Geelong Indy - 3rd April 2026

FREEDIGITALEDITION

NEPT crisis claims

By Matt Hewson

The local branch of St John Ambulance (SJA) Victoria has come under fire from a group of employees.

In a statement emailed to the Independent, a collective of anonymous employees claiming to be frontline medical, operational and administrative staffraisedwhattheycall“graveconcerns” about the viability of SJA’s non-emergency patient transport (NEPT) service.

SJA’s NEPT service provides clinical transportforpatientswhorequiremedical supervision, monitoring or assistance but do not need emergency ambulance services, transporting patients between hospitals, from home to hospital and to outpatient or specialist appointments.

Staff members claimed the NEPT section’s alleged financial situation impacted workers and contractors.

Staff said they feared SJA would close its Ballarat and Geelong branches, causing significant lay-offs.

However, an SJA spokesperson denied the claims saying the organisation was not considering closing any branches and remained focused on “strengthening and expanding our services, including growing our presence in regional Victoria as part of our mission to lead the state in first aid and medical response”.

In the statement received by the Independent, signed by “ambulance insiders“, the authors claim that NEPT is “allegedly in severe financial difficulty

and is reportedly seeking a government bailout to remain operational“.

They also claim “widespread“ instances of employees being underpaid and that payments to several mechanical contractors have been delayed.

The staff members emphasised they were “frontline workers, not professional agitators” who had received “minimal answers” from management about their concerns and were worried the “current trajectory of St John NEPT is unsustainable”.

The SJA spokesperson said that the “the NEPT arm of St John Ambulance has not sought a government bailout to remain operational.“

“We’re currently undertaking a comprehensive payroll review within NEPT, which was proactively initiated by St John as part of our commitment to ensuring accuracy and compliance,“ they said. “We have maintained open communication with affected employees throughout the process and will address any findings as appropriate once the review is finalised.”

Staff also referred to an alleged incident where an NEPT crew struck a group of kangaroos.

“It was revealed that SJA appears to hold only basic roadside assistance rather than comprehensive insurance or towing,” the statement claimed.

The SJA spokesperson could not confirm the specific incident, but said all NEPT vehicles were comprehensively insured.

Give that they may grow

The Geelong region raised more than $580,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday appeal last and the call has gone out to beat that amount this year. Generous locals and organisations tipped in and a charity home in Mt Duneed, built by Henley and donated by Villawood Properties, also raised $1.5 million.

The Good Friday Appeal raises funds to enable The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne to provide world class care to our children.

Funds raised also go to regional healthcare and since 2024, more than $8.5 million has been committed to regional health services across Barwon South West, Gippsland, Hume, Grampians and Loddon Mallee, funding vital paediatric equipment, specialist training, scholarships and innovative care programs.

Reserve upgrades begin

Upgrades on a Belmont sporting facility are underway, paving the way for greater participation by girls and women.

The $2.75 million upgrades to the McDonald Reserve pavilion will include a full refurbishment of the existing home change room amenities, female-friendly umpires’ change rooms, storage rooms, accessible coaches’ box, timekeepers’ room and storage lift.

Theproject,fundedbya$2.5millioninvestment from the state government and a $250,000 contribution from the South Barwon Football Netball Club (FNC), will be managed by the City of Greater Geelong and delivered by Bowden Group.

South Barwon FNC president Tim Sherman said the facility upgrades would help the club continue to grow.

“We are excited to see construction get underway to improve the facilities at McDonald Reserve,” he said.

“It’s wonderful to partner with the City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian Government to deliver a project that will directly benefit the community.

“This redevelopment aligns with our continued commitment to female football, and the direct access to our second oval ensures our junior teams become more closely connected to our club.

“Once completed, we hope the im-

provement will encourage more people to engage in local sport and enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits.”

Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney said the new facilities would provide a welcoming and inclusive community space.

“McDonald Reserve is a much-loved part of Belmont, and this upgrade reflects the passion and hard work of the South Barwon Swans and Highton Cricket Club,” she said.

“Fit-for-purpose facilities for women and girls send a simple but powerful message: you belong here. That’s why the Allan Labor Government is backing this project,

to give local clubs the spaces they need to support everyone, now and into the future.

“This redevelopment is a real team effort, driven by local clubs and backed by the Allan Labor Government, delivering a modern, welcoming space where community sport can grow and people can keep coming together.”

Geelong councillor Ron Nelson said the City was proud to partner with the Victorian government and South Barwon FNC to deliver the project.

““We know that better infrastructure means better opportunity for people of all ages, gender, and ability to have a go,” he said.

Ride the quacking wave this Easter in Barwon Heads

By Jena Carr

The yellow tidal wave will descend from the Barwon River Bridge to help raise money for the region’s community groups and schools.

Rotary Club of Ocean Grove will host the 24th Great Barwon River Duck Race from 1pm on Saturday 4 April, with close to 2500 ducks of varying colours and sizes launched from the bridge.

Duck Race Committee treasurer Lisa Hanley will don the big yellow duck suit during the event and said the event was always a fun time for the community.

“They then float upriver on the incoming tide, about 300 metres to the Ozone Jetty, where volunteers from the 13th Beach Surf Life Saving Club and local canoe club will scoop them up,” she said.

“Out of those, the first 10 fastest swimming or floating ducks get a prize, and then there’s also a bunch of lucky duck prizes, so if you’re not the fastest duck, you might still be the luckiest duck.”

Ms Hanley said all the proceeds from the event would be donated to charities, community and environmental groups and schools across the region.

“I love the event’s community atmosphere with many people out on the river, along with all the kids and parents coming along to watch the ducks,” she said.

“The yellow ducks (Major Race) are a highlight of the event, but there are also the little blue ducks (Quacker Kids race), which is a race aimed more for the younger kids, and the Corporate ducks race, where businesses can sponsor and decorate a duck.”

Pride film fest adopts new laurel

By Matt Hewson

Geelong Pride Film Festival has adopted a new laurel signifying the quiet resilience of the region’s queer community.

Local graphic designer Kirsty Dow was named winner of the 2026 Film Festival Design Competition for her entry, which centres on the native murnong, or yam daisy.

The new murnong laurel will be displayed in promotional material and surround the text of award nominations and winners.

Ms Dow said she had first learned about the plant through a North Geelong community garden.

“MysisteristhepresidentoftheMurnong Community Garden, so through her I learnt about the murnong plant and that it’s native to Geelong,” she said.

“You don’t really see it anymore as it was near extinction due to colonisation.

But it was important and significant to the Wadawurrung women as a prominent food source.

“It looks quite nice; it’s this dandelion-like flower that looks rather dainty, but it’s actually rather resilient…which I think also resonates with queer people and our history.”

GPFF director Louise Lever said the design highlighted the festival’s unique connection to the land of Geelong and queer identity.

“As I was going through the entries, concepts of time and place kept emerging, and I wanted to celebrate the essence of this festival, what makes us unique, what makes Geelong Pride authentic,” she said.

“I’m proud of this laurel and design and I can’t wait to get it out there.”

The GPFF runs from 20 April to 10 May. Visit gpff.org.au for tickets and more information.

Home is where the garden is

By Matt Hewson

Part of the beauty of planting and maintaining a garden is watching it change over time; from season to season, but also over the years.

Award-winning landscape designer Peter Shaw has spent his life creating gardens for others, but perhaps his greatest triumph is his home garden Sunnymeade, which his family will open to the public with a special twilight event and open days from 10 to 12 April.

Shaw and his wife bought the Anglesea block in 2000 after walking past one Sunday afternoon, instantly identifying it as a place they could transform into a fun, welcoming and easy-to-maintain garden.

“I’ve always had the philosophy that gardens should belong where they are, they should feel comfortable in their surroundings,” he said.

“Often a homeowner or client will want a Balinese garden, a tropical garden, or an

arid garden. But sometimes they’re out of context, they just feel wrong.

“That’s something I’ve stuck with…we’ve said no to projects because they just don’t quite fit with what we’re on about. But people come to us because of what we’re on about.”

Shaw kept the existing mature stringybarks, initially using a palette of robust natives and introducing play elements for their children to enjoy.

The children are now grown, the flying fox and cubby gone, but Sunnymeade has continued to grow into a welcoming and playful space.

“It’s evolved over time…to have more colour, more interest, and to be of more benefit to birds and the environment,” he said.

“No garden is ever finished; it simply moves through its stages. Sunnymeade continues to evolve as our family and our ideas change.”

Visit opengardensvictoria.org.au/whatson for tickets and more information.

Geelong’s colonial past

A new feature film will explore the story of a WadawurrungwomanandanescapedBritish convict.

Australian film Magic Lands: Purra and Buckley’s Chance, centred on the regions of Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Barwon River in the early 1800s, has entered pre-production.

The film tells the tale of escaped convict William Buckley and Wadawurrung woman Purranmurnin Tullawurnin, two people boundbylovewhostruggledtosurviveinthe early years of colonisation.

In the development and research phases for the past six years, the film’s screenplay

has been completed and is set to enter production in September.

The $5 million production will be shot over 42 days on location in Western Victoria, showcasing the landscapes of Wadawurrung Country.

PurraandBuckley’sChancewillbethefirst feature project from Magic Lands Alliance, a cultural initiative focused on sharing the truth of Indigenous and colonial history.

Producer, writer and actor James Vegter said the film represents an opportunity to reconnect audiences with an important and largely untold chapter of Australian history.

“This region holds one of the most

Have a good yarn at GABYS

A new show will celebrate yarn, fibre and handmade artistry in Geelong, honouring the region’s vibrant wool history.

Geelong and Bellarine Yarn Show (GABYS) will make its debut with stalls and demonstrations showcasing the best in knitting, crochet, and fibre art.

Event organisers Andrea Clements and Tess Vandekolk said Geelong had a long history in the wool trade, with the region once home to many industries involved in wool processing.

“The show will take into consideration the region’s historical perspective, as (Geelong) was a central part of wool production and shipping in Australia and internationally,” Ms Clements said.

“You can still see all the different facilities around the waterfront and along

the river, like old shipping buildings and scouring facilities,” Ms Vandekolk said.

GABYS was designed to be about more than just yarn, and aimed to inspire connection, creativity and community.

“It helps calm down the part of the brain that reacts to external and internal stimuli and stress while helping to reengage the top part of the brain, so it helps to decrease anxiety,” Ms Clements said.

“Having a market where you can go and feel the materials is a really nice way for people to come out and see what they like most,” Ms Vandekolk said.

GABYS will be held at Deakin University’s Geelong Waterfront Campus from 9.30am to 3pm on Saturday 18 April, with $5 entry.

extraordinary and largely untold stories in Australian history, set during the early formation of Geelong and Melbourne,” he said. “William Buckley lived with the Wadawurrung people for more than three decades,butattheheartofthisstoryisPurra, whose voice has rarely been recognised.

“This film is about bringing that story to light with care, accuracy, and in partnership with Traditional Owners and First Nations advisors.”

Vegter said the production team is now raising finance and forming partnerships to bring the film into production.

“We are currently seeking sponsors,

philanthropic partners, organisations and investors who wish to align with the project and help bring this important story to screen.”

Uncle Reg (Trevor) Abrahams, senior cultural heritage advisor for Magic Lands Alliance and a producer on the film, said the project represented an opportunity to share deeper cultural knowledge.

“Projects like this can help bring awareness to histories many Australians havenotyetheard,whilesupportingcultural preservation and ensuring those stories are approached with respect and care for Country.”

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Diving into life with sharks

Louisa Graf is a PhD candidate researching the behaviour and ecosystems of sharks and rays in waters near Point Lonsdale. She speaks with Jena Carr about her research and what inspired her to get up close and personal with animals that many people fear.

LouisaGrafhasfeltdrawntotheocean foraslongasshecanremember,with sharks and rays at the centre of her curiosity.

Louisa had all the shark and ocean books when she was a kid, and her mum wouldmakehershark-shapedcakesforher birthday.

She would also wear a wetsuit, goggles, a stethoscopeandcarryaroundasharkbook (which was her idea of a shark researcher’s toolkit) to every career day at primary school.

“Ispentalotoftimedown atthebeachas a kid, so I feel as though it has always been a part of me,” Louisa said. “I honestly can’t put a pin on the time that sparked my love for the ocean, as I’ve always been drawn to it ever since I was small.

“As a kid, I must admit I loved the funky-looking ones (sharks and rays) and my favourite was the deep-sea goblin shark and, as an adult, I have a broader appreciation for their (sharks) diversity.”

Louisa has gone on to channel her passion into a career as a graduate marine scientist and current PhD candidate specialising in shark and ray research at Deakin University’s Queenscliff Marine Research Centre.

“I am drawn to their (sharks and rays) elusivenature,andthisfiresmypassionfor research,” she said. “I want to know where they go, what they eat, and what drives their behaviours. So, why not channel my passion into my career?

“My PhD focuses on creating a comprehensive ecological profile of the banjo shark (also known as the southern fiddler ray), which is a mesopredatory ray.

“Thismeanstheyareconsumedbylarger sharks, but are also predators themselves, therefore playing key roles in keeping the food web balanced.”

I feel honoured to be able to get up close and personal with some of the most incredible and graceful animals in our oceans

- Louisa Graf

The ecology and movement of southern Australian coastal sharks and rays in Port Phillip Bay forms most of Louisa’s research, which requires getting up close and personal with the animals.

“The process for catching, tagging and tracking sharks and rays can vary depending on the species we are working with,” she said.

“For example, with banjo sharks, I will hopintothewaterandcatchthembyhand, right in Swan Bay.

“When we are targeting multiple shark and ray species at once, we head out onto a boat and catch them using a hook and line.

“To tag the shark or ray, we insert an internal tracking device, no larger than your index finger, under the skin of the animal, and, after that, we release it back into the water and watch them swim away.

“We have started to deploy underwater listening stations in the bay and along the coast, so when a tagged shark or ray swims within range of one of these, their tag will ping, and from this we can track their movements.”

Louisa said she loved the idea of being able to track sharks and rays.

“I think catching and tagging my first ever sharks and rays will always stick with me as some of the most pivotal moments for me,” she said. “Some people tend to think scientists spend all day, every day, at their desks, but I’ve spent hours out on and in the water, which never gets old.

“I wanted to be one of the many researcherswhoaredirectlyinformingour marine conservation and management, so that is why I chose to research, ask questions, find answers and communicate that with the public.

“We need to understand the ecology of our local shark and ray species as our climate continues to change, so that’s why I am using tracking technologies and diet studies to understand why and how they move.”

When she tells people what she does, they often think she’s crazy, but for Louisa, it’s the best job in the world.

“I feel honoured to be able to get up close and personal with some of the most incredible and graceful animals in our oceans,” she said.

“When we are working with a shark or a ray, from start to finish, it is exhilarating, and the feeling of releasing a shark back into the ocean is unbeatable.

“We also get to see a range of them, from

cutebabyPortJacksonstobeautifulbronze whalers.”

Sharks are an animal that many people fear due to their unpredictable nature, physical appearance, and representations in film and media.

“It’s time we shift the narrative from fear to understanding and, whenever I can, that’s the story I try to tell,” Louisa said.

“Whenyouthinkofashark,whatcomesto mind? Jaws? For decades, sensationalised media have shaped how we see these animals, and not always accurately.

“Somesharkspeciesmaycauseincidents, but they are incredibly rare, and, in fact, vending machines cause more incidents per year than sharks do.

“What often gets lost in the fear is their importance, as sharks and rays play critical roles in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.”

Louisa said people depended on sharks and rays more than they realised, with the animals regulating the ocean’s functions.

“Within their marine ecosystems, many sharksandraysarehigher-orderpredators; this means that they sit towards the top of the food chain,” she said.

“If we take away the top, everything below starts to crumble, creating an irreversible imbalance in our oceans.

“But why do we care about this? Well, 50 per cent of the air we breathe comes from the ocean, and over three billion people depend on marine and coastal resources for their livelihoods.

“So, you might not care for sharks directly, but if you care about breathing or creating a livelihood; then you already do.”

Louisa works alongside supervisor Dr Samantha Sherman, who shares the PhD candidate’s passion for sharks and rays, along with a mutual focus on revealing the animals’ behaviour and ecosystems.

