Gippsland Times Tuesday 4 April 2023

OFF AND RACING

The annual Rotary Race the Rubeena Community Fun Run was held on Sunday. More than 250 runners took part in this year’s event.

STORY, PHOTOS - PAGE 3

Fitting tribute

Stefan Bradley

ANEW sculpture in the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Sale has beenofficially blessed by the Deanof St Mary’s Cathedral, the Very Reverend Francis Otobo.

The artwork honours the mothers who havenurtured students in faith and education.

Aliturgy washeld on Friday to mark the occasion; the whole school attended, along along withparents andinvited guests including the Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Sale, Mr Paul Velten.

The sculpture,entitled ‘MotherNurturer of Faith and Education’, is atribute to the Notre DamedeSion Sisters (the School’s first Order), the Brigidine Sisters, the Sisters of Joseph, and former female principals who led the school for more than 150 years.

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

Principal, Mr Brett Morris, said the

art piece, created by local artist Mr Ben Hoeskstra, is asculpture of amother and child accompanied by ayoung boy and girl.

“Thesculpturespeaks to the bonds of love that exist between mothers and their children and the partnership of school and parish,” Mr Morris said.

“Sponsored by the school’s Parents and Friends Association with the support of past and present school families through an engraved brick fundraiser, the sculptureincludesmanymetal items thatare recycled and repurposedina creative way.

“Students were invited to contribute to the project donating manybitsand pieces including old spanners, clamps, pliers, horseshoes and more. This gave the students an opportunity to engage and connect with the project.

“The rusty steel recognises the ruralbackground andcontribution of the school’s first families who gavemanually andfinancially to ensure aCatholic education fortheir

children and generations to come.”

Atotal of $15,000 was raised through fundraising for the sculpture.

Mr Morris saidthe initialideato commission apiece of artworkfor the front of the school was that of Mrs Cathy Mesaric, who was principal at the time.

“Mrs Mesaric wanted something that would speak to the school’s Catholic identity and the bondsofpartnership between parish, parents and school,” he said.

Mr Morris said the students had very much embraced the sculpture.

“They’ve looked to find their own individual item to go intothe structure. They can seethemselves in this sculpture,” he said.

“Every person that visits St Mary’s gets to experience the statue in their own way. Each time you look at it you see something different.

“We talk about recontextualisation, to make subjects or items of areligious naturespeak to the modern day person. It’s another way of making people

connect with the school, but also the story of Mary and Jesus.”

Mr Veltensaidthe sculpture project reflected the strongsense of pridein the history and journey of the St Mary’s school and parish community.

“This connectedness creates astrong sense of belonging for students, providing thefoundationfor eachstudentto flourish,” he said.

“This sculpture is all the more special becausesomanypeople took part in its development and understand the importance and meaning of it.

“Art is apowerful way to excite our inner creativityand develop faith-filled spaces wherepeople feel welcome, safe and inspired. Icommend the schooland parishcommunity for the work they have done in developing this installation which is asymbol of the faith, hope andlovethat surrounds the St Mary’s PrimarySchool and Parish community.”

PHOTOS- PAGE 15

Photo: Stefan Bradley

Ahelping hand to fight heart attacks

PEOPLE living near Sale Neighbourhood House willnow have an automated external defibrillator close at hand, thanks to Sale Ambulance Auxiliary. The auxiliary organised the handover of the refurbished AED after alocal sports group no longer needed it.

Neighbourhood House manager, Kaitlan Hill, was only too happy to give it anew home after it was suggested by ambulance auxiliary secretary Susan Smyth.

The handover took place at the house after the Sale TOWN (Take Off Weight naturally) Club had its weekly meeting, so itsmembers were there for the event.

Sale Ambulance teammanager,Anthony Mead, and paramedic community supportcoordinator for Wellington, Pauline Murcott, stepped TOWN members throughhow to use the AED, how to perform CPR and answered questions.

Ambulance Victoria says the chance of survival increasesby62per cent if aperson in cardiac

arrest is defibrillated by abystander before an ambulance arrives, and this point was reiterated by Mr Mead.

Ms Hill was happytoreceivethe AED on behalf of SaleNeighbourhood House,saying to her knowledge there had not been aregistered device within afour-kilometre radius of the house until now.

She said the Neighbourhood House was used by community groups to increase social connection and help peoplelearn new skills, and the AED would provide an extra level of safety.

The AED will be affixed to the outside of the building so that it can be accessed by the local community around the clock, if needed.

Localbusinesses, community groups and sports clubs are urged to register their AEDs with Ambulance Victoria so that Triple Zero callers needing an AED can be directed to the closest one. AEDs can be registered at registermyaed. ambulance.vic.gov.au/

Front,fromleft: Paramedic community support coordinator forWellington Pauline Murcott, Sale AmbulanceAuxiliaryand Sale TOWN Club member Jan McMaster,SaleAmbulance Auxiliary secretary andTOWNmember Susan Smyth, Neighbourhood House manager Kaitlan Hill,SaleAmbulance team manager Anthony Mead andTOWNmember Julie Treglown with TOWN members at the official handoverofthe AED.

Sale Ambulance team manager Anthony Mead demonstrates CPR to TOWN club members.

Photos: Contributed

Warning overunsafe campfires and litterover Easter

FIREauthorities say there’s no eggs-cuse for unsafe campfires this weekend

Paula’sScissors

AS Victorian campers hopoff to enjoy ourstate forests, parks,and reserves this Easter long weekend, authorities are urging them to obey all campfire and littering rules.

ConservationRegulator, Forest FireManagement (FFMVic) and Parks Victoria authorised officers will be visiting public campsites across the state to remind people of the rules and hand out fines for unsafe campfires and littering.

The bushfire risk remains, as manyofour parks and forests are dry and full of bushfire fuel, such as dry leaves, twigs and branches. So even with cooler weather approaching, campers must learn and follow all campfire rules, including checking weather conditions.

Campers can build and maintain safe campfires by considering where and how to build acampfire

and never leaving it unattended, even for ashort time. Campfires should be completely extinguished with water, notsoil, and be cooltothe touch before leaving.

Dumping rubbishonpublic land is illegal and can have significant impacts on the environment and human health. All rubbish and personal items must be taken home, not dumped or burned. Anyone who witnesses illegal behaviour on public land is encouraged to report it on 136 186. Bushfires should be reported to 000.

CFA Chief Officer, Jason Heffernan, said those travelling this long weekend should familiarise themselves with which fire district they are travelling to and monitor local fire conditions.

“Fire restrictions may still be in place in your area, so make sure you adhere to the conditions of the

restrictions when planning on enjoying activities such as barbecues, backyard bonfires or campfires,” he said.

Chief Conservation Regulator,KateGavens said, "we want all campers to enjoytheirtime in our forests this weekend but we’re reminding them to do so responsibly by building and maintaining safe campfires and taking all rubbish home with them" Parks Victoria Fire, Emergency &Enforcement Director DavidNugent said to always check weather conditions and park closures before heading into the bush.

“We know people will be keen to get back into nature following the wet summer we have had. Fire risk may not seem as obvious this year, but hot weatherand windy dayscan change things very quickly," he said.

Crowds gather to race Rubeena

StefanBradley

ABOUT 275 runnersenjoyed acrisp, sunny autumnSale morningonSundaytoparticipate in a10orfive kilometrerun as partofthe Race the Rubeena Community Fun Run.

Many local sponsors, including Wellington Shire, support this annual community event. This year’s proceeds will support the development of aSale Cemetery Memorial Children’s Garden. TheRotary Club of Sale members have recently been active in the cemetery, clearing and weeding the billabong area.

Rotary Club of Sale president Dr Rob McKimm said the project was close to his heart.

“As aclub, we want to support the development of acalmand welcomingarea for local families to remember their little ones who were taken too soon,” he said.

The 10km race was from the Port of Sale through the wetlands to the historic Swing Bridge, and back. The 5km run began at the bridge and saw contestants racingthe 111-year-old vessel Rubeena back to the Port of Sale. Captain Alan Lewis had the boat looking at its best, whistle-blowing, and ready to take up the challenge.

Families enjoyed walking and running with their kids,along with several corporate and community teams. The crowd was kept well-fed and watered by Sale Scouts and acoffee van.

Race director Gerard Callinan described the course as “beautiful”. Likewise, it was also a beautiful day to go through the Sale Wetlands.

“They’re just an asset to the town,” he said.

“Last year the wetlands were underwater.”

For the third time, Jordan Cowley took out the prize for the fastest male 10km runner with atime of 35 minutes and one second. He also then doubled up to win the 5km event.

Ben Osmand was second in both events, with Greg Semmler coming third in the 10km and Benjamin Riley third in the 5km.

The first woman over the line in the 10km was Monica Fortunaso, with atimeof48minutes, 33 seconds, followed by Liz Kenney and Ella Ronchi. In the 5km run, the first women over the line were Kim Renooy, AngelaColeman and Susan Hill.

Fast-paced running by juniors Oliver Sullivan and Thomas Kanavan saw them ahead of most of the field over the shorter distance.

Mr Cowley said the races were much more difficult last year due to wet conditions.

“This year was much easier and much more pleasant,” he said.

“Last year withthe floodsitwas abit lessscenic, so it was really nice to go through the wetlands.”

Mr Cowley will take part in the Melbourne Marathon for his 10th time in October this year.

Oliver Sullivan enjoys adrink after beingthe first junior runnertocross theline in the 5km race.

Photo: Contributed

The Rubeena at the Swing Bridgegetting ready to race the 5km run participants.

Photo: Stefan Bradley

The 10km run began at 7.30am, with the 5km at 9am.

Photo: Stefan Bradley

Jordan Cowleytook out the prize for the fastestmale 10km runner with atime of 35 minutes andone secondinthe Race the Rubeena event

Photo: Stefan Bradley

The fun run enjoyed superb weather for friends and families to gather togetherfor agood cause

Photo:Geoff Parrington

Police Beat with Stefan Bradley

Morwell man John Swiety

feared dead

POLICE are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing Morwell manJohnSwiety.

The 57-year-old waslastseen near aproperty on Old Kent Road,Nurran, on the night of March17.

Mr Swiety’s two dogs, twosmall terriers, were found by apasser-by wanderingnear the road on the Bonang Highway, north of Orbost, on March 28.

The dogs were microchipped and Mr Swiety’s sisterwas contacted in relation to them

She subsequently reportedMrSwietymissing on March 22

Police haveconcernfor Mr Swiety’swelfareas his disappearance is out of character. His disappearanceisnow being treated as

GI GIPPSPSLAND

suspicious and is being investigatedbydetectives fromthe Missing Persons Squad.

Investigatorsare now of thebelief thatMrSwiety has metwithfoulplay.

An image of Mr Swiety has been releasedagainin the hope someone will come forward with information about hiscurrent whereabouts.

Police are also keen to speak to anyone with information about his movements in the days leading up to his disappearance.

It’s believed Mr Swiety was heading to Goongerah and hadleft his Morwelladdress about 2aminthe morning of March17inawhite Toyota Hiace van owned and driven by another individual,who has spoken to police.

Investigators wouldliketospeaktoanyone who saw this van travellingthat day betweenMorwell andGoongerah.

Police are also releasing an image of thisvan. Mr Swiety is described as being about170cm tall, of Caucasianappearancewith short brown hair Anyone who sees Mr Swiety is asked to call triple zero (000)immediately.

Anyone withany other information regarding his disappearance is urged to contactCrime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit aconfidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au

Police calling for Raglan St witnesses

POLICE are asking for any members of the community who may have been in the vicinity or may have dash camera footage of Raglan Street between Howard Street and Patten Street, Sale on Tuesday March 28 at approximately 6am.

If youhave any informationordash camera footage ,please contact the Sale Police on 5142 2200 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Cat survives gunshotwound

BAIRNSDALE Police are investigating an incident where adomestic cat sustained agunshot wound in Lindenow on March 13 around 7pm.

Theowner found the cat in the Church Street area with abroken leg and gunshot wound. The cat was taken to the vet and thankfully survived.

Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact Bairnsdale Police Station on (03) 5150 2600.

Back to the future vibe

LAST century, in the early days of electricity, towns ran their own energy systems locally.

Now aVictorian town has captured its datadriven, 21st century journey to find local energy solutions in ashortfilm to share its experience withother communities around Australiaand internationally.

The historic timber community of Heyfield,is the star of the show.

Thanks to the three-year, $1.9 million MyTown Microgrid feasibilitystudy hosted by Heyfield, which is coming to an end on June 30 this year, the community has had access to outside expertise and cutting-edge technologies for adeep-dive investigation into its energy future.

As aproject output, this journey of local energy discoverywill now be shared via MyTownEnergy. net -anonline‘DecisionSupport Tool’, designedfor use by other communities to helpthem streamline and fast-track their own local energy projects.

The 10-minute short film has been released, and

will provide other communities with awindow intothe Heyfield journey and the people behind it.

The main film is supported by apackage of video interviewsfrom participants in the MyTown Project and has been funded by University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS ISF).

UTS ISF, aleading sustainability research institution in Australia, has co-led the MyTown Project, along with the Heyfield Community ResourceCentre(HCRC) and industry partner, Wattwatchers Digital Energy.

Funding for the MyTown Project has been provided by the federalgovernment’s Regionaland Remote Communities Reliability Fund (RRCRF), which awarded a$1.75 million grant in 2020; and thestate government’s Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA), which contributed $100,000.

Viewthe short film on YouTube: youtu.be/ idfa7ur3GcE

Police said JohnSwiety is possibly in the Orbost, GoongerahorYarram areas.

Photo: Contributed

Banksare set to recordbig profits

Comment Stephanie Tonkin

THE big four banks are tipped to makerecord profits this financial year, with some analysts suggesting they will collectively rake in more than $33 billion, up from $28.5 billion last year.

Commonwealth alone reported its biggest-ever half-year profitat$5.15 billion, an increase of 9 percent.

This windfall, largely driven by rising interest rates that have beenpassedoninfull to borrowers but at lower rates to deposit holders, puts banks in an enviable position -instark contrast to many low- to middle-income families who are beingbattered by cost-of-living pressures and housing stress. Yet, despite their increasing profit margins, the major banks continue to underplay acrisis thatisaffecting thousands of their customers and causing untold financial and emotional distress in the community.

Australia’sscam epidemic is ruining lives across the country, with the AustralianCompetition and ConsumerCommission estimating losses last year at $4 billion, or $11 million aday.Inmost cases, people who have been scammed have little chance of ever seeing their money again.

Our financial counsellors are on the frontline of the scams crisis and the stories they hear are sobering, to say the least.

We speak to people every week, victims of fraud, whose accounts have been bled dry by scammers, driving them and their families into poverty. We speak to retirees who, through no fault of their own, have lost their life savings to these criminals.

