Victorian Artists Take Centre Stage at the Birregurra Weekend Festival & Art Show

Friday 10th to Sunday 12th October 2008

Birregurra may have only one pub, but for almost a decade thousands of visitors have descended on the tiny hamlet, only 30 minutes from the Great Ocean Road, to embrace authentic country hospitality and fine art at the Birregurra Weekend Festival & Art Show.

The Victorian Western District's finest art, food, wine and music will again be showcased at this year's Festival from October 10 to 12...read more

Victoria's Western District on a Plate

Friday 10th to Sunday 12th October 2008

A celebration of the Victorian Western District's finest offerings, food, wine and culinary flair will be showcased at the Birregurra Weekend Festival & Art Show (10 - 12 October 2008).

Only 30 minutes inland from the Great Ocean Road tourist route, Birregurra has become synonymous with country hospitality, its fertile hinterland attracting world-class producers, provedores and cooking schools...read more

Kool Skools CD Launch

Tuesday 7 October 2008

On Saturday 11 October Surf Coast youth will be have the opportunity to attend the launch of the new "Kool Skools" CD "Johnson Street" at Surf World in Torquay.

The event will be run by Surf Coast Shire Youth Development Team using Freeza funding and will showcase most of the bands/solo artists featured on the CD - The Houses, Ghost Mutt, Thunders Edge, Charlotte Stevens and Twice Over. Almacknjack will also be performing on the night...read more

Aireys Inlet Community Market Showcases Local Delights

Surf Coasters will be truly-tempted during the warmer months of the year with the community-driven Aireys Inlet Community Market, held every second Sunday from Spring through to Easter at the local hall.

The market showcases some of the region's best freshly grown and locally-made produce as well as some great local musical talent...read more

Calling all Young Environmental Enthusiasts and Artists

Tuesday 7 October 2008

The Department of Sustainability and Environment is inviting primary and secondary school students to submit artworks illustrating what they think Victoria's environment should look like in 50 years time.

Winning images will be featured in the 2009 Victorian Youth Environment calendar and will be exhibited at the launch of the Victorian Government's Land and Biodiversity White Paper in May- June 2009...read more

NSW GM map published today

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Gene Ethics' map of Genetically Manipulated (GM) Roundup tolerant canola sites and GM canola depots in NSW (See: http://www.geneethics.org) was published today with information gleaned from media reports. GM canola pollen and seed dispersal threaten many rural industries with gene contamination.

"Our map will help protect GM-free grain growers, beekeepers and harvesters from GM contamination," says Bob Phelps, Executive Director of Gene Ethics.

"Only one in a thousand farmers is growing GM canola this year, but they pose an unacceptable risk of GM contamination to all other farmers, rural industries, local government and shoppers...read more

The Blues Train number 6 on RACV's top 101 things to do

Well you and I knew that! But Channel 9 told all the uninformed as well, when they announced the results of the RACV VICTORIA 101 competition on Channel 9's (Melbourne) Postcards on Friday 26 September 2008 at 7.30pm.

During the competition, over 72,000 visitors to the site voted for 600 great Victorian tourism experiences. The Blues Train came in at number 6, beating such iconic tourist attractions as Sovereign Hill and Puffing Billy...read more

Art News

CHILLER - Landscape Figure Revisited

New Paintings by Leigh Chiller

Date: 11 - 25 October 2008
Venue: Metropolis Gallery, 64 Ryrie Street, Geelong 3220
Phone: 03 5221 6505
Open 10.00 am - 5.30 pm Monday to Friday,
10.00am - 4.00 pm Saturday

The mind remembers what the eye forgets, and Leigh Chiller's expressive abstractions are a distilled journey into landscape. He gives us the essence: that split second glimpse of his experience in the natural environment. This solo exhibition marks an exciting return by the artist to a figurative element - perhaps his own presence within the landscape...read more

Author Andrea Inglis to speak at the Geelong Gallery

Date: Friday 3 October 2008
Time: 11.00am
Venue: Geelong Gallery, Little Malop Street, Geelong

Author Andrea Inglis speaks about her book Summer in the hills: the nineteenth-century mountain resort in Australia...read more

Anglesea Live - Performers Wanted

PERFORMERS WANTED all ages, all abilities. To book a time slot to perform - adults or students please email your details to anglesealive@iinet.net.au or
Enquiries - 52 41 2931 or 52 633309
Venue - ANGLESEA HOTEL FUNCTION ROOM
This is a big family night out of music...read more

Surf Coast Gardening

Coastal Gardening in June

by Peter McGain

Grab a hot cuppa and have a walk around your garden. Breathe deeply and appreciate nature at work. The wattles and correas are flowering, bulbs are just about to explode with colour and the rest of the garden is starting to stir from its winter sleep. The shortest day of the year has passed and you have not got time to sit inside watching on T.V. Your garden needs you. ...read more

Plants of the Anglesea Heath

SCENTED PAPERBARK - Melaleuca squarrosa

Melaleuca...from Greek melas; black and leukos; white, referring to black marks on the white trunks of some species due to fire squarrosa...having scales or scale-like overlapping leaves, referring to the shape of the leaf...read more