News - Berwick Star News - 3rd November 2022

Sporting hub vow

A multi-million-dollar overhaul could be in store for a well frequented sporting reserve in Narre Warren.

If elected at the State election, the Liberals and Nationals will commit $6.4 million for a series of upgrades to Max Pawsey Reserve, Opposition leader Matt Guy announced on 1 November.

Max Pawsey Reserve lies in the heart of NarreWarren, nearby to Bunjil Place andWestfield Fountain Gate, where more than 250,000 people filter through each week.

The reserve hosts a number of clubs and events which attract tens of thousands of people, including the Fountain Gate Cricket, Junior Football and Tennis clubs, the Narre Warren Bowls and Little Athletics clubs, the local scout group, Auskick, the Dandenong District Cricket Association and also the Carols by Twilight.

The Liberals and Nationals will consult with the community and users of the reserve to best deliver the upgrades, including new dual-purpose pavilion and changeroom facilities to including a community space, a scout hall, storage, public toilets, new cricket practice nets, and a new electronic scoreboard.

Other improvements would include upgrades to the main oval and white picket fencing, the installation of an awning over terrace spectator seating, a new playground, barbecue area, benches and seating and improved and extra parking including along the Princes Highway, Fountain Drive and Magid Drive.

Opposition leader Matt Guy said the Liberals and Nationals’ commitment was a significant sign of confidence in community sport for the Casey area.

“This announcement is for the nearly 30,000 people that use these facilities yearround, including more than half of residents living in Narre Warren,” he said.

“The Liberals and Nationals recognise the important role grassroot sports play in bringing together the community and we will continue to encourage that.”

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joy these new spaces for years to come.

“It is great to see so many people getting outside onto the grass, being active and looking after their health and wellbeing. That’s something we will always back.”

sporting precinct develop into a world-class venue.

He said Max Pawsey Reserve would become a sporting hub for the region, with competition standard playing surfaces, adequate parking and community spaces, with food, shopping and entertainment just over the road.

Member for Gembrook and Liberal candidate for Berwick, Brad Battin, said the improvements would support the booming area.

“It’s no secret that the Casey area has seen huge population growth in recent years. Our commitment will mean more visitors and players, across more teams and clubs, can en-

Liberal candidate for Narre Warren North, Timothy Dragan, looked forward to seeing the

Opposition Leader Matt Guy and Liberal candidate for Narre Warren North Timothy Dragan (centre) visited the reserve to make the announcement.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Libs promise traffic lights

By Eleanor Wilson

A deadly stretch of highway in Berwick could become more safe for pedestrians, if the Liber als form government in the state election.

A Matt Guy Liberals Government has announced it would commit $2 million towards upgrading pedestrian safety with traffic lights across the Princes Highway near the entrance to Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick.

The busy intersection has been the site of several accidents and near misses in the past and in 2017 claimed the life of former Casey Mayor and Councillor Mick Morland.

Mr Morland was crossing the busy highway on an evening walk when he was struck and killed by a passing car.

His wife Kay Morland said she felt “absolute joy” when she heard of the traffic light com mitment.

“It’s been five and a half years. The kids will be very happy and the family will appreciate that no one else is going to have to live with what we did,” she said.

Member for Gembrook and Liberal candidate for Berwick, Brad Battin, said roads in the outer south-eastern suburbs had been ne glected by the State Government.

“There have been too many accidents and close calls coming into Wilson Botanic Park but Labor still hasn’t responded to ongoing safety issues in the Berwick community.

“Local road users and pedestrians will no longer have to take unnecessary risks thanks to this vital upgrade under a Matt Guy Liberals and Nationals Government.”

Local resident Shaun Grewal, who has spent the last few months advocating for a set of traffic lights at the site, said the pledge will “create a safe life for us”.

“I moved here about a year ago and I saw people risking their lives to cross this road, especially during Covid with more people using the park,” Mr Grewal said.

“You’ll see a massive increase in people walking to the park with kids, elderly people, dog walkers.

“It’s gonna open up the space for many other local events. I spoke to elderly people here who said they want to go to the park with their grandchildren but they don’t because [the

crossing] is not safe. So this is important.”

Through his advocacy, Mr Grewal garnered 300 signatures from the local community in support of the construction of a set of traffic lights.

The intersection, near Coniston Avenue, contains a bus stop on both sides of the Princes Highway, a main arterial which sees thousands of motorists travelling at speeds of 80km/h every day.

The nearest pedestrian crossings from Wilson Botanic Park are roughly 700 metres in either direction.

“People would ask why do we need another traffic light here when you have one up there and you have one up there?,” Mrs Morland said.

“I go, well I lost my husband because there was no traffic light here. I would do anything to save anyone else’s family going through what we went through. It’s a no brainer.”

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Kay and Mick Morland in his day as a Casey councillor and mayor.

The busy highway has been the site of several accidents and near misses in recent years. 305276

Local resident Shaun Grewal,Kay Morland and Liberal candidate for Berwick Brad Battin. 305276

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

LOWDOWN

Q&A with Lost Dogs’ Home Cranbourne Shelter manager, Allie Small

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I have a menagerie of animals at home, includ ing three dogs, two cats, two horses and five fish. It is a side effect of working in an animal shelter.

What do you love about what you do?

Working at The Lost Dogs Home can be both incredibly difficult and rewarding all at the same time. But nothing beats the feeling of helping to match one of our long-term dogs or cats with their forever family.

Who is the best person you’ve worked with and why?

I have worked with some amazing people but I met one of my best friends, Amanda Smith while working at The Lost Dogs Home. She is one of the most resilient people I have ever met, and we are so uncannily similar that peo ple often think we are sisters.

What would your last meal be?

Tacos from Trippy Taco in Fitzroy. It is all vegetarian so the options are limitless, and I will never turn down Sangria with my meal.

What is your most memorable moment?

The day I got my dog for my 21st birthday. I had grown up with Maltese Terriers and had spent my years and high school and univer sity trying to convince my mum to let me get a larger dog. She finally relented and let me get a Border Collie for my 21st birthday. Her name is Dani and she will be turning 14 years old at the end of the year.

What event past or present would you like to witness?

I would love to be able to experience megafauna in real life, I recently went to see the Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. I would highly rec ommend it!

Which three guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

James Cagney, an actor from the ‘30s and ‘40s.

My Grandma used to get his movies from the market on VHS tapes and give them to me. Louis Theroux, I love his interview style and he

would have some amazing stories to tell. My Mum, she always hated being left out of social situations and was the best person at making small talk I have ever met.

What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?

I love to read; I am currently reading Louis Theroux’s Gotta Get Theroux This. I have always been a fan of his documentaries and have many memories of sitting up well past my bedtime to watch Weird Weekends. If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

Cooking is not my forte, I would never get the opportunity to compete because no one is letting me audition.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

I think many people overlook the beauty of Australia and choose to travel overseas. One place I have always wanted to go is Green Island off the coast of Queensland and explore The Great Barrier Reef.

What were you like as a kid?

I was a tom boy, very independent and have always loved animals. I convinced my mum to let me start riding horses at 8 years of age, a hobby that no one in my family had any interest in. I still have horses to this day.

What was your first job?

I worked front of house at my local KFC, which was ironic considering I have been a vegetarian since I was eight years old.

What are the three most used apps on your phone?

Spotify, regularly playing the hits of the 90s. Instagram, the only social media platform that I use. Outlook and Messenger, I am always working, even when I am not working.

What’s one question that you have always wanted answered?

What do we need to do to make animals shelters go out of business?

THREE … famous moustaches to emulate

1 Ron Burgundy

Everyone’s favourite newsreader kept it fairly simple but what stood out about this was its neatness and the thickness. It was almost as though it was too perfect to be real. You stay classy, City of Casey.

2 Julius Pringle

The man on the tube of the pringle can, the arc on the his facial salad that gives it depth. The upward inflection at the outer tips makes for an interesting pairing with the horizontal speed lines, however his designer decided against maintaining them once they went out of fashion in 2020.

3 Ram Singh Chauhan

From Rajasthan in Northern India, Ram Singh Chauhan held the Guinness World Record for longest moustache. The bushiness around his jaw makes it incredibly difficult to even identify a jawline, before four metres (two on each side) of growth really steals the show.

Lost Dogs’ Home Cranbourne Shelter manager, Allie Small with her Border Collie, Dani. 306195

Picture: SUPPLIED

Concerns for the kangaroos

By Eleanor Wilson

Environmental advocates have shared con cerns for the safety of wildlife in the Casey Foothills in response to recent development proposals in the area.

On 4 October Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) member Michael Nelthorpe affirmed Casey Council’s rejection of plans for a Catholic school accommodating 239 students and 22 staff on Horswood Road in Narre Warren North.

But Green Wedges Coalition members Kate Rousseaux and Karen Cavanagh fear there is a chance the school, Lysterfield Lake College, may reapply with a smaller development plan, calling it “a death knell” for local kangaroo populations.

“Lysterfield Lake Park is one of the best places to be guaranteed to see wild kangaroos at any time of the day close to Melbourne,” Ms Rousseaux said.

“The conundrum of locating a school next to the national park is that wildlife knows no boundaries, and kangaroos inherently follow their wildlife corridors.

“A school next to the park would have been the death knell for the kangaroo mobs. Kanga roos would have needed to be removed from the site and vicinity for the safety of the chil dren.”

The area is currently home to nine endangered species as well as mobs of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, which are a “valued tourist draw card” for Lysterfield Lake Park and near by Montague’s Apple Orchard and its restau rant and customer engagement facilities.

The Green Wedges Coalition said it was concerned Lysterfield Lake College may reap ply to the site for a smaller capacity, after the planning witness for the City of Casey attested the site would be suitable for a school of up to 161 students.

Mr Nelthorpe said the development would be suitable if the site was larger.

“The plans left no room for a wildlife corridor. Kangaroos would be forced around the site sending them onto the roads,“ Ms Cavanagh said.

She said current green wedge planning policies are failing to properly protect Melbourne’s green wedges.

“State and local planning policies are weak and lacking prescriptive protections for Green Wedge zones, which potentially puts the park,

wildlife and the environment at a huge risk,” Ms Cavanagh said.

“Before the 2018 election, the Andrews Government promised to permanently protect Melbourne’s Green Wedges and agricultural land with stronger planning controls.

“They spent two and a half years consulting and the ‘Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Lands’ report and action plan, May 2020, has been sitting on the planning minister’s desk for over a year and remains unsigned and reforms unimplemented.”

In a statement, a Victorian Government spokesperson said it is still considering reform options associated with the Protecting Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land consultation paper, following community engagement in 2020-21.

“Green wedges and agriculture land are crucial to our growth and prosperity, and we are working to deliver permanent protections for Melbourne’s green wedges and agricultural land,” the government spokesperson said.

“We will deliver in full on our election commitment to strengthen protections of the Green Wedges.

