Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 18th April 2023

CFA brigades raise funds for children hospital

Final road projects announced after funding cuts

RSL president remembers late father’s story

Nominations open for Sherbrooke Art Society Awards

The Bluey & Alice rabbit refuge in Cockatoo is seeing an increase in demand for its services, with postCovid surrenders leaving the shelter overrun.

Operate Carolyn McInnes said “cats and dogs are still a major issue, but there are some laws protecting them, but rabbits are classed as livestock, so there’s nothing to stop people constantly breeding”.

An Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said the welfare of rabbits; including pet, farmed and pest rabbits, is protected by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTA Act) and will be covered under the new Animal Care and Protection Bill. Read more on page 16

Hills’ ag in doubt

By Shelby Brooks

The Eastern Dandenong Ranges could be on the brink of an agricultural collapse if management plans are not immediately created for green wedge zones, locals say.

The Eastern Dandenong Ranges Association (EDRA) chairman John Wall envisions “dormitory towns, empty paddocks and weed and vermin filled gullies”, as Gembrook, Emerald and Cockatoo’s rural sectors continue to

wait for Cardinia Shire Council to future-proof the area.

According to the Department of Transport and Planning, “councils must prepare green wedge management plans because the land and conditions in each green wedge vary”.

That would allow for locals to plan how to re-build and sustain more viable agricultural businesses in the area, Mr Wall explained.

Yet, Cardinia Shire Council’s management plan for the Yarra Valley and Yarra and Dande-

nong Ranges green wedge zone has been waiting 20 years, Mr Wall said.

When green wedge zones were first implemented by the State Government in 2003, the Yarra Valley and Yarra and Dandenong Ranges Green Wedge was mapped as including nonurban land within the Shire of Yarra Ranges, the northern hills area of the Shire of Cardinia, and small portions within the City of Knox and the City of Maroondah.

In July 2010, Yarra Ranges Council adopted

its green wedge management plan for the zone.

The southern portion is known as the Northern Ranges Green Wedge and is within the Shire of Cardinia.

According to the Department of Planning, the council has started creation of a Green Wedge Management Plan for the Northern Ranges.

Continued page 4

Thousands donated for kids

By Tyler Wright

The Dandenong Ranges Fire Brigade Group raised $20,000 for the Good Friday Appeal this year in support of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Members of seven local brigades took to residential streets and intersections for six hours on Friday 7 April, shaking their tins to raise money for patient care for children and their families.

“Normally we are looking at at least 10 or 12 members on the collection at any one time,” Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade member Ralph Ross said.

“There’s a lot of people that collect coins over the years specifically to give to us collectors at the roadside while they’re driving, and they’re all very generous.”

This year, volunteers handed out cards with printed QR codes for people to donate at their own convenience.

“Over the years, it’s a well known cause and they know that the money collected, all of that money goes to the hospital for better facilities for the kids,” Mr Ross said.

“It’s amazing, just the generosity of the general public. Whatever they’ve got, they’ll give.

“Whether it’s a 20 cent or 50 cent coin or a $50 note, it’s amazing some of the money that you get collected from people.”

The CFA raised $1,606,287 for the Good Friday Appeal in 2023, contributing to a record $23,061,320 raised in total.

Selby Fire Brigade, Belgrave Fire Brigade and Belgrave Heights & South Fire Brigade members all stepped out onto their local streets to collect money for the appeal, while members from Kallista Fire Brigade, Sassafras-Ferny Creek Fire Brigade, Upwey Fire Brigade, Kalorama Fire Brigade and Emerald Fire Brigade gathered at rodsides in Upwey and Bayswater.

Dandenong Ranges Group Officer Stuart Parker said raising funds for the Good Friday Appeal drives home the benefit of a volunteer activity the CFA can contribute to.

“It’s certainly a well worthy cause with burns that kids do sustain…it’s certainly well in line with what our core activities are of communities and fire and rescue,” he said.

Knox CFA Group raises over $25,000 - and counting

By Parker McKenzie

Knox CFA brigades raised over $26,000 in cash for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, as a part of a $1.6 million raised by the organisation.

Group Officer of Knox Fire Brigades Group

Peter Shaw AFSM said the total will be higher than the $26,352.50 because of the widespread use of EFTPOS terminals this year.

“I don’t what the balance is yet, but I’d suggest it is significantly more,” he said.

“We had some people that did the intersections and shopping centres in Boronia in particular the day before on Thursday night and then the rest was collected on Friday itself.”

He while the total amount of cash was down compared to the previous year, it will potentially be higher once the final figure is calculated.

“We trialled it last year with a couple of places, but we had more of it this year with a significantly increased amount of payments,” Mr Shaw said.

“We’ve done the appeal in this area for as long as I can remember — 40 plus years — and we get great engagement from all the brigades around Knox and Montrose.”

The overall amount raised for the 2023 Good Friday Appeal was $23,061,320, which was a record for the fundraising event.

Mr Shaw said each individual brigade does other fundraising efforts throughout the year, but the Good Friday Appeal is when they all come together for a common cause.

“It’s on a far less scale throughout the year

than this,” he said.

“It just invokes the spirit of community and volunteerism in Knox, something we’ve had for a long time in this area and hope to keep going with.”

The Knox Fire Brigades Group consists of eight fire brigades: Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Montrose, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin and Upper Ferntree Gully.

The CFA has raised more than $35 million for the Good Friday Appeal since 1951 through volunteer efforts.

Selby Fire Brigade members were out in force rattling tins to raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital. Picture: SUPPLIED

Hit-run in Monbulk

Police responded to a hit-run collision in Monbulk on 12 April. Officers were told a red Colorado ute driving on Monbulk Road collided with a small hatchback near the intersection of Camms Road about 8.25am.

The ute allegedly drove away from the scene of the collision and was intercepted by police on Monbulk Road in Silvan about 9.15am. Neither of the vehicle occupants were injured.

The driver, a 48-year-old Wantirna South man, tested positive to a preliminary oral fluid test.

He is expected to be charged with drive while disqualified, drug and driving offences.

Drivers redirected from dangerous road

By Tyler Wright

Google has taken action to stop drivers using a dangerous road in Olinda after concerns were raised for the safety of motorists on Hacketts Road.

Olinda resident and volunteer for the Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade, Bill Pizzey, has been calling for both Uber and Google Maps to redirect drivers away from turning onto the road, after witnessing several drivers he said lose traction at the street’s dog-leg bend.

Mr Pizzey said he has attempted to contact Uber and Google Maps to alert them to the safety issues facing their drivers, but no action had been taken to redirect drivers.

“It doesn’t matter whether you turn the steering wheel, touch the brakes, anything, you can’t stop sliding,” he said.

“The worst case scenario would be if they slid across out across Perrins Creek Road.”

Mr Pizzey said the Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade attended an accident on Saturday 8 April, alongside members from the Monbulk Rescue and Olinda fire brigades and police.

“Usually you’re turning out somebody trapped in a car…but in this case, the car is sliding,” he said.

“All the [accidents] I know of there’s probably been 10 this year, and that’s if you go back for another 12 months.”

On Thursday 13 April, a Google spokesperson told the Star Mail the issue had been

fixed on the map.

“We use a variety of sources to get the most accurate and up to date information on the map, and we use a combination of manual and automated techniques to check for accuracy,” the spokesperson said.

“When there’s an issue, we work to fix them as quickly as we can.”

Yarra Ranges Council has installed a sign alerting motorists to a high risk slope, advising them to take another route.

“We’ve been working with community members on Hacketts Road in Olinda to better manage through-traffic,” former Director of Environment and Infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council Mark Varmalis told

the Mail in June 2022.

“It appears the road offers a shortcut when travelling through the Hills. Unfortunately, the mapping does not represent the difficult terrain and high risk slope on Hacketts Road, which is very challenging without a four-wheel-drive in sections,” Mr Varmalis said.

“We strongly encourage everyone driving through the area – whether you’re a community member or a visitor – to pay close attention to road signs on your journey, so you can have an easy and safe experience and avoid potential accidents.”

Uber did not respond to request for comment by deadline.

Aggravated burglary

On Sunday 2 April, an aggravated burglary occurred in Bayswater North where it is alleged the resident was assaulted when they confronted the offender.

Investigators from Maroondah Crime Investigation Unit were able to identify the man allegedly involved and arrest him on Wednesday 5 April.

In the early hours of the Thursday 6 April, with the assistance of Croydon Divisional Response Unit, investigators from Maroondah CIU executed a search warrant at a Mooroolbark address.Stolen property was located inside the address, which has been linked to various other recent crimes.

A man found hiding on a neighbour’s balcony and was subsequently arrested. Drugs which the man allegedly threw from the balcony prior to his arrest were also recovered. As a result of this arrest, investigators solved the following:

· 1 x Aggravated Burglary, Theft and Assault from Bayswater North;

· 1 x Burglary and 1 x Theft of Motor Vehicle from Warranwood;

· 1 x Burglary and Theft from Ringwood;

· 1 x Theft from Motor Vehicle from Prahran;

· 1 xTheft from MotorVehicle fromYarra Glen.

A 33-year-old man from Mooroolbark was charged with these offences and was remanded into custody to reappear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Monday 8 May.

Teenagers arrested

Police have charged five teenagers following an alleged crime spree across multiple suburbs on Friday 7 April, including across Knox.

Police said it is alleged the group were involved in the theft of two motor vehicles in Kooyong, criminal damage at a Brighton Eaast property and armed robberies across Knox.

The group were arrested in an allegedly stolen Audi in Pakenham around 3pm and a stolen MBW remains missing.

Belgrave accident

Two CFA units from Belgrave and Kallista responded to a vehicle incident on Monbulk Road in Belgrave at around 1.26pm onTuesday 11 April.

The incident involved two vehicles and three people. Ambulance Victoria were called to the scene, with no emergency treatment or transport required. Victoria Police were called for traffic control.

Crews discovered nobody was trapped and the incident was deemed under control at 1:37pm.

The incident was deemed safe at 1.47pm and handed over to Victoria Police.

Blind Creek bridge closed

The Blink Creek footbridge is temporarily closed due to a safety upgrade.

Melbourne Water made the decision to close the footbridge while safety improvements are made to the pedestrian bridge in Fairpark Reserve, after recent inspections showed some parts of the bridge needed upgrading. The bridge will be closed until safety upgrade works are complete and while the bridge is closed Wayne Avenue and Fairpark Reserve can be accessed via Blink Creek Trail, Manuka Drive and the gravel track that runs along the creek. Signage has been placed at the reserve with details.

Police intercepted the ute at about 9.15am.

Picture: ON FILE

A car which recently found itself in a ditch on Hacketts Road in Olinda. Picture: SUPPLIED

‘It’s not a rubbish dump’

By Tyler Wright

Rubbish illegally discarded on Gembrook’s Redwood Road - along the Avenue of Honour - is set to be cleared after concerns were raised ahead of local Anzac Day commemorations.

Gembrook RSL sub-branch president Norm Smith said he was worried the pile of hard rubbish, consisting of large pieces of disassembled furniture and a mattress, would still be there as people marched on Tuesday 25 April.

“It’s not a rubbish dump,” Mr Smith said.

Plaques commemorating World War One soldiers sat either side of the rubbish pile, with marchers expected to walk down the Avenue of Honour to Remembrance Park.

“We’re trying to get it cleaned up...we generally have a few here [on Anzac Day],” Mr Smith said.

In a statement given on Friday 14 April, Cardinia Shire Council’s manager of infrastructure services, Jacqui Kelly, said the council will arrange to have the pile of household hard waste removed within the week to avoid it impeding on planned Anzac Day activities.

“Council has a process in place for booking hard waste, and when this isn’t followed it can create further costs to ratepayers to remove

the rubbish piles,” Ms Kelly said.

“More than 250 tonnes of illegally-dumped rubbish was removed from Cardinia Shire public land in the past 12 months at a cost to the ratepayers.”

The council is encouraging anyone with excess hard waste to book a hard rubbish collection, Ms Kelly said, with residents entitled to two free hard waste collections per year (up to 2m3).

“If you notice illegally-dumped waste, we are asking you to make contact with Council so that rubbish can be removed and our Litter Prevention Officer can investigate,” she said.

Hills rural future unclear: Study leaves many questions

From page 1

Although Cardinia Shire completed an issues study on the zone in 2010, EDRA is calling the council to complete the management plan so that people can confidently invest in the area.

“Anyone investing in an agricultural enterprise is taking a massive punt because we don’t know where we’re headed,” Mr Wall said.

“Are we going to do grapes like the Yarra Valley, berries like Silvan, orchards? What’s the future of food production in this area?

“Or simultaneous to that, in the absence of any investment in the ag sector, there’s also opportunity to reinvent the district for recreation and rural lifestyle living.”

Cardinia Shire’s issues plan found that in 1995, Gembrook produced around 10,000 tonnes of potatoes, occupying around 400 hectares under crop at any given time.

Unfortunately, the discovering of potato cyst nematode devastated the area, and restrictions on exportation were introduced.

It was also found the soil had unacceptable levels of the dieldrin pesticide, which limited the options for cattle, ducks and free range chickens (but not for horses and sheep).

As a result of these two issues, morale among the potato growers dropped and many growers saw no future in the local industry.

The issues study stated many farmers would be happy to leave the industry (but

not the area), sell their farms and if possible subdivide their properties to allow for a comfortable retirement.

Mr Wall said the dire state of broadacre potato commodity cropping, coupled with the green wedge restrictions, made relying on the potato industry “impossible”.

“Going from 30 families doing spuds, to three in two decades - if that’s not an absolute collapse of an industry, I don’t know what is,” Mr Wall said.

MrWall said it all led to a rural crisis in the early 2000s.

“Over time the land size parcels were too

small so the returns on the potatoes were too low for the acreage they had. It wasn’t looking viable anymore,” he said.

“So there were two options - buy or lease more land, or get out. With the green wedge rules slapped on, no one wanted to buy the parcels of land we have up here for broadacre cropping.”

MrWall said Cardinia Shire Council was in the process of reviewing the township strategy for Gembrook, which was first adopted in 2011.

“The townships in the Eastern Dandenong Ranges are closely linked to each other and the land uses surrounding them,” he said.

“Without a plan for the farming economy and lifestyle landscape surrounding the towns, it is very poor planning, verging on negligent and wasteful, to bumble along with refreshing so-called ‘strategic’ plans for each township, in isolation of each other and the landscape in which they are situated.

“This is especially the case given the GreenWedge Management Plan, properly integrated with the planning scheme, which is supposed to set the scene for planning the future and inform many of the economic opportunities for each township, is so long overdue.”

A Cardinia Shire Council spokesperson said The Planning and Environment (Metropolitan Green Wedge Protection) Act 2003 focuses on the protection of green wedge land but did not require the preparation of

green wedge management plans.

