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Here is what is making news for July 6, 2026.===================================The State Emergency Service has confirmed a magnitude three-point-eight earthquake occurred near Port Campbell yesterday.The tremor was recorded at one-thirty-nine p-m yesterday.Authorities state there is no immediate threat to the community and no public action is currently required. ======================================================================Residents across much of the state's west, including the Corangamite and Colac Otway shires, may notice a low-flying light aircraft making repeated passes over the coming months.The plane is conducting an Airborne Electromagnetic Survey for Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Victoria. ======================================================================The Great Ocean Road has fully reopened following a series of four landslides over the past two weeks.Local State Emergency Service units from Lorne, along with police and road contractors, cleared multiple sites including boulder blockages at Smythe Creek and Separation Creek.======================================================================A school holiday promotion is running across the twelve apostles region until July twelfth.Timboon Railway Shed Distillery's Josh Walker says Visitors who spend ten dollars or more at five participating Twelve Apostles Food Artisan businesses can collect stamps on a trail map. ======================================================================Road surface upgrade works will commence tomorrow on Connor Street in Colac, between Hart and Corangamite streets.Colac Otway Shire CEO Andrew Tenni expects the project to take about one month.======================================================================Member for Wannon Dan Tehan will visit small businesses across his electorate during the parliamentary winter break.Mr Tehan says that supporting small business operators is currently one of his primary priorities.======================================================================AND IN SPORTIn the CDFNL's Round 11 action,football results saw Irrewarra-Beeac smash Otway Districts by 51.South Colac lost to Alvie by 59.Lorne has regained top spot on the ladder after a 15 point win against the Colac Imperials.Birregurra beat Apollo Bay by 28 points.Simpson defeated Western Eagles by 47.Over on the netball courts Irrewarra-Beeac defeated Otway Districts.Western Eagles beat Simpson by 20.Imps beat Lorne by 16.Birregurra smashed Apollo Bay.and South Colac defeated Alvie by 28.======================================================================Colac paddler Tom Russell has officially wrapped up his junior sprint world championship campaign in Canada.Russell made the B final for the K1 Junior Men's 1000 metre race and made the semi-final in the K4 Junior Men's 500 metre race.======================================================================Colac's Zara Walters and her Melbourne Vixens teammates went down in the Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final on Saturday night.The Vixens went down by 21 to the Adelaide Thunderbirds.===================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for July 3, 2026.=================================Residents in the Colac Otway and Corangamite shires recovering from the January seventh bushfires can still access free government waste levy waivers.While some general disposal programs concluded on June thirtieth, the Victorian Government has extended the state levy exemption until October twenty-eighth, twenty-twenty-six.The waiver applies directly to disaster waste dropped off at local council transfer stations. ==================================================================A new community organization has been established following the official merger of the Rotary Clubs of Colac and Colac West on Wednesday night.Now operating as the Rotary Club of Colac Otway, the combined group marked the amalgamation at a dinner where the inaugural board was inducted.==================================================================Corangamite Shire Council's newly adopted twenty-twenty-six to twenty-twenty-seven budget includes a nineteen point zero-five million dollar capital works program.==================================================================Applications are now open for seasonal and ongoing forest firefighter positions across Victoria, including the state's south-west region.Forest Fire Management Victoria is recruiting entry-level personnel for the upcoming bushfire season to work alongside permanent crews.==================================================================The New lease arrangement between the Colac Otway Shire and Management Group IVG has officially begun.Centre Manager James Wholate says he can't wait to implement some new and fresh ideas at the centre.==================================================================Renters across Colac Otway and Corangamite regions will now be able to transfer their bond from one property to another, in what is being described as a major win and removing one of the biggest up front moving costs==================================================================The Corangamite Shire Council has commissioned a legal review into the state government's approval of the Mumblin wind farm.The eight-turbine project, located on a one-thousand-four-hundred-and-ninety-six-hectare site south-west of Cobden, was recently approved by the planning minister. ==================================================================AND IN SPORTIt's one more sleep until Colac's Zara Walters is playing in the 2026 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final.It's marks Zara's fifth grand final in a row, with two for the Colac Tigers, a defeat for the Vixens and last years Grand Final success.