For those who are struggling with mental health, being scammed can exacerbate their situation.

Banks argue that it is the individual’s responsibility to recognise and prevent scams, even though scams are becoming increasingly complex, elaborate, and sophisticated-oftenimpersonating or replicating the banks’ own platforms. Customers who lose money this way are rarely reimbursed by their bank and if they are, the amount is often asmall proportion of that lost.

So what needs to happen to fix this diabolical state of affairs?

The banks need to urgently invest in the technology and systems that willmake Australiaaharder target for scammers. With few scam prevention and detectionstrategies currently in place foronline money transfers, the banks’ systems favour speed over safety.

This needs to change.

The banks can and need to act faster to make their payment platforms safer for all customers. In awelcome move, Westpacand the Commonwealth Bank recently announced plans to introduce technologiesallowing customers to check thatthe account name they entered matches the name usedfor past transactions to the recipient account before authorising apayment, which should reduce fraudulent invoice scams in particular.

It’s vital that the banking industry introduces this safety feature across the board to protect all customers. Additional investment is also needed across the banking sector to further enhance scamprevention and detectionsystems, mobilising the resources and technologicalknow-howthatthe banking industry clearly has.

Banksmustchangetheir attitudesand approach

to customers who fall prey to scams. Rather than

lay blame on customers who are scammed, banks need to commit to reimbursing them. Mandatory reimbursement of scam losses, except in cases where customers have been grossly negligent, would incentivise banks to tackle this crisis head-on. If our banks won’t sign up to mandatory reimbursement policies themselves, the federal government needs to make it happen.

In the UK, TSB, amoderate-sized bank, has adopted afraud refund guarantee that sees them reimburse 98 per centofscamlosses.TSB reports that this has leftthem betterplaced to stop scams and the policy is benefittingboth its customers and the bank’s bottom line.

While consumers should always be on guard when they receive unsolicited calls,texts and emails, the fact remains that scammers will inevitably refine and adapt their approach as we become more cognisant of their tactics. We can educate and inform people about scams as much as we likebut unless banks take real action scammers will always be one step ahead of us. Improving the security of bank platforms thereforeprovides the bestopportunity to break the scam crime model.Asconsumers, we shouldn’t settle for anything less.

Individual scam victims don’thave the resources or funds to tackle this raging issue, but our banks mostcertainlydo. It’s timethey stepped up to the plate.

Stephanie Tonkin is chief executive of the Consumer Action Law Centre.

An opportunity to broaden your agricultural knowledge

GIPPSLAND primaryproducers have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, free of charge, at a Rabobank workshop designed to help provide the financialskillsessential to managing agricultural enterprises.

The practical Financial Skills Workshop -providing farmers with achancetoboth upskill and network -willbeheld in Maffra in mid-April.

Theinitiative has been spearheaded and funded by food and agribusiness banking specialist

Rabobank's Rabo Client Council.

Agroup of the bank's farming clients who volunteer their time implementing programs thatcontribute to thesustainability of rural communities.

Offered at no cost to participants,the introductory, interactive workshops provide practical, hands-on advicefor understanding financial statements and banking requirements. Topics will be explored, such as taxation versus management accounting,essentialbusiness management ratiosand understanding key components of abusiness's financial profile.

Rabobank Rabo ClientCouncilchair for Southern Victoria and Tasmania and local dairyfarmer Chris Griffin said financial skills are essential for producers and future producers.

"Theseworkshops provide knowledge and insight for running and managing the day-to-day aspects of agricultural enterprises from afinancial perspective," Mr Griffin said.

"They also seek to attract and retain the next generation of individualsinthe industry while supporting the knowledge of current producers.

"Sincecommencing these workshopsin2018, the Rabo Client Councils have delivered this learning opportunity to more than 3000farmersacross Australia and New Zealand.

"Attendees at previous workshops have told us the learnings provided through the workshops are real and valuable -meaningful knowledge they can walk away with and use in their business."

Mr Griffin said thata greater understanding of theirbusiness when approaching financiers can help farmers apply for any additional finance requirements or fund anew venture.

"And to assist in making the workshop as accessible as possible to Gippsland dairy farmers, the Rabo Client Council decided to split the workshop over two days to fit in with milkingschedules," he said.

Rabobank regional manager Deborah MaskellDavies said the workshopcontent had been tailored to farming businesses in Gippsland through realistic case studies.

"Through thesecase studies, the sessions will look at what makes up abalance sheet, profit and loss statement and cash flow, and interpreting the financialratiostomakecalculated business decisions," she said.

"Financial reports are often one of the most useful and underutilised reports for many farming businesses.

“The workshop helps farmers gain an understanding of how to read, interpret and use these reports for their businesses.

"This then feeds into sessions on how banks assess aloan application and the importance of developing abusiness plan, as well as managingthe business through adversityand positioning the business when the season improves."

Ms Maskell-Davies advised farmers who are interested in theworkshop, keen to meet other progressiveproducers in the agriculture sector and increase their financial literacy and skillstoconfirm their place before the courses are fully allocated.

The workshop- which will be limited to 30 participants and is not restricted to the bank's clients –will be presented by Hudson Facilitation director Tony Hudson.

Workshop dates are:

•Session 1-Wednesday, April122023- 6:00pm -9:00pm(includes dinner)

•Session 2- Thursday, April 13 2023 -10:00am -1:00pm

To register to participate in the workshops, go to https://rabobankaunz.eventsair.com/financialskills-workshops/general-registrations/Site/ Landing

Consumer Action LawCentrechiefexecutive Stephanie Tonkin.

Photo: Contributed

 Maffra Neighbourhood House will be closed for the school holidays from 3.30pm Thursday April 6, and will reopen on Wednesday April 26, at 9am.

 The Maffra Garden Club’s next meeting is at 12pm Tuesday April 11, at Thea and Richard Crooke’s garden at Holley Plains, 901 Longford Rd, Rosedale.

Please bring your own chair, lunch and mug.

The competition is 'Autumn blooms'. New members welcome. Contact Jeanette on 0438 456 491 for more information.

 The Rotary Club of Maffra would like to thank and congratulate everyone for making the 2023 Mardi Gras such asuccess, our sponsors, everyone who entered in the Parade and those who just came along to enjoy the evening.

The results are as follows:

Community Bank Maffra and District Awards

Firstprize:Maffra Primary School

Second prize:Maffra Agricultural Show

Thirdprize:Maffra Golf Club

CommunityBank Maffra and Districts

School Floats

First place:StMary’s Primary School

Second place:Briagolong Early Learning Centre

Thirdplace:Boisdale Consolidated School

Other Awards

Winner of the Liz Shepherdtrophyfor the Best

Overall Entry:Maffra Primary School

Winner of the Joan Laws Trophy for the Best Community Float:Maffra Women’s/Men’s Shed.

The ArthurWatts trophy for the Best Business Float was sadly not awarded.

Congratulations again to all involved in preparing the floats and costumes and to all who took part.

 Maffra Easter Church times

St Mary’s Catholic Church

Holy Thursday, April 6, 7.30pm Adoration until 9.30pm

Good Friday, April 7, 10am Stations of the Cross, St Mary’s Maffra

10.30am Stations of the Cross, St Ita’sNewry

3pmGood Friday Solemn Liturgy St Mary’s

Maffra

EasterVigil, Saturday April 8, 7.30pmSt

Mary’s Maffra

Easter Sunday, April 9, 9am Mass St Mary’s

Maffra

11am Mass St Ita’s Newry

St John’s Anglican Church

Wednesday April 5, 10am Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday, April 6, 6pm Seder Meal followed by Tenebrae service at 7.30pm

Good Friday,April 7, 9am Good Friday

Meditation

Saturday April 8, 7.30pm Service of Light

Easter Sunday, April 9, 9am Holy Communion

 Maffra Combined Churches invites everyone to an Ecumenical Dawn Service in Victoria Park, Kent Street, Maffra, opposite the hospital, beginning at 6.30am.

Firebrigade Good Friday Appeal

StefanBradley

MAFFRA Fire Brigade is taking part in the Royal Children’s HospitalGood Friday Appeal once again, and is inviting the community to get involved.

Third Lieutenant Anthony Kovco said it was a fantastic causebecause mostofusknowsomeone who has spent time in the Royal Children's Hospital.

“It’sreally important to keep fundraising so they can keep providing their services for the community," Lt Kovco said.

CaptainBrendan King said that anyone over the age of seven can take part, and they’re looking for volunteers to help with door knocking and collecting money in the containers.

"Around$11,000 was raisedlast year,"hesaid.

"Come to the Maffra Fire Brigade after 9am for set-up and to sort out registrations for a10am start on Friday, April 7.

“Phil Hawkins at the Hawkins Furniture Store

in Maffra can also help with applications."

You can also register your details by texting Lt Kovco as soon as possible on 0431 846 137.

Volunteers don’t need to be CFA members, but adults must have aWorking with Children Check, which is easy to obtain online.

TheMaffraFire Brigade is also looking for new membersall-year round.

The brigade meets at their station every Monday at 7.30pm for training.

If you’d like to be part of the brigade or are seeking more information, head to the station on aMonday night or lodgeanexpression of interest on the CFA website

“Anyoneaged 16 andoveriswelcome, come meet us on Mondays and become apart of the CFA or go to the website,” Lt Kovco said.

“We’re 100 per cent volunteers. There’s only a limited time we can give,sothe more people we’ve got to spread thatworkload across, the better it is.

“We’re always open for new volunteers, whether they want to be firefighters or support roleinthe MaffraRehab, there’s something foreveryone.”

Easter churchservicesfor area

St John's Lutheran Church 129 Dawson St, Sale. Easter Sunday Service 4.30pm.

Maffra Community Church

Easter Friday, April 7-10am at Maffra Memorial Hall.

Easter Sunday, April 9-10amatMaffra Memorial Hall.

St Paul's Cathedral Sale Easter Services

Good Friday, April 7-9am Good Friday Liturgy, 10:30am Way of the Cross (at starting at St Mary's Catholic Cathedral).

Easter Day April 9-8am Holy Eucharist, 10am Holy Eucharist, 10.30am Holy Eucharist -St Anne's Golden Beach, 2pm Holy Eucharist -St Alban's Kilmany.

St.Columba's Uniting Church, Sale

Good Friday, April 7at9.30am.

Easter Sunday, April 9at10am.

Sale Baptist Church

AGood Friday service will be held April 7at

9am, and an Easter Sunday on April 9from 10am.

St Luke's Anglican Episcopal Church

International April 7, Good Friday, Service of Jesus' Seven Last Words at 3pm.

April 9, Easter Sunday, at 10am.

St Mary's Cathedral Parish

Tuesday, April 4: Mass of the Oils, 11am Wednesday, April 5:

-Mass, 9.30am

-Service of Shadows, 7.30pm

Holy Thursday, April 6: Mass of the Lord's Supper, 7.30pm

Good Friday, April 7:

-Stations of the Cross, 9.30am

-Walk of the Cross to St Paul's Cathedral, 10.30am

Service of the Lord's Passion, 3pm Easter Saturday, April 8: Easter Vigil, 7.30pm Easter Sunday, April 9: Mass, 9.30am

GP1652626

Recognising service on base

ON February 12023, Headquarters Air Academy (HQ AirA) personnel gathered at the RAAF Base East Sale Yarning Circle to celebrate the significant contributions of Mrs Helen Bink and Squadron Leader Andrew Trott.

MrsBinkwas presented with aletterfrom Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Rob Chipman in recognitionofher outstanding work. Commander AirForce TrainingGroup,Air Commodore David Strong presented the award to Mrs Bink. “It is an honour to highlight Mrs Bink’s outstanding performanceasthe AirA Information Knowledge Manager and how her commitment and professionalism has ensured governance and record keeping requirementshavebeen met across Air Force Training Group,” he said. Mrs Bink said shedid not anticipate receiving the letter from CAF highlighting her workfor AirA. “I have worked extremely hardand learntsomuch over the past couple of years and although Ifelt that Ihad achieved good results in 21/22, Ifelt quite humbled to be recognised for my work,” said Mrs Bink.

Prior to her Australian public service career, Mrs Bink worked in the banking and finance sector service before owning her own business in manufacturing and advertising. In 2007, Mrs Bink and her husband Peter moved to Loch Sport, where she worked for anational transport company in finance and payroll and Wellington Shire Council in recordsmanagement.Mrs Bink then commenced at HQ AirA in 2019 in the Information Knowledge Manager/ Executive Support role. Air Commodore Strong then had thepleasure of presenting Squadron Leader Andrew Trott with the Federation Star (reflecting forty yearsofService) with a signed letter from Air Marshal Chipman. “We recognise Squadron Leader Andrew Trott for his length of dedicated service and we recognise and thank him and his family for their support throughout his career,” said Air Commodore Strong. As ayoung boy growing up in Numurkah VIC, Squadron Leader Andrew Trott dreamt of joining the Air Force. On January 19 1981 his dream came true, enlisting as a16-year-old apprentice and graduated as an Air Frame

Fitter in March 1983. After completinghis initial employment training, he was posted to No.481 Squadron, where he was apartofthe Maintenance Squadron forthe Mirages. His career has included avariety of technical roles on platforms such as Squirrels, Caribous and Orions before reaching the rank of Warrant Officer. In 2013, Squadron Leader Trott commissioned as a Training Systems Officer and has since worked in anumberofroles before posting to East Sale, first to the Air Training and Aviation Commons Systems Program Office and then to HQ AirA.

Squadron Leader Trott reflected on receiving the Federation Star.

“I have found my Air Force career to be

ever-changing, challenging, engaging and I have never donethe same job twice. Iremain as passionate aboutthe Air Force today, as the day Ijoined,” he said.

Squadron Leader Trott lives in Sale, with his wife Victoria.

Clean Up Australia Day Effort -FridayMorning Lake Walk

PERSONNEL fromRAAFBaseEastSalehave beenfinding new ways to invigorate their regular Friday morning lake walk. On Friday March 10, dozens of Air Force personneland their families participated in aClean Up Australia Dayevent around Lakes Guthridge and Guyatt. They collected manybagsofrubbish andrecyclingfrom the paths andlakeshores, and tagged some more challenging waste for future clean ups.

This event, one of many Clean Up Australia Day events in the Sale area,was supported by the Sustainability Education team at Wellington Shire, who provided amorning tea at NakunbalookEnvironment &Cultural Centre. Flight Lieutenant Jordan Cowley, the Base Sustainability Officer and event organiser, said that the turnout was excellent and that events such as this onehelped to give back to theSalecommunity and connect more with the local landscape.

What’sonatDutson range

DUTSONTraining Area will be active during the periodslisted for field training exercises. Some of these activities may involve demolition practicesand,assuch, explosions may be heard betweenthe hours of 0900 and 1600 each day. Public recreationalusage of Lake Wellington will not be affected by these exercises.

