Geelong Coast Magazine Autumn 2019

START ME UP The ingenious new breed of local entrepreneurs

STEPPING FORWARD One woman's ďŹ ghtback from life-changing injury

IN THE SHEPHERD'S FLOCK Local woman's daring quest to save marine life

LOCAL LOVE How Melissa and Callum got hitched

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Helen Millar's mosaic reincarnations

FIRE AND ICELAND Under northern lights at the top of the world

IN CONVERSATION

AUTUMN 2019 AUS $5.50 (inc GST)

ANDREW AND

GEORGIA MACKIE 1

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MANAGING EDITOR: Tony Galpin WRITERS: Elissa Friday, Luke Voogt, Justin Flynn PHOTOGRAPHY: Rebecca Hosking, Lousia Jones CREATIVE: Creative Services Manager: Chris Beale ADVERTISING: Sales Executive: Elissa Friday elissa.friday@geelongindependent.com.au

CONTENTS

Geelong Coast magazine is a Star News Group/Geelong Independent publication.

8-11 In Conversation

30-33 12-17 Start Me Up

18-20

Artist in Residence

34-39 Fire and Iceland

Stepping Forward

www.gcmagazine.com.au

40-42

facebook.com/gcmaggeelongcoast @GeelongCoast

History Repeated

ISSN: 2200-6605 ABN: 55 006 653 336 ACN: 06 653 336 Geelong Coast Magazine is printed on environmentally friendly paper.

21-23 In the Shepherd’s Flock

Printed using vegetable based inks on FSC ® certified paper under ISO14001.

Environmental Management System framework.

FSC ® Chain of Custody certification ensures traceability and verification of paper from well managed forests throughout the manufacturing process to the end user.

24-27

Local Love

GEELONG COAST MAGAZINE Level 1, 78 Moorabool Street, Geelong 3220 (03) 5249 6700

52-53

All material appearing in Geelong Coast magazine is subject to copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. Geelong Coast magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at the time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.

Social Network

28-29

Local Sounds

54-55 Calendar of Events

s 24 Hour Police Approved Grade A1 Monitoring s Family, Staff, Elderly & Disabled Care s Victims of Crime s Monitoring & Servicing Existing Systems s Professional Licensed Guards & Mobile Patrols

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Professional Home & Business Protection

Joey DONALD AFTER playing in front of hundreds onstage last year Joey Donald still reckons busking is by far the toughest gig.

"It's something all musicians should do," the 17-year-old East Geelong guitarist and singer says.

"It's the hardest audience you'll ever have because they're not coming to see you. But if they like you they might pay you or stay and watch."

After a "solid year" busking, a friend helped Joey score a gig playing the riffs of legendary guitarist Brian May in a local stage production of We Will Rock You. "I'm a big Queen fan so he thought I'd enjoy it," he says.

"Brian May essentially taught me guitar. I learnt a lot of techniques watching videos of him play at Wembley and Live Aid." Joey admits being nervous playing his idol's songs at first but it all "came naturally" onstage.

"I grew out my hair, curled it up a bit and made sure I did those solos as much justice as I could.

It's a bucket list item that's been ticked off."

He hopes to perform in other local plays between busking, teaching guitar and playing in a Crowded House-Split Ends cover band.

"I'd love to do Rock of Ages," he says.

"There's such a magic in doing a show you enjoy."

Joey has played guitar for 10 years and is currently studying sound production to make a career out of music.

"Sound production can be my day job and music could be my hobby - if my music went well it could be the other way around."

"main busking spot" in Highton after making the finals of Geelong's Best Busker recently.

He also hopes to return to his

"It's not quite as confronting as

Malop St where you've got 80 people crossing the road. Not that I've found it that hard but friends who busk tell me Malop St is difficult."

WORDS: LUKE VOOGT Picture: PATRICK CALLOW

5

A taste of Geelong’s best coffee 12409952-CG13-19

BLACK CUP CAFE

Black Cup Cafe

“The Allpress Espresso Blend never disappoints, this sweet balanced blend consistently pleases everyone. The smooth taste and a lasting flavour have the Ground’s loyal customers streaming in and out of the doors all day long.

Download the Grounds of Society app to pre order and pre pay and be rewarded with the built in loyalty program.”

“Start with a two time Golden Bean Award Roaster (Andy Freeman of COFFEESNOBS), a hand picked and roasted Custom Blend Coffee, topped with the rich aromas of an expertly poured, chocolate undertoned, double ristretto and team this with fresh farm milk and the exceptional craft of our

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Barista and taste the ‘opulence and gusto’ of our coffee here at Black Cup Café.”

103 Garden St, Geelong Ph 5229 1012

45 Malop St, Geelong Ph 5222 8900

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Café Palat Hahndorf’s Fine Chocolate “We use Ducale Specialty Coffee Roasters. Our beans are fair trade and sourced from Columbia and Sumatra, so they have a strong, rich body with toffee, honey and vanilla notes. To complement our coffee, we use Bonsoy soy milk and Milk Lab almond and lactose-free milk. Also, our drinks come with a complementary chocolate.”

“We’re a friendly and relaxed community cafe with great service, healthy food, recycled earthy textures, wonderful aromas and great music with a splash of colour.

Core philosophies of Mahalia Coffee are the pursuit of perfection and variety in flavour through the natural intrinsic flavours of coffee.

We use no artificial flavour enhancers or additions.

Each coffee origin used in our blends is chosen for its own integral flavour qualities and sourced from the entire global coffee farm.”

354 Pakington St Newtown Ph 5222 7405 6

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… …

handcrafted butter from Lard Ass

a hearty pub meal at Shell Club

Monica Cavarsan learnt the art of churning butter watching her mother work on their kitchen table and now she shares that passion with the world.

With beautiful gardens and water features, great food and excellent customer service, Shell Club is a venue not to be missed.

The club's specialty nights offer great deals on pub dishes like steaks and parmigianas, and international meals including curries and pastas.

The Ocean Grove local carefully churns her homemade butter to preserve the creaminess before selling at local shops restaurants and markets.

Established in 1952 by Shell refinery workers, the club has grown over the years with a dedication to supporting the local community.

For those who like a twist, Lard Ass produces four naturally-flavoured butters: smoked garlic, dryroasted fennel seed, smoked and sweet vanilla.

…

stylish glasses from Eyewear on Pako With the latest fashions from brands like Ray Ban, Folc, Prada and Dolce and Gabbana, Eyewear on Pako has glasses to suit any pair of eyes.

Owners Chris Benning and Peter Weston use their combined 80 years of industry experience to find the right shape, colour and design for every customer.

The store also offers bulk-billed eye examinations and has two optometrists on-site most days, helping locals to see their world clearly.

… homemade Sicilian dishes by Ebony & Ivory Mouth-watering chicken cacciatore and tasty fish acquapazza are just two of the traditional dishes on Ebony & Ivory's Italian menu tempting customers through the door.

The restaurant serves up some of the best authentic cuisine on offer in Geelong with home-made pasta and gnocchi, delicious deserts and freshly-ground coffee.

After taking over the restaurant in 2017, Jurgen Schlotzer and Ninni Stagno pride themselves on providing freshly-made food and that warm Italian hospitality.

7

[in] conversation

Georgia and Andrew love spending time together with the kids in their lovely new family home at Newtown.

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AN ANDREW NDREW AND GE ORGIA GEORGIA MA ACKIE MACKIE He wo won n three premierships with the th he Cats. She, at first, was ju st in it for the just “hot chips“. ch hips“. ELISSA FRIDAY meets picture-perfect couple e Andrew and Georgi ia Mackie, Georgia happily y raising their young family away from th he spotlight the of the A AFL.

Andrew, you’re well-known as a triple premiership player with the Cats, but what was your journey to professional footy?

Picture:

LOUISA JONES

I always loved sport in general, and certainly did as a youngster. I was an outdoorsy kid.

I was playing school football in Adelaide and we had a pretty good team. The AFL recruiters happened to be watching, and Geelong recruiter Stephen Wells must have liked what he saw because I was drafted at the end of the year, in 2002.

I’ve been here in Geelong ever since.

9

AND YOUR HISTORY WITH THE CATS IS STILL ONGOING, YES? I played with Geelong for 15 years before retiring in 2017 but now I work in the Cats’ football department.

Having come from playing and now being exposed to other parts of the football club, I’m always trying to influence what we are as a footy club from another angle. I enjoy learning new things and trying to influence in a positive way.

YOU WERE KNOWN FOR BEING A BIT CHIRPY ON THE FIELD, ANDREW. ARE THERE ANY SLEDGES YOU’RE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF, OR ANY YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? Well, I wouldn’t say, ’proud of’, but I did target a couple of guys named Mathew Lloyd and Luke Darcy and got into them a couple of times. Then they both went into the media and worked for a TV network, which might be how I got a bit of a reputation.

It wasn’t any personal attacks.

I’ve always had fun and still believe there’s room for that.

WHO WAS YOUR TOUGHEST OPPONENT? When I was younger a guy called James Clement from Collingwood and then Chad Cornes from Port Adelaide.

I’ve never been the strongest sort of guy, and they were pretty well-built. They were strong players who had a strong mark and could play any position.

DO YOU HAVE A TROPHY ROOM TO SHOWCASE YOUR PREMIERSHIP WINS? No, I don’t. There’s nothing on show about the footy at home.