==================================================================In this weekends CDFNL Fixtures, Otway Districts host Irrewarra-Beeac.South Colac will play Alvie.Its massive football and netball clash as the Colac Imperials take on Lorne.Apollo Bay will face Birregurra.and the Western Eagles face off against Simpson.==================================================================Four under-fifteen netballers from the Colac District Football Netball League have been talent-identified following the Association Championships.Lilah Morris, Milah Crole, Addison Rocka, and Lily Tuvakasuka have received invitations to trial for the twenty-twenty-seven Netball Victoria Talent Academy.The players represent the Western Eagles, Simpson, South Colac, and Apollo Bay clubs.=================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for July 2, 2026.==================================Australian entertainer and advocate Ernie Dingo will be in Camperdown on July eight, twenty-twenty-six, to headline a free NAIDOC Week event hosted by South West Healthcare.====================================================================Victoria’s fire services are urging Colac Otway and Corangamite residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms and a Home Fire Escape Plan as new figures show an increase in the number of preventable fire fatalities last year across Victoria.====================================================================The twenty-twenty-six Community Satisfaction Survey shows an increase in resident approval for the Corangamite Shire Council following declines last year.Council’s overall performance index rose five points to sixty-three, remaining above the state average of fifty-eight. ====================================================================The Colac Salvation Army is piloting a physical literacy program for children aged three to seven.Delivered in partnership with Leisure Networks, the Mini Movers program operates during school holidays for groups of fifteen. ====================================================================After an official opening from state officials last weekend the Colac Otway Shire will host a community celebration day at the Elliminyt Wetlands on Friday July 10.Shire CEO Andrew Tenni says the day will be an open event for all the public to attend and check out the newly opened area.====================================================================Simpson Recreation Reserve Lake and Cobden Lake have each received 300 trout for families to fish over these school holidays.Vic Fisheries Acting CEO Luke O'Sullivan says they are among the 50 locations across Victoria to receive the funding.====================================================================AND IN SPORTCamperdown netballer Aidan Conheady has been selected for the Australian twenty-and-under men’s team ahead of the Trans-Tasman Series in New Zealand from July eighth to eleventh.Conheady was selected for the final twelve-player squad following a three-night training camp in Sydney. ====================================================================Several of the regions talented juniors played in the Barwon Region Showcase yesterday which was at Central Reserve in Colac.Coach of Team Ablett Simon Dewar says it was a fantastic day and an awesome opportunity to be involved.====================================================================Player tryout registrations are now open for the Colac Kookas twenty-twenty-six to twenty-twenty-seven Junior Representative Program.Junior basketballers wishing to trial for the upcoming seasonal squad must complete their registration before the deadline at five p-m on Friday, July ten, twenty-twenty-six.====================================================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for July 1, 2026.==================================Colac Area Health is currently recruiting Community members to join a Steering Committee aimed at improving the cultural safety of cancer services in the Barwon region.Wathaurong Aboriginal Corporation's Kim Henshaw says applications close on Monday, 13 July.====================================================================The state government has announced funding for six Corangamite Shire initiatives through round three of the twenty-million-dollar Tiny Towns Fund.====================================================================The possibility of regional council mergers is gaining momentum as local governments face state-imposed rate caps and reduced state and federal funding.Colac Otway Shire Mayor and G-21 Chair Jason Schram says while the local shire is operating effectively, opportunities exist for shared resources and streamlined funding in the future.====================================================================Colac's Salvation Army has smashed its target over the month of June for the national organisations Red Shield Appeal.Salvation Army Colac's Josiah Van Niekerk says he has been blown away by the local support.