FEATURE ARTICLES 2015
December 12, 2015 - Three major projects announced in three weeks ... Catherine Watson asks what’s going on in sleepy old Bass Coast.
December 12, 2015 - Pam Rothfield tells Geoff Ellis the stories behind some of the graves in the historic Rhyll cemetery.
A new school of thought
November 21, 2015 - Wonthaggi Secondary College students and staff impressed Bass MP Brian Paynter from the start. Their school was a different matter. 
Rising to the challenge
November 21, 2015 - Since putting one stone on another, mankind has tried to conquer the law of gravity, writes Tim Shannon in the fifth of his meditations on architecture. 
November 14, 2015 - The prospect of the State Government placing the first order for water from the Wonthaggi desalination plant has opened some old wounds, reports Geoff Ellis.
One step ahead
November 7, 2015 - Besotted by ballet but judged too tall and boisterous to be a ballerina, Karin Ellis forged a career in musical theatre, costume making and ultimately haute couture. Liane Arno reports. 
October 31, 2015 - Steve Fuery found plenty to inspire him on a Future Homes tour, from solar panels that track the sun to rammed earth walls that trap and store heat.
Let’s get positive
October 31, 2015 - We should leave behind the cheap shots and focus on what matters, writes Michael Whelan. 
A few home truths
October 24, 2015 - When it comes to houses, one person’s dream can be someone else’s nightmare, writes Tim Shannon. 
October 24, 2015 - Backing the coal industry could prove Malcolm Turnbull’s undoing, writes Michael Whelan.
Old habits die hard
October 17, 2015 - When Geoff Ellis feels himself becoming his grandfather, he embarks on Project 90. 
October 10, 2015 - After 150 years of visitors, Phillip Island is finally getting a tourism strategy. Phil Wright argues that it should should focus on what’s best for all Victorians, not just local residents and tourist operators.
September 19, 2015 - Those lycra-clad cyclists you see wending their way around our hinterland could save the life of someone close to you, reports Liane Arno.
September 19, 2015 - These days the statesmen are running around chasing a leather ball while the larrikins are running the country, writes John Coldebella.
Last orders
September 5, 2015 - Chef Malcolm Bain remained a professional to the end, sending out his last orders from a wheelchair, writes Catherine Watson. 
Natasha’s take
September 5, 2015 - New laws allow police in the Northern Territory to arrest someone for failing to keep their yard tidy or playing a musical instrument in an annoying fashion. 
Heaven help us
August 29, 2015 - The scrapping of the prayer before council meetings is just the latest outrage by an incompetent council, says former Wonthaggi mayor Alan Brown. John Coldebella begs to differ. 
The good life
August 22, 2015 - At a recent council grants night, Mary Whelan observed a roomful of people with a passion to improve their communities. The cost of dying
August 15, 2015 - You can only sell a grave once, points out long-time Wonthaggi funeral director Harold Milkins, which explains the storm raging around the Wonthaggi cemetery. Catherine Watson reports.
The final flight
August 15, 2015 - Bob Middleton grieves for a gentle creature brought undone by an apparently never-ending landscape. Other worldsAugust 8, 2015 - We all like being with our own kind, whether that’s Islamic State, Rotarians or gays, writes Catherine Watson, but stepping into another world can be exhilarating,
I’m not racist but ...
August 1, 2015 - Adam Goodes has paid the price for using his celebrity to up the ante on racial issues, writes Michael Whelan. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
All aboard for Mission Impossible
July 26, 2015 - The communities of Coronet Bay, Corinella and Tenby Point are fighting to keep their all-important bus service, reports Joy Button.
In memoriam: footy, laughter and war
July 18, 2015 - A turn around the Loch footy oval has Bob Middleton contemplating the roar of the crowd and the waste of war. 
Let there be light
April 11, 2015 - In the midst of turmoil, Diane Edwards realised she was born to be an artist. Liane Arno reports on an artist who now calls Phillip Island home. 
