Voice photographer Ivan Kemp was at Queens Park Reserve in Highton to capture footy and netball action from Ocean Groves round 15 matches against Geelong Amateur.

The post Tight contests against Ammos appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

The evidence is there for all to see.

Ocean Groves past three games, while resulting in losses, have emphasised just how this team has come this season.

A combined margin of 29 points against top two sides Barwon Heads and Torquay and fifth placed Geelong Amateur means that the young Grubbers are staying in matches for longer than they were during the first of the season.

Ammos have beaten Ocean Grove by six and three points this season, but the round 15 loss on Saturday July 22 may have been one of the better performances of the year.

Coach Dave Farrell said his side was learning all the time.

On the surface it doesnt seem the players confidences have been done any harm over the last few weeks, he said.

Each week weve had a number of changes forced through injury and unavailability, which has confirmed the depth of our list is developing, theres a number of players prepared to come in and play their role and trust what the coaching group have put in place.

Farrell said the past three games have been complete or near to in concentration and application.

You cant control full games but you can stay in them and where our group was having big lapses earlier in the year, periods that we struggled to have any control over Im hopeful we have seen the last of them, he said.

To see that application for one week or two weeks you could be forgiven for remaining sceptical, but for a third week in a row under a lot of opposition pressure gives me huge confidence that type of footy is behind us.

What Ocean Grove needs to do now is learn how to win the close ones.

Experience and onfield leadership are key in close games, were tracking well in our development in both areas and learnt heaps form the last three minutes against Ammos especially, Farrell said.

You can train to scenarios, time and scores but to play under those conditions is tough and an invaluable experience.

We had a couple of chances, long shots at goal inside the last two minutes then they were able to control the ball and create a couple of stoppages which shut the game down completely.

Ocean Grove faces Modewarre and Anglesea in the next fortnight. Both teams are fighting for a finals spot. The Grubbers finish off with Queenscliff in the final round, a game they might expect to win.

Sounds cliche but internally once finals became a distant chance this year we doubled down on our focus being game method development and not losing control of games, Farrell said.

We have narrowed our focus further rather than be all out result to make sure we are in a position where we can win games with 10 minutes left.

A smarter person than me would likely draw the conclusion that that hasnt helped us inside the last 10 minutes to close out any of the last three games, but it does feel internally it keeps us all focused on process over result for now....

Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club has returned from a successful Sharkskin Australian and Interstate Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Championships in Kingscliff, New South Wales.

Ocean Grove claimed gold in the Under 23 womens mass rescue and

Under 23 womens tube rescue while Barwon Heads 13th Beach picked up bronze in the Open womens teams rescue.

Showcasing the IRB, one of the most popular pieces of modern lifesaving rescue equipment, the event saw teams from across the nation battling it

out across four fast and furious days of racing.

Pulling on the navy and white cap for team Victoria, Geelong-Surf Coast members selected in the Victorian state and development teams took home two medals and helped Victoria place third overall in the interstate component of the competition.

Life Saving Victoria general manager sports participation Ryan OConnor congratulated Geelong-Surf Coast athletes, coaches and team management for their outstanding performance on the national stage.

Victoria is a proud IRB racing state in the lifesaving world, and I could not be more proud to see Team Victoria on the podium placing third overall in the Interstate Championships and our clubs having such a strong performance in the Australian Championships, he said.

IRB racing is one of the best examples of sport providing active training for rescue-ready lifesavers, with our athletes braving the colder water at this time of year to practice their rescue skills in a competitive setting, skills that directly translate to saving lives between the flags during the summer patrol season.

Open mens mass rescue Open mens tube rescue

2nd: Victorian state team (Stephanie Dimitrio, Thomas Lenehan, Conor McKinnon, Keely Peatling)

3rd: Victorian state team (Jake Pownall, Stephanie Pownall, Ryan Wilson)

Under 23 womens tube rescue

1st: Ocean Grove SLSC (Orlagh Davison, Mackenzie Hooper, Lars Ralph)

Open womens teams rescue

3rd: Barwon Heads 13th Beach SLSC (Zoe Campbell, Georgia McKinnon, Keely Peatling, Aaron Robson, Tara Scott, Amy Veenendaal)

Under 23 womens mass rescue

1st: Ocean Grove SLSC (Olivia Ball, Orlagh Davison, Benjamin Eales, Drew Honey)

The post Gold for Ocean Grove appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

Ocean Grove Fire Brigade turned 75 years young and celebrated in a big way on Saturday to present significant service awards and national medals.