“The preparation of green wedge management plans has been at the discretion of each council that has green wedge land within its municipal boundary,” they said.

Cardina Shire adopted the Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan for the southern part of the shire in 2017.

Information provided by the Victorian Government revealed recent legislative changes were made to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to make clear the objectives of planning for these important areas, which contribute to the prosperity, health and wellbeing of Victorians.

“Recent legislative changes were made to make clear the objectives of planning for these important areas, including requiring councils to prepare Green Wedge Management Plans,” a Victorian Government spokesperson said.

Plans to be prepared for all green wedge land. Plans must be reviewed every 10 years.

Planning Practice Note 31 ‘Preparing a Green Wedge Management Plan’ remains in place to support councils’ preparation of plans.

The practice note also explains why Green Wedge Management Plans are important in ensuring the sustainable management of green wedges.

The amendment does not impose a specific deadline for the completion of these plans.

Gembrook RSL sub-branch president Norm Smith raised concerns the rubbish would remain on Redwood Road while locals marched down the Avenue of Honour on Anzac Day.

The Avenue of Honour commemorates soldiers who served in World War I. Pictures: TYLER WRIGHT

Eastern Dandenong Ranges Association members Walter Berger, John Wall, Lynne Trensky and Garry McGough. 326496 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

CIS Yarra Ranges on brink of closure

By Mikayla van Loon

At a time when community support services are needed the most, one of the Yarra Ranges’ key financial and information services is on the brink of closure due to a lack of funding.

The Community Information and Support Victoria (CISVic) Yarra Ranges branch, based in Lilydale, has had to cut back servicing hours and reduce staff to stay afloat.

But CISVic executive officer Kate Wheller said without immediate and ongoing increased funding, the branch would likely be unable to stay open past the end of the year, leaving a major gap in support for residents.

“We’re in a dire situation and without additional funding or cheaper accommodation, we will be forced to close the service by the end of the year,” she said.

Formerly known as Lilydale Assist which had been helping the community for more than 40 years, Ms Wheller said CISVic took over management of the service when it became apparent the dedicated volunteers could no longer effectively run it on their own.

“We took over the management of it four years ago and up to that time, it was solely run by an incredibly passionate and dedicated team of volunteers, many who had been there for decades,” she said.

“This wasn’t a sustainable model and it had been struggling for some time to maintain the volunteer workforce that it needed to continue operating. So we knew when we took over that there were going to be challenges because the service was effectively underfunded.

“It didn’t have capacity to employ any paid staff and the existence of volunteer only agencies in the current context is very difficult for sustainability.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic CIS Yarra Ranges was able to bring on a paid staff member to help with coordination of the service and training of volunteers because of an increase in funding.

Since then, however, funding has returned to a pre pandemic level, making it unsustainable for the service to provide what it had been able to during those years.

“What we found during Covid was that all levels of government really stepped up, they were able to put forward additional funding to support the community through the crisis of the pandemic.

“But the ripple effects of the pandemic are still being felt and we have more people in hardship than pre pandemic and we’ve gone back to pre pandemic funding. So we’re trying to support more people with less money.”

Even with limited opening hours at the Lilydale office, Ms Wheller said currently volunteers are supporting at least 10 and 12 individuals and families each day.

“We’re still seeing people who are in really

One week left to make a change

Yarra Ranges Council is looking for Yarra Ranges residents interested in creating positive change in their communities, to apply for its Community Changemakers Program.

The free program assists community members in developing the knowledge, skills, confidence and networks to create programs or initiatives that add to the betterment of the community.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said the program had helped produce some wonderful community-led initiatives in the past.

“The Community Changemakers Program has previously created a number of positive outcomes in the community, such as community gardens, diversity and inclusion programs, and creative arts programs just to name a few,” Cr Child said.

“We’re looking for people who are motivated to give their time and talents to help build stronger connections in their community through development of their own project or initiative.”

Cr Child said there is no need for applications to have had prior experience in leadership or changemaking, as the program is about helping individuals develop those skills to become leaders in their community.

significant personal and financial hardship that have key issues around limited income, housing costs, utility bills, medical and household expenses. So people are really struggling and with the cost of daily living, it’s just getting harder.”

While in this year’s round of Yarra Ranges Council’s partnership grants, a four year funding commitment program, CIS Yarra Ranges received an annual funding assurance of $30,000, MsWheller said it won’t be enough for the longevity of the service.

“We did apply through the grant process for more money than we received and the $30,000 thatwehavereceivedistheexactsameamount of funding that we’ve received for many, many years without any indexation in an environment where we’ve got rising costs.”

One of the main reasons this funding is not suitable is because CIS Yarra Ranges operates out of a commercial building space, where rent costs $20,000 annually.

For many of CISVic’s other agencies, they operate from council leased spaces where the rent is reduced to peppercorn rates or none at all.

“We are incredibly grateful to Yarra Ranges

Council for their support and their enduring commitment to the service but it’s just not enough money.

“It’s not the right arrangement for us to be in a private commercial property and spending two thirds of the money on rent.”

Yarra Ranges Council did provide consultants to put together a report identifying funding options but Ms Wheller said early indications suggest there are little to no avenues that can be taken.

“If the service is to continue past the end of this year, we need, effectively, a significant increase in funding and an alternative venue to operate from.”

CISVic doesn’t only rely on funding from the council but also from the Federal government’s emergency relief funding and other streams but they also have kept up with demand.

Over the next eight months, Ms Wheller said she would remain in conversation with the council about finding an alternative space to rent, as well as advocating to the State government for coordination funding to provide the wages for a coordinator at each CISVic agency.

“So if you’ve got the time and desire to turn an idea or initiative in your mind, into a real project, make your community stronger an idea or initiative to make your community stronger come to fruition, I strongly encourage you to apply for a place in the program,” he said.

To be suitable for the program, applicants must be able to commit to up to 10 sessions taking place between late MayOctober, have access to a computer or tablet with internet connection for online sessions, and also access to transport for in-person sessions.

Applications for the program close at 5pm, Wednesday 26 April.

For more information or to apply, please visit https://shaping.yarraranges. vic.gov.au/community changemakersprogram.

Yarra Ranges Council is looking for the next group of changemakers.

Picture: ON FILE

CIS Yarra Ranges won’t be able to sustain its service past the end of the year without immediate financial support. 325749

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Kid-safe standards in law

By Callum Ludwig

Efforts to improve child safety and prevent harm and abuse have ramped up in Victoria, with the passing of the Child Protection Reform and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022 and updates to the Victorian Child Safe Standards in May and July 2022 respectively and a regulatory framework for the standards in place from this year.

The Yarra Ranges, Knox and Maroondah Councils have teamed up with ChildSafe Australia to host an online Community Information Session on Tuesday 16 May to keep locals updated on the changes.

ChildSafe Australia General Manager Neil Milton said that ChildSafe believe creating a culture of child safety and understanding the standards and what’s expected of organisations needs to be a community initiative.

“The standards are focused on creating safer environments for children off the back of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the national principles around child safety,” he said.

“They are helping organisations to give a voice to children, making sure First Nations people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are supported and creating a culture and framework in organisations to make sure that children are safe and free from harm and abuse.”

Announced by the Federal Government in 2012, the final report on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was released in 2017. An initial seven Child Safe Standards commenced in Victoria in January 2016, with last year’s update modifying that to 11.

Mr Milton said we need to do everything in our power to understand that the trauma from child sexual abuse can be lifelong.

“It can’t just be one organisation doing something and another organisation not do-

ing something. When organisations understand that, compliance with the standards becomes something they are aware of the importance of,” he said.

“Therefore, if a child goes from one organisation to another, they’re going to get the

same kind of care. Parents and carers have an implicit trust in organisations, they expect them to keep their children safe and have everything in place to do that.”

The online Zoom information sessions will go over two hours from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and

will cover the changes, discuss the standards with a spotlight on governance, child-safe recruitment and training of staff and volunteers, and recognising and reporting abuse before finishing with the implications and a chance for questions.

Mr Milton said with more understanding will fulfil the standard’s goal to prevent harm and abuse to children but also give them a chance to strive and grow in the community.

“Knowledge is power, but you could have all the knowledge in the world and with no cation, children would still be abused. But with knowledge and understanding of the child safety standards, trauma, abuse and creating child-safe environments, they’ve got everything they need in order to make sure they can put this in place,” he said.

“As a survivor myself of child sex abuse, I was let down by an organisation and the reality is that that trauma lives on and you’ve got to face it every single day. If organisations choose to put children first, give them a voice and provide a safe environment, less will likely be abused.”

To find out more about the updated Child Safe Standards, visit www.ccyp.vic.gov.au/ child-safe-standards/new-child-safe-standards-now-apply.

To register for the information session, go to www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/ Events/New-Child-Safe-Standards-Information-Session?fbclid=IwAR1UsXY8mqH4M2L2 uyIpYdVfLG0hP4Om5Xwkr5ggwEAgK89RXVjiCw4MBAo.

For immediate concerns about the safety of a child, contact the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Child Protection Crisis Line by telephone on 13 12 78. To discuss child abuse concerns, including historical events, you can contact a Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) member at Knox (03) 9881 7939.

An online community information session to educate community groups and organisations on new Child Safe Standards. Picture: UNSPLASH

Final road funds allocated

By Callum Ludwig

Disappointment continues to be felt by residents around the Yarra Ranges at the funding cut for the Roads for Community program.

Yarra Ranges Council provided an update on the status of the sealing projects that remained at the Tuesday 11 April Council meeting.

Lyster Ward Councillor Johanna Skelton said it was with sadness that she put forward the motion.

“Whilst I’m sure across the room we are all extremely grateful and thankful that we’ve been able to deliver a substantial amount of roads across the region to the value of almost $50 million, it is about one-third of the amount that we planned for and that the community were hoping for and expecting,” she said.

“We have to decide how best to expend the remainder of that money and what to do with those schemes that have already been declared but hadn’t gone to tender.”

The Federal Government sent out a formal notification to Yarra Ranges Council on 19 December 2022 which was received on 10 January 2023 to confirm the initial $150 million of funding would be reduced to almost $47.7 million, meaning it was no longer financially possible for Council to fulfil the entire priority list of road sealing projects.

Cr Skelton said she would like really thank the Council’s officers for the ongoing sensible and difficult decisions that they have had to make in putting this process through its paces.

“The option put forward here, that the allocation of that remaining amount happens in the order of first schemes to declare through to until it runs out, is a sensible one because the order of the road listing in the first place was put there because it took in a lot of criteria,” she said.

“First up, we had the roads for schools and community halls and then the very high use and high-density roads and then continuing down, I feel like it makes sense for us to then allocate the remainder of the funds in that formation.”

Up to March 2023, Council had spent $22,966,836 on the completed projects. A further $25,967523 is committed for future expenditure on projects at Practical Completion, projects in construction, projects at the design stage and staffing costs, for a total of $48,934,359.

$47,656,000 in Federal funding and $7,748,270 garnered from landowners through the Special Charges Scheme from projects declared under construction leaves Council with an estimated surplus of $6,469,911 which will go towards remaining priority projects.

Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar said the funding cut now necessitates costly internal reviews and reports and communications with residents.

“It’s one of those items tonight where I wish we didn’t have to be discussing it, and it’s no

fault of our Council or our staff. There will be much disappointment to many residents if they are on the wrong side of the line as to what we can achieve and what we can’t,” he said.

“We have been able to complete nearly $48 million worth of sealing which is a substantial amount and to that extent, we should be grateful that we’ve done a third of the allocation before it was cut from underneath us.”

13 projects previously declared for Special Charges Scheme are left without any commitment to the costs of carrying them out. Seven of these would be carried out as anticipated, with $785,973 leftover based on estimates and these additional savings would be held to fund future road sealing projects.

The following roads will be sealed as anticipated, ordered in the date of the special charge declaration:

· Alpine Street, Cecil Street and Glenbrook Road, Warburton

· Emery Lane, Montrose

· Welham Road, Mooroolbark

· Bretby Way, Montrose

· Alfred Street, John Street, Wandin North

· Tainton Street, Railway Parade,Wandin North

· Cedar Court, Burns Way (Includes Harvest Close), Loch Avenue, Mayview Drive, Monbulk

A review of the Special Charges Scheme is now required to establish priorities regarding road sealing and the level of funding for projects provided by the Council and landowners.

19 petitions requesting road sealing from landowners remain before Council without funding commitments:

· Breen Terrace Group, Ferny Creek

· Gerratts Avenue, Upwey

· Warra Road, Upwey

· Nigel Court, Badger Creek

· Wilkilla Road, Mt Evelyn

· Launching Place Primary School Group, Launching Place

· Edward Street, Wesburn

· Pavitt Lane, Kilsyth

· Wanda Avenue and part of Darinda Avenue, Wandin North

· William Road, The Patch

· Selby Road, Woori Yallock

· Clements Avenue andVerona Street Belgrave South

· Paynes Road (Warburton Highway to 9 Paynes Road), Seville

· McNamaras Road, Millgrove

· Knolls Lane, Silvan

· Brumfield Road and Bonnies View, Healesville

· Roach Road, Lilydale

· Wiseman Road, Silvan

· Wedderburn Crescent, Mt Evelyn

Cr Fullagar said while the Special Charges Scheme will have to be reprioritized and relooked at, at least there is some hope for those people really desiring their roads to be sealed in the future.

“I regret the anguish this is going to cause to some residents who thought that their roads would be sealed in the next year or two and now might be three, four, five or six years away,” he said.

“But I think this is the most responsible choice so that we don’t stop the bleeding of money rolling out, it’s the most appropriate course of action so I support this recommendation.”

The motion was carried unanimously.

Yarra Ranges Council meeting closed to public gallery

By Parker McKenzie

For the second time this year, Yarra Ranges Council closed its doors to the public gallery during a council meeting.

On Tuesday 11 April, Mayor Jim Child closed the meeting to those in attendance after members of the community started filming the meeting from the gallery.

“In accordance with rule 75 of the governance rule, there will be no filming from the gallery without consent of the chair,” he said.

“I do not give that consent.The gallery will be asked to stop filming if necessary.”

In Yarra Ranges Council’s governance rules, adopted in August 2022, a person “must not operate film, photographic, taperecording or other equipment to reproduce sound and/or images at any meeting without first obtaining the consent of the Chair.”

After a Welcome to Country, Mayor Child asked the members of the gallery to return to their seats.

“We don’t want to be recorded either, in the Yarra Ranges, anywhere,” an attendee said.

“if that’s the way you want it in the gallery,

please exit the gallery, that’s the best way of doing it,” Mayor Child said.

“You’re being filmed here tonight whether you like it or not.”

After further interjection from the gallery, Mayor Child told attendees “sorry you will not be filming us.”

“You can’t do that, you’re a public figure we aren’t,” another attendee said.

