Geelong
Friday, 11 January, 2013
Connecting people and communities
MULTISPORTS’ CHANCE TO WIN $3499 SHIV BIKE
LOCAL STUDY: SHARK POPULATION UNDER THREAT
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Tulla’s ‘block’ boosts Avalon NEW STATE Government problems building rail links to Melbourne Airport have bolstered Avalon Airport’s timeline to develop an international terminal. A corridor set aside for the airport link to Tullamarine is now to host a new regional rail link, leaving Spring St with an expensive, politically awkward problem finding an alternative route. The problem propels Avalon into serious contention as the quickest, cheapest and best fix for additional airline traffics as Melbourne’s populations grows 75,000 a year amid forecasts of flights rising from 200,000 to 280,000 over the next decade. Avalon boss Justin Giddings said the Tullamarine rail link had been deliberately delayed to preserve the airport’s lucrative car parking trade. “Now it’s at a point where it’s very expensive to do,” Mr Giddings told the Independent. “They still need to look at it but in the meantime we have an airport here that’s much, much cheaper without
Mentor inspires amputee toward Kilimanjaro By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN GEOFF Chandler won’t be alone when the amputee tackles the rugged 6000 metres of Mt Kilimajaro next year. His mentor, Glen Bow, will be with him in spirit. “Glen was my inspiration,” Mr Chandler said. “He was with me along a lot of my life’s journey, so I want to take him with me on this challenge.” Mr Chandler wants to dedicate his latest fundraising trek to his mentor, who lost his battle with cancer two years ago. His funeral – “one of the biggest in Geelong I’ve ever seen” – was at St Mary’s Basilica and, fittingly, Mr Chandler will donate proceeds from his Mt Kilimanjaro expedition to Anam Cara House Geelong, sitting in the cathedral’s shadow. Anam Cara is a community service providing care for people affected by a life-limiting illness, also providing respite for carers. Mr Chandler made light of his challenge. “It will be a walk in the park – Mt Kilimanjaro is set in a national park,” he laughed. “It will test me to see how good my fitness is. It’s a six-day trek: four days up and two days down.” The independent reported Mr Chandler’s first challenge, walking Kokoda last year only 12 months after having one leg amputated below the knee. A motorbike accident left the jovial Geelong West father with an agonising leg injury and constant pain for 26 years. But in 2010 he decided quality of life was more important than his injured leg and had it removed below the lege. “You keep going or you drop,” Mr Chandler said with a shrug of the shoulders. “You have to stay positive. Fitness and a healthy life are important.”
African high: Geoff Chandler prepares for his Kilimanjaro challenge with Anam Cara’s Helen Hunter. Picture: John Conway 91470
the congestion of Tullamarine and the ring road. “They can fix all those problems with a sensible approach at Avalon.’’ Mr Giddings said “everything here’s ready to go’’ and stressed the importance of State Government honouring its commitment to start work on a rail spur to Avalon in this term of office. “It’s really important they stick to it,’’ he said. Avalon faces stiff competition from Melbourne Airport as it seeks to expand its operations and lobbies hard for a third runway. Late last year Mr Giddings warned of a Tullamarine traffic nightmare if the third runway went ahead without a rail link. News this week that the Melbourne Airport master plan’s preferred rail route – the only one with land reserved – is no longer available raises the difficult issues of land acquisition, social impact and cost. The more-desperate Melbourne’s case became the more-obvious the advantages of the Avalon option would be, Mr Giddings said.
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