“Thirty per cent of our Green Wedge areas are public land, set aside for conservation, water and recreation.”

Ms Cavanagh added the lack of consideration for wildlife in the VCAT hearing was also of concern for the coalition.

“The VCAT decision makes no mention of wildlife, yet the proposal site is next to Lysterfield Lake Park, and the site is a well-known kangaroo wildlife corridor.”

Lysterfield Lake College is yet to intimate its intentions following the proposal rejection.

In a statement from 5 October, the college said it was currently considering the decision and would investigate alternate options moving forward.

Kangaroosontheproposedsite.

Pictures:KARENCAVANAGH

Kangaroosgrazingontheproposedsite.

OPINION

Don’t bin your textiles

The City of Casey is helping to declutter your home this National Recycling Week, 7-13 November, with a range of free events.

Under the theme ‘waste isn’t waste until it is wasted’, Casey will focus on unwanted textiles, which make up a significant portion of landfill and are a major contaminant in the municipality’s recycling processes.

Textiles such as clothes and shoes can’t be recycled as part of your fortnightly kerbside collection, but the council has partnered with recycling initiatives Tread Lightly and Upparrel for a free drop-off event to help Casey residents responsibly dispose of unwanted items.

On Saturday 12 November, residents can bag up used sneakers, clothing and sheets and drop them off at the Lynbrook Community Centre from 9am to 3pm.

Please note, items should be clean and dry – stains are no problem but mouldy or dirty items will not be accepted. Doonas and pillows are also unable to be accepted.

To find out more, check the list of acceptable items or to book your time slot check the Casey website.

Other local events happening during National Recycling Week include:

· Pet Rugs recycling workshop on 10 November.

· Memory Blanket workshop from 8-10 November.

· T-Shirt to tote bags workshop on 9 November.

· Basket weaving workshop on 9 November.

· Op Shop Bus tour on 11 November.

· Fabric Wreaths workshop on 12 November.

For more information or to make a booking for any of the Recycling Week events, please visit the Casey website. There will also be a free recycling fun day at Bunjil Place on Tuesday 8 November from 2pm to 6pm.

LENSCAPE

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Thumbs up

To the lady who drove me home from Coles on Richardson Grove last Thursday when I was unwell. A taxi arrived but drove off and this woman who I did not know could see that I was not well. My family are extremely grateful for your generous gesture.

Thumbs down

To the rain wreaking havoc on the T20 World Cup.

Thumbs down

To this eternal winter. Who made Elsa angry?!?!

Thumbs down

To potholes. One broken rim and $300 later...

Thumbs down

To the little swine that was going around stealing things from houses during trick or treat in the Narre South area.

Thumbs down

To City of Casey for going cheap on the Hardys Road intersection upgrade at Clyde Road and leaving 100m stretch of single lane between the two duplicated sections.

Thumbs up

To Kelly’s for selling poppies for the RSL even in the drive-thru.

Thumbs down

To drivers who don’t drive to conditions. Slow down in the heavy rain.

SOCIALLY SPEAKING

A Clyde man declared he was ready to re tire after winning $53 million inThursday 27 October’s Powerball draw. Our Face book readers were quick to wish him well.

Sue Stride

So happy for him and his family

Mary-Anne Valla

Huge congratulations to him.

Robyn Disher

City of Casey is the lucky one.

Joan Smith

Should have kept the win a secret!!! So many people will be at the door trying to do a major scam!!!

Dogs need a home

With just eight weeks left to Christmas, The Lost Dogs’ Home has left a special message for Santa and his elves, asking for all its ‘long-term resident’ doggos to find a home.

TheThe Lost Dogs’ Home classifies any animal a ‘long-term resident’ that has been with them for more than 30 days.

“While we absolutely adore all of our beautiful furry friends, we are determined that they spend Christmas Day (and beyond) with a loving family having fun unwrapping presents and doing ‘zoomies’ to their heart’s content,’’ said The Lost Dogs’ Home spokesperson Suzana Talevski.

“We currently have about 50 dogs that meet the 30-day criteria that would make beautiful family members.”

The The Lost Dogs’ Home has reduced adoption fees for these animals ongoing to help boost their chances of finding a home.

“We understand the cost of living is having an impact not only on those with pets but

those considering adopting pets too,” Ms Talevski said.

“Although reduced adoption fees do make it easier to obtain a pet in the short term, we urge all those visiting our shelters to make sure they are well equipped to take care of pets for the long term too.”

According to new data from The Lost Dogs’ Home, 183 dogs and puppies (170 dogs and 13 puppies) have been surrendered since the start of August with the cost of living featuring strongly amongst the reasons pet owners were being compelled to give up their pets.

In comparison, 104 dogs and five puppies were surrendered in 2021, and 88 dogs and six puppies in 2020.

“Sadly, we have also seen more and more rabbits and ‘pocket pets’ being dumped on our doorsteps recently,” said Ms Talevski.

“And with kitten season just around the corner, it means our shelters are going feel the squeeze in a pretty big way.”

The Lost Dogs’ Home is reducing their fees for long term residents of the home.

Go you good things! Thing One and Thing Two at Cranbourne West Primary School’s book fair parade. 305720

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Candidates’ hospital fixes

By Eleanor Wilson

Scrapping vaccine mandates, building new hospitals and diverting health services away from emergency departments are among the solutions to fix the burden on Casey Hospital, according to State election candidates.

New statistics from the Victorian Agency of Health Information (VAHI) shows emergency wait times, ambulance transfers and elective surgery wait times at Casey Hospital are slowing improving.

But the data shows the health remains under significant pressure.

The State Government said continued pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic, a busy flu season and record demand has seen sicker patients presenting and staying longer in hospitals, including at Casey.

“While every effort is made to prioritise those with the most critical need, we recognise how stressful it can be when faced with longer than expected wait times,” aVictorian Government spokesperson said.

To address the issue, Labor is investing $12 million into the Pandemic Repair Plan to assist with the health crisis, including funds to double Casey Hospital’s emergency department, with a dedicated paediatric space for children and their families.

The duplication will support an additional 52,000 presentations every year, the spokesperson said.

Casey Hospital is also one of 12 major hospitals to receive additional specialist staff to improve patient flow and help progress patients along their care pathway, including access to planned surgery.

The government said it would also undertake a $510 million to $560 million redevelopment of Monash Medical Centre and up to $295 million to upgrade Dandenong Hospital if re-elected.

On the other side of the fence, Opposition leader Matt Guy and Berwick Liberal candidate Brad Battin this week announced an elected Liberal Government would focus its assets on Casey hospital, pledging $500 million to a brand-new Casey Hospital campus in neighbouring Pakenham.

Funding for the hospital would be assisted by the LNP’s plan to shelve the Andrews’ $35

million Suburban Rail Loop.

“Pakenham is the major town centre, it’s that point between the Casey Hospital and the new Warragul Hospital,” Mr Guy said.

“It’s the population midway point so it can serve the growing communities.”

While the major parties have committed to splashing cash on new facilities , Freedom Party candidate Kerry Haupt said she believes vaccine mandates contributed to the increased pressure on the hospital.

“Having previously worked at Casey Hospital, l know the staff are excellent and truly care about their patients,” she said.

“Unfortunately, staff were dismissed due to non-compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

“Fully vaccinated staff are sent home after producing positive COVID-19 tests. Increased

sick leave results in wards being left short staffed and patient admissions delayed.”

Ms Haupt also believes adverse reactions to the Covid vaccine and a long elective surgery wait list due to extended lockdowns have contributed to extra pressure on the health system.

The Freedom Party believes all staff sacked due to the vaccine mandate should be reinstated to help meet the demand on the health system.

Ms Haupt said a shadow ministry that is focused on “utilising proven methods such as vitamins, exercise, lifestyle and nutrition” should be implemented.

Berwick Greens candidate Hayley Perry said her party aims to focus on treating demand outside of emergency departments to alleviate pressure on hospitals.

The party has committed $1.3 billion to aged care, disability and rehab beds, so that “patients who don’t need to be in hospital anymore but aren’t well enough to go home have somewhere to go, freeing up beds for patients arriving in ambulances”, Ms Perry said.

The Greens would also scrap the Labor’s Government’s public sector wage cap to raise wages for teachers, mental health workers and other public sector workers.

It has also pledged $500 million to employ more GPs and nurses to assist patients outside of hospitals.

Funding 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists in schools and public clinics is the final health commitment from the Greens, who said the policy would allow “more people with mental health issues [to] get support before they end up in emergency”.

Casey Hospital wait time drops, elective surgery quicker

By Eleanor Wilson

After 12 months battling to keep up with demand, new data shows things are looking up for Casey Hospital’s emergency department (ED).

But the latest quarterly statistics from the Victorian Agency of Health Information shows the hospital system remains under pressure across the state.

Released on 28 October, the data shows the median wait time for treatment in

Casey’s ED has dropped from 38 minutes last quarter to 30 minutes, while 90th per centile waiting times fell by 16 minutes to 156 minutes, over two-and-a-half hours, bringing them on par with figures from Jan uary to March this year.

The median wait time for semi urgent (Category 2) elective surgery has also eased, falling from 208 days to 164 days. The current statewide average is 84 days.

Despite the improvements, compared to hospitals across the state, it appears Casey

hospital is still struggling to keep up with demand.

Statistics from the previous quarter show that statewide, 52.64 per cent of Category 2 patients in emergency departments were treated within the recommended time of 10 minutes.

At Casey Hospital, this rate was just 22 per cent-thesecondlowestfigureacrossthestate, behind Monash Medical Centre in Clayton.

Patients are also spending more time in Casey ED. This quarter 78 patients stayed

longer than 24 hours in the ED, compared with 48 patients last quarter.

Despite the number of ambulance presentations jumping 11 per cent, median ambulance transfer times dropped by three minutes.

Casey Hospital is one of 12 major hospitals to receive additional specialist staff to improve patient flow and help progress patients along their care pathway, including access to planned surgery, according to the State Government.

Peter Rabbit

Berwick candidates have weighed in on their solutions to the health crisis. 153243

Multi-deck car park

Locals catching public transport in Berwick will benefit from a new transport hub at Berwick Station, making it easier and more accessible to catch the train and bus.

A new multi-deck car park opened on Sunday 30 October, delivering 661 car spaces including 16 accessible spaces – increasing the total number of car parks to more than 1400 at Berwick Station.

Upgrades have also been made to bicycle parking, accessibility, security, lighting, and other amenities.The project also included the construction of temporary commuter car parking at Officer Station.

“We are improving local bus services in fast-growing outer suburbs to ensure all Victorians have access to public transport and can easily connect to train services,” Public Trans-

port Minister Ben Carroll said.

Delivery of the new multi-deck car park has been funded by the Australian Government, in partnership with the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project as part of the removal of the Clyde Road level crossing.

It integrates with a new bus interchange funded by the Victorian Government, with double the number of bus bays to improve accessibility for passengers in line with Victoria’s Bus Plan.

