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Are you looking for the Geelong UooUoos? They’ve moved to Pivot City at the Federal Mills in North Geelong. There are 100 UooUoos displayed across Geelong and Melbourne, they are designed by Australian artists and sponsored by local businesses. They’ve been commissioned for the Royal Children’s Hospital 150th Anniversary Art Trail.

The art trail will run until 21 March 2021, with all sculptures going to auction to raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital.

Here’s a list of the Geelong UooUoos below. Geelong artists such as Jacklyn Foster, who designed Art Can Change Your World, and Christy Chudosnik, who designed Crystalline Opal Dream, have theirs exhibited in Melbourne. You can read more about the design inspiration and artist on the UooUoo website: https://uoouoo.org.au/uoouoos/

Continue reading “UooUoos.” →

16 year old music enthusiast, Tom Meadows, cleverly used his initiative to get in touch with our friends at @thebarwonedgeboathouse and suggest that their lawn would be the perfect place for Sunday arvo sessions of live music.

Tom tells us, “I love performing and even better at such a great venue. I’m keen to save live music as it has been such a tricky time for the industry.

“At the age of 2 I was inspired by the Wiggles. I began learning the guitar at 5 and have never stopped playing.

“At age 11, I was honoured to be selected as one of four young song writers to collectively write a song for every Australian school student to learn in the Australia-wide ‘Count Us In’ program. This is where every student around Australia sing the same song, at the same time. This ignited my passion for writing my own original songs.

“Now at 16, my passion is stronger than ever and I’ll happily entertain a crowd for hours.

Continue reading “Tom Meadows Music” →

Sometimes, it only takes a few people to take action and create change. Steven Rajan and wife Jacqeulin Thangavelu were inspired by i4give Day and held a last-minute gathering in Geelong on Monday at Johnstone Park, in honour of this day.

i4give Day was launched by Sydney parents, the Abdullah and Sakr families, who lost 4 of their children in a horrific crash on February 1^st last year. To help them heal, they have forgiven the man who was driving the car that killed their children. They said ‘forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself and to others’. This resonated with Steven and Jacqeulin who organized the Geelong vigil at 6pm on Monday. They also believe it is important to focus on forgiveness. They hope this day will be marked in our city each year.

Steven reminded us that 13 people have died on Victorian roads to date this year. He also spoke of a loved ones he had lost in an accident.

Steven is the Reverend and Jacqeulin the Senior Minister (centre) at the Covenant Grace Church in Geelong. Thanks for inspiring us to think about forgiveness.

Photo: Jacqui Bennett

#humansingeelong #makingadifference #i4giveDay #community #care #geelong #greatergeelong #hope #forgiveness

Jimi the Human visited @pistolpete’sfoodandblues last night to thrill blues enthusiasts in a line up with Frank Sultana and the @bluesroulettes. It was part of their Australia-wide tour.

Jimi Hocking is Jimi the Human. Here are some fun facts:

• born in Melbourne June 1963
• been a band member of The Angels and The Screaming Jets
• plays hard rock, electric and acoustic blues
• lead guitar, vocals, mandolin and keyboards
• October 2004 won the local Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society’s Blues Performer of the Year
• Went on to win the 2005 International Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee
• Plays regularly on The Blues Train

It’s great to see live music back. Who’ve you seen?

Video: JB

“I spend a lot of time raising awareness about spray drift but recent events have compelled me to talk about something that disturbs me even more than spray drift.

“I have spent my whole life working in rural and remote Australia and always around country blokes; working with them, for them, and beside them. My father was one, my brother is one, and most of my dearest friends are country blokes. I have always worked in male dominated occupations and that certainly doesn’t make me special but I believe it has given me a good understanding of rural men and it has definitely given me a deep and profound respect for them.

“So, when I see country blokes facing challenges like never before, I need to say something because I know none of them will. I’m talking about rural men’s mental health and more specifically, rural male suicide. Yes, that mongrel black dog that sneaks in when you least expect it, grabs all of your rational thoughts, buries them somewhere you can’t find them, and without you or those close to you noticing, it gradually pulls you into a hole, a bog hole.

Continue reading “Are you bogged mate?” →

The Powerpal app is available for free – no cost, no catch – it will show you how your home uses energy and help you find ways to save on your bills and help the environment! It comes to us thanks to the same government energy upgrades scheme that has provided millions of Victorian homes with efficient lighting and helped reduce their energy costs over the past 10 years.

Installers visit a different suburb each day on a roughly 3-4 week schedule, so to speed up the process in Geelong and region, sign up now – the more people that register in your area the sooner they will be able to schedule the installers to visit. Please share.

Check now if your home qualifies for a FREE Powerpal smart energy monitor under the Victorian Government Energy Upgrades scheme.

https://www.powerpal.net/free-in-victoria

Photo: supplied

Song contest reminder! Calling all local musicians. Please share. We need an original song or original soundtrack to go with our community project ‘The Dance’. We were going to use the song, ‘I’ll make you Happy’ by the Divinyls, but it’s not going to happen. Then we thought, duh! One of our local music heroes will be able to come up with something of similar length and just as upbeat and rocky.

