SOUTH WEST LOCAL NEWS- MONDAY APRIL 20th-2026

Tonight on south west local news

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Warrnambool racer escapes major injury following crash in the netherlands

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Free trains for victoria extended for another month, with ticket prices to half afterwards

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Protest against duck hunting, with the group meeting at tower hill

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and in sport

panmure hosts a clash in district leauge promising start for the bulldogs

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This morning on South Most Local News, Warnable Racer escapes major injury following crash in the Netherlands. Free trains for Victoria are extended for another month with ticket prices to half afterwards. Protest against duck hunting with the group meeting at Tower Hill. And in sport, Pamura hosts a Clash and District League with a promising start for the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_05 0:28

Live from Silverball Studios in Warnerball. This is Southwest Local News with Jana Rogers.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

Good morning and welcome to Southwest Local News. Warnable motorcycle rider Taylor Ralph was lucky to escape major injury on the weekend after a horrific crash in the Netherlands. Ralph was going around the first corner in race one when she was clipped by a rival rider and went to the ground. She was ridden over by three bikes behind her and skidded across the track surface. She was attended to by the medical team and taken to hospital for observation. Incredibly, she was able to compete the next day and defied the odds to finish in eighth place in race two. Ralph was competing in the FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship. The reason given for the extension is to reduce cost of living pressures on Victorians as fuel prices remain high. For Warnable and Southwest residents, the effects of this announcement will centre around Warnable to Melbourne V-Line service. While traveling on the train remains affordable, overcrowding continues to be an issue.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Look, it's such a shame that the government have made an announcement that they think will help the situation, but have taken absolutely no um nothing into account when it comes to how it will affect regional communities. So we welcome you know free transport. People need the ability to have um some support during this terrible cost of living uh crisis that we're in. But if they've not actually done the background work to make sure it will work, then what we're seeing is the overcrowding to such levels that people are just too frightened to use the train, they're cancelling very important medical appointments such as cancer treatments. Um we're seeing children that are sitting on the floor, you know, people in their 60s, 70s that just standing for hours on end. It's just a shambolic mess, and the government refuses to acknowledge the problem they've created because there is a simple fix, and that is to put the reservations back in place so you can book a seat.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Members of the Tower Hill Croat Protest Group gathered on Saturday morning to state their concerns about duck hunting season. The group meet at the main entrance to Tower Hill to express their objections to duck hunting in the iconic location. Duck hunting season began in Victoria on March the 18th and will run until June the 8th, with Tower Hill a legal location to hunt. Tower Hill became a state game reserve in 1961, with local hunters one of the driving forces behind the re-vegetation of the state.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

I mean, there was a six-month parliamentary review into duck shooting held by the Labour Party, and they came up very strongly recommending that the duck shooting should not go ahead. And um Just Interellan overturned that finding of her own parliamentary review, and so um I think that much against the general population and the general community, the shooting is carrying on down there and nobody knows about it much. I'm sure that people must scratch their heads and think, are they really shooting ducks down there? Because Tower Hill, most people think of it as a wildlife reserve, which is a safe place for animals.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

The inquiry into the Victorian bushfires of 2026 is coming to the southwest this week. KOLAC has been chosen as a venue for the inquiry as part of its road trip around the state. The idea of the inquiry, going on the road, is to give people in fire affected areas the chance to address the inquiry directly. The KOAC session will be held tomorrow, April 21st, at the KOAC Performing Arts and Cultural Centre. Public feedback will be taken from 1 pm. The KOAC Otway Shire Council and local emergency and fire management groups will also have their say. Public outrage over the death of a koala in Koroit continues to grow. The koala died after it was allegedly dragged behind a car down King Street in Koroit on March the 25th. An online petition by Lady Freethinker has had 37,617 signatures as of Sunday night. The petition is aimed at the Director of Public Prosecutions in Victoria. It asks the director to prosecute the individuals responsible to the fullest extent of the law, including mandating intensive psychological intervention and a ban on having animals. A Croix man has been interviewed in relation to the incident, but no charges have been laid. The history of Camperdown has now become more accessible to all. A partnership between Kerangamite Shire Council and the Camperdown and District Historical Society has produced the Echoes of History Project. It is a podcast series that includes six episodes focusing on the Camperdown landmarks. These include the Camperdown Clock Tower, Theatre Royal, Finlay Avenue, Soldiers Memorial, Camperdown Courthouse, and the Camperdown Post and Telegraph Office. The project will expand with Tim Boon, the next town to be featured. Talented singers across the Southwest are being invited to compete for a national title. The Koroid Irish Festival will again host the Australian Danny Boy Final on May the 2nd. The winner not only becomes a national champion but also wins$1,000. The competition attracts a quality field and a full house for the final in the Koroid Theatre. Entry is close soon with those interested in taking part ask to email the festival. Community members are being invited to have a hands-on roll with an iconic Southwest location. Crangermideshire Council has advertised positions on the Committee of Management for Mount Lura and Mount Sugarloaf. The Committee of Management is responsible for activities such as re-vegetation, working bees, and environmental projects. Nominations are open until April the 27th and can be made at the Crangermide Shire website. Hamilton Wildlife Shelter has sent out a message asking Southwest residents to be smarty and kind when it comes to possums. The shelter said that while people might think they're doing the right thing by capturing and relocating possums on their properties, it is in fact creating a death sentence for the marsupial. The recommendation from the shelter is to fix the problem that is attracting the possums to your property. That could be fixing a roof or a fireplace where possums are finding their way in. Relocating the possum without fixing the problem will just result in other possums taking its place. A one-person show will hit the Camperdown Theatre Royal in June. Alice Fisher will be bringing to town her Tinderella and the eight unique uses of Tinder Show. The show goes behind the use of the famed dating app Tinder. It is described as an adults-only theatre production that explores real-life tales with a comedic twist. The show will hit Camperdown on June the 12th. First making news in sport.