Council seeks investors

The City of Greater Geelong has launched a new resource for potential business investors from across the country and around the globe.

The City’s new prospectus, Invest Geelong – A Clever and Creative InternationalCity,highlightstheindustries driving the region’s current and future growth, recent success stories and opportunities for investment.

Mayor Stretch Kontelj launched the

updated prospectus during the Geelong India Forum at Wurriki Nyal.

“Our momentum is unmistakable – jobs have grown faster than our population in recent years, and a multi-billion-dollar investment pipeline is reshaping our region,” he said. “What sets Geelong apart is how we work. Businesses, industry peak bodies, government agencies and council partner closely to turn good ideas into real projects on the ground.”

Don’t forget clocks, alarms

By Jena Carr

A family-friendly event is coming to Geelong West this Easter Saturday to raise the alarm on how to keep families safe at home.

CFA’s Free Easter Community Event will provide community members with the opportunitytomeetlocalvolunteers,enjoy activities, and learn about the importance of maintaining smoke alarms.

South West Region community engagement coordinator Michael Dillon said the event would feature face painting, a colouring station, a real CFA fire truck, and helpful safety information.

“As Victorians change their clocks this Easter Weekend, it is a good time to make sure your smoke alarms are in working order,” he said. “The event is a great opportunity to have fun with people, but also to provide some up-to-date and relevant information around what’s protecting them in their homes.”

Mr Dillon said a fire was “four times more likely to be fatal” if working smoke alarms weren’t installed, and that smoke alarms were the “best defence against preventable residential fires”

“When you are asleep, you can’t smell smoke, so a working smoke alarm may be the only thing that would potentially wake you up in case of a fire,” he said.

“By law, you’re required to have smoke alarms in between each sleeping area and the rest of the house, plus one on each level if it’s a double storey, but the CFA recommends that smoke alarms be installedineverylivingareaandbedroom.”

CFA’s Free Easter Community Event will be held at Sparrow Park from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 4 April.

Geelong West Fire Brigade’s Scott Tomlinson and Rowan Westwell (rear), with Brent Robertson, Liam Beasley and Harry Williams are preparing for the Free Easter Community Event. (Ivan Kemp) 544037_04

QUALITY CAR SERVICING

Aligned with the City’s 2024-2034 economic development plan, the prospectus details Geelong’s major economic drivers such as its advanced manufacturing industries, which employ more than 10,000 people and export more than $2.6 billion worth of products.

Public, private and allied healthcare, aged care services and health research are also major contributors to Geelong’s economy, worth more than $1 billion in

exports and providing 30,000 jobs.

Steadily rebounding since the global pandemic, Geelong’s tourism industry currently employs more than 12,000 people, generating $1.7 billion for the region.

Agribusiness, defence, clean economy and creative and digital industries are also important sectors for Geelong. Visit geelongaustralia.com.au/business to download the prospectus.

Together over nature strips

By Matt Hewson

A community nature strip project is having a bigger impact than simply greening Geelong.

The Rotary Clubs of Geelong is conducting the second nature strips garden program in 2026, following on from the success of the pilot program last year.

Supported by the City of Greater Geelong, the project aims to help 100 households plant out their nature strip, up from 20 last year.

The project provides spraying of existing grass to facilitate easier removal, mulch and up to 30 plants for the new garden space, as well as advice and support along the way.

Mount Duneed resident Beryl McMillan was a self-described “mug gardener” prior to signing up to last year’s program.

“The nature strip project has got me going; I’ve learnt so much, it’s been really enjoyable,” Ms McMillan said.

“Now I’m propagating my own stuff, giving away plants to people…I’ve gone on a bit of a journey.”

The goals of the project include greening Geelong, providing habitat for pollinating bees and reducing water usage by introducing drought-tolerant species, but an unexpected outcome has been the outpouring of community spirit.

After Ms McMillan’s nature strip was sprayed by Rotary, she enlisted her son and a neighbour to help pull up the dead grass. By the end of the weekend, more than half a dozen other residents had lent a hand, many of whom she had never met before.

“I’ve had so many people walking past ask me about the garden, with a lot of the interest coming from kids, which is so good,” she said.

Visit hightonrotary.com/sitepage/supporting-our-environment for more information on joining Rotary’s nature strip gardens project.

Council signs kindergarten infrastructure plan with state

A new infrastructure plan will help Geelong’s smallest residents get the best start to their education.

The City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian government have co-signed a Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan (KISP) for the region, signalling a joint commitment to improve access to early childhood education services.

The KISP is intended to help the City and early learning providers understand

community needs, guide service planning and kindergarten program expansion and provide fair and equitable infrastructure capacity now and in the future.

Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the infrastructure plan would help improve livability for families.

“Greater Geelong is a wonderful place to raise children,” he said.

“The Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan will help us better under-

stand community needs and ensure that we can plan for services that continue to maintain our current high standards.”

Councillor Andrew Katos, chair of the city planning portfolio, said preparing for growth would help ensure Greater Geelong remains an attractive location for young families.

“As more people choose our region as their place to call home, we need to make sure our infrastructure keeps up,” he said.

“To do this, we need a clear picture of what the community needs, and where.

“The Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan will help us do exactly that and ensure our smallest residents have spaces where they can learn and grow.”

Visit geelongaustralia.com.au for more information on the Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan.

School is expanding

Students at a Bannockburn school will soon have access to a new visual arts building and four general learning areas, thanks to expansion works.

The brand-new facilities will be ready at St Mary Mackillop Primary School in the second half of this year, following a $2.4 million investment from the state government’s Building Fund for Non-Government Schools.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said Bannockburn was one of the fastest-growing areas in south-west Victoria.

“As the Bannockburn community grows, it is important that St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School has the modern learning and arts facilities that local families deserve,” she said.

Ms Couzens toured the school with principal Anthony Drill on 26 March. Mr Drillsaiditwasimportantthateverychild had access to a world-class education close to home.

“We try to live out our values of respect, compassion, inclusivity and courage,” he said.

“As a school community, we look forward to joining with our current and future families in the educational journey of our children.”

The upgrades project at St Mary MackillopPrimarySchoolstartedin2024, with the new facilities currently in the construction phase.

The school had also previously been refurbished from an existing state school, Bannockburn Primary School, into the current Catholic primary school.

The state government has supported over 80 low-fee Catholic schools to

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upgrade classrooms and build new facilities.

Hundred and twenty-three new public

schools have also been delivered, along with 2300 upgrades, across the state, thanks to an $18.5 billion investment.

Second life for soft plastics

Surf Coast community’s soft plastic recycling efforts are paying off, with materials getting a second chance at life.

The first shipment of soft plastics from Anglesea Transfer Station has arrived at APR ChemCycle in Dandenong South, with a total of 2.28 tonnes of baled soft plastics ready for recycling.

Surf Coast Shire councillor Adrian Schonfelder said every bag and wrapperthatwasrecycledintheright waymadeadifference.

“Residents are showing that when given the right options, they’re committed to reducing waste and doing the right thing for the environment,”hesaid.

“To receive such positive feedback from the recycler about the quality of our materials is something the whole communityshouldbeproudof.“

The soft plastic bales will be opened and carefully sorted using a combination of density separation, shredding and optical technology to isolatetherightplasticsforrecycling.

The materials will then either be transformed into recycled plastic resin, ready to be used in new soft plastic packaging, or go through advanced recycling, where it’s converted into oil that can be used to createfood-gradeplasticpackaging.

Surf Coast Shire residents can drop off eligible soft plastics at the Anglesa Transfer Station, provided the items carrytheplasticresincodes2,4,or5.

Crowne Plaza is the upmarket hotel needed in Geelong

By Justin Flynn

The team at Crowne Plaza Geelong invited media to experience the city’s newest, and largest, hotel with a brief tour, cocktails at the 10th floor Skyline, dinner at Sociali Trattoria & Bar followed by a night’s accommodation.

Afteraninitialdelaygettingtomyroom, I was armed with an electronic key to floor 9 where a spacious and spotless room awaited.

Theviewswereincredibleonawarmand sunny afternoon, overlooking Corio Bay to the You Yangs and even the Melbourne skyline.

One of my particular pet hates during my extensive travels is hotels that won’t let you change your room’s temperature. I’ve stayed in some absolute boilers before andit’snotfunhavingtoaskforafan,even whenit’ssnowingoutside.

Thankfully, the climate control worked perfectly although it was set to the minimum temp of 16 degrees when I first walked in, but a quick push of a button soonhadittoacomfy20.

Inside the room were a pod coffee machine,alargeflat-screenTV,ampleroom to store my belongings and a mini fridge amongotheramenities.Thebathroomwas atadsmall,butimmaculate.

It was time for a brief tour. Crowne Plaza has plenty of extras such as a very well-stocked gym, a heated indoor pool, conference rooms, a ground-floor cafe and abusinesscentre.

Moving to the 10th floor, the Spirit of Tasmania was approaching the Geelong terminal as we settled into the Skyline bar for drinks, aperitifs and majestic views. Members of the public can visit here from

Thursday to Sunday and you don’t need a room key to use the bar on level 10 or the Sociali Trattoria & Bar on level one. There are plans to open the lounge to everyone sevendaysaweek.

After some liquid merriment we made our way down to the restaurant where the promise of only local food and produce awaited. Itdidn’tdisappoint.

An extensive list of entrees arrived, served by attentive and enthusiastic staff Prettymucheveryoneatourtableofsixhad almost had enough before the mains even cameout.Thefoodwasseriouslygood.

Local wine flowed freely and my main of beef ribs was cooked just right. A nice touch was matching the desserts with a nicelypaireddrink.

After more wine, it was time to head upstairs. It was a Monday night after all I slept soundly on the large bed that had plentyofpillows.

I’m not a breakfast person so I didn’t partake the next morning, but I saw the most stunning sunrise from my room and sat spellbound before clicking back into gear and getting ready for the short trip to the office. My work colleague did have breakfast, though, and said there was

everything from smoked salmon to eggs prepared any way you wanted, along with healthy bircher muesli, yoghurts and chia pudding. The hotel will have direct access to the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and EventCentrewhenitopensinJuly. If you are a business traveller or here for leisureorjustwanttostayafterthefootyor a show, Crowne Plaza Geelong is the hotel thiscityneeded.

*The Independent’s experience at Crowne Plaza Geelong was provided complimentary by the hotel.

CITYNEWS

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE TO HELP CHILDREN HAVE FUN THESE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

There are so many fun, engaging and creative ways for children to enjoy their time off these school holidays.

Packed full of exciting events in central Geelong and the waterfront, our Autumn School Holiday Fun Guide is bursting with activities for children aged four to 12 years old – making it easy for parents, caregivers and families to plan unforgettable holiday adventures. See geelong.link/ASHFG for the full guide.

Key activities in our region include:

•central Geelong’s biggest Easter Egg Hunt at the Geelong City Market on Saturday 4 April

•daily Outdoor Nature Scavenger Hunt at the Geelong Botanic Gardens

•Urban Upcycle Fairy Garden Craft at The Carousel on Wednesday 8 April

•Wild Night Pyjama Party at the National Wool Museum on Saturday 11 April

•Farmy Farm at the Bellarine Arts Centre on Saturday 11 April

•Hansel and Gretel at the Bellarine Arts Centre from 14 to 16 April

•FREE waterslides for Webstar’s Swim School members at Swim Sport & Leisure centres all school holidays.

Apply for a free EmpowerHER scholarship.

The City has launched the new EmpowerHER Leadership Scholarships offering two local women the chance to participate in Leadership Victoria’s five day Igniting Leadership Program commencing 11 August.

Expressions of interest are open until 5.00pm Thursday 9 April, with the scholarships supported by partners championing women’s leadership across Greater Geelong. For more information and to apply now, visit geelong.link/WICL

PET REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE

If you have a cat or dog, registrations are due Friday 10 April.

Pets that have never previously been registered with the City may be eligible for a free first year of registration.

Register your pet, update details, get reminders and make payments online at geelong.link/Pets

NOTICE OF MEETING

The next meeting of the Planning Committee will be held at the Council Conference and Reception Centre, City Hall, Little Malop Street, Geelong on Thursday 16 April at 6.00pm.

Item to be discussed is:

•Planning Permit Application No. PP–1102–2024 – 351–379 Bawtree Road, Leopold. Five (5) Lot Subdivision and Associated Vegetation Removal.

Q: How do you properly dispose of dog poo?

a)Green waste

b) Bagged in your red bin

c)Vegetable compost

A: See base of page

DID YOU KNOW?

We have one of the largest animal populations of any Victorian municipality, with over 40,000 cats and dogs registered (2025).

Join us in your neighbourhood!

Our staff and local councillors are visiting communities right across Geelong to connect with you. We’re here to listen, learn and work together in shaping Geelong’s future.

Our next Neighbourhood Conversation will be held at:

Ocean Grove Neighbourhood House Tuesday 5 May 11.00am – 1.00pm

1 John Dory Drive, Ocean Grove

Pop in to chat to us about projects happening in the local area and share feedback. Cr Elise Wilkinson will be there to hear about what matters to our community and hear your thoughts on local priorities.

Whether you have a question, an idea or just want to say hello, we’d love to see you there.

Ironman 70.3 Geelong Pro Series Survey

If you attended 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong Pro Series, we’d love to hear about your experience. This is your chance to help us level up the event experience for participants and spectators in the future.

Visit geelong.link/IronmanHYS to have your say by 5.00pm on Friday 10 April.

Expressions of Interest now open for Tastes of Greater Geelong 2026!

Register your interest to be part of a monthlong celebration of food, drink and local culinary experiences across Greater Geelong. Tastes showcases the flavours, people and places that make our region a leading food and hospitality destination.

The festival runs from 19 June to 19 July.

Submit your Expression of Interest by 5.00pm Sunday 26 April at geelong.link/Tastes2026EOI

Geelong Small Business Festival

Ready to inspire, connect and grow local business?

The festival is a flagship event for the business community to come together and access training, engaging presentations and networking opportunities.

Register your interest and join the 2026 Geelong Small Business Festival at gsbf.com.au.

Expressions of interest close 11.59pm on Sunday 12 April.

CELEBRATING SENIORS

Tip on bulk cooking and freezing meals for the elderly

Eating well is essential at every stage of life, but for older people, making healthy food choices can sometimes be challenging.

While supermarkets offer a wide range of ready-made microwave meals, many of these options are high in salt, sugar, fat, and unnecessary calories. A more nutritious and cost-effective alternative is meal planning, bulk cooking, and freezing meals in advance.

As we age, changes in taste, smell, and chewing ability can affect food preferences and enjoyment. For this reason, meals should focus on softer textures, balanced flavours, and gentle seasonings rather than overly spicy or hard-to-chew foods. Preparing meals with the right cooking methods can make a significant difference to comfort, nutrition, and digestion.

Braising, boiling, slow cooking, and steaming are excellent techniques for elderly meals, as they help keep foods moist and tender. Boneless, skinless meats are preferable, and care should be taken to avoid foods that are tough, dry, stringy, sticky, or crumbly, as these can be difficult to manage.

When bulk cooking for an elderly loved one, it is important to consider individual food preferences, storage capacity, and how easily meals can be reheated.

Airtight glass containers are a practical choice, as they can go directly from the freezerorfridgeintotheovenormicrowave.

Plasticcontainersofferflexibilityinsizeand stack easily, while foil trays are convenient when containers don’t need to be returned. Ziplock bags work well for individual portions of soups or sauces.

Withalittleorganisationandpreparation, you can support your loved ones to enjoy

Scan the QR for nutritional and healthy recipes.

healthy, nourishing meals that meet their changing needs. A full list of nutritional and healthy recipes can found by scanning the QR above.

Ifyouorsomeoneyoucareforisexploring aged care options in Geelong or the Bellarine, our admissions team is available to discuss your individual circumstances.

Please

Don’t make assumptions

National Seniors Australia (NSA) has released research into the annoying and contradictory assumptions made about older people.

More than 2000 people aged 50 plus shared their views on assumptions that annoy them about older people’s bodies, brains, values, lifestyles, and more.

Some people objected to the stereotypes of older people as frail and incapable, bad with technology, resentful of change, or unable to contribute to society.

