Geelong Advertiser
SAGE AGAINST THE MACHINES
Geelong will help lead the fight to ensure safe and responsible artificial intelligence, with a new program at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus. The university has secured $5m from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for the AI governance...
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STYLISH RETURN
UK colt Point of Law – formerly owned by King Charles – has claimed the main prize at our city’s biggest race day as Geelong Cup revellers soaked up the trackside action under sunshine and blue skies. It was a return to form in a far cry from last...
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BLOOD ON THE STREET
A large pool of dried blood sits in the gutter of a Whittington St after a gang of eight attacked a lone man with a baton and box cutter. The assault, at the intersection of Alouette Court and Solar Drive early on Monday morning, left the victim in...
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Thieves take van, nanna’s ashes
GEELONG’S VOICE FOR 185 YEARS A woman has been left heartbroken after her “home on wheels” – containing her late nana’s ashes and all her worldly possessions – was stolen. Gabrielle Rae regularly house sits and pet sits. When that’s not happening,...
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$800k vow to revamp bus stop
A re-elected Labor government will spend $800,000 to redesign the controversial Moorabool St bus exchange, as Geelong MP Christine Couzens doubles down on her criticism of the Liberal plan to move the hub to the railway station. Ms Couzens revealed...
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MACKIE REFLECTS ON CATS’ TRADES ... AND TASSIE JOB OFFER REPORT IN SPORT
Friday, October 16, 2026
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SHOT IN THE HEAD BY HOODLUMS
A Torquay father has described the terrifying moment his son called to say he and a friend had been shot, after being targeted with an imitation firearm in an unprovoked daylight attack. 10-year-old Samuel and his 11-year-old friend Noah were near the...
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‘I WAS ABOUT TO DIE’
A Newcomb victimsurvivor who could “feel myself dying” at the hands of her ex-partner is calling for an online domestic violence register she believes would save lives. Emily Lewis was celebrating her birthday with her then-partner of about one year,...
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‘SHE DIDN’T BELONG TO ANYONE’
A little girl left “floating” with no legal guardians after her single mother was killed on the roads has been the catalyst for TAC reforms.
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PIPE DREAMS
Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to “get a new leader” after Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Washington over its easing of Russian diesel sanctions, with the US President looking to ease fuel price pressure weeks out from the midterm elections. Mr...
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BYE BYE BUS STOP
The trouble-plagued Moorabool St bus exchange will be axed under a Coalition government, as the Jess Wilson-led Liberals also commit to funding a business case for the redevelopment of Market Square. The two-prong strategy is seen by supporters as a...
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‘NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE NEXT’
Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a police car collided with a teenage boy riding an e-bike in Geelong’s northern suburbs, with Professional Standards now investigating. The footage, which lasts less than five seconds, appears to show a...
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$6 BILLION MEGA HUB
A little-known company is seeking to build a $6bn data centre 15km north of Geelong, with the 480 megawatt facility promoted as one of the largest ever infrastructure projects for regional Victoria. The two-stage proposal for Moorabool is being...
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SC RE!
The Australian women’s soccer team will face off against a South American powerhouse in Geelong later this year, a major coup for the city as it seeks to capitalise on a revamped GMHBA Stadium.
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Guard assault charges
An inmate has been slapped with fresh charges after allegedly going on a violent rampage against prison guards. Rodney Phillips, 35, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday last week charged with four counts of assault against separate...
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HANSON’S SPIN CITY
Pauline Hanson has refused to comment on any Geelong-first policies in the state election, instead reminding voters she’s “a Queenslander”. The One Nation leader hosted a barbecue in Corio’s Beckley Park on Sunday, with her Victorian leader Warren...
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READING BETWEEN THE LINES
Drug-affected people have been using the Geelong library in lieu of a safe injecting room, according to an ex-employee advocating for better safety and support for staff. Librarian Wren O’Brien said following a man’s overdose in the Johnstone Park...
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KILLER ON HUNGER STRIKE
A prisoner convicted of the gruesome torture and murder of a Melbourne man is on a hunger strike inside a maximumsecurity jail, with sources revealing he has signed a do-not-resuscitate order. Harvey Spence, 41, has refused food for 11 days at the...
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Trapped boy rescued at city cinema
A child has been rescued after getting stuck in a railing at Geelong’s Village Cinemas, packed with families during the holidays. Emergency crews were called to the scene on Ryrie St about 12.20pm on Wednesday.
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SHOCK COTTAGE ABUSE CLAIMS
At least six people are considering legal action over historical abuse allegations against multiple staff members at Queenscliff children’s care charity Cottage by the Sea. The charity, which has been operating since 1890, provides short-stay...
