Geelong Indy - 20th March 2026

Sing along with the Mik Maks

The story of the local children’s creators the Mik Maks began 14 years ago when four brothers set themselves a challenge.

Sitting outside a caravan in Port Fairy in 2012, brothers Brian, Alan, Joel and Dean McInnes decided to try their hand at writing a kids song

“All of my brothers were involved in cover bands, and within an hour we’d written Bruce the Hairy Crocodile, which is still our most requested song today,” Joel said. “So we shared it with the kids in the neighbouring caravans…that just lit a fire, and off we went.”

That fire has continued to burn. The Mik Maks, now seasoned entertainers and bona fide YouTube stars, have joined a new streaming series featuring some of Australia’s best-known children’s performers.

“The content is really, really strong, really purposeful, and kids are going to love it,” Joel said.

Turn to page 3 for the full story.

All in the family: Mik Maks members (and father and daughter) Joel and Ava McInnes. (Ivan Kemp) 541115_08

Breaking barriers

By Matt Hewson

When Bellarine resident Tess began to navigate her way through perimenopause she experienced first-hand the barriers women and gender diverse people encounterwhentryingtoaccesssexualand reproductivehealthcare.

Tess considered herself more or less privileged; she was white, middle-class, healthy, university-educated and came from a medical family. So it came as a shock to realise that getting well-informed, compassionate and forward-thinking care for a condition that half the population experienceswassodifficult.

“Tryingtoseekadvicefromprofessionals, or even friends, there was such a very negativeapproachtoit,”Tesssaid.

“You can’t think clearly, you don’t know how to find out what you don’t know, everything hurts, all that stuff…and when youencounterthisreallynegativeviewthat once you hit a certain age, that’s the end, it really makes you feel like it’s so much harder.

“Instead of the usual narrative of ‘I’m getting old, it’s just another thing women havetodealwith’-thatreallynegativeview ofbeingawoman-wehavetoflipit,seeitas just the next stage and figure out how we’re goingtoworkthroughit.”

And so Tess signed up as a participant in a groundbreaking new study conducted by local not-for-profit health organisation Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon SouthWest(WHWBSW).

The result of that study, the From Both Sides of the Door report, launched this week, drawing on data from surveys, focus groups and interviews with hundreds of community members and healthcare providersintheregion.

Itidentifiesthebarrierspeopleencounter when seeking care related to sexual and reproductive health, such as abortion, mental health and physiotherapy during and after pregnancy, menopause and

chronicpain.

WHWBSW chief executive Jodie Hill said the report both centred on the experiences of women and gender diverse people and highlighted the challenges faced by healthcareprofessionals.

“From Both Sides of the Door includes a set of tangible actions needed to improve access to critical sexual and reproductive healthcare in the Barwon South West, and we will advocate with all levels of government, and the healthcare sector, to seethosehappen,”shesaid.

Visit womenshealthbsw.org.au/ resources/sexual-reproductive-health to viewthefullreport.

Point Lonsdale SPP review

By Matt Hewson

Geelong and Queenscliffe councils have announced they will collaborate to review planning policies in Point Lonsdale.

TheCityofGreaterGeelongandBorough of Queenscliffe said this week they would work with the Victorian Department of TransportandPlanningtoconsiderhowthe Bellarine Peninsula statement of planning policy (SPP) could be implemented in the seasidetown,whichissplitbetweenthetwo local government areas.

The announcement comes after the SPP became part of the planning scheme in February, limiting further expansion of

the town through a protected settlement boundary but without any updates to zoning or overlays.

Those potential zone and overlay changes will now be the focus of the two councils’ joint review.

Murradoc ward councillor Rowan Story said the review was an opportunity to examine how the councils could deliver the vision of the Bellarine Peninsula SPP.

“This review can help ensure Point Lonsdale grows in a way that supports the community while protecting the agricultural land and rural landscapes that make this part of the Bellarine so special,” he said.

Queenscliffe Mayor Donnie Grigau said working together with the City of Greater Geelong would ensure a “coordinated approach to planning across our municipal boundaries” and help “achieve the best long-term outcomes for residents”

“We share a unique coastal environment and community, with many residents and businesses passionate about protecting this charm now and for the future,” he said.

“We know there has been significant change to our year-round population and housing patterns.”

The Point Lonsdale community mobilised last year to oppose a potential Coles supermarket development in the

Create a way through the trail in late March

By Jena Carr

Explore a trail full of different art forms and techniques from creatives across the Bellarineduringanaction-packedweekend.

North Bellarine Arts Trail will showcase the talents of more than 70 artists across 29 venues on 28 and 29 March.

Arts trail committee sponsorship manager Renae Chapman said she looked forwardtoartistssharingtheirworkwiththe community during the event.

“It just seems to grow each year, and we keep seeing more interest from new artists,

so it’s going to be a fantastic weekend,” she said. “There will be a really great demographic of different artists, including those who work with paint, sculpture, glass and many other forms of art.

“It’s going to be a weekend full of creativity, art and adventure that gives people the opportunity to explore the many types of art available within their region.”

Ms Chapman said community enthusiasm and commitment for the trial keep growing every year, and that it was a fantastic event.

“Events like this are very important for

the community, and all the artists will give youasmuchtimeastheycantoexplaintheir art,” she said. “The event is a great way for the community to talk to the artist and learn about their art, and it gives people thinking about giving art a go the confidence to try something they want to do.”

Portarlington Celtic Festival musicians will also be playing at selected venues throughout the weekend, with North Bellarine Arts Trail booklets available at most tourist information outlets. See bellarinepeninsulaarts.com for more information.

town, which remains in the pre-application stage. Both councils acknowledged the proposed supermarket had highlighted the importance of having strategic planning in placeandtheneedforareviewregardlessof the proposal’s outcome.

“This review is much-needed and I know Point Lonsdale residents, many of whom havecontactedmedirectlycallingforaction, willbeheartenedbythisnews,”Connewarre ward councillor Elise Wilkinson said.

“It’s not a quick process, and that is for good reason, but the wheels are in motion andbothcouncilsarecommittedtocreating a fresh blueprint for the road ahead.”

Help shape Surf Coast cycling

Surf Coast residents can participate inacyclingtrialtohelpprovidemore real-time data for future transport regional planning decisions.

Community members can help Surf Coast Shire Council better understand cyclists’ experiences on roads by helping collect anonymous data for the cycling trial.

Councillor Joel Grist said riders from across the region can apply to receive a smart light to attach to their bike to collect anonymous data whileriderstravelalongtheirnormal routes.

“Cyclists know the local network better than anyone because they use it every day,” he said.

“This trial lets riders share information about their journeys so council can better understand where people are riding and what challenges they face on the road.”

People who travel to and from school by bike, including students, their families and teachers, and cyclists from Lorne, Aireys Inlet, Winchelsea, Moriac and Deans Marsh are encouraged to participate in the trial.

The data gathered will be used with other information, including crash statistics and road audit reports, in shaping safer cycling connections and helping council work towards its aim of increasing active transport in the shire.

Many cyclist-related projects coming up on the road network will consider data collected through the trial, including safety improvements along The Esplanade at Taylor Park and a cyclist-friendly upgrade to the Inshore Drive roundabout.

Cyclists interested in participating in the program can visit surfcoast. vic.gov.au/SmartBikeLightTrial to review details, including how data is collected, and register their interest.

Volunteers gather for sod turn on new SES building at Bannockburn

Construction has begun on the site of the new VICSES Bannockburn Unit to assist volunteers in helping the community. A sod-turning celebration was held at the Dann Road site on 13 March, with the modern and new unit featuring eco-friendly designs to reduce energy use and support a healthier work environment.

Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward said it was important to invest in

emergency services, like the Bannockburn Unit, by delivering modern facilities, equipment and vehicles that crews needed.

“We’ll always back our emergency services with the units, appliances and equipment they need to help keep their communities safe,” she said.

“This new unit is more than a building; it’s a long-term investment by the Allan Labor Government in our respected and

valued volunteers.”

The new unit will deliver a threebay motor room, expanded vehicle and equipment storage, dedicated training rooms, volunteer wellbeing spaces and turnout and amenities areas.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said Bannockburn SES volunteers had a proud history responding to major emergencies.

“TheBannockburnSESUnithaveplayed

a crucial role in protecting the community for close to 50 years, and this new facility backs the volunteers who are always there when we need them,” she said.

Bannockburn crews recently supported the January Otways bushfires with ground support at Colac Airport and working at the Colac Incident Control Centre.

Volunteers also played a key role in the Wye River flash flood with response and community clean-up efforts.

Rae Cashmore, Kerrie Mullins-Gunst, Anne Arrowsmith, Renae Chapman, George-Ann Dunn, Anne Devenish, Jeanne and Colleen Beveridge are looking forward to the North Bellarine Arts Trail. (Ivan Kemp) 540714_10

Lara withdraws netball side

By Justin Flynn

Lara has withdrawn its A Grade side from the upcoming Geelong Netball League season just weeks after the club’s senior and reserves football teams suffered the samefate.

AFL Barwon said Lara felt it could not field a “competitive and sustainable A Grade netball team in 2026” and, like its two senior football sides, will enter recess fortheseason.

Lara Sporting Club has appointed a Future Planning Group (FPG) to recommend a viable, sustainable pathway

across the entire football and netball programs.

The departure of senior footballers has hada“flow-oneffect”accordingtotheclub. With footballers moving to other clubs, so have their partners and families “many of whom were players across our A, B and C Grade sides”, Lara SC said in an email to membersonMonday16March.

Former Football Geelong chief executive Phil Clohesy will head the FPG, which has been established to: analyse the reasons why the football and netball clubs have reached the current situation; develop a realistic return-to-competition model for

seniorfootball;andrecommendstructural, cultural,andoperationalchangesrequired to support sustained on-field performance and off-field excellence, ensuring long-term viability across the football and netballsections.

“Our board has designed a charter that sets FPG’s role to recommend a viable, sustainable pathway across the entire football and netball programs, including senior and junior netball and senior men’s football,“ Lara Sporting Club president LouiseGoodwinsaid.

The FPG will also include Kate Patterson (AFLBarwonchiefexecutive),SarahNaylor

New opportunity for Geelong entertainers

By Matt Hewson

Geelong’s best-known children’s music grouphasjoinedsomeofthebiggestnames in the industry as part of a new streaming series.

Local entertainers the Mik Maks feature throughout newly-launched series My Singalong with Catters & Mouseman alongside some of Australia and New Zealand’sbest-lovedchildren’sperformers, including Emma Memma, Lah-Lah, Ms MoniandPevan&Sarah.

Focused on children aged three to six, each 15-minute show will feature five music videos introduced by animated hostsCatters&Mouseman.

The series will stream on YouTube, a platform on which the Mik Maks have already garnered more than nine million subscribers since uploading their first videoin2013.

Mik Mak Joel McInnes said the collaboration with My Singalong aligned perfectly with the band’s purpose, “which is educating children incidentally through music”.

“That’s about providing basic learning opportunities for the children without them knowing that they’re even learning,” hesaid.“Musicisagreatvehicleforthat.

“The last six months we’ve done collaborations with Sesame Street, (Baby Shark creator) Pinkfong, Bounce Patrol as well. There’s a wonderful community of children’s creators in Australia and we’re all trying to make each other better and raiseeachotherup.

“My Singalong is vibrant storytelling, musical adventure. We’re incredibly gratefultobeapartofthisopportunityand wereallyhopefamiliesgoandhavealisten toit.”

Producer Deb Ryan said that My Singalong was developed to provide

parentswithatrustedplatform,filledwith engaging content to delight and inspire youngaudiences.

“(My Singalong) offers parents confidencethattheirchildrenareengaging with content that is both enriching and developmentallysupportive,”shesaid.

Visit youtube.com/@ mysingalongpodcasttocheckitout.

Market on hunt for new operator

AnewoperatorisbeingsoughtforBelmont’s weeklymarket.

The City of Greater Geelong opened ExpressionsofInterest(EOIs)tooperatethe popular Sunday market at Barwon Valley ActivityCentre(BVAC).

Community organisations, not-for-profit groups and experienced operators are encouragedtoapply,councilsaid.

As part of the application process, operatorswillneedtoproposehowtheywill continuetooperatethemarketasitisnow.

Thesuccessfulrespondentwillbegranted therightstooccupytheareaandtooperate independently of the City at the current markettimes.

Mayor Stretch Kontelj said community markets played an important role in the community.

“We’ve heard from stallholders and visitors that they love the Belmont Market

onaSundayforitsvibrancyandcommunity focus,“hesaid.“Anewoperatorwillbeable to preserve and strengthen what people alreadyloveaboutthismarket.”

The EOI process is open until Monday 6 April. Find out more at yoursay. geelongaustralia.com.au/expressioninterest-licence-barwon-valley-activitycentre

Councillor and Economic Development portfolio chair Trent Sullivan called on potentialoperatorstoapply.

“Operating this market presents a huge opportunity for the right organisation,” he said. “The broader community can also provide feedback on the City’s intention to enterintoalicencewithanewoperator.”

Council said the intention of seeking a new operator is to ensure that the market can continue to run as it has for many decades.

(AFL Barwon head of football), Bruce Petering (retired AFL regional manager and former AFL regional commissioner), Shana Miatke (Lara netball), Mark Guthrie (Lara football) and Jason Hewitt (Lara juniors). It is expected that the FPG will deliveritsfindingsbyJulythisyear.

The club will field B, C, D and E Grade and junior netball teams this season along withseniorwomen’sandjuniorfootball.

Ms Goodwin said in the message to members that “this is a one-season decision only, and the netball section is already actively working toward a strong returnin2027”.

Lara incinerator not dead yet

Anti-incinerator protestors gathered on the steps of Parliament House days after a major local opponent to theLarafacilitypulledoutofthefight.

Geelong community members joined protestors from around the state on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Greens deputy leader Dr Sarah Mansfield’s tabling of a petition opposing the construction of waste incineratorsanywhereinVictoria.

While the motion that the petition be taken into account passed without opposition, local advocate Charles Street said the Lara incinerator proposalwasverymuchalive.

“It’s still got an EPA licence, it’s got anunresolvedplanningpermit…allit needs to rise from the dead is a little politicalspark,”MrStreetsaid.

“Richard Marles is on the record many times saying ’I want this stopped’, and he can’t stop it… when he approached (planning minister) Sonia Kilkenny about this last year, the response he got was effectively ‘mind your own business’. Somebody isdrivingthis.Wewanttoknowwhoit isandwhythatpersonhasmoreclout thanthedeputyprimeminister.”

Earlier this week Geelong businessman Richard Bisinella announced his company L. Bisinella Developments was calling time on its legal battle against Lara incinerator proponentProspectHillInternational aftertwoandahalfyearsatVCATand theVictorianSupremeCourt.

Mr Bisinella called on the government to declare the project “dead,buriedandcremated”.

Joel and Ava McInnes. (Ivan Kemp) 541115_04

The Mik Maks: Al, Ava, Joel and Drums the Panda. (Supplied)

TheMikMaks:AlAvaJoelandDrumsth

Give to make a difference

One of Geelong’s biggest local fundraisers has kicked off, raising money to help build afairercommunity.

Local foundation Give Where You Live has encouraged the local community to dipdeepforitsGiveGeelongAppeal,which launchestoday.

Theannualappealraisesfundstosupport Give Where You Live’s mission to support the most vulnerable people in the region byfocusingonfoodsecurity,homelessness, inclusive employment and an inclusive economy.

Christ Church Community Meals program, run entirely by volunteers, providesfreebreakfasteverydayanddinner twiceaweekforthoseinneedandhasbeen a perennial recipient of Give Where You Live’syearlygrantfundingprograms.

Program coordinator Jan McGowan said Christ Church was grateful for grant funding from Give Where You Live, which was supporting record numbers of people inrecenttimes.

“Give Where You Live Grants don’t just make a difference; they make our work possible,”shesaid

Give Where You Live Foundation chief executive Zac Lewis said donations from community members made a real difference for those who need it most and helpedbreakcyclesofinequality.

“The Give Geelong Appeal is a chance for thepeopleofGeelongtocometogetherand bepartofthesolution,”hesaid.

“Thisisanopportunitytotrulygivewhere youliveandraisefundsforourcommunity. Funds raised will help us invest grants in

local organisations to create a fairer, more equitableGeelongcommunity.”

“Over the last year the Give Where You Live Foundation has continued building on the legacy it began in 1954, investing in a fairer Geelong community. More than $2.2million was invested into the community through funding and our own changeinitiatives.

“Youtoo,caninvestinourcommunityby supporting the Give Geelong Appeal. Your donations will support grant funding to assist people experiencing homelessness, help food security initiatives and improve employment opportunities across Geelong.”

Visit givewhereyoulive.com.au to donate or find out more about the Give Geelong Appeal.

Help restore historic Barrabool church

People can come together for a fundraiser to help restore a 167-year-old sandstone churchinBarraboolHills.

Barrabool Hills Uniting Church is currently experiencing extensive cracks and stress fractures in its stone walls, as well as bowing of its glass windows, necessitating restoration to maintain its structural integrity.

Secretary Maureen Lange said a jumble sale would be held from 1pm on Saturday 21 March, with many items being sold to help raise money for the

Seven

church’s restoration.

“The first job to be done to fix the church is with the front facade that faces Barrabool Road, as the whole wall has to bereplaced,”shesaid.

“We’re just hoping that people will come and support our cause as we need to restore the stonework before it all falls apart,andthat’saverycostlyexercise.

“I look forward to meeting people as we’re a fairly sociable lot at the church and we like to meet people and see what they’re doing in the world and extend our

hospitality to them.”

Ms Lange said the first services at the church were held in 1859, and that the facilitywasagreatpartofthecommunity.

“It’s a lovely stone building in an idyllic situation in the Barrabool Hills...that we’re very fond of, and we want to keep it standing,” she said.

The church’s members are a small, ageing congregation that supports many community charities, including Cottage by the Sea, the Flying Doctor Service, and FrontierServices.

Councils call for investment in better drainage

The G21 Alliance has urgently called for the state government to invest in drainageinfrastructure.

Consisting of the Colac Otway, Golden Plains, Greater Geelong, QueenscliffeandSurfCoastcouncils, the G21 has written to Victorian treasurer Jaclyn Symes to seek investment to help local councils recover from recent flooding emergencies in the region and prepare for the impacts of future floodevents.

Colac mayor and G21 chair Jason Schram said the recent flooding, whichcausedtheclosureoftheGreat Ocean Road in January, highlighted theneedforsubstantialinvestment.

“Our communities have shown incredible strength in the face of recentfloods,andwebelievethatthis impactcouldhavebeenlessenedwith the right drainage infrastructure in place,”hesaid.

Specifically, G21 councils are calling for more than $10 million across Colac Otway, Golden Plains, Queenscliffe and Surf Coast for stormwater systems and drainage upgrades.

TheCityofGreaterGeelonghasalso estimated it needs up to $300 million forsignificantdrainageupgrades.

