Voice photographer Ivan Kemp ventured to Ocean Grove main beach on Monday July 24 to see how beachgoers were filling in their day.

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Ocean Grove artist William (Bill) Linford confronts a kaleidoscope of positive and negative memories and emotions in his Hollow Grove exhibition opening at The Royal Queenscliff this weekend. He speaks with Jena Carr about how he started in art and what his works mean.

William (Bill) Linford is known for his series of oil paintings on canvas like the farmers, cricketers or clowns collections, which have been displayed at art galleries around Australia.

Bill said he had always been interested in the arts and had been sketching and painting for a long time.

I always wanted to draw and as a kid I used to draw at primary school for people, Id do their caricatures and they would give me lollies for them, he said.

I got encouraged at primary school by a teacher to continue and that I might have had something, but I forgot about all that.

I broke my shoulder in a work accident, and I was sitting at home for six months, and I decided to get some paints, have a go at that, and it became a hobby.

We had children, and the hobby sort of moved into a bit more of a semi-professional thing and then become sort of professional about 15 years ago.

Bill has been creating art since 1970 and said he liked many things about painting, but getting lost and immersed in the process was a highlight.

When I get into the zone, Im in the zone, and its just the most marvellous feeling, he said.

I think theres too much to tell. Im an old man, and Ive had many brilliant experiences. Most have been very positive, but some of them have been questionable.

I feel pretty good about it, and I try to encourage many other people, mainly young people, as I was a youth worker for a long time, to take up the brush.

Ive had a pretty great life and I just want to expand on my thought process, because what goes on up here (his head) is quite interesting.

Many of Bills paintings are pretty bold, which he said he had done with the intention that they would jump out at the viewer and that he had a process that mostly remained the same.

Ive got so many ideas in my head and not have enough time, he said.

I do a rough sketch first, which doesnt take me very long, then Ill put the sketch onto the canvas and start painting.

Ill keep going until Ive probably done about seven or eight layers of paint until I get the feel I want.

Once you get a process, its pretty hard to break that. Ive tried different techniques and mediums, but Im too old to be doing that now. Id love to, but this is pretty good.

People say, I saw your cricketers, and Ill say, Just look at the guy with the shoes on the wrong feet, and theyll go back and have a look.

Thats for my benefit. I have to do quirky things for me just so it engages me a bit more too.

Bill said he found it cathartic working on the...

Geelong council has approved the concept design of stage two of the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre.

As stage one almost ready to open, with the outdoor, eight lane 50-metre pool now filled with water, stage two is focused on the indoor component of the aquatic centre.

After plenty of community engagement and passionate discussion around what the aquatic centre should include, the projects Community Advisory Panel reached a consensus with Scenario I, the ninth of nine proposed concepts, at its final meeting on July 5.

Scenario I includes such features as an indoor, eight lane, 25-metre pool, a warm water pool and health and wellness facilities, including a gym and group fitness areas.

Stage two has a budget of $40 million, with Federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker pledging half that figure and State Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant committing the other half.

Scenario I exceeds that budget by $300,000, but the City has proposed that the additional capital expense can be managed through the detailed design phase and internal project efficiency and prioritisation measures.

Councillors unanimously approved the concept design at Tuesday nights meeting, with Geelong mayor and Bellarine Ward councillor Trent Sullivan thanking the community, council officers, the advisory panel, his fellow councillors and local MPs Marchant and Coker.

(It) has been a dream for many, many decades for the Bellarine to have a full aquatic centre, that people dont have to go all the way to Geelong to have full access to our aquatic services, Mayor Sullivan said.

A lot of great works happened over a long time to get to where we are now. Its a tremendous job and it shows a lot of good will.

I just cant wait to see the ball rolling, and the community cant wait to see the final outcome as well.

Councillor Stephanie Asher, who kickstarted the project during her time as mayor, congratulated the Bellarine community.