I’m not opposed to it, though.

I’ve just never thought of putting anything on display yet. The memories and great times are still very fresh in my mind, though.

HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH ALL THAT COMES WITH BEING AN AFL PLAYER? I loved every minute of it, whatever came because of it, good or bad.

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and decisions, but I’ve always had at front of mind, trying to better myself to ultimately make the team better.

WHAT’S LIFE LIKE NOW AFTER YOUR PLAYING DAYS WITH THE CATS? I’m really enjoying my family life and the joy that having children brings.

Every day there’s something new or different going on. I’m enjoying the hectic-ness of it all.

DO ANY OF THE KIDS PLAN TO FOLLOW IN DAD’S FOOTSTEPS? They enjoy getting outside and playing footy. There are just some signs they enjoy the game.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Andrew celebrates kicking a goal for the Cats under lights at Kardinia Park in 2014.

I enjoy chatting with my mates, having a coffee, and taking the kids for milkshakes.

We always keep pretty busy but I love being at home. We both love pottering around the house, and we’re lucky enough to have a house that’s very kid friendly.

We’ll support them in whatever journey they choose to take.

Georgia looks after the inside of the house and I look after the outside.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I love to read the AFR (Australian Financial review). I like to keep an eye on what’s going on in the business world. I’ve always enjoyed doing that.

GEORGIA, WHERE DID YOU AND ANDREW MEET? Andrew lived around the corner from me. He’d come to Geelong from Adelaide, and was living with a host family.

Andrew had a reputation, among certain commentators at least, for cheeky sledging.

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We met briefly due to living so close by but we properly met each other at the Geelong Cup. I was at the cup with some school friends, and it all took off between us from there.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN NOW SINCE YOU TWO LOVELY PEOPLE TIED THE KNOT? I was 18 years old and Andrew was 20 when we first started dating. We got engaged nine years ago now, and have been married for eight.

We got married in Melbourne in the botanical gardens and had our reception at Crown with about 160 guests.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, AND WHETHER YOU PLAN TO FURTHER EXPAND THE MACKIES? I have an older sister and an older brother, and Andrew has two older brothers. We’re actually both the youngest of our siblings.

With our four kids, Freddys six and has just started prep school, Louie’s four and is at kinder, Lindy’s two, and Banjo’s seven months.

I think four is plenty and wouldn’t have it any other way.

WHEN DID YOU MOVE INTO YOUR NEW HOME? We bought it nearly six years ago and settled on the day we had Freddy.

We demolished the house, decided to start from fresh, and it took about 10 months to complete. It’s is a mid-century modern house.

I worked closely with the builder, Built by Wilson, for ideas. We moved in 18 months ago and we absolutely love it.

It’s a big family home and I’d be happy to stay here forever.

WERE YOU MUCH INTO FOOTY BEFORE MEETING ANDREW? Um, I did really like to watch him playing. I really cared but I don’t think I’ve watched a game since he retired.

I don’t like watching sport in general, really. Our boys watch it.

They like it more as they get older.

As a child I used to watch it and would go to games with my parents. I really enjoyed going, I think for the hot chips.

ARE THERE ANY PRESSURES THAT GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE WAG LIFESTYLE? Not for me, personally. I like to get dressed up and look good, but at the end of the day you do feel a tiny bit of pressure.

However I didn’t feel as though I had the pressures of building a business or a brand.

IS IT A BIT OF A CLIQUE? When they’re playing there’s a sense of closeness among the partners and wives because we’ve all got the game in common. When you have kids, timewise it can separate the group a bit because you can’t do as much.

Georgia and Andrew Mackie with kids Banjo, Freddy, Louie and Lindy relax with family dog Bill at home in Newtown.

GEORGIA, WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING MOST IN YOUR SPARE TIME, IF YOU HAVE ANY? I don’t have much spare time at the moment, ha-ha. I used to like going shopping and doing all those sorts of things but I haven’t done those things for years.

I like going out for coffee and doing yoga but now my spare time consists of taking kids to the park.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have really curly hair, ha-ha.

13

Rini Lombard shows off her range of dolls with daughter Louise.

(Rebecca Hosking)

SCORES of brave Geelong entrepreneurs are risking it all to start ingenious, quirky and imaginative businesses in the city’s vibrant and changing economy.

Start me UP! From high tech to smoked eggs, a new breed of entrepreneur is reshaping the future of Geelong. LUKE VOOGT meets three local start-ups exploring new frontiers in commerce.

With the decline of manufacturing, Geelong is banking on innovation and start-ups for its economic growth.

Groups such as Runway Geelong, which aims to create 70 new enterprises, are helping entrepreneurs like Rini Lombard make waves in the city by the bay.

Seven years ago Rini watched daughter Louise swing her teddy as she danced and her happiness inspired an idea that grew into a 7000-doll business.

“I created the first doll to make her smile,” the Highton entrepreneur says.

The busy single mother-of-three was about to take her eldest son to karate when Louise asked to dance.

“She just loved music and dance,” she says.

But with things to do, Rini suggested Louise dance with her other brother instead.

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“He turned around and said, ‘I’m not going to dance with her’,” she says.

“So she just went in her room and danced with her teddy - and that was it.”

Rini spent two months making a doll for her daughter but was unimpressed with the results.

“I’m not that good at sewing,” she says.

But friends helped Rini improve the design and speed up the fabrication.

“Somebody liked it and said, ‘why don’t you sell it?’” she says.

“I needed money so I thought I’ll do it.”

She sold the dolls at local markets and ballet school concerts while juggling odds jobs, including working as a flight attendant, and looking after her kids.

“I liked the excitement when girls saw the dolls.”

Rini made about 600 dolls in a few years before taking the business to the next level.

“The first challenge was facing the unknown,” she says.

Louise, aged 5 and 12, dances with her mother’s doll.

As a start-up they see you as nothing...”

“The risk is scary. Do I keep going with this business or do I get a full-time job somewhere else?

Because I need to feed my family.”

The next challenge was the rejections.

“As a start-up they see you as nothing,” the Indonesian expat says.

“I couldn’t even speak English properly back them. I had to prove myself or, unless you have a million dollars, it’s not going to happen.

“I had to learn everything. I took a small course in microbusiness management. It changed the course of the business.”

Most companies were unwilling to take a “leap of faith” with Rini because they required a minimum of 2000 to 6000 dolls a year.

“But a company from Indonesia gave me the chance to meet them in person and I just jumped on a plane.”

Rini secured a manufacturing deal in 2014 and later a stall at the Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair 2016 “It grew to thousands from there,” she says.

Her company, The Big Little Bear, has sold 7000 dolls and ‘surf buddies’ across Australia and the world so far.

“The business has brought so much joy to me - that warm fuzzy feeling when somebody actually sees my creation,” she says.

“Whenever I’m about to give up I receive a letter from a parent or grandparent saying, ‘(the doll) brought memories of when I was little, I want to dance again’.

“There are times when I stay up late and I have tables full of my cuffings and papers and I say, OK kids we’re going to eat in the lounge tonight.”

Rini was proud when her daughter told her recently she was “brave” and “inspiring”.

Louise, when aged five, danced with a doll for the company’s first photoshoot. She again posed for mum in Geelong Coast Magazine at age 12.

“(The first time) she cost me only an ice-cream for the entire photo shoot!” Rini laughs.

“You do your best with limited funds. I have upgraded Louise’s photo bonus from ice cream to milkshake.“

>>>

13

Julie and Paul Kos’s egg business is smokin’ hot right now.

(Rebecca Hosking)

A local egg business is also exporting Geelong to the world, after taking the Middle East by storm in February.

It all began with a humble smoker, explains co-founder Julie Kos. The Stonehaven egg farmer bought husband Paul the device for their 30th wedding anniversary at a trade show a few years ago.

“My husband used to drool every time he walked past the smoking area,” she says.

“Anything that walked, we’d smoke it.”

Among their experiments was cracking an egg from one of their free range chooks in the smokehouse.

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They loved it, but the couple realised they had to devise a way to smoke eggs in their shells to sell them commercially, Julie says.

So they began a two-year quest to find the right combination of time, temperature, humidity and smoke.

“I said to my husband, ‘I think I’ve got it’ and he said, ‘it will never work’,” Julie says.

They nailed it in late 2017 and this February joined a trade mission to United Arab Emirates to market the product.

“It’s taken so long for us to get it to market,” Julie says.

“It could change the culinary world as we know it.”

“It was like a marriage made in heaven, the taste of egg and smoke was amazing,” she says.

Their product is especially popular among halal diners who do not eat bacon, she explains.

“We invited some family and friends out to see if they liked it or it was just me.”

“Having a smoked egg is like having eggs and bacon, without the bacon,” she says.

The couple attended government functions and luxurious villas in Dubai, with at least 75 local distributors speaking to them.

“It’s phenomenal the amount of enquiries we got,“ Julie says.

“We certainly didn’t expect the response we got from Dubai, it was absolutely amazing! We need to go back there very quickly.”

Paul acted as company “spokesperson” on the trip as an “exhausted“ Julie took care of the rest.

“It’s not his forte so I’m very proud of him,” she says.

“I was up at 2am to deal with the business side of it in Australia.”

The Smoked Egg Company is negotiating supply and intellectual rights deals in countries including Egypt, India and Thailand.

“We’ve definitely got the American arm going, that’s signed, sealed and delivered,” Julie says.