05 –06Apr –Explosive Ordnance Operations

Training

10 -13Apr –Military Field Training

16 Apr –21Apr –Military Field Training

27 Apr –06May –Initial Officer Training including Live Fire activities

WhilstRAAF personnel strive to inform the public of all activitiesconduced at Dutson Training Area, explosions may be heard outside of the dates listed above if dictated by operational requirements.

Warningtohunters

IN the interest of public safety, notification is herebygiven that access to DUTSON TRAINING AREA is PROHIBITED. DUTSON TRAINING AREA is still an active weapons range, and presents asignificant hazard to allpersons within the range boundaries. The hazard not only exists duringrangeactivation for weapons exercises, but also duringtimes of inactivity Thisisdue to the very high levels of Unexploded Explosive Ordnance on this range, some dating back to World War II, much of which is in an unstable condition. Unmarked silted in bomb craters present another significant hazard.

You are reminded that it is an offence, under Section 89 and 89A of the Commonwealth Crimes Act to trespass on Defence land, and to discharge firearms on or over Commonwealth land. The DUTSON RANGE BOUNDARIES are depicted below:

For further information contact: Sergeant Nick Young on 0429 402 049.

Dutson Training Area Range Boundaries. Image: Contributed

Aircraft Operations at East Sale

IF you are interested in learning more about the role of RAAF Base East Sale, flying operations and flying areas, you can visit:www.defence gov.au/aircraftnoise/EastSale.

Thisincludes alink the RAAFEast Sale Noise Management Plan. TheDefence approachto noise mitigation and Air Force fly neighbourly policy can also be foundthroughthe ‘Understanding Noise’ site.

General information

ANYenquiries relating to activities at RAAF Base, East Sale, should be directed to the Air Base Command Post on 5169 9892, or via email to esl.abcp@defence.gov.au.

Air ForceCleanUpCrewhardatwork. Left to right: Jerry Wang, ZacPattison,Amanda Jackson, KarenNottand Bel Pettit Photo: Wellington ShireCouncil

Mrs Helen Bink with AirCommodoreDavid Strong.

Photo: Contributed

Squadron Leader Andrew Trott, wife Victoria and Air Commodore David Strong.

Photo: Contributed

Stratfordcouplecelebrate62years

Zoe Askew

THERE is no state secret, magic spell, or potion to 62 happyyears of marriage, at least not for Tom and Shirley Willoughby of Stratford.

"I couldn't say there is any secret or not secret," Mr Willoughby said.

"I think the mostimportant thing is to remain friends, that's all."

The year was 1957, and Tom and Shirley were attending aNew Year's Eve party in Beecroft, Sydney, when an instant attraction drew the pair together in acrowded room full of people.

Tom and Shirley would make apoint of seeing each other again afteranunforgettable night of dancing and laughing, the couple spending every moment they could together after their first official date.

"Because it was difficult because we were so far apart even when we lived in Sydney, we tended to be together, wantedtobetogether," Mr Willoughby said.

"We used to meet at lunchtime, Shirley would catch the tram from Hunter Street to Liverpool Street in Sydney, and we would have 20 minutes together, then 'whoohoo', see ya.

"To go and see Shirley of aweekend, we'd meet in the city at five o'clock to go to the movies, then Iwould take herhome; for me to get home from PennantHills, Ihad to walk about amileand ahalf to the station, then catch the train to Strathfield, which is ahub,then abus from there to Hurstville and by the time the bus got to Hurstville, Ihad to walk home (Bexley) about amile.

"So it was afair journey," Mr Willoughby laughed

"Fortunately, our parents let us stay over after awhile."

Tom and Shirley were engaged to be married after courting for about ayear, during which time Mr Willoughby determinedly earned the respect of his then girlfriends mother.

"The first night you went home, what did your mother tell you," Mr Wiloughby asked his wife.

"That Iwasn't going to go out with that bodgie again," Mrs Wiloughby said smiling.

Whilethe couple wascourting,Shirley moved withher parents to Glen Innes on theNorthern Tablelands, in the NewEnglandregionofNew South Wales, about 570 kilometres from Sydney.

"So it was long distance, 430 odd miles," Mr Willoughby said.

"I would leave Friday nightathalfpast nineand get there Saturday at lunchtime.

"Shirley wasn't allowed to get married until she was 21, but we managed to bring it forward afew monthsfrom July to April and yearslater, we met acouple who were married in the same church on the same day acouple of hours after us."

Tom and ShirleyWilloughby married on April1, 1961, at St John's Church in Paramatta, Sydney, afitting date for the couple given that their first date was to the Regent Theatre, where they saw April Love

April Love,anAmerican musical directed by Henry Levin and produced by David Weisbart, based on George Agnew Chamberlain's novel Phantom Filly,was the fourth most popular movie of 1957 and stars Pat Boone, Shirley Jones, Arthur O'Connell, DoloresMichaels, Matt Crowley, Jeanette Nolan and Bradford Jackson.

Afterthe couple wed, Mr Willoughby, acompositor, and Mrs Willoughby, abankteller, lived in a small unit in Ramsgate, Sydney, before renting a home in Peakhurst.

"Christmas time November1963, Isecured ajob as acave guide at Jenolan Caves nearLithgo,"Mr Willoughby said.

"So we moved up there and stayed there until 1969 when we decided we would go and manage motels; they were the big thing for along period.

"A fellow actuallyleased amotel for us to manage

in Canowindra, near Cowra, and we stayed there for 12 months."

Mr and MrsWilloughbyleasedand managed another motel in Casualla, Sydney, for about 12 months before moving to operate amotel in Llanarth, near Bathurst, where they stayed for the best part of six years.

"I secured acontract to manageamotel at Young, New South Wales, then we moved down here to Sale to manage the Matador, which was in those days called the Commodore," Mr Willoughby said.

"Wedidn'tstaythere long because Imanaged to get ajob with Esso.

"I worked onshore in the offshore control room forabout five years, then spent 15 years offshore; when Igot the job offshore, we had to undertake to live within 50 kilometres of Sale, and Stratford turned out to be the place."

In their 62 yearsofmarriage, Mr andMrs Willoughby havetravelled Australia, met hundreds of people from all walks of life, shared myriad adventures, even discovered acave in Jenolan, becoming the first humans ever to enter the earthly crevice, had two children and one granddaughter, loving each other more each and every day.

"We've hadlotsofadventures, even up to and including driving atrain," Mr Willoughby said.

"We went to alittle place called Forsayth which is in Queensland, and there were 10 of us on the train, and just to give you an idea, we were loading cattle in aplace calledLinthurt,all the passengers were out helping, and Isaidtothe driver 'what time are we due in Forsayth?'"

"He said, 'Thursday if it's Friday, we're late'.

"Soonthe lastpartinto Forsayth, it’s 60 kilometres down the side of agorge, and we were lucky enough to ride in the engine; it waslovely," Mr Willoughby continued.

"Coming back out of Forsayth there were four of us,two couples and the drivercame out and asked the girls to come into the cab, so they went in; the nextminute, he is tapping me on the shoulder, and Isaid, 'who's driving?'

"Hesays, 'lookatyourMrs,your Mrs, she's driving,' and Shirley was actually driving the train, putting the brakes on and everything else.

"Then, goingdownthe other side of the range, it was my turn, and Ilearnt how to slow the train down and how to work the brakes."

While drivingthe train was fun,itwas fartoo slow for adrenaline seeker Shirley,who much preferred driving her sports car -ared Honda Prelude.

"We've been together along time, and lots of thingshave been good;I think one thingwas Shirley bought asports car," Mr Willoughby said.

"[I bought the car] in 1988," Mrs Willoughby said.

"At the time, the salesman said 'now do you want an automatic or not?' and Shirley said, 'no, it's got to be amanual'," Mr Willoughby said as the couple laughed.

"I think another highlightofour life was towards the end of the 80's, we took up hill climbing.

"Our next-door neighbour Brett Packlin, awashing machine repair man he was, and he was hill climbing, and we went out to watch one day, and there was one girl about 16 doing it, and Shirley said, "If she can do it, Ican."

"Sowefound arather warmed-up escort, it actually had aHolden engine in it, and we took up hill climbing for about five or six years."

For some married couples managing amotel, spending almost everywaking moment with their significant other can come as achallenge,but not for Tom and Shirley Willoughby; the desire to be with one another, the longingtobebyeach other's side is just as strong as it was all those years ago in 1957.

"Not really; Idon't think running the motels was achallenge becausewewere together, and we complemented one another," Mr Willoughby said.

"We've complimented one another all the way.

"We had two children when we started with the motels; it was ajoint decision, and we just got on with it, and we were together all the time.

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"In fact, the biggest blow was working offshore, aweek on, aweek off; it was hard for us.

"I had to retire in 1998, and we've been together ever since."

From the outside looking in,their fondness,love, friendship, and enjoyment of oneanother's company is crystal clear, with their granddaughter Jess asseverating Mr and Mrs Willoughby'sdesire to be by each other's side.

"When they've been in hospital, they worry about each other big time," Jess said.

"They just want to be together."

Sixty-two years ago, on April 1, 1961, a22-yearold Tom married 20-year-old Shirley at St Paul's Cathedral, Parramatta.

TodayMrand Mrs Willoughby reside in their home in Stratford, baskingineach other's company each and every day.

After six wonderful decades together, the couple would give their newlywed selves just two pieces of advice.

"Be friends," Mr Willoughby said.

"The most important thing is to remain friends.

"If you're not friends, you can't communicate with one another or be together.

"Just be together, be friends and don't argue," Mrs Willoughby said.

"If you argue, make sure you settle it before you go to bed at night."

Stratford’s Tomand ShirleyWilloughby celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on April 1.

Photos:Zoe Askew

Inset: Tom and Shirley Willoughby on their wedding day, April 1, 1961.

Inset: Shirley Willoughby and her bridesmaids on her wedding day 62 years ago.

Astepinthe rightdirection

Zoe Askew

THE Ministerfor Child Protection and Family Services, Lizzie Blandthorn, has agreed to meet with ABetterLife for FosterKids, founder Heather Baird after arequest made by The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, in state parliament.

In addressing the parliament on children living in out of home care, Ms Bath highlighted identified gaps in mental health services as outlined by Ms Baird.

“Ms Baird has been lobbying for the implementation of comprehensive treatment plans to cover a child’s mental wellbeing when they enter out-ofhome care for some time,” Ms Bath said.

“With arevolving door of five Andrews GovernmentChildProtection and Family Services Ministers over the past 18 months, being heard and getting action has been abattle.

“When experienced advocates like Heather Baird are sayingVictoria’s out-of-home care system is inadequate and it’s failing to supportthe children, theAndrews Government has aresponsibility to listen.”

In arecent survey of 44 carers by ABetter Life For Foster Kids, more than half had experienced difficultiesinobtaining permission from the department or their foster agency to access mental health supports.

“When most kids are placed into care, they have access to assessments such as optical and general medical, but amental health plan is not astandard part of the assessment procedure for all children,” Ms Baird said.

“On adaily basis, we hear from carers that they are fighting to get their child the mental health care they need, and are gettinglittle support fromthe Department of Families,Fairness and Housing with funding or even permission to access treatment.

“On adaily basis, Ihear about the worst cases of children –even children underfive years old –having severe reactions to their traumatic experiences –and the carercan’t getpermission or funding from the department, or they can’t get in to see apsychologist because they are booked up –and that was before COVID.

“That’s just the severe cases.”

Ms Baird said every child whoentered out-ofhome carehad had some terrible experiences.

“They’re going to need help dealingwith over their lifetime,” she said.

“One of the carers who responded to our survey said they’d had over 70 childrenplaced withthem in more than 10 years, but that only five had received professional mental health care support.”

Ms Baird saidour society wasfailingchildren in out-of-home care, who were among the most mentally and emotionally vulnerable.

“Children’s lives are being losttosuicide, kids are running from home, going missing, living on the streets and becoming statistics because there is no standard mental health assessment or early interventionwhenthey enter out-of-homecare,”

Ms Baird said.

“Our society is utterly failing them. Their carers do everything they can, but this isn’t something a carer can fix –weneed government departments and agencies to work with carers and kids.

“The mental health care system and foster care organisations need to find asolution.”

Since 2017, the number of children in out-of-home care has increased to more than 46,200, arise of more than 7per cent, while the number of active foster care households in Australia is simultaneously declining, with just 9022 active homes in the latest reporting period, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures.

There were 9433 children in Victoriainout-ofhome care on June 30 2021.

According to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, kinship care –placing a child with asuitable family member –isthe fastest growing placement option in Victoria, accounting for75per centofVictoria’splacements with the number of children in foster care in Victoria now at afive-year low.

DFFH maintains that Victoria’s child protection practitioners and serviceproviders deliver highquality, individualised care to vulnerable children, including extensive wrap-around case management support and referrals to health,mentalhealth, education,and disability supportoveraperiod spanning many years,

However, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute research shows only one in every 130 children

received all recommended health services within 12 months of entering out-of-home care.

“These children have more physical, developmental and mental healthneeds given their experiences of abuse, neglect and/or traumaand increased likelihood of living in adverse socio-economic circumstances,” said Murdoch Children’s Professor Sharon Goldfeld.

Findings from the ‘Strong Carers, Stronger Children –Victorian Carers Strategy’s Findings of the Home-based carer census –Final Report’ to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing have confirmed the high need for mental health supports.

Of the fosterand kinship carers surveyed, 10 per cent were from Gippsland; the reportshowing 69 per cent of children in out-of-home care in Victoria had ahistory of trauma, 56 per cent had behavioural issues, 44 per cent had attachment issues, and 40 per cent had identified mental health difficulties.

The report also found thatclose to athird of carers had endedaplacement because of behavioural and mental health issues or for anger and violent behaviours of the child.

Ms Bath said it was shocking that these children were not getting the services they need -when they need them.

“The glaring gaps in the provision of mental health support at theentry pointofinVictoria must be addressed,” she said.

“Heather Baird has sensibly been calling for the introduction of ayouth-specific mentalhealth triage within the first six weeks of acare arrangement.”

Ms Bath said given the criticality of supporting our most vulnerablecitizens, sheexpects Minister Blandthorn would make this meeting apriority.

“Children entering out-of-home care do so in a highly traumatised state –their emotionaland psychological wellbeing mustbesupported,” she said..

“I’ve been working with Heather Baird for many years, and I’ll continue to advocate for Victoria’s most vulnerable children and the dedicated people who nurture and care for them.”

In her response to Ms Bath, Minister Blandthorn wrote, “I would be pleased to meet with Ms Baird when my schedule permits.”

According to aspokesperson for the Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing, the state governmentissignificantly reforming the child protection system.

