Mail - Mt Evelyn Star Mail - 25th January 2022 by Star News Group

Mount Evelyn

Tuesday, 25 January, 2022

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Victoria’s health system enters Code Brown

Council soon to decide 150 Cambridge Road’s future

Young Irish Dancers win big at comp

SPOTLIGHT: Art workshops to support mental health

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The main experience included playing a smaller format of tennis on the main stage - Rod Laver Arena.

Ten lucky students were chosen by their coaches to attend the Australian Open on Monday 17 January. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Playing on the main arena for the Australian Open gave children, parents and coaches feelings of excitement and disbelief.

Open tennis treat wanted to do last year as well but with Covid the program didn’t run,” he said. Mr Murphy said the club selected ten students who gained entry to the Australian Open for themselves and a parent for the day but it was perhaps the entry onto Rod Laver Arena that excited everyone the most.

“We thought we might be on one of the outside courts, one of the little courts and that would be pretty cool to say ‘we’ve played at the Australian Open’ but we got there and they said, ‘you’re going to be on Rod Laver Arena’. Continued page 3

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Ten lucky tennis Hot Shots from Mooroolbark were able to take the court at the Australian Open this week in a special experience organised by their coaches at Tennis For Life. Senior coach Tom Murphy escorted the Hot

Shots to Melbourne Park to play on one of the main courts, an opportunity that arose for the tennis club at the end of last year. “[Tennis Australia] emailed us and said there’s an opportunity on this day, Monday 17 to take 10 kids in if you’d like to and we very much wanted to do that. It was something we

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

Code Brown called By Renee Wood Eastern Health has joined the state’s healthcare system in entering a Code Brown to alleviate the stress on hospitals and ambulances due to rising Omicron cases. On Tuesday 18 January, the Department of Health called the coordinated Pandemic Code Brown from midday on Wednesday 19 January and it’s expected to run for up to six weeks. Yarra Ranges residents needing to access care should be aware of possible changes at local hospitals now the emergency management system has been activated. An Eastern Health spokesperson said the Code Brown will help to focus on workforce availability. “The main focus of the Code Brown is to ensure we have workforce availability to support the rise in Covid-19 patients attending the health service,” they said. Changes are still being considered and Eastern Health expects to have more knowledge of what sites and services will be affected soon. “Over the coming days and weeks, this picture will become clearer and this will dictate further what sites and services will be impacted. “We will endeavour to keep all patients and community up to date as changes happen, noting that this is a rapidly changing environment.” The Health Department has also removed IVF services off the suspended elective surgery list and will allow it to go ahead following outcries from specialists and Victorian families.

Vandals have been caught on CCTV footage at Mooroolbark East Primary School where they damaged classroom windows and left broken glass on the basketball court. Picture: SUPPLIED

Vandalism at Mooroolbark school

Eastern Health said more information will soon be known on what sites and services will be Picture: ON FILE impacted by the Code Brown. 242408 Acting Health Minister James Merlino said the government thanks Victorians for their patient as they work on having other services restored. “IVF is a challenging journey for anyone to go through, let alone in the midst of a global pandemic, and we’re deeply sorry for the dis-

tress caused by affected services in recent weeks,” he said. The health department is also looking into other services that can b restored, with some other cancer and rehab appointments included in suspended services during the Code Brown.

Vandals have damaged classroom windows and left glass bottles strewn across the campus grounds of Mooroolbark East Primary School. Footage of the culprits has been shared on social media and Mooroolbark police have confirmed the matter has been reported, with an investigation currently underway. A group of about five people were seen entering the school grounds through the front gate on the evening of Thursday 20 January. Teachers had to return to the school to clean up the smashed glass and repair prepared activities for the Prep students. In a social media post, MEPS acting principal Brant Kennedy asked for any assistance in identifying the vandals and requested that should people see anyone entering the school grounds after hours to contact Mooroolbark police. “Thank you for your support. Its really disappointing that our teachers put in so much work to have rooms ready for the kids arrival and people like this have no heart whatsoever,” the post read. Anyone with any information are urged to contact Mooroolbark Police Station on 9725 9999.

Drink driver caught again Patrolling Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol members were successful in catching a repeat drink driving offender in Lilydale on Saturday 22 January. The car was seen driving the wrong way through the McDonald’s car park on Maroondah Highway and a check of the number plate showed that it was issued to another vehicle. The 54-year-old male driver was found to be disqualified due to a previous drink-driving offence. The man returned a positive Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) and later returned an Evidentiary Breath Test result of 0.194. His vehicle was immediately impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1,017. He will face Court charged with drink driving, disqualified driving, affix false plates and using an unregistered motor vehicle.

Tennis star’s lucky coin flip January) would just keep motivating them to keep doing that work. They’re already achieving great things by doing all that work and obviously it’s enjoyable for them but this was an awesome little additional award,” he said. As much as tennis was the showcase item for the day, Mr Murphy said he hopes his students understood how lucky Melbourne is to host such an event as the Australian Open and opened their eyes to the possibilities that tennis offers, not only as a player but behind the scenes too. “There is a very real future in the sport, not only as a player but also as a coach, as a worker within Tennis Victoria and all the additional roles that the tennis industry provides. So things such as administration and medical staff like physios.” Mr Murphy said he was so appreciative that his students were given the opportunity to experience the Australian Open and to take to the court to show off their skills. “We were very grateful to be able to participate in the program and we’re very grateful that Tennis Australia provides that program to the community.

Booster shot changes Eligible Victorians who have been waiting to get their booster shot, can bring forward their waiting time after announcements made by the State Government. The health department has dropped the recommended wait time for a booster shot down to three months for Victorians over the age of 18. Changes to the time frame in which a booster shot can be administered means a further 1.2 million Victorians can receive their third dose of the vaccine.

Nine-year-old Lukas Vennix was lucky enough to be chosen to toss the coin in Naomi Osaka’s match. Picture: SUPPLIED

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From page 1 “So that was an extra bonus. We were all a bit shocked and I think that made it even more exciting.” Both feelings of excitement and disbelief were felt by all the children as they walked down the hall and stepped onto the court just as the professionals do. “They loved it. They absolutely loved it. They couldn’t get the smiles off their faces,” Mr Murphy said. For the young tennis fans, the idea that they had played on the court in the morning before Ash Barty took to the arena later that evening for her first round match was inspiring. “For a few of them it was actually their first time going to the Australian Open, which was pretty special.” Mr Murphy said the club had to choose the 10 children who got to participate on Monday, something that was challenging but also a nice reward for those students who have been playing for quite some time and have worked really hard on improving their tennis skills. “We hope that a day like yesterday (17

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NEWS

Local CFA crews help in Lilydale factory fire The ATSB is investigating a hot air balloon accident which saw two people seriously injured. Picture: LESLY JUAREZ ON UNSPLASH

Air balloon hard landing An investigation is underway following a hot air balloon ‘hard landing’ in the Yarra Valley which saw two passengers seriously injured. The balloon left from Glenburn on New Year’s Eve and was destined for the Yarra Valley, when upon landing the accident occurred four kilometres north-north-east of Lilydale Airport. The operator was Picture This Ballooning with a Kavanagh Balloons B-350, and was carrying 16 passengers when the balloon’s basket was ‘dragged’ during windy conditions just before seven in the morning. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the incident and wrote in its summary: “While landing in windy conditions, the

balloon initially touched down in a field before the pilot decided to manoeuvre the balloon over the fences of adjacent fields to land. While landing, the balloon’s basket was dragged about 30 metres before coming to rest, resulting in serious injuries to two of the 16 passengers on board.” Weather data, operator procedures, and pilot and witness interviews will form part of the investigations. “A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. However, should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate safety action can be taken.”

