Ocean Grove Voice - 1st December 2023

1 - 14 DECEMBER, 2023

BELLARINE’S NUMBER ONE NEWSPAPER

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SEASON’S GREETINGS e Dive into Our 8-Page Christmas Featur Celebrating Local Spirit and Festive Cheer within our community.

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TechZone Geelong

Toys that spark the imagination!

35 Yarra Street Geelong 03 4207 0559 • STEM Toys • Pokemon • Squishmallows • Chemistry Sets & More 12654700-AP49-23

Property management with passion, excellence In the coastal haven of Ocean Grove, OGStays stands out as a unique property management group, embodying passion, care, and unwavering dedication.

Guided by a seasoned professional team with over four years of experience, they’ve turned their love for property into a thriving local business, managing properties in Ocean Grove and the broader Bellarine Peninsula.

The journey began humbly with director Janell initially managing her own property and gradually expanding to oversee a thriving team and portfolio of properties.

The OGStays team’s dedication and passion are the driving forces behind their service, evident in every aspect of the business. From the first consultation to the meticulous care of each property, their commitment defines the quality and professional service that sets them apart.

Every property is treated as if it were their own, fostering meaningful relationships with property owners. Both business and client become trusted allies, deeply invested in the success and well-being of each property.

In an industry where details matter, they set a high standard. Tenant screening and comprehensive property inspections are routine, ensuring a stress-free ownership experience for property owners and memorable stays for guests.

Specialising exclusively in holiday rentals, their team is passionate about delivering exceptional customer service, woven into their identity. Guests experience a level of service that surpasses expectations, validated

by customer feedback.

For property owners, Janell and her team’s commitment is equally strong.

Recognising the trust involved in property management, OGStays takes charge of everything – from strategic pricing and marketing to tenant vetting and property maintenance. It’s a comprehensive approach allowing owners to enjoy the benefits of their investment hassle-free, whether opening homes year-round or capitalising on peak seasons. And when owners want to experience some time away in their own property, they can block out their own coastal escape.

OGStay’s pursuit of excellence is complemented by their loyal and local team of staff and contractors. Together, they ensure each property stands out with strategic marketing, creative content, and professional photography, capturing the essence of Ocean Grove’s coastal charm.

Their tribe of cleaners and maintenance managers ensures all properties not only look amazing but function at peak performance.

In the midst of Ocean Grove’s bustling short-term rental market, they are more than a management service; OGStays are curators of experiences and a testament to passion and dedication in the world of short-stay holidays.

If you’re interested in sharing your coastal home and turning it into a true investment, book your free consultation with Janell, director of OGStays, by calling 0493 757 020 or emailing hello@ogstays.com.au

OG Stays director Janelle and her team have turned their love for property into a thriving local business. (Supplied)

Airbnb & Short Term Property Management Exclusive to Ocean Grove and the Bellarine

Secure your free consultation with our Director Janell by calling 0493 757 020 or email hello@ogstays.com.au

Book Now 12653591-AV49-23

2W OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

ogstays.com.au

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CHRISTMAS CHEER

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CHRISTMAS CHEER Top 10 must-have toys this Christmas from Techzone The festive season has arrived and so has the delightful dilemma of choosing the perfect gifts for your loved ones.

Amongst the aisles of Geelong’s Techzone, where imagination thrives and fun is a constant companion, we’ve curated a list of the top 10 toys that promise to sprinkle joy and spark curiosity this Christmas.

Left: Schylling Nee Doh Range.

Below left: Nikko Remote Control Car. Below: Plasma Ball (Tesla’s Lamp).

(Pictures: Supplied)

1. Vex Switchgrip Ball Shooter: For the budding engineer or the adventurous soul, this blaster is an embodiment of fun and learning.

Let creativity soar as projectile balls zoom over 20 feet, encouraging STEM engagement in an exhilarating way. ($29.99) 2. Squishmellows: Soft, cuddly, and utterly adorable, these collectible plush toys are the epitome of cosiness. Embrace the joy of squishing and trading these lovable companions with friends. (starting at $6.99) 3. Magna-Tiles: Recognised for excellence in learning, these magnetic tiles aren’t just blocks; they’re gateways to creativity, exploration, and STEAM-based learning. (starting at $32.99) 4. Schylling Nee Doh Range: Squeeze, pull, and squish! These colourful sensory delights are perfect stocking stuffers, offering tactile satisfaction for all ages. ($11.99) 5. Nikko Remote Control Cars: Defying terrain and obstacles, these cars redefine remote-control excitement with 360-degree spin capabilities and impeccable manoeuvrability. Trust 60 years of innovation for an adrenaline-packed experience. ($139.99)

Sophia was pretty excited when she visited Techzone to check out the top Christmas gift ideas. (Ivan Kemp) 375243_09

6. Anchorman: The Game: Step into the hilarious world of news anchoring. Sabotage stories with magnetic words and phrases, challenging friends to keep a straight face in this classy, laugh-inducing game. ($29.99)

8. 28 Piece Microscope Kit: Unveil the microscopic world with this comprehensive kit. From high-power viewing to conducting your experiments, this set fuels curiosity and scientific exploration. ($99.99)

7. Celestron: FirstScope Tabletop Telescope: Venture into the cosmos with this quality telescope, designed for beginners and seasoned stargazers alike. Portable and user-friendly, it’s a gateway to exploring the wonders of the night sky. ($139.99)

9. Engino Range: From Inventor Girl to Discovering STEM, these kits cater to inquisitive minds, providing hours of engaging educational fun. (starting at $19.99) 10. Plasma Ball (Tesla’s Lamp): Channel

your inner scientist with this mesmerising lamp. Control electrical discharges with your fingertips, a timeless wonder inspired by Nikola Tesla. (ranges from $26.99 to $79.99) At Techzone, these gifts aren’t just items on a shelf; they’re gateways to adventure, learning, and shared moments of joy. This Christmas, gift more than just a toy; gift imagination, exploration, and endless possibilities. Happy Holidays from Techzone, where wonder knows no bounds.

Release your Inner

Elf...

Please HELP our LITTLE Charity make a BIG Difference this year!

Here are 3 Easy Ways YOU can Help us Provide NEW Toys for 500+ Local Children-in-Need:

DONATE NEW GIFTS

for ages 0 - 21 at 35+ locations.

See all collection points online.

100% taxdeductible & used to support locals-in-need.

Bookings NOW OPEN!

tax-deductible donation will ONLY be used to help families across our region who are seriously struggling.”

Each December, Elf Squad Inc also runs its iconic Elf Squad Elf Factory.

You can join hundreds of elves, young and old, to sort toys, print paper and wrap thousands of presents as you listen to Christmas classics, enjoy festive treats and make magical memories.

This truly unique and heart-warming experience is $15 per adult, $10 concession, $5 per child, $30 per family. Bookings essential.

All proceeds to Elf Squad Inc. Details at elfsquad.com.au

Tickets: $15 / $10 / $5 - Sort Toys - Print Paper - Wrap Gifts - Fill Sacks & WIN Prizes!

Release your inner elf If you are looking for a meaningful way to support your local community this year, check out Elf Squad Inc - and The Elf Squad Elf Factory.

Now in its seventh year, Elf Squad Inc is the little Geelong-based charity that makes a BIG difference to thousands of local children and teens-in-need.

Elf Squad Inc’s network of volunteer elves now collect more physical Christmas gift donations than any other local charity.

“Locals support Elf Squad because they know we don’t have ANY paid employees, offices, big ad campaigns or overheads,“ Elf Squad Inc founder Stephanie Beitzel says.

“They love knowing EVERY toy and

Limited shifts available from Dec 12 to 22.

Book early so you don‘t miss all the fun!

Spots Limited Book now!

See ALL Details Online >

www.elfsquad.com.au

@elfsquadinc

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The Elf Squad has been busy making a big difference to thousands of local children and teens-in-need. (Supplied)

COME TO THE ELF FACTORY!

DONATE CASH

@elfsquad

HELP a local child SMILE :-) this Xmas

Elf Squad Inc. is a fully registered, Geelong-based Australian charity with deductible gift-recipient status. ACNC 12849502186 Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 3W

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CHRISTMAS CHEER A premier venue for unforgettable events Geelong, get ready to elevate your event experience to new heights.

The iconic Eureka Hotel is back, and it’s more captivating than ever, thanks to a stunning full-scale renovation.

Whether you’re envisioning an intimate gathering or a grand celebration with live music, Eureka Hotel stands as the perfect canvas for your next function.

The Garden Bar: Urban vibes and versatility Step into the trendy urban vibe of The Garden Bar, located on the ground floor. With a capacity for up to 80 attendees, this bustling bar is available for both semi-private and exclusive events. Picture your guests mingling in a stylish space while enjoying a wandering canapé service and customizable bar packages.

For those who love personalisation, feel free to bring in your own decorations and cakes, making your event truly unique.

The Band Room: Where entertainment takes centre stage Adjoining the restaurant on the ground floor, The Band Room is the go-to choice for larger gatherings of up to 200 people. Ideal for standing cocktail events, seated lunches or dinners, and milestone celebrations, this space comes equipped with a stage and optional visual and audio equipment. The Band Room is a versatile canvas for presentations or performances, available for both semi-private and exclusive events, subject to live entertainment availability.

The Rooftop: Stylish ambiance in the sky Elevate your event literally on Level 1 with The Rooftop, hosting up to 150 guests. This area offers a stylish ambiance, perfect for casual

Get into the festive spirit by hosting your Christmas function at The Eureka.

cocktail events. Opt for an optional roaming canape service and bar packages to enhance your guests’ experience. The Rooftop is also available for both semi-private functions and exclusive events.

Evie: Where the party never stops For those seeking a vibrant nightlife experience, Evie on Level 1 is the place to

Wishing you a safe and Merry Christmas

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be. With a capacity for up to 200 guests, Evie can be reserved for semi-private or entirely exclusive events. Keep the energy high with optional canape services and bar packages, or curate a personalised drink selection for your guests.

Eureka Hotel not only offers top-notch event spaces but also boasts a dedicated team

ready to bring your vision to life.

The combination of versatile spaces and committed staff ensures that your event at Eureka Hotel will be nothing short of spectacular.

Don’t miss the opportunity to host your next function at Geelong’s most iconic venue – Eureka Hotel is ready to make your event unforgettable

Heartfelt wishes from Tuckers to you

As we usher in the festive spirit and look forward to a season of joy and togetherness, Tuckers Funerals extends heartfelt wishes to the Geelong and Bellarine community.

In moments of celebration and reflection, we recognise that life is a tapestry of both highs and lows.

This holiday season, as we gather with loved ones, let us not forget those who may be navigating challenging times.

At Tuckers Funerals we understand the importance of community, compassion and connection. While we celebrate the joys of the season, we want you to know that we are here for you in times of need, offering support and understanding.

Our commitment to serving the Geelong community goes beyond providing funeral services; it encompasses a dedication to the well-being of our neighbours, friends, and families.

As you embrace the warmth of the holidays, remember that Tuckers Funerals is a pillar of strength during life’s inevitable trials.

Whether in times of celebration or sorrow, our team stands ready to offer guidance and support.

Wishing you all a safe and joyous holiday season filled with love, laughter, and the comforting knowledge that, here at Tuckers Funerals, we are honoured to be part of your community – through the good times and the challenging ones alike.

OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

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HOST YOUR NEXT FUNCTION AT GEELONG'S MOST ICONIC VENUE Eureka Hotel is back, and it’s looking better than ever with a full renovation! Book now for your christmas gathering or a larger event with live music and food and beverage packages to suit!

Our versatile function spaces and dedicated team are here to turn your vision into reality.

Enquire now via our website EUREKAHOTEL.COM.AU 12651944-RR49-23

Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 5W

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CHRISTMAS CHEER

Direct Chemist Outlet has team with the Lighthouse Foundation to shine a special spotlight on the Ocean Grove and Kingston communities. (Supplied)

Direct Chemist Outlet lights up the festive season This Christmas season Direct Chemist Outlet is on a mission to make a real difference in the lives of those in need.

They’ve teamed up with the Lighthouse Foundation for a fantastic charity fundraising promotion happening across all their stores, shining a special spotlight on the Ocean Grove and Kingston communities.

The Lighthouse Foundation is like a beacon of hope, helping to create pathways to end youth homelessness.

“The young people, children and babies in

our care are at risk and are considered to be some of Australia’s most vulnerable people,” Lighthouse director Susan Barton AM says.

“They frequently come from backgrounds of abuse, neglect and exploitation.”

Direct Chemist Outlet is a rapidly growing pharmacy group with more than 100 stores nationally.