“I will adjourn this meeting if it is continually interrupted,” Mayor Child said to jeers.

The meeting was adjourned immediately after, before being recommenced around 40 minutes later without the public gallery.

Organised by fringe-community group My Place, those in attendance have taken issue with Yarra Ranges Council adopting 20-minute neighbourhood principles within urban design frameworks for Monbulk and Warburton and have started protesting at council meetings.

In January, the Star Mail reported on another council meeting being adjourned after interruption from the gallery, which resulted in police being called to the building after those in attendance refused to leave after the meeting was adjourned.

The Yarra Ranges Council live stream immediately before the meeting was adjourned by Mayor Jim Child.

Picture: YARRA RANGES COUNCIL

Disappointment continues to be felt regarding the funding cut for the Roads for Community initiative.

Picture: ON FILE

Programs hailed a success

By Parker McKenzie

An independent review has hailed the success of two programs run in partnership by Eastern Health and Eastern Legal Community Centre to combat elder abuse while earmarking the programs for expansion.

A launch at Eastern Health’s Box Hill office was attended by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus onWednesday 12 April to release the report into the first three years of the Engaging and Living Safely and Autonomously (ELSA) and Rights of Seniors in the East (ROSE) programs.

ECLC CEO Michael Smith said his organisation has been working in the area for 15 years now.

“In the early days, all our projects had names like under the carpet or behind,” he said.

“Sadly, but thankfully, we’ve become much more aware.”

ECLC partnered with Eastern Health to launch ELSA and ROSE in 2019, and the programs “have achieved their goals to the highest possible levels” and support the adaption of the ELSA and ROSE models to other geographical locations and their continuation and expansion” according to the report.

Eastern Health CEO David Plunkett said the report release was a big moment in the partnership between his organisation and ECLC.

“One key aspect that is discussed at length in this report is collaboration with community partners,” he said.

“We know the needs of our community are changing, in fact the proportion of our population over 85 years is set to grow by 75 per cent by the year 2036.”

The ELSA program comprises of a partnership coordinator, community lawyer, elder abuse advocate and financial counsellor to respond to older Eastern Health patients at risk or experiencing elder abuse.

The ROSE program features a community lawyer, elder abuse advocate, and financial

counsellor to respond to older people experiencing or at risk of abuse, working in partnership with Oonah Health and Community Services Aboriginal Corporation and other community partners. Mr Smith said he first met Mr Deyfus 10 years ago during his first stint as Attorney-General as a part of the Gillard Government, where he pitched a community legal centre in Healesville.

“I’m pleased to say the Yarra Ranges Centre is now in its 10th year,” he said to applause.

Mr Dreyfus said the evaluation demonstrates the incredible work and service the ECLC has provided to “some of our most vulnerable Australians.”

“ECLC has been at the forefront of strenuous efforts to tackle elder abuse and has engaged in policy, advocacy and community education on elder abuse for many years,” he said.

“There is growing awareness in our communities of elder abuse, in part that is thanks to the first national elder abuse prevalence study in

December 2021, which revealed that approximately one in six Australians experienced elder abuse in some form.”

The programs have received funding until 2026. Mr Dreyfus said often pilot programs don’t result in long-term funding.

“I’m very interested in predictability of funding for obviously the legal assistance sector,” he said.

“It’s very important organisations are able to plan.”

Gembrook RSL sub-branch president remembers Dad

By Tyler Wright

Gembrook local and local RSL sub-branch president Norm Smith is remembering his late father, Arthur Smith, ahead of Anzac Day commemorations this year.

Arthur Smith joined the army on 31 March, 1940, sailing to the Middle East in the 6th division 2/8th battalion before being transferred to Greece and Crete, Mr Smith said.

“He was on the ship, what they called the Costa Rica. It got sunk... he landed in Crete, wounded on June the first, 1941. Captured on June the first, 1941,” Mr Smith said.

“He was in a Stalag 7A prisoner war camp in Germany. He was in hospital. He was looked after by [Harold] Bader from 2nd 11th Battalion from West Australia. He looked after him right through... he was there the day he died.”

In a letter written to Norm’s mother on 8 November 1942, Harold Bader told her her husband was “quite conscious right to the end” and was “always thinking of the kiddies and of home life”.

“Right to the last his thoughts and words were for you and the kiddies and he asked the medical orderly to tell you not to worry, and even though he not return to you in person he would always be with you in spirit,” Mr Bader’s letter read.

Despite only being six years old the last time he saw his father, Mr Smith said he knows his dad came from Sunderland, England.

“We lived in a place called Launching Place Road and [dad] carried my three-yearold sister up on his shoulders,” he said.

“He got a Mr Casey’s bus in 1940, and 17 years later I took over driving for Mr Casey’s.

“I drove in Gembrook for 42 and a half years.”

Mr Smith completed national service in 1952, becoming an official member of the Gembrook RSL in the mid-1970s.

Gembrook RSL sub-branch president Norm Smith with an image of his late father, Arthur Smith, who was held as a prisoner of war in the Second World War. Picture: TYLER WRIGHT

Attorney General Mark Dreyfus at the report launch on Wednesday 12 April.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE

Worms love your leftovers

By Tyler Wright

Families will be able to learn how to turn their waste into vermicompost at Tecoma’s FLAME community garden on Thursday 20 April.

Upper Ferntree Gully local Jasmin Thomas will bring her up-cycled electronic creationTonyi the Worm - to the community garden, helping locals think about how to nurture the earth with their waste, rather than disposing of their scraps straight into the bin.

Having volunteered for the Hills Food Frontier, Jasmin and her family created Tonyi in 2019, travelling from the hills all the way up to Darwin in 2022 to conduct workshops at schools, kindergartens and other organisations.

“I took Tonyi a bit further because I had interest for kinder groups, preschool groups and other community events, for me to bring Tonyi along and do an interactive session,” Jasmin said.

The worm even interacts with workshop participants, with people able to enter food cards into its mouth, with a light and beep for positive reinforcement if the food is suitable for the invertebrates.

“I have a felt board presentation that is a really lovely introductory level for how our waste and the life in the soil is connected, with worms and humans collaborating,” Jasmin said.

“I notice the reaction from the children - a lot of the time if they haven’t connected that already, ‘I put a seed in the garden, the soil feeds that life and then it can grow.’

“There’s a real ‘aha’ moment for a lot of them. I find that really cool.”

Jasmin said some people that attend workshops who have tried to create a worm farm previously but the farm has become neglected, or have questions around how to contribute castings back to the soil.

“Even the educators, a lot of the time we haven’t grown up with it, so it’s a fun way to ask those silly questions and break the ice a little bit for something that people might have been intending to start but not know what’s involved,” she said.

“I want as many people to give worm farming a go… even if we’re using repurposed materials like pipes or buckets, there’s ways to go about it.

“I can give them some resources to help them get started and maintain it, and it’s an on-

going resource for the children to learn with.”

The workshop at the FLAME garden will start at 3pm.

Those interested are able to enter the garden through the gate in front of the Tecoma Uniting Church at 1566 Burwood Highway.

‘Spoiled by the ugliness of rubbish’: Let’s clean it up!

By Parker McKenzie

A Clean Up Australia Day event will be held in The Basin on Sunday 30 April from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

Organiser Lynette Hayhurst said gloves and heavy-duty plastic bags will be provided by Clean Up Australia for the event.

“Looking at The Basin, even though you look at the beauty of the mountains and you see the cows, which everyone goes to look at, it is spoiled by the ugliness of rubbish.

“What originally stirred me was during the lockdowns, I saw a young woman in her mid-thirties, she was walking The Basin with a pair of those pickup clampers with a big bag clearing rubbish.”

Mr Hayhurst said that woman’s decision to clear litter in the area inspired her to hold an event last year and again this year.

“The Basin has such stunning physical beauty that we want to uphold,” she said.

“It’s our fault the mess and rubbish is

there. As humans, it’s our responsibility to look after it and make it beautiful again.”

Those interested in taking part should

meet at The Basin Triangle and those attending will be covered by insurance.

Ms Hayhurst said in the past she has seen people stopping their vehicles to litter.

“Some people will drive in and dump tires, they will choose to throw them into the environment, you can see a stream of takeaway containers down The Basin Road, they’re just chucking stuff out of their car,” she said.

“Please take it home and it into the system so it will be sorted and recycled properly.”

She said she hopes the local community and those in the surrounding areas will help clean up their local community.

“I hope other towns do the same thing and that they don’t forget that it actually needs constant attention to get rid of the rubbish that keeps accumulating.”

For more information on the event, visit facebook.com/events/620639899467883/

Upper Fentree Gully resident Jasmin Thomas has taken her up cycled creation - Tonyi the Worm - around the country to educate young children on using their waste to help the environment. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Families are also able to learn how to create their own worm farm.

Workshop participants can place a food card in Tonyi’s mouth, with the worm’s eyes lighting up and a beeping sound if the food can be used in a worm farm.

Last year’s Clean Up Australia Day event in The Basin.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Local flavour to mystery

By Parker McKenzie

The hills will soon be the setting of the murder mystery novel Death in the Dandenongs by Australian author Brigid George, the 7th book in the Dusty Kent Mystery series.

The Star Mail caught up with Ms George ahead of the novel being published in May to talk about why she chose the Dandenongs as the setting, her connection to the area and her advice for any aspiring writers.

Ms George said after writing the previous book in the series — Murder on a Melbourne Tram — she decided to venture further out east for the follow-up.

“It’s a beautiful setting because people in America particularly love to know Australia is lush, they have this stereotypical view of Australia overseas of it being like a red desert,” she said.

“I went up the Dandenongs a few weeks ago just after I finished the book, to make sure my memory wasn’t playing tricks on me in terms of the setting.”

The series has featured iconic Australian locations like Byron Bay, Darwin, Port Douglas, Broom and even a Melbourne tram.

Ms George said the series is inspired by Agatha Christie and is a “light murder mystery.”

“It’s beautiful escapism really, for people to wander into a world where they can forget their daily worries,” she said.

“The first book was located in the area where I grew up in East Gippsland, and then from there we went to different locations around Australia, which seemed to please the overseas readers quite a lot.”

Ms George added she used to travel to the Dandenongs regularly when her in-laws

lived in Mooroolbark.

She said when developing the story of a novel, she has a story outline that keeps her on track.

“I know very well that the characters are going to change it and I’m open to that, I let that happen,” she said.

“I do have a skeleton of the plot which keeps me on track but it doesn’t usually eventuate exactly as I planned.”

The story takes Dusty Kent to well-known locations throughout the hills, including the Botanical Gardens, the Buddhist Temple and Miss Marple’s Tea Rooms.

Ms George said her advice for an aspiring writer is to “make sure you get a really good assessment editor.”

“Without that— perhaps not everybody will — but you can produce something a little mediocre,” she said.

“You need someone more objective and someone who knows about the genre to tell you where you’re going wrong.”

She said she already has plans for books 8 and 9 in the series, with the sequel already on the way.

“It’s going to be something a little bit different. Dustin, the main character, is going to try and solve a historical murder inVictoria that is over 100 years old,” Ms George said.

“It’s a real murder, three people were hanged but only one of them did it. It’ll be really intriguing.”

More information on the Dusty Kent murder mysteries and the author can be found at brigidgeorge.com

Dancing devotion: Play in step with love and ballroom

By Mikayla van Loon

A depiction of married life and all its ups and downs, is about to grace a Mooroolbark stage when it heads to Melbourne as part of an Australian tour.

‘Wallflowering’, a play written by Peta Murray and directed by Denny Lawrence, showcases the story of Peg and Cliff, a couple trying to recreate what has been lost in their marriage.

The former champion ballroom dancing couple must find themselves as individuals before they can find each other once more.

Acclaimed actor Dennis Coard plays the role of Cliff and said having worked with the director and his co-star Jenny Seedsman before, it was a no brainer to come on board.

In between the moments of performing the perfect foxtrot, the play explores the nuances of “an ordinary, suburban, middle aged” married couple who reminisce about their younger days.

“As the years have gone on, they let the dancing slip but also their marriage doesn’t have the spark that it used to and they’re out of step with each other,” Coard said.

“That’s the metaphor of the dance in the play that as they got out of step on the dance floor, they’re also out of step with each other in their married life. So this play is about them trying to regain the spark and the dance and the love in their marriage.”

Taking on a realistic view of what marriage can be, Coard said at the time Murray was writing the play, women and society were fighting back against the roles previously enforced on men and women.

“She wrote it about 20 years ago now and it also encapsulates the roles we can fall into in a marriage, the division of roles,” he said.

“Back when she wrote it there was a real challenge to traditional roles being played by men or women. So there are a lot of books about women reclaiming their space in the world and in marriage.”

Coard said as Peg begins to step away from the “housewife” role she’d been thrusted into, Cliff is taken by surprise and is not quite ready to change the dynamic of their relationship.

As a two person play, Coard said “it’s a big piece” but it is broken up with the visuals of young professional dancers portraying the days gone by of Peg and Cliff.

“The two dancers portray our past in a way. So there’s a big screen where, when we’re thinking about it or remembering it, there’s this lovely footage of the two professional dancers behind us.

“Then as that fades, it comes back to our story. It’s the dreams we had of being in that world, and how we’d love to recapture that but we can’t go back in time, but we can go forward and be back in step together as we go into the future.”

Adding the screen behind the stage, Coard said, brings a beautiful element to the show and allows himself and Seedsman to have a costume change in between scenes.

Having been touring ‘Wallflowering’ right across the country, Coard said it has been well received by many but he’s excited to return to the Mooroolbark Community Centre stage.

“It’s a beautiful show and everyone will get something out of it. They’ll recognise themselves in some way and there’s some beautiful old music from as time goes by and songs like that,” he said.

“We’re so glad that we’re coming to Mooroolbark because it’s a lovely venue and what we need more than anything is a beautiful audience to share it with us.”

‘Wallflowering’ will be appearing on Thursday 20 April at 2pm at the Mooroolbark Community Centre. To book, go to www. yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/ Wallflowering-by-Peta-Murray or call 1300 368 333.

Jenny Seedsman and Dennis Coard bring to life the characters of Peggy and Cliff in Wallflowering. Picture: JODIE HUTCHINSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Brigid George is the pseudonym of JB Rowley. Death in the Dandenongs by Brigid George.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Entries for awards

By Parker McKenzie

Entries for the Sherbrooke Art Society’s Streeton, Roberts, McCubbin Awards are now open until Friday 5 May, ahead of the exhibition running from Saturday 27 May until Saturday 24 June.

With $3250 worth of prizes to be won at the 53rd Awards, the exhibition attracts entries from all around Australia.

Sherbrooke Art Society Leanne Vassallo said last year’s awards received over 130 entries from around the country.

“There is the Arthur Streeton Award for best landscape, and the Tom Roberts Award which is the best non-landscape including portraits and still life,” she said.