Such assumptions were countered with comments about older people’s “enormous unpaid contribution to society and economy”, the fact they “still want to be a punk rocker”, or their “lifelong history of protest”.

Other people objected to the counter-stereotypes that older people are all fit, technology savvy, and excited about change.

NSA head of research Dr Diane Hosking said the research reinforces older people are extremely diverse and while some are sharper and fitter than ever, others do need support and consideration.

“The research shows how ridiculous it is to make assumptions about people based on age,” Dr Hosking said.

Objections to assumptions about Baby Boomers were common as well. Such assumptions include the contradictory ideas that Baby Boomers hoard wealth or are conversely a “drain on the public purse”.

CELEBRATING SENIORS

The professional team providing every level of care

Whether you need constant in-home support or just some assistance with gardening, Just Better Care Geelong is here tohelp.

Thepersonalisedhomecareserviceoffers something for everyone, while supporting people to stay safe, happy and independent at home for longer, with no task too big or toosmall.

Just Better Care Geelong understands that many people are still very independent and may not require drastic support like dailyshoweringormedicationassistance.

The caring team is happy to assist with everydaytasksandlife’slittleextras,whether that’s light support like gardening, meal preparation,orevensomephysiotherapy.

Just Better Care Geelong can assist with personal care, cleaning, meals, transport, respite, overnight support, dementia care, palliativecareorpost-hospitalcare.

If you don’t need care, but could use support with everyday living, they can also help with gardening, meals, allied health, andsomuchmore.

With local support workers and nurse-led caremanagement, JustBetterCareGeelong provides personalised support that’s built aroundwhatmattersmost–theirclients.

When you choose home care in Geelong, you also want a provider that listens, shows upandunderstandsyourcommunity.

Just Better Care Geelong’s nurses and support workers live locally in the Greater Geelong region, ensuring that you get practicalsupportthatfitsyourlifestyle.

Thereisnosuchthingasaone-size-fits-all approach when it comes to home care, with supportavailableforeverysituation.

Personalised support services are available across aged care, social

experiences, lifestyle activities and private care, with a detailed plan made for each person.

Just Better Care Geelong is now offering care via the Support at Home program that streamlines in-home aged care into a single program, with services tailored to people’s individualgoalsandneeds.

Services available through the program include clinical care, like nursing, allied health and continence support, along with independence support, like personal care, medicationprompts,transportandrespite.

Everyday living support with cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation, alongwithcaremanagementwithplanning, coordination, and regular check-ins, is also availablethroughtheprogram.

Short-term support is also available through the Restorative Care Pathway, End-of-Life Pathway and Assistive Technology,andHomeModifications.

The benefits of Support at Home with Just Better Care Geelong include staying at home longer with tailored support services, adjustingservicesasneedschange,fairand

Support at Home Package Provider

Just Better Care supports older Australians to live independently and confidently within their

community.

Whether it’s assistance with everyday tasks, or more intensive support, Just Better Care can deliver a solution that’s just for you.

Privately funded or government subsidised services

transparent funding, and quality-assured person-centredcare.

Just Better Care Geelong supports 40 areas across the Greater Geelong region, with privately funded or governmentsubsidisedservicesavailable.

Start your journey with Just Better Care Geelong by visiting justbettercare.com/ Geelong, calling 5222 1518, emailing mailge@justbettercare.com, or speaking with the team at 114a Mount Pleasant Road, Belmont.

There’s a new Slim in town

By Matt Hewson

Folk-punk firebrand Slim Krusty has been describedasa“powerhouse”,a“rawtalent” and a modern “bush-punk poet”.

Hailing from the Grampians region, the tattoo-covered Slim combines clever wordplay,powerfulvocals,guitarworkthat ranges from delicate to fingernail-tearing and plenty of swearing to drag audiences along on a wild ride.

Having toured internationally, playing festival shows to massive crowds alongside big name acts, it’s the smaller shows and dive bars that he lives for.

“I’ll always prefer a house show over a big show,” he said.

“Don’t get me wrong, some of the ones (during a recent tour of) Canada were

like, holy f***, there’s thousands of people, what the f*** is going on? It was an unreal experience in itself, but the intimacy of a

small show…that’s the bit I love.

“There’s no goal to try to make this massive, I just want to see places. I don’t care if I play small bars, that’s all I want to do.

“At festivals there’s a bit of a separation sometimes. It’s cool, but there’s not that intensity that you get from being real close and all that.”

Intensity and being up close are what Slim is all about; as often as he can, he will play on the dancefloor rather than the stage itself.

Slim’s work ranges from the comediche has recorded a remake of the Beatles’ Blackbird about getting on the gear and heading to notorious Melbourne venue Revolver - to the heartfelt.

His latest single Sleep Doesn’t Write Back

Teen dance show celebrates 10 seasons

Geelong Arts Centre will host a spectacular live production of an iconic Canadian television series turned global phenomenon.

Celebrating 10 years of the much-loved series The Next Step, which debuted in 2013 and concluded with its final season last year, The Next Step: Legacy World Tour is a brand-new live dance show featuring fan-favourite cast members from the original and current seasons..

Influenced by reality television, the mockumentary-style show focused on The Next Step Studio, following a group of elite dancers as they trained and competed and

therehearsals,romancesandrivalriesthey experienced.

The teen drama was a hit not just in Canada but around the world, particularly in the UK, and has sent live productions around the globe since 2015, including a stop in Geelong for the Absolute Dance tour in 2019.

The show was responsible for launching the careers of a number of well-known dancers, including Victoria Baldesarra, Trevor Tordjman and Briar Nolet, who will feature in the Legacy World Tour.

Boat Rocker Studios president of global rights, franchise and content strategy Jon

Rutherford

“The Next Step has been electrifying fans around the world since 2013 with its high-energy performances and talented, awe-inspiring cast,” he said.

“We are thrilled to partner with (official promoter) MRG to take the show on the road and give audiences around the globe a front-row seat to the artistry and athleticism that have made the series such a smash success.”

The Next Step: Legacy World Tour 2026 is at Geelong Arts Centre for two shows on 9 April. Visit geelongartscentre.org.au for tickets and more information.

is an example of the latter, a Pogues-like ballad that begins delicately doleful, but swells to become an epic singalong of despair and loss.

“The sad stuff has probably been there longer than the other, I just never put it out,” he said.

“I saw it as a bit of a contradiction; ‘Oh, I’m f***ing sad, come and see me play’. But I’d be at kick-ons, we’d be jamming and I’d play some of the sad songs and people were like, what? Do that.

“I’ve always dealt with those perils of life by making a joke out of everything, but there is that underlying thing…Music’s definitely helped a lot with that”

SlimKrustyisatMedusaBaronThursday 9 April. Visit slimkrusty.com.au for tickets and more information.

The Guide

TOUR DE FRED:

NORTHERN IRELAND

SBS Food, Saturday, 7.30pm

GARDENING AUSTRALIA

ABC TV, Friday, 7.30pm

Autumn is synonymous with fallen foliage at the end of its life cycle, but leave it to optimistic Gardening Australiahost Costa Georgiadis to find a fresh perspective to the season. In this informative episode, he focuses on fiery shrubs that can bring vibrant colour to any garden –without the epic clean-up. In Hobart, Hannah Moloney visits her retired horticulturalist dad Justin to see how his small urban plot has blossomed into a plant and wildlife haven in just two years. Meanwhile, Millie Ross focuses on seasonal produce, spending time with a Victorian family who operate a heritage quince orchard to learn more about the ancient, aromatic fruit.

In trailers for this energetic travelogue, host Fred Sirieix (pictured) is billed as “TV’s favourite Frenchman”. While chefs Gabriel Gaté, Manu Feildel and Guillaume Brahimi might duke it out for that title Down Under, the FirstDates maître d’ has won over audiences in the United Kingdom with his charisma. The passionate presenter sets his sights on world domination with this five-part cycling exploration of Northern Ireland’s roads. When he’s not taking on time trials or pedalling through the country’s most stunning landscapes, Sirieix takes time out to charm locals and experience what each region has to offer. In Saturday’s premiere, that means weaving, foraging and whiskey distilling in the Mourne Mountains.

Friday, April 3

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

PICK OF THE WEEK

MASTERMIND AUSTRALIA

SBS, Monday, 6pm

Seven, Tuesday, 8.40pm

Now free of the hacking scandal that has defined this memory-loss medical drama’s second season so far, Dr Amy Larsen (Molly Parker) is ready to return to what she does best: treating patients and climbing the clinical ladder. However, it won’t be easy. As the race for the chief resident position intensifies, Dr Joan Ridley (Felicity Huffman) tasks Amy and Sonya (Anya Banerjee, pictured, left, with Parker) with a high-stakes peer review exercise. Assigned separate cases, the two must evaluate and critique each other’s care. While Amy treats a high-profile politician with a spinal cord injury, Sonya is assigned a patient suffering from extreme abdominal pain. Neither case is straightforward, and a boardroom battle ensues as they defend their instincts.

SEVEN (6, 7)

NINE (8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 9.30 Cook And The Chef. (R) 10.00 Compass. (PG, R) 10.30 Stuff The British Stole. (PG, R) 11.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.55 The Piano. (PG, R) 1.45 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ms, R) 2.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 10.30 Charmian Clift: Life Burns High. (Ma) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. 2.05 Tommy Fleming Live From Galway Cathedral. (R) 3.00 Nula. 3.30 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Building The Vatican. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG,R)

7.00 ABC National News.

7.30 Gardening Australia.

8.30 Patience. (Mv) Amusic student isfound dead.

9.20 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs,R) Hosted byAlex Lee. 9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (Ms,R)

10.20 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (PG,R)

10.55 Melbourne Comedy Festival: Allstars Supershow. (R) 12.55 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv)

5.00 Rage. (PG)

6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 Children’s Programs. 11.45 Andy’s Global Adventures. 12.35pm Ben And Holly. 1.30 PJ Masks. 1.50 Kangaroo Beach. 2.30 Daniel Tiger’s. 2.45 The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.40 Ariel. 5.20 Millie 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.25 My Adventures With Superman. 8.45 BattleBots. 9.35 Gladiators UK. 10.30 Late Programs.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (PG) 8.30 Secrets Of The Conclave. Looks atthe conclave process that elected Pope Leo XIV. 9.40 Lost Secrets Of Jesus. 10.40 Haigh’s Chocolates: From Bean To Bar. (R) 11.10 Sisi. (Mav) 12.15 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+av, R) 2.05 Nordland 99. (Mals, R) 3.05 Designing Paradise With Bill Bensley. (R) 4.00 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31)

6am Morning Programs. 9.30 BBC News At Six. 10.00 France 24 English News. 10.30 The Movie Show. 12.15pm DW The Day. 12.45 Calipari: Razor’s Edge. 2.25 Bamay. 3.00 Where Are You Really From? 3.35 WorldWatch. 5.35 Inside The Huddle. 6.05 Over The Black Dot. 6.35 The Future. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 MOVIE: Three Fugitives. (1989) 10.20 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. 11.10 Homeland. 12.15am The Change. 1.10 United Gangs Of America. 2.05 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera.

6.00 Sunrise. 10.00 Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 12.30 Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. (PG) Coverage ofthe Good Friday Appeal. 3.00 Football. AFL. Round4. North Melbourne vCarlton.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. (PG) Coverage ofthe annual Good Friday Appeal tohelp raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital. 12.00 GetOn Extra. Alook atthe weekend’s best racing. 12.30 Damnation. (MA15+asv,R) Bessie discovers the plans for Holden. 1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R) Information about pet care.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted bySimon Reeve. 5.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Medical Emergency. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon House Of Wellness. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Our Town. 2.30 Weekender. 3.00 Business Builders. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country. 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Better Homes. 8.00 Escape To The Country. 11.00 The Yorkshire Vet. Midnight Bargain Hunt. 1.00 Coastwatch Oz. 1.30 ICU. 2.00 Harry’s Practice. 2.30 Medical Emergency. 3.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Coastwatch Oz.

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: The Nut Farm. (2024,PGadls,R) Arj Barker. 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG,R) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG,R) Hosted byTodd Woodbridge.

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

9.55 NRL Friday Night Footy Post-Match. Post-match coverage ofthe NRL game.

10.45 MOVIE: The Foreigner. (2017,MA15+alv,R) Arestaurateur seeks justice. Jackie Chan.

1.00 Explore TV: Antarctica. (R)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 Global Shop. (R)

5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

5.30 Postcards. (PG, R)

9GEM (81, 92)

7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round5. Penrith Panthers vMelbourne Storm.

Despite best efforts from rival networks, the hottest seat on Australian TV remains Mastermind’s iconic black chair. The only thing that could make facing host Marc Fennell’s intense questioning more difficult is a touch of sibling rivalry – enter Family Week. The hardest quiz show on the box returns for its eighth season with a quartet of families eager to test not just their own knowledge, but their bonds. The Coutinho clan kicks things off in Monday’s premiere, when West Coast Eagles tragic Josh, GoodLuckCharliefan Aerin, Thirsty Merc enthusiast Tiarne and their vintage Chrysler Valiant-loving dad Kemal go head to head in their chosen categories and a gruelling general knowledge round.

TEN (5, 10)

6.30 Deal Or No Deal. (PGa,R)

7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG,R)

7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (R) Andrew Winter helps James and Brendan.

8.40 Location, Location, Location Australia. (R) Follows property experts Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie asthey search for the perfect home for two sets ofbuyers. 9.40 The Graham Norton Show. (Mls,R) Guests include Bruce Springsteen.

10.40 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG)

11.30 NCIS: Origins. (Mav,R) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R)

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 7.50 Bushwhacked! 8.15 Motown Magic. 8.40 The Magic Canoe. 9.10 Spartakus. 10.00 Ocean Parks. 11.00 Going Places. Noon MOVIE: Listen Up: The Many Lives Of Quincy Jones. (1990, PG) 2.00 Tradition On A Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Nula. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Ocean Parks. 7.30 MOVIE: My Neighbour Totoro. (1988, PG) 9.10 MOVIE: Mars Attacks! (1996, M) 11.00 Nula. 11.30 Eddie Murphy Raw. 1am The Panthers. 2.00 Barunga Festival. 5.00 Bamay. NITV (34)

7MATE (64, 73)

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Rugby Heaven. 12.30pm Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. Alabama Grand Prix. H’lights. 1.30 Celebrity Ghost Stories. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: John Tucker Must Die. (2006, PG) 9.20 MOVIE: Coyote Ugly. (2000, PG) 11.20 Seinfeld. 12.20am Psychic Kids. 1.15 Love Island UK. 2.10 MOVIE: The Nut Farm. (2024, PG) 4.00 Barbie: A Touch Of Magic. 4.30 Barney’s World. 4.50 Lego Dreamzzz. 5.10 Hop. 5.30 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. Noon Storage Wars. 12.30 American Pickers. 1.30 Pawn Stars. 2.30 Kick Ons. 3.00 Timbersports. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Surveillance Oz. 8.30 MOVIE: My Best Friend’s Wedding. (1997, M) 10.45 MOVIE: The Scorpion King. (2002, M) 12.45am American Pickers. 2.00 Pawn Stars. 3.00 American Resto. 3.30 Storage Wars. 4.00 Surveillance Oz. 5.00 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 9.10 Discovering Film. 10.00 Flee. (2021, Malv, Danish, Dari, English, Russian, Swedish) 11.40 Bad Eggs. (2003, Malv) 1.25pm Porco Rosso. (1992, PGav) 3.05 The Boy And The Heron. (2023, PGalv) 5.20 Howl’s Moving Castle. (2004, PG) 7.30 What’s Love Got To Do With It? (2022) 9.35 Something’s Gotta Give. (2003, Mls) 11.55 Begin Again. (2013, Mls) 1.50am Howl’s Moving Castle. (2004, PG) 3.55 Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind. (1984, PGh) 5.55 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

Shopping. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Avengers. 12.40pm MOVIE: The Constant Husband. (1955) 2.30 Explore TV. 3.00 Rugby League. NRL. South Sydney Rabbitohs vCanterbury Bulldogs. 6.00 Customs. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Airport Security: USA. 8.30 MOVIE: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. (1971) 10.35 Hotel Chocolat: Inside The Chocolate Factory. 11.35 Next Stop. 12.05am Antiques Roadshow. 12.35 Drive TV: Drive Car Of The Year. 1.00 1.30 Late Programs. 10 DRAMA (53, 12)

10 COMEDY (52, 11)

Saturday, April 4

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 Rage Charts. (PG) 7.00 Weekend Breakfast. 9.00 Rage. (PG) 10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer. (PG) 12.00 Football. VFL. Round3. Werribee v Geelong. 3.00 Shaun Tan’s Tales From Outer Suburbia. (R) 4.10 The Matter Of Facts. (PG, R) 5.00 Australian Story. (R) 5.35 Landline. (R)

6.00 Kath & Kim. (PGals,R) Brett and 6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG,R)

Presented byTom Gleeson.

