about what to do if someone has a seizure. View
News	20/05/2009	Thrifty sense a downturn solution http://www. With money belts tightening following the recently delivered Budget, it seems many are flocking to join the “no frills” grocery shopping squad whose mantra is that home brand does not necessarily mean home bland. View
News	06/05/2009	Mouth to Mountain relay http://www. Geelong communities will come together on Saturday, May 9 to help raise awareness of their changing region, and to articulate an authentic sense of place and identity through artistic processes and techniques. Mouth to Mountain will kick off at dawn and incorporate some of Geelong’s most representative areas including the Barwon River, Kardinia Park, City Hall, Limeburner’s Bay, and the You Yangs. View
News	06/05/2009	NSW support for trams http://www. Geelong appears not to be the only city in the country mad about trams with an inner-western Sydney council also pursuing the possibility of a light rail introduction. View
News	06/05/2009	Oval upkeep-pray for rain! http://www. Maintenance funding topped the list of what most concerns school principals, according to the Australian Education Union’s recently released State of Our Schools 2009 survey which gathers extensive information from public school principals across metropolitan and regional areas. View
News	06/05/2009	Wheel Talk for Geelong http://www. Primary and secondary students in the Greater Geelong region will play host to an array of wheelchair awareness activities next week, as the Wheel Talk Disability Awareness Program rolls into town. View
News	06/05/2009	Mentoring uni students http://www. Geelong engineer Peta Maddy had a simple reason for wanting to mentor disadvantaged tertiary students; she knew all too well how it felt to be alone at a vast university campus. View
News	06/05/2009	Hammer time http://www. It seems odd in a rapidly expanding population that social isolation should be such a concern. There are all sorts of theories on the underlying causes, but on the ground something is being done that has more to do with nuts and bolts than text books. Around Australia, men’s sheds have become havens for mostly retired gents to use their skills, or learn some skills, to make things, including friendships. The Geelong East Men’s Shed (GEMS) was Geelong’s second to open, the other being in Norlane. View
News	22/04/2009	Hello World......It's Peter Sharkey http://www. Local lad Peter Sharkey admits he always had a way with words, but never imagined he would perform his own one-man show in this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Hello World ... It's Me is Sharkey’s debut solo show, a long way from the playground of St Mary’s Primary School where he performed in front of school mates before falling in love with the world of comedy. View
News	22/04/2009	Creek water compromise http://www. There is a plan is to expand the population of urban Geelong by 54,000 people by the middle of this century. That program was adopted last May by the City of Greater Geelong, for the farmland south of Grovedale, at Armstrong Creek and Marshall. View
News	22/04/2009	Pay off your credit cards http://www. If you’re looking for a way to spend the Federal Government’s economic stimulus payment, use it pay down your credit card debt, St Mary’s parish priest, Father Kevin Dillon has advised. View
News	22/04/2009	Bottom line adding up? http://www. Since the early 1990s state and federal governments in Australia have sprouted the virtues of budgets being in surplus. Much of this was, naturally for politicians, pure politicking - that more money in the bank made the incumbent a better keeper of the economy’s finances. But events around the world are catching up with Australia and have made palatable once again - to some - the notion of deficit spending. View
News	22/04/2009	Geelong's bus boost http://www. Bus patronage on the Geelong/Bellarine transit network has defied factors such as population expansion, environmental awareness, rising fuel costs and the economic crisis to record a modest 3.3 per cent rise from 2006-07 to 2007-08. View
News	08/04/2009	Alcopop tax stays until May 14 http://www. The Rudd Governments controversial alcopop tax was abolished late last month, but consumers will continue to pay the increase until May 14, when the 12-month charge expires. Health Minister Nicola Roxon’s office passed on enquiries to the Tax Office, who confirmed the tax would remain at the higher rate until May. “The Excise Tariff Proposal (No 1) 2008 remains in effect even though the Bill failed to pass,” a spokeswoman from the Tax Office said. “The Tax Office will therefore continue to collect the revenue at the higher rate until midnight on 13 May 2009.” View
News	08/04/2009	Supercats impress http://www. In a football mad town, where shopfronts are decked in blue and white and children draped in jerseys, the popularity of basketball is sometimes underestimated. As State League Basketball continues to battle through tough financial times, we witnessed four of the National Basketball League’s 13 clubs fold or be placed into administration over the past 12 months. View
News	08/04/2009	A heart of gold, made with glass http://www. Resilience is a necessary trait required to combat the challenges thrown at those who enter the unchartered waters of migrating to another country. For some, the experience can be traumatic, and a catalyst for running off the rails. John Hare could easily have been one of those people, but, fortunately for many others, it has taken a more altruistic direction. View
News	08/04/2009	Running a-fowl of nature http://www. The Geelong Field Naturalists Club unequivocally opposes the Victorian State Government’s claim that duck shooting is a sustainable and reasonable recreation despite a 60 percent decline in waterfowl numbers as of last year, with an estimated 80 percent drop over the last 25 years. View
News	08/04/2009	Royal Childrens Hospital Appeal fundraiser market. http://www. When you image a four-year-old boisterous boy, you picture a small child bursting with energy, digging in the sandpit and barging through the lounge room in superman pajamas. But for Geelong man Elie Freijah, life as a child began very differently. View
News	08/04/2009	Trams for Geelong http://www. Back in issue 215, The Geelong Times reminisced a little with those who once commuted on this city's lost transport system, as well as asking others if the past has a role in the future. Now, 53 years after their disappearance from Geelong streets, we asked you, the reader, if there's space on our streets for trams to return. A vote counter on the website www.tramsforgeelong.com.au received over 8,000 hits in the first four weeks, and as of March 25, there were 267 votes: equalling 226 YES votes and 41 NO votes. This totalled percentages of 84.64 per cent YES and 15.36 per cent NO. All those interested in having a say can visit the website and vote, or post comments, so get online and have you say! View
News	25/03/2009	Dog day morning http://www. Hauling one’s keyster out of bed on a Saturday morn, (or mourn as I call it) when gun-metal grey clouds bunch like two overly bushy eyebrows creased in anger, and there’s enough drizzle to cure the butterscotch schnapps-induced happy you went to bed with the night before, is not my favourite way to start a weekend. But, regardless, I stirred, bleary-eyed and not-so-bushy tailed, and tramped to Geelong Showground for the love of my pooch. View
News	25/03/2009	Team Rescue - caring for injured wildlife http://www. Geelong is now home to an Australian first animal rescue team, ready to be trained and deployed in the case of another Black Saturday. Team Rescue meetings have attracted hundreds of interested local residents, all in the name of animal welfare. Jirrahlinga’s Team Rescue Co-ordinator, Lynne Russell said she was blown away by the response to help from Geelong residents, hundreds already registering their interest to be involved in the Australian first program. View
News	25/03/2009	Pako Festa funding http://www. Planning for the 2010 Pako Festa is already under way after an extremely successful 2009 event. More than 110,000 people lined the streets of Geelong West to experience Geelong’s cultural diversity. Event director Luisa La Fornara said the weather and atmosphere was “brilliant”, and the parade and attendance the biggest yet. View
News	25/03/2009	Read about it http://www. Waurn Ponds children’s book author, Sally Leary, has a habit of turning personal problems into publications. In 2006 her son Lachlan was diagnosed with coeliac disease, a condition that prohibits the consumption of nutrient rich grains. Soon after her daughter Emily, then husband David, were also found to have the disease, and so began a three and a half year journey of medical examinations and treatment. “Out of this cycle,” says the former school teacher, “I needed to write a personal story, a legacy to my family’s resilience.” View
News	25/03/2009	Relationships in recession http://www. New research undertaken by Relationships Australia shows the number of couples concerned about the effects of monetary matters has more than doubled in the last two years. Unease about finances was rated as a major pressure on relationships by just 18 per cent of people in 2006, while two years later that figure had skyrocketed to 40 per cent. View
News	25/03/2009	Bosnian http://www. On 11th February 2009, Issue 214 of The Geelong Times, the above photo appeared incorrectly captioned in a feature about multicultural food . The photo reappears today as an example of Bosnian food; pictured is Senada Omerovic holding a display of traditional Bosnian sweets. View
News	25/03/2009	Myki - some confusion expected http://www. The myki ticketing system is up and running in Geelong, but continues to experience teething problems, that have plagued it since its local introduction in December. Commuters can choose from two different cards - Anonymous or Registered, the latter requiring personal details for reissuing in the result of a lost card. View
News	11/03/2009	Apply here http://www. Late last month Michael James went looking for work - not at Matchworks, or Job Search Network, or at any local businesses, but on the footpath on the corner of Aberdeen and Latrobe streets. Dressed in a pin-striped suit and matching purple shirt and tie, for two hours the 29-year-old held aloft two placards, one stating his desire for an administrative job, the other his contact details. View
News	11/03/2009	Water mum's the word http://www. Louise Groves knows about the importance of maintaining fitness throughout pregnancy in gentle, enjoyable fashion. A local physiotherapist for more than 12 years and an expectant mum three years ago, Louise joined a pregnancy hydrotherapy program called WaterMums. View
News	11/03/2009	Kids TRY-athlon http://www. Hundreds of Geelong kids will discover how much fun an active lifestyle can be when they join their mates for the exciting yet challenging 2009 Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRY-athlon this month. View
News	11/03/2009	Is socialism the new capitalism? http://www. The current global recession has seen no shortage of advice on how best to tackle economic problems. Among the theories on offer is that “rampant” capitalism is to blame, and that governments need to tighten regulations covering trade and banking. View
News	11/03/2009	Geelong's lucky escape http://www. Geelong was an ignition point short of suffering the same fate as bushfire-ravaged Kinglake on Black Saturday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s Fire Danger Index. The Bureau’s Richard Carlyon said any index number over 50 is seen as extreme, with parts of Geelong and Ballarat reaching into the high 200s. View
News	11/03/2009	Noble Street agreement http://www. St Joseph’s College has reached an agreement with the Department of Treasury and Finance over the controversial Noble Street Reserve sale, with the Crown’s portion of the land to be transferred to the college under a Restricted Crown Grant. View
News	25/02/2009	Geelong needs trams..................... http://www. Geelong needs trams because our bus services are rubbish and they're never going to get any better. They'll never get any better because the service a bus provides is the opposite of what most of us want from public transport. View
News	25/02/2009	Back to the future? http://www. It has been said the reintroduction of trams would help ease the load on Geelong’s bus system and add character to the city. The cost, planning, feasibility and timeframes are something only experts can estimate, but such a task is seen as massive - even in the eyes of its supporters. View
News	25/02/2009	Act small and think big http://www. Not having driven a Geelong tram - at least, not legally - never lessened David O’Neil’s interest in the network that serviced this city for 44 years. After a lifetime of infatuation with public transport that included driving trams in Melbourne in the 1960s, and buses throughout Geelong for 19 years until 1992, O’Neil put his knowledge to print, self-publishing the 80-page booklet, History of the Geelong Electric Tramways 1912-1956. View
News	25/02/2009	Back to the future? http://www. Reg Dean has an old green woollen coat hanging up in the shed of his Newtown home which he seldom wears. It has a few white paint marks on it, some cobwebs, a missing button, and is over 54 years old. Yet a friend has asked, more than once, if he can take ownership of it when Reg, in his words, “gets planted”. A clue to the coat’s provenance can be found on the plastic buttons, each of which are embossed with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria insignia, the organisation that operated Geelong’s tram network from 1930 until its closure 26 years later. Reg was one of the fleet’s motorman-conductors from 1945 until 1955. View
News	24/02/2009	Clean Up Australia http://www. Proud Aussies will once again band together on Sunday, March 1 for the annual Clean Up Australia day. Descending on beaches, boardwalks and the bush, many will relish the opportunity to clean up their local environment and rid lakes, rivers and oceans of unwanted pollution. Australians generate almost 32 million tonnes of rubbish each year, making us the second-highest producers of waste per person in the world. View
News	24/02/2009	Flying Jenny at the Airshow http://www. Geelong Sports Aviators Club member and fan of all things mechanical, Peter Franks, will again feature his planes at the Avalon Airshow. Displaying both modern aircraft and historical replicas, Mr Franks certainly has a passion for planes. View
News	24/02/2009	Bush Fire Appeals http://www. As the country still tries to come to terms with the devastating loss caused by Black Saturday, many Geelong businesses are doing their bit to help raise much needed funds. Over the last fortnight The Fyansford Hotel, Grovedale IGA Supermarket, Body Conquest and Zest Personal Training, and the Netball Clinic Geelong have all held fundraisers to help those who have lost everything in the bushfires. View
News	24/02/2009	Ear Candy hits Cremorne http://www. Geelong has long been credited as a hub for great music and theatre and now thanks to the Cremorne Hotel, great comedy will soon be added to the list of coveted attractions. Kicking off on March 15 at 2pm, the Comedy at Cremorne gigs are a chance for Geelong residents to see some of the finest comedians in the country. And with comedy gigs scheduled fortnightly, it is also an ideal showcase for the comedic talents of local and visiting up-and-comers. View
News	24/02/2009	Roundabout lights up http://www. The City of Greater Geelong’s preference for traffic lights continues unabated with work already underway on turning another roundabout into an electronically controlled intersection. As part of the council’s East-West Traffic Strategy, which was adopted in July 2006, the intersection of Myers and Yarra streets is being dug up each night between 7pm and 5am for the 8-10 week long, $425,000 project. View
