FEATURE ARTICLES
Dreams take root in home-grown college
Dec 13. 2019 - Bass Coast Adult Learning changes lives. Loran McKean is the living proof. 
The art of healing
Dec 13. 2019 - Artist John Adam never had the chance to reconcile with his daughter in life but an exhibition in Cowes next month gives him a chance to reconnect with her artistic dreams. 
A line in the sand
Dec 13. 2019 - Results from a trial sand fence on the Inverloch beach are promising, reports Catherine Watson 
Between the lines
Dec 13. 2019 - Etsuko Yasunaga recalls the pain and pleasure of a year of writing for the Post. 
Fix those potholes!
Dec 13. 2019 - Potholed roads, cracked footpaths, open drains … let’s get on with the job, urges Frank W Schooneveldt. 
Return of the Monkey King
Dec 13. 2019 - A Japanese cult TV show based on a 400-year-old Buddhist saga is the unlikely source of Wonthaggi Theatrical Group’s summer show. Sue Lindsay reports. 
Tell him he’s dreamin’
Nov 22 2019 - The Mahers Landing marina project was always a fantasy. The last rites were performed this week when head consultant John Woodman was grilled at a corruption hearing. Catherine Watson reports 
My year of singing
Nov 22 2019 - Surrounded by the rich harmonies of the Bass Coast Chorale, Mary-Anne Peters feels the power of the human voice: organic, raw and timeless. 
Margaret the Magpie
Nov 22 2019 - A story of love and loss unfolds before Liz Low. 
Vive la difference
Nov 8, 2019 - As Bass Coast Council tries to become more welcoming for staff of diverse sexualities and genders, CEO Ali Wastie explains why diversity in the workplace makes good sense. 
They will rock you
Nov 8, 2019 - As the curtains opened, the performers burst from darkness to the beat of I Will Survive. Geoff Ellis shares the buzz of Connecting2Australia’s seventh annual show. 
Job done
Nov 8, 2019 - Know the job so well you could do it in your sleep? Miriam Strickland did, and suspected it was time to move on. 
Wonthaggi’s first business
Nov 8, 2019 - When 40 hungry men arrived to start work on the new Powlett coalfield, E. B. Cain bought 10 sheep and went into business. 
Dodgy bosses leave bad taste
Oct 25, 2019 - Local café owner James Archibald calls on consumers to steer clear of venues that underpay their workers – and explains how to identify them. 
It's OK to cry. Wayne said so
Oct 25, 2019 - How do you start a conversation that could save a life? Geoff Ellis reports from a Phillip Island forum on suicide prevention 
‘So natural yet so remarkable’
Oct 25, 2019 - Visiting a remote Phillip Island beach in 1926 in search of shells, Raymond Grayden could not have imagined that one day this beach would draw thousands each evening to view the penguins. 
All in a day’s work
October 11, 2019 - Wage theft isn’t restricted to high-end city restaurants and celebrity chefs. It’s common in Bass Coast as well, writes Catherine Watson 
Fine art of the absurd
October 11, 2019 - Local artist John Adam was at the centre of a satirical art movement of the 1960s that’s now receiving serious attention. Marian Quigley reports. 
Wonthaggi's book of dreams
October 11, 2019 - Railway locomotive construction, a canning and dehydration factory, an aluminium smelter, clothing factory and farm co-ops … such were the dreams of the town's post-war reconstruction committee. 
Bush bards in beach benefit
October 11, 2019 - Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson discuss life, love and legacy in a fundraiser for the embattled Wonthaggi Life Saving Club. 
This working life
Sept 27, 2019 - Low pay, irregular hours, no job security … welcome to the precarious world of work for an increasing number of Australians, writes Kaz. 
Tell-tale signs
September 27, 2019 - Maddy Harford shares some of her favourite signs from a recent road trip. 
Flights of fancy
Sept 27, 2019 - For years Sue Woolley could only envy bird watchers. At last she has time to join them, and her photos are part of an exhibition of birds and nests at Grantville. 
KernART calling
September 27, 2019 - The Prize returns for its third year, with sections for novices, budding artists and old hands 
Hard times
September 14, 2019 - Ian Simmons never expected to have to survive on the Newstart allowance. 
It’s our future
Wonthaggi student Jessie Harrison explains why she’ll be joining next week’s global climate strike. 
