North Ballarat has kept its finals hopes alive with a stirring come-from-behind win over Port Melbourne in round ten of the Peter Jackson VFL season. After being 38 points behind at the twenty minute mark of the third term, the Roosters rallied to kick the last eight goals of the match, to win by ten points, 14.15.99 to 12.17.89. In overcast and cool conditions at North Port Oval not everything was going the home side’s way early as North Ballarat made it clear they were in for the long haul. Port led by one goal at the first break but early into the second quarter they began to stamp their authority on the match.

If you fancy a game of golf at Yea, please wait for the running of the last. The last at Yea races that is. The course has holes both inside and around the racetrack. Buggies and three-woods were replaced by bookmakers and silks last Saturday however when the town held their pre-Christmas picnic meeting.

The crowd estimated at around 1,200 mingled between the bars and marquees on the front lawn. On a hot day the cold beer became a punter’s best friend. Groups had set up camps along the lawn, cracking champagne and tearing at chicken. The Mr. Whippy ice-cream van was keeping children busy with fast melting delights while the more dapper in the crowd dined along the balcony of the club overlooking the lawn.

Twenty-year-old business sports management student Matthew Wiltshire (above) from Ballarat has won the 2012 Australia Post Stawell Gift. Douglas Greenough from East Bentleigh was second, with AFL boundary umpire Adam Coote of Elwood third.

Running from a mark of 8 metres, Wiltshire won by a tenth of a second in 12.22 seconds, fulfilling his family’s dream of winning the iconic 120m footrace. His grandfather, John, had been in the best form of his life leading in to the 1958 Stawell Gift, but pulled his hamstring in the heats.

Nestled in Victoria's high country about a one-and-a-half hour drive north of Melbourne is the town of Yea.It was originally known as Muddy Creek settlement after the Yea River which was called Muddy Creek until 1878. The town was named after a Colonel Lacy Yea who was killed in the Crimean War.

In 1859 gold was discovered in the area. The town has a population of around 1,200 despite suffering through two severe floods in 1934 and 1973. No floods however during round six of the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League Division 2 clash between the travelling Yarra Junction and the mighty Yea Tigers.The Eagles were third on the ladder but only a game and healthy percentage clear of Yea who were second last.