Mail - Upper Yarra Star Mail - 25th April 2023

We’re all mad here...

By Tanya Steele

Healesville Library transformed into a wonderland on Thursday 20 April for a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, with smiles and fun all around.

The event had live entertainment with a magician and storytelling, followed by a musical conga line to a delicious feast for attendees. A tipsy topsy version of musical statues and other games were enjoyed by all.

After the tea party, The Mad Hatter who is also the library’s children’s service officer took charge of a “crafternoon“ and led kids and parents through making some mini peg Mad Hatter figures.

Turn to page 12 for more pictures

Bulk-billing scarce

By Callum Ludwig

In a time where we are all tightening the purse strings, the reduction in medical centres offering bulk-billing is making it harder for residents to avoid a hit to the hip pocket.

Healthcare comparison directory Cleanbill released its Health of the Nation report on 16 April, collecting pricing and availability information from all 6363 GP clinics across the country. The Casey electorate had one of the lowest percentages of bulk billing clinics in Victoria, and not far from the lowest in the

country, with only four of 34 available clinics offering bulk-billing, only 11.8 per cent.

Yarra Junction Medical Centre is one of those four and Practice Manager Alison Dajlan said there needs to be bulk-billing in the local area as otherwise some people simply can’t afford to go to the doctor.

“There’s a lot of support that is needed by general practitioners, in general, to be able to afford to run a practice while still bulk-billing., the bulk-billing rates need to be increased to make it more viable for practices to provide the service,” she said.

“Each practice would have had to evaluate whether they could continue, with the costs of rent, wages, medical supplies and equipment all having gone up in the last 12 to 24 months. A lot of clinics haven’t been able to sustain it.”

In Victoria, the average appointment leaves residents $40.10 out of pocket. The Casey electorate is down on this average, at $35.28 for a standard consultation.

Ms Dajlan said residents need to be able to receive medical care in their local area.

“Patients need to be able to access these services nearby and if they can’t access service

locally, they may have to travel. For some, they may not be able to if they are limited due to work or commitments or don’t have means of transport,” she said.

“Yarra Junction Medical Centre will keep bulk billing for as long as we possibly can.” The bulk-billing statistics for some of Casey’s neighbouring electorates are varied with over half (51.4 per cent) of Latrobe clinics, a reasonable 36 per cent in Aston and a worrying 14.3 per cent of clinics in Deakin offering bulk-billing.

Continued page 3

Eye-watering floods bill

By Mikayla van Loon

Recently released data by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has shown just how much damage occurred during the 2022 floods.

Although relatively unscathed compared to other locations across the state, the Yarra Ranges still racked up a large sum of insurance claims, according to March figures.

While the Campaspe local government area experienced the highest rate of insurance claims at $207 million, the Yarra Ranges ranked mid-way with $14.9 million in claims.

Declared as a ‘current catastrophe’ by ICA within Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, the floods have reached a total of $669 million, equalling 21,000 claims, of which 53.3 per cent have been closed.

The October floods alone affected Victoria 71 per cent, NSW 19 per cent and Tasmania 3.9 per cent.

The ICA confirmed that in Victoria insurers received 12,900 claims during that time, costing $551 million in damages.

This is compared to the some 34,000 claims submitted during the 2021 storm event that decimated parts of the Yarra Ranges and Gippsland.

The catastrophic event cost insurers $313 million in damage claims across the state.

Making up the majority of claims in both the October floods and the 2021 storm were domestic building claims at 10,746 and 16,446 respectively.

Despite 2021 presenting more extreme weather events, with a total of six registered by ICA, the four events in 2022 cost three times more, reaching a total of $7 billion. While not taking into account Victoria’s floods, the ICA has appointed Deloitte to undertake an independent review of the insurance industry’s response to the 2022 South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales floods.

“As the costliest extreme weather event in Australian history, last year’s floods created significant challenges for the insurance industry in addressing the extraordinary volume of claims across a very wide geographic area,” ICA CEO Andrew Hall said.

“Following three years of La Niña conditions and the Covid-19 pandemic, these floods tested the systems insurers use to respond to customers and raised issues such as a shortage of expert assessors, building labour and materials constraints, and the com-

plexity of recovery and resilience programs delivered by state governments.

“Insurers have agreed it is timely to review the industry’s response to identify best practice and what could be improved when responding to future extreme weather events.”

Concerns aired on Killara roadworks

By Tanya Steele

The issue of the Maroondah Highway duplication works, including upgrading the dangerous Killara Road and Station Street intersections, was once again raised in parliament in late March.

Concerns for the future of the transport funding are shared by both Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence and Casey Federal MP Aaron Violi.

Ms Vallance brought the issue to State Parliament on 23 March and addressed the status of the project which has changed from the “planning stage” to “in review” which raised concerns that the upgrades may not progress beyond planning.

“I’ve raised this issue in State Parliament on 16 occasions, and the Andrews Government’s recent response raises deep concerns that they will scrap the project and re-route the funds elsewhere, which would be a devastating outcome for the Coldstream community,” Ms Vallence said.

“On 23 March, a few weeks ago, in Parliament, I again asked the Andrews Government why the project status had flipped to ‘under review’, and to guarantee the project – their response is due on 24 April.”

Mr Violi took to social media last Friday at the busy intersection in Yarra Glen also concerned about the matter.

“Having grown up in the Yarra Valley, I’ve seen my fair share of near misses at the intersection of Maroondah Highway and Killara Road when passing through Coldstream,” he said.

“Labor’s roads minister, on 31 March 2022,

said that ‘community engagement will commence in the upcoming months, with preconstruction works to follow’. It’s now been over 12 months and no consultation has occurred; no works have begun.”

In 2019, the former federal Liberal government committed $20 million to upgrade the intersection of Killara Road and Maroondah Highway.

This funding was in turn given to the Victorian Labor Government to oversee and implement the upgrades.

A Department of Transport and Planning

spokesperson acknowledged the issue and stated they are undertaking development work to determine the scope, timing and cost of the proposed upgrade.

“Necessary planning work is now being undertaken on the proposed Maroondah Highway upgrade to ensure it can benefit the community, with improved safety and eased congestion,” they said.

The Department plans to look at the best options to ease congestion and improve safety on the Maroondah Highway between Melba Highway and Ingram Road in Coldstream.

Bulk-billing near extinction in Casey

From page 1

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Dr Nicole Higgins said the results showed the cost of years of neglect of general practice.

“Medicare has not kept up with the cost of running a practice, and we are now well past the point where the general practice profession just can subsidise care. In February, new Department of Health data showed bulk-billing had fallen to its lowest point in a decade,” she said.

“GPs want to serve their communities fairly and ensure all their patients can access the care they need. When people can see their GP when they need to, rather than when they can afford to, they are less likely to experience expensive hospital emergency presentations and be healthier and happier at every stage of their lives. We need a system that supports this.”

Warburton school buses changes

Shuttle buses are set to be in place for school students during the Warburton Highway closure

Upper Yarra Secondary College students will be able to travel on their regular school bus, at their regular bus stop using the current timetable, with the exception of students at the below stops:

The Hooks Road/Warburton Highway bus stop students are to board Martyrs Bus 17 at the Millgrove CFA/Warburton Highway or Millgrove General Store/Warburton Highway at 8.28am.

The Scotchmans Creek Road/Warburton Highway bus stop students are to board their usual service at the Alpine Retreat Hotel/Warburton Highway at 8.24am.

Operator Kinetic’s staff, students will transfer to smaller shuttle buses that will travel to schools via Old Warburton Road, with the opposite in the afternoon. The Warburton Football Ground will only be used as a changeover point for students transferring between smaller shuttle buses and their regular school buses. Students are not to be dropped off or collected atWarburtonFootballGround.Therewillbeno parent parking available. Students from Wesburn Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary School who live east of the landslip will be collected by their regular school bus and change to the smaller shuttle buses at the Warburton Football Ground with the College students.In the afternoon, a smaller shuttle bus will collect students from Wesburn Primary School at 3.20pm. Students will be conveyed from St Joseph’s Primary School to the College as per their usual arrangements, where they will then board the smaller shuttle buses and be conveyed back to Warburton Football Ground, to access their regular school bus. Students travelling by bus services will arrive later at school, the schools are aware of this and will support students on their arrival.

Warburton forest road detour timetable

VicRoads has confirmed that the forest road detour will be one-way traffic only and the direction of it will be time-based each day during the landslip repairs on Warburton Highway. Here is the timetable for the forest road detour:

Travelling into Warburton from Melbourne

· Detour route: Blacksands Road, Big Creeks Road, Smythe Creek Road, Burns Road, Big Pats Creek Road, Riverside Drive, Woods Point Road

· From 5am to 11am

· From 5pm to 11pm

Leaving Warburton towards Melbourne

· Detour route: Woods Point Road, Riverside Drive, Big Pats Creek Road, Burns Road, Smythe Creek Road, Big Pats Creek Road, Blacksands Road

· From 12pm to 4pm

· From 12am to 4am.

Traffic management and controllers will be in place 24 hours, 7 days a week during the detour period and positioned along the detour to assist vehicles.

Warburton bin collections change

Warburton residents are advised that bin collections in the area may take place a little earlier in the morning than usual during the landslip repairs on theWarburton Highway from 26 April to 10 May. Residents are encouraged to put their bins out on Tuesday evening to ensure they’re collected the following morning.

Trying to turn right from Killara Road onto Maroondah Highway, Coldstream.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Yarra Junction Medical Centre is one of only four GP clinics in Casey that still offers bulk-billing.

Picture: ON FILE

Foodshare funding boost

By Callum Ludwig

With storms and floods devastating the Yarra Ranges in recent years, a funding boost for Outer Eastern Foodshare (OEF) to improve community resilience is welcome news.

Funding from the Federal Government’s $10 million Preparing Australian Communities (PAC) Grant is set to help in preparing for, reducing the impact of and aiding the recovery from natural disasters and hazards as a result of climate change.

