A community initiative to tackle plastic pollution has arrived in Queenscliff. 

Boomerang Bags encourages locals to donate unwanted material and to transform it, via sewing bees at the Neighbourhood House, into reusable shopping bags. 

The program, already running in other communities, is among three local projects to share in $6,800 under the Queenscliffe Community Environment Association (CEA) grants program. 

“Boomerang Bags is a grassroots, community driven movement aimed at shifting societies throw-away mentality to a more sustainable revolution of re-purposing and re-use,” said project spokesperson Jane Rodwell. 

 “We are looking for volunteers from all walks of life to get together to help make re-usable bags. We need to enlist people who can help mark out and cut materials, pin, iron, stamp and sew.

“The bags will be given away to friends, family, colleagues, local retailers, bagless strangers and so on, as a plastic bag alternative that can be used and reused, or passed on to others,” Mrs Rodwell said.

The program coincides with Queenscliff IGA’s decision to scrap single use plastic bags from this month and ‘Plastic Free July’ – an initiative of the newly-created Transition Towns group.  

“The circulation of reusable bags within the BOQ creates an opportunity to spread an important social and environmental message about sustainable solutions, and fostering conscious habits that extend well beyond the plastic bag,” said Mrs Rodwell. 

The St Aloysius Primary secured funding under the CEA program to host a ‘Kid’s Teaching Kids’ conference in September. The one-day event will bring students from across Geelong to Queenscliff to teach each other about sustainability initiatives and environmental issues.

The Swan Bay Environment Association also gained funding to extend its Gardens for Wildlife program, providing residents with advice on improving the ecological value of their garden. 
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To donate fabric or participate in Boomerang Bag-making workshops email: qnhouse@fastmail.com or phone 5258 3367.  All ages are welcome and no experience required.

Amateur whale watchers are being encouraged to help track the movements of the mammals in out of the bay over coming weeks, as part of the Two Bays Whale Project.

Whale watching season is well and truly underway and experts are tipping increased local action with several sightings already, including a pod of Humpbacks off Queenscliff last month.

Launched in 2015, and run in conjunction with the Dolphin Research Institute, the project aims to provide a more accurate understanding of numbers and movements. 

“The 2017 whale season broke all previous records, with a total of 218 validated sightings of four whale species between May 15th and December 5th,” said the project’s co-founder and curator David Donnelly. 

“In total, the estimated number of individual whales was 458, which is a whopping 296 more than whales than the 2016 season. 

“Whether this is a case of more whales, more people looking or a combination of both is yet to be determined but one thing’s for sure, whales never fail to attract the attention of the public,” Mr Donnelly said. 

Having been hunted to the brink of extinction, sightings of Humpback whales have steadily grown in recent years, with eastern Australian numbers expected to reach around 33,000 this year. 

Southern Right whales are still classed as threatened, with between just 250 and 400 individuals and no noticeable population increase. 

“Understanding whale numbers and movements is critical to their management and protection but it is a huge challenge, taking decades of piecing together snippets of data, Mr Donnelly said. “This is where the Two Bays Whale Project has been making a difference.” 

Penalties apply for deliberately approaching a whale closer than 200m for vessels; 300m for jet skis; 500m height for aircraft and drones. 
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For project details, log onto www.dolphinresearch.org.au
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Construction of Queenscliff’s new netball facilities is back on track, with the State Government stepping in to help fund game day change rooms. 

The additional $200,000 comes on top of the $3.15 million already pledged by the government for stage two of the recreation reserve redevelopment. 

The Queenscliffe Council will contribute a further $400,000 towards the cost of the netball change rooms, which will also include a kitchenette and toilet. 

The grant will come as welcome relief to the Council, which recently revealed costs for the redevelopment project had blown out by $650,000. 

After several delays, work is progressing on the redevelopment, however the courts are now not expected to be finished before the end of the current season.  

Initial funding for the redevelopment was announced in the lead up to the 2014 state election and netballers were originally promised the courts would be ready for this season. 

Ms Neville conceded they had been “very patient” and had been forced to put up with “shoddy conditions.“
“We’re close now… hopefully [this] means were all on track and it’s all going to be done by September and I will be here to open it and I appreciate your patience along the way,” she said. 

“This is going to be a great facility, not just for you but also for the players coming through as well. 
“I can’t wait to be back here and shooting some goals,” she said. 