News	24/02/2009	Wabbit Season? No, duck season! http://www. The decision by State Environment Minister Gavin Jennings to declare Victoria’s shortest and most restricted duck season has been attacked by the convener of the Geelong chapter of the Greens Party, Bruce Lindsay. View
News	11/02/2009	Geelong Beaches tops in water quality http://www. The Office of the Environmental Monitor assures us we can safely frolic in local beaches after recent reports following a year of beach water quality testing demonstrates Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula beaches are deemed Port Phillip Bay’s best along with Werribee South. View
News	11/02/2009	Bus stops no closer http://www. If there’s one thing the Victorian State government could do without right now it’s another transport problem on its hands. The past twelve months, and the past few weeks in particular, have seen public transport issues make damning front page news. Think overcrowded trains, train breakdowns, insufficient trains and train lines, and late trains. The in-tray on Lynne Kosky’s Spring Street desk must seem an insurmountable pile of gloom, so the thought of having to decide where to locate a central bus stop in a regional town is probably one transport issue the minister would gladly handball to the local council. Except that the local council in question handballed her the hot potato. View
News	11/02/2009	New CEO for United Way http://www. United Way’s new CEO Adam Charleston surely appreciates the notion that charity really does begin at home. Within weeks of helming Geelong’s oldest community chest (est. 1954) last December, Adam knew the role matched like a custom-tailoured ensemble. “It was a perfect fit,” said Adam who has a longstanding business and volunteer involvement with the organisation. And according to Adam things are off to a flying start. View
News	11/02/2009	Go Karts on the right track http://www. Geelong’s new ring road is assisting not only highway motorists but also some local businesses. Geelong Karting Club member Graeme Giddings said for 30 years the club has been tucked away out of view of the public however the new ring road is bringing people right past the track. View
News	11/02/2009	Public Drinking http://www. With Victoria well into the summer season, having a beer at the beach with mates, or a glass of wine on a picnic in the park, may sound like a lovely idea, but what is legal and what is not is somewhat of a grey area. Although the Australian summer does appear to go hand in hand with a nice cold beer, it is important to note the ramifications of doing so in or on public property in the City of Greater Geelong. View
News	11/02/2009	Olsen walks this way http://www. Tears welled up in John Olsen’s eyes last Tuesday morning when asked how he was feeling with little more than a few hundred metres to complete his epic 7000 kilometre walk across Australia. View
News	28/01/2009	Not just a case of Canus Horribilis http://www. Some of man’s best friends are under fire over recent human attacks, again stoking the debate over child safety around fierce breed dogs. Kidsafe issues a warning to parents with young children. “Young children under five should not be left unsupervised with dogs including family pets,” said Dr Stokes president of Kidsafe Victoria. View
News	28/01/2009	Och aye, it's the Highland Gethering! http://www. The Geelong Highland Gathering will commemorate their 52nd meet with a difference in March, playing host to the 2009 Victorian Pipe Band Championships. The gathering, to be held at Queens Park on Sunday March, is Victoria's largest celebration of Scottish culture, and will display a colourful commemoration of all things Scottish, with kilts and tartans galore. The celebration will also include performances from the Highland and Scottish Country dancing, Scottish Heavy Games, including the popular caber-tossing, Scottish folk music and a faire and market. View
News	28/01/2009	Seniors see green http://www. Dozens of local seniors took up the Eco-Wise Action challenge in Geelong recently in an effort to reduce environmental impact. Through a series of four free workshops targeting water and energy savings and waste reduction, Environment Victoria has encouraged seniors to lead the way in going “green”. Participants received information booklets enabling them to complete environmental assessments of their own homes and were given a range of new and exciting green products to try at home. View
News	28/01/2009	In a pickle over jam http://www. On a rickety picnic table inside the front gate of Barbara and David Peel’s home are jars of - depending on the time of year - relish, chutneys, jams, lemon butter, walnuts, basil, parsley, and, always a margarine container with a coin slot. It’s the kind of quaint commerce you’re more likely to see on a country road than nestled in amongst the suburban homes at the eastern end of Myers Street, East Geelong. View
News	28/01/2009	Sports for those with disabilities http://www. The Access For All Abilities program run by Leisure Networks, is, to use a sporting metaphor, kicking some serious goals. Five years ago there were very few people with disabilities participating in team sports. This year there’ll be about 200 participants partaking of a range of activities and the interest is growing. View
News	14/01/2009	The bus stops here, somewhere http://www. The drawn out saga over where a functioning central bus interchange should be built in Geelong is soon to be answered. With the State Government committing $80 million to improve public transport services in the CoGG region, the establishment of a central interchange was one of the items featured as part of the $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan. As part of that plan, the Department of Transport, in conjunction with the CoGG, has completed a survey of traders, shoppers and nearby property owners. View
News	14/01/2009	No sign of our new ring road http://www. The opening of the Ring Road has so far been a success for commuters, with no sign of the congestion as anticipated by VicRoads in early December. The trickle of traffic that traverses the four lane, $615 million (so far), 15 kilometre long (so far) freeway can be attributed to VicRoads’ sparing use of signage. This was a deliberate ploy on the organisation’s part to prevent curious motorists creating traffic jams in Geelong suburbs once they took either of the last two exits, said Paul Roth, the project’s communications manager. View
News	14/01/2009	Satyam project in doubt http://www. As revelations of fraud threaten the future of global computer software and service company Satyam, local stakeholders in Geelong’s Satyam IT hub, a partnership created to produce 2000 skilled local jobs, remain hopeful the project may proceed. View
News	14/01/2009	Starting the year off with a bang http://www. New Year’s Day got off to a slightly late but very loud start for some Newtown residents this year. At 3:00am a series of loud explosions rocked the area around the corner of Aberdeen Street and Minerva Road. Later that morning a number of large and potentially dangerous fireworks, still bearing the label of Canberra-based company, Blackwidow Fireworks, were found in a nearby laneway. View
News	14/01/2009	A river in remission http://www. In August 2007 The Geelong Times travelled much of the Moorabool River and found it to be little more than a series of pools, stagnant ponds, or just dried up river bed, giving it the unfortunate title of Victoria’s most stressed waterway. It owed its plight to two factors - the number of agricultural and industrial businesses, including reservoirs, along its route from near Ballarat to the confluence at the Barwon near Fyansford, and the decade long drought. As a result, fish stocks unable to establish regular breeding patterns were become severely depleted, while native grasses began disappearing from its banks. View
News	17/12/2008	New kid on the Town Hall block http://www. For much of last year in his role as local convenor of the ACTU’s Your Rights at Work campaign, Andy Richards door-knocked homes and waved flyers on street corners and inside shopping centres in Belmont, Grovedale and Waurn Ponds (and beyond), telling people why they should not re-elect Stewart McArthur to the seat of Corangamite. With that task successfully completed, the amiable 38-year-old went fishing for a month and returned ready for a more positive involvement in politics. View
News	17/12/2008	Canberra to Corio: Community Cabinet 08 http://www. Police maintained a sedate presence on the school grounds of Corio Bay Senior College last week as I, along with 400 others, arrived to witness a significant event in the annals of Corio - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and 15 of his Federal ministers conducting a Community Cabinet Meeting. View
News	17/12/2008	'Tis the season to be jolly well spending http://www. The Christmas season is often the most critical time of year for businesses, and especially small businesses, with December sales often the difference between an annual profit or loss. This year traders will be relying upon shoppers who are nervous about keeping their jobs as the downturn in the economy threatens to escalate into a recession. View
News	17/12/2008	Robbing Geelong's rain http://www. It never rains in Geelong, but man, it never pours, either Anyone living close to Corio Bay will tell you that more than once they’ve watched black clouds roll in with the promise of a soaking for local suburbs, only to be disappointed and, adding insult, later learn that those same clouds proceeded to disgorge themselves all over Melbourne and regions further east. View
News	17/12/2008	Drive my car, forever http://www. For much of my childhood, summer holidays began sandwiched between my brother and sister in the back seat of a rusty, unreliable old Vanguard. While the family slept, dad’s stare alternated between the road ahead and a rising temperature gauge. Each steep climb was followed by a short stop to cool down the overheated motor. Mum never let dad forget his decision to ignore a new Mercedes for much the same price. View
News	03/12/2008	Marles' minor milestone http://www. Last week marked the first anniversary of the election of two fresh faces to represent the Geelong region in Federal Parliament. Like almost all first-term representatives in the Federal chamber, Richard Marles, the member for Corio, and Darren Cheeseman, the member for Corangamite, have taken up seats on the back benches, with each given roles on Government committees. View
News	03/12/2008	ABC centres in limbo http://www. The fate of more than 1000 ABC Learning Centres nationwide-including eight in Geelong-remains in the balance, with each under careful review since receivers were appointed on November 6. However, local childcare facilities have reported they had not been inundated with inquiries from parents of children enrolled in ABC centres. View
News	03/12/2008	Harmony in strange places http://www. “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,” begins Psalm 98:4 of the King James Bible. And so the members of Viva, a group of Geelong singers, carry out this task, and sometimes in the most unlikely situations. Belinda McArdle, the choir’s conductor and a qualified singing teacher, says the 16 singers once sung the Australian national anthem at the launch of a Department of Human Services strategic report into homelessness. View
News	03/12/2008	Ring road terminates here http://www. Later this month drivers exiting the newly opened Geelong Ring Road may be confronted with suburban roads ill-equipped to handle the large volumes of traffic expected to use the new arterial. View
News	19/11/2008	John's boots are made for walking http://www. The long walk begun by Geelong resident John Olsen in Western Australia nearly five months ago has now reached the Queensland border. View
News	19/11/2008	Training trio enjoy Geelong service http://www. Frustrated Geelong-Melbourne rail commuters take note - a group of university students who have just completed a quest to visit every serviced train station in Victoria have roundly praised their experience of their visit to Geelong. View
News	19/11/2008	Noble Street Reserve sale http://www. Of 65 resident submissions received by the Geelong City Council on the sale of the Noble St Reserve to St Joseph’s College, 62 have opposed the plan. View
News	19/11/2008	Full steed ahead http://www. Ever herd-pardon the pun-of equine assisted learning or equine assisted therapy? Nope? Well don’t feel out of the loop, because psychology via the noblest of animals is an innovative phenomenon in Australia with the first ever Eagala (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) training taking place in Geelong in 2006. View
News	19/11/2008	Lou Brazier controversy http://www. The controversy surrounding Councillor Lou Brazier’s actions during last month’s council meeting, in which she moved, and voted on, motions to transfer a $1 million block of publicly-owned land to a company she is employed by, have been pilloried in State parliament, lead to an investigation by the Local Government minister, and once again cast the council in a less than flattering light in the Melbourne and local media. Her actions have also come under attack from three of the six candidates contesting her Corio ward. View
News	19/11/2008	A (very) rough guide to some council candidates http://www. Democracies offer their citizens choice, and in the 10 wards being contested at this month’s council elections, there are 38 candidates from whom voters in the City of Greater Geelong can choose to best represent their views. Each candidate’s views on what they regard as the vital issues, and the strengths they can bring to city hall, can be found on the Victorian Electoral Commission’s website, with some of them boasting unique abilities. View
News	07/11/2008	Drivers lacking in vision http://www. An Australian study into the correlation between eyesight and driving has found 1.7 million Australian motorists who need prescription glasses for driving, have sat behind the wheel without wearing their specs. With four road deaths recorded in Geelong last year, local residents are being called upon to think about the state of their eyesight to help bring those numbers down. View
News	07/11/2008	VCE time! http://www. Victorian schools are in the midst of the fourth and final term of school, with more than 85,000 students having begun the dramatic exam period. Of them, 50,897 are eligible to graduate with the Victorian Certificate of Education this year. View
News	07/11/2008	Room 99 joins the party http://www. After months of warnings and ongoing notifications on some nightclub drink promotions the State Government has taken action View
News	07/11/2008	Felix's fund for Lee Troop http://www. Geelong resident and Olympic marathon runner Lee Troop has been an inspiration to many people throughout his career but it appears he may have a new hero of his own - nine-year-old Felix Will. The Beijing Olympics was a golden experience for the likes of Libby Trickett and Steven Hooker, but there were also heartbreaking tales, such as Troop’s story. View
News	07/11/2008	Nobel Street - Reserve $6,000,000 plus? http://www. Local Sate State Member of Parliament Ian Trezise attended an informal meeting on Friday the 17th of October to hear Newtown residents’ concerns about the proposed sale of the Noble Street Park land to St Joseph’s College. View
News	07/11/2008	Balyang Sanctuary wins award http://www. The redevelopment of the Balyang Sanctuary in Newtown has been named as the best stormwater management initiative by a Victorian council at this year’s Stormwater Excellence Awards. The award recognises projects which can improve the efficiency of operation of urban stormwater systems serving one or more objectives compatible with Water Sensitive Urban Design. View
News	22/10/2008	Bikinis falling off http://www. With summer fast approaching, women begin to experience the dreaded dilemma of negotiating pool and beachside fashion, with many beginning to take drastic action to get themselves “bikini-ready” by November. View