The stores have transformed into hubs of charitable activity, giving communities the opportunity to purchase Christmas tree decorations that mean more than just

A lesson in payphone use Grandchildren nationwide can now connect directly to the North Pole with Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa until December 24, by dialling # HO HO HO (#464646) for free from any of Telstra’s 14,500 payphones across Australia to speak directly with Santa.

Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa hotline is an interactive activity that allows children to enjoy the magical experience of speaking directly with Santa about anything they want, from asking about the weather in the North Pole, to what the reindeer like to snack on before their big Christmas Eve adventure, and even share this year’s wish list.

For those looking to avoid shopping centre crowds with their grandchildren, dialling Santa from any payphone across the country offers an easy and cost-free alternative. Plus, taking kids to a payphone to call Santa is a great way to teach them how to use and locate their nearest payphone in case of an emergency.

Last year there were more than 11,000 calls made from Telstra payphones to the North Pole on Christmas Eve alone. This year Santa’s elves have also helped us liven up a special selection of payphones.

Here are some handy payphone tips this holiday season.

For kids, calling Santa also provides a fun and easy way to learn how to use and locate their nearest payphone in case of an emergency.

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Some handy tips: • Use Free Calls to Santa to show kids how a payphone works and remind them that they can use one when it’s needed.

• Fun fact: Every payphone has a unique number you can dial from your mobile.

This is a great way to show kids what an old-fashioned phone sound like.

How to call Santa: 1/ Head to any Telstra payphone around the country from November 15 to December 24.

2/ To find your nearest payphone, hit search on Google Maps – for example- Payphones Melbourne CBD and surrounds - Google My Maps 3/ Dial #HO HO HO (#464646) 4/ Make sure you’re ready with a few questions for Santa, and to tell him what’s at the top of your wish list.

A message from Santa and a lesson in life.

festive embellishments. With each purchase, customers are directly supporting the Lighthouse Foundation’s mission to provide shelter, support, and a pathway to a brighter future for young people facing homelessness.

The dedicated staff at Direct Chemist Outlet Ocean Grove and Kingston are excited and proud to contribute to their communities through this noble cause.

As we deck our homes with festive decorations this season, let’s also open our hearts and keep in mind the youth within

our communities that may need some extra support this Christmas.

If you would like to make a difference, you can purchase a decoration from your local Direct Chemist Outlet Store or through their website directchemistoutlet.com.au Alternatively, you can contribute directly to the Lighthouse Foundation at lighthousefoundation.org.au/donate/ Together let’s light up the season with the spirit of giving and bring warmth and hope to those who need it most.

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CHRISTMAS CHEER Let’s shape your brand and business success together The blend of fresh air, surf breaks and a tight-knit community welcomes Frenchie, a creative design, branding and digital marketing agency to our town.

Nathan French, founder and director of Frenchie, brings over 25 years of creative industry experience and a refreshing look at collaborating with businesses to deliver a new focus when it comes to brand identity and digital marketing.

Nathan and his boutique agency understand that every brand is unique, and through consultation and creative exploration, Frenchie’s process is tailored to meet your business and brand needs. Whether you’re a start-up looking to define your brand narrative or an established business seeking a brand refresh, or simply more clients, their team is equipped to offer a raft of design solutions.

We sat down with Nathan French to find out more.

visuals; it’s about crafting experiences with engaging narratives.

What sets Frenchie apart from traditional advertising agencies?

We are not your typical design and marketing agency. We are a creative partner committed to purposeful design and human-centric thinking. Our focus goes beyond aesthetics to create brands with a distinct identity and enduring life span that grows along with its loyal fan base.

What types of businesses does Frenchie cater to?

We cater to businesses of all sizes – small, medium, and large, as well as start-ups and brands seeking a unique identity. A brand itself has no scale and with our audience-centric approach, the loyal followers are what we focus on when it comes to scale. Budgets are not roadblocks and negotiated on value, much like our creative endeavour; collaboratively.

How does Frenchie approach brand creation differently?

We believe in a co-creative process. We collaborate closely with our clients, blending their stories and ideas with our expert craftsmanship to produce brands that resonate with the intended audience. It’s not just about

What services does Frenchie offer to businesses seeking a unique identity?

Our services range from brand identities to the immersive brand workshops. Each service is designed to elevate brands, recognising that a brand is more than just a logo; it’s an evolving story. Everything then comes to life when we deploy the brand out into the world.

What is the essence of Frenchie’s philosophy?

Our philosophy centres around the belief that brands are not just visual entities; they are experiences, narratives, and commitments.

We emphasise purposeful design that captivates hearts and minds. We understand the importance of customer loyalty. Rather than building singular customers, our purpose is to create a loyal tribe of brand ambassadors.

Are you ready to shape a brand that resonates?

Book a free consultation with Frenchie’s Director, Nathan French, to begin your brand and creative collaboration today.

Visit: nathan@frenchiebrands.com.au

Founder and director of Frenchie, Nathan French brings over 25 years of creative industry experience. (Supplied)

Ocean Grove’s Creative Design, Branding & Digital Marketing Agency

+ Branding Complete Brand Identity Logo Creation & Style Guides Brand Storytelling + Marketing Campaign Concepts Social Media Planning & Strategy Web Design & Development

frenchiebrands.com.au

+ Content Tailored Content Creation Captivating Photography & Video Professional Writing Services + Consultation Brand Mentorship & Marketing Audits Interactive Brand Workshops Digital & Brand Makeovers

Ready To Unlock Your Brand’s Potential?

Call 0419390709 or email hello@frenchiebrands.com.au

@ frenchiebrands

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Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 7W

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BETTER THAN

NEW

BETTER THAN

INSIDE THIS EDITION…

TACKLING MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH, PAGE 5

1 - 14 DECEMBER, 2023

FREE FORTNIGHTLY

BELLARINE’S NUMBER ONE NEWSPAPER

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Local traders Ty Simons, Cathy Staehr, Kim Wells, Stacey Moore, Eva, Shelley Coghill and Brenton Dunne are getting ready for Christmas in the Grove on Wednesday evening. (Ivan Kemp) 376366_02

Christmas in the Grove

By Matt Hewson Ocean Grove’s Christmas street party returns for 2023, giving locals the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed family event in the heart of the town.

Popular street festival Christmas in the Grove will close The Terrace to vehicle traffic this Wednesday, December 6 between 5pm and 8pm, giving residents the opportunity to enjoy everything their local traders have to offer.

The street party, which ran for some years

before the COVID-19 pandemic, returned with a bang last year, and Ocean Grove Business Association (OGBA) spokesperson and newsXpress owner Cathy Staehr said everyone was looking forward to the 2023 edition of the event.

“The community is excited, really excited; the night is such a wonderful local catch up with family, friends and neighbours,” she said.

“It’s a brilliant way to celebrate the end of the school year and shop local for your Christmas bargains.

“The business association is really looking

‘‘

It gives the retailers a chance to show off and to say a huge thanks to the locals - Cathy Staehr

’’

forward to the event too. The local traders have worked hard to get it back up and running this year.

“It gives the retailers a chance to show off

and to say a huge thanks to the locals for the year that’s been.”

The event will feature live music, a wide array of culinary delights, Christmas gifts aplenty and a visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident, with Santa confirming his attendance this week.

Ms Staehr encouraged everyone to get their photo taken with Santa.

“Ocean Grove Camera & Photo will be there taking Santa photos; I have heard Santa will be arriving in a pretty cool Mustang,” she said.

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The con that kills

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But no matter what they do to it, you're inhaling the same cancer-causing poisons. This is the con that kills.

Find out more at theconthatkills.org.au

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2 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

NEWS

Sewer pipeline upgrade planned Plans to upgrade the sewer pipeline between the Barwon River and the Barwon Heads pump are progressing.

Barwon Water managing director Shaun Cumming said the works were needed to prevent sewer spills in the future, protect the environment and maintain reliable sewerage services.

“This pipeline is a very important piece of sewerage infrastructure, in that it takes sewage from Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff to the Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant in Breamlea,” he said.

“Community members might recall that in

late 2021 it failed unexpectedly, leading to an emergency response and complex repair works to ensure reliable service continued.

“Since the failure, Barwon Water has undertaken detailed investigations into the failure, designed a replacement and allocated significant funding for its upgrade to prevent a similar incident in the future.”

Mr Cumming said work on the pipeline was planned to begin in February 2024 just after the peak summer holiday period.

The construction works are complex and will require an above-ground temporary sewer pipeline to be installed before the main works

begin, Mr Cumming said.

The temporary pipeline will ensure continued high quality sewer services while works to upgrade the existing pipeline are undertaken, Barwon Water said.

Works on the sewer main replacement will need to be carried out in two separate locations.

The first stage of works will be from the Barwon River to Barwon Heads Road and Sheepwash Road intersection and the second stage will be from the Barwon Heads Road and Sheepwash Road intersection to the Barwon Heads Sewer Pump Station at 1939 Barwon Heads Road.

The temporary pipeline is likely to be laid

Christmas trees for Grove scouts It’s that time of year again to grab a fresh Christmas tree from the Ocean Grove Scout Group at their annual sale.

The group will sell Christmas trees during its annual Ocean Grove Park fundraiser from around 9am on December 2 and 9.

First and Second Ocean Grove Scout Group chairman Ken Harper said the sales provided Joey, Cub and Scout youth members with many fun, exciting and challenging activities.

“People can order online and get deliveries, or they can come to the park and select their tree and take it home,” he said.

“We raise funds selling Christmas trees, and we’ve been quite a large supplier of trees in the community for a number of years.

“It’s a fun day. We’ve got carols going in the background and the kids have Santa hats on them to help patrons select their trees.”

Mr Harper said preparations for the fundraiser were underway, with Christmas trees already ordered and promotional signs placed around Ocean Grove Park.

Christmas tree prices start at $70, and several options are available, with different-sized tree stands starting at $50.

The community can purchase their Christmas trees in-person during the sales or order online at oceangrovescouts.com/ christmas-tree-order-page for pick up or delivery.

The Ocean Grove Scout Group also offers an after-Christmas pick-up service to recycle the trees. Register online for tree collections on January 7, 2024, for a $12.50 flat fee.

The group is always open to new families looking to try scouting, and people can visit oceangrovescouts.com to learn more.

$5m surgery hub complete Works on University Hospitals Geelong’s new surgery hub is complete.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas visited the state’s first regional Rapid Access Hub at the hospital’s Youang Surgery Centre on Thursday, November 23.

Ms Thomas said the $5 million hub would deliver close to 2300 extra procedures, including general, plastic, dental, ear, nose and throat surgeries.

“Our COVID Catch Up Plan is making a real difference, and initiatives like the rapid access hubs will see us continue to get the waiting list down,” she said.

“Geelong’s new surgery hub will help more patients get the care they need sooner and ensure we’re delivering on our long-term plan to deliver more surgery than ever before.”

The hub will feature a new surgery theatre and spaces for patients to recover and relieve pressure on the hospital’s main theatres to help drive down emergency and complex surgery waitlists.

It will allow more than 700 procedures to move out of the main hospital to create more capacity for emergency and planned surgery in the main hospital.

Member for Lara Ella George said the hub would allow locals to get the services they need while getting the best care during and after surgery.

“This new addition to University Hospital Geelong will make a huge difference, allowing thousands more surgeries for thousands of people,” she said.

The Geelong site is the first regional facility under the Rapid Access Hub project to help hospitals streamline services, a key initiative of the state government’s $1.5 billion COVID Catch Up Plan.

Jena Carr

Ocean Grove Scout Group youth members Ella McQuitty, left, Ricky Schmidt and Florence Donnelly are gearing up for the annual Christmas tree sale. (Ivan Kemp) 374817_02

Fertility service opens in Geelong A new IVF (in vitro fertilisation) service is now available at Barwon Health to support Greater Geelong families’ pregnancy journeys.

The fertility treatment, which involves the handling of eggs or embryos and sperm, was opened at Geelong’s University Hospital on Thursday, November 23.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said the new satellite would help alleviate stress, cut unnecessary travel time, and save Victorians close to $10,000.

“This new service in Geelong will be life changing for many people across the region,” she said. “(It’s) helping them realise their dream of starting or growing their family, whilst alleviating financial stress and the need to constant travel.”

The Geelong public service will offer eligible

adjacent to Village Park and Geelong Road and on the Barwon Heads-Geelong Road reserve.

Some parts of the temporary pipe may be placed on the road itself (resulting in partial lane closures) or within the road reserve.

To support vehicle access to various locations (including Village Park), the temporary pipe will be laid under existing access points/ driveways.