“The state government is undertaking significant reform of our child protection system -delivering new services, programs and support for children and families at risk, backed by amassive $2.8 billion investment over the last three budgets,” a Department of Families, Fairness,and Housing spokesperson said.

“Foster and kinship carers do an outstanding job, and we need more Victorians to support children who cannot live at home, which is why we have invested $5.8 million in the last budget to support carers in Victoria.”

The NationalsMember for Eastern VictoriaRegion, MelinaBathand ABetter Life ForFoster Kids founder Heather Baird.

Photo:Contributed

PROUDLYBROUGHT TO YOUBYTHESE PARTICIPATINGLOCAL BUSINESSES

Crossword Puzzle No.8528

with Muzza

ONE POINTERS

1. Who is the host of Australia’s‘MillionaireHot Seat’show?

2. This artist is currently touring Australia and had ahit with the song ‘Young Turks’ back in the early 1980’s?

3. What animal is found on the Australian 5centcoin?

4. What is the name of the inner suburb of Melbourne that hosts the Formula 1Grand Prix?

TWO POINTERS

5. The Malamute is abreed of dog from which US state?

6. What vegetable is the main ingredient in hash browns?

7. The Sydney Roosters areateam that play what sport?

8. What is the capital city of Egypt?

THREE POINTERS

9. What is the name of the person missing from the end of this song from the movie ‘Encanto’. We don’ttalk about ?

10. What country would you find the United States intelligence facility of Pine Gap?

11. Which of these animals is not in the rodent family: chinchilla, ferret, or groundhog?

12. Which letter represents 50 in Roman numerals?

FOUR POINTERS

13. What is the name of Keanu Reeves’ latest movie that sees him reprise his role forthe fourth time?

14 Which car manufacturer recently lost an appeal in the Federal Court over compensation payments for faulty diesel particulate filters?

FIVE POINTER

15. I’ll give you five logos and you give me their names. One point for each correct answer

Target Time No.0152

Howtoplay.

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or morecan you list? The centrelettermustbe included and each letter may be used only once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns,

Sudoku No.0152

Howtoplay...

St Mary’s Primary School at Sale unveils new sculpture

ANEW sculpture in the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic Primary SchoolinSalehas been officially blessed by the Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, the Very Reverend Francis Otobo. The artwork honours the motherswho have nurtured students in faith and education.

Aliturgy washeld on Friday March 31 to mark the occasion; the wholeschool attended,along along with parents and invited guests including the Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Sale, Mr Paul Velten.

From Left:The Very Reverend Francis Otobo, Deputy PrincipalMrs Nicole Telfer,Director of Education Diocese of Sale Mr Paul Velten, SisterGeraldine Larkins srj, SisterAngela Bayliss nds, Sister Patricia Watson nds, Justine Glennon (daughter of previous Principal Mrs Cathy Mesaric), Sister AnneBoydcsb,Former Principals Mrs Ann Vaughan and Ms Diane Ward,and current Principal Mr BrettMorris.

Photo: Contributed.

TheVeryReverend Francis Otobo.

Photo: Contributed.

St Mary’s PS Saleschool and guestsfrom across generations attended the sculpture

Photo: Contributed.

Former Sisters return to celebrate the blessing of the Mother Nurturersculpture at St Mary’s Catholic PrimarySchool,Sale. From left: Sister GeraldineLarkins srj,Sister Anne Boyd csb, SisterPatriciaWatsonnds andSister Angela Bayliss nds.

Photo: Contributed.

St Mary’sPrimary SchoolChoir sings welcome to guests.

Photo: Contributed.

St Mary’s Primary Schoolstudentswerevery excited aboutthe sculptures. From left: Angel Crockford, Ruby Stewart,Mitchell Scholtes and Jonah Ingram.

Photo: Stefan Bradley.

St Mary’s Mother Sculpture - all three figures in view. Photo: Stefan Bradley.

St Mary’sPrimary School.

Photo: Stefan Bradley.

Showcasing local textiles

ANNEMIEKE Mein OAM is aglobal phenomenon. The Sale-basedartist hasinspired generations through her depictions of native Australian wildlife in textiles.

The Art of Annemieke Mein is adedicated showcase of this enduring Gippsland artist’s work, revealingher passionfor nature and tireless commitment to the natural environment.The exhibitionisrefreshed every six months, with new artworksdrawn from Annemieke’s60-year career as an artist, and is now in its ninth iteration since thenew Gippsland Art Gallery launched in 2018.

In the latest in her ongoing series of half-yearly exhibitions, Annemieke Mein has assembled one of the most diverse and fascinating collections yet, spanning an extraordinary45years from Gum Nuts (1977) through to her latest masterpiece, The Blue Skimmer (Dragonflytriptych) (2022). In this latest, incredibly accomplished work, Ms Mein proves that she can still create works as masterful as ever.

The three-panel work examines the lifecycle of the Blue Skimmer dragonfly, with each panel treated individually to specifically suit the phase portrayed. Panel 1depicts underwater hunting, Panel 2shows the dragonflies skimming the surface of the watertolay eggs, andPanel 3shows aerial acrobatics in flight.

The theme is well-suited to Ms Mein’s art, as it enables her to show different stages of an insect’s lifecycle. There is colour and movement aplenty, and it enables her to extendbeyond the picture frame in the final panel and, in her celebrated

The Blue Skimmer(Dragonflytriptych), 2022.

way, to give volume and three-dimensionality to the insect forms.

Accompanying The Blue Skimmer are two additional recently completed works, each making theirfirst appearance here: He Missed! (2021) and Eucalypt Bouquet (2005-22).The former work is destined to be acrowd favourite in its depiction of afrog having narrowly missed its insect lunch in water; we see the frog plunging into the water’s depths, with its legs and feet splayedoutward. Accompanying He Missed! are asketch drawing and colour plan.

This exhibition -the ninth in the series -also includes The Eastern Snake-Necked Tortoise

By AnnemiekeMein

(1996), alongside two samplers, and anumber of ‘wearable’ pieces, all withina wider group of works that show the range of Annemieke’s talent.

The Art of Annemieke Mein (Exhibition 9) is currentlyondisplay until August 13, and entry to the gallery is free.

Plans are also underway to present amajor retrospective exhibition of Ms Mein’s artwork in 2024 to celebrate her 80th birthday.

To be kept informed about this and other upcoming exhibitions, art lovers are encouraged to join the gallery’s Enews via the website: www. gippslandartgallery.com.

Have aYarn at BriagHall

FIFTY years after innocently stumbling into alifeinthe performing arts, Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky, is celebrating themilestone with ThankYou For The Welcome,aconcert packed with his favourite stuff -songs and stories Janbelievesare worth remembering into our future.

Beginning in 1971 as afounder of the renownedBushwackers Band, Wositzky went on to produce acclaimed theatre shows such as The

Go-Between: William Murrungurk Buckley;best selling books; awardwinning television documentaries withYanyuwa and Garrwa people of Borroloola, and plenty more.

There's stories and songs from Jan's time 'up north' working with Aboriginal people in Borroloola; a Bushwacker's classictranslated into Yanyuwa; alament for amatewho died of the grog;Turkish and Iranian music from Jack Norton,carrying the

story of Gallipoli, and of boat people incarcerated;weirdhappenings 'up north' with frozen kangaroo tails; a little bit of chainsaw music; Dougie McLean's secular hymn, The Singing Land;and, Jan playing five-string banjo, bodhran, rhythm bones, spoons and harmonica. It's ajourney that has been described an intimate and moving experience,taking the audiencesto other worlds,times andcultures.

Four day art show in Seaspray

Photo: Contributed

Wositsky will be performing in an intimate concert at the Briagolong Hall on Thursday,

April 20 from 7.30pm.

Tickets are $25 with alight supper provided; BYO drinks.

Tickets are available fromGarry on 0439 454 428 or via trybooking. com/CGGRX

THE doors open at 10am on Good Friday for the 29th annual Seapray Easter Art Show in the local hall. Originally aduo event with SusanneCox (dec) and Julie Ward, it’s now become ahighlightof the Easter long weekend. This year, 12 localartists and one guest artist, Kate Steinmann, willpresenttheir work for the general public to enjoy. Paintings of all sizes, sculptures and photography, all are for sale. Theshow is open from 10am -5pm on each of the four days.

Artists will present their work for the public to see. Photo: Contributed

Behind the Denyer murders

Stefan Bradley

VIKKI Petraitis, aMelbourne-based crime writer wholastyear had an event in Sale to promote her first novel, hasreleased anew true crime podcast on the Frankston serial killer, Paul Denyer, ahead of his expected parole this month.

In June 1993, Elizabeth Stevens, 18, was murdered on her way home from abus stop. A serialkiller wasonthe loose in Frankston,operating over aterrifying seven-week period. Young mother,Debbie Fream,22, was killed during a trip to the shops. 17-year-old Natalie Russell met with foul play on the way home from school, and was Denyer's third and final victim. Denyer was captured and sentenced to life in prison, but was granted a30-year minimum sentence on appeal.

Thirty years later, Denyer has applied for parole.

Ms Petraitis was on patrol with police the night the final murder took place. She wrote the bestsellingbook, TheFrankston Murders, which has never been out of print. Ms Petraitis has revisitedthe case in alongform podcast to remind the world why Denyer mustneverbereleased. The Frankston Murders Podcast uncovers new material and new victims stalked by Denyer in the lead-up to the killings. Interview subjects include prison guards, police officers, family members,and peoplecaught in the periphery of aserial murderer.

All 11 episodes of The Frankston Murders Podcast were released on Thursday and are available wherever you get your podcasts. The podcast was released by Casefile Presents, well-known for the Australian podcast series Casefile True Crime Podcast

Darriman farmer is looking for awife

The Frankston Murders Podcast werereleased on Thursdayand areavailable on podcasting platforms.

Last year, more 30 people attended ‘In conversation with VikkiPetraitis’ at the Wellington Library on Thursday, August 25 for an hour of discussion about truecrime and Ms Petraitis' debut novel, The Unbelieved.MsPetraitis shared experiences from more than three decadesofwriting,whichincludes podcasts and more than adozen true crime books. The Unbelieved is out now in bookstores, andalso available as an audiobook and ebook.

Ms Petraitis’ true crime background heavily influenced the novel. She said the low conviction rate for crimes against women and children was one matter she drew inspiration from.

“As atrue-crime author, these things come up over and over again,” she said.

“The art of writing is the act of processing. How can Iwrite this and honour the storyteller (the victim), and honour the story?”

Double the fun with two ShakesPAIR features

DOUBLE the theatre for Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

THE Stratford Courthouse Theatre this month presents a Double Dose of ShakesPAIR Shenanigans by Groundwork Youth Theatre and Dramawerkz Youth Theatre

The first in this double feature is Groundwork Youth Theatre's 'Shakespeare in PEARil', directed by Tilly Korbman:

AShakespearean tragedyinthree parts. We find our charactersdying of some unusual causes with someparticular twists.Inspired by this year’s theme of pairs, Groundwork has taken three classic tragedies and given them afruity twist. Intrigued?Want to know more? You’ll just have to come along and see for yourself.

Complementing Groundwork Youth Theatre is returning Melbourne-based DramawerkzYouth Theatre, who willbepresenting 'HoldFast', directed by Mia Boonen:

Abunch of sailorswind up shipwrecked on an island,and for some odd reason, any attempt at escape is suddenly thwarted. Combining fools and fairies fromShakespeare’s most famous plays,this original work by Dramawerkz Youth Theatreseesthissmall bunch of sailorsmeet a whole cast of strange characters while they’re stuck on the island.

Don’t miss this wonderful double feature created and performed by the youthful theatrical ShakesPAIR enthusiasts at the Stratford Courthouse TheatreonSaturdayApril 29, 7.30pm, and Sunday April 30, 1.30pm

Groundwork Youth Theatre will also be performing “Shakespeare in PEARil,” as part of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Opening Event on Friday April 28 at the Stratford Courthouse Theatre. The festivalopening is afree event and will begin at 6.30pm. The performance of ‘Shakespeare in PEARil’ will start at 8.00pm.

ShakesPAIR enthusiasts will be performing a doublefeatureatthe StratfordCourthouse Theatre.

Tickets for these and all festival events are available via the website: stratfordshakespeare. com.au

Film society meeting at The Wedge

MOVIE buffsare being reminded that the Sale Film Society will be meeting at The Wedge tonight (Tuesday, April 4). This month’sscreening is thefeature-length Australiandocumentary Off Country, which follows agroup of First Nations students as they spend ayear boarding at Geelong Grammarschool. The picture wasscheduled to premiere at the 69th Melbourne International FilmFestival in 2021,

before the event’s Covid-enforced cancellation.

Festival programmers describedthe filmas“eyeopeningand empathetic”, adding: “Off Country tackles tough questions around identity, belonging, coming of age away from home and how best to ‘close the gap’ without creating anew one.”

The screening shall start at 7.30pm; as always, prospective attendees are encouraged to arrive half an hour early to buy drinks from the bar and

mingle with fellow cinephiles. Entry is free for Societymembers and $10 for non-members.

All members have access to the Society’s DVD library, from whichthey can rent movies for a $10 deposit.

For more informationabout theSale Film Society, how to join and its upcoming screenings, visit the official webpage: salefilmsociety.wordpress.com

FARMERBrenton from Darriman is a 26-year-old sixth-generation cattle farmer whose quest for real loveisabout to begin, when Farmer Wants AWife returns to Channel 7and 7plus this year. Fresh off the farm,this true-blue country blokehappily admits that he’s “an awkward guy” and “has never done anything like this before”. “I’ve got the opportunity to find that special someone,” he says as he meets his top favourites for the first time.

Farmer Brenton is one of five farmers preparing to follow their hearts downthe road to true love.

The show returns with host Samantha Armytage and co-host Natalie Gruzlewski playing cupid, as they guide the new crop of farmers down the road to real love.

Farmer Wants AWife starts on Easter Monday, April 10, on Channel 7and 7plus.

Image: Madman Films

Brenton, afarmerfromDarriman, is looking for love.

Photo: Channel 7

Photo: Contributed

AuthorVikki Petraitis (right) andCollins Booksellers Sale co-owner Natasha Huntat ‘In conversation withVikki Petraitis’ event at the Wellington Library,onAugust 25 last year

Photo: Stefan Bradley

Photo: Lisa Hayman

Lifestyle opportunity

Huge family home, close to SaleCBD This lifestyle property sits on 1.887 hectares, and although it provides much-coveted acreage, it’s just afew minutes’ drive from the Sale CBD. The modern home with an inviting front façade, sits well back from the road and is surrounded by beautiful established trees and greenery.

Agents say it has been designed with modern family living at the forefront, and delivers on space and function with awell-executed layout suitable for the largest of families, with its five bedrooms and multiple living areas.