CFA Board Member Beth Davidson attended and helped present six CFA Service Awards.

Neil and Caroline Hickman were awarded life membership and Jason Barry was named firefighter of the year.

Captain Andrew Cooper said there were generations of firefighters in the room to celebrate the brigades history.

It was great to come together with everyone to mark the milestone, he said.

It was a worthwhile event, with many stories shared around the room.

Mr Cooper said the brigade has embraced and grown through change over the course of its 75-year history.

The inaugural meeting of the Ocean Grove Fire Brigade was held on 16 November 1946 and was attended by 29 interested residents. Volunteers registered their interest and the brigade was officially registered on 19 December 1946.

The next year, the brigade purchased a block of land in Hodgson Street and in 1950 an old army hut was relocated and repurposed into the fire station.

The brigade upgraded its facility in 1977 with a new $110,000 modern brick station built at the site. Eventually the brigade would outgrow the Hodgson Street site and move to its current site at Shell Road, that was officially opened in 2011.

In 2012, the Ocean Grove Fire Brigade became a CFA integrated station with career firefighters working alongside volunteer firefighters.

This was a major change for the brigade and we worked hand-in-hand with the CFA catchment team and District to ensure a smooth transition, he said.

It was a great success and we have worked very closely with career firefighters ever since.

Whenever we respond out the door, we do so with the same purpose, to protect lives and property.

The brigade currently has 33 members, including 21 operational firefighters and 12 support members.

The event was heart-warming our brigade has such a rich history and we have members from a range of backgrounds, Mr Cooper said.

Its important to reflect on where our brigade has come from and the people that have shaped it into what it is today.

Many people dont realise the volume of work necessary to create the strong and trusted asset the brigade is to the community today.

The post 75 years for fire brigade appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

Victorias fire services are calling on households to develop or review their Home Fire Escape Plans.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and CFA respond to more than 3000 residential fire incidents across the state each year, many of which are preventable.

House fires move fast and can fill your home with smoke in a matter of minutes. They can be devastating and fatal. While the dangers of fire are very real, there is a lot you can do to protect your family and your home.

Fire Rescue Commissioner Gavin Freeman, AFSM said that families and households spending time at home this weekend should take the opportunity to make a plan together, practice it, and ensure they are well prepared.

During winter, we spend much more time inside, out of the cold, so its important to establish or revisit your Home Fire Escape Plan, Commissioner Freeman said.

Nobody wants to think about a fire in the home, but sadly in Victoria every year, on average 18 lives are lost in preventable house fires.

Knowing how to quickly exit your home in case of an emergency could mean the difference between life and death, and it is crucial that all members of the household, including children, know what to do in the event of a house fire.

CFA Chief Fire Officer Jason Heffernan said winter is a good time for Victorian residents to re-educate themselves on their Home Fire Escape Plan.

Whether you are a homeowner or renting, you should have a plan in place and practice it regularly, deciding on a safe place to meet, like the letterbox, should an emergency arise, CO Heffernan said.

To keep your loved ones safe, it is essential smoke alarms are installed in all bedrooms, living areas and hallways so everyone in the property is alerted to a fire.

The safest plan is to get down low to stay out of the smoke, close nearby doors to slow down the spread of the fire, and call triple zero once youre safely outside.

For more information on how to make a Home Fire Escape Plan, visit frv.vic.gov.au or cfa.vic.gov.au.

When making your Home Fire Escape Plan, remember:

Know what to do if a fire occurs. Whether you are a homeowner or renter, you should have a home fire escape plan in place.

Practice your plan for when there is an emergency with your whole household.

You cant escape if you have deadlocked your doors.

Tips for when there is a fire:

Get out and stay out or get down low and stay out of the smoke.

If it is safe, close doors to slow down the spread of fire and smoke.

Alert other people on your way out.

Meet at a safe place, such as the letterbox out the front of your home.

Call triple zero from a mobile phone or a neighbours phone.