Holding the line
July 4, 2015 - Being part of a democratic community includes a responsibility to defend that community when necessary, writes Rod Gallagher in his essay on Australia and conscription. Ring the changes
June 27, 2015 - A “deep listening circle” will play a central role in this year’s Shearwater Festival. Photo story by Laura Brearley. Images by Terry Melvin.
Suicide forum strikes a chordJune 20, 2015 - It wasn't until Jillian Drew began to organise a forum about suicide that she realised how many local people had been affected by the issue.
Taking the long view
June 20, 2015 - Farming is big business for Caleb and Shiona Berry, and that means planning for a more sustainable future. Refugees and us
June 14, 2015 - In the lead-up to Refugee Week, Jordan Crugnale considers Australia's proud humanitarian record and wonders whether an influx of refugees to Bass Coast might be good for all of us.
‘Call me Joan’
June 6, 2015 - Joan Kirner’s legacy is all around us in Bass Coast, writes Catherine Watson. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak. ‘You can’t buy a farm just to watch the roos’
June 6, 2015 - If the place doesn’t pay for itself, all that green stuff is a wasted effort, says Daryl Hook. Geoff Ellis meets a farmer juggling the challenges of sustainability: environmental, financial and personal.
Utopia and the town at Mussel Rocks
May 6, 2015 - With the release of an ambitious new town plan for Cowes, Tim Shannon heralds the last days of the Roman Empire and the advent of true citizen democracy on the island.
Fields of broken dreams
May 16, 2015 - Consumers should use their wallets as an agent of change to demand fair working conditions for all, writes Geoff Ellis. How about some vision?
May 16, 2015 - The latest budget leads Michael Whelan to conclude we need a bipartisan approach to making some hard decisions. 
Boats, goats and journeys
May 9, 2015 - Liane Arno begins her series on the artists of Bass Coast by delving into the mind of Inverloch artist John Mutsaers. The tumult and the shouting dies
May 2, 2015 - In the midst of the Anzac centenary craziness, Larry Hills’ Anzac cantata was the perfect antidote.
The price they paid
April 24, 2015 - On Anzac Day, find a spot with a lovely view and reflect on how many young soldiers never returned to appreciate this very view, writes Mal McCann. Courage, my friends
April 18, 2015 - Many of our fears about growing old are
exaggerated, writes Linda Gordon. Mrs Abraham and George helped her realise that. Brief encounter
April 18, 2015 - Liz Low was privileged to meet one of her fellow creatures in the Cape Paterson dunes.
Maria’s story
March 21, 2015 - When her mother could no longer manage at home, Linda
Gordon saw the good, the bad and the indifferent sides of aged care.
Post readers respondMarch 14, 2015 - Former Liberal MP Alan Brown’s description of the current council as the
worst in the shire’s history drew a big response.
Everyone’s a loser
March 14, 2015 - Cows are not the only victims of the modern dairy industry, writes Geoff Ellis.
Q&A with Sue Saliba
March 14, 2015 - The award-winning Cowes author on the intensity of the teenage years, unlikely connections and her vision for a very different Phillip Island.
All together for Gippsland
March 7, 2015 - The words of The Gippsland March might not be great poetry, but they're ours, says Sue Webster, and we’ve only got five more days to learn them.
The dread before the storm
February 20, 2015 - Linda Cuttriss has nervous memories of cyclones as she listens to the news from Queensland and Northern Territory. 
A battle of wits
February 14, 2015 - For almost 50 years, Margaret Hancock has been on the front line of a war between developers and conservationists for the heart of Phillip Island. It’s serious business, but it’s also been a lot of fun, she tells Catherine Watson. |
The last Post
December 12, 2015 - That’s all, folks ... at least for 2015. Thanks to all those who have contributed to the Post this year and to our very loyal readers. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak. 
Ode to the Post
December 12, 2015 - There’s something comforting about the “bing” of an incoming email on a Saturday morning, writes Linda Cuttriss. 
