FEATURE ARTICLES 2021
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‘Time is running out’
Dec 15, 2021 - The next few months are critical in the fight to save the Inverloch surf beach, writes Philip Heath. 
Missing in action
Dec 15, 2021 - Cr Les Larke has long claimed to be the voice of financial prudence on the council but Catherine Watson questions whether we’re getting value for money from him. 
‘Welcome to Bass Coast’
Dec 15, 2021 - Many people assume that regional towns are xenophobic towards refugees but researcher Gemma Sou found another side to the story in Bass Coast. 
A guardian of the Island’s history
Dec 15, 2021 - Gaye Cleeland was fascinated by local history but she wasn't staid about it. Pam Rothfield recalls their laughter as they searched for skeletons in their shared ancestral cupboard. |
The Snow Girls
Dec 15, 2021 - Foster writer Graeme Wheeler has won second prize in the 2021 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction with his account of the search for two young women missing in the Gippsland high country in the 1960s. 
Dreams take flight
Dec 15, 2021 - Etsuko Yasunaga finds a way to express the grief of separation from loved ones. 
Woodlands the star of the show
Dec 15, 2021 - The joy of walking in our local woodlands is captured in a new film by Terry Melvin and Laura Brearley 
Time to kick up our heels
Dec 15, 2021 - Ed Thexton proposes a uniquely Victorian solution for grumpy old men who used to be important. 
Pop-up art returns
Dec 15, 2021 - Twenty-eight artists have been selected for the Cowes annual summer exhibition with works including pottery, sculpture, textiles and woodturning. 
Season of twists and turns
Dec 15, 2021 - John Coldebella observes a succession of mysterious happenings in the garden this spring. 
On yer bike, 80 years on
Dec 15, 2021 - At last Geoff Ellis finds a use for his father’s collection of mysterious bike tools. |
Covid diary with a difference impresses judges
Dec 3, 2021 - Rees Quilford has won the 2021 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction with an evocative essay documenting his daily routine of swimming, walking and photography at Cape Paterson’s Bay Beach through the first Covid winter. 
Swan & Clarke - a visionary team
Dec 3, 2021 - A former cattle grazing property at Rhyll, now a wildlife haven, forever links two great conservationists, writes Neil Daly. 
Life on the spectrum
Dec 3, 2021 - In the third part of Kate Harmon’s story of living with autism, she embarks on new interests and new adventures. 
Beyond fish `n` chips
Dec 3, 2021 - A coffee table cookbook released this week celebrates the farmers and chefs working hard to make Bass Coast a foodie destination. |
Adrift in shallow waters
Dec 3, 2021 - Every day of that first arduous Covid winter, Rees Quilford dived into the bracing cold of Bass Strait, took a Polaroid photo, and documented his thoughts. 
Community gathers for the woodlands
Dec 3, 2021 - Community celebrates the Western Port Woodlands with wine, art and song. Storybook by Laura Brearley, images by Nici Cahill. 
A hive of activity
Dec 3, 2021 - Exactly 44 years since the last passenger rail service to Wonthaggi. Jack Moyle recalls a time when the railway station was the centre of the town’s social and commercial life. 
Fifth time lucky?
Dec 3, 2021 - WATERLINE residents and other opera fans will be crossing everything that a long-awaited performance of The Gondoliers will finally go ahead in late January. |
Michael Whelan Q&A
Nov 19, 2021 - New Mayor says next year’s federal and state elections provide a great opportunity for Bass Coast to push its agenda. 
The sea won’t wait
Nov 19, 2021 - There might not be much of Inverloch’s beach left to save by the time a coastal hazard assessment is completed, writes Cr Leticia Laing. 
Action on housing front
Nov 19, 2021 - The council will provide six unused road reserves for social housing under the Big Housing Build program. 
Too close to home
Nov 19, 2021 - A local housing group is seeking solutions to the crisis facing many Bass Coast renters. Helen Searle reports. 
Enjoy the view!
Nov 19, 2021 - Coastal residents who clear public land to improve their sea view could be in for a shock. 
Future proofing our food
Nov 19, 2021 - Supporting local food networks is one way to increase our resilience as a community and reduce our emissions, writes Naomi Coleman. |
Woodlands on song
Nov 19, 2021 - When Colin Hay heard the Western Port woodlands were under threat, he decided to send a message – and a song – down under. 