The position of the temporary pipe is still being finalised and will be shared over the coming weeks.

Construction is expected to take about nine months, depending on weather.

patients services that include consultations, diagnostic tests and ultrasounds, making it the fourth of its kind to open in regional Victoria.

Other IVF satellites include Mildura, Bendigo and Warrnambool, with the four services delivered as part of the state government’s $120 million investment in public fertility care.

Member for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman said the fertility care process can be emotionally challenging and that it was important for the Geelong region to have the best care available.

“Fertility care has been a costly and difficult service for many to access, particularly in regional areas,” he said. “We are changing that with our new public health satellite service, ensuring people living in regional Victoria can easily access fertility care to grow their family.”

Public fertility care is available through a general practitioner or specialist referral to the Royal Women’s Hospital to organise eligible patients for treatment.

More information on the Geelong IVF service and how to access it is available at betterhealth.vic.gov.au/public-fertility-careservices

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No causes for sick swans

By Jena Carr Sick swans have been found wandering around Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, but authorities still have no answers.

A November 16 Facebook post on the Queenscliff Point Lonsdale Community Board raised the alarm about sick birds being found in the region, with some being found dead.

A local wildlife volunteer told the Independent that it was unusual for the swans to be found outside Swan Island in multiple

places around Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff.

The volunteer also said they had been answering calls from people who found sick or dead swans and had alerted wildlife authorities to the issue.

Members of the Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale communities had suggested the illness could be in relation to poor water quality or a disease transmitted from foreign birds.

Barwon Water chief scientist Doctor Will Buchanan said community members contacted the organisation regarding the swans’ health in

the Point Lonsdale area.

“There was a minor sewer spill in the area on August 17, but it didn’t enter any waterways,” he said.

“Our swift clean up and disinfection response meant there were no adverse environmental impacts from the spill.”

A Borough of Queenscliff spokesperson said the council was aware of the issue and would be “keeping an eye on the situation”.

“At this stage, we are not aware of any causes,” they said.

“Wildlife Victoria have been notified, and subsequently the affected swans were collected by volunteers.”

There are currently no definite answers to why the swans are becoming sick. Zoos Victoria said it would not speculate on links or causes of illness in any animal without strong evidence.

Wildlife authorities ask anyone who sees a sick or dead swan to contact Wildlife Victoria on 03 8400 7300 or Zoos Victoria’s Marine Response Unit on 1300 245 678.

‘Caricatures in blue’ A Geelong caricature artist is offering free black and white drawings for Christmas in a quest to raise money for men’s mental health.

David Seery will begin his ‘Caricatures in Blue’ events at 10am on Saturday, December 2, at Feed Me Bellarine at 24 Sinclair Street, Ocean Grove.

Mr Seery said he would conduct free drawings at selected locations around Geelong until Christmas and was a “passionate advocate for men’s mental health”.

“The thing was to put a smile on people’s faces over Christmas after the year we’ve had and there’s people out there doing it hard, so that’s why I’ve started at Feed Me Bellarine,” he said.

“Everyone deserves to feel happy and supported within themselves. We all need some laughter and, at times, a moment of distraction to break the hold that depression and anxiety can have over us.

“I’d like to raise as much money towards donations for Beyond Blue...with this being the first year I’ve done it, and I’d like to do make it an annual event.”

Mr Seery said he had experienced down times when he needed support to navigate what was happening and loved making people happy through his work.

“I think it’s really important that we need organisations like Beyond Blue to educate and support people,” he said.

“Having a blank piece of paper and then within three minutes drawing someone’s caricature, they’re pretty blown away.”

Visit davidseery.com for more information or check out his Facebook page, facebook. com/davidseerycaricatures, to follow his free caricature journey around Geelong.

People can help Mr Seery raise money for Beyond Blue at fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/ caricaturesinbluebydavidseery Jena Carr

David Seery, pictured drawing a caricature of Voice photographer Ivan Kemp, will do ‘Caricatures in Blue’ from December 2 to raise money for Beyond Blue. (Ivan Kemp) 375645_12 FLOATING CHRISTMAS TREE SOUND AND LIGHT SHOWS

Christmas in Geelong Supporting our local community.

For assistance with any state matters, please contact my electorate office.

CHRISTMAS PROJECTIONS

GIANT SELFIE TRAIL

Nightly from 8.30pm to 11.30pm until 7 January.

Capture precious memories at one or all of the 20 locations.

Nightly from 8.30pm to midnight until 7 January.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY SOUND AND LIGHT SHOWS

SANTA LETTERS

Pet owners and your furry friends, this one is for you!

Same great show in a special earlier timeslot, Saturdays in December.

Six mailboxes across our region, he’d love to hear from you!

SCHOOL CHRISTMAS TREES

COMPETITIONS

CHRISTMAS IN THE GARDENS

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Vote for your favourite decorated tree Feeling lucky? Win some great prizes, to help the school win a $500 voucher. just in time for the festive season!

Free family event! Saturday 16 Dec Geelong Botanic Gardens.

alison.marchant@parliament.vic.gov.au alisonmarchantmp.com.au

Scan the QR code or visit geelong.link/Christmas for the full Christmas in Geelong program

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By Cr Trent Sullivan At this time of year it is always nice to see the community gathering at social events as we begin to wind down and reflect on everything that has taken place throughout the past twelve months.

There are many wonderful opportunities for people across Greater Geelong to do this, as we once again stake our claim as the Christmas capital of Australia.

A host of family festivities have returned this year as part of our Christmas program, including the Giant Selfie Trail, free Santa Pet Photos, the Projections on City Hall, Letters to Santa, and the School Christmas Trees in Johnstone Park.

There is also Christmas Music and Storytelling with Granny Lee, and multiple festive morning teas at the Carousel with Santa.

For those looking to take part in their own activities or to find something to do with friends, there are masterclasses, markets and special Piano Bar Christmas events.

The active minded among our community have also got plenty of options during festive period, with golf, swimming, surfing and yoga on offer with a special Christmas twist.

Our program is well and truly under way, having been launched last month at the lighting of the Floating Christmas Tree.

The tree stands as a symbol of the Christmas season for our city, helping to bring together our community and fostering a sense of togetherness and joy across the region.

For those who missed the night, and for the 18,000 people who were in attendance, spectacular sound and light shows will be held every night at the tree through to Sunday, 7 January, 2024 commencing at 8.30pm and

City of Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan at last year’s Carols in the Park.

running until midnight.

Another one of the other great features of the Christmas season is the number of carols sessions that are held across the municipality.

On Saturday, the Denis Walter Carols By The Bay will return, which is always a hugely popular and well attended event along our waterfront.

Locally, the Ocean Grove Carols In The Park show is being held on Sunday, 10 December

from 7pm.

This has been such a fun night in the past and I expect this to be the case again this year.

Council is proud to be a major sponsor of Denis Walter Carols By The Bay and the Ocean Grove Carols In The Park, and I look forward to seeing people out in big numbers at both events.

For full details of our Christmas program, visit the Christmas in Geelong website.

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Ocean Grove’s Carols in the Park is coming back for another year of joyous music. (Ivan Kemp) 311653_40

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition comes to Geelong. (Mike Korostelev)

Museum to host wildlife

Carols in the Park is back

By Jena Carr Ocean Grove Park will break out in Christmas cheer once again with the return of Carols in the Park.

The musical event of the season will start at 7pm on Sunday, December 10, and feature performances from many solo and group carollers, along with food and drinks.

Artistic director Jon Mamonski OAM said he expected close to 3000 people to attend the carols and that he looked forward to seeing people singing their “heart out”.

“We do a printed programme that we circulate, and everyone gets a chance to sing, which is great,” he said.

The concert’s lineup includes Nick Adderson, Sally-Anne Cowdell, Jess Senftleben, Kristin Symes, Stellar music group, the Sweethearts, and the and only Santa Claus.

“We’ve got a 30-piece orchestra called the Carols Orchestra, the Geelong Harmony Choir and different solo artists,” Mr Mamonski said.

“All the primary schools are also involved, including Ocean Grove Primary, Surfside

Primary, and Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary.

“The Sweethearts are a terrific draw card because they’re very busy, international, and all over the world these days, so we’re delighted to have them.”

The event will also include local radio personality Mike Hyland as the master of ceremonies (MC). Entry is by cash donation, with all gate proceeds going towards Feed Me Bellarine.

Catch the annual Ocean Grove Carols in the Park from 7pm at Ocean Grove Park on Sunday, December 10.

The National Wool Museum will give the public the chance to see some of the year’s best wildlife photography from around the world when an internationally-renowned exhibition comes to Geelong.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum London, will be on display at the Geelong museum from December 8 until May 19 next year.

The National Wool Museum will be the only Victorian venue taking part in the exhibition’s world tour, which features stunning images of animals in their natural environment.

First launched in 1965 and attracting 361 entries, the competition has grown to become the most prestigious of its kind, now receiving more than 50,000 entries each year from around the globe.

National Wool Museum director Padraic Fisher said the exhibition was “right up there with the best” the museum had ever hosted.

Visit nwm.vic.gov.au for more information.

INTRODUCING

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BOOSTING FEE-FREE TAFE The Albanese Labor Government will deliver 300,000 more Fee-Free TAFE and VET places across Australia from 2024.

Committee members Fran, Jan, Leanne, Pam, Lea, Kerry and Margot.

Fee-Free TAFE offers a range of courses in industry sectors with skill shortages, including: Aged care, child care, health care and disability care IT Hospitality and Tourism Construction Agriculture Manufacturing

Scan the QR code to stay up to date with what’s happening in our region.

Celebrations for Evening VIEW Ocean Grove Evening VIEW celebrated the end of year Christmas dinner at 360Q with dinner, raffles and dancing to local band The Escarpments.

Marg Woodhouse was congratulated as outgoing national president of VIEW and was presented with flowers.

Marg has been an incredible example of what VIEW stands for. Her selfless dedication to the cause of improving the outcomes for less advantaged students through the Smith family has been inspirational.

The club also voted to sponsor two more students next year which will take it to 21 students that it has committed to financially support through their education. Anyone interested in joining OG Evening VIEW in the New Year, can contact secretary Jan.

Claire and Beverley.

VIEW national president Marg with Ocean Grove Evening VIEW president Lea.

Sandra, Steph, Suzy and Jan.

Deb and Lorraine.

Lyn, Evelyn, Jill and Angela.

Email Libby.Coker.MP@aph.gov.au Phone 03 5261 7683 Web libbycoker.com.au

@LibbyCokerMP

Authorised by Libby Coker, Australian Labor Party, 26/500-540 Torquay Road, Armstrong Creek VIC 3217

8 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

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Above: Cathy, Leanne and Helen.

Right: The Escarpments entertain the guests. (Pictures: Supplied)

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NEWS

Isabelle Tolhurst re-elected Borough of Queenscliffe mayor Isabelle Tolhurst and deputy mayor Ross Ebbels have been re-elected for another year.

The councillors were re-elected for their roles for the next 12 months during a council meeting on Wednesday, November 22.

Mayor Tolhurst said it would be another big year for the borough and thanked the community for being dedicated and engaged in their region.

“It has been a privilege to serve the

community and lead the councillor group as Mayor for 2023,” she said.

“It’s been a big and busy year managing the sudden absence early in the term of our CEO and rapidly appointing an acting leader.

“We have also been managing significant community engagement on several key policy and strategy items and have seen the departure of one councillor and the appointment of a new one.”

Mayor Tolhurst said she would remain open

and available to the public and represent the community.

“I am pleased to have instituted what I believe have been some process improvements internally that sought to make our decision making more effective, collaborative and productive,” she said. “This is a very dedicated group of councillors serving you who want the best for this community and work hard to make the remainder of the Council Plan a reality.

“We are better for listening, for collaborating.

650 blood donations and counting An Ocean Grove man has made his 650th blood and plasma donation with no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

Ken Baker makes regular donations every two weeks at the Geelong Blood Donar Centre and reached the donation milestone last week.

Mr Baker said he began donating blood when he was 18 and had wanted to donate since he was 13 when blood donors saved his life.

“It’s a habit...and just what I do,” he said.

“I was hit by a car as a youngster, and giving blood has always been my way to pay it back.

Somebody else as a blood donor saved me then.

‘‘

Virtual skylights a ray of sunshine University Hospital Geelong now features new virtual skylights in two of its radiation rooms thanks to a generous donation.

Barwon Health Foundation, an independent charity focused on supporting Barwon Health’s delivery of care, installed the two skylights in early November using $60,000 in funding from the Firefighters Charity Fund.

The skylights aim to create a visually pleasant space for cancer patients as they undergo radiation treatment.