This is going to help put Geelong on the world map even more.”

“We believe Japan will be our biggest market but we didn’t think so at the time.”

Former Ford worker Paul and Julie bought their farm about 15 years ago.

Apart from perfecting the smoking, one of the biggest challenges was marketing the egg as a raw product, Julie explains.

“We were one of the first people to do free-range in Geelong,” she says.

“It’s not without its teething problems, we’re learning every day.”

But once customers understand they still need to cook the product “they love it”, Julie says.

“For example, if you’re making pasta and you use my egg instead of a normal egg you get smoky noodles.”

Julie says the smoking process is a “game-changer” in the food industry with laboratory tests indicating no bacteria at 18 weeks of age, compared to 250 million for a normal egg.

The Geelong born-and-bred couple, in their early 50s, plan to keep the liquid component of their business local to keep work at their Breakwater factory, Julie says.

“This is going to help put Geelong on the world map even more.”

>>> 15

It was so far from what we ever envisaged our future being...”

Another Geelong start-up is making its mark overseas by leading tours in “raw” and “beautiful” Africa.

“Africa was never on the bucket list,” admits Denise Smith, who co-owns Africa Roar alongside husband Brian.

“It was so far from what we ever envisaged our future being.“ The central Geelong couple, in their early 60s, first journeyed to Swaziland and South Africa with a friend in 2011.

16

“We thought there was nothing to see in Africa that would float our boat,” Denise says.

“We just felt like we were so connected to it, it was pulling us into the ground.”

“It was sort of one of those places where you don’t normally hear good things about.”

They visited wildlife reserves, donated to agricultural plantations and gave food to AIDS orphans as they travelled.

But the couple soon fell in love with the continent.

“As we progressed through our tour and saw the raw beauty of Africa, the poor, the underprivileged and the wild animals, we just realised how unique it was,” Denise says.

“That was really humbling. (AIDS has) wiped out a generation,” Denise says.

“We have access to three or four meals a day and those children are lucky to get one.”

Denise and Brian Smith at Victoria Falls.

The Cape of Good Hope.

Brian Smith meets local students in Swaziland.

Former refinery worker Brian also donated some medical equipment he acquired from his previous employer.

“Just last year we decided we would give it a go as a businesses we could make a profit off,” Denise says.

“That equipment saved lives,” Denise says.

Africa’s safety record provides a niche where experience matters for prospective travellers, Denise explains.

“We just wanted to keep going back and giving. We had to show our Africa to the world.

“We thought the best way we could do that was take people over and actually show them.”

So the couple began running tours for family and friends.

“The media reports all these negative things,” she says.

“There are some unsafe places but that’s not where we take you.”

and itinerary was a huge challenge, Denise says.

“The hardest obstacle for us is just getting our name out there and getting that trust established.”

From vultures in the trees or lions chasing down their prey, to taking part in a local wedding ceremony or festival, it’s all “unrehearsed”, she says.

“Africa is so wild and hairraising.”

The company now runs 18-day tours for groups of six or fewer.

But despite safety being the most important thing on their tours, “everyday day is different”, Denise says.

The groundwork for the business 17

A beaming smile complements Jillian Nielsen’s youthful, energetic persona - and not even being literally hit by a truck can change that.

But the traumatic 2017 accident has still taken its toll, robbing the East Geelong grandmother of her 15-year career as a remedial therapist with an "enormous" clientele.

“I can no longer do that job because I can’t use all my life-force energy standing all day. I need that for my own rehabilitation now.”

Jillian's life-changing accident came before sunrise on a cold June morning as she prepared to cross a road with friend Lorraine on the way to a central Geelong gym.

“When the green-man signal came we stepped out onto the crossing and, as we stepped out, in my peripheral vision I caught sight of a garbage truck hurtling around the corner," Jillian remembers.

STEPPING forward With her leg pinned shattered under a truck, the future looked bleak for grandmother Jillian Nielsen.

But ELISSA FRIDAY discovers the plucky ex-therapist dancing her cares away just 18 months later.

“We didn’t hear it because there was lots of machinery doing work on the road, so there was noise and it was still dark.”

Jillian saw the truck only when it was virtually upon her.

She yelled in alarm to Lorraine beside her.

“I threw her to the curb and myself with her,” Jillian says.

Lorraine “narrowly escaped” injury but Jillian was less fortunate.

“The truck actually came to a stand-still on my right leg,” Jillian recalls.

“Luckily I had my wits about me and yelled to Lorraine to go up to the driver and tell him to move about 12 inches forward so the back wheel didn’t go over me as well.

“He did that and I pulled my leg out from under the truck.”

The severity of the injury was confronting, Jillian says.

“All the bones splintered. I remember thinking, ‘You’re in a bit of trouble here, girl, but they'll be able to fix it.”

But the “fur-lined, colourful, hot-pink, orange and neon-blue coat" she was wearing was also on Jillian's mind by the time help arrived.

18

“I can take them off myself - it’s only my leg,“ she remembers telling the paramedics.

“I just didn’t want them to ruin my clothes. I know it sounds ridiculous now.”

She remembers an “unknown” man cradling her at the scene, keeping her warm and conscious as she lost blood.

“I don’t know who he was but I'd like to tell him I'm very grateful for his care. I wish I could thank him personally.”

Jillian was first transported to University Hospital Geelong but remembers little after the trip, other than the subsequent helicopter ride to Melbourne's The Alfred.

She lay on her back for two weeks as her leg bones were pinned with screws.

"I remember the nurses always smiling, but I had 14 operations in a period of about two months,” she grimaces.

Jillian Nielsen busts a dance move, even with a prosthetic right leg.

(Lousia Jones)

Jillian relaxing in her garden at home, a long way from the recovery ward.

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Jillian’s daughters came from Adelaide, Perth and Barwon Heads "constantly" to be at her side.

“And Lorraine travelled to Melbourne to see me every day.”

But not every day was so bright, especially when the team of doctors concluded that nerves in her leg were severed.

“The skin and bones could repair but the nerves could never regenerate,” Jillian recalls.

Then she faced a terrible choice.

“It was mine, alone. If I kept my leg I would drag my foot forever and have multiple operations and be in constant pain, or I could have the below-knee amputation, which they suggested as a far-better option for me,” Jillian says.

The lifelong encumbrance of a lame foot seemed too much.

“I remember thinking, 'I can’t do that'.”

So Jillian made the “best decision”, to go with the amputation.

"I've never regretted it, either,” she declares.

The experience taught Jillian that some things are just beyond the individual's control, and must be "handed over to the professionals".

“But I like to tell them, 'I packaged it up in a beautiful parcel and I’m handing to you'.”

But some experiences during her treatment just couldn't be handed over. In particular, the effects of the drug Ketamine, used during the amputation, took Jillian down to her lowest point.

"It was like the dungeon of the Earth," she shudders.

“I couldn’t close my eyes. I saw visions of the most horrific things anyone could see, and I lay awake all night.

"There was nothing anyone could do. It was just all part of it.”

Jillian spent the following few months in a wheelchair, undergoing a skin graft along the way, before she was fitted with a prosthetic leg.

Her recovery included learning to walk on the prosthetic, while regular physiotherapy with an exercise physiologist helped re-build lost muscle.

20

And Lorraine travelled to Melbourne

to see me every day.”

But the biggest aid to Gillian's recovery came from beyond hospital walls.

“Having that supportive network and beautiful family and friends assisting along the way with each step, pardon the pun, was the most inspiring thing of all for me,” she says.

“I don’t have flashbacks or mind-talking about the accident, and don’t talk about it much nowadays. I’m more of a listener to other people.

“I want to enjoy my life now and have beautiful experiences with my friends and family.”

Eighteen months later Gillian's up and about but “still learning and getting adjustments made” to her prosthetic leg.

She recently upgraded to a design more-similar in appearance to her remaining left leg, and with a moving foot that helps her get about unaided.

"I'm delighted I can walk now," Jillian says.

Despite the pain and long recovery, she believes that the accident actually changed her "for the better.“ In fact, Jillian's so much better that she's posting weekly Instagram videos of her dancing with daughter Julia.

"It’s an important part of my recovery. The old me worked very hard in my business and I didn’t devote much time for myself," Jillian says.

Jillian learning to walk on her first prosthetic leg.

In the SHEPHERD'S FLOCK Chief Mate Lexi Marsh navigating.

Picture: Tara Lambourne/ Sea Shepherd.

Fighting illegal fishing on the high seas is along way from operating a vegan market in Geelong.

But ELISSA FRIDAY discovers a local who combines both in her passion for animals and the environment.

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The Sea Shepherd crashes through the wild Southern Ocean.

Picture: Tim Watters/ Sea Shepherd.

It gives me a purpose while I'm out there.

I don't want to just cruise the ocean while the ocean's suffering.

A passion for animal welfare and the environment has taken Lexi Marsh from suburban Newcomb to adventures on the high seas with world-renowned marine activists.

As a member of Sea Shepherd Australia, she volunteers to protect marine life from illegal fishing, often on some of the world's roughest and most-dangerous waters.

Lexi first joined the renowned crew of seafaring activists after taking a break from her day job as an event manager in Melbourne.

“I escaped the concrete jungle,” she says.

“Now I’ve travelled all over the world with Sea Shepard, fighting for marine wildlife and eco-systems.”