“Investing in drainage may seem like a run of the mill decision, but we feel it is critical infrastructure that can greatly reduce how significant flooding events impact the lives of residents in our communities,” Cr Schramsaid.

“We know that the flooding events like we saw this summer will happen again. By investing now and having proper measures in place to deal with large volumes of water, we are minimising the impact for our communities.”

arrested following separate theft incidents across Geelong

Three adults and four youths have been arrested over three days following separate incidents of alleged thefts across Greater Geelong.

Three people from Geelong West were arrested on 13 March after an image of a man wearing an allegedly stolen Victoria Police uniform appeared on social media lastweek.

A 27-year-old man was charged with handlingstolengoodsandimpersonatinga police officer, while a 44-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman are expected to be chargedwithhandlingstolengoods. The uniform and other allegedly stolen itemshavebeenrecoveredbypolice.

Police Operatives also flooded the GeelongCBD/Mallprecincton15Marchas

partofanarrangedSaferCommunityeffort.

Uniformed officers, in combination with police in plain clothes, worked in partnership with Westfield Security Operativesduringtheoperation.

Four young people were arrested for committing a series of offences, including a string of thefts from Westfield and APCO ServiceStations.

Two of the youths were charged with theft and bailed with strict conditions to not attend the CBD. They will appear at the GeelongChildren’sCourtlaterthisyear. Thepoliceresponsecomplementsseveral initiatives aimed at creating safer spaces, especially in the CBD and places of public congregations, like Newcomb and Geelong West.

Jan and Ron Anderson, left, Maureen Lange, and Merle Anderson at Barrabool Hills Uniting Church. (Ivan Kemp) 540783_01

Ruth Christian and Jan McGowan from Give Where You Live grant recipient Christ Church Community Meals program. (Supplied)

Nyaal Banyul works complete

Major building works on Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre are now done, with the facility on track to publicly open in July.

Finishing touches, fit-outs and testing are all that remain to finish the Geelong convention centre precinct after the main works were officially completed on 13 March.

Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Corio Richard Marles said it was wonderful to see the vision for the centre taking shape on the waterfront.

“Seeing the major construction works

completed at Nyaal Banyul marks a proud moment for our community,” he said.

“Nyaal Banyul will be a game changer for our region, and its construction has supported local jobs, and very soon it will bring visitors, events, and new economic opportunities to Geelong.”

The centre will feature a 1000-seat theatre, exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, conference facilities, flexible event spaces, food and beverage offerings, and the public Gheringhap Plaza.

MemberforGeelongChristineCouzens saidtheplazawouldbeapopularplacefor

A hopeful vision for the future

Ocean Grove will play host to an inspiring festival about the future this month.

The One Planet Festival will come to Ocean Grove Park on 28 March for its second edition, following the success of the inaugural 2024 event in Torquay.

Organised by the Bellarine chapter of nationwide advocacy organisation Parents for Climate, the festival seeks to bring the community together to share practical solutions for a better future in our region. Designed for all ages, the One Planet Festival will see the parkland divided into zones, collecting experts, makers and organisations on particular topics into the same area.

From the local food and growing and community wellbeing zones to an Arts and Culture trail and a kids and family area, the event will offer workshops, activities, performances and markets

throughout the day.

Parents for Climate volunteer and event co-organiser Laura Billings said there would not be a dull moment.

“We’ll have local growers, Geelong Library’s seed library, a clean energy and resiliencezoneforfolksthatarelookingto electrify their homes and get off gas, the CFA and SES will be there to engage with thecommunity…we’llhaveWadawurrung cultural activities for kids,” she said.

“Our cup’s overflowing with all these connections throughout the community. Seeing everyone coming together, connecting and collaborating to make it happen, it’s a beautiful thing to see.

“And we’ll have great food trucks and amazinglivelocalmusicaswell,sothere’s really something for everyone.”

Entry is free. Visit oneplanetfest.com. au for more information.

people to gather, featuring an event space, outdoordiningandmorethan1700plants.

“The convention centre is a game changer in making Geelong a tourism and entertainment destination,” she said.

“We are supporting hundreds of new jobs right here in our local communities through Nyaal Banyul, attracting more tourism and major events into the heart of Geelong.”

Minister for Regional Development and Local Government Kristy McBain said Nyaal Banyul was the centrepiece of the state and federal government’s $676

million Geelong City Deal investment.

“Workingacrossalllevelsofgovernment has allowed us to pull off this huge achievement that the local community should be proud of,” she said.

“This convention centre will enhance the Geelong waterfront as a vibrant hub that supports local jobs and showcases world-class talent.”

There are already conferences and events locked in for the centre from July, which is set to create hundreds more jobs across hospitality, tourism, events and services when it opens.

The One Planet Festival comes to Ocean Grove this month. (Ferne Millen)

Theft drives crime concern

Theft continues to be a concern across many Greater Geelong suburbs, according to the latest Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) data.

The state’s recorded crime statistics for the year ending 31 December 2025 were releasedbytheCSAon19March.

The total offences recorded for the Greater Geelong local government area haveincreasedby2.05percentfrom25,061 offencesin2024to25,574recordedin2025.

Theft remained a key contributor to the rising numbers across the region, with an

overallincreaseof3.08percentofrecorded offences from the previous year (8073 in 2024to8322in2025).

Theft was at an all-time high in Corio with 1016 incidents recorded in 2025, marking the first time that numbers had risenabove880inadecade.

Geelong also recorded its highest-ever theft numbers last year at 1244, which was an increase of 115 incidents from the previousyear(1129in2024).

Despitetheincreaseintheftacrossmany areas, some suburbs recorded a decrease

in the offence, such as Highton, which recorded its lowest number in a decade at 158in2025(downfrom271in2024).

Other suburbs that recorded a decrease intheftincludedNorlane(569in2025from 666 in 2024), Lara (424 in 2025 from 477 in 2024), Newtown (220 in 2025 from 252 in 2024), and Bell Post Hill (54 in 2025 from 92in2024).

Breaches of orders offences offered mixed results, with increases recorded in Leopold (102 in 2025 from 58 in 2024) and MountDuneed(72in2025from37in2024),

Pakington Street pocket park announced

PakingtonStreetwillhostanew,pint-sized park space in the centre of its popular shoppingandhospitalityprecinct.

The pocket park, which will include public art installations, greening and beautification works, new paving and seating, will be located at the closed-off intersection of Pakington and Yuille streets.

The concept, developed through the extended community engagement conducted as part of the urban design frameworkforthearea,includesinputfrom the Pakington StreetBusinessAssociation, localtradersandcommunitygroups.

The project will be funded by a $250,000 grant through state government

initiative Business Victoria and a $75,000 contributionfromGeelongcouncil.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said the state government was “proud to support multicultural traders and precincts”, which were a “vital part of our economy” that “bring local communities closertogether”.

“This project will ensure Pakington Street continues to be a vibrant, accessible and inclusive space that supports local businesses, community events and visitor experiences,”shesaid.

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the project would help attract more visitors to theprecinct.

“Pako is a jewel in Geelong’s crown,

known for its village atmosphere, bustling shopping and hospitality strip and most of all, its celebration of multicultural diversity,”hesaid.

“We want to create another welcoming, accessible and high-quality asset for the community with the Yuille Street Pocket Park.

“We anticipate the park will stimulate the local economy by attracting cultural events to the space, increasing foot traffic and encouraging visitors to pause and explorenearbybusinesses.

“We’re grateful to Business Victoria for seeing value in this project and the benefits for local businesses, residents and visitors.”

while decreases were recorded in Hamlyn Heights (32 in 2025 from 104 in 2024) and GeelongWest(85in2025from150in2024).

Recent enabling amendments to the Crime Statistics Act 2014 allowed CSA chief statistician Fiona Dowsley to obtain data from the criminal courts to better represent crime statistics across many areas.

“(Itwillhelpinform)theimpactofpolicy reform on an alleged offender’s pathway through the criminal justice system and furtheroffending,”MsDowsleysaid.

Time for a battle

GoldenPlainsisgearingupforavery musical evening as emerging young artists come together for a Battle of theBands.

Musicians aged 12 to 25 will perform during the competition, which will take place at Teesdale’s Turtle Bend Reserve from 4pm on Saturday21March.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor Owen Sharkey said the Battle of the Bands was the “biggest live free music competition”intheregion.

“Each year, the competition gets bigger and better, and we can’t wait to welcome our local bands to battle itoutonthecentrestage,”hesaid.

“Events like this remind us how vibrant and creative our region truly is, and they give our emerging artists achancetoshineonabiggerstage.

“It’s always a pleasure to see our community come together in support of local performers, and I look forward to sharing this fantastic nightwithyouall.

“I encourage everyone from across the shire to come along, enjoy an evening of outstanding live music, and celebrate the remarkable talent wehaveinourcommunity.”

Soloist Lucy Grazules will open the competition, which will feature dynamic performances from artists representingawiderangeofgenres.

Theeventwillshowcaseheadliners and last year’s winner, The Apples, alongside competing bands including The Bypassers, Caught in the Crossfire, Venus Half Shell, and Grumble&Gatling.

BattleoftheBandsisafreeticketed event, with people able to visit eventbrite.com.au/e/battle-of-thebands-2026-tickets-1983837279707 toreserveaspot.

Geelong lights will shine red to highlight World Tuberculosis Day

By Jena Carr

Geelong’s catenary lights will shine red next week to spread awareness for World Tuberculosis(TB)Day.

ThelightsatMalopandMooraboolStreet will be lit up on 24 March to recognise the day and to help inform people of the infectiousdisease.

Results International (Australia) chief

executive Negaya Chorley said it was importantforpeopletobeawareofTB.

“We are so pleased that Geelong’s catenary lights are going to be shining red, alongside 34 other buildings right across the country,” she said. “In countries like Australia, we often think of tuberculosis as a disease of the past, but it still affects over 10millionpeopleeveryyear.

“Over a million people every year die of

tuberculosis, so it’s the biggest infectious disease killer, but in many Western countrieslikeAustralia,wedon’ttalkabout italot.”

MsChorleysaidsheencouragedpeopleto learnmoreaboutthediseaseandtheeffects itcanhaveonpeopleacrosstheworld.

“Although it’s killing around 1.2 million people every year, it is entirely preventable andtreatable,”shesaid. “Alotofpeopleare

carriersforTB,andaboutoneinfourpeople haveitwithintheirbody,butittendstotake offinconditionsofpoverty.

“TB is an airborne infection, not unlike Covid-19,andalotoftheinfrastructurethat was put in place to address the Covid-19 pandemic was in place already because of TB.”

Visitresults.org.au/world-tb-dayformore informationaboutWorldTBDay.

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj and Christine Couzens MP with (L-R) Geelong West Traders Association and Mr Brown’s Menswear’s Cam Brown, Tonia T Boutique’s Tonia Tribe, Robert Serra from Door and Gate Automations and association member Jim Demetrious. (Supplied)

Reimagining Japan in Geelong

By Jena Carr

A reimagining of a Japanese festival is coming to Geelong to celebrate happiness, healthandgrowthacrosstheregion.

Multicultural activities and mini workshops will be held this weekend as part of the Japanese Girls’ Festival (also knownasHinamatsuri).

Not-for-profit organisation Flowwa will host the event, and founder Kerry Flowwa said the event was open to everyone regardless of gender, age and cultural backgrounds.

“I really enjoyed the artistry, beauty, craftsmanship and dedication from the Japaneseartistsandcraftsmenaroundthis festival,”shesaid.

“But the connotation and story behind it isthatit’safestivalwhereparentsorsociety as a whole wishes the girl to be protected, quiet,safeandpresentable.

“The reimagined part about the festival is adapting it to today’s culture and social meaning...as we want girls to be empoweredandexpressive.”

Ms Flowwa said her organisation aimed to support survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, with the festival looking to help break down gender stereotypes.

“There was always some kind of a strangeness around that festival, as I don’t want to grow up to be protected; I want to bestrongandbemyself,”shesaid.

“Survivors can be affected by the social narratives around what gender roles should be...which can lead people to not feel as confident to escape the danger or restarttheirnewlife.”

The Japanese Girls’ Festival will be held attheGeelongWestNeighbourhoodHouse from3pmto6pmonSaturday21Marchand from10amto2pmonSunday22March.

Supporting women in rescue

Female and gender-diverse emergency service volunteers from Barwon Southwest will have the opportunitytodevelopvitalresponse skillsthroughaflagshipinitiative.

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) will host its Women in Rescue to empower women in emergency response through hands-on training designed to build skills,confidenceandcollaboration.

VICSES Barwon Southwest Women in Rescue volunteer organiser Caroline Taylor said volunteers would have the opportunity to strengthen teamwork in a supportive andinclusiveenvironment.

“It’s great to see this initiative going from strength to strength and building strong camaraderie among ourmembers,”shesaid.

“ThroughprogramssuchasWomen in Rescue, we ensure our volunteers areaspreparedastheycanbetosave lives and support communities in theirmomentofneed.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for femaleandgenderdiversevolunteers to come together in a collaborative and tailored environment to further bolster their emergency response capacity.”

Women in Rescue will be held at Huntly’s Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre Penshurst facility on Saturday 21 March.

The great AI content heist

By Paul Thomas*

In a recent Australian Financial Review opinion piece, “There is nothing creative about AI not paying for news content”, Rod Sims made a point Australia cannot afford toignore.

Sims is now chair of The Superpower Institute and an Enterprise Professor at the Melbourne Institute at the University of Melbourne. He is also the former chair of the ACCC, and when he warns about market power and unfair extraction, peopleshouldlisten.

His point is blunt, and correct. There is nothing creative about AI companies taking professionally created content, building commercial products on top of it, andthenrefusingtoproperlypaythepeople who made that content in the first place. That applies most urgently to journalism, but it also reaches writers, photographers, artists and other creators whose work is beingvacuumeduptomakethesesystems moreusefulandmoreprofitable.

Thatisnotinnovation.Itisextraction.

And for regional Australia, the damage willbegreaterthanitisinthecities.

In a capital city, people may still have a range of big media outlets, institutions and voices competing to keep public life under scrutiny. In regional Australia and local areas, the local paper is often the trusted source. It is the paper that covers the council meeting, the court matter, the hospital issue, the fire warning, the local business, the sporting club and the decisionsthatshapedailylife.

If that journalism weakens, country

communitiesfeelitfirst.

That is why the Canadian research on this issue is so important. The study is called AI News Audit. It was published in March 2026 by Taylor Owen and Aengus Bridgman of McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy and the Media Ecosystem Observatory. It is some of the clearest evidence yet of whatAIcompaniesareactuallydoingwith professionallyproducednewscontent.

The researchers found AI models had absorbed Canadian journalism at scale and usually did not say so. In the technical brief, the researchers found that among knowledgeable responses, 92 per cent provided no source attribution at all. In thepolicybrief,theyfoundAIsystemsgave no source attribution 82 per cent of the time,andwhenaskedaboutspecificrecent articles, produced substitute answers in 54 to 81 per cent of cases while naming the original outlet in the response text only oneto16percentofthetime. Thatistheheartoftheproblem. Thejournalismisbeingused.Thevalueis

beingcaptured.Thesourceisbeingerased.

AI companies do not send reporters to council meetings. They do not sit through court hearings. They do not verify facts duringfloods,firesorelections.Theydonot employ the local journalist, the editor, the photographer or the creator who actually didtheoriginalwork.Buttheyincreasingly want to scrape that work, absorb it into theirsystems,andprofitfromitasifitwere theirown.

For regional and suburban Australia, that is not some distant policy debate. It goestowhetherlocaljournalismsurvives.

The Canadian research also found that the outlets getting the most AI visibility were the biggest, free, nationally prominent organisations, while paywalled and regional and local publishers fell well below proportional representation. That should ring alarm bells here. It means smaller publishers can be mined for value whilelosingtheaudienceandrevenuethey needtokeepreporting.

And the consequences go well beyond business.

We are already living through an era of misinformation, half-truths and outright falsehoods spreading across social media at extraordinary speed. Much of it is unchecked. Much of it is designed to inflame, divide and mislead. If AI systems now scrape reliable journalism, strip out thesource,andserveupconfidentanswers that people cannot easily verify, the danger only grows. The Canadian policy brief warns that when AI delivers answers drawn from journalism but stripped of source and context, the public’s ability to

judgereliabilityisdiminished. Thatisadirectthreattodemocracy. Democracy depends on trusted, checkable and accountable information. People need to know where a fact came from. They need to be able to judge the source, test its credibility and read further for themselves. If AI becomes a black box that swallows journalism and other original creative work, then spits out unattributed answers, the public loses one ofitsmostimportantsafeguards.

Australia should be clear about this. If AIcompanieswanttouselocaljournalism and other professionally created content, they should pay for it. If they use original reporting and creative work to build commercial products, they should compensate the people and businesses that created that value. And if they rely on trusted journalism to make their systems useful, they should be required to clearly identify the source so readers can verify whattheyarebeingtold.

That is not anti-technology. It is pro-fairness, pro-creativity and pro-democracy.

Rod Sims is right. There is nothing creativeaboutnotpayingfornewscontent. And in regional Australia, there is nothing abstract about the consequences. When local journalism is stripped for value and not sustained, it is our towns, our readers andourdemocracythatpaytheprice.

* Paul Thomas is co-owner and managing director of Star News Group, Today News Group and SA Today. He is a past president and life member of Country Press Australia.

(AI generated image)

A Japanese Girls’ Festival will be held in Geelong West this weekend. (Supplied)

Old courthouse memories

Local arts organisation Platform Arts is calling on community members to share theirheartfeltmemoriesofoneofGeelong’s mosticonicbuildings.

Part of anniversary program 30 Years of Platform, celebratory project Memory Counts will gather the shared stories of the Old Courthouse, a place that has hosted countless creative arts and community eventsandprogramssincethemid-1990s.

Artistic director Dr Amber Smith said Platform Arts staff had heard from many

locals about their experiences of creative events at the Old Courthouse over the years.

“We’ve found such joy in speaking to people from all walks of life who have cherished their past artistic experiences here; we even hear the occasional ghost story,”shesaid.

“Many local musicians played their first Battle of the Bands here during the early 2000’s, where they saw the likes of Silhouette hang a giant spider from the

theatre ceiling and watched Revolver & Sun’s metamorphosis into industry giants KingGizzardandtheLizardWizard.

“Many thriving artists, curators, and arts workers emerged through our artist developmentprograms.

“We know of G21 councillors who’ve ’treaded the boards’ in prior chapters of their lives, and they place enormous value on the arts as being a driver of community wellbeing as well as a major support to our hospitalitysector.

Be a part

of reimagining the Anglesea River

Community members can help shape future management options for the Anglesea River to support the region’s recreation, tourism, and environment.

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has invited people to register an expression of interest to join the Reimagining the Anglesea River and Estuary (RARE) Project Working Group.