While the radiation treatment rooms often referred to as bunkers – are highly functional, they look and feel like a clinical space. Projecting images of a bright blue sky framed by trees or cherry blossoms, the virtual skylights help promote a feeling of openness, calmness and connection to the outside.

The virtual skylights not only inspire positive feelings while patients undergo procedures in the radiation rooms, but also enhance relaxation and stillness, which allows for more targeted treatment and better outcomes. The idea for the skylights originated with the hospital’s radiotherapy team, who presented the concept to Barwon Health Foundation.

Acting executive director Francis Trainor said the foundation was very thankful for the support of the Firefighters Charity Fund.

“The Firefighters Charity Fund’s generous support will have immeasurable positive impact on the comfort and care of local cancer patients,” Mr Trainor said.

“The innovation of the virtual skylights can help lessen the anxiety of patients whilst attending appointments and make the clinical environment more pleasant while doing so.” Visit www. barwonhealthfoundation.org.au to learn more about how the foundation supports healthcare in Geelong.

Hopefully someone might see this and want to join the troops - Ken Baker

’’

“Hopefully someone might see this and want to join the troops and give some blood, plasma or whatever they can.”

Lifeblood spokesperson Stephanie Reynolds said Mr Baker was a “superhero” and that blood and plasma donations made a big difference to people in need.

“Plasma is a powerful part of blood that can be used in 18 different life-giving ways,” she said.

“These include creating medicines and treatments for medical conditions including cancer, liver disease and immune deficiencies.

“While 650 donations may not be possible for everyone, the good news is every single donation counts. We are so grateful for each and every donor.”

The Geelong Lifeblood Donor Centre is open seven days a week, and 1,200 additional donors are still needed in Geelong to keep up with the demand for blood and blood products.

For more information on donating blood or plasma and making an appointment, call 13 14 95, book online at lifeblood.com.au or visit the DonateBlood app.

Jena Carr

This is both a commitment council makes and an invitation to work with us.”

The borough also nominated councillors to portfolio responsibilities, with mayor Tolhurst assigned to the local economy category and deputy mayor Ebbels to heritage, planning and infrastructure.

Council assigned councillor Rob Minty to health and wellbeing, Cr Michael Grout to environment and Cr Donnie Grigau to governance and finance.

Ocean Grove’s Ken Baker has made his 650th blood and plasma donation. (Supplied)

Barwon Heads sewer pipeline upgrade Barwon Water is securing sewerage services for the Barwon Heads community.

We’re upgrading the existing sewer pipeline between the Barwon River and Barwon Heads pump station on the Geelong Road and Barwon Heads Road.

The construction works will take place from February 2024 and will be complete by late 2024. Works will take place adjacent to Village Park and west of the Sheepwash Road, Geelong Road and Golf Links Road intersection.

There will be some impacts as a result of the works, including altered traffic conditions. Barwon Water will keep the local community informed throughout the project.

This critical project is part of our ongoing commitment to providing high quality, secure and affordable water and sewerage services to the Barwon Heads community. To stay across the latest project updates, please scan the QR code.

1300 656 007 | projects@barwonwater.vic.gov.au www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au | 12653654-RR49-23

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ENTERTAINMENT

Stellar line-up for a lazy Sunday

By Matt Hewson Local band Seal Prince and the Roof Rats are going back to where it all began when they play the Barwon Club next weekend.

On Sunday, December 10 the five-piece folk-rock band will return, almost one year to the day later, to the venue where they launched their 11-track debut album Threads to Follow in 2022.

In addition to core members Lachie Chomley (vocals, acoustic guitar), Josh Docker (electric guitar, vocals), Georgie MacLucas (fiddle, vocals), Martin Cyster (bass) and Tom Allen (drums), the band will be joined by a three-piece horn section and four extra

Seal Prince and the Roof Rats. (Supplied)

vocalists for the celebratory gig.

Chomley, the band’s primary songwriter, said the band was excited to return to the iconic

Geelong bandroom.

“It’s a year to the weekend (since the album launch), so the idea was to get back together at the same venue and do it all again,” he said.

“We’ve got a couple of new songs people haven’t heard before that we’re doing with the big band. For this gig we’ve been rehearsing with four other singers and a brass section, which we’ve never done before. That’s pretty exciting.”

With a strong lyrical focus on connection, both to the land and other humans, Chomley said Seal Prince and the Roof Rats were all about engaging people to think about “where humans are at the moment, and how far from ideal that is”.

“It’s quite conversational; there’ll be stories about the meaning behind the songs and inviting people to connect with what each song means to them personally,” he said.

“There’s a strong message of empowering people to create the changes that they want to see in the world. “(But) our set is full of equal amounts of playfulness and seriousness. There will be many opportunities to dance!”

Seal Prince and the Roof Rats will be supported by the Bellarine’s own queen of the ukulele Sarah Carroll with one of Australia’s premier guitarists, Shannon Bourne, as well as local guitar phenom Finnigan August. Doors open at 5pm.

Robertson releases fourth Seasons EP Reliving their Ocean Grove songwriter Andrea Robertson will launch her fourth and final Seasons EP just as summer hits.

Including a trio of funky, bluesy tunes, Seasons Volume 4 follows on from Robertson’s three earlier seasonal releases this year, bringing the project full circle.

While the Seasons EPs are available for streaming and digital purchase, Robertson recently conducted a successful Pozible campaign to fund the release of all four releases on vinyl, also doing a short run of CDs for those who prefer their music in that format.

The EP features an impressive lineup of artists including David (drums) and Heath Robertson (guitar), Russell Abram (bass), Jack Meredith (harmonica), Robert Calvert (sax) and Rex Foord (trombone).

Robertson said recording the quartet of independently released and self-funded EPs over the year had allowed her to push herself musically.

“With each release I feel like I’ve grown and stretched myself as an artist, and that’s exactly how it should be,” she said.

“There’s an honesty and openness to the songwriting in some of these songs that perhaps goes deeper than I’ve previously allowed myself to go.

“Some songs are quite emotive, there is a real rawness and vulnerability about them. But I have intentionally tried to balance this out with some light-hearted tracks, for myself as well as for listeners” Robertson said she plans to tour and promote the album throughout regional Victoria and interstate in early 2024.

Andrea Robertson launches Seasons Volume 4 on Friday, December 8 at BrewiColo Brewing Co. Visit www.trybooking.com/cmrtp for tickets and more information.

beginnings One of Australia’s most authentic 50s and 60s rock ‘n’ roll shows comes to Geelong Arts Centre (GAC) this month.

Internationally renowned vocal trio The Williams Brothers, backed by their band The Shy Guys, bring their show Twist & Shout, to the GAC on Friday, December 15.

Sons of pioneering Australian rock ’n’ roller Warren Williams, the three brothers Warren Jr, Darren and Andrew Williams, will perform number one hits from legendary artists such as Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Johnny O’Keefe, The Beatles, The Monkees and The Bee Gees. Warren said the three siblings shared a special musical synergy born from a lifetime of singing together.

“Our dad was one of the stars of Bandstand here in the 50s and 60s, and we all started singing as kids together,” he said. “We all sang as teenagers together, performed in our own different bands, teamed up together for other things, so it’s been a lifelong thing. You hear of other brothers in showbiz who fight and argue all the time, but we’ve never gone through that. We get on very well together, which is great. here’s a real chemistry about singing with your brothers. We’ve got similar voices in a way, but they’re also very different and the harmonies just work really well.”

A celebration of classic songs, Twist & Shout also looks at the relationship the brothers have to the music they were influenced by at the very beginning of their musical journeys.

Matt Hewson

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Andrea Robertson. (Supplied)

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MY BELLARINE Tina and Ian Jenkins and Ted and Jan Heriot volunteer with Queenscliff charity Cottage by the Sea, looking to enhance the lives of children through fun holiday opportunities. The four volunteers speak with Voice’s Jena Carr about what they like about living in the Bellarine. other organisations I am involved with as a volunteer,” Jan said.

What is your connection to Queenscliff and the surrounding area?

“After working in the pharmacy at Queenscliff and recently retiring in September, I became part of the community and experienced the spirit of the town,” Tina said.

“Retiring eight years ago, I have got to know Queenscliff and the Bellarine area now having more time to explore,” Ian said.

“We (Ted and Jan) bought a house in Clifton Springs in 1989 and until we retired, this was our holiday house,” Ted said.

What is something people may not know about you?

“I worked as a trained theatre nurse for 47 years,” Jan said.

“I started my working life as an electrician, but I hated working on the tall buildings.

Very quickly, I began working at the RACV in the finance department,” Ted said.

“I’m a bookworm and enjoy reading several books at once,” Ian said.

“Until I was married, I had never lived in a house as my parents had hotels which were our family home,” Tina said.

What do you like about where you live?

“Being on the Bellarine in Drysdale, both Ian and I love the sounds of the steam trains, the numerous seaside towns to visit, the wineries, farm gate, and walking the Rail Trail,” Tina said.

“The pace of life on the Bellarine Peninsula is nowhere as busy as Melbourne and in no time, we made many friends in the area,” Ted said.

“There are many lovely drives around the waterfront, and we have made many friends since living here,” Jan said.

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

When asked, the four volunteers said there was “nothing” they would change about where they lived as it had everything they needed.

Where is your favourite place to spend time?

“We both (Tina and Ian) enjoy time with

Cottage by the Sea volunteers Ted Heriot, left, with Tina and Ian Jenkins. (Ivan Kemp) 374551_06

friends, especially going out for a coffee and a chat and sometimes a picnic overlooking the water on a perfect day,” Tina said.

“Over the past 23 years, I have spent quite a

bit of time involved in the Geelong Car Club and both Jan and I really enjoy Queenscliff and the surrounding roads,” Ted said.

“We both love the MG Car Club and all the

What do you like about your role with Cottage by the Sea, and how did you get involved with them?

“I am a member of the VIEW Club, and we were invited to join Cottage as a volunteer about 15 years ago,” Jan said.

“Two ladies had a stint in hospital and Jan asked me to help out for a short time, but little was I to know that this was going to be a long time,” Ted said.

“I love being a small part of a big and wonderful volunteer group, and seeing the happiness and joy brought to the children is very rewarding indeed,” Tina said.

“The day I retired from work; I was asked what I was going to do on the Monday when everyone else was going to work. My wife told me that I was volunteering at Cottage by the Sea,” Ian said.

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FRIDAY FEATURE OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

Robin Brockett has been inducted into the Wine Geelong Hall of Fame. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 374643

Robin Brockett’s a hall of famer Scotchmans Hill chief winemaker Robin Brockett, 62, was inducted into the Wine Geelong Hall of Fame. Jena Carr speaks with the Drysdale man about his 35-year winemaking journey, which took him from his birthplace in New Zealand to the Bellarine Peninsula.

When Robin Brockett was a teenager living in New Zealand, the wine industry was still a young and emerging culture.

Robin first got introduced to winemaking through his mother, who used to make homemade wine, and the industry has had a hold on him ever since.

“I used to help her with making all that and never did I think I’d end up being a wine maker, when I was 13 or 14 making fruit wines with my mother,” he said.

“I started going to an agricultural college studying agricultural finance, and I thought I’d end up working in a bank or something like that.

“After I did one year of the course, I had to do a year practical as part of the degree, and I went and worked on the first vineyard winery in Canterbury, where I’m from in Christchurch.”

After a scholarship led Robin to study at New South Wales’ Charles Sturt University, he moved to Victoria and started working at Scotchmans Hill Winery in 1988.

“When I first came here, there were only three vineyards on the Bellarine Peninsula and no wineries,” he said.

“It’s quite a young industry, and younger people probably think there’s always been vineyards and wineries.

“Wine wasn’t really part of the culture in the 70s or 80s around New Zealand or Australia. It really started to grow in the 80s and boomed in the 90s to where we are today.

“It was more pioneering, and today’s industry is close to four to five times bigger than it was 40 to 50 years ago.

“It’s been a dramatic development in the industry...and it’s something that really boomed through the 90s and 2000s. It looks very different today to what it did back then.”

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For 35 years, the 62-year-old chief winemaker has seen the Drysdale winery grow from a small vineyard to a business producing great wines surrounded by a growing industry.

“I thought I’d be here two or three years and 35 years later, I’m still here,” he said.

“When I started here, the vineyards, even though they were young, hadn’t been that well looked after.

“I managed to get those up and going, and then in the 1990s, I started making the wines here at Scotchmans Hill.

“I’ve also had a lot to do with other wineries in the region as a lot of people I have worked with over the years work in other places now.

It’s a strong family feeling between all of them.

