Latrobe Valley Express Wednesday 4 September 2024

CARNAGE AND CHAOS

By TOMHAYES

WIND gusts topping well over 100 kilometres an hour have played havoc for Latrobe Valley residents.

The sheer ferocity of astorm which began more than seven days ago has led to widespread power outages, as emergency crews work overtime to clear fallen trees, branches and debris.

The first of the two severe weather events occurred overnight from Tuesday,August 27 to Wednesday, August28, as windsswept past the Latrobe Valley and surrounding regions.

The secondinstance was again overnight from Sunday, September 1toMonday, September 2, which saw Watch and Act warnings across the state, as wind speeds were anticipated up to 130km/h.

During the first event at the end of August,

in Gippsland 112 call-outs were madetothe SES between 2pm on August 27 and 9.30am on August 28, withmost regarding fallen trees.

Morwell had 22 call-outs and Moe had 17.

Ninety-seven callouts concerned fallen trees, while eight were for building damage in the region.

Trees remaintobecleaned up in the Latrobe Valley,aspeople woke to discover more blocked roads.

Tyers Road, betweenTyers and Traralgon, was blocked momentarily whileSES crews cleared the area.

Moretrees were spott ed to hav efallen in Hazelwood North, Yallourn North, Moe, Newborou gh, Morwell, Boolarra, and Toongabbie.

Many people in the region still remain without power due to the extent of the wind-caused

outages.Power outages wereseen in Traralgon and Morwell, where traffic lights went out of operation or werecontinuallyflashing. This was seen on the Princes Highway near Latrobe Regional Health and Princes Drive near Mid Valley.

The Great Moscow Circus, which had stopped in Traralgon at the time, across the road from the Traralgon Racecourse,had to pull down its major tent, with fears that the strong winds could have caused it to be unsafe.

Less than aweek later,the second severe weather event had swept through the region.

OvernightfromSeptember 1to2,winds of up to 130km/h were expected in parts of the state.

Latrobe Valley, despite not being in any of the Watch and Act zones, still copped some of the force that swept the state.

Between 7pm on Sunday, September 1and

120km/ hwinds rip throughthe Valley

12pm on Monday,September2,VICSES volunteers were paged to almost 700 requests for assistance (RFA) in Gippsland, with Latrobe Valley among the region’s busiest.

The figuresinGippsland revealedmore than 441 call-outs for fallen trees, and around 230 for building damage. Morwell had 185 RFAs, and Moe 96.

At aVicEmergency press conference on the morning of September 2, Bureau of Meteorology SeniorMeteorologist,Kevin Parkynstated that the Latrobe Valley suffered a124km/h gust of wind -the region’s most powerful gust throughout the event, recorded at the Warragul Weather Station.

Continued -Page3

The Valley versusthe elements

THE Latrobe Valleyhas experiencedthe sheer force of most elements in the last fortnight.

No less than aweek after fire destroyedthe MorwellBowling Club, huge wind gusts swept through the region, leaving trees and branches sprawled across roads and many residentswithout power.

AusNet confirmed the state's weather event last week wasthe longest sustained the network had faced in more than 10 years.

Close to 100,000 outages were recorded for Victorian customers between Sunday, August 25 and Thursday, August 29 alone.

Theprimary causeofthe outages was damage to powerlinesand poles caused by fallen trees, branches and debris.

In Gippsland, Drouin was the worst-hit area, with more than 500 premises without power.

Powerwas also out in hillside towns of Thorpdale, Boolarra and Mirboo North, once again copping the brunt of storm activity.

AusNet says peopleshould take carearoundany downed powerlines, and always assume they are live, even though they may be de-energised, and report any faults and emergencies to 13 17 99.

Furthermore,ifa customer receivesanSMS that power has been restored and they’re still without power, check all the switches are facing up on your switchboard then follow the steps in the AusNet report afault formvia:ausnetservices.com.au/ outages/report-a-fault

Preparation for winter starts now

GIPPSLANDERS can prepare for next winter by collecting free firewood for personal use from state forest collection areas until November 30. Domestic firewoodinstate forests is provided from fallen trees and forest management works, to clean up afterstorms, to reduce bushfire risk andcreatesafeaccess to forests for visitors and emergency workers.

Forest FireManagement Victoria (FFMVic)

Gippsland's Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Sam Quigley, said firewood access was balanced with safety, forest values, biodiversity and cultural heritage.

“People can collect up to two cubic metres per person perday with amaximum of 16 cubic metres per household per financial year as long as they collect from designatedfirewood collection areasduring the firewood season," Mr Quigley said.

“It’simportant thatGippsland residents plan their firewood needs early as it can take at least 12 months for firewood to be dry enoughtoburn safely and effectively.

“Most people do the right thing by sticking

to the collection limits, following the rules and burning seasoned wood.”

It is illegal to collect wood outside designated areas or to chop down or damage any dead or standing trees. It is also an offencetotakevehicles off formed roads to collect or load. Selling firewood collected from domestic collection areas or to use the wood in acommercial enterprise is also prohibited.

Heavy vehicles (more than 4.5 tonnes, including trailer) must not be brought into or used in adomestic firewood collection area.

For the first time in several years, collection areashave beenadded at Boolarra, Baromi Block(Mirboo North) and Yinnar (ColleysRoad). Firewoodavailability at theselocations is a result of the February 2024 storms.

Boolarra and Baromi Block collection areas may be subject to partial or full closure due to ongoing storm recovery works.

Check for changes to collection areas maps by visiting: ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood beforethe day of collection.

SUPERB SPRING SALE

Crashing down: Onelocal had the skylight came offtheir roof during the storm.

Blown over: Winds were strong enough to see fences crumble.

Severe winds sweep the region

From Page 1

AUSNET reported that around 162,000 Victorian customers were without power from 10pm on September 1.

As of 12pm on September 2, 100,000 Victorian customers were still off-supply.

AusNet reminded customers thatdue to the damage, restoration could take anumberofdays.

Impactswere discoveredacross the regional network after 86 incidents, with 12,147 Latrobe Valley customers losing power, with 407 of those being Life Support customers.

The top three impacted suburbs in the Latrobe Valley were Traralgon (3106 outages),Moe (1984), and Newborough (1637).

Traralgon and Moe were two of the towns receiving more focus across the state, deemed as two of the most affected areas.

Agenerator was planted in Mirboo North at 12pm on September 2, as well as two other Victorian locations,asAusNetassessed what towns might’ve needed generators throughout the day into September 3.

Gusty winds remained the forecast in the east of the state in the afternoon of September 2, and at the time of print it was expected to continue throughout the day.

The DepartmentofTransport also announced that V/Line trains were not operatingbetween Southern Cross and Bairnsdale throughoutSeptember2 However, acoach service wasoperating between Bairnsdale and East Pakenham, where passengers could then switch to Metrotrains.

Several eventsthat were scheduled to run on September 2have been postponeddue to power outages and weather conditions, such as the Mid GippslandFootball-Netball League Junior Vote Count, which has been pushed back by aweek.

The SES has urged Victorians to take heed of community warnings via the VicEmergency app and/or the website, and if travelling, check VicTraffic for road closures.

During the VicEmergency press conference on September 2, BureauofMeteorologySenior Meteorologist, Kevin Parkyn mentioned further weather projections for the week ahead.

On Wednesday, September 4, Victorians can expect another pick up in wind, according to Mr Parkyn, but the wind isn't expected to be as bad as the September 2event.

Also on Friday, September 6, the weather will begintowarm again,but is seenasa standard for spring time with the passage of acold front.

Mr Parkyn mentioned that strong temperature contrasts have been areason for poor weather.

ALSO in the early hours on September 2, at 1.30am, agrassfire sparked on Moe-RawsonRoad in Moondarra, between Tyers and Erica.

“Thefireburnt around four hectaresand was brought under control at 3.10am,” aCFA spokesperson said.

“A Watch and Act warning was issued at 2.25am, asking residents in the area to stay close to a building and shelter.

“This warning was downgradedtoanAdvice messageat3.27am. The incident was declared safe just before 4am.

“CFA had 20 units on scene.”

Cleaned: TyersRoad has had no shor tage of cautions in 2024.

Photographs: TomHayes

Crushed: Fallen trees have caused damagetobarriers. PicturedisHazelwood Road,nearthe intersection of Jeeralang-Nor th Rd in Hazelwood Nor th.

Major cannabisbust in Newborough

PoliceBeat with TomHayes

DETECTIVES from the Latrobe Crime Investigation Unitseized more than1000cannabis plants from avacant commercialproperty in Newborough.

Officers executed asearch warrant at the property on Monday, August 26 as part of an ongoing investigationinto drug manufacturing across Gippsland.

During the search, police located and seized 1309 mature cannabis plants with an estimated street value of $1 million.

“This seizure has no doubt putasignificant dent in the illicit drug trade,” Latrobe Crime Investigation Unit Detective Acting Sergeant, Mark Woodbridge said.

“We’re not backing off when it comes to cracking down on those looking to profit from illicit drugs.

“We urge anyone in the communitywith informationaboutdrugtrafficking to comeforward and

report anonymously via Crime Stoppers or to local police.”

No arrests have been made at this stage, and enquiries are ongoingtodetermine whether the seizure is linked to organised crime.

Anyone who has information about drug trafficking is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800

Latrobe Youth Space to stay as funding comes through

LATROBE Youth Space is celebrating after receiving funding for another three years.

TheMorwell-based youth spacewas facing an uncertain future after the state government pulled its funding in the 2023/24 budget.

The stategovernment has since reneged,and committed $900,000 over three years.

Lat robe You th Space welco med the announcement.

“Weare thrilled to announceMinister Tierney’s (Regional Development Minister, Gayle Tierney) commitment of $900,000 over three years to Latrobe Youth Space, ensuring continued access to essential services for youth aged 12-25,” Latrobe Youth Space posted to its socials.

“Latrobe YouthSpace continues to actively seek partnerships, sponsorships, donations, and grants to sustain the space and the essentialservices relied upon by vulnerable local youth.”

Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing said the state government was committed to assisting youth in the region.

“Our ongoing support for the Latrobe Youth Space is about helping hundreds more young people across the Valleyand the region to connect, access services, and develop the life skills, opportunities and confidence they deserve,” she said.

Member for Morwell, MartinCameron congratulated staff and members of Latrobe Youth Space.

“Latrobe Youth Space has developed astellar

reputation as aplace that provides wrap-around supportfor young people in the Valley between the ages of 12 and 25,” Mr Cameron said.

“Thereisa greatneed in the Valley for youth support services,and the Youth Space is atrusted safe place for so many young people right across Gippsland.”

Whilepleased with theoutcome, Mr Cameron said the local youth space should never have been facing the threat of closure in the first place.

“I raised the plightofLatrobeYouth Space on six occasions in Parliament since Labor pulled its funding last year, presumably embarrassing the government into action,” he said.

“I also calledonthe Treasurer to find the money to keep this invaluable community asset running, so it’s good to seesomebody within the state government was listening.

“There are some 700 young people who rely on Youth Space for social connection, help with finding employment, referralstohealth services, and help learning life skills.

“Even moreimportantly, many rely on Youth Space for basic needs like ahot shower and food -things we often take for granted.

“Congratulations mustgotothe passionatestaff and members of Youth Space, whohaverallied together and lobbiedtirelesslyfor funding to be re-instated.”

GIPPSL ANDERS, DO YOUWANT

333 000 or submit aconfidential report online at: crimestoppersvic.com.au

Drink

driver loses licence and car

TRARALGON Police were left speechless after

adriverreturned abreath alcohol concentration nearly six times the legal limit on Friday, August 16.

The 43-year-oldTraralgon woman was located by police at approximately 7.30pm in her vehicle on Traralgon-MaffraRoad,Traralgon, afternumerous calls to 000 (Triple Zero) about her erratic driving.

The driver returned aBAC reading of 0.296, resulting in an immediate licence suspension, and hercar impounded for 30 days.

The woman will be summonsed to court at a later date.

Hoon activity

POLICE have disrupted hoon driving activity in Traralgon, intercepting an unsafe and unroadworthy Holden Commodore, just minutes after the driver had purchased the vehicle.

A27-year-old MorwellP-Plater just purchased the vehicle, deciding to conduct aburnout in celebration of his new purchase.

The vehicle was subsequently impounded for 30 days, and the driver will be summoned to court at alater date.

Not going anywhere: Latrobe Youth Space will be around foratleastanother threeyears. Photograph supplied

Bust: About $1 million wor th of cannabis was seized from a Newborough address this week Photograph supplied

Gippsland’s housing and homelessness crisis in 2024

 432 households (11 per cent) were sleeping rough in cars, tents or in the open.

 3920 households accessed homelessness entry points in Bairnsdale, Leongatha, Morwell, Orbost, Sale, Warragul, and Yarram in 2023/24.

 19.8 per cent of Gippsland’s total dwellings were unoccupied on Census night in 2021.

 Gippsland’s private rental vacancy rate was 1.7 per cent in June 2024 (according to Homes Victoria Rental Report).

 469 people who accessed homelessness Entry Points were employed.

 Gippsland has two youth refuges with a total of 16 beds.

 132 young people were referred to Youth Homelessness Refuges in 2023/24, and 265 received outreach support in the community.

 Three Gippsland Local Government Areas are in the top five highest rates of family violence in Victoria.

 The Big Housing Build in Gippsland saw 246 homes completed, 211 homes underway, and $193 million spent by May 2024.

 In March 2024, there was 7179 households on the Victorian Housing Register Priority Access list for Gippsland.

 The number of new lettings in Gippsland decreased by 13 per cent from March 2023 to March 2024, the largest decrease in regional Victoria.

Adapting healthcare and education

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

FEDERATIONUniversity’s Churchillcampus and the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre have launched the first of six telehealth satellite hubs for the Latrobe Valley.

The aim is to adapt to the healthcare inaccessibility problems across the region and elevate physiotherapy students’ practical learning.

The Federation PhysiotherapyVirtual Care Clinic will extend its reach and give those in the community dealing with chronic conditions access to physiotherapy providers (students in training).

Located at the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre inside the Churchill Library, the telehealth hub is only ashort distance for locals.

Funding for this initiative has come from the Latrobe Health Assembly to combat the growing strain on healthcare providers on-site and to address those individuals limited by transport or digital capabilities.

Professor Louisa Remedios, the head of Discipline and Physiotherapy at Federation University, believes this is “a new paradigm” for physiotherapy in Gippsland and Australia.

“Due to the challenges with access and distance issues, there’snot enough physiotherapists working in the community,” she said.

“(So),we’re able to setupa clinic where students can provideserviceunder thesupervision of excellent clinical education and we’ve been doing this for awhile now.

“There werea lot of issues, alot of barriersto wellbeing and health, and this was an opportunity to educate our students while meeting the needs of community.”

Uponextensive studies intothe area,Prof Remed ios and others have discove red those suffe ring from chron ic con ditio ns reg io nal ly encounter fewer healthcareprofessionalslocally or are otherwise faced with longer travel times and higher cost to get the help they need.

“Since COVID and our shift to need to do more telehealth, we understood, and there’s alot of research now emerging with this, that telehealth is an excellent way to communicate and work with communitymembers who have limited access, especially if you’re living regionally (and) you can’t travel as easilytosee healthcareprofessionals,”

Prof. Remedios added.

“It gives people so many opportunities (to access) healthcare in away that’s new and there’s

Collaboration: Physiotherapystudents

across Gippsland areset to benefit from the establishment of satellitehubs. Pictured at the announcement is Federation Universitystudent Mahalia Bossom,FedUniHeadofDiscipline and PhysiotherapyProfessor LouisaRemedios and student LucyHunter

Photograph: BlakeMetcalf-Holt

opportunity for our students to work from anywhere, meetingpeople and working with people anywhere in the world or regionally.”

Running for 43 years, the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre is continuing to introduce ways to serve its community.

“By having telehealth localtousmeansthat, we have alot of community members that don’t travel, so they don’t go to Morwell or Traralgon, by having it local, we actually get members that come via their electric scooters that come to our centre,” Churchill Neighbourhood Centre Manager, Nathan Brown said.

“So, by them being able to leave home just on their electric scooter and come on down, because they don’t drive and they don’t havefamily around them, it means that they can still access these health services and Ithink that’s pretty exciting.”

From conversations, it is understood that transport and digital literacyremain the two biggest factors for people not attending needed healthcare sessions

“By having it local to us means that the transport

part is ticked and with digital literacy, we are actually goingtobesupported by ourvolunteer team that will help them log in and accesstheir services, so that will slowly move the barrier for them as well,” Mr Brown said.

From astudent’s perspective,itisequally a chance for them to build experience in the industry, and develop astrong rapport with patients.

“The difference is it’s more we teachour patients how to do the assessments on themselves, so there’s alot of assessments or hands-on treatment that, while we’re not there, we can teach themtopalpate their own leg and tell us what it feels like,” physiotherapy student, Mahalia Bossom said.

“So, there’s alot that can be reproduced in the telehealth session even though we’re not there.”

Ms Bossom said it had really helped reinforce her understanding.

“I think that if you can explain something to someone, then you’ve pretty much mastered that little technique,” she said.

“It’s been really good to challenge myself, especially on patients who are like ‘Can you explain that in adifferent way’, to be able to come up with new methods of how to explain it to them and give them autonomy and achoiceinwhatthey’re doing.”

The patient-base has been enthusiastic about being helped by up-and-coming physios as every fiveweeksitchanges who they will get within the cohort.

“They’ve loved the fact they’re getting new students,likewe’ve logged on and they’ve been like ‘You guys are starting. I’m so glad to be here’, they’re very aware that we swap every five weeks and Ihaven’t had one that’shad an issue with it and all of them are helpful to be thereonour education journey and they’ll answer whatever we need and they’ll show us what we need,” Ms Bossom said.

The Latrobe HealthAssembly has funded the entire project (all six satellite hubs) as adirect response to the Latrobe Valley Chronic Action Plan, addressing workforce shortages by utilising placement students, improving access to quality care across the region and upskilling the future allied health workforce.

In the pilotphase, the effectiveness of this initial Churchill hub willdeterminehow the next hubs across Latrobe Valley are introduced overthe next 12 to 18 months.

Cost of living taking its toll

By STEFAN BRADLEY

HOMELESSNESS WeekinAugust(August 5-11) highlighted the scale of the homeless crisis in Gippsland.

Costoflivingpressures andashortage of affordable housing continue to hurt.

People from all walks of life in Gippsland are now struggling to find ahome, are at risk of losing their home, or are already without ahome.

The high cost of living, including rent, is pushing more people into homelessness, even among those who are working.

Uniting Gippsland’s seniormanager, Tracey Donaldson, said every day there were people who had never before needed the organisation’s services coming forward seeking help.

“We set up an information stand at Gippsland Centre in Sale (on Friday, August 9) and invited the community to build an origami house and write amessage about what ahome means to them,” Ms Donaldson said.

“These origami houses were then presented among more than 6000 others made by people fromacross Victoria and placed on the stepsofthe Victorian Parliament. The 6000 figure represents 10 percent of the 60,000 social housing properties Victoria needs.

“One of the most pleasing aspects of our display at the shopping centre this year was the amount of interest we had from those wanting more of an understanding about the homelessness crisis and howthey could help.

“A warm and comfortable home is something many of us take (for) granted, but there are many here in Gippsland who are sleeping on the streets, parks, in cars, with no place to go.”

Ms Donaldson said there needed to be moresocial housing and that as acommunity, “we shouldn’t accept homelessness”.

“There are more people doing it tough, not knowing wherethey will shelterfromone day to another or where they will get their next meal,” she said.

Community Housing (Vic)Limited (CHVL)is anot-for-profitcompany delivering affordable housing for low to moderate income people.

In 2023-24, CHVL assisted 2379 individuals and families with housing services.

Awarmand comfortable home is something many of us take (for) granted, butthere aremany here in Gippsland who are sleeping on the streets,parks,incars, with no place to go.

TRACEY DONALDSON

Grant McNeil -the Victorian state manager for CHL -saiditcan be difficult to determine whatwas happening to those experiencing housing stress or the homeless population at any point in time.

“Your homeless population is actually difficult to identify because you might have people who are in crisis, who might be sleeping rough, but then you’ve also got people who are living in housing stress,payingwell in excessof40per centoftheir income in rent,” Mr McNeil said.

“But people who are living in overcrowded situations, or people whoare living in caravans or rooming houses… would still be considered homeless.

“But we have noticed just in the last few years, an increase in homelessness more generally a different cohort of people are seeking out support.

“We’re startingtoget people who actually have incomesmorethan we did previously, so people who actually work are struggling to keep up with the rent.”

Mr McNeil said avery low vacancy rate over the past few years made it very difficult for people to access the private rental market.

The company is currently delivering 64 new social housingpropertiesacross Gippsland in partnership with Homes Victoria, as part of the Big Housing Build for people on low incomes.

Latrobe is receiving 38 new social housing properties, with Bass Coast (14), Wellington (seven) and BawBaw (five) also set to benefit.

Asked about homelessness in Gippsland today,

CHVL delivers homelessness services from two entry points,Morwelland Bairnsdale to service Gippsland, and manages 144 transitional housing propertiesinGippsland, providingshort to medium term housingfor people who have been homeless.

CHVLworks in partnership with supportagencies across Gippsland, for example family violence services; the Aboriginal community; and health services and youth support services.

Gippsland Linespenditurequestioned

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE state government is under pressure from the Opposition to explain amore than $340 million blow-out in the cost of the Gippsland rail upgrade, as the firsttrain from the orderofnew,locally made regional trains has started taking passengers.

The Memberfor Narracan, WayneFarnham, said the federal gove rnm ent' sDep artmen tof Infrastructure had confirmed that the cost of the total upgrade had now reached $878.1 million. This was in contrast to the original estimate of $530 million, which included $95 million to replace the old Avon River bridge at Stratford.

The department's figures show that the federal governmentiscontributing $738 million and the state government $140-$150m.

"The massive blowout is even more astounding, given the project scope has reduced with the Victorian Labor government removing the promised duplication of track over the Bunyip River," Mr Farnham said.

Mr Farnham said the federal government had had to open the cheque book to bailout the state government’s mismanagement of this project.

"The Premier,who was formerlyMinister for Transport andInfrastructure, needs to frontmy community and explain how this... blowout occurred and after six years of delays, cancellations and replacement buses, what improvements if any will actually be deliveredwhenthis projectisfinally completed," he said.

Mr Farnham said commuters would be outraged at the cost given there were no guarantees abetter service would be delivered as aresult.

"Thisproject started in 2018 and Gippsland V/ Line commuters havefaced cancellations, delays, disruptionsand replacementbuses formorethan six years. Now we find not only is the project late, but it is alsohundredsofmillions of dollars over budget," he said.

"Worst of all for commuters, we still have no idea what the promised improved timetabling will look like, what additional services we will receive, or if there is even any additional V/Line carriages to be allocated to improve service. "

The Shadow Ministerfor Transport Infrastructure, David Southwick, said the failure of thestategovernment to properly upgrade the line meant Gippsland commuterswould be left with asecond-rate service compared to other regional centres.

"The AllanLabor government have failed at every turn for Gippsland commuters. When they built SkyRail, they did not install adedicatedline for Gippsland services," he said.

"When they upgraded stations on the Gippsland Line, hardly any new carparks were added. And when they announced the Gippsland Line upgrade, they promised to deliver duplication of the Bunyip River bridge to improve frequency and reliability.

"They have failed Gippsland commuters and regional communities will be outraged to now hear not only are they missing out on these upgrades,but they are also paying more to do so.

"Labor cannot manageprojects,they cannotmanagemoney, anditisVictorianswho arepaying the price."

Agovernmentspokesperson told the Warragul Gazette that worksonthe Gippsland Line -100 kilometres of upgraded track -were forging ahead, with commissioning of the line between Pakenham and Drouin completed six days ahead of schedule.

"Passengers can now enjoy the use of the second platforms at Bunyip and Longwarry as well as the 30 new car parks at Bunyip," the spokesperson said.

The Gippsland Rail Line upgrade includes track, signalling and 28 levelcrossing upgrades.Itwill alsodeliver second platforms at Bunyip, Longwarry, Morwell and Traralgon stations; duplication of the trackbetween Bunyip and Longwarry,and sections near Moe, Morwell and Traralgon;deliver signalling upgrades at Traralgon;relocate the stabling facilities at Traralgon; and extend the crossing loop at Morwell.

Early works to upgrade the Gippsland Rail Line began in March 2018.

The dispute came as the first new train -VLocity train number 119 -had is the first of 23 new trains ordered as part of a$601million investment in the Victorian Budget 2023/24. The government says it has invested $219 million in almost 200 additional weekend V/Line train services that will progressively run in the coming years.

The Minister for Public and Active Transport, Gabrielle Williams, said this order of VLocitys was replacing the longest serving Classic Fleet trainsboosting Victoria’s VLocity fleet to 141 trains once the rollout is complete.

"The extra trains willdeliver morereliable journeys on the Geelong and Bacchus Marsh corridors, and will also help lift capacity on the Melton line by 50 per cent, withnine car servicestobeintroducedfollowing

the completion of the Melton Line Upgrade," she said.

Ms Williams said the new trains feature improved accessibility,with six spaces in each three-car set for wheelchair or mobility scooter users and space for up to six bicycles. Anew train will roll off Alstom’s Dandenongproduction lineabout onceamonth, with the project supporting around 500 jobs.

The reliabilityofthe new trains will be boosted upon the completion of the South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility Upgrade, which is increasing maintenancecapacityand ensuring that as much of the VLocity fleet is available to deliver services.

Ms Williams said the state government had invested more than $9 billion in rolling stock and supported infrastructure since 2014, supporting around 10,000 local jobs directly and through the supply chain.

“More Victorians than ever are choosing regional rail travel thanks to our fare cap, and we’re responding to this increased popularity with new trains and extra services,” she said.

Come at acost: Whilenew trains have star ted taking passengersonthe Gippsland Line, questions arebeing asked as to whyupgrade costs to the line have blownsofar from initial estimates Photograph supplied

More control after Act amendment

AMENDEMENTS to the Aboriginal Act 1991 aims to give greatercontrol to Traditional Own ers ov er thei rh is tor ya tt wo for mer Aboriginal mission sites in Victoria.

Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Natalie Hutchins announced the passing of amendments to the Aboriginal Lands Act 1991 to give Aboriginal organisations controlover the future transfer and use of the Ebenezer and Ramahyuck Mission Cemeteries.

For peopleacross all societies, theplaces where those who have passed are laid to rest are sacred and significant sites.

The amendments enactedbythe Aboriginal Land Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 will remove restrictionsonthe transfer of the Ebenezer and Ramahyuck Mission Cemeteries in linewithcommunity and titleholders’ aspirations to return these sites to Traditional Owners.

The original Act was passed in 1991 to facilitate the transfer of three burial sites at former missionstolocal Aboriginal organisations, including: Ramahyuck Mission Cemetery to the Gippsland

and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative; Coranderrk Mission Cemetery to the WurundjeriWoi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, and; Ebenezer Mission Cemetery to the Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative. However, the Act included restrictions on the transfer and use of thesites,prohibiting titleholders frommanaging theirland as they see fit.

Areview of the Act recommended reforms to the management of the Ebenezer and Ramahyuck Mission Cemeteries to enable greater selfdetermination and empower First Peoples to exercisetheir cultural, land and property rights.

The Bill passed also makes amendments to the Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 which granted freehold title to residents at Framlingham and Lake Tyers, improving governance and operations of theseTrusts in another critical step towards aself-determined future for First Nations communities across Victoria.

Building abetter health system

THE impacts of the pandemicare stillfelt by health systems worldwide, and Victoria is no exception.

We’ve seen healthcare costs go up, workforce challenges, people not being able to see aGPand people arriving to our hospitals sicker.

To address these issues, we have already made good progress with anumberofimportant initiatives such as our Priority PrimaryCare Centres, the delivery of more planned surgery than ever before, the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals and the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.

But there is much more to do, and the state government is always looking at how we can improve patient care -that’s what Victorians expect of us.

This is why we are working to create amore connected system that delivers the right care, at the right time, in the right place,for all Victorians.

Howe ver, Ia mn ot conv ince dt hatf orci ng hospitals to amalgamate against their wishes improves patient care. Ibelieve that locals know their community’s health needs best and -together with their health service leaders-their voices must be listened to in the delivery of local healthcare. Instead, our hospitals willretaintheir local boards while we bring them closer together through strengthened networks -enablingthem to work together to deliver better and less fragmented care, as close to home as possible for all Victorians, wherever they live.

We will establish Hospitals Victoria to help hospitals focus on delivering frontline care. Currently, hospitals use different payroll and IT systems, and Hospitals Victoria will work to streamline these back-office functions so hospitals can concentrate on what matters most -delivering world-class care.

Our government has made record investments in hospitals, including recruiting more doctors and nurses, building new hospitals, and securing arecord pay deal for Victorian nurses.

We’ll continuing to build on that record -investing an additional $1.5 billion bringing to more than $20 billion we allocatedinthis year's Budgetfunding that hospitalstoldusthey needed, and we've delivered.

Labor has along and proud history of supporting the healthcare of Victorians by growingthe workforce, delivering more funding to the system and building new hospitals -instark contrast to theLiberal/National parties whose track recordis one of cutting funding, sacking healthcare workers and closing and privatising hospitals.

Mary-Anne Thomas Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure and Minister for Ambulance Services

Actofkindness

IWAS jogging in the dark along Franklin Street when my foot twisted on something on the footpath and Idid aforward body plant on the concrete.

Ihope no children were in the vicinity when my voice rang through the clear night air.

As Ibegan to stumble on my way ayoung woman pulled alongside me and asked if Iwas alright. I think she had achild in the car with her.

Iassured herI was fine and thanked her for her kindness. She had been travelling in the opposite direction and did aU-turn to get back to me.

After realising that Iwas okay, she turned and drove away. WhenI told my friendsoonafter of the kindness of the woman, Collette replied: "There are many kind and lovely people in the world".

Thank you so muchtothe caring person who thought of someone else rather than herself. Anonymous (Exemption granted by Editor)

Actnow

before

it's toolate

HOW is it that in this day and age atown the size of Morwell and the area of Gippsland that the localfireservicecannot be providedwith a suitable water pressure to fight afire asizeofthe Morwell Bowling Club?

What would happen if we had afire bigger than what happenedatMorwell Bowling Club and they couldn't access asuitable water pressure to fight it?

Do people need to die to fix this issue?

Garry Mitchell Yallourn

North

Who do theyreally represent?

IWISH for once, candidates for political office, whether that be for local government, state or federal politics, campaigned on why they really want to enter politics.

We know that most, if not all candidates, are only in politics for their own self serving benefit and that the people they claim to want to represent are way down on their list of priorities.

Every politician that Ihave dealt with has seemed more concernedwiththe appearance of working forusasopposed to actually doing the job we pay them to do.

Victoria is in dire financialtrouble and yet despite the pain these politiciansput us through with their indifference or incompetence, they all tell us at election times how they will makes our lives better.

The reality is, the only lives made better are that of our do nothing, all talking politicians.

Ihope come the next election, the voters asked themselves: am Ibetter off with my local MP or councillorand doesmylocal MP or councillor treat me with contempt?

Victoria and Australia are in troubleand the voter is to blame because they refuse to open their eyes and face reality.

Voters need to stop voting based on party loyalty and vote into office candidates whoare genuine and qualified to do the job.

Patrick Ansell Morwell

We reap

IN answer to John Duck ('Criminal not corporal', Latrobe Valley Express Opinion,21/08/24).Inmost reports of domestic violence the perpetrators are not in their 60s, 70s or 80s, who would have been bought up with ateacher's strap or amother's wooden spoon.

Today's generation have not had that experience of your corporal punishment claim. Our generation did not do home invasions,steal cars and kill possible youngdoctors, fire bomb shops, etc. Thisyounggeneration have neglectful parents. Discipline can be achieved by taking time to check on what your child is doing and paying attention to their whereabouts, restricting their bad habits.

My son once said to me "have you got eyes in the back of your head?"

Iamsorry Mr Duck if asmack on the legs with awooden spoon is corporal punishment,then I am guilty. But Ilivewith the knowledge that my children never bought trouble home, neither did my grandchildren and hopefully my great grandchildren will follow this teaching of being a responsible parent.

On another note, the letter by Neil Reid ('Look broadly', 28/08/24) had alot of common sense.

At the moment, our farmers are protesting against their land beingusedfor renewables,

our food supply is in jeopardy,our landscapes are becoming ugly with solar panel and turbines decimating our once beautiful country side.

Nuclear plants cannot be fired up in emergencies Wind and sunare notreliable, and every staterelies on the back-up of coal-fired plants.

Iagree with Neil that we need to become more self-reliant. Instead of all the BS that is being said aboutthe cost of both nuclear and renewables, we should be using the supply of coal which is at our disposal, all we need to do is make it cleaner with new power plants operatingbetter than Loy Yang.

No doubt the comment of half abrain will be noted.

Patricia Correa

Traralgon

Economic Armageddon

IF you believe in the Tooth Fairy or restoring life to an Egyptian mummy, you probablyalsobelieve that the so-called 'TransitionPlan'will restore the Latrobe Valley to its former vitality and glory.

In intimate connection, Inote that the number of jobs in theGippsland region is down by eight per cent over the last decade, despite the deceptive spin of the Latrobe ValleyAuthority (LVA), and despite them spending $300 million of taxpayer's money on the 'transition' over the past six years.

The currentbudgetofthe LVA's work on the transition is only $7.2 million,ofwhich$6.5 million is allocatedfor the wages of the 32 staff, effectively leaving the LVA just $700,000 to 'drive' the state government's risky, reckless, experimental transition gamble.

Thetransition plan hasalready beenhappening for adecade and funded by the LVA about half that time, yet the number of jobs in the Latrobe Valley has shrunk by up to eight per cent over the past 11 years.

In stark contrast, other regional and rural areas in Victoria not subject to Labor's zealous transition plan of Greater Shepperton, Greater Bendigo,Ballarat, Milduraand Wodongahave experienced job growthof11per cent to 37 per cent, and Geelong recorded growth of 39 per cent and Melbourne 44 per cent. In conclusion, it is very clear that Latrobe Valley households and industry are being conned by this ruinous 'transition' for what is, in reality, no more than aslush fund to prop up otherwise unviable and economy-wrecking wind and solar projects.

Joseph Lis Morwell

No justice

IAMwriting with frustration regarding an unfortunate recent parking fine.

My wife has been avolunteer for more thanthree years with Foodbank, and apensioner whowas fined $96 for parking overtime in the carpark.

The Foodbank is located upstairs above the Moe Mall, and carparking is behind the RSL.

Originally, there was all-day parking across the road in George Street, however this is now askate park,and the carpark has been relocated further down the street toward the Moe Racecourse.

The reason for the prolonged parkingtime, was due to the Foodbank truck being late, and thus you muststayasyou don’t know how long it could be delayed which puts everyone behind. In the meantime, there is plenty to do with fresh sandwiches, soup, tea and coffee or just achat with the locals.

Once the truck arrives it is unloaded by volunteers, brought upstairs for packing onto shelves and then sorted into family size and singles food

packs for distribution and the car was the last thing on her mind.

As you can imagine, with the cost of living steadily on the increase, the need is also growing!

Accordingly,Iwrote to Latrobe City to explain the circumstance, and requestthe fine be reviewed and withdrawn.

Council replied with: Ihave received your complaint in relation to an Internal Review that was submitted for aparking infringement in Moe and am sorry to hear you are disappointed with the outcome.

The Internal Reviewsubmittedwas made under the grounds of Special Circumstances, the criteria for Special Circumstancesiscarefully explained on theapplication form. The circumstances that your wifeprovided for this offending did not meet the criteria for SpecialCircumstances and as a consequence the infringement was deemed as confirm pay.

Iamwriting to voice my disappointment, as she was helping people in need and volunteers are in short supply and big demand, and Ididn’t think this was an unreasonable request.

Paul Christian Trafalgar

THE Latrobe Valley Express welcomesletters to the editor.

Preference will be given to brief, concise letters which address local issues.

The editor Liam Durkin, reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and clarity, and may refuse to publish any letter without explanation.

The Express does not publish letters from anonymous contributors.

Letters mustinclude aphonenumber, email address and the author'shometown for purposes of substantiating authenticity. Readers are entitled to aright of reply to a letter directed at them.

While healthydebate is encouraged, the editor will use his discretion if he believes letters are becoming slagging matches between writers.

The views expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers, anddonot necessarily reflect the views of Latrobe Valley Express management or staff.

The letters section is designed to allow people to have their say, and not be hijacked for political agendas.

Let ters inv olvi ng rel igi on wi ll not be published.

Emailletters to news@lvexpress.com.au and include 'Lettertothe Editor' in the subjectline. Deadline for letters is Thursday 3pm.

Farmerfails to overturn cruelty sentence

GIPPSLANDfarmer,Jeremy Rich,has failed in the County Court of Victoria to have his conviction and sentence overturned.

Mr Rich was appealing against his 2022 conviction on 16 charges, including one of aggravated cruelty, following the death of numerous sheep in his care.

In 2022, the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court heard the charges related to alarge outbreak of flystrike and gastrointestinal parasitisminaflock of more than2300sheepatMrRich’s property between March and April 2020.

Agriculture Victoriaofficers attendedthe property in early March2020inresponsetoacomplaint concerning sickand dying sheep. Officersattended afurther nine separate times and issued several Notices to Comply. Over this time numerous sheep

Patterson to face trial in Morwell

ACCUSED killerErin Patterson will face trial in Morwell as early as Monday, April 28, 2025, facing three counts of murderand five of attempted murder, the Melbourne Supreme Court determined The 49-year-old Leongathawoman, who is at the centre of the mushroompoisoningcase, pleaded not guilty on all charges. The allegations concern ameal that took place in Leongatha in July 2023, during which four individuals felt unwell. Patterson's beef wellington lunch made headlines across the world when three people died and one was left fighting for life from what is believed to be mushroom poisoning.

Patterson was accuse do fm ur der and attempted murder by deliberately serving the beef wellington,which was believed to have contained poisonous mushrooms.

