Mikhaela Barlow

I'm not racist but ...

15/2/2026

By Blue Barlow

IN 2017, I wrote a piece for the Bass Coast Post titled Little White Lies in which I highlighted some concerning patterns I had noticed in our community. I ended with the thought: “From ‘a whiter man’ to White Australia to Nazism is a straight path. One leads to the other. You can’t be a little bit racist. You are or you aren’t.”

The comments on the article either agreed and shared their own observations, or minimised the damage, focusing on intent over impact.

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So much for pride

14/8/2024

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The Rainbow Flag was raised on IDAHOBIT and Wear It Purple Day, and that was it for Pride Month in Bass Coast. Digitally altered image

By Mikhaela Barlow

BORN and bred in Bass Coast, and a member of the Rainbow Community (I've always hated that infernal acronym), I was looking forward to celebrating and commemorating Pride Month in my home town, especially with the recent development of Berninneit.

I anticipated an art exhibition or maybe a selection of LBGTIQA+ classic films such as Priscilla, Rocky Horror, Brokeback Mountain and Love Simon, or maybe a showcasing of amazing revolutionary allies like Marlene Dietrich and Elizabeth Taylor. I assumed the library would display books written by emerging Rainbow authors, or that the Rainbow flag might be projected in lights across the front of the building at night, if not hung from the flagpoles for the month.

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Not in front of the children

29/4/2020

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Cartoon: Natasha Williams-Novak

By Mikhaela Barlow

IT’S HARD to avoid the worst of the news. Not so much the actual facts but the endless speculation, opinion passing for expertise and a parade of shock horror outrages enough to drive the sanest person slightly bonkers. With little else to do, folks are giving full voice to their opinions.

And I reckon some of us should keep your opinions to ourselves. No doubt you’ve heard people complaining about being “stuck at home with the kids”. Granted, parents aren’t teachers, and it’s hard to home-school and work from home at the same time – but what are they thinking?

Comments I’ve read online: “My boss is the vilest, most overbearing, unfair, aggressive bully I’ve ever met. I would gladly go back to work if it means I could escape my kids for a few hours! LOL.” And “I didn’t realise you could love something so much and want to smother them in their sleep at the same time.”

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Fast forward to 2022

15/4/2020

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The Holden Proving Ground includes 44 kilometres of roads and tracks, but much of the site is woodland.

By Mikhaela Barlow

IT’S EASY to get lost in the negativity right now, to believe there won’t be any light at the end of the tunnel. However, for a moment, cast your mind forward a couple of years – to a time when the pandemic is over.

You arrive at the old Lang Lang Proving Grounds on a beautiful, sunny Saturday for the opening of the newly redeveloped site.

The Premier stands on a podium, along with Bass Coast councillors, a representative from the Bunurong Land Council, the Minister for Tourism, the Minister for the Environment and teachers and staff from universities, colleges and schools, all waiting to give their two cents’ worth on the opportunities this new public facility will provide. Before them, an excited crowd waits to hear the details.

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Not so fast, GM

5/3/2020

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GM will probably seek to sell the Lang Lang proving ground to the highest bidder, so Bass Coast needs to stake its claim.

By Mikhaela Barlow

GM’s announcement that Holden is ceasing all operations in Australia is seen by many as a national tragedy and a great loss to the community. While I understand people’s sadness that an Australian icon will disappear, the decision gives Bass Coast an opportunity to acquire a wonderful and unique community asset.

The Lang Lang Proving Ground is a very large parcel of land, heavily vegetated with native forest and home to many vulnerable species of flora and fauna. It has a small building footprint and a large network of roads and tracks which have been used to develop vehicles suited to Australian conditions.

I believe Bass Coast Shire Council now has a window of opportunity to raise its hand on behalf of the community, acquire it on behalf of the Australian taxpayers who have heavily subsidised Holden since 1948, and redevelop the facility into a multi-use recreational facility – in simpler terms, a great big park.

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Out of the closet

29/11/2018

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Phyllis Papps, left, and Francesca Curtis

By Mikhaela Barlow

WHEN Phyllis Papps and Francesca Curtis moved from Melbourne to Rhyll in 2001, their new neighbours could not have been aware that these two recently retired women had helped to change Australian society.

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Stop, in the name of love!

21/9/2017

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Coming out freed Mikhaela Barlow to be herself, at least until the marriage equality debate provided a new platform for bigotry and homophobia.

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Little white lies

7/7/2017

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Most of us don’t abuse people of other races or commit hate crimes but nor do we speak up when we see racism, writes Mikhaela Barlow.

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The future starts now

19/11/2016

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The youngest candidate in the recent election, Mikhaela Barlow has a message for our new councillors: be brave, ignore the loud-mouths, and start making decisions for the long-term.

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