December 12, 2015 - Has Ed Thexton’s dog trampled on any tiny hooded plover chicks? He doesn’t know for sure, but these days Point Norman and Screw Creek are off his dog walking map.
Man and machine
November 21, 2015 - If only Dad could see me now, writes Bob Middleton. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak. 
Arts stalwarts dig in on Rescue Station
November 21, 2015 - Backers of Wonthaggi’s Rescue Station arts centre have determined to fight on, in spite of the elements and intransigent bureaucrats, writes Colin Billington. 
November 14, 2015 - A pedantic planning regime is hampering more imaginative development of small towns such as Grantville, writes Helen Zervopoulos
November 7, 2015 - Finding a “Dead Man’s Penny” has set a Grantville man on a voyage of discovery about an Australian soldier who died far from home a century ago, reports Geoff Ellis.
October 31, 2015 - On a visit to Grantville cemetery, Geoff Ellis reflects that, thanks to local volunteers, its occupants are in safe hands.
Bird’s eye view
October 24, 2015 - “We sit on the deck and the trees sway around us.” Liz Low describes the joy of living among the trees. 
Talking turkeys
October 24, 2015 - Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak, with inspiration from Disney and Foghorn-Leghorn. 
Leap of faith
October 17, 2015 - Gill Heal meets a woman who risked everything to find a better life for her family in a new country. 
The scars of war
September 19, 2015 - Seventy years after the end of the Second World War, many local people are still haunted by personal memories of war. Frank Coldebella spoke to some of them. 
Behind the scenes
August 30, 2015 - "More young people’s stuff”, classical music, “inspiring talks”, debates and regular cinema were on the wishlist when the community got together last Tuesday to talk about the future of Wonthaggi Union Arts Centre. 
August 30, 2015 - Climate change is just the latest challenge for Anne and Bob Davie. Geoff Ellis reports on a couple who have always faced up to the ethical, economic and environmental challenges of farming.
August 22, 2015 - Instead of constant carping at the council, Alan Brown could use his considerable experience and contacts to mentor the mayor in her first term of office, writes Michael Whelan.
Across the great divide
July 25, 2015 - A Georgian film of reconciliation has Heather Murray Tobias questioning the anger displayed by both sides in last weekend’s clash in Melbourne. 
Grand spaces
July 18, 2015 - An exhilarating exhibition of light and space led Tim Shannon to look at Grossard Point with fresh eyes. 
Playing with fire
July 4, 2015 - Being an actor is a weird job, Rowena Wallace tells Gill Heal, because the boundary between acting and real life isn’t always clear. 
Masters of their art
June 27, 2015 - Carolyn Landon’s new biography of Celia Rosser matches the skill of the author with that of the artist, writes Kay Patterson Through the looking glass
June 27, 2015 - Marlene Abela worked in finance before realising her medium was glass, not money, writes Liane Arno.
The sands of time
June 20, 2015 - Where’s our sand gone and will it come back? Around 80 Inverloch residents gathered last night to hear what an expert made of it all.
The stuff of democracyJune 14, 2015 - Phillip Island’s Community Plus forum is a great opportunity to listen to opinions contrary to your own, says Phil Wright, as Inverloch adopts the concept.
Suspicious persons
June 14, 2015 - With a firebug terrorising South Wonthaggi, residents have turned amateur sleuths, writes Catherine Watson.
The stuff of dreams and nightmares
June 6, 2015 - There were a few nightmarish moments on the way to the Wonthaggi Theatre Group's dream-like production of Pippin, director Karen Milkins Hendry tells Gill Heal. 
All in good time
June 6, 2015 - The schoolboy Ken Griffiths took art because it was a bludge – then discovered he loved it. But it’s only in the past few years that he’s had the time to fulfill his talent. Liane Arno reports. 
Thou shalt know thy place!
