Ocean Grove Voice - Your Local Newspaper

Jacob in junior Open

abnews — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:50:48 +0000

OCEAN GROVE teenage tennis sensation Jacob Grills has entered the big time at the Australian Open.
This week, Jacob teamed up with Daniel Guccione in the Junior Australian Open Doubles Event at Melbourne Park.
Guccione is the cousin of Australian Davis Cup representative and professional tennis player Chris Guccione.
Jacob missed out on qualifying for the Australian Open junior singles event after an ITF event qualifier in Traralgon earlier this month.
Club Grove has consistently sponsored Jacob over the last few years.

Grubbs down Hawks

abnews — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:48:56 +0000

OCEAN GROVE’s A-Grade premiership charge continues after toppling ladder leaders Drysdale on Saturday.
In Round 7, the Grubbers upstaged the previously undefeated Cobras, now Ocean Grove scored a nail-biting seven-run win over last season’s A-Grade finalists at home.
The Grubbers now sit at the top of the A-Grade ladder ahead of Drysdale and Collendina on percentage.
Drysdale were in a strong position on day two resuming at 2/70 after bowling out Ocean Grove for 190.
Stand in captain Mick Gill, who filled in for coach Lucas Cameron who was unavailable, described the A-Grade victory as the club’s best win for the season.
Gill praised his side’s bowling depth after Drysdale were dismissed for 183 on Saturday. The home side put the brakes on the visitors who lost their last five wickets for 31.
“It was really a mini-final for us as a club, but it would have to be the best win the club has had (this season),” Stand in captain Mick Gill said after the match.
“We had six or seven guys on the field that we can turn to and bowl for us on a Saturday.
“We all got the job done at the end of the day, we just wanted to lock the game down at the end of the day and set the basic fields, bowl maidens and build pressure.”
Ocean Grove all-rounder Mick Kenneady (43) top scored in the home side’s score of 190, while Mick Gill (26) provided good support with the willow batting at No.9.
In reply, five of the Grubbers bowlers took wickets, spinner Mick Gill the leading wicket-taker with his match figures of 3/31 from 10.5 overs.
Other notable wicket-takers for the Grubbers included Nick Lewis (2/31), Shaun Braniff (2/36) and Dan Roddis (2/58).
The Drysdale batting duo of Kane Taylor (54) and Matthew Loughnane (50) both made valuable half-centuries and helped lay the platform for a thrilling finale to the game.
This Saturday, Ocean Grove A-Grade plays away to Newcomb in their two-day match at Erwin Reserve.
In the B-Grade, the top of the table clash between Ocean Grove and Drysdale went in favour of the Grubbers.
Ocean Grove steamrolled Drysdale for only 120 on day one, Grubbers coach Lucas Cameron who was unable to play on day two, was at his brilliant best with the ball.
Cameron took 4/8 from 13.1 overs, bowling eight maidens.
In reply Ocean Grove were bowled out for 139, Grubber Corey Buxton top scoring with 47.
The C-Grade saw Ocean Grove continue their dominance over local rivals Collendina, who claimed a 162-run win over the Cobras courtesy of a masterful century from Nathan Ervin.
Ervin, who remained unbeaten on 108 not out, shared in a 123-run second wicket partnership with Craig D’Arcy (56), while Darren Roddis made 57 not out in Ocean Grove’s innings of 4/282.
In reply Collendina were bowled out for only 120 off 46 overs on day two, Grubbers bowler Alan Bate doing the bulk of the damage claiming 3/31 from his 13 overs.
In D-Grade action, Ocean Grove 1 (3/133) defeated Newcomb (129) by seven wickets, meanwhile Ocean Grove 2 (99) lost to Drysdale (4/108) by six wickets.

Galah reunited with family

abnews — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:41:42 +0000

THE kindness of strangers has reunited an Ocean Grove family with their beloved pet Galah.
John and Lois Hoult were distressed to discover their pet native Galah, Clarie, was missing from their front yard at the start of January.
“He must have fluttered down from the balcony and was on the front nature strip when a woman stopped and picked him up,” John said.
“He’s had a damaged wing since we got him he can’t fly.”
John said his family rescued Clarie over 40 years ago and were not sure how old he was.
“He’s our son Graeme’s bird and he was 13 when we got him,” he said.
Galahs generally live up to 50 years old in captivity with some reportedly living up to 80 years old.
John was bird-sitting for Graeme, and was worried when he disappeared as the galah has several health problems including a damaged wing and beak.
“He’s part of the family, we were very upset,” he said.
John said they were contacted by an Ocean Grove woman who had taken Clarie home thinking he was an injured wild bird.
“A lovely woman who’s a bird lover picked him up and took him home where they put him in their aviary,” John said. “Everybody’s very relieved and very grateful to (her).”

