Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj has called on the state government to address a “systemic failure” in ensuring the region’s students are able to travel safely to school by bus.
Mayor Kontelj wrote to the Victorian minister for public transport Gabrielle Williams asking her to take “immediate action” to address the bus safety concerns of school leaders and parents in Greater Geelong.
“In recent weeks St Joseph’s College, WesternHeights,ClonardCollege,Belmont HighSchoolandNorthGeelongSecondary College have expressed concerns publicly about severe overcrowding, safety risks and significant service deficiencies,” he said.
“The concerns raised are consistent and
increasingly urgent: severe overcrowding, capacityshortfalls,busesunabletoservice key growth areas, inadequate timetabling, and a system so complex and outdated that schools are unable to navigate it effectively.
“These are not isolated incidents; they reflect a systemic failure to meet the basic expectation that children can travel safely to and from school.”
St Joseph’s College principal Tony Paatsch said he had two main concerns with the provision of bus services.
“The first is that there’s simply inadequate capacity on the buses that we are being provided by the Department of Transport to get our students home to Ocean Grove and surrounds,” he said.
“And the second issue is that for many of our buses on these longer routes it is legal to have people standing.
“We’ve got a 72-seater bus allocated as one of the primary Ocean Grove buses, anditcanonlyseataround50.Sothereare 25-plus students standing in the aisle as it travels down the Bellarine Highway.
“While that’s legal, we don’t believe that’s safe.”
Mr Paatsch offered examples of injuries to students, including one incident where a boy standing in the aisle sustained significant damage to his jaw and teeth whenhisbuswasforcedtobrakesuddenly.
Hesaidwhiletheseissueshadexistedfor two decades, the growth on the Bellarine and the resulting influx of young families meant the problem would only get worse.
Mayor Kontelj said having up to 20 students standing on a bus travelling 80km/h to 100km/h could not be “consideredcompliantwithmodernsafety guidelines or risk frameworks”.
Chinese New Year in Geelong
Geelong’s Chinese community is celebrating the Year of the Horse during Chinese New Year, which runs from 17 February to 3 March.
New Year is huge in China and is an important part of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar.
It’s the equivalent of our Christmas or Thanksgiving in the USA when everyone goes ‘home’ to visit, stay, eat and celebrate with family.
The Chinese Association of Geelong is holding a celebration at Geelong City Market on Saturday 21 February and wants everyone to join them for a fun time.
It is the first time in 10 years the Chinese Association of Geelong has held an event like this, according to executive president Rongliang He.
Pictured are Ryan, Anna, Eugene, Ian, Victor, Asher and Charlotte, who are excited for the celebrations ahead.
For the full story, see page 3.
School bus concerns
“The City of Greater Geelong is committed to being an active partner in addressing these challenges,” he said.
“We are willing to work closely with the state government to bring together schools, operators, departments and community representatives to help identify a coordinated and practical pathway forward.”
Member for Geelong Christine Couzens saidthegovernmentwasrespondingtothe growth and changing needs of the region.
“We have announced funding for a bus review across the Geelong region, which will commence in the coming weeks,” she said.
“Ithinkthemayorneedstofocusonlocal government; there are plenty of issues he needs to deal with and (he should) let the state government get on with its processes of a review.”
ReGenLivingWaurnPonds
Heading to Moomba Festival or the F1 Grand Prix?
Victoria’s Big Build works continue across the state with road disruptions on Clyde Road and the Eastern and Princes freeways. These works could impact your travel into Melbourne to attend the F1 Grand Prix or Moomba Festival.
Eastern Fwy citybound lanes between Doncaster Rd and Bulleen Rd split into sections with reduced lanes
Until late 2026
Point Cook Rd entry ramp to Princes Fwy closed Geelong-bound
Early March
Avoid
Clyde Rd reduced to one lane in both directions between Enterprise Ave and Princes Fwy
Until mid 2026
BERWICK
Jakara Anthony snares gold
Barwon Heads star Jakara Anthony won gold in the newest Olympic event, Women’s Dual Moguls at the Winter Olympics.
The win, on 14 February, adds to her moguls victory from Beijing 2022, making her the only Australian Winter Olympian to win two gold medals.
“My first Olympic gold medal in Beijing was mind-blowing; this is mind-blowing aswell,”formerChristianCollegeGeelong student Anthony said.
“To have my friends and family here for it, to be the first ever dual moguls gold medal at the Olympics, to be the first Australiantohavetwogoldmedals,andto have been able to overcome the adversity of the other day and bounce back and put
downthatperformance,thisoneisspecial for a whole lot of other reasons.”
Anthony powered through the five rounds of head-to-head judged racing, keeping it clean and consistent throughout.
From her opening run against Malica Malherbe(RSA)itwasclearthe27-year-old had fire in the belly and she was ready to chase that gold medal – a redemption run after the moguls did not go to plan just three days ago.
Lining up against American Jaelin Kauf in the final, Anthony triumphed after a long wait for the judges.
Anthony said she shed a few tears and had a lot of conversations with her coaching team following her eighth-place
result in the Moguls, but then turned her focus to the duals event and how to give herself the best chance for success.
“You know, to be honest, I was doubting myself a bit this morning after what happened the other day and this was only my second duals event in about two-and-a-half years,” she said.
“There were just a lot of unknowns –also first duals event at the Olympics –we didn’t really know how certain things weregoingtogo,butIfeellikeIbuiltreally well throughout the day, and I have so many people believing in me, helping me get that belief in myself.
“I think by the end I was just pretty sure I was going to give it my best shot and put down some runs that we were proud of.”
Chinese New Year gallops into Geelong
By Jena Carr
Geelongwillcelebratetheyearofthehorse with a vibrant cultural takeover of the city centre for the Lunar New Year.
Chinese Association of Geelong (CAG) will host a Geelong Chinese New Year celebration, featuring cultural foods and displays, during the upcoming Geelong City Market on Saturday 21 February.
CAG executive president Rongliang He saidtheeventwasachancefortheGeelong community to celebrate the Chinese New Year together.
“We just want the local community to enjoy this special moment with us, along with getting to know our culture and trying something different,” he said.
“WewillhavetheChinesebrushwriting and paper cut activities...and there will be Chinese musicians playing instruments, singing or dancing.
“We will also have a lion and dragon parade around the market, with the kids from the Chinese language community school holding a small dragon as they follow the lions around the market.”
Mr He said the Geelong Chinese New
Year celebration event was free for all ages and will run from 9am to 2pm along Little Malop Street.
“I think this is the first time in 10 years that we’ve publicly held an event like this, aswenormallyhaveasmallonejustinour community and not the broader Geelong community,” he said.
“The Chinese New Year is not a celebration for one day; it’s a celebration for 15 days, which starts on 17 February with the Chinese New Year and finishes on 3 March with the Lantern Festival.”
Upgrading Fischer Street
Safety upgrades will continue along Torquay’s Fischer Street, with the next stage of works starting next week.
Road closures at the Fischer Street and Merrijig Drive intersection will be in effect during stage two works, which will begin on Monday 23 February,withlocalaccessavailable.
Surf Coast Shire councillor Liz Pattison said “The changes aim to improve safety for everyone using FischerStreet,whetherthey’reriding to school, walking to the shops, or driving to work,” she said. “Fischer Street was identified as a high-risk corridor for pedestrians and cyclists during the development of council’s Safer Cycling Strategy in 2023. “
“We appreciate the community’s patience during construction and encourageeveryonetofollowsignage and detour routes while works are underway.”
Stage two upgrades will include new raised pedestrian crossings on Fischer Street, near Yirn Avenue, and on the Merrijig Drive legs of the Merrijig Drive and Fischer Street roundabout.
Workswillalsofeatureanewspeed hump on Merrijig Drive, between Yallock Circuit and Scott Avenue, changed to a raised pedestrian crossing and a new cycling lane on Fischer Street between Centreside Drive and Merrijig Drive on the west side.
Ryan, Anna, Eugene, Ian, Asher, Victor and Charlotte with the dragons for the parade at Little Malop Street. (Ivan Kemp) 535525_07
Jakara Anthony won gold for Australia in the Women’s Dual Moguls. (Chris Hocking IAOC)
Partnership not a waste
A research project to strengthen Australia’s capability to develop homegrown, sustainable protein solutions will be led by Deakin University and Bellarine Foods.
The partnership, supported by Deakin’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH), will explore how high-value protein products from local marine byproducts, including collagen, can supplement protein powders and cosmetic anti-aging creams.
Shifting dietary trends, rising health consciousness and the booming popularity of protein powders and nutraceuticals is behind a global surge in the exploration of sustainable and eco-friendly protein alternatives.
Theproject,ledbychairinbiotechnology Deakin Distinguished Professor Colin Barrow at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts, is exploring an enzyme-based method to extract valuable proteins from aquaculture waste without the use of harsh chemicals.
“If successful this project could offer a greener, more cost-effective alternative to traditional protein processing methods,” Professor Barrow said.
“Marine byproducts from salmon skin and mussels, such as collagen, are incredibly rich in protein and hold tremendous potential for health-focused products.
“Our focus is on developing safer, chemical-free extraction processes that reduces landfill waste, supports a circular economy, and lay the foundation for a greener, more sustainable future for the aquaculture industry.”
Lab trials have been promising, indicating potential applications ranging from omega-3 supplements that support brain and heart health, to collagen-enriched nutraceuticals that can help with muscle recovery and skin elasticity.
Celebration of life in the north
By Matt Hewson
A new exhibition delving into the heart of Norlane will open at Platform Arts this weekend.
Led by artists Laura Alice and Yuhui Ng Rodriguez, A People’s Guide to (North) Geelong engaged eight young people from Indie School as honorary artists to interview Norlane residents and bring the stories of their neighbourhoods to life.
The results of the year-long project will be displayed for a week in an audiovisual installation, which opens at 5pm on Friday 20 February in the Platform Arts Performance Space.
The exhibition features a three-channel video projection, recorded audio, physical media and interactive digital components, resulting in an immersive experience conveying the stories of North Geelong. Senior producer Penne Thornton said
the project, part of Platform Arts’ What it Means to Remember season, was designed to impact both the audience and the young artists.
“We were all aware that the North gets quite a bad rap; there are extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in those neighbourhoods, and we wanted to give those stories a space to be shown,” she said.
“And we were interested in closing the gap between the older and younger generations and using this artwork as a way to do that.Andtheprocessisasimportantaswhat you end up with; the depth of the work is really in the process.”
Young honorary artist Rihann Mercieca said the project had brought her “a new understanding of the area and the culture around it”.
“I learnt some new skills…and it taught me a lot about the places, the beauty of the area and all the people there,” she said.
“Scaling is incremental and sequential,” Bellarine Foods chief executive Murray de Jong said.
“We’re focused on developing a production model that’s cost-effective, market-ready and delivers high grade hydrolysed proteins – like collagen – used in wellness supplements, protein powders and anti-ageing products.
“It’s not just about the technology, it’s aboutcreatingatrusted,homegrownsupply chain grounded in Australia. We want to offer wellness products that meet the highest quality standards and ingredient transparency, something imported products often lack.”
Improved access for TAFE
Geelong students living with a disability will soon have improved access, inclusion and employment outcomes with a new TAFE centre.
Construction began on The Gordon’s $36 million Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion with a sod-turning ceremony on 12 February.
The Gordon chief executive Joe Ormeno said the centre’s design was guided by lived experience to provide support, comfort, accessibility and wellbeing for all learners.
“By elevating the lived experience of people with disability, we’ll lift training outcomes, open up pathways to secure jobs, and share effective practice across Victoria’s TAFE Network,” he said.
“As a Victorian TAFE Network Centre of Excellence, The Gordon will work alongside TAFEs across the state to share what works, build capability and drive lasting change across the system.
“By centring the lived experience of people with disability at every stage of design and delivery, we are setting a new benchmark for how TAFE can support learners with disability to learn, belong and succeed.”
Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney said the centre, which is expected to be open next year, will help drive improvement, innovation and system-wide change in disability inclusion across the TAFE sector.
“This centre will support people with disability to access real skills and employment opportunities,” she said.
“Free TAFE has benefited more than 225,300 students in Victoria and trains our disability workforce. That’s why we are protecting it.”
Centre facilities will include inclusive learning environments, student services hubs, meeting rooms, low-stimulation spaces,asensorycourtyardandanindustryshowcase area.
Upgrades coming to St Albans Reserve
St Albans Recreation Reserve will receive a significant upgrade to help improve the reserve’s facilities and accessibility.
The Thomson reserve was selected for the upgrade through the $17 million first round of the state government’s Pick My Park program and received a $250,000 grant for upgrade works.
Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said the project was focused on community connection and healthy living across the region.
“I am proud to announce that St Albans Recreation Reserve will receive the much-needed upgrades it deserves,” she said.
“It’svitalthatfamiliesandindividualscan access parks to exercise, play and connect with others in an inclusive, safe environment fit for all abilities.”
Chirnside Park, Hamlyn Park, and the Waurn Ponds Skate Park Precinct also re-
ceived $250,000 grants for upgrades through the program.
Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts Harriet Shing said the Pick My Park program aimed to build or upgrade parks across the state.
“We’ve listened to the community, and we’re delivering the parks and playgrounds that families want in some of our fastest growing suburbs,” she said.
“These investments across our growing communities are making life easier, more affordable and more enjoyable by delivering new parks and playgrounds closer to home.”
Round two of the $30 million Pick My Park program is currently open, with the applications portal open from 19 February to 2 April.
Visit planning.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/strategies-and-initiatives/pick-mypark for more information.
Bellarine Foods chief executive Murray de Jong with Deakin University’s chair in biotechnology Distinguished Professor Colin Barrow at Bellarine Foods plant. (supplied)
Platform Arts’ Penne Thornton walks through A People’s Guide to (North) Geelong. (Ivan Kemp)
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Trucker charity run
By Jena Carr
Hundreds of trucks will take to Geelong’s streets this weekend to raise money for families impacted by childhood cancer.
The 11th annual Camp Quality Convoy Geelong will see more than 200 trucks depart from Beckley Park on Sunday 22 February and complete a 40-kilometre circuit down to Waurn Ponds and through Geelong before concluding with a free family festival.
Truck driver Shantelle Mattei will bring a T401 Kenworth truck that she and her father restored to the convoy, and she is currently the second-highest individual fundraiser with over $10,400.
Ms Mattei participated in her first convoy in 2022 in honour of family friend Bella, who was diagnosed with early precursor T cell acute lymphoblastic leukae-
mia in 2015 at six years old.
“Bella went in and out of remission a few times, and then it gradually got worse as it got into her lungs, brain, and riddled her with cancer,” she said.
“She passed away in January just before the convoy of 2022 (at age 13), and I thought it would be a good way to do the convoy in her honour.”
Ms Mattei joined the convoy again in 2024 to honour Bella’s life and raise money for a close family friend’s daughter, Laylah, who was four years old when she was diagnosed with cell B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
“Laylah has since finished treatment and started back at primary school this year, so she’s cancer-free at the moment,” she said.
Help keep Bellarine’s beaches litter free
By
People can help keep the region’s beaches, foreshores and marine environment clean during the upcoming Clean Up Australia Day.
Clean-up events will take place across Greater Geelong and the Bellarine on 1 March, including along the Clifton Springs Foreshore.
Clifton Springs and Curlewis Coastcare Group’s Rob Gardner said the community could join him at the Clifton Springs Boat Ramp to collect instructions and rubbish
bags to help clean up the environment.
“It’s been very successful in the last two or three years, as we’ve had very good turnouts and collected a lot of stuff,” he said.
“Clifton Springs is a very enjoyable area, and there’s quite a lot of plant life along the coastline, so we’ve got some quite good remnant vegetation.”
MrGadnersaidhehopedtheeventwould be open to everyone from 10am and that he hoped it would help them think about how they dispose of their rubbish, which is essential for keeping their environment clean.
“Lastyearwefoundmorethan500pieces
of rubbish, so hopefully it’ll be a bit less this year,” he said.
“It was noticeable that there were a lot fewer cans and bottles last year because of the 10-cent recycling deal, so that made quite a good impact.”
Clean Up Australia Day events will also take place at Ocean Grove’s Rotunda from 10am, the Geelong Botanic Gardens from noon, and Torquay’s Fishos Beach from 9am.
Visit register.cleanup.org.au/join-aclean-up for the full list of Clean Up Australia Day events.
Japanese visitors welcomed to city
Geelonghaswelcomedaninternational delegation in a first step to reigniting a long-standing inter-city relationship.
Delegation members from Japanese city Izumiotsu, led by Mayor Kenichi Minamide, arrived in Geelong to celebrate 30 years since the two citiessignedtheFriendshipCityrelationship in 1996.
After years of regular visits from community members, students and officials, the relationship between the two cities became less active after 2017.
During the recent visit both parties explored a range of ideas to reactivate regular exchange between Geelong and Izumiotsu, including a marathon exchange program and a North Geelong Secondary School student exchange program.
They also discussed the work of the Geelong region’s Advanced Fibre Cluster and Japanese industries and toured a number of sites around the area.
Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the City of Greater Geelong welcomed the opportunity to expand the Friendship City relationship with Izumiotsu.