The people have spoken
September 14, 2019 - Inverloch's new pathway has nothing to do with beach erosion, argues Cr Les Larke. 
The artist’s eye
September 14, 2019 - Burnt-out cars, disused factories and coal-fired power stations inspire Amanda Thompson’s intricate woodcuts. Liane Arno reports 
This one's for Seamus, Eliza and Thomas
August 30, 2019 - We owe it to future generations to act on climate change, argues Cr Michael Whelan as Bass Coast joins more than 900 jurisdictions around the world in declaring a climate emergency. 
Reflections on the nature of a climate emergency
August 30, 2019 - If we’re not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge, we must come together as a community, to listen to the environment and to one another, writes Laura Brearley 
On catastrophe
August 17, 2019 - Ed Thexton fled from the risk of fire in the Yarra Valley into the waiting arms of a flood risk in Inverloch. 
A cry from the arts
August 17, 2019 - Cowes needs an arts hub, writes Marian Quigley, for the good of the community and the local economy. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
The fine art of mending
August 17, 2019 - Fifteen items were repaired and saved from going to landfill in the first Fixit café. 
Where did our beach go?
August 3, 2019 - The South Gippsland Conservation Society launches a major report on Inverloch’s disappearing beaches. 
Writers, take your marks
August 3, 2019 - Bass Coast has been placed on the literary map with the launch of one of the richest competitions for short non-fiction in Australia, thanks to a local writer. 
The Criterion cartoonist
August 3, 2019 - At the age of 20, Clive Dobbs was drawing cartoons for Wonthaggi’s first newspaper. Little is known about him but there was no doubting which side he was on. 
The ferry captain
July 20, 2019 - A storm-damaged tree, a world class tree carver with a local connection and a proud maritime heritage ... the stars aligned for Rhyll’s new artwork. 
Think big
July 20, 2019 – What do we want Phillip Island to be like in 50 years? Phil Wright argues that the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes project enables us to dream big. 
The banana files
July 20, 2019 – When Maddy Harford and Harry Freeman crossed the border, they found themselves on the wrong side of the law. 
Seeing stars
July 5, 2019 - Private and public worlds sometimes collide when Bass MP Jordan Crugnale turns out for the Inverloch Stars soccer team. 
There’s an idea!
Using heat from old mines, smart communities, botanical gardens and rural villages … some of the alternative ideas that have sparked Catherine Watson’s interest recently. 
A splash of colour
July 5, 2019 - ArtSpace’s Winter Solstice Exhibition shines a light during the darkest, coldest time of the year, writes Deb Watson 
A walk on the wild side
July 5, 2019 - Mr Bonney’s friends jokingly called it The Wilderness but he made a wise choice when he selected land at The Gurdies. 
Power to the people
June 25, 2019 - Tidal generators at San Remo, a biodigester at the Grantville landfill and a floating solar array on Candowie reservoir … just some of the ideas put forward for a local energy roadmap. Catherine Watson reports 
The wordsmith
June 25, 2019 - Roger Clark estimated he’d written about eight million words in his lifetime, not bad for a boy who started work in a shoe shop at the age of 13. 
This island paradise
June 14, 2019 - Pest or natural asset … debate rages over the place of Cape Barren geese and the Silverleaves pine trees. Catherine Watson reports. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
Sculptures by the Sea
June 14, 2019 - Like the walls of an ancient fort, the Colonnades on Woolamai Beach look impregnable but they too are under siege from the elements, writes Linda Cuttriss. 
Simple fix for disappearing beaches?
May 31, 2019 - Bernie McComb suggests that before we go for the multimillion solutions for coastal erosion, we test a simple fix. 
That’s what Wonthaggi people are like!
May 31, 2019 - Racing pigeons was considered a working class pastime, just right for the working men of Wonthaggi. And Rod Churchill has some mighty stories about the local club. 
‘Despair is for fools’
June 1, 2019 - In shock on election night, refugee advocate Felicia Di Stefano has since joined the Labor Party and has resumed campaigning for resettlement of refugees. ‘Now it's up to us’
June 1, 2019 - Despairing, angry and contemplating a move to NZ on election night, climate activist Maddy Harford has calmed down and plans to continue working for action in her local community. 