News	22/10/2008	Noble Street Reserve For Sale http://www. Well known Noble Street resident Tim Darcy is concerned that Newtown’s Noble Street Reserve may be rezoned by City and then sold to St Joseph’s College by The State Government. View
News	22/10/2008	Victorian drivers – improving with age http://www. Leading car insurer AAMI has revealed that older drivers are least likely to be involved in an accident, defying the myth that ageing drivers are a hazard behind the wheel. Public affairs manager Geoff Hughes said AAMI’s claims data showed only 8.5 per cent of drivers aged 65 and over had made a crash-related claim in the past year – the lowest of any age group. View
News	22/10/2008	Polio - Gone but not forgotten http://www. Polio in Australia may have been all but eradicated, but it is definitely not forgotten by a number of former sufferers in whom the after-effects of the disease live on. Denise Stanford of Highton is one experiencing the later effects of polio, known as Post Polio Syndrome. View
News	22/10/2008	Girls Night In http://www. Belmont resident Chris Storm is urging Geelong women to get together this month for the Cancer Council Victoria’s Girls Night In, to help raise more than $1 million to defeat women’s cancers. View
News	22/10/2008	Fluoride V.O.I.C.E. misleading http://www. The fluoride referendum being conducted by V.O.I.C.E of Australia is collecting personal details under false pretences and possibly misleading local activists, a constitutional expert from Deakin University has warned. Dr Daniel Meagher said many local anti-fluoride campaigners may be misled because Australia had no legal standing for citizen-initiated referendums. View
News	22/10/2008	Fight Fire With…Prevention http://www. With last year’s bushfires at Anakie firmly in mind, Country Fire Authority acting operation manager Barry Foss has urged all Geelong residents, and particularly those in coastal and rural areas, to adopt a zero complacency policy and maintain sound contingency plans ahead of what is expected to be a torrid bushfire season. View
News	22/10/2008	Cat's loss impacts on local businesses http://www. The fortunes of Geelong’s beloved Cats – the Geelong Football Club – have a well-documented effect on local businesses, again borne out by reports of a slump in consumer spending following the AFL grand final loss to Hawthorn last month. In 2007, the Cats’ first premiership in 35 years stimulated trade with joyful supporters sharing in the positive spirit the win cultivated. Conversely, following this year’s loss traders have spoken of a distinct “flatness” around town. View
News	24/09/2008	A load of rubbish somebody wants http://www. A metal recycling firm offering free hard waste collection to Geelong residents is experiencing high demand, with regular council-sponsored hard waste collection having been absent from Geelong streetscapes for more than 15 years. View
News	24/09/2008	Signs of the times http://www. During the month-long celebration that was last year’s AFL final series, Geelong businesses played their part by decorating store windows and showing support for the Cats. Some were simple, others clever, while a significant number stood out as works of art. To most of the latter there appeared a common signature. View
News	24/09/2008	Switch your energy provider http://www. Geelong residents are paying more for electricity than some of Melbourne’s most exclusive suburbs such as Toorak and Southbank, according to new data released from GoSwitch.com.au. View
News	24/09/2008	Lifetime dedication awarded http://www. Harold Waldron is one soon-to-be octogenarian thankful for his excellent health to this day. An active life has kept Harold in great stead; he enjoys swimming for fitness and he retired only last year from his 57th year as a building contractor. More recently, Harold was acknowledged for his 27-year contribution to the longest-running local Parkinson’s Support Group in Victoria. View
News	24/09/2008	Grand Dame of the Seven Seas (& Corio Bay) http://www. A brisk external inspection of the MV Doulos, berthed at Cunningham Pier for her first visit to Geelong, shows she is in pretty good nick for a 94-year-old sea dame in her off-white veil. View
News	10/09/2008	Shop N Spree Winner! http://www. Rowan Kent of Newtown is the lucky first place Shop N Spree winner this year, claiming $3,000 in prizes including a weekend away staying at the 5 Star Langham Hotel in Melbourne as well gift vouchers from participating Pakington Street traders. View
News	10/09/2008	Stay tuned, we'll be right back http://www. After some controversy surrounding a mooted week-long broadcast of the Today show last spring, Mayor Bruce Harwood announced that Channel 9 has confirmed the program will finally set up its lights and cameras in Geelong later this month, although the “action” will be for one day only. Friday, September 26 – also known as AFL grand final eve – is the day the national breakfast program will broadcast live between 5.30am and 9am. View
News	10/09/2008	Another brick in the mall http://www. Last year Westfield management met with surrounding Malop Street retailers, reassuring them that their small strip would be boosted by the arrival of several new stores. The meeting took place in the organic larder café owned by Billy Bond, who also owns the adjoining fresh produce store. Bond is angry that not only did the area experience a decline in business during the long construction period, but that other aspects of Westfield’s extension have impacted on his trade. View
News	10/09/2008	Water tanks v desalination http://www. Rainwater tanks have been hailed by many as having the potential to rescue us from the grasp of drought, and by others as a possibly useful but far too expensive tool. View
News	10/09/2008	Compensation for damage by potholes http://www. A Geelong driver who last week sustained significant damage to her car after hitting a pothole said she was told by VicRoads she was not eligible to receive compensation. View
News	27/08/2008	Bellarine football thriving http://www. Country football is alive and well especially down on the Bellarine peninsula. The CEO of the Victorian Country Football League, Glen Scott said recently “Country football has never been better in Victoria with 175 new under age teams joining the VCFL in the last three years with 77,000 registered players”. He went on to say, “Football on the Bellarine Peninsula is thriving and the amount of football played in the Geelong region is more than is played in South East Queensland”. The Bellarine Football League has a proud history being founded in 1971 and has the longest country sponsor of any country league in ROHM and HAAS. View
News	27/08/2008	Increase in environmental volunteers http://www. A community perceptions and awareness survey carried out by Victoria’s catchment management authorities shows environmental volunteerism in the Corangamite catchment increased to 25 per cent in 2008, up 12 per cent from 2006. Forty-six per cent of rural on the land respondents described themselves as active participants in environmental volunteerism, compared with 23 per cent of city respondents and 16 per cent of people living in rural towns surveyed. View
News	27/08/2008	Alcopop tax fails to stop binge drinking http://www. A survey of fifteen bottle shop owners and managers in the Corangamite region reveals the tax hike on pre-mixed drinks, or ready-to-drink drinks (RTD’s) has done little to reduce incidences of binge drinking. The survey, commissioned by the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA) shows that drinkers have turned to other, cheaper forms of alcohol. View
News	27/08/2008	Little grandeur for Geelong's brave souls http://www. Most rural towns throughout Australia have honoured their local citizens who fought and lost their live in wars with memorials, most of which are impressive sculptures, and most of which have been placed in a prominent location. View
News	27/08/2008	Ladies' Money Matters http://www. The adage that refers to a fool and money being parted will need a rewrite next month as Victorian ladies prepare to get the economic lowdown, thanks to 27 workshops called Steps To Securing Your Financial Future – Practical Advice For Women. The seminars will be held across 9 statewide locations for women in their twenties to retirement age. View
News	27/08/2008	Small business seminar http://www. Last week, in the austere conference rooms of the Geelong City Hall, business columnists and network facilitators addressed a gathering of potential entrepreneurs at the How to Start Your Own Business Seminar. This informal occasion, filled with 18 to 40 year old prospective small business proprietors, provided excellent background and advice on the ins and outs of business ownership View
News	27/08/2008	Google's view of Geelong http://www. As our technological revolution continues to shock and amaze us with its new ideas each and everyday, the creation of Google Earth may not come as a surprise. This new cutting edge technology allows the internet enthusiast to explore and seek towns and suburbs all over the globe. From Washington DC to our very own Geelong, users can view streetscapes, properties and key landmarks with the click of the mouse. But what does Geelong look like? What can people from, say, the Ukraine or Singapore see and learn about us? View
News	13/08/2008	Night footy http://www. With the celebrations of 150 years of football in Australia the Geelong and District Football League (GDFL) can boast the first ever night game played in local football at the Geelong Show Grounds between East Geelong and the Barwon Football Clubs. The game was played on Friday night the 18th June 1971 at 7.45PM. Admittance was 50 cents with children 20 cents; it was round eight of the GDFL Evelyn Hurst competition. View
News	13/08/2008	The grass may be greener http://www. We’re often told that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence, but this goat in Connewarre will suggest that sometimes it is worth sticking your neck out if you want a taste of the good life. View
News	13/08/2008	Hamlyn Banks in School Spectacular http://www. Hamlyn Banks Primary School is set to take part in the Victorian State Schools Spectacular 2008 in September, with 13 talented dancers performing in the production. The spectacular is a major assembly featuring more than 3,000 performers in three shows at Vodafone Arena on September 6 and 7, with all participating students from Victorian government schools. View
News	13/08/2008	Geelong-East Timor Friendship Committee to report http://www. The 1975 Indonesian invasion of East Timor so enraged a number of Australians, that organisations sprung up across the country offering support to our island neighbours who supported Australian troops during the Pacific war in the 1940’s. The Geelong branch of the Australia-East Timor Association was one such group. View
News	13/08/2008	Build it (cheap) and they will come http://www. Last week the G21-Geelong Region Alliance convened an affordable housing forum at town hall. Chaired by G21’s Chairperson, Ed Coppe, in attendance were Tanya Plibersek, the Federal Housing Minister, Justin Madden, the Victorian Planning Minister, federal members Richard Marles and Darren Cheeseman, local government and housing industry experts, and mayor, Bruce Harwood. View
News	30/07/2008	Bill and Tony Smith - been there, done that http://www. For many Geelong fans, September 2007 was the first time they’d seen grand final glory on the MCG, and was an experience not to be missed. But dedicated supporters, Bill and Tony Smith, were content to watch the game on TV in the comfort of their East Geelong home, for they’d been there four times before. View
News	30/07/2008	Russell (Hooker) Renfry http://www. Russell (Hooker) Renfrey was born in Geelong on the 11th August 1923 and lived at Portarlington. He went to the Drysdale Primary School and then to the Junior Geelong Technical School and achieved his Merit in 1936. Renfrey never played junior football, only school footy and tennis making the Tech footy side at 14. View
News	30/07/2008	Green teacher leads the way http://www. In the 1980’s a school teacher friend of mine who preached the gospel of CFC-free deodorants to his grade three students was beset upon by parents angry with having to change their shopping habits. Due to greater environmental awareness, or perhaps more subtle instruction, Graeme Biggins has encountered no such problems at Geelong East Primary School, where last week he was honoured with a Clean Up Australia award. View
News	30/07/2008	Give way to the light http://www. Englishman Frank Blackmore sadly passed away last month, aged 92, but not before he left an indelible mark on the flow of traffic in cities throughout the world. An engineer with the British Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Blackmore devised the mini roundabout, which improved not only the flow of traffic at junctions, but their safety as well. His work was recognised with an OBE in 1976. View
News	30/07/2008	The Ha'penny Bridge set to open http://www. The redevelopment of the central city of Geelong continues to at pace. Last week it was the opening of a major retail development and soon it will be time to unveil the reincarnation of the venerable Preston Hotel in Ryrie Street as The Ha’Penny Bridge Irish Pub Restaurant. The launch of The Ha’Penny Bridge is set for mid August and will see some 90 people gain employment. View
News	30/07/2008	Going up! http://www. For almost a century St. Mary’s was the outstanding feature of Geelong’s skyline. That was unntil 1971, when it was over shadowed by the eighth floor of the now Mercure Hotel. Now plans for a landmark $100 million 16-level high-rise which has received City of Greater Geelong’s planning green light earlier this month. View
News	30/07/2008	Darby will have her day http://www. Bev and David Darby never realised that when they first took their two young daughters pony riding one weekend, one of them would end up galloping into the Olympics. View
News	16/07/2008	Grazzhopper Festival http://www. A Geelong rock, dance and hip-hop festival is set to hit town on Saturday October 4, with headline acts Grinspoon and Faker set to shake Beckley Park. View
News	16/07/2008	Vehicle vandalism targets Commodores http://www. RACV Insurance research revealed Holden Commodores were the most targeted cars for malicious damage in Geelong in a report released earlier this month. View
News	16/07/2008	Listen to the past - Geelong Voices http://www. 77-year-old Gwlad McLachlan has always been something of a social anthropologist. In particular, her interest in Geelong’s history and her fierce ties to community stemmed from her time as a visiting child health nurse from 1949 to 1988 for the Barwon Region Health Child Centre. View
News	16/07/2008	Australia: The heavyweight champions of the world http://www. It’s official: Australia holds the global blue ribbon in the corpulent category according to a recent report from the Baker Heart Research Institute. Deemed the most accurate in a decade, the report refers to obesity in this country as an epidemic and states in the year 2000 almost 60 percent of people aged 25-plus were overweight/obese, with that percentage now rapidly increasing. View
News	16/07/2008	CoGG grants - two views http://www. The release of the Rudd Labor Governments local government funding plan has caused much debate over the last week, with ministers and shadow ministers fighting for and against the new government’s delivery on the grants, and their recipients. View
News	16/07/2008	Bob Davis - "The Geelong Flyer" http://www. Bob Davis was born in Golden Point Ballarat on the 12th June 1928 and went to the Golden Point State School and then to the in Clunes Higher Elementary School. In 1939 Davis went to Ballarat College where he Matriculated in 1946 and was to go on and study Pharmacy and went to White Swan Chemical factory to become an industrial chemist. Football took over and he never finished. View