“International relationships are very important to us, putting Geelong on the map and encouraging bilateral exchanges that benefit our trade, economy and culture,” he said.
“ItwasgreattowelcomeMrKenichi Minamide, and I hope they return to Izumiotsu with plenty to share about the great work we are doing here in Geelong.”
Councillor Elise Wilkinson said the delegation showed considerable interest in Geelong’s economy.
“We were able to showcase the brand new Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre to the delegation, and take them on a tour of Geelong Port,” she said.
“It’s great that Geelong is being recognised internationally for all of the opportunities which exist here.”
Shantelle Mattei during her first Camp Quality Convoy Geelong with Lane Turner. (Camp Quality Convoy Geelong)
Rob Gardner is inviting the Clifton Springs community this Clean Up Australia Day. (Ivan Kemp) 534841_01
Jena Carr
Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj and Izumiotsu mayor Kenichi Minamide. (Supplied)
Crossings for roundabout
Two raised pedestrian crossings will be installed at a busy Barwon Heads intersection the state government announced.
The crossings will be at the Barwon Heads Road, Sheepwash Road and Golf Links Road intersection, which is frequently used by students walking and cyclingtoandfromBarwonHeadsPrimary School.
Works are expected to begin on Sunday 22 February, with construction taking place overnight from Sunday to Thursday between 9pm and 7am and will take about six weeks to complete.
Thestategovernmentsaidthenewraised crossings will create safer, more accessible crossingpointsattheintersectionlegsmost frequently used by pedestrians and bike riders. By improving visibility and slowing approaching vehicles, the upgrades will help reduce the risk of crashes and make it easier for locals to move safely through the area, it said.
“Pedestrian safety is vital for families in the local community and these new raised crossings will make one of the busiest intersections in Barwon Heads safer and easier to navigate,” Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant said. “These upgrades
will boost safety for everyone crossing Barwon Heads Road, including local workers, students and visitors who rely on this important connection every day.”
Resurfacing works will also be completed during the nightworks, includingtheroundaboutanda500-metre section of Barwon Heads Road west of the intersection.
The resurfacing will restore the road condition and deliver smoother, safer travel for motorists.
Traffic management, including reduced speed limits, will be in place during construction to protect the safety of
Pickleball hits a winner with a new venue
Pickleball is set to make a racket thanks to the official opening of a new outdoor venue in Portarlington this week.
Drysdale Clifton Springs Pickleball Club’s (DCSPC) new outdoor venue opened at the Prtarlington Recreation Reserve on 18 February.
DCSPC president Sue Shannon said the venue would support the growth of pickleball on the Bellarine and that the sport was “here to stay”.
“Our membership continues to grow, and the demand for hard-court facilities is clear,” she said.
workers and road users.
Datesandtimesmaychangedepending on weather and site conditions.
The project is being delivered as part of the Victorian government’s Safe System Pedestrian Infrastructure Program.
For more information about the project and potential disruptions, visit transport. vic.gov.au and search for ‘Pedestrian crossing improvements - Bacchus Marsh, Barwon Heads and Highton’.
Community members can also contact Transport Victoria by emailing westernprojects@transport.vic.gov.au or calling 133 778 for enquiries.
Calling to all dog walkers
The paws will hit the pavement in two weeks to raise funds for the animals whoneeditmost.
Local organisation Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) will hold its annual PAWS for GAWS charity dog walkonSunday1March,raisingmuchneeded funds to support its mission of ensuring vulnerable animals get the caretheyneed.
Thescenic4kmwaterfrontwalkkicks off at 10am, with community members invited to register and raise funds or simplystrollalongsideinsupport.
The event hub at the Eastern Park barbecue area will offer food, coffee and community stalls, merchandise, a pooch parade, prizes and giveaways, entertainmentandotheractivities.
Chief executive Helen Cocks said communitysupportofeventslikePAWS forGAWSmadeameaningfuldifference to the lives of lost, surrendered and strayanimalsintheGeelongregion.
“As a community, when we walk together for a cause we all care deeply about, the impact goes far beyond one beautifulday,”MsCockssaid.
“PAWS for GAWS is not just about dogs on leashes, it’s about the thousands of animals in need of care, shelterandasecondchance.
DCSPC will have access to Portarlington Tennis Club’s courts under a shared-use arrangement, which provides the club with exclusive use of the courts during scheduled sessions.
The site also offers a strong foundation for development with 14 marked pickleball courts, despite not yet being dedicated to pickleball courts.
Painted pickleball lines were recently completed, and work continues to progress quickly, including the
“We are excited to establish the first true outdoor hardcourt pickleball venue in the Geelong region and to work in partnership with City of Greater Geelong Council and the Portarlington Tennis Club to make this happen.”
installation of footpaths to ensure allability access.
The new venue, branded ‘Pickle@ Port’, will host outdoor sessions, which align with the growing number of major pickleball tournaments now played outdoors.
The Portarlington courts will further diversify sporting options for the community, and DCSPC will continue to operate its indoor sessions at Drysdale Primary School Hall.
City of Greater Geelong councillor Rowan Story officially opened the courts, with other council staff and pickleball club representatives in attendance.
“The support we receive through this charity dog walk directly translates into care, medical treatment and brighter futures for the animals in our shelter. We are deeply grateful for our community.”
All funds raised go directly toward supporting the not-for-profit organisation’s vital work, which receives no government funding and relies solely on the generosity of the community.
Last year, more than 3100 animals arrived at GAWS needing care, with each animal costing the organisation morethan$65adayonaverage.
Registrations are now open at pawsforgaws.org.au with every registrant receiving a dog bandanna andbumpersticker.
The community is invited to get active at Golden Plains Rec Fest
The Active Golden Plains Sport and Rec Fest is coming to Golden Plains to generate awareness of activities available in Golden Plains.
Community members can try out a range of activities during two Rec Fest events in Bannockburn and Smythesdale, including football, golf, bowls, tennis, dance, gyms, fishing groups, and basketball.
Golden Plains Shire Mayor Owen Sharkey said the Rec Fest was a chance for local clubs and groups to host a demonstration, interactive activity or display.
“There are plenty of ways to showcase the wide range of sport, recreation and community activity options available across the shire,” he said.
“I encourage community members
to come down to one or both events and have a go at the activities, as this is a great opportunity to try something new or something out of your comfort zone.
“We had an incredible response from localsportingclubs,groupsandproviders who were interested in running activities at the Rec Fest, and we’re thrilled to welcome over 20 groups at both events.”
The Rec Fest is an initiative of Active
Golden Plains and will aim to empower residents to explore physical and recreational activities offered by the region’s clubs, groups and providers.
The two events will be held at Smythesdale’s Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve from 10am on Saturday 21 February, and Bannockburn’s Recreation Precinct Soccer Pavilion from 10am on 14 March.
Geelong councillor Rowan Story and DCSPC president Sue Shannon at the official opening of the new pickleball venue. (Ivan Kemp) 534415_06
CITYNEWS
2027 AND 2028 KINDERGARTEN – REGISTER NOW
Is your child turning three or four before 30 April 2027?
Now is the time to register your expression of interest for three and four-year-old sessional kindergarten.
More information including open days, locations, and to register: geelong.link/KindergartenRegistrations
HAVE YOUR SAY
Visit our Have Your Say page and view our community engagements currently open for feedback, including:
WOMEN IN COMMUNITY LIFE CELEBRATION
Join us to celebrate 11 years of the Women in Community Life Awards and be part of a conversation about equality and leadership.
The Women in Community Life Awards have recognised the contribution women have made to our community, particularly the impact they have made to promote and advocate for the advancement of gender equality.
Date: Wednesday 11 March
Time: 5.30pm–7.30pm
Location: Geelong Arts Centre, 50 Little Malop Street, Geelong Registrations are free.
More info and register to attend: geelong.link/IWD
COUNCIL MEETING
Held at Council Conference and Reception Centre, City Hall, 57 Little Malop Street, Geelong. Tuesday 24 February at 6.00pm (doors open 5.45pm).
Reports for consideration include:
• Community Priority Projects
• Council to Candidate – State and Federal Election Guidelines
• Financial Performance Report for the year to date ended 31 December 2025.
For agenda and to live stream the meeting visit geelong.link/CouncilMeetings
Questions and submissions must be provided in writing by 12.00pm on Monday 23 February via the link above.
TRAFFIC CHANGES
Pako Festa, Pakington Street, Geelong West
• Saturday 28 February from 3.00am–11.00pm
• Various changed traffic and parking conditions
• Full road closure will affect Pakington Street between Gordon Avenue and Waterloo Street.
Access will remain, with alterations, to Geelong West Woolworths and business deliveries within the road closure.
Access to residential properties and emergency access will be maintained.
More info: geelong.link/PakoFesta
• Waurn Ponds Stormwater Management Strategy
• Rippleside Inclusive Playspace, a Livvi’s Place.
Join our HYS community too – register now and be in the monthly draw for a chance to win a $100 gift voucher.
Visit: geelong.link/HYS
GOT A FURRY FRIEND?
in our region are managed by two authorities – the state government and the City of Greater Geelong.
you need to report a road issue, find out who to contact: geelong.link/RoadAuthorities
Manage pet registrations online – update details, get reminders and make payments. Update now before renewal notices are sent. To register, scan the QR code or visit geelong.link/Pets
Be part of the summer fun at our Swim Sport & Leisure centres. geelong.link/SummerOfFun
Norway’s majesty revealed
Independent news editor and Barwon Heads resident Justin Flynn recently ventured to Norway in winter and says a trip to the Scandinavian country during the coldest part of the year is both rewarding and breathtaking.
Soaring snowcapped mountains, majestic fjords, ancient glaciers, pristine nature, Viking history and thenorthernlights-allgoodreasonstovisit Norway.
That’s exactly what I did recently and althoughmyexpectationswerehigh,Inever realised just how much this Scandinavian countrywouldleavemesoenchanted.
Yes it’s expensive - a 500ml beer cost $27 at one bar in Tromso, and I baulked at a room-service burger with chips for $60 in Oslo, but once I stopped checking my bank transactionsandjustrelaxedalittle,aworld ofstunningbeautyopenedup.
My 18-day journey began in Melbourne on 24 January and I arrived in Oslo, via DohaandHelsinki,26hourslater.
A night at the airport Radisson Blu was convenient and restful, before a three-hour flight up to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, located halfway between the mainland and the NorthPole.
Svalbard has around 300 polar bearscomparedto2500humans. Itisillegaltoleavethetownlimits of Longyearbyen without a rifle oratleastwithoutsomebodywho has, and knows how to use, one. The threat is real. From May to September, you can do a tour to spot them, but like the aurora borealis, it requires patience and thereisnoguarantee.
I arrived in Longyearbyen, 1300kmabovetheArcticCircleat2pmandit was dark outside. Polar night was in its final stages and officially ends on 30 January, but because of the surrounding mountains, it lingersalittlelonger.
Thiswassurreal.Itwasdarkinthemiddle of the day and although I expected, and craved it, the vision still didn’t compute in mybrain.
The town itself is compact and has everything you need. Popular excursions include northern lights tours, husky sledding, snow mobiling, a tour of the now closed coal mine and a look at the global seed vault, which houses crates of seeds from all areas of the globe for safe and secure long-term storage in cold and dry rock vaults in the case of a catastrophic humandisaster.
What I really wanted to do was the ice cave tour, but that was cancelled due to the lack of snow for the snowcat vehicles to travel on. Svalbard is the fastest warming regionontheplanet.
Still, it was around -12 at the ‘warmest’ timeofday,butnothingthatthermals,good footwearandlayersdidn’tcombat.
The scenery here is beyond anything I have experienced. It’s difficult to believe I wasonplanetEarth.
But that was before I headed down to Tromso, still above the Arctic Circle, but a quick90-minuteflightaway.
Tromso is, quite simply, stunning. Mountains, fjords and quaint shopping streetshadmeimmediatelyexcited.
For the best views, the cable car up to Fjellheisenisamust.
While it was a comparatively ‘mild’ -4 in Tromso itself, the wind chill up on the mountain made it a solid -25, but the viewswereworthit.
There’s nothing quite like freezing your butt off in glorious sunshine while being completely mesmerised by what your eyesareconveyingtoyourbrain.
On another day, I walked over the 1036-metre Tromso bridge to the Arctic Cathedral. I also couldn’t resist buying a TIL shirt, Tromso’s team in the Eliteserien, Norway’stop-flightfootballleague.
The aurora forecast was poor while I was there because of cloud and snow, but Tromsoisoneofthebestplacesintheworld to see them. I had already seen them in Yellowknife,Fairbanksandspectacularlyso in Iceland, so I wasn’t hugely disappointed tomissoutthistime.
Next it was a two-hour flight down to Bergen,Norway’ssecond-largestcity.
Picturesque and steeped in history, Bergenisaquaint,walkableandinteresting placethatdeservesatleastafewdays.
Ididaboatcruisethroughoneofthefjords, and although there are many more-scenic places to do so, the convenience of having the vessel depart from the city centre was wellworthit.
Towering cliffs and frozen waterfalls greeted me and out on deck, it felt 10 times colderthanthemountaininTromso.
Weturnedbackoncewereachedapartof the fjord that was frozen over, and although the ice didn’t look deep, it was still an amazingsight.
I also did a historical walking tour of the city where it was only myself, the guide and a gentleman from Sheffield, UK, learning about the fires that have destroyed the city
on 10 occasions, including the devastating 1702 disaster, and the story behind the picturesque Bryggen area. This was the ‘warmest’ day of the trip with temperatures hovering perhaps even slightly above freezing. Bergen is the warmest city in Norway, but also the wettest in Europe, however it was going through a relatively cold,butverydry,winter.
A funicular up to Fløibanen is a must for the views across the city and I sampled a reindeer hotdog from the local institution Trekroneren.
My next stop was Oslo, but I took the long way there, riding the scenic train, the Bergensbanen.
My tip is to do the Flåm railway detour instead, which involves getting the Bergen-Oslo train to Myrdal, about two hours out of Bergen, and although I missed myopportunitythistime,othershavesaidit isfarmorespectacular.
MaybeIwasjustspoiledbytheabsolutely stunning Alaska Railroad journey I did from Anchorage to Fairbanks a few years ago, but the train ride from Bergen to Oslo wasaslightletdown.Ifyouhaveneverdone anything like this before, you will love it though.
The left-hand side of the carriage is the placetobeforthefirsthourforthefjordsand the right-hand side is prime position while going through, and over, the mountains. The last few hours are relatively uneventful asyouapproachOsloanditssatellitecities.
Itwasstillamazing,andmanytimesIwas spellbound by the colossal majesty of the Norwegian mountains and how remotely peoplechoosetolive.
I arrived in Oslo late afternoon to -7 degreesandwouldhavetwofulldaysthere.
Again, my tip is that if you are pushed for time, two days is enough. You could easily find plenty to do to fill in longer, but two to three days is sufficient to get a feel of the place.
I did a walking tour early on my first day anditwasfrigidataround-8,andtherewas
hardly any snow on the ground. We pushed on and saw the opera house, the fortress (briefly), Christiania torv, Aker Brygge, City Hall and some waterfront saunas where a few hardy souls were jumping into the icy watersstraightaftergettingoutoftheirown personalhot-houses.Madness.
In the afternoon I did a short boat cruise around the city and the inner fjord, which allowed amazing views without having to leave the warmth and comfort of the cabin thankstothehuge,andclean,windows.
On the second day I walked to Akershus festning (the fortress) to explore in more detail. It had snowed overnight, blanketing the city with a white covering that made all thesightsIsawthepreviousdaycompletely different.
As a solo traveller, I saved money by not eating at restaurants and opting for cheap supermarketmealsorjustoverindulgingon the magnificent custard-filled cinnamon buns, but if you are with a companion or enjoy eating out, be prepared for a shock. Mainmealsatevenasemi-decentplacewill setyoubackatleast$50withoutfactoringin anentree,wineorevendessert.
With 500ml glasses of beer ranging from $18to$27,Iallowedmyselftwomostnights, although I realise it’s not exactly cheap here inAustraliaeither.
After that it was time to come home, but I had an eight-hour layover in Doha at midnightandbookedathree-hourcitytour with a private driver for $350 (although you willpaythesameiftherearetwoofyou).
The less said about that the better. It was horrendously foggy and my guide was totally uninterested in searching for alternatives, such as walking around to see some mosques or the souq (market). I eventually received an apology from the company and a partial refund, but would lovetotryitagaininbetterconditions.
If you are thinking Norway in winter is not your thing, then so be it. But if you do go, be prepared for a trip that will leave you yearningforaspeedyreturn.
Left to right: Views of Bergen from Floien; Rødne Fjord cruise from Bergen. Note the ice sheet in the foreground where we couldn’t go any further; Views over the gorgeous city of Tromso; Akershus festning (Oslo fortress) is worth a visit. (Pictures: Justin Flynn)
Longyearbyen on Svalbard at 12.14pm, and right, the scenic train ride from Bergen to Oslo is spectacular. Inset: Demolishing a reindeer hotdog in Bergen.
The resilience of hooded plovers inspires
By Natasha Verbeek, coordinator Bellarine Hooded Plovers
There are two pairs of hooded plovers along Buckley Park Foreshore that have twochickseach.