7.00 ABC News. Alook atthe top stories ofthe day.

7.30 Blue Murder Motel. (M) Vinny and Cole investigate afun-run attack.

8.15 Top End Bub. (PGs) Ned, Taya and Trevor help Leroy put ona great show for the local footy fundraiser.

8.45 Death In Paradise. (Ma,R) Marlon receives amysterious phone call from his fatally-wounded former boss.

9.45 Frauds. (Mlv,R) Trouble from home catches upwith Bilal.

10.30 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) Continuous music programming.

2.00 To Be Advised. 5.00 Rage. (PG)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Morning Programs. 9.10 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Animals. (PGa, R) 10.05 Vintage Voltage. (PGl, R) 11.00 Going Places. (R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 Motor Racing. Bathurst 6 Hour. Day1. Qualifying. 5.00 Stories From The Cities. (PG) 5.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 5.35 Orphans Of WW2. (PGa)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Edward Vs George: The Windsors At War. (Premiere) 8.25 Magical Train Journeys In Switzerland: Aboard The Gotthard Panorama Express From Lake Lucerne To Ticino. (PGa,R) Documents scenic Swiss train journeys. 9.25 Jersey And Guernsey. (R) Celebrates the natural beauty ofJersey and Guernsey. 10.15 Highclere: The Real Downton Abbey. (R) 11.15 Snowpiercer. (MA15+s,R) 1.00 (PG, R) 3.00 Matched. (PG, R) 3.50 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 Bamay. 5.15 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s

Programs. 2.30pm Mister Maker Around The World. 3.00 Play School. 3.25 The Gruffalo’s Child. 3.55 Odd Squad. 4.20 5.10 Tummy Tom And The Lost Teddy Bear. (Premiere) 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 Kids Baking C’ship. 8.10 Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking. 8.50 Chopped Jnr. 9.55 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.15 Late Programs.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Over The Black Dot. 3.00 Soh Presents: Generations And Dynasties. 4.30 This Is Indian Country. 5.00 Rebel With A Cause: Neville Bonner. 6.00 Homesteads. 6.40 The Other Side. 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.35 MOVIE: (1984, MA15+) 10.15 Tina Turner Live 2009. 12.35am Late Programs.

6am Morning

Programs. 12.15pm Show Me The Father. 2.00 Race For The Planet. 2.40 Forged In Fire. 3.35 WorldWatch. 5.35 The Mormons Are Coming. 6.45 The Food That Built The World. 7.35 Abandoned Americana. 8.30 Icons Unearthed: Transformers. (Return) 10.20 Marcella. 12.10am Race For The Planet. 12.45 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 12.40pm What We Do In The Shadows. (2014, Mhlsv) 2.15 Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind. (1984, PGh) 4.25 Castle In The Sky. (1986, PGv) 6.50 The Secret World Of Arrietty. (2010) 8.30 John Wick. (2014) 10.25 Sanctuary. (2022) 12.15am The Secret World Of Arrietty. (2010) 2.05 The Movie Show. 2.40 Late Programs.

Sunday, April 5

ABC TV (2)

SEVEN (6, 7)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. DayOn The Trot At Royal Randwick

5.00 Seven News At5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG,R)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Johanna Griggs and the team the house, garden and the kitchen. 8.00 MOVIE: Snow White And The Huntsman. (2012,Mhv,R) Asorceress orders for her former husband’s daughter tobe killed after learning she will bedefeated byher. Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron. 10.45 MOVIE: Mercury Rising. (1998,Mlv,R) Anautistic boy cracks agovernment code. Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin. 1.00 Devils. (MA15+av,R) Massimo makes adeal with Vicky. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Tales Of Aluna. (R) 5.00 House Of Wellness. (PG,R)

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Harry’s Practice. 3.00 Better Homes. 4.00 The Yorkshire Vet. 5.00 Horse Racing. Day On The Trot At Royal 6.00

6.30 Bondi Vet. 7.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 8.30 Lewis. 10.30 11.30 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm My Road To Adventure. 2.00 Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers. 3.00 Motor Racing. Night Thunder. Krikke Boys Shootout. 4.00 Frozen Gold. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Pawn Stars. 7.00 Storage Wars. 7.30 MOVIE: Ghostbusters. (1984, PG) 9.45 MOVIE: Baby Driver. (2017, MA15+) 12.05am Late Programs.

NINE (8, 9)

TEN (5, 10)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Today 12.00 Open For Inspection. 12.30 Drive TV: What Drives Us. (Final) 1.00 1.30 My Way. (R) 2.00 The Long Drive For Drought. (PGa) 2.30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo. (PGam, R) 3.30 Builds. 4.30 Garden Gurus. 5.00 News. 5.30 Getaway. (PG) 6am Morning Programs. 10.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 11.00 GCBC. (R) 11.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (R)

6.00 9News Saturday. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Space Invaders. (PG) Theteam helps afamily declutter their home. 8.30 MOVIE: Wonka. (2023,PGav) Ayoung Willy Wonka sets out tobuild his chocolate empire, facing opposition inthe form ofa villainous innkeeper. Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Olivia Colman.

10.50 MOVIE: The Legend Of Tarzan.

12.50 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo. (PGam,R) 1.50 My Way.

2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PGa) 2.15 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs.

12.45pm MOVIE: The Small Voice. (1948, PG) 2.30 MOVIE: State Secret. (1950) 4.40 MOVIE: Mr Holland’s Opus. (1995, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Noah. (2014, M) 10.10 MOVIE: The 12.40am How We Celebrate. 1.50 MOVIE: State Secret. (1950) 3.00 Seaway. 4.00 MOVIE: The Small Voice. (1948, PG) 5.50 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs.

12.40pm Newcastle vSunderland. 2.50 MOVIE: Mr Mom. (1983, PG) 4.40 MOVIE: Superman. (1978, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald. (2018, M) 10.10 MOVIE: Fargo. (1996, MA15+) 12.10am Prodigal Son. 2.00 MOVIE: Loop Track. (2023, MA15+) 3.00 Late Programs.

More freedom Less fuss At Armstrong Gr G een a lock up and leave

More freedom. Less fuss. At Armstrong Green, enjoy a lock-up-and-leave lifestyle for retirees who still say yes to travel, laughter, friendship, and fun within a welcoming community that keeps life easy and connected.

SBS (3)

6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 Weekend Breakfast. 9.00 11.30 Songs Of Praise. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Australia. (R) 2.30 The Piano. (PG, R) 3.30 Inside The Sydney Opera House. (R) 4.30 Creative Types With Virginia Trioli. (PG, R) 5.00 Back Roads. (R) 5.30 Fake Or Fortune? 6am Morning Programs. 9.00 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 9.05 Paul O’Grady For The Love Of Animals. (PGa, R) 10.00 PBS News Compass Points. 10.30 PBS Washington Week. 10.55 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 11.00 Motor Racing. Bathurst 6 Hour. Day2. Race day. 5.30 Going Places. (R)

6.30 Compass: Dear Prime Minister. (PG)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 The Piano. (PG) Presented byAmanda Keller.

8.20 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ms) Neha and Debbie team up.

8.50 Frauds. (Mal) Anunforeseen disaster derails the gang’s plans.

9.40 Blue Murder Motel. (Ml,R) Vinny and Cole investigate afun-run attack.

10.25 Top End Bub. (PGs,R)

10.55 MOVIE: Ten Canoes. (2006,Mnv,R)

12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 1.45

Unforgotten. (Mal, R) 3.00 Gardening

Australia. (R) 4.55 Dream Gardens. (R) 5.30

ABC FAMILY (22)

6.00 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Rivers. (PG,R) 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Unwrapping King Tut: Secrets Of The Mummy.

8.25 Akhenaten, The Secrets Of The Forgotten Pharaoh. (R) Alook atthe discovery ofa lost city. 9.25 Leonardo Da Vinci: Painter–God Pt 2. (PGadn,R) Leonardo Da Vinci pours his knowledge into aportrait. 10.25 R) 11.20 Bronze Age Apocalypse. (R) 12.55 Me And My Tourette’s. (Mals, R) 2.00 Matched. (PG, R) 2.50 Mastermind Australia. (R) 3.55 Mountain Vets. (Ma, R) 5.00 Morning. 5.15 5.30 PBS News Horizons.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 3pm Play School. 3.30 Isadora Moon. 4.45 Gardening Australia Junior. 5.10 MOVIE: Tummy Tom 2: A New Friend For Tummy Tom. (2024) 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 The Inbestigators. 8.00 Secret World. 8.45 Amazing Animal Friends. 9.35 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.15 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.15pm Motorcycle Racing. Superbike World C’ship. 1.20 Jeopardy! 3.25 WorldWatch. 4.25 PBS News Compass Points. 5.05 The Architecture The Railways Built. 5.55 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Tour ofFlanders. Men’s race. 1.15am Cycling. UCI World Tour. Tour ofFlanders. Women’s race. 2.30 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6.30 The Dog House. (R) Acouple dream ofdifferent dogs. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. Andrew Winter tempts anAussie larrikin tomove. Neale Whitaker tries toconvince Michelle togive upon her dream. 9.30 Gogglebox Australia. (R) Adiverse range ofpeople open their living rooms toreveal their reactions topopular and topical TV shows, with the help ofspecial, locked-off cameras which capture every unpredictable moment. 10.30 Ambulance Australia. (Mdlm,R) Follows dispatchers and paramedics. 12.30 Elsbeth. (Mlv,R) A Nutcracker rehearsal turns deadly. 1.00 NCIS: Origins. (Mav,R) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Weekly H’lights. 2.00 Dreaming Big. 2.30 Sammy Butcher: Out Of The Shadows. 3.10 Reclaiming The West. 4.10 Tina Turner Live 2009. 6.40 Wild, Smart And Deadly. 7.30 Our Medicine. 8.30 MOVIE: Singing Back The Buffalo. (2024) 10.10 MOVIE: Dark Horse. (2011, M) 11.45 Late Programs. NITV (34) 6am Shopping. 9.00 All 4 Adventure.

6am Morning Programs. 12.20pm Princess Mononoke. (1997, Mhv, Japanese) 2.50 Mosley. (2019, PGav) 4.35 My Neighbour Totoro. (1988, PG) 6.15 Spirited Away. (2001, PGh) 8.30 The Miracle Club. (2023) 10.10 Io Capitano. (2023, MA15+av, French) 12.20am Spirited Away. (2001, PGh) 2.35 Late Programs.

SEVEN (6, 7)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Sunday Footy Feast. 2.30 AFL Pre-Game Show. Pre-game coverage ofthe match. 3.00 Football. AFL. Round4. Melbourne vGold Coast Suns.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Football. AFL. Round4.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back atall the action from the match.

11.00 INXS: Live At Wembley. (Ml,R) Alook atINXS performing atWembley.

1.00 A Friend Of The Family. (MA15+a,R) Flashbacks reveal more about B.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted bySimon Reeve.

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

NINE

TEN (5, 10)

6.00 Hello SA. (PG, R) 6.30 ACA. (R) 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 AFL Sunday Footy Show. (PG) 12.00 Wide World Of Sports. (PG) 1.00 Drive TV: Drive Car Of The Year. 1.30 Reel Destinations. (Return) 2.00 Oz Off Road TV. (Return) 3.00 For The Love Of Pets. (PGa, R) 4.00 Space Invaders. (PG, R) 5.00 News. 5.30 Postcards. (PG) 6am Morning Programs. 8.30 My Market Kitchen. (R) 9.00 Freshly Picked. 9.30 Well Traveller. (PG, R) 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 GCBC. (R) 11.00 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl, R) 1.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGa, R) 2.30 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG, R) 3.00 The Finish Line. (R) 4.00 Lingo. 5.00 News.

6.00 9News Sunday. 7.00 60 Minutes. Current affairs program.

8.00 MOVIE: Hot Potato: The Story Of The Wiggles. (2023,PGaa) Thetrue story ofThe Wiggles, who became one ofthe greatest success stories inentertainment history. Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook.

10.15 9News Late.

10.45 The First48: Escape Plan/ Path Of Terror. (MA15+av,R)

11.40 A Killer Makes A Call: Jackson. (Mav,R)

12.35 Oz Off Road TV. (R)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

4.30 The Garden Gurus. (R) 5.00 Today 5.30 Today.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Best Holidays. 1.30 Business Builders. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.40 The Yorkshire Vet. 3.40 Australia’s Big Backyards. 4.40 The Aussie Property Flippers. 5.40 The Country. 6.40 Vicar Of Dibley. 7.30 The Coroner. 8.30 Vera. 10.30 Miss Scarlet And The Duke. 11.30 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 NRL Sunday Footy Show. 1pm Midsomer Murders. 3.00 Rugby League. NRL. Knights vCanberra Raiders. 6.00 Motorway Cops. 7.00 MOVIE: Ben-Hur. (1959, PG) 11.20 Major Crimes. 12.20am MOVIE: The Story Of Gilbert And Sullivan. (1953) 2.30 MOVIE: The Lady With A Lamp. (1951) 4.40

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Fishing Addiction. 2.00 Red’s Fishing Adventures. 2.30 Hook, Line And Sinker. 3.00 Pawn Stars. 4.00 Mt Hutt Rescue. 5.00 Counting Cars. 6.00 Border Security: Int. 7.00 Border Security. 8.30 MOVIE: F9: The Fast Saga. (2021, M) 11.15 MOVIE: 1.25am Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs. 12.05pm Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. 1.15 vLiverpool. 3.15 Australian Ninja Warrior. 5.00 MOVIE: Tom & Jerry. (2021) 7.00 MOVIE: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. (2005, PG) 9.20 MOVIE: Wonka. (2023, PG) 11.45 Gotham. 12.40am Late Programs.

6.30 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 7.00 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Anight ofrewards proves too much for some tohandle.

8.30 NCIS: Sydney. (Final,Mav) With aStinger missile and murderer inthe wind, the team races toprevent adeadly attack. 9.30 Law & Order: SVU. (Mav) Thehunt for a murder suspect uncovers acrime with shocking implications. Bruno protects his squad during araid. 10.30 NCIS: Origins. (Mav,R) Theteam investigates the death ofa marine’s son. 11.30 10 News+. (R) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

Monday, April 6

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Blue Murder Motel. (Ml, R) 11.00 Top End Bub. (PGs, R) 11.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Landline. (R)

2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG,R)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 7.30. Presented bySarah Ferguson.

8.00 Australian Story. Australians tell personal stories.

8.30 Four Corners. Investigative journalism program.

9.15 Planet America. Alook atAmerican politics.

10.00 Foreign Correspondent. (R) Looks atthe village ofMullaghmore inIreland.

10.30 ABC Late News.

10.45 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (Ms,R)

11.15 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mav,R) 12.05 Long Lost Family. (R) 12.50 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.35 Unforgotten. (Mlv, R) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Morning Programs. 11.00 DNA Journey. 12.10 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News Compass Points. 1.30 Al Jazeera News Hour. 2.00 Dare To Hope. (PGal, R) 3.15 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.20 The Cook Up. (R) 3.55 Six: Behind A History Making Achievement. 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (Return)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Inside The Tower Of London. (PG) Queen Camilla visits the Tower. 8.30 8 Out Of10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) Game show. Hosted byJimmy Carr. 9.20 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Hosted byGreg Davies.

