Family is open hearted
By Jena Carr
Geelong’sLeahKolegahasalotonherplate as a mum of four kids, including two boys living with childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD).
Doctors first noticed something wrong with Ms Kolega’s youngest son Connor’s heart when she was 34 weeks pregnant.
“I had a specialised ultrasound, and the doctor decided to check on the baby before he just stopped, looked at us and told us that...there was something wrong with my baby’s heart,” she said.
“He was born floppy, blue and very swollen, so the doctors pretty much held him up and then took him to another room where they tried to revive him.
“Hewassevenhoursoldwhenhehadhis first open heart surgery...and we were in and out of the hospital for the majority of the first two years of his life.
“He had about eight conditions to do with his heart, and because he had more than three, doctors said that they wanted todosomegenetictestingfortherestofthe family.
“That’s when we found out about his older brother Thomas’s heart condition, so we actually didn’t know anything about it until then.”
Connor (5) and Thomas (10) both live with CoHD and have a bicuspid aortic valve (a common congenital heart defect) and aortic stenosis (a serious heart condition restricting blood flow from the
hearttothebody),withConnor’scondition significantly more complex.
“It has been a whirlwind, but when you fast forward to today, Connor has come so far, and it is unbelievable,” Ms Kolega said.
“It’s been a learning experience, and before Connor was born, we had no idea how common it (CoHD) is and how many kids are affected.”
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week runs from 7-14 February, leading up to Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day on Saturday.
The annual Sweethearts for HeartKids campaign will continue throughout this month to help charity HeartKids increase access to essential support services for families affected by CoHD.
Visit heartkids.org.au/sweetheartsfor-heartkids for more information or to donate to Sweethearts for HeartKids.
Lana finds her tune
Geelong singer-songwriter Lana Karlay is following her musical dreams with a new song now streaming.
The 17-year-old artist’s single Running Out of Time, featuring American artist cam’dn, was released today (Friday 13 February).
The R&B song was born from the feeling of suddenly recognising the importance of someone and wanting to make the most of every moment.
and
Lana is a multi-skilled musician and can play many instruments, including
She is pictured playing the electric violin in her
Following six months of writing and producing music in Los Angeles last year, Lana remains grounded to her Australian roots as she begins her Year 12 studies.
Turn to page 10 for more of Lana’s musical journey.
Leah Kolega with her son Connor. (Ivan Kemp) 533651_04
Sensory Garden now open
By Jena Carr
Greater Geelong community members can explore their senses at Serendip Sanctuary’s new, inclusive and accessible Sensory Garden.
The garden in Lara was officially opened tothepublicon10February,whichfeatured a special water ceremony rather than a smoking ceremony due to the current fire situation across the state.
The water ceremony involved using a eucalyptus leaf to scoop some water, with theleafheldaboveaperson’sheadtoallow water droplets to fall onto their tongue.
Proud Wadawurrung Elder Aunty Joy Oldaker said the Sensory Garden offered an environment grounded in accessibility, reflection and respect.
“As our ancestors travelled these same lands, sharing their culture, stories and ideas, it is now our responsibility to take care and nurture our country home,” she said. “We aim to connect, yarn, and walk together with one another as a community (as we) celebrate and learn about the
shared histories and the cultures we have.
“It really is a true privilege to be part of the Serendip Sanctuary Gardens, a place that honours connection, inclusivity and the healing power of shared human experience.”
Parks Victoria education officer Vanessa Wiggenraad said the garden had five spaces, with each one focusing on one of the five senses of sight, smell, listen, taste and touch.
“My personal passion is making parks accessible for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities,” she said.
“There are pathways that are flat and compact for wheelchair access, pavers are tactile indicators and identify when the path is turning, there are lots of rest stops and some beautiful features.”
Member for Lara Ella George said the Sensory Garden was part of the state government’s $11 million investment in the You Yangs Master Plan.
“SerendipSanctuaryisaspecialplacefor residents, and I’m thrilled to see upgrades progressing well and the sanctuary being
transformed,” she said.
“Over the coming months, we will see more upgrades to the wildlife viewing
Bowls community rallies for mental health
By Matt Hewson
With more than two in five Australians estimated to experience mental illness over the course of their lifetime, mental health is one of the most far-reaching community issues.
Ocean Grove Bowling Club (OGBC) stepped up to make a significant impact this week, presenting a donation of nearly $20,000 to proactive mental health initiative Bowl For Your Lives.
The funds - $19,306.40, to be exactwere raised through an Australia Day tournament at the newly redeveloped club facilities, with 144 players and more than 50 crowd members contributing through entry fees, by purchasing t-shirts or taking part in a raffle and auction.
Bowl For Your Lives co-founders Shane Hafner and Cameron Ryan, both former police officers experiencing mental health challenges related to PTSD, found reconnection and resilience through the sport.
The not-for-profit organisation, now the major charity partner for state governing body Bowls Victoria, provides mental health programs, raises money for communities and individuals affected by crises and promotes the benefits of bowls as a path to wellbeing.
Mr Hafner, who is also an OGBC member, said the support of his club was “huge” to the fast-growing charity.
“Ocean Grove is a very well-known and successful club, and I think the essence of why it is so successful is the buy-in from the members and the club itself,” he said.
(Supplied)
“I’ve had numerous conversations with other members where they’ve been able to open up about their battles of those of someone close to them. And they do that
because they know they’re not going to be judged and they feel safe.
“That’s what Bowl For Your Lives is all about.”
Aquatic centre set to close for up to six months
The North Bellarine Aquatic Centre (NBAC) will close for up to six months for construction works.
The City of Greater Geelong announced late last week the popular 50m outdoor pool will close from April to October to allow for fast-tracking stage two of the project, which has been underway since November last year.
Murradoc Ward councillor Rowan Story said the council’s top priority was community health and safety.
“We understand that this short-term closure will be an inconvenience, so we thank the community for its patience,”
he said. “The upcoming shutdown marks an exciting milestone for the much-anticipated stage two indoor facility.
“It will allow construction to ramp up with no risk to pool users and give crews uninterrupted access to the existing plant equipment, which will be used to operate the indoor centre.”
During the shutdown, construction company Ireland Brown will engage in critical works on the indoor swimming pools and recreation facility, including pouring the concrete slab, installing ground beams, erecting structural steel
with cranes and earthworks.
Exact dates of the closure have not yet been released, with the City also announcing it would directly email members with detailed information.
“Communitymemberscanstayupdated of the project’s process through our social media channels and the project page,” Cr Storey said.
“Don’t forget, members have access to all of our other Swim, Sport and Leisure centres through their membership, including the nearby Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre and Splashdown Leisure Centre.”
areas and habitat improvements to attract even more free-roaming wildlife to this beautiful sanctuary.”
Filming for education
A film screening in Geelong will reveal the past and current child removal situation among First NationpeoplethisNationalApology Day.
Be Tru Cry Justice will help host a film screening of Genocide in the Wildflower State on Friday 13 February, which showcases the truth and strength of Yokai families andcommunity.
The screening will feature an introduction by West Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation chairperson and Minang-Goreng Noongar Elder Dr JimMorrisonOAM.
Dr Morrison said that children from First Nations communities were still being taken and families werestilllivingintraumaacrossthe country.
“We’reheretonotonlyeducatethe broader Australian community, but ourownaswell,”hesaid.
“It’shelpfulforFirstNationpeople to understand history, and I’m not suggestingthatVictorianAboriginal people don’t know their history, but it’s not taught in schools, so that’s a reality.
“It’s not ancient history, and it happened to a lot of Australians during their time on this planet, but up until the 1970s, children were removed.”
National Apology Day marks the day on 13 February 2008 that former prime minister Kevin Rudd presented the National Apology to the Stolen Generations survivors, their families and communities for thechildremovalsystem.
Thousands of Aboriginal children in Western Australia were forcibly removed from their families between 1905 and 1972, with a National Inquiry in 1997 labelling it asgenocide.
Genocide in the Wildflower State Film Screening will be held at Platform Arts from 12.30pm. Visit events.humanitix.com/genocidein-the-wildflower-state-filmscreeningformoreinformation.
Ocean Grove Bowling Club presents a cheque to Bowl For Your Lives co-founder Shane Hafner.
Matt Flapper, Bri Telford, Shane Hafner and Nathan O’Neill. (Ivan Kemp) 533515_03
Wadawurrung artist Jenna Oldaker, Member for Lara Ella George, and Proud Wadawurrung Elder Aunty Joy Oldaker at the opening of the Sensory Garden. (Ivan Kemp) 5533169_04
Good Friday funding boost
The Barwon South West will share in $3 million in funding from the Good Friday Appeal and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) this year.
Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas joined Good Friday Appeal chairman Penny Fowler and executive director Rebecca Cown in Ballarat to announce the funding on Monday.
Barwon South West is one of five regional areas to receive $600,000 from the annual children’s health fundraiser, with health services Barwon Health, Colac Area Health and Barwon South West Health Services among the recipients.
Barwon Health chief executive Frances Diver said the funding will be used for neonatal care and paediatric sleep studies, as well as equipment to enhance service provision closer to home.
“As the tertiary referral provider in the Barwon South West region, Barwon Health is proud to partner with the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal to support families when they need it most,” she said.
“The Good Friday Appeal is a powerful reminder that, by working together, we can help ensure families and children in our region have access to the highest
standard of clinical care.”
Appeal chairman Penny Fowler said regionalfundingprovidedanopportunity to keep kids closer to home.
“This funding supports the hospital’s mission to extend its reach across the stateandhelpsregionalchildrenandtheir families receive world-class care close to where they live, reducing an enormous stress for so many,” Mrs Fowler said.
“The Good Friday Appeal has had an unwavering commitment to supporting our state’s most vulnerable - sick children and their families - for the past 95 years and this new funding is a smart and effi-
New name for beloved entertainment venue
By Matt Hewson
The performing arts jewel of the Bellarine has a new identity.
The Potato Shed in Drysdale launched its 2026 season last week, simultaneously announcing its rebranding as the Bellarine Arts Centre (BAC).
Hosted by award-winning performer Fem Belling, the night featured musicians Delsinki and Brook Taylor of the Deserters, singer Issi Dye, writer and historian Colin Mockett and actor Marie Claire. Venue and operations manager Mikayla Frawley reassured the packed house that
“nothing essential” would be lost in the arts centre’s change of name.
“I want to emphasise, for those of you that have a deep connection to this venue and its past as the Potato Shed, that 25-year legacy is not going anywhere,” Ms Frawley said.
“It could not and will never be erased. That is an entire generation of students learning in these halls, a quarter century of local artists, of theatre, of cabaret, and of shared experiences with one another like tonight.
“AstheBellarineArtsCentre,webuildon that grassroots legacy in 2026 with a vision
for a bold new heritage.”
Ms Frawley described the upcoming season as one “full of bold work, local voices, visiting artists, and stories that remind us why live performance matters”.
The 2026 program includes a diverse range of music, storytelling, comedy and theatre. Issi Dye’s Wild One: The J O’K Story launches the Morning Showtime on Tuesday 17 February, paying tribute to Aussie rock legend Johnny O’Keefe, while pop icon Ben Lee kicks off the regular season on Saturday 28 February.
Visit geelongaustralia.com.au/bellarineartscentre to check out the full program.
cient means to enhance regional capacity.”
RCH chief executive Dr Peter Steer said the hospital was proud to have partnered the Good Friday Appeal for more nearly a century.
“TheRoyalChildrenHospital’svisionis a world where all kids thrive and children have the opportunity to reach their full potential,” he said.
“With the incredibly generous donations from Victorians, we can purchase life-saving equipment, upgrade training and improve the outcomes for sick children, no matter where they live.”
Medical interns join Barwon Health
More medical interns will join the ranks at Barwon Health to provide regional communities with access to healthcare closer to home.
Barwon Health will welcome 46 new medical interns, who will deliver essential patient care while helping the hospital run efficiently.
Premier Jacinta Allan said having more doctors in regional Victoria provided more care for the community, with the state government also announcing this week that GPs will be able to diagnose and treat ADHD in both children and adults.
“We’re investing in public hospitals, nurses, and doctors to help you when you need it,” she said.
“We know one of the biggest cost-ofliving worries for families is something going badly with their health.
“We’re changing the way Victorians can access an ADHD diagnosis and treatment, because income or location shouldn’t stop you from getting the care you need.”
The interns will rotate through a range of specialties over 47 weeks under the guidance of senior doctors, including medicine, surgery, emergency, mental health and other clinical areas.
The 46 Barwon Health interns form part of the 271 medical interns who will join 12 regional public health services across the state.
Thisyear’sinternintakewasbackedby a $203 million state government health workforce investment, including $47 million to support the state’s mental health workers, such as a psychology registrar program.
Entertainer Fem Belling performed to a full house at the newly-renamed Bellarine Arts Centre 2026 season launch. (Supplied)
Geelong shines rainbow
The region got a little more colourful over the weekend with the return of the Geelong Rainbow Festival. Independent photographer Ivan Kemp went along to Johnstone Park on Saturday 7 February to capture people showing their pride.
Goldie Cox. 533146_05
April Lockhart, Ant Patten and Twighlight Starstrike. 533146_07
Above: Miss Taree Mann. 533146_10 Below: Gypsy Lewis with her daughter Pixie and Rain Thind with her daughter Melody. 533146_06
Felix Harrison, Renee Thierry and Dexter Eastwood. 533146_11
Left: Renee Walker with her daughter Ivy and Ben O’Donovan. 533146_03 Centre: Danni Bate and Sarah Huntly. 533146_09 Right: Siblings, Charlie and Vincent Hilditch and Emma Whitney. 533146_01
Above: Carespace carer, Zane Canavan with Dylan Smith. 533146_02
Above centre: Emily Eeles and Max Hewitt. 533146_04
Above right: Marcus Greville and Dave MacDonnell. 533146_12 Right: Isabella Ystaville and Hop Paige. 533146_08
Kids eating too much salt
Research from Deakin University has suggested most Australian children are at risk of developing high blood pressure at a youngerageduetoeatingtoomuchsalt.