OEF President John Csorgo said the funding will help the wider emergency relief network in the Yarra Ranges to have a stronger structure in place and implement a number of the ideas which they’ve come up with.

“The Yarra Ranges Emergency Relief Network (YRERN) has been a collective of people and organisations, there was no structure to employ anyone or use those resources so outer Eastern Foodshare was filling the Project Coordinator role,” he said.

“Now there will be a designated Project Coordinator working for YRERN to help determine things like where demand is coming from, how do we collate all that demand, how we share resources, but also to get together and share ideas and formalise the structure.”

OEF, YRERN and Yarra Ranges Council will be working together going forward to help provide essential care, support and services such as supplying essential household items, offering emotional and financial counselling and providing health care and social connection.

Mr Csorgo said this support is important now and will continue to be in future.

“It’s critical because there is just going to be more and more from what all the data and reports we’ve seen, so the ability to get on top of things before they just escalate is important, to move from being very reactive to proactive,” he said.

“That way we can address people’s needs before they come into dire situations, I can give you many stories of people from homelessness to food insecurity to mental health issues. The local network is very strong, but the level of delivering services does vary from small organisations to large ones so to be able to coordinate and assist each other will be really helpful.”

The PAC grant is also assisting a number of other projects across the region as well that are set to make communities more resilient. Place-based planning for Healesville, Yarra Junction and Monbulk, a microgrid for Monbulk, resilient buildings, tree management, improved accessible facilities at the Kilsyth Sports Centre suitable for its use as a designated emergency relief centre and a bushfire risk assessment in 2021 storm-affected areas of the Dandenong Ranges are all the beneficiaries of funding provided.

Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child said we all know how important it is for communities to work together when faced with adversity.

“This grant is a great step to continue building resilience in the Yarra Ranges, 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,” he said.

“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.”

TheOuterEasternFoodshareteamhave receivedafundingboostforemergency resilience.

Picture:SUPPLIED

Public ruled out of order

By Parker McKenzie

ing, it’s not necessary and we don’t need that,” Mayor Child said.

Yarra

Ranges

Council will close its meeting to the public until at least June due to an “increasing pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation and anti-social behaviour,” after several meetings throughout the year were adjourned and held behind closed doors.

The decision to close the public gallery was announced on Thursday 20 April, following two council meetings being adjourned in 2023 by Mayor Jim Child after members of the fringe-community group My PlaceYarraValley either interjected from the public gallery or filmed councillors and staff without permission from the chair.

Mayor Child told the Star Mail that the council has been “clear and transparent with the business that we conduct within the chamber and always welcomed community input.”

“I’ll probably go so far to say we probably do it better than other councils where agenda items if there are no registered speakers, I’ll ask the gallery do you want to speak to a particular item?” he said.

“We do have interaction to the gallery, but what’s happened since late last year is that we’ve got this body of people that come to our chamber and they’ve really got nothing more on their mind but to disrupt proceedings, and that’s what they’re doing.”

My Place Yarra Valley has attended every council meeting in 2023 to oppose the implementation of 20-minute neighbourhood design plans and a perceived increase in surveillance throughout Yarra Ranges Shire, often with over 100 people filling the public gallery at the Yarra Ranges Civic Centre.

The Star Mail asked My PlaceYarraValley to respond to several questions regarding their involvement in the decision to close the public gallery and comments made by Mayor Child to the Star Mail and ABC Radio on Thursday 20 April.

In a statement, MPYV said “there is no evidence of verbal abuse, intimidation and antisocial behaviour from the public gallery.”

“We encourage interested persons to scrutinise councils footage. The fact that the Council will not engage with the Gallery during meetings obviously creates frustration for residents who feel they are not being heard, [sic]” the response said.

“The closing of the gallery is a reactive response to eliminate the communities engagement in the right to scrutinise and participate in the democratic process we enjoy here in Australia.”

On Tuesday 11 April, Mayor Child adjourned the council meeting after those in attendance refused to stop filming from the gallery.

“I made it very clear at the beginning of the meeting because councillors had raised that concern where they get a phone with the internal light of the phone on and it’s directed straight at the councillor while they are speak-

“The meeting is recorded, the video is recorded and it’s just beyond me that type of behaviour. What this really shows is that their main cause is to disrupt the meeting and then you can go one step further by looking at the causes that this My Place is actually supporting.”

When asked about the ban on filming in the gallery, MPYV said “the only logical answer is that the council do not want to be exposed for what may occur given that it could be captured on our cameras but deleted from the council recordings.”

“It is clear from the lack of community engagement in the areas being set up as 20 minute communities, council are not fulfilling their obligations under their own public transparency and community engagement policies which clearly provide it is the community that have the ultimate say by placing the final decision making in the hands of the public,” the response said.

“This is clearly not taking place and this is the main reason for the community attending the meetings. The community feel their voice is not being heard.”

Mayor Child said staff and councillors have started to become nervous when leaving the chamber late at night, following the end of council meetings.

“We don’t know what they’re up to, we leave these premises thinking what’s going to happen next?” he said.

“That’s where it’s, I believe, a threat to democracy when we have people like this that come in and continually want to disrupt the proceedings of council and threaten councillors.”

In response, MPYV said “it is regrettable that the Mayor has instilled fear into the staff and other councillors.”

“The Mayor and staff have absolutely no reason to feel nervous as we are a passive peaceful group, council are possibly misinterpreting assertive passionate rate payers and we feel Councils opinion of the mums and dads attending their meetings is extreme.” the statement said.

The April 11 council meeting was the second to be closed to the public in 2023, after a meeting on Tuesday 31 January was adjourned and police were called to the premise after the public gallery refused to leave the building.

While appearing on ABC Radio, Mayor Child referred to the group as conspiracy theorists and said members hadn’t come to terms with the Holocaust, in reference to My Place founder Darren Bergwerf’s comments during an interview with ABC’s 7.30 program.

My Place Yarra Valley said the statement from Mayor Child was not a fair characterisation of those attending the meetings.

“To insinuate that all 30,000 My Place members across Australia have the same thoughts and opinions is ludicrous,” they said.

“In fact, it seems that the Mayor’s comments are designed to discredit and defame what is a wonderful and supportive community group that are tired of bureaucracy and government overreach.”

Mayor Child said all he wants to do is “get that gallery open again because we are in a unique position with local government.”

“If you try this sort of behaviour in Spring Street or up in Canberra, you would be thrown out,” he said.

The council will continue to live stream meetings until at least June when Mayor Child said the council plans to reopen the public gallery.

“If we continually get into a situation where we can’t conduct orderly business, well, we’ll have no choice but to go again and do what we’re doing now,” he said.

Members of My Place Yarra Valley with police at the January 31 council meeting.

Picture: PARKER MCKENZIE

Cash for cans and bottles

By Tyler Wright

After decades of advocacy by community groups, Victorians will be able to recycle their beverage containers - for a 10-cent refundfrom November 2023.

The state government announced on Friday 14 April that the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) will begin on 1 November, with people able to donate bottles of non-concentrated fruit or vegetable juice, flavoured milk, beer, soft drink and mixed spirits at nearby collection points in exchange for a cash boost.

Australians for Refunds on Cans and Bottles (AFROCAB) group convenor, Clematis resident Peter Cook said he has been calling for a container deposit scheme since 2002, with every state and territory except Victoria and Tasmania currently operating a similar scheme.

“I was driving home one night from a day ski patrolling at Mount St Gwinear, and I was driving between Erica and Moe, and I was noticing the cans and bottles along the roadside, and it occurred to me then, that ‘why couldn’t Victoria do the same as South Australia, and have a refund on cans and bottles so that people wouldn’t litter them?,’” Mr Cook said.

Between then and now, Mr Cook said there has been “dozens” of letters in newspapers, letters to politicians, meetings with politicians and at least half a dozen rallies on the steps of parliament.

In 2008, a list of over 200 community groups in support of new legislation introducing a refund on donated cans and bottles addressed to thenVictorian premier John Brumby, was published in The Age and the Herald Sun for Clean Up Australia Day.

“Most recently, we had a raft made of cans and bottles collected locally, and we had that on Cardinia Reservoir to make the point to the government that these cans and bottles go somewhere, and that somewhere is clogging

up and polluting our rivers, our creeks, our bays and our oceans,” Mr Cook said.

“In Australia, there’s at least a billion drink containers a year go into the environment or into landfill; so it’s a big problem, and that’s what we’ve been trying to solve since we started this way back in 2002.

“It’s been a very consistent thing throughout our campaign that people you talk to say they support it, they see it as a common sense thing to do, and they don’t understand why government’s been so slow in responding.”

CDS Vic is set to be coordinated by VicReturn, with Visy, TOMRA Cleanaway and Return-It tasked with being network operators.

Network operators will be required to have

a minimum of one collection point per 14,500 people in metropolitan areas, at least one per town of 750 people in regional areas, and at least one per town of 350 people in remote areas within 12 months of the scheme’s commencement.

The network operators are set to establish and maintain a network of more than 600 refund collection points across the state, which may be run by small businesses, community organisations, charities, sports clubs and councils.

“Community groups make quite a bit of money each year from unredeemed deposits... thousands of dollars per group,” Mr Cook said.

“People notice that instead of cans and bot-

tles being an expense to the community, where money has to be spent cleaning them up, there will instead be a financial benefit to community groups.”

Minister for Environment, Ingrid Stitt, said the container deposit scheme will “maximise the number of cans, bottles and cartons being recycled into new products,“ put “extra cash in Victorian pockets”“reduce the amount of litter in our environment by half”.

“CDS Vic will be Australia’s most accessible and convenient container deposit scheme, with more than 600 refund collection points across the state,” Ms Stitt said.

Fore more information, visit vic.gov.au/ container-deposit-scheme.

Refunds on Cans and Bottles (AFROCAB) convenor Peter Cook with cans and bottles collected along one side of a one kilometre section of Macclesfield Road in 2017. Picture: SUPPLIED

Works at Wesburn Park

By Callum Ludwig

Improvements works on Wesburn Park have gotten underway, with new car parking the first thing underway.

