ENDEAVOUR HILLS HALLAM DOVETON
/DandenongJournal
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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End of an era for Mr Hurley
Tennis saga spotlights refugees’ plight
Bulls eye league domination
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SPORT
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Centre set for a spruce up
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Trailblazers forge a path for art lovers Keep your eye out for art at a venue near you. A first art trail has been launched across the municipality, including works such as artist Anthony Gallea’s painting ‘Behind Blue Eyes’, pictured with Rowena Garrett and Therese Kennedy at Noble Park Community Centre. For more on the story, turn to page 8 Picture: GARY SISSONS
Shock unit move By Cam Lucadou-Wells Dandenong Hospital’s birth, maternity and childrens units have been mooted for temporary relocation in Berwick and Clayton. Monash Health has proposed to relocate maternity, special care nursery and paediatric services to Casey Hospital in Berwick and Monash Childrens Hospital and Monash Medical Centre in Clayton, according to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. “We are consulting with our members and urgently seeking further information about what would be a significant change for our members and a vulnerable community,” acting state secretary Paul Gilbert said. The move - yet to be confirmed by Monash Health - is said to be due to hospital staff shortages during the Covid Omicron wave.
A Monash Health employee told 3AW radio that the move was “all about staffing”. “The staff are just getting pushed and pulled from site to site. It’s a really stressful time.” Pharmacist and Greater Dandenong councillor Richard Lim said it would be “the wrong move for the Dandenong community”. Cr Lim, a generous supporter of Monash Health, said Dandenong couldn’t afford to lose the services from a “big hospital” used by many in the local “multicultural community”. Friends of Refugees chief executive Sri Samy said local patients, particularly many without their own vehicles, would be disadvantaged. With delays due to works on Clyde Road, Casey Hospital was a 45-minute drive away. For patients on public transport, it would be a “nightmare”, Ms Samy said. “I could understand why (Monash Health)
are doing it but it’s going to cause a lot of anxiety and delay.” Keys Health Centre general manager Riekie Jooste said the change would also add pressure on over-run GP clinics and neighbouring hospitals. Opposition health spokesperson Georgie Crozier said if enacted, patients were “again the ones losing out of this mess”. “The Andrews Government needs to clarify how long the services are going to be located so that families are not disadvantaged any more than they need to be. “The ongoing health crisis is worsening by the day where basic services are being denied to Victorian patients and families.” According to the latest hospital figures, 81,000 were waiting on the state’s elective-surgery list as of 31 December – before the start
of the government’s Code Brown declaration. On 4 February, Health Minister Martin Foley announced the gradual turning-back of Victoria’s elective-surgery partial ban. As part of a $1.4 billion package, an extra $938 million was allocated to public hospitals to maintain their surge workforces and Covidrelated costs. “There’s no doubt that Omicron has put even more pressure on our health and ambulance services – and this package will help our health services provide the best possible care for Victorians.” “Our doctors, nurses and paramedics have done a magnificent job as our front line of defence against the pandemic and we’re backing them by providing the support they deserve.” The State Government and Monash Health have been contacted for comment.
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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NEWS
IN BRIEF
Judge: Bail denied By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Doveton man accused of seriously injuring a woman with “blunt trauma” to the head has been refused bail. William Hogan is contesting charges including common law assault, three unlawful assaults, two counts of recklessly causing injury, intentional property damage and committing an indictable offence on bail. In arguing against bail, police alleged at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court that his victim sustained blunt trauma to the head. This caused a brain bleed and impaired brain functioning. She also suffered multiple soft tissue injuries, a police prosecutor told the court on 3 February. Hogan had been on bail at the time of the
alleged attack, and was an unacceptable risk of re-offending across “all the categories”, police alleged. Defence lawyer Jacqui Hession said “there’s no question the allegations are serious”. But Hogan was entitled to the presumption of innocence and the right to liberty, she argued. If released on bail, Hogan was eligible for CISP supervision, including drug counselling. Ms Hession noted that Hogan himself was protected from the complainant under an interim intervention order. There was also an intervention order to protect the alleged victim from him. Hogan, who had been in remand for 82 days, faced a total delay of nearly eight months before his contest hearing in late June.
Magistrate Steven Raleigh noted that given the victim’s alleged injuries, Hogan faced potentially more than seven months jail if guilty. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the case was uplifted to the County Court. In refusing bail, Mr Raleigh said he was not satisfied that Hogan was an unacceptable risk of re-offending, failing to appear on bail and of interfering with witnesses. “I’m afraid for the safety of the complainant in this matter.” “What has changed that would make me think he’d comply with bail conditions if I would impose them?” Mr Raleigh said at one point of the hearing. Hogan was remanded to appear at a contest mention at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 1 March.
Downer ready to roll for local upgrades By Marcus Uhe Downer EDI Works has been awarded the contract for the Western Port Highway Upgrade in Langwarrin, with construction started on Wednesday 2 February. Downer has a base in Dandenong South and was chosen in order to support local jobs, according to Victorian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan. Downer’s general manager for the southeast region, Karl McCarthy, said Downer looked forward to working closely with its partners to deliver this important project. “Downer is pleased to have been entrusted by the Victorian and Federal Governments to deliver this important upgrade, which will improve road safety and traffic efficiency and deliver more reliable journeys for Victorian
motorists,” Mr McCarthy said. “We are proud to be involved in the delivery of efficient urban transport networks that help create more liveable cities. “Our team has significant expertise delivering services within the constraints imposed by a live operating environment, and we will work closely with all stakeholders to safely deliver this upgrade while minimising disruption on what is one of Melbourne’s busiest highways.” The upgrade will relieve congestion and improve safety for the 22,000 drivers who use the highway daily with the roundabouts at Ballarto Road and Cranbourne-Frankston Road replaced with traffic lights. The Australian and Victorian governments are jointly funding the $115 million project.
Speedster nabbed A 24-year-old speeding driver has been allegedly clocked by police at 114km/h in a 60km/h zone in Noble Park. The Keysborough man’s Honda Accord was detected speeding on Heatherton Road just before 10am on Monday 31 January, police said. Motorcycle members of the State Highway Patrol Solo Unit intercepted the vehicle. The driver is expected to be charged on summons with speeding and other traffic offences, Victoria Police said. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days with towing costs of $1038. The intercept was part of Operation Archer, which aims to reduce road trauma and deaths on Victorian roads.
Camper faces court A 29-year-old man from Noble Park has faced court following an incident at Coopers Creek camping ground on Wednesday 26 January. It is alleged the man armed with a machete was involved in a dispute at the campground and made threats to other campers before driving his vehicle erratically and ramming a parked vehicle. Baw Baw Family Violence Investigation Unit officers charged the man with false imprisonment, make threat to inflict serious injury, reckless conduct endangering a person, weapon offences, assault, criminal damage by fire, criminal damage and light a fire during a period of fire danger. The accused was remanded in custody before appearing at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Friday 28 January, where he was bailed. He will next appear in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Monday 28 February. Anyone who witnessed the incidents or who has further information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
Police praise hero bystander after blaze By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Marcus Uhe Police have paid tribute to a hero witness who helped remove a driver from a car shortly before it caught fire in Dandenong South. The VW had been involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Abbotts Road and Produce Drive about 2.15 pm on Wednesday 2 February. Both drivers escaped serious injury. In what was a “chaotic” scene, the road was closed for several hours, police say. Firefighters helped ensure the scene was safe, and a stop was put on the incident a short time later, according to Fire Rescue Victoria. Police also thanked G&R Maintenance for providing 200 kilograms of sawdust to help clear the oil and vehicle fluid spillage.
Car fire in Dandenong South A car caught fire after two vehicles collided at the intersection of Abbotts Road and Produce Drive in Dandenong South around 2.15 pm on Wednesday 2 February. Firefighters arrived to the Abbotts Road incident and worked to make the scene was safe, and a stop was put on the incident a short time later, according to Fire Rescue Victoria. Paramedics were called to assess two people involved in the collision but neither was seriously injured. Police said that they are investigating the situation.
Six arrests in ‘significant’ drug raid
One of the vehicles flipped as a result of the crash. 267146
The two vehicles involved in the crash. 267146
Skidmarks lead up to the scene of the crash.
Police at the scene of the burnt-out VW Golf. 267146
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Pictures: GARY SISSONS
Six occupants have been arrested by police during a drug raid on a house in Dandenong North. Croydon Divisional Tasking Unit police say they seized a â œsignificant quantityâ of drugs believed to be heroin, methylamphetamine, Xanax and cannabis from the Boronia Avenue property about 5pm on Tuesday 1 February. A large amount of cash, drug paraphernalia and drug-making equipment was also allegedly seized. The six arrested adults were interviewed at Dandenong police station. Among them was a 37-year-old Dandenong North woman who was expected to be charged on summons, a 53-year-old Dandenong North woman remanded in custody, and a 53-yearold Dandenong North man issued with a cannabis caution. A 39-year-old Rowville man was remanded to appear in court on 15 February. A 53-year-old Eumemmerring man and a 51-year-old Longwarry man were released without charge. Police say the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking.