To accommodate the new bus interchange, some local services have been re-routed from Gloucester Avenue to travel via Clyde Road, with connections to Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, Narre Warren Station, local schools and other amenities.

“Whether you are driving your car, catching the bus or riding your bike, the new car park and bus interchange at Berwick Station will make it easier for locals to get where they need to go, and give them more choice about how they choose to travel,” said Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas.

More than 37,000 trees, plants and shrubs will be planted by the end of the project, including oak trees to provide shade and wind protection.

In February, a new road underpass at Clyde Road was completed, signalling the completion of the Clyde Road Level Crossing Removal Project.

All 22 dangerous and congested level crossings will be removed on the Pakenham Line by 2025, according to the State Government.

Charges after thefts

A Hampton Park man has been arrested following a slew of thefts in the South East.

It comes as South East police units step up the heat on opportunistic thieves targeting vehicles and property with a dedicated operation. The ongoing operation sees officers across Melbourne’s south-east actively conduct uniform and covert patrols every night of the week, intercepting vehicles, checking people, and gathering intelligence. As part of Operation Bird, there was an arrest in Melbourne’s south-east this week.

At approximately 7am on Monday 24 October, Cheltenham police responded to a call of a suspect loiter in Kubis Crescent, Dingley Village.

When police arrived, a man riding a white bicycle attempted to flee the area.

Officers gave chase and arrested the man a short while later, seizing the bicycle at the time of the man’s arrest.

Police will allege the man broke into six vehicles in Dingley Village between the hours of 11pm on Sunday 23 October and 6am on Monday morning, allegedly stealing number plates, electronic goods, personal items, and a bicycle.

It is alleged the man is also linked to three further theft-related incidents in Carnegie and Ormond, and an aggravated burglary in Ormond last week.

The 30-year-old Hampton Park man was charged with theft from motor vehicle, theft and handling stolen goods. He was remanded to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 27 October.

The car park integrates with a new bus interchange funded by the Victorian Government.

Bank exits Fountain Gate

Fountain Gate’s Bankwest store permanently closed its doors on 24 October, joining over a dozen other branches across the east coast to cash out of in-person services in recent months.

The bank chain said a 64 per cent decline in usage was behind the decision to close all 14 of its east coast branches.

Bankwest executive general manager Jason Chan said Bankwest needed to make a clear choice to invest in areas where customers preferred to engage with Bankwest.

“Customers increasingly expect us to be simpler and easier to bank with via their brokers and our digital and contact centre channels, so it’s critical we meet these expectations,” he said.

“We’re exploring how we continue to get the balance right between supporting those customers who want to use branches while delivering the digital services customers expect of us.

“On the east coast, Bankwest is in a strong position to grow as a homeowner-focused digital bank due to our distinct brand, first class broker services and digital investment plans.”

Bankwest general manager of personal banking Scott Spittles said the bank was contacting customers about the changes and upskilling WA branch colleagues so they could continue to serve customers.

“We’re writing to branch customers to inform them of the changes, support them in using digital services and help customers access alternative physical banking options where needed,” he said.

“Thanks to Bankwest’s partnership with Australia Post, our customers can access more than 3500 Bank@Post locations in communities across Australia for many of their day-today banking needs.”

While Mr Chan said the bank chain would continue to be “a leading retail bank” in its

home state of Western Australia, opening hours are shrinking for branches in regional parts of the state.

Last month the bank announced it would adjust the opening hours of 29 WA regional branches, which will move to two and four days per week.

While Bankwest has attributed the change to a continued shift in customer preferences across WA and nationwide toward digital bank ing options, peak body The Finance Sector Union (FSU) has accused the Commonwealth Bank subsidiary of “abandoning customers and communities” in response to the closures.

“It is yet another case of the CBA putting profits before people,” Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said.

“Banks like the CBA and Bankwest promote the lie that large numbers of customers are migrating to digital banking, when the truth is that the banks are actively pushing customers into digital banking.

“BankWest and the CBA are hardly doing it tough after the group booked a hefty $9.6 billion profit in FY2022.”

It comes after Commonwealth Bank closed its Hampton Park branch in July, causing frustration among the local community who said

it was one of few accessible Commonwealth Bank branches available in the area.

Ms Angrisano said FSU had been concerned about bank branch closures for years.

“This trend has reached crisis proportions and we are calling on the Federal Government to hold an inquiry into the impact of bank branch closures,” she said.

“The FSU believes banking is an essential service and that all Australians, no matter where they live, have the right to access banking services in the manner they choose, in particular by being able to walk into a local branch.”

Bankwest has closed all of its east coast branches.

Picture: UNSPLASH

Council restoring Avenue of Honour

The City of Casey will soon start the third and final phase of a tree renewal project along the Beaconsfield Avenue of Honour to ensure the memorial to local war heroes lives on.

Casey is home to seven Avenues of Honour, which were planted to commemorate the con tribution and sacrifices made by local volun teers in World War I, as well as stand as living memorials to those who served in the wars that followed.

After it was identified that many of the trees along the Beaconsfield Avenue of Honour, which runs along High Street in Berwick, were in poor or declining condition, council began preparations to undertake a proactive removal and replacement project at the site.

Council took cuttings from the original Av-

enue trees back in 2015 and, with the help of a specialised nursery, propagated replacement trees of the same genus and species.

Once the cuttings grew into established trees of about four to five metres in height, they have then been used to replace the trees in declining condition during the different phases of the project.

The original trees, Poplar x Canadensis, were planted more than 80 years ago and many have reached the end of their useful life in an urban landscape.

Council has already removed and replaced 67 trees along the Avenue over the past few years and, following its success, is now preparing to start the final phase which will involve the removal and replacement of a further 26

trees. Works are expected to start on 31 October and take about two weeks to complete. There may be some minimal traffic disruptions while works take place between 9.30am and 3pm.

The Berwick RSL and the Beaconsfield Progress Association have acknowledged their support for this project and welcomed council undertaking the renewal to ensure the longterm conservation of this memorial.

The names of the 65 servicemen honoured along the Avenue are on plaques at the corner of Old Princes Highway and Beaconsfield Emerald Road.

To find out more about the project, contact council’s Urban Forest team by emailing caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au

Witnesses sought

Police are seeking witnesses following an assault in Berwick in October.

Investigators have been told a male victim left a licensed venue on High Street between Clyde Road and Gloucester Avenue about 2am on 23 October.

He walked along the shopping strip to an alcove area where he was punched to the head by an unknown female, police said.

The 27-year-old Officer man sustained injuries as a result of the assault.

Police are continuing to collect CCTV footage of the incident and are calling on anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or have CCTV or dash cam vision of a woman in the area around this time, to come forward.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au

Forums cancelled

The remaining two town hall forums held by a Narre Warren North candidate have been cancelled due to low attendance.

The community forums were organised by independent candidate Stephen Capon as a way for the community to connect with state election candidates and discuss issues.

The last two community forums were due to be held on Saturday 5 November in Berwick and Saturday 12 November in Hallam.

The Avenue of Honour in Berwick’s High Street.

Picture: CITY OF CASEY

Plants grow community

The donation of around 300 plants from a level crossing removal project in Melbourne’s south east is assisting a local school to set up its first horticulture-inspired program.

The level crossing at Clyde Road, Berwick was removed in February this year by building a road underpass beneath the Pakenham rail line.

Cire Community School is an independent secondary school that offers flexible learning opportunities at four campuses in Yarra Junction, Lilydale, Mt Evelyn and Berwick.

Berwick campus principal Tom Witenden said the plants, which include a mixture of four species — kangaroo paw, salt bush, dianella tasmanica and lomandra tanika — will help cultivate a new horticulture initiative at the school.

“With the addition of a new greenhouse, the plants will play a central role in the initial set up, with the seeds and cuttings to also be used in future programs,” Mr Witenden said.

Cire Community School caters to a wide range of young people, offering hands-on practical learning opportunities.

“This donation will play a vital role in creating a sustainable and welcoming environment for our young people,” he said.

“The plants will allow students to ‘get their hands dirty’ and help them learn new skills that will support them in life.”

In total, the Clyde Road Level Crossing Removal Project has donated around 1000 plants to Cire Community School, Nossal High School, and Little by Little cafe.

The Clyde Road level crossing was the 12th to be removed along the Pakenham Line in

The plant donation will assist Cire Community School to set up a horticulture program.

February this year, with nine more to go to make it boom-gate free by 2025.

Since the level crossing was removed, crews have been finishing works and landscaping, including the establishment of a new pocket park in Berwick.

The initiative is part of works that will plant more than 37,000 trees, plants and shrubs throughout the Clyde Road project area.

The Level Crossing Removal Project is also delivering the new Berwick Station bus in terchange, which will double the number of bus bays and improve accessibility for pas sengers.

Clyde lotto winner has 53 million reasons to retire

A Clyde blue-collar worker struggled to hold back tears as lottery officials broke the news that he held a division one win ning entry in Thursday 27 October’s Pow erball draw.

The unassuming winner was having a quiet night at home when he received the life-changing call confirming his $53.3 million share of the $160 million Powerball jackpot.

“Oh my god, oh my god. I can’t believe this!” he cried while fighting back the tears.

“Holy sh*t! Holy sh*t!

“I never thought I’d get this phone call. This has changed my life!”

The man said he could not wait to break the news to his family.

“My grandson wanted a dog for Christmas and I was trying to organise it for him. He can have all the dogs in the world now!

“I’m done with work! I’m out of here, mate. Retirement is calling.

“This is absolutely mind-blowing.”

The Clyde man shared the jackpot with two other winners, from Western Australia and New South Wales, respectively.

Each of the three division one winning entries in Powerball draw 1380 scored $53,333,333.34.

The hunt, however, is underway for the mystery New South Wales ticketholder.

This winning entry was not registered to a player card, which means lottery officials have no way of reaching out to the newlyminted multi-millionaire.

Instead, they must wait for the ticketholder to check their ticket and discover the life-changing news themselves.

The winning ticket was purchased at a NSW Lotteries outlet in the City of Penrith.

The Lott spokesperson James Eddy said he was eagerly waiting for the mystery Sydney Powerball winner to check their entry and make contact to start the process of claiming their prize.

“We are thrilled to see three division one winning entries share this record-breaking jackpot,” Mr Eddy said.

“Of course, we were hoping to reach out to all of our division one winners to break the incredible news, but unfortunately, we will have to wait for our New South Wales winner to come forward.

“Just imagine how more than $53 million might change your life and the lives of your closest family and friends. We can’t wait for them to discover this incredible news!

“If you discover you’re holding a division one winning entry, hold on tight to that ticket and phone 131 868 as soon as possible so that we can start the prize claim process!”

The winning numbers in Powerball draw 1380 were 10, 4, 12, 18, 2, 34 and 7. The allimportant Powerball number was 7.

