St Marys defeated St Josephs in a Geelong Football League Sunday blockbuster on July 16.

St Marys and Colac head the league ladder on 10 wins each with three sides a game behind.

The 49-point win was made possible by a dominant display by Jesse Travaglini while Dion Johnstone and Charlie Sprague each booted four goals.

St Josephs is now in fifth spot on the ladder and faces South Barwon this weekend in what could be the Swans last chance for a finals spot.

South Barwons hard-fought 36-point win against a gallant Lara means it is still in the finals race, although at two games outside the five, there is no margin for error.

Jonty Broughton was South Barwons best with four goals while Fraser Duryea again played well.

Lara was in the contest for the majority of the match with Daniel Weigl and Bailey Ettridge (four goals) the reasons why.

Colac is looking ominous with an 84-point win against North Shore keeping second spot on the ladder.

An eight goal to one third term broke the shackles with Jonathon Simpkin booting five goals and Luke Hillman four while onballer Ben McCarthy was again prolific.

Dashing defender Cameron Anderson was North Shores best while Sam Witherden again got plenty of the footy.

Geelong West caused an upset and kept its slim finals hopes flickering with a 30-point win against Newtown & Chilwell.

Nick Hoare was thrown forward in the second half and booted three goals as the Giants ran away with the game after an even three quarters.

The Eagles should get back onto the winners list this week against St Albans while the Giants face St Marys and will need to cause an even bigger upset to remain in the finals race.

Leopold did what it needed to with a 64-point win against Grovedale.

Marcus Thompson was again among the action for Leopold with another stunning midfield display and Connor Giddings was potent up forward with four goals.

Bell Park overcame St Albans by 54 points with Jack McMahon leading the way for the young Dragons and Harry Lear booted three goals.

Bailey Coutts and Tom Caudullo were fine contributors for the Supersaints.

The post St Marys wins Sunday blockbuster appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

Geelongs premiership defence is finally gathering steam after crushing Essendon by 77 points in an ominous performance at GMHBA Stadium.

As they often do at Kardinia Park, the Cats ended the contest early after slamming through the opening seven goals of the match to lead by 46 points at quarter-time on Saturday.

Shell-shocked Essendon was able to steady during the second term but it was already too late as the Cats inflicted further pain during the 18.14 (122) to 7.3 (45) triumph.

The result lifts Geelong up to fifth the highest position it has sat in all season after dropping the opening three matches of its flag defence.

The sight of a rampaging Cats unit will strike fear into the rest of the AFL, after coach Chris Scott during the week declared they are the danger.

Scott said it was probably Geelongs best performance of the season.

I think, were in general, getting closer to our best footy, and even from a personal perspe ctive, we were confident going into this week, he said.

It feels like were getting close to our best footy which were pretty confident thats going to be hard to beat.

Geelong could still pinch a top-four spot and a double finals chance as they sit just a game-and-a-half behind Melbourne.

It is no coincidence one of the Cats most powerful performances came in a match when star forward Jeremy Cameron, Norm Smith medallist Isaac Smith and premiership defender Jake Kolodjashni returned from injury.

Cameron, who missed the previous two games through concussion, spent periods off the ground after being involved in multiple collisions.

The 30-year-old played out the match and waited until the dying stages to kick his first and only goal of the match.

But fellow star Cats forward Tom Hawkins picked up the slack with five goals, four of them in the second-half.

Speedy midfielder Max Holmes had one of the best games of his young career, gathering a career-high 33 disposals 21 in the first half.

Geelong forward Gryan Miers, in his 100th game, booted the first goal of the match and delivered a memorable celebration after being at the centre of a meme comparing him to soccer legend Lionel Messi this week.

While the Cats pulled out party tricks, Essendon was on the end of their heaviest defeat since losing to Port Adelaide by 84 points in round 22 last season the match that ended Ben Ruttens stint as coach.

The Bombers entered the match on a high after smashing Adelaide last week in a performance captain Zach Merrett labelled as the Bombers best in his 10 years at the club.

Clearly we were really disappointed after a good performance last week but its just more evidence to me that its a really tough competition, Essendon coach Brad Scott said.