====================================================================Lorne State Emergency Service Unit Controller Chris Jones has resigned from his position after three years in the role.Jones stated his decision was made to balance personal, family, and professional commitments. ====================================================================Recent June rainfall has successfully restored local water storages in Colac, Lorne, and Apollo Bay to full capacity.While these smaller regional catchments have reached one-hundred per cent, Barwon Water reports that larger storages in the broader Geelong region remain below fifty per cent. ====================================================================New regulations for how renewable energy and large-scale battery projects connect to the electricity grid are set to impact South West Victoria.Replacing the current open-access system, the new rules require developers in the Colac Otway and Corangamite zones to meet strict government standards for community engagement and local benefit-sharing. ====================================================================AND IN SPORTCamperdown netballer Piper Stephens has been selected for the Australian Under-Seventeen squad.Following her performance at the National Championships in April, Stephens will attend a national development camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from July six to ten.====================================================================Colac overseas cricketers continue to perform.Apollo Bay duo Pat Grimmer and Kai Clissold each had wins for their respective clubs.Grimmer scored 38 in Sandford St Martin's win over Shipton Under Wychwood, and now sits on top of the ladder.Clissold picked up 2-27 from 8 overs in Martley's win over Cookley.City United product Luke Inglis and his club Hampton Wick Royal sit fourth in their respective competition.====================================================================One hundred players across twenty-five teams competed in the Camperdown Golf Club’s twenty-twenty-six Robbie Burns Festival Four-Person Ambrose.A Colac team consisting of Travis White, Caleb Perry, Ben Allen, and Luke Vickers won the Robbie Burns Shield with a net score of fifty-six point eight.Another Colac team, featuring Paul Hanson, David Walker, Mark Ritchie, and Wayne Drayton, took out the best scratch score with sixty-three. ==================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 30, 2026.=============================Construction on the new one-hundred-and-twenty-six-million-dollar Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre is progressing toward completion later this year.The redevelopment has employed more than seven-hundred-and-fifty people since construction began last year, including over fifty apprentices.Once operational, the facility will feature a visitor centre, gallery space, restaurant, and expanded parking to accommodate regional tourism growth. ==========================================================Old Beech Forest Road is facing a minimum six-month closure after a landslip on the route deteriorated, requiring major stabilisation works.==========================================================A 155 hectare property in Pirron Yallock has hit the real estate market at just under 3.3 million dollars.The listing featuring more than 385 acres is divided into 40 well-fenced and sheltered paddocks, serviced by an excellent central laneway system.==========================================================The State Government is set to deliver more nurses and midwaives in more hospitals by strengthening nurse-to-patient ratios.Legislation will be introduced this term to further strengthen nurse-to-patient ratios including the Colac hospital.==========================================================Motorists travelling through Colac these school holidays are encouraged to take a break at the Ian "Titch" Burnett Memorial Driver Reviver.Located at four-ninety-six Murray Street, the site will be open from Friday, June twenty-six to Sunday, June twenty-eight, and again from Friday, July ten to Sunday, July twelve.==========================================================Climate observations for the entirety of June at Cape Otway reveal an unusually mild start to the winter season, highlighted by an historic temperature milestone. ==========================================================AND IN SPORTIt was a successful weekend for the Colac Otway Rovers men's soccer teams.The Seniors side won 3-2 against Lara United thanks to goals from Dezire Irunga, Sangit Shrestha and Ian Hitchmough.The Reserves also had a 2-nil win over Armstrong United.==========================================================The Colac Braves Division 1 Baseballers had a rough weekend on the mound in Division 1 losing by 17 against the East Guild All Stars.The Colac Braves Division 3 side also had a loss to the Corio Tigers 7 to 12.==========================================================It was a tough weekend for the men's Corangamite Lions sides, however the women's team enjoyed a 4-nil win over Ballarat North.The seniors went down 9-nil, and the reserves lost 7-nil.=============================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 29, 2026.==================================The new one-hundred-and-twenty-six million dollar Twelve Apostles visitor centre has appointed Andre Smaniotto as its general manager under a new management structure.====================================================================Are-able is hosting a Meet the Mentors Morning Tea at the Salvation Army Colac on Tuesday, July seven.The event introduces the Parent Pathways program, designed to assist parents and carers of children under six who are not in paid employment.