FRESH from battles elsewhere, a band of environmental superheroes descended on the Surf Coast last weekend for their latest challenge.
Who was this force to be reckoned with? Greenpeace? Sea Shepherd?
Way more fearsome – the Knitting Nannas of Toolangi.
Yes, the ladies with fire in their eyes and yarn on their laps were on the coast to help local activists demand the closure of Anglesea’s power station.
Apparently the ladies have quite a reputation in their patch north of Melbourne for taking on local loggers.
Surf Coast Air Action said the nannas’ support left the group “touched and appreciative”.
And maybe just a little awed.
AFTER Geelong central was on the cusp of receiving the NBN before the change of federal government over a year ago, our country cousins are now winning the online war.
Apart from local greenfield developments, 2800 homes in Alvie, Beeac, Beech Forest, Cororooke, Cressy East, Forrest, Gellibrand, Swan Marsh, Warncoort and Barongarook will be hooked up to 11 new fixed-wireless facilities.
This adds to the 3700 homes across Golden Plains already receiving wireless NBN signal. Corangamite now has 2100 premises able to order a service with around 689 users connected.
Without begrudging a decent rural internet service, the numbers are hardly going to crash any websites.
SPARE a thought for the majority of local school kids who copped a day off the usual grind for Geelong Cup on Wednesday.
There was a time, not so long ago, when they had the choice of Gala or Geelong Show days, both eminently kid-friendly.
Then their schools were given a choice of closing for either the show or the cup.
Now the kids get to sit at home while their folks, and teachers, hit the turps trackside.
NOT that it was all bad news for school kids this week, especially if they attend Oberon High but yearn for Europe.
The state coaltion made the link on Monday when MP David Koch announced, amid a flurry of pre-election funding commitments, $10,000 for Oberon to develop a “sister school relationship” in Germany.
Local Liberal candidate Paula Kontelj noted the relationship might involve “study-tour opportunities”.
At the risk of seeming a sauerkraut, $10,000 would buy few return trips to Germany and, as cup day shows, the kids might struggle for funding priority.
Might be time to take on an extra paper round.
And with a final update on local education spending, State Government “support” will help also train young indigenous girls in circus skills.
Apparently the Flygirl program is for 12 to 18-year-olds either out of school or “at risk of disengaging”.
Participants will learn “fun circus skills as well as respect, communication and positive relationships”.
At least after the course they won’t have to run away to join the circus – they’ll be able to apply!