‘The woes of capitalism’
June 1, 2019 - Down but not out, Jessica Harrison vows to continue her campaign for those living in poverty on the Newstart allowance. 
Fans flock for pelican parade
May 17, 2019 - Penguins aren’t the only birds in Bass Coast drawing a crowd, writes Geoff Ellis. 
Life in Wonthaggi, 2050
May 17, 2019 - Eleven-year-old Harvey Green set the scene for a climate change forum with a reading from his imaginary diary set in the year 2050. 
From little things big things grow
May 5, 2019 - Five years ago someone suggested putting some solar panels up at the State Coal Mine. Yesterday a mini solar farm of 92 kWh of solar panels and 41 kWh of battery storage was switched on. 
It’s party time in Ventnor
May 5, 2019 - Peaceful country living? You’ve got to be joking, says Tess Moore Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
Planning certainty essential
April 19, 2019 - Clear guidelines on development in Bass Coast will help us balance growth and protection of what we most value, writes Mayor Brett Tessari 
The bald and the beautiful
April 19, 2019 - Deb Rielly didn’t quite make it to the inaugural Archies Bald Portrait Prize, but her grace and courage will be celebrated throughout the exhibition, writes Liane Arno. 
Tall tales and true of San Remo
April 19, 2019 - The small coastal town hits the big screen with 10 mini movies based on local stories and photos. 
How much is a tree worth?
April 5, 2019 - To civil engineers and shire planners, a tree is an obstacle to a straight road or rectangular car park. To others, it may be an old friend and object of great beauty. Last Sunday the community gathered in Cowes to mourn the loss of an ancient blue gum. 
Thanks for the memories
April 5, 2019 - At the age of 80, Wonthaggi artist Kathy West held her first solo exhibition. At 90, she has just launched her first book, writes Ellen Hubble. 
A road to chaos
April 5, 2019 - Our council needs to work with VicRoads to sort out San Remo’s traffic tangles, argues Chris Day, rather than leaving it to the community. 
The ties that bind
April 5, 2019 - Common garden plants and discarded objects are the raw materials for a group of abstract artists now showing their work at ArtSpace Wonthaggi. 
An oasis on a crowded planet
March 22, 2019 - Phillip Island is being diminished by too many private operators with the mantra “The environment is the foundation of my business plan”, writes Phil Wright. 
Let’s stand by them
March 22, 2019 - No more being a bystander on climate change, writes Moragh Mackay. It’s time to stand with our young people. 
View from the Chamber
March 22, 2019 - Jobseekers are being punished for being unemployed, writes Cr Michael Whelan, and the rest of us need to speak up on their behalf. 
Immersed in a landscape
March 22, 2019 - Seascapes abound in Warren Nicholls’ new work as he revels in the changing light over Western Port. Just don’t expect to see a fish in his minimalist work. 
‘This is Bass’
In her inaugural speech to Parliament, the new Bass MP praises the resilience of the Bass community but reminds Spring Street that many are doing it tough. 
Dogs versus birds no contest
March 8, 2019 - Phillip Island Conservation Society takes issue with the council’s push for more dogs-off-lead beaches on the island. By Jeff Nottle 
Back to the drawing board
March 8, 2019 - No matter where life took her, Jackie Moss always found her way back to art. Liane Arno reports 
Beware: four lane highway ahead
February 22, 2019 - What started off as an attempt to untangle Phillip Island’s notorious holiday traffic congestion seems to be morphing into a monster highway bisecting the island, councillor warns. 
First steps for $19.6m coastal park and walk
February 22, 2019 - Consultation will start within a few months on the boundary of the $19.6 million Bass Coast Coastal Park and George Bass Coastal Walk. 
Why I run
February 22, 2019 - When Allison Jones’s best friend asked her why she ran, she found that even writing about it made her happy. 
At home on the hill
February 22, 2019 - Pamela Rothfield’s history of the first 73 occupants of the Phillip Island cemetery provides a moving snapshot of a fledgling society: the vulnerability of babies, children and pregnant women, the prevalence of depression, the high rate of death by accident. 
Lost and found
February 22, 2019 - The house may hide but it does not steal, writes Luciano Prisco. Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak. 