Spring Festival

Inclusive focus for show

Diversity and inclusivity will be the corner stone of next year’s Berwick Show, thanks to a collaboration between the Berwick Show Committee, local council, community leaders and a funding pledge from the Liberal Govern ment.

Gembrook MP and Berwick Liberal candidate Brad Battin met with members of the show committee last week to announce an elected Matt Guy Liberal Government wOULD invest $200,000 over four years to increase in clusiveness at the Berwick Show.

A true community event, the annual Berwick Show is a landmark event for the rapidly growing Casey region, with a history stretch ing back over 170 years, and attracting tens of thousands of people.

Today, the Berwick Show Society is proud of the significant role agricultural and horti cultural exhibits and events continues to play in the show, hosting some of the largest live stock exhibits outside of the Melbourne Royal Show.

The Liberal Party said the commitment would support the development of new events and exhibitions to increase inclusivity across both multicultural and LGBTQIA+ communi ties, so that the rich diversity of Casey can be celebrated by all. Member for Gembrook and Liberal candidate for Berwick, Brad Battin, said the Berwick show was a melting pot of the region’s history and its diverse population.

“This funding will support an even more diverse show, better reflecting the people who call Berwick and wider Casey home.”

Berwick Show secretary Margaret Boon said, along with the committee, she was excit ed about the potential to make the show more inclusive.

“We’ve been engaging with community group leaders, letting them know we’re here and making sure they know that they can par ticipate,” she said.

Next year’s show will work around the theme ‘we are one, welcome everyone’ Mrs Boon said. “We’re excited to be able to include community groups from the planning point of view, not just in terms of attendance.

“We’re working with community groups to

find out how we can make it more inclusive and what the groups are looking for in the show.”

After Covid restrictions prevented the show from running to its full potential over the last two years, Mrs Boon said the show committee is looking forward to welcoming the general

New electoral boundaries now in effect

By Eleanor Wilson

Boundary changes have officially come into effect for electorates across the South East ahead of the State election.

The electoral boundary changes officially changed on Tuesday 1 November following the 2020-21 State redivision - a regular review of district and region boundaries conducted by the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC).

The restructure meant several changes for electorates across the City of Casey.

Labor MP Luke Donnellan’s Narre Warren North electorate extended to include 706 voters from Lysterfield South (formerly part of the Rowville district) and 6005 voters from Endeavour Hills.

Meanwhile, NarreWarren South, currently held by ALP’s Gary Maas, surrendered 15,850 voters to the new Berwick District, but will

expand to the south, picking up 17,458 constituents from Cranbourne North and Lynbrook.

The Berwick District is running as an electoral seat for the first time since it was removed in 2002.

In addition to Narre Warren South voters, the Berwick seat will also comprise of 10,399 voters from Clyde North and 20,515 voters from the former Gembrook District areas of Beaconsfield and Guys Hill as well as most of Beaconsfield Upper, Berwick and Harkaway.

The Cranbourne District will be more than 20,000 voters smaller at this election, with its northern boundary moving south to Thompsons Road.

As a result, it will give up most of its Lyndhurst voters (4373 voters) to the Carrum District, plus 17,458 voters from Cranbourne North and Lynbrook, which have gone to the seat of Narre Warren South.

The Bass District, currently held by ALP’s Jordan Crugnale, has shed over 30,000 voters from Pakenham and Clyde to the newly formed Berwick and Pakenham Districts.

It has gained 7590 voters from theWestern Port coastal communities of Warneet, Blind Bight and Tooradin from Hastings District and also Nar Nar Goon, Tynong, Garfield and Bunyip from Narracan District.

The EBC – an independent statutory body supported by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) – conducted the redivision of electoral boundaries for both houses of Parliament to ensure that each vote in Victorian state elections has an equal value and that each elector is represented equally.

To vote in the 26 November State election, you will need to be correctly enrolled by 8pm on 8 November.

To enrol, check or update your details, head to vec.vic.gov.au/enrolment

public again.

“Welcoming the public back will be just amazing. I think the community is looking for an event like this to attend as well,” she said.

The Berwick Show 2023 will be held at Akoonah Park on 25-26 February.

From left, Berwick Show committee secretary Margaret Boon, Willem Boon, Brad Battin MP, Ann Keys, past president Noelene King, president Warwick Glendenning, treasurer Sonia Leahy and Tom Gibson.

Picture: SUPPLIED

A map outlines the new electoral boundaries for South-Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne.

Picture: VEC

Kelly’s comeback complete

Kelly Fitzgerald will never forget the first day of summer in 2021.

That is, the parts that she can still recall.

After two years of computer-simulated workouts on a spin bike in her living room, the Garfield dairy farmer was seizing the opportu nity to get back on the roads and bask in the sunshine to battle legitimate terrain.

Ms Fitzgerald had joined the Casey-Cardinia Triathlon Squad in late 2019 but Covid-19 com plications had meant there had been seldom events to participate in since.

She felt as fit as she had ever been, and was sporting newly purchased apparel and helmet as she and a group of friends completed a regu lar 50-kilometre circuit around Cora Lynn, Bay les and back to Garfield, in preparation for her first half-ironman event early in 2022.

“It was a great day, it was really really good,” Ms Fitzgerald recalled.

“It wasn’t windy and it was quite nice to be outside.

“I felt really, really good on that day, abso lutely amazing, and then it ended up being one of my worst days.”

As she left Garfield to embark on a second lap, she was involved in a traumatic collision with a car rendering her unconscious, breaking 20 bones, including a number of vertebrae, and a crushing her oesophagus.

As a result, she doesn’t have a recollection of the incident itself. In fact, the two weeks are somewhat of a blur.

Initially taken to Dandenong Hospital, she was then transferred to the Alfred, where two days after the collision, she was placed in an induced coma for six days and underwent two surgeries to her upper spine.

But she was lucky to even make it to Dan denong. Chilling data from her sports watch, which recorded her heart-rate during the ride, showed she was operating at an alarming five beats-per-minute in the immediate aftermath of the collision, during the critical 40-minute wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Her C1, T1, T2, T3 and T4 vertebrae were all broken. Surgeons pinned her T1 and T2 to gether, and did the same with T4 and T5, while T3 has a bone graft, and sealed her back with 35 staples post the operation.

“The three things that save your spinal cord are your sternum, your ribs and your back. I broke all of them.”

As she lay in a daze in her hospital bed, feel ing isolated, vulnerable, exhausted and alone due to restrictions on hospital visits during the pandemic, she had no idea of the extent of her injuries.

The pain was immense, and she began setting herself little goals to stay focused: eat, walk, and get to the bathroom, which she was told would act as ticket to freedom.

It wasn’t until she was released shortly before Christmas that her new reality began to dawn on her. Living with a friend on a more suitable location for her recovery than her Gar field property, everything was a battle.

A mother to six and grandmother to nine, Ms Fitzgerald had dedicated so much of her time to running her kids around to their school, sporting commitments, social events, or helping with their homework.

Now it was her turn to be cared for.

“I’ve never really shown myself to be sick or unwell,” she said.

“Maybe it’s a Mum thing that you try to hide from everybody else, so I don’t think my family really knew what to do with me, and I found that a little bit confronting. I couldn’t do anything; I couldn’t go to the bathroom, shower, whatever. I could barely move.”

Adding to the physical pain was the mental struggles.

Having to, literally, find her feet again, con sultations with her doctor proved confronting as anything in her journey.

“I wasn’t (aware of the extent of my injuries) and I wasn’t until the day after I went home. I went to see my GP and I handed over my list of my injuries and she said, ‘Oh my god Kelly, you’re lucky to be alive, let alone talking.’

“I think I had a cry and then she had one too. And then the injuries hit me. I really had no idea until then, so that was a pretty traumatic day, emotionally.

“I think I was in shock, at how bad it really was. I had spoken to (triathlon coach) Charlie in hospital and I wondered, ‘What did they all know?’ then I thought about Charlie at the ac cident scene.

“I started to think, what did happen? What was I like? What were others going through as well?Was I really that close to dying?”

Much of these questions will remain unan swered and the thoughts still linger in the back of her mind, nearly 12 months on.

Once she felt comfortable moving back home, her bike, which normally takes pride of place in her living room, had to be moved, out of sight and out of mind, as she considered whether she had spun the pedals for the very last time.

Where she had doubts, however, her coach, Charlie Pragnall, had ambitions.

“The pain was confined to just my back and my chest area and I was having trouble breath ing. Charlie said ‘80 per cent of your body is pretty good, 20 per cent is not good, but not in 200 per cent pain’.

“So that puts it into perspective a little bit.

That’s how I dealt with the pain.”

Ever the athlete, Charlie Pragnall, an inter national ironman competitor, began setting her targets.

It started with encouraging Ms Fitzgerald to wriggle her toes while she lay in her hospital bed.

Once she was cleared to exercise again, he had her walking and back in the pool, neck brace and all, swimming backstroke with a flo tation device between her legs in the shallow children’s pool at Pakenham’s Cardinia Life, to the amazement of fellow swimmers and staff members, all of whom became invested in her recovery.

Her progress stunned not only the locals who saw her up close, but the professionals who saw her at her worst when she was at the Alfred.

“I took myself off medication after three months. I was off medication, and when I went back to the Alfred they said that was incredible.

“They said, ‘What you’ve done in three months can take two years.’”

There were ups and downs along the way –even now she still deals with the nagging dayto-day aches, and there were some days that were simply too overwhelming.

On her first trip to the velodrome, for exam ple, it took her over an hour and a half to actu ally get back on the bike.

“I teach my Grandkids to ride bikes and they’ve got training wheels, and I said that I need training wheels.

“Charlie held my bike up and I just peddled. If he let go, I would have fallen down. But he got me up and I did a lap of the velodrome finally, after tears and tears.”

Amazingly, just over four months to the day after the life-threatening collision, she com pleted the 14.8 kilometre Run for the Kids in April, finishing with immense satisfaction and a ‘runners high’ to beat all runners highs as she crossed the finish line in another step (roughly 14,800 of them) on the journey.

But she wasn’t satisfied. After all, there was still the matter of the half-ironman she initially trained for and never got to complete.

The location was Western Sydney, in early October. Ever her biggest supporter, Charlie Pragnall signed her up; another target.

After the 1.9 kilometre swim, the nerves real ly began to kick in. Initial early peddle anxieties aside, she had become reacquainted with the bike, but riding in a competitive event among thousands of others was a shift in gears.

“I was panicking.

“I hadn’t been on the bike outside, so being around people was a bit nerve-wracking.

“On the swim, I just watched the orange band on Charlie’s feet. And then he stayed with me on the bike and made sure I was okay, and then we ran together.

“We got to 18 kilometres on the run and I started to tire. He said to me ‘How much do you want it?’ and I said ‘I don’t want it any more!’ But I did it, I got the extra three kilo metres in and I was very proud of myself. And I made it all thanks to Charlie.”