So, the original song or soundtrack, needs to be about 3.20 long and be the same beat as ‘I’ll make you happy’ because we have footage of 55 short, fun clips to match to it. These have come from team members, community groups and inspiring individuals dancing to that beat.

The aim of the project is to showcase our beautiful region, our amazing, giving community groups and talented individuals. Humans in Geelong INSPIRE, CONNECT, STRENGTHEN community, and have a whole lot of fun while at it.

Submissions due by February 5^th 2021. Contact us for more details at humansingeelong@gmail.com. First prize $500 Second prize $200. Of course, it will mean global exposure of your song/sound track, because Humans in Geelong have followers in over 45 countries.

The FREE Launch of ‘The Dance’, complete with original fun music supplied by a local (maybe you), will be Tuesday 23^rd March 2021 7.30pm at The Dome, Geelong Library. It will be part of our ‘Be inspired by Humans in Geelong’ talk for Geelong Design Week 2021. Save the Date! Eventbrite bookings taken closer to the date.

Photo: team members preparing to dance. L-R Jacqui Bennett, Bec Picone, Charion Both and Rini Lutfie. Information by Jacqui Bennett

“Hands Off Spring Creek! The State Government is conducting a public consultation on the Surf Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape Draft Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) – a policy which will decide the future of the Torquay and Jan Juc townships. “The formal consultation now underway, is the culmination of a long and drawn-out process. It was 11 years ago that we held the successful ‘Red Rally’ to show our support for the preservation of Spring Creek. It was two years ago that Spring Creek become the central issue in our state election. We are now in the final weeks of our effort to save the valley from developers’ bulldozers. “We now need every community member to formally lodge their support for the permanent protection of Spring Creek. The only way to have your say is to make a formal submission before this Friday, January 22, via the government’s Engage Victoria website. “Our major concern with the draft policy is that (despite a strong commitment from Premier Andrews in March 2019) the SPP draft still contains a provision for the development of the Spring Creek valley. Entitled simply ‘Option 1’ (outlined on Page 59 of the Draft SPP document), this option provides a pathway for opening up Spring Creek valley 1 km west of Duffields Road to further residential development; an area of more than 200 hectares. “What you say in your submission is entirely up to you, and everybody will have a different response based on their own values and priorities. If the protection of Spring Creek is important to you, make a submission toclearly reject Option 1, and come out in support of Option 2 which would create a permanent settlement boundary at Duffields Road. Please use your own words – we understand that pro forma responses won’t count. “Additional information, including facts and figures, and guidance on the submission process at the Protect Spring Creek campaign site here. “On behalf of the Surf Coast Energy Group committee, I extend my sincere gratitude to everybody. Please try to take 5 minutes out of your day, in order to protect our beloved home. If enough people take action, we strongly believe that the government will support a vibrant, strong and sustainable Surf Coast community. “So please, get online and lodge your submission as soon as possible. We also encourage you to share this information through your own local networks, and to help your friends and family to make their own submissions.” Graeme Stockton, Chair, Surf Coast Energy Group (SCEG)

The Protect Spring Creek coalition is supported many local businesses and organisations including: Geelong Sustainability, SCEG, SANE, Greater Torquay Alliance, 3228 Local Residents Association, Landcare and Coast Action groups and the Surfrider Foundation. 

Photo: Mollie Vaughan, 2018 Protest at Spring Creek.

“An elderly gentleman came into the gallery last year and told me he felt that my artwork was giving him a hug. That was really sweet, because everyone was missing out on hugs then.”

For Geelong’s Jeana Blackert, art is about connection – with herself, the community and the environment.

Jeana is one of a group of artists who exhibit their work at Papermill Artisans in Fyansford, an innovative new gallery offering arts, crafts and ice-cream.

Growing up in the United States, Jeana enjoyed gardening and sewing with her mum, who is a quilter.

“As a kid, I found craft an easier way to connect with people – I’d bring a craft project along to every playdate. It was a safe place to express how I was feeling,” Jeana remembers.

Continue reading “Jeana Blackert, artist.” →

“The Awesome Foundation is a global community and each month the Geelong Chapter gives $1,000 to a project in The City of Greater Geelong that is awesome! The $1,000 is a no-strings-attached grant and is awarded to one or more lucky applicants with an awesome group or individual project.

‘The Geelong chapter was formed by a small group of trustees: Pete Johnston, Elli Bagg, John Miles, Catherine Parkin and myself, Alice Crichton. We are always looking for more trustees if you’d like to join us!”

It’s a quick and easy process too. “Applications for the grant, open on the 1st of every month, close on the 23rd of every month and the successful grant applicants will be contacted by the last day of the month. The decision is made by a vote among the trustees.”

Continue reading “The Awesome Foundation, Geelong.” →