Multiple firefighting crews were required in Lilydale on Tuesday 18 January to help contain a factory fire and reports of multiple explosions. The CFA were called to the factory on Beresford Road at 7.55pm, to what appeared to be a fire next door to Gecko Signs. “Seven CFA fire trucks and volunteer firefighters from Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Coldstream, Yellingbo, Chirnside Park and Mount Evelyn fire brigades responded to the incident, supported by the Yellingbo rehab van and Bayswater BA (breathing apparatus) van and other support vehicles and crews,” a CFA spokesperson said. “Upon arrival, firefighters found a tilt slab factory involved in fire.” The fire was brought under control by 8.20pm, but firefighters remained on scene blacking out until about 11pm. The CFA have confirmed that Ambulance Victoria attended the scene and the council and WorkSafe have since been notified.

Smoke billowed out of the factory as crews arrived onsite.

Smoke could be seen from nearby houses as a factory fire burned in Lilydale. Picture: CLAIRE BAMFORD

Lilydale firefighters were called to put out the fire that engulfed a factory on Beresford Road. Pictures: SUPPLIED

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Fate soon to be decided By Mikayla van Loon The campaign to keep an old school campus in Kilsyth as open space has been a constant battle for residents but those instrumental in the fight have reason to believe a decision will be made in early February. The site at 150 Cambridge Road, once home to Pembroke High, has been used as community land since the school was demolished in 2013. Senior campaigner and Kilsyth resident John Phillips said late last year Yarra Ranges Council were officially given the opportunity to purchase the land from the State Government for $6.44 million. “In a way it means we’re still on the agenda and for the community, the ball is still rolling. I guess that means if it’s not sold [to developers], we still have a fair chance,” he said. For the last year, Mr Phillips has been placing pressure on the State Government through James Merlino’s office and on the council to reach an agreed purchase price. “When we went to James Merlino’s office probably a year ago, we were told then that it won’t happen because it will set a precedent for school sites,” Mr Phillips said. “Having said that, it’s my understanding of the thousands of government documents I’ve read in the last couple of years that as part of the normal process for surplus state government owned land sites, under first right of refusal, most of those sites are offered to local shires first.” This initial process happened in 2019 where Yarra Ranges Council refused the offer but has since changed its tune now that councillors have been made aware of the community need. Councillor Len Cox has been working alongside Mr Phillips and other concerned residents to get this item on the council’s agenda at one of the meetings in February. The Walling Ward councillor said it would be a disaster if developers got their hands on

Signs asking for the land at 150 Cambridge Road to be saved have been permanent feature for quite some time. Pictures: ROB CAREW

Thousands of ribbons have been tied to the fence noting the support from the community day in and day out. Mr Phillips said ribbons are added daily. 264615

the vacant block because it would mean more medium density housing would be established in an already overcrowded area. “There’s more and more backyards disappearing and we need more public open space, more passive open space than what we’ve got. 150 Cambridge Road, it’s absolutely essential that the council can get hold of that and retain it as more public open space,” Cr Cox said. When Star Mail spoke to Cr Cox in August he said his fellow councillors had seemed sympathetic to the idea of purchasing the land. As someone who was involved in the council when the decision was made to retain Lillydale Lake as parkland, Cr Cox said this is a similar situation for Kilsyth, being the last piece of parkland available in the area. “Once it’s gone. It’s gone forever and there’ll be no comeback. So at this moment in time, it is really urgent that the council buys it. It’s

keep 150 Cambridge Road as it currently exists. Support from politicians on both sides has also been offered, with Croydon MP David Hodgett requesting the government offer Yarra Ranges Council a five year peppercorn lease during a parliamentary speech in November. Mr Phillips has also received support from Victorian Greens parliamentary leader Samantha Ratnam who noted the need for open space in Kilsyth. With over 7000 signatures on a petition and in excess of 4500 ribbons tied to the fence of the site in support, Mr Phillips said the community are eager to keep this land for future generations. “Look what the last two years has done to people’s mental health and well being and the scars on children that will carry that through decades in their life and adulthood, they will need this space.”

owned by the people now and it should stay owned by the people,” he said. Although the debate about whether the council can afford to purchase the land in the current landscape has been raised, particularly after the storms in June and the costs associated, Cr Cox said in 10 years time no one will remember how much the land cost. “This happened 30 years ago, when the then council, which was Lilydale at the time, looked at building Lillydale Lake. “A lot of them didn’t want to spend the money on building the lake. Can you imagine what we would have missed out on if they’d got their way and we hadn’t built it.” Now just weeks away from a decision, Mr Phillips said he has been emailing the councillors and council officers to make them aware of the situation and urges the community to do the same to highlight the community’s desire to

Construction works resume on the Mt Evelyn pavilion By Mikayla van Loon Works on the Mount Evelyn pavilion have resumed after the Christmas break, a welcome sight after many delays prevented the project from beginning until late last year. Mount Evelyn Sports and Community Hub president Bryan McCarthy said the builder, MelbCon, have had to work with less staff due to Covid-19 restraints but works are still progressing nonetheless. Construction workers have been preparing the site for plumbing and irrigation to be installed to be able to connect showers, toilets, sinks and stormwater, with a concrete slab to be poured in the next few weeks. In addition to staff shortages, Mr McCarthy said the ability to access materials has been

causing some difficulties for the project. “I think the biggest issue is going to be materials,” he said. “[The council and MelbCon] are aware of it and they’re working on a project plan or a construction plan to try and minimise any of those delays. “So they’re constantly looking at it to say, ‘Well, if we can’t get that this week, can we do something else in the meantime?’ So they’re just shifting things around to keep everyone busy and to keep the project moving forward.” Yarra Ranges Council has confirmed the project is still on track to be completed later this year. “From our perspective, it’s a recommenced. We’re really pleased. We acknowledge the fact that Covid is impacting on the

availability of staff and potential delays because of materials but we’re pleased that it’s restarted and things are progressing,” Mr McCarthy said. While the build gets underway, Mr McCarthy said people are still able to apply to have a Foundation Brick named after their family. “With all of the Covid stuff, I don’t think people have really been thinking about it. So we were going to have a cut off and just go with whatever we had sold but what a lot of people are saying is they would like a brick but they can’t commit at the moment because they’re uncertain about work. “A lot of them are working in, say hospitality or running small businesses and what’s been happening over the last two months, it’s causing a bit of grief for everyone.”