Patterson's in-laws Don and Gail Patterson died ,a long wi th Gail's sister, Hea th er Heather's husband, Ian, was the only survivor after spending months in hospital. The attempted murder charges against Patterson date back to 2021,following the dissolution of hermarriagetoSimon Patterson.

with flystrike were observed, three were humanely euthanised by officers and 41 recently deceased sheep were recorded.

Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager,Daniel Bode, said despite receiving numerous Notices to Comply, no action was taken by Mr Rich.

Asignificant number of sheep died and were either scavenged,partially eaten, removed or buried in alarge pit.

Following this Contested Hearing in the Magistrates’ Courtin2022, Mr Richwas convicted and fined $50,000, plus costs of $4005, and a10-year disqualification order was imposed.

The matter was reheard on appeal in the County Court in 2024.

Mr Rich was convicted on 13 charges, fined $50,000and ordered to pay additional costs of

$40,386 to the department for the running of the appeal. The court also re-imposed the 10-year disqualification order.

Mr Bode said the weight of the 10-year disqualification order wassubstantial and would ensure that animals are protected from further pain and suffering.

"It sends avery clear message that those who continually commit offences against animals should not have the privilege and opportunity to care them in the future," Mr Bode said.

"Apart from the obvious pain and suffering animals, animal welfare breaches can jeopardise Victoria’s reputation as ahumaneand respons producer of food, whichcan, in turn, affe producers.

"This is aremindertoall livestock producers

Council supports Latrobe City Business Chamber

THE Latrobe CityBusiness Chamber has secured $69,000 in funding support fromLatrobe City Council for the 2024/25 financial year.

The recommendation to commit the funding was moved at the August council meeting, following a review of the 2023/24 achievements.

The Chamber met and exceeded its key performance indicators (KPIs) during this period by running five events, raising $85,000, an demployinga marketing/membership officer, council said.

Employing amarketing/membership officer has helped increasemembership, as well as sourcing sponsorshipand managing eventsthat will continue to assist in building arevenue base for futureself-reliance and growth of the organisation.

The Chamber is working towardsbecoming the premier business networking, support and representation organisation with astrong membership base, and well-established networks across all sectors. Their vision is to create athriving and interconnected businesscommunity,where local businesses flourish, exchange ideas, and access the resources they need to succeed.

LatrobeCityMayor, Darren Howe said the

Chamber was an important addition to the ongoing success and prosperity of thebusinesscommun andlocal economy in Latrobe City.

“Council’sdecision to support the Chamber aone-off grant for the 2024/25 financial yearis not just an investment in the Chamber, but in the future of local businesses,” the Mayor said.

animal cruelty willnot be tolerated by the Victorian government or our community." Anyone wishingtomake aspecificcomplaint regarding livestock welfare can phone Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au

“The Chamber serves as apowerful advocate for innovation, collaboration and growth within our business community through offering access to valuable training, resourcesand networking opportunities.

“We are and will continue to be committed to building partnerships with the Latrobe City Chamber and our local businesses to create a supportive,sustainable and resilientenvironment where they can achieve ongoing success.”

Revised KPIs for this financialyear include running 15 eve nts, del iveri ng four traini ng opportunities, raising more than $100,000 and developing arobust financial sustainability plan.

The new agreement and its parameters will be reviewed in August 2025.

ONE POINTERS

1. Shane van Gisbergen, Will Brown and Mark Winter bottom all compete in which sport?

2. Who was friends with TomSawyer?

3. Which whisky brand’slogo is a“Striding Man”?

4. What is the castle piece called in chess? TWOPOINTERS

5. Who created the character of James Bond?

6. What name is given to the point on the Earth’s sur face directly above an earthquake?

7. What animal is also called aSea Cow?

8. Rikers Island is home to New York City’slargest what?

THREE POINTER

9. In 2021, what did Facebook change its company name to?

10. Who was Frodo’scompanion in Lord of The Rings?

11. Which came first, Pacman or Space Invaders?

12. Dovetail, butt and tongue and groove are all types of what?

FOUR POINTER

13. What is the largest organ of the human body?

14. What is the largest rodent in North America?

FIVE POINTER

15. I’ll give you five characters from Disney movies, and you give me the films they feature in? One point for each answer

1. Pumbaa 2. Flynn Rider 3. Remy 4. Geppetto 5. Koda

Howdid youfare?

37: Topofthe class; 30-36: Outstanding; 23-29: Well done; 15-20: Solid effort; 9-14: Room for improvement; 0-8: Hit the books.

Target Time No. 0225

Howtoplay.

Using the 9letters in the gr id, howmany wordsoffour letters or morecan you list? The centreletter must be included and each lettermay be used onlyonce No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural wordsending in ‘s’. Solution next Wednesday

Motorsport (V8 cars);Super 2: inn;yFHuckleberr 3: Johnnie lker;Wa 4: Rook;

Ian Fleming; 6: Epicentre; 7: Dugong; 8: Jail; 9: Meta; 10: Samwise; 11: Space

woodworking joints; 13: skin; 14: The Beaver;

Bear

Topdogs named as award finalists

By KATRINA BRANDON

TRARALGON dalmatians Luka and April were named as finalists in the OZTOPDOGS competition.

The pups were entered in the Top OfficeDog and People’s Choice categoriesfor the firsttime alongside 300 entries, becoming one of 12 finalists Kerina White, thepup’s owner,saw the competition on Facebook, and thought seeing how her four-legged friends would do would be fun.

The OZTOPDOG wascreatedbyrecruitingfirm people2people, which has been conducting research for nine years on mentalhealth support from dogs. April and Luka spend their days in the office at Daily Living Disability Services, Traralgon. Ms White told the Express that her colleagues and participants have enjoyed having the pups around, whether to destress or boost morale.

“Both April and Luka have an innate ability to sense the emotions of thosearound them.They providecomfort and support when participants feel anxious or overwhelmed, creating asafeand welcoming environment,” Ms White said.

“Theirpresence also helps when participants are overwhelmed, and their moods change.”

Duringa session recently,one of Ms White’s participants at the disability centre was upset due

to apersonalissue in agroup session. She said that Luka noticed the participant’s emotions and approached her slowly with aballinhis mouth to draw attention away from her feelings.

“Luka encouraged the participant to engage with him. She began to smile and respond, slowly breaking the cycle of her negative thoughts,” Ms White said.

“Thr ough theirunique abilities,April and Luka notonly prevented the escalation of the participant’s emotions, butalsofostered asense of communityand understanding among everyone present.This experience highlighted the powerful impact of animal therapy in creating asupportive environment.”

Luka and April are active in the workplace and participateincommunity events, such as riding on Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath’s Christmas float.

While Luka and April didn’t win ‘Top Dogs,’ Ms White said she couldn’t be prouder of her dogs.

“Being finalists in the OZTOPDOGS for 2024 is a teameffort togetherwith April and Luka,” she said

“I am also grateful to everyone who supports us, especially the wonderful individuals we’ve had the privilege to work with.

“Being finalists in the 2024 OZTOPDOGS competitionmeans so much to us because it highlights the importance of inclusion in the workplace with dogs. April and Luka are abridge that connects people and brings smiles to the faces of whoever they meet.

“I couldn’t be happier that April and Luka were crowned finalists this year.”

ENTRIES are now open for the Tyers Art Festival. The festival hasbeen running since 1979,and has grown from asmall exhibition of local artists taking place in alocal residence to becoming one of the major regional arts events in Gippsland. Each year, the Tyers Art Festival delivers avibrantand innovative arts event, providing Gippsland artists the ability to showcase their work and allow many supporters and patrons the opportunity to viewand purchaseartwork. As always, the TyersArt Festival is held on the second weekend in November, this year being Friday, November 8toSunday, November 10, 2024. Awards for this year’s Tyers Art Festiv al Exhibitioninclude the TyersAward forBest Exhibit, Best Exhibit -Oil, Acrylic, Watercolour,

Pastel, Mixed Medium, GLaWAC ArtAward Drawing, Designer Craft (Textiles, Metalwork & Other) and Photography (Landscape &Portrait), Hangers Choice Award, PopularChoiceAward and Eight Young Artist Awards. Studentartists aged under 18 are encouraged to enterthe exhibition, with several awards specific to them having been increased in value, as well as being eligible for all other applicable awards.

This year, the Tyers Art Festival Committee is pleasedtoannounce two awardsintroduced last year will be continued -the GLaWAC Art Award in the open section, and the GLaWAC Art Award in the Young Artist Awards, open to all First Nations artists in partnership with the GunaikurnaiLand andWaters Aboriginal Corporation.

“The Tyers Art Festival is pleased to continue to offerartists fromacross Gippsland and beyondthe opportunity to showcase and receive recognition fortheir work and we encourage artists to enter this year’s exhibition,” Tyers Art Festival Director, Peter Harrison said.

“Last year wasa highly successful year, with large numbers of visitors attending over the three days and 67 artworks sold.

“We lo ok forwa rd to seeing what ama zing artworks our artists will create this year and encourage art lovers to visit this year’s Tyers Art FestivalExhibition to view what Iamsure will again be an amazing exhibition and support aGippsland artist by voting for their favourite artworkfor the ‘Most PopularChoiceAward’ or

perhaps purchasing an original artwork at the Tyers Hall.”

The Tyers Art Festival is the medium in which much neededfunds are raisedfor the localcommunity, whichincludes the Tyers Primary School, Tyers CFA and youthinitiatives undertaken by the Tyers District Community Association.

Thefestivalislooking for anaming partner, and encourages interested parties to get in touch.

Prospec tive entrants can enter this ye ar’ se xhib iti on by co mpl eti ng the onl in e entry form at :t yer sartfest ival. com.a u/ about/#online-submission-form

Tickets can be purchased by emailing: admin@ tyersartfestival.com.au

Have your say on Traralgon’sfuture

LATROBE City Council has identified the need for amasterplan for Kay Street, Traralgon (The Site)toallow for future growth while strategically maximising on what already exists.

As part of the development of the master plan, council is undertaking the community consultation piece,‘Thinking about Traralgon’s future’, to empower LatrobeCityresidentstoactively participate and share feedback on the plan. The consultation includes asurvey on council’s engagement platform 'HaveYour Say Latrobe City’. Adrop-insession was held at the Traralgon Farmers Market on Saturday, August 24. Hard copy surveys can also be collected and returned at Latrobe City Council service centres and libraries.

The planwillestablish thekey design principles for along-term transformation at The Site, which is currentlyand will continue to be home to important services such as the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre (GPAC), Traralgon Library and Maternal and Child Health Centre.

It is expected that new facilities will be identified for The Site,tomeetthe growing requirements and ambitions of the community. The master plan will focus on identifying an environmentally sustainable infrastructure design, improving health services and access, and increasing connectivity and social wellbeing.

LatrobeCityMayor, Darren Howe said the community’s feedback was invaluable and would

play avital role in shaping the final master plan.

“This survey provides auniqueopportunity for the community to collaborate with council and create ashared vision for the Kay Street Master Plan that addresses community needs and aspirations,” he said.

“Traralgoniswell-knownasanindustrial and commercial hub, and more recently, agrowingtourism and cultural destination. Iencourage Latrobe City residents to take part in this survey, as its about shaping afuture for Kay Street that truly serves and fits the needs of our entire community. It will ensure this locally prominent location is a space for everyone who lives, works, and visitshere for years to come.”

The desired outcome of this project is to present adocumentthat showcases the community'svision and aspirations. After The Site’s master plan is finalised, further work such as feasibility studies and funding research will be required, to deliver the identified elements.

It is expected that adraft concept precinct plan, outlining the vision of The Site, will be presented to council and the community by the end of 2024, with afinalconceptprecinct plan published by mid-2025.

Submissions for the surveyclose on Monday, September 9, 2024.

To learn more and have your say on the future of Kay Street, visit: yoursay.latrobe.vic.gov.au/ thinking-about-traralgons-future

New and improved Coles store opens its doors

TRARALGONEASTisnow home to aColesstore.

Coles Traralgon Village was officially opened last week.

Shoppers are set to be tempted by the open-front bakery with fresh goods baked in-store, atempting selection of fresh seafood on ice, enticing deli offerings and awide assortmentoffresh fruit, vegetables and meat.

Catering for the young families in the area, the store offers arange of delicious ready-made meals and easy grab-and-go options, perfect for weeknight dinners, lunchbox packingand allthe meals in between.

Kids will be captivated by the colourful mochi bar, while parents enjoy aselection of local and international cheeses and dips in theentertainers’ section -even furry friends are covered with apet treat bar.

The new store has brought 70 new jobs to the local area.

Coles Traralgon Village will showcase the largest solar panel system of any Coles supermarket in the country, with 565 panels installed to meet an estimated 24.4 per cent of the store’s energy needs andlessenthe store’s environmental impact. The

asphalt in the store’s carpark is also made from recycled tonerpowder found in printcartridges and recycled soft plastics, helping to divert around 350,000piecesofplastic fromlandfilland advance the transition to acircular economy.

With convenience front of mind, the new store features asix-bay drive-through Click &Collect station, allowing customers to have their orders picked from shelves and delivered directly to the car boot at no extra cost (minimum spend $50).

Coles Traralgon Village Store Manager, Gabby Dalia,who has beenwithColesfor nearlytwo decades, saidshe wasthrilled to welcomeTraralgon locals to the new store.

“I’m excited for the community to come in and experience the new store. Its open,modernand inviting design is sure to impress and make every visit enjoyable, from aquick dash for that last ingredient to the big weekly shop,” Gabby said.

“Customers will be pleased to see some familiar faces, likeour Grocery Manager Brian and Deli Manager Jamie, who have both been with Coles forovertwo decades."

ColesTraralgon Village is located at 2Marshalls Road, Traralgon East.

Official: Latrobe CityMayor,Darren Howe (right) wasonhandtoopentonew ColesTraralgon Village store.

Photograph: Mar tin Keep/Coles

HOROSCOPES

by Joanne Madeline Moore

September 2-September 82024

Work, health wellbeing diet and fitness are the main areas where you need to make some overdue changes and adjustments But – if you are too hasty and hot-headed – you could find yourse f in the middle of an argument, an acc dent, or a crisis of confidence

The New Moon high ights children, teenagers, fr endships and leisure activities There are a so opportunities for advancement via connections within your local community, especially if you are proactive But it w ll take creative teamwork and sustained effort to turn a lucky break into a ong-term success It’s also time to get some firm direction, as you formulate your personal goa s and dreams for the future Remember – you can’t hit a target if you haven’t got one

The week starts with Mars and Jupiter both jumping through your sign, which boosts Gemini magnetism And then Mercury and Uranus rev up your tendency to unpredictable behaviour You’ve got the power to nspire others and transform your own life, so do your best to find appropriate ways to let off steam and choose positive and challeng ng projects to channel your energy into Otherwise, you’ll just drive other people crazy with your capricious ways!

Mars moves into your sign on Thursday, which wil help you approach cha lenges in a proactive way And the New Moon encourages you to talk through issues with the peop e around you Venus is visiting your domestic zone, so it’s time to enjoy home sweet home, as you cocoon n cosy comfort or entertain n low-key style Your quote for the week is from Virgo phi osopher Goethe: “He is the happ est, be he king or peasant, who finds peace n his home ”

The Sun (your ruler) and New Moon shine a bright spotlight on financ al matters Lions are drawn to uxury-living, and you’re inclined to buy expensive things that you don’t real y need Th s week do your best to avoid be ng an impuls ve b nge shopper The more creatively and proactively you nurture your nest egg, the more it wil gradually grow Sunday’s Sun/Saturn opposition could (temporarily) create difficult es and dent confidence, so pace yourse f

The sig lvery New Moon l ghts up your sign, so it’s the perfect week to update your wardrobe change your appearance, aunch a project, apply for a job or start a new phase of your life Personal pro ects, ambitious work goals and dynam c friendships are a so h ghl ghted On Saturday, too much nervous energy and impatience could disrupt a trip, as Uranus squares your ruler Mercury And the Sun/Saturn opposition could complicate a relationship on Sunday

Are you frustrated by ongoing problems at work? Mighty Mars is moving through your career zone (from Thursday unti November 4) so it’s time to take on challenges with a proactive approach and a courageous attitude At the moment, fortune definitely favours the bold and the brave! And with Venus (your patron planet) transiting through your sign, (unti September 23) t’s also a good week to tap into the well of creat vity and inspiration, without and within

The ear y week New Moon h ghl ghts your hopesand-wishes zone, so be proactive about sett ng goals, dreaming dreams and creating your preferred future t’s also a good time to fire up an o d friendsh p or work on solv ng prob ems in a troubled relationship Positive changes are com ng, as you focus on projects that make your heart sing Be inspired by Beyoncé (who turns 43 on Wednesday): “As soon as I accompl sh one thing, I just set a h gher goa ”

Have you been dragging your heels at work? Your career s set to mprove, as the early week New Moon signals an exciting new chapter So make the most of any fresh ideas profess onal projects or ob opportunit es that come your way But the Mercury/Uranus square increases exuberance and decreases patience So slow down, and be careful you don’t over ndulge, over-exaggerate, over-promise or overcommit, especially invo ving travel and work

Many Capricorns can expect a chal enging week as your ruler Saturn opposes the Sun But the Sun and New Moon a so activate your education and adventure zones, so start thinking about where you’d like to go trave ling in the future And don’t et anyone dim your cur osity or diminish your dreams! Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, Beyoncé: “Your selfworth is determined by you Don’t depend on someone telling you who you are ”

EachqNew Moon indicates a shift of gear in a particular area of life This week, the heavens highlight a fresh start invo ving money, an intimate relationship or trust issues

You’l feel rather rest ess, so t’s a good time to travel, experiment and explore You’ l a so be extra curious as you dig up gossip, uncover a secret or start some controversial conversations! However – if you are too b unt and mpatient with a loved one – expect some unpleasant blowback

C ose relat onships and joint ventures are set to mprove, as the Sun and New Moon activate your partnersh p zone But Tuesdays’ nebulous Mars/Neptune square could temporari y scramb e your inner compass and blow you off course espec ally invo ving personal pro ects and domestic matters You need to dream nsp ring dreams and set long-term goals and then draw up a detai ed plan to follow Daydreaming w ll only get you halfway there!

COPYRIGHTJoanneMadelineMoore2024

Betts delivers an important message

By TOMHAYES

FORMER AFL superstar Eddie Betts recently delivered an important message to primary school students.

Betts visited Newborough East Primary School for apresentation, which was set to inspire, and simultaneously teach students valuable lessons.

Chants of ‘Eddie, Eddie, Eddie’ might’ve been heardfromneighbouring towns as the primary school students waited with anticipation to see the four-time AFL Goal of the Year recipient.

Betts was knownfor his freakishabilitywith the football,playing350 games forCarlton and Adelaide, but his career gained anew focus when he became avictimofracial vilification.

Since that instance, Betts has been afrontrunner against racism of all forms, but also racism that happens at the football toward AFL players.

During the hour-long presentation, Betts spoke on his time growing up as akid in Port Lincoln and Kalgoorlie,the family connections he garnered and how he grew alove for sport of all kinds.

After leaving school in Year 8, he was left with littletonoreading, writing, or numeracy skills, admitting when he saw his firstAFL contract that he had no idea what it meant.

He spoke on the hardships he faced when eventuallymoving to Melbourne, whichincluded getting to and from football training when playing for Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.

Betts shared his experiences of getting drafted, playingfor the Blues, the Crows, and the Blues for asecondtimearound, including the challenges he faced as an Aboriginal player.

During the second half of his career, he became heavily involved in the anti-racism world,and shared how racistcommentsand actions made him feel,whichappeared to resonate withthe students in the room.

Morerecently, Betts released his autobiography The Boy From Boomerang Crescent,which covers much of what he spoke about on the day. His book became the winner of the Australian Book Industry Awards for Social Impact Book of the Year and was also longlistedfor the 2023 Indie Book Awards.

More for the kids in attendance, Betts spoke on thesuccess of his children’sbooks My Kind and My People which were later developed into an animated, Logie nominated TV series Eddie’s Lil Homies

Thoseinattendance were excited to find out that Betts had some more episodes in the works for his TV show.

After the presentation, Betts was happy enough to stick around to give out hi-fives, sign autographs, and get photos to not only students but also staff who might have been more fond of his playing days. He was hopeful that his presentation could teach others to spread kindness and “leave asmile on someone’s face”, which he says he lives his life by.

Inspiration: Eddie Betts speaking to students at NewboroughEastPrimarySchoolabout hislife and spreading kindness in the world.

Photographs: TomHayes

Positive: Former AFL fanfavouriteEddie Betts says he lives his life trying to put asmile on people’s faces

TheGuide

PICK OF THE WEEK

ABC TV,Friday, 8.35pm

Glinting with drywit,the colour and cultureofAmsterdam and ahypnotic turn by MarcWarren (pictured) as the wide-eyed detective, this darkly engrossing crime thriller returns with its fourth season of three movielength episodes.Following the titular, vintageboat-dwellinglawman as he almostsingle-handedly disrupts the Dutch capital’scriminal underworld tonight’scompelling instalment goes down awinding path, with perhaps the onlyassurance being the detective’strademark blackget-up Street-smartPiethas his workcut out forhim when the prime suspect in amurder investigation turns out to be afamousmissing singer

Celebrities areprosatpresentingthemselves in acertain light,but all bets areoffinthis pedal to the metal competition. Back with afresh itineraryand 11 celebritiespairedwith their lovedones(watchout forcomedian Luke McGregor with his mum Julieand singer Natalie Bassingthwaightewith her sister Melinda), this dash around theglobe to win$100,000 fortheir chosen charity is an unpredictableclash of personalities. Theonly element we can count on is affable host Beau Ryan’s bemused smile and reality TV regulars Eden Dallyand Cyrell Paule’s unfiltered remarks as jet lag rears its ugly head.

SISTER BONIFACEMYSTERIES

ABC TV,Saturday, 7.30pm

Ripe with double entendres, rich ’60s costuming and asense of mirth, sometimes it’seasytoforget that we aredealingwith murders…nomatter howcleverly fictitiousthey may be.

Lorna Watson (pictured) is fabulously straight-faced as the plucky nun who has adivine skill forsolving her town’s murders,with alittleluck and alot of nous.Tonight,the wonderful period garb makes wayfor an entirely different style of over-the-top outfits when adrama society becomes Sister Boniface’s focus. There’sonly alittle clowning around to be had after the star of theGreat Slaughter Amateur Dramatic Society’s production is killed by theleading lady during rehearsals.

Wednesday, September 4

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Four Corners. (R) 10.45 Q+A. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 12.30 National Press Club Address 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 1.55 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 2.25 Back Roads. (PG, R) 2.55 Magda’s Big National Health Check. (PG, R)

3.55 Love Your Garden. (R)

4.40 Grand Designs (R)

5.30 Antiques Roadshow (R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. 7.30 7.30 8.00 Shaun Micallef’sEve Of Destruction (PG) 8.40 Guy Montgomery’sGuy Mont Spelling Bee. (PG) Presented by GuyMontgomery 9.25 Planet America. 10.00 Would ILie To You? (PG, R) 10.30 ABC Late News. 10.45 The Business. (R) 11.00 Interview With TheVampire. (MA15+av, R) 11.50 Fifteen-Love. (Mal, R) 12.40 Grand Designs.(R) 1.30 Killing Eve. (Mav R) 2.10 Love Your Garden. (R) 2.55 Rage (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.30 Catalyst. (R) 4.30 Outback Ringer.(PG,R) 5.00 ArtWorks. (PGns, R) 5.30 7.30.(R)

Globetrotters:

RETURN TO PARADISE

ABC TV,Sunday, 7.30pm

We’ve got some of world’smost beautiful beaches, but it’sstill a thrilling surprise that the BritishFrench crime comedy Deathin Paradisehas set sail with this Aussie spin-off.After 13 seasons, the delightfulwhodunit following afishout-of-water detectivebegrudgingly taking up anew post in asunny Caribbean townhas asparkling new castand setting forthissix-parter Set in thefictional Dolphin Cove (the picturesque NSW Illawarra), it’sastarring role for Homeand Away’s Anna Samson (pictured) as intriguingly awkward London detectiveMackenzie Clarke, who is forced home after beingframed.

SEVEN (7,6)

6.00 WorldWatch. 7.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 16.Highlights. 8.00 WorldWatch. 10.00 The ArtOfFrance. (Mav R) 11.00 Auction. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Dateline. (R) 2.30 Insight.(R) 3.30 The Point: Road To Referendum History Bites. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up With Adam Liaw.(PGs, R) 4.05 Jeopardy! (R) 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 16.Highlights. 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 TheMorning Show. (PG) 11.30 SevenMorning News. 12.00 TheVoice. (PGl,R) 1.35 BorderSecurity: International (PG, R) 2.05 Catch Phrase. (PG, R) 3.00 TheChase. (R) 4.00 SevenNews At 4. 5.00 TheChaseAustralia.

6.00 MastermindAustralia. (PGl, R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 SecretsOfOur Universe With TimPeake: ThePlanets. Part 1of3

8.30 DanSnow’sGreatest Discoveries: ValleyOfThe Kings. (PG,R)Part 1of3 9.25 Miniseries: TheSixth Commandment. (Mal)Part 1of4

10.35 SBS World News Late. 11.05 EnemyOfThe People. (Mlv) 12.45 GoodPeople. (MA15+v, R) 3.30 Make Me ADealer.(R) 4.20 Bamay. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour ChinaBitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World EnglishNews Morning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight.

6.00 SevenNews. 7.00 Home AndAway. (PGa)

7.30 The1%Club UK. (PGal) Hosted by LeeMack.

8.30 TheFront Bar. (Ml) Hosts Mick Molloy, Sam Pang andAndyMaher takealighter look at all things AFL 9.30 Talking Footy Alook at the week’sAFL news.

10.30 TheLatest: SevenNews. 11.00 AirCrash Investigations:Under Fire (PGa)

12.00 Miniseries: Midnight Man. (MA15+lv,R) 1.00 Travel Oz. (PG, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise.

NINE (9,8)

TEN (10, 5)

6.00 Today 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 TheBlock. (PGl, R) 1.00 ParalympicsParis 2024:Encore. 3.00 Tipping Point (PG, R) 4.00 9NewsAfternoon 4.30[VIC]TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG) 5.30[VIC]WINNews. 6am MorningPrograms. 7.30 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 8.00 Neighbours. (PGa, R) 8.30 Bold. (PGad,

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrentAffair

7.30 TheBlock (PGl) Afishing challenge with aprizeworth more than $100,000 brings outthe competitivespirit in the contestants. Hosted by ScottCam and Shelley Craft, with judges Shaynna Blaze, DarrenPalmer and Marty Fox.

8.40 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 7: Night. Events may include: paraarchery; para athletics; paracycling road; boccia 10.30 Paralympics Paris2024 Day 7: Late night. Events may include: paracycling road; wheelchair tennis 12.00 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 7: Postmidnight

6.00 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted by Grant Denyer 6.30 TheProject Alook at the day’snews. 7.30 Thank God You’re Here. HostedbyCelia Pacquola. 8.40 GoggleboxAustralia. TV fanatics open up their living rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows. 9.40 Have YouBeenPaying Attention? (Malns,R) HostedbyTom Gleisner 10.40 10’s Late News. 11.05 TheProject (R)

1.50am Summer Of ’85. (2020,MA15+, French) 3.45 Ah! TheLibido (2009,M,French) 5.15 Brideshead Revisited. (2008, PG)

Comedian Luke McGregor with hismum Julie.

Thursday, September 5

ABC (2) SBS (3)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News

Mornings. 10.00 Australian Story.(R) 10.30 Compass. (PGa, R) 11.00 AntiquesRoadshow (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 The Assembly.(PG, R) 1.55 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG,R) 2.25 BackRoads. (PG, R) 2.50 Magda’s Big National Health Check. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (R) 4.40 Grand Designs. (PG, R) 5.30 AntiquesRoadshow. (R)

7.30 Presented by Sarah Ferguson. 8.00 Foreign Correspondent. International affairs program. 8.30 George Clarke’sAmazing Spaces. George Clarkevisits a building in Denmark that wasdesigned to be awork of artand an office 9.20 Miriam Margolyes Impossibly

1.00 Love Your Garden. (R) 1.45 Rage (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.30 Catalyst. (PG,R) 4.30 Outback Ringer.(PG, R) 5.00 Art Works. (PG, R) 5.30 7.30.(R)

6am Children’s Programs. 7.20pm Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep 7.35 The Inbestigators. 7.50 Operation Ouch! 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 The Wonderful World Of Puppies. 9.10 New Leash On Life 9.40 Doctor Who 10.25 Merlin. 11.10 Fresh Off TheBoat. 11.30 Speechless. 11.55 Operation Ouch! 12.05am Good Game Spawn Point. 12.45 Rage 1.45 TheLegend Of Korra. 2.30 Late Programs.

6.00 WorldWatch. 7.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 17.Highlights. 8.00 WorldWatch. 10.00 The Art Of France.(PGan R) 11.00 Auction 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 SuchWas Life. (R) 2.10 World’sGreatest Hotels. (PGn, R) 3.00 TrailTowns.(PG, R) 3.35 The Cook Up.(R) 4.05 Jeopardy! (R) 4.30 Letters AndNumbers. (R) 5.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 17.Highlights. 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 TheMorning Show.(PG) 11.30 SevenMorningNews 12.00 MOVIE: MommyBe Mine. (2018,Mav,R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS WorldNews

7.30 GreatAustralian Walks: Beechworth. (PGa) Susie Youssef traverses Ned Kelly country

8.25 Junior Doctors Down Under: HighStakes. (M) Dr Conor treats a17-year-old airlifted to hospital with suspected spinal injuries followingaquadbikeaccident.

9.20 Rebus. (Mlv) Unaware of his latest crime, Rebus confronts Michael about the incident at the drugdealer’s flat.

10.15 SBS WorldNewsLate.

10.45 Pray ForBlood. (MA15+av) 12.30 Devils. (MA15+as, R) 2.25 Miniseries: The Dark Heart. (Mal, R) 3.15 MakeMeADealer.(R) 4.05 Bamay.(R) 4.40 Destination Flavour ChinaBitesize. (PG, R) 5.00 NHK World EnglishNewsMorning 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight.

SBS VICELAND (31)

2.00 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. (PG, R) 2.15 CatchPhrase. (PG, R) 3.00 TheChase. (R) 4.00 SevenNews At 4. 5.00 TheChase Australia.

6.00 SevenNews. 7.00 Football AFL.Second qualifying final. Port Adelaide v Geelong. From Adelaide Oval.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at all the action from the game.

11.00 WBBL Season Preview Show. Ricky Ponting, AaronFinchand Lisa Sthalekar takealookatall themajor cricketing news and playermovements.

12.00 Magnum P.I. (Premiere, Mav) Adecorated former Navy SEAL repurposeshis militaryskills to become aprivate investigator in Hawaii.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBCToday News and current affairs.

5.00 Sunrise 5amNews. The latest news, sportand weather 5.30 Sunrise. News, sportand weather

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra.(PG) 11.30 9News Morning 12.00 The Block. (PGl, R)

1.00 ParalympicsParis 2024:Encore. 3.00 Tipping Point (PG, R) 4.00 9News Afternoon 4.30[VIC]TippingPoint Australia.(PG)

6.00 9News. 7.00 ACurrentAffair

7.30 RugbyLeague. NRL.Round27. Brisbane Broncos vMelbourne Storm. From Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. 9.45 ThursdayNight Knock Off Post-match NRL newsand analysis of the Brisbane Broncos versus the Melbourne Storm match.

10.30 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 8: Late night. Events may include: paraarchery; wheelchair tennis, men’s singlessemi-finals; paratable tennis.

12.00 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 8: Postmidnight. Events may include: paraswimmingfinals,200m individual medley, mixed 4x50m medley; paraathletics finals, women’s 400m, shot put; men’s 800m, men’s 100m; wheelchair basketball, men’s semi-final.

6.00 Deal Or No Deal Contestants compete in ahigh-stakes game where they must beat The Banker to win acash prize. 6.30 TheProject. The hosts and guest panellists takealookatthe day’snews, events and hot topics. 7.30 Soccer. AFC2026WorldCup qualifier Third round. Australia vBahrain. From Cbus SuperStadium, Queensland. 10.30 10’s Late News. Coverage of news,sportand weather. 10.55 TheCheapSeats. (Mal,R) PresentedbyMelanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald. 11.55 TheProject. (R) Alook at the day’snews. 1.00 TheLateShowWith Stephen Colbert. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert 2.00 HomeShopping. (R) 4.30 CBSMornings. 6am WorldWatch. 10.00 TheMovie Show Noon WorldWatch. 12.30 PlanetA 1.15 The Story Of 1.40 Unknown Amazon. 2.35 The Wine Lovers’ Guide To Australia. 3.05 Bamay. 3.25 WorldWatch 5.20 Forged In Fire:Best Of 6.05 Letters And Numbers. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 Riot Island: Prison Without Walls. 9.30 History’sCrazy Rich Ancients. 10.20 Late Programs.

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am

7TWO (72, 62)

6am Morning Programs. 7.30

NITV (34)

SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 2pm ShortlandSt. 2.30 TheCook Up 3.00 Jarjums.

3.35 Spartakus And The Sun Beneath The Sea. 4.05 Cities Of Gold. 4.35 Motown Magic. 5.00 Our Stories. 5.30 The77Percent. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 News. 6.40 Volcanic Odysseys. 7.30 GoingPlaces With Ernie Dingo 8.30 Yiyili. 8.35 The Panthers 9.30 MOVIE: Australian Rules. (2002, M) 11.15 Late Programs.

Brideshead Revisited. Continued. (2008,PG) 7.40 The Great Dictator.(1940,PG) 10.00 Bandit.(2022, M) 12.20pm Devil’sKnot. (2013, M) 2.25 The Man Who Knew TooLittle. (1997, PG) 4.10 Alone In Space. (2018,PG, Swedish) 5.40 The Importance Of Being Earnest.(1952) 7.30 La La Land. (2016, M) 9.50 On TheBasis Of Sex. (2018,M) 12.05am Late Programs.

Friday,September 6

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

SEVEN (7,6)

9GEM (92,81)

PG) 4.00 AntiquesRoadshow 5.00 Paralympics Paris 2024.Day 8: Afternoon. 7.30 Paralympics Paris 2024.Day 8: Night 10 30 Poirot. 11.30 Late Programs.

4.30

3pm TheNanny. 3.30

AddamsFamily 5.00 Bewitched. 5.30 IDream Of Jeannie. 6.00 TheNanny 7.00 YoungSheldon. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: 10 Things IHate About You. (1999,PG) 10.30 Seinfeld. 11.30 Young Sheldon. Midnight Love IslandUK. (Return) 1.20 Life After Lockup: Self Shoot 2.20 TheNanny 3.20

NINE (9,8) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Planet America. (R) 10.30 That PacificSports Show.(R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 VanDer Valk. (Mav,R) 2.30 Guy Montgomery’sGuy Mont SpellingBee. (PG, R) 3.15 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden.(R) 4.45 Grand Designs. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(R)

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Presented by TomGleeson.

7.00 ABC News Alook at the top stories of the day

7.35 Gardening Australia. Tammy Huynhmeets afoliage fashionista.

8.35 VanDer Valk. (Mv) Part 2of3.A suspectinamurder case appears to be a famous missing,presumed dead, singer 10.05 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (PG, R) Hosted by Shaun Micallef

10.45 Guy Montgomery’sGuy Mont Spelling Bee. (PG,R) 11.30 ABCLate News. 11.45 Grand Designs. (R)

12.35 We Hunt Together (Final,Malv,R)

1.20 Rage New Music (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage.(PG)

6.00 MorningPrograms. 8.00 WorldWatch. 9.50 Soccer. 2026 FIFAWorld Cup CONMEBOL Qualifier.Argentina vChile. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Such WasLife. (PG, R) 2.10 World’sGreatest Hotels. (R) 3.00 NITV News: Nula. 3.35 The Cook Up.(R) 4.05 Jeopardy! (R) 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta.Stage 18 Highlights.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS WorldNews.

7.30 GreatBritish Landmark Fixers: London Sewers. (Final)

8.30 Ancient Superstructures: Notre-Dame De Paris –Built To Survive. (Final) Explores the Notre-Dame de Paris.

9.30 Lost TreasuresOfAncient Rome: Colosseum. (R) Alook at Rome’s Colosseum. 10.25 SBS WorldNewsLate 10.55 Agent Hamilton. (MA15+v)

12.35 My Brilliant Friend. (Mls, R) 3.30 Make Me ADealer.(R) 4.20 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK WorldEnglish News Morning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 TheMorning Show. (PG) 11.30 SevenMorning News. 12.00 MOVIE: YouMay NowKill TheBride. (2016,Mav,R) 2.00 House Of Wellness. (PG) 3.00 TheChase. (R) 4.00 SevenNews At 4. 5.00 TheChase Australia.

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 AFL:FridayNight Countdown. Alead-up to the Fridaynight AFL match. 7.20 Football. AFL.Second elimination final. Western Bulldogs vHawthorn. From the MCG. 10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion andinterviews. 11.15 Armchair Experts. (M) Apanel discussesall things AFL 12.00 GetOn Extra. Alookat theweekend’sbestracing.

12.30 Taken. (Mav,R)A man tries to avenge hissister’s death 1.30 Harry’sPractice. (R) Information aboutpet care.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Million DollarMinute. (R)

5.00 NBCToday

TEN (10, 5)

6.00 Paralympics Paris 2024.Day 8: Early morning. 6.30 Today 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 Bondi Vet. (PGm, R) 1.00 Paralympics Paris 2024: Encore. 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG) 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30[VIC]TippingPoint Australia.(PG) 5.00 Tipping Point Australia. (PG,

5.30[VIC]WINNews.

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrent Affair

7.30 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day9: Night. Events may include: paracanoe; paraswimming, men’s 100m freestyle; para athletics, men’s discus throw,100mfinal, men’s 800m, 4x100m universal relay

10.30 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 9: Late night.Events may include: wheelchair tennis, men’s doubles bronze and gold medal matches; wheelchair basketball; paraequestrian.

12.00 ParalympicsParis 2024 Day 9: Postmidnight.Events may include: wheelchair tennis; para powerlifting; paraswimming finals, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly,50m freestyle; paraathletics, 100m, 400m.