“There is also the McCubbin Award, which is for the best small artwork under a certain size.”

The Arthur Streeton and Tom Roberts Awards each come with a $1000 prize for the winner, and the Frederick McCubbin Award has a $500 prize.

Ms Vassallo said this year there is a new award called the Masters’ Circle Challenge.

“We’ve invited all the previous winners of the Streeton Roberts and McCubbin Awards — whether they won a major award or were highly commended — and challenged them to paint a painting inspired by the works of Streeton, Roberts and McCubbin,” she said.

“It might be a landscape from the same view that they painted, It might be a similar composition featuring an artist’s own interpretation of those paintings, but it’s the first time we’ve had this sort of challenge.”

She said the reason the Sherbrooke Art Society honours Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbin is because of their connection to the hills.

Tom Roberts had a house called Talisman in Kallista from 1923 to when he died in 1931,” she said.

Arthur Streeton had his home in Long Acres, in Olinda, in 1923 when he first came there, so it’s really 100 years ago both of those men moved to the hills and chose to live there.”

Entries into the awards cost $15 for members and $20 for non-members and the gallery will retain a 30 per cent commission on any artwork sold during the exhibition.

During the exhibition, a special talk on women in the shadows of Streeton, Roberts

and McCubbin will be held on May 13, the day before Mother’s Day.

MsVassallo said the society is also celebrating 100 years of the Red Mill, the gallery building.

“We’re asking anyone with photos, memories or history of the Red Mill building in Belgrave to come and see us to help us collate its history,” she said.

“Three of our local historical societies have been researching our building, but if the community has anything they have remembered or has old photos, we’d love to add it to our records.”

More information on the Streeton, Roberts and McCubbin Awards can be found at sherbrookegallery.com

Yarra Ranges’ artist debuts work at NGV

By Mikayla van Loon

For Healesville’s Craig Murphy-Wandin, having an artwork exhibited in an NGV collective project is somewhat unbelievable.

The Wurundjeri Woiwurrung artist’s work ‘Man in dreaming 2022’ is currently on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV as part of Melbourne Now, an exhibition showcasing the work of over 200 Victorian based artists, designers, studios and firms.

A first for Murphy-Wandin, he said “it’s a privilege” to have an artwork featured in an NGV exhibition.

“It’s just an amazing feeling. I still can’t believe that I have pieces in there,” MurphyWandin said.

As part of the ‘Vessels’ project, MurphyWandin has drawn on his ancestral woodworking techniques to carve a fallen tree burl, a practice he began around seven years ago.

Merging his contemporary wood carving skills with traditional Aboriginal practices, Murphy-Wandin speeds up the process by using a chainsaw to extract a burl and then slows it down by coating it in layers of gum sap.

“In Healesville we’ve got all our beautiful, big rivers and I just walk along there occasionally and if I see a tree down with a burl on it, I’d go back and carve it off,” he said.

“The carving is really fast because it is a contemporary way. If I tried to do it the old fashioned way, traditionally with a green stone axe it would take forever because it’s hardwood, I’d be there a year, maybe.”

Once a burl has been carved, MurphyWandin will soak the burl in water to prevent air splitting the wood, then comes the staining process, where he returns to the bush to find sap.

While sometimes a difficult part of the process, Murphy-Wandin said it can be “a meditation to me”, by being in the bush looking for both the burls and sap.

Only starting to use gum sap two years ago, learning the technique as he went, MurphyWandin said he had faith in knowing it would work.

“It’s all self taught and trial and error really to use the gum sap and I knew it would work and it did,” he said.

With variations in sap colour, sometimes being red, orange, yellow or black, MurphyWandin said it can take up to eight weeks for a burl to start showing the colour.

“The staining is the really important part

Ferntree Gully artist is on song

By Parker McKenzie

Ferntree Gully-based singer and songwriter Kitty Rae is fresh off making the semi-finals of the International Songwriting Competition, an annual contest providing aspiring and established songwriters with the opportunity to have their music heard.

The self-described “dark electro-pop” artist told the Star Mail she had been pursuing music in university before “starting to write with purpose” in 2020.

“It’s emotionally charged, beat-driven music that people can enjoy, have a dance to but really connect with emotionally,” Rae said.

“That’s what I’m about. A lot of my inspiration comes from experience with mental health and well-being, and it is something I’m passionate about talking about.”

Rae said music has been a form of therapy for her, where she is able to express herself and articulate things that she didn’t realise needed to be talked about.

and it’s a beautiful thing to do and usually my ancestors would have used the sap as a glue, for glueing everything together, so that’s the real traditional part.”

As a former carpenter and horticulturist, Murphy-Wandin said returning to work with wood was a suggestion from his mother Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin to help make message sticks and smoking ceremony bowls as gifts.

While some burls can be used for smoking bowls, Murphy-Wandin said each burl has its own story to tell, he just gives it the ability.

“Some burls have got the stories in them already like the one in NGV, it’s got a man in the grain that’s why I called it ‘Man in dreaming’. It all depends on the burl. It tells you what it’s here for.”

The grain of the wood comes from its age, with some burls collected by Murphy-Wandin being hundreds of years old.

“Some of these burls that I have are 500 to 600 years old. A really big manna gum that fell on theWatts River that I found, it’s quite amazing how old some of these burls are.

“You get the young ones too when a little tree falls down. They haven’t got the stories in them because they’re not as old and they haven’t been around for 700 years, so the grain hasn’t fully developed.”

As the only wooden texture in the ‘Vessels’ exhibition, Murphy-Wandin said he hopes it tells a story of how Aboriginal people worked with the land.

Installation view of Craig Murphy-Wandin’s work ‘Man in dreaming 2022’ on display as part of the Melbourne Now

“I would like people to learn how amazing nature is and how my people worked alongside nature, in perfect harmony every single day.

“For 65,000 plus years they respected nature and nature gave the respect back.”

Melbourne Now, including Vessels, launched at the NGV on 24 March and is open until 20 August. To find out more, go to www. ngv.vic.gov.au/melbourne-now/home/

“I’m very proud of my work. That piece is a very, very special piece for me and I’m glad I get it back after the gallery because I don’t want to sell it but I’m just very, very happy and very humbled to be in that exhibition.”

“Everything in life in inspirational and some of my songs I’ve written about relationships, things I’ve seen on reality TV shows or anything like that,” they said.

“Swim with Sharks, I wrote about the situation of moving. I’m originally from the country, out from Baccus Marsh — out west — and I moved from there to the east to study.”

She said her partner, who produces her music, entered the song in the competition and she was stoked to see it be judged so highly.

“I’d been told all through life that I had to be ready for a cutthroat world and it was going to be very competitive and you have to really fight to succeed, it did feel cold when I got there,” they said.

“It really felt like being dropped in the middle of the ocean without a life ring, and it took me a while but I eventually learned that I don’t have to become cutthroat or feel like I have to fight or cut people down to be successful.”

Rae has performed at Moombo, Brunswick Music Festival and Summerwave, and said her next single, Sick of Being Sad, will be released on April 28.

“It’s the first song from my debut album, which will come out later this year,” Rae said.

“I really want to build a sustainable, impactful career and I feel really good about 2023. I’m excited to share it.”

Craig Murphy-Wandin was encouraged to get back into wood carving by his mother Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

exhibition at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne from 24 March – 20 August 2023. Picture: TOM ROSS

Rae has performed at Moombo, Brunswick Music Festival and Summerwave, and her next single, Sick of Being Sad, will be released on April 28. Picture: SUPPLIED

Secluded Jetty by Wendy Lindrea, winner of the 2022 Streeton Award. Picture: SUPPLIED

A history of war in ranges

By Anthony McAleer

Fifty years after they served Australia in the Vietnam War, sixteen veterans of that conflict who live in the Yarra Valley sat down with the Mt Evelyn RSL’s historian and revealed, some for the first time, their experiences before, during and after the war.

Their stories tell of our nation’s involvement in Vietnam and spans the period 1964 to 1972. They served with the Navy, with the Regular Army and as National Servicemen. Their backgrounds varied as much as their experiences ‘in country’ during that time.

Their story is one of sacrifice and endurance, bravery and loss, good times and bad times. It reveals the environment they were forced to exist in and the role they had to play, as well as the moments that range from the mundane to the terrifying.

Surviving all of this, they returned home to a nation where many people ignored or even condemned them. For most, those decades after the war were an ongoing battle to deal with the physical and mental scars.

If ever you wanted to know what the Vietnam war was like for an Australian servicemen – these men will tell you through the pages of the Mt Evelyn RSL book ‘Yarra Valley Vietnam Veterans’. Available from the Mt Evelyn RSL Sub-branch.

One of the most extraordinary stories to come out of the First World War was an incident that happened to a Lilydale soldier while serving in Europe.

Robert Shell had grown up in Lilydale and had attended the Lilydale State School for his education. In late 1915, aged just eighteen years old, he left his job as a horse driver and enlisted in the AIF. From mid-1916 he served with the 21st Infantry Battalion on theWestern

Front where he was hospitalised a number of times.

Towards the end of the war he was resting one day in a reserve area when a group of German prisoners of war were marched past under guard. Suddenly from amidst the prisoners he heard in an Australian accent said: ‘G’day Bob’. He looked around to discover that amongst the prisoners was a friend he’d gone to school with at the Lilydale State School – in a German uniform.

Chatting with him, he told Robert that being of German descent, he had gone back to Germany with his family just before the war

started and ended up being trapped there and was eventually conscripted into the Germany Army. Robert then spoke to his Sergeant and explained that this prisoner was actually from Australia and would make a good interpreter for the AIF. But the Sergeant told him that as he was a German prisoner of war – ‘that was that’.

After the war Robert returned to Lilydale and around 1920 he was walking down the Main Street when suddenly he saw coming towards him the same school friend he last saw in a German uniform. Recognising him, he said to Robert ‘G’day Bob, glad to see we both made it back’. Sadly though, that was the last

time they saw each other.

It is amazing to think that two soldiers from this area happen to meet on the Western Front, when there were so many thousands of soldiers stationed there during that period. But what makes this more phenomenal is that even though they were both from Lilydale, they happened to be serving on opposing sides – one with the Australian Army, the other with the German Army.

From the Mt Evelyn RSL’s publication –‘Home Front – The Impact of the First World War on the Shire of Lillydale’. Available from the RSL via ebay.

Soldiers from the Yarra Valley who fought in the Vietnam War tell their stories, some for the first time, in a book by Anthony McAleer.

Picture: UNSPLASH.

Robert Shell went all the way to Germany to bump into a schoolmate during World War I. Picture: SUPPLIED

Emerald RSL will commemorate 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War this Anzac Day on Tuesday 25 April.

Attend Anzac Day services

Emerald RSL will commemorate 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War this Anzac Day on Tuesday 25 April.

Approximately 60,000 Australians served during the Vietnam War before it ended on 30 April 1975, and 521 were killed and more than 3000 wounded during the country’s longest running war.

Emerald RSL President Peter Maloney said this year’s theme is Vietnam, where he served, and National Service.

“We decided to honour all the servicemen who were called up to national service and those who served in Vietnam,” he said.

“Poppies were planted around over the weekend and Vietnam memorial signs will be put up around Emerald, and the town will be covered in poppies.”

Conscription was introduced in November 1964 to boost the size of the Australian Army during theVietnamWar, which will also be recognised during the services.

Emerald RSL will hold a Dawn Service from 5am at Anzac Place, 3 Memorial Drive Emerald, and a march from the Town Centre of Emerald at 10am before the Morning Service at 11am.

Mr Maloney said on the Saturday prior to Anzac Day, the RSL will be involved in Emerald Football and Netball Club’s game against Seville.

“The football on Saturday, on the 22nd, is the traditional Anzac Day ceremonial clash,” he said.

“We present the Anzac medals to the best on court and best on ground.”

Gembrook RSL sub-branch will be holding an Anzac Day dawn service at 6am, followed by a gun fire breakfast at JAC Russell Park.

Participants in the march will assemble at the corner of Redwood Road and Main Road at 10.30am to commence marching at 10.45am, with a service held at Remembrance Park at 11am.

Refreshments will be available at the RSL club rooms on Main Road after the service.

The Upwey-Belgrave RSL sub-branch will hold a 6am dawn service and a 9.30am gathering for a march from the local IGA to the subbranch on Upwey’s main street.

The day service will be held at 10am.

The Cockatoo RSL sub-branch will host a 6am dawn service, followed by free gunfire breakfast or egg and bacon rolls.

At 10.20am, the march will step off from the local primary school on Belgrave-Gembrook Road, with the main service starting at 10.30am.

The will be a complimentary light morning tea and ‘cuppa’.

There will also be a sausage sizzle, with a cost of $2.50 for a sausage in bread. There will be some static displays of military vehicles and weather permitting a fly over 11am.

Live music will be held from 2pm, The Monbulk RSL sub-branch will conduct a dawn service at 5.45am, with a gun fire breakfast held afterwards.

A march will begin at St George’s Anglican Church at 9.30am, followed by a main service at 10am.

The Dandenong Ranges RSL sub-branch will be holding a 6.30am dawn service at the Ferny Creek World War One memorial, on the

corner of Mount Dandenong Tourist Road and Sherbrooke Road.

After a march along Mount Dandenong Tourist Road at 10.30am, a commemorative service will then be held at the Sassafras Village Green.

Poppies outside the Monbulk RSL sub-branch on Anzac Day in 2022.

Picture: TYLER WRIGHT

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE

Range of skills, activities

Emerald Community House is focused on providing short courses that energize wellbeing, children’s programs and food provision in support of working families and isolated individuals. Our purposes to meet core essential needs brought on by Covid and other current events have helped us to address the things that matter most to the local community.

ECH’s current short course program caters for those who want to work with their hands and expand their minds, whether it is writing stories, crafting clay or digging in the garden. Our creative writing courses, through Learn local, are full of aspiring hills story tellers who are benefitting from ECH’s publishing successes. Permaculture Design is under way for the last time with Pete the Permie. First Aid is set for 22 April and is a typical requirement for many volunteers and staff in the hills. For more program information, check out https:// www.echvic.org.au/.

Our affordable licensed Childcare Programs have been steadily growing with people returning to work or moving into the area. We have increased the number of educators to cover the demand and our new playground shelters have expanded the usability of the playground in any weather.

ECH is part of a healthy free food network that supports the Dandenong Ranges to help people stretch their shrinking dollar. Emerald Community House provides free food (frozen and non-perishables) to the broader community using resources such as Foodbank, Woolworths and Cockatoo Bakery. Food is available 24/7 from a storage cabinet on our front veranda, in the Dig In Community Grocery and by appointment.

With the increasing threat all around us of identity theft and privacy security, ECH keeps its member details offline, under lock and key.

ECH is committed to protecting personal information in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act and associated amendments, especially considering childcare user families who make up most of our membership.

