Queenscliff’s Joanna Monahan is showing incredible signs of progress, some six weeks after a freak cycling accident almost claimed her life.
The highly respected lawyer has regained as much as 75 percent of her memory and is walking with assistance, according to husband Greg, who has maintained an almost constant bedside vigil. 
“This has only happened over the last few days, she’s coming along 100 miles an hour at the moment. She’s even walking short distances and shuffling around with a bit of help. 
“Everything is improving,” he said. 
“At this stage we don’t know how much longer she’s going to be here but everything is going in the right direction very fast. 
“Three days ago she still couldn’t speak at all and now she’s got a massive amount of her memory back and she’s speaking well. We’ve just got to get her body right now.” 
Mrs Monahan was thrown over the handlebars of her bike after a small piece of metal was flicked up from the road and into her bike’s forks during an early morning, group training ride at Bellbrae on December 19.
She was flown by air ambulance to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition with severe head injuries and remained in a coma in intensive care for more than three weeks. 
She has since been moved to Caulfield Hospital for intensive rehabilitation. 
The incident sent shockwaves through local sporting and legal fraternities. Mr Monahan is president of the Queenscliff football club, his wife had been at the helm of the netball department. 
In recent months she had established her own legal practice at Queenscliff harbour, after many years as a senior lawyer with Harwood Andrews. 
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Our local sailing fraternity will transform Port Phillip into a sea of pink tomorrow (January 16) in a spectacular show of support for breast cancer sufferers. 

The Queenscliff Lonsdale Yacht Club will play host to a flotilla of craft and upwards  of 50 sailors as part of the state’s first Pink Lady Regatta.  

Commodore Jill Golland said the event would create a spectacular never before seen on the bay.

“The 50 tickets for women to come and participate are nearly all sold, they have gone really quickly,” Mrs Golland said. 

“It will be an eclectic fleet of keel and couta boats predominantly… we might have a big ketch as well. 
“It is just going to look really festive and really special and really pink. It will just jump out and say this is all about breast cancer,” she said.

The idea is the brainchild of cancer survivor and president of the Ocean Grove–Barwon Heads Breast Cancer Support Network (BCSN) Julie Rodger.

Boats and their crews will dress up in pink for a sail past from the ferry terminal to the Queenscliff pier. They will then race around giant pink buoys. 

“I just thought why don’t we have a regatta, it’s never been done before, to raise funds and awareness and it’s looking wonderful,” Mrs Rodger said. 

“This is a cause very close to our hearts because we’ve experienced the support first hand and we know how important it is, from diagnosis and through the whole treatment process.”

An additional 200 tickets are available for a post-event family celebration at the Queenscliff Lonsdale Yacht Club including a jumping castle, prizes, a barbeque and kayaking. 
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To purchase a ticket or help sponsor the event, contact Jill Golland on 0409 562976

Borough of Queenscliffe residents are set to return to the polls in coming weeks, following the sudden resignation of Deputy Mayor Greg Jones.

CEO Lenny Jenner announced the development in a press release this evening.
No reason has yet ben given for Cr Jones’ decision. His resignation is effective immediately.

The Point Lonsdale businessman only spent six weeks in the role of Councillor. He replaced Cr Graham Christie, who resigned in October due to ill health.

“In accordance with the Local Government Act I have advised the Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchins MP and the Victorian Electoral Commission,” Mr Jenner said.

A date is yet to be set for a by-election to fill the extraordinary vacancy.

​Whoever fills the fifth councilor’s seat may only hold the position for a matter of months, with municipal elections due in October. 

​A public forum with Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins this month represents an important last chance for locals to finally achieve a single Point Lonsdale, Mayor Helene Cameron has warned.

The Borough has put boundary change firmly back on its agenda, but has warned it will not happen unless residents show their support behind the plan.

“We have been looking at ways to improve this situation for the affected residents for many years and the time has come to take a good look at the current boundary arrangements,” Cr Cameron said.

“Community connectedness is a consistent concern raised by the residents of Point Lonsdale and I encourage you to make the time to attend this important public forum.”

Some 800 Point Lonsdale residents currently live within the City of Greater Geelong. They attend local schools, use local medical services and are members of community and sporting groups within Queensclifffe, yet the CoGG benefits from the rate base.

Previous attempts, including a plebiscite in 2012, have to date failed to garner the community support needed to persuade the government to shift the current boundary from Fellows Road to Heggies Lane.  

​Minister Hutchins and Bellarine MP Lisa Neville will conduct the public forum from 3.30pm on Wednesday January 13, at the Point Lonsdale Hall.

Point Lonsdale’s back beach will be a sea of pink this Sunday (January 10), when it plays host to its first ever all female patrol.

Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Clubs have teamed up for the mass show of support of the local women and girls who give up their time to make our beaches safer.

“The aim of this patrol is to encourage and celebrate the female patrolling members of the Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove SLSC’s and to promote female leadership within in these clubs and the Surf Life Saving community,” said PLSLSC Captain Jo Burch. 

“Surf Life Saving is the largest volunteer organisation of its kind in Australia and has a proud history that resonates with the entire nation. However it was not until 1980 when females became eligible to be active patrolling members and not until last year that Surf Life Saving Australia’s first female CEO was elected- Melissa King.

“A gender gap does still exist surf life saving and women’s sport. The aim of this patrol is to close this gap and encourage females to get involved,” said Ms Burch.