The works are set to impact the number of community groups that utilise the whole space including the SES Upper Yarra Unit, Wesburn Junior Football Club, Upper Yarra Pony Club and the Yarra Ranges Dogs group, who are concerned about the changes to their space.

Vice President of Yarra Ranges Dogs Joanne Ashley said 15 or 20 members of the group turned up at the park to discuss their thoughts on the works on Wednesday 19 April.

“Workers have jumped straight into asphalting the parking, as they are doing the parking for other areas of the park. My understanding is that other clubs within the park had consultations about this space, but nobody contacted us,” she said.

“We had to rely on the fact that a dog club member was at the park when they were marking out the car park. We think the idea of having parking there is a good idea, but using asphalt is bad as it is very hard on dogs’ paws, gets very hot with no shade there and is right by a very busy access road.”

After initial online consultation, Yarra Ranges Council added a potential option to realign the off-leash dog area for users, including $10,000 to provide 900m of fencing and designated car parking. In the proposal, the dog off-leash area was reduced to about 4200m squared, down from the existing 7000m squared.

President Nicole Murray had previously spoken at a Council meeting in December 2022 addressing some of her concerns about the Wesburn Park Masterplan.

Now with work beginning, Ms Murray said the decision feels hurried.

“We want to collaborate and come to a viable option that we can live with because we’re the ones that are actually using it and to find

out what we can actually have,” she said.

“This group formed during Covid and it has become an important therapy for both people and their dogs, giving their dogs a great place to exercise and for them to have a gathering point for connection.”

60 car parks were redistributed from the initial plan to cater to the dog area.

Both Ms Murray and Ms Ashley pointed out discussions they’d like to have about the plans for the dog area.

“We want a four-sided fence, but SES don’t want a four-sided fence put down so we want

to have a conversation about an option, perhaps removable fencing, or some bollards,” Ms Murray said.

“From the people we’ve talked to, they don’t just want fencing or parking thrown in if we have $10,000. We’d rather park across the road and spend that money on shade, on better water, on activities or on seats,” Ms Ashley said.

More than 750 comments were received through Yarra Ranges Council’s consultation for the Wesburn Park Master Plan in 2021.

Director of Built Environment and Infrastructure at Yarra Ranges Council Hjalmar Philipp said Wesburn Park is highly valued by

our local community and used by many sports and recreation groups in the area.

“Roadaccesscarparkupgradeshavealready begun, including drainage improvements and re-grading, while other upgrades including the toilet block, additional seating installations, minor path upgrades and bike repair stations are set to commence shortly,” he said.

“We have been talking to the local dog walking group about their concerns in relation to some of the proposed carpark spaces. In response to this, the works on those particular spaces have been put on hold to enable further discussions with the group.”

All upgrades are anticipated to be completed by June, including a new fence and gates for the area used by the Upper Yarra Pony Club.

“We will continue to have direct communication with the key user groups of the park as works progress, while also keeping the broader community informed via signage at the site, our website and social media channels,” Mr Phillipp said.

“Specific areas of the park will be closed off as required when works are taking place, including the existing toilet block while it’s being refurbished. Temporary toilet facilities will be provided during this time.”

Preparing for burn offs, planned burns and smoke

By Callum Ludwig

The Fire Danger Period was lifted in Yarra Ranges, Knox and Maroondah from 11 April, giving the green light for residents to begin their burn-offs.

While cooler and wet weather makes for a perfect opportunity to do so, it’s important to make sure you are equipped with all the right advice to keep your property safe.

Wesburn/Millgrove CFA Captain Sascha Grant said he is sure there were many residents almost standing by with a box of matches in hand as restrictions ended.

“We’ve definitely seen a big tick in burnoffs at this time in previous years, and we’ve certainly got more fire in the environment at the moment but we certainly don’t get the number of call outs you’d expect,” he said.

“We have a really fire-wise community and a really respectful community that we couldn’t be more thankful for, residents at least around us are very well behaved and do the right thing, which is perfect.”

Yarra Ranges Council restrictions on burn-offs still remain in place, such as the categorisation of properties as urban, bushland or rural, to help keep open-air burns safe.

Mr Grant said you should always keep your fire sizes manageable, even if it means doing a few small burns over a few days.

“If you keep it a metre by a metre at a time, that’s really manageable because you need to stay in attendance and watch it and you need to have sufficient capacity to extinguish that fire and stop it getting out of control if needed,” he said.

“The most important thing is to register it, it’ll ask you for your address, the size, what things you are burning and roughly when it will start and be extinguished. That way if somebody rings in that there is a fire, the operator can confirm where it’s likely to be a burn-off and it means that we’re not under the same pressures to rush there.”

It is strongly recommended to advise neighbours of a burn-off beforehand to alleviate any concerns.

Mr Grant said there are some key warning signs to be prepared for and do not hesitate to call Triple Zero if it gets out of hand.

“If it’s anything over 19 kilometres an hour so more than a brisk breeze, you might have embers that will start to travel away and for that reason, there’s also a requirement to have a three-metre fire break and stay in attendance,” he said.

“Think about what you are wearing, wear natural fibres and things that won’t catch fire themselves and have a garden hose and buckets of water ready to go so you can douse the edges of the fire if you need to.”

The cooler autumn months also provide a great time for CFA to conduct planned burns to reduce potential bushfire risk. Combined with weather conditions, this can result in

smoke hanging over parts of the state.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said although CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) work closely with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Bureau of Meteorology to keep smoke impact as low as practically possible, smoke in our regional and rural areas can come from a number of sources.

“Along with the important planned burns that are conducted in our forests, parks and reserves led by FFMV and the many kms of road, rail and grassland burns that are led by the CFA, this time of year also sees a large amount of smoke coming from the necessary burn-offs that our farmers and rural property holders complete,” he said.

“These are part of traditional farming practices where burning off of crop stubble is often needed to kill off weeds and return nutrients and carbon back into the soil.”

Wood heaters and fires that will certainly be in full use in households can also leave smoke settled in the vicinity.

Mr Heffernan said localised smoke or smoke haze can often be misinterpreted as coming from planned burns from a long way away.

“As the weather conditions continue to become favourable for lower-intensity burning, we will look to conduct the most suitable burns-offs to ensure that our dependant native bush and grasslands are benefitting and avoid much more devastating high-intensity bushfires,” he said.

“We rely upon all Victorians to spread the message and continue to support us in the delivery of our burning programs.”

Remember to check fire restrictions in your area and always register your burn at www.firepermits.vic.gov.au or by calling 1800 668 511.

Works are underway at Wesburn Park.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Dog owners who use Wesburn Park want more say in what is done with their space. Picture:

Always prepare for and register a burn-off.

Picture: CFA

Making a big

By Callum Ludwig

Wednesday 19 April marks Youth Homelessness Matters Day, shining a light on the plight of young people without a safe and secure home.

Data from the 2021 census found that more than 122,000 Australians were experiencing homelessness, with 15 per cent of that figure being children aged 12 and under.

Founder and CEO of Yarra Ranges-based homelessness support service Holy Fools Neal Taylor said people don’t see homelessness as being a problem locally, because it’s not visible as much as it is in the city.

“We only see the very small percentage of people who sleep rough and even that’s hidden here in the Yarra Ranges. From not only our research but in talking to some of the other people who have been homeless, young people tend to avoid rough sleeping side as much as possible, they tend to do more couch surfing and staying temporarily with friends and family,” he said.

“Or maybe they just left their parents for the night or have gone out onto the streets for the first time, we have found people sleeping in playground equipment to take shelter from the wind and rain, so we know they are out there.”

The LilydaleYouth Hub which closed in late 2022 due to a lack of funding was often a place where young people experiencing homelessness came and were out to ask for help from other young people, often getting support and well as helping to formulate a plan to better their circumstances

Mr Taylor said he would love to see funding to employ youth workers again in the area or to provide some independent to visit schools.

“I’ve had students who have been doing the Youth Work course through Box Hill TAFE who I’ve had on placement with me and they’ve been fantastic, I would love to have one or two

of them on a part-time basis to talk to some of these kids because I just know that they would connect,” he said.

“We need people who young people can trust, who aren’t going to judge them, who are going to go out there and do what they can to

care for these people and let them know they are on their side.”

An estimate from the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria estimates predicts there are about 6,000 homeless young people in Victoria.

Child psychologist and the CEO of youth

homelessness charity Lighthouse Foundation

Dr Eamonn McCarthy said it is pretty hard to understate the importance of Youth Homelessness Matters Day.

“The sad reality is that it is a long-term ingrained problem but in the grand scheme of things it really does help to remind people that despite all the new and concerning issues around us, homelessness is constantly there,” he said.

“Approximately 98 per cent of youth homelessness statistics in Victoria over the last couple of years are not necessarily what we would consider rough sleeping, it could be youth hanging out at a local library, or a uni student studying extra late because they don’t have anywhere to sleep or your son’s friend staying on the couch until they finish their course.”

In the last year, the Lighthouse Foundation has provided care for 71 young people, children, and babies, serving 77,000 meals and hosting 3,285 nights in safe beds for children in foster care.

Dr McCarthy said it is important to keep an eye out for key indicators and just check in or tap into local support services if you notice them.

“It’s been a fairly long-held view that family violence, substance abuse and unexpected changes to circumstances have always been disproportionately present in young people entering homelessness and now mental health, while in of itself not a cause of homelessness, is being found more prior and after homelessness,” he said.

“It’s about being aware of some of those indicators of it and to step in before the crisis line of homelessness and just thinking to check in, many of us have families around us, and we know they go through tough times and it can be important to turn your mind to what these times might mean for their accommodation circumstances.”

Holy Fools Founder Neal Taylor would like to see support for more youth workers to help with homelessness locally.

Picture: ON FILE

Mental health the focus

By Tanya Steele

Healesville Living and Learning Centre (HLLC) hosted an informative and vital talk on mental health on Tuesday 19 March, which was well received.