“If some of the wineries do very well, it helps enhance the reputation of the whole region and helps grow people’s perception.

“There’s no point us making great wine if nobody else does. We’re all competitors, but the better we all do, the better it is for everybody.”

At this year’s Geelong Wine Show annual awards dinner on Friday, November 17, Robin received the honour of being inducted into the Wine Geelong Hall of Fame.

As part of the induction, he will have his name added to the hand-carved honour board on display at the Geelong Cellar Door on Little Malop Street.

“It’s a great privilege and something that’s not given out very often. There’s only been a handful of people that it has occurred too,” he said.

“It’s not every year that someone locally gets that, so it’s something I’m very proud of...and it’s a real recognition of having a part in the development of the industry over the last 30-40 years.

“I have been a part of the progression and

‘‘

Today’s industry is close to four to five times bigger than it was 40 to 50 years ago - Robin Brockett

’’

development of the industry and have had quite a bit to do with quite a few of the others in the region over that period.

“The industry has really changed a lot to a degree from where I started at the grassroots, and I think I’ve been able to help progress that through to where the industry is today.”

Robin said one of his favourite parts about making wine was seeing people enjoy what he made, and people using the wines for special occasions.

When he isn’t making wine, he said he loved riding the rail trail from Drysdale to Queenscliff and spending time with family.

“I enjoy seeing the change of seasons, getting out in the garden and, I’ve got a couple of

grandkids now, so spending time with them and family, that’s what I enjoy the most,” he said.

“Most winemakers think they’ve got the best job in the world. You get to have a lot of fun and travel, but it’s a lot of hard work as well.

“Every year is different as well. We have great years and good years, but because it’s farming, you’re at the mercy of the weather.

“In the last few years, we’ve had a really good run with the quality of wines, but the wines are getting better and better out of this region.

“I’m getting better as I get older... and I don’t see myself retiring as I enjoy what I do too much. I’ve worked with a lot of great people, and that’s probably the most enjoyable thing.”

OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

ENVIRONMENT

Australasian hobbies flying high I haven’t had to travel far from home to see my ‘raptor of the day’ lately, as somewhere in Ocean Grove are a pair of Australian hobbies.

I first noticed them when I was walking my trusty canine, Ted, and when I walked past a house there were two sulphur-crested cockatoos squawking loudly.

On closer inspection they were swooping and calling as there was a hobby on a high TV aerial, that was also vocal and intermittently flying around the area. Since then, I’ve walked past that house most days and spotted another hobby plus a large nest in the area. I’m not sure if they are currently nesting, or just hanging around the area.

I’ve seen them devour a few common blackbirds and noisy miners. I wondered if the owner of the house was aware of the presence of the raptors on her roof, and one day she saw me taking photos. I discovered that she was really excited to have the birds hanging around her house and had even named the female (the larger hobby) Hilda. We decided that the smaller male bird could be named Harry, so Harry and Hilda are indeed loved and admired.

I had a lovely trip to the Mornington Peninsula where I was lucky to see a pod of dolphins not far from Queenscliff, and also many Australasian gannets that roost at Pope’s Eye. The gannets were very active which was great as they certainly are beautiful birds.

I walked around Blue Waters Lake in

Jen’s Australasian gannet. Right: John’s magpie-lark at Leopold (top); Jen’s Australasian hobby at Ocean Grove.

Ocean Grove, which is already affected by blue-green algae. It’s important that bread is not offered to waterfowl as food, as it’s not part of their normal diet, plus it contributes to the blue-green algae issue.

I received an email from Karen, who was riding her bike from Ocean Grove to Point Lonsdale when she saw a deceased bird that looked unusual in colour. She later identified the bird as a painted buttonquail. These birds hide in forests that have leaf litter on the ground.

I received an email from John in Leopold.

There is a whistling kite nest near his property that has two nearly fully grown hatchlings in the nest. John observed that the nest showed

“characteristic bits of plastic rubbish at edge which indicates nesting activity”.

John’s photos of the nest were taken from around 150 metres away, but he said the whistling kites would turn to John’s direction when he was photographing them, which indicated that they were aware of their surroundings. It’s great that John kept his distance and did not disturb the birds.

John also sent some photos of a pair of magpie-larks nesting in Leopold. These birds have adapted to many environments in Australia including urban areas. They construct a mud nest, which can be seen in John’s photo. Female magpie-larks have a white throat and males have black throats and

black eye-stripes, so the bird in John’s photo is a female bird. John also observed a black kite on his property with a common myna in its talons, which surprised me as these birds as so hardy and wary, but in the big scheme of things was not such a bad thing, as they are introduced birds that are expanding their range and taking over hollows used by native creatures.

I also received an email from Carole, who was at Mungo National Park where she sat around water holes at dusk and enjoyed seeing the setting sun bathe the earth orange and red but also seeing the birds (budgies, pink cockatoos and Mulga parrots) plus other wildlife come in to drink.

Order now on www.aussietoysonline.com.au 12645824-MS44-23

Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 13

COMMUNITY OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

Music festival a huge success Our photographer Ivan Kemp was at the Queenscliff Music Festival on the weekend and snapped these terrific photos.

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1/ Gab Volpe, Amy Mannix and Harriet Bingham with children Aurora, Autumn and Finlay. 2/ Steph, Katie and Sally Simpson. 3/ Frank Sultana. 4/ Lily Petterwood – The Sweethearts.

5/ Shoshanna Slattery with children Frankie and Lemmie. 6/ Erica Oro and children Nino and Romero. 7/ Rachel Hobbs – Operation Karma. 8/ Sam Beckett and Montana Slabik.

9/ Xenna Sheedy – The Sweethearts. 10/ The Bebop Circus attracted a lot of children. 11/ Laura Hobbs – Operation Karma. 12/ Jennifer and Alison Hill. 13/ Heide and Evie practice their juggling. 14/ Felipe Baldomir. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 375332 14 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

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CELEBRATING SENIORS

Socialising and visiting neighbours is fun at Lifestyle Communities.

Unlimited opportunities for your dream lifestyle At Lifestyle Communities we believe in life without restrictions.

One with the freedom to do the things you love, and the confidence to be whoever you want to be.

Where every new day is a fresh opportunity.

It’s a philosophy that rings true, in our best-in-class homes and clubhouses. Whether you’re working, semi-retired or retired, come and join a community where Life is Unlimited.

Join in on pickleball, croquet, yoga, arts and crafts, woodworking, bowls and swimming.

There are also happy hours, guest speakers, musical entertainment and much more.

Plus, you’ll have loads of new friends to enjoy all of this with and a beautiful home to live in. The community is thoughtfully planned and designed making it easy to get around and enjoy.

Lifestyle Communities promotes a lifestyle

that emphasises freedom. The choice to do your thing, your way. Live independently whilst also enjoying a vibrant social life and a variety of recreational activities.

Buying a home at Lifestyle Communities means embracing a life where your horizons are boundless. With a host of activities and an abundance of new friendships waiting for you, your days will be filled with excitement and companionship.

Here, you are not just living, you are thriving, and it’s a testament to the limitless possibilities of a life unencumbered by restrictions.

Come and experience the freedom to be you, every day, in your new home at Lifestyle Communities.

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Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 15

12646185-JB44-23

CELEBRATING SENIORS

Where there’s a will, there’s a way to do it right

Just Better Care managing director Marianne Deans is a Geelong local and registered nurse.

(Supplied)

When do I need a Will?

If you are asking yourself this question, the chances are, you already need a Will.

It can be a daunting process. KG Lawyers understands that each client is unique and provides tailored solutions for your estate now and in the future.

A well-executed Will can help avoid confusion and conflict among your loved ones and ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Just as a will directs your wishes for the distribution of your assets after your death, an enduring power of attorney allows you to appoint a trusted individual to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

Consulting a lawyer ensures your Will and Enduring Power of Attorney are valid, enforceable, and tailored to your specific needs. It will give you peace of mind knowing that your affairs are in good hands.

KG Lawyers has extensive experience and expertise and can guide clients through the preparation of Wills, Powers of Attorney and to navigate the complexities of estate planning with confidence.

Specialist home care Just Better Care is Geelong’s specialist home aged care support provider.

Managing director Marianne Deans, a Geelong local and registered nurse, has a passion for providing exceptional personalised care and supporting people to maintain their independence in the community.

laundry, meal preparation, transport, respite, overnight support as well as dementia care, palliative, and post hospital support.

How are services paid for?

Services can be paid for privately or subsidised through a government funded Home Care Package. The experienced team works with you to build a tailored care plan just for you.

Why just better care?

KG Lawyers invites you to visit our website at kglawyers.com.au to use its estate planning tool, or call the office 5253 1238 so the team may assist you.

“We love what we do and we believe in people’s right to have choice and control about how they live their life,” says Marianne.

Support available Community support workers and nurses can provide a range of support services in the home such as personal care, cleaning,

Holly Walden-Mills and Luke Griffin are part of the KG Lawyers team. (Supplied)

WILLS & POWER OF ATTORNEY

How do I get started?

Call the friendly local team at Just Better Care today on 03 5222 1518 or email mailge@ justbettercare.com. For more information go to justbettercare.com/Geelong We are moving. From December 1 you can drop in to the office at Level 1, 114a Mt Pleasant Road, Belmont.

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KEEP IT LOCAL

Advertising feature

Bellarine Eyecare celebrating change

Above: Jo Scott, Maria Economou, Matt Wilson, Greg Sly and Kate Cuddy from Bellarine Eyecare.

Right: Greg Sly is retiring after almost 37 years in the field of optometry. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 376410

bifocals or multifocals, customers get an extra pair at no cost (terms and conditions apply).

This promotion is an opportunity to enhance your eyewear collections and share clear vision with others.

Greg Sly’s retirement signifies the end of an era, yet it proclaims a new chapter for

Bellarine Eyecare.

His legacy will endure under the skilful Bellarine Eyecare team, ensuring a continued commitment to exceptional eye care and community service. The values instilled

by Greg Sly will resonate within Bellarine Eyecare for years to come.

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After nearly 37 years in the field, Ocean Grove optometrist Greg Sly is set to retire at the end of December.

His longstanding commitment to the coastal community of Ocean Grove is a testament to his dedication.

In 1987, Greg established Greg Sly Optometry, forging a connection with the community. Over the years, he led the practice to excellence.

Four years ago the business transitioned to new ownership under Matt Wilson, an experienced optical technician. The practice was rebranded as Bellarine Eyecare.

Bellarine Eyecare is now a hub for exceptional eye care, featuring the expertise of optometrist Maria Economou.

The team includes longstanding members Jo Scott and Kate Cuddy, along with recent additions Danna O’Neill and Matt.

Bellarine Eyecare will welcome its new optometrist Danielle Adams in January 2024. Together, they seamlessly contribute to Bellarine Eyecare.

Greg, having observed Ocean Grove’s transformation, believes it remains an idyllic locale.

His time saw progress in optometry, with a commitment to staying at the forefront of technology.

Since his graduation in 1980, Greg ensured the practice embraced progress.

As Greg passes the baton to Matt and the Bellarine Eyecare team, he does so with pleasure. He trusts the team to continue the legacy of exceptional eye care.

Greg expressed gratitude to his loyal patients, integral to his fulfilling journey.

To mark this transition and thank its valued customers, Bellarine Eyecare is offering a special promotion: a 2-for-1 deal on all eyewear purchases. Whether single-vision,

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Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 19

DINING OUT

Advertising feature

Be merry and let someone else wash up Dining out for Christmas has become increasingly popular for several reasons, reflecting changing lifestyles, societal shifts, and evolving attitudes toward the holiday season. Here are some factors contributing to the rising popularity of dining out during Christmas: Convenience and Time-Saving: The holiday season is often a busy time with preparations, shopping, and festivities. Many individuals and families find it more convenient to dine out for Christmas, saving time that would otherwise be spent planning, cooking, and cleaning up after a festive meal. Restaurants provide a hassle-free option, allowing people to enjoy the holiday without the stress of extensive meal preparation.

Culinary Variety and Expertise: Restaurants often offer diverse and expertly crafted holiday menus that go beyond what the average home cook might prepare. This appeals to those who want to experience unique flavors, special holiday dishes, and culinary expertise. Many restaurants take pride in creating festive menus that showcase creativity and showcase the best of their culinary skills.

Reduced Stress and Responsibilities: Hosting a Christmas gathering at home involves

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extensive planning, preparation, and cleanup.

For those who want to minimize stress and enjoy a more relaxed holiday experience, dining out provides a welcome alternative.

