Author | Lightnews

Coco Veldkamp

Coco Veldkamp

@cocoveldkamp.bsky.social

77 followers 170 following 84 posts

Journalist @ ABC Ballarat, formerly Goulburn Murray | As seen in ABC Asia Pacific, The Ballarat Courier, Cosmos Magazine, The New Daily, and The Citizen. Views are my own.

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Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 2d

Wildlife Victoria received 162 reports of animals caught in barbed wire fencing in the past year.
Doug Gimesy is removing barbed wire fencing from his property and surrounds to protect native wildlife.

#abcnews #conservation

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

The quiet movement removing barbed wire fences to save wildlife

Wongarra man Doug Gimesy removes more than 18 kilometres of barbed wire from his property to create a wildlife haven.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 8d

Thomas Sewell’s adjournment application was refused, and the case will proceed as scheduled on Monday, but he will get access to Mein Kampf — a political manifesto written by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler — as he prepares his case.
#abcnews #courts

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell granted access to Adolf Hitler manifesto

Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell is being provided with access to Mein Kampf — a political manifesto written by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler — as he prepares for a contested court hearing.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 17d

A 130-year-old Algerian oak in Kingston could be removed to make way for AusNet's proposed Western Renewables Link. Kingston resident Jeremy Harper has rallied support, nominating the tree for Tree of the Year in the hope of protecting it from removal.
#abcnews
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Residents rally to make tree in transmission project's path untouchable

Residents are getting creative in their fight to save a "magnificent" 130-year-old Algerian oak tree from being felled for a controversial transmission line project in western Victoria.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 17d

Former dentist Ian Lomax was accused of being a Neo-Nazi supporter, and present during the Camp Sovereignty attack on Aug 31. Following media reports, his employment was terminated and the Dental Board of Australia has suspended his registration
#ABCNews
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Dental board suspends Ballarat dentist after allegations of Neo-Nazi ties

Dental board suspends practitioner, who was allegedly photographed at a Neo-Nazi rally, while it investigates.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 20d

Scientists are nearing completion on the Southern Hemisphere's first dark matter detector, deep underground in the Stawell Gold Mine. The experiment, known as SABRE South, will search for interactions with invisible dark matter particles. #darkmatter #abcnews
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Inside the experiment that could change our understanding of the universe

Deep underground in an old gold mine in regional Victoria, scientists enter a worldwide race to understand the composition of dark matter.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · 26d

A Victorian man says he was targeted after investigating sovereign citizens, with his personal details leaked online. He has created a petition calling on the Australian government to recognise sovereign citizens as domestic terrorists.
#abcnews #sovereigncitizens
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Doxed man petitions to have sovereign citizens declared domestic terrorists

A man who says he was threatened after investigating sovereign citizens says the movement should be labelled a terrorist organisation, but an academic argues this could lead to more violence.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Oct 2

Businesses affected by lockdowns imposed during the search for alleged gunman Dezi Freeman say they have not had any word on the financial support promised by the Victorian government. #abcnews #porepunkah

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

As the Dezi Freeman manhunt drags on, so do the dark days in Porepunkah

Businesses hurt by stay-away orders issued during the search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman say they have yet to receive the government support they were promised.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 30

Walking around Nick's farm, it's easy to forget that parts of Victoria have faced record-breaking droughts. But climate models point to a tougher future. Can adaptation be enough? Listen on The Country Hour, at 38mins. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Victorian Country Hour - ABC listen

New rules for water brokers in Australia

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 29

It has been one month since two police officers were shot dead in north-east Victoria. Authorities have had no confirmed sightings of Freeman, despite hundreds of public tip-offs and a $1 million reward for information.
#abcnews #porepunkah

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

A month on, doubts mount about police search for fugitive Freeman - ABC listen

A former homicide detective says the search for alleged Porepunkah gunman Dezi Freeman could become unsustainable if he is not found soon.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 19

The AFL grand final is less than a fortnight away, as frustration grows with the online ticketing system.

AFL Fans Association president Ron Issko said people have lost confidence in the system, and described it as a "broken" lottery.

#abcnews #afl

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Fed up with online purchases, AFL fans queue up for finals tickets

AFL fans fed up with the online ticketing system have opted to line up in person days in advance to secure their finals tickets.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 15

The Victorian government has announced a $2.5 million support package for businesses in the Porepunkah area.

It comes after weeks of trade losses linked to police warnings to avoid the area.

#breakingnews #abcnews
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-15/support-package-for-porepunkah-businesses-dezi-freeman-searc…

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 14

An elderly Porepunkah woman has been left without in-home care as the manhunt for alleged police killer Desmond Freeman continues.
#abcnews #porepunkah

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Dezi Freeman manhunt leaves elderly people without in-home care

Elderly residents of Porepunkah have had their home nurse visits cancelled as alleged police killer Dezi Freeman remains at large.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 14

I visited a dairy farm in regional Victoria to photograph and report on how farmers are adapting to harsher droughts — and why climate change means adaptation alone won’t be enough. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Grass greener now for some farmers as others brace for harsher future

As spring brings a flicker of hope, some farmers cautiously embrace optimism while others face mounting pressures and climate uncertainty.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 3

After years of patchy seasons and pandemic shutdowns, Victorian ski resorts and High Country businesses are celebrating a bumper snow season that has delivered a boost in visitors.
#abcnews #fallscreek #snowseason
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Businesses praise best snow season in years for Victorian resorts

Victoria's alpine businesses celebrate a strong snow season that has attracted more visitors and put local companies "back in the black".