Guest speakers Ali Pain from the Mental Health Complaints Commission and Maggie Toko a former assistant commissioner were on hand for the community conversation and luncheon to discuss and those in attendance about mental health and changes coming into the mental health system.

The event had a good turnout with consumers, mental health providers and the general public in attendance.

Ms Toko enjoyed coming out to Healesville for the day and sharing space with the community.

“It’s always lovely to meet people from different communities inVictoria and hear about people’s lived and living experiences, with the expansion of mental health services for regional areas I hope this will ensure more people can get the support they need,” she said.

Shona Rimmer, the Community Development Coordinator at HLLC found the personal side of Ms Toko’s discussion very valuable.

“Maggie talking about her own lived experience and what she is able to do while managing her own mental health is inspirational,” Ms Rimmer said.

Ali Pain took attendees through the current processes and the changes coming in under the new mental health act.

Ms Rimmer said it was presented very well and helped attendees understand the changes coming into play.

Victoria’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 passed through parliament in September and supports the establishment of new roles and entities.

This included a new mental health and

wellbeing commission, regional mental health and wellbeing boards, youth mental health and wellbeing Victoria and a new Chief Officer for mental health and wellbeing.

Ms Toko will be commencing the role of the commissioner in September this year for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, along with two other commissioners and a chairperson.

The commission will monitor the mental health system in the state, with the aim to maintain a high quality and safe system for all Victorians.

Attendee Kath Gunnaway found the session interesting and said it was a valuable opportunity for people in the mental health sector to talk to Ms Toko.

“Sheissodirectanddowntoearth,”shesaid.

Ms Toko said the Royal Commission made it clear that lived experience needs to be at the heart of what they do as they work to reform the mental health system.

“For me, it means bringing my whole self to work so I can be authentic in the work that I do, but also to raise the voices of others with lived and living experiences so we can build a better system for everybody,” she said.

Renowned professor comes to talk climate change

By Tanya Steele

The Healesville Community Emergency group will host an important public information session on 7 May with international climate change expert Emeritus Professor David Karoly from the University of Melbourne.

The talk will cover the latest climate impact modelling and predictions specific to the Healesville and Yarra Valley region.

Mr Karoly will cover two main subjects within his presentation.

“I am coming to talk in the Healesville area to look at both climate change impacts but also climate change solutions in terms of the transitioning to a zero carbon economy or environment to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions amongst the people of the community,” he said.

The community emergency group wants to raise awareness and prepare the community for what is ahead for the environment in the region.

Mr Karoly will talk in-depth about how climate change will affect the community due to forecasted changes in the environment in the next ten years and beyond.

“In terms of climate change, there are impacts like increases in extreme temperatures and heatwaves, increases in bushfires and also increases in the impacts associated with extreme rainfall and local flooding for instance, in the Yarra Valley,” he said.

“All of those impacts have already been occurring, and will just get worse.”

Victoria has experienced changes in the last 30 years with a decline in cool season rainfall with an overall increase in the frequency of unusually hot days and a greater number of very high fire danger days in spring

These impacts are forecast to directly affect agriculture, as rainfall and temperature patterns have and are changing throughout the entire year, not just summer.

“There have actually been reductions in wintertime rainfall that are critically important for agriculture and for example, the filling of the Maroondah Dam because there’s

less wintertime rainfall, less snowfall in the mountain areas as well,” said Mr Karoly.

Mr Karoly’s presentation will be approximately 40 to 45 minutes long and there will be time for questions.

Ely Hanrahan, the facilitator from the Healesville Community Emergency Group hopes attendees will gain understanding and awareness from the session.

“We thought it was really important for residents to understand the risks, understand what might be coming and make informed decisions based on that information,” she said.

The group are honoured to have Mr Karoly present for them and hopes the community will benefit.

“It is really a huge honour to have him here, he is an esteemed professor and he’s contributed to the IPCC report,” she said.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

The IPCC prepares assessment reports about knowledge on climate change, its causes, potential impacts and response options. Healesville Community Emergency Group will present on the Hub after Mr Karoly’s talk, the Hub is an initiative which will be a resource available to, and run by, the community in the event of a natural disaster.

The Hub session will provide attendees with a better understanding of the range of roles that would need to be filled to activate the Hub and how they can become involved in strengthening their community’s placebased resilience to future hazards.

“We’ll set up an example of what a hub might look like, at The Memo, and then be able to walk through it and understand what goes into it,” Ms Hanrahan said.

Attendees are encouraged to bring an internet-capable phone or device to participate in the Q and A session.

The session is on 7 May from 1.30 pm at the Memo, Healesville.

Professor

Maggie Toko (former assistant Commissioner of the Mental Health Complaints Commission), Merilyn Duff (Ochre Program Team Leader, Mullum Mullum) Kellie McPherson (Community Development Officer SYR), Shona Rimmer (Community Development Coordinator Healesville Living and Learning Centre), Ali Pain (Mental Health Complaints Commission). Picture: SUPPLIED

Gourds galore for harvest

By Tanya Steele

The Adams Farm is hosting a U-pick from its pumpkin patch for the autumn season, in a first for the family property, which usually deals in Brussels sprouts.

The multi-generational family usually grows a mixed pumpkin crop annually, but this year farmer Daniel Adams experimented and decided to plant more than usual and has had a spectacular result.

Four varieties of pumpkin will be available for the public to pick themselves, the main variety available is a sweet grey.

Daniel said there are also butternuts and an interesting cross between a Butternut and Kent or a Japanese pumpkin that he has named the Butterjap.

“I’ve been planting seeds from pumpkins for years and it seems like the species is splitting, so they just grow a little randomly,” he said.

“They are the colour of a butternut and the shape of a Kent and taste the best I think.”

The field of green and grey pumpkins stretches out behind the main harvest of Brussels sprouts, a testament to the summer that seemed to fly by.

The Adams Farm has been running for over 60 years and originally was located in Bayswater, it remains a family operated farm and grows up to 120 acres of Brussels sprouts each year.

Bruce Adams grew up on the property along with his three siblings Pam, Ruth and Peter.

Bruce has been at the helm of the farm since the passing of his father in 2013 continuing his passion for the humble brussels sprout and has passed this on to his two sons, Daniel and Jeremy.

Bruces’s daughter Narelle remembers her grandparents regularly planting pumpkins to harvest and store for winter.

“They’d keep stock of them and use them for soup,” she said.

Narelle enjoys giving the public the chance

to see what real working farms look like, having hosted events before like the annual sprout festival which ran a few times before Covid.

“I think it’s nice for people in the community to see how the place works,” she said.

This year, the U-pick will be a low-key affair to make sure the bountiful crop gets harvested

in time for winter.

Bruce Adams said they don’t take much work to grow but the farmer has no plans to expand beyond the volume of pumpkin crops they’ve been producing.

“We go in and thin them out, irrigate them a few times and they’ve done pretty well this

year,” he said.

It remains to see what the heaviest pick on the field will be, but there is plenty to choose from.

People can come and pick and weigh their pumpkins on the weekend of 29 and 30 April.

Thanks as family printing presses on to a golden age

By Tanya Steele Breen

Printing is celebrating its 50th year in business this month with plans to continue changing as the industry does.

Kirsty, one of the current owners is proud of how the business has evolved and where it is today.

“We officially turned 50 a few weeks ago –on April 2nd,” she said.

The family owned business has been in operation since 1973 and has adapted several times to the printing landscape.

Originally founded by Peter Breen, Derek and Merinda Jones bought the business in 1985, it has since passed along to their daughter Kirsty and son-in-law Luke.

The couple manage the printing press along with the usual demands of family life with their two children.

Kirsty has been working in printing since she was 18 and hasn’t gotten bored yet, she did a graphic pre-press apprenticeship through Breen.

“I really enjoyed the industry and realised how creative and interesting it could be,” she said.

Luke credits their good communication and clearly defined roles within the business to helping their work relationship work well.

The printing industry has changed over the years moving from lead press to offset machines for commercial printing.

Dubbed “Speedy” by the staff, the large offset printer churns out at an amazing rate and Luke and Kirsty enjoy talking about the processes involved.

“With offset, you put a physical plate on the press and that sets the image,” Luke said.

“The image transfers onto the plate and we use ink which is put into the machine and there’s a dot pattern that kind of makes the colours come together,” Kirsty said.

When Kirtsty started in 2000, the digital printing area began in earnest and the site also had a laser printer installed for other styles of printing.

Requirements from the Healesville region have changed over the years, Kirsty remem-

bers printing brochures for holiday rentals some time ago.

“Nowadays we’re doing menus for the wineries and point of sale promotional material,” she said.

The couple want to hold a few open days

throughout the year to show local residents how printing works up close.

“We hope to make a year of it and show our appreciation to the local community for their support over the years in as many ways as possible,” Kirsty said.

Kirsty and Luke took over from Peter during Covid in 2020.

Picture: TANYA STEELE

Bruce and his son Daniel.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS A paddock full of pumpkins, tucked at the back of a Brussels sprouts farm.

A few different varieties of pumpkin have done well in this crop.

Mad about tea party delight

By Tanya Steele

The Healesville Library changed up its monthly dine and shine this week to capture the hearts and tummies of the younger generation for a Mad Hatter Tea party on 20 April.

With an excellent turnout of kids of all ages, the library hosted a magic show and storytelling by Em Chandler, followed by a conga line to a delicious banquet with food every colour of the rainbow.

Librarian Sharni said the chance to mix it up for the holidays was great fun.

“We thought it was a good opportunity to reach a different demographic,” she said.

Creating the entertainment “crafternoon” expanded the usual lunch into a chance to host two groups back to back, which meant larger numbers could attend and enjoy the experience.

Two groups of 40 attended in total and Sharni said the level of engagement was really positive.

“It was awesome and the energy from the kids was really, really good,” she said.

The library staff embraced the theme with Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts herself making an appearance.

The Rabbit never quite seemed to make any of the activities exactly on time, while Alice and the Mad Hatter entertained the kids with a

topsy-turvy version of musical statues.