It eliminates the need for grocery shopping, cooking, and the post-meal cleanup, allowing individuals to focus on the joy of the season.

time with loved ones without the burden of kitchen duties.

Social Aspect and Shared Experience: Dining out during Christmas provides a social experience that goes beyond the confines of home. People appreciate the festive ambiance, the opportunity to dress up, and the shared experience of enjoying a special meal together.

Restaurants often go to great lengths to create a warm and inviting atmosphere during the holiday season.

offers a plethora of options to accommodate various tastes and dietary needs. Whether someone prefers a traditional Christmas feast, a vegetarian spread, or international cuisine, restaurants can cater to diverse preferences.

Availability of Options for Different Preferences: With an increasing focus on dietary preferences and restrictions, dining out

In conclusion, the growing popularity of dining out for Christmas can be attributed to a combination of convenience, changing family dynamics, culinary variety, reduced stress, and a desire for a modern and shared festive experience. As this trend continues, restaurants are likely to adapt and enhance their offerings to meet the evolving preferences of patrons during the holiday season.

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Embracing a Modern Lifestyle: Modern lifestyles often involve a fast-paced environment, long work hours, and a desire for convenience. Dining out aligns with this lifestyle by offering a quick and easy way to celebrate special occasions without the time and effort required for home cooking. Many people see it as an opportunity to enjoy quality

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Changing Family Dynamics: Traditional family structures have evolved over the years, with more people living in different cities or countries from their immediate families.

This geographical dispersion can make it challenging for everyone to gather at one location for a home-cooked Christmas meal.

Dining out provides a solution, allowing individuals and smaller family units to come together in a neutral, festive environment.

DINING OUT

Advertising feature

Nutty Toast Toppers These natty nutty recipes are the perfect way to use up that sourdough you’ve been making in lockdown while staying healthy. Perfect for a weekend breakfast or afternoon snack, these nutty toast toppers will be ready in a minute.

Nutty Toast Toppers 4-ways 5 minutes 4 (1 per slice) 15-20g (per slice) 4 slices sourdough bread, toasted 1. Macadamia & Berries 20g unsalted macadamias, toasted and chopped 1/2 cup fresh or thawed mixed berries, mashed 1 Tbsp goat cheese Honey & cinnamon, optional 2. Hazelnut & Beetroot 15g hazelnuts, roughly chopped 1 Tbsp feta, crumbled 2 Tbsp beetroot hummus Black pepper, to taste 3. Pine Nut & Mushroom 15g pine nuts (1 Tbsp), toasted 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 tsp olive oil 1 sprig fresh thyme Pinch salt 1 Tbsp green pesto 4. Almond & Green Pea 15g almonds, chopped 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp cream cheese or Greek Yoghurt

1/ Spread goat cheese over one slice of toast, top with berries and macadamias.

Drizzle with a touch of honey and sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish.

2/ Spread beetroot hummus over another slice of toast. Top with feta, hazelnuts and a crack of black pepper.

3/ Drizzle olive oil into a skillet over medium heat, add mushrooms, salt, and half the thyme leaves. Sautee 5 minutes until tender, stir through remaining thyme leaves. Spread pesto over a slice of toast. Top with mushrooms and pine nuts.

4/ Spread final slice of toast with cream cheese. Lightly smash thawed peas with a fork and stir through lemon juice.

Spoon peas over cream cheese and top with almonds.

•฀฀Replace฀sourdough฀with฀gluten฀free฀ bread or crackers of your choice for a gluten free option.

•฀฀Each฀list฀of฀ingredients฀tops฀a฀single฀ slice of toast, multiply as desired for additional servings.

Recipe and photography by Jennifer Jenner, for Nuts for Life.

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

easy

2

5 9 4 3 1 3 7 1 6 2 9 3 2 4 6 7 5 8 3 2 4 5 1 9 5 3 6 7 9 4 medium

8 2 3 4 9 2 3 6 3 2 2 4 6 9 1 6 9 7 2 8 5 3 4 8 9 6 2 1 6 8

QUICK CROSSWORD

Defeat (9) External forms of something (6) Copies data (9) Pink, wriggly creature that lives in soil (9) Express regrets (9) Official collection of data on a population (6) Jail (6) Machine for shaping wood (5) Fad (5) Pacifier (5)

8 10

ACROSS Plague insect (6) Coffee (8) Open shoes (7) Engine (7) Direction (11) Hormonal disease (8) Circumvent (5) H2O (5) Valuable hand-me-down (8) Keyboard instrument (11) Creates (7) Athletic ground (7) Extremely hot (8) Cure (6)

1 4 9 11 12 13 15 18 19 22 25 26 27 28

No. 161

13 14 16 17 20 21 23 24

DOWN Looped rope (5) Close friend (9) Country (5) Apex (6) Storyteller (9) Seasoning (5)

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DECODER

No. 161

hard

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Today’s Aim: 17 words: Good 25 words: Very good

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Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

* ( < 6 ( 5 6

ARENA CANON CELLO COCOA COMAS CORDS DENIM DOUSE DRONE ELUDE ENTER IDEAL INCUR ITEMS MEDAL MELTS NAVEL NOVEL OKING PACED

4 LETTERS DAIS DASH DISC EYES HATS SICS STEP STOW TSAR WRAP 5 LETTERS ABIDE ACIDS ADULT ALIBI AORTA AREAS

QUICK QUIZ

1

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NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

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No. 161

H E S S O R T A A R E S

A

3 LETTERS ACE ALL APT ARE ASH ASK BAD BAN CAR CAT DNA EBB END GNP HIM ODE RUE TNT TOO USE WOK YEN PASSE PAVED RISEN ROSES SAGAS SCABS SELLS SENSE SLABS SLEWS SMEAR STEAM SWATS TONNE TRADE TREAT TURNS UNCUT URGES WADED

INGRAIN PATTERN VERSING

WASTE WATER 6 LETTERS ACUMEN CEASES NEARER RIGOUR SCORER SNIPES 7 LETTERS DIARIES GEYSERS GIRDERS

8 LETTERS ALLERGIC AROMATIC VENERATE VETERANS 10 LETTERS PRECEDENTS ROTISSERIE

01-12-23

A

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No. 161

condense, CONDENSED, cone, coned, cones, conned, cons, dense, descend, done, donee, donned, dons, encode, encoded, encodes, ended, ends, need, needs, neon, node, nonce, none, nose, nosed, once, scene, scone, second, seconded, seen, send, sodden

2 4 3 9 5 6 8 7 1 8 1 9 3 4 7 2 5 6 7 6 5 2 8 1 4 3 9 3 9 4 7 6 8 1 2 5 6 8 1 5 3 2 7 9 4 5 7 2 4 1 9 3 6 8 4 3 7 8 9 5 6 1 2 9 2 6 1 7 4 5 8 3 1 5 8 6 2 3 9 4 7

S

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C A C

8 1 3 2 4 6 5 9 7 6 2 7 8 9 5 4 3 1 9 4 5 3 7 1 6 8 2 7 6 1 9 5 8 3 2 4 3 9 2 4 6 7 8 1 5 4 5 8 1 2 3 9 7 6 2 8 4 5 1 9 7 6 3 5 3 6 7 8 2 1 4 9 1 7 9 6 3 4 2 5 8

5 1 8 6 2 9 4 7 3 4 9 2 3 7 1 5 8 6 6 3 7 8 4 5 2 9 1 2 4 3 5 8 6 7 1 9 7 8 1 9 3 2 6 4 5 9 5 6 7 1 4 3 2 8 8 6 5 2 9 7 1 3 4 3 7 4 1 5 8 9 6 2 1 2 9 4 6 3 8 5 7

E

1

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Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

D

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once.

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

34 words: Excellent

hard

R

21

medium

O

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9-LETTER WORD

4

easy

O

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S U 19

1 5

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18

5

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4 8

4

5x5

4

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

3

9 2 1 5 8 2

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XQ T J D K A R H L Y Z G

3 6

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E P O F I N V WM B C S U

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WORDFIT

4 5

Pedro Pascal (pictured) and Bella Ramsey star in which TV series adapted from a video game?

What are the two ingredients that form the Italian cheese burrata?

Who is the captain of the Port Adelaide Football Club?

Which radio station hosts the annual Hottest 100?

Who won the 2022 Australian Open Men’s singles title?

What is the heaviest bird in Australia, weighing up to 76 kilograms?

7 The Great Sphinx of Giza has the head of a human and the body of a what?

8 Who plays Saul Goodman in the TV series Breaking Bad? 9 For which US state did Kamala Harris serve as attorney general?

10 In which year was the luxury sunglasses company Ray Bans first released?

6

ANSWERS: 1. The Last of Us 2. Mozzarella and cream 3. Tom Jonas 4. Triple J 5. Rafael Nadal 6. The cassowary 7. A lion 8. Bob Odenkirk 9. California 10. 1937

No. 161

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SUDOKU

Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 23

NEWS OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

FROM THE ARCHIVES Ocean Grove Voice looks back through the pages of our predecessors

6 years ago

4 years ago

2 years ago

1 year ago

December 6 to 19, 2017

December 4 to 17, 2019

December 3 to 16 , 2021

December 2 to 15, 2022

A concern over limited car parking for the Wonderland Spiegeltent in Barwon Heads this summer has prompted Barwon Coast to remind event goers of alternatives.

The Spiegeltent will set up on the foreshore at Lahey Square, near the bridge, from Boxing Day to 28 January.

Ocean Grove Community Association (OGCA)is concerned that some developers and landowners are seeking to change the town’s settlement boundary.

The association said “enough is enough“ andsupports City of Greater Geelong’s amendmentC395 that the boundary remains unchanged.

Ocean Grove and Inverleigh were forced to split the points in their Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade round three match after a bizarre scoring blunder that resulted in days of speculation about the final result.

Ocean Grove thought it had won the game by one run with three deliveries remaining and three wickets in hand.

A Newtown couple is in limbo after missing Epworth Hospital’s maternity department closure cut-off date by days.

The hospital announced this week that it would stop taking new maternity bookings due to staff shortages and there are fears the department could close its doors altogether on March 1 next year.

COMMUNITY OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

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

Ocean Grove Day VIEW

Carpet bowls

Drysdale Day VIEW

Rotary market raffle winners drawn November 5: 1st prize: Retreat Yourself Box & Bottle wine – Anne O’Flynn, Queenscliff; 2nd: table runner & bottle – Darcie Armstrong-Roe, Ocean Grove; 3rd: voucher Utopia Hair Salon & bottle of wine – Mary.

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

■ 0400 500 402

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

■ Margaret, 0431 636 090

Scottish country dancing classes

Bellarine Women’s Workshop Final workshop Thursday December 7, 10am-1pm: Christmas break up.

Portarlington Girl Guides Hall. Meets every second Thursday, and second Saturday of the month.

■ Facebook: Bellarine Women’s Workshop for further details Leopold CAE book club meets second Tuesday each month from 6.30pm. Very friendly group. New members welcome.

■ Shirley, 0488 055 969

(iStock)

Book club

Chess clubs

Ocean Grove Senior Citizens

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

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

101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove Weekly Tuesday: snooker 1pm, chess, indoor bowls 1.15pm. Wednesday: bingo 1.15pm, ukulele class 2pm, chord chord jam session 4pm. Thursday: snooker 1pm, cards 500, social afternoons 1.15pm.

Friday: art classes 9am.

Fortnightly CWA 1st & 2nd Thursday 7.30pm Monthly Stamp club 4th Wednesday 10am, inhouse Movies 3rd Wednesday 1.30pm.

■ Dianne, 5255 1372

24 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

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

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

Ocean Grove Evening VIEW

Cards

Ocean Grove on Barwon Probus

Ocean Grove Seniors play card game 500 every Thursday at 1.15pm. If you are new to the game a quick lesson will get you in play. The core group of six players adjust to any number and you will enjoy the friendship of like-minded players.

Cost: $20 annually and coffee included.

At 102 The Terrace, Ocean Grove.

■ Lyn, 5256 2540

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

■ gwen.anne.james@gmail.com

TOWN club

Afternoon tea dance

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

■ Bev, 0421 636 830

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

■ 5251 3529

Ocean Grove Day VIEW Meets second Wednesday of the month, 10.30am for 11am.

■ oceangroveday.viewclub@gmail.com

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

■ 0428 546 796

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

■ Lorraine, 0412 805 858

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

■ Jenni, 0452 258 333

OCEANGROVEVOICE.COM.AU

COMMUNITY

2

1

$100k raised for Movember From humble beginnings with a few ‘blokes’ having lunch at a pub, the 18th annual Movember ‘Gentlemen of Geelong’ Lunch was held at Flyign Brick Cider House, Wallington on Friday November 24.