Project officer Ryan Bath said the group would help Corangamite CMA develop short-term actions and long-term management of the river and estuary.

“Corangamite CMA knows that community involvement is essential to

ensuring local values and priorities help shape the path forward,” he said.

“The Anglesea River is a complex, dynamic system, and there is no single quick fix, so solutions require sustained commitment, collaboration, and informed decision making.

“Corangamite CMA is encouraging Anglesea residents, community group members, recreational users, business ownersandanyonewithaninterestinthe long-term health of the Anglesea River and estuary to consider applying.”

The Anglesea River and estuary continue to experience ongoing water quality challenges, including periods of

lowpHlevelsandacidsulphatesoilissues.

The RARE Project Working Group is designed to provide input into the assessment of management options, bring local knowledge and perspectives into decision-making, and support transparent communication.

The group would also contribute to shaping long-term approaches to address acidity, estuary health, and climate-driven pressures.

Visit the projects page on Corangamite CMA’s website for more details on the RARE Project or to submit an expression of interest to be part of the group before 5pm on 31 March.

Ocean Grove author releases a book to ape-reciate

By Jena Carr

Ocean Grove’s Heather Gallagher got up close and personal with orangutans for her newkids’novel.

The author was inspired by a visit to Melbourne Zoo to create her latest book, My Brother the Orangutan, which is a story about a boy who swaps bodies with an orangutan.

Ms Gallagher said she also participated in a behind-the-scenes encounter with the endangered animals during her research forthebook.

“I just sat and watched the orangutans

for a while, and they’re so incredibly human-likeintheirfacesandwhattheydo,” shesaid.

“It was inspiring to see how the keepers interactedwiththeorangutans,likehelping tobrushtheirteeth,forexample.”

Ms Gallagher said the book was a funny storyforkidswithanimportantunderlying environmentalmessage.

“The theme of sustainability underpins thebook,butfirstandforemost,Iwantedto writeafunstoryforkids,”shesaid.

“The sad truth is that orangutan habitats inBorneoandSumatraarebeingdestroyed bybusinessesharvestingtreesforpalmoil.

Dr Smith encouraged local community memberstosharetheirnostalgicmemories withtheproject.

“Whetherjoyful,reflectiveorunexpected, your story helps build a living history of Platform Arts and it helps document our city’sevolvingculturalidentity,”shesaid.

Members of the public can share their stories via an online form or in-person interview until 18 April. Visit platformarts. org.au or call 5224 2815 for more information.

Pier designs released

The new St Leonards Pier will be safer and more accessible for the community while staying true to its heritage values, according to finalised designs.

Final design renderings were released on 17 March, with the expandedpierfeaturingwheelchair accessiblefishinglocations,curved seating overlooking bay views and safer access for the public.

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant said the pier’s design had been shaped by community feedback and recognised the significance of the marine environment.

“This rebuild isn’t just about infrastructure; it’s about creating a safe, inclusive and vibrant community place that locals and visitorswillenjoyforgenerationsto come,” she said.

The pier will also include educationalsignagethatsharesthe maritimehistoryofStleonardsand highlights the bay’s marine flora and fauna.

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said the state’s ports contributed more than $900 million a year to local and regional economies through tourism, marine activities and industries.

“The new pier design looks to protect the local heritage while creating a contemporary space for the community to gather, fish, learn and connect with the bay,” she said.

The tender for construction will be open in the coming weeks, and updates will continue to be provided to the community when available.

Visit parks.vic.gov.au/projects formoreabouttheStLeonardsPier rebuild and other projects taking place across the state.

“The more of us that can jump up and down about the environment, the better, because the world can be grim, so this is my way of putting a fun spin on it with that underlyingseriousmessage.”

My Brother the Orangutan will be launched on 28 March at the One Planet FestivalatOceanGrovePark. Visit heathergallagher.com.au for more information about Ms Gallagher’s new novelandherotherworks.

Ocean Grove’s Heather Gallagher will launch her new novel My Brother the Orangutan on 28 March. (Supplied)

RARE Project’s Ryan Bath at Anglesea River. (Supplied)

CITYNEWS

COMMUNITY GRANTS CELEBRATION

Recently, the City held a Community Grants celebration at Norlane ARC to celebrate the 2025–26 grant recipients.

One of the many recipients celebrated was the Rotary Club of Highton, who received a Climate Change Partnerships Grant to expand their pilot program, Buzz, Bloom and Thrive: Greening Geelong Nature Strips.

This project will build on the success of the pilot program that helped more than 20 property owners transform their nature strips into gardens, following the City of Greater Geelong’s guidelines.

The pilot program was funded through an Environmental Sustainability Grant in 2024–25 and helped create gardens that will improve biodiversity, reduce urban heat and emissions and increase the amount of green space.

With this new grant, the Rotary Club of Highton will be able to plant out 100 more nature strips!

GOT A FURRY FRIEND?

Manage pet registrations online – update details, get reminders and make payments.

GEELONG SMALL BUSINESS FESTIVAL EOI

Expressions of Interest are now open for the 2026 Geelong Small Business Festival.

The festival is a flagship event for the business community to come together and access training, engaging presentations and networking opportunities.

The Geelong Small Business Festival will run from Monday 3 to Friday 7 August. Submit an EOI before 12 April at gsbf.com.au

To register, scan the QR code or visit geelong.link/Pets

TRAFFIC CHANGES

IRONMAN 70.3

•Saturday 21 March and Sunday 22 March.

•Various changed traffic conditions in place.

•Full road closure will affect Ritchie Boulevard 6.00am–10.30am on Saturday 21 March.

•Western Beach Road, Eastern Beach Road, Ritchie Boulevard, Point Henry Road and Portarlington Highway closures 6.00am–4.30pm Sunday 22 March.

More info: geelong.link/Ironman

AFL Round 3 Geelong v Adelaide

•Thursday 26 March

•Road closure – Moorabool Street from 6.30pm to 7.45pm and from 9.45pm to 10.30pm.

Additional changed traffic conditions will be in place for the game.

Event info: geelong.link/AFL-R3

COUNCIL MEETING

Held at Council Conference and Reception Centre, City Hall, 57 Little Malop Street, Geelong.

Tuesday 24 March 2026 at 6.00pm (doors open 5.45pm).

Reports for consideration include:

•Youth Council First Report 2026

•New Heritage Overlays Greater Geelong Outer Areas Study

•Draft Place Naming Policy

•Draft Plan for Nature 2026–36

For agenda and to live stream the meeting visit geelong.link/CouncilMeetings

Questions and submissions must be provided in writing by 12.00pm on Monday 23 March via the link above.

GEELONG MAJOR EVENTS COMMITTEE

We’re seeking applications from people with experience relevant to the events, arts or sports sectors to fill three external committee member positions, for a four-year term commencing July 2026 and expiring May 2030. The committee works to support the growth of existing events and proactively search for and acquire new events for the region. The committee meets bi-monthly, positions are voluntary.

Visit geelong.link/GME for more information or to apply by 5.00pm Friday 27 March.

Q:

a)The Blue Twister

b) Jungle Twist

c)Space Bowl

A: See base of page

Three of our Swim, Sport & Leisure centres have waterslides: Splashdown, Leisurelink and Norlane ARC!

SCHOOL HOLIDAY

FUN

Looking for ways to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? There’s plenty happening across central Geelong and the region, with a wide range of family-friendly activities and events.

From live performances like Farmy Farm, and Hansel and Gretel at the Bellarine Arts Centre to hands-on fun like the Wild Night Pyjama Party at the National Wool Museum, there’s something for every interest and age group. Or splash into school holiday fun at our Swim, Sport & Leisure centres including Leisurelink Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Norlane ARC, Splashdown Leisure Centre, and the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre.

To explore what’s on and start planning your school holiday adventures, visit geelong.link/SchoolHolidays

12–2pm I Thursday 16 April

The Nest Youth Hub 17 Gheringhap

Geelong

City Trivia answer: c) Space Bowl, which is the name of one of Leisurelink’s waterslides.

What isn’t the name of a waterslide at Norlane ARC?

Greater Geelong Mayor, Cr Stretch Kontelj speaking at 2025–26 Community Grants celebration.

A rare musical gem

One of the greatest ever, yet rarely seen, early musical comedies makes its way to theBellarinethisweekend.

Featuring stunning costumes, beautiful set designs and masterful score, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria’s (GSOV) The Arcadians will bring whimsy and wonder to Queenscliff Town Hall on Sunday 22 March.

Held up by many theatre historians as one of the finest examples of Edwardian musical comedy, the work tells the story of philandering English restaurateur James Smith and his fateful encounter with the faefolkofArcadia.

After crash landing his plane in the mystical land, Smith stuns the innocent localswithconceptsofmodernlife,suchas deception,vice,workanddebt.

The Arcadians resolve to take a transformed Smith back to London and convert the miserable city-dwellers to a more simple way of life. with predictably hilariousresults.

Originally staged in London in 1909 and running for 809 performances, the work was praised at the time for its original writingandqualityscore.

Co-director Robert Ray said musically, TheArcadianswas“superb”.

“I always class something as a masterpiece when every song is a hit, and

inTheArcadianseverysinglesongisahit,” hesaid.

“There are elements, when depicting the Arcadians in music, that are very operatic, towards Gilbert and Sullivan. And when the music depicts Londoners it’s much more toward musical comedy, even music hall.

“It’s one of those marvellous combinations that worked then, and still workstoday.”

Ray was responsible for revitalising

The Arcadians in 2010, when GSOV commissionedanewbookfromplaywright Melvyn Morrow for a production of the work in Melbourne. It was then requested

foratouroftheUKin2011,whereitwasthe surprise hit of the International Gilbert & SullivanFestival.

“The most often-repeated comment we hear is, ‘why don’t we know about this show?’,”Raysaid.

“The finale song is called Truth Is So Beautiful, ‘if only people would believe it’, andthat’sverytimelytoday.

“It’s the best British musical produced before Lionel Bart’s Oliver, it’s that good, so those that come along are in for a wonderfultreat.”

Visit gsov.org.au for more information. Tickets are on sale at trybooking.com/ DGNJUoratthedoor.

Quartet premieres new work in Geelong

One of Australia’s leading chamber ensembles will perform a newly-commissioned work by Finnish composerOlliMustoneninGeelong.

Presented by the Geelong Chamber Music Society, the internationally acclaimed Flinders Quartet will perform Mustonen’s String Quartet No.2 on Friday 27 March at Sacred Heart College’s McAuleyHall.

Having co-commissioned the work in partnership with violin virtuoso Daniel Rowland and the Netherlands’ Stift International Music Festival, the Melbourne quartet’s Geelong date will be the first performance of the piece in the southernhemisphere.

The work will be performed alongside Voces Intimae by Finland’s greatest ever composerJeanSibelius,anearlyBeethoven string quartet and contemporary Australian composer Holly Harrison’s Swoop.

Flinders Quartet cellist and founder Zoe Knighton said the program offered a “balanceoffire,andcontemplation”.

“The Finnish people are incredibly thoughtful; they’re not afraid of silence,” shesaid.“Sothere’sacontemplativenature about the program alongside, I don’t know if you’d say ferocity, but a real energy and buzz.”

Knightonsaidtheideaofcommissioning a work from Mustonen first came up some

A celebration of women’s voices

Geelong music fans can enjoy a special Easter concert centred on women’s voices at the Basilica of St MaryoftheAngelsnextweekend.

Music at the Basilica’s Easter Concert on Sunday 29 March will feature a program devised around the combination of the women of the Windfire Choir and the Vox Angelica Geelong Chamber Choir, conductedbyTomHealey.

The combined choir will perform a series of sacred works including the premiere of Mary Magdalen by composer Michael Hannon and poetRosemaryBlake,whobothhail fromGeelong.

Their performance will be complemented by a selection of instrumental and solo works, featuring soprano Zinaida Campion, oboist Salvador Blasco, violinist Olivier Bonnici and organistFrankDeRosso.

De Rosso, who serves as Music at the Basilica’s artist director in addition to organ duties, said the concert, which revolves around the theme From Shadows to Light, would make use of the entirety of thevenue.

“The choir will start off singing behind the high altar, which is right back where people can’t see them,” hesaid.

“They’ll hear this beautiful music coming from behind the high altar, then the choir will gradually move to the marble area and to the loft to sing with the organ, and then back outtothefront.

“We’re using four different spaces within the Basilica, so people can enjoy the experience of hearing sounds coming from various parts ofthebuilding.”

De Rosso said the idea of a programfocusedonwomen’svoices hadbeenonhis“bucketlistforquite afewyears”.

“I think people will enjoy the content immensely, because there are such a variety of items to listen to,”hesaid.

“Weunderestimatethenumberof talentedpeoplewholiveinGeelong; there are a lot to draw from, and I think it’s important to give them exposure alongside people from Melbourneorinterstate.”

Visit trybooking.com/DIJNV for ticketsandmoreinformation.

years ago when the quartet, renowned for their commitment to new music, did some “Utopian, blue sky thinking” about what composerstheymightapproach.

“Olli Mustonen is a kind of royalty in terms of the chamber music world, one of the most revered composers internationally…so he was top of the list,” shesaid.

“For us to be at the point now, where we’re about to premiere this piece, it’s actuallyabitsurreal,tobehonest.

“Itisourhopethatwecanprovidepeople with a vivid musical experience they can holdontoforaslongaspossible.”

Visit geelongchamber.org for tickets and moreinformation.

The Flinders Quartet - Wilma Smith, Elizabeth Sellars, Helen Ireland and Zoe Knighton - will perform the southern hemisphere premiere of a work by Finnish composer Olli Mustonen at McAuley Hall. (Agatha Yim/Polyphonic Pictures)

Geelong soprano Zinaida Campion will feature at Music at the Basilica’s Easter concert. (Supplied)

Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Victoria brings The Arcadians to Queenscliff this Sunday. (Supplied)

World Oral Health Day

Caring for a healthy smile starts early

Today (Friday 20 March) is Oral Health Day and the team at Happy Dental in Geelong West wants to remind our community that a healthysmilestartsearlierthanmostparents think.

Children’sdentalhealthissomethingwe’re passionateabout.

Baby teeth aren’t just temporary – they hold space for adult teeth, influence speech development, and shape your child’s confidence.

Yet studies show that nearly half of Australian children have experienced tooth decaybythetimetheystartschool.

The good news? It’s largely preventable. Simple habits – brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, limiting sugary snacks, drinkingwater,andbookingacheck-upevery sixmonths–canmakeanenormousdifference toyourchild’slong-termoralhealth.

At Happy Dental, we make every visit comfortable and stress-free for children and families alike. Our experienced and friendly team – Dr Neha Raman, Dr Sai, and Dr Mahwash – bring warmth, expertise, and a genuine love of dentistry to every appointment.

We offer a full range of dental services to care for the entire family, including routine check-ups and cleans, fillings, tooth extractions,emergencydentaltreatment,and crowns.

For more complex needs, we also provide dental implants, wisdom teeth extractions, and orthodontic treatment to help straighten smilesatanyage.

Whether you’re booking your little one’s very first visit or looking for a trusted dentist for the whole family, we’d love to welcomeyou.

Yourfamily’ssmileisingoodhands.

Happy Dental is reminding parents that a healthy smile starts earlier than most think. (Pictures: Shutterstock)

Rowers shine on the river

Geelong hosted the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta where the best rowers from across the state converged to the Barwon River on Saturday 14 March and Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was there.

Riley Dalley and Lola Thomas from Sacred Heart Geelong after winning the double sculls repechage. 539856_01

Above: Melissa Foulis, Stu Chesneau and Helen Radden. 539856_03

Far left: Peta Colebatch with her son Dmitry. 539856_11

Left: Ruyton supporters Sandy Blackburn and Mel Higgins. 539856_07

Left: Caulfield Grammar rowers Sofia Romberg, Chloe Angliss, Lucy Padula and Olivia Chadwick. 539856_04

Right: The St Catherine’s eight after winning the repechage heat. 539856_02

Strathcoma supporters David Snape and Lorna Beegan with Korowa supporter Jennifer Bailey. 539856_05

Rowing coordinator Nicola Clark and PLC director of sport Simon Bourke. 539856_06

Wesley College rowers Maddy Bulger, Leila Hart and Ella Breen with their team mascot. 539856_08

Loreto Ballarat supporters Leah Kearney, Larinda Klein and Hailey Eeles. 539856_10

A Perfect Fit for Geelong:

Suit Warehouse Opens in Style

The opening of Men’s Suit Warehouse’s newest location in Geelong West drew a strong crowd last week, with more than 150 guests attending a launch event that brought together AFL players, local identities,businessleadersandmembers of the community.

Located at 21 Gordon Avenue, the new

store marks an expansion for the brand, which has established a customer base across Geelong, the Bellarine and Surf Coast regions over a number of years. Until now, many local customers had travelled to Melbourne, making the move into Geelong a notable development for the business and its existing clientele.

The launch event reflected both the brand’s presence in the region and the level of community interest, with guests welcomed into a lively setting featuring music, refreshments and an opportunity to explore the new space. The evening served as an introduction to the store and its offering, with a full range of menswear on display.

Stylistswerepresentthroughouttheevent, assisting attendees and providing insight into different styles, fabrics and fits. The interaction between staff and guests formed a central part of the evening, with many taking the opportunity to engage directly with the team.

Catering was provided by Geelong-based BAAH LAH! Dining, contributing a local element to the event and reflecting a broader connection to the Geelong community.

Co-Founders Angelo Salerno and Blake Miller bring over two decades of experience in the fashion industry, with a refined eye for design and detail evident in every garment. For them, opening

night was a meaningful opportunity to personally connect with the community who shape the heartbeat of the city. They spoke to attendees during the evening, acknowledging the support the business has received from customers across the region.

“We were genuinely overwhelmed by the turnout,” they said. “Seeing so many familiar faces who have supported us for years alongside new members of the Geelong community made the night incredibly special. From the moment we opened the doors we felt welcomed and already felt at home here.”

The Geelong store is the fifth Victorian location for Men’s Suit Warehouse and represents the brand’s continued expansion within the state. Its arrival adds to the mix of retail businesses in Geelong West, an area that has seen ongoing growth and interest in recent years.

Theopeningalsoreflectsbroaderpatterns inregionalcentressuchasGeelong,where population growth and increased demand for local services continue to shape the retail landscape. Businesses establishing a presence in these areas point to a shift in how and where services are delivered.

More than just a retail opening, the event highlighted the role of community in supporting business growth. The strong turnout underscored the connection the brand has developed with Geelong

customers over time, many of whom followed its journey before the opening of a local store.

With doors now open, the Geelong West location becomes part of the suburb’s evolving streetscape, contributing to its identityasahubforlocalbusinessactivity and community engagement.