Going, going, gone!
Nov 19, 2021 - Works by some of Gippsland’s finest artists will be auctioned in support of the campaign to save the Western Port woodlands. 
KAPOW! The deaf experience
Nov 19, 2021 - On a visit to Wonthaggi, acclaimed artist Chelle Destefano invited hearing people to enter her world of Deaf culture. Geoff Ellis was glad to accept the invitation. 
Master of the light
Nov 19, 2021 - On the one hand, a professional photographer; on the other, an acclaimed creative artist. Trevor Foon’s new exhibition offers a rich and magical glimpse of his vision. 
The final insult
Nov 19, 2021 - John Coldebella dives into the vernacular of toilets and local footy and finds the ultimate trophy of disrespect. 
Cosy homes made easy
Nov 19, 2021 - Heat pumps, power companies, rebates, insulation, emissions … two locals have done the homework so you don’t have to. Jessica Harrison reports. |
Brett Tessari Q&A
Nov 5, 2021 - Retiring Mayor reflects on the highs and lows of three terms as mayor and what lies ahead. 
The wonder of the woodlands
Nov 5, 2021 - Ed Thexton marvels that this remnant of a lost world has survived against the odds. 
Brave new world
Nov 4, 2021 - How will we live in 2040? Jasmin Rooks looks into the crystal ball and finds cause for optimism. 
Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
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The Archibalds and me
Nov 4, 2021 - Ursula Theinert is thrilled to see her “Archibalds” dusted off for a new exhibition. 
A stitch in time
Nov 5, 2021 - An afternoon spent mending unexpectedly transports Etsuko Yasunaga to her childhood. 
Pallets for beginners
Nov 5, 2021 - Geoff Ellis’s guide to the wonderful world of pallet fencing, furniture and firewood. 
Let a thousand flowers bloom
Nov 5, 2021 - John Coldebella is awed by the spectacles of spring. 
Back to the future
Nov 5, 2021 - Neil Daly asks whether the blue carbon method could redress much of the damage to Western Port caused by a century of drainage works and land clearing. |
Full steam ahead on Cowes Cultural Centre
Oct 22, 2021 - After decades of debate and disappointment, work starts next month on $27m island centrepiece. 
Dog day afternoon for cats
Oct 22, 2021 - Bass Coast cats are on notice – their days of freedom are drawing to a close. Cartoon by Natasha 
Big step forward for Dinosaur Trail
Oct 22, 2021 - The council has paid $1.2 million for a site to create an interactive sound and light ‘Gondwana Garden’ as part of the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail. 
Local artists hold the line
Oct 22, 2021 - Artists back campaign to save the Western Port woodlands. Now bid online for their works. 
Paint, print & plinth
Oct 22, 2021 - Two painters, a printmaker and a glass artists combine in a brief exhibition to celebrate the re-opening of ArtSpace |
The Bass Coast Afghans: the next steps
The local community has rallied to the cause of two Afghan men who want to settle in Bass Coast and bring their families. Harry Freeman reports 
Words from the Woodlands
Oct 22, 2021 - Many of us have been walking in the woodlands lately. Now Laura Brearley invites us to share the experience through poetry or prose. 
Our guide to the future
Oct 22, 2021 - What will a house or farm of the future look like? This year’s Sustainability Festival sets out to answer the question. 
Signs of the times
Oct 22, 2021 - It’s Arty time once more, but the path to reopening a gallery is full of twists and turns. Geoff Ellis reports. 
Life on the spectrum
Oct 22, 2021 - Kate Harmon continues her story of living with autism. Get on board!
Oct 22, 2021 - After a ministerial brushoff, Robert Hayward appeals to Cape Paterson residents to ditch the car and catch a bus to town. |
On the COVID front line
Oct 7, 2021 - As most of us look forward to restrictions easing, local health workers are preparing for the worst, writes Jan Child, CEO of Bass Coast Health. 
Of magic, mystery and monsters
Oct 7, 2021 - Linda Cuttriss joins a woodlands walk and finds a new kind of magic in the hills above Grantville and The Gurdies. 
