About the episode
Here is what is making news for February 9, 2026.=====================================Arterial roads across the Gellibrand and Otways region have officially reopened following the devastating January bushfires.While state-managed routes are now clear for travel, several local roads managed by regional councils remain closed for ongoing safety works. ==========================================================================Mitchell Street in Cobden was the scene of a targeted house fire that police are now treating as a suspicious attack.Emergency services arrived at the property just after six am to find the front of the home alight. ==========================================================================More than five hundred residents in the Colac Otway Shire are estimated to be living with dementia according to new health data.Experts project this figure will climb to nearly one thousand residents over the next thirty years.Professor Tanya Buchanan from Dementia Australia says the rising numbers underscore the need for immediate government support and investment in rural healthcare networks==========================================================================Birregurra is taking a creative approach to the regional doctor shortage by offering a unique lifestyle package to prospective GPs.Local businesses have rallied to provide free coffee, gym memberships, and brewery perks to attract medical staff to the town.It highlights a desperate situation across the district, with towns like Colac, Camperdown, Cobden, and Apollo Bay all struggling to fill medical vacancies according to RACGP. ==========================================================================Colac Otway property owners are seeing their home values climb significantly higher than the regional average.The latest housing report reveals a twelve point one percent increase for the shire over the last year, compared to six point five percent for the rest of Regional Victoria.PropTrack Senior Economist Angus Moore says country areas are continuing to outpace the cities as we move into the first half of twenty-twenty-six.==========================================================================Potholes have been raised as a point of concern for Member for Wannon Dan Tehan after it has reported pothole rates from 2024 to 2025 rose 178.1 per cent for the Warrnambool and South West region.It left the South West in a clear first position with the next worst West Melbourne at a 37.2 per cent rise.Mr Tehan has called for more funding towards our roads, with the reported pothole increase clearly showing how bad our roads have gotten.==========================================================================AND IN SPORTIn the weekends Colac South West Premier Cricket,Stoneyford defeated Apollo Bay chasing down 258.Simpson caused a shock upset against Birregurra winning by 7 runs.Bookhaar cruised to victory against Camperdown.Cobden smashed Woorndoo by 137 runs.Storm thumped Ecklin by 176 runs.Colac was too good for IrrewarraAND Alvie got the win against City United.==========================================================================The Mortimer Petroleum Colac Gold Cup was taken out by Active Duty, ahead of Gregolimo in second place and Mr Waterville in third.Active Duty was ridden by Dean Yendall and trained by Lindsay Smith and is based out of Geelong.Yendall rode three winners on the day, while trainer Jamie Edwards also had three winners.==========================================================================See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