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Mr McCarthy said MESCH will keep the application process open as long as possible to allow as many people as they can to purchase a foundation brick. Knowing that with school starting back soon and the cost to play sport might be hindering people’s ability to purchase a brick, Mr McCarthy said the committee will do their best to work with people to ensure they don’t miss out by way of a payment plan. “We’re happy to do a payment plan, we’ve already got a number of people on a payment plan and that’s certainly helped a number of them make the decision,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to miss the opportunity, and get through it and realise we should have made the effort to get our name up there.”

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Protect your child with the coronavirus vaccine for 5-11 year olds Throughout the pandemic, our kids have given up a lot to help keep their families, schools and friends safe. And with children eligible for vaccination from January 10, now it’s their turn to feel safe. The coronavirus vaccine for kids 5 - 11 will keep them protected from serious illness and will get you off to a safe start to the school year.

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Railway station update Mooroolbark residents and those who use the station can expect to see the car park opened ahead of schedule, as workers make great progress on the build. The Victorian Government has indicated the station car park will be open for use in autumn 2022, something that was not meant to happen until much later in the year. “It’s great to see crews progress with these works to get the new car park open ahead of schedule – which will provide a huge benefit to the area with eased parking pressure, less congestion and better access to the station,” Monbulk MP James Merlino said. The four level car park will double the capacity of previous car parking spaces for commuters, with 900 spots available. Once complete the car park will feature four stairwells, two lifts, CCTV and lighting, with new pedestrian connections to the Mooroolbark Station forecourt. There will also be 20 accessible parking spaces, doubling what was there previously. Construction crews have been working around the clock to install 375 precast panels and pour 16,000 cubic metres of concrete. The new car park forms part of the State Governments aim to deliver 11,000 new and upgraded car parking spaces at stations across the state. Landscaping and station precinct works will soon ramp up at the two sites, with more than 60,000 trees, shrubs and grasses to be planted to create a vibrant, green space that is in keeping with the heritage of Melbourne’s outer-eastern suburbs and ensuring the car park fits in with the new Mooroolbark Station precinct. Finishing works on signalling and track tamping will also be completed next month with buses replacing trains between Lilydale and Ringwood from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 February, to allow crews to complete the works safely. To find out if you’re affected and to plan your journey, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.

The external features of the Mooroolbark station car park can be seen as the whole build reaches the final stages.

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ALL - NEW

OUTLANDER Inspiro’s 2021 scholarship recipients Ellie Davis and Belinda Battey.

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Inspiro scholarships open for young health students

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include dentistry, occupational therapy, medicine, speech therapy, psychology, podiatry and many more. Judges are looking for applicants who show determination and commitment to their studies and the health and wellbeing of the community. Many recipients contribute to the community in several ways, including volunteering and other essential unpaid community roles. Last year’s winner Ellie is undertaking a Bachelor of Exercise Sports Science while donating time to a youth camp and swimming school. “This scholarship allows me to purchase textbooks, equipment and additional certifications and helps relieve financial stress as I work, study and complete placement,” she said. Inspiro’s scholarships make an enormous difference to the lives of recipients, and many go on to work at Inspiro and other local health services. Applications for Inspiro’s Health Scholarship are now open. All entries must be in by Thursday March 17, 2022 at 4pm. Further information and details of how to apply can be found at: inspiro.org.au/ get-involved/tertiary-scholarships

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For over 15 years Lilydale based health service Inspiro has been supporting young people who have decided to pursue a career in health and this year is no different. Inspiro will be awarding scholarships to the value of $22,500 to Yarra Ranges students undertaking tertiary health science courses, to inspire the next generation of health professionals. “For the seventeenth year, we’re giving back to young brilliant people who are already giving back to the community. We find these people absolutely inspiring,” Chair of Inspiro’s Community Advisory Group and Scholarship Panel Hamish Russel said. To be eligible, applicants must live in the Yarra Ranges shire area and currently be undertaking or enrolled to commence tertiary studies in an accredited health science course at an Australian university or through the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. Inspiro is encouraging all Yarra Ranges students studying an accredited health science course to consider applying. The range of courses counted under the ‘health science’ umbrella is broad and may

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NEWS

Chloe Lawther, Kalaya Ridley and Amity Croft with their dance teacher Michelle Bilton after won the under 10 three hand section trophy at the Victorian Irish Dancing Championships. Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Chloe, Kalaya and Amity love dancing because they get to learn new skills and be with friends.

Impressive Irish dancers By Mikayla van Loon Three young girls have taken the Victorian Irish Dancing Championships by storm, bringing home the title in their division for one Mount Evelyn school of dance. Kalaya Ridley, Chloe Lawther and Amity Croft, who have all been dancing for two to five years, competed in the under 10 three hand section of the championships. Judged on their feet placement, the way they hold their bodies and how they move to-

gether, the three girls must have impressed the judges in their ability as performers. Having not been able to practice in person until three weeks prior to the competition in December, dance teacher Michelle Bilton of Bilton Academy said the girls did an excellent job. “It’s just really nice. It’s really nice because none of them have won before and it was Chloe and Amity’s first time dancing in the state championship, so that was amazing for them,” she said. For the last two years, Ms Bilton said her

students have been training via online classes and for the most part Amity, Kalaya and Chloe were practicing their competition winning dance separately, mimicking the hand holding on their own. “It was pretty good fun trying to teach them together when they weren’t together,” Ms Bilton said. Bilton Academy dancers usually participate in a few competitions throughout the year but because of the pandemic, this was the first one in some time.

“They hadn’t been in competition for ages because we’ve all been in lockdown and weren’t able to do it.” With the lockdowns hopefully behind us, Ms Bilton said regular classes will return in the first week of February, along with the normal calendar of dancing appearances at local events. “The Tulip Festival has a Celtic weekend so we always dance at that and then we dance at the Yarra Glen races on Cup Day usually and the Lavender Festival.”

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Caz Rogers has been creating textile art for 38 years, a love of hers she has turned into workshops to teach others the joys of art. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Ms Rogers dyes her own fabrics and use a ranges of textures to create her textile works.

Relieving stress with art By Mikayla van Loon Art can be an excellent way to relieve stress and distract the mind from what is happening in life but often learning a new skill can be daunting. Textile and clay artist Caz Rogers has been funded through Yarra Ranges Council’s Art Attack program to host six art workshops in an aim to improve people’s mental health. “It definitely helps with depression because you’re not concentrating on feeling left out or being really concerned, your mind is busy creating and solving problems and building things. So textile art is a very good way of allaying negative thoughts,” she said. Having worked in the past with women who have been diagnosed with mental health conditions, Ms Rogers said she has seen the power of art in relieving stress. “I’ve seen the freedom from anxiety that it’s given them when they’ve been in the studio, just playing and half the time it is just playing but it’s tactile, it’s color, it’s movement and texture, and you just see the worried look disappear off their face.” Ms Rogers said even throughout the last two years of lockdowns, not being able to see

Using clay and textiles, Ms Rogers creates mystical characters that come to life through colour and texture. her grandchildren or other family and feeling scared about the future, having something tactile and visual to work on helped her get through the difficult stages.

