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Local Briefs

Round Robin soon

■ Healesville Tennis Annual Ladies Round Robin will be held on Monday, March 27. There will be three sets of tennis, morning Tea, unch of hot chicken and cold bubbles, salads, desserts, trophies for highest scores (especially for over 70s).

Bookings essential. Contact Kathy Cameron , phone 5962 3639 or email: toolinga@bigpond.net.au

Green Wedge plan

■ Whittlesea Council last week (Tue., Feb. 21) adopted a new Green Wedge Management Plan 2023-2033.

The plan builds on the 84 actions of the previous 10-year Green Wedge Management Plan 2011-2021.

Whittlesea Council Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson said the new plan was shaped by extensive community feedback.

“From our community consultation last year, we know these spaces are not just environmentally significant but provide our community with opportunities to enjoy recreation and leisure time,” Ms Wilson said.

Road funds axed

■ More than 138km of road sealing projects across Yarra Ranges Shire have been abandoned, following the Federal Government’s decision to cut more than $100 million from the Roads for the Community Initiative.

In 2019, the previous Federal Government announced a nine year, $150m funding plan for Yarra Ranges, with the same amount pledged to Cardinia Council, to seal roads within the Dandenong Ranges and surrounding areas.

Following the 2022 Federal Election, the new Federal Government informed Yarra Ranges Council that only $47.7m of the original $150 will be honoured, leaving the project without two thirds of its projected funding.

As a result, more than 403 roads across the Yarra Ranges cannot proceed, impacting more than 5200 properties.

Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Jim Child, said that Council and the community were devastated by the funding cut.

Horses worskhop

■ The Healthy Land, Healthy Horses Workshop will be held on Saturday(Mar. 4) at the Greater Beveridge Community Centre.

Aim of the workshop is to assist horse owners to learn more about planning and changes for both management of their horse and the land.

Presenter is Stuart Meyers from Equiculture, who is highly regarded in the equine industry as an expert in teaching horse owners how to manage their land.

Pride Network move

■ Mansfield Council has joined other Local Governments and Non-Government organisations within the Ovens Murray Region to support the North East Pride Collective by endorsing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding .

Fire declared ‘contained’ last Saturday

■ The fierce grass fire that threatened Flowerdale, Yea, Homewood, Strath Creek and neighbouring areas was declared ‘contained’ on Saturday morning (Feb. 25).

The blaze covered more than 1000 hectares over three days of heat (Wednesday-Friday), with mopping up operations continuing into this week.

At its peak, alerts were issued for close-by areas including Kerrisdale, Whiteheads Creek and Avenel.

At its peak, Yea residents were told to leave. At Flowerdale, locals were advised it was too late to leave.

It was established that the fire started at Spring Valley Rd, Flowerdale, where 71-yearold resident Bill Sangster was working with an angle grinder, while doing fencing work.

He was arrested and questioned by Police.

Mr Sangster told Nine News: “I take full responsibility for what happened, it was a bloody accident … I felt really bad,” he said.

Sparks flew onto the ground before the fire rapidly started spreading.

“The waxy stuff on the tussocks exploded and spread, then the wind came up,” he said

“Then it just took off. I didn’t think it would go much further and then it jumped from there [a dam on his property], up to the house.”

Police Sergeant Michael Mannix assured a hastily arranged community meeting at the Yea Rec. Reserve that here was not an “arsonist at foot”.

“We’ve had a preliminary investigation done, and there’s still an ongoing assessment of that,” he said.

“I can tell you at this stage of the investigation, it’s accidental. I want to stress that point.

“Please be reassured, we haven’t got an arsonist running around.”