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With previous sailing experience and a love of the ocean and animals, Sea Shepherd was a perfect fit for now-committed vegan Lexi.

A resistance to sea-sickness also helped, she admits.

“It means I can do a lot of sailing.

“Over my sailing career, a lot of which has been with Sea Shepherd, I've spent 825 days on board and sailed 56,000 nautical miles.”

Lexi's first experience with Sea Shepherd opened her eyes to the suffering of marine animals “I couldn’t go back," she declares.

“We see the fish getting treated so badly, and you just wouldn’t eat seafood after seeing what we’ve seen.

“I wasn’t vegan when I joined sea Shepherd at 33 years of age. You don’t have to be vegan to join but the vegan food they do serve on board is incredible.“

of our delicately balanced oceanic ecosystems, Sea Shephard works to ensure their survival for future generations,” the mission statement says.

Sea Shepherd's online mission statement describes the group as a not-for-profit "conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species”.

Lexi shares Sea Shepherd's commitment to marine life.

The organisation describes its Australian branch as utilising “innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas” .

“By safeguarding the biodiversity

“It gives me a purpose while I'm out there. I don't want to just cruise the ocean while the ocean's suffering.”

Lexi initially joined Sea Shepherd's tall ship as a quartermaster on the bridge but trained as an officer for the next campaign while acting as navigator for eight hours a day.

“The bridge is control centre of the ship, where all the equipment is,” she explains.

>>>

Inspecting fishing gear after intercepting a suspect vessel.

Picture: Tara Lambourne/ Sea Shepherd

“It’s where all of the AI (automatic identification system) is to search for illegal vessels and it’s where we plan our strategies to achieve our mission targets.

“The bridge is where we call a meeting and decide collectively if we're going to approach a vessel and how.”

Intercepting boats fishing illegally on the ocean open is a team effort, Lexi says.

“We send two small boats off the ship, our fast boast.

“One of the small boats has the coast guard on board, and they're armed with AK47s. On the second we send the fisheries (officers) and Sea Shepherd inspection crew.”

Now a first mate during her stints with Sea Shepherd, Lexi works from midnight to 4am, then midday to 4pm while also fulfilling managerial ship duties in between.

“Eating, sleeping, excising and socialising have to fit in too, somehow,” she laughs.

Lexi is thrilled to roam the ocean

with 25 other “really passionate” crew members of varying ages from countries all over the world.

"We're putting our lives at risk for what we're passionate about.

“It does have an element of danger in regards to approaching and boarding illegal fishing vessels.

“I've now been on seven campaigns, each with a different focus, but, basically, our mission with all of the campaigns is to defend, conserve, and protect our oceans and all marine wildlife.”

Lexi's missions have ranged from chasing a drift-net vessel all the way to China to intercepting vessels fishing illegally off Antarctica and across the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

“We work with governments so we can together patrol their waters so they can make the arrests,” she explains.

But it's not all life at sea for Lexi.

Back on land she joins forces in a market with “bestie” Krista Belle, now also a “passionate vegan” for over five years.

“She set up the market, called Geelong Vegan Lifestyle market, in December 2017 and now it has over 30 stalls,” Lexi says.

“Sea Shepherd's one of our market's not-for-profit partners, which allows me to combine my two passions.”

While

emphasise

she's

not

speaking on Sea Shepherd's behalf but still recommends the organisation to prospective volunteers.

“The ship's always looking for volunteers. It’s an incredible experience where you get to live out your passions.

“It's life-changing, awe-inspiring, and I learn so much about myself and the oceans without a doubt every time.

“The sense of satisfaction you get from that is out if this world.”

Drift nets are a constant threat to marine life.

Picture: Tim Watters/ Sea Shepherd

“If a vessel is deemed illegal, several soldiers remain on board and then the Sea Shepard ship escorts the illegal ship back to port where arrests are made.”

23

[local] love

AND Words: ELISSA FRIDAY Pictures: LOUISA JONES They couldn’t remember each other from grade three but a night at the Sphinx Hotel was all it took to unite hometown Lara pair Melissa Rogers and Callum Lewis.

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THE ENGAGEMENT The couple were engaged in 2016 and married 18 months later.

“We had our engagement party quite soon, on the 16th of July 2016”, Melissa remembers.

“I'd been waiting nine years, so I was pretty ready to get into it all."

THE RING Melissa was bereft of ideas for her ring, so Callum visited a number of jewellers before eventually choosing a design from Michel Hill.

“I probably was looking for something simpler but he felt that my ring needed more diamonds on it,” Melissa laughs.

“It took me a while get used to it because it really shines in the lights.

“It was definitely a big surprise when I saw it. I was thinking, 'I can’t believe I get to wear this'.”

WHERE THEY MET Melissa and Callum both grew up in Lara.

“We were introduced through a couple we knew,” Melissa says.

“It was really nice to be able to meet again with a fresh perspective”.

“We were at the Sphinx in Geelong on a karaoke night when we were 19 years old and I was there with my girlfriends. Callum came to the Sphinx with a friend who was dating my friend."

THE PROPOSAL

The pair began chatting before later connecting through Facebook.

They were initially with Callum's family on Hamilton Island before the couple returned to the mainland and hired a car.

They've been together ever since.

“And our friends are also now married, and with three little boys,” Melissa says.

Pictures: LOUISA JONES

“We have the school photos to prove it. However, we don’t remember each other at all.

Melissa was surprised when Callum popped the question while the couple was away on a holiday in Far North Queensland.

They eventually found themselves on Port Douglas's idyllic Four Mile Beach.

THE FIRST DATE

“I didn’t know Cal had the ring with him,” Melissa says.

“We went out for ice-cream on our first date and discovered we actually went to primary school together in grade three,” Melissa says.

“He waited to propose when no one was around on Four Mile Beach. He got down on one knee and I pretty much said, 'Yes', straight away.”

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breakfast and a make-up trial at Melissa’s house.

[local] love

“We had the bridal shower at Winters Cafe where we enjoyed afternoon tea, played games and enjoyed amazing food,” she says.

“My mum and mother-in-law came to the spa, so altogether there was around 15 of us. Later about eight of us went to CQ bar at the pier for cocktails and dinner”.

Callum’s best friend organised a bucks’ party at a Bavarian restaurant in Melbourne.

“He had around 15 people, too,” Melissa says.

“I’m not sure exactly what time they came home but I know they enjoyed themselves and got up to a bit of mischief."

THE DRESS Almost immediately after their engagement Melissa and Callum visited her sister and mother on the Gold Coast, where the dress-hunt began.

“One of the first things we planned was to try on dresses alongside my sister and my mum because of my sister living on the Gold Coast. She couldn’t be involved in the planning as much as she wanted," Melissa explains.

All I wanted to do was be pampered in some way...

WEDDING PLANNING

lots of research."

The planning was "a little bit more stressful" than Melissa expected.

Wanting a casual theme, she chose maroon "running through everything".

She chose to have a stylist, who also helped with ideas and colour schemes for the big day.

"The venue's wedding coordinator helped us coordinate the day, including making sure things were in place for my dad who needed special assistance," Melissa says.

"I even wore maroon coloured shoes that I'd bought years ago and had re-soled," Melissa says.

HENS AND BUCKS Melissa's sister organised her hens’ party.

She also put wedding theme ideas on a Pinterest board.

“All I wanted to do was be pampered in some way, so we went to a day spa,” she says.

“However, I'd already figured my scheme beforehand, having done

The party first enjoyed massages followed by a champagne

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“It’s not that normal to try dresses on that quickly. The dress was one of the first decisions we made for the wedding.

“My mum and I went to four bridal shops and had the appointments all in one day. I probably tried on four or five dresses in each shop”.

Melissa found the dress she wanted, made to measure in the last shop she visited.

“It was on a rack at the front door and I didn’t really know if it was going to suit me but I wanted to try it on," she remembers.

“Mum wanted us to buy it there and then, so I put a deposit down on the dress immediately.

“Callum wasn’t overly impressed as we hadn’t discussed our budget. I suppose I learned very early on to run the big expenses past him.”

"Callum had all his really good mates, including his best man, who he's known for about a decade.

The bridesmaids' dresses came from different shops, "so everyone wore an individual colour”, Melissa says.

“It was nice everything was sourced locally,” Melissa says.

"She did a fantastic job and totally nailed it,” Melissa says.

THE CEREMONY

The couple chose blooms with maroon colour tones and soft pastel blues.

“It was so he could see me in the dress, and I had a little wedding gift of motorcycle cufflinks for him."

“The photographer captured a special moment when I gave them to him.

“My sister was my maid of honour and the others were four close, life-long friends.

“We're very blessed to have that many friends in our bridal party.

FLOWERS Melissa showed her florist some favourite photos from Pinterest to to choose the right flowers.

“Before it started I arranged to meet my dad, because he wasn’t going to be walking down the aisle,” Melissa explains.

The couple had a "fairly large bridal party", with five bridesmaids and groomsmen each.

“It’s an old sheep farm and there’s a bluestone homestead where we had our ceremony,” Melissa says.

The groomsmen's outfits were from Eddy Alias.

Historic pastoral property Narmbool, at Elaine, northwest of Geelong, was the perfect venue for Melissa and Callum.

BRIDESMAIDS AND GROOMSMEN

But the historic homestead and its gardens provided ideal backdrops.

"As soon as we were married we went into the garden where we shared our first ice-cream as husband and wife, like we did on our first date and for our general love of ice-cream - choc-mint is Callum’s favourite and mine is lemon sorbet.

