At 16, Annabelle thought she’d found love. What she didn’t realise was that she was stepping into the same cycle of control and violence she’d experienced growing up.

The Colac woman, whose name has been changed by the Brolga, is a survivor of domestic violence who now speaks out to help others recognise the signs of abuse.

She says her experiences as a child shaped her understanding of what love looked like, and what she thought she deserved. 

Physical abuse, screaming, insults and belittling became, in her words, “the blueprint” for her future relationships.

“Witnessing my father’s behaviour and treatment towards myself gave me the blueprint to what I thought I deserved in relationships growing up,” she said. 

“That wasn’t nice, it wasn’t gentle, and it wasn’t what love should be.”

That pattern followed her into her teenage years.

“My first relationship, I was 16 when I was first with my ex-partner, and I was with him for five years,” she said. 

“We moved out when we were only 16; I didn’t have a massive family support. As the relationship went on, it was emotionally and verbally abusive, as well as physically abusive. And again, I just thought that’s something that you just put up with.”

She said it took her “a few years even after leaving the relationship”, reflecting and going to therapy, to realise “a lot of things that happened weren’t okay”.

“I think that’s the reality for a lot of women and men in these relationships - you don’t realise it while you’re in it, or even when you’ve gotten out of it, that it was abuse.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, help is available 24/7 by calling 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

In Western Victoria, Meli, Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, Emma House, Orange Door, and Child and Family Services Ballarat are also available to provide resources and support.

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A 3km stretch of the Hamilton Highway near Berrybank, which recorded 46 fatal and serious injury crashes between 2019 and 2023, is set for full rehabilitation under the Victorian Government’s $976 million Better Roads Blitz.

❓Is there more? Further repairs are planned along the Princes Highway West at Port Fairy and Panmure, with another 3.5km of the Hamilton Highway at Darlington also scheduled between now and mid-2026. 

Data from the Australian Road Assessment Program shows 18 serious crashes occurred near Panmure and 22 between Warrnambool and Port Fairy over the same five years.

The Department of Transport and Planning declined to comment on how much of the $976 million would be dedicated to these projects.

🏛️ The talk in Canberra: Wannon MP Dan Tehan addressed concerns about local roads in a recent interview with the Brolga, ahead of the state’s announcement.

He said the Coalition committed $60 million in 2019 for upgrades to the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Port Fairy, but argued Labor governments “sat on” the funding and were slow to act, and when works did begin, the state government “didn’t finish the job properly”.

“The inability for infrastructure, whether it be roads or rail, to be finished on time and on budget in a way which the community expects has been devastatingly disappointing,” Tehan said.

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Whether you’re a wine lover, a trail runner or an amateur artist, this month’s list of what’s on in the region caters to a wide palette.

This one is for the laid back listeners and the dance floor dominators - the region’s live music selection this month should satisfy.

Here’s a story from The National Account I found interesting from the past week: Microsoft will be facing the federal court after Australia’s consumer watchdog announced it’s suing the tech giant over allegedly misleading 2.7 million Australian customers.

Reporter Archie Milligan says it’s alleged that at the end of October last year, Aussies personally subscribing to software like Word, PowerPoint and Excel were told that to keep their subscription, they must pay higher prices for the AI being added or, alternatively, cancel their subscription.

But it turns out there was a secret third option.

You can watch Archie’s full breakdown below.

At Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, they're blending ancient and modern techniques to assist in not only their eel counting program, but in how they keep the centre running.

The facilities at Tae Rak are completely off-grid, as are the Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area and the Kurtonitj Indigenous Protected Area.

At the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, the primary source of power is the sun. 

The array of 306 solar panels, along with battery storage, has meant no more power bills, which has freed up funds to employ people. 

Watch the full video below.