“Over the last two years with the lockdowns and things, it’s been the way that I’ve actually helped my mental health and stayed in a good mental place,” she said. Seeing the value in what Ms Rogers was teaching, Yarra Ranges Council approached her to apply for the grant, providing her with funding to subsidise the art workshops. Designed to be a taster class for six different people each week, Ms Rogers hopes those who attend will find a passion for textiles and learn new skills. “People can come along and learn to felt, they can learn to do other textile pursuits that maybe they’ve never heard of before,” she said. “Maybe they have a creative spirit and they want to do something but they haven’t quite worked out what it is yet. So the taster classes are basically to give them an idea of what is out there with textiles and to get them started on the path of being able to create beautiful pieces of work.” Since retiring Ms Rogers has had more free time to dedicate to her art, something she started doing 38 years ago. Now she wants to pass on her knowledge to those who need a little bit of a lift and inspi-

ration, while also harnessing her own skills to ensure she stays motivated. Although Ms Rogers has taught classes in her home studio, this will be the first time she has branched out to host workshops at the Chirnside Park Community Hub. “Stepping into a new direction and taking my teaching outside of the studio and taking it to the Chirnside Park Community Hub has been one of the best decisions of mine for a while.” Wanting to reach as many people as possible, the full day of Tantalizing Textile Tasters are open to new people each time, with six places available for people over the age of 18. The first session will start on Monday 21 February and run concurrently until Monday 28 March from 9.45am to 4pm. The sessions are $25 per class, with tea and coffee, as well as all the supplies provided on the day but lunch will need to be brought by the participants. To book go to https://www.trybooking. com/BWVSK or contact Caz Rogers via email ripplesonthepond1957@gmail.com. For anyone who misses out, Ms Rogers will be hosting more classes in May.

Meet Karl Lagerfeld, a superstar feline from the Valley By Renee Wood It’s not very often you come across feline celebrities but it’s safe to say Karl Lagerfeld, a Ragdoll Cat, is the closest thing to it. Karl, who lives in the Yarra Valley with his family, has garnered a social media following and has even featured on an Advance pet food TV commercial. The Ragdoll may also be a familiar face to some after being a frequent visitor to Lilydale’s Harrow and Harvest Cafe and Hahndorf’s Fine Chocolates in Montrose. Owner Lisa Leckie said it all started with harness and trick training when he was a kitten. “I used to put the harness on when he was eating or playing because distraction’s the key to try and keep their mind off having something around them,” Lisa said. Although Karl is the third cat in Lisa’s household, he’s the first to be trained as a trickster. “I worked out what treat he liked and I taught him to high five, to sit, jump through hoops and jump up when I asked. There’s quite a few little tricks he can do on demand.” Lisa has shared Karl’s skills on a dedicated Instragram account for her ragdolls, @cocochanelandkarl, which gave him the leg up when applying for the Advance pet food gig. “They wanted him to eat and clean himself and that was for a 10 second commercial mailcommunity.com.au

which took about took about two and a half hours to film. “He did really, really well - there was all the film crew around so everyone had to be silent and let him relax, so he could get use to the room first.” Karl’s obedient nature on a harness and lead has not only been beneficial for his acting career and social life, but also vital living in an area with a 24 hour cat curfew. Lisa said he’s an indoors cat due to the Yarra Ranges curfew and is frequently taken on walks around her property. “He comes outside with the harness and the lead and we walk around the yard, walk around with the dog.” Lisa said perseverance is the key to training your cat to use a harness. “Quite often when you put it [harness] on a cat, they’ll flop over, and then people think it’s not going to work but you’ve just got to get them use to it so they don’t even think about it when it’s on.” The lead is also used when Karl visits cafes with Lisa, which provides an exciting opportunity for other customers. “I have found that the reaction is really good. I think it’s something so different – little children especially get very excited. “The dogs you have to be so careful of, but it’s great – you can use a harness and lead when you’re on your own property or even visiting friends.”

Karl at his commercial shoot.

A superstar moment for Karl with his commercial on the TV. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Karl is a frequent visitor to Lilydale cafes. 265633

Tuesday, 25 January, 2022

MAIL 9

NEWS

Plan for school’s return The Victorian state government has released a four-week plan to ensure school and education settings stay open for the start of term one, with a focus on the use of Rapid-Antigen Tests (RAT). Premier Daniel Andrews and Education Minister James Merlino announced on Sunday 23 January the plan to use RATs for surveillance testing along with improved ventilation, vaccination coverage and workforce planning to ensure education is not impacted by Covid outbreaks. Mr Andrews said face-to-face learning is the best option for kids’ learning and wellbeing. “That’s why we’ve done the work to get students safely back in the classroom from the start of Term one, and make sure they stay there.” he said. The government said they will deliver more than 14 million RATs to schools, early childhood education and care services, with 6.6 million tests earmarked to be delivered in the first week of term one. The state government is recommending all primary and secondary student and staff, and early childhood education and care staff, test twice a week at home before school or childcare. “With vital Covid-safe steps in place like surveillance testing, improved ventilation and high rates of vaccination, we’ve done everything we can to make schools as safe as possible and we can’t wait to welcome all students back for Term 1.” Mr Merlino said. Education staff will be added to the list of workers who must receive a third-dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by 25 February if they are currently eligible, or within three months and two weeks of receiving a second dose to continue working in education. 51,000 air purification devices will be deliv-

The Victorian state government has released their plan to avoid Covid-related disruption to term one. ered to government and low-fee non-government schools by the start of term one. Mask wearing will continue for students in grade three and above while indoors. Teach-

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School students across Victoria made their return to school following summer holidays, while 2021’s preps got their first taste of primary school life. Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy conducted a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony for Badger Creek Primary School students and staff. See page 7 for more back to school excitment.

Back to school! School students across Victoria made their return to school following summer holidays, while 2021’s preps got their first taste of primary school life. Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy By Jed Lanyon

Centre in the lead up to Christmas. Many locals far and wide were able to keep up their Christmas tradition in getting a family photo with ‘The Real Santa’ who they had grown to love. The unlikely tandem tallied upwards of $30,000 from their family Christmas photos and then selected four charities to each receive

$8400 to help make the lives of children better. The four recipients of the funds included: Backpacks 4 Vic Kids, A Better Life For Foster Kids, HeartKids and Chum Creek’s Good Life Farm. The organisations shared how the funds had already been put to good use. Backpacks 4 Vic Kids CEO and founder Sally Beard told Star Mail the donation came as a “delightful surprise”.

“We’re very, very grateful on behalf of the children, whose lives that it will impact,” she said. “We have absolutely put that money to good use.” Ms Beard shared that the $8400 donation from Branded is aiding 112 children in need with care packs filled with toiletries, spare changes of clothes, a toy and more. Continued page 2 12477022-SN06-21

It’s February, but Santa Claus’ gifts keep on coming for several charity organisations who benefited from a partnership between Saint Nick and Seville’s Branded Burger Bar. The burger bar came to the rescue when they partnered with Santa, who had seen his role replaced at Chirnside Park Shopping

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calised and short term last resort. The department of Education and Training will provide online resources for students in Prep to year 10 if they are isolating.