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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NEWS
Sport central By Marcus Uhe
Mayor Jim Memeti was upbeat about his pitch to federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke. 229356
Picture: GARY SISSONS
Pleas for refugees By Cam Lucadou-Wells Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti said he sent a “clear message” to Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on the settlement of refugees from Afghanistan. Cr Memeti told a council meeting on 24 January the Minister was “very approachable” during a 30-minute Zoom talk. “I think I sent a clear message to the Minister and he was very approachable and understood exactly where we are coming from with our community. “He will be looking into it and also getting back to us at a later stage.” Cr Memeti told Star Journal the focus was on increasing Australia’s Afghanistan refugee intake from 3000 to 20,000. About 4500 Afghanistan nationals have been evacuated to Australia since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban regime in August. Many of the refugees are in Greater Dandenong. But there were still many in Greater Dandenong desperately seeking family members to join them from Afghanistan, Cr Memeti said. “I’ve got lots of Afghan people calling me up. Plenty of people have family trapped over there, and they are still waiting for family (reunification) visas. “(Mr Hawke) was pretty good about it. He was saying we’re getting a plane-load (of refugees) a month coming out of Kabul.” The Federal Government’s focus was on
“trying to get as many out as possible” rather than permanent settlement for asylum seekers in Australia. “They’re safe, we’re looking after them. Most have work rights,” Cr Memeti said of Mr Hawke’s position on asylum seekers in Greater Dandenong. “In saying that, the progress of that is continuing.” Cr Memeti spoke up the contribution of the local Afghanistan community, such as the Afghan Bazaar commercial precinct in Thomas Street, Dandenong. “They were one of the first to put their hand up and raised $200,000 for the (national) bushfire appeal (in 2020). And others were happy to volunteer their time to assist. “They are very welcoming and inclusive. They feel they owe Australia and want to contribute to Australia.” Asylum seeker advocates criticised Mr Hawke’s 21 January announcement of “at least” 15,000 for Afghanistan nationals over four years. The allocation includes 10,000 within Australia’s existing humanitarian program and at least 5000 visas in the family visa stream. “The War in Afghanistan was Australia’s longest, and a humanitarian intake of this size reflects this,” Mr Hawke said. “Our commitment to Afghan refugees will be second only in scale to our humanitarian intake from Syria and Iraq.”
The Department of Home Affairs has received more than 32,500 applications for the humanitarian program for more than 145,000 Afghanistan nationals. Mr Hawke said “priority processing” was being dedicated to the “unprecedented level of visa applications” for humanitarian and migration visas from Afghanistan. Pritority was been given to cohorts such as locally engaged employees and immediate family in Afghanistan, as well as those employed by Australian non-government organisations. Women, girls, ethnic minorities, LGBTQI+ and other identified minority groups were also prioritised. Mr Hawke said other migration pathways to Australia including the community support program may also be available. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, which had pushed for 20,000 extra places on top of the humanitarian program, stated Mr Hawke’s announcement was “completely inadequate and deceiving”. The 3750 humanitarian places a year were “almost identical to Australia’s existing intake”. “Hawke’s announcement has raised many false hopes among people from Afghanistan seeking asylum,” ASRC organiser Barat Ali Batoor said. “There is no will and no plan from the Australian government to make any tangible contribution to this humanitarian crisis.”
The recently formed South East Leisure has been announced as the latest member of the Sports Environment Alliance (SEA). Wholly owned by the City of Greater Dandenong, South East Leisure will manage Dandenong Oasis, Noble Park Aquatic Centre, Dandenong Stadium and Springers Leisure Centre from July 2022. South East Leisure chief executive, John Clark explained the company strives to support and contribute to council’s vision for the City of Greater Dandenong to be one of the most sustainable cities in Australia by 2030. “Becoming a member of Sports Environment Alliance is important to us, as it will enable South East Leisure to connect, learn, and share environmentally minded ideas, practices, and successes with like-minded companies,” Mr Clark said. “We are currently working on the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre project, which will replace Dandenong Oasis. In line with council’s sustainable buildings policy and declaration of a climate emergency, it will incorporate a broad range of sustainable measures and aim to achieve a minimum 5-Star Green Star accreditation.” The all-electric Dandenong Wellbeing Centre incorporates a number of sustainable design principles to achieve net zero emissions such LED lighting and the use of natural daylight, drought tolerant native vegetation and rooftop solar panels. Director of business engineering and major projects at City of Greater Dandenong Paul Kearsley said that sustainability encapsulates the people and culture of the City, not just the environment. “Council works in partnership with our stakeholders to implement sustainable design principles in our construction and operation of major projects and sport and recreational precincts,” Mr Kearsley said. “Severe weather events will become more frequent as global temperatures increase. Climate change can impact sport and recreational pursuits in our municipality. “CGD prioritises the health, wellbeing and safety of our patrons at our sport and recreational precincts while striving for ongoing sustainable environmental efficiencies.” In welcoming South East Leisure to the fold, SEA chief executive, Dr Sheila Nguyen added that she looks forward to working with a startup that already puts such emphasis on protecting the places where we play for generations to come. “As a collective, our members have the capacity to make a real difference to the sport and planet game and we are here to support them every step of the way.”
UFC fans smack down at Hallam Hotel Three men brawled in front of a cheering mob in the Hallam Hotel car park over a bet on an Ultimate Fighting Champion event, a court heard. A 35-year-old mechanic and father-oftwo pleaded guilty to affray after being “king hit”, despite not throwing a punch in a brawl on 7 March, he told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court. During a chat at the bar, the man and his friend made a $50 bet with another patron about the outcome of the televised UFC fight. Later, an argument ensued when they approached the patron for their winnings. It escalated to punches being thrown in the car park, with most of the bar’s patrons reportedly appearing to egg on the trio. The crowd cheered and filmed the brawl on their phones, according to police. During the two-minute conflict, the mechanic was felled by a punch. The other two continued to fight until security and staff intervened, the court was told. All three declined treatment by Ambulance Victoria officers. The mechanic suffered a cut to the chin dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
and minor scratches. He later told police he had been knocked out during the fight and had no memory of it. In court on 3 February, he said that he didn’t want to “ruin the other guy’s life” by taking the matter further. “It shouldn’t have happened. I’m trying to take appropriate steps so that it will never happen again. “It was just going to be a bet – that’s it. Unfortunately I didn’t even throw a punch. I walked out and he king hit me.” Magistrate Jacinta Studham told him despite that, he was involved in a brawl that could potentially incite fear for other members of the public. “This is an affray or a brawl every day of the week.” Ms Studham asked the man if it was a good idea to be “obviously tanked up” at the pub just three months after facing court for drink-driving and breaching an interlock condition. “I really regret it,” the accused said, claiming he only had “a few drinks”. The man had yet to complete previous court orders to attend a road trauma awareness seminar, a behaviour change course
and seek counselling for his drinking. He was being medicated for anxiety, depression and alcoholism, he told the court. Ms Studham noted the mechanic was hard-working with supports, but vague on his treatment regime. The “hard-working family man” had excellent prospects if he overcame the hurdle of alcoholism, she said. But it was an affliction that was “very hard to kick”, its treatment was no “short-term” exercise. As a sentencing indication, Ms Studham ordered the man to detail in writing his mental health plan and provide information about his specialists within three months. If he complied, he would face a fine or good behaviour bond. If not, the judge would impose treatment under a community corrections order. “You impress me as a really genuine and sincere person … a family man and (someone who) is working hard,” Ms Studham said. “You have excellent prospects of putting this all behind you.” The other two brawlers had earlier pleaded guilty at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court and were sentenced to diversion orders.
A draft illustration of the warm-water pool hall at the Dandenong Wellness Centre. 258716 Picture: SUPPLIED
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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By Cam Lucadou-Wells
STAR JOURNAL 5
NEWS
Centre set for spruce up By Cam Lucadou-Wells Noble Park Community Centre has received a $280,000 boost in the latest round of Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board funding. The centre in Memorial Drive gains a building and equipment upgrade ($184,000), a business plan for an architectural redesign ($50,000) and extra workshops and events ($46,000). The $647,526 round also funds streetscaping designs for Leonard Avenue and Buckley Street ($100,000) and a $50,000 feasibility study into a potential library lounge at Paddy O’Donoghue Centre. South-East Metropolitan MP Lee Tarlamis chairs the board, which he says brings together local and state governments, services providers, businesses and community groups to deliver “tailored local projects”. “This comprehensive package of investments means every corner of our community will benefit from new opportunities to come together and build connections.” The latest round of projects also includes: Noble Park Big Day Out ($26,150) including live music, silent disco, outdoor movie session and multicultural experiences as part of the 2022 Youth Fest. A 12-month community-based tutoring and study support program Noble Park Students Connect, run with South East Community Links ($21,850). To help for future planning, five pedestrian counter devices providing real-time movement data in key locations in Noble Park’s heart ($20,000). A Noble Park Retailer’s Hub for business support and advocacy ($10,000). The State Government contributed $508,000 towards the funding round, with the rest from co-partners. Under the state’s Noble Park Suburban
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Mayor Jim Memeti, Roz Blades, Therese Kennedy and state MP Lee Tarlamis. Revitalisation Board, almost $4.5 million has flowed into the suburb. It contributed to the all-abilities playground in Ross Reserve, open space in Frank Street and the Noble Park Youth Engagement Project. In November 2021, the board announced $360,000 for 10 community-building projects, including a community garden, pop up sports and activities, a youth festival and a pedestrian trail with interpretative signage. The government set up suburban revitalisation boards in eight Melbourne suburbs. Their stated aim is to boost social and economic outcomes as part of the Covid recovery.
Mayor Jim Memeti, councillor Sophie Tan and state MP Lee Tarlamis at Paddy O’Donoghue Centre.
Mayor Jim Memeti, councillor Sophie Tan and state MP Lee Tarlamis at the Noble Park Community Centre garden.