Club honour legend Dave

abnews — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:30:59 +0000

THERE is little doubt that Dave Renton is a legend of the Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club.
This month, the 62-year-old life member of the club was awarded with a local surf boat, sponsored by Meranne Homes, named in his honour at the Ocean Grove SLSC Surf Carnival Championships held on January 15.
The boat is called the Dave Renton.
Renton, who has been an active patrol member at the Ocean Grove SLSC since 1966, felt humbled by his latest honour and dedicated the award to his late brother Barry.
Barry Renton, a former captain of the Ocean Grove SLSC, died in a car accident in 1970.
He was aged 31.
“It is a family thing, to me it is a fantastic honour but the award is for him as well,” Renton said.
“My brother (was a big part of my involvement at the Ocean Grove SLSC), he was my mentor.
“I enjoy the company of young people and I now like being a mentor to the young people at the club.”
Renton is still amazed how the events unfolded on the day that led to his honour.
“It was a ceremony on the day, I was asked to put champagne on the boat and christen it,” he said.
“But the whole lot was kept a secret….it was the last thing on my mind, so it was a fantastic surprise.”
MEANWHILE more than 1000 competitors took part in the Surf Carnival Championships on January 15 at Ocean Grove. See pictures page 42-43 and 48.

Go fly a kite

abnews — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:28:47 +0000

BETTER get up early for the Australia Day kite flying on Main Beach.
The free public holiday activity put on by the Lions Club of Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads always attracts a large number of youngsters and families all keen to build and fly their own kites.
Because of the popularity of the event the numbers are limited so get in early.
Kite flying runs from 10am to 1pm tomorrow (January 26).
Kids can also get their faces painted in Aussie colours and flags.

Secret in Sarah’s step

abnews — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:31:45 +0000

OCEAN Grove’s Sarah James may have unlocked the secret to success at last month’s Rip to River event with her excellent choice of footwear.
The modest 22-year-old finished second in a time of 40.21 in the 10km run event held between Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove main beach.
She finished behind Rip to River back to back champion Erica Fountain who won in a time of 38:29.
“I ran in my Nike Frees,” said James, who achieved her best result at the event in her three attempts.
“I brought them before the race and yes they are great.
“They are sort of a cross between running in bare feet and running in runners.”
It has been a busy couple of weeks for the promising cross country athlete after she finished third in a time of 29:19 at the 8km Mountain to Surf at Lorne on Friday January 6.
“I couldn’t be happier with the result, it was great weather down at Lorne,” she said last week.
James will run in the Bells Bash event at the Jan Juc Surf Life Saving Club this Saturday.
The Melbourne University Athletics squad member admitted her training preparation had paid off, as she competes in three runs along the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula in the space of 18 days.
“I have been preparing for it for a couple of weeks, I was not really expecting to do that well, it is more just to get out there and have a bit of fun,” she said.
“But my coach knew that I was running (in the Rip to River), he comes down to Point Lonsdale every summer, he has got me on a program that I have been working towards.”
James said there was nothing like competing on her cushy home surrounds of the soft sand near Ocean Grove.
“I have kind of grown up on the beach, so the beach is fine for me, I quite like running on the soft sand,” she said.
“I guess you have got a bit of a home ground advantage, if you have kind of grown up running on the beach.”
The former Ocean Grove Primary School student said it was like old times with her parents on hand to cheer her over the finish line at the completion of the Rip to River at Ocean Grove.
Outside of running, James finished her Commerce degree in 2011 majoring in Accounting and Finance at Melbourne University and will commence full-time work with KPMG in 2012.