One pair, PL (orange) and unbanded, have a habitat east of Turtle Rock. There are two chicks that are due to fledge on 9 March after hatching on 2 February and will spend another two weeks on the ground feeding, resting, running and hiding, camouflaging from threats and being brooded by their ever vigilant parents.
Anotherpairofhoodies-HY(orange)the mum and HE (white) the dad - are located west of Turtle Rock. They also have two chicks that are due to fledge on 18 March
after hatching on 11 February. There are alsotwochicksatBreamlea’sStingrayBay.
The land managers are Barwon Coast, butdogregulationsaremanagedbyCityof GreaterGeelong.
Thepairthatnestbetween10Wand11W, which is along the dog beach in Ocean Grove, have a nest of three eggs, due to hatch in the next week or so. This pair had one fledgling survive last year, but so far thisbreedingseasontheyhavehadseveral chicksthathavenot.
Hatching is always met with much excitement, but we also quietly hold our breath as we know that they are ‘not out of thewoods’yet.
Our aim is to give hoodies on the nest, or with chicks, space so they can go about incubating eggs and protecting
and guiding their offspring to hide from threats.
Trained BirdLife volunteers provide education and communication to beach goers and dog walkers near the breeding sites. We love it when we can show the community (using the binoculars or the scope) how special and resilient birds are. We also create a better understanding of theirvulnerability.
It’s wonderful when we see positive change within the community when they visit the beach and they see the signage and fenced areas or chat with a volunteer andthendecidetoavoidthearea. Hoodie conservation requires a collaborative approach and it’s wonderful when another fledgling is added to the population.
Pictured: Ingenia Lifestyle Natura.
Hooded plovers on the Bellarine Peninsula. (Tash Verbeek)
Cancer won’t stop Paige
By Jena Carr
A St Leonards teenager’s life was turned upside down last year after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
PaigeMackenzie,17,startedfeelingreally tired and had pain around her wisdom teeth, which didn’t go away despite having them removed, before her Stage 4 Burkitt’s lymphoma (an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma) diagnosis in July 2025.
“I was shocked, and I couldn’t really process it, and I didn’t really realise what was happening until about a month later when I lost all my hair. It’s not something you ever expect,” she said.
“Cancer spread everywhere in my body, like all my bones and organs except my brain, so I had complete renal failure, a bit ofliverfailure,lungfailure,andeverything was not really working.
“My organs and everything are doing better now, but it did take a few ICU (Intensive Care Unit) trips and dialysis to get them working again.”
Paigeisnowinremissionandconducting her Year 12 studies from home, which she will extend over two years due to her health.
Despite everything she has been through, Paige maintains a remarkably positive attitude.
“I feel really lucky because not everyone can beat stage four cancer, and I’m really
grateful to be here and growing my hair back and to do little things that everyone else takes for granted,” she said.
“My sister has been great throughout everything, and she is always the one to come in and cheer me up. She’s almost 21 and, because of me having cancer,
ENTERTAINMENT WITH MATT HEWSON
“Learn to lean on people, and there are no silly questions, so just be sure to find that support because you do need it,” she said.
“Your world gets turned upside down, and when you see your daughter fighting for her life, you are just in survival mode and running on adrenaline.
she’s now studying to be a nurse, which is amazing.”
Paige’s mum Rachael Curran said her advice for parents of a child going through cancer was to reach out for support and find other families who understood what they’re going through.
“No one prepares you for how difficult the next six months are going to be...but, I’m so proud of Paige, and she should be so proud of herself as she’s doing really well.”
InternationalChildhoodCancerDaywas held on 15 February, with the Leukaemia Foundation continuing to support families living with blood cancer through this year’s World Greatest Shave initiative.
Robot Song strikes a chord
Jolyon James’ stage show Robot Song centres on the story of a young autistic child, Juniper, struggling to find her place in the world.
A child in crisis mode, Juniper discovers herself through the power of creativity, with some help from a giant, singing robot. But while ostensibly a children’s show, since premiering in 2018 Robot Song has struck a chord with audiences of all ages.
“What I didn’t understand when I was writing it is that we’ve all felt that feeling of being on the outer, feeling different, not understanding our position in the world,” he said.
“It’s a really universal feeling; I think people from the autism community will recognise traits within the character, but
even if you’re not, those universal feelings of being out, being bullied, resonate well beyond that.”
The story is based on James’ experiences
when his son, diagnosed in grade prep with autism, received a letter from his classmates telling him he was ‘the most hated person in the school’.
While James and his partner initially struggled to help their son deal with the crisis - “we were just going, I don’t know what to do here,” - they found a way to help him break through.
“There’s a misunderstanding about peoplewithautism,thattheylackempathy or emotion, but actually, the opposite is true,” James said.
“For my son, he’s so sensitive that sometimes he just has to shut down…to retreat at times. Because I’m an artist, I used the tools I had to try to connect with him and understand what he needed.
“Wheneverwedidridiculousartprojects together, we suddenly shared a really clear language; I could see creativity enabled him to go places he wasn’t necessarily able to, or had the tools for, at the time.”
“There’sagiantrobot,it’stheculmination of the show, and I literally built that robot with my two boys in our backyard. And that process of creativity changed us.
“My son has now just turned 15, and applying creativity to his life has utterly transformed him, he’s thriving. He’s unrecognisable as this really fraught little person…now he is proudly taking his place in the world.”
Robot Song is at Geelong Arts Centre on Monday 23 February. Visit geelongartscentre.org.au for tickets.
Australian guitar legend amps up Live at the Wheaty tour
Nathan Cavaleri comes to Geelong this weekend as part of a 18-show tour of his new album Live at the Wheaty.
Hailed as a blues-rock guitar prodigy sinceheenteredthenationalconsciousness at age 11 with a performance on 90s televisionfixtureHey,HeyIt’sSaturday,it’s fair to say his journey has been something of a rollercoaster.
By this time he was 16 he had already been diagnosed with, and recovered from, leukaemia, performed internationally with the likes of B.B. King, Etta James, Robben Ford and Bonnie Raitt (including a performance for President Clinton at the White House) and been signed to Michael Jackson’s record label.
However, as an adult Cavaleri found himself struggling with anxiety and depression, withdrawing from live
performances between 2012 and 2016 to focus on screen composition and his mental health.
He worked for years to peel back the layers of his emotions and understand himself through psychology and mindfulness, properly resuming his place in the Australian live music landscape in 2019. He has since released two studio albums - Demons (2020) and Miracles (2023) - with a full band and last year a solo live album, Live at the Wheaty. And it feels, in his own words, “bloody amazing”.
“I look back at those dark times from the perspective of now, and I’m just so grateful foreventhesimplestthingsIhave,whether it’s my health - mental or physical - and the way that my music is evolving,” he said.
The Geelong gig will see him reunite with local bluesman Wayne Jury, who will perform a set of his own and join Cavaleri for a song or two.
“Wayne was my singer during all those days touring Australia when I was in my teens,” Cavaleri said.
“Iwastoldnottosingasakid,andWayne was my first real flag-waver when it came to my vocals. Singing just one or two songs a set alongside him was how I started to develop that confidence and go, maybe I do have a voice.”
Nathan Cavaleri is at Piano Bar on Sunday22February.Visittrybooking.com/ events/landing/1505972 for tickets.
Nathan Cavaleri tours his new album Live at the Wheaty. (Supplied)
Robot Song tells the story of one child’s journey from crisis to belonging. (Supplied)
Paige Mackenzie, and inset, Paige with her mum Rachael Curran. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 534561
New project set to bloom
Aussie natives are on the agenda at the GeelongBotanicGardens.
Botanic Gardens staff and horticulture students from The Gordon TAFE have partneredtocultivateanewhakeagarden.
Lastyearthecombinedteamplanted40 plants in the new garden near the Botanic Gardens car park, many of them rare or threatened and around half grown from seedbytheTAFEstudents.
The no-fuss natives belong to the Proteacaea family and include more than 150individualspecies.
They are well-known for both their hardiness and drought tolerance as well as theirdistinctivepin-cushionorbottlebrush flowers, attracting and providing a habitat forbirds,beesandbutterflies.
The project gives students the opportunity to gain experience working alongside the Botanic Gardens team propagating and caring for the plants and planningfutureadditions.
Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the project wasanassettotheGardens.
“This partnership with The Gordon is a great addition to our Botanic Gardens and has given the community a vibrant new nativeplantdisplay,”hesaid.
The Geelong Botanic Gardens is open everydayoftheyear.Visitgeelongaustralia. com.au/gbgformoreinformation.
A new chief executive has been chosen to lead the Borough of Queenscliffe, after theearlyendtoMartinGill’scontractlate last year.
Jane Grover will commence in the role on 16 March, following an extensive recruitment process to fill the position left by Mr Gill when council voted to end his contract in November.
Ms Grover said her immediate focus when she begins the position will be on continuityofservices,strategicalignment
with council goals and building strong relationships.
“I am committed to working alongside councilandourcommunitytostrengthen services and deliver on our strategic goals, to ensure Queenscliff remains a vibrant place to live, work, and visit,” she said. “I am looking forward to working collaboratively with councillors and the organisation to enhance governance, deliver sustainable services, and achieve positive outcomes that respect the
community’s values and the borough’s distinctive coastal character.”
Ms Grover will bring extensive leadership experience across the public and private sectors, including having previously served as Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust’s chief executive.
Mayor Donnie Grigau said Ms Grover was a “highly experienced and values-driven” person who understoodthechallengesfacedbysmall
coastal councils.
“Jane demonstrated a clear understanding of Queenscliff’s unique character and a strong commitment to listening,stewardship,transparency,and disciplined decision-making,” he said.
“Her background in leading complex organisations, managing ageing assets, balancing community expectations, and maintaining long-term financial sustainability aligns strongly with the needs of the Borough of Queenscliffe.”
Botanic Gardens staff and students from The Gordon work on the new hakea garden. (Pictures: Supplied)
1 Heavenly body (6) 2 Non-professional (7) 3 Local law enforcer (7)
4 Measure of length (imp) (4) 5 Brotherhood (10) 6 Length of a film (7) 7 Miraculous (7) 8 Masterful (8)
13 Relative dimensions or size (10)
16 Disability (8)
18 People of Malta (7)
19 Viewing figures (7)
20 Fears (7)
21 Disconnected (7)
22 Appearance (6)
25 Ova (4)
1 What is a cowslip?
Is Quito, the capital of Ecuador, in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? 3 Actor Kristen Stewart (pictured) stars in a 2016 music video for which rock band?
4 What unit of measurement is used to measure the height of a horse? 5 A Robin Hood statue is located in which
7 What is the only type of penguin found above the equator?
8 What pen-name did writer Eric Blair go by?
A hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and coated in breadcrumbs is known as a what?
10 The first episode of Doctor Who aired in which decade?
The Guide
GOING PLACES WITH ERNIE DINGO
SBS, Friday, 7.30pm
When it comes to exploring the natural beauty and unique attractions of our diverse land, no one does it quite like Ernie Dingo (pictured). Forging his own path after 16 years at the helm of TheGreatOutdoors Dingo explores Country with locals in this organic travel series, hearing their stories and learning about their culture. This year, he’s joined on the journey by Mark Coles Smith, Rae Johnston and Brooke Blurton. “This series gives us the chance to go beyond the usual stops, to learn from the people who belong to these places,” says Dingo. “There are so many beautiful people with amazing yarns to tell.” Season seven kicks off with Dingo and Coles Smith visiting Freycinet National Park in Tasmania/Lutruwita.
Viewers likely know actor Martin Clunes as the star of DocMartinor as host of countless travel series, but they might be less familiar with his co-conspirator on this French sojourn. Neil Morrissey (pictured left with Clunes) is not only the voice of Bob the Builder, he has also appeared in crooked cop drama Line ofDutyand starred alongside Clunes in ’90s sitcom MenBehavingBadly. This cheeky travelogue sees the mates celebrate four decades of friendship by road-tripping around France. Reuniting at Morrissey’s farmhouse in Lot-etGaronne, the pals are en route to Bordeaux in this first leg, visiting one of the country’s deepest wine cellars and sampling a few goods along the way.
Friday, February 20
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
PICK OF THE WEEK
Jury duty: David Genat hosts Australian Survivor: Redemption
THE HUNTING WIVES
Nine, Tuesday, 9.10pm
In the trashy tradition of DesperateHousewives GinnyandGeorgia and shortlived comedy GCB, this guilty pleasure is unapologetically implausible and utterly addictive. Based on the 2021 bestseller by May Cobb, the scandalous soap sees straitlaced Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow) and her architect husband Graham (Evan Jonigkeit) move from Boston to Texas, where she falls in with magnetic socialite Margo (Malin Åkerman, pictured right with Snow) and her well-heeled clique. A tangled web of secrets, obsession and affairs awaits Sophie just below the surface. With a tantalising murder mystery thrown in for good measure, this dark drama reallyhas it all.
SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Australia’s Wild Odyssey. (R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Muster Dogs. (PG, R) 2.00 Dog Park. (M, R) 2.30 In Limbo. (Ml, R) 2.55 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.25 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Gardening Australia.
8.30 Professor T. (M) A bride is found dead on her wedding night.
9.15 Hard Quiz. (PGa, R) Hosted by Tom Gleeson. 9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG, R)
10.20 Dog Park. (Ml, R)
10.50 ABC Late News.
11.05 Smother. (Mal, R)
12.55 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PGadhlnsv)
6am Morning Programs. 9.20 My Unique B&B. (R) 10.10 Paddington Station 24/7. (PGal, R) 11.00 China On Stage. (R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 12.55 PBS News. 1.55 The Hospital: In The Deep End. (Ma, R) 3.00 Nula. 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Building The Impossible. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 MOVIE: Happily Never After. (2022, Masv, R) Erinn Fredin. 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. Hosted by Larry Emdur.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (Return) 8.30 Super Ships: A Revolution At Sea. (R) Looks at how cruise lines launch new ships.
9.35 Harrods: The Rise And Fall Of A British Institution. (Ma, R) Charts the story of a national icon. 10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 Sisi. (Mav, R) 11.55 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+s, R) 1.40 The Lesson. (Mals, R) 4.05 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Charlie Albone fixes a shady corner in the garden. 8.30 The Marlow Murder Club. (Mav) When a man with no identification or connection to Marlow is found dead in the middle of a suburban road, Judith, Becks and Suzie investigate.
10.30 To Be Advised.
12.15 GetOn Extra.
12.45 Dare Me. (MA15+asv)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 5.00 Dr Harry’s Animal Encounters. (PG, R)
7TWO (62, 72) SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 11.45 Andy’s Global Adventures. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.20 Octonauts. 2.15 Peter Rabbit. 2.45 The Makery. 3.05 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.40 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.05 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.35 My Adventures With Superman. 8.55 BattleBots. 10.00 Late Programs.
Sex Before The Internet. 2.10 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Under The Hammer. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Home In WA. 2.30 Weekender. 3.00 Room For Improvement. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Wildlife ER. 8.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Secrets Of Beautiful Gardens. 12.30am Escape To The Country. 1.30 Home In WA. 2.00 Harry’s Practice. 2.30 Medical Emergency. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 Late Programs.
AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: REDEMPTION 10, Monday, 7.30pm
Blindsides don’t come much more epic than when producers of this enduring reality series unexpectedly replaced long-time host Jonathan LaPaglia with former winner David Genat. It was a power move that no one saw coming, and sets the scene for another unpredictable season of strategic gameplay in the Samoan jungle. In a delightful twist, the so-called “Golden God” isn’t the only familiar face back in the mix for this exciting instalment. Fellow fan favourites Brooke Jowett, Harry Hills, Simon Mee and Mark Warnock also return to compete against a fresh batch of 20 ambitious newcomers. Can one of the veterans rewrite history to come out on top? Or will a new competitor outwit, outplay and outlast them all?
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Highlights. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG)
7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 –Night. Coverage includes men’s biathlon and women’s curling, ski cross qualifiers and final.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 – Post Midnight. Coverage includes women’s curling and 1500m speed skating final and men’s 15km biathlon and ice hockey.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 – Overnight. Coverage includes men’s ice hockey and curling and two-woman bobsledding heats.
(81, 92)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Rugby Heaven. Noon Parental Guidance. 2.00 Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: Wonder Woman 1984. (2020, M) 10.35 MOVIE: Species II. (1998,
6am Morning Programs. Noon MOVIE: Boyz N The Hood. (1991) 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Nula. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Arctic Secrets. 7.30 MOVIE: Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. (2005, PG) 9.00 MOVIE: The Witches Of Eastwick. (1987, M) 11.10 Nula. 11.40 Going Places. 12.40am Stompem Ground 2022: Footprince. 1.05 NITV On The Road: Best Of Barunga. 2.35 Unspoken: Manu Vatuvei. 3.05 On The Road. 4.00 Stompem Ground 2022: Pigram Brothers. 5.00 Late Programs. NITV (34)
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 8.50 Discovering Film. 9.30 The Silver Brumby. (1993, PG) 11.15 Once Upon A Time In China III. (1993, Cantonese) 1.15pm Tai Chi Master. (1993, MA15+av, Cantonese, Mandarin) 2.55 The Movie Show. 3.30 The Ideal Palace. (2018, PGan, French) 5.30 The Third Man. (1949) 7.30 Proof Of Life. (2000, Madlv) 10.00 Boogie Nights. (1997, MA15+adsv) 12.50am Ali. (2001, Mlsv) 3.30 Once Upon A Time In China II. (1992, Cantonese) 5.25 The Movie Show.