Drug driver done for speed Thief fails to cover tracks By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Berwick man was caught driving on the drug ice three times in a “rough” year, including while speeding at 126 km/h on the Monash Freeway, the court has heard. Steven Paul Parker, 39, who is now working in mines in Queensland, represented himself at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 25 January. He pleaded guilty to three counts of drug driving, speeding, and several counts of driving while suspended or unlicensed. Parker indicated he was contesting an accusation he stole a $40,000 Nissan XTrail hire vehicle in October 2020. He was detected at 126 km/h by a police vehicle on a 100 km/h stretch of the Monash between Stud and Gladstone roads, Dandenong in June 2019. After his Holden sedan was pulled over on Wellington Road, Parker tested positive for methamphetamine. He told police that he’d used about “two lines” of the drug three nights earlier. “Honestly I thought it would have been out of my system by now.” He was also caught driving on ice and with
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an expired licence after turning across two solid white lines to enter a service station on Punt Road, Richmond in October 2019. He had used the drug the night before and did not expect it would still be “detectable”, he said at the time. Parker was caught a third time drug driving – and while suspended - on Monash Freeway, Doveton on 22 June 2020. Again he told police, he was unaware the drug would still be in his system. He was also caught driving suspended after police found him with his vehicle run out of petrol on Overland Drive, Narre Warren. His blue Holden - which was impounded by police – has since been sold. “Obviously 2019 was a pretty difficult and rough year for me,” Parker told the court via video link. At a “controlled environment” at the mines, he was being drug tested daily and kept “clean”. “Me and drugs are no more.” Parker had a prior drink driving charge from within the last 10 years. Magistrate Costa Kilias disqualifed Parker from driving for the minimum 12-month disqualification period.
Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
By Cam Lucadou-Wells A serial burglar has pleaded guilty to raiding construction sites across the south east in a hire car, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court has heard. Kevin Campbell, 34, and his accomplices hired a Toyota Camry that was monitored by a tracking device during the burglaries in late August 2021. They reportedly stole two dishwashers, two ovens, a key safe, and about $5000 of tools and hardware during five break-ins in three days in Keysborough, Patterson Lakes and Seaford. Campbell also pleaded guilty to evading and recklessly putting police in danger of serious injury after his hire car was pulled over by police at a “known address of criminal activity” in Carrum Downs early on 23 August. He reportedly sped forward at the police car, forcing its driver to accelerate heavily and veer left to avoid a crash. Campbell’s car was recorded fleeing at speeds of more than 100 km/h along Gamble Road. He was disqualified from driving and on a community corrections order (CCO) at the time. The next day, police arrested Campbell and his co-accused in his Doveton motel room. Police seized the Camry hire car as well as hardware stolen from the Keysborough building site. They included 36 boxes of door strikers, an emergency LED light, two boxes of sliding door lock parts, an LED work light, a wall light, a Lenovo tablet and other door hardware. The Camry also contained a large amount of stolen tools. Campbell also pleaded guilty to being caught driving six times despite being disqualified for 30 months at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in late 2020. He was also charged with breaching an intervention order by following and flash-
ing lights at a victim in her friend’s car. At a 25 January hearing, defence lawyer Lauren Kelly submitted for a CCO on top of 154 days served in pre-sentence remand. Campbell was in a better position to complete a CCO than in the past, Ms Kelly said. He had the offer of a full-time job, and remained drug free while in custody. “It’s the longest period for some time that he has been drug free,” Ms Kelly said. Magistrate Greg Connellan responded: “I’m not as confident as you are.” Mr Connellan noted Campbell’s underlying issues, including childhood trauma. “At the moment his personal relationship breaks down he tends to tail spin back into offending behaviour and back into the criminal justice system and back into prison. “I worry he might struggle to successfully engage with a community corrections order.” A police prosecutor urged a lengthy jail term given Campbell’s “length and volume of offending” as well as priors. Campbell told the court via a video link from Port Phillip Prison that his remand period had been his longest time in jail. “It’s been tough. I’m done.” Mr Connellan ordered an assessment for a CCO but said he “won’t make any guarantees that it will be a (CCO) that commences after 154 days (served in jail)”. Campbell was remanded for sentencing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 7 February. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
School stalwart signs off By Marcus Uhe Things are going to look a little different at Thomas Mitchell Primary School in Endeavour Hills this year. Every morning, when the students arrive for another day of learning, they are welcomed at the front gate with the familiar face and friendly smile of their principal, John Hurley, ensuring they start their day with a smile of their own. But after 30 years in the hot seat, Mr Hurley, the founding and only principal in the school’s history, has decided to draw the curtain on his long and decorated teaching career this week. It was a recent dose of reality that prompted his decision to call time. “Two kids that I taught happened to get married and I’m still in contact with them,” Mr Hurley said. “They said ‘we’ve got some news, we’re retiring.’” “I thought, ‘this is madness. I taught them in primary school and they’re retiring, but I’m still working.’” Mr Hurley launched Thomas Mitchell in 1991 following his time at Cranbourne Primary School, with 179 students enrolled on day one to begin their educational journey under his leadership. A photo of all the staff and students from the inaugural day still hands in his office, giving him a chance to reflect on just how far the school has come. Come 2022 and the school sits at just under 800 pupils from a wide melting pot of backgrounds, encapsulating the incredibly diverse community in which the campus resides, and filling Mr Hurley with immense pride. “I’m a big fan of multiculturalism,” Mr Hurley said. “We’ve got families from more than 70 nationalities in the school.” “I like going and seeing other cultures and seeing the way they do things. I think we can
Thomas Mitchell Primary School founding Principal John Hurley is retiring this week. 266281 Picture: MARCUS UHE all learn from each other.” Mr Hurley’s teaching career begun as a 19-year-old in 10 Mile Creek in Gippsland’s Strzelecki Ranges, thrown into the deep end with 28 kids under his watch ranging from prep to grade six in an “unbelievable” situation. He fondly recalls some of his regular duties falling outside the standard curriculum, and not something he came across at teacher’s college. “First thing I used to do in the morning was, because it was cold in there, I would go and cut wood for the fire to keep the classroom warm,” Mr Hurley said. “Every now and then the kids would come rushing in and say ‘there’s a snake down there, someone needs to go kill the snake.’ “I got an extra seven shillings and sixpence a fortnight to dig a hole and empty the toilet. It was pretty remote.” Classrooms in the 1960s looked nothing like what they do in 2022 now, too; chalkboards were still the device of choice and the isolated nature of that campus meant there was a lack of electricity or phone line available, and everything required being written by hand.
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Mr Hurley’s inspiration to teach began with his love for school as a student and his own thirst for learning. He combined his love of travel and exploring with developing young people by working in the UK, and also had a stint at the former Turana Youth Training Centre, helping the most vulnerable young people who needed assistance the most. As a teacher and a principal, he strived to ensure that learning was an experience for kids and something to be enjoyed, rather than a means to an end, or a chore. For the kids, this meant a wealth of handson activities, tours, camps, excursions and guest speakers. Working closely with his students allowed him to pick up bits and pieces from the children through enlightening, day-to-day interactions, and crucially fostered a strong rapport, breaking down the perceived barrier between pupil and authority figure, something he came to dearly miss when his classroom teaching days came to a close. “I said to a class that I was teaching on one occasion, ‘look at those crows out there mak-
ing all that noise,’ - there were birds outside the classroom window. A little kid came up to me at recess and said ‘Excuse me Mr Hurley, those birds aren’t crows, they’re ravens.’ I said, ‘How do you know that?’, and he said ‘My dad is the government ornithologist.’” “You learn so much from kids.” When asked by his current students about the legacy that he will leave behind, the most common trait raised was his kindness. Filling-in for Santa in the lead-up to Christmas and spreading sweet treats on their final school day of the year is also something that will be sorely missed. Since making his announcement late last year, Mr Hurley said that he has been flattered by the messages of gratitude and congratulations that he has received. When The Journal visited the school to speak to Mr Hurley and take photos on location, a former student who was driving through the area spontaneously pulled-over to shake his hand and congratulate him on his career, before getting back in his vehicle and continuing his journey. It was as fitting a tribute and a perfect reflection on his legacy. Despite his official teaching days coming to an end, he won’t be completely shutting the door on his education journey, keen to volunteer at a local English language school interspersed with a return to international travel, reading and following his beloved Collingwood Football Club. As he prepares to sign-off on his last day on Friday 11 February, he had a gracious message for the community that he played an integral role in establishing. “I’d like to say big thank you to the Thomas Mitchell community for making me feel welcome.” The Journal would like to wish Mr Hurley all the best his retirement.
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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STAR JOURNAL 7
LOOKING BACK
Compiled by Dandenong and District Historical Society
100 years ago
20 years ago
2 February 1922 A hotel wanted at Chelsea The question whether Chelsea should have an hotel of its own has aroused strong feeling locally and it will be a great interest to supporters of both sides in the contest to hear the official view. From official sources it has been ascertained that Chelsea is included in the Dandenong licensing district, in which there are at present seven hotels and two Australian wine licences. Four of the hotels are in Dandenong, two at Cranbourne, and one in the east side of the creek at Mordialloc. This licensing district carried “reduction” and a sitting of the licensing court for the purpose of giving effect to the vote will shortly be held. The jurisdiction of the court is to close one hotel. Where “reduction” has been carried in a licensing district, the Act sets out the number of licences can be reduced to threequarters of the existing number. Under the existing law there is therefore no possibility of Chelsea getting a licence unless one of the existing licences in the district voluntarily disappears.
4 February 2002 Horsing around President of Springvale Asian Business Association Stan Chang and Dandenong Mayor Youhorn Chea prepare to celebrate the year of the Horse at this Sunday’s 10th annual Springvale Lunar New Year Festival starting at 10.45am. More than 70,000 people attended last year’s festival that featured the traditional dancing lion and dragon with exotic Asian foods.
50 years ago 1 February 1972 Police move stirs row Noble Park police station is to disappear un-
5 years ago
Dragon dance presented by the Springvale Chinese Community during the Lunar New Year Festival in Springvale in 2017. Picture: CONTRIBUTED
der plans involving extensive reshuffling of police personnel. Two leaders in the fight to save the station, however, have decided not to accept the decision. Mr Alan Lind MLA for Dandenong and Springvale Councillor Fred Wachter have said
they will not let the matter rest. Under secretary, Mr J V Dillon, had given approval to the project. He said it would come into effect on Monday 21 February. The five men at Noble Park will move to Springvale, which will be developed as a 24hour station.