Mayor Susan Salter said she was grateful the money had been made available. 

“This funding will enable us to gorge ahead together to highlight the importance of creating an environment that supports health, wellbeing, inclusion and participation in sport,” she said. 

‘The community are very passionate about this project, it’s supportive of planned improvements and it’s fantastic to see their vision is coming to fruition.” 

The tender for construction of the netball change rooms has been awarded to BDH Constructions. 
Once completed, the redevelopment will also include four new cricket nets, a gymnasium and new car parking facilities. 
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Plans for the gym are currently being finalised. Council will complete that element of the project as an owner builder.

In 1978 netball dresses laced up at the front and were a little more "potato-sackish" than the current styles.

The pool of players from which Queenscliff could draw upon was a lot smaller than today’s talent offering and the likelihood of our small club winning an A-Grade premiership was, well, pretty slim.

Nevertheless, that’s just what happened and this month, past players, supporters and the wider community is invited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the unlikely win.

The team, coached by Barb Moloney went in to the clash against Leopold as slight underdogs, but came away four goal winners. During the season the two sides met three times, for a draw and a win each.

“They had a huge number of players from Geelong comps that flooded into their club,” recalls Doreen Bramwell, the team’s centre player.  “Many of them had played at a very elite level and we were just home-grown Coutas girls, with the exception of Coral Hammond who came to us from Geelong. 

“Our coach was a calm and a clever influence on us all. Very fair but always expected the best from us all,” Doreen said.

It was the last time, and possibly the only time, the club tasted A-Grade glory, according to fellow team member Sue Orvis.

“I believe it’s the only one we’ve won, but I could be wrong. There might have been one before but I haven’t heard of one since,” she said.

While Sue doesn’t remember much about the game, she does remember the party at the Bowling Club afterwards.

The Saturday August 4 reunion will commence at 1pm and include a gathering at the netball courts to watch our current A-Graders in action and a President’s luncheon, followed by a celebration.

“I don’t want it to be just a ladies day or just for that group I’ve girls,” said Sue, who is also organising the event. “I want it to be for everyone, I want it to be netball through the ages and anyone else who wants to come. I want supporters, coaches, committee, I’m trying to get in touch with as many people as I can.

“I hope all the girls are coming, we’re working on it.”
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Pictured from L to R: Leanne Baillieu (Neville), Coral Hammond, Doreen Bramwell, Sue Orvis (Briggs), Jenny Oakley (Shapter), Bev Young (Barrett), Gail Renzenbrink (Main), Robyn Birrell (Hewitt), Margaret Giddings (Sullivan) and Coach Barb Moloney.
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A local photographer says he “came as close to death as he’s ever been”, after being smashed by a rogue wave on Point Lonsdale pier. 

Peter James was taking footage of the giant swell, during stormy conditions last month, when the wave washed over the pier, forcing him to the ground and his $7,000 camera from his hands. 

Four fishermen, also on the pier at the time, rushed to his aid. 

“There was two things that stopped me from going straight into the ocean; the small four inch-high piece of timber that edges the pier decking and one of the fishermen who grabbed my backpack as I was about to go under the first railing,” Mr James wrote in a Facebook post. 

​His camera continued to roll, capturing the ordeal on video.

It left Mr James with sore ribs; “but I’m alive so that’s all that matters.”

​Point Lonsdale's Lester Hunt, was looking on from the Point Lonsdale lighthouse lookout and managed to photograph the dramatic moment. 

His stunning images went viral on The Rip Facebook page, with more almost 2,000 hits and more than a thousand shares. Many criticised those on the pier for putting lives at risk. 

The incident also prompted a safety warning from Parks Victoria. 

“While the structure itself is stable, it is definitely not safe for members of the public to be fishing or standing on the end of Point Lonsdale Pier during conditions where there are large waves crashing over the pier,” said Parks Victoria Chief Ranger David Ritman.

“Unexpected large waves can wash people off the pier in seconds and without warning. When there’s an obvious danger it’s important for people use common sense to stay out of danger.

“Not only were the anglers putting their own lives at risk, they also risked the lives of rescuers and emergency services personnel who would need to respond if the unthinkable happened and they were washed off the pier,” Mr Rittman said. 

Photos courtesy: Lester Hunt
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