June 6, 2015 - In the wake of the furore over Adam Goodes’ celebratory dance on the football field, Michael Whelan suggests that Goodes forgot his place, as do women from time to time. 
Pastures of plenty
May 23, 2015 - Like all good farmers, Brian Enbom always has another thing to do. But our local Landcarer of the year fits more into a day than seems humanly possible, writes Geoff Ellis. 
In the blood
May 9, 2015 - Geoff Ellis rolls up his sleeve and reflects on his family heritage, good and bad. 
Never mind the gap
May 2, 2015 - Taking a year away from study between school and university is sometimes seen as a slightly dangerous diversion. Gill Heal spoke to five local students who followed their own paths and found unexpected benefits. ‘We saw it with our own eyes’
May 2, 2015 - It wasn’t a dog. It wasn’t a cat. Almost 20 years later, Nola Thorpe still wonders what she saw that day at Bald Hills.
Still spoiling for a fight
April 25, 2015 - “Australia is not a country that goes looking for trouble,” Tony Abbott said recently, but our history tells a different story. Frank Coldebella ponders the forgotten lessons of Gallipoli. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak. The mystery of Corporal John Sparks
April 24, 2015 - The Wonthaggi CFA fire station still has a photo of John Sparks almost 100 years after he was killed in the First World War. But the man himself remains a mystery.
Second-class Anzacs
April 18, 2015 - Indigenous Australian servicemen, including those who had fought at Gallipoli, endured racism and humiliation on their return to Australia, says the president of Phillip Island’s RSL.
Songs of innocents
April 11, 2015 - It didn’t take a great stretch of Larry Hills’ imagination to put himself in the shoes of a young Australian soldier for his new song cycle. Catherine Watson reports. 
Beyond the headlines
April 4, 2015 - At their best, newspapers connect us to something bigger and better than ourselves, writes Gill Heal. Handle with careApril 4, 2015 - It’s not a hospital we need on Phillip Island, argues Mary Whelan, but better health services.
No place like home
April 4, 2015 - Choosing aged care accommodation – for our parents or ourselves – is one of the most confronting choices we will make, writes Sophie Cuttriss 
Time marches on
March 21, 2015 - One minute you’re in your prime; the next, people are offering you their seat. Bob Middleton contemplates the ignominies – and pleasures – of growing old. 
Down memory lane
March 14, 2015 - Catherine Watson was disappointed to discover that Wonthaggi’s rates rose 68 per cent in four years while Alan Brown was mayor. 
Taste of the future
March 14, 2015 - At a local food forum, Linda Cuttriss discovers that the future of healthy, affordable food may be closer than we think. 
Not in our name
March 7, 2015 - Many people don’t know the real story of Angus McMillan. If we are to vote under his title, it’s time we did, writes Pauline Durnin. Cat tales
March 7, 2015 - Carmen Bush has always loved cats – which is why she supports a cat curfew.
Milk, the Aussie way
March 7, 2015 - The dairy industry has peddled a fantasy, and we’ve chosen to believe it, writes Catherine Watson. 
Faster! Stronger! Higher!
March 7, 2015 - Gill Heal knows just how Ursain Bolt feels. 
Second chances
February 21, 2015 - A diagnosis of lung cancer had Julie Statkus counting her blessings. 
Never too late for a fresh start
February 14, 2015 - As she prepares for her first exhibition, at the age of 85, Wonthaggi artist Kathy West talks to Bob Middleton about the long path to fulfilling her love of art. Lights, paths, action!
February 7, 2015 - Phillip Island’s transport woes are legion. Now there’s an action plan to solve them, writes Mary Whelan, but the solution relies on State Government support.
South Gippsland snapshots
January 31, 2015 - On Australia Day, Gill Heal celebrated those who grasp the opportunity to make a difference. 
Our disappearing gardens
January 31, 2015 - Without trees and gardens, our suburbs and cities will be much bleaker, writes Anne Heath Mennell. |