6 February 2017 Crowd crows for luna festivities Dandenong Market saw in the Lunar New Year with a bang this year as the whole community came out to bring in the Year of the Rooster. The market was alive with dance, music, food, and people from 10am Sunday 29 January as the celebrations went underway. There was even a special live cooking demonstration with chef, presenter, and specialist food consultant Tim Hollands. About 24,000 people came to the market for the celebrations and Dandenong Market manager Briony Walker said it couldn’t have been a better day. “It was really wonderful and its important for us to celebrate these events because we are the home of cultural celebrations,” she said. “We are thankful for the performers, food traders and everyone that came along.”
NEWS
A pathway for art lovers A trail of local artists’ works is winding its way between venues across Greater Dandenong. The Art Trail of up to 15 works spans Noble Community Centre, Club Noble, Noble Park RSL, Springvale Neighbourhood House and Dandenong North Neighbourhood House. Works are also set to be unveiled at Harmony Square and Sandown Greyhound Racing Club. Noble Park Community Centre manager Therese Kennedy said the trail is “by the community for the community”. The featured artists are Sue Jarvis, Anthony Galea, Sophia Leap, Toshi Handa, Heather Duggan, Nhan Ta, Yiwen Zhu and John de Blauw. The trail will be on display in the lead-up to the Noble Park Community Art Show on 5-6 March. The annual art show had been postponed from its traditional late-year timing due to Covid.
L-R Rowena Garrett and Therese Kennedy. The artwork is called Behind Blue Eyes. 265710 It is currently open for entries - 2D artworks in any medium including oils, acrylics, watercolours, gouache and aerosol. Artists of all ages welcome. Entries close 24 February. For details, go to npccartshow.com/enter/ More information on the Art Trail is at npccartshow.com/art-trail
Rowena Garrett and Therese Kennedy with Art Trail works Braided Hair by artist Sophia Leap and Picture: GARY SISSONS Behind Blue Eyes by artist Anthony Gallea. 265710
Bright days for Sonny after brush with Aus Open aces By Cam Lucadou-Wells Dandenong Tennis Club’s Sonny Rennison lived the dream at the Australian Open. Not only did he toss the coin at Dylan Alcott’s final match on Rod Laver Arena, he shared a knuckle punch, a photo and later a hit with the legend on court. Sonny, 9, was selected to flip an ANZ commemorative coin ahead of the quad wheelchair final on 27 January. “I was about to do the coin toss, Dylan said ‘before you do it I just want to give Sonny a cuddle’. “The crowd was very big and really loud. “It was really cool.” He traded a friendly knuckle-punch with both Alcott and finalist Sam Schroder, posed for a photo and travelled through the Hallway of Champions featuring the names of past Australian Open winners. Meanwhile his nanny in England got up in the early hours to watch the ceremony and sent Sonny a video. The next day, Sonny was one of four juniors selected for a clinic with Alcott – who had just been crowned Australian of the Year. 8 STAR JOURNAL
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
Sonny Rennison at the Round 1 match between Andrey Rublev and Gianluca Mager. “We were invited to come and play with Dylan for some practising, which was amazing. “Just to play with Dylan is a dream come true.”
To cap off the tournament, Sonny also had a hit with Alcott’s doubles partner Heath Davidson and the US’s David Wagner on Margaret Court Arena. A wheelchair tennis player since 5, Sonny
has quickly picked up the sport and got to know it with the outgoing Alcott through training at Melbourne Park. “I’m pretty good friends (with him). He’s a great man, a great role model. “He’s just helped so many people to get back on the court and try their best, whether in a wheelchair or not in a wheelchair. “I definitely think he deserves Australian of the Year.” During the past fortnight, Sonny has flipped coins ahead of several Australian Open matches, including the round one men’s match between high-ranking Andrey Rublev and Gianluca Mager. He also tossed the coin for a men’s wheelchair tennis round one match between eventual champion Shingo Kunieda and Joachim Gerard at Margaret Court Arena. “It’s been a real honour to have the responsibility to do all of these things. “Hopefully I play on Rod Laver Arena or Margaret Court Arena with my tennis.” The commemorative coin featured Australian tennis legend Margaret Molesworth who won the inaugural Australasian Championships 100 years ago in 1922. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Refugees in the spotlight By Danielle Kutchel With lived experience as a refugee, Barat Ali Batoor is well-placed to observe the hardships faced by the many refugees and asylum seekers that call Melbourne’s south-east their home. Australia’s border policy was recently thrust into the international limelight thanks to the Novak Djokovic visa saga – but while the tennis star is now back home, the refugees he briefly shared a hotel with remain behind thick glass and locked doors. Batoor, who now works as an organiser for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, hopes the focus on their plight will continue and lead to more positive outcomes – and an end to such detention for refugees and asylum seekers. He said the media and politicians had been complicit in the dehumanisation of refugees over the years by deflecting attention from their experience. “They are not Novak Djokovic. They don’t have that profile, but humans suffering don’t need to have a big profile to get attention,” he said. He added the common political narrative of refugees as a threatening presence was utterly false. Across Australia, refugees are some of the nation’s best sports stars, or are working in law, or education, he said. But he added that a human’s worth should not be assessed economically. “That phenomenon of being a burden is a false narration by the government and some media outlets. “I have never been a burden; I have been working since the day I arrived.” As the country teeters on the brink of an election campaign, Batoor said he hoped people would recognise the power in their vote. He is advocating for an increase in the humanitarian visas being offered to those fleeing Afghanistan, fleeing daily torture and persecution. He wants to see those refugees already in Australia, languishing on temporary protection visas, granted permanent residency. And he wants the ban on resettlement from Indonesia to finally be lifted. “This is going to be a crucial election for over 30,000 people who are living uncertain lives,” Batoor said. “We have witnessed many refugees who took their own lives because of the uncertainty and the unfair treatment by the government and the harsh policies. “Your votes will matter and you have to choose candidates who are compassionate. Your votes will help save a lot of lives.” Born in Pakistan as a refugee, Batoor moved to Afghanistan in 2005 where he worked as a
AMES asylum-seeker assistance team leader Lesley Eksteen and community guide Barat Ali Batoor. 124893
Barat Ali Batoor. 125650 photo journalist for many major publications. One of his highest profile pieces was a photo essay exposing the prostitution of dancing boys by Afghan warlords, published in the Washington Post. But the piece was not well-received by authorities within Afghanistan, and Batoor soon began receiving death threats. He and his family shifted back to Pakistan, but things there weren’t much better; as Hazaras, they were targeted for persecution by state-backed militants in the street. That was when Batoor’s family told him to leave and seek asylum elsewhere. He left behind his disabled mother and his sisters, who he said would have been too vulnerable to make the difficult journey under the guidance of people smugglers. The journey to Australia was terrifying. At one point, Batoor said he and his fellow refugees – close to 100 people, crammed into a boat floating on the open ocean – thought they had reached “the end of life’s journey” when their boat began leaking. He survived and made it to a detention centre in Indonesia – from which he promptly escaped the follow morning.
Pictures: CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS He was among a group of eight men who removed the glass panes in the window that separated them from the outside world, slipping into the dead of night as the guards passed on their rounds. The refugees had no shoes, as these had been taken during a strip search when they were captured. The tall wall surrounding the camp was topped with shards of glass, so they wrapped their arms in bed sheets and used pillows to soften the climb, before leaping to freedom on the other side. From there, Batoor called a media friend and asked him to cover the taxi fare to take the group to Jakarta. True to his photojournalism roots, Batoor documented the whole journey, which was eventually turned into a SBS Dateline documentary called Batoor’s Journey. The photos also won him several prestigious awards, including two Walkleys. He said he experienced a profound sense of relief when he arrived in Australia in 2013. “I knew that this is going to be my home, my permanent home. I would be safe and not discriminated against and I wouldn’t have any
safety issues,” he recalled. But it was tempered by sadness for the family still left behind in Pakistan, and his fellow refugees in limbo in Indonesia. He still hopes to be able to sponsor his mother and sisters to come to Australia. “It’s still very difficult, we have been apart now for almost 10 years. They are there and I am here. “What can we do?” Batoor said. “My mother was worried about my safety, she didn’t want me to get killed in front of her eyes. They said I had to go.” Refugees are often demonised by politicians and the press with the only help available to them in the form of people smugglers. Batoor said this was his only option for leaving Pakistan. “It is very difficult to get a visa for the neighbouring countries let alone to go somewhere safer, like countries that are signatories to the (United Nations) refugee convention. When they have genuine threats or reasons to leave their homes, it is almost impossible to get to those countries through proper channels. “When the threats came, I didn’t have an option to go and apply for a visa. I had a passport. Even if I had gone through official processes, I wouldn’t have got a visa to come to Australia.” Then of course, there is Australia’s unforgiving refugee policy, which bans resettlement of refugees from Indonesia. The policy has led to a spate of self-harm and suicide among refugees stuck in limbo, he said. “They said ‘we are stopping the boats and the smuggling business because people’s lives are at risk at sea’. But what Scott Morrison failed to do was propose an alternative for refugees who are there with hope of resettlement,” Batoor explained. “The right of a refugee is to seek safety.”