The post...

Geelong community groups and young people are helping parents say no to alcohol for people under 18.

Meli, Communities That Care (CTC), Barwon Health, and the Youth Advisory Group of nine young people collaborated on the campaign, which featured a video with the I Need You to Say No message.

Meli chief executive Grant Boyd said the campaign used the video, posters, social media, and educational resources to reduce the consumption of alcohol by young people under 18.

This campaign has been driven by young people urging parents and other trusted adults to step up to the challenge of saying no, which is not always easy in our society, he said.

Every day at Meli, we see the impacts of alcohol on young people and families, which is why this campaign is so important.

Parents can play a big role in influencing young peoples attitudes to drinking as well as their access to alcohol.

Barwon Healths Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Services clinical director Professor Steve Moylan said young people were more at risk of alcohol-related harm as their brains developed.

Under-age drinking can lead to risky behaviour and injuries, mental ill-health and lead to harmful alcohol use later in life, he said.

We hope this campaign will encourage parents to re-think providing young people with alcohol. The video is a great conversation starter for families.

CTC co-ordinator Louise McDonald said reducing alcohol at a young age and encouraging parents not to supply their children with alcohol was a priority area for the not-for-profit training company.

Getting information to parents is hard, she said.

We thought that if the messages came from the young people themselves, it would be more powerful and have more of an impact.

For more information or to watch the campaigns video, visit meli.org.au/i-need-you-to-say-no-campaign/

The post Say No to alcohol appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

The work of local photographers is on show at an outdoor art gallery in Dennys Place off Little Malop Street.

Geelong photographer Jane Fitzgeralds Laneway Photography Gallery exhibit features works from local artists, supported by a City of Greater Geelong COVID-19 Arts, Culture and Heritage Recovery Grant of $7000.

This exhibition showcases 12 local photographic artists, including a mix of emerging and established photographers.

The exhibition was organised and curated by Jane Fitzgerald and printed by Aeterna Lab Geelong and on UV and weather resistant, non-toxic PVC free, heavy metal free and phthalate free fabric. Local photographers Jonathan Dredge and Josh De Hoog have installed the prints.

I approached some of the local photographers on Instagram because I saw images of theirs that fitted with the look and theme I wanted for this exhibition, Ms Fitzgerald said.

I encouraged some of the photographers to exhibit work outside their usual genre and the shadows seem to be a natural theme across some of the images.

Im so enjoying watching people wander the laneway looking at art, as they go about everyday life, this makes me happy.

Music photographer Lucinda Goodwins edgy still life piece, amazing black and white street images from Michael Chambers and fine art printer Michael De Beens images from his Japan travels are among the artworks on display.

Creativity and Culture chair councillor Melissa Cadwell said the local arts scene is experiencing a revitalisation.

By bringing photography outdoors, Laneway Photography Gallery is for all newcomers to photographic art, local residents including people who might not otherwise get the chance to see this kind of art and tourists alike, she said.

I encourage visitors to find out more each of these skilled artists through the information QR codes below their work.

The post Laneway bristles with art appeared first on Ocean Grove Voice.

Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) is celebrating the completion of Stage 1 of the Barwon Heads Road upgrade with a free community event.

The event is MRPVs way of thanking the community for its patience during the upgrades construction.

The event, at South Barwon Reserve on Sunday July 30, will have family-friendly entertainment, activities, giveaways and refreshments will feature for the duration of the events three hours from 11am to 2pm.

A petting zoo, face-painting, games, a sausage sizzle and live radio crosses will also be part of the fun.

Were looking forward to hosting our family fun day at South Barwon Reserve as a thanks to the community for their patience while we completed the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade, MRPV program director Tim Price said.

The event will see plenty of activities and entertainment on offer for kids and adults to enjoy.

With the event falling on National Tree Day 2023, MRPV will have 500 plants from Horseshoe Bend Nursery to give away.

The community is encouraged to arrive at the event using the upgrades new shared-use path, which is the roads first continuous connection for walking and cycling between Belmont and Charlemont.

The upgrade has added 4km of lanes between Belmont and Charlemont.

Completed six months ahead of schedule, the upgrade is set to cater for 44,000 daily journeys by 2031.

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