PUZZLES

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

ACROSS

1 Daze; stupor (6)

4 A gathering (4-2)

10 Hinge (5)

11 Social exclusion (9)

12 A large group of instrumentalists (9)

13 Strong thread (5)

14 Spice; kick the ball between an opponent’s legs (6)

15 Sole (4)

19 Formerly (4)

20 Movable shelter (6)

24 Stink (5)

25 Painting of the countryside (9)

27 Funeral or burial rites (9)

28 Barack – (5)

29 Burrow (6)

30 Land surrounded by water (6)

DOWN

1 Tropical storms (8)

2 Recommend (8)

3 Reflective road marker (3’1,3)

5 Precisely (7)

6 Inconsequential things (6)

7 Inflated (6)

8 Black deposit (4)

9 Struggles; filters (7)

17 Data about data (8)

18 Desired (2,6)

19 Slanting (7)

21 Traditions (7)

22 Accompany (6)

23 Logic (6)

26 Hatchlings (4)

the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

Today’s Aim:

13 words: Good 20 words: Very good 27 words: Excellent

3

5

388

1 On which fictional planet did Luke Skywalker grow up?

2 Türkiye is bordered by how many countries?

3 The Mona Lisa is painted on a panel of what kind of wood?

4 What is the highest award given at the Cannes Film Festival?

5 The Clean, The Chills and Blam Blam Blam are bands from which country?

6 Which car company makes the models A4, TT and R8?

7 A cruciferous plant has how many petals?

8 Which character does Florence Pugh (pictured) play in the 2021 film Black Widow?

9 Who composed the music for SleepingBeauty and Swan Lake?

10 Which '80s TV series features an alien who lives with a suburban family?

The Guide

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

Seven, Saturday, 7pm

A Friday-night fixture for the past 20 years, there’s now a double dose of home inspiration as this lifestyle staple branches out to Saturday evenings as well. That means twice as many renter-friendly DIYs, tasty tricks to try in the kitchen, pet care solutions and landscaping ideas. Host Johanna Griggs says the new schedule means “more house calls than Dr Harry” as the team showcase extraordinary properties and gardens from around the country. In this instalment, Adam Dovile gets a sneak peek at the Good Friday Appeal house ahead of its April 3 auction. Also, Charlie Albone and Juliet Love (both pictured) enlist the help of Dr Harry Cooper for a pet project, and Colin Fassnidge whips up homemade pasties.

Friday, March 20

PICK OF THE WEEK

CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

Mum’s the word: Craig Roberts, Mark Heap and Dawn French in CanYouKeep aSecret?

9-1-1

Seven, Monday, 8.40pm

has been deep in mourning, but is soon brought in on the ruse against his will. With a police officer wife (Mandip Gill) who he definitely can’t confide in, Harry is caught in a war between his own conscience and a lucrative cut of the fraudulent fortune.

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6am Morning Programs. 9.05 My

SEVEN (6, 7)

From a billionaire caught in the mouth of a humpback whale to an outer-space emergency and a giant Jack-o’-Lantern, the ninth season of this first responder drama seems to have given up entirely on believability. Monday’s instalment, titled “War”, changes all that. Bringing the team back down to earth, the heavy-hitting hour deals with internal conflict at Station 118. Following his dismissal of Hen (Aisha Hinds), Chimney (Kenneth Choi) comes under fire from Athena (Angela Bassett, pictured) and Buck (Oliver Stark), but Eddie (Ryan Guzman) supports his captain’s decision. Meanwhile, in dispatch, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is unsettled by a new AI assistant programmed to use her voice.

cy of n ent, m eals a ddie

THE MATTER OF FACTS

8.30pm

NINE (8, 9) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Compass. (PG, R) 10.30 Stuff The British Stole. (PG, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00

ABC News At Noon. 1.00 The Piano. (PG, R) 1.45 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ma, R) 2.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 4.00 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG,R)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 Gardening Australia.

8.30 Professor T. (Final,Mav) TheProfessor investigates awoman’s death.

9.20 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs,R) Hosted byAlex Lee.

9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGds,R)

10.20 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (PG,R)

10.55 ABC Late News.

11.15 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv,R)

12.00 Smother. (Mlv, R) 1.45 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)

6am Children’s Programs. 11.15 The Makery. 11.30 Wiggle And Learn. 11.45 Andy’s Global Adventures. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.30 PJ Masks. 1.50 Kangaroo Beach. 2.30 Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 5.20 6.05 PJ Masks. 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. 9.45 Gladiators UK. 10.40 Late Programs.

Unique B&B. (R) 10.15 Inside The Steam Train Museum. (PG, R) 11.10 Inside Oxford Street. (PGa, 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 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 The Irish Civil War. (PGav, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 MOVIE: Deadly Mom Retreat. (2021,Mav,R) Lara Amersey. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. Hosted byLarry Emdur.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (PG) 8.30 Macchu Picchu: City Of Stone. (R) Looks atMacchu Pichu. 9.30 The Lost World Of The Hanging Gardens. (PG,R) 10.35 SBS World News Late. 11.05 Sisi. (MA15+as) 12.05 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+v, R) 2.00 El Immortal: Gangs Of Madrid. (MA15+ds, R) 3.45 Off The Beaten Track With Kate Humble. (PG, R) 4.55 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 AFL: Friday Night Countdown. Alead-up tothe Friday night AFL match. 7.30 Football. AFL. Round2. Adelaide vWestern Bulldogs. 10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews. 11.15 GetOn Extra. Alook atthe weekend’s best racing.

11.45 Australian Idol. (PGal,R) Hosted byRicki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.

12.45 Damnation. (MA15+asv,R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 5.00 NBC Today.

7TWO (62, 72) SBS VICELAND (31)

8.10

9.30 BBC News At Six. 10.00 France 24 English News. 10.30 The Movie Show. 12.15pm DW The Day. 12.45 Patriot Brains. 2.35 How Islam Built The Modern World. 3.40 WorldWatch. 5.40 Inside The Huddle. 6.10 Over The Black Dot. 6.40 The Future. 7.10 Jeopardy! 7.40 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 MOVIE: The Gentlemen. (2019) 10.35 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. 11.25 Homeland. 1.25am The Change. 2.25 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6am Morning Programs. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Medical Emergency. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Our Town. 2.30 Weekender. 3.00 Australia’s Best Drives. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country. 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Better Homes. 8.00 Escape To The Country. 11.00 The Yorkshire Vet. Midnight Bargain Hunt. 1.00 Room For Improvement. 1.30 Fresh TV. 2.00 Harry’s Practice. 2.30 Medical Emergency. 3.00 Better Homes. 5.30 Fresh TV.

8.40

6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Going Places. Noon MOVIE: Eddie The Eagle. (2016) 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Nula. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Great Parks Of Africa. 7.30 MOVIE: Beasts Of The Southern Wild. (2012, M) 9.15 MOVIE: Made In America. (1993, M) 11.10 Nula. 11.40 Turn Up Respect. Midnight The Secrets Of Pecan Summer. 1.00 Cultural Connections Immersion Festival. 2.00 On The Road. 4.00 NITV On The Road: Laura Festival. 5.00 Bamay. 5.30 Late Programs. NITV (34)

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 8.10 The Ipcress File. (1965, PGv) 10.10 All The President’s Men. (1976, Ml) 12.45pm The Invisible Fight. (2023, Mav, Estonian) 2.50 The Man Who Brought Down The White House. (2017, PGal) 4.45 A United Kingdom. (2016, PGa) 6.50 Americanish. (2021, PG) 8.30 Mad Max: Fury Road. (2015) 10.45 The Informer. (2019, MA15+lv, Spanish, English, Polish) 12.50am Monster’s Ball. (2001, MA15+alsv) 2.55 The Conformist. (1970, MA15+a, Italian, French) 5.00 A United Kingdom. (2016, PGa)

On the 1949 release of George Orwell’s dystopian classic novel 1984, the notion of rewriting history and events to fit political narratives was a daunting prospect to most of the Western world. In 2026, an era rife with social media trolls, AI chatbots and international campaigns designed to undermine our faith in facts, Orwell’s world is no longer far from our reality. Award-winning journalist Hamish Macdonald (pictured) wades into the fray in this compelling three-part documentary, heading to the frontline of the global information wars to explore how disinformation travels through the digital ecosystem. Tuesday’s premiere examines the effects of modern technology on our brains and belief systems.

TEN (5, 10)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Planning On Forever. (2022, G, R) Emily Tennant, Alec Santos. 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 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 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 7.30

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round3. Melbourne Storm vBrisbane Broncos.

9.55 NRL Friday Night Footy Post-Match. Post-match coverage ofthe NRL game.

10.45 MOVIE: American Assassin. (2017,MA15+lv,R) Aman investigates terrorist attacks. Dylan O’Brien.

12.55 Fishing Australia. (R)

1.25 Garden Gurus Moments. (R)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 Global Shop. (R)

5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Postcards. (PG, R)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. Noon 12.30 Parental Guidance. 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. 8.00 Athletics. World Indoor C’ships. Morning. 11.30 Seinfeld. Midnight MOVIE: Double Or Nothing. (2024, MA15+) 2.00 Motor Racing. FIA World Endurance C’ship. 6 Hours ofSão Paulo. H’lights. 3.00 Swimming. Aust Open Water C’ships. H’lights. 3.30 Aust. 4.00 Athletics. World Indoor C’ships. Night session. 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Motor Racing. NDRC Top Doorslammer. H’lights. Noon Storage Wars. 12.30 American Pickers. 1.30 Pawn Stars. 2.30 Kick Ons. 3.00 Timbersports. 3.30 Mountain Men. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Road Wars. 8.30 MOVIE: The Dressmaker. (2015, M) 11.00 MOVIE: About A Boy. (2002, M) 1am MOVIE: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. (1994, M) 3.00 Road Wars. 4.00 Mountain Men. 5.00 Swamp People.

10 News+.

Deal Or No Deal. (R)

Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG,R) 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (R) Aproject manager hunts for anew home.

Jamie Oliver: Eat Yourself Healthy. Jamie Oliver makes asalmon tray bake.

10’s Late News. Coverage ofnews, sport and weather.

10 News+. (R)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

(53, 12) 9GEM (81, 92)

(82, 93)

10 COMEDY (52, 11)

Comedy legend Dawn French (TheVicarofDibley) and the wonderfully weird Mark Heap (FridayNightDinner) team up for this twisted sitcom about a couple who profit from a life insurance payout after one of them is mistakenly declared dead. Ostensibly late husband William (Heap) is now confined to the family’s attic while his indomitable wife Debbie (French) enjoys meetings with the local “widows club”. Son Harry (Craig Roberts)

Saturday, March 21

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6am Morning Programs. 10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer. (PG) 12.00 News. 12.30 Blue Murder Motel. (M, R)

1.15 Professor T. (Final, Mav, R) 2.05

David Attenborough’s First Life. (R) 3.00 Extraordinary Escapes. (R) 3.50 The ABC Of... (PGl, R) 4.30 Todd Sampson’s Why? (Final, PGl, R) 5.00 Aust Story. (R) 5.30 Landline. (R)

6.00 Kath & Kim. (PGals,R) Kimorganises Kath’s hen’s night.

6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG,R) Presented byTom Gleeson.

7.00 ABC News. Alook atthe top stories ofthe day.

7.30 Blue Murder Motel. (M) Guest

8.15 Top End Bub. (M) Taya gets into trouble atschool. Ned explores anew business opportunity. Lauren makes asecret deal with acowboy.

8.40 Death In Paradise. (PG,R) ina case when anold friend becomes amurder suspect.

9.40 Frauds. (Md,R) Follows awoman fresh out ofprison. 10.30 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm Wiggle. 3.00 Play School: Let The Music Play. 3.25 The Wiggles. 4.05 Odd Squad. 4.30 Little J And Big Cuz. 5.05 Zog And The Flying Doctors. 6.05 Knee High Spies. 6.25 Paddington. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 Kids Baking C’ship. 8.10 Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking. 8.55 Chopped Jnr. 10.00 Late Programs.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 1.35pm Great Parks Of Africa. 2.25 Over The Black Dot. 2.55 The Habits Of New Norcia. 3.55 Mary Two-Axe Earley: I Am Indian Again. 4.30 Off Country. 5.00 First Australians. 6.00 Homesteads. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.30 MOVIE: Event Horizon. (1997, MA15+) 10.15 Mowanjum 2024. 12.05am Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 10.50 Peter Andre’s Greek Odyssey. (Premiere) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Paris-Nice Race. Highlights.

3.00 Stories From The Cities. (PG) 3.30 Going Places. (R) 4.30 Piquancy Silent Heroes. (PG) 5.35 Berlin: Stories Of The City. (Premiere)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Jewels Of The Mediterranean: Majorca Pt 2. Joanna Lumley continues her tour ofMajorca. 8.25 Travels With Agatha Christie And Sir David Suchet: Canada. (PG,R) SirDavid Suchet recreates Agatha Christie’s1922 trip toCanada where hegoes stargazing. 9.20 Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey: Arj Barker. (PG,R) Shaun Micallef heads toIndia. 10.20 Highclere: The Real Downton Abbey. (R) 11.15 Snowpiercer. (MA15+av,R) 1.05 El Immortal: Gangs Of Madrid. (MA15+ds, R) 2.55 Nazi Death Marches. (PGav, R) 3.55 Off The Beaten Track With Kate Humble. (PG, R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31)

6am Morning Programs. 12.15pm Hoarders. 2.45 Forged In Fire. 3.40 WorldWatch. 5.45 Mastermind Aust. 6.45 The Food That Built The World. 7.35 Engineering From Above. 8.30 Icons Unearthed: Marvel. 10.20 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Milan-San Remo. Men’s race. 3.15am Lion Dancers: The Crane And The Lion. 3.35 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 12.45pm Manon Des Sources. (1986, Man, French) 2.55 The Ipcress File. (1965, PGv) 4.55 Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. (2009, PGa) 6.40 The Glassworker. (2024, PGav, Urdu, English) 8.30 One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. (1975, Malsv) 11.00 The Nature Of Love. (2023, MA15+as, French) 1.10am Late Programs.

SEVEN (6, 7)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Golden Slipper Day and William Reid Stakes Day. 5.00 Seven News At5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG,R)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Hosted byJohanna Griggs. 8.00 MOVIE: Men In Black3. (2012,Mv,R) Asecret agent, who specialises inpolicing aliens living onEarth, must travel back intime tosave the planet. Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin. 10.10 MOVIE: Knock At The Cabin. (2023,Malv) Afamily holidaying ata remote cabin istaken hostage byfour strangers who force them tomake anunthinkable choice. Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff. 12.10 Devils. (MA15+av,R) Massimo’s traders disobey his orders. 1.10 Travel Oz. (PGan,R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Tales Of Aluna. (R) 5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning

Programs. Noon Australia’s Best Drives. 1.00 Harry’s Practice. 1.30 Better Homes. 4.00 The Yorkshire Vet. 5.00 Horse Racing. Golden Slipper Day and William Reid Stakes Day. 6.00 Luxury Escapes: World’s Best Holidays. 6.30 Bondi Vet. 7.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 8.30 Lewis. 10.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Blokesworld. 1.30 My Road To Adventure. (Return) 2.00 Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers. 3.00 Motor Racing. Night Thunder. USA Speedweek. Final. 4.00 Frozen Gold. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Pawn Stars. 7.00 Storage Wars. 7.30 MOVIE: The Mummy Returns. (2001, M) 10.10 MOVIE: Flatliners. (2017, M) 12.30am Late Programs.

NINE (8, 9)

6.00 Getaway. (PG, R) 6.30 ACA. (R) 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday. (PG) 12.00 Open For Inspection. 12.30 Drive TV: What Drives Us. 1.00 1.30 Surfest: 40 Years. 2.00 Great Australian Detour. (R) 2.30 My Way. (R) 3.00 Explore TV. (R) 3.30 Epic Builds. 4.30 Garden Gurus. 5.00 News. 5.30 Getaway. (PG)

6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Space Invaders. (PGa) Theteam helps awoman with generational clutter. 8.30 MOVIE: Dunkirk. (2017,Malv,R)

During World War II, anevacuation mission islaunched torescue Allied troops stranded onthe beaches ofDunkirk. Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy.

10.30 MOVIE: The Man With The Iron Heart. (2017,MA15+asv,R) Jason Clarke.

12.45 Epic Builds. (R) 1.35 Open For Inspection. (R) 2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PGa) 2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs.

12.40pm Helping Hands. 1.10 MOVIE: The Headless Ghost. (1958, PG) 2.35 MOVIE: Odette. (1950, PG) 5.00 MOVIE: Chariots Of Fire. (1981, PG) 7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.30 MOVIE: 11.00 MOVIE: Honky Tonk Freeway. (1981, M) 1.10am MOVIE: The Vengeance Of Fu Manchu. (1967, M) 3.05 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs. Noon Golf. Aust WPGA C’ship. 5.00 Young Sheldon. 6.00 MOVIE: The Beverly Hillbillies. (1993) 8.00 Athletics. World Indoor C’ships. Morning. 11.10 Top 20 Funniest. 12.10am Prodigal Son. 2.00 MOVIE: Home Kills. (2023, MA15+) 4.15 Athletics. World Indoor C’ships. Night session.

TEN (5, 10)

6am Morning Programs.

6.30 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG,R) Sixcontestants vie for time inthe Hot Seat toanswer multiple-choice questions that escalate incash-prize value. Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.00 Soccer. AFC2026 Women’s Asian Cup. Final. From Accor Stadium, Sydney. 11.00 Gogglebox Australia. (R) TVfanatics open uptheir living rooms toreveal their reactions topopular and topical TV shows. 12.00 Matlock. (PGa,R) Theteam works toprove alandlord’s culpability after abuilding collapse leaves multiple people dead and injured. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power. Religious program.

Sunday, March 22

ABC TV (2)

SBS (3)

SEVEN (6, 7)

NINE

9) 6am Morning Programs. 10.30 World This Week. (R) 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.30 The Piano. (PG, R) 3.40 Judi Dench: Shakespeare, My Family And Me. (PG, R) 4.30 Creative Types. (PG, R) 5.00 Back Roads. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.30 Compass: My Body, Your Baby. (PG)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 The Piano. Presented byGuy Sebastian and Andrea Lam.

8.20 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ml) William struggles with

8.50 Frauds. (Mls) Bert reveals her master plan.

9.40 Blue Murder Motel. (M,R) Guest

10.25 Top End Bub. (M,R)

10.50 MOVIE: Sweet Country. (2017,MA15+v,R)

12.40 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 Children’s Programs. 3pm Play School: Let The Music Play. 3.25 Dance With Tom. 4.15 Dino Dex. 4.40 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.05 Fireman Sam. 5.55 Octonauts. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 The Inbestigators. 8.00 Badgers: Their Secret World. 8.45 Amazing Animal Friends. 9.35 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.15 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Inside The Huddle. 1.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. H’lights. 2.00 Dreaming Big. 2.30 Football. NTFL. Men’s. Under-18s. Waratah vSt Mary’s. Replay. 4.05 Stompem Ground. 4.40 Mowanjum 2024. 6.40 Wild, Smart And Deadly. 7.30 Our Medicine. 8.30 Stylebender. 10.20 MOVIE: The Power Of One. (1992, M) 12.25am Late Programs. NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Peter Andre’s Greek Odyssey. 12.00 PBS News Compass Points. 12.30 PBS Washington Week. 12.55 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 1.00 Cycling. Provelo Super League. Round6. Q Tour. Queen’s Stage Mount Mee. 5.00 Going Places. (R) 5.30 Berlin: Stories Of The City.