SECL rises to Covid challenge, helping hard to reach By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Springvale-based agency that stepped up to support hard to reach communities during the Covid pandemic was named City of Greater Dandenong’s Community Group of the Year. South East Community Links (SECL), which recently marked its 50th year of helping new arrivals and those in need, received its award in a ceremony at Springvale Town Hall on Australia Day. It provides a suite of services including financial counselling and emergency relief. As well as settlement services, housing, youth services, no-interest loans, partnering with CALD community groups and support for families subject to family violence. Chief executive Peter McNamara said the award celebrated SECL’s innovation and its ability to engage “hard to reach populations” and “promoting harmony across cultures”. “It recognises the outstanding work of our team, volunteers and board with support from our partners, in continuing to keep our doors open for essential services for our community members who need it most dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
while adapting to the ongoing impacts of the evolving pandemic. “It’s been an honour to work alongside this group of dedicated people with a phenomenal commitment to having a positive impact in our local community.” Until recently, SECL was known as Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau (SCAAB). At its annual general meeting in November, it reported ongoing financial strain across the south-east after the end of Covid supports such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker supplements. The most impacted are asylum seekers and international students, who weren’t eligible for government support after their jobs stopped during Covid. There was a monumental 152 per cent rise in youth homelessness cases. About 16 per cent of SECL clients were homeless or at-risk. Many clients sought help from SECL’s financial counsellors for months of arrears on rents, home loans and utility bills. A staggering $5.8 million of debts to predatory lenders were resolved by SECL in 202021.
Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti and SECL chief executive Peter McNamara at the awards ceremony. 265589 Picture: GARY SISSONS Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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STAR JOURNAL 9
NEWS
Clyde Secondary Principal Konnie Prades, James Merlino MP, Pauline Richards MP, Jordan Crugnale MP, and the Student Leadership Team. 267354
Clyde Secondary Principal Konnie Prades, Jordan Crugnale MP, James Merlino MP, Pauline Richards MP and the Student Leadership Team. 267354
Clyde’s schooling boom Students in Clyde have kicked off the school year in two brand-new schools after Minister for Education James Merlino officially opened the new Clyde Creek Primary School and Clyde Secondary College on Tuesday 1 February. The new schools will provide places for up to 550 primary students and 1300 secondary students including 100 dedicated places at the secondary college for students with disability. Mr Merlino said that the opening of the new schools was a great development for the south-east. “We’re delivering on our promise to keep pace with our growing city and state, and it’s so exciting to see two new schools opening to make sure families in Clyde have access to a fantastic education throughout their school years,” he said. Clyde Secondary College, led by founding principal Konnie Prades, features world-class, modern classrooms, a performing arts building and a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) building alongside a dedicated Physical Education building, featuring an indoor multi-sport court. The new school also includes two outdoor hardcourts, a bike shelter and outdoor play and learning areas. As a supported inclusion school, it features wider corridors for wheelchairs, enhanced accessible toilets fitted with hoists, covered walkways and kitchen facilities that cater for students with dietary or medication requirements. The Clyde Creek Primary School campus includes two modern ’learning neighbourhoods’, alongside a third administration and learning building.
Led by founding principal Jodie Bray, the new school site also includes a multi-use Performing Arts and Physical Education building, featuring an indoor multi-sport court, two outdoor hard courts, a sports field and playgrounds. Member for Bass Jordan Crugnale made sure to recognise the work of both Ms Prades and Ms Bray for their contributions to establishing the schools. “Thank you to Principals Konnie Prades and Jodie Bray and their respective teams who have done an extraordinary job bringing together and nurturing a whole new school community in these times. “Our Clyde and surrounding communities are growing and families deserve to have the best educational opportunities and learning environments close to home,” Ms Crugnale said. “These two new schools compliment the wonderful existing schools in the area, with more to come.” As part of the government’s promise to build a kindergarten on or next to every new Victorian primary school, the Eliston Family and Community Centre is located next door to Clyde Creek Primary, saving families time and helping them ditch the dreaded double dropoff each day. The schools are two of 14 new schools the Labor Government has opened in 2022 as part of its work to deliver 100 new schools by 2026. In the past seven years, the government has invested more than $10.9 billion in building new schools and more than 1,700 school upgrades, creating around 13,500 jobs in construction and associated industries.
Clyde Creek Primary School Students Xander, Penelope, Indiana. 267354
Pictures: SUPPLIED
L – R Christian, Clyde Creek Principal Jodie Bray, Krishna, Jordan Crugnale MP, Pratha, James Merlino MP, Pauline Richards MP, Dev, Ingrid Stitt MP, Olivia, Mason. 267354
Education Minister James Merlino at the opening of Clyde Creek Primary School. 267354 10 STAR JOURNAL
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
L- R Christian, Dev, Olivia, Ingrid Stitt MP, Jordan Crugnale MP, James Merlino MP, Pauline Richards MP, Krishna, Mason, Pratha. 267354 dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
A loyal leader farewelled By Cam Lucadou-Wells Former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon will be remembered as a people’s councillor, loyal mother, sister and daughter, and an unflagging community servant. At her funeral service on 2 February, family, friends, former councillor colleagues and faith leaders spoke of a tireless person who always put others first, one who was admired for her voice and work for a wide range of groups and causes, especially for disability and carer issues. Pete – her adult son who has multiple disabilities – led the tributes with a montage of photos to the tune You’ve Got A Friend In Me. To the relief of many, Pete has secured NDIS funding support, thanks to the efforts of Blairlogie chief executive Carolyn Carr in recent days, the service was told. Ms Stapledon’s brother Michael Lord said, as a child, she was a “cheeky little cherub” with “a thick mop of snowy white hair” and a huge smile. From early on at Kallista State School, she gravitated to and focused on less fortunate classmates. It was an innate part of her that stayed with her through life. She’d never complain, strove for excellence and led by example. She shone brightest as a parent where she believed she could effect change against all odds, Mr Lord said. Mr Lord thanked friends and colleagues for their kindness and support in recent days. Former Casey councillors and friends Wayne Smith and Damien Rosario, friends Kerril Burns, Colin Butler and Jan Gilchrist also paid glowing tribute at the Berwick Church of Christ service. Mr Smith described her immaculate presentation. Her entrance into the room was characterised by her brisk walk, her adjusting of her jacket and her scarf for every occasion. Many at the service would have been interviewed by Ms Stapledon on her show on Casey Radio. She made many friends, left a lasting legacy and was a respected colleague. Mr Rosario listed her record in service of the community, including her co-founding of Casey Kidz Club – an after-school care program for disabled teenagers. Other achievements were two 75-kilometre Mayor’s Walks for Disability, her Paul Harris
Pall bearers at Amanda Stapledon’s funeral service at Berwick Church of Christ on 2 February. 266587
Photos of Amanda Stapledon in her mayoral robes and with son Pete. 266587 Pictures: GARY SISSONS Fellowship bestowed by Rotary Club of Berwick and Star News’s Person of the Year 2013. “No matter the appointment, she was always active and committed to doing justice to her council and community responsibilities. “She was no stranger for hard work.” People gravitated to Ms Stapledon because of her character and integrity. “You can’t fake that.” Ms Burns said she didn’t know of a person so loyal to friends and such a loving daughter and mother. “Goodbye my friend. Rest in peace and in the knowledge we’ll look after your Dad and Pete.” Mr Butler told the gathering that “you are her life” and that she would have helped and influenced many of them. The “most selfless woman I ever met” made her council decisions out of what she believed was best to the community.
Mr Butler said he warned her that, as a councillor, she had to be careful of people taking advantage of her trusting nature. “I think we got the answer to that.” The 58-year-old former councillor – who had been rocked by an IBAC inquiry into Casey councillors – was found dead in a car in Stringybark Drive about 12.30pm on Tuesday 18 January. Her death was being treated by police as not suspicious. Friend and former vicar David Powys told mourners of Ms Stapledon’s “profound Christian faith”. There were many questions that could be asked today – such as why and what should be expected from those who conduct corruption inquiries, Mr Powys said. “How should we respond to the decisions taken by Amanda leading up to 18 January? “I expect we’d say your decision was probably ill-advised but I think I would say, and possi-
Amanda leaving the Church. 266587 bly you would say, that it was understandable.” Mr Powys said he wasn’t rushing to judgement on the circumstances of Ms Stapledon’s death. “No one should judge her decision until they have stood in her shoes. And who would want that, given the developments over recent years?” He urged others to follow Ms Stapledon’s example in longing to make the world a “better place”. Merinda Park Learning Centre chief executive Anne Gilchrist, in tribute to her friend, said: “Amanda, you will never know how many people supported you and had your back. “Our friendship was special and nothing will change that. “I just wish I could say that one more time.” For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
Alice sets giving example Tributes flow for late mayor By Cam Lucadou-Wells
By Cam Lucadou-Wells Volunteering has always been “a hobby of mine”, says Greater Dandenong’s freshlyawarded Young Leader of the Year. Alice Ho, in between her university studies, several jobs and piano tuition, pitches in for numerous groups and causes. “You can always spend time to give back to the community and doing things you enjoy – otherwise it’s not an interesting way to live,” she says. “Going to work and hanging out with friends is important but what’s most important is doing things to make the world a better place.” Among her efforts, Ms Ho gives her time and ideas to innovative programs at City of Greater Dandenong’s Youth Services. As well she’s delivered goods to households in need during Covid and plays piano at St Anthony’s church services in Noble Park every Sunday. A highlight for her was helping stage a council forum for young people who were newly arrived in the country. “It was to help with their well-being and encourage refugees to be more involved in their new country. “I really enjoyed working with my other group mates. It’s good to reflect and think back on what we achieved.” Ms Ho is part of the Youth Services drug and alcohol group and its Change Makers program - a platform for young people to tackle racism and discrimination. She also volunteers with the council’s dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
L-R Jim Memeti and Alice Ho. 265589 Picture: GARY SISSONS Young Leaders program, with a focus on employment and health issues. And for the future? The former Mac.Robertson Girl’s High School student is studying health care at Monash University and working part-time at a pharmacy, with a view of working as a hospital administrator. For now, she talks up the joy of giving back to the community during her busy schedule. “I find it gives me intangible rewards … it’s really fun to be involved.”