Theland is suitable for horse owners or hobby farmerswith wellfencedpaddocks, sandarena and good shedding.

With ample space both inside and out and its proximity to shops and services,agents saythis property is amust-see.

Features of the property include:

 Master suitewith walk in robe and ensuite with double vanity, shower and corner spa;

 Afurtherfour bedrooms, all withwalk in robes;

 Bright and spacious open plan kitchen, dining, and family space;

 Well equipped modern kitchen with ample bench space and walk in pantry;

 Largeseparate livingroom or formallounge, plus another large rumpus room that could double as atoy or games room;

 Studywithbuiltindesk space and built in storage, perfect for ahome office;

 Central familybathroom plus separate powder room;

 Undercover alfresco entertaining with views over the property’s paddocks;

 Well fenced paddocks plus asand arena;

 6.0 x12.0sqm Colorbond shed, concreted with power;

 Ducted heating and cooling, town water and natural gas;

 Double garage with direct entry into home.

Briefdetails fdetails

Property: Large fivebedroom,two bathroom home on 1.887hectares

Address: 1711 Settlement RoadPearsondale

Price: $1,090,000

Contact: Tony Kiss, Wellington Real Estate, 0419 526 637

Large home, huge block of land

Set on agenerous 1181sqm allotment in asought-after quiet court location is where you will find this solid brick veneer residence.

Agents say that the homeisin good, original condition and that it wouldn’t takemuch to modernise it and makeityour own.

Offering plenty of room for the whole family,there are anumber of spacious living zones, including aliving room with abay window at the front of the home that adjoins the formal dining area that could be utilised as ahome office, plus asun-filled family/ meals/kitchen zone.

The master bedroom is complete with

double built in robes and ensuite, while the two further bedrooms have built in robes and are serviced by alarge bathroomand separate toilet.

In addition, the property features double entry doors, home office, great storage, split system air conditioning and ducted central heating.

Outside is atreat with ahuge yard and ample room for agood-sized shed and/or pool (STCA).

There is also an undercover pergola, garden shed, double enclosed carport and fully fenced yard.

Briefdetails

Property: Three bedroom, twobathroom brick veneer home at anew price

Address: 4Casuarina Court, Sale

Price: $579,950

Contact: Chris Morrison, Graham Chalmer,0419381 832

•Ifyou arelooking to add to your current investment portfolio or entering the market forthe first time this property is foryou

•This well-designed home has been gradually renovatedtoa high standardand will appeal to agreat array of buyers

•Featuring twogenerous sized bedrooms with the bungalow currently being used forthe thirdbedroom Agent- DeclanPatten0499949 292

Astriking contemporary façade at the end of aquiet court in the Woondella Estate is just the beginning of what this property has to offer. This four bedroom family home features impeccable quality and modern comforts throughout.

Showcasing vaulted ceilings in the open plan kitchen, meals and family room designed for entertaining,

The open plan kitchen, meals and family room with vaulted ceilings is designed for entertaining and meets the outdoor alfresco with its built-in-bar seating and barbecue.

The modern kitchen is equipped with quality appliances, large island counter and abutler’spantry which has direct access to the laundry

The master retreat has awalk in robe and astunning ensuite with floor to ceiling tiles, astyle which is replicated in the family bathroom and separate powder room.

The further three bedrooms are generously sized and fitted with built in robes.

Notable highlights of this property include quality vinyl flooring, ducted heating and split system are conditioner,aswellas ceiling fans in thebedrooms.

Akey external feature is the north facing alfresco which overlooks the lovely,low maintenance yard. There is rear access through double gates and power/sewage connections ready for future shedding (STCA).

Agents say an inspection essential to appreciate everything this residence has to offer.

Open day: Saturday April 15, 2023 from 10.30am until 11am.

Car

island bench, walk in pantry an breakfast bar. Alongwith a separate family, diningand living allows space foreveryone Wood heaterand twosplit system airconditioning allows for all year comfort.

•Outsidefeatures include,large verandas incorporating outdoor areas,extensiveshedding,garage,carports, machinery shed,greenhouse.

7Kentucky Crt, Coongulla

$495,000

•Unique home set amongst 115 acres of trees

•This hidden gem has copious amounts of characterand charm from the moment youturn intothe driveway

•The solid brick home is made up of over 70,000 bricks out of the old Boarding House on Foster Street Sale

1Bath2 Car

Agents- Aaron Ralph 0456 215 087 Glen Synnott 0467 550 904

•The bedrooms areofgenerous sizewith the master including WIR and ensuite, the open plan kitchendining family room areinthe heartofthe home with asecond living and dining locatedjustoff this with abeautiful open fireplace as the center piece Agent- AaronRalph 0456 215087

Glenmaggie -Priceand address on application

•This is agreat opportunitytosecureyour very ownlakeside property

•Well present home/weekender or short-term rental is twostories so youcan soak up the viewsofLakeGlenmaggie

•Master bedroom with ensuite downstairs,open plan living,dining and well laid out kitchen Agent- Kristie Feenstra 0400 946 144

•Family home overlooking the Macalister Riverand not far from LakeGlenmaggie,set privately from the road and neighbours

•A full-length veranda takes in the spectacular viewsofthe river and ontothe mountain ranges beyond.

•Parents retreatatthe northern end with WIR and ensuiteand also a small room alongside perfect foranursey Agent- Glen Synnott 0467 550 904

50-hectare Karrawurraland with river views

This unique property on soughtafter land originated as adairy farm. Upon its transition to a beef fattening operation, it saw an upgrade to its cattle handling facilities and now features solid yards with loading area, machinery shedding and three phase power.Agents say the rich, productive soils of Glengarry are often tightly held, with this property having been owned by one family for generations.

With 50ha inc. Crown Lease, this prime acreage incorporates three water ways, ensuring water security,coupled with idyllic views. At its Southeast boundary, the property overlooks the meeting place of the Eaglehawk Creek and the Latrobe River, aspectacular sight to behold. The river flats provide those rich, alluvial soils that the Latrobe floodplain is renowned for,yet the farm features plenty of high ground to ensure stock safety in the event of aflood. A flood irrigation setup is in place on the farm, with aseries of sluice gates to shift water to desired areas. There is apermanent water right of 99 megalitres of Latrobe Irrigation available to purchase upon negotiation. Karrawurra beholds asolid brick home, perched on ariseoverlooking the wetland fedbyYorkies Gully.This four bedroom home, with master suite and built in robes offers space, light and views to its residents. The open plan kitchen and dining room flows through to afront balcony to enjoy the wetland views and sunlight, aperfect spot for breakfast or an evening wind-down.

Underneath is asolid two car garage. Power and town water is connected to the property Don’t miss your opportunity to secure aproductive farm and solid home located just minutes from the vibrant and growing town of Glengarry.With ample opportunities going forward for this property,such as future development (STCA), direct access to the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail, and proximity to some of Gippsland’sbest natural attractions in the waterways, agents say the possibilities are endless.

Briefdetails

Property: Four bedroom, two bathroom home and farmland on 50 hectares

Address: 20 Williams Rd,Glengarry

Auction:

2ASH

•Land size approx.2813sqm -Zoned Residential

•3bedrooms, 1bathroom

•Openplan

•Investment

Awin for the Delburn wind farm

LATROBE Valley residents have lost their fight to stop the proposed 200 megawatt Delburn wind farm in the Strzelecki Ranges after the Supreme Court found that the Victorian PlanningMinister’s permit for the wind farm was valid.

Acommunity group, Strezlecki Community Alliance, had challenged the approval of the Delburn wind farm, alleging permits breached a local planning requirementnot to build wind farm infrastructure within five kilometres of the urban areas of Moe, Morwell and Traralgon.

Supreme CourtJustice Melinda Richards found no part of the wind farm was within 5km of the three towns.

"The permits granted by the Minister on 27 March 2022 are not contrary to the five kilometre prohibition in clause 52.32 of the Latrobe Planning Scheme," JusticeRichardswrote in her decision.

"The proceeding musttherefore be dismissed."

Peter Marriott, executive director development of the renewable energy developer, OSMI Australia, said he was pleased with the Supreme Court outcome.

"This provides certainty for the Delburn wind farm to proceed, and we are actively working to bring the project into construction in early 2024," Mr Marriott said.

"We are excited to be able to invest in the region and create local jobs. We are now focused on getting on with building the wind farm and contributing to amuch needed transition to renewable energy for Latrobe Valley and Gippsland.

"The Delburn Wind Farm will produce renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and create local employment."

Overlookingthe site of the dismantled Hazelwood Power Station, the Delburn wind farm project on plantation land in the Delburn area covering the HVP Plantations' Thorpdale tree farm. The site is generally bounded by Coalville to the north, Thorpdale to the west, Darlimurla to the south, , and Boolarra and Yinnar to the east.

OSMI Australia says the Delburn Wind Farm will provide more than 186 full time jobs during

construction and 24 ongoing jobs during its 30-year operational life.

With acommitmenttohiringlocals, the wind farm will deliver economic benefits for local suppliers, contractors, businesses and accommodation providers, the company says.

Lawyers for the community group had argued over the proximity of the proposed site to the Latrobe Valley'smaintowns. but also that nearby towns of Newborough, Boolarra, Yinnar, Thorpdale, Delburn and Mirboo North were part of agreater Latrobe City and should be included in the buffer zone.

Strezlecki Community Alliance’s counsel, Paul Connor, told the court last week that this was not acase where wind energy facilities were on trial, “They’re important assets for our state in terms of providing renewable energy, but they do have significant offsite impact,” he said.

Residents also expressed safety concerns the 33 turbines could prevent aerial support in the bushfire prone area.

Mr Connor said the community group was open to relocating someofthe turbines further from the three towns, which he defined as aregional city under the relevant legislation.

While the planning scheme recognisedMoeNewborough as asingleurban settlement, there was no mentionofNewborough or the other towns in the planning scheme clause regarding wind farm proximityrequirements, JusticeRichards' decision read.

Friends of the Earth welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, sayingbuildingawindfarmin aplantation site is an effective way to protect the natural environment as the plantation is already a higghly y moodifieed inddustriaalssitte

"Our energy system is changing, the Latrobe Valley has a proud history of energy production and

it is great to seethat theValley will continue to play apartinVictoria’s energy production” saidWendy Farmer, Latrobe Valley resident and community organiser for Friends of the Earth Melbourne.

Trevor Hore, from the local resident’s group Strzelecki Sustainable Futures, said his group had campaigned for many years in support of the wind farm.

"We welcome the court’s decision to validate the planning permit and are looking forward to seeing the wind farm constructed," he said.

Speaking after the court decision,MrMarriott said theDelburn wind farm would work with the community to ensure it delivers long term benefits to the surrounding communities.

"We invite community members to joinour Community Consultative Committee to help shape the generous neighbourhood profit-sharing scheme and community developmentfund," Mr Marriott said.

"We wantthe local community to determine how the neighbourhood profit share scheme should be shared. This includes deliveringabout $500,000 per annum directlytothe neighbourhood area near the wind farm, on top of the committed $150,000 community fund per annum.

"Wealsowant to hear from any residents who are concerned or opposed to the wind farm development -it’snot toolatetodiscuss your concerns, ask questions and let us work with you to share information and understanding."

The company says information updates are an important part of the Delburn wind farm communityengagement programand will increase in freqquency y as the wind farm p projject developps. For further information go to delburnwindfarm com au

Grants open to preserve Gippsland Lakes

THE state government is offering grants to local community groupstoimprovehabitats, protect native wildlife and help preserve internationally significant wetlands in the Gippsland Lakes.

Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, has opened a new round of the Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee Community Grants, with more than

$137,000 to share across successful projects.

These grants provide funding to help community groups complete environmental projects through on-ground management activities and community engagement.

Eligible projects include restoring habitat for native species,reducing sedimentand nutrient loads, protecting native animals and improving understanding of plants and animals that call the Gippsland Lakes home.

The last round of grants invested$4million across the lakes including projectssuch as improving the conditionand connectivity of Lake Wellingtonand surrounding wetlands, installing ‘seagrass friendly’ boat moorings and improving beach nesting sites for birds though the renourishment of sand islands

Ms Shing said community was at the heart of the program to protect and enhancethe Gippsland Lakes.

"This new round of grants will helpour fabulous volunteers and community groups to get on with more projects and deliver more environmentaland wildlife benefits,” she said.

Memberfor Eastern Victoria,Tom McIntosh, said the grants had already helped protect the Lakes’ Burrunandolphins and helped restore multiple wetlands with the help of community and school groups.

The chair of the Gippsland Lakes coordinating committee, GlenysWatts, said past funding rounds had left asignificant legacy.

"We encourage new and existingcommunity groups to apply and play their part in the bigger picture we are all committedto-protecting the important naturaland culturalvaluesofthe Gippsland Lakes,” she said.

The grants are part of a$248millioninvestment to improve the health of waterwaysand catchments across Victoria.Todate,$7.5millionhas been invested towardsimproving the health of Gippsland Lakes overthree years through support to the Gippsland Lakes coordinating committee. Applications are open until Monday, May 1. For more information or to apply visit loveourlakes.net.au

Transport fare cap nowineffect

THE state government’s fare cap on regional trains and buseshas comeinto effect. The Minister for Public Transport, Ben Carroll, on Friday joined the first passengers on the new regional fare cap whowere travelling by train fromSouthernCross StationtoWoodendStation. The cost of adaily ticket on the entire regional Victoriannetworkisnow capped at the same prices as metropolitan daily fares -currently $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for aconcession. On aweekend or public holiday, daily fares are capped at $6.70 and currently just $3.35 for concession. Mr Carroll saidthat meant moremoney in regionalVictorians’ pockets, and more opportunities for families in Melbourne and visitors to the state to explore everything Victoria has to offer. “It also ensures families living in rural and regional Victoria can visit loved ones, and access health and education services in other regional cities and in Melbourne,” he said. “For those who take long-distance V/Line journeys, the regional fare cap can save people more than $40 for each and every one-way journey on the regional public transport network.” The cap also applies to interstate travel within 60 kilometres of the Victorian border,aswell as Albury, Merimbula, Deniliquin and Mt Gambier, to ensure those living in border communities in New South Wales and South Australia benefit as well. The fare cap applies to all PTV regional buses, town buses and V/Line trains and coaches. Member for Eastern VictoriaHarriet Shing said Gippsland residents and visitors would greatly benefit from the fare cap. “Capping regional fares

at metro prices is ahugesavingfor Gippslanders and will make abig difference to the cost of living for passengers,” she said.