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13 – Early Morning. 10.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 13. Replay. 7.30 New Tricks. (Mas, R) 8.40 MOVIE: Lethal Weapon 3. (1992, Mlv,
COMEDY (52, 11)
9GO! (82, 93)
NEIL AND MARTIN’S BON VOYAGE SBS, Saturday, 7.30pm
Professor T. (Mv, R) 2.15 The Piano. (PG, R) 3.45 Mission To Space With Francis Bourgeois. (Final, R) 4.30 Dr Karl’s How Things Work. (Final, R) 5.00 Aust Story. (R) 5.30 Landline. (R)
6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Presented by Tom Gleeson.
7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.
7.30 Call The Midwife. (Final, PGa) Nancy’s wedding plans take a surprising turn. Sister Catherine takes her First Vows.
8.30 Midsomer Murders. (Final, Mv)
When an online PTA meeting at Causton Grammar ends in murder, Barnaby and Winter head back to school to learn the deadly antics in the lives of pupils, teachers and parents alike.
10.05 This England. (M, R) Looks at Britain during COVID-19.
10.55 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) Continuous music programming.
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Morning Programs. 10.05 Vintage Voltage. (PGl, R) 11.00 BBC News At Ten. 11.30 France 24. 12.00 Cycling. ProVelo Super League. Round 2. Tour Of Tasmania. 4.00 Stories From The Cities. (Premiere) 4.30 PBS News. 5.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 5.35 Bismarck: 24 Hours To Doom. (PGalv, R)
6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Neil And Martin’s Bon Voyage. (Premiere) Neil Morrissey and Martin Clunes go to a deep wine cellar.
8.25 Travels With Agatha Christie And Sir David Suchet: Southern Africa. (PGa, R) Sir David Suchet recreates Agatha Christie’s 1922 journey to southern Africa.
9.20 Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey: Michael “Wippa” Wipfli. (PG, R) Shaun Micallef heads to Switzerland with comedian Michael “Wippa” Wipfli to explore his roots. 10.20 Highclere: The Real Downton Abbey. (R) 11.15 Outlander. (Msv, R) 1.40 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a, R) 3.35 Barkley Manor. (PGa, R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Thomas. 4.15 Dino Dex. 4.40 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.05 The Highway Rat. 5.40 Super Monsters. 6.05 Knee High Spies. 6.25 Paddington. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! (Premiere) 7.30 Hard Quiz Kids. 8.00 Chopped Jnr. 8.40 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 9.30 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.10 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs.
1.35pm Arctic Secrets. 2.25 Karla Grant Presents. 3.10 Soh Presents: Generations And Dynasties. 4.30 Karla Grant Presents. 5.00 First Australians. 6.00 Haututu Hunters. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia.
8.30 MOVIE: Poltergeist. (1982, M) 10.30 MOVIE: Purple Rain. (1984, M) 12.25am Late Programs.
6am Morning
Programs. 11.30 Hoarders. 2.05pm Mastermind Aust. 3.05 Heroines. 3.45 WorldWatch. 5.45 Mastermind Aust. 6.45 The Food That Built The World. 7.35 Engineering From Above. 8.30 Icons Unearthed: Marvel. (Premiere) 10.20 Marcella. 12.10am WWE Legends. 1.45 Dark Side Of The ‘90s. 2.40 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Once Upon A Time In China II. (1992, Cantonese) 2.35 The Silver Brumby. (1993, PG) 4.20 Discovering Film. 5.05 The Red Turtle. (2016, PGa, No dialogue) 6.35 Storm Boy. (2019, PG) 8.30 Apocalypse Now Redux. (1979, MA15+alv) 12.20am Getaway Of Love. (2015, MA15+sv, Italian) 1.55 Late Programs.
6.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Silver Slipper Stakes Day and Caulfield Blue Diamond. 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 1. Sydney 500. Day 1. Pre-race and race.
9.30 MOVIE: F9: The Fast Saga. (2021, Mv, R) The true meaning of family gets tested like never before when Dom and the crew search for an old enemy, the cyberterrorist Cipher, who appears to have had a surprising ally in her escape from custody. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, John Cena. 12.20 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 1. Sydney 500. Day 1. Highlights. 1.20 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Presented by Greg Grainger. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 It’s Academic. (R) 5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning
6.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 – Early Morning. 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday. (PG) 12.00 My Way. (PGl) 12.30 Budget Battlers. (PGl, R) 1.30 Great Australian Detour. (R) 2.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 – H’lights. 5.00 9News First At Five. 5.30 Getaway. (PG)
6.00 9News Saturday.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 15 – Night. Coverage includes men’s four-man bobsleigh, ski cross qualifiers and finals and mixed team aerials and ski mountaineering relay.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 15 – Post Midnight. Coverage includes mixed ski mountaineering relay, men’s and women’s mass start speed skating and women’s biathlon.
3.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 15 – Overnight. Coverage includes men’s and women’s mass start speed skating, men’s curling and two-woman bobsleigh heats.
9GEM (81, 92)
Programs. Noon The Outdoor Room. 12.30 This Rugged Coast. 1.30 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 Wildlife ER. 5.00 Horse Racing. Silver Slipper Stakes Day and Caulfield Blue Diamond. 6.00 Harry’s Practice. 6.30 Bondi Vet. 7.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 8.30 Lewis. 10.30 Escape To The Country. 11.30 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 7.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14 – Early Morning. 10.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 14. Replay. 7.30pm Death In Paradise. 8.40 MOVIE: Rambo III. (1988, M) 10.40 MOVIE: Gorky Park. (1983, M) 1.20am MOVIE: Up The Chastity Belt. (1971, PG) 3.20 Death In Paradise. 4.30 M*A*S*H.
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Supercars Season Preview Show. 3.30 Inside Toyota’s Road To Supercars. (Premiere) 4.30 Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Sydney 500. Qualifying and support races. 6.30 Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Sydney 500. Pre-race and race. 7.00 Cricket. Women’s T20. Aust v India. 10.30 Late Programs.
Sunday, February 22
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
TEN (5, 10)
6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Mark Coles Smith. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. Jules loves his inner city beach bungalow, whereas Erin wants space and is keen to search for it.
8.40 The Graham Norton Show. (Ms, R) Graham Norton is joined by Chris Pratt, Cynthia Erivo, Dawn French, Rob Beckett and Jack Savoretti. 9.50 Gogglebox Australia. (R) TV fanatics open up their living rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows. 10.50 Matlock. (PGd, R) Matty and Olympia receive shocking information. 11.50 Elsbeth. (PGa, R) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
9GO! (82, 93)
6am Morning Programs. 12.35pm Rugby Sevens. SVNS Series Perth. H’lights. 1.45 Soccer. English Premier League. Tottenham v Newcastle. 3.45 LEGO Masters. 5.30 MOVIE: Monster Family 2. (2021, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. (2007, M) 10.10 MOVIE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. (2011, MA15+) 1.20am Late Programs.
7.30 Muster Dogs. (PG) The novice handlers face two stock-handling tasks.
8.30 Dog Park. (Ml) Spike goes missing. Roland witnesses the kindness of the dog park community.
9.00 This England. (Mal) Looks at Britain during COVID-19. 9.50 Call The Midwife. (Final, PGa, R) Nancy’s wedding plans take a surprising turn.
10.50 Midsomer Murders. (Mv, R)
12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.00 Dream Gardens. (R) 4.30 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.00 Insiders. (R)
6am Morning Programs. 12.00 PBS News Compass Points. 12.30 PBS Washington Week. 12.55 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 1.00 Speedweek. 3.00 Sailing. Sail Grand Prix Auckland. Round 2. Highlights. 4.00 Going Places. (PGa, R) 5.25 Peleliu: WWII’s Most WellPreserved Battlefield.
6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 The Colosseum With Dan Snow. (Premiere) Dan Snow discovers the real story of The Colosseum. 9.20 Ancient Empires. (MA15+v, R) Looks at the empire built by Alexander the Great, who took just 13 years to conquer the known world.
11.15 Reframed: Marilyn Monroe: Contender. (Mans, R) Takes a look at the life of Marilyn Monroe.
2.35 24 Hours In Emergency. (Mal, R)
3.30 24 Hours In A&E. (Ma, R) 4.25 Bamay. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 Euronews. 5.30 PBS News Horizons.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Super Monsters. 3.55 Odd Squad. 4.20 Dino Dex. 4.45 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.10 PJ Masks. 6.05 Knee High Spies. 6.25 Paddington. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 8.15 MOVIE: A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon. (2019) 9.40 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.00 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 2.05pm
6am Morning Programs. 3pm Jeopardy! 4.15 WorldWatch. 5.15 PBS News Compass Points. 5.45 Smoke And Steel: Secrets Of The Modern World. 6.40 The Architecture The Railways Built. 7.35 Abandoned Engineering. 8.30 Mysteries Unearthed With Danny Trejo. 10.10 Body Parts. 11.45 Late Programs.
6.00 Better Homes. (R) 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. (R) 1.00 Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Round 1. Sydney 500. Day 2. Qualifying and support races. 3.30 Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Round 1. Sydney 500. Day 2. Pre-race and race.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Australian Idol. (PG) Hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.
8.40 Murder On A Cruise. (Mav) Looks at Micki Kanesaki, who vanished during a Mediterranean cruise with her ex-husband in 2006. 10.40 The Hunters: Bondi Hate Murders. (Mav, R) A look at attacks on the gay community.
12.10 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 1. Sydney 500. Day 2. Highlights.
1.10 Temple. (MA15+al)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R)
5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning Programs. Noon Escape To The Country. 1.00 Medical Emergency. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.45 Better Homes. 3.50 The Amazing Homemakers. 4.50 Secrets Of Beautiful Gardens. 5.50 Escape To The Country. 6.50 Vicar Of Dibley. 8.30 Vera. 10.30 Miss Scarlet And The Duke. 11.30 Vicar Of Dibley. 1.10am Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
(5, 10)
6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Surfing Aust. 10.30 GolfBarons. (PG, R) 11.00 Fishing Aust. 11.30 Ready Vet Go: The Vet Paramedics. (PGm, R) 12.00 Take Me Home. (PG, R) 1.00 David Attenborough’s Dynasties II. (PGa, R) 2.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 15 – H’lights. 5.00 News. 5.30 Postcards. (PG) 6am Morning Programs. 8.00 My Market Kitchen. (R) 8.30 Key Ingredient. (R) 9.00 Freshly Picked. 9.30 Travel Oz. 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 GCBC. (R) 11.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGal, R) 2.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) 2.30 Millionaire Hot Seat.
6.00 9News Sunday.
7.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls) Love is in the air at the commitment ceremony.
8.45 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians.
9.45 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 16 – Night.
12.00 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 16 – Post Midnight. 3.30 Ready Vet Go: The Vet Paramedics. (PGm, R)
Fishing Australia. (R)
The Garden Gurus. (R)
Today Early News.
Today. 6.30 10 News+. 7.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (Final) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin. 8.10 NCIS: Sydney. (Mv) The team heads to a wellness retreat to investigate a group of former US Navy SEALs after the suspected suicide of one of their own. 9.10 Law & Order: SVU. (Mas) Rollins and Curry investigate when a woman in active labour is abducted. Carisi tries to get a confession in front of the jury. 10.05 NCIS: Origins. (Mav, R) Gibbs goes undercover.
10 News+. (R)
NCIS. (Mv, R)
Home Shopping. (R)
9GEM (81, 92)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.40 Australian Ninja Warrior. 1.40pm Soccer. English Premier League. Brentford v Arsenal. 3.40 LEGO Masters. 5.10 MOVIE: City Slickers. (1991, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Ocean’s Thirteen. (2007, PG) 10.00 MOVIE: Creed. (2015, M) 12.40am Arrow. 2.25 Jeopardy! Australia. 3.20 Cards And Collectables Australia. 3.50 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 7.30pm Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 16 – Night. 9.45 Paramedics. 10.45 Major Crimes. 11.45 MOVIE: Plenty. (1985, M) 2.15am MOVIE: The Ghost Of St. Michael’s. (1941, PG) 4.00 My Favorite Martian. 4.30 Iconic Australia. 5.30 M*A*S*H.
(82, 93) 6am
(1956,
8.30 Pulp Fiction. (1994, MA15+adlv) 11.20 Triangle Of Sadness. (2022, Malsv) 2am Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 1pm Fishing Addiction. 2.00 Red’s Fishing Adventures. 2.30 Hook, Line And Sinker. 3.00 Pawn Stars. 4.00 Deep Water Salvage. 5.00
Monday, February 23
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Midsomer Murders. (Final, Mv, R) 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Landline. (R) 2.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Australian Story. Australians tell personal stories.
8.30 Four Corners. Investigative journalism program.
9.15 Media Watch. (PG) Presented by Linton Besser.
9.35 Planet America. A look at American politics.
10.05 Dr Karl’s How Things Work: Books. (Final, R)
10.35 ABC Late News.
10.50 The Business. (R)
11.10 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG, R) 11.40 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 12.25 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Morning Programs. 12.10 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News Compass Points. 1.30 Al Jazeera News Hour. 2.00 Legends Of The Pharaohs. (Mav, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PGa, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Building The Impossible. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Inside The Tower Of London. (PG) The Tower stages a gun salute for King Charles III. 8.30 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) Game show, featuring contestants tackling a words and numbers quiz. Hosted by Jimmy Carr.
9.25 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M) Hosted by Greg Davies. 10.05 SBS World News Late.
10.35 Other People’s Money. (Mals)
11.30 Vigil. (MA15+v, R)
2.45 My Name Is Reeva: I Was Murdered By Oscar Pistorius. (Malv, R) 3.40 Bamay. (R) 4.40 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (PGa, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas And Friends. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Gladiators UK. (Return) 9.35 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.15 Late Programs.
NITV (34)
6am Morning Programs.
11.50 Aquariums: The Dark Hobby. 1pm Buckskin. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 The 77 Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Arctic Secrets. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are?
6am Morning
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) Mackenzie remains loyal to Tane. 7.30 Australian Idol. (PG) A nationwide search for Australia’s next singing superstar continues with big voices, surprises and star talent.
9.00 9-1-1. (Madv) Athena revisits a painful part of her past while responding to a call. Buck coaches Harry as he prepares for the firefighter CPAT test.
10.00 Ivan Milat: Buried Secrets. (MA15+av, R) Takes a look at the crimes of Ivan Milat.
12.00 Conviction. (MA15+a, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R)
5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
Programs. 2.10pm History’s Greatest Of All-Time. 2.55 Stories From The Cities. 3.25 WorldWatch. 4.20 Compass Points. 4.50 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Lost Colony Of Roanoke. 9.20 The Billionaires Who Made Our World. 10.15 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 This Rugged Coast. 3.30 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Doc Martin. 8.30 Endeavour. 10.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 11.30 Doc Martin. 12.30am Bargain Hunt. 1.30 Harry’s Practice. 2.00 Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
7MATE (64, 73)
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls, R) 1.40 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Day 16 – H’lights. From Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. 3.10 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News.
6.00 9News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) Over two nights, love is in the air when three new couples enter the experiment.
9.15 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony. The Closing Ceremony of Milano Cortina 2026, from Verona Arena, Verona, Italy.
12.15 Tipping Point. (PG, R) Hosted by Ben Shephard.
1.05 Hello SA. (PG)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
2.30 Global Shop. (R)
3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
4.30 A Current Affair. (R)
5.00 Today Early News.
5.30 Today.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (Return, PGal) Presented by David Genat. 9.00 Matlock. (PGa) The team takes on a harassment case involving the city’s fire department. Matty and Edwin contemplate meeting Joey’s sister. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 11.00 10 News+. (R) 11.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)
Programs. 11.30 Getaway. Noon Elements Of Disaster. 1.00 MOVIE: Take Me High. (1974) 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: The Frightened City. (1961, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.40 The Brokenwood Mysteries. 10.40 London Kills. 11.40 M*A*S*H. 12.40am Late Programs.
9GO! (82, 93)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 LEGO Masters Aust Vs World. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Wolf Of Wall Street. (2013, MA15+) 12.15am Seinfeld. 12.45 Love Island UK. 1.40 Legacies. 2.30 Surfing Aust. 3.00 Late Programs.
8.30 Karla Grant Presents. 9.30 MOVIE: 8 Seconds. (1994, M) 11.20 Always Was Always Will Be. Midnight Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 12.40pm Motherhood. (2022, Ma, Japanese) 2.50 The Movie Show. (Final) 3.25 The Red Turtle. (2016, PGa, No dialogue) 4.55 A King In New York. (1957, PGa) 6.50 The 39 Steps. (1935) 8.30 Casablanca. (1942, PGav) 10.25 Amadeus. (1984, Mans) 1.20am Pulp Fiction. (1994, MA15+adlv) 4.10 Late Programs.