In a new study produced by researchers fromDeakin’sInstituteforPhysicalActivity and Nutrition, cross-sectional analysis of 755 Victorian schoolchildren aged 4 to 12 found three quarters exceeded the recommendedupperlevelofsodiumintake.
Combined with a lack of potassium, an important nutrient for balancing the effect of salt in the body, a fifth of the children in the study’s sample had elevated blood pressure.
Portarlington run for love
The Portarlington community will show off its love of racing during the Flying Brick Bellarine Sunset Run on Valentine’s Day.
The light coastal trail event will return to the Portarlington Foreshore on 14 February with its ProFeet Half Marathon, Steigen (10km) and Bully Buster (4km) races.
Event manager Dion Milne said he looked forward to people participating in what he dubbed the “love edition” of the event.
“It ends up as quite a buzz and a hive of excitement down along the course, and Portarlington is the perfect finishing spot,” he said.
“Last year was our 10th anniversary, so that was a bit of a milestone, and despite going for 10 years, this is the first year it’s fallen on Valentine’s Day.
“I wonder if someone will propose, and it’s in the back of my mind if anyone has anything planned that we don’t know about, so we’ll be keeping one eye on the finish line.”
Mr Milne said the event’s Bully Buster race was important in helping raise awareness on the benefits and links between exercise and kids’ mental health.
“The connection between exercise and good mental health is a very important message that we will continue to share and encourage,” he said.
“Somethingwe’vepridedourselvesonis being inclusive and attractive to families and loved ones to come down and spend some time together.”
TheBullyBusterissoldout,withlimited spotsleftfortheProFeetHalfMarathonand Steigen races. Visit bellarinesunsetrun. com for more information.
Research lead Dr Carley Grimes said while high blood pressure was often seen as an adult problem, the study showed risk factorsstartedearlyinchildhood.
“High blood pressure in childhood can lead to heart problems later in life, so preventionneedstostartearly,”shesaid.
“We found that in some groups of children,especiallygirlsandchildrenliving withobesity,highersaltintakewaslinkedto raisedbloodpressure.
“A child’s sex and body weight may influence how salt intake affects blood pressure, and these groups may be more sensitive to the effects of salt, but we need
further research to better understand these differences.”
Childreninvolvedinthestudycamefrom acrossVictoria;fromcityandregionalareas andfrompublicandprivateschools.
Salt and potassium intake was measured via 24-hour urine collection, while blood pressure measurements used standard methods.
“We found nearly 1 in 5 children – 17 per cent – had higher than normal blood pressure,”DrGrimessaid.
“High blood pressure is generally diagnosed over several clinical visits, so these findings are not a diagnosis, but
they do suggest that raised blood pressure is present in some primary school aged childrenandcouldposeafuturehealthrisk.
“Policymakers can use this evidence to strengthen school canteen guidelines and policies aimed at reducing sodium in processed and packaged foods. Families and schools can help by reducing the availability of salty foods and encouraging children to eat more fruits and vegetables, which boost potassium. By lowering children’s salt intake, these strategies could help support healthier blood pressure as children grow, especially when combined witheffortstopromotehealthyweight.”
Lettie and Lucky do their stretches before last year’s Flying Brick Bellarine Sunset Run. (Ivan Kemp) 458195_01
BUSINESS IN FOCUS
Proud of our Jakara
By Stretch Kontelj OAM
Fewthingsaremorethrillingthancheering on an athlete from your hometown or regionastheycompeteontheworldstage.
I’m sure plenty of you, like me, tuned in at 12.15am yesterday to watch Barwon Heads’ very own Jakara Anthony take on the world’s best in the final of women’s moguls at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter OlympicGames.
While the defending Olympic gold-medallist didn’t secure a podium finish this time around, her superb skill, determination and composure should be applauded.
To make it to the Olympic Winter Games – let alone the finals – is an astronomical achievement, particularly given there aren’t many alpine slopes in Barwon Heads.
And her hopes of taking home Olympic gold aren’t dashed just yet. Jakara will take on the dual moguls on Saturday at 8.30pm –sobesuretotunein.
Regardless of the result, Jakara has been an incredible representative of both our municipalityandcountry.
For years, Jakara has inspired young athletes in Greater Geelong and abroad. She was the sixth Australian to win gold at an Olympic Winter Games, after taking homegoldin2022inBeijing.
In the 2023/24 season, Jakara took home another victory, the record for the most World Cup circuit wins in a season in women’smoguls.
The next season, Jakara sustained a broken collarbone while training for a competition in Sweden. This injury meant that she missed out on competing in the 2025WorldChampionshipsinSwitzerland.
But that only intensified her thirst to win.Ayearandonedayonfromherinjury,
Jakara competed – and won – in her return tocompetitioninFinland.
Jakara represented Australia as one of two flagbearers in the Milano-Cortina 2026 opening ceremony, a true honour bestowed upon only the very best of our country’sathletes.
Not only is Jakara a champion on the slopes she has also proven to be a terrific role model and leader at home in her community.
I had the pleasure of attending the Christian College Geelong Sport Hall of Honour ceremony last year, where Jakara was inducted for her extraordinary achievementsinwomen’sskiing.
Despite these achievements, Jakara’s speech demonstrated her incredible humility and generosity, and she took the time to share her insights with up-and-coming athletes from her hometown.
This is something we see time and time again with successful athletes who have come from our region. They’re proud of wherethey’vecomefromandthey’reeager to mentor the next generation to reach for gold.
Itspeaksvolumesofthesportsprograms we have in Greater Geelong that not only teach them to master their craft but also foster a sense of sportsmanship in our athletes.
Glory goes beyond the winner’s podium, and Jakara has been a shining example for ourregion,bothonandofftheslopes.
I’m sure I speak for many people across our municipality when I say we are incrediblyproudofJakara’sachievements. And I hope she returns to her world-beatingformintheyearstocome.
Empowering young minds at Aspire Armstrong Creek
More than just childcare, Aspire is a communitybuiltonconnection.
Our educators take the time to truly knoweachchild,creatingclassroomsfilled withwarmth,joyandasenseofbelonging. Families can feel confident knowing their children are safe, supported and thriving eachday.
Guidedbyourfourpillars—Exceptional Care, Every Day; Joy in Every Moment; Learning That Sparks Curiosity; and Together,WeGrow—Aspirepartnerswith families to raise confident, curious and capablelearners.
We’re proud to be part of the growing
Armstrong Creek community with our Aspire Armstrong Creek centre and even more excited to welcome another Aspire centresooninWarralily,ArmstrongCreek.
With convenient locations, we provide families with flexible, high-quality early educationoptionsclosetohome.
Our centres offer high-quality programs that are tailored to support the transitions throughout a child’s educational journey, from our nurseries, all the way through to kindergarten.
Through our inspiring and safe learning environments, children are supported to helpthemreachtheirfullpotential.
Because these early years matter most, andatAspire,wemakethemextraordinary. We go above and beyond to empower young minds with curiosity, confidence, andcompassionthatlastsalifetime.
With 2026 enrolments open, there has never been a better time to begin your Aspirejourney.
Come and experience the Aspire difference and enquire now at Aspire ArmstrongCreek.
Contact our enrolments team on 1800 978 429 or visit our website to enrol today!
Champion mogul skier Jakara Anthony and City of Greater Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj. (Supplied)
New Drysdale millionaire
A Drysdale retiree was left stunned after winning over $2 million during Saturday’s TattsLotto draw.
The man originally believed he had won $2000 during the 7 February draw until an official from The Lott revealed that he could expect a total prize of $2,007,450.30 as he held a winning entry in TattsLotto draw 4649.
“Oh god. I thought it was $2000, not $2 million,” he said.
“I looked at the winning numbers in the paper, and I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got
most of those’. I got my ticket out and went through it.
“I’ve been playing TattsLotto for five years. It all kind of started when my daughter and son-in-law started owning a newsagency.
“It’s funny because my son-in-law would always tell me that my marked numbers weren’t good and that I should change them. He was wrong.”
The Drysdale retiree held one of three division one winning entries in TattsLotto draw 4649, with the other two winners
Charity hub is there to help
The North Bellarine has a new haven for people who need a shoulder to lean on, a new jumper or just a hot cup of coffee.
The new Local North Bellarine charity hub launched in Drysdale this week, welcoming hundreds of people for the official opening on Wednesday.
Brought to Drysdale by charity Local 2 Community, the bright and airy hub offers a full range of supports including crisis support, op shop, wellbeing spaces, foodbank, after-hours homeless support and a coffee bar.
Local 2 Community founder Rebecca Olver said she had been overwhelmed by the community’s enthusiasm for the new centre.
“It’s been huge. We had hundreds of people through the door today… and so many people have said this is so well-needed, we love this’.
Ms Olver, who retired from a career in community-based work to found the initiative, said the heart of Local 2 Community was empowering locals to provide support, dignity and care to fellow community members in need.
“I’m passionate about getting people the help they need, but it doesn’t always need to be a professional approach, it can be a community approach,” she said.
“Psychologists and doctors are very important, but having family, neighbour or friend support can really help people with mental health or physical challenges.”
Visit The Local at 86 Murradoc Road, Drysdale. Contact thelocalnorthbellarine@gmail.com or call 0447 099 886 for more information or to volunteer.
coming from New South Wales and Western Australia.
The winning entry was purchased at Drysdale Lotto, and owner Tian Ma said she was really happy for the winner.
“I was really excited, and I had to read the notification email several times as I couldn’t believe the news. I have dreamt of this moment for a long time,” she said.
“Our customers will be so excited to hear we sold a division one winning entry, as most of our customers are residents who buy from us regularly.
“I’m really happy for the winner, and it’s great encouragement for our team as well. We’re going to decorate the shop with colourful balloons and some ‘winner’ posters.”
The winning numbers in TattsLotto draw 4649 were 8, 9, 33, 27, 3 and 41, while the supplementary numbers were 25 and 15.
The recent win marks the second time a Drysdale resident has won big this year after another local pocketed $1 million last month from a ticket purchased at Drysdale Newsagency & Tatts Lotto.
533129_09
Local 2 Community founder Rebecca Olver at the new Drysdale community charity hub. (Ivan Kemp)
Supercars roar into town
Geelong supercar fans were treated to a special petrol-fuelled event over the weekend. Independent photographer Ivan Kemp attended the Supercars Championship ‘Ignition On’ event along the Geelong Foreshore on Saturday 7 February.
Tee Maulloo with his 1969 Mustang. 533161_01
Angelo Magro with his 1928 Ford Roadster. 533161_02
Nathan Vanhulst with his son Frankie. 533161_03
Bruce Roscrow with his 1970 Boss 302 Ford Mustang. 533161_04
Darren Dexter with his 2017 GT Ford Mustang. 533161_05
Mikayla Bowen (Geelong AFLW) reveals her love of super cars. 533161_06
The Red Bull aerobatics plane entertained the crowd. 533161_07
The Red Bull aerobatics plane entertained the crowd. 533161_08
Broc Feeney waves to the crowd. 533161_09
The first look at the new Red Bull Ford Mustang super car. 533161_11
Will Brown gets out of the new Red Bull Ford Mustang super car. 533161_12
Will Brown and Broc Feeney are introduced to the crowd. 533161_13
Best of Americana
By Matt Hewson
The region’s favourite annual celebration of Americana music returns this month with an all-female lineup.
The fifth Americana on the Bellarine live music event will bring together two of the region’s finest songwriters, Sarah Carroll and Andrea Robertson, with award-winning artist Ella Hooper.
Since its inception in 2020, the mini-festival has brought the best of local and national talent to the Bellarine, including Matt Joe Gow, Wayne Jury, Annie-Rose Maloney, Nathan Seeckts Alister Turrell and Greta Zilla.
Robertson, founder and organiser of the annual event, said she was “so excited” to bring Hooper to the event.
“Obviously she’s a big name, and she’s more known for being the lead singer of Killing Heidi, but I know her passion is Americana,” she said.
“She’s so full of life, I think she’s going to bring this great energy to the whole night. She’s very entertaining, very engaging, lots of fun, so it’ll be great to end the night with her band playing the last set.”
While Americana on the Bellarine began in 2020, it’s debut was marred by the first COVID-19 lockdowns, forcing it online as a streaming event rather than a live one.
A second attempt in 2021 was similarly affected by the pandemic, but Robertson never wavered in her belief that a music event focused on blues, roots, country, folk and rock would find a place in the region.
“The vision I had for it was that it would become an annual event, so it’s really quite heartening to see that happen,” she said.
“It’s something we can look forward to, celebrate local artists, share their original music and give songwriters the chance to show new audiences what they’re capable of.
“After the first live, ticketed event in 2022 the feedback was really overwhelming and there was clearly a desire for more of that
Resort style living designed for over 55s
COMMUNITY OPEN DAY
Saturday, 28 February 2026
10:00am - 12:00pm 40-60 Watt Street, Lara
sort of thing.
“It’s proven to be a popular addition to the local calendar, and it feels like it’s growing in a healthy way.”
AmericanontheBellarineisattheOcean Grove Hotel beer garden on Saturday 21 February. Visit trybooking.com/DHJZZ for tickets and more information.
Experience live Celtic music
Multi-instrumentalistRenniePearson is bringing the warmth and mystique ofCelticmusicbackdownthehighway toLittleRiverandGeelongthismonth.
Channelling the traditions of Ireland, Scotland and Maritime Canada, the virtuoso’s wooden flute, Irish whistles, guitar, fiddle, bodhrán, and voice will tell tales old and new.
He was down this way last year, but this time a new layer will be added to his sound.
“These will be the first two performances with a percussionist involved,” Pearson said. “I have been quite excited about doing something with percussion for a while, we have had a flute playing melody, keyboarddoingharmonyandnowthe percussionwillbedrivingtherhythm.