PHOTOGRAPHY “We met Louisa Jones on site, and it was a really hard decision where to take photos because the property has so many beautiful spots," Melissa says.

THE RECEPTION Narmbool also hosted the reception, which featured decorations of rustic leaves and posy jars full of the same flowers used in the bouquets.

“It was pretty relaxed and again we had the same maroon tones throughout," Melissa says.

“Narmbool also catered. We chose duck and chicken meals, with alternative entrees and wedding cake for dessert.”

THE CAKE Geelong West's Loveit Cakes provided the cake.

“The owner’s my sister’s future mother in-law, so the cake was very special," Melissa .

"They make incredible cakes and they were also invited to the wedding.

"We had a four-tier white choc and caramel cake with a white icing and flowers.

“It was very delicious”.

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[local] sounds

NATHAN SEECKTS

BY LUKE VOOGT

HAMLYN Heights singer-songwriter Nathan Seeckts remembers his relief and pride when he listened to his debut album for the first time last October.

He sat in the studio with wife Sharon and a glass of wine as he played back the result of several months of recording.

“It was like I had been holding my breath for a year and I could just exhale,” the 39-year-old says.

“It’s music I would head out and listen to - and I’ve got high standards.”

Three months later, Nathan recalls playing at a hot and humid Tamworth Country Music Festival for his first time.

“I did eight shows over four days,” he tells Geelong Coast Magazine from a beach at Old Bar, in northern NSW. “I reckon I sweated out my body

weight in sweat. The heat was unbearable.”

The primary school teacher ventured up north after encouragement from friend and fellow musician Andrew Swift, who was nominated for four Golden Guitars.

“I always thought I perhaps wasn’t country enough for Tamworth,” he explained.

“At Queenscliff Music Festival, they tagged me as ‘countryish’, so I’m sticking with that.”

He soon discovered his fusion of Americana, folk and blues with his powerful, gravelly voice fit under the Tamworth umbrella.

But he also learnt playing three shows in one day after “sleeping in the back of a Tarago” was “something I probably wouldn’t do again”

He played songs from debut album, The Heart Of The City, including the lament Old Blood.

Manifold Heights Primary School and spends school holidays recording or touring.

“People really seem to connect with them,” he says.

“It’s a really nice balance,” he says.

“If I’m going to put something into a song I want to believe it, or else nobody is going to.”

Old Blood tells of a small town musician who let glimmers of fame go to his head and finds himself without the friends of his youth.

Nathan’s days as lead singer in punk-rock bands inspired the cautionary tale, but luckily he “learnt a lesson in being humble” early on, he says.

“There’s always music in the classroom, as much as I can fit in.

It’s part of my DNA I guess.”

He also volunteers for 94.7 The Pulse presenting Americanabased radio program Last Night In Town, to give back to the “very talented artists” who have supported him.

He hopes to one day make a living from music alone.

“Every couple of days I’ll try to write something down,” he says.

“What happens when you don’t remain humble - you brag and boast - nobody is going to want to hang around with that person.”

He remembers watching kids on their BMXs tearing it up and having the time of their life at Coffs Harbour the day before this interview.

His music career began growing up in Chilwell, when his parents were “smart enough” to buy him a guitar and lessons rather than a drum kit or saxophone.

“It reminded me a bit of my childhood. There’s a song in there somewhere.”

“I wanted to take up drums and they said, ‘not in this house’,” he says.

He spent his early adult years singing in bands, working in warehouses, “doing the backpacker thing around Europe and working out what I wanted to do with my life”, he says.

But in 2010 he started performing solo acoustic shows, where his voice “came into its own”, he says.

He has since released three Eps, taught primary school for 11 years and is happily married, with a Labrador and two cats.

At Queenscliff Music Festival,

‘countryish’,

they tagged me as so I’m sticking with that.

He and Sharon went on honeymoon in the US after marrying in 2016.

“Because we’re both teachers we were able to take long service leave,” he says.

The couple hired a car and drove to Texas, where Nathan scored dozens of gigs at bars. “(Sharon) was more than happy for us to do that together which was lovely,“ he says.

“The handy thing is with an Australian accent in the south is you’re novelty - and they can’t do enough to help you.”

Nathan teaches grade 5 and 6 at

29

Anyone can do it.

People just love coming to that garden, it’s such a beautiful place to work...�

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[artist] in residence

ART OF REINCARNATION Mosaics and paint are more than mediums to Helen Millar, they're separate “worlds”. LUKE VOOGT speaks to the Highton artist about her creative passions; one public, the other private.

Photography: Rebecca Hosking Helen Millar’s “two worlds” of art have one important thing in common.

Whether she is teaching locals to create colourful mosaics or taking her own personal journey among women of yesteryear - her work is all about reincarnation.

“In both roles I really enjoy working with re-purposed materials,” she tells Geelong Coast Magazine.

Helen, a former secondary arts teacher, and her husband turned their carport into an arts studio at their Highton home when they had twins almost 20 years ago.

“Our cars didn’t have a home but I had a sanctuary,” she says.

“I could begin to have workshops at home.”

From fine china and vintage tiles, to wire and beer bottles, Helen brings it back to life in her passion for mosaics.

“It’s usually someone who has come to me - a family member or a friend,” she says.

“They’ll say, ‘Oh, I broke a beautiful plate, can you re-use it?’

I say, ‘Yes, I can reincarnate that in class’.

>>>

31

Right: Anne Drysdale in a boat on Corio Bay in 1840.

“I like to use all sorts of things.

Even really humble things like beer bottle glass.”

Recently she spotted a neighbour “throwing away their beautiful 1980s bath tiles in a skip”.

So she asked the neighbour if she could have the tiles and added them to her stash.

“I’ve built up quite a collection now,” she says.

“More and more I use completely re-purposed materials from op shops and donations.”

About 15 years ago she received a government grant to run mosaic classes and she has since taught children, the vision-impaired and dozens of other aspiring artists.

“I love the idea that the workshops are just so accessible,” she says.

“It can be very addictive. Once they get the addiction they make lots of mosaics and fill their gardens.”

“People can come up with some really surprising mosaics. There’s a real randomness about it.”

People can come up with some really surprising mosaics.

There’s a real randomness about it.”

Students can come away “with a bird on a stick” in a few hours in her classes at Geelong West Community Garden, Helen says.

“Anyone can do it. People just love coming to that garden, it’s such a beautiful place to work. I now consider myself a friend of the garden.”

Her three pet chooks inspired the student-favourite piece, she says.

Helen also uses everything from discarded fish tins to woollen blankets in her “private world of painting”, she says.

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She explores the lives of women who influenced Geelong in the 1800s, like Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcomb.

Left: Anne Drysdale in a boat on Corio Bay in 1840.

“I tell little stories about women and children, real and imagined,” she says.

“My picture stories have connections with tales I grew up with, to places I have visited and in researching interesting women whose stories have piqued my interest.”

She recently put on an exhibition titled herSTORY at Perth Gallery, featuring small paintings and embroidery.

“Both my art forms are really about the place where I enjoy living and working,” she says.

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The aurora borealis put on a mesmerising show.

FIRE and ICELAND As our region enjoyed one of its warmest summer holiday seasons in memory, Barwon Heads' JUSTIN FLYNN visited one of the world's coldest countries in the dark depths of its mid-winter. As you do.

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The black volcanic sand of the beach near Vik.

The black-sand beach near Vik.

ICELAND had long remained a mystery to me.

A land of volcanoes, geothermal pools, black-sand beaches, ancient glaciers and towering waterfalls, it always seemed so out of reach.

It had been on my bucket list for years.

So, with a bit of planning and a lot of saving, I finally undertook a journey to this island country of around 350,000 inhabitants.

Cold-weather climates fascinate me. I have been to Alaska and northern Canada in winter where the temperatures were often below -20C. So the relative ‘warmth’ of Iceland didn’t bother me in the slightest.

Iceland’s temperatures are moderated by the Gulf Stream and, of course, being surrounded entirely by ocean.

After a flight from Melbourne to Singapore and then to London Heathrow, I boarded my Icelandair

flight to the capital, Reykjavik, a city about the same size as Geelong.

You’ve probably heard how expensive it is there. It is. There’s no getting around it, but there are some methods to ease the pain somewhat.

Supermarket chain Bonus is cheap and you can buy readymade meals. Beer during happy hours (you can always find a bar in Reykjavik with a happy hour going on) was about $10

>>>

35

Tasting fermented shark.

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Reykjavik is a clean, quaint and very safe city. It’s walkable and obscenely pretty. There has not been a murder in Iceland for two years.

I did a beer-walking tour, hosted by the wonderful Geirny, a young local woman with a wealth of knowledge. Her name was easy to pronounce.

“Think of it as I don’t have a bad knee, I have a good knee,” she said.

Beer was actually prohibited in Iceland until 1989.

On the tour I ate fermented shark, chased down with the Icelandic spirit Brennivin, more commonly known as Black Death. The shark smelled hideous, the texture rubbery and the taste quite foul.

The sharp hit of Brennivin to follow was a welcome relief to erase the rancid punch left by the rotten shark.

Almost everyone who travels to Iceland does the Golden Circle, which includes a huge crater lake, a stunning waterfall, a geyser and a national park. Some hire a car, but I wasn’t keen on driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road covered in ice and snow. A tour would suffice and the scenery really was breathtaking.

