Point of view from Bass Coast

Editor's note: This article contains some factual inaccuracies which are noted in the sidebar. The Post has decided to publish because some of the ideas are interesting.

Socrates addresses the crowd in Athens. All Athenian men over 20 were obliged to take part in the democratic process, with a random selection of officials. Painting by Louis Joseph Lebrun (1867). Public domain.

By Robert Durkacz

THE election is over. In the Monash electorate a candidate we know nothing about was elected. We don't know which faction of the Liberals she is attached to. She took part in no debates, sat for easy interviews, wrote no opinion pieces. Like all of the other candidates she calculated there was more to lose than gain by exposing herself to decent conversations with the voters.

Reasons a candidate might do that are 1. To avoid debates so as not to give rival candidates an audience. 2. Lack of confidence to answer questions intelligently. 3. Fear of certain questions to which they have no satisfactory answer. Apparently Aldred thinks a dog park in Cowes could be a good idea – that is what we have to thank local reporting for.

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Raise the rates and fix the joint!

15/5/2025

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"Fix the potholes. Fix the footpaths. Fix the funding model."

By Frank Schooneveldt

IN 2016, I wrote to then-councillor Neil Rankine expressing concern that my property rates were too low. He replied that approximately 45% of properties had stagnant property values between January 2014 and January 2016, resulting in only a 1.37% overall valuation increase across the Shire.

Why does this matter? Because rates are calculated based on the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of a property. If the CIV is understated, the rates are too – and this leads to an unfair burden across the community.

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Libs prevail in ‘weird’ election

14/5/2025

Independent Deb Leonard:
came close to an upset

Independent Russell Broadbent: one too many elections

One Nation's Kuljeet Robinson: outscored the Greens

By Michael Whelan

WELL, the Monash election did not disappoint, being described by one analyst as ‘weird’. The presence of two strong independents complicated the count. The result flatters Liberal Mary Aldred with 54.3% of the two party preferred vote and a positive swing of 1.4%, against the national trend.

Both Labour and Liberal had primary swings against them of over 5%. A shift of just over 500 votes from Labor to the Independent Leonard would have seen the Independent run off against Liberal with the strong chance of an Independent win. Leonard may rue not taking a preference swap with Broadbent when the chance presented.

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Hit them where it hurts!

16/4/2025

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Too young to vote - but Anabelle Bremner is urging climate action at the ballot box.

By Anabelle Bremner

I REMEMBER the Black Summer fires not by the smoke in the air but by the silence in our house. Throughout the desperate scramble to get away from Mallacoota, my dad was heading towards it. Working in emergency management means that when there’s a bushfire, a flood, or a storm, he’s one of those stepping in to help.

During those fires, it was hard to sleep. I could only check the news, refresh the emergency alerts, and hope that nothing had gone wrong. I was 11, terrified, and fully aware that this wasn’t just a disaster — it was a warning.

My fear wasn’t misplaced. Every year, the fires get worse. Floods tear through towns. Heatwaves break records. And still the people in charge act like it’s business as usual. That silence I felt back in 2020 — the waiting game, the uncertainty — it’s not just in my house anymore. It’s in Parliament, in policy, in every half-hearted promise that puts profit before people.

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Bring back the town hall debate!

15/4/2025

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Robert Durkacz laments the lack of serious discussion in the
Monash election.

By Robert Durkacz

AS AN independent candidate for Monash I needed 100 signatures to nominate myself. It didn’t work out that way and I had to give up the idea. By dropping out I saved the $2000 deposit. But my candidature was only a means to an end. I wanted to take part in the election to raise one substantial issue that the other candidates ignore, thinking there is no public interest in it. The issue is the descent of the USA into anarchy, threatening to take the western alliance down with it.

Had the breaking up of the western alliance become a matter of public discussion in the Monash election, I would have thought a consensus might emerge that Australia should take an energetic position. We should be very straightforward and honest with the American people. We should have as little to do with the US administration as possible. We should wear tariffs without complaint – not ask for favours. And we should express solidarity with Ukraine, Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Mexico, etc. We should accept the risk of retaliation that goes with that. My reason for standing as a candidate was to get these issues discussed.