“I think it is going to be a really full sound.”
Theintimacyofthemusicwillnotbe lost with the thudding of drumsticks, but it’s probably better to let Pearson try and describe what it’s like.
“The melodies have these ethereal qualities that go beyond the mortal realm, and the driving rhythms are dance music through and through.
“Another one is the connection with ancient times, it’s kind of got this otherworldlyelementwherethetunes and songs have been passed down.”
The music will flow at the Door Gallery Cafe 8pm on Friday 20 February and at the Little River Mechanics Hall 3pm on 22 February.
Pictured: Ingenia Lifestyle Natura.
Americana on the Bellarine organiser Andrea Robertson (left), Ella Hooper (top right) and Sarah Carroll (right). (Pictures: Supplied)
Juggling school and music
Lana Karlusic, under the stage name Lana Karlay, explores the R&B genre through her new single. She speaks to Jena Carr about what it’s like to juggle being a musician with her Year 12 studies.
Year12canbeachallengingmilestone for many teenagers, but for Lana Karlusic,it’sjustthetipoftheiceberg.
Asthe17-year-oldGeelonggirlentersher final year of studies, Lana is also juggling a musical career that has taken her to Los Angeles (LA) four times in six months last year.
Lana is an incredibly talented musician whocanplaymanyinstruments,including thepiano,guitarandviolin,andhasalways enjoyed music and singing.
“I was so focused on musical theatre and opera, and I did heaps of musical theatre growing up, and I was in Opera Australia,” she said.
“My musical career kind of started when I went into Grade 9, when my school had Timbertop(aboardingandco-educational campus near Mansfield), where we went and lived in the bush for a year.
“So, we didn’t have any technology and lived in dorms of 16 other girls and, as an only child, I was really struggling to be away from my family, so I started writing songs.
“I had one teacher who really motivated me and helped me create some demos. He was kind of the first person who ever really believed in me and said that singing-songwriting could be my path.
If I’ve been going through a hard time ... I love that I can go and pick up an instrument and just play it
- Lana Karlusic
“After that, Mum and I searched everywhere online for Melbourne producers as I really wanted to make this singing-songwriting thing happen, as I just had the love for it more than musical theatre and opera.”
Following the trip and support from manyofherteachers,Lanadecidedtostart looking into pursuing a singer-songwriter career.
“We (Lana and her parents) ended up decidingtogotoLAtoexperiencetheother side of the music world, and I just fell in loveasthere’ssomuchcreativity,”shesaid.
“In LA, everyone is really driven, and I’m not saying that they’re not here, but I think in LA everyone really wants to make it happen, while it is just such a small community of musicians in Geelong.
“It’s almost a different world in LA, and everything’s really just emerging...and I want to move there if I get into UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) or Berklee College of Music (in Boston), so it’s good to see where I’ll be living and what that future would be like.”
Lana has since collaborated with producers Adam Moseley and Esthy in LA and released four singles, including Don’t Let Me Go, Sober, Girl I Used to Know and Won’tBeYourVictimunderthestagename of Lana Karlay.
She also has a new single, released on Friday 13 February, called Running Out Of Time, which is an R&B-style song inspired by artists like SZA and Post Malone and features vocals by American artist cam’dn.
“When I’m writing songs, I normally think of the first thing that comes into my head, which was ‘I’m sitting on the edge’,” Lana said.
“The song almost became about a love that’s been under the radar, like maybe you’ve been friends with them before, but you are finally noticing them.
(Pictures:
“So, it’s that feeling of running out of time because you haven’t really explored that connection with them yet, but now you’re going to.”
Lana has also recently entered her final year of studies and said her school had been supportive of her music.
“I’mdoingtwomusicsubjects,alongwith English,Science,andMath,tohelpgiveme a path into UCLA and Berklee because you need to have the basics,” she said.
“Balancing my music and school has been pretty good, and my parents are always really supportive, so sometimes when I do get stressed, I just need to write music to get it out.
“Iamprettybusy,butwemakeithappen. Because I’ve been doing music theatre and opera growing up, I’m used to having a busy schedule and know how to balance it now.”
It is no surprise that music is a big part of who Lana is, with the young musician unabletoimagineherlifewithoutitandset to roll out her debut album this year.
“My album is going to be a reflection of who I am; my first singer-songwriting experiences and all the songs that I’ve written over the years,” she said.
“I love being able to go on the piano and write what I’m feeling. So, if I’ve been going through a hard time or I’m stressed
because of exams, I love that I can go and pick up an instrument and just play it.
“ButIalsoreallywantedtomakeacouple of songs before and after my album was released that were different and unique, and what people wouldn’t expect me to be doing.
“Music is not selective, and I can just do any genre I want, so that’s why it’s good to be writing something different and something new rather than my pop-rock kind of stuff.”
Lana’s ‘Momager’ (mum and manager) Dara said she was really proud of her daughterandlovedtoseethesparkinLana when she was writing and playing music.
“It’s really important that Lana is happy whileallowinghertogrowanddevelopina safeplacewithoutfearofjudgment,sothat wecansupporthertopursuehercraft,”she said.
“From a parent’s perspective, the music industry is scary with a lot of highs and lows, and it is super tough, but you’ve got to have the right attitude, good work ethic and stability.
“It’smanagingthatmentalhealthaswell that comes with opening up your world as Lana evolves and builds as a developing artist that is proud of her Geelong roots.”
Lana maintains her strong family and cultural ties, with her dad and both sets of grandparents coming to Australia from Croatia.
“She started singing with my mum, her grandmother, and they made up their own songs together. So, from the age of one or two, they were making their own language and singing their own words,” Dara said.
“For my baba (grandmother), music has never really been an industry that she thought that people would go into, especially her grandchildren, but seeing me pursue my dreams helped her understand it,” Lana said.
People can listen to Lana’s music on WAV,SpotifyorAppleMusicandcanwatch her music videos on YouTube.
Lana Karlay is a singer-songwriter and has released a new single exploring the R&B genre.
Ivan Kemp) 533648_02
Lana can play many instuments including the piano, guitar and violin. 533648_11
Valentine’s Day dip
By Jena Carr
Bellarine community members can gather to watch as hundreds of swimmers take a dip in Indented Head on Valentine’s Day.
Wreck2Reef Open Water Swim Classic will be held at Half Moon Bay with swimmers participating in four distances throughout the day, including 800 metres, 1.2 kilometres, 2.5-kilometre ocean swim and 300-metre Dash for Cash.
Indented Head Yacht Club commodore John Walter said the swimming event on 14 February aimed to showcase the Northern Bellarine and support healthy activities for the region’s youth.
“We try to generate it as a family-oriented swim and get upwards of 400 competitors,” he said.
“The beach is really nice, and the waters off Indented Heads Yacht Club are really good for sailing and for swimming.
“We just want people to have a great day, and it’s more important that people enjoy themselves on the day of the swim...and we like to keep it casual with some structure and safety process in place.”
Mr Walter said the event would help raise funds for the club’s junior sailing program and that he looked forward to seeing people participate in the event.
“Early in the mornings, there’s upwards of probably 15 to 20 people each day swimming off the waters near the club there,” he said.
“It’s just really nice swimming around the Ozone wreck offshore from Half Moon Bay, and the whole camping area
over the summer is very oriented to families.
“It’s a fantastic spot to swim, and the Half Moon Bay where the swim is held usually has pretty crystal-clear water that
doesn’t get affected by tides too much and is a relatively easy place to swim.”
Visit ihyc.com.au/wreck-2-reef-event for more event information.
The City of Greater Geelong has announced the 78 recipients of a funding pool of $772,131 for its latest round of community grants.
Awarded by an independent, 11-membercommunityassessmentpanel,thesuccessful grant applicants were announced on Friday and include Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria ($9590), Essential Theatre Inc ($10,000), Gateways Support Services ($10,000), Medsalv Australia ($18,450), National Celtic Folk Festival ($20,000) and Rotary Club of Highton ($23,900).
The funding covered seven grant programs, including Arts Projects ($105,000), Clean Economy ($48,000), Climate Change and Partnerships ($180,000), Community Events ($95,000), Community Strengthening ($203,214), Creative Commissions ($80,000) and Environmental Sustainability ($59,635).
Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the grants will help deliver projects that make a real difference.
“Congratulations to all the successful applicants. These grants support the people and organisations who are working hard to strengthen and improve our community,” he said.
“These partnerships will deliver benefits across many areas of need, and I’m excited to see these projects come to life.”
Finance portfolio chair councillor Andrew Katos said “There was great interest this year with 176 applications requesting almost $2 million in funding.”
“While not every proposal could be funded, I encourage applicants to explore the City’s other upcoming grant opportunities.”
Indented Head Yacht Club commodore John Walter and vice commodore Peter Ellenby in front of the Ozone wreck on Half Moon Bay. (Ivan Kemp) 532562_08
PUZZLES
Relying on or exploiting others (9)
Nations (9)
Flagrantly bad (9)
Grumpy (9) 17 Resident of Jerusalem or Tel Aviv (7)
Mildly irritates (7)
Opinions (5)
Shifts (5)
Small river (5)
1 How many legs does a butterfly have?
2 Which European country’s major cities include Brest, Grodno and Mogilev?
3 Who hosted the 2025 Logie Awards?
4 Harper Lee won the Pulitzer Prize for which novel, and in what year?
5 Swimmer Ian Thorpe (pictured) has won how many Olympic gold medals?
6 What does the term Terra AustralisIncognita mean?
7 Name the hurricane that passed through New York City in August 2011.
8 What abnormality do the words fly, myth and rhythm have in common?
9 Who was the first president of Türkiye, from 1923?
10 Who released the album Mayhem in 2025?
The Guide
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
Seven, Friday, 7pm
While some are still holding strong on their New Year’s resolutions, the rest of us might need a little help living our best lives. That’s where Johanna Griggs and the team come in, celebrating 2026 with a sparkling summer picnic at Mona Vale beach. This premiere is packed with action as Adam Dovile and Pete Colquhoun give Charlie Albone a crash course on beach athletics, while local surf lifesavers share safety tips. Dr Harry explores the vibrant rockpools and Adam gets the tools out to build a sleek cocktail station set to shake up any living area. With sausage and egg sliders from Colin Fassnidge and Graham Ross, and Clarissa Feildel’s yuzu meringue pie, it’s the season’s hottest party.
FOOTBALL: AFL ORIGIN
Seven, Saturday, 7.30pm
It’s been a long time coming. For more than a quarter of a century, state-based rivalries in Australian rules have been left to brew while rugby’s Blues and Maroons take centre stage each year. But no more. This pre-season return is a rematch of Origin’s inaugural fixture in 1977 – with Western Australia again hosting a Victorian side. This time, Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli captains the Big V alongside Nick Daicos and Jeremy Cameron, while Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps leads the WA team. Live from Optus Stadium, this high-stakes showdown is a reminder that club loyalties are chosen, but there’s no place like home. Seven’s coverage gets a hit of West Australian flavour thanks to former AFL superstar Nic Naitanui (pictured) on the boundary.
Friday, February 13
ABC TV (2)
SBS (3)
PICK OF THE WEEK
CRICKET:
WOMEN’S T20 SERIES, AUSTRALIA V INDIA GAME 1
7mate, Sunday, 7pm
A new innings begins on Sunday for Australian women’s cricket, with all-rounder Sophie Molineux (pictured) named as the squad’s new captain, taking over from a retiring Alyssa Healy. This Twenty20 series opener against India will be the Victoria and Melbourne Renegades skipper’s first time leading the country, taking charge ahead of the T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June. Several members of the team will still be smarting from India’s record-breaking chase of 339 that knocked Australia out of the ODI World Cup semi-final just a few months ago. With a fresh tactical direction and a score to settle, Molineux and co. are set to shine.
SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Solar System With Brian Cox. (Final, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00
ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Muster Dogs. (PG, R) 2.00 Dog Park. (M, R) 2.30 In Limbo. (Mls, R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Gardening Australia. (Return)
8.30 Professor T. (Return, M) Professor T works on a case while in prison.
9.15 Hard Quiz. (PGa, R) Hosted by Tom Gleeson.
9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG, R)
10.15 Dog Park. (M, R)
10.45 ABC Late News.
11.05 Smother. (Mlv, R)
12.50 Rage New Music. (MA15+dhlnsv)
5.00 Rage. (PGadhlnsv)
6am Morning Programs. 9.20 Good With Wood. (PGa, R) 10.15 Paddington Station 24/7. (PGa, R) 11.05 Britain By Beach. (PGav, R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 12.55 PBS News. 1.55 The Hospital: In The Deep End. (Ma, R) 3.00 Nula. 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Building The Impossible. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 The Lost Cities Of The Incas. (Premiere) Archaeologists search for clues to the rise of the Inca Empire. 9.25 Isle Of Wight: Jewel Of The South. (R) Follows the Seaview Salties, swimmers who regularly brave the freezing Solent.
10.15 SBS World News Late.
10.45 Sisi. (Masv, R) 11.40 Babylon Berlin. (Mav, R) 1.25 The Lesson. (Mal, R) 3.40 Celebrity Mastermind. (PG, R) 4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 11.45 Andy’s Global Adventures. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.20 Octonauts. 2.15 Peter Rabbit. 2.45 The Makery. 3.05 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.40 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.05 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.35 My Adventures With Superman. 8.55 BattleBots. 10.00 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 7.45 The Movie Show. 8.20 The Secret Garden. (2020, PGa) 10.15 St. Vincent. (2014, Malsv) 12.05pm Some Kind Of Beautiful. (2014, Madls) 1.55 Viceroy’s House. (2017, PGa) 3.50 The Big Steal. (1990, PGls) 5.40 What We Did On Our Holiday. (2014, PGa) 7.30
6.00 Sunrise. News, sport and weather. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) The latest news and views, including segments on health, astrology, gossip, cooking, counselling and fashion. 12.00 Golf. LIV Golf Adelaide. Day 2. 5.00 The Chase Australia. Contestants race to answer quiz questions correctly to avoid being caught by The Chaser. Hosted by Larry Emdur.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (Return) Johanna Griggs heads to Bribie Island.