An unfathomable turnaround, from think ing she could be wheelchair-bound for the rest of her life, through sheer determination and with the support of her team, she had fi nally completed that 1.9km swim, 70km bike ride and 21km run that would have seemed impossible at the beginning of the year.

She credits a unique approach to pain management, the belief instilled in her by Charlie Pragnall and her supporters, from the staff at Cardinia Life to fellow swimmers and everyone who wished her well along her jour ney.

“Even the ladies at Cardinia Life, just walk ing in and hearing, ‘Hi Kelly, how are you go ing?’ or they would say ‘we saw you do that today’ and it was just the little words all that just kept me going.

“They saw the progress and I think that helped.”

So what’s next?

“I would like to do a full ironman, that’s al ways on the cards.

“I think if I could do that, that would be pretty amazing. I’m doing a half-ironman Perth in December.

“Maybe next year.”

Kelly Fitzgerald proudly sporting her medal awarded for completing her first half-ironman in Sydney in October. 305818

Picture: MARCUS UHE

Ms Fitzgerald on her road to recovery.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Push to paint Narre green

By Eleanor Wilson

A progressive candidate is hoping to paint Narre Warren North green at the State election at the end of the month.

Proud Wiradjuri and trans woman Laura McLean was recently announced as the Greens candidate for Narre Warren North - and she’s hoping to rally the support to cause an upset in the safe Labor seat.

Betting agency Sportsbet currently has the ALP’s Belinda Wilson at odds of $1.02 to take over the electorate from retiring MP Luke Don nellan.

But Ms McLean said constituents have the power to “stop the major parties taking us for granted”.

“I’ve chosen to stand in this election because I believe it’s important for our commu nity to have an alternative to the two major parties,” she said.

A local resident, Ms McLean has a professional background in the union movement, which she says has shown her “first hand how local working families in the area are doing it tough”.

“The cost of living crisis has contributed to uncertainty and stress in the community, and it’s time for change,” she said.

“I’ve been lucky through my work that I’ve

Easing the cost of living crisis would involve building more affordable housing and ending out-of-control rent rises, Ms McLean said.

Environmental protection is another key part of her political ideology.

“The pandemic has shown us how much we’re lacking green spaces and parks in our community.

“I strongly believe that protecting our natural environment is essential for our community’s mental health as well as the survival of our planet!”

She is hoping she can contribute to the Greens’ efforts to push the next government to tackle climate change by replacing coal and gas with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

Improving public transport to be more accessible and affordable is another of Ms McLean’s aims, if elected to the seat.

“We urgently need to upgrade our public transport system to make it more accessible and affordable, with many parts of the electorate lacking any public transport at all,” she said.

Ms McLean will contest the seat of Narre Warren North against ALP candidate Belinda Wilson, Liberal candidate Timothy Dragan, Liberal Democrats candidate Stephen Matulec and Independent Stephen Capon.

‘Amazing project’: Little Beacons welcomed in Berwick

The long-awaited official opening of the Little Beacons Learning Centre at Beaconhills Col lege’s Berwick Campus took place on Tuesday 25 October.

College guests, along with children and staff, celebrated the opening of Little Beacons and its adjoining ‘bush kinder’ outdoor class room, now named ‘Biik ngarnga-ut’ (learn on country) by Boon Wurrung Elder Aunty Fay Muir.

Little Beacons Berwick was built with the help of a $1.6 million State Government grant and began its programs at the start of 2020, but the official opening was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

A separate $50,000 State Government grant has also helped create the natural bush kinder area, used by children in the centre’s Early Ex plorers Program. It contains wetlands, wood lands, open pasture and Indigenous plants.

The centre is an extraordinary example of a high quality, early learning facility and mirrors Little Beacons’ Pakenham Campus.

Rated as ‘exceeding’ in all seven areas of the National Quality standards, its features in clude 122 solar panels, water tanks for flush ing toilets and garden upkeep, bee-attracting plants, acoustic ceilings, and calm, seamless spaces between indoor and outdoor areas.

The building was blessed by The Rt Revd Dr Paul Barker, Assistant Bishop – Jumbunna Episcopate, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. Guests enjoyed musical performances by Little Beacons children, who also shared an

Indigenous acknowledgement in language. Head of Little Beacons, Vicki Reid, said the quality foundations of the building were reflected in the Little Beacons curriculum, which supported each child’s development and the skills they needed throughout life.

“I am so very grateful for the team who de liver quality education every day,” she said.

“We know they are supporting future lead ers to grow and be the best people they can be. I would like to thank all involved in achieving this amazing project.”

The centre offers Early Years and outside school hours programs, along with playgroup and allied health services. Planned future ser vices include early intervention and mater nal/child health.

WIN FAMILY PASSES - MELBOURNE'S CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND

The magic of Christmas is bought to life though a breathtaking experience like no other celebrating the festive season.

Set under the enormous, air-cooled big-top adorned with thousands of sparkling LED stars, this wonderland is filled with adventure, entertainment, activities, interactive experiences, thrills, skating, games, food and more - bringing together everything that you love about this most wonderous time of year. Runs from 25 Nov - 24 Dec 2022.

Your ticket will include two hours of fun, excitement and priceless family memories as you explore and experience Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderlands' themed zones, each filled with their own unique experiences.

The Event Touring Company, leaders in premium family entertainment and creators of the award-winning Sesame Street Circus Spectacular and Jurassic Creatures is excited to bring Australia’s most beautiful Christmas event to Melbourne. Presented by KIIS FM. Find out more at melbourneschristmaswonderland.com.au

Alana, Audrey, Sampurn and Mikael with the centre’s bush kinder, called ‘Biik ngarnga-ut’.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Head of Little Beacons, Vicki Reid, Beaconhills College board chair Dr David Moseley and Beaconhills College executive principal Stephen McGinley.

been able to hear the stories from workers who come from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds.

“I know that the only effective way to be able to represent people is through listening to people and understanding their struggles.

Laura McLean is hoping Narre Warren North residents will get behind the Greens at the State election. Picture: SUPPLIED

Nation’s top park crowned

By Eleanor Wilson

It has long been cherished by the local com munity as a premier destination for weddings, friendly catch ups and leisurely family strolls.

Now the “hidden gem of Berwick” has been honoured on a national scale.

Berwick’s Wilson Botanic Park has been awarded National Park of the Year 2022 by Parks and Leisure Australia.

The park, which recently celebrated its 30year anniversary, won the award for its revitali sation during Covid.

Parks and Leisure Australia said the park “placed the environment and people first, supporting the community’s heightened re liance on open space, through rare species planting, bird attracting area, pop-up cafe, signage, amenities, paths, smart bin, park and ride, stormwater harvesting and a visionary, immersive sunken walkway into Lilypad Lake”.

City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM said the council was thrilled to receive the award.

“Wilson Botanic Park Berwick is one of City of Casey’s premier parks and showcases unique plant collections, fossils, and fauna, all presented in picturesque open space,” she said.

“The park plays an integral role in bringing the community together, supporting the com munity’s physical and mental health.”

Ms Duff said the park had experienced a significant rise in visitors over the past two years, increasing from approximately 420,000 visitors in 2019 to almost 700,000 in 2021.

“As the Casey population grows and changes, it’s important that Wilson Botanic Park Berwick continues to provide high quality recreation and open space opportunities for the community,” she said. Former park super intendent Lex Nieboer, who has been heav ily involved in the establishment of the park

over the last 30 years, said the park had long deserved recognition for its facilities. “It is a fantastic garden so it’s good to see it’s being honoured and recognised by the authorities… it is most important,” Mr Nieboer said.

“I worked with the contractors who were asked to do the original master plan, so it’s gone from something that was just spoken about and now it’s come to reality… it’s a wonderful asset to the community, both near and far.

Peter Rabbit

“The potential has always been there, it’s just a matter of it getting the public attention and funding attention it deserves to realise that potential.”

Mr Nieboer said congratulations was also owed to the teams of dedicated park staff and volunteers, such as the Friends of Wilson Botanic Park, who have helped create the vision of the park over the years. When it comes to the future of the park, Casey Council recently endorsed the Wilson Botanic Park Master Plan 2022, outlining the next 20 years of

progress for the gardens.

The master plan includes proposals for a series of new feature gardens, a car park expansion and redevelopment of the Visitor Centre.

“Our recently endorsed Wilson Botanic Park Master Plan 2022 will guide the future strategic direction of the park to ensure that the more than 600,000 residents who visit every year can continue to enjoy the beautiful landscapes, walks, native animals and plants,” Ms Duff said.

Wilson Botanic Park Berwick was awarded National Park of the Year for its revitalisation during Covid. Picture: PARKS AND LEISURE AUSTRALIA

Spotlight on a local CEO

value in relationships. I demonstrate this in a number of my podcasts.

What has been your greatest challenge in the business?

Being able to find what works in the growth of myself and my business and apply it consistently. It has only been in the last five years or so that I have been able to really make this work.

Continuing our focus on successful CEOs, this week I interviewed Robb Evans, who runs Stu dioz Personal Training (studiozpt.com.au), a health and fitness company based in Paken ham.

Robb has worked with hundreds of business leaders and is well respected locally, na tionally and overseas for his knowledge, skills and unrelenting focus on assisting others in their pursuit of health, wellbeing and fitness.

If you feel in need of developing your health and wellbeing, it is well worth getting in touch with Robb.

Why was the business started in the first place?

I started out as a Chartered Accountant but moved into health and fitness as I felt I could make a greater contribution to humanity in this space rather than through numbers.

I worked in this domain for 19 years before I eventually set up my own business which has now been running for 13 years.

What does the business specialise in?

Optimising people’s health. This can include: improving the body physically, enhancing self-image, enhancing health, increasing func tional strength, improving fitness, educating people about sustainable and healthy nutri tion, and enabling greater confidence.

In short, I am looking to optimise health in a sustainable way through simple things that can be done each day.

What are you most proud of?

Creating my business from scratch and now

being in control of its success. I have been able to help hundreds of people lose thousands of kilos and achieve a long-lasting impact on making people feel better, be healthier and

create life-sustainable habits.

What is the secret for success?

Mental toughness, an incredible work ethic, consistency and the ability to continue to add

How did you overcome it?

I have tried doing things differently to see what worked and apply the ‘secret of success’ items above to enable tailored programs and onestop solutions. However, probably the greatest benefit came from engaging a business coach. What advice would you give to a new business owner just starting out?

Engage a Business Coach. Expect to fail (and fast). Build a great team around you and make sure you stay passionate about what you do. Spend time developing relationships and adding value daily. Create raving fan customers by effectively solving their problems.

Who inspires you and why?

My own Business Coach (JT Foxx) along with anyone that has managed to achieve high levels of success ethically in their respective field which may include sports, science, business and other areas.

How do you see business changing over the coming years?

