Pub Chat

Where to pick up a new hobby in the West

Resin art, rock climbing and rare trades await.

Pub Chat

WATCH: West Vic's very own "Wolf Creek" lookalike

Chris Olver has been in the business of impersonating on-screen killer Mick Taylor for almost a decade.

Profiles

Victoria’s first commercial wind farm will soon be dismantled after 26 years. Here’s what happens to the turbines

Codrington Wind Farm near Port Fairy is set to test Australia’s plan for retiring renewable energy infrastructure.

Pub Chat

Elaine Railway Hotel back after 18-month renovation - with new taps, Irish theme and ghost stories

Carolyn Coffey and Sean Kelly purchased the pub as a quiet getaway and semi-retirement.

Pub Chat

Where to find West Vic’s art deco and golden-age theatres, still screening films a century later

From a theatre that survived a 2009 fire to one that’s been running since the 1850s, these historic cinemas are still going strong.

Pub Chat

A 114-year-old bank in Avoca, complete with original vault, goes up for sale

The building was constructed with 400,000 locally-made bricks and has spent the last 20 years as a hub for 17th-century antiques.

Pub Chat

The most haunted spots to explore in West Vic

The Brolga has visited nunneries, underground tunnels and pubs on the lookout for local ghosts.

History

Australian cinema came to Clunes, Beulah and Warrnambool: Here's what was filmed

From true stories to cult classics, West Vic offered the backdrop to famous films.

Pub Chat

Replica Wild West town in Yandoit on the market

“Old iron wasn’t worth anything, so I thought I might as well build a couple little buildings and, before I knew it, I had a little town.”

Pub Chat

For 10 years, this Ballarat competition has been celebrating the weirdest and most wonderful facial hair in Australia

“People love how inclusive it is. It’s so many different sorts of people getting together. Doesn’t matter if it’s a big beard, small beard, male, female.”

Pub Chat

From Gold Rush swamp to Olympic venue, Lake Wendouree has anchored Ballarat for 170 years

The lake dried out completely during the Millennium Drought, hosting kangaroos where rowers once trained.

Pub Chat

How did Ballarat become home to one of the only monuments in the world dedicated to the Titanic's band?

An Edwardian-style bandstand commemorates the infamous cruise ship sinking and the heroic tale of the musicians onboard.

Pub Chat

Does “Dear Life” capture the essence of the ‘Rat? We watched the first episode to find out

The new series navigates loss and healing with a familiar backdrop, and a couple odd choices.

Pub Chat

Who feeds Great Ocean Road tourists when the summer tidal wave hits?

In January and February 2024, 1.5 million people flocked to the 240km-long landmark.

Pub Chat

All dressed up and nowhere to go: Colac's young people frustrated with limited nightlife

Midnight closures, scarce taxis and a lack of venue options are forcing the town’s younger generation to look outside the district for their social lives.

Colac Otway

"I try to vote now because people say it's worthwhile": A Port Fairy local on political apathy and hometown changes

In the third of our series across the Western Districts, we speak to a tattoo artist about community changes in Port Fairy and his scepticism about political engagement.

Port Fairy

"Both parties have ignored Warrnambool for a long time": A local artist on why he's voting differently this election

In the first of our multi-part series across the Western Districts, we speak to a 68-year-old Warrnambool retiree about how he's voting and what he cares about.

Warrnambool

Pub Chat

Where to pick up a new hobby in the West

WATCH: West Vic's very own "Wolf Creek" lookalike

Victoria’s first commercial wind farm will soon be dismantled after 26 years. Here’s what happens to the turbines

Elaine Railway Hotel back after 18-month renovation - with new taps, Irish theme and ghost stories

Where to find West Vic’s art deco and golden-age theatres, still screening films a century later

A 114-year-old bank in Avoca, complete with original vault, goes up for sale

The most haunted spots to explore in West Vic

Australian cinema came to Clunes, Beulah and Warrnambool: Here's what was filmed

Replica Wild West town in Yandoit on the market

For 10 years, this Ballarat competition has been celebrating the weirdest and most wonderful facial hair in Australia

From Gold Rush swamp to Olympic venue, Lake Wendouree has anchored Ballarat for 170 years

How did Ballarat become home to one of the only monuments in the world dedicated to the Titanic's band?

Does “Dear Life” capture the essence of the ‘Rat? We watched the first episode to find out

Who feeds Great Ocean Road tourists when the summer tidal wave hits?

All dressed up and nowhere to go: Colac's young people frustrated with limited nightlife

"I try to vote now because people say it's worthwhile": A Port Fairy local on political apathy and hometown changes

"Both parties have ignored Warrnambool for a long time": A local artist on why he's voting differently this election

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