More than 200 hairy lads attending, the event raised $100,000, easily eclipsing last year’s $60,000.

All funds raised go to the boy’s 2024 selected charities which historically have included the National Centre for Farmer Health, Lifeline, Movember Foundation, Australian Prostate Centre, Barwon Health, Beyond Blue, RUOK, Aussie Helpers and International Association for Suicide Prevention.

Former Collingwood player and coach Nathan Buckley was guest speaker and radio personality Ian Cover was MC. Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was there to take photos.

4

3

5

8

6

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7

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1/ Mick Kramer, Ian Cover, Nathan Buckley, Andrew Morrison, David Sharp and Greg Cracknell. 2/ Peter Maxwell, Adam Forehan and Elliott Stow. 3/ Ian Begley, Brian Martella, Jon Grant, Steve Collier and Kevin Murphy. 4/ Max Hardwick, Josh Kiss and Darcy Kiss. 5/ Peter Duffield, Jamie Freeman and Peter Kirby. 6/ Ian Perrett, Greg Perrett, Colin McCahon and Paul Lardner. 7/ Peter Sharp, David Kininmonth and Cameron Slorach. 8/ Aidan Bell, Doug Showell, Campbell Nelson and Michael Donnan. 9/ Simon Kelleher and Sam Whiting. 10/ Simon Pritchard, Rhys Stanley, Vinny Job and Mick Fitzgerald. 11/ One of the performance cars on display. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 375600 Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 25

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26 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

MOTOR

X-Trail roots in ‘enemy territory’

By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring In one of the most competitive segments of the automobile industry one company has called on rivals for one of its most important products. Nissan has put together its fourth generation X-Trail with parts from the Mitsubishi Outlander on a Nissan-Renault Alliance CMC-F platform.

Weighing in with six petrol-powered variants in front or all-wheel drive – there are two e-Power hybrid electric vehicles on the horizon – the bitser takes on the task of making up ground on well-established rivals such as Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson.

The new X-Trail comes with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in front-wheel drive, or optional Intelligent 4x4, with all four grades – ST, ST-L, Ti and Ti-L, with a mix of five or seven seats – fitted with an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission.

Well-equipped from the entry-level ST front-wheel drive at $36,750, plus on-road costs, to the range-leading Ti-L AWD, $52,990, on test was the ST-L AWD 7 seat priced at $46,290.

All X-Trails are covered by Nissan’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance over the same period. Service packages are available.

Styling Nissan says the new CMF-C platform, from its alliance with Renault, allows for 27 per cent greater torsional stiffness than before, while the use of ultra high-tensile steel in the body has almost doubled over the old car.

Weight savings have been found by using composite material for the rear tailgate, and aluminium for the front and rear doors, front fenders, and bonnet.

The test car paint job turned out to be something of a work of art, the basic white with black highlights really holding the redesigned rear together, giving the vehicle a unique, sharper look than before.

The signature V-Motion grille and double-decker headlamps add to the Nissan(ness) of the MY23 model, while two-tone body colours – white and black here – make their Nissan debut. The ST-L rolls on 18-inch alloy wheels.

Interior A spacious cabin is versatile, with sliding second row seats to allow for passable access to the optional third row, maximising seating for up to seven. Rear doors open wide, allowing ease of loading.

Despite retaining the same 2705mm wheelbase as the previous X-Trail, there’s more space in the second row, with generous leg and knee room. There’s no skimping on headroom. The big let-down, however, is the lack of legroom in a third row only suitable to take children.

Synthetic leather seats, heated at the front, include power-adjustable driver’s seat.

There’s dual-zone climate control, 360-degree parking camera view, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and leather-accented steering wheel.

Inside, the vehicle is dominated by black surrounds.

However, brown inserts scattered around the cabin, plus white contrasting stitching surprisingly give the gloom a lift.

Storage includes generous cup holders up front, room for big bottles in the doors and a huge central bin. Under the console is another large tray.

The boot floor is split into two removable panels that lift and slot in vertically to separate and hide items. It also includes limited under-floor storage for slimmer items. The X-Trail has a temporary spare wheel.

Infotainment The ST-L is fitted with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and AM, FM and DAB+ digital radio.

The new Nissan X-Trail puts on a face to challenge any of its mid-size SUV opponents. (Pictures: Supplied)

There’s a USB-A and C port up front – two more USB ports (one USB-C and one USB-A) in the back – and a wireless charger.

One blessing is the air-conditioning controls are left out of the touchscreen, instead in the form of a row of dials and buttons that are easy to use when driving. The driver also can take advantage of an instrument display consisting of twin analogue dials flanking a 7-inch screen with important info such as speed, fuel economy, safety systems and tyre pressures.

Engines/transmissions Launching on a brand-new platform, the new X-Trail is offered with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – the same unit as in the Outlander – producing 135 kW of power and 244 Nm of torque.

In front-wheel drive or optional Intelligent 4x4, all grades are fitted with an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission.

Maximum braked towing capacity has been increased to 2000kg.

Safety Advanced safety tech earned the X-Trail a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022. On hand is lane keeping assist, lane centring assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, front

AT A GLANCE MODEL RANGE ST 2WD $36,750 ST AWD 7 seat $37,790 ST-L 2WD $43,190 ST-L AWD 7 seat $46,290 Ti AWD $49,990 Ti AWD ePower hybrid $54,190 Ti-L AWD $52,990 Ti-L AWD ePower hybrid $57,190 SPECIFICATIONS Nissan X-Trail ST-L AWD 2.5L 4-cylinder petrol, CVT automatic, AWD SUV

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

and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree vehicle view and door exit warning.

Forward autonomous emergency braking, with pedestrian and cyclist detection, while low-speed reverse AEB is handy when parking, the latter producing a shock to the driver’s system when first introduced to it in the test vehicle without forewarning.

Driving Performance has seen the benefit of extensive engineering work, with the ST-L skipping along nicely on the bitumen. An upgraded (9 kW / 18 Nm) 135 kW/244 Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine delivers more pep with little noise, vibration and harshness making their way into the cabin.

Fuel consumption on test rose as high as 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres in town traffic, while the best recorded was 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres on a motorway run, averaging within the 7.8 combined urban/highway consumption claimed by Nissan.

Following a full overhaul of chassis and suspension tuning, the new X-Trail has improved on-road ride and handling considerably. With the new Intelligent 4x4 system designed to react quicker than before, power off road is seamlessly transferred from front to rear wheels to help with stability and traction.

As well as hill descent control, the X-Trail ST-L offers five drive and terrain modes – Auto, Eco, Sport, Snow and Off-Road – accessed by a rotator on the centre console.

Summary It’s anyone’s guess how the Nissan will compete on the congested mid-size SUV sales trail. The well-specced ST-L could hold the key.

Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 27

SPORT

Adam Arnold pulls this ball from Henry Harris for four. Right: Ben Hanson just makes his ground (top); Ben Hanson cuts. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 374343

Ordinary weather hampers clubs Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was at Ray Menzies Oval for the Ocean Grove vs Jan Juc B1 Grade game and Ocean Grove Bowling Club for some midweek bowls action.

Above: Rod Featherstone looks for position.

Left: Lorraine Hunt watches her bowl.

Below: Terri Rudge steps into this bowl.

Janine Clark leads for Ocean Grove.

Above: Joan Shiell with a novel way of watching her bowl. Above right: David Rudge leads off with a backhand.

Left: Steve Durkin needs to get close with this bowl. Centre: Brian Dee is all concentration. Right: Chris Henneken responds for Queenscliff. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 375300 28 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

SPORT

Grovers show strength in lopsided encounter Ocean Grove emerged from round five of Geelong Bowls Region’s Premier Division as a clear premiership favourite.

The Grovers are 14 points clear on top of the ladder after demolishing City of Geelong by 42 shots on Saturday November 25.

Lee Greening made it tight on his rink for City, but Peter Loe emerged triumphant by two shots in a closely fought contest.

The two other rinks were different stories.

Bradley Pavey won by 28 and Matt Flapper by 12 to ensure all 16 points went the way of the visiting team.

City is in sixth spot on the ladder with two wins and three losses.

Queenscliff is second on the ladder after grabbing all 16 points on offer against Drysdale although the match was much closer than that.

Steve Sullivan and Ray Butler won their rinks by the barest of margins while Benjamin

Russell won by eight to give Queenscliff a 10-shot win.

However, Drysdale won’t be discouraged by that performance and is still well placed in fourth spot.

Highton showed that it cannot be discounted for the flag after a 32-shot win against Bareena.

David Priddle won his rink by 15, Dan Priddle by 11 and Scott McLachlan by six to have Highton well placed in third spot.

Bareena is nine points outside the top four.

Bell Post Hill and Eastern Park had to share the points with rain washing out play.

This week sees the top four playing against the bottom four.

Eastern Park travels to Ocean Grove in what will be a stern test while Queenscliff hosts Bareena.

City of Geelong will make the trip to Drysdale and rounding off the fixture is Bell Post Hill hosting Highton.

Left: Faye Bowyer follows her bowl in Midweek Division 1. Right: Garry Bowyer gets close with this bowl. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 375300

Heartbreak for the Cats

Associations Junior Pennant 12D Boys: Arinaditya Jothikumar, Mateo Carrington, Evren Atasever, Streicher Jansen van Vuren and Remy Cairncross.

Absent: Andre Ficca. (Supplied)

Locals do well at AJP LOCAL TENNIS Donna Schoenmaekers Tennis Victoria’s Associations Junior Pennant wound up last week and Tennis Geelong’s 10 teams performed well.

The three girls teams all had good wins through the 10-week season, along with the Under 10 and 12B boys.

The Open A Boys and 14B Boys finished third in their sections while Open B finished fourth, but in the closest section of the competition were only one win out of first position.

Section 14B Boys had a four rubber to two win over North Eastern (NEJTA) in the final round of home and away, to push them into second and into the section final.

The team faced Eastern Region (ERT) in

the final, and would have liked their chances having had three close wins during the home and away rounds.

The match started evenly with Xavier Willoughby going down 6-1, 7-5, while Aki Bhat got up with the same score.

Unfortunately Ishaan Bava and Oliver Mitrevski lost the third and fourth singles, and while Bhat and Mitrevski won the second doubles 8-4, ERT won the first and the final four rubbers to two.

The boys in 12D finished top of their section with eight wins and two washouts and faced Northern Suburbs (NSJTA) in the final.

The teams had two close matches during the home and away, with Tennis Geelong coming out in front by only games in the first, and four rubbers to two in the second.

The final proved to be a seesawing match

and thrilling to the end. Evren Atasever played well but went down in the first singles while Arinadithya Jothiikumar had a marathon in the second, eventually winning 6-3, 4-6, 13-11.

Remy Cairncross had a slow start but fought back, eventually going down 6-0, 7-5 while Streicher Jansen van Vuren won the fourth singles 6-3, 6-0, leaving the teams level on rubbers with NSJTA ahead by two sets going into the doubles. Both doubles were epic battles, and the match could have gone either way.

Atasever and Jothikumar fought tooth and nail in the first, but lost in a tie-break, while Cairncross paired with Mateo Carrington in the second doubles, which too went to the wire with our boys winning 9-7. With the teams tied on rubbers, the end result went to NSJTA with a two set eight game advantage.

Geelong suffered a heartbreaking preliminary final loss to the Brisbane Lions in a four-point thriller.

Heavy favourites to advance, the Lions had everything thrown at them in Saturday night’s preliminary final by the plucky Cats at their Springfield headquarters.

But after losing the lead five minutes into the final term, the Lions reclaimed their advantage when star defender Shannon Campbell moved forward and kicked what would be the winning goal with six minutes left.

The Lions held on grimly in the dying stages to prevail 6.2 (38) to 5.4 (34), setting up a meeting with North Melbourne in the grand final at IKON Park on Sunday.

The win looks to have come at a cost for the Lions, however, with key forward Dakota Davidson appearing to suffer a suspected serious left knee injury late in the third term.

Davidson, who booted two of the Lions’ goals, was inconsolable on the bench and will undergo scans to determine the damage.

Courtney Hodder and Charlotte Mullins kicked early goals, while Orla O’Dwyer also slotted an important major for the Lions.

Lions hard nut Belle Dawes put in a super third quarter to finish as the leading possession winner on the ground with 22 touches.

Star Brisbane midfielder Ally Anderson praised the resilience of the Lions, who lost All-Australians Emily Bates, Jesse Wardlaw and Greta Bodey to expansion clubs during the off-season.

“It doesn’t even feel right now,” the reigning league best-and-fairest winner told the Seven Network.