10.10 SBS World News Late. 10.40 Herrhausen: The Banker And The Bomb. (Premiere, Ml) 11.35 Gomorrah. (MA15+av, R) 2.25 Mastermind Australia. (R) 3.30 Mountain Vets. (Ma, R)

4.35 Bamay. (R)

4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6am Morning

SEVEN (6, 7)

6.00 Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show. (PG) Thelatest news and views. 11.30 Athletics. Stawell Gift. Easter Monday session. 2.30 AFL Pre-Game Show. Pre-game coverage ofthe match. 3.00 Football. AFL. Round4. Hawthorn vGeelong.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGas)

7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) Thetop six take tothe stage, with each song dedicated tothe heroes intheir lives.

9.15 9-1-1. asa probie proves tobe more challenging than Chimney expects.

10.15 The Agenda Setters. (R) Anexpert panel tackles the biggest AFL topics.

11.15 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. (R) Anexpert panel tackles the biggest rugby league topics.

12.15 Conviction. (MA15+av,R)

1.15 Travel Oz. (PG,R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Sunrise Early News.

5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72) SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 11.00 Bananas In Pyjamas. 11.30 Wiggle And Learn. 12.35pm Fizzy And Suds. 1.25 Kangaroo Beach. 2.25 Play School Science Time. 3.00 Play School. 5.00 Bluey’s Big Play. 6.35 Kangaroo Beach. 6.55 Bluey. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.35 Gladiators UK. 9.35 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.20 Late Programs.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. Noon MOVIE: Singing Back The Buffalo. (2024) 1.40 Generations Of Men. 2.00 Tradition On A Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 The 77 Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Ocean Parks. 7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? 8.30 Karla Grant Presents. 9.30 MOVIE: Lantana. (2001, M) 11.35 Late Programs.

SIGNUP

Tuesday, April 7

ABC TV (2)

Programs. 2.25pm Inside The Huddle. 2.55 Over The Black Dot. 3.25 Stories From The Cities. 3.55 WorldWatch. 4.50 PBS News Compass Points. 5.20 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. (Return) 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Holy Marvels. 9.20 Greatest Escapes. 10.10 The Hospital: In The Deep End. 11.20 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 12.20pm Discovering Film. 1.10 Castle In The Sky. (1986, PGv) 3.30 Ponyo. (2008) 5.30 Kiki’s Delivery Service. (1989, PG) 7.30 Undercover. (2021, Madl, French, Spanish) 9.50 Barbarella. (1968, Mns) 11.40 In Therapy. (2023, MA15+als, Spanish) 1.25am Late Programs.

6am Morning

Programs. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 ICU. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 Auction Squad. 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 Doc Martin. 8.30 A Touch Of Frost. 10.50 Ambulance: Code Red. 11.50 Doc Martin. 12.50am Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm Motor Racing. Night Thunder. Krikke Boys Shootout. Replay. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 Aussie Gold Hunters. 9.30 Adventure Gold Diggers. 10.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 11.30 Late Programs.

SBS (3) SEVEN (6, 7)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Aust Story. (R) 10.30 Planet America. (R) 11.10 The Matter Of Facts. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (Ma, R) 2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 6am Morning Programs. 10.55 DNA Journey. (PG) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Great House Revival. (R) 3.00 Trail Towns. (R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Secret World Of Snacks. (PGs, 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 Foreign Correspondent.

8.30 The Matter Of Facts: The Truth According To AI. (Final,PG) Hamish Macdonald investigates the future ofAI. 9.20 Creative Types With Virginia (PG,R) Virginia

9.50 Compass. (PG,R)

10.20 ABC Late News. 10.35 The Business. (R) 10.50 Four Corners. (R) 11.40 Murdoch Mysteries. (Ma, R) 12.30 Long Lost Family. (R) 1.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 1.50 Unforgotten. (Ml, R) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys: Maienfeld To The Rhine Gorge/Sedrun To Schwyz. (R) 8.30 Insight. Presented byKumi Taguchi. 9.30 Dateline: American Veterans –The War Within. Explores

10.00 Rock Legends: Patti Smith. (PGl) 10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 Exit. (MA15+adlns) 11.55 Elvira. (Malv, R) 3.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.05 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 Children’s Programs. 3.40pm Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Safari Adventures. 4.40 Ariel. 5.20 Stan & Gran. (Premiere) 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 The Slow Mo Guys’ Big Adventures. 9.30 BattleBots. 10.15 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.15pm DW The Day. 12.45 Homicide. 2.35 Forged In Fire. 3.20 Kars & Stars. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 James May: Our Man In... Japan. 9.30 Into The Void: Life, Death And Heavy Metal. 10.25 Chasing Speed. 11.20 Brassic. 1.10am WWE Legends. 3.00 Late Programs.

NINE (8, 9)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: A Royal In Paradise. (2023, G, R) Rhiannon Fish, Mitchell Bourke. 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 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) Thesocial experiment continues (Ml) Ateam offooty experts tackles the AFL’s big issues and controversies.

10.15 9News Late.

10.45 100% Footy. (Mal) Features the latest rugby league news.

11.45 Outback Opal Hunters. (PGl)

12.35 Tipping Point. (PG,R)

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 Programs.

11.30 My Favorite Martian. Noon How We Celebrate. 1.00 Midsomer Murders. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: Quiet Weekend. (1946) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Death In Paradise. 8.40 TBA. 11.40 Chicago Med. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 1.40 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs.

11.40 MOVIE: Superman. (1978, PG) 2.30pm Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Green Lantern. (2011, M) 10.50 Seinfeld. 11.50 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 1.35 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 3.15 9Honey Hacks. 3.30 Late Programs.

TEN (5, 10)

6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption.

8.40 Matlock. Matty juggles abig court case and her50th wedding anniversary while representing aJacobson Moore colleague. 9.40 10’s Late News. Comprehensive coverage oflocal, national and international news, aswell asthe latest sport and weather. 10.40 10 News+. (R) 11.10 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

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 At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. (R) 6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Romance At The Vineyard. (2023, G, R) Susie Abromeit, Tim Ross. 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News. 6am Morning Programs. 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) 7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted byRicki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie. 8.40 Doc. (Ma) Therace for chief

Amy and Sonya with evaluating each other’s case work.

9.40 House Of Wellness. (PG) Insights and experiences that highlight living well.

10.40 The Agenda Setters. (R) 11.40 St. Denis Medical. (PGas)

12.10 Dirty John. (MA15+v)

1.10 Travel Oz. (PG,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 Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Creek To Coast. 2.30 House Of Wellness. 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. 11.15 Escape To The Country. 12.15am Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Aussie Gold Hunters. 2.30 Adventure Gold Diggers. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 Cape Carnage: Killer Catch. 9.30

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 Married At First Sight. (Ml) Thecouples must make abig decision. (Ml) Ateam offooty experts tackles the AFL’s big issues and controversies. 11.00 The Hunting Wives. (MA15+alsvv) Starr discovers anunbearable truth.

12.00 9News Late.

12.30 Tipping Point. (PG,R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

News.

9GEM (81, 92)

NCIS. (Mmv) Theteam investigates acase involving aman who isshot bythe Secret Service outside the

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

Today. 6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 Australian Survivor: Redemption. (PGl) Alliances are tested.

6am Morning Programs. 11.30 My Favorite Martian. Noon TBA. 1.00 Antiques Roadshow. 1.30 MOVIE: Carry On Constable. (1960) 3.20 MOVIE: The Third Man. (1949, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 New Tricks. 8.40 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 10.40 TBA. 11.40 Manifest. 12.40am Antiques Roadshow. 1.10 Late Programs.

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 12.30pm Australian Ninja Warrior. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Horrible Bosses 2. (2014, MA15+) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 1.55 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.45 Late Programs.

Wednesday, April 8

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Four Corners. (R) 10.45 Foreign Correspondent. (R) 11.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club.

1.45 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.20 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 2.50 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.50 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.25 Hard Quiz. (PG,R)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 7.30.

8.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs) Hosted byAlex Lee.

8.30 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (Ms) Asatirical news program.

9.00 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ms,R) Neha and Debbie team up.

9.30 QI. (Mal) Hosted bySandi Toksvig.

10.00 Planet America. (R)

10.35 ABC Late News.

10.50 The Business. (R)

11.05 You Can’t Ask That. (MA15+,R)

11.40 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv, R)

12.25 Long Lost Family. (R)

1.15 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv)

4.00 Gardening Australia. (R)

5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (PG, R)

5.30 7.30. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Morning Programs. 10.05 Kew Gardens: Season By Season. (R) 10.55 DNA Journey. 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News.

2.00 Dateline. (R) 2.35 Insight. (R)

3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Secret World Of Snacks. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. Presented byMarc Fennell.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 48 Hours: Escape From Chernobyl. Chronicles the1986 Chernobyl disaster.

8.50 Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes. (Ma,R) Explores the story ofChernobyl through anewly uncovered hoard ofdramatic footage.

10.35 SBS World News Late.

11.05 Rise Of The Raven. (Masv) Hunyadi deals with constant Ottoman invasions.

12.10 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (Malsv) (Malv,R)

3.35 Mastermind Australia. (PG,R)

4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures. 4.40 Ariel. 5.20 Stan & Gran. 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 9.55 Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl. 10.15 Late Programs.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Stompem Ground. 2.00 Tradition On A Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Waterworld Africa. 7.35 Ice Vikings. 8.30 Pro Bull Riding: USA. 9.30 Over The Black Dot. 10.00 Inside The Huddle. 10.30 MOVIE: Ka Po. (2022, M) Midnight Late Programs.

6am Morning

Programs. 12.15pm DW The Day. 12.45 Uncovering Incels. 1.00 Question Team. 2.50 The Bee Whisperer. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. (Final) 9.20 MOVIE: Enigma. (2001) 11.35 Brassic. 1.25am Dark Side Of The Ring. 2.20 Late Programs.

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32)

6am Morning Programs. 1.15pm Mad Max. (1979, Msv) 2.55 Forever Enthralled. (2008, PG, Mandarin) 5.35 The Ipcress File. (1965, PGv) 7.35 Hard Eight. (1996, Mlsv) 9.30 Zardoz. (1978) 11.30 Mad Heidi. (2022, MA15+avw) 1.15am Logan’s Run. (1976, Manv) 3.20 The Delinquents. (1989, Mansv) 5.15 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 At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa) Justin jumps the gun.

7.30 The1% Club UK. (R) Hosted byLee Mack.

8.30 The Front Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher take alighter look atall things AFL. (M) Hamish McLachlan chats with four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.

10.00 The Agenda Setters. (R) Anexpert panel tackles the biggest AFL topics.

11.00 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Ml)

12.00 Kochie’s Business Builders. (R) 12.30 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 Better Homes. 1.00 The Aussie Property Flippers. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Business Builders. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 McDonald And Dodds. 10.45 Air Crash Inv. 11.45 Late Programs.

7MATE (64, 73)

6am Morning

Programs. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Truckers. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 The Agenda Setters. 8.30 The Force: BTL. 9.30 Caught On Dashcam. 10.30 World’s Wildest Police Videos. 11.30 Code Red. 12.30am Late Programs.

Thursday, April 9

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

NINE (8, 9)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Married At First Sight. (PGl, R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.00[MELB] TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.30 WIN News.

6.00 9News. 7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 Travel Guides. (PGl,R) The guides head tothe Cook Islands. 8.40 MOVIE: Vacation. (2015,MA15+ln,R) Aman embarks ona cross-country trip toan amusement park with his family. Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth.

10.40 9News Late.

11.10 The Killer Interview With Piers Morgan. (Mv,R)

12.05 Tipping Point. (PG,R)

1.00 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 Programs.

Noon New Tricks. 1.00 Agatha Christie’s Marple. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: The Passionate Stranger. (1957, PG) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Keeping Up Appearances. 8.40 Midsomer Murders. 10.40 The Spencer Sisters. 11.40 Manifest. 12.40am Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93)

6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 12.40pm Australian Ninja Warrior. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 TBA. 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.40am Love Island UK. 2.10 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 3.00 Jeopardy! Australia. 4.00 Late Programs.

TEN (5, 10)

6am Morning Programs. 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Lingo. (R)

6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa,R) Narrated byMark Coles Smith. 8.30 Elsbeth. (PGalv) Elsbeth battles awealthy biohacker who will doanything tostay young, including anextreme diet and vigorous exercise. 9.30 10’s Late News. Comprehensive coverage oflocal, national and international news, aswell asthe latest sport and weather. 10.30 10 News+. (R) 11.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

SEVEN (6, 7)

(8, 9) 6am Morning Programs. 11.00 Creative Types. (PG, R) 11.30 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ms, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Frauds. (Mal, R) 1.45 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.20 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 4.00 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG,R) 7.00 ABC News.

7.30 7.30.

8.00 Back Roads: Gayndah, Qld. Theteam travels toGayndah.

8.30 Creative Types With Virginia Trioli: David Hallberg. (Final) Virginia Trioli meets with David Hallberg. 9.00 The Piano. (PG,R) Presented byAmanda Keller.

9.50 The Matter Of Facts: The Truth According To AI. (Final,PG,R)

10.40 ABC Late News.

10.55 The Business. (R) 11.10 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PG, R)

11.55 Long Lost Family. (R) 12.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 2.30 Unforgotten. (Mlv, R) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Morning Programs. 10.05 Kew Gardens: Season By Season. (R) 10.55 DNA Journey. (PG) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 France 24. 1.00 PBS News. 2.00 The Great House Revival. (R) 3.00 Going Places. (PG, R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Secret World Of Snacks. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Treasures With Bettany Hughes: Rhodes – Island Of Light. (PG) Bettany Hughes explores the Greek island ofRhodes.

8.30 Our Medicine. (PGa,R) Keisha gets results back from her recent GP assessment. 9.45 Riot Women. Nisha grapples with atoxic colleague. 10.55 SBS World News Late. 11.25 In Memoriam. (Malv) 12.15 Bonn. (Mav, R) 2.10 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a, R) 3.05 Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.05 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (PG, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 3.40 Thomas. 4.15 Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures. 4.40 Ariel. 5.20 Stan & Gran. 6.05 PJ Masks. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Ultimate Vets. 9.10 Animal Park. 10.40 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 12.10pm DW The Day. 12.40 Alone. 1.55 UFOs: Investigating The Unknown. 2.45 Insight. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 United Gangs Of America. 10.20 The UnXplained. 11.10 Brassic. 1am Dark Side Of The 2000s. 2.50 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. (R) 4.00 Seven News At4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Football. AFL. Round5. Adelaide vCarlton. 10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back atall the action from the match. 11.00 Kick Ons. Apreview ofthe upcoming AFL matches.

11.30 HMP: Behind Bars: HMP Long Lartin. (MA15+a,R) Takes alook inside HMP LongLartin

1.00 Damnation. (MA15+asv,R) Seth and the farmers take onthe Black Legion.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

7TWO (62, 72)

6am Morning Programs. Noon Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 South Aussie With Cosi. 2.30 Air Crash Inv. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Better Homes. 5.00 Escape To The Country. 6.00 Bargain Hunt. 7.00 Home And Away. 7.30 Father Brown. 8.30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. 10.30 Murdoch Mysteries. 11.30 Late Programs.

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Space Invaders. (PG, R) 1.00 Getaway. (PG, R) 1.30 Explore TV Viking. (R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30 WIN News. 6.00 Ent. Tonight. (R) 6.30 Bold. (PG, R) 7.00 Deal Or No Deal. 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Lingo.

6.00 9News.

7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 RBT. (Mdl,R) Alook atpolice random breath-test patrols.

8.30 Emergency. (Mlm,R) DrMark Putland and the trauma team have minutes tosave atruck driver’s severed leg.

9.30 A+E Crash Scene Emergency. (Mamv,R) Teen Rick injures himself after hitting aroadblock.

10.30 The Equalizer. (Mv) 11.20 9News Late.

11.50 Tipping Point. (PG,R)

12.40 Pointless. (PG, R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 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. 2pm MOVIE: Carry On Nurse. (1959) 3.45 MOVIE: The Man In The White Suit. (1951) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Canterbury Bulldogs vPenrith Panthers. 9.55 NRL Thursday Night Footy Post-Match. 10.40 Forensics: The Real CSI. 11.55 Late Programs.