Tuesday, February 24
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Mission To Space With Francis Bourgeois. (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Call The Midwife. (Final, PGa, R) 2.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (R) 4.00 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Secrets Of The Terror Whale. (R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Legends Of The Pharaohs. (Mas, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PGa, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Robson Green’s British Adventure. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
(R) 11.05 Four Corners. (R) 11.50 Media Watch. (PG, R) 12.10 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 1.00 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mals, R)
5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30
7.30. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? (Ml, R) 8.35 Australia’s Greatest Conman? The Friedrich Factor. (Premiere, Ml) 9.35 Air India Crash: What Went Wrong? (Ma, R)
10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 Exit. (MA15+ads, R) 12.00 Syndrome E. (Malv, R) 2.05 Safe Home. (Mal, R) 3.00 My Name Is Reeva: I Was Murdered By Oscar Pistorius. (Mav, R) 3.55 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 4.25 Bamay. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas And Friends. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Whale With Steve Backshall. 9.25 Meet The Hedgehogs. 10.10 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Bamay. 2.50 Kars & Stars. 3.25 WorldWatch. 5.25 Mysteries From Above. 6.20 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.10 Jeopardy! 7.40 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Search For El Dorado. 9.20 Shark. 10.15 Casketeers Life & Death Across The Globe. 11.10 Out Of Bounds. 12.55am Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Sydney 500. H’lights. 3.30 Motor Racing. Supercars C’ship. Sydney 500. H’lights. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Outback Opal Hunters. 9.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 10.30 Mighty Planes. 11.30 Late Programs.
SEVEN (6, 7)
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) John’s attempt at DIY goes awry.
7.30 Australian Idol. Hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.
9.10 Doc. (Mav) Amy and Gina, with an assist from Jake, team up to help a victim of domestic abuse.
10.10 Ambulance: Code Red. (Ma) A man is seriously injured after his car left the road.
11.10 St. Denis Medical. (PGals) Alex helps Joyce with wedding planning. 12.10 Childhood’s End. (Mav)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 1.30 One Road: Great Australian Road Trips. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2.30 Air Crash Inv: Accident Files. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Call The Midwife. 8.45 Judge John Deed. 10.45 Northern Lights. 11.45 Late Programs.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) The original couples celebrate their first milestone.
9.10 The Hunting Wives. (Premiere, MA15+lsv) New to East Texas, a woman bonds with a local who shows her another side of life. 10.15 9News Late. 10.45 Wild Cards. (Mv) 11.35 Next Stop. 12.05 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.00 Destination WA. 1.30 TV Shop:
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs. Noon Death In Paradise. 1.00 The Brokenwood Mysteries. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: Seven Nights In Japan. (1976, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 New Tricks. 8.40 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 10.40 Harry Wild. 11.40 M*A*S*H. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 Late Programs.
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.15 LEGO Masters Aust Vs World. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Expend4bles. (2023, MA15+) 10.30 Seinfeld. 11.30 The 100. 12.25am Love Island UK. 1.25 Legacies. 2.15 Cards And Collectables Australia. 2.55 Late Programs.
Wednesday, February 25
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
6am Morning Programs. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Legends Of The Pharaohs. (PGsv, R) 3.00 Going Places. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Robson Green’s British Adventure. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
SEVEN (6, 7)
NINE (8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 11.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 2.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Hard Quiz. (PGa) Hosted by Tom Gleeson.
8.30 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PG) A satirical news program.
9.00 Dog Park. (Ml, R) Spike goes missing.
9.25 QI. (Ma) Hosted by Sandi Toksvig.
10.00 Planet America. (R)
10.35 ABC Late News.
10.50 The Business. (R)
11.05 Live At The Wireless. (PG, R) 11.40 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 12.30 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.20 Smother. (Mal, R)
5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Children’s Programs. 1.50pm Kangaroo Beach. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.55 Adv Time. 9.55 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. 10.20 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Morning Programs. 11.30 House Of Blak: Miss First Nation. Noon Piri’s Tiki Tour. 12.30 Song Of Rapa Nui. 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Great Blue Wild. 7.30 Extraordinary Animals. 8.40 MOVIE: This Is Ballroom. (2024) 10.25 Kiki. 12.05am Going Places. 1.00 Late Programs. NITV (34)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Saving Yellowstone: The Bellweathers. Looks at the Yellowstone region’s ecosystem.
8.30 Australia’s Greatest Conman? The No-Person. (PGal) Marc Fennell concludes his investigation of John Friedrich. 9.30 Trespasses. (MA15+l) Cushla confides in Gerry and Gina. 10.25 SBS World News Late. 10.55 Face To Face. (Ma, R) 11.50 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (MA15+a, R) 1.40 Divided We Stand. (Mal, R) 3.25 My Name Is Reeva: I Was Murdered By Oscar Pistorius. (Ma, R) 4.20 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am Morning
Programs. 12.05pm DW The Day. 12.30 Stone Cold Takes On America. 1.15 WWE Rivals. 2.10 Coronado: The New Evidence. 3.20 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. 9.20 MOVIE: Goodfellas. (1990, MA15+) Midnight Late Programs.
SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)
6am Morning Programs. 11.45 Amadeus. (1984, Mans) 2.40pm A King In New York. (1957, PGa) 4.35 The 39 Steps. (1935) 6.15 Philadelphia. (1993, PGals) 8.30 Adaptation. (2002, MA15+ad) 10.40 One Cut Of The Dead. (2017, MA15+vw, Japanese) 12.25am The Big Short. (2015, Mln) 2.50 The Peacock. (2023, Malns) 4.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) Remi threatens to be reckless.
7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PG) Hosted by Lee Mack.
8.30 Highway Patrol. (PGl) While on his way to Bonnie Doon, a driver is caught racing through a stop sign.
9.00 Operation Dark Phone: Murder By Text. (MA15+a) The investigation reveals a first drug exportation from the UK and a half-tonne of ecstasy bound for Australia.
10.00 Air Crash Investigations: A Perfect Storm. (PGa) Looks at Nuremberg Flight 108. 11.00 To Be Advised. 12.40 The Act. (MA15+ans, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62, 72)
6am Morning
Programs. Noon Australian Idol. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Escape To The Country. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 Inspector George Gently. 10.45 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. 12.45am Bargain Hunt. 1.45 Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73)
6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Truckers. 3.30 Desert Collectors. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.30 The Force: BTL. 9.30 Caught On Dashcam. 10.30 World’s Wildest Police Videos. 11.30 Live PD Presents: PD Cam. Midnight Late Programs.
Thursday, February 26
ABC TV (2) SBS (3)
TEN (5, 10)
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (Mls, R) 1.45 Talking Honey. (PG, R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News.
6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) A bride sends the dinner party into chaos.
9.00 MOVIE: I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not. (2025, MA15+aadl)
A look at the life and career of Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd. 11.00 9News Late.
11.30 A Remarkable Place To Die. (Mlv, R)
12.20 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.10 Great Australian Detour. (R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) 3.00 Home Shopping. 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.
9GEM (81, 92)
6am Morning Programs. 11.30 M*A*S*H. Noon New Tricks. 1.00 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: The Maggie. (1954) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Keeping Up Appearances. 8.40 Midsomer Murders. 10.40 The Madame Blanc Mysteries. 11.40 M*A*S*H. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 Late Programs.
9GO! (82, 93)
6am Morning Programs. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Shazam! (2019, M) 11.10 Seinfeld. 12.10am The 100. 1.00 Love Island UK. 2.00 Legacies. 2.55 Motor Racing. Indycar Series. Sonsio Grand Prix. H’lights. 4.00 Late Programs.
SEVEN (6, 7)
(8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 10.30 The Weekly. (Ml, R) 11.00 Creative Types. (PGv, R) 11.30 QI. (Ma, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Bergerac. (Ml, R) 2.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 Legends Of The Pharaohs. (Ma, R) 3.00 Going Places. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Robson Green’s British Adventure. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Grand Designs Transformations: Mulgrave Spanish Arch And Sandford Glasshouse. (Final)
9.00 Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job. (Final) Amanda and Alan renovate the last two rooms.
9.30 Muster Dogs. (PG, R) The handlers and their pups perform assessment tasks.
10.30 If You’re Listening. (R) 10.55 ABC Late News. 11.10 The Business. (R) 11.25 Love Your Garden. (PG, R) 12.15 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 1.00 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 1.50pm Kangaroo Beach. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.30 Wiggle. 4.10 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.35 Vida The Vet. 5.40 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago. 8.00 Deadly 60. 8.35 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.20 The Wonderful World Of Kittens. 10.00 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Toronto Airport Uncovered. Spring break brings a surge in passengers. 8.25 Robson Green: World’s Most Amazing Walks. (PG) Robson Green heads to southern Poland as he explores the legendary Trail of the Eagle’s Nest.
9.20 A Spy Among Friends. Lily knows Elliott will never reveal his secrets. 10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 In Memoriam. (Malsv) 11.50 The Hollow. (Malv, R) 1.50 Silent Road. (Mav, R) 4.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
SBS VICELAND (31)
6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm DW The Day. 1.00 The Billionaires Who Made Our World. 1.55 Bamay. 2.15 Insight. 3.20 WorldWatch. 5.20 Mysteries From Above. 6.15 Curse Of Oak Island. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 History’s Greatest Mysteries. 10.10 Brassic. 12.15am Couples Therapy. 2.00 Late Programs.
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Catch Phrase. (PG, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies: Celebrity Specials. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. Leah comforts Lacey. 8.30 MOVIE: Notting Hill. (1999, Mls, R) The life of a bookshop owner changes after a Hollywood celebrity enters his shop in Notting Hill while promoting her latest movie. The unlikely duo soon face all manner of obstacles to make their romance work. Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Rhys Ifans. 11.05 To Be Advised.
6am Morning Programs. 2pm South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Emergency. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs.
7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. Noon MOVIE: This Is Ballroom. (2024) 2.00 Kriol Kitchen. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Going Places. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Great Blue Wild. 7.30 Going Places. 8.30 The Green Veil. 9.30
9GO! (82, 93) 6am Morning Programs. 11.55 The Big Short. (2015, Mln) 2.15pm Thirteen Days. (2000, PGal) 4.50 Love And Friendship. (2016, PGa) 6.30 Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. (1967, PGal) 8.30 Michael Clayton. (2007, MA15+l) 10.40 The Bridges Of Madison County. (1995, Ml) 1.10am Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 11.30 LEGO Masters Aust Vs World. 2pm Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: There’s Something About Mary. (1998, MA15+) 11.00 Seinfeld. Midnight Rugby Heaven. 1.00 Love Island UK. 2.00 Legacies. 2.55 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Highway Patrol. 2.30 The Force: BTL. 3.30 Desert Collectors. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers: Best Of. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 More Power. 8.30 MOVIE: Hellboy. (2004, M) 11.00 MOVIE: The New Mutants. (2020, M) 1am Late Programs.
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PGls) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Presented by David Genat. 9.00 Elsbeth. (Mv) Elsbeth investigates when a crisis manager vanishes inside a billionaire’s panic room. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather. 11.00 The Weekly Kick-Off. A panel discusses Australian soccer news. 12.00 10 News+. (R) 12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R)
TEN (5, 10)
6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R) 9.00 The Finish Line. (R) 10.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 10.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl, R) 12.00 Farm To Fork. 12.30 Family Feud. (PG, R) 1.00
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney. 7.30 Gogglebox Australia. Opinionated viewers discuss TV shows. 8.30 The Graham Norton Show. (Ml) Graham Norton is joined by Sir Idris Elba, Martin Freeman, Erin Doherty, Wunmi Mosaku and singer-songwriter Olivia Dean. 9.40 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather.
10 News+. (R)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG)
Home Shopping. (R)
Cruise North America
By Lee Mccarthy
Take in historic cities and rugged shores withViking’s15-dayCanadaandEastCoast Explorer voyage from Toronto, Ontario to FortLauderdale,Floridaorviceversa.
Fifteen days, seven guided tours, two countries and countless meals and experiencesensurethisistheperfectonce inalifetimecruise.
Start the cruise in Toronto savouring the diversity of Toronto’s food scene and exploresomeofthecity’streasures.
On day two, guests can experience the series of locks, canals and channels that comprisetheSt.LawrenceSeaway.
Day three, those who wish to can be immersed in the religious heritage of Trois-Rivieres during a trip to a historic shrinetotheVirginMary.
Guests can explore the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield during an exhilarating Zodiac ride or take to the water in a kayak and explore the surrounding with a member of the Viking ExpeditionTeam.
For the culinary lovers enjoy a selection oflocalfavouritesasyouexplorethecity’s culinary roots during a walk around Trois-Rivières.
Travellers will step back in time to explore the intriguing history of Quebec City during an excursion through its old town or explore the contrasting landscapes that form the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area during a hiking excursion.
Experience the world’s largest naval baseinNorfolk,travelNovaScotia’sshores and rugged landscapes and visit Quebec’s NationalParks.
Viking’s inclusive value includes everything you need, such as a guided excursionineveryport,allonboardmeals including alternative dining venues, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, unlimited Wi-Fi, 24-hour specialty tea, coffee, and bottled water, access to the state-of-the-art Nordic spa, self-service laundry,andalltipping.Withnochildren, no casinos, fewer than 1,000 guests, and all veranda staterooms, Viking’s award-winning ships take you as close as possibletoeachdestination.
Guests can go underground in Cape Breton and get a glimpse of what life was like digging coal at the Cape Breton MinersMuseum.
One treat guaranteed to please is a visit toPeggy’sCovetoenjoyadeliciouslobster lunch in the picture-perfect postcard seasidevillageordiscoverdistinctlyNova
ScotianwinesduringavisittoPetitRivière Vineyards in the Lahave River Valley or sample a selection of local beer in Nova Scotia’s picturesque South Shore district. Enjoy Charleston’s southern charm and colonial homes and embark on a guided exploration by motor coach or experience the natural beauty of the low country duringavisittooneoftheonlyteamfarms intheUnitedStates.
LearnhowtopreparetypicalCharleston dishes during an interactive cooking demonstration and explore the streets of Charleston during a walking tour as guestsareinvitedtostepinsideoneofthe city’shistorichomes.
The cruise arrives in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, with many guests taking advantage of the Post Cruise Extension to enjoy additional days exploring. A two-night extension in Ft Lauderdale costsfrom$1499andisastunningendtoa trulystunningfifteendays.
While sailing, guests can attend lectures, watch a film in the eight thousand laser-projected panoramic screeninTheAulaorfocusonwiningand dining, whatever the choice, Viking offers an unbeatable holiday in understated elegance.
Right now, the cruise is priced from $12,295 per person for a Nordic Balcony saving up to $2500 per booking with Viking’s“Flyfree,flightupgradecredit”. Bookbefore31March2026.
Experience the world’s largest naval base in Norfolk on day eleven of Viking’s 15-day Canada and East Coast Explorer voyage.
Explore Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on the fifteen-day Viking Canada and East Coast Explorer cruise. (Supplied)
7 Nights
unforgettable
Dec 2026 - Mar 2027
Iconic Experiences, Expertly Escorted
Full day Barossa Valley tour with lunch and wine tastings including: Saltram wine estate, lunch and wine tasting at Lambert Estate, visit to Barossa Valley Chocolate Company, photo stop at Menglers Hill Lookout, vineyard tour & wine tasting at Jacob’s Creek visitor centre, stop at Beerenberg Farm, and free time in Hahndorf to explore the historic German settlement
2 day Kangaroo Island tour including: Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, Clifford’s Honey Farm, In-Flight Birds of Prey Display at Raptor Domain, Seal Bay Conservation Park guided beach walk, lunch at Emu Bay Lavender Farm, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, and Flinders Chase National Park
Full-Board River Elegance
3 night Murray River cruise on board PS Murray Princess with all meals and sightseeing Tour of Murray River Bridge and historic Roundhouse
Guided nature walk of Salt Bush Flat Taste Riverland food and wine
Dragon-Fly flat-bottomed boat wildlife tour
Hand-Picked Hotel Stays
3 nights four-star hotel stay in Adelaide with breakfast
1 night four-star hotel stay in Kangaroo Island with breakfast, lunch and dinner All Flights, Taxes & Transfers
DAYS • 1 COUNTRY 11 GUIDED TOURS SET SAIL • MAY, AUG-DEC 2026; JAN-JUN, AUG-DEC 2027; 2028
Step into the land of pharaohs and timeless wonders. Viking invites you to experience Egypt like never before. Sail the legendary Nile on a 12-day cruisetour through Egypt and enjoy an included shore excursion to the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum — the world’s largest archaeological museum and home to Tutankhamun’s treasures. Witness history in the making while indulging in the comfort and elegance of Viking’s award-winning river ships.
From $11,395pp in Standard Stateroom From $13,695pp in Veranda Stateroom
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Geelong Independent Community Calendar, 1/47 Pakington Street, Geelong West, 3218, or email to editorial@geelongindependent.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is 5pm Tuesday. Due to the ever increasing entries coming in each week for our Community Calendar page, we have enough to fill almost three pages. This means your entry will not appear each week. We will do our best to rotate them fairly. If you have an existing entry that no longer operates, please let us know so we can remove it. Your patience and understanding is welcome for this FREE service. The calendar in its entirety with every entry is posted every Saturday at 9am at geelongindy.com.au
Austrian Club Geelong Alpine music featuring Alpen Musikanten, Sunday 22 February, noon-5pm. Tickets $20 ($15 members). Meals and drinks available.