News	03/07/2008	War veteran receives OAM http://www. For one month in 1993, Paul Copleand lay in a Cambodian hospital bed with several teeth smashed in and his femur protuding through his flesh. Morphine helped dull the pain, but the bedside argument his nurse had with Australian Defence Department officials over who would pay for his evacuation was infuriating. “I thought then, and still do now, that that’s a mongrel way to treat someone.” View
News	03/07/2008	Geelong Presbyterian Guild's Centenary http://www. When he was a young boy in the late 1800’s, Bervin Purnell loved running, and so joined the Geelong Presbyterian Guild, which fostered an enjoyment of sport. As an adult, he saw the need for an athletics club, and suggested this to the guild’s president, D.F. Griffiths. And so, on June 13, 1908, the Geelong Presbyterian Guild Harriers was formed. Purnell was elected secretary, a position he held for 47 years. View
News	03/07/2008	Do-it-yourself dialysis http://www. Like most medical ailments, Rosemary Simmonds says people know very little about kidney dialysis until someone close to them is affected. That number is rapidly increasing as the number of Australians with diabetes continues to rise. Rosemary Simmonds is a nurse at the Home Haemodialysis Unit in Ryrie Street. View
News	03/07/2008	A Ward winning actor! http://www. Most children who read comics are captivated by the heroism of the superheroes; but not David Ward. When he was younger, Ward loved the villains. His mother, Linda, says her son would watch something like Beauty and The Beast and pretend he was Gaston, the self-obsessed chauvinist. “But he’d always ask me if that was okay. He had moral difficulties as a three year old.” View
News	03/07/2008	CMA Plan for Barwon River launched http://www. Motorists will be barred from sections of Geelong’s Barwon River rowing mile under a new scheme to protect the waterway and increase its use by the public. View
News	03/07/2008	Woolly vest for winter! http://www. Julia Uren says being able to sit and knit in the sun is a pleasure after two years of constant travelling. View
News	18/06/2008	CoGG budget overview http://www. The release of the Geelong City Council’s budget plan late last month revealed the portfolios of arts and sport received significant funding grants. The council’s entrance into further debt may cause some concern in Geelong, but Cr Peter McMullin believes the improvement of Geelong’s facilities and visual appeal are crucial to improving our city. View
News	18/06/2008	Environmentally friendly in Newtown http://www. Werribee mother, Marisa Berton, recently purchased a run down unit in Geelong and decided it was time to make a big change. Ms Berton completely renovated her property and transformed it into an environmentally responsible abode. As the country falls deeper into drought many wonder how we can help. View
News	18/06/2008	The Geelong Highland Pipe Band http://www. Anyone living within a few hundred metres of Breakwater Reserve would be aware that each Monday night the clubrooms are taken over by a band of drum and bagpipe players. View
News	18/06/2008	New CEO for Football Geelong http://www. Lee Hartman has taken on the CEO role at Football Geelong after coming from the Northern Football League (NFL) in Metropolitan Melbourne. This is a challenging position for the 37 year-old who lives in Torquay with his partner and children. View
News	18/06/2008	Myki - not quite the ticket? http://www. The Geelong has recently played host to the controversial myki smartcard ticketing system trial. The ill fated and drama ridden project is now expected to cost Victorians a further $350 million to the original $500 million through further funding announced by Transport Minister Lynne Kosky a fortnight ago. View
News	18/06/2008	Tackling violence by clubbing together http://www. The Melbourne 2am nightclub lockout has been talking point for many nightspot enthusiasts, as trials hit Melbourne earlier this month. Club owners and patrons have already threatened legal action, declaring the lockout violates fair trading agreements. View
News	04/06/2008	Wind farm protestors blow hard http://www. Wind farm worries are on the agenda once more as a $100,000 wind monitoring tower at Mt Pollock was vandalised last month. With such drama surrounding the project it has been a constant vocal point. One often wonders are there really any benefits to wind farms as community opposition seems to be growing. View
News	04/06/2008	Climate Change Co-ordinator appointed http://www. What is one of the most concerning and important environmental issues facing us? A poll would no doubt put climate change on or near the top of the list. Even those sceptical of the phenomenon a few years ago look at the recent slew of droughts, severe storms, earthquakes and other extreme weather events with some trepidation. View
News	04/06/2008	Monument to Carji http://www. A 2.5 metre tree stump has been the focus of much attention at The Geelong College recently as talented Geelong wood sculptor, Viktor Cebergs, turned it into a wonderful monument to the Old Geelong Collegian and famous Geelong Football Club forward, Carji Greeves. View
News	04/06/2008	Schizophrenia trial promising http://www. A Geelong based clinical trial shows promise for people suffering from the distressing symptoms of schizophrenia. View
News	04/06/2008	A champion at any age http://www. At 53 kilos Elaine Janes Australian record holder for Olympic weightlifting has heard the phrase “You don’t look like a weightlifter” with stunning regularity along with the question “How much can you lift?” View
News	04/06/2008	Making the headlines http://www. In early 1991, Elaine and Geoff Munro, sheep and cattle farmers from Casterton, in Victoria’s south-west, were looking for a lifestyle change. By year’s end they were the new owners of a tiny, rundown old newsagency in East Geelong. Their work still involved early mornings, but instead of herding livestock, they had 14 teenage delivery boys to prod into action. View
News	21/05/2008	Autumn spectacular http://www. In these drought-ravaged times, exotic trees have become something of a botanical pariah. The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority is busy felling those that line the Barwon, farmers are taking the axe to those on the Moorabool, and councils are planting natives as a less thirsty alternative to the oaks and plane trees that line many streets. View
News	21/05/2008	Geelong West Library latest renovations http://www. There will be little change from $1 million when the major redevelopment of Geelong West Library is completed, but facilities will be greatly improved and heritage pieces of the past 120 years will be revealed. View
News	21/05/2008	The pipes, the pipes are calling... http://www. One of the many victims of the prolonged drought that shows no signs of abating are underground water and sewerage pipes. A report by the Victorian Essential Services Commission showed revealed a 27 percent increase in underground bursts and leaks across Victoria, with Barwon Water suffering the third highest increase. This is despite the fact that less water is flowing through the system. View
News	21/05/2008	Lake weed woes http://www. Local lakes and waterways are troubled by a collection of woes, it seems, and we all have a vital and easy part to play in the solution. View
News	21/05/2008	Crafty volunteers http://www. The Red Cross is synonymous with aid-giving across the globe owing much to the work of its volunteers. And one local group of dedicated ladies, whose ages range from mid-fifties to mid-seventies, has invested time and effort in shaping an unassuming Red Cross outlet into a unique craft shop for the last six years where all items sold are new. The store is situated directly opposite the main entrance of the Geelong Hospital in Bellarine Street. View
News	21/05/2008	Rudd opens Med School http://www. Several weeks ago, Deakin University’s Medical School, the first new medical school in Victoria for more than 40 years, was formally opened by Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. The Deakin Medical School offers a graduate entry program with strong links to rural and regional Australia, a strong science foundation and an emphasis on early development of clinical, communication and procedural skills. View
News	07/05/2008	Inside the CSIRO http://www. On several occasions during the past few months I’ve noticed a colony of bats flying on a southern route over my home in East Geelong. However, on the first evening after daylight saving ended there had been a population explosion, and an eerily airborne procession of thousands took some ten minutes to pass overhead. For a while I felt like a young Bruce Wayne, minus the thought that one day I’d inherit vast wealth and a predilection for leather-clad nocturnal crime-fighting. View
News	07/05/2008	The Moorabool - a wake-up call needed http://www. Since this paper’s report into the dire state of the Moorabool River last August, the situation has sadly worsened. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that a recent environmental flow released from Lal Lal Reservoir in early April has done little to alleviate the river once responsible for 17 percent of the flow in to the Barwon. View
News	07/05/2008	Kasey to Rattle Bones at Costa Hall http://www. Until now, most people would have placed Kasey Chambers under the alt.country heading, her music sitting comfortably alongside that of artists such as Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynne and her sister Allison Moorer, Kim Richey, Julie Miller, Mary Gauthier and others – but with Rattlin’ Bones, released as a joint work with her husband Shane Nicholson, the alt is almost completely absent, in a decided move towards a more traditional country sound, which pays off very handsomely. View
News	23/04/2008	Deakin ward by-election candidates http://www. The City of Greater Geelong will have a new councillor in less than two weeks time, when Deakin residents cast their votes in the ward’s by-election on 3 May. Public servant Ron Nelson and Barwon Health Finance Manager Brandon Howard are among the candidates seeking selection. View
News	23/04/2008	Going in cycles http://www. A number of Geelong’s avid bike-riders commute daily to Melbourne via locomotive for work purposes, but with the release of new guidelines allowing folding bikes to be taken onboard trains, trams and buses could see more people combine cycling with public transport. These guidelines are an addition to the rules that state regular bicycles must be stored on the last carriage of Connex and all carriages of V/Line trains. View
News	23/04/2008	Balyang's gift of birds http://www. This year, the Balyang sanctuary has provided Geelong with a unique gift. The presence of an unprecedented family highlights the delicate balance between restoring native vegetation and protecting wildlife. View
News	23/04/2008	Outpatient waiting lists http://www. Victoria faces a health crisis the extent of which was revealed by a report in The Age recently over delays in outpatient treatment across the state’s major hospitals, particularly highlighting unflattering numbers on wait lists for the Greater Geelong region. View
News	23/04/2008	Geelong Summit - the report http://www. One of the tasks for university students undertaking a Diploma of Teaching course in the 1980’s was to write lesson plans for classes they would take during school experience units. These were meant to include general statements of why a lesson was being taken, what would occur during the lesson, and what were the general aims of the lesson. After being told by several tutors and supervising teachers that my plans were too specific, I learnt that the word “general” in fact meant “vague.” After a few years of teaching, “vague” had morphed into “indecipherable,” an art form otherwise known as student reports. View
News	09/04/2008	Kiev Ballet in Geelong http://www. Geelong’s many lovers of ballet are in for a treat when the Kiev Ballet Company (The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet) comes to GPAC on Sunday May 11 and Monday May 12 with performances of two great ballet classics. View
News	09/04/2008	Geelong goes green - artificially http://www. Does watching the last few brownish blades of grass struggling to make it to winter upset you? If so, you are not alone. It seems that Geelong is turning to plastic as the next step in water conservation. View
News	09/04/2008	Deakin Ward Elections - your candidates http://www. On May 3, voters in Geelong’s Deakin ward will have the opportunity to elect a new councillor. Liberal Party members Trish McLure and Andrew Katos, Labor’s Andy Richards and Geelong Greens Convenor Bruce Lindsay are all in the running for the seat, left vacant after the resignation of former councillor Shane Dowling earlier this year. View
News	26/03/2008	Safeways v Coles - counting the cost http://www. Amid concerns that grocery prices have risen substantially more than inflation over the past five years, is another claim that our two major national supermarket chains are anything but uniform in price. However, when the totals of a range of identical items from two stores in Corio, and stores in Highton and Belmont, were added up, there was little difference between the final checkout price tallies. View
News	26/03/2008	Geelong excluded from growth plans http://www. As the largest regional city in the state and just 75 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, some might say Geelong is a prime example of a regional city becoming an important economic and social centre on its own. Yet despite its potential, Geelong remains on the outer of some important state government planning decisions for Melbourne and surrounding areas. View
News	26/03/2008	Home grown eating out http://www. Geelong chef, Matt Dempsey, is participating in a new Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) program called “Chefs in the Garden.” The initiative highlights Australian chefs who are champions for using home grown produce in their recipes and in their businesses. The desire for healthier and tastier produce is inspiring more people to embark on growing their own at home, and the popularity of the ‘kitchen/edible garden’ is rising. View
News	26/03/2008	Everybody needs good neighbours http://www. For several years I lived in an inner Melbourne suburb, which, by the humble nature of the old and tiny workers cottages that lined the narrow street, ensured most residents knew each other quite well. On the footpath, we greeted each other or stopped for a chat, forming lasting friendships that still endure seven years after I left the area. View
News	12/03/2008	Cr Saunderson's future plans http://www. Cowie Ward councillor David Saunderson is keeping mum on whether or not he intends to seek re-election at the general council elections in November this year, saying he is yet to make any sure plans for the future. “I will see my term out and I’ve not decided what I’m doing yet regarding my re-election,” he told The Geelong Times. View
News	12/03/2008	Mercer Street mayhem continues http://www. Rather than ease the traffic flow through the city centre, the reconstruction of the Malop, Geringhap and Mercer Street junction seems to have achieved the complete opposite. Since the roundabout was replaced by traffic lights, congestion has been a continuing frustration for motorists travelling in and around Geelong. View
News	12/03/2008	An incision above the rest http://www. Geelong’s medical community will soon lose one of its most colourful and long standing surgeons later this month when Ted Heffernan hangs up his scalpel on March 31st. Graduating as a doctor in 1964, and as a surgeon in 1974, Dr. Heffernan recently asked some of the junior surgeons at hospital to tell him if he wasn’t doing alright. Despite there being no response, the 69 year old said he didn’t want to hang around “doing things I can’t do.” View