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 2

How do you build 800,000 homes without any tradies? A staffing shortage is triggering alarm bells for tradespeople in regional Victoria, as the state government moves to build a massive amount of homes by the end of the decade.
#abcnews #housingstatement

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Glazier working 90-hour weeks warns housing targets may be unachievable

As tradespeople work long hours to meet demand and fewer school leavers choose apprenticeships, industry leaders say Australia does not have the workforce to meet its ambitious housing goals.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Sep 1

Probably the ABC’s first and last time up Mount Burrowa!

Volunteers have planted hundreds of #banksia seedlings on Mount Burrowa.

The species was wiped out in the Black Summer bushfires, but scientists propagated new seedlings from a related plant.

www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...

Volunteers plant 800 seedlings to replace banksia lost in Black Summer

Volunteers hike into the Victorian mountains to plant banksias that are the "genetic perfect match" to those wiped out by fire.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 28

Snow enthusiasts have been warned to avoid Porepunkah, where a manhunt for a suspected gunman continues as Victoria's alpine region prepares for one of the season's most significant snowfalls.
But the lure of significant snowfall is too tempting for some.
#abcnews #hotham #porepunkah

Snow enthusiasts told to stay away as Porepunkah manhunt continues

Victoria's alpine region braces for one of the season's most significant snowfalls, amid the ongoing search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 26

From a small NSW town to the world stage — 11-year-old Nevaeh-Lea Benton has been crowned Little Miss Universe in Manila.

Her win has reignited debate over child pageants, with psychologists warning of the risks for young competitors.
#ABCNews #Pageantry

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Australian primary school student crowned Little Miss Universe

From childhood crowns to adult advocacy, the world of Australian pageantry comes with opportunities and concerns.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 23

Regional Australia has lost a third of its bank branches since 2017.
The Regional Banking Investment Alliance has put forward a levy proposal for essential bank branch services to be supported.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Lobby group calls for levy on major banks that close regional branches

As more regional bank branches close, a new alliance is pushing back against the Big Four

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 13

Ten Victorian towns will lose their gas supply by the end of next year. This is the reality for more than 1,100 homes and businesses facing costly conversions and uncertain alternatives. #EnergyTransition #RegionalAustralia
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Residents hit with 'poorly planned' gas shutdown ask for compensation

A business owner who spent $40,000 connecting to natural gas last year now faces a $20,000 bill to convert to electric, before Solstice Energy shuts the gas network in his town.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 8

Scientists have documented 17 new dance moves in captive cockatoos, revealing complex behaviour that may be linked to cognition, courtship, and welfare.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Cockatoos that feel the beat have distinct dance moves, study shows

Cockatoos can headbang, body roll and sidestep intentionally to music according to a new study. One bird recorded 257 dance moves while listening to music for 20 minutes.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Aug 6

Toxoplasma gondii infects about 30 to 50 per cent of the global population - and it may be hijacking how humans think. A new international study may provide a way to understand this parasite. #toxoplasmosis #science #health

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Online test to detect parasite may lead to learning about behaviour changes

International researchers develop a tool to detect toxoplasmosis, a mind-altering parasite that is believed to infect a third of the world's population.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Jul 30

Today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally acknowledged the Australian athletes who defied government opposition to compete under a neutral flag at the 1980 Moscow Olympics - a Games overshadowed by Cold War tensions.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

After four decades, Australia acknowledges 1980 Moscow Olympians

After 45 years, the Australians who competed in the 1980 Moscow Olympics will be recognised for their contribution after defying government opposition and copping public backlash.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Jul 28

Gang-gang cockatoos in the Victorian alps are at risk of dying in the freezing conditions. The endangered birds are being found grounded in the snow, weak and disoriented, suffering from hypothermia.
#ganggang #victoriaalps #endangered
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Endangered cockatoos frozen, trapped by cold snap in Victorian Alps

Gang-gang cockatoos like cool weather, but freezing conditions are putting them at risk this winter, as volunteers race to save grounded birds in the Victorian Alps.

Coco Veldkamp @cocoveldkamp.bsky.social · Jul 26

In towns like Milawa, Vic — no GP, no hospital, no transport — pharmacists are stepping up.
A now-permanent program lets them treat UTIs, shingles, skin conditions, and more. Oral health is next, among 22 services to be added. #healthcare #pharmacy
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Rural pharmacists take on expanded role in Victoria to bridge GP gap

Pharmacists in healthcare black spots in regional Victoria are increasingly stepping up as frontline healthcare providers, but not everyone is on board.