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 The Race For Ancient Egypt In Colour. Takes alook atthe battle for historical treasures ofEgypt. 9.25 Leonardo Da Vinci: The Disciple Of Experience Pt 2. (PG,R) InMilan, Leonardo daVinci joins Duke Sforza’s court. 10.25 Lost Treasures Of Egypt: Hunting Egypt’s Lost Treasures. (PG,R) 11.20 History Of The Sitcom. (MA15+l,R) 2.30 The Sculpture. (PGav, R) 3.55 Food, Sail, Love. (PG, R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 PBS News Horizons.

SBS VICELAND (31)

6am Morning Programs. 4pm Fashionista. 4.15 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 MOVIE: Conan The Barbarian. (1982, MA15+) 10.55 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Sunday Footy Feast. 2.30 AFL Pre-Game Show. Pre-game coverage ofthe match. 3.00 Football. AFL. Round2. Port Adelaide vEssendon.

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Australian Idol. (PGal)

8.10 Britain’s Got Talent. (PG) Hosted byAnt and Dec.

9.30 The Hunters: Beaumont Children Mystery. (Mav,R) Takes a minute-by-minute look of the day that the three Beaumont siblings disappeared in January, 1966. 11.00 24 Hours In Police Custody: Breakout. (Madlv,R) 12.00 A Friend Of The Family. (MA15+a,R) 1.10 Travel Oz. (PG, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Business Builders. (Return) 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Better Homes. 3.20 The Yorkshire Vet. 4.20 Australia’s Big Backyards. 5.20 The Aussie Property Flippers. 6.20 Escape To The Country. 7.20 Vicar Of Dibley. 8.30 Vera. 10.30 Miss Scarlet And The Duke. 11.30 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

TEN (5, 10)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 AFL Sunday Footy Show. (PG) 12.00 Wide World Of Sports. (PG) 1.00 Drive TV: Drive Car Of The Year. (Return) 1.30 Fishing Aust. (R) 2.00 Space Invaders. (PGa, R) 3.00 Take Me Home. (PG, R) 4.00 David Attenborough’s Dynasties II. (PGav, R) 5.00 News. 5.30 Postcards. (PG) 6am Morning Programs. 8.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 9.00 Freshly Picked. 9.30 Well Traveller. (PG, R) 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl, R) 1.00 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGlv, R) 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 2.30 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG, R) 3.00

6.00 9News Sunday.

7.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls)

8.30 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians.

9.30 9News Late.

10.00 My Wife, My Killer And The Secret Footage. (MA15+assv)

11.00 The First48. (Ma,R)

11.50 A Killer Makes A Call. (MA15+av,R)

12.40 David Attenborough’s Dynasties II. (PGav, R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 3.00 Home Shopping.

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 The Garden Gurus. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Midsomer Murders. 3.00 Rugby League. NRL. Eels vDragons. 6.00 Getaway. 6.30 7.30 Planet Earth III. 8.40 Paramedics. 9.40 Emergency. 10.40 Major Crimes. 11.40 Midsomer Murders. 1.40am MOVIE: Derby Day. (1952) 3.25 MOVIE: Orders To Kill. (1958, PG) 5.35 Late Programs.

6.30 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 7.00 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Newalliances

8.30 NCIS: Sydney. (Mhmv) Thediscovery ofan exsanguinated sailor takes the team into the world ofmodern-day vampires, family feuds, bespoke vodka and anocturnal matriarch with apenchant for blood. 9.30 Law & Order: SVU. (MA15+) TheSVU must determine fact from fantasy when afamous author twists the details ofa serious crime. 10.30 NCIS: Origins. (Mav,R) Theteam searches for amissing woman. 11.30 10 News+. (R) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Fishing Addiction. 2.00 Red’s Fishing Adventures. 2.30 Hook, Line And Sinker. 3.00 Pawn Stars. 4.00 Mt Hutt Rescue. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Border Security: Int. 7.00 Border Security. 8.30 MOVIE: Kingsman: The Golden Circle. (2017, MA15+) 11.25 MOVIE: Death Wish. (1974, MA15+) 1.30am Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93) 6am Morning Programs. 12.40pm Competition. (2021, Malnsv, Spanish) 2.45 Discovering Film. 3.40 A King In New York. (1957, PGa) 5.40 Boychoir. (2014, PGav) 7.35 Discovering Film. 8.30 Gosford Park. (2001, Mls) 11.05 Cactus Flower. (1969, Ma) 1am The Great Gatsby. (2013) 3.35 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. Noon Golf. Aust WPGA C’ship. 5.00 Young Sheldon. 6.00 MOVIE: Red Dog. (2011, PG) 8.00 Athletics. World Indoor C’ships. Morning. 11.10 Gotham. 12.10am Arrow. 2.05 Motor Racing. FIA Formula E World C’ship. 3.10 Motor Racing. FIA World Endurance C’ship. Lone Star Le Mans. H’lights. 4.15 Late Programs.

Monday, March 23

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Blue Murder Motel. (M, R) 10.45 Bee Cause. (R) 11.00 Top End Bub. (M, R) 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Landline. (R) 2.00 Parliament Question Time. 2.55 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (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. (PG) Presented byLinton Besser. 9.35 Planet America. Alook atAmerican politics.

10.05 Foreign Correspondent. (R)

10.40 ABC Late News.

10.55 The Business. (R) 11.10 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGds, R) 11.40 Murdoch Mysteries. (Ma, R) 12.25 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.10 Parliament Question Time. 2.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (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 Lost Cities Of The Bible. (R) 3.05 Going Places. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 The Real Spies Among Friends. (PGalv, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Inside The Tower Of London. (PG)

8.30 8 Out Of10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) Game show. Hosted byJimmy Carr. 9.25 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M) Hosted byGreg Davies. 10.05 SBS World News Late. 10.35 Other People’s Money. (PGal) 11.30 Gomorrah. (MA15+av, R) 2.40 Charles I: To Kill A King. (PG, R) 3.45 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.20 Bamay. (R) 4.45 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (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. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.30 PJ Masks. 1.50 Kangaroo Beach. 2.30 Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 5.20 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. (Return) 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Gladiators UK. 9.35 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.15 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22)

NITV (34)

6am Morning

Programs. 2.10pm Over The Black Dot. 2.40 Stories From The Cities. 3.10 WorldWatch. 4.05 PBS News Compass Points. 4.35 WorldWatch. 5.05 Alone Denmark. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Holy Marvels. 9.20 Greatest Escapes. 10.10 The Cancer Killers. 11.15 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 At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) 7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted byRicki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie. 8.40 9-1-1.

Chimney grapples with his decision and how ithas affected the team.

9.40 The Agenda Setters. (R) Ateam oftrusted and respected footy voices tackles the biggest topics inthe AFL world.

10.40 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. Anexpert panel tackles the biggest rugby league topics.

11.40 Autopsy USA: Roy Horn. (Mav,R) 12.40 Conviction. (MA15+av,R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 1.30 The Zoo. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 Auction Squad. 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 A Touch Of Frost. 10.50 Ambulance: Code Red. 11.50 Doc Martin. 12.50am Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 1.35pm Stompem Ground 2022: Footprince. 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 Great Parks Of Africa. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8.30 Karla Grant Presents. 9.45 MOVIE: Last Cab To Darwin. (2015, M) 11.45 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 11.55 The Great Gatsby. (2013) 2.30pm Selkie. (2000, PG) 4.05 The Glassworker. (2024, PGav, Urdu, English) 5.55 The Eagle Huntress. (2016, PGaw, Kazakh) 7.30 Paris, Texas. (1984, Mal) 10.05 Birth. (2004, MA15+as) 11.55 Yolngu Boy. (2001, Malv) 1.30am A Taste Of Hunger. (2021, Mals, Danish) 3.25 Late Programs.

SIGNUP

Tuesday, March 24

ABC TV (2)

6am Morning Programs. 10.30 Planet America. (R) 11.00 Todd Sampson’s Why? (Final, Ml, R) 11.30 If You’re Listening: Black Swans. (Final, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (PGv, R) 2.00 Parliament. 2.55 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30.

8.00 Foreign Correspondent.

8.30 The Matter Of Facts: How Big Tech Is Making Fools Of Us. (Premiere,PG)

9.20 Creative Types With Virginia Trioli: Andrea Lam. (PG,R) 9.50 Compass. (PG, R) 10.20 If You’re Listening. (R) 10.45 ABC Late News. 11.00 The Business. (R) 11.20 Four Corners. (R) 12.05 Media Watch. (PG, R) 12.20 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv, R) 1.10 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.55 Parliament Question Time. 2.55 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

SBS (3)

6am Morning Programs. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 2.05 Lost Cities Of The Bible. (PG, R) 3.00 Trail Towns. (PG, R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys. (R) 8.30 Insight. Looks atmedical care for Australian transgender children. 9.30 Dateline: Slay Queens Of South Africa. 10.00 Rock Legends. (PG) 10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 Exit. (MA15+adv, R) 11.55 Wolf. (Mals, R) 2.10 Charles I: To Kill A King. (PG, R) 3.15 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.20 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.30pm Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 5.20 Millie 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Deadly 60. 9.00 The Slow Mo Guys’ Big Adventures. 9.25 MythBusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 9.50 BattleBots. 10.35 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Morning Programs. 2.35pm Kars & Stars. 3.05 WorldWatch. 5.05 Alone Denmark. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 James May: Our Man In... Japan. 9.30 Into The Void: Life, Death And Heavy Metal. 10.25 Chasing Speed. (Premiere) 11.20 Brassic. 12.15am 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 Journey To Japan. (PGn, R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 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) Theweek ofhomestays arrives. (Ml) Ateam offooty experts tackles the AFL’s big issues and controversies.

10.00 9News Late.

10.30 100% Footy. (Mal) Features the latest rugby league news.

11.30 Outback Opal Hunters. (Ml)

12.30 Sight Unseen. (Mav)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

2.30 Global Shop. (R)

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. Noon Planet Earth III. 1.00 Shakespeare And Hathaway. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: Some Will, Some Won’t. (1970, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.40 TBA. 10.40 Coma. 11.40 Shakespeare And Hathaway. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 1.40 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Motor Racing. Night Thunder. USA Speedweek. Final. Replay. 3.30 Mountain Men. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 Aussie Gold Hunters. 9.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 10.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 11.30 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs. 11.10 Snackmasters. 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: Rim. (2013, M) 11.10 Seinfeld. 12.10am The 100. 1.05 Love Island UK. 2.00 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.50 Parental Guidance. 4.00 Late Programs.

TEN (5, 10)

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 At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGav) 7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted byRicki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.

8.40 Doc. (Ma) Hannah works with Amy totreat asick older man whose daughter believes hehas been poisoned.

9.40 Ambulance: Code Red. (Ma) Atrapped crash victim needs rescuing.

10.40 The Agenda Setters. (R) 11.40 St. Denis Medical. (PGals) 12.10 Dirty John. (MA15+v) 1.10 Travel Oz. (PG,R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 1.30 The Zoo. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2.30 Escape To The Country. 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. 8.30 Judge John Deed. 10.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Late Programs.

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.30 Getaway. (PG, R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.00[MELB] TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.30 WIN News.

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) Homestay week continues.

9.00 The Hunting Wives. (MA15+lnv) Callie navigates possible inroads back toMargo. (Ml) 11.00 9News Late. 11.30 Next Stop. (PGa) 12.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.00 Destination WA. 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Our State On A Plate. (R) 3.00 Home Shopping. 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. 11.30 My Favorite Martian. Noon Death In Paradise. 1.00 TBA. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: Spring And Port Wine. (1970, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 New Tricks. 8.40 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 10.40 Harry Wild. 11.40 Manifest. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm MOVIE: His Perfect Obsession. (2018, M) 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: Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre. (2023, M) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 1.35 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Aussie Gold Hunters. 2.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 3.30 Mountain Men. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 Cape Carnage:

6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PG) Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Newplayers rally tochallenge areturnee’s power. 9.00 Gogglebox Australia. (R) TVfanatics open uptheir living rooms toreveal their reactions topopular and topical TV shows. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage ofnews, sport and weather. 11.00 10 News+. (R) Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 11.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)

Morning Programs. 7.00

Or

Deal. (PG, R) 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 10.30

6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PG) Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Bold moves and rising rivalries reshape the tribe. 9.00 NCIS. (Mav) Ateen’s kidnapping connects toa Navy SEAL Taliban survivor who might have been killed after coming home. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage ofnews, sport and weather. 11.00 10 News+. (R)

Wednesday, March 25

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Four Corners. (R) 10.45 Foreign Correspondent. (R) 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 2.00 Parliament. 2.55 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 7.30.

8.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs) Hosted by Alex Lee. 8.30 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGds) A satirical news program. 9.00 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ml, R) William struggles

9.30 Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala. Hosted by Denise Scott. 11.30 Planet America. (R) 12.00 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv, R) 12.50 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.35 Parliament Question Time. 2.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 1.30pm PJ Masks. 1.50 Kangaroo Beach. 2.30 Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 5.20 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.55 Adv Time. 9.40 We Bare Bears. 9.55 Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl. 10.15 Late Programs.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 2pm Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Guardians Of The Wild. 7.30 Extraordinary Animals. 8.30 Pro Bull Riding: USA. 9.30 Over The Black Dot. 10.00 Inside The Huddle. 10.30 MOVIE: Mysterious Ways. (2023, M) 12.05am Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 11.05 Inside Oxford Street. (Ml, R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Dateline. (R) 2.35 Insight. (R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGav, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Sandi Toksvig’s Great Riviera Rail Trip: Nice To Cap-Ferrat. Sandi Toksvig explores the Riviera’s heart in Nice.

8.25 Mysteries Of Loch Ness. (PG, R) Delves into the origins of the Loch Ness Monster legend, tracing its roots back to ancient folklore. 9.20 Prisoner 951. (M) Nazanin

10.25 SBS World News Late. 10.55 Face To Face. (Mal) 11.55 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (MA15+sv)

2.35 Charles I: To Kill A King. (PG, R) 3.40 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.15 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31)

6am Morning

Programs. 12.15pm DW The Day. 12.45 WWE Rivals. 1.40 Appetite. 3.05 WorldWatch. 5.05 Alone Denmark. 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 Icons Unearthed: James Bond. 11.10 Brassic. 1am Dark Side Of The Ring. 1.50 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Empty Nets. (2023, Mavw, Persian) 3.00 Discovering Film. 3.55 The Bookshop. (2017, PGal) 6.00 The Chaperone. (2018, PGals) 8.00 Fallen Leaves. (2023, Finnish) 9.30 The Killing Of A Sacred Deer. (2017, Masv) 11.40 The Lawnmower Man. (1992, Mlsv) 2.15am The Son. (2022, Mal) 4.25 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. (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. (PGa)

7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PG, R) Hosted by Lee Mack.

8.30 The Front Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher take a lighter look at all things AFL. (M) Hamish McLachlan sits down with some of the AFL’s most prominent personalities for in depth conversations.

10.00 The Agenda Setters. (R) An expert panel tackles the biggest AFL topics.

11.00 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Mal)

12.00 The Act. (MA15+ans, R)

1.20 Travel Oz. (PG, R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning

Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 1.30 The Zoo. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 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 Air Crash Inv. 11.45 Bargain Hunt. 12.45am Room For Improvement. 1.30 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Truckers. 3.30 Mountain Men. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 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.

Peter Rabbit

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 Explore TV. (R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.00[MELB] TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.30 WIN News.

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) The second-last dinner party takes place.

9.00 To Be Advised.

10.00 9News Late.

10.30 The Killer Interview With Piers Morgan. (Malv, R) Piers Morgan sits down with Danny Pelosi.

11.30 Next Stop. (R)

12.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

1.00 Hello SA. (PG)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

2.30 Global Shop. (R)

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 A Current Affair. (R)

5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Explore TV. Noon New Tricks. 1.10 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 3.10 Antiques Roadshow. 3.40 MOVIE: The Sleeping Tiger. (1954, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Keeping Up Appearances. 8.40 Midsomer Murders. 10.40 The Spencer Sisters. (Premiere) 11.40 Manifest. 12.40am Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs.

12.10pm MOVIE: Next-Door Nightmare. (2021, M) 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: The Meg. (2018, M) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 1.35 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.25 Late Programs.

TEN (5, 10)

6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.

6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PG) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 Kate: A Queen For The Future. (PGa) Takes a look at the life of Kate, Princess of Wales. 8.30 Elsbeth. (Mv) A fallen ’90s supermodel returns to New York for a reunion and revenge, leading Elsbeth to catch a killer. 9.30 10’s Late News. Comprehensive coverage of local, national and international news, as well as the latest sport and weather. 10.30 10 News+. (R) 11.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

Thursday, March 26

ABC TV (2)

SBS (3)

SEVEN (6, 7)

(8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) 10.30 The Weekly. (Ml, R) 11.00 Creative Types. (R) 11.30 Can You Keep A Secret? (M, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Frauds. (Mls, R) 2.00 Parliament. 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 4.00 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (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 1945: The Year That Changed History. (PGav, R) 3.05 Going Places. (R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (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 Back Roads: Shearers, NSW. Lisa Millar heads to the Riverina in NSW.

8.30 Creative Types With Virginia Trioli: Nazeem Hussain. (PG) Virginia Trioli meets with Nazeem Hussain. 9.00 The Piano. (R) Presented by Guy Sebastian and Andrea Lam.

9.50 The Matter Of Facts: How Big Tech Is Making Fools Of Us. (PG, R) 10.40 ABC Late News. 10.55 The Business. (R) 11.10 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (M, R) 11.55 Long Lost Family. (R) 12.40 Parliament Question Time. 1.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.30 PJ Masks. 1.50 Kangaroo Beach. 2.30 Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 5.20 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.20 Ultimate Vets. 9.40 Animal Park. 10.25 Late Programs.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Treasures With Bettany Hughes: Uzbekistan – The Golden Road. Bettany Hughes explores Uzbekistan’s history. 8.30 Our Medicine. (PGa, R) George and Rob help a stroke patient. 9.40 A Spy Among Friends. (Final, MA15+) Old loyalties are tested and hard truths surface.

10.45 SBS World News Late. 11.15 In Memoriam. (Madls) 12.10 Blackwater. (MA15+as, R) 2.25 Silent Road. (Mav, R) 4.15 Food, Sail, Love. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour: Japan Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31)

6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm DW The Day. 12.40 Alone. 2.05 Insight. 3.10 WorldWatch. 5.10 Alone Denmark. 6.20 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.10 Jeopardy! 7.40 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 United Gangs Of America. 10.20 The UnXplained. 11.10 Brassic. 12.55am The Swiping Game. 1.20 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Volta a Catalunya. 3.20 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. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Football. AFL. Round 3. Geelong v Adelaide.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking a look back at all the action from the match.

