Latest News

Victorian Firefighter Aid Continues in the USA

Thursday 7 August 2008

Nine Victorian firefighters continue to lend their support to the USA with Northern California fires persisting, and a new large fire in Montana starting. Over 1,000 fires were started in late June as a result of more than 8,000 lightning strikes from a dry thunderstorm storm event. Chief Fire Officer, Ewan Waller said that a helicopter accident had occurred yesterday which did not involve any Australian or New Zealand firefighters...read more

9 firemen presumed dead in US chopper crash

Thursday 7 August 2008

Nine people are missing presumed dead in California after a helicopter carrying firefighters to a bushfire crashed and exploded. The chopper went down in remote terrain near Redding in the state's north, in an area known as the Shasta Trinity National Forest...read more

Victorian Firefighters Pack Their Bags for Deployment

Friday 11 July 2008

The following nine firefighters from Victoria have been selected to be part of a 44 person Australian/New Zealand contingent heading to the United States this Sunday to help tackle the fires burning in California.

State Duty Officer John Lloyd said the Victorian fireighters are looking forward to making a difference in the United States...read more

Australian and NZ Firefighters Respond to US Call for Help

Thursday 10 July 2008

Ewan Waller, Chair of the ANZ Forest Fire Management Group announced today that a contingent of Australian and New Zealand forest firefighters will help to support the USA fire agencies to tackle fires in California.

“We are preparing to provide support in the management of these wildfires,” Mr Waller said...read more

International Lighthouse Weekend 2008

Thursday 10 July 2008

International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend is an annual celebration, aimed at raising the profile of lighthouses and lightships across the world. It is a weekend for sharing stories about lighthouses, enjoying their splendor and promoting the need to preserve their structure and history.

Celebrate with us at Split Point Lighthouse, Aireys Inlet on SATURDAY 16th August and SUNDAY 17th August 2008...read more

Weather and Dredging Triggers Turbidity Response

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

After more than 150 days of dredging turbidity levels continue to remain below the environmental limits, despite a response level being triggered by a monitoring meter located in the south of Port Phillip Bay.

Environmental Monitor, Mick Bourke said an elevated turbidity reading was recorded for a short period around midnight on 3 July 2008...read more

A Note from Managing Director, Alcoa of Australia

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Dear Valued Stakeholder

With the on-going gas crisis in WA challenging us all, and Alcoa's name frequently appearing in the media, I thought it appropriate to drop you a line to clarify our situation.

Since the Apache incident at Varanus Island on 3 June, Alcoa of Australia has been working hard to minimise the disruption to our operations and employment by, for example, bringing forward planned maintenance and using alternative fuels...read more

‘Remarkable Season’ in Lifesaving

 Wednesday 2 July 2008

Hailed as the Brownlow of lifesaving, the 2008 Life Saving Victoria Awards of Excellence were held over the weekend with some of the state’s best out in force. Celebrated at the picturesque Life Saving Victoria HQ on Sandridge Beach, the Awards recognise volunteers and athletes from across the state that should be acknowledged for their achievements and contribution to excellence in lifesaving in Victoria...read more

Lifesaver of the Year for Anglesea SLSC

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Over the weekend, Life Saving Victoria held its equivalent of the Brownlow Awards night in which the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club has featured predominantly with a number of awards including:

These awards demonstrate the highest levels of skills and proficiency that Anglesea puts into practice on the beach patrols that they undertake and also for the skills and proficiency of its members around our core responsibility in patrolling and rescue services which combined with our recent successes with our IRB team, Anglesea beachgoers can rest assured that they have the very best looking after them at the Anglesea beaches patrolled by our members...read more

Nominate A Fire Safety Hero Today!

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Now is the time to recognise ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve fire safety in Victoria.

The states fire agencies, MFB, CFA and DSE, are now calling for entries for the 2008 Fire Awareness Awards, which reward the hard work and initiatives of individuals, groups and organisations in reducing the incidence and impact of fire in Victoria...read more

The Aireys Festival of Words

Friday August 15th - Sunday August 17th 2008

An ocean of words sounds and images - The festival is calling for artists to be part of the exhibition to be held on 16/17 August at the Fairhaven SLSC. The theme for the exhibition is “SEAWEED”...read more

2009 Surf Coast Shire Calendar Art Competition

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Artists who are living in the Surf Coast Shire or are ratepayers are invited to submit original artwork for inclusion in the 2009 council calendar.

Twelve original works will be reproduced, with the winning artists receiving a cash prize and acknowledgment on the calendar...read more

High Tide 2008 - Logo Design Competition

Wednesday 2 July 2008

The High Tide Festival committee is inviting Surf Coast artists to design the 2008 Festival logo/poster.