6.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) Hosted by GrantDenyer 6.30 TheProject. Alookatthe day’snews. 7.30 SortYour Life Out. (PGa) Hosted by Stacey Solomon. 8.45 TheDog Academy. (PGa) Expert trainers come to theaid of misbehaving dogs, including abad case of sibling rivalry 9.45 DogsBehaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PGal, R) AChihuahua takes issue with anyone who crosses its path. Agroodle is in the running for

(R) 6am WorldWatch. 10.00

Jeopardy! 7.35 8Out Of 10 Cats 8.30 Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over 9.25 Threesome. 10.30 AdamEatsThe 80s. 10.50 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 19 1.50am Late Programs. SBS VICELAND (31) 6am Children’s Programs. 7.20pm Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Strange Chores. 8.00 Good Game SpawnPoint 8.25 BTNNewsbreak 8.35 Mythbusters “There’s Your Problem!” 9.00 Robot Wars. 10.00 Doctor Who 10.45 Merlin. 11.30 Fresh Off TheBoat. 11.55 Speechless. 12.15am Good GameSpawnPoint 12.55 Rage 1.55 Late Programs.

ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Alone In Space. Continued.(2018,PG, Swedish) 7.05 The Importance Of Being Earnest. (1952) 8.50 Dan In Real Life.(2007, PG) 10.40 The Children Act. (2017,M) 12.40pm ACall To Spy. (2019,M) 2.55 Brideshead Revisited.(2008,PG) 5.25 Charade. (1963,PG) 7.30 American Pastoral. (2016,M) 9.30 The Report. (2019,M)

27.South Sydney Rabbitohs vSydneyRoosters. 9.55 Golden Point 10.40 Late Programs. 9GEM (92,81) 7TWO (72, 62) 6am Children’s Programs. 9.00 Tennis.USOpen. 3pm The Nanny 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 TheAddams Family 5.00 Bewitched. 5.30 Children’s Programs. 5.45 MOVIE: Mr.Peabody &Sherman. (2014,PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Beetlejuice. (1988,M) 9.20 MOVIE: Death BecomesHer.(1992, M) 11.20 MOVIE: TheWitches. (2020,M) 1.20am Love Island UK. 2.20 Life After Lockup: Self Shoot. 3.30 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 9.00 AFootball Life. 10.00 Blokesworld. 10.30 AmericanRestoration. 11.00 American Pickers. Noon Pawn Stars. 1.00 Counting Cars. 2.00 Extreme Unboxing. 3.00 Timbersports. 3.30

FOOTBALL

NORTH GIPPSLAND

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

THE Bombers are one win away from history.

Traralgon Tyers United defeated Yallourn Yallourn North in the North Gippsland FootballNetballLeague secondsemi-finalatthe weekend in astatement 12.15 (87) to 4.5 (29) bashing to advance to the Grand Final.

The reigning premier locked in their third successive Grand Final slot, and now sit in the driver’s seat to captureback-to-back senior premierships for the first time in the club's history.

Foreither side running outonto SaleCity’s Stephenson Park, it was understoodthere would be some added factors -with heavy winds carrying over from the last fortnight.

After asignificant and down-to-the-wire finish against Woodsidethe week prior, YYN entered thegame with all the confidence in the world that they could knock off the minor premier.

Rolling over from their weeks of steady and fine performance, the Jets got the jumponTTU, fronting their opponent directly with no fazeand beating them on the way to leading 3.2 (20) to 1.2 (8) following aDean MacDonald goal past the midway point of the first quarter.

It looked as though on-lookers were ready for another closeaffair betweenthe two sides before disaster struck for YYN.

Following what would eventuallybeYYN’s penultimategoalofthe entire day, the ball was thrown up, only for the Jets’ ruckman Ben Morrow to fall to the ground.

Play was haltedfor well over10minutes while Morrow was stretchered off with an apparent season-ending knee injury.

Ashocking and unexpected occurrence left the YYN group rocked and forced magnets to shift across theboard to accommodate and combat aTTU unit ready to pounce.

Adding to that, YYN captain MacDonald also exited the ground holding his arm and did not return.

The Bombers now sensed it was their time to lift.

TTU nail the next two goalsinto the extended opening term to conclude the term tied 20-all.

Jacob Albanese gave the Bombers their first lead since the first few minutes of the match, and was then followed by James Jacobsen out the back of thepackthat began adominant quarter

Unable to break anything down the line, the Jets were stopped in their tracks by ahungry and dangerous TTU unit, withtheir success during thisstretch only hindering YYN’s energy

Bombers through, Jets face disaster

across the ground andliftingthe prevailing side’s spirits.

Followingthe Morrow incident, TTU scored thenext seven goals up to halftime, and placed themselves in afavourable 8.4 (52) to 3.2 (20) position.

As the game ran further and further into the afternoon, it would have been presumed the powerful breeze would inevitably mellow, only it got worse.

The wind intensified and turned the game even more so into aclose-quarters affair.

YYN attempted to crash and bash their way back into the game, however, they were still fighting through whatMotherNaturehad stamped on this game, and despite maintaining amajority of the ball in the opening stretch of the secondhalf,still couldn’tcomplete their efforts.

The Jets were still challenged heavily along the defensive 50, which limited their ability to see consistent and clean build-up.

No major score wasseen up until past the 18-minute mark of the third term, with YYN’s LachlanRees slotting a25-metredroppunt fromaslightangle to give the Jetssomelift and reward for their push.

Three quarter time came, and while YYN held TTU goalless during the term, they couldn’t do enough to close the gap and still faced a31-point deficit.

Resuming, YYNwas left to simplychipaway at TTU’s lead, to givethem something to conclude in preparation for apossible rematch should they win the Preliminary Final against Woodside this weekend.

The Jets won the opening centre bounceof the final quarter, managing another forward entry, but could only muster another behind. Almost as quickly as the ball went through, TTU carried the ballwith ease through the centre and linkingseamlessly, ending in another Jacobsen goal for his third of the day.

The Bombers added afurther three goals to finish in strong form.

Michael Jacobsen was awardedbest afield for the winners, followed by ruckman Frazar Brouns (two goals), WilliamCurtain, Guy Sinclair, Albanese (two) and Trent Hourigan. Jai Massese stood tall in defeat, followed by Dylan Brooks,Darcy Shellcot, MitchLuck (who was swung into the ruck), Riley Byrne and Callum Robertson.

The siren went, cars tooted, but the TTU players remained blank.

Shakinghands with daps to their teammates, this was only the first step to their goal -that’s only one game down beforethey can truly celebrate.

North Gippsland Finals -Page24

Action: TTU’s Kade Duncan battles YYN’s Blair Clymo in the Nor th Gippsland second semi-final

Photograph: Lyns Snaps

Arm wrestle finals victoryfull of courage

FOOTBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY LIAM DURKIN

NO guts, no glory.

Moe showed plenty of theformer in the Gippsland League Qualifying Final, edgingpastTraralgon by four points.

The Lions won adour affair 6.7 (43) to 5.9 (39); the scoreboard well and truly reflecting conditions at Maffra Recreation Reserve.

An insanely strong westerly breeze maintained its presencethroughoutthe day, making each goal, and score in some cases, worth its weight in gold.

Moe Football-Netball Club joined kite manufacturers as the two happiest businesses in the state last Saturday, after winning their way through to the second semi-final.

What’s more,they defeated Traralgonfor the first time this season.

It's probably worth mentioning they did it without Declan Keilty playing in the second half as well.

Yes truly, this was alionhearted effort.

Moe’s best finals win in the last decade even.

ThatTraralgon had beaten the Lions by 10 goals in their previous encounterhad most favouring the Maroons leading into the game.

The wind however brought the equation back, and while Traralgon had four scoring shots to two in the opening term kicking with the advantage, Moe was able to go into the quarter time break ahead by three points.

The Lions were given the only goal for the quarter after Trent Baldi was walked to the goal square following an indiscretion, and with their noses in front at the first change kicking into the breeze, confidence was brimming.

With the wind playing afactor, both teams dropped numbers back in order to batten down the hatches.

Keilty played forwardinthe secondterm,moving from his natural posting at centre half back.

Moe added two goals before the main break, although the Maroons were up to the task, adding the same amount kicking into the cyclone.

The wind was such that most of the play was confined to the gumtree sideofthe Maffra ground Despite the preconceived advantage, there was challenges to overcome either way.

Those kicking into the breeze saw the ball literally travel backwards, while those kicking with it saw it swing more than ahalf-taped tennis ball in backyard cricket.

Traralgon’s want to run the ball in numberswas noticeable, however when the time came to kick, there remained the abovementioned issues.

Moe by contrast possibly benefitted from having more big men in key areas, as on anumberof occasions players the likes of Chris Prowse, Nick Prowse and Keiltywereabletotakesteadying contested marks.

Disaster struck for Keilty on the eve of halftime, after landing awkwardly in amarking contest.

The playing-coach was reduced to the latter, coaching fromthe bench on crutchesinthe second half, his task surely mademore stressful by having aboommic hovering overhis headfromcamera operators.

Moe held firm in the thirdquarter, equalising in most areas, again most notably on the scoreboard Kickinginto the gale,the Lions managed two goals, one of which gave them ahugelift.

Getting the ball to theattackingsidehad proven near impossible at times, however an opening presented itself for Moe young gun Max Woodall. What better time for some Mirboo North magic. Woodall, who joinedthe Lions from the sticks this season, accepted alateral kick at centre wing. He took one bounce, asecond, and two more before kicking truly on the run at the netball court end, nailing what has easily toppedthe lastfourbounce running goal by aMoe player.

Traralgon coach and Mirboo North premiership player, Troy Hamilton may have beenaffordedthe chance to smile wryly at that moment.

Fellow Mirboo North local, Tajh Eden was also playing for Moe, in what was afinals debut surrounded by undeniable inspiration.

The midfielder, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, camebackinto the senior side for the first time since Round14, havingworked his backfrom injury to begin with.

You just have to lovethe stories that finals produce.

That Round14game against Bairnsdale may have inadvertently helped Moe, as it was played in near identical conditions to what greeted them last Saturday.

The Lionsstruck acalming huddle at three quarter time, and were instructed to “come forward to defend” knowingTraralgon would needtowork the ball mainly by hand going into the wind. Fittingly, Moecaptain Jacob Wood kicked the firstgoalofthe last,guiding home aset shot at the eight minute mark.

That madethe margin 10 points, whichgiventhe end Traralgon was kicking to, made their task all the more difficult.

To their credit, the Maroons adhered to one of the many great signs in their ‘change rooms’ and refused to surrender, getting one back at the 14 minute mark through Jordan Cuncio strolling in unattended.

Some verynervymoments followed, as the game pretty much became acase of ‘next goal wins’.

Traralgonhad dispersed withbeinghandball happy, and were able to cut their way through problems finding short targets.

Big man Max Jacobsen slammed aset shot into the goalpost at the 16 minute mark, and Sam Hallyburtonhad an opportunity denied by the windlate, markedbyLions defender Scott van Dyk Hallyburton found himself the beneficiary of one of themore unlikely goal assists duringthe second term from Dylan Loprese.

Perhaps ironically for Loprese given he supports Richmond, he was much likeMatthew Richardson in making the hardpart look easyand theeasy part look impossible after taking asliding one handed contested mark inside 50.

Looking to wheel on his right, the ball slipped from his grasp, forcing him to dish off ahandball to Hallyburton, who mopped up and goaled.

Some frenetic final moments played out, highlighted by agoal saving tackle from Jackson McMahon on Woodall after he looked certain of kicking his second.

McMahon wasbusyfor the Maroons, as was Tye Hourigan, D’Angelo, Tristen Waack, Cunicoand Chance Doultree.

Van Dyk was prolific for Moe, especiallyinthe absence of Keilty, along with fellow defendersBen Maslen and Luke Mulqueen, who did anumberon Traralgon key forward Dan McKenna.

Their work was praisedbyKeilty, who said it was aproud day to be their coach.

“I was getting abit stressedout toward the backend of that game, we’dlosttothem twice

before, Iwas pretty proud of how the guys went aboutitand bit of relief as well,” he said.

“Scott van Dykwas just fantastic, wasabsolutely phenomenal,I think the jobLuke did allowedScott to play alittle bit more freely.”

The finals stage also lent itself to Moe’s midfield twins in Riley and Trent Baldi, who were where the ball was more often than not.

The inclusion of Harry Pepper generated some discussion, as he had been under afitness cloud, however,givenhekicked two goals and set up others in agamedecided by four points, Keilty believed his selection was justified.

“Someone who is as dangerous as Pep, what it doesismakesthe oppositionaccountable, they have to put aquality defender on him,” he said.

“Not only do we get an X-Factor in that but it also loosens up the chains of myself and Nick Prowse up forward.”

Addressing the elephantinthe room, Keilty was brutally honest (appreciative) when discussing his injury with the Express on Sunday.

“The initial thought was my ACL, which Iwas shattered (about), but thankfully the first diagnosis is that I’m okay,” he said.

“It’s just the MCL. If the scans come all clear withthe ACL thereispotentialthatifwemake theGrand Final I’ll be available.”

The injurywas the onlydampener to whatwas a great weekend for the Lions, who had five teams in finals action, all of which secured victory.

Now, the senior football and AGrade netball team are just one win away from aGrand Final. Yikes.

The next task for the football side will be taking

on Leongatha,who by virtue of the finals draw, are also hosting the second semi-final this Saturday.

Looking at ways to beat Leongatha, apart from not kicking the ball in the vicinity of CadeMaskell, Keilty said the Lions would takeconfidence having beaten the Parrots during the season, and might actually looktotakea leaf out of an enemy’s playbook.

“We’ve got some things that we learnt from last time we played them," he said.

“I know they had alot of key players out, but probablytobehonest having alook at the way Morwell did it (beat Leongatha twice)… so see if we can pick up anything."

Regardlessofhow thisweekend’s semi-final plays out, the match is offering agood example of two clubs building from the ground up.

While Leongatha’s premiershipsuccessinthe last decade is well documented, what is lost is just how far back they started from.

Thistimeadecade ago, the Parrots finished seventh on the senior ladder (Moe eighth), while the under 18 team went through aseason where they did not win asingle game.

Jack Ginnane, Jackson Harry and Tim Sauvarin are just some of the names from that team who have since gone on to play in multiple senior premierships for Leongatha.

Moe’s pathway has been decidedly windier, but nonetheless, four of their top six players at the weekend had come through the club’s juniors, while afurther 17 from the available 22 would be classed as ‘local’.

Photograph: Julie Sim

Wonthaggi powers into semi-final

FOOTBALL GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY LIAM DURKIN

TRENT Cotchin would have only kicked one way if he won the toss in this elimination final.

Conditions at Bairnsdale City Oval last Sunday were some of the harshest in living memory, making for avery unattractive spectacle between Wonthaggi and Sale.

The Power however willnot care in the slightest, after beating the Magpies 6.13 (49) to 3.6 (24).

Those looking for anythingnoteworthy to take out of the match would have been leftdisappointed, as the ball spent the best part of 90 per cent camped on the wing opposite the interchange gates.

The match may have set arecord for most out of bounds on thefull, with anumber of balls needing to be retrieved from the carpark (one even getting stuck in atree) suchwas theforce of nature making the leather swing wildly after take-off.

Communication wasalso severely compromised, as players calling for rotations literally couldn’t be heard from the far side of the ground. This could have contributed to Sale resembling

Contest: Wonthaggiand Sale players battle at Bairnsdale CityOvalduring the Gippsland League Elimination Final. Whilephotoswon’t showit, thematchwas playedinatrocious conditions,with ahugewesterlybreezekeeping playonone side of the ground.

the walking wounded by game’s end. It was carnage for the Magpies in the last quarter, as Cody Henness, Bohdi Walker and Hudson Holmes all hobbled off, adding to acasualty list that already included Mitch Dowse and Jack Leslie, who played on gamely.

Wonthaggi kicked with the end favouring the breeze to begin, and managed two goals.

Playing the percentages, Sale played Holmes as an extra in defence. Wonthaggi repeated the dose when it was their turn to kick into the wind, sending Isaac Chugg down.

The Powerrestricted the Magpies to onegoal for the quarter, which came off the boot of Brad Dessent.

The sheerforceofthe windwas perhaps summed up when Wonthaggi vice captain Aidan Lindsay hadaset shot from directly in front no more than 20 metres out.

Appearing to aim the ball straight on approach, the ball literally swung at a45degree angle and went out on the full the moment it touch his boot.

Just eight points was the difference at halftime, before Wonthaggi made their move.

The Power dominated most facets and peppered the goals, kicking 2.7 (17) to no score.

Some poor defence from Sale allowed two opportunistic goals out the back of stoppage.

Adding to frustration was the fact Magpies playing-coachJackJohnstone started the third term on the bench, and bizarrely, did not get on until the 13-minute mark.

Down by 27 points at the final change, Johnstone instructedhis players to take arisk and use the corridor no matter the situation.

Unfortunately for Sale, it took just one minute for their season to come to aclose, after Wonthaggi scrambled the first goal for the day at the netball court end.

From there, the Power held firm, all the while thewindwas still up to its tricks, resulting in a few ‘inside outside 50s’ recorded.

Cooper McInnes showedthe lengths that were required to combat the breeze deep in the last term, kicking aset shot goal that swung violently from left to right.

Stan Urbanic would have been starting the ball at cover point and ending it at deep backward square in these conditions.

Conversely,Walker showed just what was possible kicking with the tailwind. The left footer launcheda torpedo from fullbackthat landed literally at centre half forward.

The bad news continued for Sale, who now hold

Finals observations withLiamDurkin

Conditions of carnage

WINDgusts haveplayed havoc across the state this last week

At Bairnsdale City Oval for the Gippsland League Elimination Final last Sunday, the westerly breeze was so strong the goalpostshonestlylooked as though they were going to topple over.

It took untilthe last quarter of the senior match foragoal to be kicked at the netball court end of the ground.

This was the first goal kicked at this end across the entire senior and reserves games. Spare athought for those manning the gates. With the carpark at Bairnsdale City Oval and MaffraRecreation Reserve not sealed,dust storms were afrequent sight. Three votes to the gatekeepers.

Rallying the troops

PETER Morrison was at his oratory best last Sunday.

Having kicked six goals in the third quarter of the elimination final against Traralgon, the Sale reserves coach revved up hischargeswith“the foot is on their throat… finish them!” Whilesome mightdecry thisapproach, standingbyand hearing the address, you couldn't help but want to throw ajumper on and get out there yourself.

Morrison played close to 100 V/AFL games for South Melbourne in the 1970s and early 80s, at a time when 'blood and guts' speeches were common. His old school methods still clearly work.

Last Sunday made it three consecutiveeliminationfinal wins for Morrisoninhis time as Sale coach. The Magpies have made the last two reserves Grand Finals without the luxury of the double chance. Morrison is well-known for his ability to inspire, and connect with players.

Before last Sunday's elimination final, he wrote each Sale player aletter, which was made available as they walked into the change room.

Morrison also coached Stratford to multiple

the record for lowest score in an elimination final, ‘beating’ the 4.9 (33) scored by Drouin against Moe in 2019.

Strangelyenough,the Magpies return of 5.6 (36) in last year’s elimination final against Traralgon was the second-lowest heading into the match.

Holmes battledhard, as didShannenLange, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Andrew Campbell, Will Leslie and Patrick Tainsh.

Best for Wonthaggi was RyanSparkes, who was credited with 50 touches. Shannon Bray got off the chain due to Leslie’s injury, while Chugg,

Josh Bates, Jarryd Blair and FergusO’Connor all did well.

Blair was quite animated after the final siren, possibly knowing the trip to Bairnsdale will be the biggest hurdle to overcome these finals.

The win brings the Power’s winning streak to six games, to go with nine from their last 10. Wonthaggi continuetokeepthe remaining finals teams nervous, and now haveanassignment against Traralgon in ado-or-die semi.

Hit arranged in advance

FOOTBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

BY LIAM DURKIN

LEONGATHA forward Jack Ginnane has revealedhis hitonMaffra’s Sam Plemingin the 2017 Gippsland League Grand Final was orchestrated.

Ginnane was sent off after collecting Pleming during the second quarter of that year’s epic, which the Parrots got up to win by one point.

seniorpremierships in the East Gippsland league.

In 2019, the Swans needed to win the last game of the season to make finals.

The home rooms at Stratford were set to be demolished after thegame, so Morrison had players write namesofeveryperson they couldthinkof connected to the club on the wall

By allreports,Stratfordpeople swear it wasthe most motivationalthing they'd ever witnessed.

GaryJones affect

AHUGE sliding doors moment in the reserves.

Maffra had points for awin taken off them during the year against Bairnsdale for playing club great Gary Jones without the right permit. That result meant Bairnsdalefinished third and Traralgon fourth on the ladder.

Traralgon then lost the eliminationfinal against Sale, and Bairnsdale won the qualifying final against Maffra.

Had the Eaglesnot made that administrative error, Sale’s reserves would have faced Bairnsdale on their home ground.

The luck of the draw in afinal.

Dale's delight

BAIRNSDALE is quickly becoming everyone's second favourite club this finals series.

And with good reason.

The Redlegswon the AGrade netballelimination final on Sunday, after making finals for the first time in more than 10 years.

Bairnsdale didnot even field aBGrade team last season. On the football field, the Redlegs reservesare just one win away from aGrand Final. Finding players for the reserves can be abattle at the best of times, yet alone when you are faced with the travel that confronts Bairnsdale every fortnight during the season. Keep in mind Bairnsdale competes with Wy Yung and Lucknow for players,and these are clubs located within Bairnsdale itself. Shouldthere really be anyexcusethen for other clubs?

Speaking on an extended episode of the Talking Parrots Podcast alongside Ginnane, Leongatha’s 2017 premiership captain Hayden Browne said his teammate had been assigned thejob on Plemingbyaruthless Parrots coach in Beau Vernon

As Browne recalled, Vernon’s preparation for the Grand Final was so thorough, he produced notes on every opposition Maffra player.

“Pleming was asuper centre half back and their key player, we thought he was abit not sure under the high ball. On his little spiel it said ‘do not miss achance to clean him up’,” Browne said.

Given his solid build and likeness for 'crash and bash', Ginnane was seen as the perfect choice.

“Beau used to hassle Jack for weeks before the Grand Final, ‘you get achanceJack, run through him’, he’d be at training and he’d be like ‘Pleming, what are you going to do Jack?’

He was just at him,” Browne said.

“We spoke about it in the lead up, if anyone can get rid of him (Pleming), that would be ideal for us because he justtook intercept mark after intercept mark,” Ginnane added.

The Parrots enjoyed adream starttothe match, kicking seven goals in the first quarter at TedSummerton Reserve.

The Eagleshit back in the second term, adding five goals to make it aseven-point ballgame at the main break.

Maffra’s cause was helpedbythe fact Leongatha played two short, for it wasn’t just Ginanne who was sinbinned, but midfielder Luke Bowman as well.

With the coach’s instructions ringing in his ear, Ginnane did whathewas told once ahigh ball came in the direction of Pleming.

“The ball goes up, Ithought Iwas achance to get there, but was abit late. He marked it and Icamethrough,” Ginnane said.

Pleming not only took the mark, but was awardeda50metrepenalty, allthe while Maffra players came in to remonstrate. Ginnane left the ground withabloodnose, but said there was no hard feelings.

“He’s apretty good bloke Sam Pleming, he’s aguy who would always buy you abeer after the game,” he said.

“I certainly wasn’t planningtoget sent off, it was mainly lay abump on him or something and just show abit of physicality. As Ijumped Iwas like ‘I’m abit late here’, so Itried to tuck into the ball and not really kill him.I was fortunatetobrush through him and collected him just. Certainly wasn’t the intention to really hurt him.

“It blew up abit,the third umpire runs on in his trackie dacks up around his waist, he comes flyingout, it was blownout of proportion abit.” The clash was quickly put to bed, with Ginnane saying Pleming even told him the incident “might have been over-umpired abit” once the two crossed paths back out on the ground.

Still, Ginnane had to face the music at the tribunal, made slightly more inconvenient by the fact it clashedwith his premiership celebrations.

“Theseguysare on Mad Monday, having a beer on Tuesday and I’m sitting at Morwell waiting to go in there,” he said.

“Sammy didn’tend up coming, he wrote aletter and justsaid‘this is how it went,there was barely anycontact at all, yes it was probably alittle bit late, maybe a50metre penalty’, he vouched for me which was really good of him.” In the wash-up, given league officials were at thegame and the match was filmed, those concerned with reaching averdict were satisfied and the case was thrown out.

Ginnane resumed his celebrations following the hearing, getting dropped off at Bowman’s. His fate could perhaps be appreciated when compared to other notable instances of players carrying out direction from their senior leaders. Harold Larwood never played Test cricket again after Bodyline.Cameron Bancroft should be entering his prime as aTest player. Ginanne’s roughstyle mayhave caught up with him five years later, afterhewas suspendedfor eight weeks and missed the Parrots’ 2022 flag.

Listening to the episode, it is little wonder Leongatha has enjoyedthe incredible run of success it has, such is their uncompromising nature

Another revelation out of the 2017 decider was that Vernon made every Leongatha player stare down asingleMaffra opponent thought to be mentally fragile during the national anthem. Maffraand Leongathaenjoyedahealthy rivalry in the last half of the 2010s,facingeach other in four consecutive grand finals.

The ledger went 2-2, with the Eagles saluting in 2016 and '19, and the Parrots going backto-back in 2017-18. Such aresult was deemed fair given the strength of both sides during that time.

Mastermind: Wonthaggicoach Jarryd Blair at ground level. Blair showedhecertainlywasn’t playing favourites,leaving his Collingwood premiership teammate Nathan Brownout of the Powerteam for Sunday’sfinal.

Photographs: Liam Durkin

Dogs season stopped by Tiger train

FOOTBALL

MID GIPPSLAND BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

FOSTERadvanced to the Mid Gippsland FootballNetball LeagueGrand Final after defeating Newborough, 8.6 (54) to 4.13 (37) in Sunday's first semi-final.

Windy conditions were temperedatYinnar Recreation Reserve, with many weather factors coming into play.

Light rain presented itself from the get-go, with centre-field being the primary location the ball spent for amajority of the opening term.

Both sides were determined and fixed on asuccessful result, with Newborough coming from the depths to beat Morwell East by apoint and Foster collecting their first finals victory since joining the MGFNLagainst MDU the week previous.

The Tigers’ Michael Cooke booted the opener, which proved to be an exceptional result given how the rest of the quarter played out.

Ground conditions made it difficult to see agood run of play from either side. Newborough found one of their sweetest opportunities from sheerwill and brilliance from along kick-out upon aFoster miss that carried and saw the ball linked up and hit

forward to Jack Robinson, who smartly fisted the ball forward with returning Bulldog Kyle Jennings running past and snapping their first.

The first quarter concluded with Newborough ahead 1.3 (9) to 1.2 (8).

Newborough controlled tempo and used the length of the field in an attempt to break down Foster meticulously.

Half-back LiamCordner eventually hadthe ball on the clubroom side, and upon ahit off-ball, was taken 50 metres closer to send the Bulldogs ahead by nine points.

Newborough continued to control possession, with Fosternot nearly as dangerous as they were to open proceedings. In one of their first opportunities for the quarter, Leevi Lidstone exited apacktosnap from 40 out directly in front for the Tigers’ second goal of the game.

Following that, the Bulldogs won possession again and begantochiparound for afew more inside 50s, however, before anyone knew what was going on, when the ball was being fought inside the centre square, aNewborough defender wascalled for ahit off the ball on Jake Best -putting it in the Tigers’ leading goal-kickers hands.

Best snagged another less than aminutelater, and after the Bulldogs had positioned themselves

appropriately, went into halftime with a4.3 (27) to 2.6 (18) deficit hanging over their heads.

Returning after the main break, Foster weren’t about to go back on the work, and only added to it.

CodyBanbury leaptfor afine mark in traffic before going back and easily seeing through the Tiger’s fifth of the day, to see their lead out to 14 points.

Star Bulldog Nathan Wheildon wasn't going to let his side go down without afight, and kicked a set shot straight in front 30 metres out to cut the margin back to nine points.

Momentum seemed to be returning the way of Newborough, who held groundfor awhile inside50.

Astoppage in the middle of attacking zone had the ball flicked out the back, with Jennings on his own with no Foster defender near.

Stucktoo close to the boundary lineand on a tighter angle then one wouldlike, he missed.A goal there would have brought the game under agoal.

That was one of many opportunitiesfromthe Bulldogs in frontofgoal that went awry in the last twoquarters, either spraying through the smaller sticks or out on the full entirely.

Newborough also seemed to be losing their grip, as Foster worked it down for astoppage in their forward pocketwithapush in the back being award the Tigersway on the throw-inbefore

MID GIPPSLAND

Littore. Newborough: NWheildon LFlahavin NCur tis ZSkinner PCharles MEdebohls

BMoscript JDunn. BEST: Newborough: JBowden JWhittaker RWilson JBrincat JDuncan JBland.Meeniyan Dumbalk Utd: CMcInnes MSmith ATreaseM Harris BMoscript ABattersby SEMIFINAL

Yinnar:JGarlick 3CLePage 2MNelson2KAlexander KElphick TRenwick.Mor

players disputed the decision, which made the shot aguarantee upon a50-metre penalty. Three quarter time arrived and Foster led 6.6 (42) to 3.10 (28).

Newborough had one final chance to salvage its season. Foster continued to rise above and stuck aknife in the Bulldogs, draining their confidence. When Jake Rathjeen snapped for Foster’s eighth goal of the day, it spelt the end of Newborough's season.

Brendan Neville was bestonfor the winners, followed by Dylan Williams, Josh Toner, Best (three goals), James Morris and Tom Littore. Whieldon capped off aphenomenal season and should hold his head firmly high. Liam Flahavin returned to the squad and was an instant impact, while Nathan Curtis, Zac Skinner, PatCharles and Max Edebohls rounded out Newborough’s best. The game was the last for Newborough coach Craig Skinner,who is preparingtohand over to Patt Frendo.

Frendohas one more gameinchargeofthe Bulldogs reserves, andwill be aiming to see the side to premiership glory in afortnight. Skinneroffered asuccinct summation of the game.

“Both teams had their chances. Unfortunately we didn’t make the most of ours and when it’s an elimination finalyou don’tget another crack if your skill level isn’t at the level required on the day," he said.

MID GIPPSLAND PRELIMINARYFINALS

Saturday, September 7at Ronald Reserve, Morwell East

FOOTBALL

Seniors(2.20pm): Yinnar vs Foster Reserves(12.30pm): Yinnar vs MDU

Thirds (10.45am): Yinnar vs Newborough

NETBALL

AGrade (2.15pm): Yinnar vs MDU

BGrade (1pm): Boolarra vs Stony Creek

CGrade (12pm): MDU vs Mirboo North

DGrade (11am): Stony Creek vs Yinnar

17 Under (10am): TooravsMDU

15 Under (9am): Toora vs Yinnar

13 Under (8am): Hill End vs MDU

Second chance for Yinnar

AS good as Fish Creekand Yinnar had been for the entirety of the 2024 season, none of it might have amounted to anything if they weren't able to take the opportunity that was on offer at the weekend.

That offer was adirect route to the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League Grand Final, as well as aweek's rest to prepare.

Fish Creek was the team to take the opportunity, afterbeating Yinnar 8.5 (53)to4.7 (31) in the second semi-final at Newborough.

The reigning premiers performance now putsthem in aposition of going back-to-back.

Kangaroos coach Jarrod Walker was pleased with the result.

“A great teamgame, hadevencontributors across the ground with acouple of stand out performers," he said.

"Our defensive game and pressure was at alevel it needed to be for finals and we were able to sustain that for the whole game.

"Yinnar were able to get momentum goingthere waythroughoutthe game but it was good that we were able to slow the game down and close it out."

In blustery conditions, Yinnar got off to astart that would been labelled satisfactory -atwo point lead at quarter time in agame that hadn't hit any lofty heights. However, in the second quarter Fish Creek showed some flashes of brilliance, with two goals inside the first two minutes. Yinnar couldjustnot find away forward, as the discipline and shapeofthe reigning premier made it hard to break through.

The Kangaroos had five different goal scorers for their handful of goals, before a lift in work rate and attack on the ball saw Kane Grinstead Jones, who was shaping as the Magpies best, convert two majors in time on, sending his side into the main break trailingbyjust 12 pointsand still within striking distance

The Magpies found Fish Creek's spread hard to counter, and two quick goals in the early part of the third quarter really started to turn the screwsonthe Magpies.

Somereally good attacks on the body slowed Fish Creek, but it didn't stop them as they went into the three quarter time break leading by 16 points.

The final 30 minutes played out pretty much as the first three quarters did. Yinnar was honestintheir efforts, but just not quite at the level to reel the Fish Creek side in.

"Fish Creek certainly handled the

conditions better than us and had alot of theplay in therefront half," Yinnarcoach SamMcCulloch said "Threeearlygoals in thesecondquarter to Fish Creek was what broke the game open and we were never able to peg the margin back.”

PreliminaryFinal preview

Yinnar

vs Foster

THISisquitethe intriguingencounter given themorehighly rated Yinnar is coming in after aloss, clashing with aFoster side that brings with it two impressive finals wins.

To add to the mix is the fact that these two teams have met just once during the year. That came in Round 12, and on that occasion the Tigers were comprehensive winnersbysix goals, 10.11 (71)to4.11 (35) Foster has been tipped by many to be the side that could go all the way, and certainly their previous victory over Yinnar was one in which they took away many positives. Finals however are adifferent level altogether,and someplayers, indeed some teams, find more than they knew they even had. Neither of these sides are showing signs of faltering to be fair, so all indications are it really can go either way

Best in the business: Foster’s Jake Best takesamarkinfront of Newborough’sDarnellGrech.

Photograph supplied.

GIP PSLAND’ ST RANSIT ION TO A

What lies ahead for Gippsland’s place in the energy future?

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Latrobe Valley leadingthe way y

GIPPSLAND and the Latrobe Valley areatthe forefront of Australia’senergy transformation, with new transmission now being coordinated by VicGrid to connect offshorewind and other clean energy generation to the grid.

As our ageing coal-fired power stations retireand arereplaced by renewables, our energy grid needs to change to carry power from new renewableenergy sources across the state to Victorian homes and businesses.

VicGrid is working to make surethis change delivers the safe, reliable and affordable power that Victoria needs for the future and that host communities have asay in and can shareinthe benefits of the energy transition.

Critical newtransmission

NEW transmission infrastructureiscritical to get energy from new areas whereitis generated to homes and businesses where it is used.

Victoria’sgrid was designed to transport power from the Latrobe Valley,where our coal-fired power plants arebased.

However,our renewableresources are dispersed across Victoria -fromour windy coastlines to our sunny plains. In Gippsland, VicGrid is leading acoordinated approach to transmission infrastructuredevelopment for offshorewind generation in line with the state government’soffshorewind generation targets.

Without this coordination, offshorewind energy developers would develop multiple, private transmission lines. We want to avoidthe spaghetti effect of powerlines criss-crossing the landscape, while we minimise impacts on people’shomes, livelihoods, power bills and the environment. New transmission infrastructurewill play a crucial role in meeting the first offshorewind capacity target of at least 2gigawatts (GW) by 2032 -enough at full capacity to power 1.5 million homes.

Next steps to refine the area

EARLIER this year,VicGrid confirmed the study area for the new transmission, which was developed through community consultation during 2023.

Assessment of environmental, visual, land use, heritage, cost and technical factors found that new overhead transmission lines along an area away from major towns provided the best way of balancing the need to keep household energy bills down while minimising impacts for Gippsland communities.

The study area begins about six kilometres from the coast near Giffardand travels north-west past Stradbroke West to Willung, across to Flynns Creek and then to the Loy Yang Power Station.

In the next couple of months, VicGrid will open the next phase of consultation to help us further understand sensitive areas and refine thestudy area for the new transmission. We will continue to shareour method for refinement and consult openly, using careful assessment of land in the study area against clear criteria to help us balance competing priorities such as land use, biodiversity,cultural values and impacts on land holders.

VicGrid will refine thestudy area to a

transmission easement in several phases, ensuring opportunities for consultation and providing updates on our decision making.

Working with landholders

VICGRID has established adedicated landholder engagement team to work with landholders in the study area for the new offshorewind transmission line.

Over the coming months, we’ll contact landholders in the study area to discuss land access for ecology field studies. We need to understand areas of ecological significance that may exist on private land that we can only study at certain times of the year,suchasinspring and summer.

If you arealandholder in the study area and would like moreinformation about our spring and summer studies, please contact our landholder engagement team on 1800 959 431 or at landholders@deeca.vic.gov au.

Providing access to land for these studies is voluntaryand thereisnoobligation to participate.

Transmission forfuture offshorewind targets

VICGRID’S current focus is on connecting the first 2GWofoffshorewind energy tothe grid by 2032

We also need to think longer termsothat what we build now supports futuretargetsof at least 4GWby2035 and 9GWby2040. While no decisions have been made on transmission for the futuretargets, ourearly technical work indicates that in Gippsland, asecond transmission corridor and loop tie would be needed to accommodate these targets. The work toplan these next stages is being undertaken as partof the first Victorian Transmission Plan NewTransmission Plan

VICGRID is putting in place anew

approach toplanning renewable energy and transmission as we transition away from coal-fired power

This new approach givescommunities areal say from the verybeginning of the process and includes along-termstrategic plan we call the Victorian Transmission Plan. The plan will ensurewebuild the right amount of energy infrastructureinthe right places at the right time to deliver power to Victorian homes and businesses and that we don’tbuild morethanweneed so we can minimise impacts and keep costs down for consumers.

We have recently released draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines that explain how we will deliver the plan and what areas we areinvestigating.

The guidelines include amap of an initial study area for further investigation for potential futurerenewable energy zones. This mapisthe first step in aprocess that will occur over the next 12 months.