Greater Dandenong councillors have paid tribute to former City of Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon. Ms Stapledon, 58, was a “formidable person” and “fierce advocate for her community”, fellow Liberal Cr Tim Dark told a Greater Dandenong council meeting on 24 January. “She had contributed a significant amount of time, often at the bequest and expense of her own life to help Council facilities wherever she could.” Cr Dark said she was “well regarded” by a range of sports clubs and community groups, sat on several community advisory boards and always helpful to him with advice on regional issues. Her advocacy for upgrading Thompsons Road, Monash Freeway and other links had benefited Greater Dandenong. Ms Stapledon – who had been rocked by an IBAC inquiry into Casey councillors – was found dead in a car in Stringybark Drive about 12.30pm on Tuesday 18 January. Her death was being treated by police as not suspicious. “Unfortunately, the impact that an IBAC investigation has upon one person and the pressures it brings amongst other things, which no doubt over time will come out, has put a significant amount of pressure and has put her in a position which I am sure nobody else would rather be in,” Cr Dark said. “It is a very great tragedy.” Mayor Jim Memeti voiced his condolences to Ms Stapledon’s family. “A tragic loss to the community,” he said. “I have known former Cr Stapledon for
Tributes have flowed for former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon. Picture: GARY SISSONS about a decade. She was always very approachable, very kind and a strong advocate for disability groups. “She had a great passion for the community and will be sorely missed.” Councillors and former mayors Angela Long and Sean O’Reilly also paid tribute. Cr Long, while both she and Ms Stapledon were mayors in 2012, had regular lunch dates with five other female mayors. “My deepest condolences to her family.” Cr O’Reilly, in expressing his “sorrow”, said Ms Stapledon was a “very friendly, helpful and collegiate councillor”. Ms Stapledon’s funeral service was held at Berwick Church of Christ on 2 February.
Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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STAR JOURNAL 11
WHAT’S ON
Hallam Red Cross
Dinner with a View
The first meeting of Hallam Red Cross for 2022 is set for 15 February. To attend, all persons must by double-vaccinated, wear masks and check in by QR code. Tuesday 15 February, 1pm at Hallam Community Learning Centre, 56 Keys Road Hallam. Details: Robert Read, 0455 566 570.
Federal MP Julian Hill will be guest speaker at the next dinner meeting of Dandenong Evening VIEW Club. The club supports the SMITH FAMILY’s Learning for Life program. New Members and guests are very welcome. Bookings essential.
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Tuesday 1 March, 7pm at Dandenong RSL, 44-50 Clow Street Dandenong. Details: Brigitte, 9795 1222.
Outdoor cinema Springvale Community Hub hosts the return of Council’s free Open Air Movies program from 12 February. There will be some seating available at the Hub, however patrons are encouraged to
bring a rug or fold up chair and picnic to enjoy. Under Covid safe guidelines, shared surfaces will be deep cleaned thoroughly and hand sanitiser will be available. The first screenings are Up on Saturday 12 February, 4pm; Fantastic Mr Fox, Friday 18 February, 7pm and Big, Friday 25 February, 7pm.
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NEWS
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Selba Luka, centre, receives her award from Mayor Angela Long and Deputy Mayor Sophie Tan.
By Cam Lucadou-Wells Twanny Farrugia has made it his mission to
By Danielle Kutchel A tireless champion for African and CALD communities has been named Greater Dandenong’s Citizen of the Year. Selba Luka, founder of Afri-Aus Care, received the award at an invite-only event at Springvale City Hall on Tuesday 26 January. She admitted the award was a total shock, but a welcome one, and dedicated it to the community, staff, volunteers, supporters and
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sponsors of Afri-Aus Care. Born in Malawi, Ms Luka often says her heart is in South Sudan as she works closely with the south-eastern South Sudanese community. Afri-Aus Care was born of her experiences when she arrived in Australia, where she experienced difficulties and hardship in her first years in the country. The not-for-profit provides mental health
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Selba (front) and volunteer Veronica in the Afri Aus-Care veggie garden. The organisation provides cooking classes for vulnerable members of the community. 213664
Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
support, outreach and skills development for members of the African and CALD communities. It works closely with youth offenders, providing them with a pathway out of these behaviours and into a more positive contribution to society. During the pandemic for example, ex-offenders helped create food hampers and deliver these to the most vulnerable in society. Afri-Aus Care also works with “the mamas“,
African women who are new to Australia and need assistance to find employment and learn English. Many of these women are survivors of domestic abuse, and Afri-Aus Care provides mental health support too as they build a new life. Speaking at the Australia Day ceremony, Ms Luka said she was honoured to have received such a prestigious award. “May we continue to be united. Dandenong is a great city to be,“ she said.
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Langwarrin’s Cruden Farm will welcome the Australian Contemporary Opera Company on Sunday 20 February for an Australian premiere of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. The production was first commissioned by London’s Opera Holland Park and was performed for five years to sell-out crowds in London. The show features many characters from the popular fantasy although, ACOCo’s Artistic Director Linda Thompson said the story line has been brought into modern times. “It starts off in a modern day setting and then falls into the familiar story where all the characters from the book appear,” Ms Thompson said. “It’s just slightly modernised in the sense that a few little surprises are in there, which really appeal to a modern audience. “As soon as you walk through the gates, you’re in another world. I think that people like to explore and it’s a really important part of the experience to be able to wander around and take some time to relax.” The characters of Alice, the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit also help to connect an audience who may be first time attendees to an opera performance. Audience members will enjoy watching a talented cast with performers coming from across the world. Alice is played by doctoral student, Melissa Davis, who is now living in Victoria but was born in the US and other characters are also played
by very established international singers. “Christopher Tonkin has been singing in Germany and is now back here and he’s the white rabbit. Heather Fletcher who sings the Mad Hatter is also another American living in Victoria,” Ms Thompson said. “Many of the other younger singers have either studied or performed nationally and internationally as well. So it’s a really a dynamic and very well-travelled cast.” Adults and children alike will enjoy the contemporary opera, as it’s written in English and appeals to a broad range of audiences - stepping away from a formal opera into a relaxed picnic environment. The production was written to be performed outdoors and attendees are invited to bring picnic chairs, rugs or cushions to sit on. Ms Thompson said the production is “absolutely perfect” for these times. “We needed to find something that would encourage people to come and feel safe and feel good, and also to be amazed by what contemporary opera can be.” The gardens of Cruden Farm will be open for ticket holders to enjoy before the 2pm show, and after the 5pm performance. The property consists of manicured gardens and peaceful walking areas, including the Picking Garden and the Walled Garden, all set amongst bushland and lakes. Tickets are available at events.humanitix.com/alices-adventures-in-wonderland -cruden-farm?_ga=2.80976209.715777339. 1643846130-257871828.1643846130 dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Potting a green future
Bigelow’s big gong By Marcus Uhe Anthony Bigelow has won the first Knox City Council Sustainability Award for his service and commitment to the Dandenong Creek. Bigelow is a long-term committee member for The First Friends of Dandenong Creek (FFDC) and currently serves as president of the group. The Dandenong Creek flows through Dandenong North’s Tirhatuan Park, Endeavour Hills and Doveton on its route between the foot of Mount Dandenong at Olinda to the Patterson River and into Port Phillip Bay. In 2021 FFDC highlighted the plight of the creek’s short-finned eel population, lobbying for grants to fund researches from Bio2Lab to monitor the water quality of the creek after the fish and eel population took a substantial hit in 2017 due to a pollution event that contaminated the water. FFDC also put together a short video on the eels’ importance to Indigenous culture and the region. Mr Bigelow said the recognition was a great reward for a long period of advocacy. “We’ve been trying to highlight the plight of the eels and pollution for years,” Mr Bigelow said. “It’s incredibly humbling that the group has been recognised for this. “We’re very fortunate that we have such a lot of very passionate and clever people that
want to try and improve the area.” The creek plays home to a range of animals and plants including sugar gliders, snakes, frogs and fish, and manna gum trees, Tasman flax-lilies and river red gum trees. The 150-member group of volunteers work to maintain the health of the native flora and fauna in the area and foster an appreciation of the creek’s history and environmental significance, in consultation with Melbourne Water, local indigenous communities, and Knox City Council. Activities undertaken by the group include tree-planting days, weed control, reporting pollution and safety hazards, lobbying authorities for grants and maintaining noticeboards along the creek. Preserving a connection to Indigenous culture and heritage is of particular significance to the group, particularly the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung people who Mr Bigelow considers “the first environmentalists”. “When you don’t have local knowledge about country passed down, there’s a break in that legacy and in-depth knowledge,” Mr Bigelow said. “(FFDC) wants to nurture it.” FFDC were also recognised in the Premier’s 2021 Sustainability Awards as a Community Champion for their work highlighting the eels’ story. To view their video on the eels, head to youtube.com/watch?v=umZlNGATy0E&t=319s
Anthony Bigelow receiving his Australia Day award. 266912 Picture: KNOX CITY COUNCIL
A Dandenong plant pot manufacturer has won a $5.3 million grant to increase its use of recycled plastics. With the funding, Garden City Plastics will expand its Dandenong facility with two extra injection-moulding production lines. Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said 30 full-time local ongoing jobs would be created. The plant will have the capacity to reprocess up to 5800 extra tonnes of garden pots a year, she said. “The new processing and re-manufacturing technology made possible with this funding will help build a cleaner, greener state – creating jobs and generating new value for the Victorian economy right here in Dandenong.” The initiative is among 13 projects receiving $36.5 million from the joint state and federally funded Recycling Victoria – Recycling Modernisation Fund. The government funding is more than matched by $86 million of industry investment. The projects will collectively re-use more than 137,000 tonnes of plastic, glass and tyres, converting them into uses such as garden pots, railway sleepers and corrugated pipe. Victorian Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the projects will reduce waste to landfill and directly generate 204 local jobs and further jobs during construction.