====================================================================Colac residents are being urged to complete their National Bowel Cancer Screening kits.Recent data shows only forty-four-point-three per cent of eligible Victorians use the tests, despite the program detecting nearly eighteen-thousand cancers. ====================================================================Police are appealing for public assistance to locate missing forty-three-year-old Colac man, Matthew.He was last seen at Footscray Railway Station at three-thirty-p-m on June three.Matthew frequently travels on the V-Line between Colac and Melbourne, and uses the Metro network. Police hold welfare concerns as his disappearance is out of character and he lacks required medication. ====================================================================The Surf Coast Shire Council has endorsed its Year Two Action Plan, detailing community and infrastructure projects for the next twelve months.Initiatives impacting Lorne and Deans Marsh include progressing affordable housing developments in Lorne and providing community grants for local projects.The plan also focuses on supporting small businesses across the shire and continuing road upgrades.====================================================================Member for Wannon Dan Tehan has returned from a trip to Europe seeing first-hand the importance of investing in the right types of energy.Mr Tehan visted England, Norway and Germany recently and says its crucial to ensure the sustainability of Australian industries.====================================================================Colac Otway and Corangamite farmers can now register for the annual WestVic Dairy Trivia Night on Friday, July third.WestVic Dairy Project Coordinator Liza Fahy says the event held at the Allansford Football Ground from seven p-m, the fifteen-dollar event raises funds for rural mental health charity Surviving the Dark Times. ====================================================================AND IN SPORTThe Western Eagles footballers produced the shock upset of the CDFNL round kicking six goals to none in the final quarter to run out 29 point winners against Birregurra.Lorn won convincingly in the Coastal Cup against Apollo Bay.Colac Imperials were too strong for Alvie.Irrewarra-Beeac had a good win against South Colac.and Simpson were far too strong for Otway Districts.Over on the netball courts, Birregurra was too strong for Western Eagles.South Colac beat Irrewarra-Beeac.Lorne smashed Apollo Bay.Colac Imperials beat Alvie,And Otway Districts had a seven goal win against Simpson.====================================================================Colac netballer Zara Walters and her Melbourne Vixens teammates are through to the Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final after an 11 goal win over the West Coast Fever.The Vixens face a huge test in the Adelaide Thunderbirds on July 4.====================================================================Cobden were unsuccessful in this weekends Hampden Football League action going down to Port Fairy by 19.Camperdown broke through for its first win of the 2026 season defeating Hamilton by 29 points.Over on the netball courts Cobden won by 12, and Camperdown went down by 13.====================================================================The Colac Tigers were again overrun in the final quarter in this weekends GFNL action, going down by 2 points to Newtown and Chilwell.The Tigers led by 13 at three quarter time.Over on the netball court, The Colac Tigers girls went down by 55 in A Grade.====================================================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 26, 2026.==================================A dairy field day will be held at Bostocks Creek on Thursday, July ninth, highlighting the final year of the WestVic Dairy Focus Farm program.Local producers can learn from the business strategies of Pete and Marnie Kerr, focusing on farm profitability, debt reduction, and business expansion.====================================================================Management of the Winchelsea Swimming Pool is officially changing hands, with an external operator set to take the reins this summer.====================================================================Time is running out to help Camperdown and Port Campbell win the Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards, with voting officially closing today at five p-m.Councillor Laurie Hickey says using one quick online form, you can back Camperdown in the Small Town category, and Port Campbell in the Tiny Town category. ====================================================================The recently completed Elliminyt Wetlands project in Colac has been officially visited by Minister for Regional Development Michaela Settle.The three-million-dollar state government investment, combined with one-point-forty-five million dollars from the Colac Otway Shire Council, redeveloped over seven hectares of flood-prone land.====================================================================Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Tim Wiebusch and Deputy Commissioner Mariela Diaz have visited regional communities affected by January's bushfires.Meeting with Corangamite Shire council leaders, the commissioners heard concerns regarding delayed asbestos cleanups and dangerous fire-affected trees on state-managed land.