“It was a hard-fought win and Geelong really gave it to us. It means so much. You really always want to get back there (into a grand final).”

The result ends a brave run for Geelong, who fell agonisingly short of reaching the club’s first AFLW decider after upsetting reigning premiers Melbourne in last week’s semi-final. The Cats had never won an AFLW post-season match until beating Essendon in an elimination final a fortnight ago.

Young midfield star Georgie Prespakis was typically important, as was Nina Morrison, to give the Cats an enormous chance of causing a boilover. Cats veteran Renee Garing was chaired from the ground after previously announcing her retirement at season’s end. – AAP Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 29

SPORT

Supercat joins Storm Former Geelong Supercats stalwart and captain Liam McInerney has signed on for the Bellarine Storm for the 2024 Big V Championship Men. It’s a huge coup for the Storm as McInerney obviously still has much to give the world of basketball and will provide the club with a big presence in the paint and on the boards this coming season.

McInerney was released by the Supercats at the end of the 2023 season following a distinguished 226 game career, spanning

more than a decade. He will reunite with former Supercats assistant coach Luke Beauglehall, who will again lead the Storm as head coach in 2024.

“Liam is a fantastic signing for the club, he’s had a great career in SEABL/NBL1 over the last 11 years and that experience will be a massive advantage for the club,” Beauglehall said.

“Liam is the exact type of person we want around the Storm family and he’s already starting to show his leadership skills and

basketball IQ both on and off the court.

Really looking forward to working with the squad we have put together for next season”.

McInerney said he was excited to be joining the Bellarine Storm as it pushes for major steps in Big V State Championship and beyond.

“I look forward to once again sharing my ability, experience and leadership both on and off the court and to be a part of developing this team and the younger generation of this club into something great,” he said.

Wallington Cricket Club’s All Abilities program is enabling everyone to enjoy cricket. (Supplied)

A sport for all abilities players Wallington Cricket Club is breaking new ground with the introduction of the first-ever All-Abilities Cricket Program based on the Bellarine Peninsula.

The initiative is a testament to the inclusivity and diversity that the Wallington cricketing community is striving to embrace.

The program aims to provide individuals with diverse abilities the opportunity to enjoy and participate in the game of cricket, fostering a sense of community, empowerment and fun.

All-Abilities coordinator Jayde Smith reflected on her own experience of rediscovering sport after nearly 20 years and the sense of joy and camaraderie she felt.

Once she learned that one in five people in Australia live with disability, she felt compelled to help the 20 percent of the community that are typically not involved in any sport to create the same feelings that she had.

In recent years, there has been a global push for inclusivity in sports, emphasising that everyone, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, should have the chance to engage in physical activities and team sports.

Cricket, being one of the most popular sports in Australia, is now at the forefront of this 30 OCEAN GROVE VOICE Friday, 1 December, 2023

movement with the All-Abilities Cricket Program.

The program creates an environment where individuals of all abilities can come together to play and enjoy cricket.

All-Abilities coach Simon Perry has seen the participants thrive since the start of the program in October. The structure of the regular 11am timeslot on Sundays, familiar faces and a supportive environment has ensured plenty of smiles and a level of connectivity between participants rarely seen.

The program recognises the importance of skill development for participants. Coaches and mentors work closely with individuals to enhance their cricketing skills while also fostering a sense of empowerment. The program emphasises the unique strengths and abilities of each participant, encouraging them to reach their full potential both on and off the cricket field.

Virginia, the mother of Xavier, who is one of the participants, said he always had very good ball skills.

“He enjoys games in the backyard with his brothers,” she said.

“However, for him, that’s where his sporting opportunities stopped. Finding the All

Abilities program at Wallington has meant that our son can play cricket. He would not be involved in cricket without this particular program.”

Virginia went on to say that Wallington Cricket Club made a difference to Xavier’s sporting opportunities and well-being. An unexpected outcome is that Xavier will now move into an under 11 team.

Beyond the cricketing aspect, the program places a strong emphasis on community building. Participants, their families, coaches, and volunteers come together to create a supportive and inclusive community. This sense of belonging is a powerful aspect of the program, as it goes beyond the boundaries of the cricket field and enriches the lives of all involved.

The program wouldn’t be possible without the support from Leopold Community Bank and Lord Taverners. The first part of the program finishes on Sunday December 3, however this will restart in January.

If you would like to know more; contact Jayde Smith on 0419 726 665 or Simon Perry on 0422 575 204. To stay in touch with the program, you can follow at facebook.com/ WallingtonCC

Rain the villain as Anglesea shares points Rain thwarted Anglesea’s run of five consecutive Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade wins in a top of the table clash against Armstrong Creek.

The round six clash was billed as a potential grand final match-up and it was Anglesea that emerged from the game as the competition’s frontrunners despite sharing the points with the Titans.

After making 7/255 on day one, Armstrong Creek was 8/178 in reply, but because two overs had been lost due to rain, both teams had to settle for three points.

“We were trying to push through the overs but then the rain came and we lost two overs,” Anglesea captain Dylan Taylor said.

“We went back out and had nine overs to bowl to bowl them out, but they blocked it out, so we couldn’t get the job done, unfortunately.”

Both sides are expected to be major players come finals time.

“They’ve got some really dangerous players,” Taylor said.

“They had us on toast early on. They bat really well.”

Steve Nicholson has been a fine pick-up for Anglesea this season with the all-rounder travelling from Ballarat each weekend to play and stay in his caravan.

Anglesea’s attack is varied and consistent. Quicks Taylor and Darcy Elliott take the new ball while Ky Eskrigge can swing the ball away from the right-hander. Nicholson and Brett Venables take the pace of the ball while recruit Ollie Huby provides medium pace.

“It’s a really good variety, I’m really lucky to have these options,” Taylor said.

“Depending on what the game situation is, we can either go slow or go faster. There’s a really good mix of bowlers, which is really handy.”

Once again it was Clay Mulgrew who stood tall on day two for Armstrong Creek with a fine 86 while Taylor and Nicholson each picked up three wickets.

The Seas take on a struggling Queenscliff in round seven.

“They’ve got some dangerous players,” Taylor said.

“They are a bit of an unknown and haven’t really hit their straps yet this year. We just have to bring the challenge again. We’ve had a pretty tough couple of weeks with Barwon Heads and Armstrong Creek and now Queenscliff, so if we can get the win we’ll be setting ourselves up for the back end of the season.”

BARWON HEADS defeated Queenscliff by five wickets. The Seagulls chased down the total of 180 relatively easily with captain Max Melzer top scoring with an unbeaten 73.

BARRABOOL had to settle for first-innings points against Inverleigh.

The Bulls made 8/135 declared with a lead of 64. Mason Dickson took 6/69 for the Kookaburras. In reply, Inverleigh batted out time to be 0/43.

JAN JUC won its second game of the season, edging out Ocean Grove.

Chasing 230, Ocean Grove opener Shaun Fankhauser made a defiant 66 from 133 deliveries, but was run out, continuing the trend of the top order finding ways in which to run themselves out. The Sharks’ spin attack of Mark Zahra (3/27) and Tom Kearney (4/31) again proved to be match winners with the Grubbers 85 runs short.

Justin Flynn

SPORT

More work to do for Grubbers

By Justin Flynn Ocean Grove sits two games out of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade four after losing to Jan Juc in round six.

The Grubbers were unable to chase down their second consecutive total of 230 and were all out for 144 at Ray Menzies Oval.

Jan Juc made 229 batting first with Mick Thornton (3/70 from 22 overs), Dylan Thorley (3/32) and Dan Roddis (1/51 from 19) the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, Shaun Fankhauser made a defiant 66 from 133 deliveries, but was run out, continuing the trend of the Ocean Grove top order finding ways in which to run themselves out.

Jackson Kent dug in at number seven for 22 from 73, but the Sharks’ spin attack of Mark Zahra (3/27) and Tom Kearney (4/31) again proved to be match winners.

In B1 Grade, Ocean Grove turned the tables and defeated Jan Juc by seven wickets.

Jan Juc made 201 batting first thanks to Brad

Roberts’ fine 86 while seamer Sam McGlynn picked up 5/51 to press his claims for an A Grade call-up.

In reply, Adam Arnold (73 not out), Craig Byron (43 not out) and promising youngster Noah Brooks (39) saw the Grubbers home.

Ocean Grove pressed for an outright win against Anglesea in C Grade, but had to settle for first-innings points.

Taylor Harvey (5/32) and William Finn (3/29) were the destroyers in Anglesea’s innings of 145 of which veteran Mark Stoneham contributed 84.

Grove then declared at 3/151 with Adam Spiby (44 not out) and Darren Craig (39) getting runs.

Anglesea fared much better the second time around, ending play on day two at 4/106.

The D Grade match was declared a draw with rain ruining any chance of a result.

Surfcoast Sharks made 131 with Harry Larsen grabbing 4/24 and the Grubbers were 5/77 when the rain came with Elijah Baran (22) top scoring.

Adam Arnold made 73 not out for Ocean Grove in B1 Grade. (Ivan Kemp) 374343_01

Epic win for Wallington

An appeal for lbw by Jack Every is turned down as Newcomb avoided outright defeat. (Ivan Kemp) 374337_09

Cobras still riding unbeaten streak Collendina’s attempt at outright victory against Newcomb in A2 Grade fell short after a rearguard batting effort saved the Bulls on day two of the round six game.

Ted Farrell collected 5/36 and Corey Walter 3/16 on day one as Newcomb succumbed for just 66. Angus Peters also bowled well, taking 1/11.

A blistering century from Walter then enabled Collendina to declare its innings closed at 5/221.

Walter made 100 not out from 115 balls and hit 13 boundaries to cement his position as one of the competitions’ best batsmen.

Stan Grazotis made a hard-hitting 61 from

just 41 deliveries.

However, a terrific partnership between Shane Healey (79) and Jason Clark (60 not out) steered Newcomb out of trouble on day two and safely to 5/186 at stumps. Jack Every collected three wickets.

It was a similar story in B2 Grade as Collendina won easily, but just failed to gain maximum points against Drysdale.

A wonderful 121 from veteran Des Every highlighted the Cobras’ 8/310 batting first.

Every faced 153 balls and hit 20 boundaries in his knock while Harrisyn Wingrave played well for an unbeaten 46.

Young Ashton Bonner made 43 in Drysdale

first innings score of 123 while Cameron Kavaliunas took 5/36.

Drysdale made it to stumps at 5/75 in the second dig to avoid outright defeat with Riley Taylor (38 not out) the stumbling block.

Barrabool proved too good in C Grade, making 7/317 in reply to Collendina’s 6/130.

Paul Wursthorn made a fine 68 and took 4/42 to be the Cobras’ best player.

Collendina had two losses in its two D Grade games over the past fortnight.

Bradley Hawker made 72 in the loss to Wallington.

Wallington dug deep to square the ledger at three wins and three losses with an epic win against Portarlington in A2 Grade.

Batting first on day one, Wallington piled on the runs at Oakdene Oval to reach a hefty 8/318 at stumps.

Starts from Sven Burluraux (28), Adam Bovell (26) and Luke Innes (33) at the top of the order had the Wallabies in a good position and were backed up by the middle order.

Dane Wise-Graham (42) and Henry McIntosh (28) gave some stability in the middle stages, but at 8/216 Wallington was in danger of getting a sub-par score on the fast outfield at Oakdene.

Enter Owen Dunn and Colin Smith, who put together a priceless unbeaten 102-run stand for the ninth wicket.

Dunn was not out on 50 from 62 balls and Smith made 48 not out from 59.

However, there was little indication of the carnage that was about to come on day two.

Port opener Brenton Toole launched a withering attack to compile an astonishing 167 from only 152 deliveries that included 22 boundaries and three sixes.

The next highest score was a pair of 28s from James Tilders and Stephen Illingworth.

Port eventually fell prematurely for 303 after batting one short due to Buckley Hickey’s fractured thumb in what was a superb, but ultimately unsuccessful, run chase to have Wallington only percentage outside the top four.

Wallington defeated Queenscliff in B2 Grade with Taylor Cameron (4/35) helping restrict the Coutas to 8/148 from 60 overs on day one.

Damian Howsam (71 from 81 balls) and Damien Biemans (42 off 30) then got the required runs in the 32nd over for the loss of five wickets.

Wallington’s two D Grade sides are in the hunt for finals spots. The main highlights of the past two rounds was Riley Morrison’s 102 retired against Collendina. Morrison hit 13 fours and five sixes.

Justin Flynn

Justin Flynn Friday, 1 December, 2023 OCEAN GROVE VOICE 31

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