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TIME’S UP FOR KOLO
Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij is expected to be medically retired due to his concussion history. The Cats’ premiership backman has undergone a series of fresh neuropsychology assessments since his secret concussion waiver was revealed last month,...
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GIVE US A CHANCE
The Great Australian Dream of home ownership is in tatters, with half of all aspiring buyers giving up, stark new research has found. Millions more are resigned to renting for life, as our housing class divide widens to the real estate haves and...
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Ex-Cat’s cash quandary
When Zach Tuohy retired, he didn’t just say goodbye to the Cattery. He also had to part ways with an all-but-approved refinance just weeks before his builder was due to start renovations. His lender had seen news of his retirement and pulled the...
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‘SHE RAN MY LEG OVER’
A Geelong woman says she was allegedly mowed down by a neighbour while riding her bike in a hit-run that has prompted a police investigation. Deanna Jablan (left), claims a long-running neighbourhood dispute was the catalyst for the alleged incident...
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ACTOR FIGHTS RAPE CHARGE
Geelong actor Craig Gunguta, 30, is fighting allegations he raped a woman at an after-party following a night out at a Chapel St nightclub in Melbourne.
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HORROR CAFE KNIFE ATTACK CLAIM
An elderly man was allegedly struck in the neck multiple times with a butter knife during a terrifying, unprovoked attack at a Geelong cafe, just minutes after his alleged attacker had been released on bail for an unrelated assault. Ayden William...
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DETERMINATION PAYS FOR ANNIE
GEELONG’S VOICE FOR 185 YEARS A popular American barbecue vendor has sensationally exited a central Geelong country-inspired bar less than one month after its opening, citing financial “haemorrhaging” and political differences. Andy Pobjoy launched...
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DEATH DANGLE
A group of teenagers have been filmed sitting on the rooftop edge of Geelong’s tallest building, in what police have described as an “extremely dangerous” stunt. At least three people were spotted on the 21-storey Miramar building’s roof.
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HORSE KILLER HUNT
A childhood pony “best friend” who stood by a Geelong mum for almost 20 years has been shot dead in his paddock, leaving a devastated family in shock and sparking a police investigation.
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MOULD AGE HOME CLAIM
Concerns have been raised about mould and ongoing water damage at a Grovedale aged-care facility, with a person close to the home alleging the problem has been “swept under the rug”. The person, who asked to remain anonymous, said residents and staff...
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GUILTY OF CHUGS’ MURDER
James Farquhar murdered Jayme “Chugs” Sykes. A jury on Wednesday found Farquhar guilty after a 14-day Supreme Court trial in Geelong. Mr Sykes’ family embraced when the unanimous verdict was revealed about 4.30pm.
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Self-defence ‘obvious’
The barrister for a man accused of murder in Geelong’s CBD has urged a jury to find him not guilty, describing the case as an “obvious example” of selfdefence. James Farquhar, 28, has been standing trial, charged with murdering Jayme “Chugs” Sykes by...
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WALL YOU LOOK AT THAT
The historic Harold Freedman mural is once again on public view after the hoarding that covered the artwork for almost two years was removed. The unexpected development comes less than a fortnight after the Liberal Party announced it would remove the...
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Foodies flock to Barwon
Barwon Heads is set for a hospitality shake-up ahead of summer, with two new venues planned for the main street as popular bar Locos closes its doors. The former Locos site on the corner of Hitchcock Ave will become the second home of Anglesea...
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‘Like living in a deathtrap’
Residents of a new $68m social housing complex say they are living in horrific conditions, amid allegations of drug activity, violence and, for one woman, the daily distress of seeing someone connected to her sister’s murderer. The Myers St housing...
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‘HE DID HAVE A KNIFE, I SEEN IT’
An accused murderer has denied he chased and fatally stabbed a man because he was enraged at the alleged victim and wanted to “teach him a lesson for bottling (his) mate”. James Farquhar, 28, is standing trial in the Supreme Court at Geelong, charged...
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EX-TAC BOSS PROBE
Secret surveillance recordings targeting a former TAC chief executive are central to a case against an ex-Geelong deputy mayor accused of breaching a IBAC confidentiality notice, a court has heard. Joe Calafiore was named in a Melbourne Magistrates...
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GIVE US OUR PICS
At least 20 couples have been left anxiously awaiting their wedding photos from a Geelong photographer who went “radio silent,” with one bride saying it took seven months and a lawyer to get her prized photos back. Natasha Van Geest married in April,...