‘I’m no ratbag’
Oct 8, 2021 - Our federal MP Russell Broadbent explains why he won’t be getting vaccinated against COVID any time soon. No jab, no job
Oct 5, 2021 - Bass Coast Shire Council becomes the first Victorian council to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for staff. 
Sifting the plans in play
Oct 7, 2021 – It’s time for a new strategic framework for Western Port and its region, writes Neil Daly. 
The joy of birds
Oct 7, 2021 - For Sue Woolley it started with a beginners’ birdwatching outing several years ago. This time round, she’s keen to introduce newcomers to a hobby that has brought her so much pleasure. |
Seven lunches from chaos
Oct 7, 2021 - At last the Murdoch media empire has recognised the seriousness of climate change. Ed Thexton found the evidence at the bottom of Page 25. 
A house of dreams
Oct 7, 2021 - Tim Shannon dreams of a beautifully crafted house with stories of its own to tell. 
Palm town
Oct 7, 2021 - They dominate our skyline and yet we barely see them. John Coldebella goes in search of the exotic palm and finds it in every court and crescent. 
Local collections make a splash
Oct 7, 2021 – Plaudits for cataloguers of the Robert Smith and Churchill Island collections. |
‘Right time, right place’
Sept 24, 2021 -Bold new vision for a Wonthaggi creative arts and cultural precinct. 
Inland pathway back on track
Sept 24, 2021 - 20 years ago Danny Drummond drew a mud map of a cycle and walking track linking Wonthaggi and Inverloch. 
Have we got a deal for you!
Sept 24, 2021 - Like to buy an electric vehicle but deterred by the cost? Totally Renewable Phillip Island wants to hear from you, writes Zoe Geyer. 
Life after diagnosis
Sept 24, 2021 - Learning she had autism was the start of a better life for Kate Harmon. 
Co-operate or perish!
Sept 24, 2021 - When our politicians fail us, writes David Arnault, it’s time to find our own allies. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak |
The line of beauty
Sept 24, 2021 - Lizz Meldrum is in her element working with clay and bones; just don’t call her morbid. 
How to stay sane
Sept 24, 2021 - In these tense times, nature is our best friend, writes Terri Allen. 
Pens’ Anzac heritage
Sept 24, 2021 - The Wonthaggi Woodies are turning timber into very special pens for homesick Aussie troops. 
Island flock prospers
Sept 24, 2021 - While South Australia’s Cape Barren geese are doing it hard, our local geese are looking right at home. 
From the pantry
Sept 24, 2021 - Dicing the onion isn’t the only cause of tears as our cooks prepare porcupine balls, a dish mixed up with lots of family memories. |
Crunch time for woodlands
Sept 10, 2021 - Sand mining surge threatens Bass Coast’s rare woodlands and threatened species: Victorian National Parks Association report. 
Butt out: Waterline residents
Sept 10, 2021 - Pioneer Bay and Coronet Bay call foul over council interference. By Catherine Watson 
Ferry plan refloated
Sept 10, 2021 - A car ferry linking Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula is back on the agenda with a study into whether the Cowes Jetty is a suitable docking point. 
Road to the future
Sept 10, 2021 - A group of South Gippsland citizens are seeking a better way to live, for all in their community. David Arnault reports 
Question time
Sept 10, 2021 – Why does Spring Street continue to treat Western Port so differently from its neighbour, asks Neil Daly. |
Cartoon: Natasha Williams-Novak
Landmark council deal for parents
Sept 10, 2021 - Extended parental leave, super top-up and flexible work schedules close gender gap 
We have lift off!
Sept 10, 2021 – As an injured bird took to the air, human spirits soared too. By Etsuko Yasunaga. 
The unintentional gardener
Sept 10, 2021 – There are two gardens at John Coldebella’s place; the one he cultivated and the one he didn’t. 
Lights, cameras, action!
Sept 3, 2021 - Calling local film-makers and wannabe Steven Spielbergs, entries are open for the first Bass Coast Shorts film festival. |
Our Afghan connection
It started with a single Afghan student studying English at the Bass Coast Adult Learning Centre, writes Harry Freeman. Now he and his fellow students need our help. 
Test track back on the market
August 27, 2021 - The proposed resale of the Lang Lang Proving Grounds is a mixed blessing for a group campaigning to protect the region’s last significant forest. 