News	12/03/2008	Longest Walk for an Aussie Kid fundraiser http://www. Great grandfather, John Olsen, is now in training for a “Longest Walk for an Aussie Kid.” The 57 year old proposes to walk 4,800 kilometres across Australia, from Steep Point, WA, to Byron Bay in NSW. From there he then intends to walk Eanother 1,800 kilometres, visiting Lions Clubs as he ambles home to Geelong. Setting off on July 1st, Olsen’s plan is to set a record time for a solo walk across Australia. However, there is an altogether more important matter the Lions Club member wishes to highlight. View
News	12/03/2008	Is Geelong booming? http://www. Central Geelong is currently undergoing a spate of development, significantly in commercial use buildings. So what does this say for our city? Is this evidence the city is thriving, or is the building boom not a reliable indicator? View
News	12/03/2008	Put your best pedal forward http://www. Ever heard the expression: “Just like riding a bike?” Well, chances are you’re likely to hear it a lot because Wednesday, 12 March is national Ride2School Day. With a decreasing number of primary and secondary school children riding their bikes to school, organisers Bicycle Victoria invite students, teachers and parents to “put their best pedal forward” in a bid to increase physical activity and to help curb the high incidence of childhood obesity. View
News	27/02/2008	Emotional Apology http://www. Two weeks ago, in front of a gallery full of invited members from the Stolen Generations, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised.“It was very emotional, but fantastic,” says Merryn Apma-Edwards, an invited guest and a Bringing Them Home counselor at the Wathaurong centre in North Geelong. “To be there and to experience something I never ever thought I would see happen in my lifetime was very, very overwhelming,” she says. View
News	27/02/2008	Miserable old coot in demand http://www. While researching another project, I stumbled across a dilapidated old shed at 117 Victoria Street, North Geelong, and was drawn into it by the hope there was a story to the asbestos-clad walls from which hung hundreds of tools that would once have been used more extensively. View
News	27/02/2008	Road haulage to increase in Geelong http://www. The announcement late last year that freight railway company Pacific National was to close its Victorian operations was not good news for motorists travelling through Geelong. Nor was it good news for the Graincorp facility at North Shore. View
News	27/02/2008	Take me to the river - to clean it up http://www. Does the Barwon pulse with health, or are its arteries clogged with detritus? All too often, it is the latter. Horrifyingly, over 20 tonnes of rubbish is removed from the Barwon River every year. View
News	13/02/2008	Jonathan's raw comedy http://www. Jonathan Schuster doesn’t look like your average comedian. Nor does he want to appear like one. Geelong’s own winner of last year’s Raw Comedy competition insists he hates the limelight, and is only in the business to make people laugh. View
News	13/02/2008	Lights, camera...action! http://www. The opening of the Mooregrace Acting Studio’s new digs at the river end of Pakington Street is one more sign of Geelong’s growing involvement in the entertainment industry. Paul Moore and Sarah Grace opened their drama school at Osborne House in September 2006, but as enrollment grew so did their need for more space. Now, with some 120 students aged seven to 47 coming to classes each week, the new building offers breathing room and an infusion of special design to accommodate practice in the latest in creative and production technique. View
News	13/02/2008	Lives still in limbo http://www. Two years after it was announced that VicRoads intended to compulsorily acquire several homes in Lawless Court and Fellmongers Road, Breakwater, their fate remains uncertain. In the past few weeks residents have been invited to attend meetings with a VicRoads official and a representative from a property services organisation advising on the legalities of road reserves and the power this affords statutory authorities. View
News	13/02/2008	Don't hold back! http://www. Youthful voices have grabbed Geelong’s airwaves and are shaking them up! Vision Australia’s Geelong radio station on 99.5FM is piloted by dedicated volunteers who have long been reading excerpts from newspapers, magazines, fiction, and other text to enrich the lives of locals with vision impairment. View
News	13/02/2008	Local Inter Dominion heats inspire http://www. This coming Saturday, the course will be the first regional track in Australia to host heats for the Inter Dominion, harness racing’s richest event that attracts the best horses in Australia and New Zealand. View
News	30/01/2008	School hears the sound of young music http://www. When you think of schools in summer do you imagine empty halls echoing with the ghosts of a thousand schooldays? View
News	30/01/2008	These shoes are made for walking http://www. If you’re not a student, two stores worth giving a miss during the last weeks of January are stationers and shoe shops, the latter in particular. Fashionistas reached the playground many years ago, and so the wait for teenagers deciding upon footwear for the coming school year is often a long one. But it shouldn’t be. View
News	30/01/2008	Will McArthur return? http://www. The 2007 election saw the political battle between experienced leader and younger challenger played out not only at a federal level, but also on a much smaller stage in Geelong. For the first time in almost a quarter of a century, voters decided Corangamite MP Stewart McArthur’s time was up. However, McArthur isn’t quite ready to let someone else do the talking. He still has his two cents he’d like to throw into the public debate. View
News	30/01/2008	Mind games http://www. Earlier this month the Australian Psychics Association announced their annual award winners. Voting rules allow the approximately 1,500 members to nominate themselves, something the association’s president, Simon Turnbull, admits “can be self-defeating. It may be good to change that ruling.” View
News	30/01/2008	Australia Day honours for Geelong residents http://www. Four Geelong residents were on the Australia Day honours list announced last Saturday. Each were awarded Medals of the order of Australia in the general division, otherwise known as OAM’s. View
News	30/01/2008	Herne Hill's half-iron woman http://www. When you meet Belinda Harrison, Iron Man is not a phrase that leaps to mind. This 29-year-old Herne Hill resident does not ripple with muscle or walk with swagger, but her petite frame and cheerful, unassuming demeanor belie an impressive and growing series of successes in this most grueling of sports. She is currently preparing for Geelong’s first half Iron-man race on February 10, where she will be among 1200 competitors who will vie for 75 places at the World Championship in Florida. View
News	16/01/2008	Used stick for sale http://www. Most items used in most facets of life pre-1980’s have become recognised as collectible, and hence valuable, by that dubious memorabilia industry that now plagues eBay and antique shops. This includes all things AFL, from swap cards – the first set of 18 released by Scanlens in 1963 is reputedly worth $1,500 - to any scrap piece of paper signed by a star of yesteryear. One of the more unusual items offered for sale – a goal post from Kardinia Park – has been advertised in The Independent’s classifieds lately. View
News	16/01/2008	Blood and guts teaching; John B Wills http://www. Want to help yourself? If so, you’re far from alone. Perhaps you have investigated the burgeoning self – help section of a book shop, only to find it empty of hard – hitting truths, and heavy on doses of wisdom from way above. View
News	16/01/2008	Saleyards safe for now http://www. The future of the Geelong Saleyards in West Geelong has become more secure with Geelong Council’s adoption of the Geelong Saleyards Conservation Management Plan. View
News	16/01/2008	On your bike son, carefully http://www. Murray MacDonald travels daily from his home in Belmont to his office at the State Office Building in Little Malop Street. The trip is 4.5 km each direction. It takes him under fifteen minutes. He has no parking problem or expense, uses no petrol and causes no pollution. Murray commutes by bicycle. View
News	16/01/2008	Girt by sea http://www. Most Americans love most things American, and most of all Independence Day which celebrates the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from British rule. Americans also love Independence Day because, like Australia Day, it offers the nation’s workers a public holiday during summer. However, that’s about where the similarities end. View
News	19/12/2007	Xmas lights up Geelong! http://www. For a while it seemed that Geelong had failed. After a year of footy triumph, had Geelong expended all of its enthusiasm for joyful and over the top celebration on that one great moment in history? Was there, in short, no room for Christmas excess? View
News	19/12/2007	Court upholds Saunderson Conviction http://www. owie Ward councillor, David Saunderson still retains the support of the Local Government Minister, Richard Wynne, despite losing his Supreme Court appeal against a conviction for breaching the Local Government Act. On August 17th last year, Saunderson was charged with breaching Section 81(7)(e) of the Act in that he failed to disclose a gift above the amount of $500. View
News	19/12/2007	More than a store http://www. I walk into the Anakie General Store for a look at the winner of the Victoria West Store of the Year Award and walk out feeling as though I’ve just experienced the heart and soul of a community. The award stems from the Pauls Community Store of the Year competition, which involves more than 2800 stores across the nation. Customers nominate their local stores—including independent food retailers, petrol and convenience stores, takeaways, cafes and bakeries—writing comments to explain how their chosen store stands out. View
News	19/12/2007	Noel Fanning - The Producer http://www. When you watch Noel Fanning work, you can tell right away he’s a man who knows what he’s doing. And why wouldn’t he? He recently produced his 500th news and features television program for Geelong’s Channel 31, so the quiet confidence he exudes is grounded in experience. View
News	19/12/2007	Today won't be here tomorrow http://www. The Today show, Channel 9’s morning news and infotainment program, will not be coming to Geelong. The much-hyped, and controversial, decision by the City of Greater Geelong to entice the program here means there will be a blank screen as far as local viewers wanting to view local content on national television. View
News	05/12/2007	An ocean(road) of history http://www. “History, if it’s not frozen, melts like ice cream. If it is not preserved, it is lost.” So says Bob Molyneux, and he should know. In the 20 years since he retired from the Victorian police force, Bob has “frozen” a lot of history, making sure in his own way that it will never “melt”. The den in his Highton home is lined with neatly organised albums of articles and photographs of mostly regional interest, addressing topics as diverse as football and the Great Ocean Road. View
News	05/12/2007	Corangamite loses McArthur? http://www. n the national tide that swept the Liberals from power (dissipating at the WA border), Corangamite MHR, Stewart McArthur fought the good fight. While the swing to unseat the former member (7.71%) was greater than the national figure of nearly six percent, McArthur had more reason than most Liberals to fear a landslide. View
News	05/12/2007	History repeating http://www. Darren Cheeseman, the Ballarat resident and former councilor who won the seat of Corangamite from the Liberal’s Stewart McArthur, was all smiles for the cameras in Torquay on election night. As most winners did, he thanked his family, supporters and volunteers. What is not lost on the Your Rights At Work campaigners is that he didn’t thank them for their six months of keeping alive the issue that cost the government so dearly. View
News	05/12/2007	The future for O'Connor http://www. When Gavan O’Connor lost ALP endorsement last year, his decision to run as an independent sent a nervous shudder through the party, as well as creating unprecedented media interest in the seat of Corio. Some suggested the move would derail Rudd’s campaign; others said that it opened up old factional wounds in the Labor Party. The local press here made much mention of his crusade against council corruption. The Liberals claimed his axing exposed the Labor Party as being beholden to the union movement, as his successor, Richard Marles, was an ACTU state secretary. In the end, it all meant almost nothing. View
News	28/11/2007	Them bones, them bones... http://www. Barwon Health and Geelong Hospital are making a major contribution to the study and understanding of osteoporosis in Australia. Most recently, researchers at the Geelong Hospital have recruited women for a trial to evaluate a new medication for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. View
News	28/11/2007	Water restrictions ease http://www. For the past decade the drought has asked Australians to reconsider the way they use water. Yet the sight of homeowners watering garden beds for the past month has caused almost as much anger as it has relief. When Stage 4 restrictions were invoked during December 2006, the region’s water supplies were at 23.9 percent capacity. Now, twelve, mostly dry months later, the capacity has increased to 38.9 percent, a still less than ideal amount. View
News	28/11/2007	Global First Aid http://www. I’m sitting on a bench at the Myers Reserve in Bell Post Hill watching kids play and chatting with Diana Martin, whose vivid yellow vest identifies her immediately and at a distance as “the first-aid lady”. Two young girls approach, one favouring her left leg, the other to keep her company. View
News	28/11/2007	Pako Xmas late trading http://www. The Geelong West Traders Association (GWTA) have announced that three nights have once again been set aside this year for late night trading through the busy Christmas period. Since its inception, the extended opening times have given busy workers extra hours to consider their yuletide purchases, as well as enjoy refreshments alfresco style along Pakington Street. View
News	28/11/2007	Four men and a bench http://www. Until very recently, a group of elderly Italian men used to gather each morning on a bench outside the Geelong Fresh Foods store in Pakington Street. Their animated discussion was a distinctive part of the charm that gave the area its reputation as Geelong’s liveliest retail precinct. However, in the early morning hours of Sunday, November 11th, their bench was taken away. View
News	14/11/2007	Tax cuts V spending on services http://www. Hands up if you would prefer tax cuts over spending on services - namely health and education? Both major parties have a package of tax cuts front and centre of their tax policies for the election. The degree to which they differ is relatively minor, but if you listen to established polls, or just ask around at the pub, voters are saying that they would prefer money be directed to services. View
News	14/11/2007	Richard Marles v Gavan O'Connor http://www. Bitter allegations of branch stacking, fraudulent fundraising and dossiers being kept on private citizens has given the Geelong seat of Corio new national significance. The battle between the ALP’s disendorsed Gavan O’Connor, and his replacement Richard Marles, has played into Liberal claims that unions now dominate the Labor Party. Marles is a former ACTU assistant secretary. View
News	14/11/2007	The choice on WorkChoices http://www. Less than one year ago, after four election defeats and several changes of leadership, there seemed little foreseeable chance of the Labor Party being considered a credible opposition, let alone an alternative government. It addressed the leadership situation by turning to Kevin Rudd, but its biggest fillip came courtesy of the government’s new industrial relations legislation. It is this issue, and the ACTU’s perspicacious campaign against WorkChoices, that the ALP owes its resurgence to. View