Irmela, 0435995 200
Book sale
Uniting Grovedale, 272 Torquay Road, 6 and 7 March, 10am-2pm. All books $1, children’s books 50 cents.
Ballroom dance
Leopold Hall, 805-809 Bellarine Highway, Saturday 21 February, 7.30-10.30pm, $10 includes supper, music Ben. Lois Pierce 100th celebration, Saturday 28 February. Admission free. Music: Charles.
0400 500 402
Leopold Book Club
Meets second Tuesday of the month at 6.30pm in Leopold. Very friendly group, new members welcome.
Shirley, 0488 055 969
Ocean Grove Library
Mondays 10.30-11.30am: preschool story time Tuesdays 4-5pm: youth collective (ages 12-18) Wednesdays 9.30-10am: toddler time Thursdays 11.30-11.50am: baby time Thursdays 3.45-4.45pm: after-school program Thursdays 3-4pm: tech help - drop in session for basic tech needs Library closed Thursday 26 February to Wednesday 18 March for building maintenance and repainting works.
Church
Aberdeen Street Baptist Church, each Sunday 10am to worship, sing and enjoy traditional hymns followed by morning tea. All welcome.
Hamlyn Heights Combined Probus Meets second Thursday of the month, 10am, 200 McCurdy Road, Fyansford.
Noel, 0425 706 339
Esoteric coffee meetups
For mature 18+ interested in the supernatural/occult paranormal experiences tarot cards, Anton La Vey, NDE, for fortnightly/coffee and chat catch-ups in northern Geelong/Geelong area. Bookings limited.
Text name/details, 0400542 522
Combined Probus Belmont Central Combined Probus Club of Belmont Central meets at 10.30am on the second Wednesday of each month at Waurn Ponds Hotel. Visitors welcome.
Publicity officer, 0417 555 547
Geelong Central Probus
Third Friday of the month, 9.45am, Geelong RSL.
geelcentprob@gmail.com
Newcomb Probus
Third Wednesday of each month, 10am, East Geelong Uniting Church, corner Boundary & Ormond Roads.
Gary, 0407 320 735
Music for preschoolers
Mainly Music is a music and movement program for babies to preschoolers at St Albans-St Andrews Uniting Church, 276 Wilsons Road, Whittington, Tuesdays 10am during school terms.
Rhonda, 0437 241 345
Leopold Library
Career Pathways covers careers in the sport industry, Thursday 26 February, 6-7.30pm.
4201 0675
Book Fair
Rotary Club of Geelong West, Geelong West Town Hall, Friday 20 February 9am-6pm, Saturday 21 February 9am-5pm, Sunday 22 February 9am-2pm. All adult books $2, children’s books $1.
Rostrum meets
Geelong Rostrum Public Speaking Club Inc meets each Monday.
Andrew, 0408 369 446, or Jan, 0407 296 958
Highton Seniors
Carpet bowls, bingo, cards, taichi, line dancing, mahjong. Community Centre, 84 Barrabool Road, Highton.
Elma, 0411 065 524
Australian Multicultural Support Services
Social Support Groups for communities from different multicultural backgrounds for seniors over 65. Meals, activities and fun. White Eagle House, Breakwater. 10am-2.30pm Fridays.
9689 9170, amcservices.org.au, or info@amcservices.org.au
Cards Wanted: card sharp partners to play the game of Bolivia on Thursday evenings. For venue email Ingrid.
griddlepop@hotmail.com
Geelong Historical Society Inc.
Guest speaker first Wednesday of each month, 7.30pm, Virginia Todd Hall, 9 Clarence Street, Geelong West.
Harry, 0473 807 944, or geelonghistoricalsociety.org.au
Stamps
Geelong Philatelic Society Inc meets 7pm
first Saturday of the month (excluding January) at Virginia Todd Community Hall, 9-15 Clarence Street, Geelong West, and 12.30pm third Monday of the month (excluding December) at Belmont Pavillion, 162 Barrabool Road, Belmont.
Julie, 0438 270 549
Scrabble club
Christ Church hall, corner Moorabool & McKillop Streets, 1pm Saturdays. Beginners to experts welcome.
Pauline, 0429 829 773, or John, 0434 142 282
Games
Scrabble, chess, board games or cards. Tuesdays 2-5pm, All Saints’ Parish Hall, Newtown. Afternoon tea provided.
Dinah, 0418 547 753
Book club
Leopold CAE book club meets second Tuesday of each month 6.30pm.
Shirley, 0488 055 969
Sing Australia Geelong Choir
Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pm at Senior Citizens Centre, 52 Thomson Street, Belmont. No
auditions needed.
Mary, 0419 278 456
Mindfulness & meditation U3A 9.30am and 12.30pm Wednesdays, Cobbin Farm, Grove Road, Grovedale.
Jean, 5264 7484
Lions Club of Geelong Breakfast Inc
Inviting anyone interested in having fun and serving others to meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 8am, Eastern Hub (behind East Geelong Cemetery), followed by breakfast. Dinner event third Thursday of each month in Geelong.
ajd53m@yahoo.com
Scribes Writers Group
South Barwon Community Centre, Mondays 9.30am-noon. Welcoming new members to refine their skills.
geelongscribeswriters@gmail.com or 5243 8388
Ballroom dancing
Belmont Park Pavilion, Thursdays 2-4pm.
Val, 5251 3529
Kids’ church
Group lessons for children aged 3-6, 7-10 and 10+, St Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, 171a Latrobe Terrace, Geelong, first Sunday of the month during school term, 10.30-11.30am.
Suzie, 0402-963 855, or Althea, 0403 005 449
Geelong Dragon Boat Club Paddle at Barwon River. Training Wednesdays 5pm, Saturdays 9am. Free one-month trial.
revolutionise.com.au/geelongdragons
Mainly Music for Preschoolers
Sessions of music and movement for preschoolers, St Barnabas and St Paul’s Church, 105 Wilsons Road, Newcomb. Every Thursday during term time 10-11.30am.
Wendy, 0461 582 618
Zonta Club of Geelong
Meets monthly for dinner first Wednesday of the month between February and December at 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start. RSVP essential.
zontageelong.org.au or zontaclubgeelong@ yahoo.com.au
Children’s play group
For babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with parent/carer. Free play, story time, and music. Wednesdays 10-11.30am in school term, St John’s Highton, 269 Roslyn Road, Highton.
office@stjohnshighton.org.au or 0433-191 890
Combined Probus Club of Highton Meets third Thursday of each month, South Barwon Football & Netball clubrooms, McDonald Reserve, Reynolds Road, Belmont, 10am.
Sandra, 0427 348 260
Geelong Prostate Support Group Meets last Friday of the month (except December), 10am-noon, Belmont Park Pavilion, 162 Barrabool Road, Belmont. Bill, 0414 524 155, or info@geelongpsg.net
Geelong ballroom dancing
Saturdays 7.30-10.15pm, corner Bayview Parade and Carey Street, Hamlyn Heights. Entry: $10. BYO drinks and a plate. 5278 9740, or geelongballroomdc.com.au
Corio Bay Lions Club Meetings First and third Thursday of each month at 6.30pm.
geelongcoriobay.vic@lions.org.au
Alcoholics (and other addicts) For Christ 12 Steps Group Meets Thursdays 7.30pm at Belmont-Highton Baptist Church, 43 Mt Pleasant Road, Belmont. 0420 910 763
Western Heights Uniting Tennis Club Hot Shots for beginners, Creamery Road, Bell Post Hill, Monday afternoons, 4.15pm or 4.45pm sessions.
Bruce, 0402 135 313
Belmont Seniors
Players wanted to play 500 each Monday 12.30pm. Belmont Senior Centre, 52 Thomson Street, Belmont. 5241 1776
Geelong Vietnam Veterans Coffee and chat, 31 Mt Pleasant Road, Belmont, Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10am-3pm. Fortnightly lunch at various locations. Meetings second Monday of each month.
Gary, 0400 862 727
Welcome mat Belmont Uniting Church every Friday from 10am-1pm. Games, lunch and friendship.
Fay, 0409 361 414
OMNI
Older Men New Ideas men’s friendly informal chat group, South Barwon Community Centre, 33 Mt Pleasant Road, Belmont, 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 10.30am. Allan, 0409 665 608
Bike riding
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from Belmont. Rides to suit all levels of fitness; e-bikes welcome.
Rob, 0412 308 166
Lara Community Market Run by Rotary Club of Lara District every second Sunday of the month at Lara RSL 9am-1pm.
Geelong Amateur Radio Club Storrer Street Clubhouse, Geelong, Wednesdays 1.30-4pm, Fridays 6.30pm. Robert, 0438 409 97 or vk3atl.org
Choir
St Paul’s Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 7.45p-8.45pm and 9.30am Sunday for 10.30am service. Choral scholarships available. Occasional choir for those unable to make commitment to main choir. Tom Healey, 0451 960 768, or healeytf@gmail.com
Fun at the Sunset Run
The 2026 Flying Brick Bellarine Sunset Run was held on Saturday 14 February with a half-marathon and 10km run and the 4km Bully Buster for kids. The event was sold out with more than 1800 participants and Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was at Portarlington to see some of the competitors enjoying themselves.
Running can be
534317_13
Still smiling at the start of the Bully Buster run. 534317_04
Tiarne Rowe with daughters Airlie and Ivy and grandmother Gayla Frith. 534317_10
Jasper Lindsay with his grandmother Donna Brown. 534317_11
Summer Sharks members Kyla Borrow, Aussi Evans, Ian Pigdon and Lilli McDonald at the end of their run. 534317_12
The run to the line. 534317_14
Eddie McEwen with his medal. 534317_15
Jason Shaw and daughters Oceana and Milly all competed. 534317_16
Emily Verren and her father Richard ran together. 534317_17
Alana Dalli with son Maverick after her run. 534317_18
Carol Vella and her dog Rueben both ran. 534317_19
Bradley White is joined at the end of his run by his daughters Charlotte and Makenzie. 534317_21
SPORTS QUIZ
1. In TheWaterboy, what is the nickname of the team Adam Sandler’s character eventually plays for?
2. Who is Australia’s Chef de Mission at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
3. Quentin Peterson last
4. Which Ipswich-born Australian sprinter recently announced he will not be competing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
5. Brisbane Broncos prop Payne Haas will play
The national netball team of which country is known as the Sunshine Girls?
Los Angeles Laker Jaxson Hayes recently served a one-game suspension
Australian golfer Elvis Smylie recently won the 2026 edition of which LIV
Which two teams took part in the 2026 AFL Origin
Who will Australia face in the opening game of the 2027 Rugby World Cup?
11. In curling, what is the object thrown known as?
12. And what are they made of?
13. Who created the martial art Jeet Kune Do (JKD)?
14. To the nearest million, what is the 2026 AFL salary cap?
15. Which NBA player is nicknamed ‘The Beard’?
16. Which sport league is abbreviated as NPB?
17. Which team won Super Bowl LX (2026)?
18. And in that game, who became the second Australian to play in a Super Bowl?
19. Which running back was awarded the MVP of Super Bowl LX?
20. Which politician was booed during the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony?
21. What is the last name of English cricketing brothers Tom and Sam?
22. Which 2026 reality TV show pits Australian athletes from different sporting codes against each other?
23. How many players are there in a handball team?
24. Which two countries participated in the Olympic ice hockey game known as the ‘Miracle on Ice’?
25. And in which year was that Olympics held?
26. Alongside Josh Giddey, which other Australian basketballer will earn $38 million in 2026?
27. In snooker, what colour is the ball that is worth five points?
28. Which MLS team shares its name with a firstresponder NBC show?
29. True or false: ultimate frisbee is a contact sport?
30. Mark Evans is currently the CEO of which AFL club?
The stars are all aligning
By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring
Great Wall’s Haval H6 PHEV is the third plug-in hybrid that we have driven in as many weeks.
Dating back to 2011, the third generation H6 made its debut at the 2020 Chengdu Motor Show.
And, all jokes aside, it’s the first Haval to sit on the ‘Lemon’ platform – we kid you not.
H6isGWM’sall-time,best-sellingmodel, with more than 4 million sales globally.
The plug-in version was added in 2021, with a new-look front and available in petrol, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid form.
“Every inch of the H6 has been meticulously considered,” we’re told.
Styling
There’s an H6 for just about everyone, with prices ranging from $35,990 for the entry level petrol model through to $50,990 for the top-of-the-line plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive.
The standard, self-charging hybrid is priced from $40,990, while you can get into the plug-in version from as little as $44,990. Premium paint adds $495 to the price.
Plug-in hybrids have really taken off in the Australian market with the arrival of cheaper, more accessible Chinese models.
The attraction is their versatility, with their ability to operate in pure electric or fuel-saving petrol-electric mode – without any range fears.
H6’s Chinese competitors include the BYD Sealion 6 and Geely Starray EM-i. These wagons are all roughly around the same price and offer the same kind of performance and range.
Our test vehicle, the front-drive H6 Ultra PHEV is priced from $47,990.
All-wheel drive takes this figure to $50,990 – all prices before on-road costs.
The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a turbocharged engine was introduced here with the facelift in July 2025.
Up front, the cascading grille carries the Haval logo, thankfully no longer in garish red.
At the rear, the full-width light bar has been replaced by sharply angled, individual tail lights giving the wagon a more contemporary look.
However, the ‘Haval’ badge at the back has been replaced with ‘GWM’, reflecting the brand’s transition to a single, unified identity.
Of greater note, the facelift saw the introduction of GWM’s AT1 program (AustralianTuning)thatdrawsontheskills of former Holden engineer Rob Trubiani to tune ride and handling.
It’s the same path taken by both Kia and Hyundai years ago, and could turn out to be a game changer for the brand.
H6 is the first model to benefit from this tuning and it shows in spades.
Standard kit includes artificial leather andtwo-zoneclimateair,withrearoutlets, power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats, with driver-seat memory and a heated steering wheel.
There are also 19-inch alloys, push-button start, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, auto high beam, traffic signrecognition,LEDlightsall-round,auto lightsandwipers,auto-dimmingrear-view mirror, rear privacy glass, electric tailgate and panoramic sunroof.
The PHEV comes with rear parking sensors,butforsomestrangereasonmisses out on sensors for the front.
H6 is converted by a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, along with an eight-year unlimited-kilometre battery pack warranty. There’s also five-year roadside assistance and five-year capped price servicing.
Infotainment
Infotainment consists of a 14.6-inch touchscreen powered by the GWM’s Coffee OS.
There’s Bluetooth, voice control, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus eight-speaker audio (PHEVs boost the number of speakers to nine).
Telematics provides remote access and controlofvariousvehiclefunctions.
Two USB A-ports are provided in the front, a USB-A and USB-C port in the rear, andadashcamportlocatednearthemirror, with 12-volt sockets in the front and in the luggage area, along with wireless phone charging.
Safety
H6 carries a full five-star safety rating from ANCAP.
Inordertoconfirmintegrityofthebattery andsafetyofhighvoltageelectricalsystems in hybrid and PHEV variants, additional frontal offset and oblique pole tests were conducted.
As a result, the previous five-star safety rating was extended to all petrol, hybrid, andPHEVvariantsofH6.
Seven airbags are standard, including a centre airbag to stop those in the front from bangingheadsinasideimpactcrash.
A 360-degree camera with 180 degree overheadtransparentchassisviewisfitted.
Autonomous emergency braking applies to car-to-car, vulnerable road user and junctionassistscenarios.
There are also blind spot alert and a lane support system with lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and emergency lane keeping,plusanadvancedspeedassistance systemthatkeepstocurrentspeedlimits.
Engines/transmissions
The hybrid powertrain in the H6 PHEV produces 240kW of power and 540Nm of torque in front-wheel drive form, with a dual-speeddedicatedhybridtransmission.
With all-wheel drive, this rises to 268kW and760kW,givingita0-100km/htimeof4.8 seconds.
Eitherway,they’reimpressivefigures.
Driving
H6 is a mid-sized, five-seat wagon that is 4703mm long, with a 27638mm wheelbase and between 560 and 1445 litres of luggage capacity–thelatterwithrearseatsfolded.
Apart from real leather trim (Comfort-Tek is a euphemism for artificial), there’s not muchmissingfromtheequipmentlist.
Oddly, that is, except for rear parking sensors and automatic parking which are unaccountably missing in this grade.
A column-mounted gear selector frees up space on the centre console for additional storage and provides space for thewirelessphonecharger.
Like the Geely, a small 10.25-inchscreensitsabovethe steering column and serves as theinstrumentcluster.
RATINGS
Looks: 7.5
Performance: 7.5
Safety: 8
Thirst: 7.5
Practicality: 7.5
Comfort: 7
Tech: 7.5
Value: 7.5
Overall: 7.5
An automatically activated parking brake addstoeaseofuse.
With a 55-litre tank, H6 takes standard 91 RONunleaded.
Claimed fuel consumption with a fully charged battery is 1.0L/100km (1.1L for AWD).
If you’re slack and let the battery run down, consumption rises to 5.0L/100km (5.3LforAWD).