6.00 10 News+. Hosted byDenham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 6.30 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted byGrant Denyer. 7.00 Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG) Hosted byRebecca Gibney. 7.30 Gogglebox Australia. Opinionated viewers discuss TV shows. 8.30 The Graham Norton Show (Final,Mls) Graham Norton isjoined onthe couch byguests Benicio del Toro, Jennifer Garner, Gordon Ramsay and Charli xcx. 9.40 10’s Late News. Coverage ofnews, sport and weather. 10.40 10 News+. (R) 11.10 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

(34)

7MATE (64, 73) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. Noon Pro Bull Riding: USA. 1.00 Over The Black Dot. 1.30 Inside The Huddle. 2.00 Tradition On A Plate. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Harlem Globetrotters. 5.30 Te Ao With Moana. 6.00 Bamay. 6.40 Waterworld Africa. 7.30 Going Places. 8.30

6am Morning Programs. 2.30pm The Force: BTL. 3.30 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 4.30 American Resto. 5.00 Storage Wars. 5.30 American Pickers. 6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.00 Motorway Patrol. 8.30 Britain’s Got Talent. 9.45 Unbelievable Moments Caught On Camera. 10.45 Late Programs.

9GO! (82, 93) 6am Morning Programs. 12.35pm Logan’s Run. (1976, Manv) 2.50 A River Runs Through It. (1992, PGaln) 5.05 Discovering Film. 5.50 What We Did On Our Holiday. (2014, PGa) 7.40 Risky Business. (1983, Malns) 9.30 Mars Attacks! (1996, Masv) 11.30 Doctor Sleep. (2019, MA15+av) 2.15am Zardoz. (1978) 4.10 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 12.40pm Australian Ninja Warrior. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: The Matrix Resurrections. (2021, M) 11.25 Seinfeld. 12.25am Rugby Heaven. 1.25 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.15 Late Programs.

PUZZLES

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

ACROSS

1 State of bliss (5,4)

6 Impartial (4) 10 Append (3)

11 Decked out in decorative coverings, as a horse (11)

12 Casanova (8)

13 Marketplace (6)

14 Visage (4) 15 Secure (7)

20 Eurasian country (7)

21 Sport (4)

25 Incarnation (6)

26 Altered (8)

28 Unkempt (11)

29 Business abbreviation (3)

30 Merit (4)

31 Invaluable (9)

1 Categorise (8)

2 Heavy artillery (8)

3 Tractable (6)

4 Contrive in emergency (9)

5 Corn spikes (4)

7 Yearly (6)

8 Horsemen (6)

9 Chagrined (7)

16 The masses, according to the Greeks (3,6)

17 Bigger (7)

18 Definite (8)

19 Leads an orchestra (8)

22 It might provide light at a vigil (6)

23 Former Roman consul, Julius – (6)

24 Provoke (6)

27 Sub (4)

Today’s Aim:

12 words: Good 18 words: Very good 24 words: Excellent

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”. A T O P L GH Y O

3

5

1 Sadie Sink (pictured) plays which character in the Netflix series StrangerThings?

2 What country has been the birthplace of the most number of Popes?

3 The Jimny is a type of car made by which company?

4 The hyoid bone is found in what part of the human body?

The Australian lake Kati Thanda is also known by what name?

The Kay Scarpetta books are written by which author?

7 Florsheim is a US company that makes what product?

8 Which famous composer wrote the music and lyrics for the musical KissMe,Kate?

9 Approximately how many kilograms does a standard men’s shot put weigh?

10 In the Shinto religion, the Inari Okami is the deity of rice, sake and what animal?

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

Geelong Fibre Artists

Tides of Change exhibition, House Gallery, Queenscliff Neighbourhood House, 3 Tobin Ave, Queenscliff, Monday-Thursday 9.30am-3pm, Friday 9.30am-1pm, Saturday & Sunday & public holidays 11am-4pm, until 12 April. Maggie, 0448 700 890

Ballroom dance

Leopold Hall, 805-809 Bellarine Highway, Saturday 4 April, 7.30-10.30pm. Admission $10 includes supper. Music: Charles. Sunday 5 April dance cancelled. 0400 500 402

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

Arts National-Geelong

One hour arts lectures and presentation, Newcomb Hall, Wednesdays monthly, 10.15am. Next meeting 15 April. Sharron, 0439 328199 or geelong@adfas.org.au

Ocean Grove Library

Closed 3 to 6 April

Wednesday 15 April, 2-3pm: book chat Wednesday 22 April, 5.30pm-6.30pm: author talk with Anne Vines Tuesday 28 April, 2-3pm: fact checking online

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

Combined Probus Belmont Central

The Combined Probus Club of Belmont Central meets at 10.30am on the second Wednesday of each month at Waurn Ponds Hotel. Visitors welcome. Next meeting 8 April.

Publicity officer, 0417 555 547

Community kitchen

Do you enjoy cooking or want to learn cooking and budgeting skills with a small group of like-minded people in your community? Are you interested in volunteering to facilitate a Community Kitchen? healthycommunities@barwonhealth.org. au

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.

Bingo

Tuesdays 1-3pm, great grocery prizes plus $50 jackpot books $2.50. Belmont Seniors Centre, 52 Thomson Street, Belmont. Frank, 5241 1776

Geelong Amateur Radio Club

Storrer Street Clubhouse, Geelong, Wednesdays 1.30-4pm, Fridays 6.30pm. Robert, 0438 409 979 or vk3atl.org

Choir

St Paul’s Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 7.45-8.45pm 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

Bellydance classes

Beginner level, new term commencing. New students welcome. Tuesdays 1.30pm, Life Activities Club, Belmont Park Pavillion, Belmont. Glenys, 0400 214 897

Geelong’s Soroptimist International Service club for women and girls, every second Tuesday of the month from 6pm at Belmont RSL. 0455 835 691 or geelong@siswp.com

Geelong Sports & Game Fishing

Meets first and third Monday of the month at Belmont Park Pavilion, 7.30pm. John, 0409 234 307

Geelong Anglers Club

Meets fourth Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm, 9 Yuille Street, Geelong West. Monthly fishing competitions. Brian, 0417 190 092 or Ian, 0470 114 787

Drysdale CWA

Every second Tuesday at 1pm and crafts every fourth Tuesday at 11.30am of each month at Drysdale RSL Club. Jenny, 0452 258 333

Scottish dancing

GOG Scottish Country Dance classes

7.30pm Tuesdays at Leopold Hill Hall, $5. No partner needed. Vicki, 0412 762 983 or Barbara, 0419 511 781

Geelong Showgrounds Museum

Open to the public on the first Sunday of each month 10am-2pm (October excepted). Adults $10, students 13-18 $5, under 13 free. 5221 1707

Geelong Scottish Dance Highland dance classes for all ages Wednesday from 4pm and Saturday from 10am at Western Heights Uniting Church Hall, St Herne Hill.

Christine, 0468 311 788 or facebook.com/GeelongScottishDance

First steps in music

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers welcome with parent/carer. Thursdays Northern Bay College, Tallis, and Fridays at Northern Bay College, Peacock. Free if living in 3214 postcode, bookings essential. info@bluebirdfoundationinc.org.au

Mainly Music

Music and fun for preschoolers, Welcome Centre, St Mark’s, Vicarage Road, Leopold, Thursdays 9.30-11am. $5 per family per week.

0461 582 618 or mmadmin@bgap.church

Geelong Patchwork & Quilter’s Guild Meets third Saturday of each month 10.30am-3.30pm, Newcomb Hall, Wilsons Road. Visitors welcome. $6 includes time to sit and sew, morning tea and guest speaker. info@geelongpatch.org.au

Dragons Abreast Geelong Dragon boating for breast cancer survivors, Saturdays 12.30pm, Geelong Canoe Club, Marnock Road, Highton. Free come and try. Traci, 0417 301 226or Facebook Dragons Abreast Geelong - Juggernauts

PlayLinks

Music and art playgroup where babies, toddlers and preschoolers learn together with their parent/carer. Wednesdays St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Norlane. Free if living in 3214 postcode, bookings essential. info@bluebirdfoundationinc.org.au

Grovedale East Ladies Probus Fourth Monday of each month, 9.30am, Belmont RSL. Sally Nelson, 0402 450 610

Waurn Ponds Combined Probus Fourth Wednesday of the month, 10am. Maximum 100 members. probussouthpacific.org/microsites/waurn

Lions Club of Geelong Meets 1st & 3rd Monday of each month. Contact below for venues and times. geelong.vic@lions.org.au or 0408 599 962

Lectures

Join Adfas Geelong Inc. for illustrated lectures by art historian Matthew Martin, formerly curator of the National Gallery of Victoria.

Geelong Harmony Chorus Women’s four-part harmony singing. All ages encouraged. Rehearsals Mondays 6.45pm at Herne Hill. contact@geelongharmony.com.au or 0406 666 737

Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir Small ladies choir who require no knowledge of the Welsh language. Meet Wednesdays 7pm at St Luke’s, Highton to help each other sing in Welsh and English. 0413 406 433 or welshladieschoir.com.au

Chess clubs

Ocean Grove, Tuesdays at 1.30pm at 101 The Terrace, Ocean Grove; Portarlington, Mondays at 9.30am, Parks Hall, 87 Newcombe Street, Portarlington; and St Leonards, Thursdays at 9.30am, unit 2 1375-1377 Murradoc Road (on Blanche Street), St Leonards. Ralph, 0431 458 100 (Ocean Grove), Rob, 5259 2290 (Portarlington), Lyn, 5292 2162 (St Leonards)

Geelong Scout Heritage Centre Meets third Sunday of the month, 56 Russell Street, Newtown, 10am-3pm. 0419 591 432 or geelong.heritage@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Dancer’s Club Geelong Ballroom dance weekly, Leopold Hall 7.30-10.30pm. Admission $8 includes supper. Old time, New Vogue and Latin. CDs by Kevin and Tre. Russ, 5250 1937

Life Activities Club [Geelong Inc] Arvo tea dance every Thursday, Belmont Pavilion, 2-4pm, $5 entry. Val, 5251 3529

Belmont Combined Probus First Monday of the month, 9.30am, Geelong RSL Function Room, 50 Barwon Heads Road. New members and visitors welcome Sue, 0409 945 011 or probusclubofbelmont@outlook.com

Barwon Valley Belmont Probus First Thursday of month, 10am, Waurn Ponds Hotel. Membership officer 0407 333 263 or bobstafford@ozemail.com.au

Sports

Badminton: Corio Leisuretime Centre, Mondays 12.30-2.30pm. Beginners welcome.

Netball: YMCA Riversdale Road, Monday & Wednesday mornings, Thursday nights. Walking-netball also played. Umpire training available. Maureen, 0429 397 015

Arts National Geelong Welcomes guests and members to monthly lecture series. Details of lecture topics, lecturers and venues at: artsnational.au

Live music

Country Heartbeat Allstars every Friday 7-10pm, White Eagle House Polish Club, Fellmongers Road Breakwater. Walkups welcome. Proceeds to Sunny Days Rescue & Rehab. Dawn, 0417 148 493

Bellarine Historical Society Open to the public. Discover the area’s past. Closed Easter Sunday, open Sunday 12, 19 & 26 April, 10.30am-12.30pm. Courthouse Museum, 11 High Street, Drysdale. bellarinehistory.org

Celebrating all things Ford

Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was at Eastern Gardens in Geelong on Sunday 29 March for All Ford Day with more than 1500 Ford vehicles on display.

Location:

Position: Full-time

Lead two important regional news brands and help shape trusted local journalism across print, digital and social.

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced and energetic Editor to lead the editorial direction of the Sunraysia Daily and Broken Hill Times, based from our Mildura office.

This is a hands-on leadership role overseeing the Sunraysia Daily’s three-times-a-week printed edition, the Broken Hill Times, daily online publishing, and support for content across the company’s social channels.

You will lead the reporting team in Mildura and work closely with the small team in Broken Hill, while being supported by the Group Editor and our production hub team.

This is a strong role for someone who understands the importance of local journalism, can drive quality and consistency across platforms, and is committed to building audience and community impact.

About the role

In this role, you will:

•edit and oversee the Sunraysia Daily print editions published three times a week

•oversee editorial output for Broken Hill Times

•manage daily digital publishing across both brands

•assist with editorial content for the company’s social media channels

•lead, mentor and manage the team of reporters in Mildura and the small team in Broken Hill

•help drive strong news judgment, story generation, planning and follow-through

•work with the Group Editor and production hub team to ensure deadlines are met and quality standards maintained

•help grow audience engagement across print, online and social platforms

•maintain high standards of accuracy, fairness, balance and community relevance

•connect with the community, attend events and meet with key members of the community

About you

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have:

•experience in editing, newsroom leadership or senior reporting

•strong news sense and a passion for regional and community journalism

•excellent writing, editing and headline skills

•the ability to manage competing deadlines across print and digital

•strong people leadership skills and a collaborative approach

•confidence working across websites, digital publishing systems and social platforms

•an understanding of how to build audience through digital content and social distribution

•a commitment to accuracy, ethics and high editorial standards

•a great sense of community

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who can:

•lead from the front

•support and develop reporters

•produce strong, relevant and engaging local content

•balance the demands of print, digital and social

•work positively with editorial, production and management teams across the group

Why join us

This is a rare opportunity to play a leading role in two important regional news mastheads and make a genuine difference in the communities they serve.

You will join a business that values trusted local journalism and supports its editors with experienced group leadership and central production resources, while still giving you the chance to have real editorial impact at the local level.

To apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and resume, outlining your relevant experience and why you are interested in this role to paul.thomas@starnewsgroup.com.au

SPORTS QUIZ

1. Serbian NBA player Nikola Jokić is famously passionate about his love for which animals?

2. Since 2008, Nintendo and Sega have co-developed a video game franchise about Mario and which other character at the Olympics?

3. Australian tennis coach and former player Marinko Matosevic was recently handed a four-year ban for what reason?

4. Footwork Arrows was a Formula One racing team based in which country?

5. What kind of animal does Frankie Muniz voice in the 2005 sports comedy movie RacingStripes?

Essendon FC recently released a minidocumentary subtitled ‘Spend a day with ...’ who?

Which two races did Australian runner Jessica Hull win medals in at the World Athletics Indoor Championships?

Which team defeated Arsenal to win this year’s Carabao Cup?

After defeating Team USA, which country has won its first ever World Baseball Classic championship?

Tennis world No.1

Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by which player in the third round of the Miami Open?

Moana Pasifika is a team which competes in which sporting league?

12. Which F1 driver scored his first career podium for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix?

13. Which golfer won the Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove by four strokes?

14. A MotoGP race descended into chaos after sinkholes were discovered on the track in which country?

15. The Australian Test cricket team will play four matches against which rival for the 2026/27 Test summer?

16. Which Parramatta Eels NRL player will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL knee injury?

17. Which current F1 driver won the 2026 24 Hours of Nürburgring, only to be disqualified after the race?

18. Former Test cricketer Brad Haddin has been named the new coach of which state?

19. During an NRL game at Canberra Stadium, glass shattered in the coaching box, injuring which coach’s hand?

20. In chess, the player with which colour pieces always begins the game?

21. Which nation will Australia play in the Qualifying Round of the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup?

22. Future AFL team Tasmania Devils recently made their debut in which football league?

23. And in what year will the Devils debut in the AFL and AFL Women’s?

24. A large number of injuries to what part of the body have occurred in the opening rounds of the 2026 AFL season?

25. Which nation will host the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup?

26. AAMI Stadium was a former AFL ground located in which state?

27. Which country

28. March Madness is an annual US tournament in which colleges compete in what sport?

29. Which Matildas player was awarded the Player of the Tournament Award at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup?

30. Approximately, what percentage of an Olympic gold medal is actually gold?

It’s a lot of car for the money

By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring

Another week, another Super Hybrid to drive – this time the Omoda 9 plug-in hybrid.

Omoda, which is now a separate brand, is part of the Chinese Chery group which includes Jaecoo.

In fact, Omoda and Jaecoo share the same dealerships. Some dealers also offer Chery-branded vehicles.

The Omoda name represents sporty crossovers while Jaecoo is associated with more rugged SUVs.

The Omoda 9 is also sold as the Exeed Yaoguang (or RX for export markets). It’s all a bit confusing.

