V-Line has introduced six-carriage trains on the Warrnambool Line, addressing overcrowding concerns raised by Colac and district residents after months of limited services. The new carriages aim to improve passenger capacity and comfort.
The Warrnambool Line has introduced six-carriage trains, addressing long-standing concerns from Colac and surrounding areas about overcrowding and inadequate service. This upgrade follows persistent feedback from local residents, aiming to improve passenger comfort and capacity. The new trains are expected to alleviate congestion during peak travel times, enhancing the overall travel experience for commuters. This development marks a significant step in addressing transportation needs in the region. The initiative reflects ongoing efforts to enhance public transport infrastructure in response to community demands.
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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.
A five-bedroom character home in Drumcondra, near Geelong's foreshore, has sold for $2.3 million after barely three weeks on the market. The buyers, who are moving from the Mornington Peninsula to be closer to family, had previously lived in the suburb. Agent Malinda Leonard of Jellis Craig Geelong said the property drew two potential buyers during the campaign. The home was originally built in 1914 and combines its period features with a modern extension and a solar-heated pool. It last sold for $1.08 million in 2010.
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.
The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia has concluded its annual conference in Geelong. Around 400 volunteers, staff and board members from across the sector attended. The conference explored the future of community broadcasting and its role in connecting communities and giving a voice to underrepresented groups. Among the attendees was Lizzie Wait from Nambucca Valley Radio in Tewinga, south of Coffs Harbour, who was attending for the first time.
The Greek Community of Geelong has marked 70 years since it was founded in April 1956 by a small group of Greek immigrants. Those first members met on Swanston Street to elect a board, and the community later built a church and a Greek school. Today it has around 300 to 400 families. President Andrew Alexander says the community is now focused on engaging young people and planning its next 25 years. He credits the sacrifices of the first immigrants for the community's achievements.
Premier Ben Carroll has promised to cut emergency department wait times by 20 per cent if Labor is re-elected. Speaking at University Hospital Geelong, he said 12 hospital emergency departments would be expanded by 25 per cent. The plan also includes 1500 new health workers, among them 750 nurses, and 250 more beds. Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said the changes would allow more than 210,000 patients to be treated each year. The state average emergency department wait is currently 15 minutes, though some patients wait more than two hours.
Police are appealing for witnesses after the body of a 60-year-old man was found in the waters off Avalon on Saturday. The discovery followed an unoccupied kayak found near Limeburners Bay in Corio at about 1.30pm. Water Police want to speak with the group of kayakers who found the vessel, and anyone else who may have seen anything in the area. The man's death is not being treated as suspicious, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers.
A Geelong woman has shared her three decades of gambling on poker machines during Gambling Harm Awareness Week, which runs from 24 to 31 October. Punters lost more than $152 million in the City of Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe in 2025-26, the highest amount recorded locally. Jan, a recovering gambler, said she hopes her story will show others that recovery is possible. After reaching out to Meli's Gambler's Help, she said she regained control of her life.