Reykjavik was unseasonably cold when I was there. Daytime highs of -6C, compared to an average in late January of about plus 2. However, with the moderate winters comes a price. The average daytime summer high in July is only 14C, which puts it on a par with Geelong in our winter.

The highest ever recorded temperature in Reykjavik is 26C.

Wake Up Reykjavik beer tour guide Geirny was a wealth of knowledge.

The following day I took another tour, which covered the southeast coast of the island.

Apart from the stunning, snowcovered, volcanic and mountainous scenery, we visited heaving waterfalls, the famous black-sand beach, the coastal town of Vik and I saw my first ever glacier. It took my breath away.

I also took a full day to explore Reykjavik. The Hallgrimskirkja church dominates the skyline and is a magnificent piece of architecture. It’s said if you get lost in Reykjavik (almost impossible), look up and let Hallgrimskirkja guide the way.

The National Museum gives an informative guide on the country’s history and culture, while the jokes are endless at the Icelandic Phallological Museum.

There a plenty of cute cafes to take refuge from the cold. Icelanders are proud of their coffee and as a fussy Australian who takes coffee seriously, I approved.

>>>

The scenery in Iceland in winter is breathtaking.

I saw my first ever glacier.

It took my breath away.

The charming town of Vik.

39 37

The spectacular northern lights put on their show above Justin Flynn.

Words cannot describe the power this natural phenomenon has over you.

I was spellbound.

The warm waters of the Blue Lagoon.

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One rite of passage that almost every traveller to Iceland takes is the Blue Lagoon.

I’ll be honest: I was sceptical. I saw it as a potentially overpriced and overrated tourist trap.

I was wrong. The geothermal pools are divine, even if the mad dash from the changing area to the pools in -4C, wearing nothing but shorts, is bone-chilling.

The water temperature in the bathing area averages 37C to 39C, and on a cold day, soaking in the waters that are rich in minerals such silica and sulphur, is therapeutic.

Actually, bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis.

It can be a little unnerving showering naked (which is mandatory before you enter the lagoon) in front of strangers, but once you are relaxing in warm water with snow on the ground beside you, your troubles disappear.

It certainly made a few pints of Gull or Viking lager go down particularly well that evening.

Of course a visit to Iceland is incomplete without at least searching for the northern lights, or the aurora borealis.

These magical dancing rays of colour are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere.

I’d seen them very faintly in Alaska and Canada, but nothing prepared me for the show I was about to see on my final night in Iceland.

After being picked up near my hotel at 8.30pm, the aurora forecast was favourable, our tour guide said.

“Clear skies and high activity,” he exclaimed, sounding almost as excited as the rest of us.

The aurora is best viewed away from artificial light so out of Reykjavik we drove until we found a suitable spot.

What I saw for the next 90 minutes can only be described as mind blowing. The tour guide said it was one of the best displays he had seen in five years. We were truly lucky.

To watch the sky turn green with hints of yellow and red before our eyes was spectacular.

Words cannot describe the power this natural phenomenon has over you. I was spellbound.

Hallgrimskirkja dominates the Reykjavik skyline.

All too soon it was time to jump back on an Icelandair jet to Heathrow to continue my European journey.

Yes Iceland is expensive, but it’s worth every single dollar you spend.

The scenery is unlike anything I’ve seen before while the hospitality of the locals (who are justifiably proud of their country) and the sheer remoteness of the island are hypnotising.

If you can afford it, then this country, plonked in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, will capture your imagination like no other.

Skogafoss waterfall in all its glory.

A remote farmhouse and barn at the base of Eyjafjallajokull volcano.

[history] repeated

By JUSTIN FLYNN

She’s 160 years old but only really lived for less than two decades. JUSTIN FLYNN investigates the intriguing past of historic Portarlington Mill.

40

GRIST for the Mill

She has a checkered history, but she’s much loved...

THE grand old Portarlington Mill is still standing proudly more than 160 years after being built.

However, the historic flour mill only operated for 17 years before being repurposed in a number of different guises for nearly a century and a half.

Portarlington Mill site circa 1874.

town, by Thomas Widdicombe and constructed of local sandstone and timbers, this sturdy-looking mill provided flour to the colony at the time.

It was known as the ‘Granary of the Colony’.

At one point there were more than 250 flour mills in Victoria, but this is one of the oldest to survive.

Grain was shipped from Geelong, processed at the mill, and returned to Geelong as flour and bran.

Built in 1857, six years after Portarlington was declared a

The quarry site chosen to source the stone from which the mill was

constructed, was said to be a corroboree site of the Wathaurung people.

The north facing cliffs also provided shelter for escaped convict William Buckley, who spent 32 years living with the Wathaurung people.

The mill wasn’t the first to open on the Bellarine. A mill opened a few years earlier in Drysdale, but was destroyed in a fire in 1861.

41

The famous Widdicombe bricks.

Volunteer Jennie Tonzing at Portarlington Mill.

“People started copying his bricks so he reversed the ‘N’ in Portarlington on the brick so if you got a brick with the ‘N’ the right way, you had a fake.”

Later, the mill had other industrial uses - the processing of seaweed for upholstery and insulation, ink production, and then artificial fertiliser.

In 1874, the steam-driven mill closed when wheat rust set in and its machinery was sent to the Wimmera which had become increasingly used for growing grain crops.

When the wheat industry moved to the Wimmera, Widdicombe used the mill for his brickworks.

Many buildings in Melbourne, Geelong and the Bellarine are made from Widdicombe bricks.

As I browse the impressive structure, I can’t help but be impressed with National Trust volunteer tour guide Jennie Tonzing’s enthusiasm for the mill.

“John Batman had a holiday house here,” she says.

42

“He initially wanted to build a city here, not on Melbourne’s side, but there wasn’t water. Batman’s grandchildren went to Sunday school here.”

Around thirty workers handmade tens of thousands of bricks a week from the surrounding clay pits.

Most of the mansions in Melbourne and Geelong have these Widdicombe bricks and clay tiles.

Controversially he mixed his mortar with seawater and nobody thought it would last, but it did.

“I sing in a church choir in Drysdale totally built of Widdicombe’s bricks and there’s not a crack in them.

Two doors down from the mill is the single-storey historic home of Mr Widdicombe, which was built of Geelong bricks on a bluestone foundation in 1850.

The owner at the time was issued with a notice to close the building.

Demolition was imminent, but at the last minute, the mill was saved when it was purchased by the Shire of Bellarine and presented to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

The National Trust spent $40,000 restoring the mill in the 1970s.

“She has a checkered history, but she’s much loved,” Ms Tonzing says.

The current owners purchased the residence after touring the mill.

“When it re-opened to the public in 1971, they came from all over Australia for it.”

With Portarlington becoming popular as a seaside resort town, the mill was converted in the 1950s to a refuge for Dutch immigrants.

Archaeological digs around the mill have given evidence of the old boiler house at the rear, and also earlier aboriginal activity in this area.

“It was very, very basic but welcoming and most of the families are still around in this area,” Ms Tonzing says.

Nowadays the mill is a small, but very interesting, museum and also hosts weddings and exhibitions.

“I went to my first ball with one of the Dutch boys that lived here.”

Visit Portarlington Mill on Sundays, September to May from noon to 4pm or during a group tour. See nationaltrust.org.au for details.

However the building was then condemned in 1962 and was slated for demolition.

[home] bodies

AXIS of awesome A concept image of town-homes in Axis at Warralily.

THE successful Warralily development will be first to bring town-home living to the Armstrong Creek Growth Area in a neighbourhood to be known as Axis at Warralily.

The new Axis neighbourhood is a boutique town-home precinct that blends high style and great design in a low-maintenance version of a traditional home, removing any need to spend precious weekends tending the garden.

Created by market leader Metricon, the four-bedroom town-homes feature stunning facades and contemporary, luxury turnkey inclusions with large windows bathing homes in sunlight.

Home Solution by Metricon’s Andrew Van Der Lugt says Axis meets the need for property diversity in the rapidly growing Geelong market.

“Town-home projects in Melbourne are in high-demand as people increasingly seek lifestyle convenience and affordability,” he said.

“Armstrong Creek, with its budding community and nearby beaches and wineries, is the perfect place for Metricon’s first town-home project in the

Geelong region.”

“The prime location, adjacent to The Village Warralily community hub, means residents can take full advantage of shops, supermarkets, cafes, schools, parks and more on their doorstep. No need to take the car!”

Axis comprises 26 town-homes ranging in size from 181.08 to 190.79sqm.

Civil works are underway, with titles and town-home completions expected in mid-2019.

The first stage has sold quickly and registrations of interest for stage two are underway.

Warralily estate manager Ben Stewart says the expressions-ofinterest campaign has been “super successful”, resulting in the team taking deposits earlier than planned to fast-track development. Seventy per cent of the first stage sold on release day, with stage two launching soon.

“Axis offers a fantastic way to secure a 4-bedroom, double garage property with the benefit of carefree living for substantially less than a traditional home.” Mr Stewart says.

buyers pay only five per cent upfront, with nothing more to pay until the town-home is complete and the certificate of occupancy has been achieved, allowing the buyer to save prior to settlement.

“First-home-buyers can enter the market without compromising on home design or features at the entry-level price of $414,000.”