The initial study area will be narrowed down to much smaller areas as we work to define futurerenewable energy zones. We need the input of regional communities, farmers, landholders and First Peoples to help us get this right. Consultation on the study area in the guidelines is open until Monday, September 30 2024. Youcan read the plan and find out how to have your say at engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan

Benefits forhost communities

ONE of the key things we’ve heardfrom regional communities is that many people don’tfeelthe benefits of transition arebeing shared fairly

The state government has listened to this and has come up with anew approach to delivering real benefits forregional

communities. This approach includes new Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Community Energy Funds for communities, payments for host landholders, payments for significantly impacted neighbours and acommitment to co-design benefits for Traditional Owners.

Through our consultation with Gippsland communities, we have already heardabout potential priorities for local investment through the REZ Community Energy Funds, including promoting local energy reliability

The final Community Benefits Plan, expected to be released in late 2024, will provide further detail about thetypes ofprojects that can be funded and how decisions about funding will be made.

Youcan read more aboutthe Renewable Energy Zone Community Benefit Plan at engage.vic.gov.au/ vtif-rez-community-benefits

Gippsland NewEnergy Conference

VICGRID is proud to be asponsor of the Gippsland New Energy Conference, the premier gathering for Australia’sregional leaders in the transition to renewable energy

This year’sprogram brings together industry, community, Traditional Owners and government entities to have genuine conversations about Gippsland’skey role in the energy transition.

We congratulate the Gippsland Climate Change Network for their work organising arich program in2024that will featureimportant discussions about the opportunities and challenges of the transition.

Amap showing the new transmission being coordinated by VicGrid.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

GlaWac settoplaybig role c

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE Gunaikurnai Land and Waters

Aboriginal Corporation, which represents about 3000 Indigenous people in Gippsland, is gearing up to be an integral partofthe renewableenergytransition in Gippsland.

GlaWac Chief Executive, Daniel Miller,will be akeynote speaker on the first day of the Gippsland New Energy Conference.

“GlaWac is excited about the opportunities and possibilities that come with renewable energy and the transition get away from coal and fossil fuel energy sources. They have left their mark on Gunaikurnai Country over the past 100 years. So, we areexcited about being apositive contributor to the new opportunities,” he said in the lead-up to the conference.

“Our focus is on protecting Countryand cultureaswesee it and looking at the best way for the Gunaikurnai people and other Aboriginal people to be apartofthese new industries.”

Mr Miller said offshorewind farms were definitely of interest to the Gunaikurnai.

“Native title interest does not extend that far,that is in many ways irrelevant, but through changing sea levels over thousands of years, the area wherethey arelikely to be situated (the seabed) was partof Gunaikurnai Country, so thereisdefinitelyan interest. The infrastructureneeds to come ashore, so thereare multiple touch points that arerelevant to today.”

Mr Miller said it was important that the Gunaikurnai people be recognised as rights holders.

“They arerecognised by all levels of government as being the First Nations people for here, that deserves some recognition as well,” he said.

Solar and wind farms on land arealso important issues.

“Concernisnot the right word, but they have to meet planning and cultural heritage requirements. We arearegistered Aboriginal party and that means we are partofthatassessment of the impact on Country,”hesaid.

“That is alegislative responsibility; we don’t have the power to stop them per se, but we have some influence over the impact on Country. We arebeing an active contributor in that regardaswelland we will always advocate for the best use of Country. If the

alternative is another big hole in the ground, or continue to have big holes in the ground, which Ithink is far moreofanimpact.”

Native title rights extend over large parts of Gippsland. Mr Miller explained that the footprint goes from the Snowy River -Marlo and Orbost -‘zig-zags’ up to Mt Hotham, towards Warragul and Drouin, and goes down to Foster

“The current native title boundaryalso extends 200 metres offshore. It’sall about 1.33 million hectares.”

Native title extends mainly to Crown land, but not all Crown land.

“If someone owns ahouse or farmas freehold, thereisnoimpact. Native title is relevant to the whole footprint, but only impacts specifically to areas with native title to Crown land,” he said.

GlaWac is aregistered Aboriginal party

“If you aregoing to be adeveloper and build units, or caravan park, you have to go through some planning steps. One is to address the requirements of the Aboriginal CultureHeritageAct, which means we work with you to minimise the impact, for example, on test digs, or removing artefacts safely.Itdoesn’thold up development but protects cultureheritage as best we can.”

Mr Miller said GlaWac was actively doing some policy work on renewableenergy GlaWac says that historically,the energy sector in Gippsland has taken away irreplaceable cultural heritage and had an impact on the connection to Country

-mainly through the gas pipeline project and the coal-fired power stations -but renewable energy also has issues.

Some of the keyfacets of the GlaWac renewableenergy strategy include:

The impact of offshorewind on whales, seabirds, migrating birds and culturally significant species;

The need for landscape restoration after damage to coastal environments and cultural sites;

The Gunaikurnai’sroletocollaborate in the monitoring and protecting biodiversity affected by development and have access to all data;

Countryshould be returned toits previous natural state atthe endofaproject.

Decommission planning and adequate rehabilitation bonds arerequired up front;

Cultural heritage protection such as Ancestors’ resting places;

The Gunaikurnai tobeembedded in the management of Country, including in Environmental Effects Statements, technical reference groups and other relevant processes;

Economic independence -ongoing revenue to be held in trust for the Gunaikurnai community;

Aboriginal businesses be empowered to respond to the opportunities presented by the renewable energy transition, and; The transition should create jobs for the Gunaikurnai.

Magnesium recycling project

By PHILIP HOPKINS

LATROBE Magnesium has established amajor new plant in the Latrobe Valley that cleans up waste from the brown coal power stations, effectively establishing an important recycling project as partofthe circular economy

The company,which is usingits own patented technology to eventually produce magnesium for the international market from the Valley’sbrown coal fly ash, is amajor boost to Valley industry and jobs.

Latrobe Magnesium in May announced the completion of commissioning for the first phase of its 1000 tonnes per annum, Stage 1demonstration plant. The plant, which was built over the past year,produces what Latrobe Magnesium (LMG) says is the world’sfirst environmentally sustainable Magnesium Oxide from fly ash -awaste product from the Yallournpower station.

Production of MgO is the prerequisite for proceeding to the next stage of the operation, acommercial plant with a capacity of morethan 10,000 tonnes per annum of magnesium metal. This output is 100 per cent contracted.

Magnesium is classified as acritical mineral in multiple countries, with no current producers across Japan, North America, Europe and the Middle East. LMG said completing the commissioning phase marked abig milestone in pioneering asustainable magnesium extraction method at an industrial scale. Using the company’sworld-first hydromet

process showed the value of LMG’s intellectual property

LMG will now startabankable feasibility study and financial discussions for the commercial plant. The chief operating officer at LMG, Ronan Gillen, said an investment decision on the commercial plant was expected by the end of the year.“We hope to have the commercial plant operating in 2026,” he said, during atour of the plant.

Mr Gillen believes that construction of the commercial plant would create more than 300 jobs, while the fully operating plant would have 50-60 permanent jobs. The aim was to employ locals, such as former workers from Australian Paper,hesaid.

LMG will extract the magnesium metal and other saleable materials from the industrial fly ash, awaste resource from the Yallournbrown coal power station. Therewas enough ash from the Yallourn power station for 50 years’ operation, Mr Gillen said.

LMG has been doing research and development on its pioneering technology for 20 years, with various forms of technology tried. The proprietary hydromet process has been extensively tested at laboratories and the CSIRO. Long-term20-year supply agreements of fly ash and ferro-nickel slag waste feedstocks for the plant’sproduction have been secured.

LMG’schief executive, David Paterson, said as the only Westernproducer of MgO, the importance of LMG’s

production was “globally significant”. Currently Australia imports 100per centof the 8000 tonnes annually consumed. According to LMG, global magnesium demand is forecast to double to two million tonnes by 2027. Magnesium is increasingly used in the manufactureof itemssuch as car parts, electric vehicles, laptop computers, mobile phones and power tools.

Mr Gillen said high quality magnesium would be produced from the Yallournfly ash, with the whole operation cleaning up some of the environmental legacy of the Valley

“Thereare no downstream tailings or waste,” he said. The project employs the principles of the circular economy; it turns 100 per cent of potentially hazardous industrial wastes into magnesium metal and valuable by-products.

These saleable by-products including iron oxide, silica, char,agricultural lime and supplementarycementitious material for premium, low CO2 cement production.

LMG said it was the only new magnesium producer in the Westernworld since 2015 with sustainable production emitting 60 per cent less carbon dioxide than the industryaverage.

Mr Gillen said five-to-six years ago, LMG had been in talks with the Hazelwood power station to take its ash. “Wewere close to adealwhen Engie closed the power station. We regrouped and started talks with Yallourn. Energy Australia is

totally on board,” he said.

Mr Gillen, aprocess engineer who has worked in mining for morethan 25 years, including many stints in Western Australia, has been with LMG for threeand-a-half years.

For half that time, he worked in production management beforehe became sick of the remote mining life and transferred to the engineering and construction industry, working on many big projects. He came to LMG with great operation and project delivery experience.

The LMG plant is located on the site of Don di Fabrizio’sformer steel construction business, whose steel fabrication was used in building the Loy Yang power station. Other companies leased the land beforeLatrobe Magnesium took over

“LMG bought the land offDon,who was excited to see his legacy being put into good use. It’sa shame he is not here to see it (Mr di Fabrizio died in January2022). The sons visit- they’re thrilled the firm’slegacy is being remembered,” Mr Gillen said.

The ash is transported by truck for the demonstration plant stage. During the EPAapplication,MrGillen said there werenoobjections, but other arrangements would be put in place for long term.

Mr Gillen said the commercial plant would make the company less reliant on debt.

GlaWac Chief Executive, Daniel Miller

Here for generations to come s

FOR Lisa Gooding, working on the closure of Yallournpower station is personal.

”My parents met in the YallournPower Station drafting office in the early 70s, got married and raised afamily in the Valley,” she explains.

“My dad worked in the power industry, as did my uncle. My brother and Ihave followed in their footsteps. It’safamiliar storythroughout the Valley.Generations of families have worked at Yallourn. “It’smuch morethan aplace of employment. It’satthe heartofthe community.”

Understanding Yallourn’ssignificance to the community has been at the coreof EnergyAustralia’sapproachtoits closurein 2028.

“It was important to us to give workers and the community seven years’ notice and to then create asupport program so that people can continue to work and live in the Valley beyond closure,” Ms Gooding said.

In November 2022, EnergyAustralia established its pioneering $10 million YallournTransition Program, offering employees the chance to retrainand preparefor new opportunities.

Available to Yallournworkers,the program provides services to help plan, prepare, and upskill for the future, whether they are seeking new employment, considering retirement, or exploring self-employment.

Tash Agafonoff, aunitcontroller at Yallourn, said she started her career as apower station chemist, and is now

studying aMaster of Arts in Writingand Literature, looking to pursue acareer in communications.

“A career pivot isn’tanew thing for me. I started as apower station chemist, then moved into operations. My studies in writing and literaturewill hopefully take me into an exciting career path in public relations, marketing or social media,” she said.

James Kelly,arigger in the Maintenance Response Team,iscurrently studying a Masters in Environmental Science, an area he has long had an interest in.

“I’m particularly interested in catchment management, ecology and biodiversity

The field of environmental science is broad and of increasing importance, so Iknow thereare plenty of exciting opportunities in a world beyond 2028,” he said.

ACareers Fair held at Yallournin mid-August attracted morethan 20 suppliers from across Gippsland; all were interested in speaking to the workforce about potential training and career opportunities after closure.

“Weknowour team at Yallournis enormously talented and have skills that arevaluabletoothers in the growing clean energy sector.It wasgreat to see this confirmed through the goodwill of local organisations at the Careers Fair wanting to help Yallournworkforce identify new opportunities,” Ms Gooding said.

Opportunities for workers could include transitioning into renewables, with arecent reportshowing how transferable coal

workers’ skills aretothe offshorewind sector

The reportmaps offshorewind jobs and training opportunities to jobs currently being performed at the Yallourncoal-fired power station and mine –capturing morethan half the workforce. It outlines the skills and qualifications that arethe same across coal and wind jobs, identifies additional training requirements and highlights wherethe courses areoffered locally in Gippsland.

EnergyAustralia, Southerly Ten, Federation University and TAFE Gippsland collaborated on the reportwith funding from the state government’sClean Economy Workforce Capacity Building Fund.

It is expected theremay also be critical roles within EnergyAustralia’sexisting gas-fired power stations, with Jeeralang only 20 minutes away from Yallourn.

Australia’srenewables-based energy system needs lots of solar,wind, and storage capacity,and importantly it will also need gas-fired generation in reserve as we transition to aclean energy future.

Upgrades have been made to the Jeeralang Power Station near Morwell to help ensure it can provide quick-fireenergy capacity when thereisn’tenoughwind and solar in the system to meet demand.

EnergyAustralia is committed to aclean energy futureand has invested toensure that the Gippsland region plays its role.

It is building the 350MW Wooreen Energy Storage System next tothe Jeeralang Power Station to help storesurplus energy for when

customers need it. The project expects to requireupto80jobsduring construction.

Supporting workers to preparefor the closureofYallournisone partof EnergyAustralia’sapproach to helping ensureGippsland is partofthe clean energy transition.

“The Latrobe Valley has helped power Australian homes and businesses for over 100 years. We don’twantthis legacy to end with the closureofcoal generated power,” head of Yallourn, Greg McIntyresaid.

“Our first focus is on making sureYallourn continues to beareliablesource of energy in the lead-up to closureand we are partway through a$400M investment into the operations of the Yallourn power station and mine.”

“Wefeel astrongsense of community within the Valley.Wehavebeenherefor decades andalthough Yallournis closing in 2028, we still have work to do. Anew CommunityHub has opened in Morwell in August to share EnergyAustralia’svisionfor aclean energy futurefor Gippsland with the community,” Ms Gooding added.

“It’satimeofgreat change in the Valley.The Hubisone part of how we will work with the community to identify and reimagine what the futureofenergy generation will be in the region.”

EnergyAustralia’sCommunity Hub is located at 28 Commercial Road Morwell and is open Tuesdayand Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Committee announces alliance

By TONY CANTWELL

INVESTING in our clean energy futurehas never been so important.

As our region undergoes monumental change through an energy transition to net zero, Gippsland has an enormous energy futureasAustralia’sleading offshorewind zone.

But there’swork to do, and our community and industryneed to be partofthe process. Governments at all levels need to demonstrate acommitment to regional Australia that secures investment in our infrastructure, our industries and our people. Australia’spathway to net zerowill require investment in our region that drives industry, supports employment and creates opportunities for our communities across Gippsland.

Gippsland is positioned to take aleading role in the clean energy transition for Victoria and, indeed, the whole country. We have aproud historyofenergygeneration, unparalleled natural resources, asolid base of infrastructureand network connections, askilled workforce, and astrong tradition as the backbone of Victoria’selectricity grid. Gippsland can take aleading role in Australia’sclean energy future, and offshore wind will be central to delivering this.

In December 2022, the federal government declared an area of the Bass Strait offthe Gippsland coast as Australia’sfirst offshore wind zone.

Offshorewind will play akey role in Australia’stransition to net zero. But there’swork to be done. Getting anew

industry developed and offthe ground in Australia requires all levels of government, community and industryworking together

That is why as partofthe Gippsland New Energy Conference, we areproud to be launching the Gippsland OffshoreWind Alliance to be delivered by the Committee for Gippsland and the Gippsland Climate Change Network.

The Alliance will create alocal platform that operates through acooperative and collaborative approach to engagement and advocacy to supportthe region’sambition to successfully deliver our energy transition through offshorewind.

While the energy source may change, our region’svision to continue being Victoria’s powerhouse remains the same.

By embracing innovation through technology,increasingemployment participation, ensuring reliable and affordable energy continues to be our strength for our industry, Gippsland can be the exemplar to other regions undergoing transition across Australia.

We allhave arole to play in Gippsland’s energy future. Some of the steps that government can undertake to ensurenot only ajusttransition, but one that value adds to our region include:

Supportclean energy flagship projects that arebacked by the community Whether it is hydrogen, solar,CCUS (carbon captureutilisation and storage), onshoreand offshorewind, clean energy

projects need government supportto secureGippsland’senergy transition. Bolster Gippsland’senabling infrastructure by investing in transmission and port infrastructure.

Identify,train and upskill the next generation of clean energy employees. Gippsland is fortunate to have regional education providers committed to developing theworkforceneeded to supportGippsland’sfuture

Invest in economic opportunities to supportthe communitytransition. The community needs to be supported through the transition with social infrastructuresuchashealth and education services that add to our livability and enhances our reputation as aplace to live, work and invest.

Create the right regulatorysettings. Governments at all levels must ensure that legislation and policy settings enable regional investment and send aclear message that Gippsland is open for business.

By engaging with business and industry, regional leaders and the community, Gippsland’sstrengths can be brought to the foreand help Australia realise its net zero future.

Investing in Gippsland nowisdelivering Australia’sclean energy future.

Tony Cantwell is the chief executive of the Committeefor Gippsland

The Gippsland Offshore Wind Alliance will be launched at the Gippsland New Energy Conference.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Gasthe vitallink in transition

AT Esso Australia, we areproud to have a long historyofreliably supplying essential gas to Australians, with everymolecule of our Gippsland gas going exclusively to the domestic market.

Since Esso and BHP drilled Australia’sfirst offshorewellin1965, Esso’s engineers and geoscientists have built the legacy that is the Gippsland Basin based on the best people and the best technology to produce morethan five billion barrels of liquids and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

To this day,wecontinue to use our talented team members and advanced technology to ensurewerealise the full potential of our fields. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars, including in projects such as the Kipper Compression Project, which will help supply as much gas alone as is consumed in all of Victoria in a year.This, and other projects currently in consideration, will ensureour Gippsland operations continue well into the next decade.

Gippsland’snatural gas is critical not just for heating homes, but also for the energy transition.

Natural gas is areliable source for required back-up power generation, with the Australian Energy Market Operator recently reporting that 16 per cent gas power generation was required last quarter due to low wind and hydrogeneration. When the wind isn’tblowing enough to turnwind turbines or the sun isn’tshining to fuel solar panels, gas ensures resilience and stability of the grid.

In addition to maintaining afirming role in the electricity market, natural gas is one of the cleanest sources of electricity generation and is key for industries such as glass, bricks, steel, fertiliser,recycling and critical minerals, that don’thave alternative energy or feedstock sources.

While renewableenergy is essential to help us achieve net zero, it is not sufficient alone and cannot reduce emissions in these

metric tons. This accounts for about 40 per cent of all the anthropogenic CO2 that has ever been captured and is equivalent to taking over 25 million cars offthe road

Our recent acquisition of Denburyreflects our determination to profitably grow our Low Carbon Solutions business and we’re harnessing our global knowledge and capability to assess carbon captureand storage inthe Gippsland Basin, which the CSIRO has said has world class geology for CO2 storage.

In 2021, Esso Australia signed two longtermcarbon dioxide supply agreements with Air Liquide and BOC to captureand reuse carbon dioxide. The captured CO2 will be processed in Longfordand used in food and beverage products, in addition to water treatment, desalination, manufacturing and medical industries.

industrial sectorsthat areatthe heartofour modern society

Collaboration through atechnology-neutral approach is key to supporting the transition to alower carbon future, and we’relooking at an array of solutions whilst continuing to produce affordable energy

Globally,weare aleader in carbon capture and storage, cumulatively capturing more CO2 than any other company -120 million

We arealso working with the federal government as they develop policies to encourage the supply of lower emission fuels in the country. Loweremission fuels could make asignificant contribution to decarbonising Australian transport, especially in the harder-to-abate sectors such as heavy transportand aviation, while preserving consumer choice

These projects areall partofour ongoing investment in the Australian economy; we’re supporting the energy transition whilst supplying the energy we arereliedupon for Because, as the countryand ourcompany progress low carbon solutions, gas will continue to play asignificant role in power generation to supportthe energy transition.

Join over 90,000 businesses across Australia and New Zealand on ICN’sGateway platform, connecting large, medium and small enterprises to industr yoppor tunities.

In Victoria, our Gateway database features an impressive number of businesses already linked to Of fshore Wind Projects, with a significant presence in Gippsland.

Over the past four years, ICN has gathered thousands of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for proposed Of fshore Wind Projects in Gippsland, opening doors for businesses to be par tofthis growing industr y.

To connect with us and unlock your potential in the renewables sector,scan the QR code to go to our dedicated Gippsland Project Oppor tunities page

Come visit us on stand 12 at Gipppsland New Energy Conference

Longford’sEsso plant in Gippsland will play akey role in carbon capture.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Pioneering aSustainableFuturewith RenewableEnergyTransition

LATROBE City stands at the forefront of atransformative journey that seeks to leverage its rich industrial heritage and natural resources, leading into the renewable energy sector

Long recognised as apowerhouse of energy generation, contributing significantly to Victoria’senergy needs for morethan acentury, Latrobe City is embracing the opportunity to redefine its future. This includes attracting investment in renewable energy,which will not only provide sustainable and reliable alternative energy sources, but also create new job opportunities in emerging sectors.

Equitable transition is not just about adapting to change; it’salsoabout positioning Latrobe City as ahub for renewable energy innovation and development.

Leading the charge in renewableenergy

LATROBE City Council continues to lead the development of hydrogen technology in the municipality,engaging in arange of activities to supportthe transition to renewable energy

The region’sabundantnatural resources, including vast reserves of brown coal, geothermal potential, and significant opportunities for wind and solar energy offer distinct advantages that can be harnessed to supportthe decarbonisation of Australia’s economy.Latrobe City Council recognises the critical role harnessing natural resources can play in achieving anet-zeroeconomy, not just for Victoria but for the nation, and supports government targets.

One of the council’skey focus areas is the development of hydrogen technology Hydrogen, often referred to as the fuel of the future, has the potential to revolutionise the energy landscape. Latrobe City is well positioned to lead in this space.

The Japanese government’sannouncement of a$2.35 billion AUD investment to establish an international large-scale

liquefied hydrogen supply chain to Japan is atestament to the region’spotential.

This investment builds on the success of the world-first Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) pilot project, which demonstrated that brown coal from Latrobe’sreserves could be used to produce clean liquid hydrogen. The project is built on the foundation of carbon captureand storage (CCS), which is essential to its viability and success. Without CCS, the HESC project would not proceed. This commitment to CCS not only supports the production of clean liquid hydrogen, but also enhances the project’senvironmental credentials by significantly reducing emissions.

“Council is dedicated to advancing renewable energy projects that harness the power of sustainable technologies. Our city is well positioned for hydrogen production, given our historyof energy generation, industrial capacity,and existing infrastructure,” Latrobe City Council Mayor, Darren Howe said.

“Council continues to advocate at state and federal levels for alternative uses of Latrobe Valley brown coal to coal-fired electricity generation, and this includes hydrogen.

“Large-scale investments like the HESC project not only supportour region’sfuture economic growth, but also create new industries and high-value skilled jobs, positioning Latrobe City as aleader in the emerging hydrogen economy.This is an unprecedented opportunity to deliver new jobs and career pathways for our community.”

The HESC project is only one example of how Latrobe City is working to diversify its economy,ensuring the community benefits from the renewable energy transition.

“Wehave abundant natural resources, a skilled and capable workforce, excellent transportation infrastructure, and astrategic geographical location. Bycapitalising on these strengths, we can create an environment that fosters entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable economic growth,” the Mayor said.

“Latrobe City has long been known for its rich natural resources and strong industrial heritage. While we take pride in these foundations, we also recognise the need to adapt and embrace new opportunities to supportretaining and attracting skilled workers and industryto the region.

“As the globaleconomic landscape evolves, it is crucial that we proactively position ourselves to thrive in an increasingly diverse and competitive market

“By embracing renewable energy projects, we can contribute toreducing greenhouse gas emissions, through creating amore sustainableenergy mix that supports the transformation of our economy.”

Acollaborativeapproach to transition

THE transition toarenewable energy future requires acoordinated and collaborative approach, and Latrobe City Council is committed to working closely with stakeholders at all levels. This includes ongoing advocacy at both the state and federal levels for government supportto pursue opportunities in geothermal and hydrogen technologies.

Council’sefforts arefurther bolstered by its strong relationships with industrypartners.

One such partnership is the recent establishment ofthe Dovetail Electric Aviation Development Centre, in collaboration with Dovetail and Invest Victoria. The centreaimsto develop hydrogen technology for regional aircraft, fitting them with batteries and hydrogen propulsion systems toachieve zeroemission flights. This initiative addresses

the environmental impact ofair travel while boosting the clean energy sector

“Weare excited to continue exploring new industries and innovations through clean energy,” Mayor Howe said.

“Council is committed to securing amore sustainable and diverse economy that ensures abetter way of life for the next generation.”

As Latrobe City continues to transition towardafuturepowered by renewable energy,the leadership and vision demonstrated by Latrobe City Council will be crucial in shaping the region’s trajectory. With astrongfocus on sustainable development, job creation, and economic diversification, Latrobe City is well positioned to become ahub for innovation in the renewableenergysector

The investments and initiatives currently underway aremorethanjusteconomic strategies; they area commitment to the long-termprosperity and wellbeing of the community.Byembracing new technologies, fostering collaboration, and maintaining aforward-thinking approach, Latrobe City is set tolead the way in Australia’sclean energy transition.

Council remains dedicated to working closely with government, industry, and the community to ensureLatrobe City not only adapts to change but thrives in the face of it.

The futureisbright for Latrobe City

Through continued efforts, the region will secureits place as aleader in the renewable energy landscape, driving progress for generations to come.

Latrobe City Councillor Kellie O’Callaghan travelled to Japan last October as part of delegations regarding the HESC Project. Cr O’Callaghan is pictured with Japanese Ministr yofEconomy,Trade and Industr y, Nishimura Yasutoshi.

Latrobe Valley coal gasification and refining facility

Coldesthourjustbefore the Dawn

GIPPSLAND Dawn Offshore Wind Project has been offered afeasibility licence by thefederalgovernment to furtherits developmentplans

BlueFloatEnergy, the proponent of Gippsland Dawn,has been activein Gippsland since2021and believes the project could be operationalby2031.

Gippsland Dawn is proposed to be located between Paradise Beach andOcean Grangeand hascapacitytogenerate up to 2.1 GW of electricity. Theproject will create 2000 jobs during constructionand 200–300ongoing jobsduringoperations and maintenancestages,creatingnew andenduringsupplychains.

It has an operational lifespanofupto30 years. Capitalinvestment of about $10 billionisproposed, and constructioncould beginin2029.

Gippsland Dawn’s ProjectDirector, DarraghWhite, has welcomed the announcement by thefederal Minister for ClimateChangeand Energy,Chris Bowen “Gippsland Dawnwill bring strong andlasting benefits to Gippsland and Australia.Welook forwardtocontinuing our

engagement withMinisterChrisBowen, VictorianEnergyMinisterLilyD’Ambrosio, GLaWAC, localcommunities, unions and the energy industryinVictoria.Wewill work closely with commercialand recreational fishers and boaterstounderstand howwe can sharethe ocean,”MrWhite said.

“The feasibility licencewould enable investigationwork, including offshore metocean,geophysicaland geotechnical investigations. Detailed technicalstudies and surveyswillbecompleted. Gippsland Dawn will continue to seek feedback and engage closely with stakeholders and thecommunity during everystep of the project’sdevelopment.”

Acommerciallicence is required for the project to move into the construction phase. This will be subject to arangeof environmental and planning approvalsand obtaining gridconnection

BlueFloat Energy Australia Country Manager,Nick Sankey,said offshore wind waspoised to become acriticalpartofthe renewable energy system in Australia.

“Offshorewind will help ensurereliability and security of electricity supply,

particularly as we transition away from fossil fuels. Theoffshorewind industry will contribute toward the Australian Government’semissions reduction plan of net zeroemissionsby 2050. It will also significantly help meet the Victorian government’semissionsreductiontarget of netzeroby2045,” he said.

BlueFloat Energy Chief Executive, Carlos Martin, said this licence offerwas a testamenttothe company’scommitment to pioneering renewableenergyprojects in Australia, and affirmedthe company’s leadership in theoffshore wind sector

“BlueFloat Energy is one of the most successful offshore winddevelopers: founded in 2020and having built aglobal pipeline of over 34 GW since then, we are thrilled to be offered afeasibility licence for Gippsland Dawn,”MrMartin said.

“This milestonewillpave the wayfor significant advancements in new energy, supporting the transition away from traditional coal-fired generation to new offshorewind,which willbenefitboth the environmentand thecommunities we serveinVictoria andwider Australia.”

Astarisrising waydownsouth

STAR of the South, Australia’smost advanced offshorewind project, is confident it is on track to deliver energy jobs and opportunities in Gippsland for decades to come.

Built to its full potential of 2.2 gigawatts (GW), Star of the South at full capacity could generate enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes, invest $3.8 billion directly into the Gippsland economy,and create local jobs.

Star of the South is being developed by Southerly Ten, aVictorian-based company that is asubsidiaryof Copenhagen InfrastructurePartners.

Project investigations began in 2019 with the deployment of afloating wind monitor in Bass Strait. The chief development officer for Southerly Ten, Erin Coldham, said the project investigations werethe veryfirst step.

“It’sfairtosay we were ‘blown away’ by the results,” she said.

“A few months after putting the wind monitors out, Victoria experienced a major heatwave and electricity blackouts. At the same time, we recorded very strong and consistent winds in Bass Strait.

“That’swhen we knew for surethat Gippsland has averyspecial resource and an ability to continue supplying the reliable energy Victoria needs as Latrobe Valley power plants retire.”

Since then, Star of the South’sfeasibility has been thoroughly studied with investigations into the energy market, workforce, supply chain, seabed and environmental studies, and community consultation.

The chief technical development officer, Myles Daniel, said the project had taken acomprehensive approach to build a clear pictureofthe local environment and conditions.

“We’ve collected data on the marine

Star of the South Chief Executive, Charles Rattray and Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio pictured in Gippsland last year at the announcement of geotechnical works to help design Star of the South.

environment over three years and completed Australia’sfirst seabed studies for offshorewind. Now we’reusing this data to plan asafe, responsible and efficient project that is right for this local area,” he said.

With Star of the South’ssite investigations complete, the next step is to seek government approvals to proceed to construction.

“There’sahuge amount of work happening behind the scenes to interpret all the data we’ve collected, model

different scenarios, refine the project and finalise environmental assessments,” Mr Daniel said.

Star of the South’sassessments will be published once complete. If approved, the project is targeting construction later this decade to deliver first power around 2030.

As alocal, the senior manager regional assessment, Paul Johnson, said he was excited about Gippsland’sfutureand the opportunities offshorewind would bring.

“Star of the South alone could create up to 800 Gippsland jobs. Our current coal and gas workforces already have many of the skills needed to make amove to offshorewind, with trade-based roles, engineers, planners and schedulers all highly transferable,” he said.

“I believe that offshorewindisgoing to benefit Gippsland -having this industry on our doorstep will create opportunities for young people to find good quality long-termwork close to home.”

Mr Johnson said local businesses were also well placed to supply offshorewind projects, with years of experience and the skills and capability to support the growing industry.

“We’vealready uncovered tens of millions’ ofdollars worth offuture supply opportunities for Star of the South. Offshorewind willdomorethan justsupply electricity -it’salso about investing in regional communities for the future,” he said.

Southerly Tenisalso investigating the Kut-Wut Brataualung project -a 2.2 GW offshorewind farmproposed for the Gippsland OffshoreWindZone offthe Gippsland coast.

The feasibility licence was granted for a689 kilometresquarearealocated 45 kilometres from the southern-most tip of Wilsons Promontory. In May,the project was awarded an offshorefeasibility licence by the federal government for Part3 of the Gippsland OffshoreWind Zone.

The project is at an earlystage, with feasibility studies expected to take place over the coming years.

To find out moreabout the Star of the South and Kut-Wut Brataualung, visit southerlyten.com.au or phone 1800 340 340.

Gippsland Dawn Project Director, Darragh White.

By PHILIP HOPKINS

GIPPSLAND Skies OffshoreWind, which has the Latrobe Valley energy powerhouse

AGL as ashareholder,isconfident that its project will bring power,jobsand prosperity to Gippsland, Victoria and Australia.

Gippsland Skies has recently received afeasibility licence from the federal government to startinvestigative studies to build awind farminthe South Gippsland declared area offthe coast of Waratah Bay

The feasibility licence area is about 53 kilometres from Cape Liptrap and 30km from Wilsons Promontory.

The full potential of the project could deliver 2.5 gigawatts (GW) to Victoria’selectricity network, says the company –atfull capacity,enough to power up to 1.4 million Victorian homes and contribute about 17 per cent of the state’scurrent electricity needs.

The company says its investment has the potential to create morethan 4700 jobs in Australia over the 40-plus year life of the project, with almost 2000 of those in Gippsland.

Gippsland Skies’ shareholders, Mainstream Renewable Power,Reventus Power,AGL and DIRECT Infrastructure, has extensive experience developing renewableenergy projects and aproven track record in offshorewind. They maintain they have the technical resources and financial backing to deliver their proposal and become a long-termpartner for Australia and Victoria.

The proposed project aims to be developed in aphased approach. The feasibility licence is the starting point for amulti-year detailed marine studies, including studies for cable routes to shore. Offshorewind projects can take aconsiderable length of time to develop due to their scale and complexity

Based on experience in developing offshore wind around the world, Gippsland Skies has mapped out an indicative project timeline.

The offshoresurvey program is expected to begin late in 2024, after the startofoffshore survey consultation and the state/federal planning approvals process.

This process should continue through 2026-27, with adecision on project approval and pre-construction activities in the late 2020s. The first phase is expected to be operational in 2032.

Gippsland Skies says it will work closely with stakeholders to establish development solutions that seek to respond to their needs and concerns. The company is clear about its aim: to craft aproject proposal in partnership with the region’s Traditional Owners, local communities and stakeholders that addresses local needs and supports regional development whilst

leveraging the benefits of the company shareholders’ global footprint.

All engagement conducted by Gippsland Skies will be underpinned by its corevalues of safety,respect, integrity,innovation and sustainability,the company says.

Offshorewinddevelopment has the potential to provide opportunities for existing workers to transition to clean energy jobs.

Gippsland Skies and the other offshorewind developers maintain their projects will help advance state and federal decarbonisation objectives. The Gippsland Skies project on its own has potential to offset around 9.4 million tonnes ofcarbon dioxide emissions per year

Offshorewind energy promise to play akey role in Australia’stransition torenewables and goal to achieve net zeroemissions.

German efficiency to make a splash y

THE German energy giant RWE has been granted afeasibility licence from the Australian government to develop an offshorewind farmclose to the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait, offthe Gippsland coast.

This area is Australia’sfirst designated offshorewind zone. This licence approval grants RWE, akey global player in renewableenergy,anexclusive seven-year seabed right to develop the Kent OffshoreWindFarmproject. The approval also allows RWEtoapply for a commercial licence to build and operate the wind farmfor up to 40 years.

The lease area awarded to RWEhas the potential to host awind farmwithupto 2gigawatts (GW) of capacity.The site is about 67 kilometres offthe coast and has average water depths of 59 metres.

The wind farmisexpected to become operational in the first half of the 2030s, subject to the timing of the planning and

approvals process, secured offtake as well as grid connection.

The chief executive of RWEOffshore Wind, Sven Utermöhlen, said Australia was averyattractive growth market for renewable energy.RWE has been active in the countryfor 10 years and operates one of Australia’slargest solar farms.

“By securingexclusive seabed rights in the Bass Strait offGippsland,weare now entering the Australian offshore wind market and will bring our more than 20 years of experience in this field,” Mr Utermöhlen said.

“With the Kent project, we will work on developing one of the first offshore wind farms offthe Australian coast. This is in line with our strategy to grow our renewables portfolio in Australia and the wider APAC region.”

The next step for RWEinthe further development of this early-stage project is to carryout studiestohelpdetermine the

project design and to submit applications for planning permission. RWEwill also engage with key stakeholders, First Nations groups and other communities.

Another key milestone in the project’s development at alater stage is to secure an offtake agreement.

RWEisone of the world’slargest offshore wind companies, with amorethan 20-year track record of developing, building, and operating offshorewind projects efficiently.The company currently operates 19 offshorewind farms.

New offshorewind farms with atotal capacity of morethan 4GWare currently under construction in Europe and further offshoreprojects areunder development worldwide. RWEwants to grow its global offshorewind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW in 2030.

The RWEGroup has been in Australia since 2013. In 2018 it began construction

of one of the country’slargest solar farms –the 249megawatt (MW) Limondale Solar FarminNew South Wales (NSW) and has been operating it ever since.

In 2023, RWE’seight-hour lithium-ion BatteryEnergy Storage System (BESS) was the only successful project in New South Wales’ first long duration storage long-termenergyservice agreements tender process to deliver andoperate Australia’sfirst eight-hour battery.

Construction on the batteryproject, which will be located adjacent to the existing Limondale Solar Farm, will begin later this year.

RWEplans to invest about $6 billion by 2030 to develop up to 3GWofonshore wind, solarand batteryprojects across the country.

RWEisbasedin Melbourne and has ateamof almost 70 employees in the country, supported by the global RWE team.

Vessel booked to laycable

By PHILIP HOPKINS

MARINUS Link, having just completed exhibiting its environmental approvals process, has signed amajor contract with the Italian company Prysmian to supply the project’shigh-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables.

The contract ensures the design, manufacture, supply and installation for Stage 1ofthe Marinus Link interconnector project, a750-megawatt HVDC cable system, scheduled for completion in 2030.

This follows completion of the public exhibition for environmental approvals for the project between May and July.The public exhibition was for Marinus Link’s Commonwealth and Victorian environmental assessment documents.

Marinus Link will traverse South Gippsland farmland to and from the Latrobe Valley to create an energy and telecommunications link between Victoria and Tasmania.

Marinus Link Chief Executive, Caroline Wykamp, said the Italian company is the largest cable manufacturer in the world.

“Prysmian has proven and global expertise in delivering projects like Marinus Link,” Ms Wykamp said.

“Wehave booked their most advanced cabling vessel -the Leonardo Da Vinci.

“Marinus Link will enable Tasmania to import excess supply of solar and wind produced interstate, while reserving its hydroand

The proposed route for Marinus Link will run from Heybridge, just east of Burnie in North West Tasmania, to the Hazelwood area of the Latrobe Valley

storing the extra energy.Clean hydropower can then feed the national grid when it is needed most, acting as alarge batteryfor the nation.”

