Voice photographer Ivan Kemp ventured to The Terrace in Ocean Grove this week to see if anyone was doing some mid-winter shopping.

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Independent photographer Ivan Kemp joined in on the fun at Queenscliff station for some school holiday fun on Bellarine Railways Swan Bay Express steam train.

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Winter is well and truly in full swing, but there have been some sunny days that have been perfect for being out and about, although its rather soggy underfoot.

I was fortunate to conduct a winter birds on farms survey in Wallington. I was particularly interested in seeing robins, as these birds move from mountainous areas to warmer coastal areas in the winter months, and they have not been seen in as big numbers over the past few years around the Bellarine.

I did not see any robins until the end of the survey, and in the end, there were eight flame robins hanging around a newly ploughed paddock.

There was also the usual small flock of weebills in the yellow gum habitats. Weebills are tiny birds of around 8cm to 9cm in length and are not commonly seen around the Bellarine Peninsula, so its always lovely to spot them.

There were also a few honeyeater species on the farm, as the yellow gums were flowering. The red wattlebirds and New Holland honeyeaters are always present in the area, in all seasons.

I saw a few yellow-faced honeyeaters, which are migratory and make movements to and from south-eastern Australia, mostly flying north in autumn and south in spring. These birds can be seen in large flocks when migrating and in smaller groups when feeding.

I also spotted a few white-naped honeyeaters that are also partially migratory. This species breeds in mountainous areas in the summer months and in autumn some birds migrate north and east in flocks with yellow-faced honeyeaters.

One day on my way to work I called in to the Geelong Botanic Gardens, also on the lookout for robins.

I didnt see any robins but did spot a small flock of eastern spinebills that are also another honeyeater that has seasonal movements from high altitudes to lower regions in autumn and winter.

There was also a flock of silvereyes in a garden near the Botanic Gardens and these birds looked like the Tasmanian subspecies of these birds, as they had grey throats, chestnut flanks and yellow on the undertail. Silvereyes are also highly migratory and move north in the autumn months, returning to breed in southern regions in late winter.

On the way to the Botanic Gardens I drove through Leopold and had the closest encounter with a pair of brown falcons that I have ever had. They were perched in a tree and I drove past, and then did a safe u-turn and said hello. One of the falcons flew away but the other hung around for a photo and a chat.

I could have reached out and shook its wing, I was so close, and the bird was so lovely.

I received a message from Doug, who was walking early in the morning on the beach in Ocean Grove when he spotted an eastern barn owl sitting on top of a sign pole near the steps to the beach.

There are occasional sightings of barn owls on the Bellarine Peninsula, and its always wonderful to know that they are around.

The post...

Havent we met somewhere before? sprung to mind on my first encounter with the Subaru Crosstrek, for there is a lot in common here with the companys XV sport utility vehicle.

In fact, says Subaru, the newly named compact is the latest iteration of the popular XV, including two petrol / electric hybrid models, aimed at anyone who wants a versatile, reliable, and stylish small SUV.

Priced from $34,990, the all-wheel drive Crosstrek comes in five variants AWD 2.0L, AWD 2.0R, AWD 2.0S, AWD Hybrid L and AWD Hybrid S offering those with an active lifestyle a versatile, reliable, and stylish small SUV.

However, there is a major point of difference between the Crosstrek and its antecedent. The Crosstrek has benefitted greatly from a visit to the doctor a whole team of medics, in fact. Subaru collaborated with a medical school to study the structure of the human body and what causes driver discomfort, fatigue and lower back pain behind the wheel.

Results found ride comfort is not solely affected by the vibration of the vehicle, but also by sounds and changes in visual information because of jerking and head swaying during driving.

Hence seats have been redesigned to reduce shaking of the head and roof damping has been improved to help reduce sound pressure fluctuations in the cabin.

Meanwhile, vehicle health is in the hands of Subarus standard five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty and 12 months complimentary Subaru Roadside Assistance.

The mid-range Crosstrek AWD 2.0R, selling for $38,490, plus on-road costs, was the test vehicle for a week and confidently took on widely varied road and weather conditions well during that time.

STYLING

Once the domain of predominantly white or silver exteriors, or in this case Subaru blue, these days, subtle shades of colour are taking to streets around the world. Take for example the test Crosstrek with its Magnetite Grey Metallic paint job and dark machine finished 18-inch wheels. Who would have thought dull could look so classy?