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No sign of Holmes at training TRACK AND FAILED
There are concerns the new $1.5m athletics track surface at John Landy Field may need to be replaced following multiple complaints to Geelong council less than two years after it was installed. The new blue and grey surface was unveiled in December...
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BIG THINGS BREWING IN OUR CITY CENTRE
Geelong’s hospitality scene will soon welcome a major Melbourne player, bringing with it a mechanical bull that’s currently in transit from Texas. Moon Dog has signed a long lease for the former home of Geelong Hotel on Yarra St, with early December...
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Deakin top dog resigns
Deakin University’s Deputy ViceChancellor Academic has resigned after a tumultuous year-and-a-half in the role. Jessica Vanderlelie’s resignation was announced to Deakin staff in an email on Friday. The resignation comes after a rocky tenure in which...
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BEN’S BIG BUCKS FOR BYPASS
Labor has committed $237m to build the first stage of the Bellarine Link, a project that will take heavy vehicles out of central Geelong and reduce travel times for the region’s growing population. Premier Ben Carroll will visit the region on Friday to...
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YOU NEED MORE STAFF
A coroner is calling on Barwon Health to increase staffing in its emergency department after a woman left Geelong hospital untreated after six hours and died an hour later. Susanne Keating died from presumed massive pulmonary embolus – a condition...
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WE WILL UNCOVER MURAL
The public would be able to again view a controversial mural depicting Geelong’s history should the Coalition win the state election, with a senior Liberal claiming the issue was “emblematic of everything we’ve seen from this government”. Liberal...
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FEARS FOR HOME DELIVERIES
Geelong maternity care advocates have slammed the federal government for stripping women of their “human right” to choose how they deliver their children by ending a 16year-old insurance exemption. The professional indemnity insurance (PII) exemption...
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FLAMES GONE BUT PAIN BURNS
No fire alarm sounded as three young women fled their burning Corio rental – the blaze ignited by an arsonist and a pile of dead woman’s possessions their landlord had never cleared. Now, a furious mother wants justice. The women – two sisters and a...
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LEFT IN AGONY
A Torquay man is suing Barwon Health, claiming he was left “totally incapacitated” by nerve damage allegedly caused by a severe haematoma sustained during hip surgery. Kevin Patrick Larkins, 83, received a right total hip replacement at Geelong...
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Chugs stab kill trial under way
The man accused of the stabbing murder of Jayme ‘Chugs’ Sykes in Geelong’s CBD was acting in self defence, his lawyers told the jury on the first day of his murder trial. James Farquhar, 27, is fighting allegations he murdered the 20-year-old during a...
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UP IN SMOKE, AGAIN
Fire has torn through an abandoned house in central Geelong in the fourth blaze at the structure in a month. Smoke billowed across the city centre as emergency services rushed to the scene. The vacant property at the corner of Yarra and Myers streets...
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CLAIM $800K GONE IN A DAY
Geelong Cats sponsor and ex-Crown VIP Sy Giang Nguyen allegedly embezzled more than $800,000 from a Geelong disability charity in a single day, according to new police files. Police allege that Mr Ngyuen defrauded Geelong-based organisation genU of...
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COUNCIL TITLE FIGHT LOOMS
Views are divided on a council plan to prioritise Aboriginal cultural heritage, women and gender-diverse people in the naming of new assets. Geelong councillors will on Tuesday night vote on whether to adopt the city’s inaugural placenaming policy...
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Council sells parkland
Corio parkland deemed unsafe by Geelong council has hit the market with the sale set to boost City Hall coffers by more than $2.3m. The council has moved to offload a 1.28ha parcel of open green space once part of Connections Park East. Fears around...
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‘START BARKING LIKE A DOG’
A local footy legend and father of a current Cats star can be seen barking in a video where he says he owes money to the Hells Angels. In the footage, Matthew Bruhn is told by an unknown man to “start barking like a dog before I put one in you”.
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CLAIMS BRUHN OWES THOUSANDS
A champion local footballer and father of a current Cats star is accused of owing multiple parties large sums of money and failing to appear in court after an order was made to repay one debt. The Addy has spoken to three people who claim Matthew Bruhn...
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HOME CARE SHOCK
Hundreds of vulnerable people, including palliative and dementia patients, have been abandoned overnight after a Geelong-based home care provider collapsed, with its director Bethany Owen (pictured) allegedly ghosting desperate staff and...