​All active patrolling members of both clubs are invited to attend. Upwards of 50 females, aged from 13 to 60, have already thrown their support behind the initiative.

Patrol hours will be 10.30am-6pm. Participants will enjoy a high tea and will be given a limited edition Pink Zinc T-shirt.

Brighton Beach-style bathing boxes could feature on Queenscliff’s front beach, if an ambitious plan by the borough’s Chamber of Commerce wins council approval.

The business group has pitched an idea to have demountable boxes dotted along the foreshore between the historic pier and pilot station.

President Tony Francis said the proposal was a certain winner and would provide a unique accommodation option for the town.

​“I think there’s plenty of room for up to a dozen beach boxes and we could work out two or three long term rental options say from six months, weekly and even weekender boxes,” he said.

“This is one of the only beaches on the bay that is not being eroded, it is actually getting sand back. It is a major asset for the community and we’re not doing anything, we’ve got a mess. Portsea and other resorts would love what we’ve got here but we don’t maximize its potential,” Mr Francis said.

Under the proposal beach boxes would be erected during peak holidays months and removed during the off-season. Accommodation would be pitched at long-stay groups such as research teams and towards shorter-term family and couples markets.

It is part of a bigger push by the Chamber to have a detailed plan formalised for the once premier beach incorporating vegetation management, a timber boardwalk and activities such as beach volleyball.

“How iconic would bathing boxes be, all painted up in beautiful colours. You could get the community involved in building them, [and] in painting them, managing them would be easy and then after March, April you take them down and they sit in storage until September-October and the best thing is people would be using this beach again.,” the proprietor of the nearby Harry’s Kiosk said.

The town’s once bustling front beach has been the subject of much discussion over recent years, with locals pushing to have it restored to its former glory.

A petition of close to 1,000 people urged governments to remove overgrown vegetation, prompting federal government funding for a Green Army cleanup in recent months.
Mr Francis said while the works were an improvement, they had not gone nearly far enough.

 “What we need is a bit of leadership and drive to get these projects up and running. We’ve discussed this beach now for over two years and there’s only so much locals can do.

“Obviously this land is Council land, it’s managed by Council. The cleanup has been all right but we need to keep progressing that work. The number one reason why people come to seaside towns is to go to the beach and if you look at this beach it has just been totally neglected over the last 15 to 20 years and that’s a real indictment on the leaders of this town.

​“We pride ourselves on our beautiful township and natural beauty but people come down here and they look at this beach and think what a waste. Why aren’t we looking after it and managing it better?”

Point Lonsdale’s lighthouse reserve will come alive through January with the introduction of a new artisan market.

The pop-up-style twilight event – proving hugely popular in other coastal communities - will be held every Saturday night through January.

“The quirky Lighthouse Engine Shed and Lighthouse Reserve market, in conjunction with the Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club, will showcase a variety of local artworks, handmade items, fabulous foods and loads of surprises from talented emerging artists,” said market spokesperson Louise Rowe.

“Locals and visitors will be entertained by some great musical local talent and the Queenscliff Maritime Museum will be conducting the ever popular Lighthouse Tours, at twilight. This will be a unique opportunity for photographers and Lighthouse buffs,” she said.

A broad range of stalls has already been booked, including hand crafted surf accessories.

“Come along and bring your family and friends and celebrate the festive season at our beautiful environmentally sensitive, well loved Point Lonsdale Lighthouse Reserve.

"Soak up the atmosphere and get your post Christmas Design Fix!"

The market will be held between 4 and 8 pm, commencing on Saturday January 2.
Anybody wishing to book a site can contact the Market Co coordinator by email: engineshed_artisanmarket@bigpond.com
 
Pictured: Tropical Doom surf accessory boys Heath & Todd are just one of many locally-made goods at the Engine Shed Artisan market in January.

Interest is set to be strong when another seven lots in the exclusive Lonsdale Shores estate go under the hammer this month.

The much-anticipated release of Lonsdale Golf course land represents the “very last” multiple allotments available in Old Lonsdale.

​An initial auction of two blocks in November provided strong bidding competition with sites fetching upwards of $500,000 each.

“The first Auction offered four allotments. Two of those were sold prior as great offers were received,” said Principal selling agent Damian Cayzer of Kerley’s Coastal Real Estate. “The remaining two allotments [drew] strong competition from five bidders. Both were sold above reserve price.”

The prime parcels sit on the fringe of the course and are within 350m from the back beach. 
Seven blocks will be auctioned over the Australia Day long weekend. A further six will go under the hammer on Saturday March 26 (Easter Saturday).

The first sales delivered something of an early Christmas present to the Lonsdale Golf Club. Residential development – which will eventually include around 100 lots - has been in the planning for close to a decade but came close to being de-railed due to lengthy planning approval delays.  

“There has been a build-up of financial pressure and also credibility concerns within the local community that the golf club could deliver,” said club president Leigh Coutie.

“The initial idea was formulated in 2002 and due to commence around 2005. The delays were primarily due to the additional, and more extensive, approvals required.  Our new financial position enables us to control our future more positively.”

Mr Coutie said as many as six stages of the development would be released over the next four years, “depending on market demand.”

Plans for a new clubhouse, included in the project, are unlikely to be formalised until late next year.

​Our aim is to provide a facility for our members and the local community to be proud of and already we are coordinating discussions with the Surf Life Saving Club as they determine their new clubhouse needs.  Design will then commence immediately. Construction is expected to commence in 2017 or 2018,” Mr Coutie said.