While the all-round appearance of the Crosstrek is generally a carry-over from the XV, the bonnet and radiator grille come in for a complete redesign, the latter maintaining the signature hexagonal shape, but in a larger more aggressively styled honeycomb.

Use of lightweight aluminium enables a newly designed bonnet to contribute to improved pedestrian protection with a softer head impact zone and a saving of two kilograms in front fenders optimises weight distribution all round.

LED headlamps, plus cornering lights, improve visibility at night and add to power savings, while LED rear combination lamps feature a sharp 3-D C-shape. Rear-view mirrors are smaller, improving aerodynamics and presenting a less obstructive view.

INTERIOR

The doctors orders seats, clothed in premium material, provide exceptional comfort during longer drives (try 200-plus kilo...

Queenscliffs Southern Ocean Environmental Link (SOEL) will share more than $350,000 in state government funding from the Coastcare Community Grants Program.

SOEL founder James (Murph) Murphy said it was fantastic to receive the funding for a Marine Coastal Citizen Science Program and Plastic Recycling Workshop.

Were really excited to be able to offer this, he said.

Were looking to bring people into the environment to showcase the world of volunteering through the amazing biodiversity and the impacts that our regions are facing.

Its a big thanks to Coastcare for backing us because its confirmation for us that were on the right track and the work weve been doing is absolutely worth it.

Mr Murphy said the coastal citizen program looked to engage the young, disadvantaged, indigenous, elderly and local groups to get them interested in volunteering.

They are going to get the opportunity to go through, collect, sort, and learn about the different types of plastics, he said.

The volunteers will also learn how plastics can be recycled and then turn some of the waste collected here in the Bellarine back into usable products.

Mr Murphy said the group was always looking for more volunteers to look after the surrounding oceans marine health and encouraged anyone interested in helping to reach out to SOEL.

Were all in this together, he said.

Ive been incredibly proud of the team and really pleased with where its going, I think were on step four of a massive staircase.

The goal is to help improve the health of our ocean, and I think if we can come and put our minds together, then theres a good shot of leaving the place better for our kids.

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Every year I am inspired by the people I meet and speak to at the Geelong Small Business Festival.

This wonderful event is now in its 13th year, and it has served as a great reminder of the amazing work being done in our community by people who are often competing with major corporate organisations and larger entities.

This year the City of Greater Geelong has announced a new partnership with the Geelong Chamber of Commerce for the Geelong Small Business Festival.

The partnership will see the Chamber take the lead in delivering the event which runs throughout all of August and will help support the continued growth and evolution of the festival.

This years program has more than 70 low-cost and free events on offer for community members looking to start, grow or improve their small business.

The local small business community makes up around 97 per cent of all businesses in the region.

Whether you are coming from a place of experience or are in the early stages of developing your business, the festival offers plenty of valuable opportunities to hear from industry experts, make new connections and learn new skills.

It covers every stage of the small business world for existing business owners, budding entrepreneurs or those unsure about how to get started.

You can learn business essentials such as accounting and finance, and leading and managing your team.

Modern principles of health and wellbeing, social media marketing, digital technology, and sustainability and social responsibility are also covered.

The Geelong Small Business Festival will be launched at a special Gala Dinner sponsored by The Gordon on Thursday 3 August at GMHBA Stadium.

Those interested in attending this dinner, or any of the workshops, presentations and networking opportunities designed to support and empower small businesses throughout the month-long festival, can visit www.gsbf.com.au.

I encourage you all to get along and see why this is such a popular event among our local business community.

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The Autumn Tennis Geelong Triples Night Competition season closed with four tightly contested grand finals.

Moolap Two Phones Chol won their fourth straight Premiership in Section 1, defeating Grovedale 5-1, 33-18. Moolaps singles lineup was far too strong, losing only six games in three sets.

Moolaps Callum Davey won all three of his sets, including a 6-1 singles win. Shaun Grigg won his last two sets, 6-2 in singles and 6-1 in doubles.

Its always a great feeling to win a premiership, and to do it with these boys is special, captain Lachy Edgar said.

They threw it at us tonight, and we knew that we had to bring our best.

In Section 2, All Saints came to Grovedale having just lost in the last regular season round to Groveys Bogsy and the New Blokes. They were not to be denied, winning 5-1 31-20.