My first bushfire
February 8, 2019 - Like hundreds of other Bass Coasters, Anne Heath Mennell watched anxiously as the Grantville fire threatened for days. She realised how short a step it is from normal to disaster. 
50 years of exits and entrances
February 8, 2019 - As the Wonthaggi Theatrical Group begins its second half century, Gill Heal reflects that the group has changed many lives, on and off the stage 
The Campbells of Kernot
February 8, 2019 - Bruce Campbell believes he has grown up in the luckiest family, in the luckiest district, in the luckiest country in the world. His grand-daughter Merryn Chapman recounted his story at Kernot’s Australia Day breakfast. 
In a class of his own
February 8, 2019 - Like many former art teachers, Arthur Nilsson is relishing the time to practise his craft. Liane Arno reports |
Skaters nail famous victory
Dec 13. 2019 - There was never any question about the result once a contingent of kids stormed the Cowes cultural centre on Wednesday afternoon. Catherine Watson watched in awe. 
No place like home
Dec 13. 2019 - Bass Coast’s most vulnerable residents are left out in the cold as private rentals rise. 
The magic forest
Dec 13. 2019 - In February Grantville’s grass tree forest was ablaze. Today the grass trees are putting on a spectacular show. Words by Meryl Brown Tobin, photos by Hartley Tobin. 
The great divide
Nov 22 2019 - 192-bed resort hotel proposed for Coronet Bay would be a foreign enclave in a close community, writes Craig Little 
What’s the catch?
Nov 22 2019 - He’s finished the paintings, he’s commissioned the music; now John Mutsaers just needs the words for his intriguing new collection. Liane Arno reports. 
On song for the planet
Nov 22 2019 - Local musician Maddy May headlines next weekend’s Sound for Climate concert, which features a distinguished line-up of some of Gippsland's best young musicians. 
The lake that vanished
Nov 22 2019 - Lake Lister was a magical place, writes Terri Allen, at least until the day two miners decided to deepen it with a few sticks of gelignite. 
The great wall of Grantville
Nov 8, 2019 - It’s 20 metres long, contains 86,750 glass tiles and took 4552 man hours to create, but the chances are you’ve never seen the Grantville Armistice Mural. 
Bay defenders hailed
Nov 8, 2019 - Phillip Island’s eco warriors acclaimed for decades of action to protect Western Port. 
A fine line
Nov 8, 2019 - Cate Anderson joins a line dancing class and discovers there’s not a cowboy to be seen. 
Back in action
Oct 25, 2019 - Neil Rankine spent a recent afternoon with his young grandson building a tree house. The next day he caught a bus into Melbourne and got himself arrested. He explains why to Catherine Watson 
Mum’s the word on special day
Oct 25, 2019 - Councillor accuses climate activists of desecrating Mothers’ Day. Mothers sceptical! Cartoon by Natasha Williams-Novak 
Banker finds his mojo
Oct 25, 2019 - A stroke of luck opened a new world of creativity to Matt Stone. Liane Arno reports 
Plaza rally ban irks refugee group
October 11, 2019 - Shopping centres might be privately owned enterprises but they are also gathering spaces, argues Felicia Di Stefano 
New horizons
October 11, 2019 - The best thing about travelling? Coming home with a fresh perspective, writes Etsuko Yasunaga. 
Plant medicine
October 11, 2019 - House plants aren’t just decorative, Anne Heath Mennell discovers; they can also make our homes safer and more comfortable. 
Under the radar
October 11, 2019 - A Wonthaggi exhibition features a new wave of local artists determined to go their own way. Catherine Watson reports 
How do you like that view?
Sept 27, 2019 - Large signs blocking the view should put a dampener on property owners who clear trees on public land, writes Cr Stephen Fullarton 
Here, for the long run
September 27, 2019 - From the joy of winning to the relief of finishing, three local runners describe their experience of the inaugural Phillip Island Festival of Running. 
Hills painting hits the spot
Sept 27, 2019 - Julie Lundgren-Coulter has won Bass Coast’s premier art award with her work ‘A Hill Somewhere’. 
Growing, growing, gone …
September 14, 2019 - Australia’s first auction of carbon insets, held on Phillip Island last weekend, set an Australian record. 