Classes, Workshops & Activities

Introduction to Turkish cooking With Arzu Yilmaz

Wednesday 3rd May 7.15pm – 9.30pm

Cost: $75 + $15.00 for ingredients (2 workshops for $140, 3 for $195)

Vegetarian Mediterranean Cooking With Arzu Yilmaz

Wednesday 10th May 7.15pm – 9.30pm $75 + $15.00 for ingredients (2 workshops for $140, 3 for $195)

Gozleme and Baklava With Arzu Yilmaz

Wednesday 17th May 7pm – 9pm

Cost: $75 + $15.00 for ingredients (2 workshops for $140, 3 for $195)

Guitar With Michael Howard

Mondays 8th May – 19th June (6 weeks) (no class 12 June) • 6pm – 7pm

Cost: $120

Singing up a Storm

With Lady Shaula

Fridays 28th April – 23rd June (7 weeks) 6.30pm – 8pm

Cost: $72 (includes 2 free classes) Casual $15 Tai Chi

With Jeff Davis

Wed 26th April – Wed 21st June (9 weeks)

Beginners: 5pm – 6pm • Advanced: 6pm – 7pm Cost: $126

Yoga With Sam Moore

Mondays 24th April – 19th June (8 weeks) (no class 12th June) • 7.15pm – 8.15pm Cost: $144

Paediatric first aid

Delivered by Health Professionals

Wednesday 17th May • 9.30am – 12.30pm Cost: $110

To book visit: www.emergcare.com.au

Meditation

With Christine Dashper (Certified Meditation teacher, Naturopath & Aromatherapist) Practise at home.

Thursdays 4th May – 22nd June • 7pm-7.45pm

Cost: $144

Sing, Rattle and Groove

With Cath Russell Music relaxation for babies and kids.

Fridays 5th May – 23rd June (8 weeks)

9.30am – 10.15am

Cost: $188 ($10 p/w for additional siblings)

Meditation & Mindfulness for Children (6-12 years)

With Tracy Hambly (Registered Senior Meditation Teacher)

Parents are required to attend with their child.

Mondays: 1st May – 19th June (7 weeks) (no class 12th June) • 4 – 4.45pm

Cost: $126 ($15 p/w for additional child)

Dandenong Ranges Kyokushin Karate Kids and teens Karate.

New students receive a free karate uniform

Tuesdays 2nd May – 20th June 5:20pm – 5:55pm children • 6pm – 6:40pm teens

To book E: mail@healthbuddies.com.au or call Christian on 0478 415 763

Computer safety & Cybersecurity

With Jesse

Tuesdays 9th May – 20th Jun (6 weeks)

9.30am – 10.30am

Cost: $120

Ruccis Circus (for kids 6-12years of age)

Join the Ruccis crew for a jam-packed circus workshop with all sorts of circus activities to get bodies and minds moving.

Friday 7th July • 10am – 12pm

Cost: $25 per child

HLTAID011 Provide First Aid

Includes COVID safe protocols.

Tuesday 6th June • 6 – 8:30pm

Cost: $140

Basket Weaving

With Monika Poray (Artist/Weaver)

Repurpose recyclables.

Tuesday 9th May or Saturday 10th June • 1 – 3pm

Cost: $35.00

Art Therapy (Indoor/Outdoor)

With Denise Rash

Thursdays 4th May – 22nd June (9 weeks) 10.30am – 12pm

Cost: $180 plus $15 for materials

Stall Bookings: contactus@och.org.au/ 9751 1264

Term 2, 2023

DonnaandDalesortthroughFoodbanksupplies.

Pictures:EMERALDCOMMUNITYHOUSE

Donnapickingupfruitandvegfromfoodbank.

Reconnecting with work

The idea of returning to work or education after having a child can be both exciting and daunting at the same time.

Mountain District Learning Centre is proud to provide a targeted response to this via it’s ‘Reconnect’ program. The program assists participants to overcome the barriers preventing them from engaging in education, training and employment and provides support into further study or employment pathways.

Raising a child takes a village as they say, it also takes a village to return to work or education. On staff are two local mums, Racheal and Emma who are available for a child friendly catch up to discuss what goals you have and how they can best support you in reaching them.

At no cost to you, available supports can include:

· Access to education, with both pre accredited and accredited options.

· Access to funded weekly playgroup where you can spend time with your little ones and meet like minded parents.

· Access to employment support including resume building and interview techniques.

· Access to career planning and pathway options.

A friendly chat with local mum and MDLC staff member Racheal Edwards will assist in determining your eligibility and access to whichever types of support you might find most suitable to your individual circumstances. Racheal can be contacted on 0401 490 873 or email racheale@mdlc.org.au

With Rogerson

Victoria’s longest serving Community House

Emergency Manage ment Planning Sessions Selby Community House invites our community to either of our FREE Emergency Management Planning Sessions. Selby CFA will provide in-depth knowledge and answer your questions about the development of your own emergency management plan. BYO savoury or sweet dish to share, light catering will be provided. Please register via the QR codes or on our website www.selbyhouse.org.au

COMMUNITY LUNCH Wednesday 24th May 12-2pm

COMMUNITY DINNER Wednesday 21st June 6-8pm

Intro to Indigenous Gardening and Environmental Practises Course

This practical and interactive 6 week course will provide an introduction to horticultural and environmental management techniques, and

Artspace Selby

A new and exciting exhibition will be launched in Term 3! Stay tuned for updates and information on our website and Social Media later in the year.

1 Minak Road via Charles Street, Selby VIC 3159

T 03 9754 2039

E programming@selbyhouse.org.au W www.selbyhouse.org.au

ABN 23 553 499 345

Opening Hours: Mon~Thurs 9am~3pm & Fri 9am~1:30pm

To book into courses and activities please call, come in or check our website We are closed on school and public holidays and Total Fire Ban days.

Reconnect Manager Racheal Edwards and Reconnect Case Manager Emma Jenkins are ready to help parents get back into learning. Picture: SUPPLIED

The Mountain District Learning Centre is running specialised program for parents wanting to learn again. Picture: ON FILE

Influx of bunnies in need

By Tyler Wright

A Cockatoo-based rabbit shelter has been overrun with surrendered bunnies, with its owner calling on a change to government laws to classify domestic rabbits as a companion animal.

Bluey & Alice bunny refuge operator Carolyn McInnes said she currently houses around 60 bunnies; with the demand on her service increasing.

“Cats and dogs are still a major issue, but there are some laws protecting them, but rabbits are classed as livestock, so there’s nothing to stop people constantly breeding,’ Ms McInnes said.

“When I started [in 2014], I got three that quickly turned into seven, and then by the Christmas we had about 12, and it’s just gone mad,” she said.

Ms McInnes said the pandemic also brought with it a surge in people purchasing rabbits as family pets, but not understanding how to look after them and then surrendering them to adoption shelters.

“Covid has produced such a nightmare for us. No one could get puppies and kittens, so they all went to the pet shops to get rabbits and the backyard breeders went berserk,” she said.

“It’s all about surrendering and dumping... the only people that are adopting are people who already have a rabbit and want another one or they’ve lost one and need to get a new partner.

“Adoptions are really down at the moment. We’re treading water.”

Belgrave local Monica Elith volunteers at the Bluey & Alice bunny refuge every Thursday with her three sons.

Ms Elith said there is not a lot of knowledge out there surrounding the type of pets rabbits are.

“They’re not just something you stick in a cage in the backyard,” she said.

“After Covid, we found that a lot of people had gotten lockdown pets and then weren’t able to actually commit to them in the long term when life went back to normal.”

Feral or wild rabbits are declared as established pest animals under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CaLP Act), with domestic rabbits allowed to be kept as pets.

Ms McInnes said breeding rabbits and selling them through pet stores should be banned.

“I’m talking at the moment with Bun-

nings...they’re setting up their pet pet area and they’re asking me what they should be doing,” she said.

“I’ve been to one pet shop, told them what they should and shouldn’t be doing. I did a session with all their staff and all the staff said they feel so much more confident now.”

For now, Ms McInnes and her team of volunteers are taking care of the bunnies at the shelter and “desperately” working on find them new homes.

“They are most underrated pet on the plan-

et. They are quiet. They are very much individuals, they can be super naughty, super gentle, super affectionate, very aloof,” she said.

The shelter is also in need of consistent volunteers to assist with roles from administration to rabbit feeding.

“The more people we can have and more diverse roles, the better.”

To enquire about a volunteering role, or to find out the best way to care for an adopted bunny, visit https://www.blueyalicebunnyrefuge.org.au/ for more information.

RSPCA looking for volunteers at Ferntree Gully centre

By Parker McKenzie

RSPCA Victoria is looking for new volunteers at its Ferntree Gully and soon-to-be-opened Bayswater Op Shops, after the Covid-19 pandemic led to a dramatic drop in volunteers.

Ahead of the Bayswater store opening on Thursday 20 April, RSPCAVolunteer Program Organiser Nadine Hutchins said the charity relies on op shops to fund its animal protection and care.

“RSPCA Victoria relies on fantastic volunteers but, like many charities, our volunteer numbers dropped off during the pandemic,” Ms Hutchins said.

“We’ve launched a campaign to recruit 350 new volunteers this year to help us run our op shops and we’re looking for people aged 18 years and over from all walks of life.”

The Ferntree Gully op shop opened at 32 Forest Road last year after moving from Boronia.

Gareth, who has been volunteering with

the RSCPA since 2016, said he decided to help out after retiring.

“I always thought the RSPCA did a good job and I’m an animal lover,” he said.

“most of the profit goes to the animals, so I thought it was good.”

He said the social aspect and the satisfaction he gets from volunteering

keeps him returning.

“ I’ve always found it interesting and most of the people who work there are nice, likeminded people,” he said.

“It gives you something to do as well when you’re retired. It can be hectic at times but I personally think it’s it’s good for your peace of mind.”

The RSPCA is looking to recruit 350 volunteers across the state, who will receive training, perform tasks including customer service and receive a 30 per cent discount at RSPCA op shops.

Gareth said a lot of people who come into the store are looking for a social connection.

“They don’t necessarily come in to buy something. They come in to see Shane and myself who have been doing it for all those years,” he said.

“It’s good for social interaction and to keep the brain active.”

For more information, visit rspcavic.org/ opshopvolunteers

Gareth and Shane at the Ferntree Gully RSPCA Op Shop.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE

Chase and Lucas volunteer at the refuge every Thursday, helping out by feeding the rabbits. 329230

Chase checking in on the rabbits. 29230

OPEN DAYS Clear focus

St Paul’s educates, and does a sensational job at that, but St Paul’s stands for wellbeing.

The wellbeing of all students and all members of the community is why St Paul’s exists. When you enter St Paul’s you can see the focus on wellbeing, you can feel the connection and you can sense that belonging that exists within the beautifully refurbished buildings.

St Paul’s is inclusive, and people from every background are welcome to experience the sense of wellbeing that comes with an education at St Paul’s. As a Catholic school, the values are lived out by all members of the community. It is natural for our school community to demonstrate our values because they come from a common place. The values that form the basis for our learning are: respect, responsibility, justice, courage, wisdom and knowledge.

Our values are pivotal to the life of the school and the community, and are embedded within student support and teaching and learning programs. The outstanding staff model these values and actively look for students demonstrating them.

Student welfare is an integral part of the success and wellbeing of students and as a school, providing a safe, happy, supportive learning environment is of upmost priority for all staff.

There is a school counsellor and a wellbeing team, that includes the Principal so when parents drop their children off, they know they will be ok.

St Paul’s promotes a strong partnership between students, teachers and parents, based on mutual respect and understanding. There is a commitment to child safety and a belief that all children have a right to feel safe and be safe at all times. All staff and volunteers are required to observe child safe standards and expectations for appropriate behaviour towards

and in the company of our students.

All prep children are matched with a Grade 6 student as a ‘buddy’ who look out for one another in the playground and spend class time together on occasion. The Buddy Program helps the prep child’s transition into the school environment and benefits the social development of both students.

When you tour St Paul’s you will see a balance of technology, visual arts, performing arts, physical education, chess, gardening, Italian language, structure, discipline and a sense of calm. Students experience all that a balanced education has to offer including the biennial School Musical and Art Show, inter school sport, mindfulness and meditation and focussed literacy and numeracy. Classroom programs are strategically differentiated to ensure every student is working in their ‘point of need’ and they are given the maximum opportunity to achieve positive academic outcomes and be a successful learner.

The most important thing to remember is that an education at St Paul’s is underpinned by a foundation of Wellbeing. St Paul’s deliver the curriculum, but at St Paul’s they teach every child. Call the office on 97567201 for your personal tour today.

StPaul’sisunderpinnedbyafoundationof wellbeing. Picture:SUPPLIED

Businesses on show

What’s On Cardinia is calling on local businesses to sign up and take part in Winterfest 2023.

To promote local businesses, stimulate regional tourism and support the local economy, What’s On Cardinia will be hosting Winterfest from 24 June to 9 July 2023.

To encourage the community to explore and enjoy all things local these winter school holidays, Winterfest is showcasing the amazing products, services, events, experiences and deals from local businesses within Cardinia Shire.

What’s On Cardinia will offer free promotion and marketing to participating local businesses as part of a wider Winterfest campaign. To participate, businesses must hold and submit an event, deal, or experience during the two weeks of Winterfest.

While the winter months are a typically quieter trading period within Cardinia Shire,Winterfest should provide a much-needed boost to local business.

Cardinia Shire Deputy Mayor Councillor Jack Kowarzik is encouraging businesses to put their hand up to be involved in Winterfest.

“Winterfest will be a wonderful opportunity for local businesses to promote themselves and connect with the wider community,” Cr Kowarzik said.

“The last several years have been challenging for not only our businesses but for our local community as well. We hope this year’s Winterfest will not only bring us all together, but will showcase our vibrant community and the hidden gems that Cardinia Shire has to offer.”

Winterfest will be a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to raise their profiles with local residents and the neighbouring communities that may not normally visit the area. Benefits of getting your business involved

· Free marketing as part of the Winterfest promotional campaign, which will include paid, earned, and owned media. Winterfest ads will be featured in local Star News Group newspapers.

· Increased exposure to raise your business’ profile within the community and beyond.

· Potential for new customers and increased customer awareness

· Potential for increased revenue during this quiet period.

· Be a part of an incredible showcase, which highlights the brilliant and diverse businesses that make Cardinia Shire a great destination to visit.

· You will be supporting the community and local economy by encouraging visitors and residents to stay and spend local this Winterfest.

How to get involved

· To get involved with Winterfest 2023, you must own or run a business within the Cardinia Shire municipality and be willing to showcase your products or services to the community.

· To participate in Winterfest, local businesses must create an event or a special offer during the 2-week school holiday period from Saturday 24 June to Sunday 9 July 2023.