All Saints started off the match on the right note, with number one player Riley Warren and captain Zane Garbellini winning the first doubles rubber 6-0. They followed by winning all three singles sets in close matches, proving the difference.

St Marys Table 29 Tennis Association finished top of the ladder and came into a home grand final against Hightons Out of Towners. The teams split the two season matches, and the decider turned out to be worthy of a grand final.

The teams split the first two sets, but Highton asserted themselves winning the third and fourth sets 6-2 6-4 to go up 3-1 and by eight games. Needing to win

the last two sets convincingly, St Marys captain Thomas Crosbie won 6-1 in singles to give his team a chance.

However, it was not meant to be as Hightons Corey Hird and Guillermo Andy won 6-3 in the last doubles to seal a 4-2 30-24 victory.

Grovedales Hall of Framers were looking for their first ever flag, getting a home grand final against the Highton Flyers in Section 4. The first two sets looked like the match would be a battle, with a 6-5 doubles result going to Highton and a 6-3 singles going to Grovedale.

Grovedale took command with a 6-0 doubles set going the way of Rodney Driessen and captain Jeff Andrews.

Grovedales Jay Jackson also won 6-4 in singles, setting up a commanding lead going into the last two sets. The last two sets were split 6-5 for each team, with Grovedale walking away a 4-2 34-24 winner on the night.

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Geelong Cats star and new dad Jeremy Cameron this week reaffirmed his commitment as an ambassador for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundations Love the Game program.

As part of the program, Bellarine Peninsula residents are encouraged to participate in a challenge to show they love the game, not the odds by finding ways to talk about sport without referring to the betting odds and starting a conversation about the risks associated with gambling.

Fatherhood has given me an even greater awareness of the importance of ensuring children grow up in safe, positive environments, Cameron said.

Gambling ads are everywhere these days and Im concerned about the message theyre sending to young people about the value of playing and watching sport.

I have never considered the odds of winning a match or how my performance might be pivotal to the outcome of a multi, and I dont want my daughter to grow up in an environment where betting on sport is accepted as normal.

More than 700 clubs, including Ocean Grove, Ocean Grove Cobras and Barwon Heads, are Love the Game partners, including Victorias 10 AFL clubs.

They reject sponsorships from gambling providers, raise community awareness about the risks associated with gambling and teach kids to think critically about their choices.

Im fortunate to be part of such a family friendly club where teaching kids to love the game, not the odds, is a priority, Cameron said.

Im also proud Geelong says no to gambling sponsorships and that there are no sports betting ads at the Cattery during home games.

Anyone negatively affected by their own or someone elses gambling can access free and confidential advice, support and referral by calling the 24/7 Gamblers Help line on 1800 858 858.

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Ocean Grove Golf Club has a new bridge making it easier for golfers to travel around the course thanks to funding from the state government.

The bridge at the seaside club replaced the original old wooden decking with secure concrete and was unveiled on Wednesday morning, July 12.

Club president Sandy Cresswell said the new bridge links the middle fairways and makes it easier for people of all abilities to access both sites of the course.

Its been six years in the making, he said.

It will also enable a greater use of carts going forwards too.

Mr Cresswell said it felt sensational to have the bridge ready to use and thanked everyone for coming to its opening ceremony.

It was a reasonable turnout and there was probably close to 30 people there, he said.

The engineering has exceeded all the limitations and the bridge will be there for 100 plus years that we believe the golf course will be in existence.

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant said the bridge was made possible through the $38,000 state governments Golf Infrastructure Fund and would help more people get involved in the sport.

Victorians love their golf, and we want them to keep enjoying the sport and thats why projects like this are so important, she said.

Were building the sporting facilities our communities deserve, so everyone has the opportunity to get out there and get active.

Ocean Grove Golf Club is one of 18 golf infrastructure projects to receive funding support, with golf generating $883 million for the states economy and supporting 6900 jobs.

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Guest columnist Paul Gleeson moved to Ocean Grove 25 years ago and every day he is thankful for it. Read on to see why Paul thinks this place is so special.

Ocean Grove is a rare family find.

Im not trying to take anything away from its closest neighbours, such as the sea change of Barwon Heads or the acreage of Wallington. Both are fine if you have the cash. However, after living here for the last 25 years, OG has provided me with an exorbitant amount of good times. Way back,

American Methodists predicted the same.

In the 1880s, the Methodists, having already successfully set up a camp in New Jersey and calling it Ocean Grove, wanted to take the Lord abroad.