The state government maintains it has invested nearly $1.5 billion in 59 new VLocity trains since 2014, creating about 500 jobs.Since 2014,anextra 800 V/Line train services have also been added

-with arecord 2200 regional train services now operating every week. Almost 200 extra weekend services are set to be added to the V/Line timetable from 2024 -with afurther order of 23 VLocity trains to meet the demands of agrowing network. For more information or to buy tickets visit vline. com.au or ptv.vic.gov.au

$500mGippsland development to play hugerole

PhilipHopkins

GIPPSLAND gas will play abig role in Victoria’s transition to renewable energy -and the boss of the GoldenBeach gas field,just off the South Gippsland coast, is upbeat about his company’s role in the process.

Tim Baldwin, the chief executive of GB Energy, said the Golden Beach gas field, which will be mainly agas storage reservoir, was in astrongposition to supply the market as gas supply dwindled over the next decade and demand remained strong, “which is pretty exciting”.

“Gas storage is nothingnew -there are about 600-650 gas storage assets aroundthe world,” Mr Baldwin told the Gippsland Times in an interview.

“In very simpleterms, you’ve got anatural tank under the groundfor 60 millionyears, full of gas, and once you have produced gas, what generally happens is, you abandon the well and move away.”

The reality, however, is that the gas market is hugely seasonal. Mr Baldwin said average daily demand for gas depended on the season and the weather.

“In winter, it gets cold, peopleput on their heaters and it doubles the demand. What do we do? Very simple; 627 metres below the surface, we put two wells in, extract some gas -itcomes out into the Longford plant area, and then eitherflows into Victoria or up to Sydney,” he said.

“Once we have created some space, in summer, when demand is low, our customers get gas from Exxon/Woodside, or interstate, send it back into the field and it sits there until there is high demand again.

“We need to produce abit of gas in the front end to createthe space. The gasisimportant to the market as thereisa big decline. The 2030 forecast is for very marginal production.”

Mr Baldwin estimated that GB Energy would produce gas for about 14 monthsataconstant rate, with gas “moving in and out all the time”.

“Some days the market is nicely balanced, on

others there is excesssupply, so gas will be put into storage; when there is excess demand, it will come outofstorage. Theoretically it could go on forever,” he said.

Mr Baldwin said the transition from coal to renewables was complex and long-term.

Creating abig renewables baseload with intermittency challenges meant that immediate availability of gas was the best way to guarantee power security

“The nature of gas changes; it will not just be produce on aconstantrate, but on demand,”he said, but over time, the consumption of gas would also likely fall.

Mr Baldwin said about 400 wells had been drilled in Bass Strait since the 1960s. “They get deeper and deeper further from shore; it’s very sophisticated oil and gas area. The quality of the rock is what makes it such an interesting area,” he said.

“It’s world class, probably one of the top halfa-dozen reservoirs in the world, whichmakesit really good for gas storage; the ability to take gas out and in is really efficient.”

This also created huge potential for capture and storage of carbon dioxide as part of the planned coal-to-hydrogen process. Barracouta was discovered in ‘62, went online in ‘65, and for along time was Australia’s biggest gas field, producing for 60 years.

Mr Baldwin said Bream was another gas field justtothe south; Exxon wasinvestigating injecting CO2 back into Bream and leaving it for thousands of years.

“CarbonNet, another CO2 area, sits just below us; they’re about 600 metresdeeper into the seabed or earth bed,” he said.

Mr BaldwinsaidGippslanders who had worked in offshoregas and coal could transfer their skills to wind and solar development, but acknowledged that most Golden Beach jobs, like wind farms, would be in the construction sector. “We have 560 jobs in construction, butprobably only 10 during operation. Constructionwill peak each couple

of years when significant maintenance is done; basically, the wells run themselves,” he said.

The company startsdrilling an appraisal well in May, 3.4 kilometres offshore from the Golden Beach township.

“We will validate the quality of the rock, which will take about 20 days, but will not bringany gas to the surface. We will plug and abandon it, go away and optimise the engineering for the pipelines and subsequent wells,” he said.

“We then take afinal investmentdecision, probably drill two subsequent wells about 12 months later and then bring gas into the market. We are aiming for winter 2025. April is our target date; demand is higher in winter.”

TheGolden Beach energy project is estimated to cost $500milliontodevelop.The field was originally discoveredin1967but has suffered several delays, with the project sold on several times. GB Energy is the eighth owner.

GB Energy’s environment effects statement has been approved both by the Victorian Minister for Planning and the federal government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The project has been classified as critical energy infrastructure by the federal government.

Acap on regional trains is nowinplace. Photo: File

CLIENT ADVISOR

Do YOU have aflair for Community Care? If so, join our Gippsland team based at our Traralgon office and start helping our clients to enhance and live their best lives.

What is the role?

Benetas is hiring a Client Advisor to manage Home Care Package recipients and other Benetas clients. The role will be responsible in creating apositive client experience in collaboration with the client services coordinator.

Contact Naomi on 03 5177 8343 or Naomi.Campbelle@benetas.com.au

Apply now at www.benetas.com.au/careers

Baw Baw Swim School

We are looking for swimming instructors at our new location, Guthridge Primary School, Sale. We are seeking passionate swimming instructors to join our team. Swimming is askill for life, and we want to provide the best possible learning environment for our students. We welcome both new and experienced teachers, aged 16+ to apply.

The ideal candidate must be:

● Willing to obtain required certifications, including CPR, First Aid, Swim Teacher Certification and Working with Children Check

● Organised and reliable

● Able to collaborate and communicate with others

● Able to create asafe and fun learning environment.

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please contact us at: info@bawbawswimschool.com.au or on 0400 032 734.

Service Planner-Coordinator

Located in Sale -Full time or Part time

Our client is looking for areliable, organised candidate for therole of Service Planner-Coordinator to assist our QA Manager in the daily planning of projects/services including document preparation and scheduling of work activities, and to also assist the QA with the training requirements of our team, as well as OHS tracking and implementation.

You will require:

● Excellent Communication and organization skills, be able to work within ateam environment, and professional customer focus.

● Experience using Microsoft applications such as excel, word, MS Project etc.

● Experience in the Hydro Carbons industry or construction industry would be an advantage. The ideal candidate would preferably have had experience in the field and be looking to move into an office role.

Please forward cover letter and resume to hr@workhireaustralia.com.au

Applications close April 3, 2023.

Night Administration Clerk

Permanent Part Time

CGHS is currently seeking acasual Night Administration Clerk to join our dynamic and friendly team. The Night Administration Clerk provides administrative support to CGH's clerical functions after hours and ensures that the Patient Administration Systems are up to date and available for clinical management. If you are highly motivated individual and enjoy a challenging and rewarding working environment, have experience with medical/health records and data entry, we want to hear from you. Apply now!

To apply for the role or for further information, go to https:/centralgippslandhealth.mercury.com.au or contact Rebecca Gunning, Manager Executive Services on (03) 5143 8319.

Client Support Officer

Permanent Part Time

CGHS is currently seeking aClient Support Officer to join our dynamic and friendly team. The Client Support Officer (CSO) role within Central Gippsland Health aims to ensure clients are assigned community care workers to support them to remain living at home. This role will require the CSO to undertake rostering of community care workers to clients. If you possess acertificate III in community health related discipline and wanting achallenging yet rewarding environment we want to hear from you. Apply now!

To apply for the role or for further information, go to https:/centralgippslandhealth.mercury.com.au or contact Stacey Maxwell, Manager Community InHome Support Services on (03) 5143 8811.

Aged Care Services Manager

Maffra -Permanent Full Time CGHS is currently seeking aAged Care Services Manager to join our dynamic and friendly team. Take akey leadership role in this highly regarded organisation. Maffra Hospital and J.H.F McDonald Wing is awelcoming residential aged care home and asmall rural hospital. you will provide leadership and operational management to the Maffra Team, delivering excellence in clinical care, Leisure and lifestyle, food and environment and creating aculture where people feel supported and appreciated to ensure high-quality customer service to residents and families. Experience in Aged Care with proven leadership ability is essential, together with understanding of accreditation, aged care and sub-acute funding and residential care agreements. Registration with AHPRA is required, and astrong commitment to excellence and continuous quality improvement is amust. Apply now!

To apply for the role or for further information, go to https:/centralgippslandhealth.mercury.com.au or contact Caron Mallet, Director Aged Care Services on (03) 5143 8701.

Receptionist/Legal Secretary

Semmens, Hatch &Anderson Solicitors are seeking the services of an enthusiastic Receptionist/Legal Secretary to join our team in the Maffra Office.

Required hours can be flexible by agreement and will be discussed on application or fulfilled on afull-time basis.

The successful applicant should ideally possess:

● Excellent interpersonal skills and willingness to work within ateam.

● Experience in office procedures and in handling confidential documents.

● Experience in Reception/Administrative roles or Legal Practice.

● Sound computer skills with Microsoft Office, accuracy in data entry and experience with LEAP Legal Software (preferred but not essential).

● Problem solving skills, ability to meet deadlines and key attention to detail.

Applicants are requested to provide aresume and application letter indicating whether you are seeking full time or flexible hours addressed to Office Manager, Semmens, Hatch &Anderson, PO Box 152, Maffra VIC 3860 or accounts@shamaffra.com.au

Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday 19 April 2023

Tuesday’s newspaper is nowavailable in newspaper format online at http://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/digital-editions/

Dental Assistant

The Maffra Dental Clinic is seeking ahighly motivated and organised Dental Assistant for a casual position for 2-3 days per week.

Ideally the applicant should be qualified with Certificate III in Dental Assisting and/or have previous dental nursing experience. Previous applicants will be considered.

Please forward cover letter and CV to:

Practice Manager

Maffra Dental Clinic

113 Johnson St., Maffra Vic. 3860

Email: maffradentalclinic@gmail.com

Practicing GP

St Lukes Medical Centre is seeking apracticing GP, preferably outside the Traralgon CBD. SLMC is known as an Accredited Teaching Clinic with supervisors. Email CV to practicemanager@saintlukesmedical.com or call 0416 133 221 for an initial conversation in confidence.

2009 COROLLA

CAMPER Trailer, off-road, water tank and pump, elec. brakes, 12v batt. and 12v plugs, boat rack, erect trailer for tinny

2012 SR5 HILUX

Manual, one owner,

Camper Trailer

Sleeps

4WD

Are you ready to join our team:

Superclean Maid Service are home cleaning & garden professional supporting veterans, aged care &NDISparticipants.

We are currently seeking casual employees to work in avariety of roles:

● Home care cleaning

● Gardening Maintenance including hedge trimming, lawns, edging, weeding &pruning

● Gutter cleaning

● Pressure washing

● Window cleaning

● Carpet steam cleaning

● Skilled at ironing

● Meal preparation/welfare check

● Community access

The successful applicants will require:

● An eye for detail whilst taking pride in your work.

● Valid driver's licence &road-worthy vehicle

● Provide first aid including CPR certificate

● Current police check with no outcomes

● WWCC

● Smart phone

● Solid understanding of work, health &safety

● Able to work independently &confidently

● Prior experience in the chosen role/s

In return you will receive:

● Flexible work hours Mon -Friday 9am -4pm

● Friendly &supportive team

● Above Award wage

● Yearly bonus scheme onperformance

● Portable longservice benefits scheme

● All public holidays off

● Travel costs reimbursed when driving your own vehicle

● Uniform and equipment supplied

To apply: Email your resume &coverletter to: Superclean.applications@gmail.com

Applications close 4th May 2023

Holden Captiva SX, 2010, 7seater, new turbo, diesel, r.w.c., very clean, 1BE-8ZH, $9750. Phone 0412 059 810.

Nissan Navara 1991, manual, v.g.c. r.w.c. vin 21A0433493. $8,000, phone 0475 690 520

Ph 0409 173 461.

Motoring Deal

MAJOR WORKSHOP CLEARING SALE

Kubota 4WD 4600 tractor with FEL (226 hrs as new), mulcher,linkage rake, Clarke forklift (gas), Lincoln diesel welder/generator (3 cylinder Perkins), BOC welder (petrol/diesel) Mig 250R&WF2 Weldon power 230, Lincoln Ln 25 welder,Slip roll metal bender 50’’ x16gal., Hafco ‘metal master’ bender 1.1kw, Plasmacutter, Metal ring roller,Hafco metal bender,Magnetic Hafco drill, Horizontal 240v metal cutting bandsawwith roller feed, Steel Master Asset 2.4mtr sheet metalfolder +inter-changeableteeth,Steel racks, Tig AC/DC welder 160amp, Foldable workshop crane, Oxy set,guillotine, Trolleys, Karcher pressurecleaner,Aluminium “ute box” custom made (1.8 x1.6m),Austwood 12hp industrialmower,Linkage grader blades, 7hp Firefighting pump,Submersible pump,Large quantities of air,Workshop and 240v tools, Welding and oxyleads andhoses. Collection of Triumph rocket 3motorcycle memorabilia, Camping equipment,Rooftop tent.2207FordRTV, 2008 Mazda BT manual king cab.

Smithy became alegendarytradesman within the oil, industrial and energy industries throughout Gippsland. This sale represents the collection of tools andequipment he accumulated in his profession

Terms: No buyer premium

Payments: Cash, Eftpos or approved cheque on day of sale, number system applies -IDrequired. Full details and photos please visit www.gippslandclearingsales.com.au

Bairnsdale Regional Health Service

DORREEN, Rosa.

14/6/1951 -2/4/2023

Passed away at the Sale Hospital April 2, 2023, aged 71 years after a brave battle with cancer.

Cherished wife of Bill. Loving sister, aunt, and friend.

Engagements

•

McKENZIE, Ted.

Passed away 5th April

2012. Adear husband and father. Though long gone, you're always present. Our memories of you are forever with us.

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE -ROUND 1

Leongatha: JGarnham

Grateful thanks to the staff of GBH for their loving care during Rosa's illness.

Loved so much by us all. Bet, Kerryn, Robyn, Russell and Marian.

IMPORTANT NOTICE Bereavement Thanks •

Deaths •

"Gone from our sight but never from our hearts, you arelovedand remembered every day. Rest well, Rosie."

JACOBS, Ray.

Jan, Rhonda, James and Shane, along with the wider family, sincerely thank everyone who showed their love and support on the passing of our Dad, Ray Jacobs. Our extreme gratitude goes to those who supported him towards the end.

The attendance at Dad's funeral, the kind words from awide spectrum of the community, the cards and flowers, and the love we felt, were atestament to our beautiful Dad.

CUNNINGHAM (nee O'Connor), Maureen 19/6/1930 -3/4/2023

Loving wife of John (dec.) for 66 years.

Loved mother and mother-in-law of Sonny and Priscilla, Colin and Alison, Peter, David and Joy, Lynda and Danny, Julie and Garry.

Adored Grandmother of Rene and Nessa, Grant and Danita, Grace, Josh and Mari, Jess and Luke, Ciaran, Emma, Thomas and Aprelle, Ben and Taylah, and Wyatt.

