SOUTH WEST LOCAL NEWS- WEDNESDAY JUNE 3RD-2026

This morning on south west local news

five men charged for illegal trailbike use in a national park

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two stores due to close this month in warnambools cbd

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an oil drum washes up on logans beach with the waste not being the first to do so

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and in sport

Former AFL star Ben Cunnington joined the blues for the clash with portfairy

Transcript

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This morning on Southwest Local News, five men charge for illegal trail bike use in a national park. Two stores due to close this month in Warnable CBD. An oil drum washes up on Logan's Beach with the weights not being the first to do so. An Ink Sport former AFL star Ben Cunnington joined the Blues for the clash with Fort Ferry. Live from Silverball Studios in Warnable. This is Southwest Local News with Shauna Rogers. Good morning and welcome to Southwest Local News. Five men have been charged after a network of illegal trail bike trails were constructed on protected public land in the Otway Ranges. The charges relate to illegal trail bike riding and significant environmental damage across the Great Otway National Park and Otway Forest Park between May and August 2025. A conservation regulator investigation identified evidence that chainsaws, machetes, and other hand tools were used to construct illegal trails through native vegetation, creek beds, and sensitive rainforest ecosystems. In August 2025, conservation regulator authorised officers intercepted members of the group within the Great Otway National Park. Two of the men have been charged with allegedly assaulting an authorised officer during the incident while attempting to evade questioning. Consumer confidence in Warnable CBD has taken a hit with two businesses announcing they'll be shutting their doors. Falls Shoes and Daisy Boutique will both be closing for business. Daisy Boutique has operated for over 10 years and will be holding a closing down sale during the month of June. Falls Shoes is also expected to have a closing down sale in the coming weeks in the lead up to its doors closing for the last time. Warnable City Mayor Ben Blaine said he was confident the CBD would remain strong despite the losses. We're seeing it's getting harder, but you know, businesses are resilient and the spend is still there, but it is getting tighter. And I think the businesses, I think it'll be, I think it'll be alright. I've got full confidence in the Warnable economy that it will continue to move forward. But it is a shame to see those businesses like Falls and like Daisies getting out. But then that also opens new opportunities as well for new holders, new business holders as well. And you know, I'm I wish them all the best, and it's really great to see um the contribution that they've made to Warnable, and I look forward to seeing what actually will happen with those sites next. Warnable's environmental groups, Goodwill Nerdle Hunting and Beach Patrol 3280, have recovered a large rusted steel oil drum washed up on Logan's Beach. The groups believe the drum appears to have come from a Russian oil and energy company. Group member Colleen Hewson rolled the empty drum several kilometres to the beach access steps, where she contacted Warnerville City Council, who then removed it. It could be removed because it was empty, but if it were full, extensive protocols would have been in place to make sure that it was moved from the position it was washed up in. This is not the first time a large drum had been washed up locally. In 2024, Ms. Hewson came across a drum full of hydraulic fluid which came from China. Smaller full oil drums have also been found on local beaches in recent times. The key takeaway from this is that industrial waste shouldn't be washing up on our beaches, says Ms. Hewson. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the approval of the Otway Basin Gas Field Project. The organisation said the project was an important and practical step towards securing Victoria's energy future. It also believes that the new field will and support business confidence during the transition to net zero. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry said gas remains critical to Victoria's economy, with more than two-thirds of households still connected to gas. The momentum of a successful inaugural event is expected to drive the Warnable Yoga Festival to even greater heights this year. The 2026 festival will be held on June the 13th and 14th at Emanuel College. Over 200 people attended the inaugural festival in 2025. Meditation teachers, insightful speakers, and soulful sound healers will be part of the festival. Market stalls and workshops will also be a part of the weekend. The Port Ferry Golf Club is among the recipients of the latest community assistance fund round given out by Moineshire Council. Councillors approved more than $41,000 to community groups from the fund. The golf club was the largest benefactor, receiving over $8,000 for environmental sustainability projects. Other groups to benefit from the funding include Hawkestale MacArthur Football Netball Club, the Kirkstall Hall, the Kudji Hall, Wangum Cricket Club, Broadwater Tennis Club, and Grassmere Hall. This coming Friday is National Donut Day and Meri River School is celebrating in style. Meri River School is providing a full circle moment for the students with Meri Donuts. The school's Meri Donuts program has been running for five years. This year, 12 students are making up to 600 donuts a week. Some days we get really busy, but the skills that they've got, they're much more prepared to go into a working environment than they would have been without it. And they get applied learning skills rather than being in the classroom and learning the curriculum components. They