The Age photos of the week, October 4, 2025

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Volunteer Rick Van Keulen stands among wild billy buttons at the Iramoo Wildflower Grassland Reserve in St Albans. Examining the unique nature of green spaces in Melbourne’s west, challenging the perception that the area is less green than the east. While the west has fewer tall trees, it has a high proportion of grasslands and open reserves, which are equally important for our ecosystemsCredit:Jason South

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Kai Lohmann celebrates a crucial early goal during the AFL grand finalCredit:Eddie Jim

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Artist Donovan Christie has created an exhibition inspired by The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book.Credit:Penny Stephens

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The grand final proves exhausting for three-year-old Cats fan Luka Posterino.Credit:Jason South

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Williamstown Lifesaving Club, A lifeguard funding spat that could leave popular western suburbs beaches unpatrolled this summer has prompted a co-ordinated pushback from councils who warn lives are at riskCredit:Joe Armao

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Table for two: Michelle Wai has no hesitation in spoiling her cavoodle, Miss Ellie Donut.Credit:Eddie Jim

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Mourners at the funeral of 12-year-old Chol Achiek.Credit:Simon Schluter

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Hobsons Bay Mayor Daria Kellander says the state government’s decision to not fund lifeguards is a kick in the guts to locals.Credit:Jason South

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Kostas Starakis operates side-by-side stalls selling meatballs and calamari, and says trade is steady at Il Mercato Centrale, MelbourneCredit:Chris Hopkins

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Snoop Dogg had fans dancing during pre-game entertainment at this year’s AFL grand finalCredit:Joe Armao

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Jim and Donna Winter-Irving among the grey box gums. For the past seven years Donna has been replanting native trees on her farm. But nearby in the Nagambie township the axe is dangling over 50 trees a developer wants to chop down while the state government reviews the decisionCredit:Jason South

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Harry Schlegel with Chillies and Buddy watching the AFL grand final at the Eastern Beach Reserve in Geelong.Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

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Swiftie Maddi Starling attended seven Eras performances and can’t wait for Taylor Swift’s new album and film.Credit:Chris Hopkins

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Professor Andre La Gerche thought Donald Trump’s ideas about exercise were unscientific, so he put it to the test, finding that people who exercise regularly actually use far fewer total heartbeats per day than those who don’tCredit:Jason South

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Fitzroy Residents Association chair Michael Spencer wants to see urgent investment in flood managementCredit:Paul Jeffers

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16-year-old Jessica Henricks with her Winnie the Pooh cake entry in the Royal Melbourne Show’s cake competitionCredit:Luis Enrique Ascui

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The Lions celebrate on the siren after defeating the Cats in the AFL grand finalCredit:Jason South

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Children enjoying the Royal Melbourne ShowCredit:Wayne Taylor

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Lisa Thompson and her son attended the National Police Remembrance Day service at the Kings DomainCredit:Eddie Jim

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Lions fans screaming out for The Brisbane Lions players and coach, 2025 AFL Premiership winners at the Brunswick Oval in Fitzroy for the Brisbane Lions family dayCredit:PENNY STEPHENS

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Wayne Thompson, John Dobson and David Foskey are training to run their 47th Melbourne Marathon. They are the only three people who have run every Melbourne Marathon since the event started in 1978Credit:Joe Armao

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Chelsea Berlyn, 17, showed her miniature pinschers at Melbourne Royal ShowCredit:Wayne Taylor

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Brett Kagan and team have developed a special type of computer that combines human neurons, growing in a dish with silicon. The neurons receive electrical input and seem able to ‘learn’ - like a hybrid computer-human, a new type of AICredit:Wayne Taylor

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Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne, Nicholas Reece at the launch of Melbourne Fringe Festival in Federation SquareCredit:Paul Jeffers

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Frankston Hospital ambulance offload nurse, Kelly Munis. Ambulance ramping used to be a common occurrence at Frankston Hospital. In the last year, they’ve halved their patient offloading timesCredit:Paul Jeffers

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Lions star Lachie Neale with the premiership cup.Credit:Eddie Jim

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Will Swenson performs the Neil Diamond song ‘Sweet Caroline’ as he is announced as the actor to play Diamond in the stage performnce of ‘A Beautiful Noise’ at the Princess TheatreCredit:Chris Hopkins

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NBA New Orleans Pelicans player Herb Jones during a practice and media callCredit:Eddie Jim