Caught in the slipstream
August 27, 2021 - The transition to the renewable economy will be as revolutionary as the move from horse and cart to the steam engine, writes Michael Whelan, but Australia is being left behind. 
The lake with no name
August 27, 2021 - The naming of Coronet Bay’s little lake by Bunurong Elders acknowledges its historic importance. 
Calling green thumbs
August 27, 2021 - Grow your own is back in vogue. Now the search is on for local gardeners to share their knowledge, reports Sharon Willcox |
The good life
August 27, 2021 - How our houses can make or break us, the first in a series on housing by Zoe Geyer. 
Last call for entries
August 27, 2021 - Gippsland writers have just over two weeks to complete their entries for the 2021 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction. 
A watery makeover takes shape
August 27, 2021 - A seagrass research team goes to great depths in their quest to restore more seagrass meadows to Western Port. 
Researching one war in the time of another
August 27, 2021 - Historical research in the time of Covid brings its own challenges and rewards, writes Christine Grayden. |
How we see it
August 18, 2021 - Forty people on a mission to nail a vision of Bass Coast in 2041. Here’s what we came up with, writes Harry Freeman. Now tell us what you think. 
How much is a forest worth?
August 18, 2021 - Local film-makers Terry Melvin and Laura Brearley turn the camera on sand mining in Bass Coast’s last significant forest. 
My war on pittosporum
Don’t be fooled by the beautiful foliage and sweetly scented flowers, writes Richard Kemp. This plant is a monster. 
Gliding through lockdown
August 18, 2021 - From her studio in The Gurdies, Trish Hart recalls great albatrosses of her past and dreams of painting life-sized whales. |
On the trail of the dinosaurs
Aug 18, 2021 - 'Hero' dinosaurs, a Gondwana garden, virtual reality fossil hunts, light shows and sculptures are part of the vision for Bass Coast's Dinosaurs Trail. 
Our island home
August 18, 2021 - Twenty-five years after the first edition of their geological history of Phillip Island, Linda Cuttriss and Eric Bird see a growing awareness of how precious the island is. Review by Anne Davie 
A kind of magic
August 18, 2021 - Sue Saliba has done it again with another magical novel of adolescence, set in a place near us. Review by Vilya Congreave 
Alternative energies
Long before wind and solar power, there was elbow grease, carbide and kerosene. Mark Robertson admires a new collection in the Wonthaggi Museum. |
Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
Sand miners on notice
July 29, 2021 - Expert report raises alarm over toxic pollutants from sand mining in Grantville corridor entering Western Port. 
The ghost of Christmas past
July 28, 2021 -How hall fees snuffed out Coronet Bay’s joyous Christmas tradition, by Joy Button 
Hands off Inverloch!
July 29, 2021 - Bass Coast Council will argue that Inverloch should remain in the Bass electorate, along with the rest of Bass Coast shire. 
Tom and the bunnies
July 28, 2021 - Ian Burns turns on the fireworks when his brother-in-law visits Phillip Island. 
Rail trail picks up steam
July 28, 2021 - $6m extension fills one more link in the regional Great Gippsland Trail cycling and walking track. |
Quiet times
July 28, 2021 - Somewhere between pleasure and pain, and necessity and beauty, the making of things is a gift in itself, writes Tim Shannon 
Has the longest day begun?
July 29, 2021 - MPs take note, the people are ready to protect Western Port once more, writes Neil Daly. 
Treasure island
July 29, 2021 - In June a team of naturalists headed for French Island in search of some small brown bumps on top of some brown bark. What they found there was beyond their wildest dreams, reports Catherine Watson 
Out of season
July 28, 2021 - Gardening has always been a gamble. Throw in climate change and anything can happen, writes John Coldebella. 
Will your feet be the end of me?
July 16, 2021 - When it comes to walking tracks, it's not all about us, writes Julie Thomas. |
‘He draws with tears in his heart’
July 16, 2021 - So an old Wonthaggi miner said of Noel Counihan, the renowned artist at the heart of a much-anticipated first exhibition of works from the Robert Smith collection. 
