Articles by: Billy Higgins
Thief steals shop’s cash register
A Colac fish and chip shop was forced to abruptly close this week after its owner discovered burglars had taken the cash register.
Corangamite Shire briefs
A Timboon town centre project progresses, and Corangamite Shire Council recieves important community reports.
Gas approval came despite public rebuff
Key Colac and district stakeholders overwhelmingly opposed the Federal Government’s plan to welcome more gas drilling and exploration off the Otways coast before it received a rubber stamp.
Tourists staying longer despite numbers falling
The Great Ocean Road’s tourism economy plummeted by more than a quarter in 12 months following the arrival of COVID-19 to Australia, latest tourism data shows.
Amnesty for unwanted firearms
Colac and district residents can hand in their illegal firearms with no questions asked under a national amnesty.
Otways electricity restored
A weekend Otways power outage affected about 2700 homes and businesses after a network fault, the cause of which is under investigation.
Curious relic hits Lorne
Lorne historians are investigating the origins of a mysterious ship artefact that washed ashore, which will go on display for the community and visitors.
State chips in $6 million for Port Campbell
A $17-million transformation of Port Campbell’s town centre has cleared a significant hurdle, with the State Government contributing $6 million to the project.
Crowd gathers for centenary celebrations
Colac RSL members and local community members have gathered at the local branch to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Council seeks AFL support for refixtured matches
Colac Otway Shire Council is lobbying the AFL to bring a home-and-away fixture to Central Reserve.
Gas drilling is legal again
Energy companies can once again begin searching and drilling for gas in Victoria now that a moratorium on onshore exploration has lifted.
Talented teen wins photo prize
A Camperdown student has won a south-west Victorian photography prize.
Community in common talks
The Winchelsea community will have a seat at the table for upcoming negotiations to reopen Winchelsea Common.
Solar gripes for Corangamite
Corangamite Shire Council has again hit out at the State Government for its “ad hoc” approval of solar energy projects, as developers finalise plans for a five-megawatt facility at Bostocks Creek.
Marvels emerge from salt lake
A plane salvage crew has marvelled at the condition of recovered parts of a CAC Wirraway aircraft that has spent 70 years submerged in Lake Corangamite.
Beach closed for work due to storm damage
Parts of Wye River beach are closed to the public and authorities will renourish eroded sand dunes for the second time in a month following storm damage.
Coast resort tensions rise
Lawyers for Princetown wetlands activists have written to Corangamite Shire Council, raising concerns that builders breached permit conditions to access a development site.
Visits back on the agenda
Colac Area Health has welcomed back visitors to its aged-care and hospital wards under eased COVID-19 restrictions.
No serious injuries in district crashes
No one was seriously injured in either of two Colac district car crashes earlier this week, paramedics say.
New clusters push state to limit tourists
Victoria has slapped travel restrictions on four Australian states and territories as COVID clusters worsen across the country.
Crews attend single-vehicle crashes
Emergency services attended two crashes in about 15 minutes across the Colac district yesterday.
RSL marks 100th anniversary
Colac’s RSL branch will have a century of history on display this week as it celebrates its 100-year anniversary.
SES site report nearly due
Surf Coast Shire Council has a week to finalise a report about options for the future of Winchelsea’s SES brigade site.
Vietnam Veteran returns to group’s top role
Returning Colac RSL president Ian Morgan says he’s looking forward to leading the local branch forward into a successful period after a tumultuous 2020.