Great Grandmother to Sophie and Hugo, Eva, Luca and Coha n, Cressida and Portia, and Ares. Caring sister to Patricia and Peter. May you rest in peace and be reunited with your loved ones in heaven.

Mum was arespected member of the Sale community and an active member of the Catholic Church and the Legion of Mary. She was adoting mother, grandmother and great grandmother, who spent her lifetime caring for others. She provided a wonderful life to her family and being with them was the joy of her life, right 'til the end.

Mum lived life to the fullest and died peacefully surrounded by her loving family. She will be sadly missed, but her family will continue to celebrate her life.

HAMMILL, Warren Charles. 28/11/1935 -26/3/2023

Lovedand devoted husband of Pat (dec.). Father and father-in-law of Leslie, Kim (Stefanetti), Michelle and Glenn (Moscript), Peter and Joanne, Tracey (Thatcher). Proud and loved Poppy of 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Your pleasures were simple,

Your needs were few.

If your family was happy, You were too.

Reunited with Mum.

Funerals

CUNNINGHAM (nee O'Connor). For funeral arrangements for Mrs Maureen June Cunningham please check our website or phone:

We will be forever proud of his time on this earth.

Thank you all. May alittle bit of him live in your hearts for ever.

LAZZARO, Judith. Michael, David, Simone, Craig and Melissa would like to thank everyone for their expressions of sympathy following the passing of Judith. Thank you to all at the Dialysis and Critical Care Units at CGHS. To Brad Lett and team, thank you for your care and compassion during the organisation of the funeral service.

WHITE, Terence Alan (Terry). Margaret, Nicole, Jackie and families thank everyone for the flowers, calls, text messages, cards, caring thoughts and other expressions of sympathy following the loss of our dearest Terry. Special thanks to Dr. Gaurav Pathania and Palliative Care Team at CGHS for their care and respect for Terry in the final stages of his journey. Thank you all.

NORTHGIPPSLAND -ROUND 1

DORREEN.

In accordance with her wishes,aprivate cremation for Mrs Rosa Doreen will be held.

Barry

HAMMILL Aprivate family service for Mr Warren Charles Hammill will be held.

MHarris LHealy SHealy BEST:

Rosedale: DBarnett TNorthe RAtlee HBellC Macleod BReid Glengarry: ABermingham DMassaroBBrittenCMitchell S

GOALS: Churchill: BKearns5C Wangman 3JMason 2BSlaterT

Sevenson BWight RLowrie TLeys. Yarram: JSwift5 JMcfarland 2T

Chisholm 2BMotton DGarnham DVardy AScott BEST: Churchill: BFlaniganCKyriacouC Williams BKearnsRLowrie NCelima.

GOALS: TTU: BKelleher 4H Willaton 3CMichie 3L Willaton

VARDY. Afuneral service for Mrs Mildred Jessie (Peg) Vardy WAS HELD on FRIDAY (March 31, 2023).

EAST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL ROUND1

Seniors

Thriller in the east

Liam Durkin

WE'RE back baby.

The Gippsland League opened proceedings last Saturday, withseason 2023 getting underway.

Sale and Maffra both hit the road,but were unable to come home with wins.

The Eagles were able to take points from their game however, after adramatic finish in Bairnsdale.

IT hasn't taken long for there to be adraw.

Scores were all tied up betweenBairnsdale and Maffra on Saturday nightwhen the siren sounded.

CityOval,Pollard struck his kicksweetly, and watched as the ball sailed through with ease. There was some arm raising from Maffra players underneath the ball, but little fanfare, perhaps indicating they well and truly knew they had salvaged adraw.

Bairnsdale players meanwhile looked dejected, and with hands on hips, providing enough body language to suggest they knew they hadlet agolden opportunity slip.

GOALS: Boisdale Briagolong: BWilkinson 6JReeves 3CCalwyn 2NButler2 TJolly 2T

Bradshaw SBedggood. Stratford:LChanning 3T Hawkins 2T Schacht 2RO’keefe2 A Mason DO’Shanassy BEST: Boisdale Briagolong: BWilkinson BMarshall NButlerN Flint

TBradshawNMarshall. Stratford:L Channing LToner AMason ZPerkins RFulton BWhite

GOALS: Paynesville: AMcLaren 4CPescod 3B Mckinnon HGibbs.Lindenow: N Rutherford PAlexander RCarroll PGould KBongers BEST: Paynesville: CMein EHall

HGibbs TMcKay AMcLaren GPugh. Lindenow: NBarryBCameron PGould JLando A GouldJClarke

LADDER

GOALS: Boisdale Briagolong: DPratt 6T Brew 4DMckean 3HHare2RMarshall C

Hennig ZHarrigan. Stratford: BJohnson LBolton BEST: Boisdale Briagolong: DPratt J

LangshawBMissen RMarshall CHennig TBrew. Stratford: LBolton BCuttriss CDixon M

Ross RCottrell SCottrell

ORBOSTSNOWY ROVERS 4.3 5.7 12.14 16.16 (112)

LAKES ENTRANCE 0.0 3.1 3.1 6.2 (38)

GOALS: Orbost Snowy Rovers: AGiove 4MFenner 3AKenny2 WHerbert2 HKennyJ

Williamson CRobertson BLawrenceDJorgensen. Lakes Entrance: JDaly3A Wheatley 2

CFerris BEST: Orbost Snowy Rovers: AGiove CDownwardMFenner DKane JEaton A

Kenny. Lakes Entrance:A Wheatley FCarroll JDaly SEtheridge BDaley LINDENOW -31.20 (206)

PAYNESVILLE- 0.0 (1)

GOALS:

Whilethe final scoreboard read 13.9 (87) to 12.15 (87), just what happened to get to that point meant thosewho witnesseditare unlikely to forget what transpired.

Having ledby22points at three quarter time, the Redlegs looked to havethe game allbut wonasthe clock ticked further into the last term, Thehomesideheld athree goal lead even as late as the 20 minute mark. Agoal to new recruit Xavier Richards, who'slastAFL game was the 2016 Grand Final, appeared to all but seal afirst round win for Bairnsdale.

One thingMaffradoesn't do however is give up.

The Eaglesrefused to surrender, and pushed hard for an unlikely victory.

The visitors peppered the scoreboard in the last quarter, having 11 scoring shots to four, but were made to rue their eventual return of 12.15.

Such ascoreline might have evoked memories of the famous 2009 Grand Final, where Maffra won after posting 7.27 (69).

Like thatmatch,this one also came downto akick after the siren, although on this occasion, agoal was only enoughtotie things up.

In apulsating last play, the ball was kicked wide from the top of centre halfforward, and found its way into the hands of Nathan Pollard.

Sure enough, the sirensounded as he went back to take his kick.

There was adegreeofirony about the situation, as Pollard, anew player with the Eaglesthis season, has playedalarge chunk of football in the East Gippsland area with Lindenow South, Wy Yung and Stratford.

Kicking from around40metres on aslight angle closest to the entrance at Bairnsdale

Maffracaptain Daniel Bedggoodkicked four goals and was among his side's best, as was Alex Carr, Brayden Monk, Ben Brunt, Danny Butcher and Pollard. Amazingly, it was just the second draw Maffra has ever recorded in the Gippsland League (1954 to present).

FOR the second time in as many years, the opening round clash between Saleand Wonthaggiwas aclose,and equallybrutal, affair.

Brutal in the sense of being physical, the twosides, tipped by most punditsto be jostling for positions in the top three by season's end, returned a margin that wasn't all that surprising.

Wonthaggi prevailed 13.8 (86) to 11.6 (72) in the finish, walking off their home ground with the four points secured.

Sale meanwhile walked off with 21 fit players, but there was plenty of positives all things considered.

Given the fact the Magpies had an entire team worthofplayers on thesidelines, to only go down by 14 points would have given the visitors reason to be confidentmoving forward.

By contrast, the Power was virtually at full strength, evidenced by the fact they were right on their maximum allotment on the player points system (38 out of 39).

Interestingly, Wonthaggi forward Troy Harley, who kicked seven goals against Sale in last year's qualifying final, played in the early game.

It is understood Harley has donelimited preseason.

Having defeated thePower in last year's preliminaryfinal,the Magpies got what they expected in the form of aWonthaggi outfit motivatedtowin the rematch.

The home sideled at bothbreaksinthe first half, but found their visiting challengers always within striking distance.

The margin was just eight points at quarter

KaiMcDonald(pictured

time, and 14 at the main break.

Sale outscored the Power in the third term, but trailed by 10 points at the last change. Unfortunately for the Magpies, star midfielder Shannen Lange hobbled off before three quarter time, while playing coach Jack Johnstone couldn't play the last quarterdue to cramp.

Down on rotations and with their two premier midfielders outofthe game, Sale performed admirably in the last 20 minutes, but hadtoaccept their fate when the final siren sounded Lange was still among the bestplayers,as was Will Leslie, Jack Leslie, Josh Butcher, Jarrod Freeman (four goals) and Jack McLaren.

Sale will look forward to hopefully welcoming back some troops after Easter, including Brad Dessent, Jordan Dessent, Kane Martin and Jack McLindin.

While unavailability is part and parcel of localsport, considering the names missing fromthe Magpies' line-up,thosenames mentioned above (plus some) make ahuge difference structurally.

IN other games, Leongatha continued their unbeatenstreakstretchingbacktomid-2021, with a37-point win over Traralgon. Moe won by asimilar margin over Morwell, while Warragul defeated Drouin.

Wildcats winprelimrematch

TomHayes

THE North Gippsland FootballNetball

League returned with abangfor season 2023 at the weekend.

Rivals locked horns and upsets were had. NO, this is not an April Fool's joke.

It didn’t take long for the reigning premier to find their match, as Yallourn Yallourn North was bamboozled by aresurging Woodside outfit, 13.11 (89) to 7.9 (51).

YYN returned to George Bates Reserve in hopes of continuing their premiership form, but were instead brought to agrinding halt by the Wildcats, who dominated the encounter.

After acompetitive first quarter, the Jets found themselves ahead by agoal, but acostly five-goal-to-onesecond term gave the visitors a21-point lead into the main break.

Afairly evenly-contested third term would’ve given YYNsome hope, butthey were once again outdone by the Wildcats.

The margin was doubled in the final term, as Cowwarr walked away as 93-point winners, and jumped to the top of the league after Round 1.

Thelast time Cowwarr had awin of this magnitude was backinthe finalround of 2019,whenthey defeated Glengarry by a whopping 154 points.

AN exciting end-to-end affair was witnessed at Gaskin Park, when Churchill hostedfierce rivals, Yarram, on their home turf.

Yarram got the jump on the Cougars in the first term, bounding to atwo-goal lead at thefirst break. In what would’vebeen aheatedfootytoget your hands on, it was clearly tough to make it your own in the first term.

The second term was allChurchill, as they piled on eight goalstoone to assert themselves for the first time in the match.

The 29-point buffer going into half time would’ve been the exactresponse the coaches were after.

Sale City were down but not out of the fight if they could prevent the run of TTU.

The third quarter,alsoknown as the premiership quarter, was perfected by TTU, as they put Sale City to the sword, kicking 7.6 (48) to 1.1 (7).

Thirteen scoring shots in aquarter is sure to give your opponent enough to want to quit, especially when your opponent surpassed a ton in the third term, and the likelihood of a100-point belting is on the cards.

Whenthe Bombers' lead extended to 79 points withaquartertoplay, it could’ve gotten ugly real quick for the Bulldogs. Bothteams looked to have easedonthe gas pedal in the final quarter, but TTU had six more scoring shots, and they kicked ahead by afurther goal to win by 85 points.

ROSEDALE got the better of Glengarry by 16 points in their opening game at Rosedale Recreation Reserve.

Stratfords:J Vansluys3 MMcQuillen2 BRoss BJohnson CFarley.Boisdale

Briagolong s: JOsbornN Temaru BEST: Stratfords:J VansluysS Dekkers RHallEClohesy

DBrewerJ Vanzelst.Boisdale Briagolong s: SCoridasJ Scriven NTemaru JOsbornJ Dennis DJones

LINDENOW10.518.10 24.12 32.15 (207)

PAYNESVILLE0.0 0.0 3.0 5.1

GOALS: Lindenows:P Harrison 6BRutherford 5LHarrison 5K Hall 4NStansfield 2H

Aquilina 2KRitchie 2XCook EBlandfordBSaunders TRose-Greaves THarrison JHood

Paynesville s: Details N/A. BEST: Lindenow s: PHarrisonGPiccone KHallB Rutherford L

THarrison. Paynesville s: DBoucherNGreavesJMay

In the final quarter, Woodside kicked 3.2 (20) to 1.1 (7) to run away as 38-point winners, in alandmark victory that would have caught the attentionofthe rest of theleague. Granted, Woodside has proven they’re hard to beatinrecentyears,itjust makesyou wonderhow things were perceived from a YYN point of view.

Yarram couldn’t quite get agrip on the game from thereon in, but they managed to scrape the margin back in the second half.

Yarram bootedsix goalsfor themselves in the third quarter, but the Cougarsalso managed four, as the scoreboard grew for either side.

In agame like no other this round, the team that held the lead for majority of the game fell apart in the last quarter.

In ataleoftwo halves, Glengarry had the better of Rosedale in the first half, claiming anine-point lead at the first change, before extending that lead to 24 points.

0.1 0.1 (1)

GOALS: Wy Yung s: JKellow3JAndrews 3R Thomas 2JCrofts2 THammond DScott

ABurchall ROliver NDunn NGiove.Lucknow s: Details N/A. BEST: Wy Yung s: JCroftsJ

KellowN Giove JHodson NCourtier DScott.Lucknows:LCroucher NMooney BSaulle

SOMETHING thatwedidn’t expect to see in the NGFNL this year wasCowwarr near the top of the ladder, let alone on the top rung. Granted, the Saints took on Gormandale, but the spirited side made sure to put astamp on the game, winning 20.18 (138) to 7.3 (45). Cowwarr burst to a21-point lead at the first break, having triplethe amount of scoring shotscompared to the visiting Tigers. Thesecond term was much of the same, as the Saintsfound themselves with a35-point lead at the main break.

Healthy additions were made to the score in the third term by both sides, but Cowwarr extended their lead by six points to grow the margin outto41points.

But there was no coming back for Gormandale, who collapsed in the last quarter as Cowwarr piled on 10 goals to put the nail in the coffin.

The 19-point margin separating the two sides at the final break wasenough to get Churchill over the line, finishing the game ahead by 12 points, 15.14 (104) to 13.14 (92).

The firstquarterlapsewill want to be avoided by Churchill in coming weeks, as they have now displayed their true potential in the form of scoreboard dominance.