The Queen of Hearts was also spotted taking time out to help a patron with their book borrowing amidst the dancing.

Volunteers catered food for the event which included an array of tiny cakes, sandwiches and more.

The library staff enjoyed bringing the event to Healesville and hope to continue to engage the public with community events. Bodhi enjoying the feast.

Cooking class has spring rolls, rice and everything nice

By Tanya Steele

The Yarra Glen Living and Learning Centre hosted a delicious Indonesian cooking class for the first time on Tuesday 18 April which was enjoyed thoroughly by attendees.

Justine, who lives and runs a business in Yarra Glen attended the class and said it was a fantastic hands-on day.

“It’s always interesting to learn about new ingredients and cooking,” she said.

The group made their own spring rolls, sampled some other Indonesian dishes and also got some recipes to take home.

Retired chef Tina and her assistant Jerrie

enjoyed sharing their knowledge of the cuisine and are both of Dutch heritage.

“I was always very involved with the Dutch community. I ran the kitchen for 13 years at the Carnegie Dutch club,” she said.

“The Indonesian buffet was always one of the most popular items on the menu, especially the Rijsttafel or rice table.”

Tina prepared a number of dishes for attendees to try including chicken skewers and yellow rice known as Nasi kuning.

Indonesian style cooking is quite popular in the Netherlands, which stems from earlier Dutch colonisation of Indonesia.

Tina said the Dutch put their own spin on

the cuisine over time, spring rolls tend to be much bigger in Holland and are known as“loempia”.

“The Dutch version is almost a meal in itself,” she said.

Participants were given the opportunity to expand their knowledge base, learning about different ingredients they hadn’t tried before.

Justine enjoyed learning about the bumbu merah, which is a red spice paste.

“Some of the spice pastes and what goes into them, they make a base for a lot of recipes,” she said.

Class attendees were given a little tub of the spice mix to take home with them.

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Ros the White Rabbit and Sabina Queen of Hearts.

Rose as The Mad Hatter led the crafternoon activity.

better than a magical storytime with

Em. Sharni (Alice in Wonderland) leads a conga line to the tea party in the Healesville library.

Tina and Jerrie talking about spices in class.

Picture: JUSTINE CORRADI

On the mend

By Callum Ludwig

A new regular group is starting up at the Warburton Community Space for crafty individuals.

A Sunday Circle (Mend, Make and Bake) will take place on the third Sunday every month going forward, with the first meeting in May.

Organiser Donna Fowler said the group is forming following the success of the Visible Mending Workshop she organised on 2 April.

“Everyone was really excited about mending things and getting together, so I decided to form a monthly group and extend an invitation to the entire community to come along for free,” she said.

“I looked around the group at the workshop and I was just so inspired by the women that attended and I thought they’ve all got really great skills that they can share with one another.”

Each gathering will start at 10am, with attendees encouraged to bring along a project their working on and an item to contribute to a potluck lunch.

Ms Fowler said bringing along some food each time should help make it a more social occasion too.

“A lot of people can’t actually even afford to go out and eat restaurants anymore so it’s something really low-key that doesn’t cost people anything, and we can all make a little

community of craft people,” she said.

“I’ve spoken to AdventCare in Warburton to see if we can get some of their residents to come out too because I’d really like to reach out to elderly people in our community who perhaps are a little bit isolated but have amazing craft skills.”

All levels of abilities and experience are welcome and attendees are encouraged to ask others for any advice or assistance they may need.

Ms Fowler said at the last workshop attendees brought particular pieces that they really loved and didn’t want to get rid of.

“They wanted to continue using or wearing the clothes, just they needed to learn to mend them in a way that was fun and interesting, so rather than throwing them away because of a little hole, they were making something beautiful out of something that was broken,” she said.

“Sometimes you learn ways to do something a little bit different or in ways that are a little bit more effective.You can learn anything from a Youtube video but sometimes it’s easier with someone alongside you to show you.”

Melanie Bouck will be bringing along a number of sewing machines for group members to make use of.

Anyone interested in getting involved can join the Sunday Circle (Mend Make & Bake) public Facebook group.

Big bird steps up in health

Stepping up onto scales may look like a small task for Healesville Sanctuary’s giant Black-necked Stork, but it’s a huge step in the bird’s ongoing health care.

The long-legged, lean bird has been working with keepers for 12 months, building up her confidence to the point where she is now choosing to weigh herself.

Monitoring weight provides valuable information for keepers caring for many different species as a sudden weight loss or weight gain can be indicative of underlying health or diet issues.

Healesville Sanctuary Bird Keeper Jesse Smith said training Jardine was challenging but rewarding.

“The first step was to put food items she had shown a preference for eating around a piece of artificial turf, this ensures the bird is comfortable with the feeling of walking on the material and associating it with lots of nice things,” Ms Smith said.

This is an important part of training with positive reinforcement.

“Training was challenging at first because the stork steps very slowly, almost at a stalking pace.” Ms Smith said.

As the stork gained confidence, a scale was placed underneath the turf with a platform for her to stand on.

During each training session, the stork is able to choose whether she wants to participate.

At her most recent weigh-in, the stork tipped the scales at a healthy 4.44 kilograms.

Rather than vocalising to communi-

cate, Black-necked Storks will make clapping noises with their beaks and raise their wings.

The stork at Healesville Sanctuary sometimes does this behaviour when keepers approach with fresh fish for a training session.

Black-necked Storks can be found in coastal and wetland areas of north and eastern Australia.

Visitors can see the Black-necked Stork on the Wetlands track at Healesville Sanctuary along with 11 other bird species, including the Australian blue-bill duck, Bluewinged kookaburra, Little pied cormorant, Royal spoonbill, and White-face heron to name a few.

Little Yarra Furniture a new Australian furniture brand established in 2021, has already made a name for itself in the industry. Chris Neale, the manager, and his team have identified a gap in the market for locally-made hardwood furniture, which has led them to create a unique line of custom furniture that is unparalleled in quality and style.

Their farm-to-table approach means they carefully select only the best 100% ethically sourced furniture-grade timber from their own sawmill, which is then handcrafted into bespoke furniture that tells its own story. From dining tables to coffee tables, bed heads to coat racks, Little Yarra Furniture creates pieces that are not only functional but also make a statement in any room.

What sets Little Yarra Furniture apart is their commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices. Their focus is on maintaining a sustainable supply of timber, and they are regulated by the responsible wood certification to ensure they are adhering to strict environmental standards.

Little Yarra Furniture’s passion lies in bringing their customers' visions to life.

Little Yarra Furniture –Crafting Unique Hardwood Furniture for Your Home Open

They work closely with clients to create exclusive contemporary furniture pieces that reflect their unique taste and style. Each piece of furniture is made with the utmost care and attention to detail, ensuring that it will last a lifetime and beyond.

What's more, Little Yarra Furniture is a 100% Australian-owned and produced business, and they are proud of it. They want to support their local community, which is why they are hosting a Community Open Day on April 30th at 11 am. This event will allow people to see firsthand the craftsmanship and quality that goes into each piece of furniture.

To find out more about Little Yarra Furniture and their unique hardwood furniture pieces, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Trading hours are by appointment, so be sure to get in touch with them if you're interested in creating a one-of-a-kind furniture piece that will become a treasured part of your home.

Little Yarra Furniture - where quality meets sustainability, and where your vision becomes a reality

Attendees enjoying the visible mending workshop.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Jardine the Black-necked Stork has been working closely with keepers and is regularly choosing to weigh herself which is important for monitoring her health. Picture: SUPPLIED

Crafty kids feather nests

By Callum Ludwig

Some school holiday fun was to be found at the Yarra Regional Museum where the next generation of environmental advocates learnt about one of Victoria’s faunal emblems.

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater’s Environmental Coordinator Eliza Lamb led a ‘Build your own nest’ session in the exhibition space currently hosting the ‘Plight of our faunal emblems’ showcase.

Ms Lamb said she brought a selection of nests which the group explored.

“From the introduced blackbird to the white-browed scrubwrens, so they could feel all the different materials and look at the different ways that each bird built its nest before we looked at a helmeted honeyeater nest,” she said.

“Helmeted honeyeater nests are generally made with grasses and gum leaves and twigs and then it’s bound together with cobwebs, so they got to have a really close look at the nest before attempting to build their own and they’ve all made really different and creative nests.”

The nest-building crew were very enthusiastic with some making as many as two or three nests to take home for their backyard.

Ms Lamb said lots of different techniques were used.

“Some have been using the clay as a base to start with, others have been binding it together with twine or some native grasses, we tried to bring a lot of native materials for the group to use,” she said.

“It’s a really great way for the group to come and do something hands-on and fun, but also learn about the bird, what we’re doing out at the friends’ group and how they can get involved. We want to inspire children to go out and take action for threatened species to show them and to discuss openly ways that they can

make a change, however small or big, in their own communities.”

Attendees also had plenty of questions, wanting to know how long it takes a helmeted

honeyeater to make a nest and what the greatest number of eggs a bird could make was.

“They can talk to their families and friends and share information and share the plight of

the species. Our faunal emblems are struggling, and it’s the work of the community and the work of people taking action that helps them,” Ms Lamb said.

Needlocalstaff?

From left: Olive, Harry, Aubury and Jack with their finished nests.

Picture: CALLUM LUDWIG

Badger Creek good fit for film crew

By Tanya Steele

The Old Badger Creek School will be host to a fun filled few days as it becomes the site for a student-led film called ‘A town called Valhalla’ at the end of April.

The restored 19th century schoolhouse captured the eye of film student and filmmaker Gisele Kieffer who thinks the building will be a great fit for her murder mystery film.

“The town the film is set in is a bit lost in time and this building is perfect, it’s beautiful and exactly what we were looking for,” she said.

Other parts of the film will be shot further afield in the town of Walhalla, which is part of what inspired the title.

Badger Creek’s Old School and Hall have become the centre pieces for some of the scenes in the production as Walhalla did not have any suitable historic buildings.