A family affair
September 14, 2019 - First came Dad. Then the kids turned up. Finally Mum arrived. Miriam Strickland has been adopted by a family of magpies. Photos by Pauline Wilkinson 
Straight back to business as usual
August 30, 2019 - Half an hour after declaring a climate emergency, writes Ed Thexton, our councillors decided to proceed with a $2 million concrete path alongside a rapidly eroding beach. Cartoon by Natasha 
For whom the bell tolls
August 30, 2019 - Local playwright Rory’s acclaimed first play works through the chaos of dying to reach a kind of truth for those left behind. 
The art of the matter
August 30, 2018 - Headway’s exhibition offers a glimpse into the lives of people with an acquired brain injury. Geoff Ellis reports. 
Our natural treasures
August 17, 2019 - Some of Phillip Island’s trees are as historic and memorable as our heritage-listed buildings, writes Greg Buchanan 
The sands of time
August 17, 2019 - Linda Cutttriss guides us on a walk through time along the Cowes beach. 
One night in Walwa
August 17, 2019 - Geoff Ellis travels north and finds they do things differently there. 
Have we got a deal for you!
August 3, 2019 - The company behind the proposed Mahers Landing Marina project is offering to fix Inverloch’s beaches, but it would pay to read the fine print. Catherine Watson reports 
Tall tales and true
August 3, 2019 - When the Post invited readers to nominate their favourite sessions from last weekend’s Festival of Stories, most found it hard to stick to one! 
Beyond words
August 3, 2019 - Liane Arno describes her interview with Wonthaggi artist Chelle Destefano as one of the most remarkable she has ever been a part of. 
View from the Chamber
July 20, 2019 - A new Waterline library in Grantville is a vote of confidence in the area, writes Cr Geoff Ellis. 
A breath of fresh air
July 20, 2019 - Joan Woods appeals to town planners not to mess with Wonthaggi’s green spaces. 
VCAT, your bias is showing
VCAT is designed for the convenience of developers and a gaggle of lawyers and experts happily billing their hours and expenses, writes Peter McKenzie. 
An ocean of possibilities
July 5, 2019 - Intercultural collaboration can be a tricky process, writes Laura Brearley, but when risk meets trust, anything can happen. 
Meet the family!
July 5, 2019 - Miriam Strickland feels a little nervous as she prepares to introduce her New York cousin to the Australian side of her family. 
View from the Chamber
June 25, 2019 - With China’s ban on mixed waste imports, Australia’s recycling system is in crisis. Amidst the gloom, however, Cr Pamela Rothfield sees reason for optimism. 
Sometimes trash is just trash
June 25, 2019 - The op shop can sometimes be seen as a place of palliative care for items whose time really has come, writes op shop manager Roderick McIvor 
Catch my drift?
June 25, 2019 - Parallel worlds exist unnoticed alongside our own, writes Mark Robertson, but too often the creatures that inhabit them are dismissed as by-products or even impurities 
Love songs for whales
June 14, 2019 - The whales are back and entrancing us once more. Next month’s Island Whale Festival invites us to reflect on our connection with these giants of the deep. 
Good as new
June 14, 2019 - Wonthaggi’s new Fixit Café is an antidote to the throwaway society, writes Hilary Stuchbery. A walk on the wild side
June 14, 2019 - Mr Bonney’s friends jokingly called it The Wilderness but he made a wise choice when he selected land at The Gurdies. 
The eyes have it
June 1, 2019 - Phil Henshall needed some expert advice for his prize-winning portrait of chef Malcolm Bain. 
Stories of fear and hope
May 31, 2019 - Cecilia ran from the bombs that fell on her village in South Sudan. Today she lives in Wonthaggi, a place she calls paradise. 
A faint glow on the hill
June 1, 2019 - The despair of election night has been replaced by a cautious optimism for Marg Lynn, an advocate for greater indigenous recognition. ‘One for the silent majority’
June 1, 2019 - For Conservative Pamela Jacka, the joy of election night has been followed by a quiet satisfaction in the new Coalition ministry, including 11 women – without the need for quotas. 
A ’double whammy’
The sense of loss remains but refugee advocate Anne Davie vows to fight on for the most vulnerable. 
Council on the wrong path
May 17, 2019 - Removing foreshore reserve vegetation to extend Inverloch’s shared pathway is madness when we are already experiencing massive erosion, writes Aileen Vening. 
