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Avo Man outed as Joe Rumoro of Tower Hotel in Hawthorn East

Joe Rumoro thought he’d found a quiet spot inside Princes Park to enjoy his snack — an avocado — and watch his mate play in the Richmond v Collingwood practice match. He was wrong.

Joe Rumoro thought he’d found a quiet spot at Princes Park to enjoy his snack. Picture: Instagram
Joe Rumoro thought he’d found a quiet spot at Princes Park to enjoy his snack. Picture: Instagram

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers

The identity of Avo Man — a mysterious figure filmed demolishing an avocado with a spoon while watching a Pies-Tigers practice match — has been revealed.

Avo Man is Joe Rumoro, owner of the Tower Hotel in Hawthorn East.

“It’s all gone a bit crazy,” Mr Rumoro told The Source on Tuesday.

“All I was doing was eating an avocado. I thought I’d found a quiet spot, a little corner, where I could enjoy my snack. But obviously not quiet enough.”

Mr Rumoro’s avo-eating act was filmed by Fox Footy, shared on the AFL’s Instagram page, and it went viral.

Soon after, Australia’s top avocado industry body, Australian Avocados, put out a call to identify Avo Man.

Mr Rumoro dobbed himself in as the Avo Man after he was flooded with messages and links from business and footy acquaintances.

“I like to keep a low profile,” he said. “But every third or fourth person I bump into asks if I’m the Avo Man. It’s been very strange.”

Mr Rumoro, 57, said he eats avocados as part of an intermittent fasting regimen.

“I stay clear of refined foods, sugars and carbs. I eat pretty clean,” he said. “I ate pies and chips in the old days, but not in my twilight years. These days, I’ll eat whole foods or overnight oats at the footy.”

He attended the Pies-Tigers practice match at Ikon Park last week to support a mate, and lunch regular, Collingwood player Ash Johnson.

“It was my three or four hour window to have my food for the day,” Mr Rumoro said. “I arrived at the game without having anything to eat, so I took my avocado and spoon with me.”

Mr Rumoro said the incident has not scared him away from avocados. But his next fruity feast will happen at a Kangas match.

He’s a North Melbourne supporter.

Australian Avocados planned to “gift” Mr Rumoro with a healthy bunch of extra avos to enjoy at his next sports outing.”

Cops’ move to divvy up disabled parking spaces raises eyebrows

At first glance, it’s a terrible look — a Victoria Police divvy van splayed across two disabled parking spots.

Indeed, this potentially sinful snap was posted to a Facebook page, Malaka Parking, dedicated to selfish drivers.

“First Responder Malakas,” the page said, before shifting to a more diplomatic gear.

“They have the utmost respect and love from our community. We all know what an incredible job they all do But, if they’ve casually rolled in for lunch … when they could have done a little better; fair game.”

Police said the vehicle in the photograph was responding to a report of a theft of a motorcycle at Cranbourne Railway Station on February 24.

The van was parked to secure the motorcycle, damaged in the attempted theft, until a tow truck arrived.

The motorcycle was in front of the police vehicle, with the officers inside, so it could be moved at any time before the tow truck arrived.

In other words, move along, nothing to see here.

Police say the van was responding to a theft at Cranbourne Railway Station. Picture: Supplied
Police say the van was responding to a theft at Cranbourne Railway Station. Picture: Supplied

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/the-source/pic-of-victorian-police-van-parked-across-two-disabled-parking-spots-raises-eyebrows/news-story/4471772263dfc7a384be6d3c0a5fc614