It is not only free for local businesses to take part in Winterfest, but participating businesses will also benefit from free marketing for their event or special promotion for the twoweek festival period.

Winterfest 2023 is proudly presented by What’s on Cardinia in association with the Cardinia Tourism Advisory Board and supported by Star News Group.

Businesses are encouraged to be as creative as they like to attract the community to stay and spend local.

Events and offers could be aimed at families and school-aged children, who may be looking for local options and activities over the school holidays, or residents who are looking to explore their local community and amenities.

For example: ‘Free face paint Friday’ or ‘Kids eat free on Mondays’. To spark further interest, and increase visitation and revenue within the local area, businesses could partner together to coordinate their Winterfest events and deals.

Local businesses should register their local events, deals, activities, businesses, and experiences via the What’s On Cardinia website.

For more information on how businesses can get involved and benefit from Winterfest, visit www.whatsoncardinia.com.au/winterfest

Total solar eclipse to be seen in Australia

By Tyler Wright

The first of five total eclipses expected in Australia over the next 15 years will occur on Thursday 20 April, with Victorians able experience a partial eclipse.

The sun will disappear completely for a minute over Ningaloo in Western Australia at 11.29 am, according to the Astronomical Society of Australia, with another total eclipse expected to hit Sydney in 2028.

“The beauty of a total solar eclipse and why people will travel the world to see it is it’s because it’s the only time you can see some of the more beautiful features around the sun, such as the corona, which are huge streamers of gas which stream off the sun,” Mount Burnett Observatory committee member Jacquie Milner said.

“They’re actually much hotter than the sun.” Ms Milner said those in the state will only see 11 per cent of the sun covered at most, with peak viewing time at 2.09pm.

“We always have to give a warning about not looking directly at the sun...the best way is to look at it indirectly. “ Ms Milner said.

“The easiest way is to get two pieces of card or a thick piece of paper and a piece of paper to project onto.

“You put a pinhole or a small hole, a millimetre or two across, in one of them, and the other you leave plain...then you just project an image of the sun through the pinhole onto the other piece of paper.”

The next total solar eclipse on 22 July 2028 will cross the Kimberley in WA, NT, southwest QLD and will pass through Sydney.

On 25 November in 2030, SA, northwest NSW and southern QLD will experience totality of the moon covering the sun, with the eclipse ending at sunset in southeast QLD.

The third total solar eclipse will occur on 13

Let’s all celebrate chestnuts

By Parker McKenzie

The yearly Kalorama Chestnut Festival returns on Sunday 7 May, bringing people all across the Dandenong Ranges and surrounding areas to enjoy delicious roasted chestnuts, food stalls, local craft products and more.

The volunteer-ran festival, which is a joint fundraiser for Mt Dandenong Primary School and Mt Dandenong Kindergarten, has been running for over 30 years.

Coordinator Victoria Clarke, who is also an educator at Mt Dandenong Preschool, said the main stage will feature a good lineup of bands as well as the regular festivities.

“We’re trying to have a bigger focus on different chestnut things this time, like chestnut soups, chestnut cookies and more,” she said.

“It’s a massive community draw and what the hills is really about. It brings everybody together and is run solely by volunteers, there’s a huge amount of work put in.”

After Mt Dandenong Preschool was damaged during the June 2021 storm, it was forced to move to a temporary facility while a new preschool is being built on the Primary School’s grounds.

Ms Clarke said the Chestnut Festival is probably the most important fundraiser of the year.

“It keeps that tradition and brings the community together,” she said.

“You’ve got stalls, different foods, different craft stores and a lot of hard work goes into it.”

The festival is supported by local businesses and is held at the Kalorama Oval. Other stalls on the day will include poffertjes, homemade cakes, sausage sizzles, stalls from local restaurants, mulled wine, coffee, tea and chai, and local produce.

Ms Clarke said she often sees previous students from the school return to the festival as adults.

“Losing the kinder, it was something that really drove me to step up and start coordinating it,” she said.

“I see families that I haven’t seen in a long time come back. The Hills community is very special and it’s really important to come together and celebrate.”

Parking on the day at the Oval costs $5, with all proceeds going towards the Ferny Creek Club Scouts.

For more information on the chestnut festival, visit chestnutfestival.org. au/site

July 2037 through southern WA, southern NT to QLD, passing over Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Central WA. SA and the border of NSW and Victoria will then see another total solar eclipse on 26 December 2038. Ms Milner said the next total solar eclipse in Sydney will be easily accessible for astronomy fiends.

“All they have to do is walk out their front door,” she said.

“The last hundred years, we’ve only seen a couple over the Australian continent and now we’ve got five in 15 years.

“We’re in for a big total solar eclipse fest, in a way.”

and surrounding areas to enjoy delicious roasted chestnuts, food stalls, local craft products and more.

Picture: SUPPLIED

The yearly Kalorama Chestnut Festival returns on Sunday 7 May, bringing people all across the Dandenong Ranges

Victorians will be able to see a partial eclipse on Thursday 20 April.

Picture: PETER LIEVERDINK

What’s On Cardinia is calling on local businesses to sign up and take part in Winterfest 2023. Local businesses such as Gumby World have already registered to participate in Winterfest from 24 June to 9 July.

Picture: CARDINIA SHIRE COUNCIL

Monbulk club through time

By Parker McKenzie

Greg Hardy, author of 125 Not Out: A History of the Monbulk Cricket Club 1897-2022, will be giving a free author’s talk at Belgrave Library on Thursday 27 April at 2pm.

Mr Hardy said when he first started researching the book, he “didn’t have the foggiest of ideas that the club was formed in 1897.”

“I started there in 1978 and had no real understanding of when the club had started, it came as a complete surprise,” he said.

“I had no idea of any of the history of cricket in the hills; I knew that Monbulk played in a different competition from the one it plays in now.”

The book was launched ahead of the club’s 125th anniversary last year after being organized by the Monbulk Cricket Club committee.

Mr Hardy said he spent time researching the book in old newspapers that had records of scores.

“There were no local newspapers until 1919. Funnily enough, there were far more scores through the 1920s and 30s in the local papers than there were in the later years,” he said.

“It was a fun thing to do during Covid, it certainly took up a lot of time and luckily enough, I was able to do it at home on Trove and go through the newspaper.”

He said it is the most substantial thing he has ever written and was a fun project to be a part of.

“Monbulk is a small town cricket club and there are dozens, even hundreds of them around the state but not all of them go back that far,” he said.

“Monbulk is up there with the oldest clubs going around in the outer-eastern metropolitan area.”

More information about the event and booking a ticket can be found at events.yourlibrary.com.au/event?id=37230

An excerpt from 125 not out: A History of the Monbulk Cricket Club 1897-2022.

Picture: MONBULK CRICKET CLUB

125 not out: A History of the Monbulk Cricket Club 1897-2022 was researched and written over two years by life member Greg Hardy

The Albanese Labor Governments upcoming May budget is a chance for the government.

A chance to admit their mistakes, reinstate vital funding for local projects and amend their broken promises – with the Roads for Community road sealing funding high on our wish list.

My office has been inundated with calls, emails and letters from concerned residents living on dirt roads across our community, and I share those concerns.

I know how badly we want to end the days of dust, potholes and mud. That’s why the former Liberal government committed $150 million to seal our roads – only for Labor to scrap that funding when they got into government.

Our commitment to sealing roads was once in a lifetime, and without that funding, road sealing is projected to take another 80-100 years. I’ve been fighting hard on this, hav-

Federal Member for Casey

ing called on the government to reinstate the funding at every opportunity in Canberra.

The road sealing funding was axed by Labor as part of almost $1 billion in infrastructure cuts – which included scrapping the funding for the notoriously dangerousWellington Road.

This budget will be a test on how much Labor has listened to our community – not just

on our local road upgrades, but also on struggling Australian families and businesses.

Many are feeling the pinch from the rising cost of living. Inflationary spending in the budget will only make things harder.

Labor must deliver a responsible budget that addresses rising costs and does not add to the pain families are currently feeling at the checkout and in their energy bills.

But families and business owners aren’t the only ones doing it tough. So are our young people.

The loss of the Lilydale Youth Hub is being felt right across our community. I’m a strong advocate for youth mental health, which is why I committed $3.5 million during the election campaign to keep the Youth Hub open.

With Labor forming government, they refused to match this commitment, forcing the

hub to close its doors.

Budget equals a chance From my desk

I’ve continued to advocate for funding for the Lilydale Youth Hub. Labor has a chance in this budget to reinstate this vital service that is so important for youth mental wellbeing and belonging.

May will also be a test for state Labor as the Andrews Labor Government hands down the Victorian budget.

Killara Road in Coldstream remains a dangerous and congested intersection despite the former federal Liberal government handing state Labor $20 million for upgrades almost four years ago.

It’s time they get on with the job.

Both Labor’s state and federal budgets must reinstate funding to local infrastructure projects and deliver real outcomes for our community.

Staged to entertain: What’s on in theatres near you

Burrinja Theatre

· The Fish that wanted to Fly. – Little Wing Puppets

Did you ever dream of doing something that seemed impossible? A little fish’s lagoon is drying up. All the other fish have left for the ocean, and she wants to learn how to fly so she can see them again. But can she make it?

Her friend, a hermit crab named Karramoko, sits by a stormwater drain and tells her it will never happen. She meets a kingfisher who helps her and encourages her to keep trying. It’s not until she meets a cormo-

Kemp’s curtain call

rant who offers to take her up into the sky that she flies for the first time. But will she make it back okay?

Screen blocks fall into place

Tetris

Starring Taron Egerton, Nikita Yefremov and Toby Jones

Rated M

4/5

Tetris is a fun, clever historical thriller based on the true story of Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton), an American video game designer and salesman who travels to Moscow in 1988 to license Tetris for Nintendo.Tetris has an Aaron Sorkinstyle quick wit to the dialogue, the visuals often pay tribute to retro video game aesthetics and flourishes in Lorne Balfe’s score draw from the iconic original Tetris theme.

While the intrigue over who owns the rights toTetris is a little hard to follow, the film is fastpaced and draws strong suspense from Rogers’ perseverance, an atmosphere of conniving and surveillance on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and Igor Grabuzov as a slimy KGB agent villain. Egerton is an engaging lead as Rogers: a reckless salesman with a warm, honest nature, and it’s gratifying to watch him struggle against greed and suspicion to share Tetris with the world. The film has a large Russian cast, with Nikita Yefremov playing Alexei Pajitnov, the inventor of Tetris, and the plot draws parallels

between business deals with the Soviet Union (in other words, the arrival of capitalism) and the Union’s eventual fall without feeling heavyhanded. There is also a compelling current of the main characters stretching the rules, both communist and corporate.

If you want a more grounded, dramatic video game-related movie after the kaleidoscopic, kid-friendly Super Mario Bros Movie, Tetris will not disappoint. A suspenseful thriller with fun energy and surprising depth about one of the most famous video games in history, Tetris is streaming exclusively on Apple TV Plus.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

The tale is set in a mangrove swamp and is about friendship, resilience and sustainability.

Season: Thursday 20 April at 10.30 am.

The Puppetry of Paper Workshop

This fun workshop is based on Bunraku, a Japanese form of puppetry. In this workshop. Participants will learn to make a puppet out of paper and the skill of bringing it to life as a team.

Season: Thursday 29 April at 11.30 am.

Theatre reminders for upcoming shows:

· Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre

· Barefoot in the Park

Season: April 20 – May 8

Bookings: 9735 1777 Office hours Monday, Tuesday & Friday 10am – 2om.

The Basin Theatre

· Same Time Next Year

Season: Thursday April 20 – 30.

Bookings: 1300 784 668

Eltham Little Theatre

· Much Ado About Nothing

Season: April 21 – May 6.

Bookings: 0411 713 985

Yarra Valley photographer Tracy Dasler captured this beautiful autumn sunrise in Yarra Glen in early April.

Picture: TRACY DASLER

INCREDIBLE LIFESTYLE PROPERTY

HAVE you always wanted to own a country property where you can get away from it all? This might just be the one you have been waiting for. Not only will you be surrounded by the beauty of more than 138 acres of pasture, natural bush, and tranquil waterways. You will also have northerly views to distant mountain ranges and wide open spaces where privacy, peace and total enjoyment are yours.

The quality built, 4 bedroom brick home offers bush and pasture views from all living areas plus the wrap around verandah. There are 3 spacious living areas with polished hardwood floors, and a timber kitchen with under bench oven plus gas and electric hotplates catering to the whole family’s needs. The combined family room/meals area adjoins the kitchen and features a crackling wood-burning fireplace plus split system air conditioner and doors leading to the verandah, where alfresco dining will be a delight.

Cafe style blinds offer all weather enjoyment and there is plenty of open decked space for making the most of a sunny day. The huge living room provides an ideal place for large gatherings. It features another wood-burning fireplace for warmth and atmosphere. The sun room adjoining this area offers the perfect setting to bask in natural light whilst reading, take in the

HOME ESSENTIALS

tranquillity, or spending quality time with a close friend. The zoned bedrooms provide privacy for all. The large master suite is serviced by a full ensuite and walk in robe. It has doors out to the verandah - ideal for Sunday brunches. The master suite also has a split system air-conditioner. The remaining bedrooms have built in robes and are serviced by a family bathroom and separate powder room.

A heat recovery system transfers heat from the roof cavity into the home – reducing your heating costs. Add in solar panels and tank water, and your running costs should be very low. Internal access from the oversized triple garage makes life even easier. A separate entry to the property provides direct access to the huge (approx. 8m x 14m) farm shed, cattle yard, paddocks, and enormous spring fed lake.

Imagine a life where you can raise cattle, pursue your equestrian dream, grow your own food, enjoy water sports and delight in the variety of native animals and colourful birds that you share the property with. All situated within easy reach of school buses and a short drive to the townships of Cockatoo and Gembrook - where a variety of highly regarded eateries, sporting facilities, child care centres and community groups can be found.

Make your best move today. ●

SPACIOUS HOME IN COURT LOCATION

LOOKING for a spacious home with leafy surroundings that ticks all the boxes? then this is the one for you.

Located in a quiet court, this property boasts 3 bedrooms plus study, 2 modern bathrooms, and 3 living areas comprising of formal lounge, family room and rumpus room. With 3 separate decking areas, you’ll have plenty of space to relax and enjoy the serene surroundings.

Built just 10 years ago, the property features modern amenities including a double lock up garage and a huge carport measuring 12m x 5 m, providing loads of parking space and the ability to hold the biggest party under cover, outdoors.

Inside, you’ll find a range of features including full ensuite and walk in robe to the main bedroom, beautiful hardwood polished floor boards, high ceilings, ducted heating and reverse cycle air conditioning to ensure all year round comfort.

Don’t miss your chance to secure this stunning property in one of Yarra Glen’s most sought after locations. Contact us today for a private inspection. l

NOTHINGTODOBUTADMIRETHEVIEW

16CloverleighAvenue, Emerald 4

FORSALE.