The secret life of orchids
July 16, 2021 - Dick Wettenhall delves into the underworld of this miraculous plant (including sexual deception) and reveals the threat posed by sand mining to some of Victoria’s rarest orchid communities. 
Here to share
July 16, 2021 - When it’s a choice between heating the house and putting food on the table, Corinella’s food pantry is there to help, writes Kerri Richie. 
Home truths
July 16, 2021 - A touring photographic exhibition opens doors into the world of people living with a disability. 
Parks are for everyone
July 2, 2021 - People need to experience natural beauty before they will grow to love and protect it, writes Leticia Laing. 
Do you hear the people sing?
July 2, 2021 - Laura Brearley invites us to join a chorus of voices for Bass Coast’s last remnant coastal bushland. |
King of the roads
July 16, 2021 - Richard Kemp recalls the glory days of the Lang Lang Proving Ground, when a day at work might include dodging roos, racing with ‘Brockie’ or seeing the greatest collection of pristine Holdens. 
Sounds of disharmony
July 16, 2021 - Silence will reign in the Cowes town square tonight after brazen brass-loving thieves nicked the harmony bells. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
Tales of Catwoman
July 16, 2021 - Those much-mocked cat videos served a valuable purpose, writes Joy Herring in her book on the joys, heartbreak and laughter of rescuing cats. Geoff Ellis reports. 
A community in action
July 16, 2021 - Laura Brearley is inspired by the community’s willingness to come together and raise their voices to save our local woodlands 
Pictured at the opening of NAIDOC Week exhibition at ArtSpace, from left, elders of the Bass Coast South Gippsland Reconciliation Group Florence Hydon, Mary Mutsaers (also exhibition organiser), Anne Davie and Marg Lynn with exhibiting artists Patrice Mahoney, OAM (also Aboriginal development officer for Bass Coast Shire Council) and Safina Stewart. Front, Samu Stewart and Arieta Fergie. The exhibition is on until July 18.
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Honey, we lost Inverloch
July 2, 2021 - A proposed Victorian electoral boundary realignment divides Bass Coast into two state electorates. 
A symphony of words
July 2, 2021 - Writing long non-fiction is a bit like conducting an orchestra, according to prize-winning author Christine Grayden. 
Living with creeks
July 2, 2021 - Rivers and waterways are serious, writes Ed Thexton, but creeks are a different matter. 
Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
Yes I’m a Nimby!
June 18, 2021 - What's the point of turning a sublime coastal walk into an industry, asks David Arnault. 
Hail the whales!
June 18, 2021 - Our whales are back, earlier and in greater numbers than usual on their annual migration north to breed. Photo: Lisa Schonberg |
Winter recess – a time to gather our thoughts
July 2, 2021 - The latest assault on Western Port’s hinterland shows how much we need a complete land and sea management plan, writes Neil Daly. 
The joy of the toy
July 2, 2021 - The sight of an old tin toy can spark a wave of nostalgia in even the crustiest old timer, writes Mark Robertson. 
Time to draw a line in the sand
June 18, 2021 - New mining projects in Bass Coast are a threat to Western Port’s precious wetlands, warns Professor Dick Wettenhall. 
Shelf life
June 18, 2021 - When you dip a camera into a rock pool and fire it off, there’s no telling what you’ll get. But every now and then it’s magic, writes Helen Keellings. 
Stories of us
June 18, 2021 - Bushfires, pandemics, and the never-ending battle over urban development … these are our stories. 
Don’t bank on it
June 18, 2021 - If you’ve rung a financial institution lately, Geoff Ellis’s story may reawaken traumatic memories. 
Full and plenty
June 18, 2021 - In Bass Coast, we are lucky enough to be able to plant and harvest all year round, writes John Coldebella. |
Mining opposition gathers force
June 4, 2021 - Hundreds sign petition calling for a moratorium on more sand mines in Bass Coast’s last coastal forest. 
‘Listen to the locals’
June 4, 2021 - Yallock-Bulluk coastal trail plan suffers from lack of local knowledge: Alliance 
In your dreams
June 4, 2021 - All is not as it seems in Ross Vaughan’s new surrealist exhibition, and your subconscious will have to make the connections. 
Doona gymnastics
June 4, 2021 - Miriam Strickland found her research subject close to home. 