Wedge-tailed Eagle soars back to the wild after care

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A majestic Wedge-tailed Eagle has been successfully returned to its wild home after receiving specialist care at Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre. The bird – Australia’s largest bird of prey - was found unable to fly on the roadside at Upper Beaconsfield south-east of Melbourne. Associate Veterinarian Dr Chloe Steventon said the Wedge-tailed Eagle was very likely hit by a car, judging from the extensive soft-tissue bruising it received. Fortunately, X-rays confirmed that there were no fractures across its impressive two-metre wingspan. “This eagle was extremely lucky and recovered quickly while in our care for eight days,” Dr Steventon said. “He was able to sustain about 40 metres of flight and get up about two metres off the ground, during flight testing. That’s how we knew he was ready to return home. “It’s always wonderful to send wildlife back to where they came from, and seeing this bird literally fly off into the sunset was something special.” Dr Steventon said rehabilitated animals need to regain a certain level of fitness before release, so they not only survive but thrive. Birds need to hunt and catch their food, as well as escape potential predators. The Eagle was transported back to its wild home in the new Wildlife Response Unit vehicle, which was purchased as part of a Zoos Victoria and RSPCA Victoria partnership utilising funds from RSPCA’s National Bushfire Appeal. The Australian Wildlife Health Centre based at Healesville Sanctuary can assist with injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife, and is open from 9am to 4pm every day of the year. Call (03) 5957 2829 or visit zoo.org. au/wildlife response.

A male Wedge-tailed Eagle was brought in with head trauma and treated at the AWHC at Healesville Sanctuary before being released back where he was found in Upper Beaconsfield. Here he is just after being released having flown up into a tall gum tree for a rest before continuing off into the bush. Picture: ZOOS VICTORIA Sanctuary visitors can also see the veterinary team at work via the internal glass walls of the hospital. Zoos Victoria members and Healesville Sanctuary visitors are reminded that all tickets must be pre-booked online at zoo. org.au and all ticketholders 18 years and over are required to provide proof of full vaccination and follow current Victorian Government directions at www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au mailcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Timber put to good use By Parker McKenzie Rural Aid, Bushfire Recovery Victoria and Yarra Ranges Council are working together to recycle the large amounts of fallen timber from the June Storms and turn them into free fence posts for businesses and farms. While the program is still in the early stages, Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said the program was a “virtuous circle”. “We’re collectively working together to gather up that timber that’s become available and then have that that timber milled to turn it into fence posts that will be collected and then distributed back to eligible farmers,” he said.

“Rather than having that resource destroyed, cleaned up and burnt, pulped or disposed of, we’re able to capture that resource by collectively working together to have it milled and turned into fence posts. Six local councils – including Yarra Ranges and Cardinia Council – have been bought on board to aid and develop the initiative. Mr Warlters said by working with likeminded organisations, Rural Aid can achieve greater results. “If it was just simply Rural Aid, or Bushfire Recovery Victoria or even just one of these six councils seeking to do this, then that the impact can still be significant,” he said.

“It can be magnified a whole lot more when you get other parties involved.” Mr Warlters said often a natural disaster – like the June storm – can capture headlines, but the rebuilding takes time. “People want to help where they can, but very quickly we then move on and we forget about it, it’s just human nature,” he said. “We don’t realise that the person who’s been impacted still has this recovery period ahead of them that takes months, “We don’t then get to appreciate the frustration that an individual or a group of people that have been impacted might be experiencing.”

Fallen timber will be used to create free fence posts for businesses. Picture: ON FILE

Help needed to uncover Yarra Glen’s unmarked graves The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT), who looks after the management of the historic Yarra Glen Cemetery, is seeking community input in uncovering any potential unmarked graves. To meet the future needs of families wishing to purchase a plot in the Cemetery, GMCT is planning new grave works in the Wesleyan and Lawn areas of the cemetery. Prior to commencing any works, GMCT is conducting an extensive search to check if there are any historical unmarked graves from the 1900s in these areas to ensure these graves remain undisturbed. Previous cemetery trusts lacked the technology to map grave locations in the way GMCT can do today. Additionally, the historical records are inconclusive as to location of the individuals buried in those areas. “As guardians of history and heritage it is our purpose to hold the stories of those laid

to rest and who remain in our care, for all time. We are asking family members or descendants of individuals buried at Yarra Glen to help us achieve this purpose,” said GMCT CEO Deb Ganderton. GMCT is already working with some families and individuals on the location of their ancestors graves after a public notice was published last month. If you are a family member or descendant of an individual buried at the Yarra Glen Cemetery, and know the unmarked location of your ancestor’s grave within the Wesleyan and Lawn areas of the cemetery please contact GMCT’s Customer Care team on 1300 022 298 or email community@gmct.com.au. GMCT is looking to uncover unmarked graves in Yarra Glen Cemetery before beginning future works. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

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MAIL 11

NEWS

12 MAIL

Tuesday, 25 January, 2022

Yarra Ranges Council is asking for community feedback for their draft asset plan.

Picture: ON FILE

Asset plan input sought Yarra Ranges Council is encouraging members of the community to give their input into its upcoming draft asset plan. The plan establishes how council will manage its assets including buildings, roads, bridges, footpaths, stormwater drainage, parks and recreation facilities. Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said it is important for the community to have input on the drafting of the plan. “The Asset Plan takes a long-term 10-year view of how our assets are managed, so it’s crucial that we capture the community’s thoughts on where our priorities should lie,” Cr Child said. “The plan is also closely tied to the Council budget process, and given that the funding available for assets year to year is typically

lower than the wants and needs of the community, this is the framework that sets out how we make decisions on our assets.” A new asset plan is required to be drafted and prepared by council every four years. People can participate in an online poll to highlight where the community believes priorities should be focused or register their interest in joining a deliberative panel to support of the development of the plan. “No one knows our community better than the people who live in it, so I encourage as many people as possible to leave their thoughts and feedback throughout this consultation process,” Cr Child said. Applicants chosen for the panel will be paid for their time. For more information go to www. shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/asset-plan.

