Geelong Times

Residents in Geelong’s north will soon be able to preserve old family photos, films and home videos closer to home, with the Saving Family Stories program expanding to Corio Library. The free service, which officially launches at the library on 22 July, gives people access to specialised equipment and technical support to digitise ageing formats including photographs, negatives, slides, VHS tapes and film footage.

DAVE Graney has been making music his own way for decades, and likes it that way. The idiosyncratic and highly prolific singer-songwriter and his long-time musical partner Clare Moore are touring nationally to promote their new rock-influenced album Laburnum Of The Mind, and will play in Geelong next week. Graney has been putting out albums since the late 1970s in various guises – including Dave Graney ‘n’ the Coral Snakes – and with various collaborators.

PLAYERS from across the country descended on the Bellarine last week for the inaugural Ocean Grove Pickleball Classic. Cher Price and Carl Luke travelled from the Mornington Peninsula to compete. Photo: Peter Marshall. The two-day over-60s competition was the first of its kind and attracted more than 160 players to the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre. Local players Katy Grove and Kaz Shirley were among those celebrating after claiming bronze in the 60+ 3.0–3.49 rating competition.

A LIFELONG friendship and love for creativity is fuelling Geelong’s newest – and glitziest – craft experience. Ria Cooke and Jessica Thomas are the duo behind Bedazzle Bazaar, a creative studio in Belmont where visitors can transform everyday objects into sparkling works of art. After feeling disconnected by the “grey” of everyday life, the pair have embraced whimsy and are helping others find creativity through craft.

HOMES that sit so naturally within their surroundings are rare, but this architecturally designed Birregurra property does exactly that. Brought to market by Charles Stewart Real Estate, the residence at 41 Edmundson Street sits privately on 6,189sqm of established gardens, combining award-winning architecture, environmental sustainability and country living within easy reach of Birregurra’s town centre.

Committee for Geelong chief executive Michael Johnston has abruptly resigned, ending his tenure at the region’s peak advocacy body after almost four years. The organisation announced his departure on Friday, saying interim leadership arrangements would be confirmed as soon as possible. Johnston joined Committee for Geelong in 2023 and has been at the forefront of the organisation’s advocacy on major regional projects, funding campaigns and economic development initiatives.

Community members are being encouraged to shine a spotlight on the everyday heroes who quietly make a difference, with nominations now open for a premium Geelong getaway prize. Whether it is a neighbour who is always willing to help, a dedicated volunteer, an inspiring teacher, a selfless carer or a friend who consistently puts others first, the competition aims to recognise those whose contributions often go unnoticed.

Thirty riders from the God Squad Motorcycle Group rolled into Grovedale’s 96three FM on Friday to collect hundreds of donated blankets and sleeping bags for people in need. The donations were collected through the radio station’s annual Big Warm Up appeal and will be delivered to Wyndham Park Community Centre for distribution across the region.God’s Squad, a Christian motorcycle ministry that has worked with motorcycle clubs for more than 50 years, volunteered to transport the donations.

Alcoa’s plan to use groundwater to fill its former Anglesea mine has been rejected, with Southern Rural Water (SRW) refusing to grant the company a groundwater extraction licence. SRW said the potential risks of accelerating the mine pit’s filling outweighed the benefits. Alcoa had applied to extract 1,500 megalitres of groundwater – the equivalent of 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools – a year for 10 years as part of its mine closure and rehabilitation plan for the Anglesea site.

The wholesale migration of traditional local bookkeeping workflows into integrated, cloud-based accounting ecosystems represents a massive operational shift for modern commercial operations throughout the Geelong area. Digital financial transformation involves far more than moving simple spreadsheets to online platforms; it requires the real-time automation of operational pipelines.