On the crest of a wave

abnews — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:23:45 +0000

ONE of the Bellarine’s oldest ski surfers, 79 year old Jim Biggins is living proof of the old adage, you’re only as old as you feel and in his case, act.
Many locals may have seen Jim off the Ocean Grove coast, catching a wave or heading out for a swim as he has done for the past 35 years.
Over his life living in Geelong and around Ocean Grove and the Bellarine, Jim has ski surfed, sail boarded and kayaked using the boards and boats he designs and builds in his own garage.
“I’ve always been interested in boats and when I was young I was interested in sailing and was a sailing person for 35 years,” he said.
Jim has been part of both 13th Beach and Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Clubs since 1970 and began designing and making surf skis around the same time.
“I’ve made about 150 surf skis over the years and then I moved onto sail boards and to kayaks,” he said.
Since then, Jim has also made three sail boards and nine sea kayaks with his latest creation, a fiberglass kayak which took him about six months to build. He not only made the kayak itself but the mould it was created in- all from an idea in his head.
“It ended up a major project, the biggest, most complex and annoying one I’ve done,” he said.
“I’ve already got another design in my head ready to go, I’ll probably sell the other one I’ve got in the garage, get a bit of money together and start the next one.”
Jim said the best part of building his creations is the end when he gets to admire all the hard work he put into the project.
“Looking at the finished product and thinking ‘I did that’ that’s the best part,” he said.
Jim and a group of his friends take their kayaks on annual camping trips to Victorian waterways with one this year to Lake Eildon.
The same group of friends helped christen his latest kayak in a champagne ceremony last week.
“We’ll pour champagne over it and maybe call it Cora-May, that’s my wife’s name,” he said.
Despite slowing down with an artificial hip and some aches and pains that come with age, Jim has just altered his usual ocean habits instead of stopping them all together.
Instead of surfing at 13th Beach where getting back up the steep stairs is a bit too difficult, Jim sticks to Ocean Grove’s beaches and he now avoids the water when the surf is a bit too big.
Jim said he follows the idea that if you think young, you feel young and keeping occupied is the best thing to keep you going as you get older.
“I tend to associate with younger people from the Surf Life Saving Club and most people in that (kayaking) group are younger,” he said.
“People say when are you going to give up surfing and I always say, I’ll stop when I’m dead.”
Jim said he gets in the water as often as he can, either swimming or surfing as a way of clearing his head.
“One of the main things I think (I enjoy most) when surfing is to forget the rest of the world, you look back towards the land and that’s where the problems are, not out in the water,” he said.
“You have a good surf and you feel good.”

Kindness follows killing

abnews — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:22:01 +0000

THE horrific killing of a three-year-old pet Shiatsu has been balanced by the extraordinary kindness of a neighbour, according to the dog’s bereaved owner.
A witness to the horror said that the small Maltese shiatsu called Boof had just crossed Thacker Street near Blue Waters Drive when a car with multiple occupants appears to have intentionally swerved and hit the dog.
The stunning act of cruelty – on New Year’s Eve - left his owner deeply upset while at the same time grateful to those that took the time to care for her dying pet.
The incident happened while the owner was away and it is believed Boof dug under the fence in panic from both being alone and missing his former companion. Their other dog Ruby, an English Mastiff cross Staffy died of cancer just six months earlier.
“He (Boof) made it across the other side of the road but the car swerved to hit him and then drove off. They got their 100 points.They got their prize.
“My neighbour went running out of the house to help Boof. This neighbour took my dog to hospital in the early hours of New Years Day. That’s how committed he was to looking after my dog. It’s amazing.”
The owner was also full of praise for the way the Geelong Emergency Hospital cared for her deceased dog.
““It was crushing to hear. We are still moping around.
“When I went to pick up our dog they presented him in a little satin parcel. The good thing is that I knew that in the last moments of his life he was treated with respect. His body was presented to me in such a regal way.”
The good samaritan, who downplayed his role, recalled seeing the car speed up down the hill and then cross the white line to hit dog. He said he wasn’t sure if the driver would have known it was a dog or a rabbit but that it appeared to be deliberate.
He relayed common concerns that hooning had worsened in the area.
The incident was reported to the police.

Grove race to second

abnews — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:08:21 +0000

THE Ocean Grove Meranne Homes crew has finished second in the Open Womens race at the Navy Australian Surf Rowers League in Lorne over the weekend.
The Under 23 female crew aged between 19-22 lost to Henley South Australia in the final. Ocean Grove Meranne Homes crew coach Paul Sherf was very proud of the team’s efforts.
“Yes very impressed, put us in good stead for the future,” Sherf said.
The Meranne Homes crew will now race at Ocean Grove SLSC boats carnivals at Ocean Grove Main Beach this Sunday.
The racing starts at 8am.

By Mark Heenan.

‘JUST PERFECT’

abnews — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:39:41 +0000

ORGANISERS are overjoyed at the turnout during Saturday’s Ocean Grove’s Tranquility Fair. More than one volunteer shared that they thought it was the best crowds ever.
All day steady streams of crowds filed into Ocean Grove Park and were treated to an afternoon of live music as well as dozens of food, clothes and curio stalls.
“It was a perfect day,” said Park chairman Colin Atkins. “We were very pleased wtih the crowds and this will mean more improvements to the park.”