====================================================================Colac Otway and Corangamite sheep and beef farmers will benefit from a new six-million-dollar partnership between Agriculture Victoria and Meat and Livestock Australia.The program provides access to local workshops and on-farm trials.It aims to help producers use existing farm data, such as livestock weight and pasture information, to improve productivity and manage costs. ====================================================================The Australian Bureau of Statistics is reminding residents across Colac Otway and Corangamite regions that applications are now open to work as part of this year's Census.More than 16,000 Field Officers are required across the country with recruitment now well underway. Roles will start in early July with the Census to be held on Tuesday, 11 August.====================================================================AND IN SPORTIn this weekend's Colac and District football and netball fixtures the Western Eagles host Birregurra.The Coastal Cup takes place with Apollo Bay facing Lorne.Alvie and the Colac Imperials will do battle in a 1st vs 3rd clash.Irrewarra-Beeac look to bounce back against South Colac after last weeks big loss.AND the Heytesbury Shield is on the line when Simpson host the Otway Districts.====================================================================This weekend the Colac Tigers face a big test in GFNL action.The footballers take on the second placed Newtown and Chilwell.It's an even tougher test for the netballers with Newtown and Chilwell's side undefeated on top of the ladder.====================================================================In this weekends Hampden League action, the Cobden Bombers host Port Fairy.While the Camperdown Magpies are also at home with a big matchup against the Hamilton Kangaroos.====================================================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 25, 2026.==================================Tomorrow is the final day locals can attend the Breast Cancer Mobile Screening Van situated in Apollo Bay.BreastScreen Victoria's Louisa Col-hoon says appointments are available offering free 10-minute breast screens.====================================================================Yesterday crowds gathered at COPACC for the unveiling of the Virtual Memorialisation experience which is at the Colac Cemetery.The research was undertaken by Meryl O'Donnell and her team at the Colac and District Family History Group collating more than 100 stories.====================================================================The Colac Otway Shire Council has officially adopted its twenty-twenty-six to twenty-twenty-seven budget.The budget includes a thirteen-million-dollar capital works program and nearly twelve million dollars for asset maintenance. ====================================================================South-west Victoria is set to receive a massive economic boost following the release of the State Government's new Victorian Energy Jobs Plan.====================================================================The Camperdown Robert Burns Celtic Festival kicks off this weekend, promising a massive line-up of local and international talent.Festival-goers can enjoy a Friday night dinner, choir performances, market stalls, and a shortbread baking competition. ====================================================================A Manager 2IC Course for dairy farmers is coming up in Timboon starting Tuesday 30 June.This free course aims to improve the skills, knowledge, and confidence of participants to progress and achieve their dairy career goals with a big focus on improving people and business management.====================================================================AND IN SPORTLocal paddling star Tom Russell has touched down in Halifax, Canada, following a Gold Coast training camp.He's preparing for the World Junior Canoe Sprint Championships starting July one.====================================================================In this weekends Colac Otway Rovers fixtures, the Rovers women take on Barwon Heads SC.The seniors side takes on Lara United FC, and the Rovers reserves take on Armstrong Creek at home.====================================================================The Corangamite Lions take on Ballarat North in this weekends fixtures.In Division 1 the Lions sit fifth and Ballarat North 3rd, while the Corangamite Lions side sits second.====================================================================In this weekends Baseball action, the Colac Braves face a tough test in Division 1 against the East Guild All-Stars.In Division 3 the Braves will be searching for a win against the bottom-placed Corio Tigers.==================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 24, 2026.=================================Community members across the Colac Otway and Corangamite regions are being invited to help create a new, inclusive image library.The project, led by the Respect Twenty-Forty Partnership, is currently seeking expressions of interest from local photographers and models.Women's Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West C-E-O Jodie Hill says the initiative aims to provide organisations with respectful images that accurately reflect the region's diversity.==================================================================Colac Otway Shire is inviting local tourism and hospitality businesses to feature on its new digital wayfinding kiosks for free.The kiosks, located at Memorial Square, Colac Unearthed, and soon in Apollo Bay, operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.==================================================================This weekend's C-D-F-N-L action marks the annual Let's Talk Colac round, focusing on men's mental health.The initiative encourages local men to speak up and seek support.Let's Talk Colac representative Janet says a special panel event will be held tonight at the Colac R-S-L.