8.30 The Marlow Murder Club. (Return, Mav) When a wealthy baronet dies alone in his study the day before his wedding, Judith, Becks and Suzie find themselves at the centre of another mystery.
10.30 To Be Advised.
12.15 GetOn Extra. (Return)
12.45 Dare Me. (MA15+asv)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
5.00 Dr Harry’s Animal Encounters. (PG, R)
7TWO (62, 72)
Morning Programs. 11.30 The Real Seachange. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Home In WA. 2.30 Weekender. 3.00 Room For Improvement. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Wildlife ER. 8.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Secrets Of Beautiful Gardens. 12.30am Escape To The Country. 1.30 Home In WA. 2.00 Harry’s Practice. 2.30 Medical Emergency. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 Late Programs.
Returning to our screens just in time to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse, chef Adam Liaw kicks off the ninth season of this weeknight favourite with three special episodes that explore regional flavours, festive dishes and family MasterChefalum Brendan Pang (pictured) and comedian Annie Louey join Liaw for the first episode of this inclusive Lunar New Year celebration. Liaw begins by making yee sang, or prosperity salad, a vibrant ritual from Malaysian and Singaporean culture. Then, Pang brings his Mauritian roots to the table with a fried noodle main, while Louey crafts Chinese sweet potato donuts for dessert. It’s a recipe for a happy new year in any language.
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 6 – Highlights. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.00[MELB] TippingPoint Australia.(PG,R) 5.30 WIN News. 6.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 6.30 Bold. (PG, R) 7.00
6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7 – Night. Coverage includes women’s snowboard cross qualifiers and finals and men’s cross-country 10km final and ice hockey prelims.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7 – Post Midnight. Coverage includes women’s snowboard cross finals and skeleton runs and men’s 10,000m speed skating final and 10km biathlon sprint final.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7 – Overnight. 6.00 10 News+. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 7.00 Millionaire
9GEM (81, 92)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Swimming. Aust Open Water C’ships. H’lights. 11.30 Parental Guidance. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: Wonder Woman. (2017, M) 10.15 MOVIE: Birds Of Prey. (2020, MA15+) 12.25am Love Island UK. 1.25 Legacies. 2.20 Seinfeld. 2.55
7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Going Places. Noon MOVIE: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. (2000, M) 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Nula. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Africa’s Underwater Wonders. 7.30 MOVIE: Jumanji. (1995) 9.35 MOVIE: Friday The 13th. (1980, MA15+) 11.15 Nula. 11.55 Going Places. 12.55am Between Two Lines.
(2007, MA15+lv) 3.35 The Mattachine Family. (2023, Malns) 5.25 The Movie Show.
(1954, PG) 5.00 New Tricks.
9GO! (82, 93)
10 COMEDY (52, 11)
10 DRAMA (53, 12)
THE COOK UP WITH ADAM LIAW SBS Food, Monday, 7pm
Crash course: Adam Dovile, Pete Colquhoun and Charlie Albone.
Saturday, February 14
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
6am Morning Programs. 10.05 Vintage Voltage. (Ml, R) 11.00 World Wide Nate: African Adventures. (Premiere) 12.00
SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 75th Anniversary Of Australian National Service. 12.00 News. 12.30 Call The Midwife. (PGa, R) 1.30 Professor T. (M, R) 2.20 The Piano. (PG, R) 3.20 Extraordinary Escapes. (PG, R) 4.10 Mission To Space With Francis Bourgeois. (R) 5.00 Aust Story. (R) 5.30 Dr Karl’s How Things Work. (R)
6.00 Kath & Kim. (PGals, R) Kim swears off men and takes up golf.
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
Presented by Tom Gleeson.
7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.
7.30 Call The Midwife. (Md)
Dr Turner and Shelagh take the final steps in May’s adoption. Joyce faces the disciplinary board.
8.30 Midsomer Murders. (Mv) When engagement celebrations at Godley Manor are brought to a sinister end by a booby-trapped cuckoo clock, Barnaby and Winter become immersed in a world of olde-worlde carpentry and bitter family feuds.
10.00 This England. (Ml, R) Looks at Britain during COVID-19. 11.00 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) Continuous music programming.
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.10 Tiddler. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 4.20pm Dino Dex. 4.45 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.10 The Smeds And The Smoos. 5.45 Super Monsters. 6.50 Andy And The Band. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.30 Hard Quiz Kids. 8.00 Chopped Jnr. 8.40 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 9.25 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.10 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. 1.35pm Nula. 2.05 Africa’s Underwater Wonders. 3.00 Backs To The Blast. 4.00 Nganampa Anwernekenhe. 4.30 Bill Reid Remembers. 5.00 First Australians. 6.00 Haututu Hunters. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.30 MOVIE: Lake Placid. (1999) 10.00 MOVIE: Glitter. (2001, M) 11.50 Late Programs.
BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Plat Du Tour. (R) 2.10 Going Places. (R) 3.10 The D-Day Superhero: Jack Kirby. (PG, R) 4.10 Kirby At War. (PGav, R) 5.10 Stephen Fry: Willem And Frieda. (PGa, R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Secrets Of Britain’s Historic Houses: Raising The Roof! (PG)
A Tudor mansion gets a new roof.
8.40 Queen Camilla: The Wicked Stepmother. (PGads, R) Looks at the remarkable story of Queen Camilla and examines how she has succeeded in transforming her public persona.
9.35 Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey: Aaron Chen. (PG, R) Shaun Micallef heads to China. 10.35 Lord Lucan: Revelations. (Mal, R) 11.40 Outlander. (MA15+a, R) 1.55 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a, R) 3.50 Celebrity Mastermind. (PG, R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon The Rap Game UK. 3.00 Heroines. 3.45 WorldWatch. 5.45 Mastermind Aust. 6.45 The Food That Built The World. 7.35 Engineering From Above. 8.30 History’s Greatest Mysteries. 9.20 Icons Unearthed: The Simpsons. 10.15 Marcella. 12.05am WWE Legends. 1.40 Dark Side Of The ‘90s. 2.30 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 12.15pm Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. (1994, Mls) 2.10 Discovering Film. 3.05 The Secret Garden. (2020, PGa) 4.55 Broken Hill. (2009, PG) 6.55 Anne Of Green Gables. (2016, PGa) 8.30 The Firm. (1993, MA15+v) 11.20 Sleeping Beauty. (2011, MA15+alnsv) 1.15am Late Programs.
6.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Apollo Stakes Day and Black Caviar Lightning Race Day. 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 AFL Origin Pre-Game Show. A look ahead as the state-based rivalry returns between Western Australia and Victoria.
7.30 Football. AFL Origin. Western Australia v Victoria. From Optus Stadium, Perth. 10.30 AFL Origin Post-Game Show.
A look back at the AFL Origin game. 11.00 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Premiere, Ml) A look at the GWS Giants.
12.00 MOVIE: The Right Mom. (2021, Mav, R) A woman becomes a child’s guardian. Anna Schafer.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 It’s Academic. (R) 5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon The Outdoor Room. 12.30 This Rugged Coast. 1.30 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. 3.00 Wildlife ER. 4.00 The Yorkshire Vet. 5.00 Horse Racing. Apollo Stakes Day and Black Caviar Lightning Race Day. 6.00 Harness Racing. AG Hunter Cup and Yabby Dam Farms Great Southern Star. 10.45 Lewis. 12.45am Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Morning Programs. 11.15 Football. VFL. 1986 State of Origin. Western Aust v Victoria. Replay. 2pm Golf. LIV Golf Adelaide. 7.00 Storage Wars. 7.30 MOVIE: The Mummy Returns. (2001, M) 10.10 MOVIE: Miami Vice. (2006, MA15+) 12.50am Pawn Stars. 1.50 Storage Wars. 2.30 Cool Cars With Dermott And Elise. 3.00 Roast Night. 4.05 Late Programs.
Sunday, February 15
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7 – Early Morning. 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday. (PG) 12.00 My Way. (R) 12.30 Budget Battlers. (PGl, R) 1.30 Great Australian Detour. (R) 2.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7 – H’lights. 5.00 9News First At Five. 5.30 Getaway. (Return, PG) 6am Morning
6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 8 – Night. Coverage includes men’s alpine skiing giant slalom and women’s mogul dual finals and 4x7.5km cross-country relay. Hosted by Allison Langdon and James Bracey.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 8 – Post Midnight. Coverage includes men’s alpine skiing giant slalom, women’s cross-country relay, speed skating women’s team pursuit and men’s 500m finals.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 8 –Overnight. Coverage includes speed skating women’s team pursuit and men’s 500m final, men’s ski jumping final.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 7. Replay. 7.30pm Death In Paradise. 8.40 MOVIE: Rambo: First Blood Part II. (1985, M) 10.40 MOVIE: Double Impact. (1991, MA15+) 12.50am MOVIE: The Hand Of Night. (1968, M) 2.40 MOVIE: At The Earth’s Core. (1976, PG) 4.35 Death In Paradise. 5.45 Explore.
9GO! (82, 93)
6am Morning Programs. 12.45pm Soccer. English Premier League. Manchester United v Tottenham. 2.45 LEGO Masters. 4.00 Basketball. WNBL Playoffs. Semi-finals. Perth Lynx v Bendigo Spirit. 6.00 MOVIE: Valentine’s Day. (2010, PG) 8.30 MOVIE: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. (2005, M) 11.30 MOVIE: Before I Fall. (2017, M) 1.20am Late Programs.
6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Mark Coles Smith. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. Neale Whitaker and Andrew Winter help a couple struggling with a dysfunctional, two-level property. 8.40 Sort Your Life Out. (PGa, R) Stacey Solomon and her team help families declutter and transform their lives. 9.50 Ambulance Australia. (Mdlm, R) A specialist critical care paramedic responds to a head-on collision that has left a driver trapped in their car. 10.50 Matlock. (PGad, R) Matty and Olympia help a group of nuns. 11.50 Elsbeth. (PGa, R) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
SEVEN (6, 7)
(8, 9) 6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 Wknd Brekky. 9.00 Insiders. 10.00 Offsiders. 10.30 World This Week. (R) 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.30 Muster Dogs. (PG, R) 3.40 The Piano UK. (R) 4.30 Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job. (PG, R) 5.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Muster Dogs. (PG) The handlers and their pups perform assessment tasks.
8.30 Dog Park. (Ml) Roland and Emma finally confront their future. Roland contemplates a new life as a man living alone with his dog.
9.00 This England. (Ml) Looks at Britain during COVID-19.
9.55 Call The Midwife. (Md, R) 10.55 Midsomer Murders. (Mv, R) 12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.00 Dream Gardens. (R) 4.30 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.00 Insiders. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Morning Programs. 12.00 PBS News Compass Points. 12.30 PBS Washington Week. 12.55 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 1.00 Speedweek. 3.00 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.05 Going Places. (R) 4.35 Raising The Mary Rose: The Lost Tapes. (PG, R) 5.30 Brandenburg Gate: The Untold Story.
6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Dominic West: Extreme Silk Road. (PG) Dominic West continues his journey through Kyrgyzstan. 8.25 Fengyang: The Forgotten Imperial City. Looks at the work of archaeologists in the city of Fengyang, in east-central China. 10.10 Dunhuang: Ancient Frontier Fortress: Rise, Fall And Rebirth. (MA15+v, R) 11.10 South Korea With Alexander Armstrong. (PGa, R) 1.45 24 Hours In Emergency. (Ma, R) 2.40 24 Hours In A&E. (Mal, R) 3.35 Celebrity Mastermind. (PG, R) 4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 PBS News Horizons.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Super Monsters. 4.40 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.05 Super Monsters. 6.00 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Paddington. 6.40 Andy And The Band. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.30 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 7.50 MOVIE: Looney Tunes: Back In Action. (2003, PG) 9.20 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.05 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 2.15pm Jeopardy! 4.20 WorldWatch. 5.15 PBS News Compass Points. 5.45 Smoke And Steel: Secrets Of The Modern World. 6.40 The Architecture The Railways Built. 7.35 Abandoned Engineering. 8.30 Mysteries Unearthed With Danny Trejo. 10.10 The Grudge. 11.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) Highlights from the past week. 12.00 Golf. LIV Golf Adelaide. Day 4. 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: International. (PG, R) Follows the work of customs officers.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.
8.45 The Meghan Effect: Transforming The Royals. (PG) Looks at Meghan Markle, who went from being an actor to becoming part of the British monarchy.
10.15 The Hunters: Mr Cruel. (Mav, R) Notorious cold cases are re-opened. 11.45 Autopsy USA: John Wayne. (Ma, R) 12.45 Temple. (MA15+al)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R)
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning Programs. 1pm The Real Seachange. 1.30 Harry’s Practice. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Medical Emergency. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.10 The Amazing Homemakers. 5.10 Secrets Of Beautiful Gardens. 6.10 Escape To The Country. 7.10 Vicar Of Dibley. 8.30 Vera. 10.30 Miss Scarlet And The Duke. 11.30 Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 3.05pm League. Murri v Koori Interstate Challenge. Southern v Redfern. 4.35 All Stars: More Than A Game. 5.05 Make It
6am Morning Programs. 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Take Me Home. (PG, R) 11.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 8 – H’lights. 1.10 Rugby League. NRL. Women’s All Stars. Maori All Stars v Indigenous All Stars. 3.15 Rugby League. NRL. Men’s All Stars. Maori All Stars v Indigenous All Stars.
6.00 9News Sunday.
7.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls) After an explosive revelations week task, the actions of some have a major effect on the others. Who has chosen to stay and who will leave is revealed at the first commitment ceremony.