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My MP wishlist

10/4/2025

The politician's dilemma: Digital image

By Alison Vincent

THANK you to the Post for the questions for candidates and how you reported them. It will be interesting to read how they respond. While I have no intention of diminishing anyone's concerns, there are some basics that might also be attended to when considering candidates.

These thoughts have come about because I am unimpressed with the cut and paste politics that pass for election campaigns. Of course climate and education, health and aged care, transport and infrastructure, environment and trade, finance and wellbeing are important. However, my thoughts are more inclined toward the character and capacity and interests of the people who put themselves forward to govern around these issues.

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Better than cupcakes

28/3/2025

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100 Women, 100 Stories in the Wonthaggi Union Theatre celebrated International Women's Day. Photos: Nicola Glassey

By Leslie Adams

MY MUM was a ‘young’ mum. She loved singing the pop songs of her era, she loved to dance and she loved to do those things with her children. I am the oldest, and I have two sisters and a brother, all of whom have lovely singing voices.

I vividly remember us dancing and singing with our mum on, I think, Sunday afternoons while watching Australian Bandstand. We loved it and we developed a fine repertoire of 60s pop songs, most of which I can still roll out today.

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Who’d be a politician?

27/3/2025

Pity the would-be politicians who have put their lives on hold to beg for our votes. Digital image

By Belinda Henderson

WHETHER you’re seeking election for your local council, or state or federal government, you need at least three things:

A lot of money, via self funding, friends and family, benefactors and so on.
Much time commitment and a tough skin.
Much heart, both for your constituents and for yourself. You’ll need to give up your own life because you are now responsible for everyone else.

Oops, there’s a 4. It helps if you know someone who is already there.

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Stuff my relatives never told me

26/3/2025

Peter Brown delves into his family history and discovers stories of mutiny, adultery and murder.

By Peter Brown

MOST of us are aware of the TV series “Who Do You Think You Are”, where Ancestry.com highlights the life and family history of selected celebrities. Since 1996 we’ve had our own not-for-profit family history centre in Wonthaggi Library.

Wonthaggi Genealogy Inc (WGI) is a group of volunteers who help curious people search their own family stories. We have a bank of up-to-date computers and subscribe to several family history research sites. We also have less known local resources, many of which are not available to the commercial groups.

Membership of less than $1 a week opens a veritable Pandora’s Box of discovery. Since I have been connected to WGI, I’ve unearthed much exciting gossip – stuff my relatives didn’t mention.

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No place like home

25/3/2025

As the end of the lease approaches, local renters like Danielle are filled with anxiety about their future. Digital image.

When the Post asked readers to submit questions for Monash candidates, one heart-felt response stood out: “My question to all candidates - what will you do to help low-income people afford housing?”

The writer added: “With rents skyrocketing many are having to leave the area, leaving family, friends and their life behind. I fear the same as a renter. We cannot get long term leases and my rent rises every 12 months.”

The writer agreed to share her story in the Post. “But please don’t use my name,” she said. “Renters can’t afford to get a reputation as troublemakers.” So we will call her Danielle.

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Every bottle tells a story

28/2/2025

A hurricane, a fire and a twister couldn’t stop Wendy Heaney
and Bruce Preston. Photo: Camilla Myers

By Camilla Myers

I REALISED last week that I’ve been visiting The Gurdies Winery from my friend Liz’s property opposite for the past 30 years. I was reflecting on its evolution because I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening of the huge, beautiful new wine-making shed last Friday.

What a party! Over 200 people joined the celebration, the music poured forth from the excellent Wing-it Brothers, and of course the wine flowed. There were tables of people in the shed and many more outside enjoying the glorious view over Western Port and French Island.

Presiding over it all were Wendy Heaney and Bruce Preston, looking after everyone with their characteristic grace, generosity and serenity.

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Power plays

28/2/2025

So you think power lines for offshore wind will industrialise a pristine environment? Look around you. Image: ChatGPT

By Christopher Eastman-Nagle

A COUPLE of days ago, I was watching a YouTube talk by an ex ABC journalist about how skewed and biased its activist-based coverage was when it came to the subject of people who think they can change sex.

Instead of broadly canvassing the issue and noting all points of view with a view to giving the readers a reasonable chance to assess the issue for themselves, they get the equivalent of “the party line”. And while that might elevate and reinforce the views of the party faithful, it is little better than propaganda designed to manipulate rather than inform readerships.