Events for your calendar

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CHIRNSIDE PARK Meadowgate Milk Bar 3 Meadowgate Drive CHIRNSIDE PARK Coles Supermarket 239-241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK Woolworths Supermarket 239-241 Maroondah Highway CHIRNSIDE PARK 7 - Eleven 242 Maroondah Highway CROYDON NORTH Croydon Hills Milk Bar 158 Nangathan Way CROYDON NORTH Eastfield Milk Bar 11 The Mall KILSYTH Woolworths Supermarket Churinga SC, Russo Place KILSYTH Coles Supermarket 520-526 Mt Dandenong Road KILSYTH Kilsyth Laundrette87 Colchester Road KILSYTH Woolworths Supermarket Canterbury Road Kilsyth KILSYTH TSG Tobacco Churinga Shopping Centre Mt Dandenong Road LILYDALE Lilydale Marketplace SC 33-45 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE Lilydale Village SC 51-59 Anderson Street LILYDALE Coles Supermarket Lilydale Village Castella Street & Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Lilydale Community Centre 7 Hardy Street LILYDALE Eastern Laundries. 2/4 Williams Street East LILYDALE Lilydale Lakeside Conference and Events Centre 1 Jarlo Drive LILYDALE United Petrol Service Station 473 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Caltex Lilydale 346 Main Street LILYDALE Caltex Woolworths 31 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE BP Service Station 87 Warburton Highway LILYDALE Shell Service Station 469 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE 7 - Eleven Lilydale Cnr Maroondah Highway & Cave Hill Road LILYDALE Coles Express 469 Maroondah Highway LILYDALE Hutch & Co Cafe 251 Main Street LILYDALE Round Bird Can’t Fly 170 Main Street LILYDALE The Lilydale General 110 Beresford Road LILYDALE Yarra Valley Smokery 96 Main Street LILYDALE Bee Seen Cafe 178 Main Street LILYDALE Blue Turtle Cafe 222 Main Street LILYDALE Gracious Grace Castella Street LILYDALE Melba Coffee House 33-45 Hutchinson Street LILYDALE Lilydale Munchies 7/75 Cave Hill Road LILYDALE The Mustard Tree Cafe 3/28 John Street LILYDALE Freda’s Cafe 2 Clarke Street LILYDALE Ray White Real Estate 164 Main Street LILYDALE Stockdale & Leggo Real Estate 281 Main Street LILYDALE Professionals Real Estate 111-113 Main Street LILYDALE Grubs Up 1 Industrial Park Drive LILYDALE Olinda Creek Hotel Maroondah Hwy LILYDALE Crown Hotel Maroondah Hwy LILYDALE Yarra Ranges Council 61 - 65 Anderson Street MONTROSE Montrose Authorised Newsagency 912 Mt Dandenong Road MONTROSE Bell Real Estate 896 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road MONTROSE IGA Supermarket 916 Mt Dandenong Road MOUNT EVELYN Fast Fuel 1 Hereford Road MOUNT EVELYN IGA Supermarket 38- 40 York Road MOUNT EVELYN Post Office 12 Station Street MOUNT EVELYN Authorised Newsagency 1A Wray Crescent MOUNT EVELYN Red Robin Milk Bar 35 Hereford Road MOUNT EVELYN Library 50 Wray Cresent MOUNT EVELYN Milkbar 28 Birmingham Road MOUNT EVELYN York on Lilydale 138 York Road MOOROOLBARK Coles Supermarket 15 Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK Corner Milk Bar 38 Bellara Dive MOOROOLBARK Fang & Yaoxin Mini Mart 108 Hayrick Lane MOOROOLBARK BP Mooroolbark 103 Cardigan Road MOOROOLBARK Coles Express 2 Cambridge Road MOOROOLBARK Mooroolbark Coin Laundrette28 Manchester Road MOOROOLBARK Professionals Real Estate Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK L J Hooker Brice Avenue MOOROOLBARK Fletchers Real Estate 1/14 Manchester Road MOOROOLBARK 7-Eleven Manchester Road

Rotary’s Australia Day celebrations The Rotary Club of Lilydale is inviting the community to join them at Lillydale Lake on Wednesday 26 January for an Australia Day celebration. Having held an event as part of the 100 Year commemorations last year, Rotary has decided to host a smaller scale event, with a free sausage sizzle, live entertainment and a wildlife display from 10am to 2pm to bring people together. Social circle The Lilydale Community House has a number of programs starting in February with one of those being a weekly meet up called ‘My Social Circle’ for those aged 18 to 25 with a disability. Running every Tuesday night from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, the social nights will get started 8 February. A gold coin donation is required. Healing Harmonies A free program run by the Lilydale Community House and supported by Yarra Ranges Council is coming to Thursday nights every two weeks for women from diverse backgrounds who have experienced trauma, whether through family violence, medical trauma, grief or loss or natural disasters. The program aims to be a safe and supportive environment for women to meet and talk but most importantly share their experiences through creative writing and song writing. Starting 10 February, 7pm to 9pm. Author talk in Mt Evelyn Author of Nikolai the Perfect, Jim McIntyre will finally be able to host his talk at the Mt Evelyn Community House and Reading Room on Thursday 24 February at 7pm. The free event was postponed multiple times

COMMUNITY DIARY WHAT’S ON AROUND THE VALLEY last year but the long wait will be worth it to hear how Mount Evelyn inspired the author to set part of his book in the town. Wildlife rescue session Mount Evelyn’s Emma Cash from Bungalook Creek Wildlife Shelter will be hosting an online event to talk people through wildlife rescue and what people should do if they stumble on an injured animal. The online session will be happening on Saturday 29 January from 10am to 11.30am. Register for the event through the Yarra Ranges Council website here https://www. yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/ Wildlife-Rescue-Helping-you-help-them Creative students on show Students from local high schools will be able to show off their Year 12 artworks at the Creative Showcase hosted by Yarra Ranges Council and Burrinja Cultural Centre at The Memo in Healesville. The opening night will happen on Friday 4 February from 7pm with the exhibition running all throughout February. mailcommunity.com.au

OPINION

Canine challenge We’re getting ready for an adventure! Animal Aid is welcoming all dog lovers and their canine pals to take part in Adventure Dog - A Cross Country Challenge, to help raise funds to care for all of the animals at Animal Aid. On 3 April at the picturesque Wandin Park Equestrian Centre, participants will be mentally and physically challenged by 25 obstacles spread over almost 4km. Following a hugely successful 2021 that raised over $70,000 for homeless animals, 2022 promises to be bigger and better. There will be more mud, more obstacles and more fun for humans and dogs alike. This is the perfect event for dogs that love getting out and about, leaping and bounding, wading through water and muddy meadows. Friends and family are welcome to come along on the day to give their support, there

Animal

aid Mark Menze Animal Aid CEO will be plenty of activities to keep them busy while you hit the course. After completing the challenge you and your four-legged friend will have a chance to re-join your supporters and refuel with plenty of food and drink on offer in the event village. Adventure Dog has become Animal Aid’s flagship event and an essential element in our annual fundraising.

We are asking all entrants to rally the support of their family and friends to support their individual fundraising. We’re challenging our participants to raise $250 to support our work to care for homeless and unwanted animals. Those who accept the challenge and reach their fundraising goal, will join the ranks of our fundraising heroes and will receive a specially commissioned Adventure Dog - A Cross Country Challenge t-shirt. Animal Aid has been helping animals in need for over 70 years, we receive no government funding to operate and rely heavily on fundraising activities and community support. Every year over 6000 animals come through our doors, each one receives the highest quality care and support until we can get them home. For more information and to register: animalaid.org.au/adventure-dog

CARTOON

Kemp’s first review of the year a success Jagged Little Pill opened at the Comedy Theatre Melbourne on Sunday January 16 with a good crowd welcoming musical theatre back to Melbourne. The story centres around the Healys, a seemingly perfect suburban family striving to hide the cracks beneath the surface when a troubling event shakes their community. Driven by the themes and emotions of the Alanis Morissette 1995 album, the musical today has a powerful voice and burns with passion in its uplifting story telling. A vibrant full of activity, well produced and directed, smooth flowing and a delight to see. The music was very loud but consistent with the story, flashing lights added to the production. The main cast was Mary Jane Healy, Steve Healy, their two children, Frankie and Nick. Frankie was adopted by Steve and Mary Jane.

