WTF: Spirits in the bay, raising the flag, calendar commitment
In this week’s WTF column we look at why Corio Bay has become home to not one, but two Spirits, while Surf Coast councillors prepare to put their best flag forward and protesters call on a Geelong company to make masks, not war.
No, you’re not seeing double.
In what is a slow-moving case of out with the old and in with the new, the Spirit of Tasmania IV recently sailed into Corio Bay – but it won’t be taking passengers until at least this time next year.
It’s been quite the journey for the 212m-long vessel, having been constructed in Finland before racking up millions of dollars of berthing costs in Scotland, Hobart, and now Geelong.
It is one of two new ferries commissioned by state-owned ferry operator TT-Line as part of a project that has blown out in cost to almost $500m.
For the next year or so, modification works will be undertaken on Spirit IV at GeelongPort – or at least they will be when the vessel isn’t guided into the bay so the existing ferry service can dock daily.
Upon the ferry leaving the Apple Isle for Geelong, Tasmanian Labor leader Josh Willie raised concern regarding the latest instalment in what has been a complex saga headlined by the inability of the Devonport terminal in its current form to berth the larger Spirit IV and V.
“Tasmanians still don’t know the cost of docking Spirit IV in Geelong, now it can’t be laid up like originally planned and needs 12 crew for another year before it enters service,” he said.
TT-Line boss Chris Carbone confirmed the “berth price negotiated between GeelongPort and Spirit of Tasmania is commercial in confidence”.
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FLAGGED
Few things scream local government more than councillors being asked to endorse a revised flag policy.
Surf Coast Shire’s elected members, including Paul Barker who returns from his month-long suspension, will on Tuesday night debate the merits of a policy that features a “flag flying schedule to provide clarity and consistency”.
Developed with the federal government’s “flag protocols” in mind, councillors have been told “flying flags can contribute to positive social outcomes when a considered approach is
taken”.
“Some of these outcomes include representation, visibility, inclusion, belonging, education, awareness and support and to mark important milestones,” the document states.
The policy details when certain flags will be flown throughout the year.
Among the directives is for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags to be flown at half-mast on January 26 “to stand in solidarity with First Nations people”.
Additionally, the Transgender Pride Flag will be flown at half-mast on November 20 “to signify Trans Day of Remembrance which is an annual observance that honours the memory of the trans lives lost to acts of transphobia and discrimination”.
As part of a council-adopted event, the Rainbow Flag will be flown for the entirety of May “to show extended support for the various sections of the LGBTIQ+ community”.
CALENDAR COMMITMENT
Keen to avoid last year’s debacle, City Hall says its 2026 calendar will be ready in December.
This comes as positive news because producing a calendar that is available ahead of the new year is surely the most important KPI for anyone tasked with such a project.
It remains fresh in WTF’s memory that the 2025 version did not become available until mid-January due to “unexpected production delays”.
And when it eventually landed, many were none too pleased the images had not been sourced from the community, as had been the case previously.
Following this feedback, council has reverted to community photographers supplying images for the calendar.
More than 800 entries were received and voting will close this Thursday at 4pm.
“We know from feedback that residents love the City of Greater Geelong calendar, and we’ve made some improvements for the 2026 edition,” mayor Stretch Kontelj said.
And a reminder that the calendar is no longer delivered to every Greater Geelong property – you have to register by November 21 if you want one to land in your mailbox.
MAKE MASKS, NOT WAR
Pro-Palestinian protesters caused a kerfuffle at Marand’s North Geelong base last week when they called on the company to “stop arming genocide” and exit the F-35 supply chain.
The protest by was one of many conducted by “anti-militarists” across the country.
“Weapons manufacturing is a growing industry with more planned at Avalon making the Geelong economy increasingly dependent on war,” Jaimie Jeffrey from the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network said.
“Companies like Marand need to produce socially useful goods like they did during Covid when Marand started manufacturing respirators and machinery to make masks.”
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Originally published as WTF: Spirits in the bay, raising the flag, calendar commitment
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