8.45 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – Night. Coverage includes women’s slalom and monobob bobsleigh, men’s dual moguls and mixed team snowboard cross.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – Post Midnight.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – Overnight.
5.30 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs. 7.30pm Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – Night. 8.45 David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet II. 10.45 Major Crimes. 11.45 MOVIE: Times Square. (1980, M) 2am MOVIE: Crooks Anonymous. (1962) 3.45 MOVIE: Carry On Sergeant. (1958) 5.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – Early Morning.
TEN (5, 10)
6am Morning Programs. 9.30 Travel Oz. (Return) 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 GCBC. (R) 11.00 Well Traveller. (PG, R) 11.30 Pooches At Play. (PGm, R) 12.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGal, R) 1.30 Lingo. (R) 2.30 Basketball. NBL. Round 21. Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks. 4.30 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 5.00 News.
6.30 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 7.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGal) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin.
8.30 NCIS: Sydney. (Masv) When a petty officer is found brutally murdered and frozen, it leads the team into a twisted underworld of seafood and sex trafficking. 9.30 Law & Order: SVU. (MA15+a) When a tween suffers a lifethreatening miscarriage, the team must unravel a web of online fabrications to identify a suspect.
10.30 NCIS: Origins. (Mav, R) Franks races to locate a missing body. 11.30 10 News+. (R) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm Red’s Fishing Adventures. 2.30 Merv Hughes Fishing. 3.00 Storage Wars. 3.30 Pawn Stars. 4.00 Deep Water Salvage. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Border Security: Int. 6.30 Women’s Twenty20 International Pre Game. 7.00 Cricket. Women’s T20. Aust v India. 10.30 Late Programs.
9GO! (82, 93) 6am Morning Programs. 12.55pm Say It Loud. (2020, Mls, Italian) 2.40 What We Did On Our Holiday. (2014, PGa) 4.30 A United Kingdom. (2016, PGa) 6.30 Notorious. (1946, PGa) 8.30 The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. (1966, MA15+av) 11.45 Limitless. (2011, Mdlsv) 1.45am The Firm. (1993, MA15+v) 4.30 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 1.10pm Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. Farm to Finish 275. 2.10 Australian Ninja Warrior. 4.00 Basketball. WNBL Playoffs. Semi-finals. Townsville Fire v Southside Melbourne Flyers. 6.00 MOVIE: Three Men And A Little Lady. (1990, PG) 8.00 MOVIE: Ocean’s Twelve. (2004, M) 10.30 MOVIE: Logan Lucky. (2017, M) 12.55am Late Programs.
Monday, February 16
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Midsomer Murders. (Mv, R)
11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Landline. (R) 2.00 Restoration Australia. (R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Australian Story. Australians tell personal stories.
8.30 Four Corners. Investigative journalism program.
9.15 Media Watch. (M) Presented by Linton Besser.
9.35 Planet America. A look at American politics.
10.05 Dr Karl’s How Things Work: Ice Cream. (R)
10.35 ABC Late News.
10.50 The Business. (R)
11.10 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG, R) 11.35 Love Your Garden. (R) 12.25 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.15 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mlv, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Morning Programs. 1pm PBS News Compass Points. 1.30 Al Jazeera News Hour. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 Asia’s Ancient Civilisations. (PG, R) 3.00 Going Places. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Silk Road From Above. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Inside The Tower Of London. (PG) It is Constable’s Dues day at the Tower of London.
8.30 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) Game show, featuring contestants tackling a words and numbers quiz. Hosted by Jimmy Carr.
9.25 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M) Hosted by Greg Davies.
10.10 SBS World News Late.
10.40 Other People’s Money. (PGals)
11.30 Vigil. (Mav, R) 2.45 The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor. (PG, R) 3.40 Celebrity Mastermind. (PG, R) 4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 TKO: Total Knock Out. (Final) 9.15 Kids BBQ Championship. 9.55 Merlin. 10.40 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning
Programs. 2.55pm Mastermind Aust. 3.25 WorldWatch. 4.20 PBS News Compass Points. 4.50 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Hunt For Stolen Nazi Treasure. 9.20 The Billionaires Who Made Our World. 10.20 The Secret DNA Of Us. 11.25 Late Programs.
SEVEN (6, 7)
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGal, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PGas) Leah crafts a romantic apology.
7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) A nationwide search for Australia’s next singing superstar continues with big voices, surprises and star talent.
9.15 9-1-1. (Mahv) The 118s beliefs are put to the test as they respond to emergency calls involving a Jack-o’-lantern.
10.15 Ivan Milat: Buried Secrets. (MA15+av, R) Takes a look at the crimes of Ivan Milat.
12.15 Conviction. (MA15+a, R) Desmond must prosecute a rap producer.
2.30 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R)
5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 This Rugged Coast. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Doc Martin. 8.30 Endeavour. 10.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 11.30 Doc Martin. 12.30am Bargain Hunt. 1.30 Late Programs.
NINE (8, 9)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls, R) 1.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 9 – H’lights. From Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News.
6.00 9News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) The newlyweds enter intimacy week and while some couples choose to embrace the challenge, others remain hesitant.
9.05 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – Night. Coverage includes men’s alpine slalom, bobsleigh and short track and women’s snowboard slopestyle and short track.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – Post Midnight.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – Overnight.
5.30 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.
9GEM (81, 92)
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGal) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin. 9.00 Matlock. (PGd) Olympia works to repair her relationship with her family after she takes on a case involving her mother’s new husband. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 11.00 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)
6am Morning Programs. 1.15pm Turn Up Respect. 1.30 The Dream Of Love. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 The 77 Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Africa’s Underwater Wonders. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8.35 Karla Grant Presents. 10.00 MOVIE: The Power Of One. (1992, M) 12.15am Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm Broken Hill. (2009, PG) 4.00 Anne Of Green Gables. (2016, PGa) 5.35 Go. (1999, PGalv) 7.30 The Bodyguard From Beijing. (1994, MA15+v) 9.15 My Father Is A Hero. (1995, MA15+v) 11.15 Above The Dust. (2024, Mas, Mandarin) 1.25am Limitless. (2011, Mdlsv) 3.15 Late Programs.
Tuesday, February 17
ABC TV (2)
SBS (3)
6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Aust Story. (R) 10.30 Planet America. (R) 11.00 Human. (Final, PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Call The Midwife. (Md, R) 2.00 Restoration Aust. (Final, PG, R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 Asia’s Ancient Civilisations. (PG, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PGaw, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Silk Road From Above. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Dr Karl’s How Things Work. (Final)
8.30 Mission To Space With Francis Bourgeois. (Final) Presented by Francis Bourgeois. 9.20 Grand Designs Transformations: Balaclava Hat Factory And Paddington Japanese. (R) 10.15 Way Out Ag. (R) 10.35
News. 10.50 The Business. (R) 11.05 Four Corners. (R) 11.55 Media Watch. (M, R) 12.10 Love Your Garden. (R) 1.00 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mal, R)
5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30
7.30. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? Marc Fennell. (PGa, R) Marc Fennell explores his roots.
8.35 MOVIE: Bardot. (2024, Malsw) An intimate look at the life of international icon Brigitte Bardot, with unseen archive and candid interviews.
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Exit. (MA15+ads, R) 11.50 Syndrome E. (Malv, R) 1.55 24 Hours In Emergency. (Ma, R) 2.50 The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor. (PG, R) 3.40 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6am Morning Programs. Noon Border Security. 1.30 Counting Cars. 2.30 Watersport. Offshore Superboats. 3.30 Desert Collectors. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 9.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 10.30 Mighty Planes. 11.30 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 7.30pm Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – Night. 9.05 The Brokenwood Mysteries. 11.05 London Kills. 12.05am M*A*S*H. 1.00 Creflo. 1.30 My Favorite Martian. 2.00 The Brokenwood Mysteries. 4.00 London Kills. 5.00 M*A*S*H. 5.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – Early Morning.
9GO! (82, 93)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 LEGO Masters: Grand Masters. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Tomorrow War. (2021, MA15+) 11.10 Seinfeld. 11.40 The 100. 12.35am Love Island UK. 1.35 Legacies. 2.25 Surfing Aust. 2.55 Late Programs.
SEVEN (6, 7)
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGa, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. 6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 10 – H’lights. From Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PGad)
7.30 The Chase Australia. Hosted by Larry Emdur.
8.30 Doc. (Ma) Michael is under investigation for his actions during the hostage crisis. TJ returns to work and treats a prisoner.
9.30 Ambulance: Code Red. (Ma) A man is attacked by a gang with a machete.
10.30 St. Denis Medical. (Ms)
11.30 Madeleine McCann: Searching For The Prime Suspect. (Mav, R)
12.30 Childhood’s End. (Mav)
2.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 9News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) Intimacy week tasks have a mixed effect on the newlyweds. A tense men’s workshop results in poor behaviour. In a shocking turn of events, one bride suddenly calls it quits.
9.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – Night. Coverage includes men and women’s aerials qualifiers, women’s snowboard slopestyle and men’s ice hockey.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – Post Midnight. 3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – Overnight. 5.30 Today.
9GEM (81, 92)
10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PGs) Hosted by Grant Denyer.
Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGal) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin.
7TWO (62, 72) SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.15pm Peter Rabbit. 2.45 The Makery. 3.05 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Whale With Steve Backshall. 9.25 Planet Weird. 10.15 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Expendables 3. (2014, M) 11.00 Seinfeld. Midnight
Morning Programs. 12.05pm DW The Day. 12.30 Homicide. 2.20 Mastermind Aust. 2.50 Kars & Stars. 3.20 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 In The Footsteps Of Marco Polo. 10.25 MOVIE: I Am Bruce Lee. (2012) 12.05am Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.45 Judge John Deed. 10.45 Northern Lights. 11.45 Bargain Hunt. 12.45am Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 7.30pm Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – Night. 9.00 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 11.00 Harry Wild. Midnight M*A*S*H. 1.00 Creflo. 1.30 My Favorite Martian. 2.00 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 4.00 Harry Wild. 5.00 M*A*S*H. 5.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – Early Morning.
Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 American Pickers.
SECTION GEELONGINDY.COM.AU
Wednesday, February 18
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
6am Morning Programs. 10.45 Dr Ann’s Secret Lives. (R) 11.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club.
1.35 Media Watch. (M, R) 1.50 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Hard Quiz. (PGa) Hosted by Tom Gleeson.
8.30 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG) A satirical news program.
9.00 Dog Park. (Ml, R) Roland and Emma finally confront their future.
9.30 QI. (Ms) Hosted by Sandi Toksvig. 10.00 Planet America. (R) 10.35 ABC Late News.
10.50 The Business. (R)
11.05 Live At The Wireless. (M, R) 12.05 Love Your Garden. (R) 12.50 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.40 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mal, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.55 Adv Time. 9.40 We Bare Bears. 9.55 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 10.15 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs. Noon Piri’s Tiki Tour. 12.30 Unleash The Beast. 1.30 The Lake Winnipeg Project. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Africa’s Underwater Wonders. 7.30 Shepherdess. 8.40 Earth Oven. 9.30 MOVIE: Legends Of The Fall. (1994, MA15+) 11.45 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R)
2.05 Asia’s Ancient Civilisations. (PG, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PGa, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Silk Road From Above. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Saving Yellowstone: The Rivers And Streams. (PG)
8.30 Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World: Halicarnassus/Hanging Gardens Of Babylon/Temple Of Artemis. (PGa, R) Bettany Hughes ventures to Turkey. 9.25 Trespasses. (Mals) Cushla and Michael commit to each other.
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Face To Face. (Mals, R) 11.45 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (Mav, R) 1.35 Golden Boy. (Mal, R) 2.25 The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor. (PG, R) 3.15 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 4.45 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon DW The Day. 12.30 Stone Cold Takes On America. 1.15 Mastermind Aust. 3.20 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. 9.20 MOVIE: Moonfall. (2022, M) 11.45 MOVIE: Perrier’s Bounty. (2009, MA15+) 1.25am Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm Godland. (2022, Manv, Danish, Icelandic) 2.40 Go. (1999, PGalv) 4.35 The Bridge On The River Kwai. (1957, PGav) 7.30 Fist Of Legend. (1994, Mav) 9.30 Tai Chi Master. (1993, MA15+av, Cantonese, Mandarin) 11.20 The Accidental Getaway Driver. (2023, Ml) 1.15am Late Programs.
SEVEN (6, 7)
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGad)
7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PGas) Hosted by Lee Mack.
8.30 Highway Patrol. (PGl)
A disqualified driver sideswipes another vehicle in his haste to evade the police.
9.00 Operation Dark Phone: Murder By Text. (MA15+av) The gangs realise that they’ve been rumbled.
10.00 Air Crash Investigations: Norwegian Nightmare. (PGa) 11.00 The Disappearance Of Gabby Petito. (Malv, R) 12.15 The Last Weekend. (Malv) 1.15 Travel Oz. (PG, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 Inspector George Gently. 10.45 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. 12.45am Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Truckers. 3.30 Desert Collectors. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.30 The Force: BTL. 9.30 Caught On Dashcam. 10.30 World’s Wildest Police Videos. 11.30 Live PD Presents: PD Cam. Midnight Late Programs.
NINE (8, 9)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 11 – H’lights. From Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News.
6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) At the second dinner party, some couples are feeling the love, while others go on the warpath, resulting in a gathering so confrontational it has to be seen to be believed.
9.10 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 12 – Night. Coverage includes women’s alpine slalom and aerials finals, men’s snowboard slopestyle and men’s and women’s cross-country team sprint.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 12 – Post Midnight. 3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 12 – Overnight. 5.30 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs.
7.30pm Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 12 – Night. 9.10 Midsomer Murders. 11.10 The Madame Blanc Mysteries. 12.10am M*A*S*H. 1.10 Creflo. 1.40 Midsomer Murders. 3.40 Innovation Nation. 4.00 The Madame Blanc Mysteries. 5.00 M*A*S*H. 5.30 Late Programs.