In order to stand out you need to provide a ‘wow’ experience through great customer service. It’s very easy to get lost in the (technical) system side of things.

What are your interests and hobbies?

Taking care of my health, working out, time with my kids, eating properly, myotherapy, gardening and self-improvement.

Ian Ash is the managing director of OrgMent Business Solutions.

Robb Evans is the CEO of Studioz Personal Training in Pakenham.

Picture: SUPPLIED

WHAT’S

Multicultural Senior Citizens Groups

Are you a senior citizen from a Greek, Italian or Hungarian background? Would you like to meet, socialise and talk with other seniors from your background? Would you like to make new friends?

· At the John Pandazopoulos Public Hall at 76 Power Road, Doveton, the Berwick and District Greek Club meets on Mondays from 10am. To find out more, call John on 0413 411 220.

· The Italian Corona Seniors Club meets at the same address on Tuesdays from 10am. For more information, call Francesca on 0411 295 792.

· The Hungarian Seniors Seniors Group meets at the same address, on Wednesdays from 10am. To find out more, call Julius on 9544 9094.

· These Seniors Groups and others at the hall will have been meeting in harmony together for the last 25 years next year.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club

· Line Dancing - Monday 9.30am - noon.

· New Vogue and Old Time Dance - Tuesday 1pm - 3.30pm and second Sunday of each month 1pm - 5pm.

· Carpet Bowls - Saturday and Wednesday 12.30pm - 3.30pm.

· Bingo - Thursdays 11am - 2pm.

· Community Day - First Friday of the month 11am - 2.30pm.

· Indoor Market - Friday 4 November. 10.30am - 2.30pm. Stallholder enquiries: 0466 623 210.

· Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club, 1 Codrington Street, Cranbourne. For more information, call 0432 107 590.

Spring Night Market at Akoonah Park

We are very excited to announce that we will be hosting a spring night market!

Come and enjoy a spring night with some de licious food and drinks and browse our huge range of amazing stalls.

Categories will include clothing, home decor, art, cosmetics, gifts, pet supplies, collectors items, books, and much more.

We look forward to a great night!

· Friday November 4 from 4pm – 9pm at Akoonah Park. 2 Cardinia St, Berwick.

The Chatty Cafe with Berwick Neighbourhood Centre

Are you feeling a bit lonely or socially isolated due to your circumstances? Don’t worry everyone has their down days, yet there is no need to be alone.

Please come and join our ‘Chatty Table’ which keeps communities connected and brings people together... everyone is invited! If you are on your own, a couple, with a friend, young or old, everyone is welcome to come and have a chat.

· Starting Wednesday 5 October. Time: 12.30pm–2pm. Venue: Multipurpose room Timbarra Community Centre, Timbarra Way, Berwick For more details, call 9704 1863 or email bnc12@westnet.com.au

Note: If you would like to be a Chatty Cafe volunteer, please also let us know.

Sunday Sessions at Your New Local

Join us for Sunday sessions each Sunday here at your new local - The Amstel Club, Cranbourne. Join us on our outdoor green beer garden, sip away on your favourites and listen to great acts week in and week out.

Best of all its free - get down to the club early to grab your spot!

A great way to end the weekend.

· Sundays from 2pm at The Amstel Club, 1000 Cranbourne-Frankston Road, Cranbourne.

Dark Thorn Live @ Night Rides Festival

Get your car mojo into gear and get down to the Night Ride Festival/Show in Berwick. We’re on at 6pm, so come and rock out and check out the beasts.

Plenty of food and drink stalls and it’s a great family event too.

Looking for a bargain?

Warneet-Blind Bight CFA’s Community Garage Sale is on again.

Maps with the garage sale addresses will be available for a gold coin donation at the entrance to Blind Bight or at theWarneetBlindBightFireStationon Rutherford Parade.

There will be a coffee van, egg and bacon rolls and a sausage sizzle from 8.30am to 2pm at the Blind Bight Community Centre car park and a sausage sizzle at the Warneet fire station.

· For enquiries or to book your own garage sale, contact Patricia on 0474 453 260.

Timbarra Over 50s Social Club Old Time/New Vogue Dancing

A beginner’s class for those wishing to learn Old Time/New Vogue dancing will start on Friday 20 January 2023 at 7:30pm in the Multipurpose Room of the Timbarra Community Centre, Timbarra Way, Berwick.

This would enable you to join our regular dance night held each Thursday evening in the Timbarra Community Hall.

· To enrol for the class or find out more, call Bruce on 0447 554 475.

U3A Casey Showcase 2022

Retirees come and see what U3A Casey is all about - displays, demos and performances! Afternoon tea provided.

Where: Fiddler’s Green Retirement Village, 57 Gloucester Avenue, Berwick.

When: Sunday 20 November 2pm to 4pm.

· Enquiries: 0421 705 726.

foster

Play a part

Saturday 12 November from 8am. Blind Bight Community Centre: 39 Anchorage Drive, Blind Bight. 304002 Picture: SUPPLIED

Beaconsfield Beaconsfield Tattslotto 55 Old Princes Highway

Beaconsfield Kaye Charles Real Estate Shop 2, 6-10 Old Princes Highway

• Beaconsfield Bendigo Bank Shop 6, 52-62 Old Princes Highway

• Beaconsfield Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Centre 8 O Neil Road

• Beaconsfield Woolworths Beaconsfield 28 Sylvia Road

• Berwick Brentwood Milkbar 24 Bemersyde Drive

• Berwick Bemersyde Bakery 6/84 Bemersyde Drive

• Berwick R and R Real Estate 1 Clyde Road

• Berwick Century 21 Real Estate 9 Clyde Road

• Berwick Eden Rise Shopping Village 1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd

• Berwick Coles Supermarket Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre 1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd

• Berwick Berwick Springs Lucky Lotto Shop 10/1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd

• Berwick Grants Estate Agents 3a Gloucester Avenue

• Berwick Berwick Newsagency 29 High Street

• Berwick Ray White Real Estate 42 High Street

• Berwick Alex Scott and Staff Real Estate 49 High Street

• Berwick Harcourts Real Estate 20 High Street

• Berwick Neilson Partners 1st National 57 High Street

• Berwick Gluten Free and Chocolate 9/48 High Street

• Berwick O’Brien Real Estate 56-58 High Street

• Berwick St John of God Hospital 75 Kangan Drive

• Berwick Chris Peake Real Estate 18 Langmore Lane

• Berwick Woolworths Shopping Centre 1-9 Lyall Road

• Berwick Mansfield Street Foodmart 157-159 Mansfield Street

• Berwick Parkhill Plaza News and Lotto Shop 13, 215-225 Parkhill Drive

• Berwick Chemist Discount Centre Shop 2, 215-225 Parkhill Drive

• Berwick Coles Supermarket Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre Shop 19, 215-225 Parkhill Drive

• Berwick Coles Berwick Central 2 Richardson Grove

• Berwick Hocking Stuart Real Estate Suite 2, 16 Langsmore Lane

• Hallam 7 Eleven Service Station 38-40 Hallam South Road

• Hallam Joes Mini Mart 117 Hinrichsen Drive

• Hallam Coles Hallam 2 Princes Domain Drive

• Hallam Raine and Horne Real Estate - Hallam 2 Spring Square

• Hallam Hallam Square News 42 Spring Square

• NarreWarren Ritchies IGA Shop 4/14 Webb Street

• NarreWarren Ritchies IGA Shop 4/14 Webb Street

• NarreWarren Narre Warren Newsagency 34 Webb Street

• NarreWarren Fleetwood MiniMart 94-96 Fleetwood Drive

• NarreWarren Casey Gardens Caravan Park 6 Fullard Road

• NarreWarren City of Casey 2 Patrick NE Drive

• NarreWarren Neilson Partners 1st National 418 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren The Good Food Emporium 15/430–440 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren Westfield Fountain Gate Shopping Centre 25-55 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren Coles 25-55 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren Woolworths 25-55 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren O’Brien Real Estate Narre Warren 25-55 Princes Highway

• NarreWarren Coles Express 2 Regency Drive & Princes Highway & Lauderdale Road

• NarreWarren Only Real Estate 13/3 Webb Street

• NarreWarren Donaldson Martin Real Estate 43-45 Webb Street

• NarreWarren Coles Express 155-171 Narre Warren North Road

• NarreWarren North Marcos IGA 2 Oakview Boulevard

• NarreWarren North Narre Warren North Newsagency 3/1E Oakview Boulevard

• NarreWarren South Casey Central Shopping Centre 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road

• NarreWarren South Coles 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road

• NarreWarren South Woolworths 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road

• NarreWarren South Ray White Real Estate Shop 20, 400 Narre WarrenCranbourne Road

• NarreWarren South Casey News and Lotto Shop 156, 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road

• NarreWarren South Ritchies Amberly Park 245 Ormond Road

Employment

The

Public Notice

City

This

Documents

HODSON HughBarton 18.1.1927-26.10.2022

for 72 years to Dorothy Elizabeth(deceased).

Father to Jeannette, Neil and Colin and their partners, Ray, Dorothy and Sherry (recently deceased).

Grandfather to Lincoln and Bec, Clare and Leon, Ryan and Minky, Sarah and Gemma, Mitchell and Leillah, Syke and Antonio, Heath, Ben and Pip, Jordan and Colleen, Lia and Kyle, Sky and Shane, Teil and Adam, Paris and Nathan,Josh,Spencerand Cyril.

Great Grandfather to Ruby, Arlo, Isabelle, Angus, Dylan, Elsie, Johnny,Charlotte,Hunter, Pearl, Florence, Ella, Charlie, Keisha, James, Piper, Van, Tex, Esher, Hugh,EnzoandZiggy.

He taught us by example how to have a sense of fun, a love of animals, sportandmusic,theneed toworkhard,andasense of responsibility to community.

HODSON

The funeral of Hugh Barton Hodson will be held at Stratus Reflection Space, Bunurong Memorial Park, 790 Frankston-Dandenong Road, Dandenong South on SATURDAY 12th November 2022 at 10.30am. PrivateCremation

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DISCRIMINATION IN ADVERTISING IS UNLAWFUL

The Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995 makes it unlawful for an advertiser to show any intention to discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, race, age, marital status, political or religious belief or physical features, disability, lawful sexual activity/sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status or on the basis of being associated with a person with one of the above characteristics, unless covered by an exception under the Act. As Network Classifieds could be legally liable if an unlawful advertisement is printed, Network Classifieds will not accept advertisements that appear to break the law. For more information about discrimination in advertising, contact your legal advisers or the Equal Opportunity Commission.

Rego 1VQ 6ST. Phone 0407 122 777,

Mighty Mitch on the rise

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Beaconsfield junior coach Dave Phillips sits back in his chair at Mitch Szybkowski’s house and exhales.

He takes a few seconds to think of how to describe the player who captained back-toback premierships under his coaching and who is now all but certain to get picked up in the AFL national draft in November.