Ms Wycamp said Marinus Link was

essential to Australia’srenewable energy future.

“Weare planning to build and operate it in a way that minimises environmental impact,” she said.

Marinus Link is aproposed 1500 high megawatt, voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity interconnector between Heybridge in north-west Tasmania and Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley.Marinus Link will improve the connection between Tasmania and the national grid.

The project’scables span 345 kilometres. This includes 255km of undersea cables across Bass Strait and 90km of underground cables running through South Gippsland to Hazelwood. The project will make landfall at Waratah Bay

At both Heybridge and Hazelwood, a converter station will be built to enable Marinus Link to connect into the electricity grids in Victoria and Tasmania.

The project will be implemented as two 750MW stages. Each stage will comprise two power cables and afibre optic communications cable.

Marinus Link is acornerstone project of the federal government’sRewiring the Nation Plan and is classified as urgent in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s national energy plan.

Marinus Link is owned by the Australian, Tasmanian and Victorian governments and is responsible for progressing the Marinus Link interconnector project.

Marinus Link’s1500MW capacity is about three times the capacity of the existing Tasmania to Victoria interconnector, Basslink.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

'Urgent' need forcarboncapture

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE world is moving veryfastoncarbon captureand storage (CCS); the number of projects being built, commissioned, rolled out or in the planning phase is now growing exponentially in abid to meet zero greenhouse emission targets, according to aleading Australian scientist.

The chief executive of the CO2CRC, Dr Matthias Raab, said under every single scenario by the most eminent energy authorities –the International Energy Agency,orthe United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -not asingle short, medium, or long-term scenario to reachemissions reduction targets was possible “without asignificant contribution from CCS”.

The CO2CRC (Co-operative Research Centre), operating since 2003 and based in East Melbourne, is aleader in carbon captureutilisation and storage research.

Dr Raab said worldwide, the CCS contribution was being positioned at 10 per cent across industries.

“Ten per cent equates to about 4billion tonnes of CO2 per year needs to be sequestered -astaggeringly large number,” he said.

Historically,CCS was associated with the fossil fuel industry, “but it is far beyond fossil fuel”.

“The important material pillars of our society aresteel, cement, fertiliser and plastics –hardtoabate sectors that areverydifficult to decarbonise,” he said.

For example, the embedded emissions of plastics werethe product of fossil fuels.

“Thereare no alternative products to steel, cement, plastics and the production of world’sfertiliser.Morethan 95 per cent of fertiliser is made from gas; we arelooking at food security,” he said.

Dr Raab said CCS would play an everincreasing decarbonising role.

“The population is growing, thus demand for energy is growing, the standardofliving is growing and thus energy demand is growing,” he said.

“When we look at the roll-out of renewable or alternative energies globally,weare currently at best offsetting the demand of new energy,not reducing the total emissions profile in the world. We need to recognise energy demand when talking of emissions reduction.”

Dr Raab said CCS in Australia would play alargerthan 10 per cent component in emissions reduction.

“These will be the foundation projects that enable other industrysectors to reduce their emissions through geological carbon storage. CarbonNet is one of these projects that will act as ahub to take emissions from different industries,” he said.

CarbonNet aims to get CO2 emissions from the Latrobe Valley via apipeline to empty oil and gas reservoirs in Bass Strait.

Dr Raab said under the federal Safeguard Mechanism, morethan 220 facilities that emit morethan 100,000 tonnes of CO2 per year would have to reduce baseline emissions by five per cent per year

“This is abig challenge once some initial efficiencies have been achieved. For most facilities, capturing and storing the CO2 may be one of the few options that they have to reachtheir true deep reduction targets,” he said.

Emitters needed to have the right policy mechanism and right strategic partnerships to storetheir CO2 elsewhere.

“That is wherethe oil and gas industry offshoreand some projects onshore, will play asignificant role for the safeguard

facilities to provide apathway to wherethey can storetheir CO2,” Dr Rabb said

Dr Raab said the practicalities were challenged by the legal, policy and permit environment in state and federal legislation.

“Wehave worked with industryand government. To mapout the permit process for large-scale offshorefacilities and the process will take six to 10 years if everything goes verysmoothly.Oncethe permitting process is completed, major final investment decisionscan be made,” he said.

“However,ifyou putthe two timelines together,theyare notstacking up. The emitters areforced to reduce their emissions faster than optionsare available for them.

This is not just CCS. We arealso talking about initial high expectations to hydrogen ideally leapfrogging blue and grey going straight to green, but this rollout is significantly slower and moreexpensive.”

Abig investor like ‘Twiggy’ Forrest had essentially reversed his green pledges.

“Not having produced akilogram of green hydrogen so far is amajorsetback to the pace of rollout but does not mean it’s not coming. We do need amarketthat is prepared to pay ahigh price for green hydrogen or green products,” he said.

Dr Raab said the government decision to not allow Glencoretogoahead with CCS in the Artesian Basin was amajor setback.

“The decision waspurely political,” he said. Scientifically,inassessing suitable geological storage, many opportunities existed tostorethe quantity of CO2 that the project was proposing in the GAB without any environmental impacts, locked away deep underground from the water

“Weneed clarity to find appropriate storage reservoirs, basins. We also need to have the courage tomanage all stakeholders in the area with facts. The moment it is politicised, we arestifling progress in reducing our emissions significantly,” he said.

“The decision by the Queensland government is amajor setback for onshore

CCS in Queensland, but also stifles investor confidence in other projects.”

However,Dr Raab said Gippsland had the advantage of going offshoreintodepleted reservoirs, “a much morefavourable proposition”.

The federal Resources Minister, Madeleine King, had just released another 10 greenhouse gas assessment projects around the countryincluding the Gippsland Basin.

“The announcements simply says, ‘Companies, the acreage is available, you progress and build your projects’. That’sa bigtick, abig wayforward,” he said.

Dr Raab emphasised that it had been known for the past 20years about Gippsland Bass Strait’sworld class storage resources. Victoria was well placed because of the close proximity between the emitters and the Basins (Gippsland and Otway) for large scale CCS projects.

“Now with HESC (Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain), we have significant interest from Japan to invest in Victoria, to produce clean hydrogen that meets the green hydrogen target of emission threshold in Japan, and which willbethe perfect combination between hydrogen production and low cost, low emissions with CCS, and which will kick-startthe hydrogen economy in Victoria,” he said.

“Continuing tohave investment from Japan and providing energy security essentially to our domestic supply and overseas customers -that is the long-termkey strategy for companies like CO2CRC. We have been demonstrating (in the Otway Basin) the safe storage of CO2 that we can monitor the movement ofCO2 in the subsurface for the last 20years in Victoria.”

Dr Raab said the CO2CRC had worked closely with the CarbonNet project as the lead research association.

“Any of the technologies we have developed areessentially 10 years ahead of wherethe industry currently stands.

These are huge opportunities for Australian innovation to be deployed in the next generation projects like CarbonNet, to really drive down costs and give confidence to regulators and the general public in how efficiently and safely we can storeCO2 irrespective ofwherethe CO2comesfrom,” he said.

Dr Raab is confident that the Victorian government has the expertise to assess the CCS research.

“Wework effectively with the EPA, with the petroleum and water regulators. For every new technology we were testing, we were working closely with them, briefingthem about our stringent internationally peerreviewed process,” he said.

“Wetookthe regulators for everyactivity alongthe journey,thereforewehave built confidence over the last two decades and have data sets over the last two decades that prove what we have done. We have set new benchmarks.”

Given the precision of what the CO2CRC

had done, “we can safeguardany impacts on the environment and human health”.

Dr Raabsaid these technologies were available for the CarbonNet project and any project in Australia.

“Esso Australia is investing in technology development and advancement in CO2CRC, together with pretty much all the other players in Australia,” he said.

“All the investment, all the outcomes, are made publicly available on our website and they can read our publications. We do publish in international peer-reviewed journals. That underpins the scientific rigour and veracity of our work.

“Wehavestrongin-house capability,but we work with Geoscience Australia, the CSIRO, the major universities -Melbourne, Monash, Curtin, Federation University -pretty much all theG8researchpartners.

“Internationally,weworkwith leading scientific institutions, so we have the leaders in their field leading the research internationally with the CO2CRC. We have the majority of our funding from industry, a smaller percentage from the Department of Climate Change, for international research and collaboration, also with Japan and South Korea. All our partners consider CCS as an investment advancing our society and ability to reduce emissions, so all our research is made publicly available.”

Dr Raab said CarbonNet, like other projects in Australia, would bethe incubators for morecarbon dioxide from other facilities being supplied to another reliable storage.

“It’scritical infrastructuretohavefuture technologies like direct air capturebeing connected to ageological carbon storage provider and to apipeline network,” he said.

“Thereisa role ofgovernment, we know from other countries like the UK,who are decarbonising their industrycentres; the government plays asignificant role in providing the right policy environment.” Issues for government included the use of shared infrastructure; the different costs that different industries have to capturetheir CO2; how that can be incentivised and harmonised across an industrycomplex; and the complexity of the custody chain of CO2 from capturetotransportand storage to optimise performance across the value chain.

“These areimportant; CCS works best at scale. We need long-termpolicy support and stability for infrastructureinvestments of that scale to be undertaken, and for CCS to come to its full potential and take large amount of CO2 over long periods of time, and thereforehaveasignificant impact on Victoria’sand Australia’semission profile,” he said.

DrRaabsaidthe CarbonNet project was recognised around theworld.

“Wehave averygood working relationship with the CarbonNet Project and CarbonNet is liaising with Australia’sresearch landscape for CCS,” he said.

“Melbourne is essentially the world’scentre for CCS knowledge. We’ve got the Global CCS Institute headquartered in Melbourne, CarbonNet and CO2CRC based in Melbourne, the Peter Cook Centrefor CCS research at Melbourne University -that makes four major organisations focussing on research, assessment, policy and project development, all in one place.

“CO2CRC is still the only operator of an onshoreCCS research project in Australiathe Otway international test centrebetween PortCampbell andWarrnambool on the Great Ocean Road -and wehavebeenthe practitioner for 20 years.”

CO2CRC Chief Executive, Dr Matthias Raab.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Projectpartnersin carboncapture

THE Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project welcomes the 2024 Gippsland New Energy Conference, highlighting the importance of the regional transition in developing anew clean energy hub in Gippsland.

Industryleaders J-Power and Sumitomo Corporation Joint Venture(JPSC JV) propose to establish ahydrogen production facility in the Latrobe Valley to produce clean hydrogen, extracted from Latrobe Valley coal combined with carbon captureand storage, for both domestic and international customers.

Japan Suiso Energy (JSE), comprised of Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Iwatani Corporation, is responsible for the downstream elements of the supply chain, and aims to liquefy aportion of JPSC JV clean hydrogen in Hastings for transportto Japan.

Yuko Fukuma, acting general manager of HEA (KHI’ssubsidiary), said HESC’s proven technical feasibility makes it a promising solution to energy challenges.

Ms Fukuma said the HESC Pilot Project, successfully completed in 2022 by HESC Project Partners, was aworld-first and

shows that hydrogen can be afuel of the future.

“The Suiso Frontier,the world’sfirst liquefied hydrogen carrier used in the pilot, is proof that this supply chain between Victoria and Japan is technically viable. JSE’scommercial-scale carrier can improve upon these achievements,” she said.

“Aligned with JPSC JV,JSE is deep in economic studies to preparefor the upscale to acommercial phase.”

This project will deliver jobs and upskill existing local workers to supportthe emergence of aclean energy industryin Gippsland, Hastings, and particularly in the Latrobe Valley,ascoal-fired power stations close.

Jeremy Stone, the non-executive director of J-Power Latrobe Valley,saidJPSC JViscurrently in the late stages of its engineering feasibility and economic studies.

“These studies arethe next step towards acommercial phase of the project,” Mr Stone said.

The development of accurate measures

of carbon intensity (kg CO2 per kg of hydrogen) is important for the regulation of clean energy projects, like the proposed JPSC JV hydrogen production project in Latrobe Valley

The Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, in development by the federal government, is anational certification scheme measuring the carbon intensity from source to finished product.

“Wewelcome thetransparency and market opportunities that the GO scheme creates. Ithink it will be an overall benefit for the energy industryascustomers need this number to determine their own CO2 reduction -colours arenot enough,” Mr Stone said.

The Albanese government recently announced it would fast-track the GO Scheme, aiming to have it operational by mid-2025. If successful, it will increase transparency amongst energy sources and set astrong foundation for aclean energy market.

Masaki Ozawa, the head of Sumitomo Corporation’sSubsurface Energy Team, says the GO scheme is crucial in establishing aclean energy market and

moving away from the confusing colour categories currently used.

“The notion of using colours to group highly varied forms of energy production is outdated. Applying the GO and looking at the numbers (carbon intensity) instead will allow customers, producers, and regulators to make decisions around facts,” Mr Ozawa said.

“This will beespecially important in establishing markets around clean energy sources, wherethe numbers will serve the basis for price points.”

The JPSC JV will use carbon captureand storage to reduce its project’scarbon intensity to meet global standards forclean hydrogen.InGippsland, thereare two excellent opportunities for carbon storage: CarbonNet’sBassStrait Project and the depleted oil and gas reservoirs of Exxon’s affiliated Gippsland Basin Joint Venture CCS Hub.

Jeremy Stone will represent the HESC Project at the 2024 Gippsland Energy Conference to connect with respected stakeholders and interact closer with Gippsland’senergy transition.

Potential to storeuptosix milliontonnes

By PHILIP HOPKINS

CARBONNET,whose program is regarded as integral to Gippsland’s energy and industrial future, is continuing information drop-in sessions in towns adjacent to the project’sproposed pipeline routebetween the Latrobe Valley and the Gippsland coast. Locations included Golden Beach, Flynn, Sale and Rosedale. An online information session was also held.

At the sessions, project team members wereavailable to speak about the project’sprogress, CarbonNet’s upcoming referralsand answer questions from the community

Key topics of conversation werethe project’sproposed pipeline corridor upcoming environmental surveys and futureapproval milestones.

CarbonNet, funded by the state and federal governments, plans to build a 100-kilometrepipeline from Loy Yang to the Gippsland Basin that will enable multiple CO2 industrial captureprojects to be stored in empty gas and oil reservoirs in Bass Strait.

Abusiness case for the CarbonNet Project is set to be presented to the federal and state governments.

CarbonNet’sdirector,JaneBurton, who grew up in the Latrobe Valley,told a recent energy conference that the project was undertaking market soundings with adiverse range of stakeholders. These included customers, developers, contractors, equity,and debt investors to informthe commercial modelling, strategy and entity type for the project moving forward.

CarbonNet began in 2010, two years after the Kyoto Protocol began when the Paris Agreement on climate change was still six years away The federal government’sCarbon

Captureand Storage (CCS) Flagship program was created to supporta variety of CO2 capture, transportation and storage demonstration projects. The objective of the program was to promote the use of CCS technology,demonstrate Australia’sstorage resources, support trials, build capacity,and create links with existing international projects.

Ms Burton said the value of CarbonNet, partofthe original CCSFlagship program, was the excellent geology in the Gippsland Basin and the close proximity of storage sites to the Latrobe Valley’scoalfired power stations.

“This early thinking has since pivoted towardsupporting new clean industries such as hydrogen, ammonia/fertiliser and biomass, and supporting the transition of abroad rangeofexisting high emitters tolow emissions technology aided by drivers such as the safeguard mechanism,” she said.

The safeguardmechanism regulates the greenhouse emissions of Australia’s biggest 215 companies.

CarbonNet proposes to establish a commercial scale CCS hub that will

enable new and existing decarbonised industries tocontribute to legislated government targets, such as Victoria’s 2035 interim emissions reduction target and anet zeroemissions outcome by 2045.

CarbonNet manages two offshoreGHG permits for sites in the Gippsland BasinPelican and Kookaburra.

“Thereispotential for CarbonNet to transportand storeuptosix million tonnes of CO2 per year at the initial Pelican site once fully operational. It will likely take up tothree years toreach this level onceCarbonNet is commissioned. Additional storage capacity will be available in futurewith expansion of the network to the Kookaburra site,” Ms Burton said.

“Deliveryof CarbonNet is anticipated to create jobs and investment relating both to the project and enabled industries such as hydrogen, ammonia/fertiliser and bioenergy.The project will also focus on futurebenefits for communities and landowners, including Traditional Owners in Gippsland.”

CarbonNet’sproposed pipeline will consist of 80km of buriedonshore pipeline with about afurther 20km offshore, reaching multiple drill centres at the Pelican site.

Ms Burton said regulatoryapprovals paved the way for consultations with potentially affected landowners in September 2023.

“The final proposed pipeline routewill be confirmed through stakeholder engagement, field surveys and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) outcomes,” she said.

FEED was completed in Februaryof this year

“This significant project milestone has provided data that informs the Pelican development concept, including

preliminarycostestimate, material specifications and the construction timeline, as well as providing input into approvals documentation and procurement of long lead equipment,”

Ms Burton said.

“The project is currently progressing the primaryregulatoryapprovals for the Pelican storage site to achieve the required injection licence. The environmental approvals process is anticipated to take several years. Acomprehensive community and stakeholder engagement process, in line with government guidelines, will accompany the approvals program.”

Ms Burton said CarbonNet, well known across the CCS industryand academia, was well understood in Gippsland and supported across local governments, industrygroups such as Committee for Gippsland and local industry.

“The regional traditional owners (GLaWAC –Gunaikurnai Landand Waters Aboriginal Corporation) areakey stakeholder,thisrelationship will soon expand with the development of the project’scultural heritage management plan,” she said.

The CarbonNet Community Reference Group, established in 2019 and chaired by Victoria’sLead Scientist, Amanda Caples, meets quarterly to receive project updates and discuss emerging issues.

The project also produces educational programs and events for primaryand secondaryschoolstudents, focusing on CCS as adecarbonisation tool, including an annual Science Week event, and sponsorship of the University of Melbourne CCS shortcourse.

Ms Burton said adding to the complexity was Gippsland Basin being made Australia’sfirst declared offshorewind zone in 2022.

CarbonNet Director,Jane Burton.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE potential for nuclear power to provide electricity free of greenhouse gas emissions has emerged as apossible partof Gippsland’snew energy future.

Nuclear possibilityfor Gippsland Laying it all on thetable

The Loy Yang powerstations in the Latrobe Valley have been identified by the federal Opposition as asite for azero-emissions nuclear power station, under apolicy released earlier this year that also aims to generate regional economic development.

“Nuclear energy for Australia is an idea whose time has come,” said the Coalition, which maintains that nuclear energy,proven to lower electricity prices and emissions all over the world, would work in partnership with renewableenergy and gas as partofa balanced energy mix.

Loy Yang is one of seven identified locations, located at apower station that has closed or is scheduled to close, around Australia.

“Each of these locations offer important technical attributes needed for a zero-emissions nuclear plant, including cooling water capacity and transmission infrastructure; that is, we can use the existing poles and wires, along with alocal community which has askilled workforce,” the Coalition said.

“A key advantage of modernzero-emissions nuclear plants is they can be plugged into existing grids. This means they can effectively replace retiredorretiring coal plants and avoid much of the new spending needed for Labor’s‘renewables-only’ system, including new transmission poles and wires.”

The Coalition says no countryinthe world relies solely on solar and wind as the Labor Party’spolicy stipulates.

By contrast, thereare 32 countries operating zero-emissions nuclear plants. Another 50 countries arelooking to do so. Of the world’s 20 largest economies, Australia is the only one not using nuclear energy,ormoving towards using it.

The Coalition says its plan would deliver anet-zeroelectricity grid by 2050 and a strong and resilient economy with cheaper, cleaner and consistent electricity

Communities that host zero-emissions nuclear plants would be at the front of this next wave of growth.

“Not only will local communities benefit from high-paying, multi-generational jobs, but communities will be empowered to maximise the benefits from hosting an asset of national importance,” the Coalition says.

This would be through:

Amulti-billion-dollar facility guaranteeing high-paying jobs for generations to come; An integrated economic development zone to attract manufacturing, value-add and high-tech industry, and;

Aregional deal unlocking investment in moderninfrastructure, services and community priorities.

ACommunity Partnership would be formed in each host community,consistingof experienced local representatives, as the focal point for community engagement and to playanimportant role in planning the futureofthe region.

“This community engagement process will

Alittlefrom column A on forwardplanning

AGL is preparing for the closureofLoy Yang Apower station in 2035 and the transition of the site into an integrated energy hub.

The Loy Yang ventureispartofAGL’s Climate Transition Action Plan, under which the company will transition all its coal power station sites -the Hunter,Torrens as well as Loy Yang A-into integrated energy hubs

These hubs will leverage the unique infrastructure, land, transportaccess, and grid connectivity of the company’sLoy Yang, Hunter and Torrens sites to create hubs that integrate things such as renewableenergy industries, grid-scale batteries, and green advanced manufacturing.

The energy hubs arebeing designed with the three principles of the circular economy -eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.

The Loy Yang site has access to land, water, excellent transportlinks, easy access to the grid and askilled local workforce.

Current options being explored at Loy Yang are:

An MOU has been signed with the Solar RecoveryCorporation for atwo-year feasibility study into establishing asolar panel materials recovery facility

The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project at Loy Yang -a collaborative initiative between leading Australian and Japanese companies, and

occur alongside acomprehensive site study including detailed technical and economic assessments,” the Coalition policy says.

Under the policy,afederal Coalition government will initially develop two establishment projects using either small modular reactors or modernlarger plants.

“They will startproducing electricity by 2035 (with small modular reactors) or 2037(if modernlarger plants arefound to be the best option). The Australian government will own these assets, but formpartnerships with experienced nuclear companies to build and operate them,” the policy says.

The coalition says to meet net zeroby Australia’s2050emissions commitments, zero-emission nuclear has to be partofthe energy mix.

“Zero-emission nuclear power plants produce no airpollutionorcarbon emissions. For example, a1.1 GW AP-1000 reactor cuts approximately seven million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to removing 1.5 million cars fromthe road,” the Coalition says.

“A zero-emissions nuclear power plant will be anational asset delivering cheaper cleaner and consistent energy for 80 years.

“WebelieveAustralians areupfor this discussion and areopen-minded about including zero-emissions nuclear technology as partofabalanced energy mix.”

The Coalition is expected to release more details aboutits policy later this year, including information about its costs and how nuclear would interact with Australia’s renewable energy system.

APUBLIC meeting will be held in Morwell this month to discuss whether the Latrobe Valley could play acentral role in Australia becoming anuclear-powered nation.

The community information evening, on September 18 from 6pm-8pm, will be held at the Morwell RSL.

Akey speaker will be Latrobe City Councillor,GraemeMiddlemiss, who is a former secretaryofthe Gippsland Trades and Labor Council.

The meeting has been organised by Nuclear for Climate Australia, Going Fission and apro-science environment group We Planet Australia.

ApartfromCrMiddlemiss, the speakers area civil engineer,RobertParker,who has aMaster of Nuclear Science and is a former president of the Australian Nuclear Association; an electrical engineer,Dr RobertBarr AM, who is aformer National President of the Electric Energy Society of Australia; and Dr Andrea Leong, president of WePlanet Australia.

The organisers stress that ‘good-faith engagement’ is expected from all attendees.

Enquiries can be made with Logan Smith, MEngSci (Nuclear) on 0448 960 729.

Alittlefrom column B

LOY Yang Bisabrown coal-fired power station based in the Latrobe Valley

the Victorian, Australian and Japanese governments. Feasibility studies are ongoing to assess conversion of lignite to hydrogen with carbon captureand storage technology to produce low-carbon hydrogen for exportopportunities.

Grid-scale battery. AGL is completing early concept work regarding the viability of agrid-scale battery at the site.

AGL is also partofthe Gippsland Skies consortium of companies that have been awarded afeasibility license for afixed bottom 2.5GW offshorewind farmoff the coast of Gippsland.

AGL’s longer termapproach seeks to bring renewable energy industries, grid-scale batteries, and associated industries to be partners to the site.

The Hunter Energy Hub provides an example of the kinds of partnerships the company could bring to the Latrobe Valley energy hub, noting the differences in the two sites.

What AGL is doing at the Hunter Energy Hub will help informhow the company progresses potential partnerships.

AGL is focussed on increasing the availability and flexibility of the Loy Yang power station, and planning to transition the site in the Latrobe Valley Energy Hub, continuing AGL’s contribution to Gippsland for decades to come.

It has two electricity generating units that together provide up to 1200MW of baseload power,about 20 per cent of Victoria’senergy needs.

The power station provides essential system strength services alongside firmenergysupply to supportVictoria’s transition to renewableenergy. This reliable supply will remain critical until the transitioning electricity system becomes matureenough to provide the stability the market needs.

Loy Yang BGeneral Manager,Tony Hicks, said in line with its asset strategy and operating licences, Loy Yang Bwould close in 2047 or earlier, depending on market needs.

“Werecognise our power station’s retirement is unlikely to be aunilateral decision by the owners and will be heavily influenced by key stakeholders and the requirements of the National Electricity Market,” he said.

“Weknow Australians want to transition to renewable energy and we’re investigating how we can support national emissions reduction targets while also generating areliablesupply of electricity.”

During the past few years, Loy Yang Bhas made improvements to the plant to increase operational flexibility for afaster response to market requirements, including operating

at lower loads when wind, solar,and other renewables areavailable, and increasing operations to provide a reliable supply of energy when they aren’t.

“Our proactive maintenance practices underpin oursolidreliability andplant integrity,whichis world-class when benchmarked against Australian and international counterparts,” Mr Hicks said.

“Wehave along remaining technical life -a plantwhich hasbeenwell maintained, asolid historyof high reliability,availability and plant performance, and adedicated and highly skilled operations and maintenance workforce.

“All these factors put us in astrong position to adapt to electricity market requirements, whether that be continuing to operate on coal for as long as we’reneeded or reinventing the power station site to supportthe energy transition.”

Mr Hicks said Loy Yang Bwas looking forinnovative ways to decarbonise the power station, with large-scale batteries, the conversion of the power station to generate essential baseload renewable electricity from sustainably sourced biomass, and theaddition of Bioenergy Carbon Captureand Storage,or BECCS, to asustainable biomass fuelled power station. All options being considered.

Gippsland’s Transition to a NEWENERGYFUTURE

Councils opttoback EfWproject

THE Maryvale Energy from Waste project, which will bring anew energy industryto Gippsland, has won deal-making multicouncil waste tenders.

Morethan adozen Victorian councils have committed their non-recyclable household waste to the Maryvale Energy from Waste (EfW) project, which is the most progressed of its kind in Victoria, to help divertthe waste from landfill.

The project consortium, made up of Veolia ANZ, Masdar TribeAustralia and Opal, secured awaste supply agreement with nine Melbourne councils, made up of the ShireCouncilsofCardinia and Yarra Ranges, and the City Councils of Bayside, Casey,Greater Dandenong, Frankston, Kingston, Knox and Whitehorse.

South East Metropolitan Advanced Waste Processing (SEMAWP) Pty Ltd, is the single entity of the nine councils. SEMAWP’s boardchair and Bayside City Council Chief Executive, Mick Cummins, said it was a great outcome for residents of the nine councils involved in the project, that began in 2020.

“This advanced waste processing solution provides an alternative to landfill that makes better use of household waste than burying it in the ground and will put items that can’t be reused or recycled to better use,” Mr Cummins said.

The nine councils join Maroondah City

Council, which has previously signed an agreement, and Latrobe City Council, which has resolved to supportthe project, while another two councils areinthe process of finalising agreements.

Speaking on behalf of the consortium, the Veolia ANZChief Executive, Richard Kirkman, said securing the councils’ waste was significant.

“The supply agreements with councils mean the project has reached the waste volumes required to finalise the design and construction costs of the EfW facility,before moving to financial close,” Dr Kirkman said.

“Weare excited to have won these

waste tenders. It is atestament to their commitment to their local communities and moving to amoresustainable waste management solution compared to landfill.

“Our facility in Maryvale will help Australia reach net zerofaster by going beyond just landfilling practices, and managing Victoria’swaste immediately instead of leaving it to futuregenerations to manage.”

The Maryvale EfW facility will provide asustainable and innovative waste management solution for the councils by recovering energy from their non-recyclable waste to help power the Maryvale Paper Mill.

Diverting the residual waste from landfill will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 270,000 tonnes annually,equivalent to removing 50,000 cars from the road per year

In line with the circular economy,the Maryvale EfW project is focused on maximising recoveryofby-products created during the energy-generating process and identifying value-added ways to recycle and re-use these.

Using world-leading technology, by-products will be converted into aggregates for use in construction. By doing so, the facility will target morethan99per cent diversion of residual waste from landfill.

The EfW facility,whichwill bring anew energy industryto Gippsland, is expected to supportabout 500 jobs during the construction phase and an estimated 450 local jobs once operational, including direct and flow-on.

The state government recently granted the Maryvale project the first Energy from Waste licence under the state’scircular economy laws.

The Maryvale Energy from Waste project will be built at Opal Australian Paper’sMaryvale Mill. Veolia,which already operates 65 EfW facilities around the world and will soon operate the two EfW facilities in Western Australia, will operate and maintain the facility

Bigrole forlocal manufacturers

By PHILIP HOPKINS

THE IndustryCapability Network, which sources local business expertise for economic activity and projects, has thrown its supportbehindthe Gippsland New Energy Conference, according to the chief executive, Nick Foa.

“The ICN has been supporting industry for morethan 40 years -this is our 40th anniversary-and we have worked with thousands of businesses across Victoria to ensurewekeep as much local manufacturing and local content as we can in this state,” Mr Foa said, speaking beforethe Gippsland Energy Conference.

“That’swhat we wereset up by government to do -implement alocal jobs policy.Weare not-for-profit company and independent from government.

“Weworkacross variety of sectors, from transporttomanufacturing, metallurgy, tech and now renewableenergy.One of the key reasons we sponsor GENEC iswe want to work with businesses across Gippsland to ensurethat businesses in Gippsland know how to reap the benefits from all the new investment coming in the renewable space.”

Mr Foa said it was important that even if overseas firms come into Victoria, “they get their supply chain active and be aided by local businesses”.

“It’sour job to help those local businesses to connect with the large international companies that arecoming into invest, and help lift their capability and connect them together,” he said. For example, abusinessmay work on one element of the problem, such as a switchboard; ICN could connect them to acabling company or with asupply chain that was likely to be able to take

partinthe new investments.

Gippsland has dedicated ICN adviser, Colin Young.

“Each time thereisa newproject, he puts up on our Gateway site anew Gateway page for that event. Companies can register on Gateway for free and get notification about new projects as they arelisted,” Mr Foa said.

Arecent reportbyEmeritus Professor Roy Green from the University of Technology recommended it should be mandatoryfor project proponents to work with ICN and thus connect businesses to opportunities.

In an interview with the Australian Manufacturing Forum, Professor Green said it was about information asymmetries.

“The market doesn’tdeliver the information that companies need, so we need intermediaries which can maximise opportunities for locals,” he said.

“If we have amodel whereby big projects can just outsource to anyone and do so, what we have seen over the years is that they adopt averynarrowvalue for monthapproach, which has no spin-off effects for the local economy,and which diminishes the opportunity for technology development and the development of our own SMEs that could scale and become moreintegrated with global markets.

“Even worse, large projects have set up systems which discriminate and exclude local firms by imposing their own specification requirements. Large mining and resource projects arethe mainthing wherethis goes on. Then of course you have the public procurement side of things, with its false economy of value for money often leading to the adoption of designs and engineering projects

that don’tdeliver the goods for the local economy.”

Professor Green said ICN had been remarkablysuccessful over 40 years.

“Weestimate it has added over $50 billion in value toSMEs which have taken part in the program and it is on an increasing trajectory. It has been successful in ensuring that alot of projects that would have otherwise gone to companies outside this countryhave gone to local companies, with massive spin-offs to companies and regions,” he said.

“But it could have been moresuccessful if it had the resources and the mandatory regulatorystructuretoensurethatall applicable public and private projects weresubjecttoaprocess of engaging ICN.

“Wehave missed alot of opportunities. It is the longest-lasting industrial policy in the country, but it has operated below the radar,and it hassuffered from inconsistencies in funding –it has never really had significant funding at the national level.

“It has however managed to develop its Gateway softwareprogram, which is adatabase of 100,000 suppliers. It has used this to link up companies with local projects. But it has done this on a shoestring.”

Professor Green said the threshold should be greatly lowered so that smaller projects wereopened to SMEs.

“Public and private projects, all of them should be required to consult with ICN and set out the opportunities for engaging with ICN,” he said.

Professor Green said project proponents should be reporting back moreopenly about the progress they were making,

and at the end ofthe project the progress they had made in fulfilling their obligations.

“That is part of the compliance issue for companies. They can commit to opening up the projects to local suppliers but then they don’tproceed with that. There needs to be afeedback loop so ICN can monitor their progress. That is missing,” he said.

“Also thereisa need for afunding mechanism that would help those large companies to work with ICN and the SMEs to fulfil those obligations. That was provided through an interesting programme that ran previously,the supplier access to major programmes, the SAMP programme. That lasted 17 years and provided national resources to enable the process (of working with SMEs) to work smoothly (and help) large companies open up their supply chains.

“It is quite resource intensive to get all theinformation outthere, and while ICN hasa pretty smartdatabase, some extra resources from government would be of assistance.”

Professor Green said in the context of aFutureMade in Australia strategy, “we should reassess ICN’svalue and integrate it moreclosely with national industrypolicy”.

“In that way,itwould play akey part in providing opportunities for SMEs to participate in large and not so large projects, and also builds the capability to do so.

“A lot of SMEs don’tknowhow to access these projects -sofor ICNand other federal and state programmes to contribute to capability building for SMEs would also be ahighly beneficial as an outcome of this reappraisal.”

The Mar yvale Energy from Waste project is on the way

Green light forfeasibility licences t

By STEFAN BRADLEY

ALL 12 Gippsland OffshoreWindZone projects originally announced by the federal government in May have been granted feasibility licences following consultations with First Nations groups and communities.

The licence allows the company to assess the feasibility of the offshoreinfrastructure project that the licence holder proposes to carryout in the licence area under a potential futurecommercial licence. It allows the licence holder to construct, install, commission, operate, maintain and decommission the offshorewind project in the licence area, as long as the legislative requirements aremet

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy,Chris BoweninMay had announced 12 projects for Gippsland offshorewind, with six receivingalicence

Thosebehind the other six projects were asked by the government to consult with First Nations communities who may be impacted by the wind farm, with alicence for all expected to be granted later on.

The government has issued licences to Iberdrola Australia OW 2(for its Aurora Green wind farm), Greater Gippsland 2 OWP Project (Gippsland Dawn), Navigator North Project, Ørsted OffshoreAustralia 1

(Gippsland 02), Kent OffshoreWind, and Great EasternOffshoreWindFarmProject Co.

In May,the following six projects weregiven feasibility licences: High Sea Wind Project

North, Gippsland Skies, Blue Mackerel North, Kut-Wut Brataualung Project, Ørsted 1and Star of the South.

The feasibility licences last seven years.

From here, the holders can continue

community consultation and apply for a commercial licence.

The government says these 12 projects werecapable of generating 25 GW,more electricity than the entirestate of Victoria generated last year

These projects arespread across anearly 15,000 squarekilometresite, stretching from Lakes Entrance to Wilsons Promontory.

From January23toApril 27 last year, the federal government accepted feasibility licence applications forproposed projects within the declared area.

Atotal of 37 applications forlicences were considered by the federal government, including Flotation Energy’s, Seadragon project. Flotation Energy is aScottish company owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company offshorewind project, butthe company was not granted afeasibility licence.

This rejection of the licence comes despite the state government granting Seadragon ‘Major Project Status’ last year,predicting it had acapital expenditureof$6.5 billion and would create around 1600 construction jobs and 200 ongoing jobs over 35 years.

Grantbacks women's opportunities

By TOMHAYES

THE state government has given a $100,000 grant to Gippsland Women’s Health (GWH) to supporttheir work helping employers attract and retain womenintraditionally male-dominated workforces, and to advance gender equality

The Minister for Women, as well as Minister for Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Natalie Hutchins, joined GWH’schief executive, Kate Graham, at the local Kilmany business Elecsome’ssolar panel upcycling plant to announce the grant.

Elecsome upcycles glass fines from damaged solar panels into sand, then ‘nano-engineered’ concrete, in a world-first called SolarCrete.

Elecsome saves cement mix manufacturers between 50 and 80 per cent on river sand, which is aprecious material in the manufacturing process.

All of the materials that Elecsome use to upcycle aresourced from Victoria, saving damaged solar panels from polluting landfills in the state.

Minister Hutchins was given atour of Elecsome’sKilmany facility,and appeared to be impressed with the process they developed.

Ms Graham accompanied her,asdid the Regional Development Victoria Regional Director,SaraRhodes-Ward.

Barriers to women’sentryinto and advancement in industries such as energy and manufacturing can include inflexible working arrangements, a lack of paid parental leave, gender discrimination, sexism and sexual harassment. This has led to their underrepresentation in these workforces.

Given Elecsome’ssmall number of

employers on site in Kilmany,when

Minister Hutchins asked its chief executive Neeraj Das if he could see women working in this workforce, he replied: “Why not?”

With only asmall team of seven or eight people on site in Kilmany,Elecsome hopes to increase the number of employers in Kilmany realistically to around 30 or 35, all while training and

upskilling people in the process.

Gippsland Women’sHealth, as partof the venture, will also deliver amentoring program in collaboration with the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, Women in Industryand Women in Renewable Energy networks.

“Supporting morewomen in Gippsland to enter,stay and progress in energy

and manufacturing careers is a win-win situation for local women and employers,” Minister Hutchins said.

“This grant to Gippsland Women’sHealth supports better economic outcomes for women in Gippsland and will help local organisations address skills shortages in some of the Victoria’sstrongest growth sectors, while contributing to driving greater gender equality across the state.”

Minister Hutchins announced that the grant hopes to get morewomen into the clean energy sector and manufacturing.

“Wefind that thereare some pretty low numbers, and we need to lift that up,” she said.