“We’re seeing interest from first-home-buyers and investors, with the option for bedrooms on both levels also appealing to generational family purchasers.”

“It’s also an advantage that

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[antiques & collectibles]

Left: John and Paul Rosenberg with some of their ceramic wares at Moorabool Antique Galleries.

Ceramics INTRIGUE MOORABOOL Antique Galleries’ two floors of intriguing objects range from furniture to silverware and almost everything in between.

But the business is widely renowned for Australia’s largest range of antique ceramic items, along with a reference library containing more than 2000 books on ceramics.

“As well as the books, we have ‘example’ ceramics from every period and place possible,” says owner Paul Rosenberg.

"I'd hate to do a stocktake," Paul says.

"We've never counted but we must have over 10,000 pieces in stock."

This makes it the largest of its kind in Australia, and perhaps the world.

“Through the website, we have been ‘discovered’ by collectors’ world-wide” Moorabool Antique Galleries has become something of a family tradition, with Paul operating the business in the

footsteps of his father, John.

“I still meet customers who bought things from him 30 years ago” Paul smiles.

The 60-year-old business sticks to the “proper definition” of antiques, he says.

“That means more than 100 years old, which includes the Georgian and Victorian eras.

"We have a very wide variety of goods, which mirrors the diversity of our clientele. Our stock ranges from very affordable small gifts through to major pieces that we've sold to organisations like

the National Gallery of Victoria and Geelong Art Gallery, even international institutions.

"We have something for everyone."

Paul nominates the early 19th Century English porcelain tea wares as particularly good value at the moment.

“We have several hundred cups and saucers, some 200 years old, both beautiful and usable and costing less than a modern equivalent.”

Moorabool Antique Galleries is at 16/18 Ryrie Street, Geelong.

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“We use them to help identify ‘unknown’ pieces.”

The shop is filled with cases of well-documented pieces for sale.

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[antiques & collectibles]

Light

Peter Hames welcomes customers to Oakwood Restorations.

RELIEF HOME owners have seen the light at Peter Hames’ Oakwood Restorations.

create bespoke lighting that can look antique, decorative, industrial or understated.�

Or perhaps that should be they are seeing the right lights for their period-home projects thanks to the business’s in-store offshoot, P.J. Hames Lighting.

Peter has access to specialist suppliers so he can deliver modifications such as adjusting the length, finish or shading of lights to suit individual decor requirements.

With more than 18 years supplying period fixtures and fittings, and with a background in textiles and designs, Peter says the lighting aspect of his business is his “passion project.�

P.J. Hames Lighting involves Peter consulting with clients at their homes or businesses, arriving with brochures and fittings to show how the right lighting can transform any room. “Whether it’s a standout piece that demands attention or a subtle reflection of the decor, lighting is at the heart of interior design,“ he says, “but the wrong lighting choice can ruin the harmony of a room. “I source antique, vintage, modern and reproduction lighting from Australia and overseas and authentically restore it. I also

His lighting expertise is an extension of his flair for interiors, particularly blending contemporary and period decor. “The mistake people often make is thinking I’m limited to styling period homes and spaces only. In fact, I also consult on a variety of modern architectural homes, offices, cafes and hairdressers.�

Renovators looking for supplies will find lighting from the 1850s to 1950s at Oakwood Restorations, along with other inspiring items ranging from fireplaces and tiles through to pressed metal and hardware in a variety of finishes.

Oakwood Restorations is at 331 Pakington St, Newtown. Phone 5229 9547 or visit P.J. Hames’ Facebook page for more information.

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[antiques & collectibles]

Swords of

HONOUR

GEELONG military antiques collector Graeme Acton has been dealing with swords for more than three decades but none have piqued his passion as much as Japanese designs.

anything from insects, fish and other animals through to village scenes and “all sorts objects”.

The Japanese swords occupy pride of place in his central Geelong museum and antiques store, considering them works of art even more so than pieces of militaria.

“The detail is amazing.”

Graeme finds the intricacy of their design and styling entrancing.

“Quite apart from the blade being the most important part of the Japanese sword, the handle and

“It’s sometimes hard to believe that many of these are made hundreds of years ago,” Graeme says.

scabbard fittings are in many cases works of art in their own right,” he explains.

“Placed under the binding on the side of the handle are small fittings called ’menuki’. They are not only a decoration but provide a move secure grip.

“The sword guard, or tsuba,

comes in many sizes and is made from iron, copper or brass. They can be decorated in simple patterns or cut outs and more intricate designs like waves, clouds or even tree bark.”

Graeme says some of Japanese swords’ fittings featured “very fine decorations”, including gold, silver and copper inlays depicting

Graeme invites antique enthusiasts and militaria buffs to inspect the Japanese swords and his wide range of other items on display at Armor Antiques & Military Museum, at 200 Moorabool Street, Geelong.

“It’s one of the biggest collections of its type on display in Australia,” Graeme declares.

ARMOR ANTIQUES & MILITARY MUSEUM

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NEW UPSTAIRS MUSEUM NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

We buy and sell:- antique swords - guns – helmets – badges –uniforms - medals - books - authentic Samurai armour Services offered: - Medal mounting and framing - Valuations on most militaria.

Museum with many rare Militaria items from around the world 200 Moorabool Street, Geelong T: 5221 8662 Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm M: 0416 941566 E: armorantiques@hotmail.com Closed Monday & open most Sundays

www.armorantiques.com

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[Looking] Good

WHAT to wear on EYES CAN you say, 'I wear eyewear from Eyewear on Pako’?

& Valentin, LA Eyeworks, RAEN, Roger and Res Rei.

The team at Eyewear on Pako invites customers to check out the business's extensive range of optical frames and sunglasses and to experience its incomparable customer service.

The latest range to hit the shelves is Folc, a collection of strikingly bold, contemporary and sustainably made frames designed in Barcelona and hand-made in Italy. Eyewear on Pako was lucky enough to be selected as one of just five Folc stockists in Australia.

In 2002 Eyewear on Pako was brought to fruition by owners Chris Benning and Peter Weston, who between them share 80 years of experience in the optical industry.

More recently, Matt Benning has also become partner after working in the store for 15 years.

Eyewear on Pako's range has consistently expanded, with the team personally selecting each frame to ensure an extensive array of shapes, colours and distinctive designs to suit each customer’s individual needs.

Eyewear on Pako stocks well-recognised brands including Ray Ban, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Emporio Armani and Valley Eyewear as well as a diverse range of quality, distinctive labels from all over the world, including Sabine Be, Anne

Eyewear on Pako can also help with customers' eye-health, Chris says.

“We offer bulk-billed eye examinations and have two optometrists testing most days," he advises.

"Our optometrists perform comprehensive screenings for conditions including glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as complete retinal scans and photographs where needed. An optometrist will advise you of the ways your vision may be improved at the conclusion of your eye examination.”

Updates from Eyewear on Pako are available on Instagram@ eyewearonpako.

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The latest stylish glasses are always on display at Eyewear on Pako.

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[hot wheels]

CAYMAN gets serious Words: EWAN KENNEDY PORSCHE 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is aimed at the serious driver and the latest two versions take them a further step forward.

The Trackday is for ambitious amateur racing drivers, the Competition variant for national and international motor racing.

the drivers. An automatic fire extinguishing system adds another safety feature for the racetrack.

The Cayman GT4 Clubsport, perfect for cruising the Great Ocean Road.

Fascinatingly, Porsche’s designers have concentrated not only on faster lap times but also on the sustainable use of raw materials. It's the first production race car with body parts made of natural-fibre composite material.

Powering the 718 GT4 Clubsport is a 3.8-litre flat-six engine producing 313kW, with the power going to the rear wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and mechanical rear axle differential lock.

The Trackday has a fixed shock absorber setup. The ABS, ESC and traction control assistance systems ensure forgiving handling at the limit and can be deactivated.

The Competition has shock

absorbers that can be adjusted in three stages and a brake balance system that can be infinitely adjusted between the front and rear axle.

An integrated air jack system minimises pit stop times and

there's a safety fuel tank with a capacity of 115 litres for longdistance events.

The quick-release racing steering wheel adopted from the 911 GT3 R ensures a range of adjustment options for the individual needs of

The doors and rear wing are made of an organic fibre mix sourced primarily from agricultural by-products such as flax or hemp fibres. They have similar properties to carbon fibre in terms of weight and stiffness.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, is delivered ex-works with a welded-in safety cage, a racing bucket seat as well as a six-point harness.

AUDI | ALFA | BMW | SKODA | VOLKSWAGON | JAGUAR | MERCEDES | MG RENAULT | VOLVO | CITROEN | PORSCHE | PEUGEOT | FIAT | SAAB

Specialists in Servicing and Repairs

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Get your assets checked!

[shades] of geelong

The only place for

WINDOW FURNISHINGS THERE’S really only one place to go when a home or office space is in need of a spruce up.

Shades of Geelong has been operating for more than four decades and offers quality and customer service that’s unmatched anywhere in Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula.

Shades of Geelong has top-ofthe-range curtains, blinds and awnings with a huge range of colours, designs and materials to fit any type of decor.

office renovation is made easy by the team at Shades of Geelong.

Some of the products and services on offer are: Norman planation shutters; sheer curtains; blockout and privacy roller blinds; preferred supplier of Zip Tracks; traditional and casual roman blinds; panel glides; honeycomb blinds; woodstyle and aluminium venetians; drapes and motorisation.

