Here is what is making news for May 12, 2026.=================================A sixty-year-old Camperdown man has been refused bail after allegedly holding a woman captive at gunpoint for several days.

The court heard the New South Wales woman managed to escape on May seventh by convincing her captor she needed to take her pet bird to a vet.

She was later found in the central business district by a member of the public who alerted police. 
==================================================================Agriculture Victoria is offering a series of workshops this week to help regional farmers navigate complex financial decisions during the current drought.
Agriculture Victoria program manager Aimee McCutcheon says these events provide technical advice and allow farmers to share challenges with specialists.

Producers in the Skipton region can discuss drought management and fire recovery opportunities while connecting with like-minded farmers. 
==================================================================Live music returned to the Great Ocean Road over the weekend as Lorne hosted a major free pop-up event.

The seaside town became a live music hub for the day as part of the Victorian Vibes series.

Crowds from across the region gathered along the coast to watch performances in the unique outdoor setting. 
==================================================================Applications are now open for a new Resilient Farming Course tailored for producers in the Upper Barwon, Warrnambool, and Otway regions.

This five-day program, running from August to November, focuses on sustainable techniques to build profitable and ecologically sound farming systems. 
==================================================================Residents across Colac and the Corangamite region are looking to todays’s federal budget for relief from rising costs.

With fuel and energy prices climbing alongside inflation, productivity in the South West has taken a significant hit.

Innes Willox from the Australian Industry Group says difficult choices are needed now to protect the future of our regional areas.
==================================================================One Nation’s recent victory in the Farrer by-election is being viewed as a warning to the Coalition ahead of the Victorian state election.

The result suggests a growing trend of regional voters moving away from major parties as they seek alternative representation.

Political expert Dr. Zareh Ghazarian says the minor party’s plan to run local candidates could trigger a voting shift in the Colac Otway and Corangamite regions. 
==================================================================AND IN SPORTThe Colac Braves were much more competitive in this weekends matches with the Division 1 side going down 14-5 to the Bellarine Bears.

Division 3 recorded a win over Deakin Gold winning 8-5.
==================================================================The Corangamite Lions had a successful outing against Daylesford and Hepburn United.

The Lions senior side won 6-1, with the women's winning 5-1.

The men's seniors currently sit second on the ladder behind Ballarat SC, while the women's sit second behind Forest Rangers SC.
==================================================================In the weekends Colac Otway Rovers results the Reserves went down 5-3 to Corio SC on Friday night.

Armstrong United won by 6 goals in the women's fixture while the seniors won by forfeit against Corio Bay.
==================================================================It's been a massive couple of weeks on the local golf scene.

Colac Golfer Hunter Togni was crowned The Sands Golf Club's Club Champion for 2026.

The women's Division 4 side from Colac won the South West Golf Association's Pennant with Colac defeating Clifton Springs 4-1 at Barwon Valley.
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