This has been a very long time coming. Thank you to the panel (for coming) up with a facility that really does try and meet the needs of everybody in the community; well done to everybody concerned.

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Orlagh Davison is an Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club member and one of its Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) athletes. She speaks with Jena Carr about what she loves about living, working and studying in Ocean Grove.

What is your connection to Ocean Grove?

It is my home. I grew up in Ocean Grove, from kindergarten through to high school.

Ive also always been involved in the local sporting clubs and helping the community where I can.

What do you like about where you live?

I like how close I am to the ocean, nature reserves, parks and wetlands, that allow me to explore and enjoy the outdoors. The community is also so supportive, and we all look out for one another.

What, if anything, would you change about where you live?

As the economy continues to boom, the expenses associated with purchasing and renting properties are rising.

The community is experiencing rapid growth, exacerbating the issue of insufficient living spaces for young people to inhabit.

Where is your favourite place to spend time?

I love spending time at the beach, especially along the river or Barwon Bluff, or enjoying a coffee at one of the local cafes.

What is something people may not know about you?

Im not a true local as Im originally from England. My family and I migrated to Ocean Grove when I was five.

What do you like about your Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club role?

I love the opportunities my role within the surf club has provided me with.

The awards, skills, knowledge and employment along the way have all benefited my personal growth and my studies.

The ability to notice dangers before they occur is also a skill learnt through my role within the club, and the ability to remain calm in ever-changing environments.

I also enjoy the community, challenges, and lifelong friendships I have developed throughout this role.

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There were 24 entries for topic four with a high standard of expression and a large number being discussed as possible winners of the Bellarine Writing Competition.

The judges couldnt separate Helen Friee and Janet Campbell.

Notable mentions go to Ali Holborn, Jenny Macaulay, Terry Draper, Dennis Butler, Mark Towse and Wes Furyk.

Topic five is the last one for the year before the Final to be held during September/October. Simply write a story about the picture in the advertisement on this page.

Helen Friee presented an 18th-century view of an historical character and light-heartedly commented about his love of alchemy and the views of his watchful female neighbour, the judges said.

The language is rich and tightly controlled.

Janet Campbell presented a vivid description of a family celebrating a special occasion in a way that means much to them, especially Joe and his father, involving the reader in the experience.

Janet Campbell

Janet lives on the northern Bellarine where she is a member of Portarlington Neighbourhood House Fiction and Haiku writing groups. She volunteers with Friends of Point Richards, has a productive vegie patch, regularly tries to play golf and enjoys the Bellarines beauty. Her eclectic paid-work experiences have included non-fiction writing and editing, and also provided lots of opportunity to see the funny and poignant side of human sagas.

Joes birthday by Janet Campbell

On Joes birthday we had a great morning playing cricket with the kids from over the road. He used his new bat, but he let us have a go only on the grass. Then Joe, Tom, Frankie and I went out on the mudflats to check the pots wed set with Dad the day before. Marys too young to handle the

suck-down, so Kev minded her and the carry crates while they explored around the rocks near the track.

Dad called it payday when the pots filled. Fresh mud crabs on special bread with butter, salt and pepper for tea. Ripper. We had to be back by three, because thats when Dad would get home with crusty bread from the posh bread shop, marshmallows for toasting and bags of ice for the crab bath. Kev had Mums old watch so he kept yelling out the time to us. There wasnt time for mucking around.

We scored eight crabs all up. Frankie and I got spiked getting them into the two crates, but the others were lucky. Skilful, they said. Inside me I could smell the fire and taste the crabs as we walked back, I was that excited. Everyone picked up a stick along the track to use for fire-prodding and marshmallow-toasting later.

Dad had a regular crab-cooking performance. Hed fill the pots with water to the perfect level, add secret amounts of those big pink salt crystals, weird leaves and herbs to each one, add the crabs, put the pots to boil and tell us again that wed get the secret to the perfect crab cook when we turned 13. We never t...