11.00 Kick Ons. Kane Cornes, Josh Jenkins and Jason Richardson debate the hottest topics and preview the upcoming AFL matches.

11.30 To Be Advised.

12.40 Damnation. (MA15+asv, R) A traveling carnival comes to Holden.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs.

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 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Air Crash Inv. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country. 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Home And Away. 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. Noon Pro Bull Riding: USA. 1.00 Over The Black Dot. 1.30 Inside The Huddle. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Going Places. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Guardians Of The Wild. 7.30 Going Places. 8.30 Bones Of Crows.

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.30 My Way. 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG)

5.00[MELB] TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.30 WIN News.

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 RBT. (Mdl, R) Follows the activities of police units.

8.30 To Be Advised.

9.30 A+E Crash Scene Emergency. (Mahlv, R) Staff treats a 76-year-old who suffered a catastrophic heart attack at the wheel.

10.30 The Equalizer. (Mav)

11.20 9News Late.

11.50 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

12.40 Pointless. (PG, R)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Midsomer Murders. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: Carry On Screaming! (1966, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Manly Sea Eagles v Roosters. 9.55 NRL Thursday Night Footy Post-Match. 10.40 Forensics: The Real CSI. 11.55 Late Programs.

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. Opinionated viewers discuss TV shows.

8.30 The Graham Norton Show. (MA15+s) Glenn Close, Alexander Skarsgard, Miriam Margolyes and Nicola Coughlan join Graham Norton on the couch. 9.40 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 10.40 10 News+. (R) 11.10 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm The Force: BTL. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.00 Motorway Patrol. 8.30 MOVIE: Bridget Jones’s Baby. (2016, M) 11.05 MOVIE: Fast Times At Ridgemont High. (1982, M) 1.05am Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93) 6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm The Lawnmower Man. (1992, Mlsv) 2.40 The Red Turtle. (2016, PGa, No dialogue) 4.10 Storm Boy. (1976, PGa) 5.45 Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael. (1990, PGalnsv) 7.30 Silver Linings Playbook. (2012, Malnsv) 9.45 The Peacemaker. (1997, MA15+av) Midnight Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm MOVIE: You Can’t Take My Daughter. (2020, M) 2.00 Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Matrix Reloaded. (2003, M) 11.10 Seinfeld. 12.10am Rugby Heaven. 1.10 Love Island UK. 2.10 Late Programs.

Time to rediscover Kirra

By Kylie Mitchell-Smith, Travel Writer/ podcaster www.travellingsenorita.com

THERE’S something about Kirra, from the pristineopenbeachtothelaidbackcommunity vibe to the latest restaurant openings - it’s a popular seaside destination.

Back in the day the Southern Gold Coast neighbourhood was known for its iconic surfbreakandswinging’60sHockeyPokey dance, where beach days blended into balmynights.

Kirra has found its groove again, from the comeback of the famous right hand point break to the reimagined Kirra Beach Hotel-alocal’sfavourite.

We check into the Kirra Point Holiday Apartments, set high above the Kirra Beach Hotel. The expansive hotel style apartments are styled in neutral tones, with contemporary architectural lines and coastaltouchesthatfeaturethroughout.

We stay in a two-bedroom ocean front apartment, that captures stunning views across to Surfers Paradise. Take your pick fromaone-,two-orthree-bedroomlayout, or maybe a penthouse with infinity pool is moreyourthing.

The Kirra Beach hotel on ground level is abuzz any day of the week, offering good pubstylefoodinarelaxed,open-airvenue, looking out to the sea. Keeping the locals happy, there’s a reimagined front bar, bottleshopandcafe.

Above the hotel is the super stylish and popular Kirra Beach House, billed as a seaside dining and drinking venue with DJs and sunsets - it’s all the rage. There’s a sumptuousmenudesignedtosharepacked withsaladbowls,pizzasandfreshseafood, we enjoy in the outside cabanas with the dreamiestviewsacrossthepoint.

Walking along the esplanade, we pass the retro surf club, it’s like stepping back in time, where locals enjoy a coldie on the deck and counter meals are served in a modest dining area. It’s where old meets new, as next door is the popular Siblings restaurant in the reimagined pizza hut space.

The restaurant has been pumping since its opening, with good service, delicious food and cocktails served by the sea - it’s a recipeforsuccess.

We wander just north of the surf club, to the dining and cafe precinct, stopping off for dinner at Hanks (Siblings’ baby brother).

Decked out in Mediterranean style with a menu to suit, we sip on a spritz and enjoy

a share plate menu of local prawn linguini and burrata with caramelised honey and fennelseed.

We rise as the sun rises and take an early morning dip across the road, with a takeaway coffee and toasted Vegemite scrollinhandfromMadecafedownbelow.

LunchisservedatBillyChow,aPan-Asian beauty by the sea. The food is simply delicious, from freshly made mushroom dumplingstofriedricewithatwist.

Next door at Agave Rosa, it’s all about tacos and margaritas, with a happy hour that makes us happy. Kirra has nailed its global food offering, with an array of restaurants, bars and cafes on offer, and word on the street is there’s more to come, asstagetwoofKirraPointbegins.

For a spot of shopping, we head to Cotton Living for homewares, Love Street Store for local threads and Gypsy and the

for coastal clothes and jewellery. For relaxation, we book a recovery session at Native State, a luxury bathhouse and studiogymintheKirraSurfbuildingtothe north.

Kirra Beach offers that quintessential coastal stay on the southern Gold Coast, with beach walks to Bilinga and Tugun to the north and Coolangatta and Rainbow BaytotheSouth.

EAT

• BillyChow

• Siblings Hanks

• Made PLAY

SeaSounds,KirraBeach

• KirraSurfClub

• NativeState STAY

• KirraPointHolidayApartments

Muse

Beach walks are the go on the Southern Gold Coast. (Kylie Mitchell-Smith)

Looking out from the iconic pavilion at beautiful Kirra Point.

Kirra Point Holiday Apartments.

15 DAYS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

$9,895* pp FROM

This is your last chance to fly free, upgrade to business class or save up to $5,000 per couple on 2026-2028 river, ocean and expedition voyages.

Hurry, Explorer Sale offers must end 31 March 2026*

MAGNIFICENT MEKONG

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa

15 DAYS • 2 COUNTRIES 16 GUIDED TOURS

SET SAIL • AUG-DEC 2026; JAN-APR, AUG-DEC 2027; 2028

Sail the Mekong River, where silk towns and fishing villages preserve age-old customs. Visit Angkor Wat, the jewel of Khmer architecture, and Ta Prohm, where jungle vines embrace ancient ruins. Explore Phnom Penh by cyclo rickshaw, visit Hanoi’s UNESCOlisted Old Quarter markets and connect with local children at a Viking-sponsored school. Hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City frame your cruisetour through the heart of Southeast Asia.

From $9,895pp in French Balcony

From $10,695pp in Veranda Stateroom

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. Due to the ever increasing entries coming in each week for our Community Calendar page, we have enough to fill almost three pages. This means your entry will not appear each week. We will do our best to rotate them fairly. If you have an existing entry that no longer operates, please let us know so we can remove it. Your patience and understanding is welcome for this FREE service. The calendar in its entirety with every entry is posted every Saturday at 9am at geelongindy.com.au

Ballroom dance

Leopold Hall, 805-809 Bellarine Highway, Saturday 21 March, 7.30-10.30pm. Admission $10 includes supper. Music: Ben. 0400 500 402

Arts National-Geelong

One hour arts lectures and presentation, Newcomb Hall, Wednesdays monthly, 10.15am. Next meeting 15 April. Sharron, 0439 328199 or geelong@adfas.org.au

Ocean Grove Library

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

Thursdays 3-4pm: tech help - drop in session for basic tech needs

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

Welcome mat

Belmont Uniting Church every Friday from 10am-1pm. Games, lunch and friendship. Fay, 0409 361 414

OMNI

Older Men New Ideas men’s friendly informal chat group, South Barwon Community Centre, 33 Mt Pleasant Road, Belmont, 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 10.30am. Allan, 0409 665 608

Bike riding

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from Belmont. Rides to suit all levels of fitness; e-bikes welcome. Rob, 0412 308 166

Lara Community Market Run by Rotary Club of Lara District every second Sunday of the month at Lara RSL, 9am-1pm.

Geelong Amateur Radio Club

Storrer Street Clubhouse, Geelong, Wednesdays 1.30-4pm, Fridays 6.30pm. Robert, 0438 409 979 or vk3atl.org

Choir

St Paul’s Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 7.45-8.45pm and 9.30am Sunday for 10.30am service. Choral scholarships available. Occasional choir for those unable to make commitment to main choir. Tom Healey, 0451 960 768 or healeytf@gmail.com

Bellydance classes

Beginner level, new term commencing. New students welcome. Tuesdays 1.30pm, Life Activities Club, Belmont Park Pavillion, Belmont. Glenys, 0400 214 897

Geelong’s Soroptimist International Service club for women and girls, every second Tuesday of the month from 6pm at Belmont RSL. 0455 835 691 or geelong@siswp.com

Geelong Anglers Club

Meets fourth Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm, 9 Yuille Street, Geelong West.

Geelong Sports & Game Fishing Meets first and third Monday of the month at Belmont Park Pavilion, 7.30pm. John, 0409 234 307

Monthly fishing competitions. Brian, 0417 190 092 or Ian, 0470 114 787

Drysdale CWA

Every second Tuesday at 1pm and crafts every fourth Tuesday at 11.30am of each month at Drysdale RSL Club. Jenny, 0452 258 333

Scottish dancing GOG Scottish Country Dance classes 7.30pm Tuesdays at Leopold Hill Hall, $5. No partner needed. Vicki, 0412 762 983 or Barbara, 0419 511 781

Geelong Showgrounds Museum

Open to the public on the first Sunday of each month 10am-2pm (October excepted). Adults $10, students 13-18 $5, under 13 free. 5221 1707

Geelong Scottish Dance

Highland dance classes for all ages Wednesday from 4pm and Saturday from 10am at Western Heights Uniting Church Hall, St Herne Hill. Christine, 0468 311 788 or facebook.com/GeelongScottishDance

Bingo

Tuesdays 1-3pm, great grocery prizes plus $50 jackpot books $2.50. Belmont Seniors Centre, 52 Thomson Street, Belmont. Frank, 5241 1776

First steps in music

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers welcome with parent/carer. Thursdays Northern Bay College, Tallis, and Fridays at Northern Bay College, Peacock. Free if living in 3214 postcode, bookings essential. info@bluebirdfoundationinc.org.au

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

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

PlayLinks

Music and art playgroup where babies, toddlers and preschoolers learn together with their parent/carer. Wednesdays St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Norlane. Free if living in 3214 postcode, bookings essential. info@bluebirdfoundationinc.org.au

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

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

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 month, 10am, Waurn Ponds Hotel.

Membership officer, 0407 333 263 or bobstafford@ozemail.com.au

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

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

Bellarine Historical Society Open to the public. Discover the area’s past. Every Sunday until Easter, 10.30am-12.30pm, Courthouse Museum, 11 High Street, Drysdale. bellarinehistory.org

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

Dragons Abreast Geelong - Juggernauts

Out and about at the Botanic Gardens

Independent photographer Ivan Kemp got among nature on Tuesday 17 March to see who was out and about at Geelong Botanic Gradens.

Sam Balazs and Ben Bickley with Hannah. 540707_03

James and Amanda Grinter with Scout and Remy. 540707_04

Angela Walker and Maria Monea. 540707_05

Carol Broderick and Marie Dove. 540707_06

Casey Mead, Ashley and Bryan Paenga and their son Bryley. 540707_07

Steven Little. 540707_08

John and Pina Capra. 540707_09

Wes Saeed and Saman Nawal. 540707_10

Brigitte Maillot. 540707_11

Leanne Walsh with Phoenix. 540707_12

Yuna, Sophia, Lileth, Skye, Bileca and Siennah from a writing group at Oberon High School. 540707_01

Lauren O’Callaghan. 540707_02

& Services

Placing your classified advert is so easy...

Online: networkclassifieds.com.au (24/7)

Phone: 1300 666 808 (Open 8.30-5pm Mon-Fri)

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(include your name, address and phone number)

We accept payment by:

Ask about our discounted ongoing advertising rates and how choosing more newspapers gives your advertising more impact and saves you money... Deadline for all classifications is 11.00am Thursday.

EDITOR

Location: Mildura, Victoria

Position: Full-time

Lead two important regional news brands and help shape

and

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced and energetic Editor to lead the editorial direction of the Sunraysia Daily and Broken Hill Times, based from our Mildura office.

This is a hands-on leadership role overseeing the Sunraysia Daily’s three-times-a-week printed edition, the Broken Hill Times, daily online publishing, and support for content across the company’s social channels.

You will lead the reporting team in Mildura and work closely with the small team in Broken Hill, while being supported by the Group Editor and our production hub team.

This is a strong role for someone who understands the importance of local journalism, can drive quality and consistency across platforms, and is committed to building audience and community impact.

About the role

In this role, you will:

•edit and oversee the Sunraysia Daily print editions published three times a week

•oversee editorial output for Broken Hill Times

•manage daily digital publishing across both brands

•assist with editorial content for the company’s social media channels

•lead, mentor and manage the team of reporters in Mildura and the small team in Broken Hill

•help drive strong news judgment, story generation, planning and follow-through

•work with the Group Editor and production hub team to ensure deadlines are met and quality standards maintained

•help grow audience engagement across print, online and social platforms

•maintain high standards of accuracy, fairness, balance and community relevance

•connect with the community, attend events and meet with key members of the community

About you

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have:

•experience in editing, newsroom leadership or senior reporting

•strong news sense and a passion for regional and community journalism

•excellent writing, editing and headline skills

•the ability to manage competing deadlines across print and digital

•strong people leadership skills and a collaborative approach

•confidence working across websites, digital publishing systems and social platforms

•an understanding of how to build audience through digital content and social distribution

•a commitment to accuracy, ethics and high editorial standards

•a great sense of community

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who can:

•lead from the front

•support and develop reporters

•produce strong, relevant and engaging local content

•balance the demands of print, digital and social

•work positively with editorial, production and management teams across the group

Why join us

This is a rare opportunity to play a leading role in two important regional news mastheads and make a genuine difference in the communities they serve.

You will join a business that values trusted local journalism and supports its editors with experienced group leadership and central production resources, while still giving you the

have real editorial impact at the local level.

To apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and resume, outlining your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role to paul.thomas@starnewsgroup.com.au

SPORTS QUIZ

1. Which team finished on top of the ladder at the end of the 2025 AFL home-and-away season?

2. Which New Zealand batter scored a century from 33 balls in the semifinal of the 2026 T20 World Cup?

3. Which English Premier League soccer club’s logo features a cannon?

4. How old is Aston Martin Formula One driver Fernando Alonso, a twotime world champion?

5. Which much-loved AFL commentator died at the age of 76 in early March?

6. Tina and Milo are the official mascots of which recent major sporting events?

7. Which Australian women’s cricket player scored 158 in her final one-day international?

8. What is the highest title a chess player can attain?

9. Which Matildas soccer goalkeeper suffers from significant hearing loss?

In which year did Melbourne’s Albert Park first host a Formula One Grand Prix?

Players from which country were granted asylum in Australia following the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian

Who won the 2026 Australian Formula One Grand Prix?

13. Who was Australia’s top goal scorer in the group stage of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, with four goals?

14. Ben Tudhope overcame an injury to which part of his body to win a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games?

15. The 2026 World Baseball Classic was held in the US, Puerto Rico and what other country?

16. Which two of the four major US sporting leagues have the most teams, with 32 franchises each?

17. Taekwondo became a full medal sport during which Olympics?

18. Actor Geena Davis once attempted to qualify for the Summer Olympics in what event?

19. Which high-profile Sydney Swans recruit kicked three goals during his 2026 debut for the club?

20. The Brisbane Broncos were held scoreless by which team in their opening match of the 2026 NRL season?

21. In which event did Australian Josie Baff win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

22. Which country’s team won the Sydney SailGP event in early March?

23. In this year’s Opening Round, which Brisbane Lions player made history as the first person with the initials ZZ to play in the AFL?

24. As part of this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations, Mattel produced a Barbie doll of which legendary Australian surfer?

25. What colour is the bulldog’s collar in the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs logo?

26. Why was Oscar Piastri ruled out of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix?

27. Which NBA team was recently forced to cancel a theme night celebrating a local strip club?

29. The Indian Wells Open is an annual tennis tournament held in which country?

30. And which other tournament is known collectively with Indian Wells as the Sunshine Double?

28. Gout Gout is currently the Oceanian record holder for fastest time in which sprint event?

Just a question of price

By Chris Riley, Marque

After a string of hybrid and fully-electric vehicles, including a full-blown electric ute, it was kind of refreshing to get behind the wheel of a no-frills turbo-diesel 4x4 ute like they used to make (and obviously still do).

The five-seat Mitsubishi Triton GLX double cab ’Pick Up’ (somewhere along the line they became pickups), in either 4x2 or 4x4 configuration, is just such a beast, complete with good old fashioned steel wheels.

Mitsubishi describes the GLX as everything you want in a tough, reliable and durable ute – whether it’s the 4x2 for workorthe4x4forplay,theywillgetthejob done anytime, every time.

Styling

The entry model to the Triton range retails for $44,090 in two-wheel drive form and $51,440 for the 4x4.

Our test vehicle was the GLX 4x4 double cab, Easy Select low and high range 4WD and all terrain tyres.

Firmly focused on work capability, it’s offered with a voice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.

Our vehicle was fitted with almost $10,000 worth of accessories, including premium silver paint ($790), soft tonneau ($918), tray liner ($308), bullbar ($3779), snorkel ($1175), under front guard ($422), high-edge rubber mats ($154), plus a tow bar ($1551) with REDARC electric brake controller and harness ($865).

The Terrain pack includes some of these items and saves you $991.

The bullbar completely changes the look of the vehicle.

Vinyl flooring and cloth trim is of course de rigueur, with automatic air conditioning, ceiling mounted rear air circulator and electric lumbar support for the driver.

Entry is keyless but you need to insert the key in the ignition to start the ute, something of a rarity these days.

GLX is however quite sophisticated for an entry level model, with adaptive cruise control, intelligent speed limiter, auto high beam, traffic sign recognition, auto lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, and tyre pressure monitoring.

GLX is covered by a 10-year warranty, along with 10 years capped price servicing and 10 years roadside assistance.

Infotainment

Infotainment consists of a small rather thin 9.0-inch touchscreen, with Bluetooth, including voice control and audio streaming, plus built-in satellite navigation, AM/FM radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto and generic four-speaker audio.