Sadly, we confess to being apathetic and were getting 5.9L/100km after more than 250kmofdriving.
With energy consumption at 18.4 kWh/100km, the PHEV has a pure electric driving range of 106km or 100km for the AWDversion.
Unfortunately,thesefiguresareunderthe older, more lenient NEDC test regime, that car companies continue to quote because theylookbetterinprint.
A WLTP figure of 80km is closer to the mark.
The 19.09 kWh battery can be charged from30percentto80percentin28minutes using a DC charger (at a rate of 34kW), or from 15 per cent to 100 per cent using an AC chargerinunderthreehours(at6.6kW).
Who we wonder wants to half-charge their battery when that presumably means halftherangetoo?
The hybrid system operates in both series or parallel mode, powering the wheels or battery, with EV, EV Priority and Intelligent Hybridmodes.
Steering weight can be adjusted, with comfortable,sportorlightsettings.
There is also adjustable regenerative braking with the option of one-pedal driving – although the latter does not bring thevehicletoacompletestop.
Driving the H6 PHEV feels much like its competitors around town, but with a bit moregetupandgo.
Find some twisty roads, however, turn up the wick and the wagon comes to life,
with braking and handling that is superiortoitsChinesecompatriots. Handlingissafe,predictableand planted, with strong mid-range throttle response and impressive braking.
The wagon has a substantial, dare we say Commodore, feel, absorbing bumps rather than crashing over them, with very little rebound.
Whatever Great Wall is paying Mr Trubiani, it’s money in the bank.
But it’s not all peaches and cream. The interior feels drab and dated in comparison to competitors, with too many features controlled from the touchscreen, taking attentionawayfromtheroad. Then there’s the annoying driver seatbelt which must be locked in before the brakes willreleaseandthewagoncanmoveoff. It’sagreatidea,safety-wisethatis,butnot averypracticalone.
The throttle exhibits some overrun, evident as the car continues to accelerate after lifting off the accelerator, forcing the drivertobrake–sometimeshurriedly.
Thiscanbeunnervinginstop-starttraffic and parking behind another vehicle on a steepish driveway, where the car tends to leap forward on liftoff, threatening to ram thecarinfront.
The column-mounted transmission lever hasanothertrapwaitingwhereitispossible to put the car into reverse if you mistake the gear lever for the indicator stalk with your foot on the brake (e.g. queuing for a left-handturn).
With little in the way of labelling it took some time to work out how to engage cruise control which as it turns out is via – you guessedit–thegearselector.
Head-up display as usual is almost invisible with polarised sunglasses and the power-operated tailgate often refused to respond to the key fob. Other than this the PHEVisakeeper.
Braked towing capacity is 1500kg. A tyre repair kit is provided in the event of a flat tyre.
Summing up
Of the three so-called ‘super hybrids’ that we’vedriveninrecentweeks,H6isthemore expensivebutdynamicallybetter.
It’s let down by a drab, rather uninspiring cabin fitout and in this regard, some contrasting trim would help to break the monotony.
Beauty is however in the eye of the beholder.
Beauty is however in the eye of the beholder when it comes to GWM’s Haval H6 PHEV. (Pictures: Supplied)
Juggle for GFNL fixtures
AFL Barwon has announced a 20-round home-and-away fixture for the Geelong Football Netball League following the withdrawal of Lara from this year’s senior footy competitions.
The preferred option from the majority of clubs was to ensure all senior football andnetballgradesplayanevennumberof matches across the season.
Senior and reserves football, A Grade netball and E Grade netball will each play 18 matches, with two byes incorporated into the season.
Adjustments have been made to ensure equity in home games and a balanced distribution of matches across the B, C and D Grade netball competitions.
Lara was forced to withdraw from this season’s senior and reserves football competitions with a severe shortage of numbers.
“It has been incredibly heartening to see the community rally around Lara, while also addressing the immediate need to deliver a revised fixture for the upcoming Blood Toyota GFNL season,”
AFL Barwon chief executive Kate Patterson said.
“We greatly appreciate the understanding and cooperation shown by all clubs throughout this process. I’m proud of the way our team - particularly SophieAllison(headofnetball)andSarah Naylor(headoffootball)-workedthrough multiple options with the league and clubs to reach the best possible outcome.
“With the fixture now confirmed, we can now look ahead to the 2026 season with confidence.”
There are four versions of the 2026 fixture being released: seniors and reserves football; A Grade netball; B, C and D Grade netball; and E Grade netball. The junior netball fixture will be finalised following confirmation of team entries.
The season will commence with a standalone game on 4 April between St Joseph’s and Leopold with a full round one on 11 April. See aflbarwon.com.au for the updated fixtures.
Ocean Grove cements top spot in Section 4 Mixed
LOCAL TENNIS
Donna Schoenmaekers
OceanGrovecementeditsplaceatthetop of Section 4 Mixed with a commanding 6-0 win over second placed Surfcoast Torquay in Tennis Geelong Senior Pennantwithoneweektogobeforefinals.
Emma Robinson and Jemima Hayes, along with siblings Max, Jesse and Shannon Ballagh, proved too good for Torquay,limitingthemtojust14games.
Surfcoast will be looking to build some form next week when they face All Saints to ensure third placed Moriac do not overtake them and earn a double chance final.
Moriac had the bye this week, but remainedsixpointsbehindSurfcoastand will need things to go their way against Angleseanextweektopushahead.
Surfcoast Bellbrae went into the four ahead of Anglesea with a tight win. Bellbrae’sDaleandLeanneHeathstarted thedaystronglywitha6-1win while Anglesea’s Kathryn Anderson and Michael Alyward were too strong in thesecond,winning6-2.
Dale Heath’s hot form continued with partner Wayne Beale in an impressive 6-0 win while Anglesea’s Anderson and Helen Bljaic won 6-3 keeping them in touchbyfourgames.
Dale Heath’s hot form came crashing down with Anderson and Dainon Mitchell blitzing their set 6-0, putting pressure on the final set with Anglesea’s Bljaic and Aylward left needing five
games to win. Leanne Heath and Beale hung on for Bellbrae for a solid 6-3 win, giving their team the win by one game to pushAngleseaoutofthefour.
All Saints and Grovedale have been battling to avoid the wooden spoon all season and with home-court advantage, All Saints were looking to rise above eighth.
The Camerons - Emma and Hamishstarted the Saints well winning 6-3 while teammates the Williamsons - Lisa and Ben - weren’t to be outdone, taking the second6-2.
Elisabeth Pohl teamed with Lisa Camerontowin6-4whileGraemeShearn andGeorgeAmbrusgotGrovedaleonthe board with a 6-2 win. Shearn followed
up in the first reverse mixed with Kerrie Grinter, 6-3, to keep Grovedale in touch, butPohlandBenWilliamsonsealeditfor All Saints, 6-1. Overall, the Saints were
ahead four sets to two, just one point ahead of Grovedale, leaving the final standingstobedecidednextweek.
Two Blues spinner Chris Williams makes a fairytale return to the side
By Justin Flynn
More than three years after his last 1st XI appearance and after a string of horrific leg injuries, Newtown & Chilwell spinner Chris Williams came into the side and had animmediateimpact.
Theleg-spinnertook6/65from20.5overs in a triumphant return to Geelong Cricket Association first grade competition to help bowl South Barwon out for 211 on day one ofround12on14February.
Bryson Nicholls made 97 for South Barwon and Gurpreet Singh (38 not out) and Harry Hauenstein (35) also contributed, but it was Williams’ day and he was aided by quick Nick Burke, who pickeduptwowickets.
In reply, the Two Blues are in control going into day two at 0/128 with Dylan Hodge on 64 and Pat McKenna to resume on56.
EASTBELMONTalreadyhasfirst-innings points thanks to another ruthless bowling display.
Grovedale was sent in and had four batters get to 20, but nobody could go on,
beingalloutfor149.
Three wickets each to James McMahon, Dylan Moroney and Stuart Carter did the damage.
In reply, the Lions are 1/163 with Sean O’Neill (60) and James Lidgett (52) still there while Shane McNamara belted a 38-ball50.
PHILIP Visser made a delightful 175 for NorthGeelong,allowinghissidetodeclare at8/311againstLara.
Visser’s 202-ball stay yielded 12 boundaries and eight sixes while keeper Adam Costello continued his consistent seasonwith52.
KadenMarumtookfourwicketsforLara, but Tom Mathieson’s decision to close the innings early paid off, with Dale Kerr taking a return catch to have Lara at one downatstumpswithnorunsontheboard.
ST JOSEPH’S batted for 90 overs and was dismissedfor261againstStPeters.
was inspiring for the Saints. The skipper sentdown30oversforthestunningfigures of 4/43 while brother Will was called upon tobowl26.3oversandtook3/96.
IN BELLARINE Peninsula Cricket Association A1 Grade games, Armstrong Creek opener Matthew Kennedy made an important century against Jan Juc to keep thereigningpremiersinthefinalsrace.
Kennedy batted all day for an unbeaten 111 from 227 deliveries with the Titans ending day one of the penultimate round on8/236.
Both sides need to win to have any chance of playing finals, and at this stage it looks like Armstrong Creek holds the upperhand.
Chris Marsiglio made 63 from 107 balls and Daniel Maclean chipped in with 31 late.
Finn Bilston grabbed three late wickets fortheSharksandJordyGrahamagainhad plenty of work with 27 overs netting him 2/73.
DRYSDALE’Sfinalshopesappeardashed after already surrendering first-innings pointsagainstBarwonHeads.
The Hawks were all out for 81 with Seagulls’pacemenDarcyHewitt(5/33)and SemaKamea(3/27)doingallthedamage. In reply, the Heads are 2/97 with youngster Angus Mackie (45 not out) taking full advantage of a promotion in the battingorderasopener.
QUEENSCLIFF looks headed for a finals appearance after making 7/283 against Inverleigh.
Lochie Philp made 92 from 169 balls to take his season’s tally to 474 while Kane Leathem (46 from 86), Max Minney (40 from 46) and Brendan Thom (36 not out) alsocontributed.
The Kookaburras attack found the going tough, but toiled away with Locke Perrett pickingup2/58from19tidyovers.
TYRON Norman top scored in his 250th game for Anglesea and shared a 95-run openingstandwithSimonUmbers(42). Norman made 68 against Barrabool in hisside’sfinaltotalof179allout.
James Jirik picked up 5/33 from 15 overs for the Bulls while James Fisher was economical with 2/45 from 26 overs and LachieSnaithtook2/39from13.
Bellbrae and Anglesea: Dainon Mitchell, Kathryn Anderson, Helen Bljaic, Michael Aylward, Dale Heath, Wayne Beale, Kenwyn Seiffert, Chris
St Leonards and Grovedale Yellow: Nathan Motyer, Andy Smith, Wayne Bulman, Steve Muratori, Ranie Daw, Rachel Knez, Cleta Forrest, Sue Sutherland, Linda Muratori, Craig Watson.
Cats lose practice match
Led by livewire Nick Watson, Hawthorn defeated Geelong by 17 points in a preseason practice match Dingley’s Kennedy Community Centre on Monday 16 February.
Both sides were missing a swag of key players - many of them on State of Origin duty - as the Hawks dominated the middle stages, kicking nine consecutive goals through the second and third quarters of their 16.15(111) to 14.10(94) win.
Geelong recruit James Worpel came under plenty of attention from his former teammates and was caught holding the ball by Karl Amon on the wing, bringing the loudest cheer of the day from a healthy crowd.
ButheslottedintotheCats’midfieldwell alongside Ollie Dempsey, who shone in an inside role after making his name on the wing.
“We’re trying to add that centre bounce craft to his game and he was pretty dangerousthereaswell,“Geelongassistant James Rahilly said.
Jay Polkinghorne (three goals) put his handupforaspotinGeelong’sforward-line, with injured spearhead Jeremy Cameron and Tyson Stengle in doubt for their season opener.
Shannon Neale (four goals) stood up in attackandOliverHenry(three)wasbusyin hisfirstserioushit-outsincemissingouton lastyear’sfinalsseriesafterbeingdropped.
Tanner Bruhn, who was set to play his first game in 12 months, was a late withdrawal because of illness, as was Zach Guthrie.
WatsonwaslivelyinattackfortheHawks with two goals and some eye-catching marking attempts, while also making his presence felt around the ball.
Josh Ward shone in the absence of injuredmidfieldgunWillDay,withConnor Macdonald, Cam Mackenzie, Dylan Moore and Josh Weddle all busy.
Watson kicked 36 goals last year as the Hawks’ premier small forward but can expect more time up the ground in 2026.
“He’s had a great summer, he’s done everything right and got himself in really
good condition, so it wasn’t surprising, the way he played,“ Hawks assistant coach David Hale said.
“We’veseenthatinthepre-seasongames and we want to expose him a little bit more around the ball, with Dylan Moore and Connor Macdonald as well.
“Those types of players, we think, can bring a sort of x-factor to the group we’ve got.
“We think he’s going to have a really big year and he’s set himself up well.“
Calsher Dear was another of the five Hawks with two goals to their names, and recovered from a nasty-looking knee to the ribs from teammate Mabior Chol in a marking contest. - AAP
Geelong wins second consecutive Country Week title
By Justin Flynn
Geelong won a second consecutive Provincial Division title at Melbourne Country Week after dropping its first game against Ballarat and then going on a winning streak.
Geelong fell three runs short of victory on day one of the competition on Monday 9 February after Ballarat was all out for 120 at home.
GCA2 star Nikhil Deep Pottabathini, who was arguably Geelong’s player of the tournament, took 5/15 and top scored with 21 with Geelong getting all out for 117.
Geelong needed wins after that and they came, defeating Ferntree Gully on the Tuesday, making 8/251 with Lara master blaster Vishesh Malhotra getting 61andSouthBarwonskipperNickButters a rapid 49 not out.
North Geelong teammates and fellow left-arm finger spinners Bailey Sykes and Alistair McCann then teamed up to take three wickets each to dismiss Ferntree Gully for 187.
In round three on the Wednesday,
was a
Geelong held off Bendigo by five runs after making 9/250 with Pottabathini (52 from 52 balls) and Malhotra (38 from 24) scoring quickly.
Geelong then thrashed Sale Maffra in the first final with Pottabathini (84 from
55 balls) and Keast (76 from 77) getting the total to 9/301.
Sykes (4/47) and fellow slowie Butters (3/39) combined to have Sale Maffra in the sheds for 169.
In the final it was a Shane McNamara masterclass with the East Belmont champion scoring a superb 139 from 135 balls as Geelong set Mornington Peninsula 268 for victory. McCann made a valuable 50 at No 7.
Pacemen Sam Coutts and Sam Ellis did some early damage with the ball while Pottabathini grabbed three wickets to give Geelong the title with a 31-run win although it was Sykes’ 1/20 from 10 overs that really applied the brakes.
Pottabathini was the only non-GCA1 player in the squad and made 196 runs and took 11 wickets for the carnival. Bellarine Peninsula won its first game of the carnival in Division 2, but didn’t make the finals, although a no-result on day three didn’t help.
Drysdale’s Tallan Burns took nine wickets in three games including 5/20 on day two and Collendina gun Richie Faust made scores of 44 not out, 12 and 90.
All sides jostling for ladder positions with one round left to play
Things are tight in the Geelong Women’s Cricket A Grade competition with one round to go before finals.
East Belmont leads the competition, four points clear of North Geelong.
IfEastBelmontdefeatsStJoseph’s,itwill finish as minor premiers while Joeys are out of the finals race.
North Geelong travels to Barwon Heads this Sunday and need to win and hope East Belmont to finish top. If the Magpies lose and Geelong City knocks off Bell Park, they will slide down to third.
On the other hand, Barwon Heads will play finals if it defeats North Geelong, but if it loses and Bell Park beats City, the Dragons will finish fourth.
St Joseph’s is a game behind the Heads and with a comparable percentage and could jump three spots into fourth if the Seagulls and Dragons both lose.
Seventh placed South Barwon is also only a game outside the four, but with a poor percentage of 0.549. The Swans remain a mathematical, although highly unlikely, chance if they absolutely thrash Lethbridge and the Heads (0.998), Dragons (0.632) and Joeys (0.974) all have crushing losses, but even then, making up that amount of percentage will be tough.
Lethbridge can avoid the wooden spoon by beating South Barwon. The Rosellas
are a game behind, but have a superior percentage of 0.706.