9GO! (82, 93)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Yes Man. (2008, M) 10.35 Seinfeld. 11.35 The 100. 12.30am Love Island UK. 1.30 Legacies. 2.20 Surfing Aust. 2.55 Late Programs.
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PGa, R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin. 9.00 Elsbeth. (PGa) After a donor’s death shakes New York’s non-profit arts scene, Elsbeth questions the motives of the victim’s friend. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 11.00 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)
Thursday, February 19
ABC TV (2) SBS (3) SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Hard Quiz. (PGa, R) 10.30 The Weekly. (Ml, R) 10.55 Creative Types. (PGv, R) 11.30 QI. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Bergerac. (Mal, R) 2.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 Asia’s Ancient Civilisations. (PG, R) 3.00 Going Places. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Who The Bloody Hell Are We? (PGav, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Grand Designs Transformations: Arncliffe Italianate And Toukley Granny Pad. Two buildings are transformed.
9.00 Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job. Amanda and Alan renovate the last two rooms.
5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Toronto Airport Uncovered. 8.20 Robson Green: World’s Most Amazing Walks. (PG) Robson Green explores Spain. 9.15 A Spy Among Friends. (Premiere) A defector puts his close friend in the crosshairs of MI5. 10.20 SBS World News Late. 10.50 In Memoriam. (Premiere, Madl) 11.40 Forest Of The Missing. (Malv, R) 1.25 Silent Road. (Ma, R) 3.25 The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor. (PG, R) 4.20 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.05 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.25 Mojo Swoptops. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.20 The Secret Life Of Our Pets. 10.10 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 11.50 DW The Day. 12.20pm The Billionaires Who Made Our World. 1.15 Mastermind Aust. 2.15 Insight. 3.20 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 History’s Greatest Mysteries. 10.05 Brassic. Midnight Mastermind Aust. 1.05 Late Programs.
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Catch Phrase. (PG, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies: Celebrity Specials. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) Remi and Sonny go head-to-head.
8.30 MOVIE: Under The Tuscan Sun. (2003, Ml, R) A 35-year-old writer travels to Tuscany following her divorce and surprises herself by offering to buy a rundown villa, which she brings to life with the help of a real estate agent and a contractor. Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan.
10.50 To Be Advised.
12.35 Dare Me. (MA15+asv)
1.35 Harry’s Practice. (R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R)
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 12 – H’lights. From Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News. 6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 10.30 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of
6.00 9News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Night. Coverage includes men’s and women’s ski mountaineering sprints heats and finals and men’s aerials finals.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Post Midnight. Coverage includes men’s and women’s ski mountaineering sprints finals, Nordic combined team spring and women’s ice hockey.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Overnight.
5.30 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 One Road: Great Australian Road Trips. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 7.30pm M*A*S*H. 8.30 MOVIE: High Crimes. (2002, M) 10.55 Major Crimes. 11.55 Recipes For Love And Murder. 1am Creflo. 1.30 M*A*S*H. 2.30 My Favorite Martian. 3.00 The Baron. 4.00 Recipes For Love And Murder. 5.00 M*A*S*H. 5.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Early Morning.
6am Morning Programs. 12.20pm LEGO Masters Aust Vs World. 2.00 Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Six Days, Seven Nights. (1998, M) 10.30 Seinfeld. Midnight The 100. 12.50 Love Island UK. 1.50 Legacies. 2.40 Explore. 2.55 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Highway Patrol. 2.30
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 Gogglebox Australia. (Return, a) Opinionated viewers discuss TV shows. 8.30 The Graham Norton Show. (Ms) Graham Norton is joined by Chris Pratt, Cynthia Erivo, Dawn French, Rob Beckett and Jack Savoretti. 9.40 10’s
TEN (5, 10)
Crushing for 60 years
Queensland’s Granite Belt comes alive this month for the long-running Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival - a celebration of food, wine and community.
The event, starting on Friday 27 February and running through to Sunday 8 March, marks its 60th anniversary this year, making it one of Queensland’s longest-running and most successful festivals.
For 60 years, the festival has celebrated what makes Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt so special – cool-climate wines, apples at their peak, passionate growers and producers, and a community that knows how to welcome visitors and put on a proper celebration.
The biennial event is a celebration of the Granite Belt region’s produce and booming wine industry, which attracts an average of 70,000 people, making it arguably Australia’s leading harvest festival.
The Diamond Jubilee honours that history while inviting people to experience it firsthand.
The main festival weekend brings the energy to the streets of Stanthorpe, with the town buzzing from morning to night.
The Queensland Country Bank three-day Food and Wine Fiesta fills the park with Granite Belt flavours, 18 local wineries, breweries and meaderies, local producers and live music, while the streets host the much-loved Grand Parade, a vibrant street carnival, bustling markets, and the challenge of the Ergon Energy Mt Marlay Run.
As the sun sets, the weekend is capped off with crowd-favourite fireworks, lighting up the Stanthorpe sky.
Across the full 10 days, festival-goers can also enjoy live music, Open Gardens brought to by Braeside Homestead, cooking demonstrations, creative experiences like Bubbles and Brushes, orchard and farm tours, and hands-on harvest moments.
The festival has something for everyone, including things you might not expect – like the
National Busking Championships.
Buskers will be dotted along the street on Saturday 28 Feburary with “Busking Tokens” available to drop in a favourite performers bucket and judges wandering the main street.
This all culminates in the Winners Concert at the Stanthorpe Civic Centre for announcement of the Grand Open Champion and all the other winners and a chance to enjoy more fabulous entertainment.
Then there’s the iconic Balancing Heart
Grape Crush. This event is already nearly sold out, with only limited places remaining for those keen to take part in one of the festival’s most memorable experiences.
The foot stomping, grape crushing fun is an iconic highlight of the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Festival with the community grape crush on Friday 6 March and Celebrity Crush just after the main parade in the main street near the Stanthorpe Post Office on Saturday 7 March just after the big Grand Parade.
Sponsors are Balancing Heart Vineyard – voted Best Small Cellar Door by Gourmet Traveller Wine – just one of the many Vineyards worth a visit while in the area for the festival.
The 60th anniversary is a significant milestone for both the festival and the region, according to the event’s president, Russell Wantling.
“This festival has been shaped by generations of volunteers, growers and community members, and reaching 60 years is something we’re incredibly proud of,” he said.
“The Diamond Jubilee is about celebrating our history, our harvest and the people who continue to make this festival what it is.”
With accommodation filling quickly and ticketed events close to capacity, visitors are encouraged to plan now.
Many experiences have limited availability and will sell out. Tickets, program details and the full festival calendar are available at www.appleandgrape.org.
Australian
Getting into the spirit of things at the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival. (Supplied)
Get ready for a carnival of fun and colour on Grand Parade Day.
The Open Gardens program brought to the festival by Braeside Homestead.
7 Nights
Dec 2026 - Mar 2027
Iconic Experiences, Expertly Escorted
Full day Barossa Valley tour with lunch and wine tastings including: Saltram wine estate, lunch and wine tasting at Lambert Estate, visit to Barossa Valley Chocolate Company, photo stop at Menglers Hill Lookout, vineyard tour & wine tasting at Jacob’s Creek visitor centre, stop at Beerenberg Farm, and free time in Hahndorf to explore the historic German settlement
2 day Kangaroo Island tour including: Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, Clifford’s Honey Farm, In-Flight Birds of Prey Display at Raptor Domain, Seal Bay Conservation Park guided beach walk, lunch at Emu Bay Lavender Farm, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, and Flinders Chase National Park
Full-Board River Elegance
3 night Murray River cruise on board PS Murray Princess with all meals and sightseeing
Tour of Murray River Bridge and historic Roundhouse
Guided nature walk of Salt Bush Flat
Taste Riverland food and wine
Dragon-Fly flat-bottomed boat wildlife tour
Hand-Picked Hotel Stays
3 nights four-star hotel stay in Adelaide with breakfast
1 night four-star hotel stay in Kangaroo Island with breakfast, lunch and dinner
All Flights, Taxes & Transfers
MEDITERRANEAN’S ICONIC SHORES
Barcelona to Istanbul or vice versa
29 DAYS • 8 COUNTRIES • 23 GUIDED TOURS
SET SAIL • JUL, AUG 2026; FEB-MAY, JUL SEPT 2027; MAR, APR, JUL, AUG 2028
From $24,595pp in Veranda Stateroom
From $30,295pp in Penthouse Veranda
ANCIENT ADRIATIC TREASURES
Venice (Chioggia) to Istanbul or vice versa
15 DAYS • 5 COUNTRIES • 12 GUIDED TOURS SET SAIL • MAR, APR, JUN, AUG 2026; MAR-MAY, JUL-OCT 2027; MAR, APR, AUG 2028
From $12,995pp in Veranda Stateroom From $15,795pp in Penthouse Veranda
MEDITERRANEAN ODYSSEY
Barcelona to Venice (Chioggia) or vice versa
13 DAYS • 6 COUNTRIES • 10 GUIDED TOURS SET SAIL • MAR-OCT 2026; FEB-NOV 2027; APR-SEP 2028
From $10,995pp in Deluxe Veranda From $12,295pp in
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 Geelong Independent Community Calendar, 1/47 Pakington Street, Geelong West, 3218, or email to editorial@geelongindependent.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is 5pm Tuesday.
Austrian Club Geelong
An afternoon of alpine music featuring “Alpen Musikanten”. Sunday 22 February, noon-5pm. Tickets $20 ($15 members). Meals and drinks available (including Geelong’s best schnitzel and strudel).
Irmela, 0435 995 200
Book Fair
Rotary Club of Geelong West, Geelong West Town Hall.
Friday 20th February, 9am-6pm
Saturday 21st February, 9am-5pm Sunday 22nd February, 9am-2pm All adult books $2, children’s books $1
Get together for PEACE
Meditation, discussion and cuppa. Secular group (non-religious) at Belmont Library, Saturday February 14th, 11am-12.30pm, second Saturday of month.
Marita 0415 344 756
German Karneval Society
Two events celebrating German culture on Saturday 14 February. KinderKarneval from noon to 4pm and KostümBall from 6-11pm. Costumes are optional but strongly encouraged – dress up and join the fun! Members: $15. Non Members: $20.
Alana, 0417 335 461 or germankarnevalsociety@gmail.com
Tennis at Bell Post Hill
A new Hot Shots Program for beginners, 7 to 10 years old. Monday afternoons on Creamery Road from the 9th of February for 8 Weeks with 4.15pm or 4.45pm sessions. Book online at Western Heights Uniting Tennis Club, (under Coaching BPH).
Evie, 0409 433 772
Aberdeen street baptist church
Aberdeen street baptist church invites you to join us each Sunday at 10am to worship, sing and enjoy traditional hymns and experience god’s love. Followed by a morning tea. All welcome.
Uniting Grovedale Book Sales Book sales will be held on 6 March and 7 March at Uniting Grovedale, 272 Torquay Road, 10am-2pm. All books are only $1 and children’s books $0.50.
Mainly Music
Music and fun for preschoolers. Welcome Centre, St Mark’s, Vicarage Road, Leopold, Thursdays 9.30-11am. $5 per family per week.
0461 582 618, or mmadmin@bgap.church
Geelong Patchwork & Quilter’s Guild
Meets third Saturday of each month 10.30am-3.30pm, Newcomb Hall, Wilsons Road. Visitors welcome. $6 includes time to sit and sew, morning tea and guest speaker.
info@geelongpatch.org.au
Leopold Library
Career Pathways covers careers in the sport industry. Thursday 26 February, 6-7.30pm.
4201 0675
Dragons Abreast Geelong Dragon boating for breast cancer survivors, Saturdays 12.30pm, Geelong Canoe Club, Marnock Road, Highton. Free come and try.
Traci, 0417 301 226, or Facebook
Dragons Abreast Geelong - Juggernauts
Grovedale East Ladies Probus Fourth Monday of each month, 9.30am, Belmont RSL.
Sally Nelson, 0402 450 610
Waurn Ponds Combined Probus Fourth Wednesday of the month, 10am. Maximum 100 members.
probussouthpacific.org/microsites/waurn
Geelong and District Budgerigar Society Annual Diploma/Unbroken cap Show to be held at the Geelong Showgrounds Hall of Agriculture Sunday 15 February, commencing at 10am. This is open to the public and is a FREE event. Karen, 0439 558 168
Lions Club of Geelong Meets 1st & 3rd Monday of each month. Contact below for venues and times.
geelong.vic@lions.org.au or 0408 599 962
Geelong Harmony Chorus
Women’s four-part harmony singing. All ages encouraged. Rehearsals Mondays 6.45pm at Herne Hill.
contact@geelongharmony.com.au, or 0406 666 737
Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir
Small ladies choir who require no knowledge of the Welsh language. Meet Wednesdays 7pm at St Luke’s, Highton to help each other sing in Welsh and English. 0413 406 433, or welshladieschoir.com.au
Chess clubs
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)
Geelong Scout Heritage Centre
Meets third Sunday of the month, 56 Russell Street, Newtown, 10am-3pm. 0419 591 432, or geelong.heritage@scoutsvictoria.com.au
Ocean Grove Library
Wednesday 18 February 2-3pm - Book Chat Thursdays 3-4pm - Tech Help drop in session for your basic tech needs
Mondays 10.30-11.30am - Preschool Story
Time Tuesdays 4-5pm - Youth Collective (Ages 12-18)
Wednesdays 9.30-10am - Toddler Time Thursdays 11.30-11.50am - Baby Time Thursdays 3.45-4.45pm - After School
Program
*OCEAN GROVE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED from Thursday 26 February until Wednesday 18 March for building maintenance and repainting works.