They found a charming seaside resort, on the eastern side of the Barwon River mouth along the Bellarine Peninsula. Here, they secured 222 hectares at 5 to 20 per lot, with a steadfast proviso and a ban on, the Manufacture or Sale of Malted Spirituous or in local lingo, no brew with your burger. This went on for, surprisingly, 140 years.

Traders tried to gain a liquor licence, but they lost the Supreme Court battles. Finally, the Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal intervened in 2014, and it was quashed.

I knew nothing of this when, in the winter of 1998, we decided to move here. To be honest, Ocean Grove was an easy pick with an affordable beach lifestyle. Even back then, $91,000 seemed like Id missed somethingthis is for the land and the house, right?

My friends and family werent sold though because this entailed leaving behind my childhood roots, the leafy Geelong suburb of Highton, and a long haul to work that would now be over 30 minutes. But off we went, buying and renovating a three-bedroom house. Within five months, the renovations were over, and it was summertime.

Ocean Grove beach has the perfect waves for learning how to surf. When the winds are northerly its a squeal fest. Theres freedom in failing and falling off the waves.

Dont worry, theres no judgement here, as the surfers that are all about the performance are around the corner at the Titanic 13th Beach.

Before, or preferably after the beach, the main street is a must. Recently, I overheard a young couple saying it had vibes. On the main street, youll walk past wetsuits, suits, beanies, bell-bottom jeans, and of course dripping boardies. All shopping needs are catered for, with eateries and coffee shops galore. See for yourself as you meander down one way and back up the other, or cruise through in your car.

Just dont enter the traffic from Orton Street (I saw a guy in a Chevy do this, that day his antics morphed locals into seagulls, and they jumped out as if in a musical, flapping in front of his rig).

As mentioned I have so many of my own Ocean Grove beach memories, heres one of them.

My son, who was eight at the time, went out on his G Board with me as his surfing sherpa in mid-Janua...

Ocean Grove held on for a thrilling one-goal win against fierce rivals Barwon Heads in round 13 on Saturday July 8.

The win kept Ocean Grove in second spot on the ladder while the loss saw Barwon Heads slip out of the top five, albeit only by a small amount of percentage.

The Grubbers jumped out to a seven-goal lead at quarter time and increased that by one at the half.

The Seagulls then launched a serious comeback with a 13 goal to eight third term to cut the deficit back to three, but Ocean Grove held on in the dying stages to run out 45 to 44 winners.

I think we just lost our way a little bit in the second half, we just werent playing our game, co-coach Candice Parker said.

We probably got sucked in a little bit to their style of game that they were playing and that ultimately cost us errors during the game.

While we did have plenty of turnovers, we just werent converting off those turnovers either.

Captain Emily Moroney was best at wing attack while Gemma Bell relished her promotion to A Grade with a fine game in defence. Goal attack Ashton OBrien was also a standout player.

Shes (Bell) been playing really well in B Grade so weve given her a couple of opportunities to come up and help out in A and she did a really good job and started a bit of drive coming out of defence, Parker said.

The Grubbers have been slow starters this season before eventually overpowering most opponents in the second half, but last Saturday was the opposite.

Weve been trying some combinations so while it might look like were not having great starts, that just might be the combinations were putting out there and making sure everyone gets experience on the court within the starting line up, Parker said.

But then also coming off the bench and starting too, so just trying to get experience into people and seeing how they respond.

Were a pretty versatile team so just trying to work out the best combinations is tricky as well.

Ocean Grove faces a tough run home before the finals starting with Torquay (3rd) tomorrow, then Geelong Amateur (1st), Modewarre (10th), Anglesea (5th) and Queenscliff (4th).

Youre going to have to play these teams in the finals so to be playing them in the lead up, if youre not winning you can then go back to the drawing board and go well do we need to do to improve to make sure we beat them in the finals, Parker said.

ROUND 13

A Grade: Ocean Grove 45 def Barwon Heads 44. Best: Emily Moroney, Ashton OBrien, Gemma Bell.

B Grade: Ocean Grove 52 def Barwon Heads 27. Best: Amelia Cunningham, Shelby Hackett, Dannie Hoiles.

C Grade: Ocean Grove 30 def Barwon Heads 16. Best: Emily Quinten, Heidi Bennett, Matilda Kelly.