“I hear from alot of businesses like (Elecsome), about the need for more skilled workers, and quite frankly skilling up women to come into these roles is a big partofthe answer.”

In response, Ms Graham appreciated the grant from the state government.

“It’satremendous opportunity for us to continue our work… about how we can bring women into the industryand retain them and advance them in the industry as well,” she said.

The work of GWH is just one of the initiatives to address barriers to women’s participation and advancement in male-dominated industries.

The grant to GWH is partofasecond roundofgrants to develop strategies to boost women’sparticipation and equity in manufacturing and energy,which forms akey partofthe state government’s response to the inquiryintoeconomic equity for VictorianWomen

All 12 Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone projects.

Minister for Women and Minister for Jobs, Natalie Hutchins talking to Regional Development Victoria’sSaraRhodes-Ward and Gippsland Women’sHealth Chief Executive, Kate Graham at the Kilmany solar panel upcycling plant.

• GippslandSkies is aproposed 2.5 GW of fshorew ind project to be developed approximately 30km of f thesout hcoast of Gippsland

• When fully operational, theproject could supply about 17% of Victoria’s current elect ricit ydemand and power upto 1.4 millionhomes.

• Gippsland Skies could valueadd about $AU3 .7 billion into the Australian economy and create around 2000 jobs in Gippsland over thelifeoft he project.

Harnessing the powerof offshore wind together.

Proud sponsor soft he Gippsland New Energy Conference and Gippsland Women in New Energy Break fast.

The GippslandSkiesteam looksfor ward to seeing yout here! Learn more about Gippsland Skies Of f shore Wind : www gippslandskies com au

Winderlichonthe road to recovery

FOOTBALL

MID GIPPSLAND

BY TOM HAYES

THORPDALE coach and ex-Bomber Jason Winderlichhas spoken to the HeraldSun about the life-threatening injury.

On August 3, Winderlich was flown to the Alfred Hospital from Thorpdale Recreation Reserve after sustaining abroken neck in two places and spinal cord damage.

It wasreportedthat during the secondquarter of the Mid Gippsland match between Thorpdale and Toora in Round 16, Winderlich received contact at the top of his head, which contacted the chestof hisopponent, leavinghim motionless on the field. Winderlichwas not moved from the grounduntil 4.30pm.

“Initially when it happened, it (movement) was gone,” Winderlich told the Herald Sun.

Atrainer heldthe head of ascared and upset Winderlichfor 10 to 15 minutes,then one of his teammates took over for an hour and 20 minutes until the helicopter arrived.

The 39-year-old tried to lift his head, as he was unsure what was happening with the rest of his body.

Winderlich told the Herald Sun that the doctors didn’t guarantee him anything when he was to wake up.

“That’s why it was prettyscary at the start,” he said.

Tributes flowed on social media for Winderlich, wishinghim the best and hoping thathewouldpull through, after fears he would become aparaplegic.

The weeks following surgery have been held tight within his family as aprivate matter, until Winderlich posted an update of himself to social media with aneckbrace. Hispost cameafter weeks of rehabilitation at the Epworth, the Herald Sun reported.

“I’d spend afew hours during the night worrying about what was going to happen,” Winderlich said.

“A day after the surgery, my wife downloaded a heap of stuff for meditating, and I’d meditate for four to six hours and get good vibes.

“I started wiggling my toes and then Icould wiggle acoupleofmyfingers acouple of millimetres after about10days.AssoonasI could get myself on the edgeofthe hospital bed Istarted trying to standup. Iwantedtoget on with it and getbetter, and Iam.”

Winderlich currently wears asplint on his right leg to keep his foot at a90degree angle, keeping him from falling over. He is trying to rebuild the strength, flexion and mobility in his legssohe can lift them.

“The messages are going down there, but at the moment it’s just not doing it as well as it should,” Winderlich said.

He also said he was on medicationfor nerve pain that ran all the way down his right arm.

He said he was “feeling lucky”, knowing hisinjury could have been worse.

Winderlich thanked his followers on Instagram, whichwas then followed by hundreds of messages fromAFL identities and fans alike, telling the Herald Sun he felt overwhelmed with the support.

Winderlich returned to his home club last season to takeupthe coaching job alongside childhood mate Ray Pickering.

Sherriff celebrates new threads with two goals in Hawthorn victory

FOOTBALL AFLWEXPORTS

BY TOM HAYES

MORWELL’S CaseySherriffwas the only local to take the field in the opening week of the AFLW season.

Sherriff made her debut for Hawthorn after a trade saw her land at the Hawks fromMelbourne, where she won apremiership in 2022.

Hawthorn gottheir season underwayagainst Carlton at Frankston’s Kinetic Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Hawks and Blues had similar seasons last time out. Carltonregisteredone more win,finishing 12thonthe ladder,two places above Hawthorn Hawthornwas certainly ahappy team after knockingthe Blues overinemphaticfashion,9.12 (66) to 4.4 (28).

The Blues started on the front foot, leading by

Gippsland Power get past Wildcard round, moves into quarters

FOOTBALL GIPPSLAND POWER

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

FINALS started in the Coates Talent League with Gippsland Powerpaying in the first Wildcard Round match.

The Gippsland Power Boys defeated Murray Bushrangers in atight 7.9 (51) to 6.8 (44) finish that sends them through to the next round of play.

After looking down a3.4 (22) to 1.1 (7) margin after quarter time, the Gippsland side flipped the script to conclude the first half, holding their opponents scoreless and positioningthemselves ahead by two goals.

All wasn’t goingtobea walkinthe park

after that momentary run however, as the Bushrangers worked it back with two goals in the third term and the Power only managed a single behind to be down by three points. Willem Duursma bobbed up for his first to give Gippsland back the lead, and 10 minutes later Liam Hetherton of the Bushrangers cut it to under agoal after many flailing shots. Only apoint remained in it, with next to no time on the clock before Moe’s Tom Matthews flewout of the goal squaretotakea hangerover the pack of players.

Matthews (two goals)went back and iced the game for Power, setting up aQuarterFinal against the Dandenong Stingrays this Saturday at ETU Stadium, Port Melbourne.

The Girls finals are yettobe determined and scheduled but Power Girls sit sixth on the

just apoint going into the first break, thanks to two late Hawthorn goals.

Hawthorn used that momentum in the second term up until halftime, kicking3.3 (21) to nothing in the second, blitzing the Blues to lead by 20 points at halftime.

Scoring slowed down immediately after halftime, with both side adding just one goal each. Nonetheless, Hawthorn led by 22 points as the final term got underway.

Hawthorn kicked three of the four final quarter goals, as Sherriff got amongst it. She kicked the second of the final quarter, spinning out of apack before slotting it through, and the last to cap off abrilliant win in Frankston -acing her shot from the boundary from an out-on-the-full free kick.

Sherriff finished with two goals, 15 disposals, threetacklesand four clearances, and was Hawthorn’s fifth-best ranked player in the game. Hawthorn will now playCollingwood this Saturday at Victoria Park.

Moe’s

Recovery: Thorpdale co-coach Jason Winderlich afterhis surgery.

Photograph supplied

Happy Hawk: Morwell’sCaseySherriffcelebrates her firstgoalinthe brownand goldduring the opening round of AFLW. Photograph: AFL Galleries

Gun:

TomMatthews boots the sealer forGisppland Powerintheir WildcardRound win over Murray Bushrangers Photograph supplied

Wildcats keep season alive

FOOTBALL NORTH GIPPSLAND BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

WOODSIDE stay alive.

The Wildcatsended Heyfield’sseason in the most serious of ways, 13.11 (89) to 3.6 (24) in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League first semi-final Played out at Glengarry, wind waseven more ferocious than what was on display in Saturday’s TTU versus YYN contest, but Woodsidewithstood that deterrence to run home clear winners.

Little dents were seen on the scoreboard during the opening term, with midfielders tussling about and difficulty shownextending the ball marginally forward afield.

The Kangaroos managed to lay the opening punch, giving them the boosted confidence they needed.

The first quarter concluded, through all its turbulence, with Heyfield ahead 1.2 (8) to 0.1 (1).

That was afar cry from the Kangaroos opening quarterblitz of eight goals to nothing against Sale City the week prior in the Elimination Final.

The Wildcatsignitedthemselvesafterthe quarter time break, nailing the opening three goals of the second term, pushing them ahead by 12 points.

Finishing with the final three goals of the first half,penetrating the ballthroughthe constant wind, Woodsideentered the main break with a comfortable, yet only building, 6.4 (40) to 2.3 (15) lead.

Resuming after halftime, the match could have

NORTH GIPPSLAND

15 Under (9am): Heyfield vs Sale City

NORTH GIPPSLAND

OBudge TLawreyLJikowAAnderson MTwaddle

DPatmoreSDonahoe JCox

TTU: RDenovan

taken oneoftwo turns.Either Woodside continued to puttheir foot on the accelerator and extendtheir margin past the pointofreturn -automatically booking themselves arematch against YYN in the Preliminary Final, or Heyfield rise above, and throughaseason of many ebbs and flows, prove that they arestill aforce and worthy of the group of sides listed above them on the ladder.

The Kangaroos did all they could coming out for the second half, and possibly their final hour of football for the year, aggressively attacking and desperately trying to expose weakness in the experienced Woodside group.

Heyfield could only put through minor scores, while Woodside turned around in afew goes sent through goals that broke the Kangaroos spirit.

Outscoring their opponents three goals to none

and pushing their margin to 45 points at the finalchange,considering the conditions and an otherwise for the ages comeback, Woodside only hadnext week to look forward to at this point.

Despite the dominance and sizeable victory, Woodside only featured four individual goal scorers, withJai Williamsthe main attractions with abag of seven. Daniel Farmer (three goals) and Michael O’Sullivan (two)also kicked multiples.

MarkCollison continuedanexceptional finals run with asecond consecutive best-on-ground for the Wildcats, followed by Cameron Whiteoak, Ryan Foat,RowanMissen,Williams and Joshua Morgan ThomasMarchesiperformed admirably in defeatfor Heyfield,supported by KailHole, Robert McMillan, Marcus Sundermann, Brayden Woodland and Max Van Der Zwart.

Traralgonand District Junior

Football premiers crowned

Long way to the topfor Churchill

NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLTAND TOM HAYES

GIPPSLAND Leaguefinals arrivedatthe weekend.

Warragul defeated Drouin 45 to 41 in the western derby Qualifying Final.

The Gulls had been on the tails of the Hawks all year, and upon an eye-raising losstoLeongatha in thefinal round of the home-and-away season, it appeared as though Drouin was entering finals with some question marks over their heads. Finishingwithonly agamedifference,these two sides matched up well, and the first final was destined to be astand out.

There was only atotal margin of five goals in matches played between the two sides during the year.

Back-and-forth throughout theopening term, Warragul managed ahandy lead by three goals, up 14-11 at quarter time on the Maffra courts.

The second quarter followed the patterns of the first, bouncing up and down the court with aforce

Netball scoreboard

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE -QUALIFYING FINAL

AGRADE: Warragul 45 def Drouin 41

BGRADE: Moe44def Leongatha 37

CGRADE: Drouin 32 def Maffra30.

17 AND UNDER: Leongatha 42 def Bairnsdale 23.

15 AND UNDER: Sale 26 def Traralgon 25. 13 AND UNDER: Maffra28def Traralgon17.

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE -ELIMINATION FINAL

AGRADE: Bairnsdale 56 def Traralgon 38. BGRADE: Traralgon37def Wonthaggi 29.

CGRADE: Wonthaggi 28 def Leongatha 27

17 AND UNDER: Sale 30 def Drouin 24. 15 AND UNDER: Moe 38 def Maffra26.

13 AND UNDER: Moe 23 def Sale 15

MID GIPPSLAND -SECOND SEMI-FINAL

AGRADE: Fish Creek 51 def Yinnar 50.

BGRADE: Fister 57 def Boolarra49.

CGRADE: Yinnar 40 def MDU 32.

DGRADE: Fish Creek 32 def StonyCreek 27 17 AND UNDER: Boolarra45def Toora34. 15 AND UNDER: Boolarra38def Toora24. 13 AND UNDER: Yinnar 24 def Hill End 15

MID GIPPSLAND -FIRSTSEMI-FINAL

AGRADE: MDU52def Morwell East 44. BGRADE: StonyCreek 43 def Mirboo North 37

CGRADE: Mirboo North33def Toora29. DGRADE: Yinnar 32 def Newborough 27 17 AND UNDER: MDU 33 def Yinnar 26

15 AND UNDER: Yinnar 34 def Mirboo North 28.

13 AND UNDER: MDU 29 def Newborough 26.

NORTH GIPPSLAND -SECOND SEMI-FINAL

AGRADE: Sale City34def Churchill 28.

BGRADE: Sale City32def YYN 31

CGRADE: Woodside 34 def Sale City19.

DGRADE: Sale City26def TTU25. 17 AND UNDER: Sale City35def Rosedale 29. 15 AND UNDER: TTU42def Heyfield 18

NORTH GIPPSLAND

AGRADE: Heyfield 40 def Woodside 35. BGRADE: Woodside 36 def Gormandale 29. CGRADE: TTU30def Churchill 19 DGRADE: Woodside 35 def YYN 21

AND UNDER: Sale City27def

TTU13.

at either end,and despite Drouin’sincreased effort, the Gulls still wonthe term and were ahead28-24 at the main break.

The Hawks regrouped and scored the first five goals of the third to takethe lead by three goals. It was all knives out at this point, with goals being traded at either end.

Warragul were the deservedvictorshowever,with six of the last seven goals after tying the game back up to book themselves adatewith minor premier Moe for aspot in the Grand Final.

Bairnsdale delivered in asatisfying home final win over Traralgon, 56-38.

Twas the Redlegs first AGrade appearance on thebig stage in 13 years.

Both sides locked-in finals in the concluding round of the home-and-away season, meaning it was an expected bloodbath awaiting in theelimination final.

The firstquarter producedassuch, with Bairnsdale ahead 10-12 on Sunday.

The second term was wherethe Redlegssaw true separation, and pummelled in 15 goals to the Maroons’ measly three to enterhalftime up 27-13

That was just aboutitasfar as Traralgon was concerned, although the Maroons showed good character to draw the third quarter 14-all.

 SEMI FINAL action in the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League ran its course, offering afinal three to be reckoned with.

Fish Creek and Yinnar battled it out to the very end, withthe Kangarooseventuating one-goal winners at Newborough to advance to the Grand Final.

MDU ended Morwell East’s season in adecisive 52-44 victory at Yinnar,sending the Demons through to the Preliminary Final.

 NORTH GIPPSLAND FNLfinalscontinued at the weekend with exceptional games on display.

One side progressed to the Grand Final, while one was knocked out of contention all together.

The Bulldogs remained undefeated, winning 34 to 28, clinching aspot in the Grand Final.

stave off Churchill at home.

Wind played afactor at Stephenson Park, with both attacking ends struggling to consistently put shots away

But it was Sale City who got used to the conditions quicker, gaining afour-goal lead by quarter time, doubling it by halftime, leading 18-10.

TheBulldogs proved why they were undefeated, continuing to keep the Cougars at bay during the third quarter. It soon lookedmore and more certain that Churchill was going to have to play another game to make the Grand Final, but the tides turned in the final quarter.

Sale Citystill held asubstantial lead, but Churchill was coming. All of asudden, their shots were falling, and turnovers fell into their hands. Crucialshots wentamiss, as theCougars got the margin to as low as fivegoals, but couldn’t getany closer, going down by six.

After playing Sale City on their home court, Churchill will now have to play Heyfield on their home court in the Preliminary Final.

The Kangaroosknocked overdefending premier Woodside by five goals in the do-or-die Semi Final, 40-35 at Glengarry.

Heyfield consistently held onto their lead as the game drew along, with Woodside failing to make an impression, despite the game being in close quarters.

Heyfield will now hold some confidence going into aPreliminary Final at home, against aside they know they can beat.

Churchill only beat Heyfield two weeks ago by a goal in the Qualifying Final, so who knows what is to come.

If the Cougars can win away, not only will they make their second Grand Final in two years, but it will be their turn to play on their home court.

Radford named best, brightest Star

BY TOM HAYES

THE Gippsland Stars wrappeduptheir inaugural Victorian Netball League season in style with their presentation night. The Starsenteredthe respectiveleagues with teams in the Under 23 and U19 divisions for the club’s first season in competition. In the VNL U23competition, Gippsland collected two wins in ahopeful start to their life in the state league. The first of the Stars’ two wins came in Round 2 against Bendigo Strikers, winningbyfour goals, 58 to 54. Their second, and final win, came in Round 12 against Boroondara Express, winning by three goals, 47-44. The girls had their fair share of Player of the Match performances as well. Throughout the 22-round season, 10 girls managed to earn themselves aPlayer of the Match performance. None however were able to get more than

Morwell’sChloe Radford and Traralgon’s Myah Healey, who racked up six each.

Also collecting multiple Player of the Match performances were Bairnsdale’s AlisonDwyer (three), Drouin’s Lucy McKellar (two), and Moe’s Hollie Bugeja (two).

On the night, Radford was announced as the U23 Gippsland Stars best-and-fairest.

Healey wasn’t faroff,taking out the U23 Gippsland Stars MVP, as well the runner-up best-and-fairest.

Bairnsdale’s Paris Dunkley was noted as the U23 Gippsland Stars Rising Star.

Also thatnight, the U19Gippsland Stars unveiled Annabel Sheppard as their best-and-fairest, in a seasonthat sawthem win the EasternConference Grand Final.

Outstanding: Morwell’sChloe Radford took out theU23 Gippsland Starsbest-andfairest forseason2024.

Photograph: Gippsland Stars

Only three remain, as an enticing Preliminary Final awaits two sides who have both gotten the best of one another this season.

Sale City put in the work early to

Smarts: Traralgon’s Allyssa Tangi prepares to bouncepassthe ball around aWonthagigopponent during Sunday’sElimination Final. Photographs:Liam Durkin

Take one last look while you can

COMMENT

By DAVID LITTLE

THIS season is the last chance for playersand the community to use the current elevated viewing area of the Traralgon Recreation Reserve pavilion.

Latrobe City Council is planning to demolish this building and provide, what is in my view, athirdclass pavilion without any elevated viewing area.

The TraralgonDistrict Junior FootballLeague grand finals were held at the reserve last Sunday (September 1), which gave Traralgon players, familymembers, supportersand regional communities the chance to view games from the vantage point.

Everyone was welcomed to undertake this experience and voice their concerns that an inadequate replacement facility is being proposed.

Regional visitors will have the same opportunity to have this historical experienceatthe Gippsland League Preliminary Final scheduled for Saturday, September 14.

Attachedtothispiece is aphoto of the Traralgon Recreation Reserve Pavilion and grandstand period 1900.

Better elevated viewing facilities for the community were provided 120 years ago.

TheLatrobe City Council officers plan issued for tender had no elevated oval viewing area other

than an inadequate media and timekeepers box.

This is asection of the currentelevated space being demolished, but now to be located at ground level and their view of the playing area, will at times be obscured by spectators.

This recommended modification will at least provide some viewing area for the users and the community. This modification is at no additional cost but will provide at leastasecond grade facility. It will also reduce the spectator movement around the media box and timekeepers area.

The current Tony Lane Grandstand is also being demolished with aset of concrete stepsconstructed as the replacement option. This is totally undersizedand inadequate for the future needs of the Traralgon community and regional visitors.

At arecent specialmeeting of the Traralgon Football-Netball Club, frustrated members expressed their concerns with the current proposal. After more thanthreeyears of pain sincethe June 2021 flood, the football-netballclub and Traralgon community accepted athird-class facility.

Council officers are not listening to the effected groups.

The Traralgon FNC is now investigating how to undertake asimilararrangement as Stage2ofthe Traralgon Recreation Reserve Plan to achieve an outcometomeet future requirement of the community and sporting organisations.

STADIUM34 mourns the unexpected loss of beloved netball figure

NETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

STADIUM 34 carried out atribute week for beloved netballumpireAnge Buhagiar, who died suddenly on Sunday, July 28

All netball competitions at Stadium 34 were ceased the week following and the next week of play was treated as atribute week for Buhagiar. Aminute silence washeld before allscheduled netballgames, with players and umpires wearing black armbands.

All five of Ange's daughters have at some stage worked at Stadium 34: Samantha, Amy,Emma, Belinda and Cindy. Her family tree even extends to the Moe sports stadium now in the form of her eldest granddaughter, Caitlyn. Buhagiar was describedasthe backbone of the umpiringcohort at STADIUM34, by friend Deb Tormey.

"The hard part is, because we're still umpiring, you still go in there and you expect her," she said.

"Because she'd always be there early, and you'd walk in and you'd jus expect her to be standing over there talking to Brendan or out for aquick puff outside or talking to the girls who are waiting at the counter to be served, you'd just turn around and just expect her to be there and now she's not and that's the hard part."

Tormey umpired with Buhagiar for 15 years, and remembered her as "a liked umpire, she stuck withher decisions whether the playersagreed with

her or not, she'd stick with her decisions (and) she knew alot of the players through her daughters."

Kerrie Strobridge was as close to Buhagiar as you could get, along with Strobridge's parents Pat and Spud, who lived next door to her for 20 years.

"Amy and my daughterare the same age, so Ange use to look after my daughter as well years ago, so it was abig loss," she said.

"Then my mum classed her as their unofficial daughter because she was there every day, she'd go and check on mum and dad,see if theywere okay, they'd share food and go fishing together."

Buhagiar was affiliated with Yallourn Yallourn North Football-Netball Club, Hill End FNC and Moe FNC (latter as an umpire only) and also umpired for the Moe &District Netball Association.

Strobridge was the umpire coordinator at the M&DNAand calledupon Buhagiar as a"go-to person if someone pulled the pin".

"I'd say'hey, can you help out tonight, can you do an extra game?', and then she's day 'I'm not doing it no more' and I'd go 'I'm only doing it one season, I'm quitting next year', but thatnext year never come," she said.

"She would do our tournaments and umpire for Moe &District, and you'd see her at our twilight and winter comps every year."

Buhagiar just wanted to be ahelping hand wherever she could. Besides netball, she'droutinely helpout when STADIUM34hosted their bigEaster weekend indoor hockey tournament.

Latest round of grants now available for regional sports clubs

FOOTBALL/NETBALL

THE state government has announced new grants to ensuremore Victorians can play the sport they love close to home in regional Victoria. Applications for the latest round of the Country Football and Netball Program are now open. Grants of up to $250,000 are available for regional and outer metropolitan councils to apply for grants for sports infrastructure developments,including court lighting upgrades, change room overhauls and new pavilions.

Successful recipients in recent years include the Hepburn Shire Council, which received $250,000 for netball court and oval lighting upgrades at Daylesford FootballNetball Club.

Developedinpartnership with theAFL, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria, the program has invested more than $40 million and delivered more than 575 projects since 2005. Applications close Monday, September 30, 2024. For more information on the program and to apply, visit: sport.vic.gov.au/funding

What’s there: ThecurrentfacilityatTraralgon Recreation Reserve,set to be demolishedthis month. Photographs supplied

Waybackwhen: The grandstand at Traralgon Recreation Reserve,circa 1900

Saturday,September 7

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 Rage Charts. (PG) 7.00 Weekend Breakfast. 9.00 Rage.(PG) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 12.30 Unforgotten. (Malv,R) 1.15

Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PG, R) 2.05 Shaun Micallef ’s EveOfDestruction. (PG,R) 2.40 Becoming Frida Kahlo.(PGan, R) 3.55 David Attenborough’s MicroMonsters. (R) 4.45 TheAssembly (PG,R) 5.30 Landline (R)

6.00 Australian Story: This Is HowItGoes– MissyHig gins. (R) Presented by Leigh Sales

6.30 Back Roads: Kurri Kurri, NSW.

(PG, R) Lisa Millar travels to Kurri Kurri.

7.00 ABC News. Alookatthe top stories of theday

7.30 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (Mv) Sister Boniface uncovers acase of life imitating art when alocal amateur dramatics performer dies on stage.

8.20 Vera (Mav,R)Almost adecade after akiller wasconvicted, locals are shocked to learn new evidence has surfaced.

9.50 Fifteen-Love. (Final, Malv,R) Renee steps out onto centre court for the quarter finals of The Championships.

10.50 TheBeastMustDie. (Final, Mals, R) Francesdeals with thefallout of her actions.

11.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

6am Morning Programs.

6.00 MorningPrograms 10.00 Destination Flavour.(R) 10.05 GreatIrish Interiors. (R) 10.35 Soccer.2026FIFAWorld Cup CONMEBOL

Qualifier.Brazil vEcuador 12.45 Destination Flavour.(R) 12.55 Such WasLife. (R) 1.05 WorldWatch. 3.05 Portillo’s GreatestRailway Journeys.(R) 4.00 Wonders Of Scotland. (PGa, R) 4.30 Cycling. UCIWorld Tour.LaVuelta. Stage19. Highlights. 5.30 Frontlines. (PGavw)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Cumbria:The Lakes & TheCoast. Part 2of5

8.25 SecretsOfARoyalEstate: ClarenceHouse. (PGs) Takesalook at Clarence House, London,the hidden gem of British royalfamily’sresidences.

9.20 TheWorld’sMostBeautiful Landscapes: Snowdonia. (R) Avisualjourney through the landscape of the Snowdonia, from the Llyn Peninsula to Mount Snowdon itself 10.15 Scotland’sExtreme Medic s. (Mal,R)Part 2of4

11.10 Nordland 99 (Mal) 12.05 RexInRome. (PGv, R) 3.30 Billy Connolly:MadeInScotland. (Mal, R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 4.50 Destination Flavour ChinaBitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe World Tonight.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 TheMorning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Moir Stakes Day and City Tattersalls Club Cup Day 2.30 AFL Pre-Game Show 3.00 Football AFL.First qualifying final.Sydneyv GWSGiants.

6.00 SevenNews. 7.00 Football. AFL. First elimination final. Brisbane Lions vCarlton. From the Gabba, Brisbane. 10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking alook back at allthe action fromthe game.

11.00 TheVoice. (PGl, R) It is theninth and secondlastnight of theblind auditions and new artists taketothe stage.

12.35 Taken. (Mav,R)Bryan gets his first chance in the field.However, when the mission goesbust it results in atragicdeath.

1.35 Harry’s Prac tice. (R) Dr Harry Cooper and Dr Katrina Warren present information about animals and petcare

2.00 HomeShopping. (R)

4.00 Drop Dead Weird (R) Three siblings move to Ireland.

5.00 HouseOfWellness (PG,R)Alook at locations that highlight living well

6.00 GolfBarons. (PG, R) 6.30 ACurrent Affair.(R) 7.00 Weekend Today 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday.(PG) 12.00 CountryHouse HuntersAustralia. (R) 12.30 The Block. (PGl, R) 3.00 Paralympics Paris 2024:Encore 5.00 Paralympics Paris 2024.Day 10: Afternoon. Events may include:paraswimming,200m individual medley;paraathletics finals; para cycling road.

6.00 9News Saturday.

7.00 Paralympic sParis 2024

Day 10: Night. Events may include: paraswimming, men’s 200m freestyle mixed 4x100m freestyle; paraathletics, men’s 100m; paracycling road

10.30 Paralympic sParis 2024 Day 10: Late night.Events may include: paracycling road; wheelchair tennis; wheelchair basketball; paraequestrian.

12.00 Paralympic sParis 2024

Day 10: Post midnight.Events may include: paracycling road; wheelchair tennis; paraswimmingfinals; para athleticsfinals; wheelchair basketball, men’s gold medal match.

6am MorningPrograms. 11.30 Deal Or No Deal: Celebrity Jackpot. (R) 12.30 Are You RV

6.30 TheDog House. (PGa, R)A new couple are ready to makeacommitment.

7.30 Thank God You’re Here. (R) Agroup of performers walks througha doorintoascene without anyidea of whatwaits for them on the otherside.

8.30 TheDog House Australia. (PGa, R) Followsthe staffasthey try to find the right fit forapairoflovebirds who hope to giveahometoa nervous rottweiler and apoochwhose energy might be too much for its potential owner’smum.

9.30 Ambulance UK. (Mal, R) It is a holiday weekend and the ambulance service receives aspikeinthe number of mental health-related calls.

12.00 TheCheap Seats (Mal, R) Presented by Melanie Bracewell and TimMcDonald. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power. 6am WorldWatch.

10.00 TheMovie Show Noon Scrubs 2.05 Australiana: Rage In The Cage 2.45 WorldWatch 4.45 Extreme Food Phobics 5.40 Monty Python’s Best Bits(Mostly) 6.15 TheSecret Genius Of Modern Life. 7.25 ImpossibleEngineering. 8.20 Travel Man. 8.50 Cycling. UCI World Tour.LaVuelta. Stage 20 1.55am The X-Files. 3.40 NHK WorldEnglish News. 5.00 Al Jazeera.

6am The Movie Show. 6.20 Charade. (1963, PG) 8.25 The Ipcress File. (1965,PG) 10.25 On The Basis Of Sex. (2018, M) 12.40pm La La Land. (2016, M) 3.00 The Importance Of Being Earnest. (1952) 4.50 Dan In Real Life.(2007,PG) 6.40 Clue. (1985,PG) 8.30 There Will Be Blood. (2007 ) 11.25 Room In Rome. (2010,MA15+) 1.25am Late Programs.

2pm MOVIE: Bush Christmas. (1983,PG) 3.40 Kutcha’s Carpool Koorioke. 3.50 Volcanic Odysseys. 4.40 Jarjums. 4.50 NITVNews: Nula. 5.20 Unsettled. 5.50 Kairakau 6.20 News. 6.30 First People’s Kitchen. 7.00 The Other Side 7.30 Alone Australia. 8.30 MOVIE: One DayInThe Life Of Piugattuk. (2019) 10.30 Dizzy Gillespie In Studio 104 11.10 Late Programs. NITV (34) 6am Home Shopping 8.30 Travel Oz. 10.00 Escape To The Country 11.00 Harry’sPractice. 11.30 GetOn Extra Noon Escape To The Country. 1.00 House Of Wellness 2.00 Animal SOS Australia. 2.30 Horse Racing. Moir StakesDay and CityTattersalls Club CupDay 5.30 ICU 6.00 Heathrow. 6.30 The Highland Vet. 7.30 The

9GEM (92, 81)

RugbyLeague.NRL.Round27. Penrith Panthers vGold CoastTitans. 9.25 NRLSaturday Night FootyPost-Match. 10.00 MOVIE: ForA Few DollarsMore. (1965,M) 12.45am Late Programs.

7TWO (72, 62) 6am Tennis. US Open. Continued. 1pm Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. Milwaukee Mile. 2.10 Motor Racing. IndyCar Series. Milwaukee Mile. 3.20 Motor Racing. FIA World Endurance C’ship.Lone Star Le Mans. H’lights. 4.30 MotorwayCops: Catching Britain’s Speeders. 5.30 MOVIE: Paper Planes. (2014) 7.30 MOVIE: Cheaper By The Dozen2.(2005,PG) 9.30 MOVIE: Wonder (2017,PG) 11.50 Late Programs.

Sunday,September8

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6.00 MorningPrograms. 8.00 WorldWatch. 10.00 FIFAWorld Cup Classic Matches. (R) 11.30 Great Irish Interiors. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 12.30 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic. 12.55 Ascot Kayaking. (PG, R) 1.00 Australian SuperbikeC’ship.Round 5. 4.00 Etched In Gold. (Premiere) 4.30 Cycling. UCIWorld Tour.LaVuelta. Stage20. Highlights. 5.30 Frontlines. (PGavw)

SEVEN (7,6)

NINE (9,8) 6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 WeekendBreakfast. 9.00 Insiders 10.00 Offsiders. 10.30 World This Week.(R) 11.00 Compass. (PGa, R) 11.30 Praise. 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.25 Darby AndJoan. (PG,R) 3.10 Nigella At My Table. (R) 3.40 George Clarke’sAmazing Spaces. (R) 4.30 Restoration Australia. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.(PG, R)

6.30 Compass: Yoga. Explores howyogahas shifted over time.

7.00 ABCNews. Alook at the top storiesofthe day

7.30 Return To Paradise. (Premiere, Mv) AnAustralian expat detectivereturns home. 8.30 Unforgotten. (Return,Madl) Human remains are discovered in anewly renovatedperiod property in west London 9.20 TheQueen And Us (PG, R) Takes alookatthe life andlegacy of Queen Elizabeth II through Australian eyes 10 20 Fisk. (PG, R) Helen deals with anuisance claim.

10.50 Spicks And Specks. (PG,R) 12.25 Endeavour (Mav,R)

1.55 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.00 Australia Remastered.(R) 4.00 Outback Ringer.(PG, R)

4.30 Art Works. (R) 5.00 Insiders. (R)

6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 TheOttoman Empire By Train Part 2of5

8.30 9/11: Four Flights. (PGa,R) Thestories of those aboard American 11, United 175, American 77 and United93on9/11. 10.05 America Af ter 9/11 (Mav, R) Michael Kirk traces the legacy of 9/11. 12.10 Thatcher &Reagan. (PGav,R) 2.10 24 Hours In Emergency. (Mal, R) 3.00 8Out Of10CatsDoes Countdown. (Mals, R)

3.55 Hell On Ear th: WWII. (Mav, R)

4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature 5.30 AlJazeeraNews.

6.00 NBCToday 7.00 WeekendSunrise. 10.00 The MorningShow: Weekend.(PG) 12.00 House Of Wellness. (PG,R) 1.00 Football AFL Women’s Week 2. Richmond vGWS Giants. 3.00 Football AFL Women’s.Week2 North Melbourne vGeelong. 5.00 SevenNews At 5. 5.30 Melbourne Weekender. (PG)

6.00 SevenNews. 7.00 TheVoice. (PGl) Hosted by Sonia Kruger

8.35 7NEWS Spotlight An exclusive special investigation

9.35 TheLatest: SevenNews. 10.05 Crime Investigation Australia: MostInfamous: TheKimberley Killer (Mav,R)Takes alookata serial shooter in the TopEnd. 11.10 AutopsyUSA:Walt Disney. (Ma) Alookatthe 1966 death of Walt Disney 12.10 Lipstick Jungle. (Mds, R) 1.10 Harry’s Prac tice. (R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Sunrise 5am News

5.30 Sunrise.

(72, 62)

(34) 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 House Of Wellness. 11.00 Escape To The Country Noon The

6.00 Paralympics Paris 2024.Day 10: Early morning. 7.00 Weekend Today 10.00 AFL Sunday FootyShow.(PG) 12.00 Wide World Of Sports. (PG) 1.00 Country House Hunters Australia. (PG, R) 1.30 The Block. (PGl, R) 2.30 Paralympics Paris 2024:Encore. 3.30 Postcards. (PG) 4.00 Paralympics Paris 2024 Day 11: Afternoon. Eventsmay include: para marathon.

6.00 9News Sunday.

7.00 TheBlock (PGl)Keith is back. Grant enjoyshis birthday Jesse and Paige are not happy

8.30 Paralympic sParis 2024 Day 11: Night.Events may include: paracanoe 200m final.

9.00 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issuesaffecting allAustralians.

9.45 Paralympic sParis 2024 Day11: Late night. Events may include:wheelchair basketball, women’sgold medal match. 12.00 Paralympic sParis 2024 Day 11:Postmidnight. 4.00 Paralympic sParis 2024: Pre-Show

4.30 Paralympic sParis 2024: ClosingCeremony.

(92, 81)

TEN (10, 5)

6.00 TheSundayProjec t. Alookatthe day’snews. 7.00 Hunted. (Final) The winners are revealed. 8.15 FBI. (Mv) The team works to find a pregnant woman and the killer who took her hostage after asecurityguard is murdered. 9.15 TheRealC SI: Miami: Death Of AHurricane. (MA15+av) Detectives analyse the case of Marlin Barnesafter he and his girlfriend were foundmurdered in his apartment. 10.15 FBI. (Mv,R)A nationalguard commander is kidnapped.

11.05 TheSunday Projec t (R) Alookatthe day’snews. 12.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBSMorning s. 6am WorldWatch. 9.30 Small Business Secrets. 10.00 The Movie Show. Noon Hudson &Rex 1.40 Kim’s Convenience. 2.10 How To RobABank. 3.00 Queer Sports. 4.50 WorldWatch. 5.20 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic. 5.45 The MachinesThat Built America. 6.35 Abandoned Engineering. 7.30 Abandoned Americana. 8.25 God And Country: Christian Nationalism. 10.10 Late Programs. 6am Dan In Real Life. Continued. (2007, PG) 7.30 Clue. (1985 PG) 9.20 The Kid. (1921, PG) 10.25 TheReport (2019,M) 12.35pm American Pastoral. (2016,M) 2.35 Charade. (1963, PG) 4.40 The Ipcress File (1965, PG) 6.40 Weekend At Bernie’s.(1989,PG) 8.30 TheWay Back.(2010, M) 10.55 Playground. (2021, M, French) 12.20am 13 Assassins. (2010, MA15+, Japanese) 2.40 Late Programs. 6am MorningPrograms. 1pm Rugby League.Koori Knockout. Replay 1.55 Rugby League.Koori Knockout. Replay 2.50 On CountryKitchen. 3.45 Exile And The Kingdom. 4.45 Dizzy Gillespie In Studio 104 5.25 QuincyJones Big Band. 6.10 News. 6.20 Wild New Zealand. 7.30 Stable: The Boxing Game. 8.30 Cassius X: Becoming Ali. 10.05 MOVIE: The Fifth Element. (1997, PG) 12.15am Late Programs.

To Be Advised. 11.30 Late Programs.

Tennis. US Open. Continued. 9.00 Children’s Programs. 1.50pm MOVIE: The Dust Factory.(2004,PG) 3.50 MOVIE: Superintelligence. (2020,PG) 6.00 Rugby League NRL Women’s Premiership.Knights vBroncos. 8.00 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Birds Of Prey.(2020, MA15+) 10.40 MOVIE: 22 Jump

Monday,September9

(R) 6.00 MorningPrograms. 10.15 Wonderland: Lewis Carol To JRR Tolkien. (PGa, R) 11.10 Auction. 12.10 WorldWatch. 2.00 Woven Threads Stories From Within. (PGa, R) 2.10 World’sGreatest Hotels. (R) 3.00 Railway Journeys UK. (PG, R) 3.35 The Cook Up (R) 4.05 Jeopardy! (R) 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Cycling. UCI World Tour.La Vuelta.Finalstage. Highlights

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS WorldNews.