Round13,Sunday15February
A GRADE
NorthGeelong4/138 (L. Kelly 42, R. Zdybel 25, S. Ljubojevic 2/21) def Lethbridge 2/137 (S. Ljubojevic 60, M. Waddington 37, C. Smith26no)
South Barwon 9/140 (A. Seddon 59, K. De Alwis 30, A. Haase 3/11, A. Huby 3/23) tied with St Joseph’s 140 (A. Huby 45, E. Hauenstein3/25)
East Belmont 3/227 (K. Harman 66no, L. Tubb 56no, B. Farey 47, I. Fenner 28) def BellPark9/151 (H.Rooke38,D.Airey34,E. Taylor2/18)
Geelong City 5/92 (L. Balla 28no, R. Smith 2/6)def BarwonHeads6/90
North Geelong 2/78 (S. Caruana 31no, L. Arthur 29no) def Marshall 77 (M. Tabor 5/15,S.Caruana2/9)
Portarlington 1/127 (E. Allen 56no, A. Hansen 29) vs Lara 4/130 (A. Bowering 46, E.Wilson27ret)
Queenscliff 6/206 (M. Cameron 57ret, C. Headlam 44, H. Chalkley 33, J. Newton 3/13) def Highton 6/168 (J. Newton 47, C. Hammond33)
C GRADE
East Belmont 1/123 (N. Sheppard 50ret, K. Williams 47no) def Waurn Ponds Deakin 7/121 (B. Woodburn 60no, C. Scaffidi 3/6) Drysdale 7/99 (L. Sheehan 51no, R. Wood 3/16) def Teesdale 8/97 (J. Campbell 23, R. Foran 2/10)
Wallington 2/108 (C. Ralph 49, S. Kelsall 25no) def St Leonards 3/89 (S. Roberts 43, S. Kelsall 2/10)
Bannockburn 3/103 (B. Mitchell 35no) def Torquay 8/85 (C. O’Loughlin 36no, L. Stephens 3/16, B. Mitchell 2/10)
D GRADE
Grovedale 2/75 (O. Tolan 31ret) def Modewarre 7/74 (B. Butler 42no) St Joseph’s 4/85 (C. Wuite 30ret, S. Hooper 2/9) def Newtown & Chilwell 8/81 (T. Beardsell 29no, C. Wuite 2/10)
ArmstrongCreek3/90 (A.Lockwood31ret) def Geelong West 6/88 (L. Smith 2/13) Thomson2/132 (A.Kelly32ret,C.Anderson 30ret, B. Collins 2/6) def Bell Post Hill 5/107 (H. Uwland 23, P. Tarleton 23no)
E GRADE
Little River 1/154 (K. Templeton 32ret, C. McKinlay 31ret, S. Anderson 30ret) def St Peters 8/93 (L. Parrot 30ret, A. Huston 25, J. Fairchild 2/4)
North Geelong 6/123 (J. Clark 30ret, R. Moreland3/26)def Newcomb&District39
(H. Windt 3/1, J. Hastings 2/2) Barwon Heads 3/74 (E. King 2/10) def Murgheboluc 3/73 (E. King 20no) Lethbridge 2/86 (J. FitzGerald 30ret, L. Bubb 22no) def Alexander Thomson 4/84 (S. Earls 31ret, A. Spiller 2/10, J. FitzGerald 2/10)
F GRADE Corio 0/43 def South Barwon 7/42 (M. Hanson 2/4)
Bell Park 2/53 (L. Neville 22no) def Thomson 51 (V. Low 31, D. Kelly 4/11, E. Bradley 2/4)
Manifold Heights 1/141 (S. Williamson 31ret, D. Sanders 27ret) def Jan Juc 83 (B. Withers 31ret, S. Noonan 2/8) Wallington 0/90 (M. Kelsall 32ret, L. Potter 32no)def Bannockburn8/89 (L.Potter2/9, M. Oataway 2/9)
G GRADE Little River 3/96 (L. Alford 29) def Armstrong Creek 7/95 (J. Palmer 2/14) Bell Park 2/129 (B. Brown 30ret, G. Pritchard 29) def Lara 6/66 (G. Pritchard 3/15)
Meredith 2/59 def Queenscliff/St Leonards 8/57 (S. Thompson 2/2, M. Bigmore 2/6)
Geelong City 2/126 (K. O’Donnell 30ret, L. Fapani 30ret) def East Belmont 3/123 (S. Kennedy 32ret, K. Trickett 27no)
Nikhil Deep Pottabathini
star for Geelong at Melbourne Country Week.
Queenscliff double chance
By Justin Flynn
Queenscliff gained a precious Geelong Bowls Region Premier Pennant double chance by finishing second on the ladder by the barest of margins after an exciting final home and away round of the season.
Queenscliff finished on 178 points with Highton third on 177, which means a free hit against top side Ocean Grove in the grand final qualifier this Saturday.
Queenscliff defeated the Grovers in both their meetings this season in rounds 4 and 11 and star skip Ray Butler said his side has what it takes to make it three.
“It’s going to be pretty hotly contested,” he said.
“I know we might have beaten them twicethisyear,butasofrightnow,itmeans absolutelynothing.Finalsisadifferentball game, so now everyone’s back to nil-nil.
“Hopefully we can bring our best and play like we have against them previously. We’ll give it a fair shake and see what happens.”
Queenscliff defeated Torquay by 25 shots and picked up 16 points on Saturday 14 February,butplayedat10am,whichmeant the team had to wait for the Highton vs Lara results to filter through during the afternoon.
“We knew we had to at least give ourselves a chance with getting 16 points as a minimum,” Butler said.
“So once we got that done, a few of the guys were getting some intel throughout the day on how Lara were tracking against Highton. We just kept in the loop and when (Lara’s) Michael Kelly’s rink got up on the last couple of ends, we were pretty happy about that.
“We put in a lot of hard work this year and I think we’re deserving of second spot.”
Although Butler’s rink of lead Wayne Visser, second Adam Green and third Riley Cameron lost 17 to 28, every shot picked up was vital in the overall ladder result. His Torquay opponent Nelson Ball had not lost a rink all season.
“Nelson’s a permit player, but coming into that I knew I was going to have my hands full and boy, we did, but we did what we had to do,” Butler said.
“We sort of stemmed the bleeding. It could have been a hell of a lot worse, but going down by 11 shots in the circumstances with how well the opposition were bowling, I thought was prettyclosetoawinasalosscangetreally, because it didn’t affect us overall.”
What did affect the result was Steve Sullivan’s rink of lead Richie McGovern, second Barry Gladman and third Seb Monahan winning 31-5.
“They only lost two ends for the day,” Butler said.
“Richie McGovern was an absolute standout and then also their second Barry Gladman set them up brilliantly and then Steve-theydidwhattheyhadtodo.Idon’t think they (Torquay) got on the mat very often and that’s the goal in bowls.”
Geelong Bowls Region Finals round 1, Saturday 21 February
Premier Pennant
Grand final qualifier: Ocean Grove vs Queenscliff at Ocean Grove
Elimination final: Highton vs Drysdale at Highton
Division 1
Grand final qualifier: Ocean Grove vs St Leonards at Ocean Grove
Elimination final: City of Geelong vs Belmont at City of Geelong
Division 2
Grand final qualifier: Ocean Grove vs Belmont at Ocean Grove
Elimination final: Anglesea vs Eastern Park at Anglesea
Division 3
Grand final qualifier: City of Geelong vs Ocean Grove at TBA
Elimination final: Queenscliff vs Highton at Queenscliff
Independent photographer
Ivan Kemp saw Ocean Grove defeat Belmont in Geelong Bowls Region Division 1 at Ocean Grove on Saturday 14 February. Both teams will play finals this week with the Grovers finishing on top of the ladder while Belmont finished fourth.
Division 4
Grand final qualifier: Norlane vs Geelong RSL at Norlane
Elimination final: Highton vs Lara at Highton
Division 5
Grand final qualifier: Barwon Heads vs Torquay at Barwon Heads
Elimination final: Leopold vs Portarlington at Leopold
Division 6
Grand final qualifier: Torquay vs Geelong at Torquay
Elimination final: Highton vs Clifton Springs at Highton
Division 7
Grand final qualifier: Ocean Grove vs Anglesea at Ocean Grove
Elimination final: St Leonards vs Leopold at St Leonards
Division 8
Grand final qualifier: Drysdale vs Ocean Grove at Drysdale
Elimination final: Torquay vs Geelong at Torquay
Division 9
Grand final qualifier: Point Lonsdale vs Bell Post Hill at Point Lonsdale
Elimination final: Norlane vs Barwon Heads at Norlane
Division 10
Grand final qualifier: Geelong RSL vs City of Geelong at Geelong RSL
Elimination final: St Leonards vs Torquay at St Leonards
Youngster Herbie Clark works out his line. 521179_18
John Clark leads the way for Belmont. 521179_02
Ocean Grove’s Paul Entwhistle. 521179_10
Beverly Clark opens the end for Belmont. 521179_11
Manuel Koulkoudinas plays the backhand. 521179_12
Daniel Henery follows through on this bowl. 521179_27
John Harris looks to get close to kitty. 521179_31
Cheyne Verrier steps into his bowl. 521179_13
Queenscliff skip Ray Butler said hie side can beat Ocean Grove in the grand final qualifier this Saturday. (Ivan Kemp) 462447_16
Action around the grounds
Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was at St Albans Reserve for the GCA4 clash between St Albans/Breakwater and Teesdale and at Ray Menzies Oval as Ocean Grove hosted Newcomb in BPCA A2 Grade on Saturday 14 February.
Connor Weidemann hits out during his innings of 63 for Ocean Grove. 521181_24
Left: Shaun Campbell bowled well for Teesdale. 521180_13 Centre: Shaun Fankhauser on his way to 54 for Ocean Grove. 521181_13
Right: Matthew Mott made 21 for the Supersaints. 521180_30
Ryan Mallon hits a boundary during his innings of 27 for St Albans/Breakwater. 521180_15
Teesdale’s Ricky Kennedy takes a brilliant catch. 521180_20
Casey Meehan at the top of his run. 521180_09
Zac Jones is bowled by James Claney. 521181_05
Above: Dylan Ryan took three wickets for Newcomb. 521181_07
Left: James Claney took a five-wicket haul for Newcomb. 521181_08
Right: Michael Blain drives down the wicket. 521180_21
Newcomb wicket-keeper Jason Clark throws at the stumps. 521181_19
Supersaints to shape finals
By Justin Flynn
St Albans/Breakwater captain Damien Biemans is hoping his side can upset a few of the teams vying for GCA4 finals in the final three rounds of the season.
The Supersaints won’t play finals themselves, but had a good win against a gutsy Teesdale in round 18 on Saturday 14 February and meet Guild St Mary’s (5th) and Manifold Heights (4th) in the next two weeks before finishing off against second placed Little River.
“There will be a couple of blokes that come back in this week - our opening batter Saurabh (Vaghela) was unavailable,” Biemans said.
“Guild (St Mary’s) like to hit the ball, so if you get it wrong against them - I think they made like 300 against us there last time and then Manifold Heights are fighting for that fourth spot.
“We can shape it (the final four). I said yesterday to the boys just before the game that we have a few games left and just go out there, enjoy ourselves and I reckon we can upset a couple of teams.”
The round 17 clash against Teesdale was hard-fought with the Roos electing to bat first at St Albans Reserve. Several batters got starts, including Marcus Campbell (33), but Biemans was happy to have Teesdale back in the sheds for 162.
James Kelly started it off for the Supersaints, holding onto a catch presented by star opener Casey Meehan for 9.
“That got us up and about,” Biemans said.
“Casey is one of the best bats in the league, so to get him early was a bonus.”
Jack Ryan took three wickets and his second spell was rewarded while fellow new-ball bowler Matthew Mott was tidy.
But it was the combination of spinner Ryan Mallon (1/20 from nine overs) and Biemans himself (4/34 from nine) that really put the brakes on.
“Myself and Ryan came on and slowed it down a bit and got a couple of wickets,” Biemans said.
“After drinks was good - the boys were up and about. It was past players’ day so that gave the boys a bit of a lift.”
Chasing down 163 for victory wasn’t straightforward. Mallon capped off a good game with 27 at the top of the order
and at 1/64, things were going well. Shaun Campbell (2/19 from eight overs) and Marcus Campbell (2/17 from eight) got Teesdale back into the game, and at 7/135 there was still plenty of work to do for St Albans/Breakwater.
But while James Kelly was still there, the Supersaints were always a chance and he would finish unbeaten on 54 to give his side a win with two wickets and four overs to spare.
“It was probably one of the best innings this season, apart from when Blainy (Michael Blain) made a hundred (in round 2),” Biemans said.
“Just the way he went about it. Worked with the tail and hit a few boundaries. He’s not a big hitter, but he just waited for the bad ball and put it away and then worked well with the tail.”
Although No 9 Ben McDonald didn’t trouble the scorers, he hung around long enough with Kelly to make an impact and the team over the line.
NEWCOMB & District kept top spot on the ladder after a pulsating contest against Meredith.
The Dinos made 8/228 with the top eight batters all making at least 16, led by Cam Egan (40 from 33 deliveries) and
Rhys Bath (37).
Rams’ skipper Tyler Dittloff kicked off what was to become a memorable afternoon with 3/47 before launching an incredible counterattack with the bat. Dittloff was there at the end on 126 from 122 balls, but Meredith fell 13 runs short, finishing on 9/216 after 45 overs. The Rams were 9/162, but No 11 Joel Hart wasn’t giving up, staying with Dittloff for a well-made 19 not out from 20 balls. Egan and Blake Ritchie each grabbed three wickets for Newcomb & District.
LITTLE River remained half a game behind Newcomb & District after thrashing Guild St Mary’s.
Nic Fairchild made a run a ball 88 for the Redbacks in a total of 9/213 while skidding seamer Mitch Vicary picked up 5/57 to make it 27 wickets for the season. The Guild Saints never got going during their run chase being all out for 139 with Fairchild capping off a threevote performance with 5/16.
Grubbers dig in against disciplined Newcomb Bulls attack
By Justin Flynn
Ocean Grove all-rounder Connor Weidemann believes his side’s total of 177 all out against Newcomb was worth much more given the slowness of the infield at Ray Menzies Oval.
The Grubbers are a game and percentage clear in top spot on the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A2 Grade ladder and need to beat the bottom placed Bulls to keep Wallington at bay.
Weidemann, who played for Geelong’s Under 18 and 3rd XI sides, top scored for Grove on day one of the round 13 clash on Saturday 14 February with 63 from 120 deliveries. There were just seven boundaries scored all afternoon, four by Weidemann.
“It was very slow and there weren’t many fours hit so a lot of running was done,” he said.
“Although we got (about) 180, it’s probably more like 50 more runs than that, I’d say. It’s not actually that bad of a total.
“It’s (the ground) a lot different from the start of the season when it was lightning quick.”
Opener Shaun Fankhauser made 54 from 139 balls and helped put on 62 for the fifth
wicket with Weidemann after the Grubbers were 4/43. In the quest for quick runs towards the end of the innings, Ocean Grove lost 5/32 to be all out for 177 in the 72nd over.
“That was an important partnership for us,” Weidemann said.
“We just wanted to get to tea. The runs didn’t really matter. We just wanted to consolidate for a bit because if we lost a few more (wickets), then we would have been in real trouble.”
Although the ground made scoring difficult, so did the Newcomb attack. James Claney was superb with 5/59 from 19 overs and Dylan Ryan picked up 3/35 from 13.2 while Sean Anderton (0/24 from 16 overs), Jack Scanlon (1/19 from 10) and Thisum Hapugodage (1/30 from 12) kept things tight.
“They bowled pretty good lines and lengths,” Weidemann said.
“It was hard to get the slow bowlers away, just due to the lack of pace. Hard to get through the infield when the bowling was slow, so I’m sure we’ll do the same thing (on day two) and make it difficult for them.”
Weidemannhasmadetwohalf-centuries in his last four hits, but is still getting used to the BPCA. He has also taken 12 wickets.
521181_14
“I just wanted to bat time because I haven’t really been batting that well,” he said.
“So I just wanted to see what happens and not do anything silly. Just play every ball on its merits.
“The bowling is a bit slower than what I’m used to and the last few weeks I’ve been struggling so it’s good to finally get a few.”
PORTARLINGTON’S finals hopes remain alive after Brenton Toole clubbed a 123-ball 158 against Winchelsea. Port could be half a game outside the top four with one
round to go after posting 6/321 with Toole smacking 20 boundaries and four sixes. Cameron Gourley (58) and Paul McGrath (49) provided ample support during Toole’s run-fest. Ricci Sauni (3/71 from 24 overs) and Jarrod Groves (3/112 from 30) were tasked with doing the majority of the work for Winch.
COLLENDINA ace Corey Walter took 6/29 from 26 overs to have his side within reach of a win against Surf Coast. With star all-rounder Stan Grazotis unavailable, Walter stepped up and had the Suns all out for 75 with Allen Antony grafting 21 from 62 balls. The Cobras are 2/37 in reply with Jude De Jong (13 not out) and Harrisyn Wingrave (12 not out) to resume after being 2/12. WALLINGTON can sew up second spot on the ladder if it can make another 105 runs with nine wickets in hand against St Leonards. Nick Hallam (44) was the only batter to look like getting a big score before being run out as the Saints crumbled to 122 all out. Dane Wise-Graham moved up to 28 wickets for the season with 3/42 while Colin Smith (2/29 from 19 overs) and the consistent Mitch Sleeman (2/22 from 12) applied the brakes. In reply, the Wallabies are 1/18, still with a bit of work to do.
Damien Biemans turns the ball to the leg side and took four wickets for St Albans/Breakwater. (pictures Ivan Kemp) 521180_23
James Kelly gets behind this delivery and made 54 not out to guide the Supersaints home against Teesdale. 521180_28
Ocean Grove’s Connor Weidemann batted confidently for 63 against Newcomb. (Ivan Kemp)