The student director and her crew have been to the site a few times in preparation for filming and are looking forward to working there.

“I think it’s one of the locations that sort of makes the film and helps bring people into the story,” she said.

The beautiful Healesville area and scenery hold sentimental value Ms Kieffer and she appreciates the area for its natural beauty.

“Being able to film here with these beautiful old buildings is wonderful and we’re very excited to come up next week,” she said.

The original old school building and nearby hall were actually saved from demolition and moved to their current location by local resi-

dents in the late 1980s, many of whom were Badger Creek CFA members.

The film production was crowdfunded and has also extended a casting call for extras when they shoot the Badger Creek scenes on 29 and 30 April.

The film has a social media presence on Instagram under the label ‘A town calledValhalla’.

The crew are looking for kids aged between seven and 16 to play the role of school children and filming on the set of the murder mystery film promises an exciting experience for all.

“We thought it would be easier and more fun if we had actual local school kids from around the area,” Ms Kieffer said.

Series trailer and release date announced

By Tyler Wright

Disney+ has announced the release date and a new trailer for upcoming series The Clearing - based on the experience of members of doomsday cult ‘The Family,’ and other sects around the world.

Based on the book In The Clearing by J.P. Pomare, the eight-part series was first announced as one of the first productions for Australian scripted series producer Wooden Horse in early March 2020.

Disney+ decided to pick up the project as a co-production, announcing filming began in July 2022.

Filmed throughout Victoria, the psychological thriller’s cast includes home grown talents Miranda Otto (The Unusual Suspects), Guy Pearce (Jack Irish) and Mark Coles-Smith (Mystery Road) alongside Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches).

On Wednesday 24 May, The Clearing is set to premiere on Hulu with two episodes, proceeding with one episode airing every week until 5 July.

‘The Family’ was a cult based in the Ferny Creek and Lake Eildon areas in the 1960s and ‘70s, led by yoga teacher Anne Hamilton-Byrne and husband Bill Hamilton-Byrne.

It was discovered 28 children were ‘acquired’ by Ms Hamilton-Byrne - some by scam adoptions - and were isolated from the outside world and allegedly subject to beatings, starvation and injections with

the drug LSD.

The children were dressed identically with bleached blonde bobs.

The cult operated from 1963 to 1987, before it was shut down by a police raid.

In The Clearing, Amy (Teresa Palmer) is forced to relive the nightmares of her past to stop a secret cult focused on gathering children to fulfill its master plan.

In the series trailer, released on 14 April, Otto’s character asks a young Amy; ‘Are you ready for your Clearing?’

“I know you won’t disappoint me,” she adds.

Director Jeffrey Walker said the series is a “haunting psychological thriller, featuring some of Australia’s finest talent in front, and behind, the lens”.

“An extraordinary senior cast in Teresa, Miranda and Guy, are supported by breakthrough young actors, Julia and Lily. The atmosphere and mood of this piece is so unique, I truly hope that it captivates, enthralls and thrills the audience,” Mr Walker said.

Ms Hamilton-Byrne died in a suburban Melbourne nursing home in 2019 at 98 years of age.

She was not charged with anything except $5,000 in fines for serious fraud, the Mail previously reported.

You can view the trailer for The Clearing here: https://www.youtube.com/ embed/76lI7Ytjaro

Call goes out to rising new artists

By Tanya Steele

YAVA’s Youth Art 2023 has opened for submissions calling for youth between 15 to 25 across the Yarra Ranges Shire to submit their work to be considered for an exhibition later in the year.

Reggie Clark from YAVA is excited to support young people in their artistic journeys.

“It’s a great opportunity to show your work,” she said.

All forms of artistic practice are welcome, even musical-natured ones.

“Painting, sculpting, photography or maybe even a musical-based performance set,” Reggie said.

Artworks will be selected for the exhibition by a curatorial panel and must be available for the exhibition.

The artists will then receive support from YAVA in exhibiting and selling their work.

Mia Pensa, a former winner of Youth ART, when it was held at Art at Linden Gate in Yering Station, encouraged people to apply.

“It’s very daunting to start out and it was a great stepping stone for me -Youth ART was one of the first competitions I entered,” Mia said.

“I won two awards the second time.”

Mia appreciated the chance to compete and show her work and said it really helped her to gain that earlier experience.

“To put your work out for the very first time and to be encouraged is a good feeling,” she said.

Mia has since gone on to sell her work internationally and attributes a number of factors to her success.

She also encourages new and emerging artists to trust themselves and apply.

“Create something unique, make art that speaks to you, that will get you so much further,” Mia said.

The exhibition will feature a People’s Choice award with a major prize yet to be determined.

Submissions are due by 16 May at 5 pm, head to the YAVA website for more information.

Mia in her studio. Picture: SUPPLIED

A teaser poster for The Clearing.

Pictures: DISNEY

Miranda Otto forms part of the star studded cast.

Australian actress Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches) will feature in the series, premiering with two episodes on Hulu on 24 May.

The psychological thriller, though ficitional, is based on the experiences of members of cults around the world, including ‘The Family’.

The beautiful building will become a film set for a weekend. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Acaptivating novel

A review of Cop & Robber by Tristan Bancks Cop & Robber, by award-winning Australian author Tristan Bancks, is a captivating novel for “middle grade” or readers aged eight to twelve.

While it is widely considered that readers of this age group – especially boys – need gripping books, this story suits reluctant readers of all backgrounds. It challenges them to consider a wide range of issues about family and society.

The 13-year-old protagonist Nash Hall divides his time between his separated parents. His mother is a dedicated police officer, while his father, a former boxing champion, is a criminal “who just can’t seem to go straight”.

When Nash’s father asks him to help committing a robbery in order to clear his debts to some very dangerous men, Nash faces a tough choice between “doing the right thing” and “protecting his parents and himself”.

Worse, the plan is to rob Nash’s school, where he is about to compete in an important race that can launch his athletic career. He also has to face those schoolmates who tease and mock him everyday for having a criminal dad.

Perhaps surprising to some adults, Cop

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

& Robber is neither “dumbed down” nor “sanitised” for its intended audience. The book opens with a thrilling car chase after Nash’s father robbed a petrol station, and there are guns, knives, punch-ups and blood in the story.

Even better, the story is set in the fictional town of Broken Ridge in inland New South Wales, a bushranging area on the edge of the desert, where the locals are about to encounter their worst dust storm in a decade.

The harsh natural environment reflects the inner conflicts that Nash constantly endures, between his love and care for his father and his sense of duty and responsibility to his mother,

between right and wrong, love and resentment, justice and crime, freedom and guilt. Although Nash is often in emotional turmoil, struggling to determine what to do, why and how, there is a light touch throughout the book that brings a smile to our faces. Indeed, whenever Nash runs, we know there is hope. There is a sense of making it through, of survival and triumph, of faith and forgiveness.

That is not to say that all readers would agree with the ending – especially not all the adults. Bancks has surely taken some risk plotting the outcome of the robbery, but it is necessary for Nash – and those reading his story – to understand that both his parents and himself are not perfect.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional... The world is far from perfect. But, still, he needs to live in it and not think that everything is terrible all the time. He needs to keep going.” Cop & Robber is definitely NOT a book that teachers, parents and/or guardians need to read first in order to decide whether it is suitable for those young readers in their care. Instead, it is a trustworthy and thoughtprovoking read about mutual understanding, acceptance and commitment among family members.

Productions hit the mark with punters

Kemp’s curtain call

Much Ado About Nothing byWilliam Shakespeare.

Eltham Little Theatre’s latest production goes back to the 1500s with their updated take on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. A comedy written about 1598 and 1599.

The play is set in Messina and revolves around two romantic pairings that emerge when a group of soldiers arrive in town. The first, between Claudio and Hero, is nearly altered by the accusations of the villain, Don John. The second romance between Claudio’s friend Benedick and Hero’s cousin Beatrice, takes centre stage as the play continues, with both characters wit and banter providing much of the humour.

ELT brought the show up to date in costuming and set design. The company did not change Shakespeare’s words which suited the present day costuming. The rear of the stage was set as two walls with two pillars each side of the entrance/exit. Front of the stage was a table and chairs on audience left and two sun lounges on audience right. Scattered about were various pot plants put to good use by various members of the company as they tried to listen in on what was said about them.

A large cast of 15 players all giving superb performances, getting the feel of the characters and overall giving good performances. One player does deserve a mention is that of Marti Ibrahim as Beatrice. A great performer. Clarity of voice and a good actor. Her scenes with Benedick played by Sarab Kaikobad were a sheer delight. ELT’s next production is Disney’s High School Musical opening 1 July.

The Basin Theatre

Same Time nextYear by Bernard Slade

Beau is Afraid, sadly, is a severe misstep

Beau is Afraid

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone and Nathan Lane

Rated R18+ 3.25/5

Beau is Afraid is a severe misstep from horror auteur Ari Aster.

Beau (Joaquin Phoenix), a sensitive, anxious man, embarks on a long, bizarre journey to attend his mother’s funeral.

More of a surreal drama than Aster’s previous films – Hereditary and Midsommar are two of the best horror films of the past ten years – Beau is Afraid has several engaging or touching threads.

A surgeon’s compassion takes on sinister undertones; a beautifully-animated vision of love and loss in Beau’s possible future; a warm welcome from a travelling theatre group is cut violently short. Aster still shows a strong command of potent visuals, and

Phoenix is an endearing, tragic lead.

Beau is Afraid’s episodic narrative draws you in at times, but the overall film pushes you away with muddled themes, jarring tones and an elusive point. Surrealism often needs a baseline of “normal” for the surreality to carry full impact; Beau is Afraid has no baseline, as it begins with brutal absurdity and never settles down.

The film flirts with and discards themes of mental illness, as Beau’s trauma is all external. The animated sequence – a play that finds a life of its own in Beau’s imagination–serves only to seed a ludicrous reveal later on.

Beau’s charge of selfishness seems unfair – he appears unwaveringly selfless – so the maudlin, mean-spirited climax, featuring motherly contempt, conspiracy, a secret monster and a trial evocative of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, is aggressively unpleasant for little purpose.

