2020 Year in Review: January-March

JANUARY 2: THE crowd was smaller than anticipated for the first Salvation Army charity auction on December 21, but their pockets were deep, raising $2,200 for the Christmas Appeal. A bidding war for two tickets to Cold Chisel’s sold-out A Day on the Green concert on January 11 at Mt Duneed Estate saw them go for $730.

JANUARY 9: FEED Me Bellarine found a positive in the cancellation of the Falls Festival in Lorne, redistributing large amounts of unused food from vendors and catering sites. The not-for-profit, community-driven food sharing program rescued more than 100kg of food, including 600 free range eggs and 20-30kg of salad mix and ready-made meals for the artists.

JANUARY 16: MASS CROWDS signaled the return of the 14th annual Portarlington Mussel Festival, with more 18,000 people devouring a collective 10 tonnes of local mussels. Event director Sheryl Follett said there was a different layout for the January 11 festival, providing more space for crowds to wander and sample wares on offer.

JANUARY 23: THERE was just over a week left to have your say on the draft Northern Bellarine Coastal and Marine Management Plan developed by Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee of Management. The plan would guide the future protection, enhancement, development and management of 17 kilometres of coastal land.

JANUARY 30: Having lived in Wallington for all of his 86 years, Kenneth Barrett McAllister was instrumental in getting the rural township’s first fire truck, which he personally welded. He waa recognised with an OAM for his service to the community through emergency response organisations in this year’s Australia Day Honours List.

FEBRUARY 6: THE City of Greater Geelong wanted an independent planning panel established to consider a proposal to facilitate residential development in Drysdale. The council resolved to request the Planning Minister appoint an independent panel to consider Amendment C363. The proposed amendment would rezone 28 Rural Living zoned properties on either side of Central Road in Drysdale to support about 550 residential dwellings.

FEBRUARY 13: The Lions Club of Portarlington Drysdale decided to collect tools to donate to those who had lost everything in the bushfires and put out a call for donations. Members were overwhelmed by the generosity of people and the quality and variety of items received and planned several more trips with donated tools to areas where people were in need.

FEBRUARY 20: AN INNOVATIVE system launched by Bellarine police last year kept police members active and involved across local secondary and primary schools. Sergeant Shane Connolly said the Bellarine Police Station assigned individual police members to local Bellarine primary and secondary schools; accompanied by an online email system that provides direct access between sergeants and schools.

FEBRUARY 27: A NEW program made it easier for businesses to care for the Port Phillip and Corio Bays, empowering them to take an active role in reducing waste and caring for their environment. Businesses Caring For Our Bays (BCFOB) has been developed and delivered through a partnership with Caring for our Bays and Connected to Port Phillip, with assistance from Barwon South West Waste and Resource Recovery Group. The program encouraged local businesses to reduce waste, care for their local environment, engage with customers and network among other local businesses.

MARCH 5: A LEATHER-BOUND commemorative message book was presented to the Borough of Queenscliffe on February 29, in recognition of the town’s part in the 154-year-old story of the Australian Aboriginal cricket team. The Queenscliff township’s role in the story of the Indigenous team was pivotal, as the squad departed from there in October 1867 for its 1868 tour. Having been prevented by the Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines to leave Victoria, the trip from Geelong to Queenscliff was disguised as a day’s fishing.

MARCH 12: THE Portarlington Neighbourhood House celebrated its 10th anniversary and new location, with Bellarine MP Lisa Neville in attendance to cut the commemorative cake. Ms Neville congratulated the Neighbourhood House for its contribution to the community and welcomed incoming co-ordinator Kerry Wise.

MARCH 19: BUSINESSES across the Bellarine kept their doors open during the coronavirus pandemic, with traders doing what they could to adapt to the changing conditions and directives from the state and federal governments. Tourism bodies also encouraged businesses to band together as an industry and support each other.

MARCH 26: NON-PERISHABLE foods are the staples of all foodbanks, and with a shortage of pasta, pasta sauce, and canned goods, the Drysdale Family Support Foodbank called out for donations. The foodbank service is run by the Drysdale Community Church in Curlewis, and co-ordinator Jake Hogendoorn said donations were needed more than ever. “We assist families on the Bellarine Peninsula who are experiencing food insecurity. In the past two weeks, things have become a lot harder for us to provide our service.”