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ACCUSED BUS DRIVER IN TEARS
The man accused of driving a school bus that crashed and killed a 12-year-old girl wept as he appeared in court on Tuesday. Alexander Slota, 76, of Hamlyn Heights, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, failure to stop at a stop sign...
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DEATH STALKS BEACHES
Sick and dying birds spotted on the Bellarine Peninsula have raised fears the bird flu may have reached the Geelong region. The discoveries come on the back of distressing new footage of dozens of dying crested terns further down the Victorian coast....
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MORE EYES ON PAKO
The popular Pakington St shopping strip in Geelong West will get a much-needed security boost in the form of a $50,000 CCTV network if the Coalition wins government at the November state election.
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SCHOOL BUS DEATH CHARGES
The man behind the wheel when a school bus crashed in Stonehaven killing a 12-year-old student has been charged, just weeks before the anniversary of the tragedy. Hamlyn Heights man Alexander Slota was arrested and charged on Friday.
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PROBLEM OF SUBSTANCE
Behind the growing public display of disadvantage on Geelong’s streets, hundreds of residents are waiting to access drug treatment. New figures show 438 people were waiting for alcohol and other drug treatment in Geelong on any given day in May, as...
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FIREBUG ON FILM
A bicycle-riding arsonist has set fire to a giant pile of rubbish in a Corio front yard, sparking a blaze that spread to the house and forced three residents to flee. CCTV footage shows a man riding his bike on Sharland Rd at 5.57pm on Tuesday,...
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MAYOR CLEANS UP OUR STREETS
Geelong’s mayor rolled up his sleeves to clean up a mess in Pakington St, after it took council two days to clear syringes, broken glass and a supermarket trolley next to a busy bus stop. A resident who complained about the junk said Mr Kontelj was...
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STAR CATS ON SPEED DIAL
Phone records examined by investigators in a $10m fraud case involving a former Crown VIP and Cats sponsor have laid bare the tight connections Sy Giang Nyugen cultivated with Geelong officials and champion players. Across a four-week period during...
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‘NOT A LOT’ CATS WOULD CHANGE
Geelong will hold an emergency board meeting on Monday to work through the concussion crisis as chief executive Steve Hocking made clear there was “not a lot” the club would do differently if it had its time over. The Cats will reply to the AFL’s...
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PLEASE EXPLAIN
The Geelong Cats have been issued with a “please explain” letter from the AFL as the player at the centre of the club’s secret concussion deal outed himself, saying he’s “healthy, feeling good and focused on playing my role for the team for the...
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Geelong revealed as side behind secret player concussion deal
Geelong can be revealed as the AFL club that struck a secret deal requiring a current player who has suffered multiple concussions to assume all legal responsibility for any further on-field brain trauma. In a bombshell escalation of footy’s...
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TRADERS HUNTING IN PAK
SHOPPING STRIP ‘SO BAD’ Pakington St retailers in Geelong West are banding together to tackle crime plaguing the strip, with one fed-up trader saying it was so common he had given up reporting it to police.
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AFLW SEASON PREVIEW INSIDE
Geelong star Mikayla Bowen has brought magic moves and big goals to Cattery ... and she’s only just getting started P22-23
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CITY’S SHARP DIVIDE
Renewed calls for a medically supervised injecting room have divided the Geelong community, with residents and politicians split over whether the city needs the controversial health service. The Geelong Advertiser spoke with 50 people across the...
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GEELONG INJECTING ROOM PUSH
Geelong is in the grip of a drug crisis after recording its highest number of fatal overdoses on record. The alarming figures have seen local community organisations, harmreduction advocates, academics and the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association...
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COURT F SHAME
Thugs who put a player in hospital after a violent brawl and a player who threw a ball at another’s head are among more than a dozen offenders being publicly named and shamed on big screens at Geelong basketball games.
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CATS GRAB HUGE WIN
Geelong’s Ollie Dempsey takes a screamer at the MCG on Thursday night, where the Cats held off a fighting Collingwood in an intense, high-stakes clash with big ramifications for the ladder as the finals draw nearer.
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MIA’S KILLER COULD BE OUT IN 10
A drug-addled parolee who killed a 12-year-old girl in a highway crash could be out of jail in just 10 years. Mia Rossiter’s family waited until Jordan Kenyon was being escorted out of the courtroom before launching a barrage of expletives at him.
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SCHOOLBOY HIT BY CAR
The family of an eight-year-old boy hit by a car in Armstrong Creek have called for stronger safety measures on busy Warralily Blvd as the child remained in hospital overnight. Young Heath was struck after moving rubbish bins about 8.40am on Tuesday.
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