SPEAKER_04 8:43

Five goals. Well done. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Yeah, well that's it. And obviously coming off their victory over Merivile last week, Tim Boone were primed, and but you blokes in that second term took a game away from him. Six goals to none.

SPEAKER_04 9:05

Yeah, like we knew obviously they'd have a really good win last week. The league feels very even at the moment, though. Everyone's someone's off by a little bit, but then you know the other team can get up. So it was our day to day, and hopefully we can keep that going.

SPEAKER_03 9:17

That's it. And um Jacob Maloney down back, he looks like he knows what he's doing and and and uses the ball well coming out with Brad Getty as well.

SPEAKER_04 9:24

Yeah, Cobb is an absolute jet. Um like last week he was best on and probably best on again. He's such a good player. Um and to have him back, he's a local player, so to have him back is awesome.

SPEAKER_03 9:34

Perfect. And obviously the move of Darcy Burger back. So you've got two really good users off the back line in uh in Brad Getty and Darcy.

SPEAKER_04 9:43

Yeah, definitely. I think our halfback really propelled us today. Um kicking, especially through the middle, definitely helped us say yeah, those two are very important.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

North Wannable Eagles shook off a persistent Kroit to win the Hampton League grand final rematch on Saturday. The Saints went into the game without coach Sam Dobson, while the Eagles added former AFL players Josh Walker and Jordan Lyle. Kuroit had the better of the first half, leading by 15 points before the Eagles fought back to make it to a tight second half. As he was in last year's grand final, Eagles forward Charlie McKinnon was the defence kicking four goals. The Eagles kicked the last two goals for the game to claim the win and remain undefeated after two rounds. A slow start cost Kalura Nurat any chance of victory over old collegians in round two of Warnerball and District Open Netball on Saturday. When the whistle blew for quarter time, the Warriors had a 12-2 lead on their home court. While the Powers started to find the net, the Warriors kept advancing to extend their lead. The Power fought back to win the last quarter by two goals, but it was too little too late as the Warriors won 54-37 to remain undefeated. A clash between traditional rivals did not disappoint on Saturday at the Friendly Society's Park. Open grade Netball powerhouse South Warnable took on Warnable in perfect conditions. The Roosers sleeped away to a seven-goal lead at halftime, but the Blues kept in the fight. South Warnable held their strong form to win by 13 goals with Carly Watson starring. The Blues showed enough to suggest there will be a formidable combination this season. Around the Southwest, there is a chance of fog over the state, partly cloudy over most of the state, and fog to return on Thursday. Now further into the forecast. In Port Ferry tomorrow, top of 23 degrees with cloud clearing and a sunny afternoon. Wednesday, a shower or two with a top of 22 degrees and partly cloudy conditions, partly cloudy on Thursday with a top of 21 degrees and northwesterly winds. Mostly sunny conditions tomorrow in Malt Lake with a top of 27. As for Wednesday, only 1mm to fall and a top of 25 degrees, partly cloudy, and wind speeds are picking up. 25 again on Thursday with cloud clearing and winds are tending northeasterly with a top of 20. In the Kolak and Camperdown region tomorrow, copping a mostly sunny day with a top of 25 degrees. Wednesday, partly cloudy with only 1mm to fall. And Thursday, cloud will be clearing with a top of 23 degrees. Along the coast in Port Campbell, it appears to be sunny tomorrow with temperatures sitting around 20 for the next three days, expecting a shower or two on Wednesday with a chance of morning fog and a sunny afternoon. Thursday, clouds clearing with light winds for most of the day, and overnight temperatures will be dropping to 10. Home to Warnable, a mostly sunny day tomorrow with 25 degrees. On Wednesday, a shower or two with 23 degrees and only 1mm to fall. Winds shifting from northwesterly to southwesterly. Clouds clearing with northeasterly winds and a top of 23 on Thursday. That's it from your Southwest Local News team this morning, and thank you for tuning in. Remember that you can also watch this bulletin online at southwestlocalnews.com.au. Until Wednesday morning with peace. Have a great day.