TRAVELLING to Stephenson Park to face Sale City was last year’s runner-up, TTU.

The Bombers put on aconsistent performance to close out an 85-point smashing 18.20 (128) to 6.7 (43).

The new-look TTU looked well put together, as they dismantledSaleCityineach and every quarter.

Thanks to a28-point lead at the first break, TTU had set the tone and continued to provide good footy throughout the match.

The 28-point lead grew to 38 points at the main break.

The tempo of the game downshifted in the thirdterm as the home side began to claw their way back.

At the final change the lead was just 16 points after agoalless quarter from the Magpies.

But in the last quarter, Rosedale stormed home kicking 6.2 (38) to 1.0 (6) to overrun the visitors by 16 points, 12.9 (81) to 9.11 (65), completing a32-point turnaround in the final term.

Taking nothing away from Rosedale’s comeback win, Glengarry showed signs of improvement from last year,especially with anew coachatthe helm.

Rosedale saved their best for last, proving they won’tdie away when it gets to the nitty gritty, exemplifyinghow gargantuan momentum can be.

HEYFIELD had the bye.

left with football director Sam Anstee) made his senior debutfor Sale on Saturday

Photo:Contributed

Swanettes’double-digit mayhem

Zoe Askew

IS it too early in the season to say the Swanettes are carrying Sale United?

Maybe, consideringthe senior men also won at the weekend, but it was no 13-0 domination.

Sale United travelled to Newborough on Sunday, meeting Monash Soccer Club for Round 3ofthe Latrobe ValleySoccer League.The Swans walked away with wins in the seniormen and women competitions, 4-2 and 13-0 consecutively.

Sale United Green was defeated 2-1 by Monash in the second division and Sale United White by Fortuna 60, while Monash also claimed the win in thereserves 2-1.

Luca Haranwas the sole goal scorerfor Sale United White, with Mark Cockell being the goal scorer for Sale Unite Green, while Rowan Crinall found the back of the net for Sale in the reserves.

The Swanettes took the field on Sunday morning, with playing coachMadelineBreakspear compelled to insert players into unfamiliar positions owing to the absence of several Sale United players for various reasons.

"Wewerea bitslow in the first half; it took us alittle bit to find our rhythm," Breakspear said.

"We had afew girls playing in positions they don't normally play, so we obviously had acouple of changes with that."

Sale United retired to the change rooms leading 4-0; Breakspear scored the Swanettes' first goal in the opening 10 minutes,quickly followed by two goals in three minutes from senior men's coach Anouk Meereboer and the fourth by striker Dani Wilson.

"In the second half, we were alot more clinical," Breakspear said.

"The first half, we should have had alot more goals, but we weren't so aggressive and lacked that finesse in front of goals.

"But once everyone figured out, 'okay, we've got time, we can actually play properly, we can playour game', we were scoringgoals left, right and centre.

"And to have aspread of goal scorers as well, we weren't just relying on one or two players, (it) shows how versatilewewereinthe gameand how well we worked together as ateam.

"Just having those combinations, didn't matter who was playing what position, we were still able to capitalise and score from those spots."

Asecond goal for Wilson opened the second half of the game, with the Swanettes finding the back of the net seven times in 10 minutes -Wilson scoring

three, Meereboer three and Rebecca Stobbie one. Wilson claimed ahat-trick plus one, and Meereboer was one goal short of adouble hat-trick at the game's conclusion.

Sale United's class forward Hollie Ryan claimed SaleUnited's 12th goal with20minutes remaining, while the Swanettes 2023 captain Zoe Askew scored the 13th and final goal in the last five minutes.

"Another clean sheet for us today [Sunday, April 2] shows that not only are we able to score goals, but we are stopping them from going in as well," Breakspear said.

"We had to share goalkeeper around, we didn't have any of our regular goalkeeper options, so the girls stepped up, and it was areallygood team display, girls playing goalkeeper, like Hollie scoring goals, then playing goalkeeper the next minute, same as Anouk, scoring abucket of goalsthen jumping in goals.

"So it was areally good team display today, everyone really tried to play our game, and it was really nice to watch those passages of play."

At the conclusion of Round3,SaleUnitedsenior women now hold second and third leading goal scorersinthe league,withMeereboer totalling six and Wilson hasfive.

Falcons2000Soccer Club's Savannah Lapenta is the current leader with 11 goals.

Meereboerwas bestongroundfor Sale United, with commendations going to first-year player

Chelsea Page who put forwardastellar performance at right full-back.

"She [Page] played really well, for afirst-year player, she did really well defending, which was really nice to watch," Breakspear said.

"Emma Robb played really well in defence, too; she did well leading the back.

"Zoe Askew, Hollie Ryan andDani Wilsonupfront are lethal,likelethal up front, those poordefenders, Ithink they broke their spirit alittlebit,just their speed and the way they passed ringsaround them and the through balls, it cut them out of the game, they couldn't do anything about it, those three up front were impressive, very impressive."

With the second division, senior women and reserve competitions done and dusted, the senior men took the field at Monash SC with spectators congregatingaround the field's edge, others perched on top of the surrounding hill in sun-warmed vehicles,peering downinto the crater-likehole, the white line marked pitch almost centred in the earthy crevice.

Following asignificant win in the senior women's competition earlier that day, in which Meereboer scored five of Sale's13goals, the senior men'scoach was determinedtoclaimanother victory in the day's final match.

"What Itoldthe guyswas to startattacking from the start, got to put them under pressure, and we did it within the first few minutes, and we got two in," Meereboer said.

"Then we got the 3-0 up; it was agreat start, but unfortunately,welet them in with apenaltyand a free kick, but the guys worked hard until the end, and we got afourth goal in.

"Great play, all the goals were goodplay, we put the pressure on them and got the goals in -it was good."

SaleUnitedled Monash2-0 early doors, with Isaak Jondahl findingthe backofthe netinthe first 60 seconds, scoring abrace for the Swans just twominutes later.

Charlie Cockell furtheredSaleUnited's lead 3-0, nettingthe ball 20 minutes into thefirsthalf, with Monash scoring aconsolidation goal from apenalty before the break.

Returning to the field, Monash scored asecond goal in the opening minutes of the second half to close Sale United's lead 3-2, but Marrien van den Heuvel killed the game in the 78th minute, with the Swans retiring to the rooms at the end of 90 minutes 4-2 victors.

"We definitely played better than we did last week," Meereboer said.

Promising start for Sale in Gippsland netball

ZoeAskew

LET'S talk netball, shall we?

At the weekend, the Gippsland League, North Gippsland Football-Netball League and East GippslandFNL commencedthe 2023 seasonwith some Round 1results shakingupthe competition from the get-go.

Firstly, Stratford toppled 2022EastGippsland

AGrade premier Boisdale-Briagolong 53 to 44; probably not the start to the season the Bombers were hoping for.

Whilethe Swans' win may haveruffled afew feathers, 2022 minor premier, Wy Yungproduced much less of ashock result,returning to the court and proving just as strong as last season, defeating Lucknow 61 to 20.

Coco Henry was best on for Stratford, and Abbey Sproule was best on for Wy Yung.

Round 1alsomarked Rachel Weatherley's150th game for Boisdale-Briagolong FNC.

Orbost SnowyRovers claimed the win against

Lakes Entrance, 54 to 29, and Lindenow defeated Paynesville37to16.

After their NGFNL finals campaign was cut short by Sale City, Glengarry returned to the court for 2023 in style with aconvincing 76 to 53 win over 2022 grand finalists Rosedale.

Woodside continued their hot form with a63to 42 win over Yallorn Yallorn North, while Yarram seems to have dropped the ball from last year's finals performance, going downtoChurchill57 to 32.

Cowwarr defeated Gormandale 59 to 36 and Sale Cityeasilyaccounted for Traralgon TyersUnited.

Following an entire season of losses, Bairnsdale startedthe 2023 season with abang,claiming the winover Maffra 43 to 35 -whatwas it that was said in the 2023 season preview? "It's only up from here for Bairnsdale". Ain't that the truth?

Olivia Betts, AnnaMooney and Sally Deller were best on for the Redlegs.

Chloe Proud, Rebecca Bourke and Chelsea Allman were best for Maffra.

Crossword No.8528

Morwell established their dominance as Gippsland League reigning champions after defeating Moe in aclose 54 to 51 battle at Ted SommertonReserve on Saturday.

Claire Allison, Chloe Radford and TanyaBudge were best on for Morwell, while Ramayer Gourley, Alex Moody and Olivia Barnett were Moe's top players.

Sale started the2023season strongly,trouncingWonthaggi 52 to 38 at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve.

Jess Blair,CassidyBowman and Mia Plenkovich were best on for Wonthaggi.

Leongatha defeatedTraralgon 42 to 32, and Drouin overcame Warragul 48 to 40 in the Western Derby on Sunday.

With the season paused this weekend for Easter, teams have an entire week to recover from Round 1soreness,withsome teams sure to use the break to repair their egos ahead of Round 2. That is, with the exception of YYN and Yarram, who go to battle on Good Friday.

"There was alittle bit more pressure on the guys compared to last week, so they needed to play a better game, and they were findingeach other quite well, especially from the start.

"The secondgoalwas areally beautiful combination play from the halfway line all the way up to the six-yard box, with three, four, players involved.

"Same withthe fourth goal, was goodcombination play with Marrien kicking it in at the back.

"The othertwo goals, goodpressing,whatwe have been working on,soplaying-wise, we are definitely picking up what we are puttinginat training, and as acoach, what else [that is all] do you want to see."

Van Den Heuvel was best on ground for Sale United.

"Marrienwas reallyimportant for us," Meereboer said.

"He was alittle bit sore; on one side, you want to take him off to look after him, but on the other side, he was important to still be on the pitch, so we left him on the pitch alittle bit longer, and he put in agoal, he was our man up toptoget the ball to and start the combination play from there.

"Dave Durning in the back line, winning all the tackles, he was really up there.

"The work rate from the midfield, Iamasking a lot from our wingbacks, Fobbie (Brennan McGill), Ot (Khamchom), Charlie (Cockell) at the end, and their effort, in the end, was good."

LVSL SCOREBOARD -ROUND 3

Senior Men Falcons 2000 2dChurchill United 1, SaleUnited 4dMonash 2, MorwellPegasus 5dNewborough Yallorn United 1, Fortuna '609d TyersLightning 0, Olympians bye, Moe United bye.

Senior Women Falcons 2000 3dChurchill United 0, Sale United 13 dMonash 0, Newborough Yallorn United 2d Morwell Pegasus 1, Tyers Lightning 4dFortuna '603,Moe United 2dTraralgon City 0, East Gippsland United bye.

Reserves Falcons 2000 10 dChurchill United 0, Monash 2d Sale United 1, Newborough Yallorn United 3dMorwell Pegasus 0, Fortuna '60 12 dTyers Lightning 0, Olympians bye, Moe United bye. Second Division Fortuna '60 2d Sale United White 1, Traralgon City 2d Moe United 0, Monash 2d Sale United Green 1, East Gippsland United bye, ChurchillUnited bye.

Under16s Newborough Yallorn United 3dTraralgon City White 0, Traralgon CityBlack1draw Fortuna '601,Churchill United 10 dFalcons 2000 1, Sale United 1dTyers Lightning 0.

peal, pile, pilea, pileus, PLAUSIBLE, plea, pliable, pule, pulse, sable, sale, seal, sell, sepal, sepia, slue, spell, spiel, spile, suable, usable.

Marrien VanDen Heuvelpressures aMonash player in Sale’sattacking half.

Photo: Zoe Askew

D SPONSOREDBY

RUSSELL

JULIAN

SONYA

ROUND 2

Thursday, March 30

WesternBulldogs vs.BrisbaneLions (MRVL) (N)

Friday, March 31

Collingwood vs.Richmond (MCG)(N)

Saturday,April 1

Hawthorn vs.North Melbourne (UTAS)

GWSGIANTS vs Carlton (GS) (T)

St Kilda vs.Essendon (MCG) (N)

Port

Sunday, April 2

vs.Geelong Cats (MS) Melbourne vs.SydneySwans

Gold

Successful Swans

Paul Nichols

YOU can always expect fireworks when traditional rivals Boisdale-Briagolong and Stratford meet. Round 1added alittle bit extra to the battle of the Avon,aseach side wantedearlybragging rights in East Gippsland football.

Comingoff premiership successin2022, Stratford couldbeexcused for abit of ahangover and lessened preparation.Boisdale-Briagolong,incontrast, with some quality names added to their side together and abig pre-season, looked very strong.

Going into the game,bothsides were without some notable inclusions.

Stratford was missing Jack Bacon, Reg Tait, Haydn Erfuth and Gavin Bickery, who are all set

to play at some stage of the 2023 EGFNL season.

Boisdale-Briagolong was without Kel Porter, Brendon Rathnow, PaddyMackand David Mckean.

Goals flowed in the first quarter at Boisdale RecreationReserve on Saturday -atotal of 10 kicked between the two sides.

The Bombers went into the quarter time break nine points up.

Stratford welcomed back Lachlan Channing, and he slotted in nicely, kicking two goals, while Ben Wilkinson kicked the first of what would become six for the day.

Boisdale-Briagolong extended their lead to 26 points at the main break. Their relentless pressure was amaincontributor to the Swans' turnovers, which cost them dearly throughout the game.

With an injury to Stratfordplaying-coach Jarryd

Clohesy during the secondterm, the Swans had achallenge waiting for them in the second half.

Stratfordforward Rodney O'Keefe kicked the first goal,but Boisdale-Briagolong responded with the next two. The Bombers outscored Stratford by just over four goals in the third quarter, taking a 51-point leadinto the finalterm.

The effects of ahard Round 1hit out were shown, with several players cramping in the last quarter.

Boisdale-Briagolong finished on top at the final siren, 17.13 (115) to 11.7 (73).

Boisdale-Briagolong coach Sam Bedggood was understandably happy with the result.

"The most pleasing thing was to see the boys respond each time Stratty came at us," he said.

"They got the jump in each quarter with the first couple of goals, but we were able

to wrestle the momentum back and get on top."

Bedggoodnoted that with alot of new faces, it will take time before they are at their best. Afirst-round win against the defending premier, means the Bombers look like asidetowatch this year.

Clohesy's post-gamespeech to his players was all about the positives.

While aseven-goal loss isn't an ideal start to going for back-to-back flags, Clohesy is still positive about the year to come.

IN other games, Paynesville caused aboil-over, with a12point win over Lindenow.

Wy Yung extended their lead at each breakto finish 65 pointsclear of Lucknow,and Orbost Snowy Rovers survived asecond term comeback from Lakes Entrance to win by 85 points. EASTGIPPSLAND SCOREBOARD PAGE 32

Charlie Cockell and his Sale United teammates enjoyed astrong weekend in local soccer.