Dandenong Primary’s $450k flush fund Dandenong Primary School’s antiquated toilet block is set for an upgrade. The 1980s block will receive a $458,127 refurbishment, including roof repairs, to improve its cleanliness, amenity and hygiene, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams announced on 28 January. “This upgrade is all about making sure Dandenong Primary students have the facilities they need to learn in a safe and comfortable environment.” It is part of $18.6 million second round of the State Government’s $90 million Minor Capital Works Fund. In the first round, more than 300 Victorian government schools were allocated $70 million for upgrades to toilets, roofs, playgrounds, classrooms and ovals. “Every student should have the best local school facilities, no matter where they live,” Education Minister James Merlino said. “That’s why we’re investing in hundreds of small, but important projects, that will make a big difference for schools and create local jobs for Victorians.”
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams.
Farm boost The toilet block is set for a $458,000 upgrade.
One of the toilets in need of refurbishment.
Assistant principal Anne Pereia at Dandenong Primary’s 30-plus year old toilet block.
Floods wreak havoc on roads and homes Flooding has caused mayhem for residents and drivers in Greater Dandenong. A heavy storm with more than 48 millimetres of rain fell about 3.30pm on 28 January, leaving people stranded in water in separate incidents on Princes Highway - under Eastlink and near Dandenong High School. Others were trapped in waters near the corner of Hammond and Cheltenham roads, according to the Emergency Vic website. Three lanes were closed outbound on the Princes Highway in Springvale – just after Police Road – due to flooding and a collision between cars, the Department of Transport reported. Just the right lane was open for emergency services, it stated. Meanwhile, requests for assistance due to building damage and floods are littered across Dandenong, Noble Park, Springvale and Keysborough. dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
Flooding and a car accident has caused lane closures on Princes Highway, Springvale. Picture: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT Springvale weather station reported 48.6 millimetres of rain on 28 January About 2.30pm, Vic Emergency had issued a Watch and Act warning for severe thunderstorms in the south east.
VICSES reported at 5pm that Wheelers Hill was the busiest Melbourne suburb for calls for assistance (39). The SES Monash unit had 61 callouts including for building damage, flooding and downed trees.
Myuna Farm’s pavilion is set for an upgrade for all-abilities access. The State Government announced $351,105 to improve the pavilion’s amenities and meeting spaces, as part of a $3.2 million Growing Suburbs Fund package for City of Casey. The upgrade is designed to make the pavilion more accessible for school programs and people with disabilities. Construction is expected to start this year. At the farm on 2 February, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said it was great to “see first-hand the difference this funding will make to families and children who come her to learn about Australian farming and sustainability”. The State package also includes $1.6 million for Ray Bastin Reserve, Narre Warren, $350,000 for Tooradin Public Hall and $926,000 for Gwendoline Children’s Centre, Berwick. Casey will contribute more than $2.7 million to those three projects. “These projects will make a significant difference to many people in the community and our future generations who stand to benefit from these much-needed upgrades,” Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff said. Casey chief executive Glenn Patterson said: “These projects demonstrate council’s commitment to advocating on behalf of the community to ensure that residents have access to facilities and spaces that help them form strong local connections and build a sense of community.” The Growing Suburbs Fund targets Melbourne’s growth-corridor councils. It has invested in 28 projects to the value of $39.2 million across Casey. “We’re supporting Casey City Council to upgrade these popular community facilities so more people can enjoy them now and into the future,” Local Government Minister Shaun Leane said.
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
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A kick-start for kinder Tens of thousands of children right across Victoria started Three-Year-Old Kinder last week, assisted by the State Government, which invested almost $5 billion this decade as part of a reform to give every child the best start to their early education. Around 2700 services across Victoria’s 79 local government areas will deliver at least five hours per week of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten this year, before gradually scaling up to reach the full 15-hour program by 2029 as part of the government’s decade-long reform of early childhood education across Victoria. Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday 30 January that the State Government was committed to giving kids the best start in life. “Today marks a huge milestone in our work to build the Education State and give every Victorian child the best opportunities, no matter where they live,” Premier Andrews said. Research on the benefits of early childhood education suggest that children who have attended two years of a quality kindergarten program will have better cognitive and social skills when they start school, higher exam scores and better social and emotional outcomes at age 16, and be more likely to go on to higher academic study, according to the State Government. This reform is also delivering more than 6000 teacher and educator jobs around the state and around 5000 construction jobs over 10 years. Children enrolled in funded Three-YearOld Kindergarten will also receive a kinder kit, a colourful carry-case jam-packed with educational toys and resources to celebrate that kin-
Springvale Community Hub was closed due to storm damage for several days. 230369 Picture: GARY SISSONS
Leak forces hub closure By Cam Lucadou-Wells The State Government is contributing $5 billion this decade as part of early education reform. 224675 Picture: UNSPLASH dergarten in Victoria now starts at age three. The Kinder Kits will be distributed from the start of Term 1 to children enrolled in ThreeYear-Old Kindergarten, and have been created to complement learning at kinder with fun and creative activities that encourage family engagement in their child’s education and promote awareness of the benefits of continued learning at home. The Labor Government has supported kinder and early childhood services across Victoria to be Covid-Safe, with almost $15 million in grants for services to deliver better ventilation and other Covid-Safe measures, alongside rapid antigen tests to be provided twice a week to every staff member. Families can talk to their local kindergarten and long day care services about enrolling for 2022, and can look for a service near them by visiting the ‘Find a Kinder Program’ website at findakinder.educationapps.vic.gov.au
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Springvale Community Hub closed for several days due to floor damage from a severe storm on Friday 28 January. During a deluge of up to 48mm – many of which fell in minutes – roof gutters were blocked and water leaked through the ceiling of the award-winning, $50-million-plus building. The complex re-opened on Monday 31 January. The customer service desk was closed until Tuesday 1 February. Community services director Martin Fidler said roof drainage was blocked close to the hub’s Exhibition Hall and The Studio. “Due to the recent heat and wind, there was excessive debris in those particular gutters from trees that are close to the building. “This would not have restricted flow in normal rainy conditions but the torrential down pour and hail in a short 20-minute period overloaded the system.” The water leaked through “solid ceiling perforations”, damaging flooring in parts
of the Exhibition Hall, Community Room 7 and The Studio, Mr Fidler said. The hub was automatically triggered into evacuation. Weather conditions delayed initially assessing the roof. The hub remained closed over the following weekend for safety assessment and cleaning, Mr Fidler said. “The flooring was dried out during that closed period.” “Costs are yet to be confirmed but there was minimal cleaning costs related to drying out of the floor.” There was no damage to electricals, furniture, library resources or the Hub’s structure, he said. The Springvale Community Hub and library was completed in late 2020, after Covid delays during construction. Its leading-edge design won the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture at the Australian Institute of Architects’ state awards as well as ‘Gold’ at the Good Design Awards.
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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STAR JOURNAL 17
SPORT
Bulls chase only one prize By Tyler Lewis Noble Park is ‘chips in’ for the 2022 Eastern Football League silverware. When local football was canned last season, the Bulls were in second place with an 8-2 record and had first-seed Vermont well and truly in their sights. Noble Park coach Steve Hughes modestly stated his side is initially focusing on its first block of the season, while admitting his side has ‘aggressive goals’ for the upcoming season. “I think we demonstrated last year that we’re good enough to beat most sides,” he said. “It’s a very tight competition, we were sitting second when Covid hit in August, about to play Vermont for top spot that weekend. “I think that probably demonstrates we’re thereabouts, with that in mind we will have aggressive goals for sure. “It’s easy to say ‘let’s go out and win a premiership’, but we have a tough first four or five weeks, it’s about getting off to a good start. “We have some difficult games early on, so we will really focus on our first little block and try sit inside the top four or five at the end of that, with the end goal of playing finals footy,” Hughes said. If there was any weakness of the Noble Park outfit in 2021, it was on the goal-kicking front, with Ziggie Alwan leading the side with just 11 majors. But the Bulls have filled the gaps, bringing back goal-kicking machine Shayne Allan, adding zippy forward Jack Francis and expecting further development out others. Francis kicked 32 majors in just 11 games for Chelsea last season, a goal-kicking feat no Bulls player has accomplished since Piva Wright in 2018 (38).
Picture: ROB CAREW
He can’t surely win another b’n’f, can he? Kyle Martin will be a key for the Bulls if they are to win the flag in 2022. Picture: NOBLE PARK FACEBOOK
of anyone in our group. “I think he will naturally kick a few more, I think he kicked three or four in the first quarter against Blackburn last year in what I thought was the game of the year, and he is only a young fella, Benny. “There will be improvements there with our goal-kicking, if there was a gap for us last year, that was probably it,” he said. As presumably all local footy clubs are at this stage, Noble Park are rapt to have a much cleaner run at the upcoming football season. “There is a level of excitement that we’re getting a bit closer now,” Hughes said. “Our boys are head down, bum up, getting stuck into it.
“I think the hard yards are behind us now, that was a difficult period for not only our players but all local footballers, going through that pre-Christmas stuff again. “That’s effectively all we’ve done for the best part of two years, train. “We came back a couple weeks back and we have something within reach now… you have to be mentally strong to have gone through what they have, but I think they’re pretty keen to get stuck into it now,” he said. The Bulls will play Beaconsfield in their first practice match on March 12 before travelling to Rowville for round 1 on April 9. The clash will be a massive moment for the Bulls, with club champion Kyle Martin expected to play his 150th game.