As it so happened, at the same time I was also reading a local news outlet that was running articles on offshore wind farm transmission proposals, which was doing exactly the same thing as the ABC was doing.

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Just the job

27/2/2025

The Post talks to Kane Bond, founder of Gippslander, a jobs board just for Gippslanders.

Kane Bond: "The big job sites lump us in with Melbourne and fail to showcase the diversity of jobs in our region."

Bass Coast Post: Kane, tell us a bit about your own work history.
Kane Bond: I grew up in Victoria and worked in a radio station in Cooma, then I worked in Canberra on a talk station for about seven years. That's where I met my wife. I did a weekend program and filled in for the breakfast person when they were away. It was good fun, but Canberra's cold so we came back to Melbourne.

Post: What brought you to Inverloch?
Kane: About 10 years ago, we bought a tiny little holiday house in Venus Bay. We used to come down pretty much every weekend. We really loved getting out of Melbourne. Then during COVID, when we all got locked down, I said to my wife, we can work from home, let's move to Venus Bay, just so we can escape any craziness that might happen in Melbourne.
We actually had time to look around, spend time in Inverloch and Wonthaggi, and we really liked it. We thought, well, how do we turn our life around and spend more time here? So we bought a house in Inverloch and moved here in 2020. During COVID we got to know the neighbours and people in the community and it was actually a great experience.

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Endangered Species

26/2/2025

By Aneta Marovich

ON THE morning they disappeared, the day was born into a thick sea mist. It imparted salty dampness to Irene’s face as she descended the uneven steps to the beach. There the mist kept rolling in thin raggedy clumps floating on just enough air current to scale the steep dunes. All the colours were bleached and the usual sounds of water breaking over the reef and sea gull moans, muffled. Irene looked back at the dune to find it gone and wondered whether she would find her way back easily. A figure emerged close to her.

‘They’re gone’, Nancy said.

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A feast for all the senses

30/1/2025

Beautiful pairing of flowers and produce at Liz's garden at Smiths Beach.

By Sharon Willcox

SIXTEEN inspiring food gardens across the width and breadth of Bass Coast will open their gates on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 February for the fourth annual Bass Coast Edible Gardens Weekend.

This major fund-raiser for Bass Coast Adult Learning aims to encourage people to grow their own food, with the benefits of low food miles, cheaper and healthier home-grown food, improved physical and mental health, and enhanced community connections.

Diversity in how and where people grow food is what keeps visitors coming back each year.
For 2025 gardens have been grouped under themes to help visitors plan their weekend itinerary, including verge gardens, indigenous edibles, accessible gardens, edible gardens featuring flowers and native plants and gardens with cheerful chickens.

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Another holiday, another trial

29/1/2025

By a Phillip Islander

WE HAVE another holiday weekend, a cause for celebration amongst city folk no doubt, but a trial for the local community.

And as usual the same problems recur: overcrowding, road & carpark rage, bridge buildups, tired motorists, frustrated children, long delays in Cowes supermarket carparks etc

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Andy Stewart Q&A

10/1/2025

Local CFA crews have responded to multiple callouts over the past three weeks.
The Post asked Bass CFA captain Andy Stewart about life on the front line
– and what goes on behind the scenes.

Bass CFA members Andrea, Andy, Barry, Marty and Anthony

Bass Coast Post: Where were you when The Gurdies fire started?

Andy Stewart: Frustratingly, I was actually camping in Walkerville with my family, so I couldn’t simply pack up and leave when the fire started. Such is the life of a volunteer firefighter, I guess – sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time, sometimes not! But for better or worse I don’t like to be in the dark when something happens in my absence, so I tend to carry a portable radio with me when I’m out and about. So when The Gurdies fire started, I was able to communicate with members of Bass Brigade and listen to what was happening. Although strangely, I actually had the radio with me in case there was a fire in Walkerville while we were on holidays – which has happened before – not back in Bass Coast.

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Iconic market back in business

7/1/2025

By Helen Zervopoulos

A SEARING hot day did not deter Waterline residents and visitors from welcoming back the Grantville market last Sunday after a short hiatus.

The monthly Sunday market ran for over 31 years. At one stage it was the only thing of note in the waterline area.