News	31/10/2007	Kardinia Park - time to make a stand http://www. Back when the AFL was 12 Victorian clubs who played in the suburbs and town after which they were named, there was something odd about Kardinia Park. The competition has been national for 20 years now, with corporates running a game played by professionals on showcase arenas. However, that oddity at Kardinia Park remains, but not for much longer. View
News	31/10/2007	Local artist Darren McGinn a winner http://www. Local artist Darren McGinn has been announced the winner of the Toyota Community Spirit Artist Travel Award. The award was presented by Lynne Kosky MP, Minister for the Arts, at the launch of ‘the Garden Path’, a sculpture exhibition at the Toyota Community Spirit Gallery. View
News	31/10/2007	Greater Geelong planning issues http://www. The City of Greater Geelong is introducing an amendment to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme to incorporate its new Municipal Strategic Statement. What's that all about? If you're a property owner you should already know, because Council have sent you a letter which purports to explain everything. View
News	31/10/2007	Malawi calendar to raise funds http://www. On a short visit to Africa several years ago, Geelong social worker Roby Casey was struck by the living conditions of village children. Upon her return home, she saved money and headed back to the tiny inland nation of Malawi, where she has helped set up six day care centres for young children. View
News	31/10/2007	Balyang complete http://www. Work on the City of Greater Geelong’s $450,000 redevelopment of Balyang Sanctuary was completed last week when environment portfolio holder, Councillor Barbara Abley, put on gloves and gumboots to help with the planting of grasses by the water’s edge. View
News	17/10/2007	Idolising Bobby Flynn http://www. Each year for the past five years, tens of thousands of wannabe singers have signed and queued up for the chance to become the next Australian idol. While these numbers ensure an eclectic mix of talent and otherwise, sadly each year’s competition is narrowed down to a dozen clichéd balladeers and insipid rockers who apply more meaning to make-up than lyrics. But somehow, at least for a short while during idol’s 2006 season, someone quite different broke through the glorified karaoke mould to inject some interest. View
News	17/10/2007	Gutter perchers http://www. Geelong Cup day throws up all kinds of problems for punters, from choosing the right outfit, to finding a decent vantage point to watch the races, then grappling with a form guide to back a winner. However, the end of the meeting offers another dilemma – finding your way home. Sober people drive, others take the train or queue for taxis, while some, like this gathering of friends at last year’s event, decide to just sit and wait until a lift comes their way. View
News	17/10/2007	Not just counting crows http://www. Interviewing Valda and Lynne from the Geelong Field Naturalists Club in the bird hide at Belmont Common is not unlike trying to discuss homework with kids at Toy Kingdom. A baby grebe, no, no, no – a hoary-headed grebe, then a blue wren demand more attention than my questions. I feel inadequate without a set of binoculars. Dave arrives to join the discussion, but he’s more interested in “creepy crawlies.” Lynne says Dave’s good with a microscope and can magnify a single hair from an insect up to 400 times. View
News	17/10/2007	Girls night in http://www. Every October the Cancer Council likes to recognise women’s cancer. October the 22nd is Pink Ribbon Day and throughout the month thousands of women across Australia will host ‘Girls Night In’ (GNI) events to raise money for the Cancer Council. View
News	03/10/2007	Water still restricted http://www. Spring is in the air, but there is not a lot of rain in sight. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a drier and warmer than average spring, which is threatening our already low water storage levels. View
News	03/10/2007	Icy wicket! http://www. t's a sunny Saturday afternoon out on the Richmond Crescent Oval in East Geelong. The footy season is over and the centre square is fenced off with star pickets and fluttering plastic flags. Dominic Malaspina is out in the square, gently hosing the freshly seeded black soil. Climate change and water shortages mean tough times for suburban cricket clubs. Real cricket is played on turf wickets, and turf wickets are prodigious consumers of water, time, and these days, money. View
News	03/10/2007	Window dressing http://www. Visitors from distant nations travelling through Geelong last week unaware of grand final fever would at least have noticed that some people wearing blue and white striped hoops were involved in a major event of some kind. They would also have found no shortage of locals informing them that the town’s team playing in the AFL grand final is about the biggest thing to happen here since, well, the last time the town’s team played in the AFL grand final. View
News	19/09/2007	Geelong's Ice storm http://www. So by now we have all seen the advertisements; the uncontrollable violence, psychotic episodes, unbearable scratching of the arms and physical destruction of the body, Ice (also known as Crystal Methamphetamine) has already had devastating effects on the many thousands of addicts around Australia, and is an epidemic that continues to grow out of control. View
News	19/09/2007	Mortgage defaults on the rise http://www. When a debt collector tells you he's concerned that so many people can't pay their mortgages and are losing their homes, it's rather like hearing a tow truck driver express dismay at the numbers of cars crashing. View
News	19/09/2007	Equine Flu - no worries for Geelong Cup http://www. The equine flu that has decimated the NSW spring carnival and put a scare throughout the rest of the nation’s racing industry has yet to deter preparations for Geelong’s lucrative October racing month. According to Paul Carroll, the CEO at the Geelong Racing Club, so far the major concern has been addressed. View
News	19/09/2007	Secret Women's Business http://www. Geelong's nationally ranked all-female, all-feminine singing group the Geelong Harmony Chorus, has teamed with compeer Colin Mockett, to create a brand new musical show called Secret Women’s Business. View
News	05/09/2007	World stage for Julie http://www. Geelong audiences are more than familiar with the beautiful singing voice of local girl Julie Walter-Sgro, but now she’s about to take her talents to the World stage, in the Karaoke World Championships. View
News	05/09/2007	Walking the dog http://www. In The Geelong Times August the 8th edition, we published an article regarding the environmental effects of dog poo. We received some feedback from dog walkers around Geelong who say that there aren't enough bags and bins available in some parks, if any at all. View
News	05/09/2007	Geelong Cup party at Lambys Birdcage http://www. The time for pretty dresses, snappy suits, plenty of drinks and a few chances to test your luck is among us again. Yes the Geelong Cup is fast approaching. View
News	05/09/2007	Farmer wins Serrated Tussock case http://www. Residents of Geelong may not be aware of the legislation requiring the control of pesky weed Serrated Tussock, Nassella Trichtoma. It is however a legal obligation familiar to local farmers. View
News	05/09/2007	Shop'n'Spree Winner! http://www. The Lucky winner of the Geelong Times and OnPako Pako Shop ‘n’Spree competition is Kiera Kirley of Winchelsea. Over the last month customers spending $50 or more at one of the 20 Bonanza businesses, had the chance to enter the draw to win every girls’ - and guys’ - dream... 5000 tax-free, easily earned dollars in vouchers to purchase almost anything. View
News	22/08/2007	MobileMuster - helping the environment http://www. As mobile phones have become as much of a fashion accessory as they are a telecommunications device – they are often ditched in favour of a newer, more stylish, more gadgeted rival as soon as one is released. But what have Geelong residents been doing with their rejected old phones? Why, helping the environment of course. While technology and nature are opposites in theory, the recycling of old mobile phones for the “Old Phones, New Trees” campaign has helped plant 75,000 new trees in needy areas of Australia. View
News	22/08/2007	Buy-Local - supporting local businesses http://www. Large organisations don’t always respond to situations with due haste. For many years Geelong shoppers have been making pilgrimages to Melbourne to satisfy their consumer needs, a point not lost on most retailers here. Realising that huge sums of consumer dollars were flowing out of the region, last year the City of Greater Geelong commissioned a retail strategy by Essential Economics that estimated around $380 million annually was escaping local businesses. Anecdotal evidence suggested that many shoppers believed that local businesses were unable to meet their demands for quantity or quality. View
News	22/08/2007	Mental Health Geelong http://www. Recently Minister for Mental Health, Lisa Neville, officially opened the new 90 bed Blakiston Lodge at Barwon Health’s McKeller Centre. The new unit provides 45 Mental Health beds for aged persons, and also 45 high care beds. Of the 45 Mental Health beds 15 are additional new beds – the balance being the relocation of beds from the old centre. View
News	22/08/2007	Goodbye, grass? http://www. Summer 2006-2007. New rainwater tanks, gutters redirected, new shower heads installed, hoses connected to washing machines, pumps, hoses and buckets, buckets, buckets. What an effort to keep our gardens alive. As most Geelong residents struggled to keep their prized lawns green this year some turned to drastic alternatives. View
News	22/08/2007	Lab Tests Online http://www. Your doctor is counting off his fingers like a shopping list the tests you need done to assess for the disturbing list of conditions he has just announced you may have. Somewhere between where he sits reeling off complex words to where you sit, clammy and confused in the patient’s chair, the diagnosis gets lost in translation. The truth is the relationship between doctor and patient has often been one of distant and uneasy terms when it comes to communicating procedures, tests and results. View
News	22/08/2007	Local workers surveyed on AWAs http://www. On talkback radio, on the television, on the commercials and even on YouTube you can hear the current political debate gaining momentum as we lead up to a Federal election. The usual mudslinging that accompanies any political campaign can be witnessed in every form of media and the local political representatives of Geelong are no exception. View
News	22/08/2007	Ross Mueller - an AWGIE imminent? http://www. As playwrights go, Ross Mueller has developed quite a name for himself. He’s been commissioned to write plays for the Playbox, Hothouse and Melbourne Theatre Companies, and ABC Radio National, with other plays been performed in established theatres throughout Australia. View
News	22/08/2007	Branson lands at Avalon http://www. As little as five years ago Geelong residents only remembered their airport for one weekend every second year as jet fighter planes roared over our skies for the International Airshow. Soon Avalon Airport will be utilized by Sir Richard Branson and AirAsia X for mainstream international flights, while still hosting its own flock of Jetstar flights around the nation daily. View
News	08/08/2007	CSIRO - Carr alarm http://www. Victorian Labor Federal Senator Kim Carr held a press conference last week at CSIRO’s textile research facility in Belmont to alert Geelong voters to his belief that John Howard’s government secretly intended to axe 40 to 50 jobs from the facility. View
News	08/08/2007	Ford: alternatives for the future http://www. The future of the 600 Ford workers whose jobs will be phased out over the next three years is looking positive. The Victoria and Federal Governments have announced a $24million assistance package to workers who will lose their jobs. View
News	08/08/2007	Beautiful Balyang a sanctuary again http://www. Tranquillity and serene beauty has been restored to Geelong’s environmental oasis, obscured from the traffic congestion of Shannon Avenue by a native buffer and very little else... View
News	08/08/2007	Doggy doings http://www. It isn’t pretty, it isn’t pleasant, but it appears all over the place and you know it when you step in it. It is dog poo, and it wouldn’t be an issue if people did the right thing and cleaned up after their dogs. The installation of dedicated bag dispensers and bins is a welcome thing, but are there enough of them and are they in the right places? View
News	08/08/2007	It's a long way to the top... http://www. It has been encouraging to see recent gigs in town for Missy Higgins and Sarah Blasko, but what if you are an emerging local talent, how do you get started. How do young singers and bands gain a profile and a following? Do any of our local media help? View
News	25/07/2007	What future for Ford? http://www. Most people with even scant interest in the automotive industry saw it coming, but when the latest news regarding Ford’s Geelong plant was announced last week, it still sent a chill through this town’s collective spine. Reports and rumours regarding the 71 year old factory’s future have been as widely discussed here as the weather and the local football side. Much like a winter’s bleakness and, until recently, the Cats’ form, rarely has the discussion been positive. Now it’s funereal. View
News	25/07/2007	Busking Blues http://www. The presence of buskers can be an indicator of a vibrant retail thoroughfare. Where there’s a crowd spending money, there’s the chance any novelty act, or somebody armed with an out-of-tune guitar and a matching voice can make a dollar or two. View
News	25/07/2007	Sign Language http://www. Road signs often evoke a sense of history. Betty Cutherbert, John Landy, Shirley Strickland and Herb Elliot are not only recognized in Geelong as elite Olympic athletes. Their surnames, among others, have also been embraced around a small cluster of streets in Highton. View
News	25/07/2007	City parking relief a long way off http://www. When I first moved to Geelong from Melbourne four years ago the first things that struck me were short supermarket queues and available parking spaces. I loved that I could drive right into the city centre in ten minutes and find a perfect space right outside my destination. View
News	25/07/2007	National Tree Day - July 29 http://www. A few weeks ago while gardening, a large limb parted from high up on an established old tree. It came at first with a slow but load creak, then an almighty crash, to lay in the yard just one metre from where my three year old was potting some flowers. It was distressing, but fortunate as no one was hit by the falling branch. View
News	11/07/2007	Surfers say 'No' to paid parking http://www. The Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee recently came up with the idea of putting parking meters on some of Victorians most popular beaches at Torquay, Jan Juc and Anglesea. This is designed to raise a few dollars so that they can do more work to protect the coastline they manage from Torquay to Lorne. View
News	11/07/2007	Lend a hand, and an ear, for Lifeline http://www. There are numerous community organisations and dedicated volunteers society can’t do without. Sadly, yet thankfully, some play a more critical, and often unheralded role than others. Lifeline offers counselling support for anyone struggling to cope with any kind of personal issue affecting their lives, and is as important today as when it first opened its sympathetic ears to the Geelong public 28 years ago. View
News	11/07/2007	Xmas in July on the Plains http://www. Picture in your mind rolling hills, forest laden valleys, rustic wineries and cosy cottages – does it sound like somewhere in the Yarra Valley? Well, this is even better. Welcome to the Golden Plains Shire, the hidden wonder at Geelong’s doorstep. View