Styling

The five-seat SUV is offered in one generously equipped variant Omoda 9 SHS Virtue AWD, priced from $61,990 plus on-roads.

A full width light bar links projector LED headlights with narrow vertical LED daytime running lights.

The rear also features a full-width light bar.

Standard equipment includes leather-appointed seats, two-zone climate airwithrearventsandcontrols,heatedand cooled power-adjust front seats, heated outer rear seats and heated, power-adjust steering wheel and coloured interior lighting.

There’s also head-up display, adaptive cruise control, LED lights front and back, auto high beam, speed sign recognition, built-indashcam,cooledconsolebox,auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming interior mirror, front and rear parking sensors and automatic parking and a powered tailgate.

A panoramic sunroof tilts and slides, with a powered sunshade and can be opened andclosed with voicecommands.

Omoda 9 comes with an eight-year unlimited kilometre warranty, eight-year unlimited kilometre warranty for the batteries, eight-year capped-priced servicing, and eight-year roadside assistance.

Infotainment

Infotainment consists of an integrated panel with dual 12.3-inch screens, eschewingthetrendtowardsfree-standing screens. It feels dated.

The system features Bluetooth with voice control, built-in navigation, AM/ FM and DAB+ digital radio, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while sound comes from a 14-speaker Sony-brandedaudiosystem,includingtwo in the driver headrest.

There’s USB-A and -C ports front and backaswellasa12-voltpowersocketinthe front (but none for the luggage area). Wirelessphonechargingisalsoprovided.

Safety Omoda 9 is yet to be rated for safety by ANCAP, but gets a five-star rating from Euro NCAP.

Occupants are protected by reverse and 360-degree cameras, eight airbags including a front centre bag and a full suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems which includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW).

Two ISOFix and three top tether child seat anchor points are fitted.

Engines/transmissions

The petrol engine produces 105kW of power and 215Nm of torque, while the electric motors produce 75kW/170Nm, 90kW/220Nm and 175kW/310Nm (front to back).

Combined output is a prodigious 395kW and 700Nm with the dash from 0-100km/h taking a rapid 4.9 seconds.

That’s better than Ford or Holden’s much-lamented V8 heroes in case you’re wondering.

Getting power to the ground is all-wheel drive,withthemorepowerfulelectricmotor turning the rear wheels, via a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT).

Driving

Omoda bills the 9 as premium, a luxury model even and the flagship of the Omoda-Jaecoo range.

But we’re not buying it because there’s plenty of generic, hard black plastic on show.

Apart from some fancy stitching on the door panels, it’s all a bit meh (not counting the deep pile floor mats).

At 4775mm the 9 is exactly the same length as the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV that we tested previously, but a little wider.

Even so it feels significantly smaller inside.

However, the 9 offers a greater load capacity at 660 litres with the rear seats in place and 1783 litres folded.

While handy for storing items, the large, two-tier centre console consumes much of the cabin space.

The door-mounted seat controls are a lift from Benz, but fore and aft control is for show only in the rear.

Oddly, the doors have both physical and push-button latch releases.

The seats are narrow and pressed into our thighs and buttocks, with limited legroomin front.

Rear legroom seated behind my own 183cm frame is comfortable.

In terms of performance, one thing we

cansayabouttheOmoda9isthatitgetsout of the gates pretty quickly for an SUV.

And it should, with a hybrid system that consists of a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine and three electric motors – two at the front and another one at the rear.

Quad tailpipes, a pair at each corner of the rear bumper, promise something special from this car and it delivers in spades.

The main thing that separates this car from the other super hybrids that we’ve testedisthelargerbatterywhichat34kWh and is sufficient to provide a pure electric range of about 145km (WLTP).

With an equally large 70-litre tank, energy consumption is a claimed 19.3 kWh/100km and fuel use is 1.4L/100km using premium 95 unleaded, with a combined range of up to 1100km.

AC charging (6.6kW) takes 5.5 hours for 30-80 per cent. DC fast charging (70kW), again from 30-80 per cent takes a claimed 25 minutes.

The trip computer in the Omoda 9 is a little confusing, but the maths is quite simple.

With a fully charged battery and the car in hybrid or a blend of petrol and electric power, we used 11.8 litres of fuel over a distance of 288km which in our book equates to 4.1L/100km (or very low fuel consumption).

For those intending to make frequent use of the car’s significant electric range, it could be enough to get it across the line in front of a dedicated EV.

Otherwise, it can simply be driven as a self-charging hybrid, with three levels of regenerative braking to top up the battery.

A round control knob in the centre console lets you switch between EV (electric) and HEV (hybrid) modes.

8 Overall: 7.7

There are six drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Sand, and Off-Road.

There are plenty of other options contained in the menu system, but no physical volume or temperature controls. You may however inadvertently bring up the aircon page with a vertical swipe, but you’ll need to wait two or three minutes for it to disappear during which time the screen remains locked. It wears thin.

Atthefairleftofthescreenresidesalarge virtual volume dial.

For a branded system, the Sony audio lacks depth, with frequent radio signal dropouts.

With continuous damper control the ride quality with the low friction 20-inch 245/50 series Michelin E Primacy tyres is fine on smooth bitumen and surprisingly good on secondary roads, with judicious useofthethrottlesortingoutanysideways movement at speed.

Throttle response is excellent in the mid-range for overtaking, but lags from a standstill, taking two to three seconds to hookup occasionally.

Backing off is sufficient to control corner speedandifthingsstarttogetoutofshape, it’s simply a matter of giving it some more juice,butbecarefulnottogiveittoomuch.

Thefour-wheelventilateddiscbrakesare great, but can sometimes be abrupt.

A tyre repair kit is provided in the event ofapuncture.

Summing up

It’s rare to get performance and low fuel consumption in the same package, but that’s the promise from the Omoda 9. With 395kW of power it’s quicker than a V8 muscle car for those missing the V8 Ford orHolden.

It’s difficult to believe but true.

New coach announced

Geelong Venom has appointed highly respected WNBL coach Cheryl Chambers as new head coach.

Chambers brings more than two decades of elite coaching experience across the WNBL and international basketball, including multiple championships and a reputation for building high-performance, values-driven programs.

Her career highlights include WNBL titles with the Southside Flyers and Sydney Flames, an Olympic bronze medal with the Australian Opals.

“Cheryl is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in Australian basketball, so to have her join Geelong Venom is a significant moment for our program,” Geelong United Basketball chief executive Mark Neeld said.

“Her experience at the highest level, combined with her ability to build strong, connected teams, makes us all incredibly excited about what she will bring, not only to our playing group but to the broader Geelong basketball community.

“From our very first conversations, it was clear that Cheryl’s vision for the program aligns strongly with where we want to take the Venom. She is passionate about developing talent, creating a high-performance environment and building a culture that our players and community can be proud of. That alignment makes Cheryl a natural fit.”

Geelong Venom board member and chair of the coach selection panel Michelle Gerdtz said securing Chambers was a strong endorsement of the club’s direction and ambition.

“Securing a coach of Cheryl’s calibre is a strong statement about the direction of our program,” she said.

“We are committed to building something sustainable and competitive and Cheryl brings the leadership, experience and credibility to help drive that forward.

“Geelong is a proud and passionate sporting community and we know Cheryl will embrace that connection straight away. She understands the importance of building relationships beyond the court and we’re confident she will play a key role in strengthening the link between the Venom and our wider basketball family.”

Chambers replaces inaugural coach Chris Lucas. Venom is coming off a seven-win season and finished sixth with 16 losses.

Locals qualify for Easter Rip Curl Pro event

Xavier Huxtable and Ellie Harrison have secured their wildcard spots in the 2026 Rip Curl Pro.

The trials for the main event wrapped up in an amazing show of talent from Victoria’s best surfers held in tricky conditions at Winki Pop.

Former trials winner and current WSL Challenger Series athlete Xavier Huxtable (Jan Juc) was the man to beat coming into the event.

The final saw Huxtable lock in a heat total of 13.66 against fellow Surf Coaster Willis Droomer (Jan Juc) who finished a close second on 13.30 points.

“Im so frothing, but it’s all a bit of blur,” Huxtable said.

“All year I have been thinking about getting back into the main event and to be back in is amazing. The forecast looks super fun and I can’t wait to go up against the world’s best at home.”

Finishing in third was Lucas Hickson (Rye) on 9.73 points with Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc) in fourth on 9.36.

In the women’s final, it was fellow WSL Challenger Series surfer Ellie Harrison (Barwon Heads) who claimed the final spot in the main draw.

With her signature trademark carves and laybacks, Harrison dominated heats from the outset and in the final had her two scoring rides in the opening half of the heat.

Finishing on a heat total of 13.33, Harrison took down 2025 Trials winner Carly Shanahan (Jan Juc) who finished on 10.23.

‘Amazing’ Grove team returns from Aussies

By Justin Flynn

Ocean Grove’s dedicated team of young surf lifesavers returned home this week from competing in the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships on the Gold Coast.

The championships, better known as the Aussies, proved fruitful for the club with coach Sonia Kinsey saying each member of her team were “amazing kids”

“It’s the best group of youth I’ve ever had as far as, not just ability, but the way they work together, support each other, train together, socialise together,” she said.

“I’ve been a coach now for 15, 20 years and a member for 40 years and they are just amazing kids. The entire group is just fantastic.”

Grayson Hyde backed up last year’s gold with a bronze in the board and a 5th in the ironman with Paddy Clarke 4th in the Under 13 ironman and Georgie McIntyre 4th in the Under 17 board.

“Ocean Grove’s never won boys board races before, but we’ve had four medals now,” Kinsey said.

“And we got a couple of fourths and a couple of fifths. So (it was) a really good performance.”

Grace Bird, Indi McIntyre and Eilidh Sheridan won bronze in the Under 15 board relay. McIntyre also came 5th in the board final.

“Board relay medals are really hard to come by,” Kinsey said.

“That was pretty amazing.”

For the senior team, a superb performance from Georgie McIntyre, Chelsea Hanks and Catherine Robertson earned a silver medal in the Under 17 girls ski relay.

Grayson Hyde, Eilidh Sheridan and Indi McIntyre were members of the Victorian pathways team.

“I feel really good and I’m really happy to be back in the main draw,” Harrison said.

“It was a tricky day of competition but I’m happy to be back competing against my idols and the best surfers in the world at home.”

Finishing in third place was Rose Holland (Dromana) on 8.67 with Sophie Wilkinson (Shoreham) on 8.33.

Easter opening for local footy

By Justin Flynn

Local footy begins this weekend with a full round of Bellarine Football League games and a standalone match in the Geelong Football League.

The GFL begins in Lorne on Easter Saturday with St Joseph’s playing Leopold, which is a round 11 fixture brought forward.

Despite losing seven premiership players, Leopold has recruited well with prolific ball winner Darby Henderson crossing from Lara, which is in recess for the 2026 season. Jett Elek has also crossed from Lara, but VFL and Falcons duties will limit his appearances in the green and gold.

Key tall Adam Enever, who played 18 games for struggling Goulburn Valley League club Tatura last season, is another signing.

Highly rated Charlie Gardiner, who won the Under 18 league best and fairest for St Mary’s last season while Lachie Nash (Mt Compass), Ethan Skene (North Cairns), Ziggy Lee (Redan) and Paddy Gilbert (Lake Wendouree) are other inclusions.

Runners-up in 2025 St Joseph’s has lost several players including Joseph Chaplin, who was part of Tasmania’s historic VFL openerlastweek,LukeWebb(Bunninyong), Jack Buckley and Felix Henderson (both Sebastopol) and star forward Oscar Morrison (Bairnsdale).

Mal White returns to St Joseph’s after a stint at North Ballarat, while Queanbeyan’s Jack Jovanovic has nominated Joeys as his club when he is not required for Geelong’s VFL side. Francesco Posterino has crossed from Newtown & Chilwell where he was equal runner-up in the reserves Allthorpe Medal last season.

A Bellarine Football League rivalry begins on Easter Saturday as new club Surf Coast Suns take on Torquay at Banyul-Warri Fields in their first ever match.

The Suns will be led by former North

Melbourne and Geelong player Aaron Black while Torquay won the race for former Port Adelaide champion Travis Boak, whose appearances will be limited after taking on the performance and culture manager position at Carlton.

The season will kick off on Good Friday withOceanGrovehostingreigningpremiers Anglesea and Geelong Amateur welcoming Moddewarre to Queens Park.

Ocean Grove has lost captain Cameron Fowler and Harrison Dolley (Newtown & Chilwell), ruckman Kye Annand and young star Jamison Hallam (South Barwon) and Jace Collins (Barwon Heads) although they have added three very good players in livewire forward James Patterson, former Cat and Swan Gary Rohan, Blake Poyser (South Bendigo) and utility Lorne Waldron (Northcote Park).

Anglesea has added tall defender James Fulton from University Blues in the VAFA and tall Ryan Bell from Lara.

Ammos have added 12-game AFL player Hugh Goddard, St Joseph’s premiership player James Hickey although midfielder Blake Sutterby has returned to Newtown & Chilwell.

Modda will be coached by club legend Josh Finch and has picked up key defender Brady Campi from Grovedale while 2018 premiership player Sam Romeril has returned.

On Easter Saturday Barwon Heads hosts Portarlington with the talented Sam Christensen coming from St Mary’s while Jace Collins has crossed over the bridge from Ocean Grove. Mitch Herbison and Sammy Baker have retired and Sam Witherden has gone to St Arnaud.

Portarlington has added Leopold premiership players Sam Scott (coach) and Brock Williamson.

QueenscliffhostsDrysdaleintheremaining game with Tom Burgess (Lara), 2015 Liston Trophy winner Nick Rippon, Marshall

Rippon and defender Trent Thompson from Leopold.

Among Drysdale’s recruits are Jayden Hunt, who is straight out of the AFL and inside mid Mitch Caddy from Melton.

Geelong tennis premierships decided on grand final day

Seventeen Tennis Geelong Senior Pennant clubs were represented across 17 sections in grand finals with 12 clubs taking home a premiership win.

Moriac started well with Mixed 4 taking a surprise win over Ocean Grove. Moriac matched the minor premiers in the mixed, butwithfatherandsoncombinationofScott andRileyvanderVlietpushingbrothersJesse and Max Ballagh to 7-5, while Natalie Marino and Chelsea Gielen blasted through the women’s without dropping a game, the difference was the doubles game count, with Moriac ahead by six and tied on sets.

Moriac’s Mixed 5, despite finishing behind Newcomb, held a 2-1 lead going into the match. But Newcomb proved too good, winning 5-1.

Newcomb went two from three for the day, with their Men’s 1 team winning the first four sets in their match against Highton Blue. Point Lonsdale were just as convincing in Men’s 2 winning their one encounter for the day 6-0 over Western Heights.

Geelong Lawn hosted Newcomb in Open 1,andwaslevelonrubbersandgamesatthe halfway mark, but with Liam Polizzi taking a straight sets win in the singles and Anthony Williams and Steve Tomkins following up in the doubles, Lawn went ahead 3-1 to take the win.

Wandana Heights also won two from three attempts with strong 5-1 wins over Moolap in Mixed 2 and Leopold/Moolap in Mixed 3, but their White Mixed 7 team went down to Winchelsea. Winch managed two wins from their three encounters, howev-

er, Wandana matched them in the first four sets, with one game separating them going into the reverse mixed.

Katrina Wilson and Kurt Jungling put Winch into a great position winning 6-1, while Joanne Law and Joshua Hatisma got up in a tie-break to seal it 4-2.

Moolap fared better in Open 7 against Highton. The teams were level on rubbers, but Moolap had the set advantage at the halfway mark with Moolap winning the first set of the reverse singles and Highton the doubles. Both rubbers were decided in straight sets, leaving Moolap with the advantage and eventual winners.

Open 8 was almost an identical match to Open 7, but All Saints came up trumps against Highton Blue. All Saints won both encounters through the season and continued their form in the final, led by Walter Pohl winning both his rubbers.

Highton were the best represented with five teams playing, however, it was only

Open 3 finding success, but as it was Gold vs Blue teams, the win was guaranteed. Gold had the advantage over Blue in home and away and both finals, ending with a 3-1 win for the flag.