Bloomsday comes to Bass Coast
June 4, 2021 -Maggie Millar reprises her legendary reading of the “Molly Bloom” monologue. |
Saving the planet, a paddock at a time
June 4, 2021 - For 20 years Phillip Island carbon farmer Bob Davie has been a voice in the wilderness. Suddenly everyone is listening, writes Catherine Watson. 
Mystery Road
June 4, 2021 - Geoff Ellis and Neil Rankine made good use of their COVID daily exercise time to fill in one of the missing links on the proposed San Remo-Inverloch trail. 
Dark days for Wonthaggi
June 4, 2021 - The use of Wonthaggi Town Hall as a vaccination hub has reminded local historians of the time when it served as a hospital last century. 
Cartoon: Natasha Williams-Novak
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$90m pool plan on the table
May 21, 2021 - Councillors call on community to help them decide. 
Time for action now: students
Local students join national climate protest with a march through Wonthaggi CBD. 
D-day for coastal “lawns”
May 21, 2021 - Residents who have illegally extended their property into Crown land are about to lose their ill-gotten gains. 
Power deal cuts costs and emissions
May 21, 2021 - Bass Coast Council will be powered by 100 per cent renewable power from July 1 in a landmark deal that also cuts the shire’s energy bill. 
What happened next
May 7, 2021 - When the Miners’ Rest Caravan Park and Motel was bought for redevelopment, the 90-plus residents faced eviction and possible homelessness. No one predicted what happened next. |
Cartoon: Natasha Williams-Novak
Why I am sorry
May 21, 2021 - In 2007 a direct challenge made Anne Davie realise she was going to have to play her part in the reconciliation struggle. 
When words fail
May 21, 2021 - As a mural takes shape, Jeannie Haughton is reminded of the power of art. 
Eat your heart out, Daylesford
May 21, 2021 - Catherine Watson never expected to see a sea of rainbow umbrellas outside the Wonthaggi Town Hall. 
The joy of gardens
May 21, 2021 - For young children, gardens are part adventure playground, part moving feast, writes John Coldebella. |
Try again on trail: planning expert
May 7, 2021 – Leaving Cape-Inverloch off the Yallock-Bulluk trail is a cop-out, writes Nicholas Low 
Our day of days
May 7, 2021 - The old diggers are gone but Anzac Day still troubles Tim O’Brien, who asks what if we made it a day for truth telling? 
Citizenship redux
May 7, 2021 – Anne Heath Mennell realises her Australian passport isn’t all it was cracked up to be. 
Songs of praise
May 7, 2021 - In Toe Pecker, Liz Low has found a friend who knows how to greet and farewell. 
What’s happening to our bush?
May 7, 2021 - Wonthaggi’s intrepid seed collectors brave the elements and a dwindling supply of seed to preserve our bush. Terri Allen reports |
Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
Melbourne’s big build threatens rare coastal forest
May 7, 2021 – Campaigners threaten to take forest battle to Labor’s inner-city electorates 
Time to walk with nature
May 7, 2021 - We have to start undoing the damage we have done to the environment, writes Neil Daly. 
The moments that matter
May 7, 2021 - For all the years of hardship, war and migration, Anna Coldebella declared there were just two stories about her worth telling. 
All that can be desired
May 7, 2021 - Seaside villas, a coffee palace, a shipping port, a railway line and agricultural show grounds … life in Grantville on the Sea was dandy. |
Coastal track a planning poser
April 22, 2021 - Creating a walking/cycling trail from San Remo to Inverloch was never going to be easy. 
Coming to a screen near you
April 23, 2021 - Music, poetry, toe-tapping, sign-dancing … it’s all there in a film of the Coastal Connections Concert, writes Laura Brearley. 
Vale Cam Walker
April 22, 2021 - A link with Bass Coast’s early European history has been broken with the death of Cam Walker, the fourth generation of a family that settled in Glen Alvie in 1883 |
For the next milestone …
April 22, 2021 - The AGL decision is a breakthrough on the journey towards a Western Port Strategic Management Plan, writes Neil Daly. 
The scarlet pimpernel of Wonthaggi
April 22, 2021 - An intrepid young fox doesn’t seem to play by the the rules, writes a half-admiring John Coldebella. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
United we stand
April 22, 2021 - Joy Button calls for a Waterline alliance to make the council listen to a growing but neglected community. 