Give the showroom a visit at 62 St Georges Road, Corio, check out shadesofgeelong.com.au or phone 5275 3801.

Whatever design you have in mind, you can be sure the team at Shades of Geelong will have the right product for you.

All work is guaranteed and with a local factory and showroom, you can be sure your business is staying in Geelong.

Shades of Geelong's David Spehar has the experience and range to help with any window furnishing requirements.

Shades of Geelong will guarantee a written and online quote within two working days and Saturday and after-hours appointments are always available.

With quality products and friendly, expert service, the next home or

CREATE PRIVACY AND ELEGANCE IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE CURTAINS | BLINDS | AWNINGS Free Measure & Quote Locally Owned & Operated Established over 40 years

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To Suit your Style

62 St Georges Rd Corio 3214

5275 3801 info@shadesofgeelong.com.au shadesofgeelong.com.au 49

[what's] cooking EBONY & Ivory has established itself as one of Geelong’s favourite restaurants under the management of Jurgen Schlotzer and Ninni Stagno.

The pair took ownership of the venue in 2017, combining their mixed strengths in the hospitality industry “Hospitality is absolutely new for me but the food industry isn’t,” Jurgen says, “and Ninni has 10 years of hospitality experience but this is the first business he’s jointly owned.”

Jurgen handles administration duties while Ninni works the front of house, including making the venue’s signature coffees.

Ninni Stagno invites diners to Ebony & Ivory.

“We have a very good coffee grinder and every cup’s freshly ground,” Jurgen says.

Ebony & Ivory offers restaurant and cafe areas, along with a beer garden that can hold around 30 people.

The versatile spaces provide options for meetings, business lunches, coffee and cake gettogethers, and small functions for up to 75 guests.

“There’s privacy for a romantic dinner, too,” Jurgen says.

And just like home-cooking, some things never change at Ebony & Ivory.

“The popular steak dish and aquapazza will continue on our menu. We’ve had them on there since day one,” Jurgen declares.

“We’ll also continue serving our home-made pasta, gnocchi

and fettuccine because that’s what we are and what we pride ourselves on. It’s made fresh daily in our kitchen.

house-made specialties, with Jurgen recommending the vanilla slice or Portuguese tart in particular.

Chicken cacciatore and the fish acquapazza are just some of the mostly traditional Sicilian dishes on the menu.

“Our pastry chef also makes flourless cakes and bakes muffins every day,” he says.

The dessert menu also features

Ebony & Ivory is at 189 Moorabool Street, Geelong.

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Ebony & Ivory maintains an emphasis on home-cooking in the style of authentic Sicilian cuisine, Jurgen explains.

EBONY & IVORY on top

cafe, restaurant, catering, functions + celebrations 189 Moorabool St, Geelong | Ph: 5221 6072 OPEN 7 DAYS Mon-Sat 8am to 11pm Sun 10am-3pm 50

[What's] cooking

Lard Ass's Monica Cavarsan with some of her products.

(Gault & Millau Australia)

Buttering UP

TASTING the butter her mother made on the kitchen table of their family dairy farmhouse was the dawn of a career for Ocean Grove's Monica Cavarsan.

Now she's known as the Butter Queen, operating the cheekily named business Lard Ass. Monica makes hand-crafted cultured butter, while her husband helps with deliveries and their three sons handle sales at farmers' markets.

“I started making butter about

four years ago now, using my friends and family as the product testers,” Monica says.

She prefers cultured butter for its higher fat content, which results in "much more flavour" than the watery content of the standard item.

“To make cultured butter you ferment the cream for 24 hours with good bacteria, which enhances the flavours naturally found in the cream," she explains.

“Normal cream is alkaline, so what we do is bring the PH level

down to create what is known as a creme fraiche.

"Afterward, we refrigerate for up to two weeks during the ageing process, which brings out the rich flavours in the butter. We then churn it slowly to preserve the creaminess."

Lard Ass produces salted and unsalted cultured butter including four flavoured butters: smoked garlic, dry-roasted fennel seed, smoked butter, and sweet vanilla.

Roasted tomato and herb, and

turmeric butters are on the way, Monica says, with Lard Ass also launching cultured buttermilk.

Lard Ass butter is sold at wholefood and fruit and vegetable stores, provedores, restaurants, coffee shops and farmers markets, giving Monica an extensive network of operators with whom she collaborates.

“I'm proud to work with other small businesses and producers to harness our opportunities,” she says.

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[social] network

LAUNCH OF SIDNEY NOLAN'S NED KELLY series exhibition at Geelong Gallery 1. ARBELLA AND CHARLIE MACKINNON. 2. ELIZA HOLT AND JIM MCKENNA. 3. GLENYS AND MIKE DEAM. 4. HELENA BUXTON AND GERARD MULLALY. 5. KATHY TIMMINS AND JIM MASON. 6. MARA MCDONALD AND PAUL MURPHY. 7. STUART WHITEHEAD AND OLIVIA TIPLER. 8. TERRY WILLS COOKE. 9. TONY AND SARAH JENNETT. 10. WENDY DIMMICK AND JUDY THOMAS.

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[social] network

2019 Deakin University Geelong BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS LAUNCH 1. ALEXANDRA HAMILTON AND TIM SYMONS. 2. MARK EDMONDS AND ANDY MATHERS. 3. CHRISTINE LYONS AND SHERIDAN SALMON. 4. DEBBIE SPENCE, ROB BIRCH AND MELISSA PEARCE. 5. GARY LYONS, SIMON FLOWERS, NEV WRIGHT AND HANNAH CHARNOCK. 6. JANE MITHEN, JEN LILBURN AND JOHN FITZGERALD. 7. JANOSH BICZOK AND BILL WINTER. 8. KEELIE HAMILTON AND CHERYL MARTIN. 9. TOM MOLYNEUX, CHRIS MACKEY AND ROWAN MACKEY. 10. KEITH RODERICK, LOUISE RODERICK, GABRIELLE LING AND MARNIE RODERICK– SHEPHERD. 11. NICK KLEIN AND TENNILLE MCINNES. 12. SIMON JACKSON, JODIE DUNN, TONY SPENCE AND LYN GEORGE.

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CALENDAR of EVENTS 2 March - 26 May Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly Series For the first time in 15 years the National Gallery of Australia’s collection of Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings is touring Australia in its entirety, with Geelong the exclusive Victorian host.

13 and 14 April Day Out With Thomas Thomas the Tank Engine will be in Queenscliff along with Oliver, Henry, Salty, the Troublesome Trucks and Sir Topham Hatt.

The volunteer-run Bellarine Railway will offer unlimited rides on Thomas and his famous mates along with the chance to win prizes in a Spot the Engine competition.

Lakers Siding, Queenscliff

Geelong Gallery, Geelong

14 April Geelong Half Marathon This popular run begins at Belmont then follows a bike path to Breakwater before proceeding to Fyansford and returning to Belmont Park.

It's a scenic course alongside the Barwon River, with proceeds going to Geelong's Andrew Love Cancer Centre.

18 - 22 April Rip Curl Pro The world’s best surfers will again converge on iconic Bells Beach for surfing’s most-treasured trophy, the Rip Curl Pro Bell.

The second event on the 2019 World Surf League (WSL) World Tour, the Bells Pro is surfing's longest-running world championship-level contest.

Bells Beach, Jan Juc

The event also includes a 7.6km run for less-experienced runners.

Barwon River, Belmont

19 - 21 April Drysdale Easter Art Show Rotary Club of Drysdale's annual show will feature the works of more than 100 artists.

The club expects to display over 500 paintings by renowned artists, ambitious newcomers and everyone in between.

Christian College, Drysdale

20 April The Drop Festival This festival is billed as a "proudly local, environmentally sustainable event encouraging a lifestyle of good food, art, family fun and community culture".

Entertainment this year features Hockey Dad, Angus and Julia Stone, Client Liaison, Jungle Giants and Alex the Astronaut.

Torquay Common, Torquay 54

27 April Great Ocean and Otway Classic Ride This classic cycling event attracts competitors from Australia and around the world.

The 145km ride features more than 90km of road closures through the picturesque farmlands of the Otway ranges to Lorne and then back along the famous Great Ocean Road to Torquay.

Elephant Walk Reserve, Torquay

3 May Geelong After Dark Geelong's laneways, hidden spaces and cultural buildings come alive again this May with interactive art, street performances and music.

This year’s theme, Heighten Your Senses, encourages patrons to experience "evocative art interventions that inspire and transport you to a different world".

City centre, Geelong

18 May Yummy Deluxe After touring the globe, this legendary cabaret is set to stun the Bellarine Peninsula A mix of new acts and old favourites, the show won Best Production and Best Ensemble (Cabaret) at Melbourne's 2018 Green Room Awards.

Potato Shed, Drysdale

19 May Geelong Wedding Expo Anyone thinking of tying the knot should attend Geelong’s biggest and longest-running bridal expo.

Showcasing wedding providers and services, the first 100 brides-to-be receive a free gift and the chance to go in a draw for prizes worth $10,000.

Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong

7 - 10 June National Celtic Festival This huge festival draws more than 15,000 patrons to Portarlington over the June long weekend.

Utilising a range of venues around the town and its foreshore, the event presents a feast of Celtic culture spanning music, food, dance and sport.

Various sites, Portarlington

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Stage 1

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Now Selling!

*Artist’s impression

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