Feels like home
May 17, 2019 - When someone asked Miriam Strickland if she was a local, she had to stop and think. The vision thing
May 17, 2019 - Forget “vision”, slogans and charisma. Ed Thexton is more interested in a political party with principles and policies. And that takes hard work. 
Mother’s Day mourning
May 27, 2019 - Mothers and others gathered to mourn for the first mammal to be wiped out by rising seas. 
Welch hits the right note
May 5, 2019 - The Inverloch hall erupted in song as a capacity audience joined local choirs under the baton of master conductor Jonathon Welch. 
A market with a heart
May 5, 2019 - There’s nothing fancy about the Corinella Community Market, writes Bert Weitering, just an honest country charm. 
May Day in Wonthaggi
April 19, 2019 - Frank Coldebella celebrates the achievements of forgotten, ordinary people who fought for a better world. 
Checking out
April 19, 2019 – When Etsuko Yasunaga gave up Facebook for three months as an experiment, she had no idea how much her life would change. 
The shape of things to come
April 19, 2019 - Catherine Watson tries her hand on the pottery wheel at the Rescue Station arts centre and finds that time stops still when you’re mucking around with clay. 
Round the bend
April 19, 2019 - Roundabouts won’t solve Phillip Island’s traffic problems, argues Bernie McComb. And just think of what else we could do on the island with close to $40 million. 
The Wastie way
April 5, 2019 - New council CEO Ali Wastie gives her first impressions of Bass Coast and lays out her blueprint in an extended interview with Post editor Catherine Watson. 
A bolt from the blue
April 5, 2019 - Could Western Port’s mangroves help to tackle climate change? The answer, writes Neil Daly, is in the tea leaves, if only the politicians would take notice. 
A young man and his truck
April 5, 2019 - Every day when the mine whistle blows in Wonthaggi to signal midday, Fred Webb’s presence is felt. Carolyn Landon describes a clever, energetic man whose ingenuity helped to shape Wonthaggi. 
Lifting the curtain on small town Australia
April 5, 2019 - With its engaging characters, dark mystery and a 1960s small town setting, Jasper Jones is a rich work for the stage, writes director Sue Lindsay. 
The weed warriors
March 22, 2019 - Years of hard work to control weeds is being undone by infestations of ragwort, thistles and blackberry on neglected properties. Geoff Ellis reports 
Study hub a game changer
March 8, 2019 – Some country kids struggle to make their way in a big city, writes Cr Brett Tessari. A local university hub could make study a whole lot easier. 
It’s funny about the fire
March 8, 2019 - A bush fire changes everything, writes Allison Jones. It's a pause. It is reflection and perspective. 
Reminiscences of The Gurdies
March 8, 2019 - Born in 1897, Florence Guilfoyle swam at The Gurdies beach, fished for black fish in the Hurdy Gurdy Creek and looked forward to the thrills of the Grantville show. 
The triangle revisited
February 22, 2019 - On a visit to Cowes Jetty, Tim Shannon finds plenty to enjoy in our new “she’ll be right” triangle. 
Buckley signs off
February 22, 2019 - At his first meeting with a hostile new council in 2016, Paul Buckley confronted rumours of personal corruption, affairs and big staff bonuses. The departing council CEO recalls some challenging times in an extended interview with Post editor Catherine Watson. 
Riding a wave of goodwill
February 22, 2019 - The skies were black and the wind icy as Etsuko Yasunaga joined a team of volunteers on Inverloch beach to share the joys of surfing with those who usually miss out. 
Time and tide
February 8, 2019 - Rock walls, groynes, mangroves …Cr Geoff Ellis asks whether anything can save our crumbling coastline, and what we should do about it. 
Pitching in
February 8, 2019 - When a young Bill Robertson arrived in Wonthaggi in 1958 he wasn’t too keen about living in the sticks. But then he fell in love– first with Barbara Dakers and then with the community. So much so that within 10 years he was mayor. The forgotten people
February 8, 2019 - Australia Day rightfully celebrates European settlement and multiculturalism, writes Marg Lyn, but it ignores our first people. 
It does not compute
February 8, 2019 - By the time you learn how to do something on your computer or mobile phone, it’s already out of date. Chris Day decides he’s had enough of the digital revolution. |