The loneliness of the long-distance writer
April 22, 2021 - Ian Robinson pays tribute to Ibis Writers, which for 30 years has provided a community for writers to share their work and discuss their craft. |
How Labor’s women saved their party
April 9, 2021 - Labor veteran Kay Setches has some words of advice for Liberal women if they want to change the culture of their party. Catherine Watson reports 
Hands off our bay
April 9, 2021 - Once more the community has had to ward off an assault on Western Port by big business, writes Jeff Nottle. 
From the desert
to the coast April 9, 2021 - Beauty and drama co-exist in exhibitions Mandy Gunn and Karen Chugg opening at ArtSpace next week. 
Tales of Tent Town
April 9, 2021 - From the moment Christine Bell stepped into the Wonthaggi Museum, a little voice told her ‘There’s a story here’.” 
Our home-grown university
March 23, 2021 - Bonnie James is the first person in her family to study for a degree. She never dreamed she could do it in her home town of Wonthaggi. 
The winds of change
March 25, 2021 - Two local productions prompt Robyn Arianrhod to consider how we protect the best of a place we love. 
A labour of love
March 23, 2021 - Daryl Hook farewells the farm and wildlife haven he has created over 40 years. Story and photos by Geoff Ellis. 
Some have heard the call
March 23, 2021 - Neil Daly is delighted to report that his plan for Western Port has actually made it inside the Victorian Parliament, courtesy of the Sustainable Australia Party. 
Here be dragons – and cows
March 23, 2021 - Picasso and Dali decide on a challenge: who can design the most outlandish and bizarre fish. The wondrous result is living in a bay near you, writes Mark Robertson. 
When Whitney replaced Julie
March 23, 2021 - Necessity forced Pamela Jacka to give up her car; she hasn't looked back, except to make a right hand turn. |
Ecological losses “a balancing act”: QC
April 9, 2021 - A Grantville sand mining company does not have to meet the same environmental standards as other land users, the company’s lawyer argues. 
Fire in the belly
April 9, 2021 - Bright smiles and yellow flowers belie the bravery of the participants in a recent forum at Corinella, writes Geoff Ellis. 
Lost and found
April 9, 2021 -Two strangers connect at a moment of great sadness. One of them was Etsuko Yasunaga 
The heart of our town
April 9, 2021 - The liquor and gambling industry should not be telling us how to use our public space, writes Frank Coldebella, who backs a plan to make McBride Avenue a gathering place. 
Caution – slow ahead
April 9, 2021 -We need more than a speed sign swap to untangle Phillip Island’s traffic, writes public transport operator Michael Wright. 
It’s taken me years
April 9, 2021 - Christine Grayden reflects on the amount of wasted time and energy LGBQTI people have to spend to be accepted for themselves. 
A touch of magic
April 9, 2021 - Don’t ask Stephen Jansen to explain his prize-winning work. That would only ruin the magic, he tells Catherine Watson. 
Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak
From Burma to Wonthaggi
March 23, 2021 - On her first morning in Wonthaggi Mue Hsay saw a policeman and burst into tears because she was so frightened. |
A home of one’s own
March 11, 2021 - In the second part of his article on the housing crisis in Bass Coast, Geoff Ellis looks at the response from community, council and government. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
The day my mother said ‘Enough!’
March 11, 2021 - How Aunty Doseena Fergie’s mother found the courage to call out racism. 
A world apart
March 11, 2021 - Volunteering at ArtSpace Gallery gives Ellen Hubble a chance to clear her mind and slip into a quiet place of art and space. |
The next edition of the Post will be published on March 26.
Nothing We Liked Better
March 12, 2021 - Jillian Durance was highly commended in the 2020 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction for Nothing We Liked Better: a house remembered, a home restored, 
‘There was a storm in me’
March 11, 2021 - There was nothing in Agnes Doig’s middle class family background to indicate that she would become a champion of the poor and downtrodden, writes Carolyn Landon. 
Destination nearby
March 12, 2021 - Forget cheap air tickets and long queues. One of Miriam Strickland’s favourite destinations, Mt Worth State Park, is just down the road and over the hill. |
No place like home
Feb 26, 2021 - Beneath the surface, many of Bass Coast’s most disadvantaged residents are on the brink of a housing crisis. Geoff Ellis reports. 
