Articles by: Alex Baird
Sally’s passion for pumpkins boosts show
The unofficial mayor of Apollo Bay has found a new passion she hopes can add a different flavour to an iconic event at the coastal town.
Kids inspire mum to swim
Inspired to tackle Laps for Life to put mental health for young people in the spotlight, Apollo Bay’s Jess Van Santen got a surprise during her first attempt at the campaign last year.
Bay Preps excited for big year
Sunny skies welcomed Apollo Bay’s newest pupils to the first day of their schooling life yesterday.
Mixed views on duck hunt decision
Duck hunting will remain in Victoria, despite calls to from authorities to reverse the decision following a parliamentary inquiry to ban the recreational activity.
Planning for next generation
There’s more to crayfish diving than just catching a good feed, which is why Apollo Bay locals Dan Kent and Darren Gill are eager to ensure the generations who follow can experience what they have for the past 30 years.
Call for community support
Growing Winchelsea leader John Tebbutt says the group’s hard work could all come undone if the next wave of community members didn’t step up.
Birregurra to celebrate female brigade
Hearing Brooke Nel, Alicia Coles and Sarah Brien share their passion for cricket together and you’d think they have been playing out at Birregurra for years.
Plans for management group
Apollo Bay Community Voice leader Jane Gross says it hopes to establish a group to manage 69 McLachlan Street and work out how to best use the facility following the council’s shock decision to gift the old kinder site to the community.
Urgent work to repair erosion
Authorities will start “crucial work” on a major Apollo Bay beach next week to help withstand the recent impact of coastal erosion.
Company considers court fight
A Tasmanian freight shipping company is threatening legal action against Colac Otway Shire Council at the supreme court after being denied entry to the Apollo Bay harbour.
Council cargo ban targets applicant
Colac Otway Shire Council says it doesn’t believe the Apollo Bay Port can cope with the demands of Bass Strait Freight’s proposal without proper consideration.
New focus to boost Beeac
New Beeac local Matthew Taylor’s desire to impart his knowledge with fellow locals has helped the town plan its first-ever community market.
Firewood collection concerns
A Colac district firewood distributor fears new laws preventing him from sourcing timber from the state forest will cripple residents financially during the winter months.
International book mystery
Jen Tucker will be forever imagining how a book she sent to her nephew in Ireland wound up in Apollo Bay 20 years later.
Education on Hoodies in Lorne
Hooded Plovers are nesting in Lorne for what is believed to be the first time in decades, forcing bird lovers to urge beachgoers to be mindful at the coastal town.
Locals’ efforts help save young girl at Lorne
Colac nurse and young mum Laura Shawcross says instincts kicked in when she played a vital role saving the life of an 8-year-old girl on the beach at Lorne.
Brothers and beachgoers hailed heroes after Lorne beach rescue
Annual Lorne holiday maker Jarrad Bath says he feared it was too late before he and his brother Josh’s quick thinking helped save an 8-year-old girl from drowning yesterday.
No fuss at Pier to Pub
Lorne police say crowd behaviour has tamed since the early inception of the town’s iconic ocean swim.
Sailors hit podium at nationals
Colac Yacht Club member Casey Slater says it’s never too late to start the sport after picking up his first podium finish at national level 30 years after first getting into sailing.
Community engagement a key for CORA
A Surf Coast councillor has urged CORA to engage with the local community during what shapes as a groundbreaking development for the growth of towns like Winchelsea following last week’s major announcement.
Hunt for restaurant thieves
Police are on the hunt for two offenders who allegedly stole around $3000 worth of goods after breaking into an Apollo Bay Chinese restaurant over the weekend.
Coastal community feels like home for carnival crew
There’s no place like home unless you’ve lived a life like Jamie Pickett, who says locking away six weeks at Apollo Bay every year is something he cherishes.
Gamechanger for tennis in Colac region
For 11-year-old Colac tennis prodigy Jemma Howat and her mum Anna, having the largest academy in the Southern Hemisphere within arm’s reach is a tantalising prospect for the future of the sport in the region.
World class tennis facility at district’s doorstep
The largest tennis academy in the Southern Hemisphere is set to be located at the Colac district’s doorstep it has been announced this morning.
