The 2026 Warrion Flower Show is set to open tomorrow, inviting gardeners, flower enthusiasts and anyone wanting more colour in their lives to attend. Marking its 114th year, the event will be held at the town's public hall. The Colac Herald, which reported the event, is cited as the source of this update, with the story dated 27 October 2026.
A recent news item highlights a program that has broadened job aspirations among young people in the Colac district. Three local young people took part and were exposed to the variety of career paths across the agricultural sector. The same listing page also features items on heifer prices recovering, a Probus club celebration, and an upcoming historic flower show. The provided text offers no detail on the program's organisers, its duration, or how many young people overall have taken part, so those specifics remain unstated.
The Dalemain Australian Marmalade Awards in Birregurra showcased a vibrant spectrum of global marmalade varieties, each offering distinct flavour profiles. Artisans from across the country presented their tangy creations to a panel of judges. The event highlighted the craftsmanship and diversity of marmalade-making in Australia. Participants included Belinda Stewart, Kylie Edwards, Jill Martin, Georgie Seebeck and Ami Hillege. The competition celebrated the rich tradition and innovation in this beloved preserve.
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Aireys Inlet Primary School will host its annual Aireys Fair on 31 October, running from 9am to 3pm. The fair, which has run for more than a decade, is organised by a committee of parents with help from grandparents, relatives and the wider community. It will be held alongside the Aireys Inlet Market, with rides and activities on the oval overlooking the ocean. A community-run bookstore will also operate, with all profits going back to the school.
A free workshop in Colac on Tuesday, October 27, will help farm businesses improve their office systems and make better use of accounting software. It runs from 8.30am to 2.30pm at the DEECA Office on Gellibrand Street. Participants are asked to bring a laptop and can work through examples using their own records or a demonstration program. Topics include emailing invoices, processing batch payments, reconciling accounts, tracking fuel, grain and livestock inventory, and creating custom reports. Attendees will also learn ways to manage emails, receipts, paper records and cloud-based storage.
Home building approvals in Geelong have risen 34 per cent over the past year to August, close to levels last seen in the 2022 Covid boom, according to KPMG analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics figures. The pipeline now sits at around 4000 new homes. KPMG urban economist Terry Rawnsley said the rise shows growing confidence in the city's long-term growth, but stressed that approved projects must now move through to construction. Lara has overtaken Armstrong Creek as the region's top approval area, with the activity shifting north.
Free Children's Week events will be held in Torquay and Winchelsea next week, giving families activities, crafts and entertainment. The Surf Coast Shire and local early years services are hosting the events. In Torquay, activities run at Elephant Walk on Tuesday 27 October from 10am to noon, including a Science Kidz show. In Winchelsea, families can join nature play and science experiments at Riverbank Playground on Thursday 29 October from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Children's Week runs nationally from 24 October to 1 November.
A Surf Coast father is hosting a free community event in Torquay to help families grieving pregnancy and child loss. Adam Bumpus lost his baby daughter Florence during labour in April 2025, after learning during pregnancy she had Trisomy 18, a condition that made survival unlikely. Flo Fest will be held on Saturday 7 November at the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club. The program includes a sunrise paddle-out, breakfast, facilitated discussions led by trained grief professionals, and a remembrance gathering by the water. Registration is required by 31 October.
More than 25 free and low-cost events for children up to 12 will run across Greater Geelong from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November. The program spans Ocean Grove, Armstrong Creek, Waurn Ponds, Lara and Norlane. A highlight is a Halloween dance party at Lara Community Centre on Friday 30 October, with music, games, costumes and spooky surprises. The City of Greater Geelong has allocated more than $20,000 through its 2026–27 Children's Week Grants program to help local organisations run activities.
Community music initiative The Sound Doctor will stage three consecutive headline shows at the historic Anglesea Memorial Hall over Melbourne Cup weekend. Queenie, Telenova and Budjerah are booked for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Founder Dr David Corbet says the support acts are a highlight, giving emerging artists a chance to perform for attentive audiences. Fremantle singer-songwriter Banjo Lucia opens for Queenie, Melbourne duo Wishlist opens the Saturday night show, and local act Wild Gloriosa joins Budjerah on Sunday. Tickets are available through The Sound Doctor website.
Ten-year-old Brandon Winkworth raised $500 for Bread Hub Victoria after his school charity choice was not selected. The charity matched the amount, doubling it to $1000. The money will fund vouchers for disadvantaged people in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham to use swimming and gym facilities at Laverton Community Hub and Bayfit. Laverton Community Integrated Services chief executive Michael Pernar praised the boy's efforts. Hobsons Bay mayor Diana Grima said the youngster's hard work was an inspiration. Brandon said he is proud of what he achieved.
Melbourne student Aparjot, 21, has self-published her first novel, When We Were Souls, while studying cybersecurity and working part-time. The 376-page story follows two people who meet, fall in love and face the reality that some connections do not last. It is structured around seven Sufi stages of love, reflecting the Punjabi poetry she has written since childhood. Aparjot funded the book herself, designing the cover and editing the manuscript with help from friends. She is now preparing a second book, Ibadat, due in January 2027, which will draw on her Punjabi poems.
A Melbourne couple has moved into a new home that cost $80,000 less than they planned to spend. Jeyakaran Karnan and Shree Harini Vinothkumar chose a $720,000 house-and-land package in Clyde North after finding auctions stressful. They built at the Orana estate, where they hoped their son Yaalan could grow up among other young families. The couple used the federal 5 per cent deposit scheme, which reduced their deposit to $36,000. Construction took about four months, with the keys arriving roughly 10 months after they signed up.
North Geelong will aim to win its fourth consecutive T20 cricket premiership. The Magpies, who are on a 17-game winning streak, open their season with an away match against Lara. Both sides sit in Group D of the Division 1 and 2 competition, alongside Bell Park and Geelong West. Each team plays three round robin games before quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the final set for Tuesday 26 January. Defending Division 2 champions Lethbridge are in Group A with Winchelsea, Meredith and Teesdale.