GUIDE $899,000-$988,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT RileyNicholas 0488501218

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

5HolmanRoad, Emerald

POSITIONPLUSPOTENTIAL

FORSALE. GUIDE $730,000-$790,000

ByAppointment CONTACT JustinBarrot 0438683781 BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

65EvansRoad, Cockatoo

INCREDIBLELIFESTYLEPROPERTYOF56.11ha

4 A T 2 B T 3 C T

SaleBySetDate.

GUIDE $2,000,000-$2,200,000 INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT GayleBarrot 0408195767

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

6HeroesAvenue, Gembrook

COUNTRYCHARMERON1,036M2

FORSALE.

GUIDE $900,000-$990,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT JustinBarrot 0438683781

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

8ParadiseGrove, Emerald

CENTRALEMERALDSWEETIEON1009m2

FORSALE.

GUIDE $650,000-$695,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT GayleBarrot 0408195767

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

4OldSoldiersRoad, Gembrook

IMPRESSIVELIFESTYLEPROPERTYWITHVIEWS

4 A T 2 B T 2 C T

FORSALE.

GUIDE $1,700,000-$1,800,000 INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT JustinBarrot 0438683781

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

9OrchardGrove, Emerald

SpaciousEntertainerintheheartofEmerald

FORSALE.

GUIDE $900,000-$990,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT JacquiRyder 0433095278

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

68BeaconsfieldEmeraldRoad, Emerald

FAMILYFAVOURITEWITHLOVELYVIEWSON1,154M2

FORSALE.

GUIDE $720,000-$770,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT JustinBarrot 0438683781

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

15EmeraldLakeRoad, Emerald

THEULTIMATESETTING,LOCATIONANDLIFESTYLE

4 A T 2 B T 2 C T

FORSALE.

GUIDE $795,000-$870,000

INSPECT ByAppointment

CONTACT RileyNicholas 0488501218

BarryPlantEmerald 59684522

FAMILY HOME WITH PERMANENT CREEK

THIS outstandingly renovated 4 bedroom, 2 loungeroom, 2 bathroom, split level home is a must to view! Move in ready with gorgeous private treed views.

With stunning views throughout the light filled home, enjoy the flexibility and added privacy of living over two levels. There are two bedrooms on the upper level, including a spacious master bedroom complete with walk in shower, toilet, and walk-in wardrobe. An open plan large lounge room with built in fire place and ceiling fan awaits you, and the dining area is complete with split system air conditioning. There is a stylish kitchen with gas oven/stove top, rangehood and dishwasher. There is also a further bedroom with built in robes and ceiling fan. The family bathroom, and well appointed laundry are also located on the upper level.

Flow through the home to the second level, and discover two further spacious bedrooms, one with built in robes, and both with floor to ceiling windows viewing the creek and peaceful bush vista. There is also a second well sized loungeroom.

Externally there is a lovely covered entertaining deck area, complete with a fire pit for fun nights entertaining. The asphalt driveway that is located behind automated gates, leads to a large shed with approx. 4m high walls that is 11m*4.3m, with an adjoining carport that is 11m*3m for all your caravan/horse float/boat parking requirements.

This property has it all so don’t miss outcall to arrange a private inspection today. Please note: All property details shown are correct at time of publishing. Some properties may have been sold in the preceding 24 hours and we recommend that you confirm open for inspection times with the listing agent direct or the listing office. ●

DelightfulfamilyhomeintheheartofAvonsleighonover1/4ofanacre!

Thisoutstanding3bedroom,2bathroomfamilyhomeislocatedintheheartofAvonsleigh!Asyou enterthehome,enjoythecathedralceilingfrontroomwithitsstylishcustommadebarndoor.Year aroundcomfortisassuredwithsplitsystemairconditioningandalargewood fireintheloungeroom. Thishomeoffersalovelymasterbedroomwithensuiteandwalkinrobe,andafurthertwogenerous sizedbedroomsbothwithbuilt-in-robes.Enjoytheopenplanliving,dining,kitchenareaasyou entertain,orspilloutontothegreatentertainingdecktosoakinthesunshine.Thepropertyispartly fencedandpetfriendlywithacatrunattachedtothebackofthehouse.ThishomealsohasNBN connection,andageneratorinletplug.Thereisadditionalstorageavailableunderthehome,aswell asasinglecargarage.

Beautifullyupdated5bedroomfamilyhomeonalmostanacre!

Thehomehasamasterbedroomwithensuiteatoneend,centralopenplanliving&diningarea, throughto4bedrooms&asecondliving/entertainingarea.Themasterbedroomisspaciouswith ceilingfan,largeBIR&ensuite.Thereisanoffice/bedroom&thenthehouseopensupwithagreat entertainingspace.The firstloungeroomhasawood fireheaterforcosynightsin&hardwood flooring.Thereisductedheatingthroughoutforyearroundcomfort.Thereisafamilybathroom, &separatetoilet.Thenthroughtothesurpriseentertaining/secondloungeroomwithbuiltinbar &directaccesstothefrontdecking.ExternallyisaDLUGwithdirecthouseaccess.Thereare establishedabovegroundvegetablegardens,orchardareaoffruittrees&awoodshed&garden shed.Withallmainsservicesconnected&anexternalgeneratorplug.

Fantasticfamilyhomewithpermanentcreek,treedviews&greatshed!

Thishomehas4bedrooms,2loungerooms,&2bathrooms.Therearetwobedroomsontheupper level,includingamasterbedroomwithensuite&WIR.Anopenplanlargeloungeroomwithbuiltin fireplace&ceilingfan,&thediningareaiscompletewithsplitsystemAC.Thereisastylishkitchen withgasoven/stovetop,rangehood&dishwasher.ThereisalsoafurtherbedroomwithBIRs&ceiling fan.Thefamilybathroom,&laundryareontheupperlevel.Onthesecondlevel,discover2further spaciousbedrooms,onewithBIRs,&bothwith floortoceilingwindows.Thereisalsoasecondwell sizedloungeroom.Externallythereisalovelycoveredentertainingdeckarea,completewitha fire pitforfunnightsentertaining.Theasphaltdrivewaythatislocatedbehindautomatedgates,leadsto alargeshedwithapprox.4mhighwallsthatis11m*4.3m,withanadjoiningcarportthatis11m*3m.

Exceptionallyupdated5bedroomfamilyhomewithstunningviewsonoveran acre!

Thishomehas5bedrooms,2loungerooms,aformaldiningroom,&3bathrooms!Freshlypainted &updatedthroughoutwith floorcoverings&carpetinthebedrooms.Theopenplankitchenhas stonebenchtops,gasstovetop,electricoven,dishwasher,&alargebutlerspantry.Thereisasplit systemACintheloungeroom,&ductedheatingthroughout.Allbedroomsaregenerouslysizedwith BIRs,&ceilingfans.TheMasterbedroomhasanensuite.Thefamilybathroomoffersafreestanding bath,shower&separatetoilet.Thesecondfamilybathroomhaswoodenshutters,shower&vanity,& separatetoilet.Thebackyardisadelight,withtheblockbeingfullyfenced.Thelandscapedgarden bedsarewaitingforyoutoplant&thereareapprovedpermitplansfora3bayAmericanBarnshed.

2979Gembrook-LaunchingPlRd,Gembrook$1,250,000-$1,350,000

452BelgraveGembrookRoad,Avonsleigh$720,000-$780,000

AaronDay M 0407365994

BrennanMileto M 0422996451

FAMILY HOME WITH SPACE TO GROW

LARGER than meets the eye, this spacious, split level family home offers three well sized bedrooms (master suite with ensuite and walk in robe), two bathrooms and two huge, separate living zones.

The modern, oversized kitchen comes complete with plenty of bench space, great storage and stainless steel appliances including dishwasher, whilst raked timber lined ceilings look down across this excellent floorplan and oversized windows allow plenty of light to come through each and every room.

Ducted heating, a beautiful wood fire and multiple split systems give quick, convenient and cosy heating/cooling options all year round making this home

practical for all weather conditions.

Outside, a large expanse of decking surrounds the house and gives you another living space in the warmer months while the fenced rear yard with and almost half an acre of space to play will be ideal for children. The nearby valley views surround the property allowing a peaceful outlook from every angle.

A triple carport plus a dual parking area and a large garden shed for your extra storage requirements can be found off the sealed, easy access driveway making this property perfect for anyone needing extra space to store trailers, trucks and toys.

An excellent property both inside and out, this one is sure to impress. ●

3 A 1 B 3 C

Boastingamodest,neatandtidy3bedroom,familyhome,thispropertyallowsyoutobe completelyprivatefromtheadjoiningpropertiesgivingpeaceandprivacyforeveryone. Hardwoodtimberfloorboardscanbefoundthroughoutwhilstlargewindowscreateplenty ofnaturallightaswellasgivingyouagardenviewfromeveryroom.Aperfectprojectfor thoselookingtoextendorre-model(STCA),thisistheideallocationforthoseofyouwho arelookingtocreatetheirforeverfamilyhome.

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

Largerthanmeetstheeye,thisspacious,splitlevelfamilyhomeoffersthreewellsized bedrooms(mastersuitewithensuiteandwalkinrobe),twobathroomsandtwohuge, separatelivingzones.Themodern,oversizedkitchencomescompletewithplentyofbench space,greatstorageandstainlesssteelappliancesincludingdishwasher,whilstraked timberlinedceilingslookdownacrossthisexcellentfloorplanandoversizedwindowsallow plentyoflighttocomethrougheachandeveryroom.

6LacyStreet,SELBY

$840,000-$920,000

ARCHITECTURALLYDESIGNEDHALF-ACREFAMILYHAVEN 4 A 2 B 5 C

Thishalf-acrehavenanchoredbyanarchitecturallydesignedfamilydwellingisforbuyers seekingsomethingspecial.Uniquelyappealing,richwithcharacter,andsettoabackdrop ofbreathtakingviews,thisisapropertytobeproudof.The2,027sqm(approx.)landscape thatframesthishomeboastsasprawlingoutdoorentertainingareaidealforgathering.The exceptionaldesignofthisresidenceisintroducedbytheinvitingatriumentrythatcreatesa seamlessconnectionbetweenindoorandoutdoorspaces.

BradConder

M 0422639115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

GlennChandler

M 0418410689| E glenn@chandlerandco.com.au

12KaluluRoad,BELGRAVE $730,000-$800,000

AKALEIDOSCOPEOFCOLOURFULVIEWS

3 A 1 B 3 C

Boastingamodest,neatandtidy3bedroom,familyhome,thispropertyallowsyoutobe completelyprivatefromtheadjoiningpropertiesgivingpeaceandprivacyforeveryone. Hardwoodtimberfloorboardscanbefoundthroughoutwhilstlargewindowscreateplenty ofnaturallightaswellasgivingyouagardenviewfromeveryroom.Aperfectprojectfor thoselookingtoextendorre-model(STCA),thisistheideallocationforthoseofyouwho arelookingtocreatetheirforeverfamilyhome.

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

PUZZLES

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

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Drafted Russian cavalry soldier (7)

5 Windfall (7)

9 Inherited from one’s family (9)

10 Exactitude (5)

11 Pick (6)

12 Going in (8)

14 Greek oracle (6)

15 Nasty (4)

19 Paradise (4)

20 Type of brandy (6)

24 Relating to cultivated land (8)

25 Maximum (6)

27 River flowing from Tibet to the Arabian Sea (5)

28 Incapable of being seen (9)

29 Vote in again (2-5)

30 Gnawing animals (7)

DOWN

1 Opportunity (6)

2 Aid (6)

3 Appraised (8)

4 Grunge musician Cobain (4)

5 Personal items (10)

6 Medical professionals (6)

7 Nightwear (8)

8 Haughty (8)

13 Expert (10)

16 The way one acts (8)

17 Resent someone’s pleasure or good fortune (8)

18 Being admitted to a church (8)

21 Fictional castaway (6)

22 Spindle for thread (6)

23 City of the 2004 Olympic Games (6)

26 Declare (4)

DECODER WORDFIT

1 14

2 15

3 16

4 17

5 18

6 19

7 20

8 21

9 22

10 23

11 24

12 25

12 345678910111213

9-LETTER WORD

726813549

831954762

162349857 615497283

987125634 394268175

549672318

278531496

896427513

453786921 927638145

478356129

962718354

135294786

721935468 287549631

314862975

543681297 659173842

easy medium hard

19 3 LETTERS ALL AYE EGG END ERA GEE GYM HER IVY KIT LEG LIE NIL ODE ORE OVA PEA ROE ROT RUE SLY UPS WAS WON 4 LETTERS CLAP DASH EARS EBBS LIMP LYRE NEAR NEST ONES PAWS STOW TREK VASE WEBS

O C I E D Today’s Aim:

251394687

384965712

572481963

619273458

798516324 843159276

436827591 165742839

cent, codeine, coin, coined, concede, conceit, CONCEITED, cone, coned, conic, decent, denote, dent, dine, dint, docent, done, donee, encode, entice, enticed, icon, into, need, nice, niece, node, note, noted, notice, noticed, occident, once, tend, tine, tone, toned, tonic

Good 5 LETTERS ADAGE ADEPT ALGAE ALIEN ANTIC AORTA ARENA BIPED BOOED BRINE DINER EATEN EAVES EGGED ELITE ELUDE ERASE ERROR ESSAY HALON HELLO

INANE IVIES KNEES LINES LIVES LUNGE MINCE NERVE OUTED PETAL PLOYS PRESS RENEW SASSY SAWED SEEDS SEEDY SENDS SOLVE SPIKE STARE STRAW

SUGAR TEEMS TENDS TRIPE TWEET VEERS WEEDY 6 LETTERS GRASSY NEARED PASTEL SIERRA

7 LETTERS ENGRAVE GENTILE ILLEGAL INSERTS SOPRANO STATION 8 LETTERS DILATING GREETING LENIENCY LESSENED

13 26 KO William Matthews Funerals 24 HOUR SERVICE - ALLAREAS 9739 6868 45 Cave Hill Rd, Lilydale www.williammatthewsfunerals.com.au 12567433-SN37-22

1415 1617181920212223242526 J V T G Q C H L U D Y A B Z M R F W P N E I X K S O 21-04-23 Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

No. 129

No. 129

No. 129

Motoring

ADVERTISERS in this section are qualified practitioners and offer nonsexualservices.

Employment

V Professional

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.

Funding helps resilience

Community resilience building in the Yarra Ranges just received an extra boost with funding being awarded to Outer Eastern Foodshare (OEF) to help coordinate more than 80 organisations who help people when they’re in need.

The funding is part of the $10 million Preparing Australian Communities (PAC) Grant from the Federal Government. The PAC program aims to enable communities to better mitigate, avoid, withstand, and recover from the increasing effects of natural hazards as a result of climate change, through activities that build resilience.