Hamlyn Park Red took out Open 4 with a win over Ocean Grove, with their third 3-1 win. It was the Park’s only outing for the day, whereas Ocean Grove had three, with the remaining two going to the wire.

Clifton Springs had two home finals and will be ruing what could have been in both. Ocean Grove got off to a good start in Mixed 6, up 3-1 going into the reverse mixed, but the Springs fought back to level, but the 6-3, 7-6 results were not enough to close the gap on games with Grove up by four.

In Open 5 against Grovedale Black, it was tied on rubbers and sets and Grovedale ahead by one game at the halfway mark. The Springs won the first set of both the singles and doubles in the reverse matches before Grovedale won the second doubles in a super tie-break, giving Isaac Graham two wins. The singles was a grind going to a super tie-break, which would decide the winner. The result was 10-2 to Grovedale to come from fourth to take the flag.

Emotions were high when Grovedale Black hosted Bannockburn in Mixed 1, with the passing of teammate Brent May still fresh in the minds of Grovedale. With a large crowd of family and friends watching on, as expected the sets were close, and at the end of the doubles, the teams were level on sets with Grovedale ahead by one. Grovedale dug in with Jared Bromley and Zoe Duff winning the fifth 6-3 while Michael Best and

Abbie Walker did the same in the sixth to remain undefeated for the season. A fitting tribute to their missing teammate. Like Grovedale, Surfcoast went two from two, but opposite ends of the scale. Torquay’s Open 2 finished second at the end of home and away, but built some amazing form coming into finals, dropping only one set in their two finals and having a clean sweep against Moolap to claim the premiership.

Open 6 travelled to Ocean Grove and it was one rubber each, but down 3-1 on sets with two rubbers to play. Torquay started well, winning the first set in both the singles and doubles and went ahead to claim the doubles in straight sets. The singles was hardfoughtwithRafBerratheeventualwinner for the Grove in a super tie-break. The result tied the match on rubbers, sets and games forcing the teams into a deciding 10 pointtie-breaktodecidethematch.Zakhele Stevens and Sienna Clatworthy, winners of the reverse doubles, continued their success to take the breaker 10-3 to seal the win for Surfcoast.

Silverware heads to Grinter Reserve after grand final win

Newcomb & District won a pulsating Division 4 grand final against Little River in a game where one key partnership made all the difference.

After play was abandoned on Saturday due to rain and a waterlogged ground, the game was played on Sunday and Redbacks opener Andrew Spengler started the match off in style, making a superb 93 from 116 deliveries, but it was a lone hand with Josh Walker (26) and Luke Wright (16) the only other batters to make an impact.

Three wickets for Anthony Quarrell and two each to captain Jason Robertson and Blake Ritchie as well as a tidy seven-over

spell from Daniel Harrison that yielded a wicket and conceded 20 runs, had Little River all out for 187.

With two early wickets and just four runs on the board, the Redbacks were then on top and then at 5/55, Newcomb & District needed a partnership.

It came in the form of Tyler O’Neill and AaronMorgan,whoaddedagamechanging 114 before Morgan was out for 43 from 49 balls.

At7/172thegamewasstillalive,butwhile O’Neill was there, the Dinos always looked safe and he ended on an unbeaten 91 from 125 balls.

Luke Wright did all he could for Little River with 3/24 from nine overs, but once he had bowled his full allotment, the Dinos regained control thanks to O’Neill’s superb knock.

DIVISION 4

Bisinella Oval, Lara Little River vs Newcomb & District Newcomb & District 7/188 (T. O’Neill 91no, A. Morgan 43, B. Ritchie 28, L. Wright 3/24, R. Chandran 2/12) def Little River 187 (A. Spengler 93, J. Walker 26, A. Quarrell 3/28, B. Ritchie 2/21, J. Robertson 2/35). Newcomb & District won by three wickets.

Fairytale complete

By Justin Flynn

Leopold completed a fairytale season, winning the GCA Division 2 premiership after just sneaking into the finals.

Hightonwentintothematchasfavourites, but Leopold played better for longer and came away with a 111-run victory.

“It’s amazing,” Leopold captain Tom Treble said. “A lot of spectators, a lot of people that are around the cricket club that were all wishing us well, so to be able to get that win for them.

“Just a great feeling and there were a lot of guys there that had played a lot of junior cricket for Leopold and for them to reap the rewards of all their hard efforts - it was a great moment once that final wicket went down.”

Wicket-keeper Joey Vallelonga’s form this season has been ultra consistent and he delivered on the big stage, making a terrific 88 from 224 balls of pure concentration and resilience. Sam Mitchell made 52 in the middle order and a final total of 259 all out was extremely competitive.

“It was probably very early in the season against Highton in the second eleven, he (Vallelonga) made an amazing hundred where wickets were falling around him and he just held his nerve and stayed there and batted with the tail,” Treble said.

“He knew how to build an innings from early in the season. Then he’s gone and replicated that on the weekend…and that was clearly the standout knock of the weekend.”

The wickets were shared around for the Heat with consistent seamer Chris Young taking 3/70 from 26 overs, Kiwi off-spinner Isaac Bird snaring 2/50 from 25 and leg-spinner Fionn Neeson grabbing 3/52 from 19.1.

Highton was 0/13 in reply overnight with Brady Somers and Zac Wills resuming on Sunday morning.

Somers fell for 26 and Wills went on to make a polished 51 from 102 balls, but partnerships were difficult to come by.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Hayden Butterworth(4/36from18overs)madeearly breakthroughsandright-armfingerspinner Treble (3/10 from 10) and seamer Dylan Barmby (2/25) didn’t allow the Highton batters to get comfortable at any stage.

“It’s a bit of a luxury that (co-coach) Reece (Plumridge)andIhavethatourbowlingunit has always been quite strong at Leopold,” Treble said.

“If someone’s just slightly off, you can quickly make another bowling change and you’ve got plenty of guys ready to go and give it their all.

“That was the key thing - just making sure that all the guys when they had their opportunity, they’d execute well and keep the pressure on and make it as hard as possible to score.”

Highton was eventually all out for 148 and the celebrations at Leopold continued

Leopold skipper Tom Treble did his part in the grand final, making 20 and taking 3/10. (Ivan Kemp) 542739_09

for several days, all after sneaking into the finals by just 0.38 of a point.

“Having the two previous finals games, even the game before the home and away season, we’ve just been playing a lot of intense,high-levelcricketwherewe’vebeen knowingwhatit’sliketogetintothegrindfor the duration of the 100 overs,” Treble said.

“Wewerewellprepared,Ibelieve,justgoing into that final knowing what we needed to do. Whether it was bat or bowl first, we knew that taking our time and putting a score on the board was going to be the best way to go.

“I think from the start of the season our intention was if we can get to finals, we felt like we were going to have a good shot at it.

Once we made the finals, I believe the guys just knew that we could go up a couple of levelswithourintensityandthewaythatwe go about it.”

DIVISION 2 GRAND FINAL

Saturday March 28 & Sunday March 29

Lawn Addicts Oval, South Barwon Reserve, Belmont

Highton vs Leopold

Highton won the toss and bowled

Leopold

H. Hatswell lbw Young 1 (6)

J. Le Maistre c Somers b Bird 13 (60)

H. Butterworth c Bird b Elliott 17 (27)

J. Vallelonga c Cook b Young 88 (224)

T. Treble c Somers b Bird 20 (80)

M. Kenneady run out (Gillard/Campbell) 26 (70)

S. Mitchell c Cook b Neeson 52 (82)

R. Plumridge c Bird b Young 0 (2)

B. Horne c Young b Neeson 6 (15)

D. Barmby c Bord b Neeson 16 (27)

D. Gibson not out 0 (8)

Sundries 20 All out for 259

Bowling

D. Elliott 11-1-1-30

C. Young 26-9-3-70

I. Bird 25-7-2-50

N. McCoach 15-2-0-27

F. Neeson 19.1-1-3-52

B. Somers 4-0-0-12

Highton

B. Somers c Treble b Butterworth 26 (43)

Z. Wills c&b Butterworth 51 (102)

J. Gillard c Vallelonga b Horne 6 (24)

I. Bird c Plumridge b Barmby 16 (26)

J. Cook c Kenneady b Treble 1 (25)

L. Campbell c Barmby b Butterworth 1 (8)

E. Burns c Vallelonga b Butterworth 17 (88)

F. Neeson b Treble 1 (9)

N. McCoach b Barmby 9 (48)

C. Young c Kenneady b Treble 5 (9)

D. Elliott not out 6 (20)

Sundries 9

All out for 148

Bowling

D. Gibson 10-2-0-13

J. Le Maistre 13-4-0-33

D. Barmby 9-2-2-25

H. Butterworth 18-6-4-36

B. Horne 7-2-1-22

T. Treble 10-5-3-10

Leopold won by 111 runs.

Wicket fest as Eagles soar to Division 3 title

Just 137 runs were scored across two innings for 20 wickets as Waurn Ponds Deakin won a remarkable Division 3 flag against Murgheboluc.

A valuable unbeaten 21 from Sudharsan Rajaratnam got Waurn Ponds Deakin from 8/57 to add another 25 precious runs to the total, but 82 all out was a disappointing performance.

Luke Brown and Dan Grozdanovski each picked up three wickets for the Frogs.

However, you can never truly judge a pitch until both sides have batted on it and when the Frogs had their turn it was apparent that scoring was ultra difficult.

After his opening over, which went for nine, Ethan Rogers generated serious pace and took four wickets before stumps as the Frogs fell to 5/16 at the close of a bizarre day’s play.

A new day brought new hope for Murghe, but Rogers was having none of it, taking his fifth early and at 6/16, the Eagles had one hand on the cup.

Josh Hutley had other ideas and his 31 was easily the top scorer in the match and although the Frogs inched forward, Rogers took his seventh wicket and the Eagles had won by 27 runs.

Rogers took 7/37 from 20.4 overs and was well backed up by ageless veteran Dhanuja Haturusingha (1/12 from 10 overs) and spinner Zarbakht Asim (2/5 from 10 overs), who bowled eight maidens.

In a desperate attempt to snatch a reverse outright, Murghe bowled again and took two early wickets, but the Eagles were 2/31 when the game was finally called off and were able to properly celebrate.

Murgheboluc’s Luke Webb was handed a two-match suspension from an incident where he made physical contact with WPD’s Zarbakht Asim.

DIVISION 3

Mt Moriac Reserve

Murgheboluc vs Waurn Ponds

Deakin

Waurn Ponds Deakin 82 (S. Rajaratnam 21no, D. Grozdanovski 3/16, L. Brown 3/26, L. Webb 2/17) & 2/31 def Murgheboluc 55 (J. Hutley 37, E. Rogers 7/37, Z. Asim 2/5). Waurn Ponds Deakin won by 27 runs.

GCA grand finals wrap up

Independent photographer Ivan Kemp went to South Barwon Reserve on Sunday 29 March for the GCA Division 1 and 2 grand finals and saw North Geelong defeat East Belmont and Leopold beat Highton.

Magpies rewrite history

By Justin Flynn

North Geelong broke a Geelong Cricket Association record that may never be repeatedbywinningitsseventhconsecutive Division 1 premiership on the weekend.

Last season the Magpies equalled Newtown & Chilwell’s six in a row from 1978 to 1984 and overtook it with a 157-run win against East Belmont at South Barwon Reserve on 28 and 29 March.

There’s no reason why it can’t be eight in a row next season, although that’s a long way off and the club has every right to bask in this year’s glory.

North Geelong captain Tom Mathieson said the players were able to reflect on the history they had created.

“We have, but I still don’t think it will sink in for a long time that history is ours,” he said. “Every flag has a different feel, this one was a pretty emotional one.”

Sam Hall set the tone on day one with a blistering 91 from 74 balls, setting his side up for a potentially mammoth total.

Hall went from 49 to 55 with a six over the offside and brought up his 50 from just 40 balls.

Hall and Ned Cooper (37) put on 133 for the first wicket while Layton McCann playedthesheet-anchorrolewithagritty63 from 157 balls and Phil Visser made a fluent 37 from 54.

“The way he (Hall) went about his innings set the entire tone for the day,” Mathieson said.

“He takes the pressure off everyone else and set that platform with Ned for the boys tocomeinandfeelcomfortablewithoutany runrateissues.“We’veseenitsomanytimes from Sam before that some people are just used to it now which is incredible in itself.”

Left-arm quick Jack Jenkins got East Belmont back into the game and ended up with 4/62 from 22 overs with North Geelong all out for 334 despite a hard hitting 35 from 27 balls by Mathieson.

Shane McNamara and Sean O’Neill survived the 10 overs left in the day and resumed on Sunday at 0/18.

North Geelong speedster Dale Kerr was unable to finish his fifth over on day one, going off the ground with a back injury and was not fit to take his place in the field the

He takes the pressure off everyone else ... We’ve seen it so many times from Sam before that some people are just used to it now which is incredible

- Tom Mathieson

It left the Magpies a key bowler short, but skipper Mathieson and his arsenal of slow bowlers went to work.

The Pies’ attack was relentless, even without their spearhead and simply ground the Lions’ star-studded batting line-up into submission.

O’Neill dug in for 25 from 126 balls, James Lidgett played well for 37 from 118 and a 50-run 10th-wicket stand between bowlers Jenkins (30) and Stuart Carter (21 not out)

of 177 all out.

MathiesonstoodupinKerr’sabsenceand ledtheattackwith3/26from25immaculate overs, while left-arm finger spinner Bailey Sykes came of age with a haul of 5/61 from 34.2 overs.

“We knew pretty quickly Dale’s back was bad, he’d play through anything he physically could so we knew early Sunday morning when he was struggling to walk he was definitely out,” Mathieson said.

“ItwasoneofthebestlongspellsI’veseen inalongtime.He(Sykes)wassoreadytoget into the game so for him to grab his chance and run with it was huge.”

Angus Cranny, Alistair McCann and Victor Morrow did their part and the flag wasNorthGeelong’sfortheseventhstraight season, but there is no talk yet of eight in a row.

“Nah, there hasn’t been any talk of eight yet.WehavepresentationnightThursdayso we’ll continue to enjoy this one but we’ll hit preseason harder than ever like we always

Saturday 28 March & Sunday 29 March

Division 1

Reynolds Oval, South Barwon Reserve, Belmont

North Geelong vs East Belmont

North Geelong won the toss and batted

North Geelong

S. Hall lbw Jenkins 91 (74)

N. Cooper c McNamara b Molyneux 37 (93)

L. McCann b Jenkins 63 (157)

P. Visser c Lachlan Inglis b Moroney 37 (54)

A. Costello lbw Lidgett 18 (36)

A. McCann c Lachlan Inglis b Lidgett 15 (28)

D. Kerr lbw Moroney 27 (39)

T. Mathieson b Carter 35 (29)

V. Morrow c O’Neill b Jenkins 0 (11)

B. Sykes lbw Jenkins 0 (1)

A. Cranny not out 0 (3) Sundries 11

All out for 334

Bowling (overs, maidens, wickets, runs)

J. Jenkins 22-9-4-62

D. Moroney 20-1-2-100

S. Carter 11.2-2-1-54

L. Molyneux 23-2-1-87

J. Lidgett 10-3-2-27

East Belmont

S. McNamara c A. McCann b Mathieson 15 (40)

S. O’Neill c Visser b Sykes 25 (126)

J. Lidgett c Cooper b Mathieson 37 (118)

Luke Inglis c Cooper b Sykes 6 (36)

H. McMahon run out (Sykes/Costello) 10 (35)

Lachlan Inglis c sub (Troy) b Mathieson 8 (20)

D. Winsall c Cranny b Sykes 10 (29)

L. Molyneux c sub (Troy) b Sykes 9 (21)

J. Jenkins lbw Sykes 30 (58)

D. Moroney c sub (Troy) b Morrow 1 (7)

S. Carter not out 21 (29) Sundries 5 All out for 177

Bowling

D. Kerr 4.2-2-0-11

A. Cranny 6-1-0-24

T. Mathieson 25-12-3-26

A. McCann 10.4-4-0-18

B. Sykes 34.2-9-5-61

V. Morrow 6-0-1-34

North Geelong won by 157 runs.