Kemp’s curtain call The other members of the cast were Jo, Bella and Phoenix. As Mary Jane Healy, Natalie Bassingthwaighte gave an outstanding performance, playing the correct wife and mother but with a dark side - an excellent performance. Her husband Steve was a good balance, performing well and catching the character as envisaged. Emily Nkomo was Frankie, another great performer and was well appreciated by

the opening night audience. Her brother Nick was played by Liam Head who was a good balance to the other members of the family, catching the mood of a teenager caught up in a situation beyond his control. Maggie McKenna was Jo, a singer who achieved on opening night, something your reviewer has never seen in all the years of reviewing both professional and amateur theatre. Her song ‘You Never Know’ not only brought the house down it was a standing ovation for Maggie as she belted out the number - an amazing scene in the theatre. The ensemble reminded one of a Greek chorus as they sang as background to the main cast. A wonderful evening of theatre and a great welcome back after such a long absence of live shows.

Poetic beauty in Shakespeare adaptation The Tragedy of Macbeth Starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand and Kathryn Hunter Rated M The Tragedy of Macbeth is a film of staggering craftsmanship and may be one of the greatest film adaptations of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy. Directed by Joel Coen, The Tragedy of Macbeth is steeped in fine old-fashioned craft – emphasis on actors and dialogue, long steady takes, black-and-white cinematography and a quiet soundscape throwing strong emotions into sharp relief – and tinged with the Coen Brothers’ unique subtle surrealism. The vast sets dwarf the actors, suspended in voids of mist or darkness. These ominous backdrops heighten Macbeth (Denzel Washington) and Lady Macbeth’s (Frances McDormand) unnatural deeds. The entire cast delivers Shakespeare’s ormailcommunity.com.au

nate (to our modern ears) language with pathos and passion without it feeling staged. Washington conveys phenomenal charisma even as Macbeth’s paranoia and arrogance deepen. McDormand is captivating as Lady Macbeth, driven by a toxic ambition and confidence, and her repressed grief at King Duncan’s murder is harrowing to behold. Both actors completely embody their char-

acters but also have so much of their poise and small mannerisms come through; it’s great to see such talented actors powerfully make these classic characters their own. Coen’s Macbeth features some clever reinterpretations of the source material. Thespian and contortionist Kathryn Hunter plays the Witch(es), with her uncanny movements and unruly voice suggesting the traditional three witches within one body. Ross (Alex Hassell) is a mere medium of exposition in most adaptations, but now has a gratifying arc from a cold servant of Macbeth to a remorseful agent of justice. The climax has a second fight before Macbeth’s duel with Macduff (Corey Hawkins), thereby raising the stakes. As a very late 2021 release, The Tragedy of Macbeth rivals Nitram as my film of the year. The Tragedy of Macbeth is playing in select Victorian cinemas and streaming on Apple TV Plus. - Seth Lukas Hynes

Useful tips PASSION FOR PROSE WITH CHRISTINE SUN Many of our readers are writers aspiring to one day becoming successful authors. Perhaps one of our New Year’s resolutions is to finally complete and submit that fiction or non-fiction manuscript that we have been working on for so long. But a manuscript submission is much more than getting someone.to read and hopefully publish our written words. Rather, it is quite similar to applying for a high-flying job. However talented we think we are, we need to “Show, Don’t Tell”. As fantastic as our stories are, we need to convince publishers of their full potentials. And that requires some serious, savvy persuasion. Interestingly, Carolyn Martinez, Director of Brisbane-based Hawkeye Publishing, recently posted a series of useful tips on how to stand out – for the right reasons – when submitting our manuscripts to publishers. First and foremost are the essential rules that our manuscripts are professional edited; that we as aspiring authors understand our target audiences, marketabilities and potential competitors; and that we abide by the submission guidelines. Next, Martinez reveals some amateurish mistakes that often cause a manuscript to fail in the first few pages. Perhaps the most noteworthy is “Passive Phrasing”, which means the subject of a sentence is the person or thing acted upon or affected by the verb’s action. For example, “The powerful cyclone destroyed the town” is straightforward. In comparison, “The town was destroyed by the powerful cyclone” seems verbose and weak. Furthermore, Martinez highlights several issues that can still cause a manuscript to fail even after it has attracted a publisher’s attention. Among these, perhaps the most common is “Too Many Characters”. This can lead to so called “head-hopping” while considerably decelerating and weakening a story as the writer gets busy illustrating the actions, thoughts and feelings of every character included. Another troublesome issue is “too many redundant words”, which can slow down a story’s pace. It is here that American author Stephen King’s warning comes to mind: “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”. Other readers may recall the following words from English writer Arthur QuillerCouch: “Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it – wholeheartedly – and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.” Finally, Martinez provides a list of ten features commonly shared by successful manuscripts. The publisher’s words are worth quoting to some length: “It’s hard work selling books, and the only way that books sell well beyond an author’s own personal network is when readers fall in love with a book, are so moved and changed by the experience of reading, that they rave about it to anyone who’ll listen. And that only happens through masterful writing.” Also eye-catching is Martinez’s sound advice on how to be a good writer. To this reviewer, one particular sentence stands out: “Read books. How can you possibly expect to know what modern audiences devour if you’re not reading?” Carolyn Martinez’s helpful tips on successful manuscript submission can be found here: https://hawkeyebooks. com.au/stand-out-for-the-right-reasons-pitching-to-hawkeye/ Tuesday, 25 January, 2022

MAIL 13

PUZZLES SUDOKU

No. 065

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

easy

2 5 8 2

4 9 7

9 1 4

5 7 1 2 7 3 4 5 1 6 2 7 3 9 3 4 7 6 6 9

QUICK CROSSWORD Type of hat (3) Pre-evenings (10) Containers (7) Most wealthy (7) Businesses that sell goods (9) Look for (4) Giving an alternate name to someone (10) Scottish loch (4) Downtime (4) Symptomatic (10) Insects (4) Making loud and confused noise (10) Wetter in terms of weather (7) General style of cooking (7) Expert (10) Allow (3)

1 3 10 11 12 13 15 17 19 20 23 25 27 28 29 30

4 6

3 3 1 8 2 6 4 7 2 7 4 3 5 2

3 7 2 4

21 22 24 25 26

Male angler (9) Noblemen (5) Most pleasant (6) Very fat (5) Location (4) Quit (6) Valuation (10) Things causing annoyance (9) Article expressing editor’s opinion (9) Relating to elementary particles (6) St Francis of — (6) Combine (5) Rocky stuff that forms a reef (5) — and cons (4)

DOWN In a logically consistent manner (10) Related to government (9)