OEF will be working in partnership with Yarra Ranges Council and Yarra Ranges Emergency Relief Network (YRERN) which is a collection of not-for-profit local community service providers that support people with a range of assistance including food, household items, health care, counselling, social connection and financial counselling.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said these funds would enable OEF to employ a project coordinator to help coordinate and strengthen links between OEF, theYRERN and its member organisations to help build better resilience for communities in the Yarra Ranges.

OEF is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organisation that collects food (up to 100 tonnes of perishable and non-perishable food) from food distribution agencies such as Foodbank Victoria, Second Bite, Fareshare and Oz Harvest as well as donations from local food producers. It distributes this to local food relief agencies to share with local people who are doing it tough.

“We all know how important it is for communities to work together when faced with adversity and this grant is a great step to continue building resilience in the Yarra Ranges,” Cr Child said.

“OEF does an excellent job of collecting and distributing food to agencies across the Yarra

Ranges – in fact they do such a good job that this can be as much as 100 tonnes of food each year.

“As an incorporated organisation and part of the YRERN, OEF offers vast experience and provide a wide range of services including food

relief, financial support, accommodation assistance, counselling. We’re pleased they are able to continue their great work in building resilience in the Yarra Ranges.”

The PAC grant is also funding:

· Place based resilience planning – Will bring communities, local businesses, support organisations and agencies together from Monbulk, Healesville, Yarra Junction and their surrounds to benchmark and strengthen resilience.

· Resilient energy precinct – A joint venture with Monash University and Council to assess the feasibility for a resilient microgrid across essential buildings in Monbulk.

· Resilient buildings – Multiple Council community buildings that serve as emergency relief centres will be upgraded with a generator plug-in point and/or solar power capabilities.

· Tree management and clean-up – Funding requested to complete clean-up in Council open spaces and bushlands from the 2021 storm, as well as delivering a proactive tree management program in high-risk areas.

· Changing places facility – Provides suitable facilities for people who are unable to use standard accessible toilets at Kilsyth Sports Centre, which is also a designated emergency relief centre. This fills a need in the provision of emergency amenities for people who are unable to use standard accessible amenities.

· Bushfire risk assessment – A bushfire risk assessment will be commissioned for the areas of the Dandenong Ranges impacted by the 2021 storm which will assist in the rebuilding process.

· Emergency relief network – Will strengthen the role and involvement of theYarra Ranges Emergency Relief Network to provide better coordinated support and material aid resources across Yarra Ranges.

ADVERTISE IN THE CLASSIFIEDS UNTIL YOUR ITEM SELLS*

$29 .00

ADD A PHOTO FOR AN ADDITIONAL $8.00

• All advertisements must be pre-paid. For $29.00 you get a 4 line, ONE ITEM ONLY advertisement, restricted to “For Sale” or “Motoring” items only for private advertisers, run initially for 13 weeks or until sold. Additional lines will be charged at $3 per line per publication.

• After your advertisement has run for 13 weeks you must call us each fortnight to renew it for a further 2 week period AND reduce the price of your item by a minimum 5% for items in the “For Sale” section or 3% for items in the “Motoring” section. This process may continue until you have sold your item. If we do not hear from you we will assume you have sold your item and your advertisement will not appear.

• The sale price must be included in the advertisement and the only alterations you may make are to the PRICE of your item.

• Business advertisements, rental hire, pets & livestock and real estate are not included in the offer.

• The publisher reserves the right to decline any booking for the purpose of ongoing gain.

OuterEastFoodsharewillhelpcoordinate80organisationswhosupportthoseinneedwith Federalgovernmentfunding.

Picture:OUTEREASTFOODSHARE

Tough round for Rangers

Friday night saw the Monbulk Rangers Men’s teams take on a very strong opposition in Bayside Argonauts. The Reserves match was a very fiery match, with both teams looking even until an errant backpass at the back saw Bayside head into the half-time break 1-0 up. It was then one-way traffic in the second half and it saw Bayside Argonauts take home a 4-0 win. In the Seniors match, it was more of the same, a very even affair, end-to-end action and some great flowing football until a clanger from

Monbulk’s goalkeeper gifted Bayside a goal close to the end of the first half. A change in formation from Monbulk came at halftime and it proved fruitless as Bayside ran away with the match, taking home a 5-0 win.

Sunday afternoon saw the VPLW Ladies teams take on a travelling opponent in Geelong Galaxy. It was going to be an uphill battle for Monbulk’s Reserves, as they were playing with a 10-person side against a full Geelong

team. In a great effort, they went down swinging, losing 4-2, but winning the second half 2-1, with Ruby Grujic scoring both goals for Monbulk. It was a battle for each respective team’s first win in the Senior clash, and it was Geelong Galaxy who took home the win, cruising to a fairly comfortable 6-0 result.

This week will see the first games for our Junior sides in what will be a jam-packed weekend down at Monbulk Regional Soccer Facility,

so if you have spare time on Saturday and Sunday, drop in and see the future of the club and football in the region plying their trade and enjoying the world game!

Our Senior Men will be playing their first away game next week as they take on winless South Yarra at Ron Barassi Senior Reserve, 1pm & 3pm kick off times and the Women’s VPLW side having a bye this weekend, due to Melbourne Knights dropping out of the competition post fixture release.

Lilydale-Montrose United forced to settle for a draw

After three rounds at home, Lilydale-Montrose United Soccer Club embarked on its three weeks of away games with a trip to Howard Dawson Reserve in Glen Iris, home of St Kevins Old Boys SC.

The seniors, looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat last week to Templestowe Wolves, played out a cagey first half with chances for both teams few and far between, heading into the break goalless.

Early in the second half, St Kevins’ opened the scoring with a fine half-volley from the edge of the box after LMU cleared the ball from a wide freekick.

Lilydale-Montrose responded almost immediately, drawing level just six minutes later through Con Moutafis after a clearance rebounded kindly to the right-wingback, who slotted away his second of the season.

In the final 30 minutes, a combination of wasted chances and St Kevins’ goalkeeper pulling off several fine saves to keep his side in the game meant LMU had to settle for a point.

The performance was a huge improvement from the week prior and a sign the newly assembled side is starting to build into a proper team, despite the disappointment of not walking away with all three points.

The point was enough to bring the club to four points from the opening four games, matching last season’s total points, and is a sign of the improvement through the first team already.

The club is currently 10th out of 12 teams on the ladder and next week travels to Old Melbournians FC.

The reserves side went down 4-2 to St Kevins’ reserves, in a disappointing result beguiling the play on the field.

The Thirds went down 2-0 at home to the Somerville, and the Veterans lost 2-3 to Mornington.

After three rounds at home,

Senior Ladies Huddle up at Half Time.

Pictures: HALF TIME SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY Steve McRae taking a long-range shot.

Lilydale-Montrose United Soccer Club embarked on its three weeks of away games.

Picture: BRAD DWYER

Tough first round for Olinda

Olinda women’s team blew off the cobwebs with a tough round one contest versus Pakenham away, ultimately going down by eight points.

Olinda won the toss and kicked into a stiff breeze, believing their last quarters to generally be stronger than their first.

The game went to script, with each team kicking with the breeze winning each of the first 3 quarters.. Olinda went into the last quarter 4 points in deficit and was confident in overrunning the home side kicking with the breeze. Pakenham had another idea, and fought tooth and nail in defence to continually repel Olinda attacks, with the ball spending most of the quarter in Olinda’s half of the ground. Olinda peppered the goals but could only manage behinds or out of bounds on the full.

An anomaly occurred late in the quarter as Olinda switched half back dynamo Kyah Barry up forward to get into the thick of the action. This resulted in Pakenham having a loose player in attack for one minute. Unfortunately for Olinda, that loose player kicked two goals in that one minute and it was effectively game over. A late goal to Olinda’s Amalija KostichAngerson reduced the final margin to eight points in Pakenham’s favour. It was a disappointing result for Olinda against a team they defeated three times last season, but there were many positives to come out of the game...

Olinda debuted five players in the game, three from the junior ranks. Olivia Edwards, Tayla McKay, Kaesha Christie, Anja Hulston and Jacqueline Ring all have bright futures for the club.

Claire Hyett played her first game as permanent captain of the team, and unsurprisingly turned in a best on ground performance. Claire’s effort behind the scenes, at training and on gameday is unquestionable, and by word or deed, she will be a great leader for the club.

Olinda’s forward line was almost unrecognizablefromlastyear,withdeepforwardpillars

(DJ) Ness Bateman and Olivia (The Weapon!) Edwards showing great synergy, continually looking for and finding each other to create a plethora of scoring opportunities. These two will have a breakout game at some stage during the season and it will be worth the price of admission to watch! Ruby Gilson played as

a dual centre half forward with Taylor McKay, and also had a hand in creating plenty of scoring opportunities, as well as being ferocious towards Pakenham’s defence when they tried to clear the ball. Kaesha Christie had a great first game for the team at half forward, and frequently got involved and looked dangerous.

Lily Carlin was prodigious all game, and was relentless with her running into space, lethal kicking and tackling.

Amalija(Mars) Kostich-Angerson does everything in a game, marks, kicks long and tackles hard but her game awareness and football IQ is perhaps her biggest strength. The best moment in the game came in the second quarter when forward Issy Dennis was awarded a well-earned free kick 35 metres out from goal. Issy was not confident in making the distance,

and sensing this, Mars sprinted past and received the handball to slot the goal.

Full back Casey Seymour is effectively the Captain/Coach of Olinda’s backline. Casey is unassuming, and would rather drive home having not seen the football, but the team having a big win. This is unrealistic, and Casey is often left alone deep to repel multiple scoring drives, sometimes outnumbered. She is rarely, if ever beaten by her direct opponent. It was business as usual for Casey on Saturday, beating her direct opponent, as well as others, and repelling several scoring attacks.

Ruck Chelsea Wilson got her hands on almost every ball up and was also effective with her ground ball work, tackling and long kicking.

Runners Emmalee Keegan and Kyah Barry

were busy all day with their contested work and ball delivery.

First gamer Jackie Ring had a great moment when she attacked a ground ball at speed, scooped it up in one hand and blind-turned out of the contest.

Special mention to Madeline McCheyne who decided to step away from football and concentrate on work during the off season, only to recatch the bug after watching the first practice game. Mads has come back rejuvenated and is a brutal competitor, and is becoming evermore dangerous by hand and foot.

Every other Olinda player got their hands on the ball and contributed to the contest, which is always the goal.

The team will make some tweaks and come back better in the weeks to come.

Juniors begin the 2023 footy season in cracking form

The world of junior football has begun in 2023, with locals encouraged to get the vocal chords warmed up for a season of cheering local club’s boys and girls as they play their hearts out in the sport they love.

It was a mixed result for Monbulk Cricket Club’s junior sides.

Under 11’s:

Monbulk’s Under 11’s played in very wet conditions on Sunday. It took quite a few quarters to really settle in and was the first full oval game for most of the kids. The last two quarters showed great effort, with the ball in Monbulk’s forward line. Monbulk managed to kick our first goal for the season.

· Monbulk 1.0.6 V Wandin 7.5.47

· Slade Dean. Braxton Mulgrew. Jasper

Koelewyn. Angus Crawford. Olivia Thorp.

Bryce English

Under 12 Girls:

The girls worked really hard in very wet conditions. They never gave up and came out with a very exciting well deserved first round win.

· Monbulk 7.7.49 V Wandin 3.1.19

· Lacey. Bowie. Aaleyah. Mia. Tanisha.

Holly

Under 13’s:

A great start to the season with a good win in wet weather. The boys did well but still have a bit to learn in wet conditions. Hopefully it will be dry next week giving the boys a chance to showcase their skills.

· Monbulk 10.7.67 V Yarra Glen 3.5.23

· Jackson Kanter. Lachie McConchie. Cash Meyers. Zac Koelewyn. Caedmon Duke. Ben White

Under 15’s:

The boys worked hard today. The contest was quite even but we struggled to put scores on the board. We will get back to training, work on our structure and skill set and bring our best game next week.

· Monbulk 3.6.24 V Healesville 8.11.59

· Ethan Knight. Isaac Mullinder. Daniel Lamonica. Charlie Seamer. Jed Fraser. Cohen Mitchell

Under 16 Girls:

· Monbulk 8.13.61 V Wandin 2.2.14

· Bridie McCormick. Naomi Edmeades. Lucia Mercuri. Kate Smith. Ava Gelastopoulos. Nikita O’Connell

Under 17:

· Monbulk 49 Vs Wandin-Yarra Glen 54

· Lachlan Tilley. Tim Gethin-Davies. Jacob Bateson. Jarrah Sangster. Tahi Kostich-Angerson. Kody Gates

Olinda Ferny Creek Junior Football Club’s Under 11s played In conditions that could only be described as a monsoon.

The team headed to Belgrave to take on their highly fancied round one opponent, on a rain soaked deck.

Olinda’s boys adapted quickly to the tough conditions, piling on the pressure and frequently hitting the scoreboard. Over the course of the game Olinda had winners all over the ground, and some impressive team play saw us run out comfortable winners. If not for the conditions, and some missed opportunities late in the game, the team may have stretched the lead further. Coaches and parents were wrapped with the first up effort.

For all of this team, it was the first official win playing competition footy. With most of them unfamiliar with the club song, the high-

light of the day was clearly the coaches solo attempt at singing the song to the team.

U12 girls

Olinda’s U12 girls began the season with such courage. With some of the tea and the coach missing in action, they took on Upwey with all they had. Although we didn’t come away with the win, we fought the best we could, and remember, the season has just begun.

Under 13 boys

A great first up come from behind victory for our Under 13 boys in wet and wintry conditions.. Mt Evelyn kicked the first two goals of the match but after some valuable and classy goals to Gus Kerrins, Jesse Deste and Kaden Johnson, along with the tough grunt work of Jack Ford and silky skills of Ollie Wilford, the team were able to get themselves back into the game and hold on for a slender, hard fought eight point victory..

The Under 14 girls had a bye.

U15 boys

A dominant display in tricky conditions that came off the back of some strong two way running from the midfield, hard pushing up the ground from the defenders and the constant presenting from the forwards. A committed display with stand out performances by Aden Bates with 30 plus possessions and eight goals andTom Ford with 30 plus possessions and four goals.

Under 17 boys

A tightly contested game in trying conditions. After a sluggish three quarters the boys clicked into gear in the last quarter and started to play the type of football expected of the group kicking four goals to nil to come away with an 11 point win.

Monbulk Football Club’s junior sides shared mixed results over the weekend.

Olinda Ferny Creek Isabella Dennis (25). 328963

Olinda Ferny Creek ruck Chelsea Wilson wins the tap against Pakenham’s Sarah Ventura. 328963

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