The instrument cluster is formed by two analogue dials separated by a small digital info panel.

There’s USB A and C ports in the front, along with a 12-volt outlet, with another 12-volt outlet in the rear but no USB.

Safety

Triton was the first dual-cab ute to be awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating against the current criteria.

ANCAP notes the Triton demonstrated high levels of protection for occupants in crash tests.

Triton scored 86 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 89 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 73 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and 70 per cent for Safety Assist.

It comes with a 360-degree camera and a total of eight airbags, including a centre airbag, Autonomous emergency braking (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User

and Junction) as well as a lane support system with lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW) and emergency lane keeping (ELK), and a speed sign recognition system are standard.

Autonomous emergency braking (Backover) is standard on utility variants, but is not available on cab-chassis variants introduced from March 2025.

Two ISOFix and two top tether child seat anchor points are provided in the rear, requiring the seat belt to be threaded through a cloth loop.

But it says installation of child restraints in the centre seating position of the second row in dual cab variants is not recommended as there is no top tether anchorage.

Installation of child restraints in single and club cab variants is not recommended as there are no top tether anchorages.

Child Occupant Protection scores therefore do not apply to the single and club cab variants.

Engines/transmissions

The 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel produces 150kW of power at 3500 rpm and 470Nm of torque from 1500-2750 rpm and in our test vehicle was paired with a six-speed automatic, together with part-time four-wheel drive.

Driving

GLXstandslongandtall,at5320x1795mm, with a 3130mm wheelbase and 12.4-metre turning circle.

Ground clearance is 228mm but without side steps fitted, it can be a challenge to get in and out, especially for small children.

Atleastagrabhandleisprovidedforeach ofthefourdoorstoprovidesomeassistance.

Thehighrideheightalsomakesitdifficult to reach in and fit a child seat, off balance and without any leverage.

The 17-inch steel wheels are shod with chunkier 265/65 series Toyo all-terrain tyres designed for off-road use.

At 30.4 degrees the approach angle is pretty good, but that long tail tends to drag, reducing the exit angle to 22.8 degrees which could present problems.

Drive under normal circumstances is to the rear wheels with the ability to change gears with the shifter and auto engine stop-start to save burning unnecessary fuel.

However, the GLX cannot be driven in four-wheel drive on dry bitumen – it requires some slippage to stop the diff binding.

With a 75-litre tank, fuel consumption is a claimed 7.7L/100km.

There’salsoasecondaryAdBluetankthat needs filling from time to time, but easily accessed sitting side by side with the fuel filler.

In our week behind the wheel the trip computer showed 8.3L/100km after almost 400km of driving, not quite as good as the maker’s claim – but not bad all the same.

Heavy duty rear suspension is fitted, with ventilated disc brakes at front and drums at the rear.

As expected, the ride is very much old school given the stiff suspension and unladen mass – bumpy, jiggly and at times shuddery.

Put a bit of weight in the back and it is likely to settle down.

Likewise, we wouldn’t go chucking the ute into any fast corners, but it’s certainly no slouch in traffic, with light easy on the arms steering.

Payload capacity by the way is 1083kg in thisconfiguration,withatubthatmeasures 1555mmx1545mmx526mm,with1135mm between the wheel arches.

Alas, it bucketed down in Sydney during the week we had the Triton and we were unable to take it off road.

But we’ve taken this vehicle off road beforeandcanreportitisaquitecompetent, medium-duty vehicle.

Other points of note include the touchscreen which is really too small to accommodate both overhead and rear camera views at the same time when reversing.

Our major criticism however concerns the horrible, nagging, annoying driver monitoring system which is right up there with anything offered by the Chinese.

Maybe that’s where Mitsu got it?

Summing up

GLX is what it is, a purpose-built work vehicle without any of the fancy stuff found in sports utes.

It’s surprisingly well equipped and presents as a solid, value for money investment at this end of the market.

But many of the features that buyers will be looking for remain accessories, so the sticker price is somewhat misleading.

The main problem is that the same figure buys you a larger chunk of a Chinese ute and this is probably the main reason the Triton carries a 10-year warranty, provided you get the car serviced with Mitsubishi.

GLX is surprisingly well equipped and is value for money at this end of the market. (Pictures: Supplied)

Scott praises Cats’ belief

By AAP

Geelong coach Chris Scott lauded his side’s inner belief after Shannon Neale’s five goals powered the Cats to a stirring 10-point come-from-behind triumph over Fremantle.

Trailing by 35 points before half-time, Geelong stormed home in the second half to post a 16.14(110) to 14.16(100) victory at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday 14 March.

The Cats, who were belted by Gold Coast in the opening round, coughed up eight goals to the visiting Dockers in the first quarter.

But Max Holmes (32 touches, five

clearances), Bailey Smith (30 disposals, one goal) and Tanner Bruhn (24 touches) came to the fore as the Cats logged 13 goals to six after quarter-time.

“The most important thing is the players had belief that if we did shift a few things that we could turn the momentum of the game,” Scott said.

“It’s a rare situation to have that belief when you’ve been so badly outplayed, you know, they were dominant. It’s not as if we predicted that start, but we were well aware of the threat.”

Fremantle posted its highest first-quarter score outside WA, leading 8.4 to 3.1 at the first change after Luke Jackson, Hayden Young and Andrew Brayshaw got

on top early.

“We thought we allowed them to do what they do best a bit too much, so when there was a bit more pressure around the ball, we thought like we gave ourselves a bit more of an even chance,” Scott said.

“It obviously wasn’t going to get fixed in the next quarter - it had to be a belief that over the course of the next three quarters we could work our way into the game.

“I’m proud of them for believing in the plan and getting it done.”

Jackson did his best for Fremantle with 27 disposals, 22 hit-outs, 10 clearances and a goal, and Caleb Serong (30 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) worked tirelessly.

Josh Treacy (two goals, eight marks) was a constant target forward of the ball and Isaiah Dudley kicked three majors.

But Dockers coach Justin Longmuir lamented “sloppy” errors that squandered scoring chances and left his team vulnerable in defence.

They led at every change, but not when it mattered most.

“We were disappointed with the way we handled the second half and disappointed with how we handled the last quarter,” Longmuir said.

“Wedidn’tdefendGeelongwellenough and when we did create opportunities back the other way we just couldn’t tie our work off. We kicked 3.8 in the second half.”

Frogs hop over Eagles and into the Division 3 grand final

By Justin Flynn

Murgheboluc earned a week off and a direct path to the Geelong Cricket Association Division 3 grand final with an impressive qualifying final performance against Waurn Ponds Deakin on 14 and 15 March.

Luke Brown won the toss for the Frogs and sent WPD in with a resurgent Josh Hutley taking four wickets and the ever reliable Daniel Grozdanovski snaring three.

Brown was impressive with 2/37 from 18.4 overs and only Noah Berry stood in the way of a miserable total for the Eagles.

Berry made a superb and fluent 77 from 93 deliveries while Jackson Ellis (28) and Ethan Rogers (27) contributed to a final total of 191 all out, which can often be a winning one in finals cricket.

Opener Cameron Platt (57) did his job for Murghe and the reliable Owen Dunipace (38) played well, but when he was run out with the score at 3/125 and with Platt following shortly after at 4/133, WPD was back in the contest.

Enter Michael Grozdanovski (42 not out) and Luke Webb (17 not out) to take the total to 4/192 and victory.

The Eagles would have been buoyed by the performances of Zarbakht Asim, who conceded just 45 runs from 27.4 overs and Dhanuja Haturusingha (2/42 from 18) and live to fight another day.

WPD will take on Lethbridge in the preliminary final after the Rosellas ended Corio’s season.

Skipper Shane Dillon (78) and Hayden Spiller (59) got Lethbridge up to an im-

posing total of 260 although three-wicket hauls from Mitchell Humm and Trey Laurie kept the total relatively in check for the

Devils.

Corio captain Anthony Grace whacked 63 from 59 balls, but the total proved too much with Dillon earning a player of the match performance by making runs and taking 5/65 from 37 overs. Patrick Dillon also delivered with 1/43 from 29.

LITTLE River won through to the Division 4 grand final, beating minor premiers Newcomb & District.

Redbacks captain Luke Wright brought up wicket number 41 for the season with 5/34 as the Dinos were all out for 154 despite Huey Neild’s 59.

Six of Little River’s top seven made contributions to the run chase although at 5/84, the odds were in favour Newcomb & District.

But an unbroken 71-run stand between Luke Delaney (32 not out) and Josh Walker (26 not out) got the Redbacks to the line with five wickets and 11 balls to spare.

The Dinos will take on Meredith in the prelim after Jacob Eyers (76) and the hard-hitting Harli Givvens (54 off 36 balls) got the Rams to 9/217 against Manifold Heights.

Matthew Pratt added to his 28 wickets for season with another three for the Sharks while Nick Pratt ended the season with 32 wickets after taking 2/31.

Matthew Pratt made a defiant 47, but the Rosellas’ attack stepped up with Matthew Ringin (2/12 from nine overs) the most impressive with Meredith winnings by 90 runs.

Cobras, Kookaburras advance to BPCA A2 Grade final

By Justin Flynn

What a difference a couple of weeks make in local cricket.

Rewind to last Saturday and Winchelsea was outside the BPCA A2 Grade four having been on top of the ladder at the Christmas break.

The Kookaburras hadn’t won in 2026 in a disastrous second half of the season, but they knocked off second placed Wallington in the final round to keep their campaign alive.

They then defeated minor premiers Ocean Grove in the semi-final and now find themselves in a grand final.

Rewind even further and Collendina was languishing near the foot of the table, out of form and totally down on confidence.

Wins against Newcomb and Surf Coast in rounds 12 and 13 were expected, although not a formality, and in a final-round surprise, the Cobras rolled top side Ocean Grove to finish in third spot. They fronted up for their semi against

an out of form Wallington and marched into the decider on a wave of momentum.

So it’s third vs fourth in the big one. It might seem a touch anticlimactic, but it’s absolutely not. Both these sides are capable of playing excellent cricket. It just hasn’t come as consistently as either would have liked - until now.

TLDR? Both teams have rediscovered their mojo just in time.

Once again it was left-arm spinner Stan Grazotis (3/26 from 20 overs) and Corey Walter (2/25 from 18.1) who delivered for Collendina, but they were assisted by young quick Zach Muir (2/16 from 14) and Jack Every (1/5 from seven) to have Wallington all out for 89 in the 65th over.

No Wallington batter could score at a decent rate as the Cobras took command of the innings. The Wallabies had seven overs to bowl before stumps to make inroads, but Collendina went into day two with all 10 wickets intact.

At 2/16, the game was still alive, but

Walter and Oliver Terhorst stayed patient. Terhorst departed at 3/53 and it became 4/55 when Walter was out soon after for a gritty 24 from 96 deliveries.

Suddenly another 35 runs seemed a long way off, but Grazotis and Nathan Frye added 20 precious runs before Frye departed with the score at 5/75.

Harrisyn Wingrave then made a valuable 6 not out from 10 balls and Grazotis was there at the end on 15 from 28 and

the Snakes marched into the decider with five wickets intact.

It was a similar story in the other semi, with Ocean Grove crawling to 80 all out in the 66th over.

Winchelsea seamer Jarrod Groves continued his blistering form with 5/29 from a remarkable 28 overs and has 28 wickets this season while skipper Shane Murdoch took 3/12 from as many overs and Ricci Sauni conceded just 24 from 18. Like Collendina, the Kookaburras had a nervous few overs to survive before the end of play, but went into the following day none down with 14 wiped off the total.

When play resumed on Sunday, Angus Leigh batted well to make 23 from 32 balls, but when Grove leg-spinner Alex Mann took his third wicket, Winchelsea was 4/48 and the Grubbers had a sniff. Groves (24 not out) had other ideas and with assistance from Mark Simons (13 not out), brought up the winning runs.

Daniel Grozdanovski looms as a major weapon for Murgheboluc. (file picture/Ivan Kemp)

Stan Grazotis was again the star for Collendina. (file picture/Ivan Kemp)

State title for Heidi

Jan Juc’s Heidi Abetz claimed event wins at the No TXT No Wrecks Victorian Junior SurfingTitlesattheGunneryinFlinderson Sunday 15 March.

Abetz continued her hot streak after breakingthroughforherfirsteverstatewin at the opening round.

In a tight Under 18 girls final, Abetz just came ahead on top by 0.1 of a point to beat fellow Jan Juc surfer Chloe Muscroft.

“The conditions were super tricky, and it was the first time I had ever surfed here which made it hard,“ Abetz said.

“But all the girls did really well. I’m just super happy to win.”

Abetz finished on 9.77 points ahead of Muscroft (9.67), Lilian Bassed (Sandy Point, 9.27) and Savannah Bennett (Cape Woolamai, 4.73 points).

Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc) was runner-up in the Under 18 Boys behind Tarvi Woods (Fingal).

Finishinginthirdandfourthrespectively were Sunny Wouters (Rye) on 9.50 points and Remy Filer (Jan Juc) on 8.00 points. Other event champions included Harlem Pec (Jan Juc, Under 16 Boys), Rose Holland (Dromana, Under 16 Girls), Raff Morris (Sorrento, Under 14 Boys) and Stevie O’Day (Jan Juc, Under 14 Girls).

Under 18 Boys: 1st-TarviWoods(Fingal, 13.23), 2nd - Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc, 10.66), 3rd - Sunny Wouters (Rye, 9.50), 4th - Remy Filer (Jan Juc, 8.00).

Under 18 Girls: 1st - Heidi Abetz (Jan Juc, 9.77), 2nd - Chloe Muscroft (Jan Juc, 6.27), 3rd - Lillian Bassed (Sandy Point, 9.27), 4th -SavannahBennett(CapeWoolamai,4.73).

Above: Jan Juc’s Heidi Abetz is chaired from the surf after winning the Under 18 girls event, and top right, Heidi on her way to winning the Victorian Junior Surfing Titles. (Pictures: Jacques Kelly/Surfing Victoria) Centre: Jan Juc’s Remy Filer finished 4th in the Under 18 Boys. Right: Teddy Robertson was runner-up in the Under 14 Boys event.

Under 16 Boys: 1st - Harlem Pec (Jan Juc, 9.26), 2nd - Tully Gordon (Jan Juc, 8.00), 3rd - Eden Hawken (Torquay, 7.40), 4th - Levi Vosloo (Barwon Heads, 5.56).

Under 16 Girls: 1st - Rose Holland (Dromana, 13.20), 2nd - Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai, 11.54), 3rd - Sophie Day (Rye, 7.73), 4th - Jayla Jennings (Rye, 5.30).

Under 14 Boys: 1st - Raff Morris (Sorrento, 15.77), 2nd - Teddy Robertson (Torquay, 11.60), 3rd - Alby O’Day (Torquay, 7.93), 4th - Harry Cleary (Sorrento, 7.73).

Under 14 Girls: 1st - Stevie O’Day (Torquay, 10.00), 2nd - Cobie O’Day (Torquay, 8.50), 3rd - Lily White (Jan Juc, 8.23),4th-EstellaCarbonelli(JanJuc,6.00).

Juniors to play grand finals this weekend

LOCAL TENNIS

Donna Schoenmaekers

Ninety teams from 21 clubs participated in this week’s Tennis Geelong Junior Pennant finals with grand finals to be played this weekend.

Hamlyn Park went three for three with wins in Premier Boys and both teams gettingthroughinGreenBall4toguarantee a premiership for the club. Drysdale’s consistencyprovedthedifferenceinGirls3, their only match for the day, and Inverleigh made the most of their one opportunity in Boys 11 and will face Barwon Heads after they snuck through in the second final.

Even closer was the Heads’ Green Ball 1 team with a win by one game over Lara White.

Lara went two from five, with minor premiers Boys 10 winning 4-2 and Boys 5 getting through by seven games.

Western Heights Uniting, Moriac, Point Lonsdale and Leopold were unable to register a win, although the combined Leopold/Moolap Boys 7 team kept their season alive with a 5-1 win over St Mary’s.

St Mary’s were two from four, although both wins were nailbiters going to deciding sets. Isla Eslick and Emily Cowled got them over the line 6-0 in the decider of Girls 3 while Harrison Thwaites and Nell Baird won 6-1 to do the same for Green Ball 3.

Clifton Springs also managed two wins from four with their Girls 4 and Green Ball 8 going through to next week.

All Saints had Green Ball 5 keep them in the hunt as Boys 4 did for Bannockburn and Girls 6 for Meredith while Surfcoast struggled with just one win from four matches, with Girls 1 the only success.

Of the bigger participants on the day, Geelong Lawn had seven teams playing, but the Girls in Premier and Section 5 were the standouts going through to next week.

Grovedale would have hoped for better with nine teams still playing, but only the BoysinSections2,5and10weresuccessful.

Ocean Grove also had nine teams playing, but had a much better success rate with five teams winning. Girls 1 had the best result winning 6-0, while Boys 1 and 9 took early leads in the singles before winning 4-2, and Boys 3 and Green Ball 2

Twin tons for Lara duo

Geelong Cricket Association qualifying and elimination finals brought on a run fest in Division 1 and lowish scores in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. Lara pair Andrew Hughes and Kaden Marum made centuries in Division 1 to steer the Cats into a preliminary final against East Belmont.

Saturday 14 March &

Sunday 15 March

DIVISION 1

Qualifying final - North Geelong 9/404 (L. McCann 84, P. Visser 71, S. Hall 51, A. Costello 50, T. Mathieson 50no, N. Cooper 39, C. Hangan 37, J. Jenkins 5/73, L. Molyneaux 2/116) def East Belmont 188 (S. McNamara 75, J. Lidgett 25, D. Kerr 3/30, V. Morrow 3/61, T. Mathieson 2/28, B. Sykes 2/40)

Elimination final - Lara 7/376 (A. Hughes 125, K. Marum 123no, R. Sodomaco 41, V. Singh Cheema 51, J. Trewin 2/38, J. Sorgiovanni 2/68, L. Ford 2/82) def St Peters 257 (L. Ford 69, B. McMaster 42, W. Ford 39, G. Blatherwick 4/84, L. Wilson 3/13)

DIVISION 2

Qualifying final - Highton 159 (J. Cook 32, F. Neeson 27, N. McCoach 27, S. Lymer 3/15, N. Deep Pottabathini 2/32, M. Trask 2/35) def Bell Park 125 (S. Lymer 58no, I. Bird 4/26, D. Elliott 2/22, C. Young 2/27)

Elimination final - Leopold 176 (T. Treble 93, J. Grozdanovski 4/37, R. Farrington 2/20, D. Dementiev 2/34) def Bell Post Hill 139 (M. Reid 35, W. Iles 30, D. Barmby 5/22, D. Gibson 2/21, R. Plumridge 2/24) & 5/32 (D. Gibson 2/12, J. Le Maistre 2/12)

DIVISION 3

Qualifying final - Murgheboluc 4/192 (C. Platt 57, M. Grozdanovski 42no, O. Dunipace 38, D. Haturusingha 2/42) def Waurn Ponds Deakin 191 (N. Berry 77, J. Ellis 28, E. Rogers 27, J. Hutley 4/50, D. Grozdanovski 3/26, L. Brown 2/37)

Elimination final - Lethbridge 260 (S. Dillon 78, H. Spiller 59, M. Thomas 30, S. Giles 25, M. Humm 3/65, T. Laurie 3/66, E. Stanciu 2/28, A. Grace 2/62) def Corio 8/166 (A. Grace 63, C. Laurie 22no, S. Dillon 5/65)

DIVISION 4

Saturday 14 March

showed how important good doubles play is, winning both doubles to secure their 4-2 wins.