1 2

medium

4 5 6 7 8 9 14 16 18

ACROSS

No. 065

DECODER

No. 065

4 5 5 1 hard

3 9 6 5

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

9-LETTER WORD Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

Today’s Aim: 12 words: Good 18 words: Very good

6 5 9 4 8 7 2 1 3

1 9 7 6 5 8 4 2 3

4 5 6 9 3 2 1 7 8

24 words: Excellent

N J

4 LETTERS DARK DRAW DYES ERGO KNOT MOSS MOTH ONCE ONYA REST SAND SCAN SLOG TAGS

5 3 2 7 1 6 8 4 9

7 1 9 5 8 4 3 6 2

6 4 8 3 2 9 7 5 1 1 2 4 8 7 6 3 9 5

5 LETTERS ACHED

8 6 5 1 9 7 2 3 4

9 7 1 2 4 3 5 8 6

3 2 4 8 6 5 9 1 7

7 8 2 9 1 3 4 5 6

4 3 1 2 6 5 8 9 7

3 4 7 6 2 1 5 8 9

1 9 5 8 7 4 6 3 2

2 6 8 5 3 9 7 4 1

8 1 3 7 5 6 9 2 4

9 2 6 1 4 8 3 7 5

5 7 4 3 9 2 1 6 8

5 3 8 2 9 1 6 4 7

6 9 7 4 5 3 8 2 1

2 7 6 5 1 4 9 8 3

3 8 5 9 6 7 2 1 4

9 4 1 3 8 2 5 7 6

4 5 2 7 3 8 1 6 9

7 1 3 6 2 9 4 5 8

8 6 9 1 4 5 7 3 2

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

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WORDFIT

28-01-22

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SPORT

Junior golf tournament to begin

Glenn Crook and Murray Howlett took home the doubles title in the 2021 club championships.

Murray Howlett was the winner of the 2021 Lilydale Croquet Club singles championship on Sunday 16 January. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Croquet champions By Mikayla van Loon The Lilydale Croquet Club has hosted its first club championships in quite a few years, seeing two players take home the 2021 title. Glenn Crook and Murray Howlett won the doubles competition on Saturday 15 January, while Howlett also had an impressive win in the singles competition on Sunday 16 January. Club president John Thomson said 18 players competed in the doubles, while nine took part in the singles title. “Because we’ve got a diverse range of players, as far as skill level goes, we did them in handicap form, so that the not so skillful players had extra turns against the players that were more skillful,” he said. “Everybody had a great time and we’re hop-

ing to build on that now.” Building the competitive spirit at Lilydale has become somewhat of a focus now that members have seen how championships are played. “A lot of [members] didn’t know how it worked and how the handicap system worked properly,” Mr Thomson said. “The ones that were new to it and that tried it certainly learnt a lot. They will be better off in spring when we hold our 2022 championships because they will have done it before and will have an idea on what to do and how it all works.” Having struggled with memberships prior to the pandemic, Mr Thomson said there had been no real desire to host a championship in recent years.

“Membership had dropped away over a period of time and the ones that were playing at that time were happy enough to just play social croquet and that’s fantastic and we still encourage that to happen,” he said. “Now that membership has grown, there are a number of players that want to play a little bit more competitively and against other clubs. “So we started up the club championships, to get that going and give some of the newer members a taste of how everything works. Hopefully they’ll come through now and want to play in the midweek shield against other clubs.” The autumn shield will get underway in a few weeks time, with Lilydale competing in both the Monday and Thursday sessions.

Local talent chosen for state cup team Kilsyth Basketball Association have had another successful lineup of players announced to represent the state in the Australian Under 18 Junior Championships and Kevin Coombs Cup later this year. Former women’s wheelchair basketball player for Kilsyth, Isabel Martin has been named in the Kevin Coombs Cup team after her impressive Paralympic team debut in the 2020 Tokyo games. Head coach Jason Bryant said even after lockdowns and restrictions he believes the side is ready to achieve big things in front of a home-state crowd in Ballarat in April. “Our biggest strength has been our ability to put together a team with a good mix of experience with emerging next generation athletes,” Bryant said. “We’ve developed a strong culture in the program and our group is hungry for the challenge of competing at the Kevin Coombs Cup in April.” This will be the first time Byrant has been at the helm for the Kevin Coombs Cup, an experience he is looking forward to. “The opportunity to work with a great group of athletes and coaches is something I always enjoy,” he said. “The group has been working hard through a tough two years, giving the athletes the mailcommunity.com.au

chance to build on the experience of the Kumon Country-Metro Challenge and take that to the next level at the Kevin Coombs Cup is definitely something to look forward to for me.” Fellow Kilsyth player Georgia McBean has also been selected to play in the under 18 Victorian women’s team. Michael Brookens will be returning as head coach for another Australian Junior Championships and said the team’s tenacity and energy has impressed him heading towards Ballarat. “The strength of our team will be the 4 P’s; persistence, pressure, pace and physicality,” he said. “We will be a fiercely competitive side - this team is full of stars. “I’m looking forward to the journey with the players, coaches and their families. The kids are fantastic people.” Brookens said during tryouts everyone gave it their all and it was such a high standard of basketball being played. “With all that they have been through in the last two years I am looking forward to unleashing all that pent up energy to compete and represent their state. What they are capable of as a group has the potential to be special and that really excites me.”

Isabel Martin is continuing to impress after being named for the Kevin Coombs Cup team once again. Picture: SUPPLIED

The Australian junior golf tournament gets underway this week, with the entire shire invited to watch some talented young golfers show off their skills in Lilydale. Gardiners Run will host the opening day on Monday 24 January, followed by Yering Meadows on Tuesday 25, Eastern Golf Club on Thursday 27 and the final day will be back at Yering Meadows on Friday 28. Yering Golf Club president Trevor Mair said these are three of the best courses in the area and will provide a challenge for up and coming golfers across the week. “[Golf Australia] thought of this area because we’ve got three golf clubs in close proximity, and it is a great opportunity to operate a competition across three different clubs with different styles of course,” he said. “I am sure anyone who visits will quickly see what opportunities lie in the local area, and all visitors can be assured of seeing some exciting golf.” Although a difficult course spread across the 330 acre property and designed by architect Ross Watson, with lots of water and bunkers, Mr Mair said junior golfers at this level are usually pretty skilled and they will be able to work out the course after playing it on the Tuesday. Those who attend the tournament throughout the week can expect to see some of the best junior golfers on the circuit, who will be travelling from all over the state and country to compete. The event has become one of the major tournaments in the country, as an Order of Merit and World Ranking competition. Spectators and players alike are welcome to visit the golf clubs for drinks and light meals during the day, with a sit down menu provided on the final day, Friday 28 January at Yering. Yering Meadows hope the final day is one of excitement and encourage people to attend the event to see the presentation of the championship. “We are hoping to create a similar atmosphere on Friday as when we held a pro am about three years ago. On that day Marcus Fraser won and the balcony overlooking the 18th green was filled with spectators who saw a wonderful finish,” Mr Mair said. The first tee time is at 7.30am at both holes one and 10, with staggered tee offs all throughout the day up until 12.42pm on Monday and Tuesday. Mr Mair said he also hopes the championship brings life back to Lilydale, to help support small businesses who have struggled over the last two years.

The Victorian Junior Amateur golf championship is ready to get underway in Lilydale. Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON Tuesday, 25 January, 2022

MAIL 19

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