The Festival committee has had overwhelming success in the past and is confidently looking forward to this year’s competition...read more

A New CEO for Surf Coast Shire

25 June 2008

Surf Coast Shire Mayor, Cr Dean Webster, today announced that the Council has appointed Mr Mark Davies as its new chief executive officer.

Cr Webster said that Mr Davies brought with him a broad experience working in large organisations.

“In particular his strong financial background and experience as a general manager at Darebin City Council mean that he is well placed to build on the solid foundation left by his predecessor,” Cr Webster said.

The Mayor said Mr Davies had spent the past five years as the general manager of corporate services at Darebin, the fifth largest municipality in Victoria.

He had earlier served as Darebin’s chief financial officer for four years and spent eleven years prior to that as a senior audit manager and principal consultant with the major accounting and financial services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers...read more

Undersea treasures discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast

Wednesday 18 June 2008

A breathtaking array of marine life on Victoria’s seafloor has been discovered off Victoria’s Surf Coast by Deakin University scientists. The discovery includes previously unknown ‘gardens’ of magnificently coloured sponges, seaweed forests and seagrass meadows, and submerged river systems and lagoons that would have supported Aboriginal communities over 10,000 years ago...read more

Anglesea One Act Play Festival

Monday 16th June 2008

Anglesea's 19th One Act Play Festival is on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August 2008. The doors will open at 10am and the event is adjudicated by Christine Davey.

There are 20 plays, 10 theatre companies in one weekend from accross Victoria. A Festival cafe with great winter warmers is open for the weekend and there will be a licenced bar on the Sat PM session...read more

Early Bird Ticket Sales for the Queenscliff Music Festival

Tuesday 3rd June 2008

The Queenscliff Music Festival Committee have decided, after public consultation, that they will cap the number of tickets sold and focus on excellence rather than size.

Having fewer tickets on sale means that the Early Bird discount offer will be the ONLY ticket discount available this year. So get in early for there are only 1,000 Early Bird tickets for sale until 18th July. First in best dressed...read more

Art News

Torquay Froth and Bubble Literary Festival

Date: 21-22 June 2008

The Adam Lindsay Gordon Commemorative Committee Incorporated presents the Inaugural Torquay Froth and Bubble Literary Festival.

Hear and meet authors, playwrights and poets. There are also children’s workshops.

For other info ring John Adams 5261 2899 or E-mail: rangerjohn@netspace.net.au
Website: click here

AJAK KWAI

Date: Sunday 22nd June 2008
Time: 2.30PM
Venue: The Rose, 220 Great Ocean Rd, Torquay

This concert, in aid of refugees from the Sudan, is part of UN Refugee Week celebrations on the Surf Coast.

Ajak Kwai brings an exciting African vocal style and repertoire, with a contemporary treatment by the drummer and guitarist who perform with her. As a child, she absorbed the music culture of her Dinka village in southern Sudan.

She sings the traditional songs of her heritage as well as reflecting on issues of life in the 21st century...read more

Regional Arts Australia (RAA) 2008 Volunteer Awards

Nominations now open. 14 awards will be presented, one from each state and territory in the following two categories:

• Sustained Contribution to the Arts
• Youth Award [aged 26 or under]

Nominate yourself or someone who has made a difference in your community. Award Recipients receive national recognition plus free flights, registration and accommodation for RAA’s national conference in Alice Springs in October.

Visit www.regionalarts.com.au for more info and forms

Nominations close 5pm, Wednesday 16 July (submissions postmarked 16 July will be accepted).

Ian Bowers exhibites at TigerFish

Ian Bowers was born in Rugby, England in 1970.  He trained as a fine artist at “The University of Wales,” before moving to London.  From this point he worked for a variety of companies as a scenic artist including Warner Bros, EMI Records, Brittania Music, The Ministry of Sound and Madame Tuassuads.  His painting style became even more refined through his work as an artist for Sir Frank Lowe at his Chelsea mansion in London. Creating large scale murals and detailed smaller pieces over a 2 and a half year period he painted consistently every day....read more

Little Malop Gallery

Wednesday 4th June 2008

Joseph Zbukvic, Herman Pekel and Peter Smales are among Australia's foremost contemporary painters.

Once again this exhibition of watercolours and oil paintings will include many fine works based on the Geelong Region and beyond...read more

Geelong Art Gallery presents Print traditions – sources of Australian printmaking

14 June to 10 August

The Geelong Art Gallery presents a new exhibition of works by notable Australian printmakers whose handling of landscapes, cityscapes and industrial subjects has been strongly influenced by European precedents. Includes key works by European master-printmakers including Rembrandt van Rijn, Thomas Bewick, Charles Meryon and Giovanni Battista Piranesi whose works have inspired Australian printmakers from Lionel Lindsay, John Shirlow and Jessie Traill to Ros Atkins, Marco Luccio and Joel Wolter...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