The waterline and hinterland communities of Pioneer Bay, Corinella, Coronet Bay and Almurta were hardly on Bass Coast Shire Council’s radar. But the Grantville market was a place to linger, shop and connect with friends and neighbours. It was a family- and dog-friendly event with a great variety of stalls to choose from.

Late in 2024, when it was rumoured that the Grantville Market was closing for good, people in the community were upset and extremely disappointed. Longstanding stall holders migrated to Longwarry and to other markets further afield.

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Fire at The Gurdies

7/1/2025

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For over 50 years Richard Kemp has known this day would come.

By Richard Kemp

I’ve lived at The Gurdies since 1957. I’ve seen my share of bush fires and I’ve fought in many. I fought my first fire in The Gurdies when I was 13. I’ve seen the destruction of the bush and the wildlife. In my 18 years at the GMH Proving Ground I spent eight years as the Fire Chief over 2200 acres of basically dense bush. It was a bit of a daunting job.

There’s always that fire risk if you live in the bush. I’ve always been aware that this day would happen one day. I’ve been in this house since 1972. I designed this place, I built it, I landscaped it. I said I’d never leave it. I thought I was prepared. The lawn in front of the house was cut short and was green. We’ve got a lot of English trees around the house that don’t burn real well. I had rigged up a powerful firefighting pump with a 50-metre hose and I was confident to stay and protect the house.

4 Comments

Leave our trees alone!

12/12/2024

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"People come for the cheap housing and fall in love with the bush and wildlife." Residents speak up about plans by Hanson Construction Materials to widen their quiet country road for sand trucks.

By Jan Grimes

WE CAME to the Adams Estate in our 20s and I’m 71 now. There were a couple of washed out tracks going through the tea tree and the gums. I’ve always been a bush person and I love animals. I remember climbing a tree and telling my mother “This is where the house is going to go”.

We bought here, number one, because it was all we could afford. Because it was so rough it was very cheap. We paid $3500. Adams Estate was classed as an inappropriate subdivision. Lots had to be consolidated so they could take the sewerage. We had to buy four blocks and that gave us three-quarters of an acre.

We built the house ourselves. Bluestone and slate and all the hard stuff. We lived without electricity for many, many years. We’re still on our own water supply.

4 Comments

For Sale in San Remo

9/12/2024

Someone should slap a heritage listing on the old fibro shack.

By Althea Thomas

THE For Sale sign on the old fibro cement shack did it. A full blown attack of nostalgia for the old San Remo hit me.

My father built that shack as a weekend bolt hole in the 1950s. The living room was painted in the colours of the moment: apricot, lemon yellow and an apple green. There was an open fire at one end with armchairs surrounding it, and a Laminex table and chairs at the other. Possession of a cane lounge along the window, just made for reading, gazing at the view or simply dreaming, was hotly contested.

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A warm welcome

15/11/2024

The Darwesh family are settling in to their new life in Wonthaggi with the children attending school and the parents starting English classes. Please make them welcome if you see them about. It’s a big adjustment for them and all kindness is appreciated.

By Maddy Harford

IN EARLY September, it was touch and go finding accommodation before the imminent arrival of our newest refugee family, Sabri and Jihan Darwesh and their five children.

We (the Bass Coast Refugee Sponsorship Group), thanks again to the seemingly never-ending generosity of the Bass Coast community, had enough household goods to furnish a house. All that was missing was ... a house!

At the 11th hour, a house in Wonthaggi was secured (relieved and grateful sigh). Next came the task of collecting all the necessary household goods, stored in garages and back sheds around the shire, and transporting them to the new house.

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Warrior of change

22/10/2024

Few people in their lifetime will achieve what Jan Child did in her time at Bass Coast Health.

By Mary Whelan

IT IS with pleasure I write a few words about Jan Child from my time when Jan was CEO of Bass Coast Health (BCH) and I was a member of the Board, and Chair of the Quality and Clinical Governance Committee for five of the nine years. I joined the board in 2015 and retired in June this year. I do not speak for the board; they are my personal comments only.

A little background is important.

In 2015 when I and two others (Tim Large and Don Paproth) joined the board, many small, regional and rural health services were struggling financially. They also faced the increasing challenge of providing care for patients with more complex health conditions with few specialists available locally. Wonthaggi hospital was also experiencing these difficulties.

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Capturing sunlight in a glass

12/10/2024