==================================================================The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has successfully removed a dead whale from Bells Beach.Crews worked closely with the Victorian Fisheries Authority, Traditional Owners, and coastal authorities to safely clear the carcass, which has now been buried offsite to naturally decompose.The complex operation was designed to reduce public safety risks and limit environmental impacts.Despite the removal, an advice message remains in place for surrounding Great Ocean Road beaches due to potential lingering shark activity.==================================================================Community groups across the Colac Otway region are being urged to apply for up to ten-thousand dollars through Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program.==================================================================A new Auditor-General’s report has exposed the deteriorating condition of regional government schools.In the Polwarth electorate, three out of four schools are rated poor or worn. Local M-P Richard Riordan says the findings highlight severe neglect.==================================================================AND IN SPORTThe Winchelsea Football Netball Club will celebrate its monumental one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary this weekend.Festivities at Eastern Reserve kick off on Saturday with a milestone luncheon, followed by the senior football clash against North Geelong.Celebrations will continue into the evening with a heritage jumper auction and the naming of a team of the quarter-century.A community family day will wrap up the historic weekend on Sunday.==================================================================Apollo Bay export Kai Clissold enjoyed a stellar weekend with the ball while overseas playing for Martley Cricket Club in the UK.Clissold picked up 5 for 28 from 7.5 overs with the ball.Apollo Bay import Alex Basford also blasted 116 not out from 139 balls.==================================================================The Hampden League's Under Seventeen side has claimed the state title at the Association Championship Finals in Melbourne.Coached by Will Jamison and Josie Ellerton, the team defeated Goulburn Valley by three goals in a thrilling decider.The league's other representatives also shined, with the Under Fifteens finishing fifth and the Under Thirteens reaching the semi-finals.==================================================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is what is making news for June 23, 2026.===================================A comprehensive inspection of the Colac Otway Shire’s one-hundred and sixty-four-kilometre footpath network is set to begin next Monday, June twenty-nine.Quad bikes fitted with mounted cameras will capture detailed footage of the paths to help council plan effective maintenance and renewal strategies. ======================================================================A major shake-up in coastal land management comes into effect on July the first, with GORCAPA taking control of several Great Ocean Road national parks.======================================================================Farm businesses across southwest Victoria can boost their sustainability through a new Resilient Farming Course launching in August.Offered by four local Landcare networks, the five-day program features expert advice from industry leaders and hands-on learning. ======================================================================Farmers in the Port Campbell and surrounding areas were able to view virtual fencing and smart collar technology on farm.. at a field day last weekAsh Gristede told Ace Radio's Country Today it was a chance to show how it's helping to manage their 700 cow operation at Port Campbell======================================================================It is a massive win for the Terang-Mortlake Bloods, with the State Government announcing a one-hundred-thousand-dollar investment for the Terang Recreation Reserve.======================================================================Whale season is officially underway along the Great Ocean Road, highlighted by a recent Southern Right Whale spotted right off the coast at Port Campbell.The annual winter migration brings a welcome economic lift to coastal businesses during the cooler months. ======================================================================AND IN SPORTThe Corangamite Lions had a mixed weekend of results from its weekend matches against Creswick.The seniors men's side lost 5-0, while the women's side flipped the result to have a 5-nil win.The reserves has a thrilling 4-3 win.======================================================================The Colac Braves put in a competitive effort at Eastern Reserve over the weekend, despite finishing without a win.In local baseball action, the Division One side went down to the Deakin Blues seven runs to two.Meanwhile, it was a much tighter contest in Division Three, with the Braves narrowly losing to the Bellarine Bears five to four.======================================================================It was a tough weekend on the soccer pitch for the Colac Otway Rovers.The senior women's side suffered a five-nil defeat against Corio S-C, while the reserves also went down five-nil to the Bellarine Sharks.===================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.