Pedestrians are being urged to Stop. Look. Live. as part of a new Crime Stoppers Victoria campaign delivered in partnership with Victoria Police.

The campaign will focus on reducing the number of pedestrians seriously injured or killed while crossing the road in built up areas, where there is a speed limit of 60km/h.

Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said the campaign would use a variety of techniques to educate vulnerable pedestrians on how they can stay safe using Victorian roads.

Every Victorian deserves to get home safely and the easiest way to achieve this is to identify risks and follow the road rules, Ms Smith said.

No matter whether you are a pedestrian, driver or cyclist on the road, we challenge everyone to stop and think, is this safe?

According to Victoria Police and TAC data, 70 percent of all pedestrian deaths in Victoria occur in metropolitan Melbourne.

The most vulnerable people are primary school children aged 4-12, intoxicated pedestrians aged 30-39 and elderly pedestrians aged over 70.

Ms Smith said 36 pedestrians had been killed on Victorian roads over the past 12 months a figure she hoped would decrease with more education.

We all play a role in keeping our roads safe and Crime Stoppers Victoria is offering vulnerable pedestrians the tools they need to use our roads safely, she said

We have seen 175 pedestrians killed on our roads over the last five years, and a significant number of those have been in 60 km/h zones.

We hope with more education and awareness we can reduce the number of injuries and most importantly, deaths on our roads.

As part of the campaign, Crime Stoppers Victoria will hit the streets to actively engage with high-risk pedestrians to educate them on how they can help keep our roads incident free.

Crime Stoppers will also visit locations across Melbourne which have the highest number of pedestrian fatalities, focusing particularly on community hubs and primary schools.

Victoria Police Road Policing Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Martin OBrien said police were focused on protecting the most vulnerable road users.

Too many vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, are being killed or seriously injured and its all too preventable.

We are grateful to have Crime Stoppers Victoria launching this campaign, along with the many councils, schools and businesses that will support this initiative to improve road safety, he said.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping our roads safe, and we urge everyone to think not only about their own safety but how their behaviour can impact the safety of others.

Learn how you can keep our roads safe at crimestoppersvic.com.au

The post...

Victorias next generation of recreational fishers are getting the opportunity to get hooked on fishing, with free Little Angler Kits for kids across Victoria.

Outdoor Recreation Minister Sonya Kilkenny announced 60,000 kits will be made available to grade five primary students in more than 1900 Victorian schools later this year.

The kits will set families up with everything they need to wet a line including a fishing rod and reel, line, tackle box, some tackle and a Kids Guide to Fishing that includes information and links to educational resources to learn the basics such as fishing safety, knots and rigs.

The kits will help youngsters get active, learn about the aquatic environment and have fun in the great outdoors whether they be down the coast, on Port Phillip Bay or by a river in regional Victoria.

The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) is leading the roll out and has released a tender today for the supply of kits, with schools encouraged to register early interest.

The Little Angler Kits complements several other initiatives led by the VFA to encourage youngsters to connect with nature and enjoy Victorias spectacular waterways. This includes the stocking of almost 10 million fish last season, more than any other state in the country.

For the September school holidays, 80 family fishing lakes across the state share in more than 60,000 catchable-size rainbow trout to provide children the chance to catch their first fish.

Every year, free VicFishKids events provide kids with the opportunity to try fishing with help from experts and Fishcare volunteers. All fishing gear is supplied and every child heads home with a free rod to continue their fishing journey on their next holiday with family and friends.

We want more young people getting into fishing because we know it brings people together in the great outdoors, boosts local businesses and encourages Victorians to discover new parts of this great state, Ms Kilkenny said.

Offering free Little Angler Kits through schools helps the next generation of fishers reel in a hobby they can enjoy for a lifetime.

The post Helping little anglers get hooked on fishing appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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

The post Shopping local in Ocean Grove appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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.

The post Out & about appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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.

The post Funding helps marine care group appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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.

The post Small Business Fest inspires appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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.

The post Autumn comp champs crowned appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

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.

The post Jez says no to gambling appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.