“Pretty good,” he musters up after a few seconds of reflection about his player’s feats.

The first place he goes when describing Szybkowski is his leadership under pressure.

There are two games across the three years that best highlight his competitive on-field at titude: the pair of triumphant grand finals, in under 13’s and under 14’s.

Both matches were against arch-rivals Berwick, the first one on a hot day at Lynbrook.

“It was a great game but Mitch took the game away from Berwick,“ Phillips said.

“He kicked six goals from the midfield and I was standing on the interchange in awe of what he produced.

“It was the biggest game he had played in.

“As a 12 year old to put in a performance like that - it’ll stick with me forever that game.

“He destroyed them and Berwick did not have an answer for him.

“He’s a big game player, he wanted the occasion, he owned it.”

Close mate and opponent on the day Jaxon Binns estimated he had 45 to 50 touches in the performance that saw him named best on ground.

The following year was a different game out at Casey Fields and Szybkowski was workman like rather than spectacular, but when the mo ment came, it was Szybkowski who stole the show.

Having trailed all day, it was ‘Sibba’ that kicked the goal to give his team the win in the dying stages of the final quarter.

“His teammate saw him and put the ball in Mitch’s vicinity and he just rose above the pack, he’s taken this clutch mark and kicked the clutch goal afterwards,” Phillips said.

That summation from Phillips just about sums up his junior career.

Szybkowski always found a way to rise beyond his peers and stand out.

He won five club best and fairests as a junior, three league best and fairests and made interleague each year from under 13’s.

“I told Mitch’s mum after the under 14’s grand final that I will be watching Mitch in the AFL,“ Phillips recalled.

“She just laughed at me going ’no you won’t’ and I said ‘I will, trust me’ and here we are on the brink of Mitch achieving his dream that he has worked so damn hard for.“

Szybkowski says he relishes the big games:

“I always want the ball in my hands, I thrive

in those bigger moments, I want to be the one that is under pressure and have the ’follow me’ attitude,“ he said.

While those are the types of occasions that underscored why the Rays always saw him as the standout 2004-born talent in the region, it was Szybkowski’s work ethic that stood out to his coaches.

Szybkowski immediately impressed that upon both Phillips and Dandenong coach Nick Cox.

Phillips had heard a bit about Szybkowski’s talent prior to coaching him and still remembers the hunger when he first met the highly rated junior after a Christmas concert at Beaconsfield Primary School ahead of the under 13’s preseason.

“I met with him and the six other boys and gave them a training program - I wanted to see who would buy in and do the program over the summer and you could see straight away that Mitch’s eyes lit up: it was something he wanted to do,“ Phillips said.

“So we rolled into the first night of preseason and I hit this group with a two (kilometre) time trial and Mitch has come out and slammed everyone.

“He was lapping blokes, then after he completed it, he went back and ran with the stragglers.

“That spoke volumes about Mitch the person, the character, the selflessness.”

On the rare occasions that Szybkowski struggled to assert himself on the games in the

succeeding two years, Phillips said he would work harder to get from contest to contest, stay in the moment and open up his teammates.

So fond was Phillips of Szybkowski, he gave his star footballer his first job, hiring him for some summer shifts at his garden maintenance business and was pleased but unsurprised to see that can-do mentality translate off the footy field.

Now 18, Szybkowski said his work ethic comes naturally, having spent most weekends since he was 10 watching his older sister play netball and Beaconsfield’s seniors.

“I would always make sure I would go into the huddles at halftime, and quarter time, and after the game, go listen to the song and hang around there and just at training’s (I was) always hanging back,” Szybkowski said.

“I feel like that’s how I learned a lot about preparation and separated myself early on.”

While he repeatedly stood up on the field, having always been the captain of his junior sides largely because of how well credentialed he was as a player, he entered the Rays program in the under-15’s V-Line Cup as a relatively quiet character.

Szybkowski recalls Cox putting the onus on him at the beginning of the season to stand up and round off his leadership, having been voted in by his peers, and Cox was pleased with his progression.

“He was a pretty quiet kid, didn’t say too much and that has been the biggest change in him this year – we’ve been proud with how he has brought everyone in and talked and recip-

rocated more,” Cox said.

“Not many people see it but that has been one of the biggest changes for Mitch this season.

“At presentation night where he gave a really good speech to the group about the year and what it meant to him.

“The practice match against Sandy, I gave him and a few others a spray about not taking responsibility as leaders, but (after that) he just took responsibility as a leader and understood what was required off the field, talking to players, and realised he was looked up at and had to be better with his verbal stuff which he has been.”

Seen as a prospect that could push the top 10 in the AFL draft coming into the season, the prevailing belief now is he will go in the second round.

His fall is more so a result of others pushing themselves up than any of his own shortfalls, having established himself as one of the prime big-bodied inside distributors at the Dandenong Stingrays, Caulfield Grammar and Vic Country.

“Heading into the year, there was talk that my inside game wasn’t up to the level so I wanted to showcase my inside game and play consistent footy which I was able to do across the year,” said Szybkowski, who averaged 23 disposals and four tackles in his seven NAB League games.

“At the national champs I had to showcase inside and outside.

“I feel like I was able to show what I could do on inside but also spread on outside and get used.

“That is probably one of the top strengths I have so to be able to shut down the talk that I wasn’t up to the level and reflect on it now, I think I have put a full stop on it.

“The other thing was, I didn’t want the expectation this year to change the perception of who I am so that was something I focused on.”

Come November 29, Phillips’ draft prophecy and the Stingrays’ long-held expectation looks set to become reality.

SZYBKOWSKI JUNIOR ACCOLADES

· Club Best and Fairests: Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 12s, Under 13s, Under 14s

· South Eastern Junior Football League Best and Fairests: Under 11s, Under 13s, Under 14s

· Interleague representation: Under 13s (captain), Under 14s, Under 15s

· Under 13s Lindsay Patching Medal (most votes across age groups in SEJFL)

· Under 13s and Under 14s Premiership captain

· Under 13s grand final best on ground

· 2022 Dandenong Stingrays and Caulfield Grammar captain

· 2021-22 Vic Country representative

· 2022 Under 18 Australian representative

Cranbourne Pacing Cup elevated to elite Group-1 status

By Michael Floyd

Cranbourne Harness Racing Club will host a group-1 double header on Saturday 17 December after both its Pacing and Trotting Cups received a significant prizemoney increase.

TheDECRONCranbournePacingCupwas last run at group-1 level in 2016 and returns to the sport’s top-tier after its prize money was increased from $75,000 to $100,000.

The Trotting Cup will also be run at group-1 level for the first time after its prize money was doubled from $25,000 to $50,000.

DECRON Cranbourne Pacing Cup night will be run at full city stakes making the night one of the richest harness racing meetings run outside of the sport’s metropolitan track, TABCORP Park Melton.

Cranbourne Harness Racing Club President David Scott said that he and his committee are excited to bring elite harness racing to Cranbourne.

“Elevating both cups to group-1 status is a tremendous milestone for the club,” said Scott.

“The prestige associated with group-1 racing, as well as the exceptional prize money on offer in both Cups and across the entire card, will ensure an exciting night of unforgettable racing.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming a big crowd to the track as we showcase our club and community to the nation.”

Run over 2550 metres, the DECRON Pacing Cup has been won by some of the country’s greatest pacers including Tailamade Lombo, Im Themightyquinn and Mr Feelgood, and with the 2022 edition to be run the week following the Inter Dominion, is well positioned to attract some of the best standardbreds in the country.

The 2022 DECRON Cranbourne Cup will be run on Saturday 17 December.

Contact the club on 5996 1300 for dining and hospitality packages.

Mitch Szybkowski representing Vic Country in 2022, the latest in a long list of accolades for the Beaconsfield junior. 305812

Picture: JAZZ BENNETT MEDIA

James Herbertson gives the winning salute aboard Supreme Dominator in the 2021 Cranbourne Pacing Cup. The 2022 edition has been elevated to group-1 status. 306292

Picture: STUART MCCORMICK

I didn’t want the expectation this year to change the perception of who I am.” - Mitch Szybkowski

Moore to lead Rays

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Dandenong Stingrays 2022 midfield coach Josh Moore has been announced as head coach of the girls program for the 2023 season. The NAB League competition has separated the boys and girls programs going forward, with 2022 coach Nick Cox to take charge of the boys program.

Moore has been involved with the Dandenong Stingrays since midway through the 2018 boys premiership year and was previously se nior coach of MPNFL club Rye from 2014-18. He was also coach of the 2018 Melbourne Demons academy, 2020 Frankston Dolphins academy, the under 17 boys Vic Country squad, and a line coach with the Young Guns boys squad in 2021-22.

The Mornington Peninsula resident has been involved in girls coaching for only two seasons, as the Rays midfield coach, but Cox said his approach means that won’t matter.

“Something evident with Josh was that he developed the footballer not the gender,” Cox said.

“He’s very thorough with what he does.

“His calmness and ability to teach is one thing that stands out for me,” Cox said.

“He’ll be missed in the boys program as a sounding board but what we’ve got with Josh is a great coach, someone that the girls and boys in the region respect, he’s got an understand ing of what’s required in the NAB League and what the next level are looking for and what we’re striving to achieve to make our young athletes into as people.

“I think it will continue to flourish as he gets his own side.”

Several AFL draft prospects profiled by Star News in recent weeks highlighted the efforts Moore went to in providing them with feed back and mentoring.

Draft aspirant Finn Emile-Brennan, who lives on the same street as Moore and knew him through his time involved in Rye Football Club recalls sessions he ran in the 2021 pre season which helped acclimatise him for his bottom-aged draft year.

Moore also had a big say in his move to halfback at the beginning of the season where he has flourished, being selected for Vic Metro and now being seen as a draft possibility.

“The overwhelming feeling is just excitement and I feel ready to go – I’m keen to start already,” Moore said.

“I’ll continue to work with ‘Coxy’ in the Stingrays program which is exciting – he’s certainly made me a better coach.

“One of his biggest strengths that has rubbed off on me is the way he communicates with players in having honest conversations

and the other thing he did for me that enabled me to grow was allowing me to work in different spaces and always pushing my name out there.”

Moore took over the senior coaching role for two weeks during the 2022 boys’ season as part of his development, and he coached the side to two home and away wins, over premiers San dringham and GWV.

Moore started the role on Tuesday 1 Novem ber, with preseason beginning on 12 November.

The club is in the process of finalising the as sistant coaches.

City held to 2-2 draw

A goal to Wellington Phoenix at the end of regular time denied Melbourne City the three points on Sunday evening.

Golden-boot leader Jamie Maclaren led the side at Aami Park and put the first goal on the board via a penalty after the Phoenix had a look inside their box early.

Receiving a cross from Australian representative Matthew Leckie, Marco Tilio then put City’s second into the back of the net at the 34th minute which saw the hosts go into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Despite having more possession and several opportunities, including one that was ruled offside, the visitors did not get on the board until the 79th minute via a clean strike from outside the box to Sam Sutton.