7.30 Robson Green’sWeekend Escapes: MathesonGreen. (Final) Robson Green is joined by his uncle

Investigative journalism programexposing scandals firing debateand confrontingtaboos.

9.15 Media Watch (PG) Paul Barry takes alook at thelatestissues affecting media consumers. 9.35 Q+A. Presented by Patricia Karvelas. 10.35 ABC LateNews. 10.50 TheBusiness.

3.35 Catalyst. (R) 4.30 Outback Ringer.(PG, R) 5.00 Art Works. (Final,PG, R) 5.25 7.30.(R)

8.40 8Out Of 10 CatsDoes Countdown. (Return, Mls) Game show featuring contestants tacklinga words and numbers quiz. Hosted by Jimmy Carr

9.35 24 Hours In Emergency: Tales Of TheUnexpec ted. (Mal, R)

A45-year-old dislocates her ankle. 10.30 SBS World NewsLate. 11.00 Suspec t. (Mal) 11.30 House Of Promises. (Msv)

1.15 La Jauria. (MA15+dv,R) 3.10 MakeMeA Dealer.(PG,R) 4.00 Grayson Perry:Divided Britain. (Ml, R) 4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The WorldTonight.

6.00 SevenNews. 7.00 Home And Away (PGad)

7.30 My Kitchen Rules. (Return, PGl) Thecompetition kicks off on Victoria’sMornington Peninsula with abarbecue witha difference.

9.15 TheRookie. (Mv) Nolan and Bailey’s honeymoon is more of anightmare than dream when it turns into an activecrime scene. Bradford and Juarezpartner up and must uncoverthe identityofa John Doe

10.15 S.W. A.T. (Mav) The team participates in ajoint taskforce.

11.15 TheLatest: SevenNews. 11.45 Lopez Vs.Lopez. (PGals) George coachesChance’s T-ball team. 12.45 TheEvent. (Mav,R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBCToday 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise

6.00 Paralympics Paris 2024:Closing CeremonyContinued. 7.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra.(PG) 11.30 9News Morning 12.00 The Block. (PGl, R) 1.30 Paralympics Paris 2024:Encore. 3.00

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrent Affair

7.30 TheBlock. (Mal) In adramatic turn of events, one team leaves underextreme circumstances.

8.45 Paralympic sParis 2024:Closing Ceremony (R) Coverage of the Closing Ceremony of the 17th Summer Paralympic Games from Stade de France. Acelebration of the paraathletes and their performances, it will feature the handovertoLos Angeles.

11.45 La Brea. (Mav) Ty triesto figure out his next steps. 12.40 Transplant. (MA15+m) 1.35 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 2.30 Global Shop (R)

6.00 Deal Or No Deal Hosted by GrantDenyer

6.30 TheProjec t. Alook at the day’snews. 7.30 TheAmazing RaceAustralia: Celebrity Edition. (Return, PGals) Featuringchampion swimmer Ian Thorpe and comedian LukeMcGregor. 9.00 Have YouBeenPaying

Tuesday, September 10

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

SEVEN (7,6)

NINE (9,8) 6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Foreign Correspondent. (R) 10.30 The Pacific. (R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 The Newsreader. (Mdl, R) 2.00 Parliament Question Time. 3.00 Yakka: Australia At Work. (PGa, R) 3.55 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R) 4.45 GrandDesigns. (R) 5.30 AntiquesRoadshow. (R)

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 DestinationFlavour (R) 9.05 Paul O’Grady:For The Love Of Dogs. (PGa, R) 10.05 Wonderland: Lewis Carol To JRR Tolkien. (Ma, R) 11.00 Auction 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Such WasLife. (R) 2.20 World’sGreatest Hotels. (PGa, R) 3.10 Railway Vietnam. (PG, R) 3.40 The Cook Up.(R) 4.10 Tony Robinson: The Thames At Night. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) Presented by Marc Fennell. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 GreatCoastal Railway Journeys: Isles Of Scilly Hosted by Michael Portillo

8.30 Insight. Kumi Taguchi explores the impactofgame-changing weight loss drugs.

9.30 Dateline: ANew Sheriff In Town. An investigationintohow far-right sheriffs are infiltrating US policing. 10.00 SBSWorld NewsLate 10.30 ThePoint: Road Trip (R) Hosted by John Paul Janke.

11.30 Babylon Berlin. (Mav) 1.20 Illegals. (Malv,R)

3.20 MakeMeA Dealer.(R) 4.10 Bamay.(R) 4.40 Destination FlavourChina Bitesize. (R)

5.00 NHK World EnglishNewsMorning. 5.30 ANC PhilippinesThe WorldTonight.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The MorningShow.(PG) 11.30 SevenMorning News. 12.00 To Be Advised 1.45 Border Security: International. (PG,R) 2.15 CatchPhrase. (PG, R) 3.00 TheChase. (R) 4.00 SevenNews At 4. 5.00 TheChase Australia.

6.00 SevenNews.

7.00 Home And Away (PGad)

7.30 My Kitchen Rules. (PGl) Thecompetition continuesinAdelaide with healthy Asian-inspired meals.

9.05 Made In Bondi. (Ml) Charlie organises aromantic country sojourn without revealing who else is invited.

10.10 FirstDates UK. (Ma) Singles experience the thrills of dating.

11.10 TheLatest: SevenNews. 11.40 Extended Family (Final, PGa) Julia and Trey go to pre-marital counselling. 12.10 HoleyMoleyAustralia. (PGl, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBCToday 5.00 Sunrise 5am News. 5.30 Sunrise

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra.(PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 TheBlock. (Mal, R) 1.15 Saltimbanco To Luzia: 25 YearsOfCirque Du Soleil In Australia. (R) 1.45 My Way. (R) 2.00 Pointless.(PG) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 9News

6.00 9News.

7.00 ACurrent Affair

7.30 TheBlock (PGl) Hosted by ScottCam andShelley Craft.

8.40 TheHundred With AndyLee. (Return, Ms) Andy Leeisjoined by a panel of comedians and 100 Aussies to explore the fun behind the facts. 9.40 True Stor yWith Hamish & Andy:Rachel. (PGs, R) Australians recount hilarious true stories. 10.40 9News Late. 11.10 ChicagoMed (MA15+am) 12.00 Transplant. (MA15+m)

TEN (10, 5)

BOOK WEEK 2024

Hazelwood Nth go all out

THE wholeschool celebrated Book Weekat Hazelwood North Primary School.

It was amazing to see all students and staff dressed up, and the atmosphere was electric.

The day started with awholeschoolparade. Participants then moved into cross-age activities, which were organised by some of the Grade 5/6 students.

The Grade 5/6s have also been visiting Kurnai College’s Churchill Campus to learn aboutcoding Senior students into their sport have participated in the District Basketball Competition. The school had two groups represented. The light blueteamworked really hardand supported

each other. The dark blue team played extremely well and won the final and will now compete in the next round of competition.

Thesports themecontinued, with the 3M class conducting amini-Olympics.

Academia was involved, with students recording their results. In da Vinci, the F2 students designed Olympic stadiums. In art, studentsmade and decorated Olympic torches.

The schoola ls oc elebrated prin cipalM rs Connolly for Principal’s Day.

Mrs Connolly was given aspecial morning tea in her honour, and all classrooms made cards, drawings, abook of puns and origami flowers.

Magic work at Morwell Central

THE slogan for Book Week this year, was ‘Reading is Magic’.

Staffand students at Morwell Central Primary had awonderfultimedressingupfor aparadeas theirfavourite book character.

The students also completedactivities based around The Children’s Book Council of Australia ‘Bookofthe Year’ Award Winners.

MONDAY2 SEPTEMBER

Oden Serong-Surman turns 9 TUESDAY3SEPTEMBER

Lachlan Carnie turns 11

Jaxon Wyntjes-Maynard turns 11

Rose Ormrod turns 6

WEDNESDAY4 SEPTEMBER

Sophia Slayford turns 8

Hudson Stray turns 9

Rosie Caldwell turns 7

THURSDAY5SEPTEMBER

Felicity McEwan turns 7

FRIDAY6SEPTEMBER

Elijah Gillow turns 11

Ellie Chalmers turns 5

Colour: Grade 1/2 students show offtheir costumes Photographs supplied

Occasion: StafffromHazelwood Nor th Primar ySchoolgetting intothe Book Week spirit.

Dr Seuss: Amy, Maleahand Carissa as ‘Thing 1’,‘the Catinthe Hat’ and ‘Thing2’.

Namesake: Morwell CentralPrimar ySchool student Zach dressed as thecharacter ‘Zach’ in ‘The Magic in Zach’.

Find: Ollieas‘Wally’in‘Where’s Wally?’

Duo: Adelynand McKennaasPeter Panand his shadow. Photographs supplied

Team effort: Staffinthe Prep Hub dressed as Sesame Street characters.

Whatnextfor oldpolice lockup?

MEMBERS of the Mirboo and District Historical Society are disappointed they cannot find somewhere to place the old historic police lock-up.

The lockup is owned and was rescued by the society several years agoand movedbyagroup of volunteers when the police station in Baromi Road was sold.

In the late 1900s, these lock-ups were sent from England by ship in flat kit form and erected on site.

This structure is held by rods and bolts through the walls holding the three-inch thick boards in place that are slipped in from the top.

The first lock-up for Mirboo North around 1910 was behind the former police station on asitein Main Street which served the district until 1963.

This lock-up was used until the closure of the Baromi Rd police station when it becameredundant once the new police station was built on Ridgway St in 2010.

This lock-up was extensively renovated and painted to match the chocolate shop (on the site

now Lamezleighs’ new extension), where it sat for many years. It attracted much attentionand interest from visitors in the courtyard of the former Mirboo North Police Station.

The historical society held an official opening on Tuesday, October 22, 2013, with the courtyard filled with interested members and visitors.

With the change of businessand ownership, it had to be removed fromits home at very short notice prior to Christmas 2023.

When it was removed, the society had to find a new place for this piece of Mirboo North history to sit until the society found anew site.

The society wishes to thank the Mirboo North and District CommunityFoundation for letting the old lock-up rest at the back of their block until it can find anew home.

The group is hopeful that it could be placed in Baromi Park where it would once again be visible to locals and visitors to the town.

Work: Traralgon Men’sShed membershavebeenbusyconstructing variousitems for communitygroups Photograph supplied

Creating for the community

TRARALGON Men’s Shed volunteers have been busy making possum, bat and bird boxes for the Mirboo North area.

Funding from the Bendigo Bank Community BankMirboo North contributedtothe costof materials, and the volunteers provided their time and skills to make more than 100 boxes. Boxes for kookaburras, rosellas, bats and possums have been made and installation has started. Elsewhere, Traralgon Men’s Shed received agenerousdonation from Toyota Material Handling.

Sincethe flood of 2021, Traralgon Men’s Shed hasnot had aworking hot water system.

Thedonation fromToyota Material Handling enabled anew hot water unit to be purchased andinstalled,which meansthe shed now has hotwater again.

The plumber removed the old system and indicatedhehad to scrapeawaythe dried mud from the flooding before he could start installation.

The donation also enabled the members of the shed to receive anew jumper each. The members really appreciate their new jumpers, especially on cold mornings.

Latrobe City Council SAIG Community Connection approved grant funding to the Traralgon Men’s Shed to make items for the

Toongabbie Pony Club. Items included two adult picnic tables, one children’s picnic table, one bench seat (horse design in back), three treated timber jumps, and three various-sized ponyjumps. Items weredelivered in time for the pony club’s event.

Candice Ford from Toongabbie Pony Club said: “The tables were ahugehit with so many guests and the bench is the pride of our club.”

“The eventdidn’t have across-countryelement so we haven’t jumped yet. It’s plannedtouse the jumpsatour next rally on the eighth of September.”

Adonation from the Keith Chenhall Charitable Trustenabledthe TraralgonMen’s Shed to purchase two new pedestal drillsand additional tools for the volunteers to use at the shed.

Traralgon Men’s Shed Secretary and Treasure Lyn Matthews indicated that the Keith Chenhall Charitable Trust has enabled Traralgon Men’s Shed and Woodworking (TMS) to replace afew large pieces of machinery over the last few years.

Withoutthe KeithChenhallgrants,TMS would not have the quantity and quality machinery the shed has.

Loch Village also has their old police lock-up in the township park as avisitor’s attraction.

In need of some repair, themembers of the Mirboo North Historical Society were ready to undertake further restoration of the building, at the society’s own cost, but unless the lockup is able to find anew home, it may be lost to Mirboo North, be demolished or end up at the tip.

Unfortunately, the members have had no assistance with finding anew home and are extremely disappointed with this outcome.

As to what’s next, the society either finds anew site in the township somewhere so it can be seen, gives it away to another organisation out of town, or fights to keep it.

Apetition is planned to assist the historical society to show justhow important it is to the Mirboo North township.

CFAmemberscelebrated

MORWELL CFA Brigade held their Annual Dinner at the Morwell Bowling Club last month.

The event was attended by CFA members, their families and leadership representatives.

The eventwas supportedbyinvitedguestsincluding Latrobe City Mayor, Darren Howe and wife Julie, Deputy Mayor TracieLund and husband Simon Lund, CFA Catchment Commander D27 Doug Broome, and VFBV representative Darren Wallace.

Ahighlight of the evening was the Brigade Auxiliary’s 70th anniversary, celebrated with a large cake in honour of this special milestone.

Auxiliary President, Angela Darling expressed her gratitude to all the past and present members for their dedicated service over the years.

She also presented achequefor $3000 to Brigade Captain,WayneDraper on behalf of the Auxiliary.

Historic: Theold policelockup in Mirboo Nor th is facing an uncer tain future. Photograph supplied

Still goingstrong: Thebrigadesauxiliary celebrated its 70th anniversar y. Pictured is Mandy Quinn, Sharon Gray,Morwell CFABrigade Captain Wayne Draper,Vicki Osborne, Simone Lovison, Angela Darling,Anne Prillar,and Acting Commander D27,Doug Broome Photographs supplied

Loyalty: Morwell CFABrigade ser vice awardrecipients Cameron Juhasz,Jai Maher, Mick Franchetto,Wayne Draper,Lynne O’Callaghan and ScottWallis,pictured with ActingCommander D27,Doug Broome

Get Together

GET Together willmeetagaintoday (Wednesday, September 4) at 10am in the Traralgon Park Lane foyer.

This is atimewhen you can meetand chat with others over acuppa.

If you know anyonewho mayliketojoin, bring them along. All welcome.

PoppyCreators anniversary

THE PoppyCreators recently celebrated 10 years of knitting and crocheting for the local community.

Amorning teawas held, with past and present members attending.

In 2014, the Traral go nN eighbo urh ood Learning House (TNLH) called for an expression of interest from the region to make poppies for the Gallipoli landing centenary the next year.

This was aresounding success and the group decided to keep meeting regularly.

For the past nine years the group has been makingitems for those in need across Gippsland.

Articles created included blankets, beanies, scarves, gloves and slippers, plus many other clothing items and soft toys for children.

Theseare then passed on to local charitable organisationsfor distribution to families and individuals as required.

PoppyCreators meet weekly at TNLH, enjoying asocial chat while knitting and crocheting.

Donationsofwool arewelcome and can be left at the House during business hours.

For more information, phone TNLH on 5174 6199.

Social ballroom dancing lessons

AS we come out of winter, don't let the winter blues consume you.

JoinLatrobe Valley Dance Promotions Inc each Thursday evening, including school holidays, at the Girl Guides Hall(18 Margaret Street, Morwell)from Thursday, September5for an evening of dancing, learningnew skills, rehashing old ones and making new friends.

Start time is 7pm. Cost is $5 per person each night.

Follow Latrobe Valley Dance Promotions Inc on Facebook to stay up to date.

Phone Norm on 0428 543 737 or Lynda (0428 489 041) for more information.

Latrobe ValleySpiritual Centre

THE centre is located at 2Avondale Road, Morwell.

Join us every Sunday for servicestarting from 2pm Guest speakereveryweek with demonstrations from an invited medium, followed by acuppa and afternoon tea.

For enquiries, phone Amanda Webb on 0411 051 044.

Traralgon District Historical Society

THE next general meeting of the society will be held on Tuesday, September10at7.30pm at the Kath Teychenne Centre(11 BreedStreet, Traralgon).

Guestspeaker will be Kath McEntee who is originally from America.

Kath is ateacher who came to Traralgon in the 1970s and has stayed ever since.

Kath will give atalkabout coming to Australia and her time as ateacher.

Supper will be served at the conclusion of the meeting.

Community Corner with Liam Durkin

At our August meeting, we were entertained by GinoTripodi who gave atalk on thefruit and vegetable trade in Traralgon back in the 1960s and '70s.

The T&DHS has beeninvited to host Walkin-Wednesday at the Traralgon Court House on Wednesday, September 11 from 10.30am to 2pm. Walk-in-Wednesdays are recommencing at the Court House. The society will have adisplay of early photos of Traralgon.

The society's next annual dinnerwill be held on Tuesday, October 8atthe Traralgon Bowls Club.

Meals are to be pre-ordered from aselected menu. Drinks will be at bar prices.

The guest speaker for the eveningisRob Christie, who wrote the book AConvenient Scapegoat -Angus McMillan and the Gippsland Massacres

Thistalkwillbeaninteresting incite into history which Rob has done many hours of research for.

Monomeath Senior Citizens

MEET at Victory Park, Traralgon.

MonomeathSenior Citizenswouldliketooffer new members programs run by the club.

Current program:

Mondays: Patchwork/needle work (12pm); Tuesdays: Cards (1pm); Wednesdays: Carpet bowls (1pm); Thursdays: Thai Chi (9am), and; Friday: Carpet bowls (1pm).

Memberships are $5 per year.

Activities are $3 each.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.

All seniors are welcome to come along and join in the activities and meet new friends.

For further information, phone Rhonda on 0438 322 329.

Chess results

IAN Hamiltonwas undefeated in LatrobeValley Chess games last week.

Equal second place was Steve Ahernand Peter Bakker who were on top in most games.

Cliff Thornton kept the pressure on opponents but did not find victory in key clashes.

Pursuing new ideas helped Jack Holme although several contests proved to be too difficult.

RaymondMabilia tookpart in the contests but lost the advantage when mistakes happened.

Phone Cliff Thornton on 0413 330 458 or Ian Hamilton (0400 221649)for more detailson local chess.

Parkinson's support

THE next meeting of the Latrobe Valley Parkinson’s Peer Support Groupwill be held Thursday, September 12 from 11am to 1pm at Gippsland Rotary Centenary House (39 Valley Drive, Traralgon).

At this meeting, Victor McConvey from Fight Parkinson’s will speak to the group online, presenting ‘DeteriorationofParkinson’s -What to Expect’

Thepeer support group provides an informal and welcoming environment, offering information, socialconnection and hope to those affected by Parkinson’s and similar conditions. Carers, family and friends are welcome to attend to find out more about living with Parkinson’s. There is no cost involved.

The group meets every month on the second Thursday. New members are always welcome.

For more information about Parkinson’s Peer Support, phoneFight Parkinson’s (formerly Parkinson’s Victoria) on 1800 644 189.

Morwell Historical Society

HAVE you ever wondered what’s inside the Morwell Historical Society Rooms?

Come down and have alook at 12 Hazelwood Road, Morwell and check out the displays.

Currently, the group is showing Hinkleys Stores, AntiqueSoftToys, Kindergartens, Debutantes, Rintoull Street and White City. Along withtheir permanent displays and artefacts, visitors are overwhelmed withmemories Come and see for yourself.

The roomsare open on the firstand third Wednesday and last Sunday of the month from 11am to 2pm.

Open Da ys for Septe mber are toda y (Wednesd ay, Septe mber 4), Wedn esday , September18, andSunday, September 29.

For any queries, phone 0409 436 019.

Moe District Cancer Council

THE groupwouldliketothank the communities of Moe, Newborough and Churchill, and the surrounding districts for theirsupport in raising $817.30 for Daffodil Day 2024.

Moe District Cancer Council will be holding aFashion Parade on Friday, October 4from 1.30pm at the Moe Bowling Club.

For catering purposes, entry will be by prepurchased ticket only.

Cost is $10 entry, and includes afternoon tea.

Our current Research Project is Paediatric Cancer Research.

Next meeting willbeheld Monday, September 23 commencing at 1.30pm at the Moe RSL.

All welcome.

Gippsland Tango

ENJOY Argentine Tango -the walking dance to socialise, improve your mental health, move your body and have fun!

All levels of experience catered for.

The Spring Festival is coming up so save the date -Saturday, September 21.

Classes are held every Wednesday from 7pm to 8.30pm at St David's Uniting Church Hall (behindthe Church) on 9Campbell Street, Yarragon.

Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing allowing freemovement, together with leather solesshoes or shoes that allow to slide abit on thefloor

Ladies -noslingbacks as you need asecure shoethat won't slip off. It is agreat idea to start in socksorjazzballet type practice shoe.

If you would like achatbefore coming,call Naomi on 0405 739 819.

Bridgeresults

TRARALGON Bridge Club results:

Monday, August 19 -1st DonTylee andRobin Hecker 58.33 per cent; 2nd Anne Moloney and Barbara Brabets (54.17).

Tuesday, August 20 -1st Kaye Douglasand RoshniChand(67.59); 2nd Geoff Dixon and John Marsiglio (62.04).

Thursday, August 22 -1st MariaMactaggart and Kaye Douglas (64.09); 2nd Kay Baxter and Christine Zarb (58.53).

Monday, August 26 -1st DonTylee andRobin Hecker (64.58); 2nd Barbara Brabets and Anne Moloney(56.25).

Tuesday, August 27 -N/S 1st Helen McAdam and MoiraHecker (67.5); 2nd Heather Watt and AnneHowes (67.08). E/W 1st Heather Henleyand Maria Mactaggart (57.86); 2nd Kaye Douglas and Roshni Chand (54.29).

Thursday, August 29 -N /S 1st Maria Mactaggart and Barbara Barr (62.4); 2nd Geoff Dixonand John Marsiglio (54.27); E/W 1st Ken Tiernay and Anna Field (56.56); 2nd Helen McAdam and Don Tylee (52.81).

If you would like to play or learn more about Bridge,phoneTraralgon Bridge Club President, Greg Nicholson on 0419 365 739.

TRAMPS ride

TRAMPS (Traralgon and MorwellPedallers Inc.) met at Mathison Park, Churchill.

The grouprode to the Rose Garden in Morwell for lunch via Nadenbouschs Road and Monash Way.

The Morwell Rose Garden was areally pleasant place to have lunch althoughasall the roses had been pruned.

The re tur nt oC hur chill was alon gt he Strzelecki Highway and the Hazelwood Estate. With lots of daffodils blooming along the way, one member commented that the ride was a pleasant Sunday stroll.

Next ride is this Sunday (September 8), starting at Traralgon ASIC carpark at 10am, and will traveltoKernot Hall Morwell for lunch via Tyers. TRAMPS welcomes new riders.

For more information,visit the website: tramps.org.au

Club contacts are Paul, who can be reached on 0459 823 422, or Vance (0403 662 288).

Morwell social tennis

SOCIAL tennis is held Monday and Friday mornings from 9am at Morwell Tennis Club (Ronald Reserve), Vary Street, Morwell. Join others who prefernot to be aloneand have fun with agentle sport.

Games are modified for people to simply enjoy having ahit and chat.

Tea, coffee, water and biscuits are provided. Morwell Tennis Club Juniors train on Tuesday nights.

Morwell Tennis Club also has anew Tuesday Sectional Play coming up.

Phone Naomi on 0405 739 819 for more details.

Traralgon Garden Club

MEETSat2pm on Tuesday, September 10 at Glenview Park (Traralgon Racecourse), at 110 McNairn Road, Traralgon.

The club is afriendly group of people with an interest in all aspects of gardening.

The annual meeting will be held this month. Visitors are always welcome. For further information,phone Bryan Corkran on 0408 598 016.

Youcan be apartof Community Corner

IF you are acommunity group and have any newsitems you need publicised, feel free to email us at news@lvexpress.com.au

You can address the correspondence to Editor, Liam Durkin.

Please write 'Community Corner' in the subject line and nothing else.

Deadline is Friday 9am to appear in the following Wednesday issue.

Advertising in the Express

But don’t just take our word for it...

“

The Range Retirement Village are ong time clients of the Latrobe Valley Express and have always enjoyed a great relationship with Jenny and her teaminthe advertising department . Theyalwaysgoout of their waytomakesure our company has the best advertising forour business, always lookingfor ways to improve our ads, so we achieve the best results.

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We recommendthe LatrobeValleyExpress to anyone looking to promote and advertise their business.

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Business Guide

SOLID structures makefor asolid investment!

Traralgon Sheds has stood the test of time,thanks to the company using onlythe highest quality products

If youare looking to buildanew or improved carpor t, pergola or veranda, then givethe team at Traralgon Sheds acall.

Traralgon Sheds uses Australian BlueScope and Colorbond steel in its products,and is alocal operator that has been known and trusted formanyyears.

If youneed anew shed, Traralgon Sheds is suretohave an option to suit your needs. The Traralgon Sheds team will go out of their waytohelp in everyaspect of construction, even before astake goes in the ground

Thebuilding application process can be complicated, butTraralgon Sheds is committedtobeing with youevery step of the wayuntil the jobisdone. Once the project is complete, theworkofTraralgon Sheds is guaranteed.

Collaboration raises money and awareness

LATROBE Community Health Service (LCHS) and Gippsland RegionalIntegrated Cancer Service (GRICS) teamed up to raise money and awareness for cancer research by braving the cold in the Daffodil Day Dip.

The event, whichtook place at LCHS in Morwell, also promoted the Cancer and Exerciseprogram-a joint initiative by LCHS, GRICS, Latrobe Regional Health and Morwell Leisure, which uses exercise to improve the physical and mentalhealthofthose affected by cancer.

Jordan McMillan,LCHS Chronic Disease Management Team Leader, was first to take the dip, and said the event was about awareness and showing support to those living with cancer in the Latrobe Valley.

“The dip was freezing, but it’s of course nothing compared to the challenges peopleliving with cancer face every day," he said.

"I hope the event put asmile on everyone’s face and shows people that we care and are committed to building great programs to support them.

“Through ourwork, we see first-hand how much thisdisease can take frompeople and their families, so this initiative is agreat waytogive something back, and I’m really proud to be apart of it."

Program Manager at GRICS, Stewart Harper, said theevent was agreat waytoshowcase some of the services on offer to those living with cancer in Gippsland.

“I hopethe day showcased the number of programs out there to support individuals with a cancer diagnosis and their carers, and that these programs do not necessarily have to be based in ahospital.”

“The research on the importance of exercising during cancer treatment continues to steadily grow, particularly around chemotherapy tolerance and psychological wellbeing benefits -which is why we’re really proud to be able to offer the Exercise and Cancer program to our community.

“There’s aplethora of services out theretosupport those with acancer diagnosis, and I’d encourage anyone who may be interested in the Cancer and Exercise program or other supports to reach out."

The DaffodilDay Dip is aCancerCouncil fundraising initiative heldinAugust each year to raise money for the almost one in two Aussies diagnosed with cancer.

To learn more about cancer related services available at LCHS, visit: lchs.com.au/

Stepping forward in the fight against prostate cancer

PROSTATE Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) has called on Australians to get active in the fight against prostate cancer.

The foundation is urging men and women to advocate, donate, and discuss the disease.

Local survivor and member of Latrobe Valley ProstateCancerSupport Group, Neil Donoghue, is leading the charge to raise awareness and money to help save lives, taking on 100 kilometres this month for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Known as TheLong Run, the campaign raises vitalfunds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

Mr Donoghue was diagnosed with prostatecancer lastyear, and is passionate about educating men on testing and treatments for prostate cancer.

“Taking partinThe Long Run means Iget to join anational campaign that’s all about ensuring more lives are saved,” he said.

“Every dollar raised through this campaign helps men likemeaccess support, and funds research into new treatments and testing options.

“As a67-year-old whowas physically fit, active andhealthy prior to my diagnosis and subsequent surgery, Iwanted to play avery tiny part in raising awareness of prostate cancer and to raisesome funds to go towards research.

“The message Iwant to share with other men is don’t hold back, find the information from your GP, ask questions and don't be embarrassed about things -itmay save your life!”

Mr Donoghue encouraged the community to get involved in The Long Run, either by taking part or by donating to support the more than 26,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.

PCFAChief Executive, AnneSavage, urgedlocal businesses andcommunity leaders to get involved.

“TheLongRun is agreat waytoinspire

community action in the fight againstour most common cancer," she said.

“We’d love to see peoplesigning up or sponsoring Neil.

“Our ultimate goal is to help make prostate cancer history.”

Thousands are expectedtotakepart in The Long Run, Australia’s largest online event in support of families facing the disease.

Visit: thelongrun.org.au today

For more information and to find alocal support group, call 1800 22 00 99 or go to: prostate.org.au

Effort: Neil Donoghue is taking partin The LongRun this month, in thefight against ProstateCancer Photograph supplied

Plunge: Latrobe LeisureMorwell Group Fitness Instructor,PetaVeitch, Latrobe Community HealthService Allied Health Assistant, CelesteBentley and Latrobe Community Health Service Chronic Disease Management Team Leader,Jordan McMillangot involved forthe Daffodil DayDip

Photograph supplied

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Planning and Environment Act 1987 LATROBE PLANNINGSCHEME

of Approval of Amendment Amendment C132latr

The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment C132latr to the Latrobe PlanningScheme.

The Amendment comes into operation on the date this notice is published in the Victoria Government Gazette.

The Amendmentmakes various corrections and updatestothe Latrobe planningschemetoremove unnecessary permit triggers, correctobvious errors and update mapping.

Acopy of the Amendment can be inspected, free of charge, at the Department of Transport and Planning websiteatwww.planning.vic.gov.au-public-inspection or by contacting 1800 789386 to arrange atimetoview the Amendment

Acopy of the Amendment can also be inspected, free of charge, during office hours, at the offices of the Latrobe City Council, 141Commercial Road, Morwell and on the Council website at www.latrobe.vic.gov.au

Acting Director,State Planning Services Department of Transport and Planning

DELIVERERS WTD

Would you like to deliver the Latrobe Valley Express newspaper to individual homes on Tuesday and/or Wednesday afternoons

CREDITORS, next-of-kin and others having claims against the estate of any of the undermentioned deceased persons are/required to send particulars of their claims to STATE TRUSTEES LIMITED, ABN 68 064 593 148, of 1McNab Avenue, Footscray, Victoria 3011, the personal representativ e, on or before 5November 2024, after which date State Trustees Limited may convey or distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which State Trustees Limited then has notice.

OZGA, Adam Edward, late of 20 Harvey St, NEWBOROUGH, VIC 3825, deceased who died on 2September 2019. 27 August 2024.

ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE:

Much hardship and difficulty is caused to job seekers by misleading advertising placed in the employment columns. Our Situations Vacant columns are reserved for advertisements which carry aspecific and genuine offer of employment. Ads for `Business Opportunities' and `Training Courses' and `Employment Services' should be submitted under those headings. Placing misleading ads is an offence against the Trades Practices Act and state/territory fair trading acts and all advertisements are subject to the publisher's approval. For further advice, contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on 1300 302 502 or your state consumer affairs agency.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Counsellor (couples, individuals and families)

Better Place Australia is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates for the role of Family and Relationship Counsellor, providing short term counselling for individuals, couples and families.

In doing so, the appointee will work closely with Better Place Australia colleagues in developing a coordinated and integrated approach to assisting clients to resolve relationship difficulties effectively. This position is available on apart time basis at our Traralgon Site (.60 FTE). Evening work (until 8pm) will be required one evening per week.

For further information, please access acopy of the position description from our website: https://www.betterplaceaustralia.com.au/careers/ Prospective candidates can also contact Ms Jhooma Barthwal for aconfidential discussion on 9556 5333 or jhooma.barthwal@betterplace.com.au

ADMINISTRATION FINANCE OFFICER

FTE 0.93 Ongoing

Applications are invited from suitably experienced persons for the position of Administration Finance Officer to commence on 7th October 2024. This is an Education Support Employee Category BLevel 2position under the Victorian Catholic Education Multi Enterprise Agreement 2022.

The successful applicant will have ademonstrated commitment to Catholic education and to the safety and wellbeing of children.

The successful candidate will be appropriately qualified and/ or experienc ed, demon strate enthusiasm and ability to provide the appropriate expertise in arange of finance and administrative abilities, and be able to provide assistance to the Principal whilst supporting and respecting the ethos of the school and its environment.

The successful applicant will be subject to a Working with Children Check and aNational Police Record Check. Training in First Aid is preferable but not necessary.

Adetailed position description and application requirements are available by accessing the St Joseph's School Trafalgar website at www.trafalgar.catholic.edu.au. St Joseph's School

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Deaths •

ARCHER, Kevin Douglas. Passed away suddenly 30/8/2024.

Aged 89 years

Much loved husband of Coral, loving father and father-in-law of Jaqualine and Denis, Ann-Marie and Gary.Grandfatherto James and Shellie. Great grandfather to Jacob, Dylan and Billie. Always in our hearts Gone fishing

To my Husband, There's agift in this world that is precious and rare, that's alove that a husband-and-wife share.

We shared that love you and I, from the day we met to the day that you died. It broke my heart to lose you, but you never went alone. For part of me went with you, the day God called you home. When all my chores are through, I'm coming up there to be with you.

Love you so much, until we meet again, Coral.

BRODIE, Patrice Ann. Passed away peacefully at the Alfred Hospital on 29 August 2024. Daughter of Nan and Pat Brodie (both dec.). Wee sister of Robert (dec.), Glenn (dec.) and Joan. Sister-in-law to Lyn. Aunty to 6nieces and nephews and 11 great nieces and nephews. My brave wee sister your battle is now ore Private Cremation

Thank you to Michelle and Andrea.

BROWNBILL, Keith James OAM. Passed away peacefully at Latrobe Regional Health on Sunday 25 August 2024.

Aged 96 years

Devoted husband of Judy (dec.). Loved and respected father and father-in-law of Chris and Ravilé, Susan and Neil. Cherished Pa of Isobel, Charlie and Callan. Alifelong educator and highly regarded member of the community. Achampion for Morwell

COBURN, Dean Andrew. Passed away suddenly in Bendigo on 26 August 2024. Aged 36 years Dearly loved son of Eileen. Much loved brother of Debbieand Charles, Russell (dec.), Shane and Tammie. Loving dad to Knox and Banx. Much loved uncle to Bradley, Braydon, SeisiaMay, Paige, Owen, Jesse, Imogen, Maison, and Bailey.

HOWARD, Daniel Roy. Passed away at home on 29 August 2024. Aged 64 years Much loved father and father-in-law of Sara and Simon. Friend to Hollie and Gemma. Grandfather of Courtney and Daniel. Dear friend of Julie.

Loved mate of Boston and Carter. Brother and brother-in-law of Catherine and Wayne, Patricia and Glenn and Gordon. Uncle and great uncle Daniel to their families. Please visit our website for Daniel's funeral details.

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON

TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

MUNRO née Franklin, Myrtle (Myrt). Born 30/3/1936, passed away unexpectedly at Latrobe Regional Health 29/8/2024. Beloved partner of Ches for 47 years, former wife of Frank Munro. The very best mate and mum to Tony, Peter and Kerry, much loved mother-in-law to Heather, Janet and Dennis. Adored step-mum of Leanne and Chris, Carlene, Stephen and Robyn. Nan to Matt and Danielle, Jessica and Jack, Nick and Mara, Jordie, Daniel and Sam, Lauren, Lucy and Madelyn, Scott and Jaclyn. Proud Greatgreat Nan of Jai, Abbie, little Blake, Vierra, Lila, Maeva, Franklin, Vincent and Emily.

You are going to be so missed by all your loving family and friends.

The

Service and Committal for Cremation of

Arnott

Raymond

COBURN. The Funeral Service for Dean Coburn will be held at the Rose Chapel, Gippsland Memorial Park Crematorium, Cemetery Rd Traralgon, on MONDAY (9 September 2024) commencing at 11am. This service will also be livestreamed, please go to Gippsland Memorial Park website Page or John Galbraith Funerals Facebook page and click on link provided.

MEMBREY. The Funeral Service for Mrs Lorna Isobel Membrey will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 260 Princes Hwy, Traralgon on MONDAY (30 September 2024) commencing at 2pm. Following the service, the Funeral will leave for the Traralgon Cemetery, Gippsland Memorial Park.

HORE.

SMITH.

ARTHUR.

KACZKOWSKI, Józef (Joseph/Joe). 18/2/1922 -23/8/2024. Aged 102, 6months and almost 5days. Born in Ksiezpolo, Poland to Aleksandra Kaczkowska (dec.) and absent father Aleksander Szuper (dec.). Joseph died in St Hilary's Nursing facility in Morwell. Joseph was buried on 29/8/2024 by his loving family in the Gippsland Memorial Park, Traralgon (Traralgon Cemetery). Joseph was husband to Celina Kaczkowska (Sliwinska) for over 75 years. Father to Christopher (Krzysztof), Andrew (Andrzej), Grazyna and Dianne. Father, Grandfather, Great grandfather and Great-great grandfather. Brother of Pawel (dec.), Filip (dec.), Anna (dec.), Piotr (dec.) and Michal (dec.).

Funeral arrangements to be advised.

MUNRO, Myrtle. Myrt, Meetell, our mum, You should still be with us With all our love Tony, Peter and Kerry.

MUNRO, Myrt. Loving partner of Ches. Loved sister-in-law of John (dec.), Marjory, Santina, Don (dec.), Teresa (dec.), Maria and Arthur (both dec.), Benito, Margot and loved aunty of all the Guzzardi family siblings children. Myrt was such apopular, generous, kind and loveable person who gave so much. We all will sadly miss her. Rest In Peace Benito (Ben) Guzzardi.