News	11/07/2007	Geelong's Pulse stopped? http://www. Geelong’s community radio station The Pulse 94.7’s future is uncertain. Recently the ABC put in an application for a frequency in the Geelong area and it may well be assigned 94.7 currently occupied by PulseFM. View
News	27/06/2007	Nerds FC http://www. Childhood experiences can often affect the paths we take later in life. For a young Richard Merzian, his remote chance of a sporting career came to a bloody end when a soccer ball splattered his nose during his primary school days in Hamlyn Heights during the late 1990’s. View
News	27/06/2007	ACTU anti-Workchoices campaign http://www. Anyone thinking they’d heard and read and seen enough about the federal government’s controversial industrial relations legislation had better brace themselves for more. Reeling from a poll slump partly created by the ACTU’s anti-WorkChoices ad campaign, the government has re-branded the act and allocated another $5 million of taxpayer’s money to spruik the legislated changes. View
News	27/06/2007	Pakington St poaching? http://www. Residents of Geelong are familiar with the Pakington Street shopping strip. Trees lining the street, unique boutiques, 100 year old buildings and a village atmosphere it has charm and character that offers a shopping experience rather than just an outlet for retail therapy. View
News	27/06/2007	Women fight back http://www. In light of the recent attacks in and around Geelong, the team at Shield Material Arts has formulated a new female self-defence course, “StreetSafe” to commence in July. View
News	27/06/2007	Hello? Is anyone listening? http://www. Ten months after moving into a house near the roundabout that intersects St. Albans and Breakwater Roads, and Martin and Verner Streets, I became concerned about the extent of crime affecting the neighbourhood, enough so to initiate a petition. View
News	13/06/2007	$1.74 for your rubbish http://www. Most ratepayers would be aware that the 2007 – 2008 City of Greater Geelong Budget proposes a rate increase of 6.9% There are many projects and expenses, but Waste Collection Services are nominated as a reason for the upward movement in our rates. View
News	13/06/2007	Traffic, parking and public transport http://www. Geelong’s public transport network once again misses out on major funding in the 2007-2008 city budget, despite an increase of $1.4m allocated to infrastructure maintenance and renewal. View
News	13/06/2007	Big boost for sport and recreation http://www. The big winner in the budget this year has been the Sport and Recreation portfolio with approximately a third of capital expenditure going to that area. View
News	13/06/2007	Saleyards staff are smiling http://www. Representing constituents in the Windermere ward has made Councillor Tony Ansett something of a man for the land. There are a lot of paddocks and fields out there around Lara, and Ansett has embraced his role as the voice of rural Geelong. View
News	30/05/2007	Xanana Gusmao - A hero's story http://www. The Australian East Timor Association (Geelong) and the City of Greater Geelong is proudly supporting a visit to Geelong of the former First Lady of East Timor, Kirsty Sword Gusmao who will address a fundraising dinner at Dromoland House, 258 Pakington Street West Geelong from 5 –5.30 p.m. on Friday 8th June, 2007. View
News	30/05/2007	What's happened to the Night Markets http://www. The first night market lit up Geelong in August of last year. It was a fabulous success with over five thousand people listening to music, sipping wine and tasting food while they strolled through the stalls and shops. Little Malop Street is a unique area of Geelong with its fine old buildings, its pavement lighting and the long line of massive stainless steel sculptures. View
News	30/05/2007	Lock-in locked in? http://www. Once again the people of Geelong receive the news with disbelief, anger and fear. Another brutal crime. The focus once more is the central business district and what happens in and around the entertainment precinct at night. To Geelong residents who do not go out to nightclubs, the streets of Geelong seem like mine fields. View
News	30/05/2007	Sunrise could shine on Geelong http://www. As the City of Greater Geelong council negotiates a $100,000-plus deal with Channel 9's Today Show to film on location from the region, another television station has revealed similar television opportunities could be available for free. View
News	16/05/2007	La Trobe Terrace traffic lights http://www. Geelong residents know the frustration of being caught on LaTrobe Terrace in peak hour traffic. Those who commute to work between Melbourne and Geelong know, all to well, the annoyance after travelling virtually unstopped along Princes Highway from the outskirts to a virtual standstill on first entering Geelong. View
News	16/05/2007	Encompass opportunities http://www. “Encompass” means to include or to bring together. It is also the name of a unique organisation that has been helping people with disabilities in Geelong for twenty years. View
News	16/05/2007	Cyber bullying symposium http://www. Many parents think of it as a mysterious world that they don’t understand. Teenagers think of it as an escape into another world where they can talk freely with old friends and make new ones. The cyber world can be both, but it can also be one of the most dangerous places your child will enter. View
News	16/05/2007	Relay For Life milestone http://www. When you have four tiers of management from a large organisation sitting at your dinner table, you know you must have done something right. That’s exactly what happened to the chairman of the Geelong Relay For Life, Andrew Purdy and his committee last weekend when they celebrated a milestone for the Cancer Council fundraising event. The Geelong event has become the first Relay For Life in Australia to raise $2million. View
News	02/05/2007	Footie drought http://www. With Geelong’s local football now underway it’s hard to believe the leagues have just suffered months of uncertainty and up to four week delays to the start of their 2007 season due to drought affected sporting grounds. View
News	02/05/2007	2 into 1 Geelong taxi service http://www. Geelong Taxi users no longer have a choice when they dial a Taxi. Geelong Radio Cabs and Bay City Cabs have merged to create Geelong Taxi Network. The GTN logo is beginning to be seen around the city. View
News	02/05/2007	New director for Deakin medical school http://www. The appointment of the Director of Clinical Studies of the new medical school at Deakin University was announced this week. Associate Professor Ross Carne, has worked at Geelong Hospital as a neurologist and epileptologist since 2003 and has been responsible for the teaching program for the University of Melbourne at Geelong Hospital. View
News	02/05/2007	Mercer Street mayhem may help http://www. If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. But at whose expense? Road works are underway once again in Mercer Street only a few years after it received a major re-development, to rectify problems created in the construction. View
News	18/04/2007	A bridge too far? http://www. As Geelong readies itself for the construction of a controversial Westfield development incorporating a ‘flyover’ bridge across Yarra St, those qualified to have an opinion, our local architects, share their thoughts on the plans. View
News	18/04/2007	I say http://www. A short distance from the main road on the edge of Torquay, there’s a hydroponic tomato farm. A new variety called ‘Kumato’ is grown there by the Kakouros family, working hard to supply between three and four tonnes a week to Safeway stores around the country, under their brand ‘Avia’. View
News	18/04/2007	Your council's confidential TV deal http://www. Channel 9's Today Show is coming to the region this Spring for a week of filming, and will be showcasing the array of local attractions aiming to boost tourism and investment. Well maybe it is. View
News	18/04/2007	Disabled access to streets a problem http://www. The other day I noticed something that worried me. Just near my place, where George and Gertrude Streets intersect in Geelong West, there was a gentleman in a manual wheelchair joining the cars on the road, maneuvering himself around the roundabout! View
News	03/04/2007	Big Brothers Big Sisters http://www. With the commencement of the AFL season about to begin, The Geelong Football Club has announced the chosen charities that will be supported by the GFC’s sports charity program in 2007. View
News	03/04/2007	DoCare - drop in for a yarn! http://www. When it comes to sport, Geoff Golding and Percy Berry agree on most things, which is quite unusual considering Geoff is a Collingwood supporter and Percy follows Geelong. Nonetheless, the organisers at the DoCare agency thought there were grounds common enough for the two to get along, and so sent out volunteer Percy to visit Geoff in his Highton home once a fortnight. View
News	03/04/2007	Crime: lies, damned lies and statistics http://www. Since late last year, law and order, or the lack of it, has become a popular topic in much of the local media. One Geelong Advertiser report last month stated that “Geelong’s CBD has been plagued with violence, bashings and sexual assaults for months if not years and it is only getting worse.” With some 13,000 signatories registering their support for the current council campaign for an increased police presence on the streets, it would seem that a surging crime wave is threatening this city. View
News	03/04/2007	Doug, the dog whisperer http://www. Doug Elsum is quite a remarkable man. His long term commitment to dogs and dog owners has been unwavering, despite leading a busy life of his own.He feels it’s important to help people train their dogs so they can get as much out of the experience of having one as they can. View
News	21/03/2007	Free family camp-out weekend http://www. There’s no doubt Aussies just love the great outdoors. Between April 2005 and March 2006, there were over 25 million overnight stays in caravan parks and commercial camping grounds across Australia. View
News	21/03/2007	Sleepy's help St Vinnies http://www. Sleepy’s at Geelong are turning their business success into one of philanthropy by donating second-hand mattresses to the St Vincent de Paul Society. View
News	21/03/2007	Signs of the times http://www. Several months ago Bob Smith* was watering the grass out front of his Newtown home when he copped an unexpected spray from another direction. A passing motorist slowed to wind down his window and remind Bob that he shouldn’t be wasting such a precious resource while our big brown land was in the midst of a drought View
News	21/03/2007	Saving Balyang Sanctuary http://www. Since May last year, Geelong’s beloved Balyang Sanctuary has been undergoing a major upgrade. Stage two of the project began last month and with a brief visit to the site, the large scale of the works is immediately apparent. View
News	22/02/2007	Dalai Lama set to visit us http://www. Geelong may not be a scheduled stop for other world leaders but, in June 2007, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will honour the city with a second visit and appearance. View
News	22/02/2007	Going going, gone soon? http://www. Yet another part of Geelong’s retail history has been put up for auction with a For Sale sign now out front of the Sydney Parade premises of Cowley Engineering in East Geelong. View
News	22/02/2007	Hardie for hire? http://www. Most people know that a career in politics is either fleeting or teetering, but elected representatives aren’t the only ones affected. The fallout from Federal Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone’s dumping was felt here in Grovedale when the Hardie family’s eldest son Robert also found himself out of a job. View
News	22/02/2007	Corinne Grant's Raw Comedy http://www. Next month over 14 aspiring comedians will step onto the stage at the Geelong Performing Arts Centre where they’ll have five minutes each to showcase their talents and hopefully win through to the next round of the Raw Comedy Festival. View
News	22/02/2007	Harmony for International Women's Day http://www. For two hours a week, St Andrews Uniting Church Hall in East Geelong is being filled with the beautiful sound of around one hundred women singing in four-part harmony. View
News	06/02/2007	No local for locals http://www. The Belmont Hotel sits idle at the top of the hill on High Street, the doors have been closed since August of 2005, when a permit was issued by council to renovate and extend the existing building. But nearly eighteen months have passed by, with little alterations to the neglected building and residents are beginning to worry that their local watering hole may run dry forever. View
News	06/02/2007	First school day anxieties http://www. The passing of several decades still won’t allow me to forget my first day at school. I’d never attended child care nor kindergarten, and so knew none of the nearly 100 other beginners at North Williamstown Primary. View
News	06/02/2007	Our Moorabool Platypus in peril? http://www. s our dry gardens wilt away and our lawns continue to disappear into the dust, we are not the only ones suffering from the drought. Low water levels are causing concern for platypus populations around the state, including our local populations in the Moorabool and Barwon rivers. View
News	06/02/2007	Pako Festa celebrates 25 years http://www. The Geelong community will share the color of twelve cultures in a spectacular theatrical dance performance celebrating the 25th anniversary of Matchworks Pako Festa 2007. “Moving Feetures” will encourage its audience to explore cultural values through the art of dance performed by the region’s own dance ensemble. View
News	06/02/2007	Wilderness challenges for Geelong’s deserving children http://www. he Costa Family Foundation, the Dawn Wade Foundation, and the Geelong Magistrates Court were major contributors to the Lions Club of Geelong’s seven-day wilderness camp for deserving children at Licola this year. View
News	23/01/2007	Accidents impact on the community http://www. Road accidents can be devastating, life changing events. Survivors of road accidents with serious injuries usually have a long road to recovery, though for some, life is far from ever being the same again. View
News	23/01/2007	Flying the flag http://www. Nothing quite stirs up nationalistic fervour like the perceived inappropriate use of the Australian flag. While the December 2006 riots at Cronulla beach were condemned as racist attacks, what concerned many was the wearing of Australian flags by nationalistic thugs. View
News	23/01/2007	On the buses http://www. Geelong’s Free City Bus service provided by the City of Greater Geelong to improve the access to shops in central Geelong and to offset the loss of parking during the Waterfront revitalization might be a good idea, but it certainly isn’t free. In fact, it costs around $70,000 dollars a season to operate. View
News	23/01/2007	Rippleside development green light http://www. While the publicly funded revitalization of the Geelong waterfront continues, two significant private waterfront developments have been announced. After three years of negotiations with The City of Greater Geelong a subsequent VCAT ruling, Jim Ramsay’s Rippleside Maritime Village development finally has the green light and The Costa Property Group recently announced its purchase of the iconic Cunningham Pier for the purpose of redevelopment. View
News	09/01/2007	Ice cream trade licked http://www. n Chicago, ice cream lovers listen for How Much is that Doggie in the Window?. For Texans, it’s She’ll be coming ‘round the Mountain. Excitement in Belfast is saved for The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, while the Scottish people of Edinburgh welcome Popeye the Sailor Man on hot summer days View
News	09/01/2007	E-recycle - many happy returns http://www. Though few of us may realise it, our old computers, televisions and other electronic equipment are causing serious environmental damage. As electronic products with shortening life spans become increasingly popular, the amount of e-waste (electronic waste) discarded becomes increasingly problematic. View
