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HomeIndyDouble take

Double take

Coffs Harbour has The Big Banana, Ballina’s home to The Big Prawn and Goulburn’s infamous for The Big Merino.
But could Geelong soon boast – wait for it – The Big Battery?
According to State Government, it’s a possibility.
The Government has called for expressions of interest in building “Australia’s largest battery”.
Rather than powering Australia’s largest flashlight, the battery will actually provide storage for renewable energy from the state’s expanding fleet of wind turbines and solar panels.
Consumers might assume the idea’s possibly cheaper and more politically expedient than saving the Hazelwood power station. Or maybe not
Whatever, southwest Victoria, which includes Geelong, is earmarked as one of two regions to host the gazillion-Z-size battery.
Local lobbyists, start your electric engines!
And while you’re charged up, enquire about the possibility of The Big Recharger in Colac.

Coincidentally, a delegation of South Australian “government executives” visited Geelong this week to find out what makes the region tick.
Given SA’s problems with reliable electricity supplies, maybe the delegation should have waited until Geelong had secured The Big Battery.
Then they could have arrived with The Long Extension Cord and problem solved!

In discussions of a very different kind, two unsolved World War II murders linked to Fort Queenscliff will return to the spotlight in Geelong on Sunday.
Military historian and former detective Bob Marmion, the author of written a book on the incidents, plans to discuss all sorts of clues and angles, including alleged links to the Prime Minister’s office.
Intriguingly, both victims – Roy Willis and John Huston – were shot in the chest with a military revolver three months apart in circumstances that stumped the local constabulary.
Both were also servicemen posted to the fort.
The story has “more twists and turns than the Great Ocean Road”, according to Bob.
Amateur sleuths keen on solving the mystery can hear Bob’s talk at North Geelong’s Osborne House from 2pm Sunday.

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