Highton would be reasonably happy with six of 10 teams progressing. Boys 2 and 7 along with Girls 5 and Green Ball 6 and 7 teams posting 5-1 wins while Boys 9 scraped through by four games after Geelong Lawn mounted a comeback to win both doubles to level the sets, but fall short on games.

Wandana Heights had the most teams and produced the most wins although it could have been a very different story. Girls 2 and Green Ball 5 Blue marched into next week with 6-0 wins, with Green Ball 1 and 3 not far behind with 5-1 wins. Boys 4 won four sets in their six-set match, but had to go to a seventh set to get the fourth, with teams tied on sets and games.

Vivian Bhardwaj and Danny Hamoody were a dominant pair in the Boys, taking their decider 6-0 to defeat Grovedale while Eva Siljac and Maggie Collins backed up their win in the first doubles to win their set 6-1 over Barwon Heads. The final wrap up for Wandana was seven wins from 10

Qualifying final - Little River 5/155 (L. Delaney 32no, J. Walker 26no, N. Fairchild 24, D. Harrison 2/28, N. Keevil 2/35) def Newcomb & District 154 (H. Neild 59, A. Quarrell 30, L. Wright 5/34, L. Delaney 2/20)

Elimination final - Meredith 9/217 (J. Eyers 76, H. Givvens 54, M. Pratt 3/58, N. Pratt 2/31) def Manifold Heights 127 (M. Pratt 47, L. Bartlett 27, W. Young 3/13, M. Ringin 2/12)

Preliminary finals

Saturday 21 March &

Sunday 22 March

Division 1: East Belmont vs Lara at Winter Reserve, Belmont, 11am

Division 2: Bell Park vs Leopold at Hamlyn Park, Hamlyn Heights, 11am Division 3: Waurn Ponds Deakin vs Lethbridge at Jarvis Oval, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, noon

Saturday 21 March

Division 4: Newcomb & District vs Meredith at Grinter Reserve, noon

Wandana Heights and Grovedale: Lily Patrick, Katelyn White, Sienna Li, Zara Parikh, Louise Joyce, Jenny Zhao, Elise Wong, Oliver Logan, Aranya Gupta.

Section 7 Highton 2: Oliver Duxson, Samuel Wilkinson, Pierce O’Brien, Tom Rix. (Pictures: Supplied)

Champ returns to Geelong

Atalent-packedfieldwilllineupatCorioBay onSunday22Marchasthe2026Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series moves onto its secondstopfortheIRONMAN70.3Geelong triathlon.

Belgian Jelle Geens will return to defend last year’s win and is one of 60 professional triathletes to go head-to-head for the Geelongtitle.

Leading the Australian charge is Tasmanian Jake Birtwhistle, who finished second to Geens in last year’s race and is a two-time champion, including victory on theSunshineCoastlastSeptember.

Up-and-coming athlete Josh Ferris will hope to continue the success of last year,

which saw the Aussie earn two titles and a secondplaceattheIRONMAN70.3Sunshine CoasttriathlonbehindBirthwhistle.

Briton Kat Matthews headlines the women’s race with the two-time champion beginningher2026campaignwithawinat last weekend’s New Zealand triathlon in a new course best time, earning 5000 points andanearlylead.

Matthews’ two closest challengers will likely be Canadian Tamara Jewett and AussieGraceThek.

Australia’s Milan Agnew will return to Geelong hoping for redemption after postingaDNFatlastyear’srace.

TheSunshineCoastbasedathletehasthe

ability to podium over the middle distance, having won her maiden triathlon on home soil in 2024 and last year finished third at theKrakówtriathlonandinthetop20inher WorldChampionshiptriathlondebut.

AnotherAustralianhopingtoputaDNFat lastyear’seventbehindherisPennySlater.

TheCanberranwillbeaimingtokickstart her campaign with a good points haul and rediscover the consistency that saw her finish10thinthe2024series.

TheIRONMAN70.3Geelongtriathlonwill offer professional triathletes a total prize purse of US$50,000 and three qualifying slotspergendertotheWorldChampionship eventinNiceinSeptember.

Bannockburn go into the mixed grand final

It was preliminary final week for most Tennis Geelong Senior Pennant sections, and after a week off, all teams were keen to hitthecourt.

Bannockburn earnt a rematch against Grovedale in Mixed 1 with a win against Moriac.

Banno started strongly, winning the first two mixed and won 4-2 with Bridget Le Maitreleadingtheway.

Moolap also started well in Mixed 2, winning the first two mixed in their match againstminorpremiersGrovedaleBlack.

Grovedale matched them in the doubles and reverse mixed, but that wasn’t enough, with Moolap ahead 4-2, spearheaded by three-setwinnerAmyKuskunovic.

Mixed 4 followed the 4-2 trend with Moriac taking their first two sets against Surfcoast,whodidn’tmakethemostoftheir double chance, also going out in straight sets.

Despite finishing lower on the ladder, Mixed 3’s Wandana Heights followed up a 5-1 win over St Mary’s in Round 13, going onebettertotakeacleansweepthisweek.

Mixed 5, 6 and 7 were in their first week of finals and were all in sudden death. All butonewentthewayofladderpositionwith DionD’Souza’sthreesetshelpingNewcomb to a 4-2 win over Wandana Heights, Moriac havingasecondgrandfinalistalsowinning 4-2overLara.

Winchlesea and Wandana Heights had convincing wins over Drysdale 5-1 and Clifton Springs 6-0 in Mixed 7 while the Springs produced a 5-1 win over Ocean GroveBlueinMixed6.

The one upset was Ocean Grove White winning their first of four attempts against minor premiers Wandana Heights 4-2, led byJustinOlmsteadwithhisthreesets.

Western Heights Uniting had mixed results in Mens 1 and 2 with Highton Blue getting another crack at Newcomb (M1) winning 5-1 while Bannockburn (M2) bowed out with the Heights winning on games.

It was the semi-finals for Open 8 and the two matches were polar opposites. All Saints won 4-0 over Waurn Ponds while HightonBluetiedonrubbers.

Bannockburn had a two-game lead after the first two rubbers, but with Highton winning the second set of the reverse doubles to force Bannockburn to a super tie-break, they had the advantage on sets at 2-allwithSaraCholinvolvedinbothwins.

It was a similar story for Highton in Open 7wheretheysplitthefirsttworubberswith OceanGroveWhite.FromthereAndreFicca won his second straight set rubber in the singles and the Grove’s Dean Montgomery teamed with Jenny Denouden to do the same in the doubles to tie the match. Siddarth Sivanesan pushed Montgomery to

a super tie-break in the first singles which proved the difference giving Highton the win.

Surfcoast Torquay and Lara were tied on rubbers, sets and games in Open 4 and Sienna Clatworthy took the first set in the singles for Surfcoast. Lara’s Sam Caddy and Streicher Jansen van Vuren won the first doubles and Clatworthy finished the match withastraight-setswin.

Surfcoast’s Tegan Marshall and Laura Rogers won the second set and the super tie-breaktowin3-1.

In Open 3, Grovedale Black had a mammoth battle with Barwon Heads to win3-1withthreerubbersdecidedinsuper tie-breaks as did Moolap over Highton in Open2.

Thomson sacks co-coach weeks from season start

Thomson has sacked co-coach Jacob Knight just weeks before the start of the Geelong & District Football Leagueseason.

The Tigers terminated Knight’s contractforwhatitcalledan“off-field matter”.

In a statement today (Friday 13 March), the club said Knight’s sackingwas“effectiveimmediately”.

“The club’s executive has determined that this course of action is in the best interests of the club and itsmembers,”theclubsaid.

“The executive committee takes theculture,standardsandreputation ofourclubveryseriously.

“Our expectations of all coaches, players and officials extend beyond the field and reflect the values we strive to uphold within our community.”

Paul Lynch will now be Thomson’s sole coach as the club attempts to improve from its sixth-placed finish last year after winning the premiershipin2024.

“Paul Lynch will remain in his role as senior men’s football coach for the 2026season,withtheclubcontinuing tosupporthimandtheplayinggroup movingforward,”thestatementsaid.

“WethankJacobforhiscontribution to the club and wish him well for the future.

“Our focus remains on supporting our players, members and volunteers aswecontinuepreparingforthe2026 season.”

Moolap’s Open 4 team went down to OceanGroveBlueandwasheldto14games.

Highton had its third win for the day in Open 3 coming from behind against Ocean Grove. The Grove won the first two rubbers in super tie-breaks, but Corey Hird got throughinthereversesingles6-4,7-6while BrantMitchellandPeterDuxsoncleanedup inthedoubles6-2,6-0toputHightonahead onsetswiththematchtiedonrubbers.

Highton hosted Newcomb in Open 1 and Taj Cayzer took the singles for Newcomb 6-4, 7-5, while Highton’s Jamie Heaton and Derek Dobson came back to win the doubles2-6,6-2,10-8.Heatonfollowedupin the reverse singles 7-6, 6-3, but Cayzer and Lachie Hewitt won the doubles to put the sidethroughtonextweek.

Jacob Knight in the 2024 grand final.

(Ivan Kemp)

LOCAL TENNIS

Donna Schoenmaekers

Highton and Ocean Grove White: (back) Dean Lehmann, Dean Montgomery, Jenny Denouden, Katie Hayes, Lizzie Hernandez Arenas, Sarah Shan, (front) Andrea Ficca, Mateo Carrington, Siddarth Sivanesan. (Pictures: Supplied)

Clifton Springs and Wandana White: (back) Jacinta Smith, Jenny Ealey, Jackie Fletcher, Adam Wightwick, Maris Ruzzler, (front) Craig Smith, Anneliese Walsh, Olivia Smith, Melissa Smith, Mark Walsh.

Jelle Geens is back to defend his win in Geelong last year. (Ivan Kemp)

Lara and Heads win semi-finals

Local cricket semi-finals were played on 14 and 15 March and Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was at Bisinella Oval where Lara hosted St Peters in GCA Division 1 and at RT Fuller Oval where Barwon Heads welcomed Anglesea in BPCA A1 Grade. Lara and Barwon Heads had wins.

Daniel Donaldson bowled tightly to take 1/28 off 22 overs for Barwon Heads. 539859_02

Ash Poulton hits to mid-wicket for a single. 539859_04

Jacko Mallett takes the catch to dismiss Ash Poulton for 36. 539859_11

Ky Eskrigge hits out for Anglesea. 539859_14

Ben Harcombe in action for Anglesea. 539859_16

Lewy Hyland is solid in defence for Barwon Heads. 539859_21

Josh Sorgiovanni bends his back for St Peters. 539857_02

Kaden Marum made 123 not out for Lara. 539857_07

Billy Ford in action. 539857_09

James Stokes steams in for St Peters. 539857_15

Josh Sorgiovanni takes the catch to dismiss Robert Sodomaco. 539857_17

Luke Ford bowled tightly for St Peters. 539857_25

Andrew Hughes drives during his magnificent 125 for Lara. 539857_21

Hughes and Marum go big

By Justin Flynn

Centuries to Andrew Hughes and Kaden Marum propelled Lara to a Geelong Cricket Association preliminary final against East Belmont this weekend.

With 110 overs at their disposal and the Cats needing only a draw to advance, they ended their innings early on day two at 7/376 at Bisinella Oval, Lara after being sent in by St Peters.

Hughes was the backbone of the innings with 125 from 266 deliveries while young gun Marum ended on 123 not out from just 142 balls. Robert Sodomaco made 41 from 145 balls and Varinder Singh Cheema put the finishing touches on the innings with a carefree 51 from 52.

It was tough going in the field for the Saints, but skipper Luke Ford sent down 35 overs that yielded 2/82.

While St Peters would fall 101 runs short, they showed why they were good enough to earn a finals spot in the first place, finally all out for 257 in reply.

Ford made 69 to take his season’s total to 765 at an average of 76.50 while Brad McMaster made 42 and Billy Ford 39, but it was pace and spin that proved to be Lara’s trump card. Quick Luke Wilson (35 wickets for the season) took 3/13 from 11 overs and English spinner George Blatherwick bowled 32 overs and took 4/84.

North Geelong made it to yet another grand final with a strong batting display against East Belmont.

Chasing their seventh consecutive premiership, the Magpies made 9/404 with plenty of batters spending time at the crease. Layton McCann (84), Philip Visser (71), Sam Hall (51), Adam Costello (50) and Tom Mathieson (50 not out from 31 balls) gave North Geelong a huge total to defend despite a lion-hearted performance from left-arm seamer Jack Jenkins (5/73 from 26 overs).

East Belmont had little option but to chase the daunting target and Shane McNamara’s 75 was a highlight, but the weight of runs needed meant victory was highly unlikely.

North Geelong has a week off and will await the winner of East Belmont and Lara.

In Division 2, Highton made it through to the grand final with a qualifying win against Bell Park.

It was the complete opposite of the Di-

vision 1 finals, with ball dominating bat at Belmont’s McDonald Reserve and in the Bell Post Hill vs Leopold elimination final at Myers Reserve.

After being sent in, Highton could only muster 159 all out with Jack Cook (32) top scoring along with a trio of 27s from Brady

Somers, Fionn Nesson and Nathan McCoach.NeesonandMcCoachsharedavaluable 43-run stand for the eighth wicket that proved vital.

Shane Lymer took 3/15 for Bell Park and would then play a lone hand with the bat. The Dragons were 9/103, but showed some signs of life with a 22-run last-wicket partnership, but were eventually bowled out for 125 with Lymer ending unbeaten on 58 with New Zealander Isaac Bird taking 4/26 from 21 overs for the Heat.

Like North Geelong, Highton will now sit back for a week while Bell Park will face off against Leopold, which won a thriller against Bell Post Hill.

Bell Post Hill struggled to gain any momentum after being asked to bat first and was all out for 139 Matthew Reid (35) and Will Iles (32) getting starts, but it was Dylan Barmby who did the damage. Barmby has

been up and down Leopold’s first and second grade sides this season and saved his best for the finals with 5/22.

But the Panthers weren’t done with and had Leopold 9/117, still 23 runs adrift of a winning total. Spinner Jason Grozdanovski was proving to be a handful and would finish with 4/37 from 23 probing overs.

But one thing remained in Leopold’s favour - captain Tom Treble, who was still there, but just needed an ally. That came in the form of opening bowler Declan Gibson, who just had to hang around while his skipper went to work.

As the runs ticked over, a tense finish ensued and not only did Leopold reach 140 for victory, Treble took the score to 176 before he was dismissed for a fine 93 from 252 balls of concentration and style while Gibson made the best 3 not out (from 29 balls) of his life.

Barwon Heads just one win away from the perfect season

By Justin Flynn

BarwonHeadsisonewinawayfromanundefeatedseasonwhenittakesonQueenscliffin the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade final on Saturday and Sunday.

The Seagulls put in another clinical display in the semi-final, defeating Anglesea by six wickets at RT Fuller Oval while the inform Coutas knocked off Barrabool by four wickets at the Couta bowl in Queenscliff. Anglesea won the toss and batted first, but ran into a relentless Barwon Heads attack.

Ash Poulton dug in with 36 from 159 deliveries and Sam Weight counterattacked with 34 from 42, but left-arm quick Sema Kamea (4/26) did the damage early and then spin took over.

Apart from the talented Weight, scoring was already difficult and it became even tougher with skipper Daniel Donaldson’s leg-spinners and left-arm orthodox bowler Sam Schaller settling into a rhythm. Young leggie Angus Mackie was called upon and also dried up the scoring.

Jaron Lengyel played the patience game with 19 from 85 deliveries, but couldn’t

break free from the tight grip the Heads had.

The Seas were dismissed for 124 in the 68th over with Donaldson (1/28 from 22 overs), Schaller (2/16 from 12.5) and Mackie (1/14 from 10) stepping up after Kamea set the tone.

The Seagulls had four overs to negotiate before stumps, but emerged unscathed.

On day two, it was Anglesea’s turn to stem the flow of runs, but not from the bat of Lewy Hyland. The right-hander was threatening to take the game away and made 60 of his side’s 81 runs when he was dismissed.

At 4/86 Anglesea was still a chance and set a ring field while bowling full and at the stumps. Brothers Ky and Tom Eskrigge executed the plan brilliantly and conceded just 35 runs from a combined 22 overs.

Donaldson and Jacko Mallett realised the situation and took no risks, inching towards the target slowly, but resolutely.

Donaldson would end unbeaten on 38 from 138 deliveries while Mallett was on 16 from 61, but importantly, the Seagulls got home.

It is fitting that the only team genuinely capable of an upset this weekend made it through. Since losing its first three games of

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the season this Queenscliff side is playing superb cricket.

Barrabool won the toss and batted first, but was in trouble at 5/33 and then 6/78 when captain Michael Kelson fell for 35 from 101 balls.

Skipper Hayden Illingworth’s preference torotatebetweenfourbowlersworkedagain as Tom Kidd took the first three wickets and Jordan Monahan applied pressure from the other end.

All-rounder James Jirik and Archer Jaques went to work, resurrecting the innings with a 70-run stand before Jaques hit out and was caught in the deep for 22. Monahan removed Jirik soon after for a well made 63 and Barrabool ended the day all out for a competitive 171.

Monahansentdown30overs,12ofwhich were maidens, for the outstanding figures of 5/63 while Kidd took 3/35 from 19 overs. On day two, Lachie Kidd got Queenscliff off to a quick start with 28 from 24 balls and Frank Mileto (19) dug in.

Opener Lochie Philip was set for a big one and at 3/94, the Coutas were on top, but still with much work to do.

Illingworth joined Philp in the middle and together they showed great discipline during a 63-run stand that was ended when Philp slashed at a James Fisher (1/38 from 20overs)deliveryandwascaughtontheoffside by Lachie Snaith for a well-constructed 83 from 150 balls.

Although the Coutas lost two more wickets, including that of Illingworth for an underrated 23 from 76, Barrabool couldn’t cause a catastrophic collapse to win the game.

Andrew Hughes drives on his way to 125 for Lara. 539857_28

Kaden Marum hits out during his 123 not out agaist East Belmont. (pictures Ivan Kemp) 539857_12

Barwon Heads opener Lewy Hyland pulls this delivery to the mid-wicket boundary during his innings of 60 in the semi-final. (Ivan Kemp)