Hereditary and Midsommar are profoundly messed-up movies with a defined purpose and substantive themes, but Beau is Afraid’s thesis is the title: Aster tormenting his protagonist for three hours. An overindulgent, unfocused drama that aims for dark whimsy but comes off as spiteful, Beau is Afraid is playing in select Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

A comedy but with all the aspects of theatre with drama and pathos. The Basin theatre did not let its audiences down with this production. The set was amazing, an hotel room with audience left comprising a lounge suite, a side double door leading out to the garden, a rear door leading out to the main entrance. Audience right was the bedroom with a double bed, wardrobe, entrance to bathroom and beauty desk with mirror above.The opening scene brought howls of laughter with George obviously naked trying to get into his clothes without revealing himself.

A two handed cast with George played by James Banger and Doris played by Georgina Topp. Topp gave an excellent performance in her role with voice clarity and wonderful expressions suiting the different era’s of the story. James Banger projected well and worked well with Topp but his voice could be a little stronger. He also caught the character as envisaged.

Don’t forget Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre’s production of Barefoot in the Park. Paul Bratterm a conservative lawyer, marries the vivacious Corie, but their highly passionate relationship descends into comical discord in a five-flight New York walk up apartment contending with a lack of heating, a leaking roof, several; flights of stairs (six), an unusual neighbour and Corie’s mother.

Season: 20 April - 8 May Bookings: 9735

1777. Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10am - 2pm

NOTHING TO DO BUT ADMIRE THE VIEW

ENVIABLY placed down a quiet cul-de-sac, only a short distance from Emerald Lake Park and the thriving township of Emerald, this purposely designed home is elevated in position to take in the stunning panorama of vibrant rolling hills.

Spanning just over a ¼ of an acre with multiple raised veggie gardens and an inbuilt playground, this lifestyle property is sure to delight and tick all your boxes.

The home provides all the essentials for lavish entertaining, with both indoor and outdoor entertainment opportunities.

The striking modern kitchen is in the hub of the home and is complete with an abundance of bench space, stainless steel appliances and ample cupboard storage.

Polished floorboards lead you to the open plan meals and family area, made warm and cozy by the crackling wood fire, all whilst capturing the magnificence of nature and the changing seasons from the windows running the length of the house.

This impressive contemporary home boasts all the space your family needs, with a separate family area, 4 good-sized bedrooms, all serviced by an updated family bathroom.

The master bedroom comes complete with walk-in robe and ensuite.

Other exceptional extras include a large studio, ideal for someone wanting to run a

business from home or even as a teenager’s retreat.

There is a large verandah, 15kw solar system, two rain tanks with 30,000 litre capacity with filtration to service the entire home, gas ducted heating, split system cooling and much, much more.

This home has been meticulously kept, unconditionally loved, and is waiting for the next family to simply move in, unpack and enjoy. It is as easy as that!

So, book your inspection today, as this home is bound to be snapped up quickly. ●

Address: 16 Cloverleigh Avenue, EMERALD Description:

Contact:

LIFESTYLE GETAWAY FOR ALL!

THIS large home is ideal for your growing or as a multi-generational home. Beautifully constructed with zoned living over 3 levels. The middle level is the main living level with lounge, dining and family room as well as huge master bedroom with ensuite and walkin robe plus study (or 7th bedroom). Enjoy the warmer weather on the deck that flows directly from the kitchen area with expansive views over not only your property but to the mountains beyond.

The lower level contains the rumpus room next to the indoor, solar-heated, saltchlorinated swimming pool which leads outside to an undercover entertaining area.

Upstairs consists of 5 bedrooms serviced by a modern bathroom, so kids or in-laws are separate, away from the main areas. With views from every window, every member of the family will enjoy living here.

The privacy and outlook over the rolling hills to the Warburton Ranges will help you unwind and relax. Remote gates help you to leave the world behind and give you an extra sense of privacy.

Outside consists of seven paddocks that feature electric fencing, shelters and water, grassed arena, considerable space for floats/trailers, large shedding and plenty of cleared area for future plans should one so desire. Three dams supported by a spring-fed creek, with one stocked with trout contributing to the self-sufficiency of this property alongside off-grid bonuses of solar panels, backup generator and 100,000-litre water storage capacity ready to go.

All this is located around an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD and 10 minutes to Emerald with shops, schools, transport cafe’s and restaurants. Your dream awaits…. CLOSING DATE FOR OFFERS 5PM

WEDNESDAY 17 MAY (Unless sold prior)

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

· Contemporary tri-level residence with 4 separate living zones

· Formal and informal living and dining areas

· Separate study/home office

· Granite entertainer’s kitchen with stainless steel appliances

· Mudroom entry from the garage

· Second level accommodations with BIR’s and family bathroom

· Convenience of ground level Master suite with WIR and full ensuite

· Seamless integration with alfresco decking providing stunning views

· Ducted heating and vacuum, wood fire, efficient and sustainable Nobu electric panel heating and split systems

· Indoor, solar-heated, salt-chlorinated swimming pool with spa and adjacent gymnasium/rumpus room

· Solar panels, generator, water storage

· 10 spectacular acres of cleared paddocks and open spaces

· 3 dams supported by a spring-fed creek (trout inclusive)

LOCAL’S SECRET

A great area for horses with riding trails all throughout the suburb. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

Address: 172 Spillers Road, MACCLESFIELD

4BEDROOMSPLUSASTUDY

4

This homefeaturesafabulousrenovated ensuiteand a greatstudy(homeoffice/ playroom)Theliving spaceconsistsofanupdated whiteand timberkitchenwith 900mm oven/gas hotplatesand a dishwasher,adjoiningdining areaand aloungeroomwith awoodfire.Theproperty hasacircular driveway,with carportaccess,afencedflat backyard and arear deck.Thereare3splitsystems& ductedheating.Onlyminutesto Emerald Township,schoolsand walk intotownonthetrailand exploreWrightForest.

MickDolphin 0429684522

ATONEWITHNATURE

Janethawkins 0409117432

LIFESTYLEGETAWAYON10ACRES

ACOnTEMPORARYhOMEOnhALFAnACRE

Inasecludedlocationwithabushsanctuaryatyourdoorstep,thisqualityhome featuresglass,timber&beamsthroughout.Thefunctionalopenplandesignfeaturesa cosycombustionlog fire,homeoffice/rumpus,aprivatemastersuiteonalowerlevel. Expansivewindowsanddoorsleadtotherearentertainingdeckfeaturingapaved sectionsurroundingamagnificentcherrytree.Alsoincludesanold5.5mx3martiststudio/ bungalowneedingsomeTLC,3caraccommodation&carportona stunning2,366sqm.

grantSkipsey 0418528102

ROOMFORALLYOUR4LEggEDFRiEnDS!

Beautifullyconstructedhomewithzonedlivingover3levelsfeaturesmultipleliving areas,deckandundercoverentertainingarea,solarheated indoorpool,study/7th bedroom,hugemaster,viewsfromeverywindowtomountains& beyond,7paddocks, electricfencing,shelters&water,grassedarena,spacefor floats/trailers,largeshedding, 3dams(onewithTrout)supportedbyaspring-fedcreek,solarpanels,generator& 100,000-litrewaterstorage.**CLOSINGdATEforOFFERS5pm

MickDolphin 0429684522

COUNTRYESCAPEON24ACRES

Janethawkins 0409117432

SUnSETSAnDviEWS!

Classicfarmhousewithcharmfromthe1950sperchedatthetopofthehillwithstunning sunsets&views.Thehomeoffersopenplanliving,loungewithawoodheater,separate mealsarea,recentlypainted&newlycarpeted,5paddocks,3 baybarnwithattached sidecarport&additionalundercoverstorage,2shippingcontainers,beautifulmostly clearedlandexceptfortreesalongthecreeklines.Greatforthosethatwanttoescape theratracewiththepotentialofbeing‘off-grid,’withtankwater,bottledgas&septic.

MickDolphin 0429684522

TayTing 0417302112

AvOnSLEigh 19WRighTROAd $720,000-$780,000

MOUnTDAnDEnOng 1-3HELENSTREET $855,000-$915,000

4 A 2 B 3 C

PAkEnhAMUPPER 120MANNROAdCOURT $1,200,000-$1,290,000

6 A 3 B 4 C 1 E

MACCLESFiELD 172SPILLERSROAd $1,800,000-$1,980,000

IDEALLY LOCATED AND WELCOMING

A WARM and welcoming property in a convenient and sought after location, an idyllic and attractive position set amongst a semi rural setting and just minutes stroll to the local primary school, public transport, walking trail and the ever popular foodie outlets in the main street.

A flexible and functional floorplan offers great space for the whole family with 3 bedrooms and an open plan kitchen with plenty of bench and cupboard space, a

separate meals area and light filled lounge/ living areas with full length windows is the ideal place to sit back relax and enjoy the rustic outlook.

Hours of fun outside for the kids and pets to explore and enjoy situated on approx. 940sqm with a mixture of trees and shrubs, easy access for cars and trailers plus a separate carport complete this attractive property and with services close by it’s a great place to call home. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

Address:

SURREY ROAD ADDRESS WITH BRICK HOME

WELCOME to sunny Surrey Road, Warburton! A street that has always been held in high regard to those who know Warburton! This brick home is set on over 1100sqm of gorgeous rolling green land, mountain views either side and the iconic Warburton golf course only a hop skip and jump away!

Featuring 3 great size bedrooms - all with robes. 1 bathroom with adjoining toilet - easy access to bathroom/toilet/laundry - which also acts as a mud room. The back yard with mountain views - it literally feels like you can reach out and touch them - it’s stunning! Veggie gardens, sitting area, gazebo really completes the back yard.

The backyard is fully fenced and enclosed to keep animals and children and safe, double gates in front of the 1 car garage give you access to the yard. Extras include back undercover area that is very private for entertaining, ceiling fans that retract throughout, split systems x 2, gas ducted heating and plenty of storage in the kitchen and extra cupboards.

