WTF: Geelongifornia, parkin’ hell, protest price
From deceiving TV shows, to airport parking pains and blatant campers, WTF has you covered this week.
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They’re the little – and sometimes not so little – things that can really irk us.
We’ve asked the people of Geelong to point out the problems that irritate and exasperate and have us all saying, woah, that’s frustrating!
GEELONGIFORNIA
Melbourne woman Belle Gibson infamously deceived the world that she had terminal cancer.
But now it appears it is a global streaming giant guilty of deception.
In a new Netflix series about the con-artist, viewers were shown picturesque shots of a Californian beach in the US.
An eagle-eyed investigator at WTF HQ, however, spotted that the images show in fact none other than Geelong’s Eastern Beach.
Apple Cider Vinegar is the streaming platform’s new drama which depicts the rise and fall of Gibson, played by American actor Kaitlyn Dever.
Her downfall began after two journos uncovered the truth, in an extremely long-bowed way, it’s comparable to the good work we do in this column.
A shot of Gibson posing for a selfie boasted the location Santa Monica in California, but it’s actually Geelong’s waterfront near the Wharf Shed cafe.
Another snap also says Santa Monica but it’s really Eastern Beach near our famed ferris wheel.
It’s a generous comparison – for the Golden State anyway.
There is another nod to Geelong in the show with young cancer patient Henry wearing a Cats guernsey while at a hospital playground.
AIRPORT DRAMA
Parkin’ hell.
Such was the response from a keen WTF reader following his first flight out of Avalon in a few years.
That he had to book online to access the “value” car park caught him off guard upon arrival.
Undeterred by the hiccup, nor the seemingly two impatient drivers behind him, a quick effort to book elicited an even greater shock.
How could the space be full, he mused, given the tiny number of daily flights in and out of the hub.
Alas, time was ticking and with no other options, some creative reversing and apologetic waves started the short journey to the “terminal parking”, which for those unfamiliar, adjoins the “value” option, divided only by a few oversized concrete blocks.
Cue the horror two days later — or 50 hours to be precise, so technically three days according to payment system — when the man was slugged $83.
In fairness, none of this should have been a surprise.
The Addy reported in September 2023 that the airport, owned by the famous Fox family, had dramatically hiked the parking prices.
Then chief executive Tony Brun defended the rise, citing rising expenses.
“We must rebalance and have been very considered in our approach to these changes,” he said.
So what’s the lesson in all of this?
Book ahead, for one, and two, an airport that markets itself as a low-cost alternative is certainly not that when it comes to parking.
PRICE OF PROTESTING
Free speech comes at a cost it seems, as a group that protested against Australia Day in the Geelong CBD on January 26 puts its hand out for cash.
Be Tru 2 Uluru launched a campaign on the GoFundMe crowd-funding platform earlier this month, setting the rather subdued target of $1600.
It explained the money would cover “significant expenses” via the group’s “operating account”, not individuals.
Among those to contribute to the almost $1300 raised so far are 2024 Socialist Alliance Geelong council candidates Angela Carr and Sarah Hathway, and current councillor Elise Wilkinson.
Voices of Corangamite’s Kate Lockhart, who also stood unsuccessfully in last year’s council elections, has also contributed.
Be Tru 2 Uluru said the money “covers our costs and support ongoing truth telling and justice efforts in the Geelong area in 2025”.
VERY COSY CORNER
A couple of weeks ago, an exclusive WTF investigation revealed illegal Torquay campers were flouting authorities and setting up beachside overnight sites.
But the latest controversial campers’ set up is so audacious, you kind of just have to respect it.
One of WTF’s Surf Coast correspondents noticed an unusual residency pop up near Cosy Corner while on patrol in Torquay, an old white caravan with a yellow stripe.
Prime position at the right price.
How’s the set up, too?
Beach towels drying, solar panels and gas bottle in tow.
Must be nice.
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Originally published as WTF: Geelongifornia, parkin’ hell, protest price
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