D Grade: Ocean Grove 24 def Barwon Heads 18. Best: Danielle Baker, Paula Birch, Terri-Anne Finch.

E Grade: Ocean Grove 18 def by Barwon Heads 21. Best: Anabelle Sargeant...

Ocean Grove Primary School Year 6 student Sadie Dallman has started up a dog toy library in her home town.

The library, at Blue Waters Lake park in Ocean Grove, is stocked with toys that pooches can play with and are returned so that other canines have fun.

The idea came about through 11-year-old Sadies Rotary Community Project and the toys, such as balls, tug toys, frisbees and throw sticks, were donated by Petstock Ocean Grove.

The mantra of the dog toy library is Borrow, play, return.

I came up with this idea because as a dog owner myself I know the struggles of forgetting to bring a toy or ball to the park, Sadie said.

My dog Goldie always wants to play ball, now we can go there anytime and she loves it. This library is full of fun toys that both you and your dog can play with together.

Id seen one down at the beach and I know that lots of dog owners come down to Blue Waters Park.

The dog toy library has had a fantastic response with locals flooding social media with compliments for the resourceful youngster.

I did not expect that, I thought Id put it up on Facebook and then it would just be up there for people to see, Sadie said.

I saw a girl go grab a toy and play with it with her dog and the the toys have been used, theres a bit of mud on them and stuff

It makes me feel really good because its quite hidden away so its good that people have noticed it.

Even Goldie gets to play with the toys.

Weve taken her there basically every day and she knows where were going and shes very excited about it, Sadie said.

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Police are appealing for information about a suspicious fire at a historic Queenscliff shed.

Victoria Police said they were investigating after a fire started in Queenscliff on Friday, July 7.

Investigators believe that a historic shed on Queenscliff Pier caught fire sometime after midnight, a spokesperson told the Voice.

No one was inside at the time, and the shed received minor damage. At this stage, the fire is being treated as suspicious.

Parks Victoria acting regional director Jodi Heath said the damage had occurred at the historic Waiting Shed on the Queenscliff Pier.

Weve been very disappointed to find vandalism damage to the historic Waiting Shed and Queenscliff Pier twice in the last three weeks and have reported the incidents to the police, she said.

Some decking boards have been burnt, sections of seating removed, holes kicked in timber lining of the Waiting Shed, and some smaller damage to the gate.

We estimate the cost of repair will be around $10,000. Wed really appreciate the local community staying vigilant and reporting any suspicious behaviour around the pier to the police.

A concerned local, who did not want their name published, said they hoped those responsible for the damage would eventually be named and shamed.

It should be called vandalism as that is what it is, they said.

The shed had some of its cladding removed and ripped up, and saw the destruction and removal of its seating, with a fair amount thrown off into the bay.

They also said the alleged vandalism had spread from Queenscliff to Point Lonsdale and that they were concerned about the regions safety.

Why dont the authorities put some form of security out at the sites of heritage buildings, they said.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dash cam footage of the Queenscliff fire is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au.

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A new pilot program to recycle medical blister packs kicks off today at pharmacies around the Geelong area.

Spearheaded by Rotary in partnership with Australian company Pharmacycle and local pharmacists, the pilot will place bins in 10 pharmacies in Geelong, Portarlington, Ocean Grove and elsewhere around the region.

Each pharmacy has received six bins, which are available for the public to drop in used blister packs.

Rotary district chair of environment and pharmacist Barb Sheehan, who conceived the idea for the program and has seen it come to fruition, said she was hopeful the community would get behind the initiative.

Im thrilled, absolutely thrilled; the pharmacies have all been really keen to participate and hopefully the public are really enthusiastic and will get plenty of packs back, she said.

The waste (from blister packs) is enormous, I know how much of it goes out from the pharmacies I work in, let alone whats sold in supermarkets and health food stores, and at the moment it all goes to landfill.

Its a big issue (but) theres a solution. There are people who want to recycle them but its the funding, whos going to pay for it, thats the issue, so hopefully well get enough data that we can seek further funding.

The pilot program is being funded by the City of Greater Geelong through a $10,000 environmental sustainability grant.

Id like to thank the City of Greater Geelong for supporting programs like this with their grants, Ms Sheehan said.

I think its wonderful. Its all about stopping plastic pollution going into landfill, getting something out of the plastic and foil that can contribute to a circular economy and make it a better place for us all to live.

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