Author: humansingeelong

The Pako Festa is held to celebrate cultural diversity and show appreciation for the artwork and fashion designed by the Geelong community.

The first festival was held in 1983, and currently attracts the participation of around 30 cultural community groups, up to 60 community groups. It is the largest multicultural festival in Victoria.

The Geelong Rainbow Festival is on today until 4pm at Johnstone Park. All loving, kind, accepting people welcome.

I’m proud of our city.

Geelong Jazz Soirées are every Saturday afternoon in February 2.30-4.30 at the Geelong Botanical Gardens. Check out their website for ticket info https://callumwatson.com.au/geelongjazz/

Thanks to all involved & Hot Club Swing for kicking off the February lineup.

Archie Roach in “It’s Not Too Late” sings “it’s not too late to turn it round, we have to find some common ground… not too late for peace and love.

Team member Jacinta Foster-Raimondo attended this morning’s first dawn service at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op. This is what she writes: This morning’s first dawn service at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op. was so poignant and so powerful… I cried.

CEO Simon Flagg cried too, as he spoke to the large crowd of First Nation People, their allies and friends. He was so buoyed by the large crowd and the tangible support…. so was I.

His message was simple.

This is not verbatim, but in essence Simon was saying, we are not blaming anyone, we want unity, we want to find common ground, we want to walk forward in love and respect, we love Australia, we love everyone who has made Australia their home, we want to celebrate Australia Day…. but this date triggers us.

“It’s been a fun journey! My name is Flip, I’m a 33 year old artist based in Torquay. I’m originally from an organic fruit property in country Queensland (Bauple). Growing up in the bush with no TV, always encouraged me and my sisters to be creative (there are 5 of us girls). If we weren’t drawing or mucking around in the creek, we were figuring out songs on the piano or jamming out on the guitar. No technology really gave us a lot of freedom which my dad was a huge advocate for.  

“I used to draw a lot as a kid, I never really painted, I found painting really intimidating. Art was my favourite subject in school and probably the only subject I ever did well in, that and photography.

“I remember really enjoying drawing for others more than for myself, I found it rather exciting when I drew something for someone and saw how chuffed they were. 

“I think I stopped drawing so frequently when I was about 12 or 13, around the age my mum passed from cancer. Thinking back, I must have associated it with her and so unconsciously built a bit of an art block.

“It wasn’t until I moved to Torquay about 4 years ago that I made a conscious decision to get back into my art again, I missed it, it was definitely my form of meditation/escape.

“I had been working as a full time Graphic Designer for about 9 years, so I had comfort in a steady job that I enjoyed, while I drew for fun on the side.

“I only picked up painting about November 2022 and decided to give it a red hot crack! The first thing I painted was inspired by my dad. A simple table setting with all of the items that best represented him- coffee, cigarettes, toast. 

A new social support group for adult survivors of child abuse is something Geelong’s Michael Constable is keen to set up. Please Share this information.

Michael’s awareness of the benefits of this sort of group, came from being a participant in them as a survivor of child abuse himself, then with experience in facilitating support groups, assisting in residential workshops for survivors, co-ordinating a national support and information line for survivors and supporters, and having had a 50-year nursing career working mostly with marginalised and vulnerable people.

As a psychiatric nurse and Counsellor himself, he was aware of the limits of talk-based therapy for himself, while recognising its initial usefulness as he experienced and practised it. He sought something more cathartic with which to shift the emotional turmoil, depression-avoidant busyness, dark moods and self-limitation which plagued him.

Michael started to explore non-talk therapies, including Breathwork, art therapy, music therapy, Voice Dialogue, inner child work, non-dominant hand drawing, Reiki, Pranic Healing, affirmation and response writing and Eye Movement and Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR). The most powerful, for him, was Breathwork, which he practised with many clients after undergoing approximately thirty sessions himself with a number of practitioners, attending a 6-month course, then a workshop with the originator Leonard Orr.

While Michael found many to be useful, he said alternative therapies are often expensive but not covered by health insurance or Medicare, and requiring money, time and the emotional and cognitive resources to engage with the therapy.

“Who am I? What am I supposed to be… There are oceans where the moonlight creates a stairway to heaven reflecting every facet of who we can be. But when the light of dawn breaks the fears and shadows that keep us ‘hiding low’ return.”

Nobody’s Fool Theatre (NFT) is a collaboration between Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company and Newcomb Secondary College in Geelong. NFT is an Arts led education program for youth who cannot, for whatever reason, attend mainstream school.

The show is crafted by 7 dedicated students, who diligently work three days a week alongside artists. Together, they bring to life a show woven from their personal stories of trauma. It’s a testament to resilience and the transformative power of art.

A group of 9 teenagers struggle to untangle the shadows that the glare of day brings; homelessness, transience, gender identity, sexual identity, body dysmorphia… just a few of the shadows that keep them on the run from themselves.  Interweaving true to life stories with songs, humour and hope, The Day I Met The Moon is a journey of connection with others who don’t ‘fit’ and ultimately with oneself. If we look hard enough and for long enough, we can discover and celebrate all of who we really are…

📅 Dates: December 6 – December 8

📍 Location: 35 Ryrie Street, Geelong

🕒 Duration: Each show lasts approximately 1 hour

⏰ Showtime and Admission: Daytime FREE shows for schools and students, ticketed evening shows for the community

Tickets available here – https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1144731

It was not a difficult decision for the students of the St Leonards Primary School to get involved in the campaign to save the St Leonards Pier. The pier has been at the heart of learning for the St Leonards Primary School community over many generations.  Besides, it fitted perfectly with the ‘persuasive writing’ theme running through the whole-of-school literacy subject.

The letters students wrote to Bellarine MP Lisa Neville and to the Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne; their drawings and creative stories, played a huge role in seeing the pier saved.

The pier had become pretty “dilapidated” as more than one student pointed out, while Penny was “flabbergasted that someone would think about letting the pier rot in shame.” Students shared their own stories and stories of the pier’s history, its marine creatures and habitat, its many uses and the meanings and memories it holds. Their arguments for saving it were very convincing.  

On Saturday night, thousands lined Geelong waterfront to enjoy the lighting of the floating Christmas tree.

The entertainment was magnificent, fireworks thrilling & atmosphere festive.

Peace on earth & love to all.

Filmed & posted by Jacqui Bennett, Life Coach.