The Funeral Service for Julie Ann Arthur will be held at the Rose Chapel, Gippsland Memorial Park Crematorium, Cemetery Rd Traralgon, on FRIDAY (6 Septemember 2024) commencing at 1pm. This service will also be livestreamed, please go to Gippsland Memorial Park website Page or John Galbraith Funerals Facebook page and click on link provided.

The Funeral Service for Jean Hore will be held at the Rose Chapel, Gippsland Memorial Park Crematorium, Cemetery Rd Traralgon, THURSDAY (5 September 2024) commencing at 11am.

Refreshments to follow in the Oakroom, Gippsland Memorial Park.

The Funeral Service for Mrs Dorothy Jeanette Smith will be held at St Michael's Catholic Church, 33-35 Kay St Traralgon on THURSDAY (5 September 2024) commencing at 11am.

The funeral will leave at the conclusion of the service for the Traralgon Cemetery, Gippsland Memorial Park.

This service will also be livestreamed, for details please see our website.

ARCHER, Kevin. Uncle Kevin, what can I say? We shared avery special bond. Our catch ups were something I looked forward to and our talks on the phone. Iwill miss you but know you are now fishing with Dad. All our love Glenda, Ian and families. In Memoriam •

ARNOTT, Raymond James. Passed away peacefully at Narracan Gardens

Aged Care Newborough on 28 August 2024. Aged 95 years

Dearly loved husband of Irene (dec.). Much loved father and father-in-law of Wayne and Wendy, Dianne and Russell, Sandy and Gary, Brian and Wendy. Adored pop to all his grand and great grandchildren.

ARTHUR, Julie Ann. Passed away peacefully at home surrounded with love on 28 August 2024. Aged 62 years

Loving and loved partner of Jason Kroon. Much loved Daughter of Jennifer and Jim (dec.) Ashworth.

Loved sister of Barry and Linda. Loving mother of Sharee, Ross and Steven. Loved Gramma of Emma.

Lovedstepmother to Steven, Shane, and Alexandra, and stepgrandmother to Blade, Brax, Raidan, Tye, and Nolan.

FORSYTH (nee Repniks), Ludmilla (Millie). 1/2/1935 -19/8/2024. Passed away peacefully at Rosebank, Yea. Loved sister of Igors Repniks. Aunty to Paul, Brad, and Paul Jnr Repniks. Forever In Our Hearts

GIBSON, James Archibald 'Bluey'. Passed away peacefully at Latrobe Regional Health on Thursday, 29 August 2024.

Aged 77 years Loved father to Ian, Jeffrey and Katrina. Stepfather to Aaron and Rebecca. Brother to Jennifer, Norma, Margaret and Malcolm. Treasured Poppy to his grandchildren. Aprivate cremation will be held.

He loved his dogs and is now at peace

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON

TRARALGON 5174 2258

Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

HORE, Jean Elizabeth. Passed away peacefully at Margery Cole Aged Care, Traralgon on 29 August 2024.

Although our family is separated by time, distance and events it was Joseph who provided continuation. Joseph was honest to a fault and ahard working man who lived entirely for his family. Joseph will be sadly missed by his family who will remember him for as long as we live. The family takes this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitudeto Latrobe Regional Health for his recent treatment and St Hilary's Community for his recent care. Do Widzenia Tata

LORINC, Peter. Passed away at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne on Thursday, 29 August 2024. Aged 69 years Was loved and will be missed by daughter Amanda, son-in-law David and grandson Ezekiel, and the love of his life, Claudia.

Rest In Peace

MUNRO, Myrt.

Loved sister-in-law to John (dec.) and Marj Guzzardi. Myrt, your daily phone calls are going to be missed. You are my best friend. Love always Marj. Myrt, you will be deeply missed by us all. You have left abig void in our family. Julie and Jim, Vito and Caroline, Linda and Mick, Cory and Michelle, Remy and Billy. Thinking of all the Munro and Guzzardi families. Alife well lived is alife well loved

SMITH (Farmer), Dorothy Jeanette.

Beloved eldest child of Fred and Rita Farmer (both dec.).

Respected wife of Harry (dec.). Mother of Ian (dec.), Lyle (dec.), Yvonne, Anne-Marie (dec.), Stephen (dec.) and Barbara. Special friend to Peter and Simon.

BROWNBILL. The Funeral of Mr Keith James Brownbill will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 437A PrincesDrive, Morwell on WEDNESDAY (4 September 2024) commencing at 10.30 am. At the conclusion of the Service the Funeral will leave for the Hazelwood Cemetery, Brodribb Road, Hazelwood. Keith's Service will also be livestreamed. To view the livestream, visit our website.

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON MORWELL 5134 4937 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

LORINC. Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Mr Peter Lorinc will be offered at St Michael's Catholic Church, Church St, Traralgon THURSDAY (12 September 2024) at 1.30pm. Private Cremation following Mass

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5184 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

McCREESH.

The Funeral Service to celebrate the life of Thomas McCreesh will take place at St Kieran's Catholic Church, 2/4 Wirraway St, Moe on WEDNESDAY (11 September 2024) commencing at 11am.

Private cremation to follow. The ceremony will be live-streamed. Please see Harwood Funerals Facebook page for link.

MURPHY, Norman Anthony. 26/8/2021. Always and forever Love Dawn, Shane, Steven (dec.), Shannonand Siobhain XX.

BARTHOLOMEUSZ, WE(Pat).

Val and Pat's family would like to thank everyone who attended Pat's funeral, sent cards, flowers and the many phone calls. Please accept this as our personal thanks.

Cherished Granny to Ian and Katy, Andrew and Kate, Leigh and Karen, Elinore, Michael and Camilla, Matthew and Celina.

ADVERTISE WITH US and YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN BOTH PRINT and ONLINE BUY and SELL LOCALLY!! 5135 4455

ARTHUR (nee Ashworth), Julie Ann. Beloveddaughter of Jennifer and Jim (dec.). Adored sister of Barry and Linda. Julie, you brought so much love and joy into our lives. You are now pain free and walking hand in hand with your Dad. Thank you for the privilege of having 62 years of enjoyment with you. LOVE YOU HEAPS Mum XX.

BARROW (nee Spriggs), Ethel Mary Members of the Moe RSL Sub Branch deeply regret the passing of their esteemed Affiliate Member and friend, Ethel. We offer our sympathy to her family. LEST WE FORGET

Aged 88 years Dearly loved wife of Alan (dec.). Much loved mother of Gary and Ross. Very loved nanna to all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Treasured memories of a beautiful, caringand loving mother, mother-inlaw, and Nanna. Forever in our hearts

McLINDEN (née Moore), Elizabeth Rose 'Betty'. Passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Maryvale Private Hospital at 1.30pm, Saturday, 31 August 2024. Loved and loving wife of Leo (dec.) for 25 years and Jack (dec.) for 21 years. Mother and mother-in-law of Sue and friend of Gordon, Leanneand James and Mick. Grandmother to Bradley, Emma and Mandy. Great Grandmother to Noah, Abby, Thea and Hope.

Community focused to the Vietnam Veterans andDVA Go Blues

MEMBREY, Lorna Isobel. Passed away peacefully at Heathcote Aged Care on Saturday, 31 August 2024. Loved and loving wife of Bernard (dec.). Mother and mother-in-law of Sandra and Rod, and Ian (dec.). Grandmother of Nathaniel, Elijah, Jess and Pip. Great grandmother of Jackie, Dahlia, Declan, Valerie and Jessie. Rest in Peace

Most loving Great Granny to Oliver, Sophie, Marshall, Darcie, Aksel, Olive and new one and our Thea.

She wanted everyone to know thatshe loves her family with afierce and undying love.

Loved forever She had agood innings

ARCHER. The Funeral Service celebrate the life of Kevin Douglas Archer will held in the Rose Chapel at Gippsland Memorial Park, Cemetery Drive, Traralgon on THURSDAY (5 September 2024) mencing at 2pm. Kevin will be laid to within the Cemetery following the Chap Service.

McLINDEN. Funeral Service for Elizabeth Rose

O'MARA, Edward (Ted). Ted's family would like to thank everyone for their support, cards, flowers and the messages we received on Dad's passing. Special thanks to Margery Cole Aged Care for their care of Ted over the years. From the O'Mara family.

McLinden will be held at Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 260 Hwy, Traralgon FRIDAY (6 September commencing at funeral will leave at conclusion of the for the Traralgon Cemetery, Gippsland morial Park. Betty's service will also be livestreamed. Please visit our website for details.

When you lose someone close to you it can be hard to put your thoughts and feelings into words A personal message in the Latrobe Valley Express can say so much For friendly ad i on ho to pl

TRIPODI, Vincenza. The family of the late Vincenza Tripodi wish to express their deep appreciation to those who have offered such kindness, support and messages of sympathy and comfort in our bereavement. We especially wish to send our gratitude and appreciation to Father Peter Bickley and Latrobe Valley Funeral Services. Please accept this as our personal thank you. Rosa and Emilio, Connie and Ottavio, Damien and Jodie, and families.

MOE-MORWELL-TRARALGON TRARALGON 5174 2258 Place your tribute on latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

WLODAREK, Zdzislaw (Stan). Funeral Service and committal for cremation Mr Zdzislaw (Stan) Wlodarek will be held at Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Chapel, 6Ollerton Ave, Moe on TUESDAY (10 September 2024) commencing at 1pm. flowers by request.

WHITTY, Jessica. The Whitty family thanks you for the overwhelming expressions of love and support shown in many ways, on the loss of our precious and loved Mum and Nana. It meant the world to us. Thanks to the staff and residents at Dalkeith Gardens and to Family Health, LV Funerals and to Fr Bickley, Fr Aju and St Michael's Parish for their prayers and support.

Caravans •

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE FINALS OPENING WEEK

Eyes and ears: Sale players listen intently to coach PeterMorrison during the quarter time break of the reser veselimination finalonSunday. Morrison playedclose to 100V/AFL games forSouth Melbourne

Photograph: Liam Durkin

Angles: Wild winds made the goalposts shakeviolentlyatBairnsdale CityOvalonSunday.

Photograph: LiamDurkin

Jenning, not Jennings: Traralgon’s Nicole Jenning lookstomovethe ball forwardduring the GippslandLeagueElimination Finalagainst Wonthaggi in BGrade

Photograph: Liam Durkin

Can do both: Traralgon’s Asha Nightingale shows her basketball abilitiestransfertonetball during the elimination final

Photograph: Liam Durkin

Focus: Moe’s Liam Mastersand Jordan Shields,inarace with Traralgon’s Jackson McMahon forthe ball during the Gippsland League QualifyingFinal Photograph: Julie Sim

Grab: Trent Baldi takesanoverhead markfor Moe during the Qualifying Final. Photograph: Julie Sim

Coolheads prevail: Moe’sAsh Johnson hugs the boundar ylineduring the BGrade Qualifying Final against Leongatha. Photograph: Liam Durkin

Sticks: Moe’sNickProwse climbs over Traralgon’s Tristen Waacktopull in amarkduring Saturday’sQualifying Final.

Photograph: Liam Durkin

The run not for the faint-hearted

ATHLETICS

HARRIERS BY

BARRYHIGGINS

TWO talented Harrier ultra-distance runners celebrated the recent Winter Solstice by running throughout the longestnight of the year –and beyond.

They took part in auniquerace, one that is fast overtaking marathons as apopular long distance event.

Stephen Renehan and Sally Theobald both successfully tackled the first Gippsland Wild Dog Backyard Ultra..

The ‘Wild Dog’ is aworld-wide 'LastOne Standing' event,this time along the somewhat hilly trails around Warragul’s Lardner Park.

Starting together, participants run a6.71km lap around theparklands,ending up backatthe start line. Afterfood and drinkand minimal rest–ifthey get back to the start in time -they assemble and begin another lap, at the start of the next hour.

The race is over when only one runner remains to complete alap.This runner is marked as the winner and only finisher, with all other runners receiving aDNF. If no competitor manages one more lap than the others, then all athletes receive aDNF and there is no winner.

At LardnerPark,afterstartingat10am, the field ran all day, throughout the night and into thenext day, and further.

“Fourteen hours of darkness Friday night added anotherdimension," Renehan said.

"With very thick fog, visibility was down to only afew metres. It was amatter of keep moving, keep warm and make it back for the next lap”.

As Renehan explained, everyone starting together on the houratthe beginningofeach lapcreates asocial element.

“My partner Sam crewed for me, with our gazebo next to Sally’s near the start/finish line. Most laps take 45 or so minutes, allowing time for food, drink and a10minuteorsorest. There was not enough time for anap!”

Interestingly, of the 104 starters, about half were first timers.

After 15 laps (101km) at 1am Saturday morning, there were about 40 or 50 runners still on the trail.

Renehan said with it becoming colder on the second night he felt some physical effectsalong the way, but it was his longest distance and areally good experience.

“I actually managed 26 laps, 174.46kms, and finished just before midday on Saturday," he said.

Theprevious Sunday, Sally Theobald completed the Cairns Ironman triathlon, finishing high in the women’s field and in her age group.

Cutler slices thecompetition

ATHLETICS HARRIERS

BY GARYFOX

LAST week’s (August 29) Traralgon Harriers Thursdaynightrun was the Stockdale Road Run.

Thegroup hadagreat turnout, with 55 runners taking part.

The 5km course starts at the Traralgon Harriers clubrooms on DouglasParade, and takes in Johnson Crescent, Stockdale Rd, Canfield Cres, then back to Grub Avenue. The run finishes with aloop taking in Crosses Rd and Stockdale Rd, then back to the clubrooms.

Great running by Peter Cutler saw him first male home in avery impressive time of 17:47, with Andrew Greenhill next in 19:48, followed by Ian Cornthwaite (20:08).

Fantastic running by Yani Cornthwaite saw her first lady home in 22:07, followed by Molly Irvine (23:00) and Ree Graham (26:43).

The club has several great upcoming events. October20will see the MemorialRun -6km or 12km run at the Maryvale Recreation Reserve (Henry Street, Morwell). Non-members arewelcome withentry on theday ($20 non members), withall moneyraised donated to Lifeline.

The runs startat9.30am, followed by morning tea and presentations.

Harriers also has the Boolarra Rail Trail run on November 10, with 10km and 25km distances.

On December 1, the club will hold the King and Queen of the Mountain (30km or 56km relay).The course takes in trailsstarting on the Traralgon Creek road (nearLoy Yang Power Station) and goesall the way to thetop of Mount Tassie.

Prospective members will find the club welcoming and inclusive, and the clubinvites interested runners to join in on afew Thursday nights to have a(free trial) run or walk.

Tomorrow’s (Thursday, September 5) run is the Waterhole Creek course starting from Burnside Drive, Morwell. For more information, visit www.traralgonharriers.org.au.

Race results-Stockdale Road Run: PeterCutler 17:47,Andrew Greenhill19:48, Ian Cornthwaite20:08, Clinton Jolly20:57, MatthewDeppeler 21:00, Martin Lynch 21:04, Trent Kooyman 21:24, Glenn Graham 21:37, David Barr 21:41, Adrian Sutcliffe 21:55, Yani Cornthwaite22:07,Molly Irvine 23:00, Ashleigh Dugan23:00, Chris VanUnen23:14, GaryFox

23:24, Jason Odlum 23:35, Andrew Broberg

23:44, RonVerschuur 23:53, Giuseppe Marino

26:04, ReeGraham 26:43, Rebecca Anderson

26:52, Angeline Snell 28:04, SavMavrofridis

28:24, Megan Scott29:29, KayeLivingstone

29:51, ClaireMacumber 29:58, Dave Mann

30:00, Stephen Renehan 30:00, Lee Graham

30:01, Kristine Sapkin 30:03, Phillip Mayer

30:29, Kate Mayer30:29,Andrew Legge 31:00, TaniaWhitehead 31:27,Mandy Ellis 32:58, Danelle Wright 33:01, Adam vanbaalen 33:03, Gab Browne 33:03, Angelo Gaudiano 33:09, Catherine Leonard33:09, Ian Heafield 35:58, LyndaJones 38:29, BjornLuxmann 38:47,Mark Lansdown 38:47,BarryHiggins 39:20 (4.3km) ,Ann Bomers40:23,Kristina Creighton 48:19, KathyQuinn 48:22, Belinda Heafield 48:22, Anja Norwood 48:52, Michelle Colwell 48:52,Kylee Earl50:00, KarenGraham NTR, MariekaReilly NTR, MarkFairbairnNTR

CHURCHILL &MONASH

ParSaturday24th August 2024.

AGrade Winner: S. Allison square

BGrade Winner: P. Bolding +4

CGrade Winner: D. Taylor +3

DGrade Winner: J. Thomas square

D.T.L: 1. G. Harvey +2, 2. L. Chessum square, 3. C. Gilfillansquare, 4. T. Sterrick square, 5. C. Wilson -1, 6. J. Soppe -1, 7. Ad West -2, 8. R. Davidson -2, 9. D. Cluderay -2,

10.T.Webb-3C/B

N.T.P: Pro-Pin: 3rdR.Madigan, 5th C.

Gilfillan, 12th C. Wilson, 14th M. Brereton

Target Hole: P. Kearns

Theobald said she pulled up well as she paced herself, not wanting to ‘blow up’ too early along the 4km swim, 180km bikeleg and the marathon run.

With only afive day break, she lined up beside Renehan to tackle the Backyard Ultra. Theobald entered the event to supportrace director, Paul Pratt and the Baw Baw Runners.

Astrong supporter of the Harriers who has strengthened the club’s AV team in the past, Theobald has an impressive list of marathon and (mainly) ultramarathon events to her name.

Shesaid that her aim at the Wild Dog was “to just keep runningwhile thebodyfelt good, embrace the unfamiliarrace format and to supportour local running community”.

Despite her taper downfrom the Cairns Ironman, Theobaldran allday Fridayand allnightuntil 3am Saturday, her 17 unbroken hours finishing 114km later.

The ultimate 'Last One Standing' was West Australian ultra-champion Margie Hadley.

Her 'Assist', Barry Keem,ran 44 laps(295.24km) alongside Margie, who went on alone to finish 45 laps (301.95km). Hadley told her Strava followers that it was one of the best backyard ultra events she hadever runinwhile also being one of the hardest courses she had encountered -hilly, with gravel tracks, grass and bitumen.

Therecordisheld by AmericanHarvey Lewis, with 108 laps (720km) in November last year, in Tennessee, USA.

SCOREBOARD

Birdies: 3rdR.Madigan, 14th G. Harvey

StablefordTuesday 27th August.

AGrade Winner: P. Bolding 37

BGrade Winner: C. Wilson 40

D.T.L: 1. C. Gosling 34, 2. C. Stevens 31, 3.

M. Hutchinson 30, N.T.P: 3rdM.Ryan, 5th C. Wilson, 12th P. Bolding,14th C. Carder

Birdies: C. Wilson 5th

MIRBOO NORTH

Tuesday, 27th August, Stableford

AGrade: PWoodall (9) 38pts

BGrade: JKus,(21) 37pts

DTL: NBickerton 37,PCummaudo 36, S Bickerton 35, NTP: 4th, NBickerton, 6th, TWhitelaw, 13th, MPayne,16th, PWoodall, Birdies: 6th NBickerton.

Saturday31st August, Par,

AGrade: TBaker (7) 4up,

BGrade: RTaylor, (14) 2up

DTL: JRobbins,A Pigdon 1up,T Bradshaw, GDawson sq, c/b

NTP: 4th TBaker,6th,T Bradshaw, 13th J Robbins, 16th JPilcher

Birdies: 13th JRobbins

Eagles: BJohnson, 11th

MOE

Sunday, 25 August 2024

OPEN Sunday

Medley

Grade AWinners: BRADSHAW, Brandon

(8) 41

Place Getters: Veenman, Laurie 36

Thursday, 29 August 2024 OPEN Medley

Stableford

Grade AWinners: Veenman, Laurie (9) 37

Grade BWinners: Stansbury, Les (12) 38 C/B

Grade CWinners: Shearing,Andrew (18) 34

Place Getters: Buckman, Peter38, Hall, Bill 37 C/B,Donnison, Terry36, Stanlake, Christopher 35 C/B,Fife, Mark35 C/B , Yeomans,Wayne 35 ,Behan, Andrew 34

C/B,Weir,Charles 34, Bruce,Shane 33

C/B,Van Der Meulen, Luke33 C/B,Dyt, Ricky 33 C/B ,Glen, Peter33C/B

Great Score: Tony Johnson (Birdie) @4, PeterRodaughan (Birdie) @14,MarkFife (Birdie) @14,Lockie White(Birdie) @14

Five days after completing the

Nearest to Pin: 4th Tony Johnson, 8th Peter Buckman, 14th MarkFife

Saturday,31 August 2024 3Person

AggregateStableford

Winners: John Pisa (25), PeterRodaghan (19), LukeVan DerMeulen (21) 108

TRAFALGAR

Tuesday 27/08/2024 -Stableford

Players: 24, Women 2, Men 22

Winner: UweTomski(22)

Runner Up: BevKeily(20 c/b)

DTL: SteveLawrence (20), Graeme Grant (20), Chris Griffin(20), Ivan Grant (19), Brian

McKenzie (18c/b)

NTP: UweTomski (5)

Bradmans: Tony Price

Thursday: 29/08/2024 -Stableford-4Club

Challenge

Players: 38, Women 11,Men 27

Women’s Winner: Christine Payne (19c/b)

Runner Up: SandraBalfour (19)

DTL: KarenMacGregor (18), Nola Fordham (18)

NTP:Bradmans: JanGriffin

Men’sWinner: RodBrisbane (23 c/b)

Runner Up: Les Pearce (23)

DTL: Harold McNair (22), Paul Fogarty(21), RobDeVries (21), Hank Fiddelaers(18), Max Pugliese (18), Chris Griffin(18)

NTP:Bradmans: SteveLawrence

YALLOURN

Ladies Tuesday27August9 Hole

Stableford

Winner: Judy Budge (45)

Madman: Traralgon Harrier Stephen Renehan ranfor 14 hoursindarkness as partofthe Gippsland Wild Dog BackyardUltra

Insane:

Cairns Ironman Triathlon, Sally Theobald ran 114km at the Wild Dog Backyard Ultra Photographs supplied

Insurancewith added protection

returned to Churchill CricketClubfor season2024/25. Mason is suretobeadanger nowthatheis backtofullfitness

CRICKET

CLV BY TOM HAYES

AFTERadisappointing start to lifeinCricket Latrobe Valley, Churchill is aiming to shoot straight back into the top grade.

The Cobras were placed in Premier Aofthe league's inaugural season last summer, but were eventually relegated to AGrade for the upcoming campaign.

Churchill finished on the bottom of Premier A last season,equal on pointswithMirboo North, who joins them in relegation to AGrade But the Cobras have their eyes peeled on areturn to the premier division, putting their pieces together in the middle of winter.

Less than amonthafter last season ended,

Churchill was working on the next challenge upon them. The first move they made was at the top.

TheCobras announcedthatEnglishman Ryan Ayres wouldreturntothe club as AGrade captain for the next two seasons, replacing John Keighran, who has spent adecade in the role.

“I’m buzzingtofinallybebackatChurchill for thenext couple of years and hopefully many more after that,” Ayres said.

“I can’t wait to see everyone at the clubagain and get going for the season ahead.”

Ayres already has his priorities straight ahead of the 2024/25 CLV season.

“For theseason, the main priority is to obviously get AGrade back into topdivision, where it belongs, competing with the best sides in Latrobe Valley,” he said.

“The second focusistotreat thisasafresh beginning and get afew old faces and new faces to the club for the season ahead, and really get the buzz back around the club.

“I’m just hoping for agreat season for all grades and hoping to bring some success to the club, not just for the players, butfor everyoneassociated with Churchill Cricket Club.”

Ayres will return to the Cobras following a five-season hiatus, last representing Churchill in the 2018/19 season of the Latrobe Valley District Cricket League, where they were crowned Premier AGrade premiers.

Ayres is currently playingfor Clifton Cricket Club in the Greater Manchester Cricket League Premier League, appearing for the English side as the club professional.

His ability to open the bowling and perform as a high-to-middle order batter makes him adangerous addition for the Cobras. With the ball, he has an averageof16.56,claiming 34 wickets with best figures of 4/42 for the season so far for Clifton.

From his 18 innings withthe batthisseason, Ayres has scored 676 runs (two centuries, high score of 113), averaging 42.25.

Ross Whelpdale, formerly of Morwell, will also donthe Cobras gear next season, after becoming the next official signing in May.

Whelpdale previously won one of his two Premier Apremierships with Churchill, and has made three AGrade Team of theYears, as well as one league bowling aggregate. He returns to the Snake Pit after an outstanding individual season in 2023/24, claiming the secondmost wickets in Premier A(29 wickets).

Whelpdale’s effortslandedhim aspotinthe CLV Premier A2023/24 Team of the Year.

Ben Kearns also returns to the club after spending some time away from the game entirely.

The Cobras will be hoping he hasn’t lostany touch and can pick up from where he left off.

Kearns is also an AGrade premiershipplayer for Churchill, and has scored24half centuries and eight centuries, also claiming the most runs in an AGrade season once before. With ahigh score of 194, Kearns is no stranger to the bat.

Apreviouswinner of the GordonBolton Club Champion award, and aprevious Traralgon District Cricket Association Team of the Year entrant, Kearns will be awelcome addition to Churchill’s stocks.

Also making his way into Churchill’s AGrade side will be Brendan Mason, also making his way over from Morwell.

Mason had shoulder surgery in late 2022, returning after Christmas to play for the Tigers in their 2022/23 Premier Aflaginthe LVDCL.

With those additions, the questionsbegs as to who will be left out of the team for next season. It will sure be acompetitive pool of players vying for their place in the top grade.

Along with those four AG ra de ad di ti on s, Churchill has made some moves in other grades, beginning withthe announcement of theirB Grade captains.

Ross Johnson and Brae Kelly have been announced as the Cobras’24/25 BGrade captains. Johnson will enter his fourth season of captaincy, while Kelly hopes to add his knowledgetothe group

The Cobras have also announced amajor boost to their women’sside, with Morwell’sDanielleCole making the move into maroon.

Cole had astellar season with Morwell in 23/24, collecting anumberofaccolades. She won the batting and bowling average awards for her club, before being named Morwell’s inaugural Women’s Club Champion.

Cole was also named as the CLV Women’s Cricketer of the Season, and earned herself aspot in the Victorian Country Cricket League Region 7 Gippsland Cricket Team of the Year -selected as ahigh-to-middle order batter.

She will undoubtedly add awealth of knowledge andability to the Churchill women’s side for the coming season.

Churchill Cricket Club President, Ryan Harvey hopes for all grades to be competitive, and believes they have the capability of doing so.

"On field we aim to be competitive in all grades. After adisappointing season in AGrade andbeing relegated, some strong recruiting in the offseason

and getting back some familiar faces, we aim for promotion back into the top tier," Harvey said.

"Getting four premiership players back doesn't only makeour AGrade stronger,but will filter down into Band CGrade

"The inclusion of our women's side last season was ahighlight for us, and we look to build on a successful first season this year with the possibility of fielding two sides in the women's division." Harveyhopes that some notablejunior faces can makethe leapintothe seniorsideasthe season progresses.

"We have ahandful of very promising juniors, Ashton Ceeney, Jacob Dunn, Byron Marks and Archie Norman who will see plentyofsenior cricket this year with the club, reaping the reward for years of development through the junior program."

He’sback: Englishman Ryan Ayreswillcoach and playfor Churchill in CricketLatrobe Valley this season. File photographs

Welcomed: Ben Kearns is ahandy inclusion with thebat forthe Cobras

All-round: Brendan Mason has

Storm secures silver to start Games

PARALYMPIC GAMES

By TOM HAYES

TRARALGON’S Ruby Storm has started her Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the right note.

Storm entered the pool for three separate events, after the Paralympics got underway last Thursday, August 29 (AEST).

Shefirstcompetedinthe S14 100-metre Butterfly, with the heats on the first day of competition.

However, Storm failed to qualify for that specific final, finishing the heat in fifth place, narrowly outside the qualifying positions.

Just two days later, she was back in the pool for the S14 200m Freestyle heats, coming away with afourth place finish. The swim earnt her aspotin the final the following morning.

Storm battledhard throughoutthe finaland finished seventh.

Most recently, Storm was apartofthe S14 Mixed 4x100m Medley. No heats were required,with only five teams in the running.

In the early hours of Monday, September 2, Australians would’ve cheered for Storm and her team of Jack Ireland, Madeleine McTernan, and Benjamin Hance.

The Australians keptwithin close quartersofTeam Great Britain, who powered ahead into the lead. Coming into the finallap, Great Britain remained ahead, with Australia aclose second. The Aussies wouldn’t find away past,claiming asilvermedal in the process.

The silvermedalwas Storm’s third Paralympic medal, after claiming asilverand bronze at the Tokyo 2020 (2021due to COVID-19) Paralympic Games.

The medal was one of Australia’s six silvers at the

Games, adding to the total of 22 medals at the time of print (Monday, September 2). Still to come, Storm has two more events, those beingthe S14200mIndividualMedley (September 4and 5) and the S14 100m Backstroke (September 6and 7)

 FELLOW Traralgon swimmer, Emily Beecroft is yet to get in the pool at time of print. By the time of release, she would have competed in the heats for the 34 PTS Mixed 4x100m Medley (September2,7.46pm).The final for this event was

Moe’sthriving and growing junior

BASKETBALL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

WHENwalking into the Moe/Newborough Rec CentreonaTuesday or Thursday afternoon, it's avibrant time on the basketball courts to saythe least.

MoeBasketball Association is seeing its biggest spike in junior numbers, in no small part due to the work done by the Hornets Basketball Club. Sixteenteams fromUnder 8s to U18s havegiven more than 120 boys and girls the opportunity to dribble and shoot hoops,which has cultivated a wonderful environment within the community. Starting in 2019, Jamieand Lisa Keogh initially were just finding aplace for their children Jasper and Kinley to play with their friends, but it's only rolled from there.

"We had two teams (to begin with) just getting

afew friends together and basically it's just been boom from there," Jamie said.

"We just get an influx every season now, we just takemore and more kids, (sometimes) we can't keep up with what's going on... it just keeps going, we don't know where to stop."

Those kids looking to sign up and play but don't have ateam to go to, enter awaiting list prior to each season. Hornets say they grab about 95 per cent off the list to fill out more sides.

What is also noticeable and truly exceptional is the diversity throughout the groups.

"We have Kenyan kids, we have aChinese kid at the moment out (on the court), we have different disabilities as well, and all sorts, we just want to take anybody who wantstoplay basketball and get them in playing," Jamie said.

Having so many teams, more hands need to be brought in, with parents taking on coaching roles like Dale White with the Under 12 boys.

Read recognised for great efforts in track and field

GIPPSTAR

TRARALGON athlete Matilda Read has been named the Junior Gippstar award winner for themonth of June.

Matilda recently competed in the 2024 Chemist Warehouse AustralianAthletics Championships in Adelaide.

Her results were: second in the Under 15 girls 3000m walk (in apersonal best time of 15:38.37) and fourth in the U14 girls 1500m walk. In the 2023/24 LAVIC State Track and Field Championships, Matilda came first in the U14 girls 1500m walk.

Matilda also placed first in the following events: U15 3000m walk Victorian Track and Field Championships, U15 3000m walk Victorian All Schools Championship, and U12U15 1500m walk SSV State Championship. July/August nominationsfor Gippstar will close tomorrow (Thursday, September 52024) You can nominate for the following categories: Team of the Year; Club of the Year; Special Achiever Award, and; Gippsland Sporting Champion. These Annual awards can be nominated at any time during the current Gippstar year. If you wouldliketorecognise the sporting achievements of aGippsland athlete or any of the above categories, nominations can be made online at the Gippsland Sports Academywebsite www.sportgippsland.org.au.

thefollowing morning on September 3at4.09am. Beecrofthas two events throughout the second week of the Paralympic Games, beginning with the S9 100m Freestyle (September 4and 5), then the S9 100 Butterfly (September 6and 7)

basketball scene

"We get alot of numbers here, so every year we keep recruiting and all thekids herethey're awesome to teach, they all listen, it's really good... they all get along really well together," White said.

Prospects are only to aim higher, and Jamie and Lisa are looking to climb to 22 teams by next season

Their focus is to keep their players eyes on basketball with the hope of taking it astepfurther.

"Down the road we wantkidstogoonto Gippsland United and maybe higher," Keogh said.

"We've already got one that's going into ascholarshipprogram with Stadium 34 at the moment doing aone-on-onesession, and we'retrying to push him

to go further with his basketball because he's an awesome player."

As junior sport continues to be aquestion mark for many in terms of enthusiasm for kids, initiatives like this should definitely be applauded. Not only is the club paying for players registration, but also providing those struggling financially with basketball shoes.

Hornets Basketball Club also runs a'mini hoopers' program at Stadium 34 as asix-week program on Saturdaymornings,currentlyinits secondterm attracting 64 kids who also get adrink bottle and t-shirt from Stadium 34 for participating.

Traralgon swimmers are masters of their craft

SWIMMING

ATOTAL of 22 swimmers from the Traralgon Swimming Club Masters Squad competed at the VictorianState Masters ShortCourse Championships.

The even was held at MSAC, with the local masters squad competing for the first time.

The meet was open to all swimmers aged 18 years-of-age and above, with the oldest competitor, a94-year-old female from Doncaster.

Traralgon SwimmingClub members came home with ahost of individual and relay medals, with a complete total of 22 Gold, 28 Silver and 11 Bronze.

Eighteen swimmers won medals, with one national record going to long-standing TraralgonSwimmingClublegend, Courtney Ford AVictorian record in the 240-279 age group 4x 50 Medley relay went to club coaches Brian Ford and DavidVercoe, joining club stalwarts John Mackenzie and Mark Allen to break the previous time by more than asecond.

Club Masters coach Brian Ford praised the meet and his team.

“This is the first time the club has been permitted to compete at Masters level and we as acountry club really served it up to our metro competitors," he said.

"We had agoal to finish top 10 in the state and to come away with afifth was just outstanding.

"I am very proud of our team, who are a combination of parents of our junior swimmers and adults who enjoy training, racing and enjoying the sport.

"Welook forward to growing this part of the club and continue to makethe club adestination for competitive children and adults alike.”

The final and main ShortCourse competitionfor the seasonisthe Victorian Age Championships, which will be held from this Friday (September 6) to Sunday, September 8atthe Melbourne Sports Aquatic Centre.

Traralgon is taking 39 swimmers aged 12 to 18 to competeatthe highest level in age group swimming in Victoria.

Worldstage: Traralgon’s Ruby Storm(second from left) claimedsilverinthe S14Mixed 4x100m Medleyfinal at theParalympics

Photograph: Queensland AcademyofSport/Instagram

Outstanding: HornetsBasketball Club in Moe is offering basketball to morethan 100kids,with 16 junior teamscurrently participating Photograph: BlakeMetcalf-Holt

Squad: The TraralgonSwimming

Fortuna’sfirstin13years

BY LIAM DURKIN

THOSE who believeinthe natural order of things wouldhaveaccepted how the 2024 Latrobe Valley Soccer League season ended.

On the ladder, Falcons were the best team and won the league.

On their day, Fortuna had proven to be the best team and won the cup.

Moe United came third in both competitions, completing the trifecta to some extent.

TheLions took home atrophy for their efforts this season, winning the BattleofBritain Cup after defeating Moe 4-nil on Saturday night.

The cup is played via aseries of knockout matches after the regular season and league champion is decided.

Despite not holding as much meaning as the league championship, the cup certainly carries prestige, as it is one of, if not the oldest cup on offer in Victorian soccer.

The Battle of Britain dates back to 1951.

Before last Saturday, Fortuna had lifted it six times, thelast coming in 2011.

Barely10minutes intolastSaturdaynight’s final,the Lions were just about readytomake it seven. Fortuna had adream start to the match, netting their firstgoalthroughHaydenTanti early in the piece.

Few were to realise the performance Tanti was to have, as he went on to score another three goals in an absolutely dominant display.

In chilly conditions at Falcons Park, the Red Devil’s failed to find much ascendancy, and went into the halftime break 3-nil down.

While the scoreline might have given reason to think Fortuna had one hand already on the cup, thoseclose to the Lionscamp were not ready to jump to anyconclusions.

As one prominent Fortunamember pointed out, the scorewas exactly the same as the in-season game between the two sides, whichendedina 3-all draw.

The Lions needed not to worry however, as Tanti’s fourth made it official, and stamped his name on the Man of the Match medal, if it wasn’t there already.

Moe United waseventually putout of their misery, bringing to end their chances of completing ahat-trick of Battle of Britain titles.

Fortuna coaches Mick McAuley and Jordan Campbell accepted the plaudits of victory, which included not only the historic cup, but aFootball Victoria pennant and banner.

Fortuna’s Battle of Britain title years are now: 1984, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2011 and 2024.

There was double-delight for the Orangemen, who also won the reserves cup (Shopwell Trophy), also against Moe.

The reservesfinaltruly had to be seentobe believed, after aback-and-forth affair ended with Fortuna winning 5-4.

To their staggering credit, Moe played with 10 men for most of the game,and were2-1 up at halftime.

Fortuna then levelled the scores, and took a5-3 lead into the first period of injury time, before the Red Devil’s again hit back.

Moe had better luck in 2nd Division, with its all-conquering side adding to its championshipwinning season by taking out the Nan Bosma Cup, beating Traralgon City 2-1.

Great finals were the order of the day, as the women’s decider between Sale United and Fortuna saw the Swans come back from 2-nil downat halftime to win the Browne-Huizer Cup in a3-2 result.

Falcons2000did apowerofworkhosting the cup finals, and were to be commended for their efforts.

Falcons members and volunteers put in asolid 12 hour shift, making for an orderly final in conjunction with the league and Football Victoria.

Orangetsunami: Fortuna wasfar toostrong forMoe United in the Battle of BritainCup final. Photograph: Liam Durkin

Stranger than fiction: Fortuna wonthe reser vescup finalintruly extraordinar yfashion. Photograph: Liam Durkin

Redalert: Moe United wonthe 2ndDivision final.

Photograph supplied

Fanclub: Hayden Tanti soaksupthe applause following his four-goalMan of the Match performance in the final Photograph: Liam Durkin