Warmer, wetter
Autumn 2019 in Geelong was drier and wetter than average, according to a local weather service.
The mean temperature was 1.1C above normal and the rain was 115mm compared to the 108.3mm average after the season finished with the wettest May since 1997, Geelong Weather Services reported.
Councillor quits
A Surf Coast councillor has quit, citing the “behaviour” of colleagues as one of her “main reasons” for leaving.
Carol McGregor said personal and career issues were also behind her decision, with a countback of 2016 voting in Winchelsea ward likely to replace her with former Victorian Farmers Federation staffer Adrian Schonfelder.
Life lab
Living “better and smarter” amid increasing urbanisation is the focus of a new Geelong research laboratory, according to Deakin University.
The Live+Smart Lab, at Deakin’s Waterfront campus would focus on building design to address issues such as health, wellbeing and “ecological and socio-cultural sustainability”, Deakin said.
Town upgrade
City Hall is closing in on completing the first stage of a $400,000 project to make St Leonards’ shopping precinct “more attractive”.
Stage one would finish mid-month before work began on additional upgrades including the installation of street furniture, garden beds and a new welcome sign on Murradoc Rd before the shopping area.
GOR closure
The Great Ocean Road will close at Moggs Creek next week to allow the installation of a temporary bridge, VicRoads has announced.
The overnight closure from 7pm Wednesday would precede works to replace an existing bridge as it neared “the end of its design life”, VicRoads Emma Miller-Olsen said.
Storages rising
Geelong’s water storage levels have continued rising after additional rain the catchment area over the past week.
Barwon Water recorded the storages at 35.1 per cent of total capacity, up 2.1 per cent after 51mm of rain in the seven days to Wednesday.
Four wanted
Three men on assault charges and a woman wanted for “traffic matters” are the latest targets of a Geelong police campaign identifying people with warrants out for their arrest.
Police posted images of 32-year-olds Cory McCormack and Alex Travella along with Ryan Gilson, 28, and Susan Kent, 40, on social media this week with a call for information from the public to help find them.