Noble Park are setting ‘aggressive goals’ for 2022. 242703 “I think our midfield is as strong as anyone’s, defensively we’re sound and that’s what underpins our game style, we’re a defence first mentality team,” Hughes said. “But yeah probably our gap last year was our consistency with our goal-kicking, Shayne (Allan) will obviously help to that. “We have also recruited Jack Francis from Chelsea, who I coached against when I coached Bonbeach a few years back. “He is a good young talented medium sized forward; he might add a few (goals) for us as well. He is winning a lot of our time-trials and is fitting in well with the group. “But also the development of players as well on the list, like Ben Marson, who I probably call out as having one of the better pre-seasons
A star solidified as Wilson posts season to remember By Tyler Lewis Season 2021/22 will be remembered for the Dandenong Cricket Club as ‘the season Matt Wilson arrived’. It’s not every season a club manages to unlock a player’s full potential, while also earmarking its future captain Wilson played 48 First XI matches and basically walked in for free, with his location making more sense to play at Shepley Oval. And while he is grateful for the opportunity he now has at the Panthers, he hasn’t forgotten or been disheartened by the time he has spent working behind some fine cricketers at his former club Carlton. “I am living in Noble Park, so travel was a big thing for me, with work (also) in Murrumbeena,” Wilson said. “Getting to training was taking roughly an hour and then the opportunity was also a key thing as well. “It is hard to get a bat ahead of Evan Gulbis, (Brayden) Stepien, the Smyth’s (Harry and Tom), Macca Harvey; the opportunity was there at Dandenong, it made the move a bit easier. “Warren Ayres at Dandenong (too), being under him at Carlton for a few years made the move a lot easier as well. “I wasn’t taking anything to heart because I knew the players ahead of me were phenomenal players. “I knew the position I was in, I understood if I was in the twos, there was a reason for it, I was never disheartened being down a grade and being behind such good bowlers; Stevo (Cam Stevenson), Croney (Xavier Crone), Charlie Ross used to be in there, Aaron Smilie, I mean, I couldn’t really kick up a stink about it, because I knew they could do the role I was doing with ease. “I learned heaps off Evan, he was the biggest mentor in my bowling, people say we’re similar in a way, I learned a lot off him and his tactical nouse of reading the batters tactics,” Wilson said. After 48 matches, Wilson managed to 18 STAR JOURNAL
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Matt Wilson has certainly had a season to remember. 266658 claim 59 wickets, but in just nine matches this year he has already sent 22 batters back to the pavilion, and leads the competition for wickets. In a coming of age season, Wilson believes the opportunity, responsibility as vice-captain, and leader of an attack, has brought the best out of him. “I guess coming down to Dandenong, we were obviously lacking bowlers, given how many we’d lost from last year’s first’s team,” he said. “I guess I am taking on a bit more responsibility down at Dandenong, being more of a frontline bowler. “I am one player with a bit more experience down at the Club, so I feel I need to put a bit more of a foot forward for the team and take more responsibility. “The leadership was a bit of a surprise, but it is something to look forward to that I could potentially become a future captain of the
Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
Picture: TYLER LEWIS
club in years to come. “Like any player in the First XI, they all want to play higher honours. “The goal has always been there to reach my potential as high as possible and with the opportunity now (at Dandenong), it is only my fault if I can’t grab that opportunity. “I can’t blame opportunity, the opportunity is there… it is all me now.” Contributing the opportunity with the ball, Wilson has also flourished with the willow. So far this season he has crunched 206 runs at 29.43 batting in the top six. “Because I was down the order at Carlton for a few years, I knew my batting wasn’t going to come to fruition too quickly,” Wilson said. “Going from Princes Park – which is a batting paradise – to Shepley, it has been about adjusting to becoming a batsman mentally more than anything.
“I know the technique and all that, it was the mental side of things that was a bigger thing for me.” Wilson has taken his wickets in clumps this year, finding himself at the top of his mark for a hat-trick ball on three occasions. And while he is impressing his new club earnestly, his teammates are beginning to get a bit restless with the fact he hasn’t been able to snare one yet, even after receiving some advice from one of the competition’s best bowlers on what he should, or shouldn’t, be doing in the big moment. “I feel like I have bowled pretty good hattrick balls, the batsman have just come out and thought ‘I am going to defend my wicket,” he said. “The funniest one I copped was against Frankston, Nano (James Nanopoulos) came out to bat and I bowled him one about halfway up middle-stump. “He just blocked it and sledged me back; he said ‘why are you bowling half-volleys for hat-trick ball?’ I was a bit gobsmacked by that one. “I am struggling to get there with them, I feel like I am bowling them well, but I just can’t break-through,” Wilson joked. In a demonstration of his fine season, Wilson is finely poised to join the ’30 wicket club’, a feat that four players have achieved in that last ten seasons. DANDENONG’s 30-WICKET CLUB SEASON PLAYER WKTS AVE 2011/12 James Wilcock 32 22.03 2011/12 James Nanopoulos 31 21.97 2012/13 Justin Butterfield 36 17.03 2012/13 James Nanopoulos 35 15.54 2015/16 Justin Butterfield 40 16.90 2016/17 James Nanopoulos 30 21.90 2017/18 James Nanopoulos 40 16.63 2018/19 James Nanopoulos 33 19.33 2019/20 James Nanopoulos 46 12.50 2019/20 Suraj Randi 34 11.26 2020/21 James Nanopoulos 37 14.41 2021/22 MATT WILSON* 22 18.36
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dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
SPORT
Knowles earns top honour By Lachlan Mitchell Knowles Tivendale has been awarded joint winner of Greater Dandenong’s Sportsperson of the Year after he founded - and currently sits as the director of the Dandenong Parkrun. The recipient was in shock after being announced the winner at the Australia Day awards ceremony. “I was very surprised to win, I was humbled and honoured to win the award, and I appreciated the thought that I was considered,” Knowles said. Parkrun’s basic concept has continued to evolve to create a strong sense of community among the participants. “It’s a walk in the park at 8 o’clock on a Saturday morning which is great for the community to bring people together,“ Knowles said. Knowles set up the foundation and gathered a group of volunteers to run the exercise event after a chance meeting in Adelaide. “I came across it three years ago when I was in Adelaide when a friend asked me if I wanted to go to a park run and I said, what’s that? “It was 500 people in the park, after I investigated, I realised it’s completely free because they have set up a foundation in the UK that sets up the whole thing. “Knowles said. The run is more than just exercise it creates great bonds within the community and is great for tourism of the area. “I have met people in the neighborhood whom I have met through park run, neighbors who live very close and even on my own street we have met through park run. “It was important to have one in Dandenong and what it does for tourism, people from Ireland and the UK have come down to join us.” The benefits of the environment and learning and seeing the natural surroundings is the most rewarding. “It’s important to improve the biodiversity and the habitat of the local surroundings and it’s so important to see more butterflies and natural wildlife, we all need fresh air and exercise,” Knowles said.
Knowles Tivendale has been recognised for his work behind the scenes.
Day to forget for Panthers By Tyler Lewis
Emily Shepherd was at her brilliant best on Sunday, collecting the most disposals for the Picture: STEW CHAMBERS Rays. 229039
Dominant Rays in control By Tyler Lewis The freight train that is the Dandenong Stingrays girls side continued on its merry way on Sunday, recording another crushing victory. After two mammoth wins in the opening two rounds, the Stingrays appear to be an outfit full of confidence. That confidence was again on show at Highgate Recreation Reserve, with the Rays punishing the Bendigo Pioneers, 12.5 (77) to 7.3 (45). The Rays kicked four straight in the opening term to the Pioneers 3.2. The trend continued in the following three stanzas, with the Stingrays edging away in every period. Dandenong was relentless in front of dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
goal, kicking just five behinds for the entire day, with three of them coming in the final term. While there was more individual brilliance, this performance from Dandenong was a demonstration of its depth, with eight players hitting the scoreboard. A statistic that will please Dandenong Stingrays head coach Nick Cox, who last week told the Journal the mantra this side is following is ‘selfless’. Livewire Jaide Anthony was the pick of the goal kickers, booting a hat-trick of majors. The Rays current sit atop of the NAB League ladder and are one of two sides that remain undefeated. In its next fixture, it will take on the fourth placed Murray Bushrangers outfit.
Despite injecting former Test quick James Pattinson to its line-up, Dandenong fell miles short of a win against a rampaging Carlton outfit on Saturday. After a superb early spell by Pattinson and promising speedster Braeden Taueber, the Blues cashed in on the middle overs. The Panthers lost Matt Wilson – the competitions leading wicket taker – in his third over, due to a sore hamstring. His absence from the attack created an opportunity for the Blues to cash in on a leaner attack. With Wilson a lock for 10 overs in each of his nine outings this year, his injury forced Dandenong skipper Brett Forsyth (0/34 from five overs) to bowl himself. Mackenzie Harvey seized the opportunity to cash in on a weakened attack, crunching his maiden Victorian Premier Cricket century. The left-hander carried his bat through the innings, seeing off a brilliant set from Pattinson (1/19 off 10) on his way to 117 not out. The Blues used just three batters: Evan
Gulbis (70 from 89), Harvey and Nick Ross (68 not out from 72). With 265 to get, the in-form Wilson under an injury cloud and a tearing Carlton attack, the Panthers were dire need of someone to go big. Coach Warren Ayres sent Forsyth back to the top of the order after a week at seven, as history has certainly demonstrated he has the capability to go big. But as it has all year, the Dandenong outfit lost consistent casualties, forcing an inability to build a big enough partnership to win the match. While five of the top seven made doublefigures, no Panthers batter was able to go beyond 50. The Panthers were bowled out in the 41st over for just 134, suffering its seventh loss for the year. While finals this year appears beyond reach for the Panthers, James Pattinson will play another match for his beloved club, pulling on the Dandenong threads once again next week against Melbourne at Shepley Oval.
Evan Gulbis, pictured, and Macca Harvey put on a century stand to set the Blues up. 231299 Picture: ROB CAREW Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
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STAR JOURNAL 19
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Tuesday, 8 February, 2022
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au