City was unable to hold out Phoenix late, with some fancy Kosta Barbarouses footwork seeing the game end in a draw.

Rubbing salt into the wound for City, Thomas Lam was red-carded in stoppage time.

City remain in top spot on the table ahead of their clash with Perth next week.

Chandrasinghe...“I owe them pretty much everything”

By Tyler Lewis

Amidst the hysteria of his maiden first class century on debut, Ashley Chandrasinghe hasn’t forgotten his roots.

The Casey South Melbourne star made a grand entrance to the Sheffield Shield stage, when he accumulated an unbeaten 119 from a whopping 333 deliveries across Saturday and Sunday.

And despite swiftly becoming a name on Australian cricket fans’ lips, the Buckley Ridges junior commended those who steered him to where he is now.

“I owe them (Casey South Melbourne) pretty much everything, I started from their fourth grade and worked my way up,” he said at the close of play on day 2.

“I started there when I was quite young… then grew up at Casey South Melbourne.

“It’s a great credit to the boys and the coaches there.”

The meticulous left-hander bashed the selection door down with an enchanting run of form in theToyota Second XI forVictoria, while also gathering further runs for the Swans.

He didn’t follow in the footsteps of the pathway products around him, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I mean I obviously haven’t had the junior pathways and the championships that some of the other players have had,” he admitted.

“It was good to find another way to get through and come up the ranks, made the de but now and I am pretty happy how I came in.

“I didn’t make as much of an impact (in pathway tournaments) that I would’ve liked, but I obviously had a pretty nice (Victorian) Premier Cricket run and Second XI run that has helped me get in.”

The 20-year-old walked out to bat at number three on day one, after Tasmania won the toss and sent Victoria in. He tucked one off his hip behind square to get off the mark, but then felt the immediate challenges of cricket at the second-highest level.

“To make the debut and to get a few runs (it’s a) great start,” he said.

“I couldn’t really have asked for anything more, it was a really good day.

“It was good to get away first ball and put away a few nerves, but it was pretty tough going to get my next run – they bowled pretty well to me I thought.

“I was lucky enough to stick at it and a few things went my way, it was good.”

Chandrasinghe made hisVic Premeir Cricket debut for the Casey South Melbourne fourth XI just six summers ago.

And while it appears to be a swift rise, the scrupulous Chandrasinghe explained that a power of work has resulted in that development.

“I suppose so, but there’s a lot that goes into those six years,” he revealed.

Former Australian Test quick Peter Siddle –who grew up in a similar neck of the woods to Chandrasinghe and bowled to him on debut –praised his knock, admitting his patience was refreshing compared to other youngsters who make their way through to domestic cricket.

“Yeah it was a lovely innings,” he said.

“It was good to see him go about it, he obvi-

ously takes his time and is very patient, which is a great thing to have from one of your young guys coming in.

“I think a lot of younger guys coming in want to impress and score, you know, get the runs quickly.

“But I think the way he stuck in and did a job, it was a great way to start his career.”

Chandrasinghe has announced himself in recent debuts: carving out 144 for Casey South Melbourne on First XI debut; 56 forVictoria on debut for the Second XI and now 119 not out on Sheffield Shield debut.

Melbourne City’s Marco Tilio scores his team’s second against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday. 306134

Picture: AAP IMAGES

The moment Chandrasinghe celebrated a Sheffield Shield century on debut. Pictures: CRICKET VICTORIA

A moment to savour for the young star.

Chandrasighe received Victorian cap number 870 from coach and fellow top order lefty Chris Rogers.

Incoming Dandenong girls coach Josh Moore (left) with boys coach Nick Cox.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Oh so close to perfection

BERWICK BOWLING CLUB

WEEKEND PENNANT – ROUND 3

It was a case of so close but yet so far away for a clean sweep of victories for Berwick Bowling Club in round three!

The club had seven out of eight winners with the threes just falling short in a fantastic performance against the Mulgrave second side at Mulgrave.

The ones had a ding-dong battle with yardstick Whittlesea to get the points, while the twos were superior against second place Hampton 1.

The fours had a great win over rivals CardiniaWaters, the fives got up in a tight one over Churchill Waverley Golf’s ones, while our sixes got the result over Dandy Club at Burden Park despite only winning one of the four rinks.

The sevens smashed Noble Park 3 at home and the eighth side had a comfortable win against Toorak 2 at Toorak.

The overall results are so pleasing considering most of our teams have either stayed in the same Divisions or gone up and after last year’s success.

This year is shaping as another cracker of a season.

Here are this week’s results:

· Side 1 - Berwick 1 def Whittlesea 83 to 74.

Ladder Position: 1st

A very high-class standard of bowls was seen as we took on the yardstick and possible favourites for the section in Whittlesea.

Quality bowls across all four rinks and the win now results in our ones sitting on top of the ladder. Steve Ellard’s rink went down against the strong Ben Winther rink, but kept it close, as did Josh McQueen’s rink.

The fact they kept the games close gave us a chance to take the win with Ethan Mills rink getting the two points over the very highlyrespected Nick McIntyre by six and the rink of Amity Bickley, John Rich, David Bond and John O’Donnell having a sizeable 12-shot win on their rink.

The ones are up against Brunswick at home next week, who sit third, and a win here will see a small gap in the top-two in the early rounds.

A loss brings them back to the field, possibly dropping to third, fourth or fifth depending on other results.

A win is a must to consolidate the three opening wins.

· Side 2 - Berwick 2 def Hampton 1 90 to 69.

Ladder Position: 1st

Massive win against undefeated Hampton 1 and playing alongside the Division 1 team it was a great atmosphere across the green with both sides competing strongly.

Success is in the hands of this side now and you’d have to say they are looking like the fa vourites going in to the rest of the season.

It’s early days yes but as we’ve previously said, this is a very strong side and shows our clubs depth. The rink of Geoff Dawson, Karyn Mackie, David Clarke and Graeme Manifold set the day up with a big 16-shot win.

The twos head to Mordialloc next week and we’re backing them in for a big win.

·

Side 3 - Berwick 3 def by Mulgrave 2 78 to 84.

Ladder Position: 8th

Another heartbreaking loss for the threes.

They’ll be up against it every week this season but so far, they have shown how competi tive they have been with a nine-shot loss two weeks ago against one of the favourites Cran bourne 1 and again only six shots on the week end by the strong Mulgrave Country Club. They’re close to winning!

If they can reduce that one rink each week that gets done by double digits and get it down to under nine or less, they’ll reap the rewards. Stay positive threes, you are really stepping

up to Division 2 bowls and if you can stay focused and positive throughout your improvement as individuals and as a team will continue to grow.

· Side 4 - Berwick 4 def Cardinia Waters 1 101 to 64. Ladder Position: Equal 1st

Big win here against a side last year who were around the mark and in the top four.

As we’ve said with the higher sides, the strength and depth of sides throughout the grades is impressive and this is evident for the fours.

They’ll be right there later in the season we think, they sit equal first with Pakenham 2 who they play this week at Pakky so expect a close one with the fours getting up to win late in the game.

The fours include some of our newer bowlers who have shown a lot of potential and who at this stage are continuing to improve under the tuition of our more experienced skips. The rink of Peter Riordon, Marcus Zammit, David Corrigan and club stalwart Alan Thompson smashed their opposition by 27 shots to set the day up.

· Side 5 - Berwick 5 def Churchill W/G 1 75 to 73. Ladder Position: 4th

The fives got over the line in a nailbiter by two shots overall.

Covering one rink loss of 11 shots and still getting up overall means the fives stay in the top four and only six points behind first place Edithvale 2.

The fives host Dandy Club 4 who sit second so a win here next week will set them up in a great position through the early rounds of the season.

Great to see Ted Tratt’s rink get a win after Ted has had a couple of tough weeks on the green with results in the first two rounds.

Keep up the fighting spirit fives; last year was a long season for you so it’s great to see results going your way early on.

· Side 6 - Berwick 6 def Dandy Club 5 81 to 75. Ladder Position: 2nd

A game where it shows that if you keep your losses close and not have a blow out on one rink, you’ll generally get the points.

The rink of Robert Jamieson, Martin Gindley, Helen D’Amelio and Tom McDermott

smashed their opposition by 21 shots to set it up for the day whilst the rinks of Tony Wynen and Avril Steere lost by two and one respectively.

Ray Findlay went down by 12 but again, the McDermott rink covered the loss and the sixes now see themselves sitting second on the ladder and play the winless Carrum 2 next week at Carrum.

As long as the weather is kind, as we know that playing at Carrum can be atrocious, they’ll get the points and consolidate their ladder position inside the top four.

· Side 7 - Berwick 7 def Noble Park 3 85 to 37.

Ladder Position: 1st

Wow! Keep in mind our sevens and eights play 12-a-side - three rinks not four - and they have given Noble Park 3 a lesson this week!

A 48-shot win overall is massive and they’ve now put themselves 10 points in front atop the ladder already after three rounds of the season!

Johnny Garland, who wasn’t happy about the late change to the slow grass in the morning, had a 21-shot win.

It’s a strong rink led up by Jimmy Young, Leanne Kleverlaan and third Helen Adair.

has sprung!

Terry Woods rink won by 20 as well and Alf Reina by seven.

The sevens host Dandy Club 6 at home next week and a win here will see them push further in front on top of the ladder.We are picking another big win this week by the sevens.

· Side 8 - Berwick 8 def Toorak 2 69 to 48.

Ladder Position: 1st

Three rinks up here for the eights as they travelled to Toorak on the weekend.

John Tones played his first game with the club and was partnered with Herb Tinschert, John Stoker (fresh from his Bali holiday) and skip Michael Ferey…and they had a three-shot win. Ron McGrath’s rink had a four-shot win and the rink of the day in the eights of Alex Bigdelis, Greg Marsh, Janis Pearson and Barry Richards had a big 14-shot win.

The eights play Coatesville 3 this week away so we’ll get a good indication of where they are at in the competition after next week.

No predictions for the eights as we are a little wary of the section they are in and we’ll just wait a couple of more weeks before we start talking them up too much.

- John Rich

Karyn Mackie played a key hand in Berwick side two’s 16-shot rink win over Hampton. Berwick won 90-69 overall. 303393 Pictures: ROB CAREW

Jan Lapinskas carefully surveys the situation for Berwick. 303392

Michael Hodges played a delightful game for Berwick in its game against Cardinia Waters on Saturday. 305808 Picture: SUPPLIED

Our virtual school tour allows you to experience Berwick Lodge Primary School spaces as though you are physically there.

Using emerging technology, we have mapped spaces across the school to create 3D tours and 360-degree walkthroughs. Immerse yourself in the spaces, move around, explore and look out for LODGIE BEAR along the way.

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Berwick Lodge Primary School