get to be on the job and learn skills ready for when they go into the workforce. Each batch is made to order and delivered to buyers right across Warner. Charlotte McGregor says it's the highlight of her week. I love to do the cooking and serving. The profits go straight back into the school. In the past, that money has bought a commercial mixer, branded hoodies, aprons, a gazebo, and hats. They go out in the community and learn something new every day. Teacher Shauna Wesley says it's about more than baking. The real reward, she says, is watching the students grow in confidence with every order they fill. They have to learn about safety and food hygiene for starters, so you're overarching. And then they do everything. So from checking the stock, doing a little stock check, they help with doing the mix, a bit of measuring. But their main job is coding the donuts, packing them, following the order list, making sure the numbers are all correct. We then started doing glazed donuts, and they had to come up with a price that was going to be suitable. They take the cash, they do F P, they check the money at the end of the day, make sure we've got it correct. And then we're just starting to look at profit and loss. So looking at what money's coming in and how much they're spending and making sure we're making some money. So so many different life skills that they've got to use and put into practice that they're, you know, they'll use when they leave school. Shauna Rogers, Southwest Local News. Ratepayers in the Crangmide Shire can have their say on council's 2026-2027 budget. The window of opportunity to put in a submission will last until June the 10th. The proposed rate cap rise is 2.75%, with a 6.67% rise in waste charges. Capital Works, to the tune of $19.05 million, has been listed, with 10.9 going to roads, bridges, and drainage. A $2.04 million deficit is being forecast. A longtime leader has been recognised by the Australian Blue Gum Plantations. The Russ Hughes Bushland Project has been named after the outgoing ABP CEO Russ Hughes. The project is at Dergum, northwest of Warnable. The dedication acknowledges Mr. Hughes' decade-long commitment to biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable land management. Values that underpin the red-tailed Black Cockatoo habitat restoration being delivered at the conservation site. It was a weekend full of adventure for Olly the Jack Russell and his owner Brianna Ryan. On Saturday, Olly set off for a look around his family property in Allensford. When he hadn't returned by Saturday night, Miss Ryan was a little worried. When Sunday morning dawned and Olly was still not home, Miss Ryan went searching. It turns out Olli had gone hunting for rabbits, but he got himself into trouble getting caught under some power poles laying in the paddock. The Warner SES was called and after three the Warnable SES was called and after a three-hour mission, he was pulled out uninjured. We're glad that Olly made it home. First making news in sport. Cunnington lined up for the Blues in their 36-point win over Port Ferry on Saturday at Gardens Oval. Cunnington played a key role in the first game back, kicking two goals. The win was the Blues' fourth in a row, a sterling comeback after losing the first three games of the season. A round seven win has Terang Mortlake retaining fourth place on the Hampton League open netball ladder. The Bloods hosted North Warnerville Eagles on Saturday and won a close game 45 to 42. Defender Mackenzie Dillon was the Bloods' best player while Leila Grundy shot 35 goals. Port Ferry defeated Warnable by four goals to retain its place in third spot, while Portland was an eight-goal winner over Camperdown. The gap between the top two teams and the rest were laid bare, with Croit defeating Cobden by 47 goals and South Warnerville 45 goal winners over Hamilton Kangaroos. Hawkesdale MacArthur paid homage to some of its former heroes with a change of jumper last weekend. The Eagles wore black and white stripes instead of their usual colours in their Minnonera and district senior football win over Pennhurst. The black and white jumper had been the club's uniform when the Hawkstyles won the 1966 Premiership. The premiership team gathered on Saturday for a 60-year reunion. After seven rounds, the current Eagles team sits second on the ladder. The Bureau of Meteorology has recorded coastal hazard warnings for abnormally high tides with severe damaging winds predicted to be approaching at 70 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour. Winds are forecast to ease off right until Thursday around the coast. It's cloudy over the region with thunderstorms expected for tomorrow night, then to ease off for the rest of the week along with the winds. Temperatures are dropping to as low as 5 degrees overnight. Now to the forecast. Winter is really settling in here with 40km winds and they're approaching from the southwest. On Friday, 14 with only 1mm to all and light winds from the southwest. For Kolak and Camperdown tomorrow, up to 30 millimeters of rain and topping at 12 degrees. Northwesterly winds with up to 30 kilometres per hour. 14 on Friday with a significantly less amount of rain than most of the other days in the morning and in the afternoon. Topping at 16 on Saturday with 2mm, and showers are settling in for the morning. Tomorrow in Port Campbell, a massive 40mm to fall. There is a chance of thunderstorms near the coast, and in the morning up to 40km winds. 5mm on Friday, cloudy throughout the day, and overnight temperatures falling to 5. On Saturday, only a top of 16 and 3mm to fall. Home to Warnerville tomorrow, a windy day, 25mm topping at 14 degrees. On Friday, there'll be a cloudy day and southwesterly winds of up to 30km winds topping at 15. On Saturday, topping at 16 degrees with northwesterly winds. 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 Saturday morning with peace. Have a great day.