On centre stage
Feb 26, 2021 - Western Port is a World Heritage Site waiting in the wings, writes Neil Daly. 
Council pans Dandy Premix plan
Feb 17, 2021 - Dandy Premix’s plan to expand its Grantville sand quarrying operation has been panned by Bass Coast Shire Council. 
Coloured by COVID
Feb 26, 2021 - Two of Bass Coast’s most respected artists emerge from lockdown with a surprising new exhibition. 
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Cape Connection
Feb 26, 2021 - Lauren Burns was highly commended in the 2020 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction for her memoir Cape Connection. 
The next chapter
Feb 26, 2021 - Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction spreads its wings with new collaborations and ventures in 2021. 
A generous community
Feb 26, 2021 - A sudden cut in audience numbers, a ban on community singing … the Coastal Connections concert survived it all, writes Laura Brearley, 
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‘Councillors must hold their nerve’
February 13, 2021 - Defeatist council report on sand mining expansion ignores council policies and community concerns, writes ex-mayor Neil Rankine. 
Looking for Wonthaggi
Feb 13, 2021 - It’s too easy to lose what you can’t identify, says Gill Heal. Her new play is a search for the character and values of a town that is at a crossroads. 
The incredible journey
February 13, 2021 - A chance sighting prompted Gil Smith to learn more about the short-finned eel and its epic journey from Deep Creek to the Coral Sea. Now he fears the impact of sand mining on the creatures that call this area home. 
Dog versus snake
Feb 13, 2021 - Roy likes to push his luck, writes Geoff Ellis, but then he was born lucky. 
Smooth moves
February 13, 2021 - When it comes to Vinyasa yoga, it’s all about the belly button, Amy Wallace explains to Liane Arno. 
Oz Day blues
Jan 30, 2021 - The majority rules, or should do, writes John Cobbledick. Not fair, writes Marg Lynn. Aboriginal people have been adapting since 1788. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
Thank you for visiting!
Jan 30, 2021 - They have gone at last, writes Catherine Watson. Come again – but not till next summer! 
Our dearly departed
Jan 30, 2021 - It’s not just our family and friends we mourn, writes Jill Nicholas, but those we trust to run our affairs. 
Megabits empower the people
Jan 30, 2021 - Thanks to COVID, the inquiry into the AGL/APA proposal for Crib Point was truly democratic, writes Neil Daly, who watched much of it from the comfort of home. 
Remo revisited
Jan 30, 2021 - More tall tales (and true) of San Remo by Kevin Chambers 
My day in court
Jan 30, 2021 – The attack on Capitol Hill reminded Liane Arno of the day she found herself turning from witness to accused. |
On the Shore of the Wide World
February 13, 2021 - A wry account of growing up in Bass, on the edge of Western Port, Fiona Power’s essay was highly commended in the 2020 Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction. 
Shame on YOU!
Feb 13 2021 - Gay and transgender people know all about shame, says MP Harriet Shing, as she turns an accusing finger to MPs who abstained from voting on a bill outlawing the attempted conversion of gays. 
Gotta Love Librarians
Feb 13, 2021 - Coastal Connections director Laura Brearley gives thanks for the librarians who keep our community connected. 
The best of company
February 13, 2021 - After our year of hibernation, Etsuko Yasunaga savours the special pleasure of sharing an experience with good friends. 
Tiger, tiger, turning tight
Feb 13, 2021 - A sensor camera in a garden shed catches a tiger snake doing battle with a mouse trap. Video by Gil Smith 
No Place Like Home
January 28, 2021 - Karen Bateman was highly commended in the Bass Coast Prize for Non-Fiction for her essay No Place Like Home. 
The Bass Coast sound
Local musicians add the finishing touches to seven short films celebrating our special places. Laura Brearley reports. 
Picture this
Jan 30, 2021 - Geoff Ellis focuses between the squalls on the first outing of the revamped Bass Coast Camera Group. 
History draws a crowd
Jan 30, 2021 - A season of short talks on Wonthaggi’s secret history proved an unexpected visitor attraction. |