News	09/01/2007	kristen in line for championship http://www. Despite having only ten days to train due to a serious injury, there was no stopping Geelong’s Kristen Slade in Murcia, Spain last month. She came home with her second world number two ranking after competing in the 51st World Roller Figure Skating Championships Inline Ladies event. View
News	09/01/2007	Lara 1969: a flame that still burns http://www. The smoke that hung over much of Victoria last month was a reminder that summer has an insidious side. Bushfires have become fixtures on our summer calendar almost as reliable as the Boxing Day test match and the Australia Day weekend. View
News	18/12/2006	Parmi Challenge - and the winner is? http://www. It started as a male bonding session and ended with a salute to the Fyansford Hotel - all hail the greatest Chicken Parmigiana in town! View
News	18/12/2006	Our new mayor http://www. After weeks of unofficial lobbying, the official process to nominate and elect Bruce Harwood the City of Greater Geelong’s new mayor took approximately 20 seconds. His ensuing inauguration speech took several minutes longer, and when done, proceedings were closed so all twelve councillors could engage in a celebratory session of drinks and nibbles View
News	18/12/2006	Palmed off traders http://www. t has been a long time coming but the Moorabool Street redevelopment has finally been completed. The shopping strip is now lined with 132 palm trees, wider and flatter footpaths, detailed lighting and improved road conditions View
News	18/12/2006	Women's status documented by Landry http://www. The Macher colony, a shanty village on the outskirts of Karachi, is home to 20,000 of Pakistan’s most vulnerable people. The single room houses have only a minimum of cooking and bedding facilities. View
News	06/12/2006	Fundraiser takes the cake http://www. When visiting my friend Ken each Christmas, he puts on the coffee pot and opens an old tin to offer a slice of his mother’s home made fruit cake. View
News	06/12/2006	John Wilson carries on the fight http://www. ohn Wilson’s Irish/Scottish heritage, un-nurturing formative years, and experiences in a brutal public school playground guaranteed he was going to be a fighter.J View
News	06/12/2006	Not everyone's a winner http://www. Geelong remains a Labor heartland following the state election, holding on to all four seats in the region. While polls suggested a small swing against the government, Ian Trezise actually increased his vote in the seat of Geelong by .48%. View
News	06/12/2006	Drinking water - bottled or tap? http://www. My sister and I are crouched, entangled in a grape vine against the neighbours’ fence. ”The coast is clear,” she whispers. I turn toward her and see her wriggling legs disappear over the fence. Moments later lemons rain down and I fold my outstretched arms over my head to both shield myself and catch as many as possible View
News	14/11/2006	Recycling gets creative http://www. The Geelong community has proven its commitment to waste management by adopting recycling measures that ensure the amount of household and commercial waste going to landfill is greatly reduced. An example of the region’s dedication is Diversitat’s Creative recycling scheme. View
News	14/11/2006	Fame on hold for now... http://www. Celine Dion, Little Birdy and Guy Sebastion all share something in common. Apart from being musicians, it was music competitions that helped kick start their professional music careers. On the 20th November, the careers of eight new pops stars will be launched when Nokia’s ‘Be Heard,’ competition winners will be announced. Local band, Ulysses Drowning, will not be one of them. View
News	14/11/2006	ANZ Family Day http://www. ANZ Family Day traditionally kicks off Geelong’s New Year with a colourful and entertaining bang. From humble beginnings only three years ago, this New Years Day extravaganza has a distinct family atmosphere that is the key to its success. This year, Marketing Manager Emma Ingles says, will be no different. “We’re inviting everyone from kids to retirees to come and celebrate the beginning of 07 on Geelong’s renowned and picturesque Waterfront,” she says. “Importantly, ANZ Family Day is Geelong’s biggest outdoor family day event. It’s a free, safe and inviting event, with the location, set up and wide range of activities and entertainment making it a big hit with a diverse market.” View
News	31/10/2006	Kids fight battle of the bulge http://www. A weighty word, obesity: one that points discerning fingers at parents, fast food chains, government policies (or lack thereof); one that’s moved the Jamie Olivers and Morgan Spurlocks of the world into action; and one that, sadly, falls quite easily into place after the word “childhood”. View
News	31/10/2006	The art of science http://www. Science, and botanical science, has become, well, more scientific throughout the past century. The handwritten information from Charles Darwin’s log books have been collated and downloaded and are now available on the internet View
News	31/10/2006	Ford tales - tall & true http://www. While the news at Ford Australia hasn’t been good of late, with declining profits and workers being laid off at Broadmeadows, better news is ahead. View
News	31/10/2006	Bracks pokie status quo http://www. It is estimated that there are 102,000 problems gamblers in the state, according to Problem Gambling Victoria. View
News	18/10/2006	Geelong's public transport martyrs http://www. The Geelong branch of the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) presented a petition to MLA, Ian Trezise, to present to state Parliament (which he did, last week), demanding increased bus and rail services in the region. View
News	18/10/2006	Schools repair funding: study carefully http://www. One of the recent disagreements between Steve Bracks and Ted Baillieu centred on maintenance funding for government schools. View
News	18/10/2006	Ford's large car woes http://www. An article in the business section of The Age newspaper (Oct 2nd) would not have been pleasant reading, for workers at the Ford plant in particular, and the Geelong business community in general. View
News	18/10/2006	paper rounds - Times change! http://www. There was much exasperation in the office here last week when several of The Geelong Times deliverers rang to say they’d be unable to do their rounds. By the time Geoff called to say he was stricken with gout and couldn’t complete his route, the office panic resembled the military headquarters of some rogue nation that had just spotted a squadron of American stealth bombers flying overhead. View
News	03/10/2006	Senator Fielding the hard questions http://www. Victorian Senator Steve Fielding, Family First’s only member in Federal parliament, was in Geelong last week to spruik his opposition to the sale of Medibank Private, and to “listen to the people”. View
News	03/10/2006	A healthy Barwon: an election winner http://www. Last week Ted Baillieu, the Victorian Liberal Party leader, announced a $51.5 million grand plan to restore Melbourne’s ailing Yarra River by 2015, declaring it would be “safe and suitable for all recreational uses, from rowing and kayaking to swimming and water-skiing." View
News	03/10/2006	Local artist draws national attention http://www. Long ago, Geelong West artist Brian McKinnon entered the field of political art. Now his works are being entered in prestigious awards. View
News	03/10/2006	Citizenship testing: values overboard? http://www. How to sum up the population of a country in a couple of sentences? Easy, says the Federal Government: try freedom, democracy, equality, respect, compassion and a “fair go”. And so, with the release of the discussion paper, Australian citizenship: much more than a ceremony - consideration of the merits of introducing a formal citizenship test, Australian Values is on the political agenda. View
News	20/09/2006	Plenty of heart on the track http://www. Geelong is this week playing host to the 10th Australian Transplant Games, 18 years after the games were first held in Melbourne, 1988. Transplant Australia’s CEO, Mark Cocks said the games had a successful record in reaching the general public and raising awareness for the critical need of organ and tissue donation. View
News	20/09/2006	A bridge to somewhere http://www. The Breakwater Road realignment project received a boost earlier this month when Transport Minister Peter Batchelor pledged $40 million worth of funding towards the development. A welcome announcement, the funding forms part of the $1.3 billion put aside for roads in the Bracks Government’s $10.5 billion Meeting Our Transport Challenges action-plan. View
News	20/09/2006	Bowling `em over: a toilet tale http://www. Toilet-talk, Glenn Preusker says, does not create the most PC of conversations. “It’s not a subject you talk to the Queen about,” he laughs. “Though she might sit on the throne, it’s nothing you’d bring up with her.” Founder of the Aussie portable toilet company Splashdown, Preusker was both the inspiration and financial backer for Kenny, the new Aussie mockumentary taking Australia - and soon the world- by storm. View
News	20/09/2006	Local solution to a fishy issue http://www. If you like to fish, you’ll be well aware of the problems that carp present. Dubbed Australia’s “river rabbit”, carp have been blamed for many a wrongdoing in our waterways; from the decline in native fish populations, blue-green algal blooms and muddying rivers; to damaging stream banks and destroying aquatic vegetation. And this is where researchers from Geelong’s CSIRO come in. View
News	05/09/2006	An energy answer on our doorstep? http://www. While wind farms have dominated recent media and political discussion of alternative energy sources, Family First’s Lead Upper House Candidate for Western Victoria, Gordon Alderson, says we should be looking at recycling energy locally - specifically, recycling heat produced at the Shell Refinery. View
News	05/09/2006	Ted Baillieu - the architect and his plans for a Liberal Geelong http://www. With a passion for the Geelong Football Club and strong historical connections to the region, would be Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu is out to prove his commitment to Geelong is not just lip service. View
News	05/09/2006	Funding boost for future leaders program http://www. When we look to the future of Geelong we look to our community leaders for the direction progress will take. Like the planning of future projects, the development of future leaders also needs careful planning, and it is this process that attracted Liberal Senator, The Hon. Michael Ronaldson, as well as representatives of Geelong’s leading employers and organisations to the Geelong Gallery late last month. View
News	23/08/2006	Maths to finally add up for struggling students http://www. Students struggling with maths and parents and teachers looking for ways to help them could find a solution from a new teaching approach developed over six years by researchers from Deakin, Monash and Griffith Universities. View
News	23/08/2006	Awards keep coming for local scientist http://www. Ground breaking research into breast cancer stem cells could see Geelong biomedical researcher, Francois Vaillant, voted Australia’s most popular scientist. French-born Vaillant and his research partner Mark Shackleton - from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) - have been selected as finalists in the prestigious Australian Museum Eureka People’s Choice Awards View
News	23/08/2006	Let’s talk about sex http://www. Health and education professionals tell us that by 15 years of age many young people have had their first sexual experience, and in many cases, well before they turn 15. View
News	23/08/2006	New life in the city http://www. The inaugural Little Malop Street Night Market has been hailed as a resounding success by all involved, with thousands crowding the street on Friday August 11 to soak up the festival atmosphere. View
News	08/08/2006	Returning home from conflict http://www. Two researchers from Victoria University will be in Geelong later this month undertaking interviews as part of world first research into how women have adjusted to life back home after serving as peacekeepers overseas View
News	08/08/2006	The bug that strikes fear http://www. The IQs are off the chart in Geelong this month, with the Smart Geelong Network’s Research and Learning Expo running from August 13 to 30. The week-long expo will have some twenty events, ranging from Open Days at CSIRO, Gordon TAFE and Barwon Health, biomedical research presentations and free seminars on research topics like intellectual property, TAC behavioural research and… the Bairnsdale Ulcer View
News	08/08/2006	Alternative education For kids who just don't fit http://www. I’ve just watched a young boy, no more than 15, stumble out of Gillian Milne’s office. He’s not happy, I can tell that much. But it’s not in a way you might think typically teenage - that whole door slamming, I-hate-the-world, what-do-the-oldies-know attitude - it’s with a look that I recognise: and it’s heartbreak. “That’s one of the hardest things I find about this job,” says Gillian, who ushers me and Natalie Lowe in to her office, removing a box of tissues from the table as she does so. View
News	08/08/2006	Going Back to the facts http://www. The third stage of the Geelong Bypass Project, with construction due to commence late 2007, is causing heated debate across the region. Option 1 it is, the Minister for Planning says; but the people have been pushing Option 3 in their hundreds. Before buying into the debate, why not take a look at all the facts? View
News	26/07/2006	Good intentions combat ineffectual implementation: Geelong’s role in East Timor http://www. Against a backdrop of political and civil upheaval, Australia’s role in providing aid to the people of East Timor continues. In the mountainous community of Viqueque, the efforts of both the East Timorese people and international volunteers to try to rebuild a country in the aftermath of Indonesian occupancy are a continuing struggle. Travelling to Viqueque, retired police officer Brian Edward, wife Yvonne and friend John Olsen, saw first hand evidence of both positive progress and the ineffectual implementation of good intentions that mark East Timor’s stilted steps down the road of independent rule. View
News	26/07/2006	They need your help http://www. We’re all aware of the Special Olympics: the event where people of varying disabilities compete, and from which athletes like Louise Savage have become household names. But did you know that the first one took place in Chicago in 1968? That the Special Olympics Program is now in more than 170 countries throughout the world? And that, not only is there a program in our very own state, but there’s one in our very own region? View
News	26/07/2006	How we’re tackling water shortages http://www. The continuing drought and uncertain rain forecasts has Barwon Water looking at both short term and long term water saving plans. “When we have a dry weather stage we review and monitor our water storages very regularly,” Barwon Water executive manager strategic and technology, Joe Adamski, said. “Water authorities need both short term strategies to meet water shortages caused by low rainfall and long term strategies to plan for future population growth.” View
News	12/07/2006	Geelong Bypass revealed http://www. The final link in the Geelong Bypass was revealed on Friday when Acting Premier, John Thwaites, outlined that the $380 million diversion that will connect the Geelong Road at Corio with the Princes Highway at Waurn Ponds. View
News	12/07/2006	A diet focus for Diabetes Week http://www. To eat, or not to eat? That is the question, as the western world is suffocated by a weight obsession. View
News	12/07/2006	East-west… what is best? http://www. City of Greater Geelong considered a plan last night to improve east-west traffic flow in a move that could see increased traffic past two hospitals and a 1000-student inner city secondary college. View

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