Dancer’s Club Geelong Ballroom dance weekly, Leopold Hall 7.30-10.30pm. Admission $8 includes supper. Old time, New Vogue and Latin. CDs by Kevin and Tre. Russ, 5250 1937
Life Activities
Club [Geelong Inc] Arvo tea dance every Thursday, Belmont
Pavilion, 2-4pm, $5 entry.
Val, 5251 3529
Belmont Combined Probus First Monday of the month, 9.30am, Geelong RSL Function Room, 50 Barwon Heads Road. New members and visitors welcome
Sue, 0409 945 011, or probusclubofbelmont@outlook.com
Barwon Valley Belmont Probus First Thursday of the month, 10am, Waurn Ponds Hotel.
Membership officer, 0407 333 263, or bobstafford@ozemail.com.au
Lectures
Join Adfas Geelong Inc. for illustrated lectures by art historian Matthew Martin, formerly curator of the National Gallery of Victoria.
Sports
Badminton: Corio Leisuretime Centre, Mondays 12.30-2.30pm. Beginners welcome.
Netball: YMCA Riversdale Road, Monday & Wednesday mornings, Thursday nights. Walking-netball also played. Umpire training available.
Maureen 0429-397 015
Arts National Geelong Welcomes guests and members to monthly lecture series. Details of lecture topics, lecturers and venues at:
artsnational.au
Live music
Country Heartbeat Allstars every Friday 7-10pm, White Eagle House Polish Club, Fellmongers Road Breakwater. Walkups welcome. Proceeds to Sunny Days Rescue & Rehab.
Dawn, 0417 148 493
GROW Australia
Community organisation offering practical steps and peer support to help recover and maintain mental health through free face to face and online groups. Mondays 7pm, 195 Ormond Road, East Geelong, Fridays 12.45pm, Vines Road Community Centre, Hamlyn Heights, Zoom group 7pm Tuesdays.
grow.org.au, or 1800 558 268
Grovedale Seniors
Indoor bowls Monday 1-3pm; gentle exercise Tuesday 9-9.45am; cards (Euchre) Tuesday 1-3pm; bingo Thursday 1-3pm. Grovedale Community Hub, 45 Heyers Road.
Julie, 0419 549 521
Drysdale Day VIEW
Fourth Friday of each month at Portarlington Golf Club for lunch.
Margaret, 0431 636 090
Table tennis
All seniors welcome for a social game. Vines Road Community Centre, Hamlyn Heights, Wednesdays 12.30-2.30pm.
Allen, 0433 883 116
Leopold VIEW
Second Tuesday of each month, Leopold Sportsmans’ Club, 10.30am.
leopold.viewclub@gmail com
Geelong Day VIEW
First Monday monthly from 11am at Shell Club, 76 Purnell Road, Corio.
geelongdayview@gmail.com
Writers’ group
The Hub writers’ group meets at Arts Hub, Clifford Parade, Barwon Heads, first Sunday of the month, 2-4pm. New members welcome.
dorothy.johnston@hugonet.com.au
Geelong Evening VIEW
Third Monday of the month, 6pm, Waurn Ponds Hotel.
Von, 0414 930 259, or geelongeveningview@gmail.com
Laughter Club Geelong Saturdays, 9am, Eastern Beach in front of the swimming enclosure. 30-minutes free laughter yoga done standing or seated.
0418 521 265
Lions Club International Enjoy meeting great people and help out your community at the same time. Clubs all over greater Geelong - see which one is right for you.
Les, 0428 466 446
Grovedale Marshall Probus
Second Thursday of the month,10am, The Grovedale Hub, 45 Heyers Road, Grovedale. Anne, 0425 356 973
Chess Group chess lessons at Geelong West. Suitable for beginners who have a reasonably firm understanding of the game rules. Kids and adults welcome.
Isaac, isaacsmith5603@gmail.com or 0406 199 457
Community kitchen
Do you enjoy cooking or want to learn cooking and budgeting skills with a small group of like-minded people in your community? Are you interested in volunteering to facilitate a Community Kitchen?
healthycommunities@barwonhealth.org. au
Croquet
Drysdale Bowling & Croquet Club, Clifton Springs Road, Tuesdays from 10am for training, bring a friend.
0428 740 591
Ocean Grove Senior Citizens 101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove
Weekly
Tuesday: snooker 1pm, chess, indoor bowls 1.15pm. Wednesday: bingo 1.15pm, ukulele class 2pm, guitar jam session 4pm. Thursday: snooker 1pm, cards 500, social afternoons 1.15pm. Friday: art classes 9am.
Fortnightly
CWA 1st & 3rd Monday 2.30pm
Kareen, 0419 246 346, or Janis, 5255 4585
Monthly Inhouse Movies 3rd Wednesday 1.30pm. Dianne, 5255 1372
Fans gather for Super Bowl
Independent photographer Ivan Kemp went along to The Sporting Globe in Geelong to capture people watching the Super Bowl on Monday 9 February, as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots.
Kim Wheeler, Dave McDonald, Kenneth Sayer, Chris Vorwerk and Liam Cook. 533143_01
Lachy Maverick, Ryan Sausse and Sav Zielonka. 533143_02
Jason, Frank, Paul, Rowan and Dale. 533143_04
Gaye Vos, Emma Vos, Alistair Croxford and Matt Vos. 533143_03
Chris and Sandi Woodhouse with their son Max. 533143_05
Ted Dangerfield and Dan Gorfine. 533143_07
Lucas Robertson, Travis Rodger and Benjamin Robertson. 533143_06
Mark Sherrott and Darcy Lear. 533143_08
Angelo and Carmen. 533143_09
Stephen and Andrew Maxwell. 533143_10
6
Further bonus for Ioniq 5
By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring
The Ioniq 5 burst onto the local electric vehicle scene more than three years ago likethegreyhoundfavouriteoutofatrapat the Dapto Dogs.
The Dapto dishlickers have since gone to thedogs,withthetrackwindingup,butthe Hyundai-built Ioniq 5 crossover SUV has continued to live a storied life, which has included being named the 2022 World Car of the Year.
Now the MY25 Ioniq 5 five-seat SUV locally has won styling updates, new features and technology, and two new battery sizes delivering up to 570km of range. Three model grades are on offer, with the choice of Standard (440km) and Extended (up to 570km) range of powertrains, plus optional N Line and Digital Mirror Packs.
ThebaseBEV,with63kWhbattery,comes to market at $69,800, plus on-road costs.
With an 84kWh battery from the Ioniq 5 N,thepricegoesupto$75,800.ADynamiq, withthelatterbattery,sellsfor$80,800and an Epiq tops off the lot at $84,300.
The N Line Pack adds exclusive styling and unique 20-inch alloy wheels, while Epiq gains LED projection headlights with an intelligent front lighting system.
All Ioniq 5 models are covered by Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre vehiclewarrantyandeight-year,160,000km high-voltage battery cover.
Styling
Already a leader in the design of electric vehicles, Hyundai stylists were cluey enough to lay a light hand on the iconic Ioniq 5.
The new look is highlighted by a revised front bumper, skid plate and ‘hidden’ lighting, plus flat aluminium badging. New 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels
reshape the car’s unique profile, while at the rear, a revised bumper, spoiler and the addition of a windscreen wiper, and one of 10 exterior colours, complete the look.
Interior
A nod to the past is a reworked centre console with simpler seat heating and ventilation controls via buttons. Also given a lift are seat pattern, steering wheel, instrument cluster bezel and multimedia screen.
Lookingintothefuture,theMY25Ioniq’s cabin introduces the latest iteration of Hyundai’sConnectedCarNext-Generation Cockpit, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluelink Connected Car Services and Over-The-Air updates.
The entry-level Ioniq 5 now has single-tone black wool and eco-processed leather upholstery in place of the previous two-tone cloth. An eco-processed black leather is now standard on Dynamiq and Epiq interiors.
Cargo storage ranges from 527 to 1587 litres; 57 litres up front in the rear-wheel drive and 24 litres the all-wheel drive. There’s a centrally located large bin and cupholders, plus a wireless smartphone charger.
Rear-seat legroom is limited by the battery pack lodged under the body. Headroom is just the opposite.
Infotainment
The latest Ioniq 5 features the award-winning Connected Car Next-Generation Cockpit, incorporating multimedia and instrumentation in an all-in-one interface inspired by the interface of the ubiquitous smartphone.
The all-new 12.3-inch multimedia system features a CPU with four times more computing power and 15 times
more graphical processing power than the previous system.
Added to this is a high-definition 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster displaying sat nav directions, visual SmartSense safety alerts, plus speedo, tacho, fuel and temperature info in digital form or classic needle-type gauges.
Bluelink Connected Car Services and Over-The-Air software updates are available across the range, the former free for the first five years of ownership.
Engines/transmissions
The MY25 Ioniq 5 2WD comes with a 63kWh battery in Standard Range and is upped to a 84kWh battery in Extended Range, with a lithium-ion permanent magnet synchronous electric motor and single-speed automatic transmission
putting out 125kW of power and 350Nm of torque to the rear wheels.
Safety
Seven airbags, including front centre, side are the prelude to top safety, which also includesforwardcollision-avoidanceassist 2, forward with oncoming vehicle, evasive steering assist, smart cruise control and lane assist.
Intelligent front lining automatically dips the beam in the face of oncoming traffic to avoid dazzling drivers.
Driving
As I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of flush door handles, which are not the easiest to operate with one hand. That said, I cannot fault the smooth, quiet powertrain operation and general lack of intrusive cabin turbulence.
As well as battery boosts extended the Ioniq 5 operation, the MY25 model has undergone improvements to ride and handling through increased chassis rigidity and revised suspension tuning. Chassis changes include upgraded body reinforcements in the B and C pillar door surroundsandanunderbodycrossbar.The increased body stiffness has led to positive impacts. These include improved steering response and feedback, reduced vibration throughthesteeringwheel,enhancedbody control and stability, plus improved noise, vibration and harshness suppression.
Summary
“With greater range and an array of safety and technological upgrades, the refreshed 2025 iteration of our award-winning Ioniq 5 gives EV buyers an even more persuasive SUV package,” says Hyundai Motor Company Australia chief executive Ted Lee. My thoughts too.
The refreshed iteration of the Ioniq 5 gives EV buyers an even more persuasive SUV package.
(Pictures: Supplied)
Bulls and Saints win
Independent photographer Ivan Kemp went to Ceres Recreation Reserve for the Barrabool vs Armstrong Creek game and to Belmont’s Winter Reserve to see East Belmont play St Joseph’s on Saturday 7 February.
Luke Clift and Kane Pickering’s partnership of 131 guided Barrabool to a win. 521178_14
Ollie King bowled tightly taking 1 for 20 off 17 overs for Joeys. 521177_01
Brandon Purcell took 1 for 47 off 14 overs. 521177_08
Shane McNamara top scored for East Belmont with 81. 521177_12
Austin Humphrey took 2 for 56 including the important wicket of Shane McNamara. 521177_17
Lachie Inglis drives for St Joseph’s. 521177_27
Austin Humphrey forces a defensive stroke from Hayden McMahon. 521177_18
Hayden McMahon plays a cut shot. 521177_02
Ryan Parkinson in action for Armstrong Creek. 521178_03
Kane Pickering is hit by this delivery. 521178_09
Kane Pickering brings up the winning runs for Barrabool. 521178_12
Luke Clift drives down the ground during his 85 not out for Barrabool. 521178_06
Bareena prevails at home
Bareena came away with an 80 to 66 win against Geelong Cement in Division 2 of Geelong Bowls Region at home on Saturday 7 February and Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was there to capture some of the action.
Laurie Wilkie leads off for Bareena. 521176_01
Tobias Bottrell leads the way for Geelong Cement. 521176_02
Pat Tardio plays the backhand. 521176_05
Litsa Ellis steps into her bowl. 521176_12
Jacqueline McLaren works out her line. 521176_11
Carol Head looks to consolidate. 521176_14
Left: Colin Atkins skipped his team to a big 25 to 13 win. 521176_31 Centre: Jeff Walker starts the end for Geelong Cement. 521176_26 Above right: Leigh Everett plays the backhand. 521176_13 Right: Toni Jones looks for position. 521176_03
Michael Anderson is all concentration. 521176_22
Peter O’Keefe leads the way for Bareena. 521176_18
Section 1 Mixed heats up with tennis finals on the horizon
LOCAL TENNIS
Donna Schoenmaekers
Round12producedsomedramainSection 1 Mixed, with six teams moving ladder positions with just two rounds to play before finals.
Both Bannockburn and Grovedale Black were undefeated going into their clash, withtheoriginalencounterinroundseven abandoned due to rain. While they are all but guaranteed to finish one and two, both teams were gunning for top spot to help secure a home court advantage for finals.
Scores were level after the first two sets with Zoe Duff and Michael Best winning the first mixed for Grovedale 6-1, while Rachael Le Maitre and James Le did the same for Bannockburn in the second. From there, however, Grovedale took control of the match winning the next four sets to earn a 5-1 win, with Michael Best
the standout dropping only one game for the day.
It was third versus fourth in the second match of the day with Moriac travelling to Anglesea to face Surfcoast Bellbrae. With only two points between them, both teams werekeentopostawintokeepfinalshopes alive.
KristieWaltersandTrevorColbertkicked offforMoriacwitha6-2win,whileBellbrae scored in the second mixed with Kate Darbyshire and Scott McCardel winning 6-4. The father/son combination of Trevor andJarrydColbertprovedtoostronginthe men’s,butBellbrae’sDarbyshireandGrace Taylor kept their team in touch winning 6-2.
With only one game separating the teams going into the reverse mixed, both teams knuckled down with long games, many rallies. With just one break of serve ineachset,Moriacgotoverthelineinboth
6-4totakethewin4-2,extendingtheirlead over Bellbrae.
Grovedale Yellow is still only two points behind Moriac after their encounter with St Leonards, where they also managed a 4-2 win. Rachel Knez and Wayne Bulman started well for St Leonards, winning the first mixed 6-2, but the Grovedale’s seasoned husband and wife pairing of Steve and Linda Muratori proved too good in the second winning 6-1.
The women’s went to St Leonards’ Cleta Forrest and Ranie Daw 6-3, but Muratori and Craig Watson proved too good in the men’s, winning 6-1. Grovedale lifted a gear in the remaining mixed with Watson and Linda Muratori winning 6-3, while Steve Muratori teamed with Sue Sutherland to get his third set for the day and give Grovedale the win.
Western Heights and Winchelsea delivered the tightest contest of the season
Pair pile on the runs
By Justin Flynn
climbed into the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade top four after a superb run chase against reigning premiers Armstrong Creek.
Needing 191 for victory at Ceres Recreation Reserve on Saturday 7 February, the Bulls claimed a six-wicket win.
At 2/18 and then 4/60, Barrabool badly needed a partnership and it came in the form of Kane Pickering and Luke Clift, whopassed50forthefirsttimethisseason after some promising starts.
Clift was there at the end, with 85 from 167 deliveries while Pickering was on 60 from 103.
Pickering said Clift batted intelligently and read the situation well.
“He picked up ones where he could and then got the odd boundary ball and he managed to put it away,” he said.
“Andiftheybowledacoupleofniceones, we were lucky enough not to be under any pressure to score quickly, so we could just let it go and wait until we could score.”
PickeringsaidtheBulls’homegroundat Ceres was a good venue to chase a total.
“It’sanicegroundtochaserunsonwhen you know what you’ve got to do, especially if you’ve got wickets in hand and a couple of blokes set,” he said.
“You can really go at quite a rate to get whatever you need.”
Barrabool finishes the home and away seasonwithtoughgamesagainstAnglesea andJanJuc,butdestinyisinitsownhands. Win both and play finals.
“I think Armstrong Creek, Anglesea, Jan Juc and us play each other, so it’s sort of a double points kind of thing,” Pickering said.
“Yesterday was a big win to push us in front of Armstrong Creek and then we play Anglesea and if we win two, we’re in, or if you win one, it’s going to come down to points and percentage sort of thing.
“So it’s going to be quite tight. The last game’s definitely going to be on the line to (see) whether you’re in or you’re out.”
Armstrong Creek toiled hard.
Ben Fary didn’t take a wicket, but conceded just 16 runs from 11 overs while Ryan Stoneley also went unrewarded, finishing 0/24 runs from 13 overs.
While the loss hurt the Titans’ finals hopes, they are only half a game outside the four with two rounds remaining.
DRYSDALE’S season is still alive after knocking off Inverleigh by 37 runs.
Defending 196, the Hawks were superb and at one stage the score was 8/118, but
some late order resistance from Austin Haygarth (31 not out) got the total up to 159 all out.
The wickets were shared around with star paceman Blake Dobbin snaring 3/43 while Ben Spencer’s crafty slowies netted him 2/26 from 15.
The loss leaves the Kookaburras nine points outside the top four and finals are now out of the question.
LEFT-ARM quick Dylan Taylor led Anglesea to a crushing win against Surf Coast rivals Jan Juc.
Taylor took 5/17 from 12 overs to have the Sharks all out for 80 after starting the day needing 205 for victory.
The win lifted Anglesea to second on the ladder while Jan Juc slipped down to fifth.
so far in a thrilling showdown at Western Heights Uniting Tennis Club. The hosts struck first with Jayde Kelly and Peter Varszeghy landing the opening blow 6-3, but Winchelsea responded immediately with Ange Oldham and Matt Allen producingastrongperformancetowin6-2.
The doubles sets were swift and decisive. Kelly and Livinia Ryan were ruthless and overpowering for the Heights in the Women’s winning 6-0, while Winch’s father/son combination of Matt and Fletcher Allen were too strong for the Heights father/son combination taking it 6-1.
The match was tied going into the final two sets, and was perfectly poised for a dramatic finish. Domination continued with Winch’s Oldham and Fletcher Allen winning 6-0, and while Kelly and Seb Varszeghydidtheirbesttotiethematchfor the Heights, but left them one game short.
Former Eagle joins Drysdale
By Matt Hewson
Former AFL player Jayden Hunt will play for Drysdale this season after retiringfromthetopleagueattheend of2025.
Hunt played 172 AFL games for Melbourne and West Coast before announcing his retirement at the end oftheAFLseason.
Thetoneoftheclub’sannouncement last week on social media that 30-year-old Hunt was joining the Hawks was, to put it mildly, enthusiastic.
“The Drysdale Football and Netball Club is pumped to announce the signing of former West Coast Eagles & Melbourne Demons player Jayden Hunt!”theclubsaidonsocialmedia.
Senior coach Ben Carmichael confirmed the mood around the club had been buoyant since the announcement.
“There’s generally always some excitement when you get a guy that’s come straight out of league footy,” he said. “The guys are really excited and we’re looking forward to seeing what Jaydencandoforus.
“We’re excited to see what he can teach our young kids, even the coaches...he’s going to bring a lot to thegroup.”
Hunt, known for both his utility and his elite pace, will link up with brother-in-law Tarv Latimer, who joined the Hawks from Ocean Grove inDecember.
Carmichael said Hunt was “fully invested”inhisnewclub.
TomKearneywasoneofonlytwoJanJuc batters to reach double figures with 28. Taylor was well supported by fellow seamer Tom Eskrigge who took 3/22 from 11.1 overs.
THREE-WICKET hauls from a trio of Barwon Heads bowlers gave their side a hard-fought 35-run win against Queenscliff.
Left-arm quick Sema Kamea took 3/56, while leg-spinners Daniel Donaldson (3/9) and Angus Mackie (3/32) were again top performers.
Queenscliff didn’t make it easy for the Seagulls’ attack with Frank Mileto (38), Tom Bakker (33) and Jordan Monahan (28) playing well, but nobody could make that big score.
“We’re not putting a ceiling on how many games he plays…we certainly understand that he’s got business and goals commitments,” he said. “At this stage we’re probably looking at (Hunt playing) maybe six to ten games, and he’s certainly voiced that he’s keen to doasmuchtrainingashecan.”
Barrabool
Luke Clift and Kane Pickering chat as they leave the ground after a partnership of 131. (Ivan Kemp) 521178_13
Jayden Hunt in action for the West Coast Eagles in 2024. (AAP Image/Linda Higginson)
Anthony bombs out at the Winter Olympics
By Melissa Woods, AAP
Australia’s wait for a Winter Olympian to successfully defend their title continues with moguls superstar Jakara Anthony sensationally bombing in the final at the Milan-Cortina Games.
Beijing gold medallist Anthony was the raging favourite to go back-to-back and win Australia’s first medal in Italy on Wednesday (Thursday morning AEDT). Instead, she became Australia’s fifth Olympic champion who was unable to win successive titles.
Anthony looked a gold medal lock in the early rounds and delivered a moguls masterclass in the first final, scoring a whopping 83.96 which was more than three points clear of the next best skier. But in the eight-skier super final she skidded off midway down the Livigno course and while she was able to complete her run, she finished last with judges awarding just 60.81 points.
Her Aussie teammate Charlotte Wilson
(75.17) came sixth, as the US celebrated a shockone-twowithLizLemleytakinggold with a top score of 82.30 and Jaelin Kauf silver (80.77).
French 2018 Olympic champion Perrine Laffont won bronze.
“I’m bummed, obviously,” said the 27-year-old, who looked shell-shocked at the bottom of the course while her rivals celebrated. “I’m really proud of the skiing that I was able to do on the course and I think I was skiing and jumping at such a high level and skiing with good speed.
“I think I really had what it took to take thattopstep,showedthatinthefirstcouple ofrounds,butyeah,Ijustdidn’tputitdown on that last one when it counted.
“I had more to give ... so I was just pretty bummed mostly that I didn’t get to show everyone what I could do in there.”
Anthony said she wasn’t sure what caused her stumble.
“I’ve got to go back and watch the video and kind of work it out, but I think I just made a move,” the world No.1 said.
“Imean,instinctivelyyoukindofwantto stretch your foot to a mogul to get control, but you don’t want to do that and I think that’s what I did in there.”
The Victorian product said she didn’t thinkthepressureofherhistoricquesthad affected her skiing.
“I felt good, obviously pretty nervous but I’d like to think everyone here is nervous but it just means you care about what you’re doing and you’re doing something pretty bloody big.”
Anthony will at least get another chance to win a medal in Milan-Cortina with dual moguls added to the Olympic program.
In that event, skiers race head-to-head againsteachotherwiththewinnermoving on and the loser eliminated.
“It’s kind of nice that we’ve got the dual movements, I’ve been saying it’s not four years to wait ’til the next opportunity it’s only three days, so definitely looking forward to that, but I’m sure there’ll be a fewgirlsouttherelookingforredemption,” Anthony said.
Lara’s stunning win
By Justin Flynn
Lara has thrown the Geelong Cricket Association Division 1 finals race even more wide open with a stunning outright victory against Newtown & Chilwell.
Maximum points means Lara is now third on the ladder while last season’s runner-up Newtown & Chilwell has effectively been eliminated from the finals race.
Lara resumed at 3/77 in pursuit of 179 needed for victory and there was little indication of the drama that was about to unfold.
The Cats had to work hard with the bat to even win first-innings points, being 7/140 until captain Daniel Weigl (52 not out) and Brenden Miller (29 not out) got their side over the line despite 3/70 from 24 overs from Chris Williams and 2/37 from 19 from Newtown & Chilwell captain Lachie Sperling.
After consultation with Sperling, Weigl immediately declared the innings closed and both sides then set out in pursuit of outright points.
“A hundred runs for the day to get the job done (for first-innings points) was the first priority and then Lachie approached me and, given their position in the ladder, there was an opportunity rather than just batting out the game for bonus points, but to offer up a second-innings result,” Weigl said.
“From their end, to see what they could do to potentially try and flip it around and and then equally for us, there was an incentive there to get extra four points, which potentially, helps us trying to get into finals.”
At 1/57 in their second dig, the Two Blues were on track to set a score, but they would then lose 9/51 to be all out for 108 in 20 overs. Rhyce Nolan and George Blatherwick each took three wickets in the helter skelter.
Lara then required 95 to win outright, achieved in just more than 17 overs and there was no better man to help do it then Vishesh Malhotra, who clubbed an unbeaten 69 from 54 deliveries.
“It didn’t necessarily cross my mind to begin with,” Weigl said.
“(But) once he’d (Sperling) mentioned it, it made a lot of sense. It provided an opportunity for them, it provided an opportunity for us, and rather than finishingupat3o’clockorjustbattingouta little bit of wasted time, it meant that there
was a bit on the line for everyone for the whole entirety of the day.
“Ifyoujustlookedattheresults,you’dsee them being bowled out for 108, (but) they werebeingquiteaggressivetotryandputa scoreontheboardthatwouldcreateabitof scoreboard pressure for us and potentially entice us.
“So it certainly wasn’t one of those outright results that you otherwise see. ?It was a really tight, close game the whole way.”
LUKE Ford capped off a player-of-the-match performance in St Peters’ win against South Barwon. Ford made 129 not out on day one and then took 4/25 as South Barwon was all out for 168, well short of the Saints’ 5/282.
Finals make-up looks set with one round to go
By Justin Flynn
The final four of the Geelong Bowls RegionPremierPennantcompetition seems set with one round to go in the final home and away season. It would take a monumental upset forfourthplacedDrysdaletomissout and even then fifth and sixth would need to by plenty to go right.
DrysdaleplaysBellPostHill,which has gone winless this season, so its spot in the four seems assured.
FifthplacedEasternParkmeetstop side Ocean Grove and sixth placed Torquay plays Queenscliff, which is sitting second.
The Grovers should claim the minor premiership with Queenscliff needing to make up 14 points to overtake them.
Highton is 15 points behind Queenscliff and meets Lara.
Thewayitstands,OceanGrovewill meet Queenscliff in the grand-final qualifierwhileHightonandDrysdale will clash in the elimination final.
In the penultimate round on Saturday 7 February, Drysdale inflicted Highton’s third loss of the season and pretty much guaranteed a finals spot.
The 82 to 77 win gave Drysdale a precious 15 points with John Monahan’s rink enjoying the biggest win of the afternoon, 31 to 16.
Jeremy Fitzgerald pulled a rink back for Highton and one rink was a tie, leaving Mark Godbolt rink to close out the other rink in a tight contest, 22 to 17.
Lara won its second match of the season and will remain in premier competition next season.
NORTH Geelong has all but wrapped up another minor premiership with a 76-run win against Grovedale. Jordan Moran (85) and Josh Windus (44 not out) batted well for Grovedale, but spin again ruled for the Magpies with Alistair McCann, Victor Morrow and Bailey Sykes each taking two wickets while seamer Tom Mathieson bucked the trend to grab two of his own.
ST JOSEPH’S kept its finals hopes flickering with an 88-run win against East Belmont. Chasing 281 for victory, East Belmont was all out for 192 with Ryan Simmonds snaring 4/24 and spinner Ollie King superb with 1/20 from 17 probing overs while Shane McNamara did all he could for East with a slick 81.
The 85 to 70 win confined Bell Post Hill to relegation despite winning two rinks.
ButBenCotterskippedhisrinktoa 12-shot victory and Brendan Umbers prevailed by the same margin to give Lara the win.
Queenscliff had a tough match against Eastern Park, but came away with 16 points to have breathing room for a double chance.
OceanGroveisinformleadinginto yet another finals campaign with a 34-shot win against Torquay.
Skip Tyson Cromie’s rink of Jen Le Cerf, Max Rowley and Tony Joel were unstoppable with a 35-7 win.
Maureen Anderson skipped her rink to a close win to keep Bareena in the Division 2 finals race. (Ivan Kemp) 521176_23
Ollie King bowled superbly for St Joseph’s with 1/20 from 17 overs. (Ivan Kemp) 521177_16