Call now for inspection and don’t miss out on this Warburton gem. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

5967 1277

Awonderfulplacetocallhome-Charm filledcountryescape

Boastingtwobedroomswithwindowsandnaturallight,thehome’sbathroomfeaturestimber panelingandalargeclawfootbathtuboverlookingtheprivategardens.Throughoutthe weatherboardhouse,you’ll findawealthofcharacter,fromthe floorboardstothehighceilings tothethree-quarterwraparoundveranda.Thespaciousopen-planlivingareaisperfectfor entertaining,withlargedoorsopeningontothedecking,acozyloungewarmedbya fireplace,and theconvenienceofsplitsystems.Thekitchenfeaturesalargebreakfastbench,dishwasher,electric cooking,andslidingdoorsthatleadtoanextendedundercoverlivingspace.Thebackyardboasts over1200squaremetersofcottagegardens,easyaccessandparking,acarport,garage,anda neighboringpipelinethataddsextraprivacyandspace.

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

PicturePerfectinBotanicalHavenonover½acre

Astunninghome,aluxuriousBed&Breakfastorweekender&superblylocatedjustoutofthe Warburtontownship,acrosstheroadfromtheYarraRiverandWarburtonrailtrail!Offering3large bedroomsallwithbuiltinrobes,providingspaceformultiplebedsifrequired.Theopenplanliving isalargeareaforfamilyandfriendstocometogetherandenjoy,anenormousdiningroomisthe idealspottoplaysomeboardgamesafteryouhavefeastedfromthegoodiespreparedinyour stunningkitchen,andthenyoucancosyuparoundthebluestoneensconcedcracklingwood fire. Thisproperties’naturalbeautywillallowanyonetopretendtobeasavvygardenerinthesestunning surroundsasalowmaintenancewonderlandhasbeencreated.Addedfeatures:lockupgarage, woodshed,8.7kwsolarsystemandexcellentfencing.

WelcometoParadise

Seton1&1/2acresinthemostpicturesquesettingisthisbeautifullyrenovatedhome.Surrounded bymajestictreesandwithaspringfedpermanentcreekrunningthrough.Therecentrenovation meanseverythinginthehomeisbrandnewandneverused.Thisincludesnewcarpetsinthefour largebedroomsandallnew fixturesinthetwowellequippedbathrooms.There’stwolargeliving areas,oneoneachlevel,bothwithbeautifulnewhardwood flooring.Thebrandnewkitcheniswell appointedwithstainlesssteelappliancesincludinglarge5burnerstove,rangehoodanddishwasher. Filteredmountainviewscanbeenjoyedfromthefulllengthdeckupstairswithaccessfromthe masterbedroomandlivingarea.Extrasincludeairconditioninginbothlivingareas,slowcombustion woodheaterwithtransferkitandprobablytheonlypropertyI’veseenwithitsownmine!

225BigPatsCreekRd,BigPatsCreek$950,000-$1,045,000 TonyFanfulla

13RainbowTroutAve,EastWarburton$550,000-$590,000

PeaceandPrivacyinapicturesqueLocation

Timeforachangeofscenery,thiscouldbethespot,surroundedbylushbushandapicturesque locationit’stheidealplacetorelaxandunwind.Thehomeisfresh,lightandbrightandoffering greatspaceinsideandoutwith3goodsizebedroomsallwithbuiltinrobes.Luxuriousmainbathroom plusanopenplanlounge/livingareaandkitchenwithmodernappliancesthroughout.Outsidethere isplentyofroomforthewholefamilytoenjoy,withagreatsizebackyardplusacarportandlockup garageandwithamplespaceforcarsandtrailers.Afantasticpropertysuperblypresentedandwith nothingtodobutsitbackrelaxandenjoythetranquilandpeacefulsurrounds.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

7RupertRoad,EastWarburton$660,000-$720,000

ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED FAMILY HAVEN

THIS half-acre haven anchored by an architecturally designed family dwelling is for buyers seeking something extra special. Uniquely appealing, rich with character, and set to a backdrop of breathtaking views, this is a property to be proud of.

The 2027sqm (approx.) double-block landscape frames this home, boasting a sprawling outdoor entertaining area ideal for gathering. The exceptional design of this residence is introduced by the inviting atrium area that creates a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

On the lower ground floor, the main bedroom with modern ensuite and walk-in robe is accompanied by a lovely living retreat area with open wood fire and window seat for cosying up with a good book. The upper level features an open plan family room, meals area, kitchen with a walk-in pantry that is fit with quality appliances and a breakfast bar, bookended by beautiful slate floors and sweeping vaulted ceilings. Three further bedrooms feature on this level, all with cedar-lined ceilings, where a stylish bathroom, guest powder room and familysize laundry are included. With three splitsystems in addition for cooling and heating, all-year comfort can be assured for this spacious home your family can grow into. Further features include a concreted

HOME ESSENTIALS

driveway to accommodate up to 5 cars, a versatile garden studio/office/cubby house, and a desirable position that is steps from parkland, public transport and the famous Puffing Billy. This impressive property is the perfect find for those with an eye for individuality. Architectural enthusiasts will want to be quick for this rare opportunity. Treat yourself to a tour today.

· 2027sqm (approx.) property steps from parkland and public transport (5 minute bus/car ride to Belgrave Station)

· 30 minute walk to Belgrave township

· Large, lovely paved outdoor entertaining area and bonus studio

· Architecturally designed residence with stunning atrium feature

· Lower ground ensuite main bedroom and living area with open wood fire and charming window seat

· Upper level open plan living and quality kitchen with sweeping vaulted ceilings and slate floors

· Walking distance to exceptional primary schools and local kindergarten

· Minutes walk to Selby Family Clinic, Selby Community House, Ranges Integrative Health and Selby Tennis Courts

· Part of a wonderfully unique hills community ●

Withaperfectpositiononly500mfromBelgravetownshipandapicturesque945sqm (approx.)allotmentwithelevatedoutlooks,thispropertyaffordsownersatree-change lifestyleinatop-tierlocale.BurstingwithcharacternearBelgraveStation,PuffingBilly Railway,andthebustlinglocalshopping,caféandentertainmentprecinct,youcanpark thecarandeasilyenjoyallthishighlycovetedneighbourhoodhasonoffer.

SuzieBrannelly

M 0490506910| E suzie@chandlerandco.com.au

Transformyourlifestyletooneofcompletetranquilityatthisspectacularpropertyinthe lushhillsidesofEmerald.Boastingover¾acrerichinbirdlife,charmingwildlifeincluding wombatsandwallabiesnearyourdoor,thisiswhatDandenongRangeslivingisallabout.

SuzieBrannelly

M 0490506910| E suzie@chandlerandco.com.au

DanielSteen

M 0434979142| E daniel@chandlerandco.com.au

FORSALE

Withsoaring,timberlined,cathedralceilings&wallsofglassthattakeinthesurroundingproperty,thistrulybespoke,chaletinspiredhomeoffersaguaranteedoneoffdesignwithspace forfamilybeingitsmainpriority.Boasting3levelsofspacious,lightfilledlivingspace,thissophisticated,versatilefloorplanoffersmultipleloungeareas,3largebedrooms(the4thcouldbe eitherbedroomorrumpus),beautifuldiningarea&aqualitytimberkitchen.Onaquiet,sealedroad,closetolocalschool&publictransportyetfarenoughawaytoleavethehustle& bustlebehind,youwillneverfindanotherquitelikethis.

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

GlennChandler

M 0418410689| E glenn@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

1 Region of South Africa (9)

6 Just (4)

10 Atmosphere (3)

11 Donated (11)

12 Before chapter one (9)

13 Grower of crops (6)

14 – Von Bismarck (4)

15 Islands of the central and southern Pacific (7)

20 From Stockholm, say (7)

DECODER

WORDFIT

9-LETTER WORD

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

cere, cheer, chore, coerce, cohere, COHERENCE, cone, core, creche, crone, echo, encore, erne, hence, here, hereon, hero, heron, hone,

No. 130

The Re-Roof Man

Drag racers edge closer

By Pete Beaumont

After the JAX Tyre and Auto Super Thunder meeting in Queensland last weekend, the Hargrave Racing team are taking their Middy’s Electrical Pro Alcohol Funny–Car further up the Championship ladder to the second position.

Even though it is unlikely that Chris Hargrave will take the 400 Thunder Championship, second place is a sensational result for the young gun, against many seasoned professionals and legends of the sport of Drag Racing.

Out of the first six competitors vying for the Championship, Chris is the only contestant from out of state.

The Yarra Valley family are extremely proud to point this out to the other competitors at the track as the young gun moves up the championship ranks.

Steve Hargrave, the Father of Chris and Tuner of the Funny Car said during COVID, we had a few seasons cancelled.

“Chris and I had a long discussion regarding where we what we wanted to achieve with our Drag Racing and we decided upon a few fey goals, and to be fair, for our team to be positioned second at the end of this Championship we are ahead of the main goal,” he said.

“We have a fantastic stable major sponsor in Middy’s Electrical which is another goal achieved, as our sport is an extremely expensive sport to remain at the pointy end.”

With the Grand Final coming up in Willowbank Raceway in Queensland, the family will travel to compete with the goal of now holding second place in the Championship and celebrating a great season.

They have ticked off a few boxes this year, which will place them in good stead for the 2024 season, where a true Championship tilt will be the number one goal.

TheHargraveRacingteamareclimbingtheladder.

General Classifieds Employment

ADVERTISERS

DOYOUNEEDEXTRA $$$$'S?

Wednesday 26 April 2023

Tuesday 9 May and Tuesday 23 May 2023

Tuesday 13 June and Tuesday 27 June 2023

Notice is hereby given that the gallery will be closed to the general public for all Council Meetings from 26 April 2023 until 27 June 2023.

In accordance with Chapter 3, Rule 13 of the Governance Rules and effective immediately, the Chief Executive Officer, following consultation with the Mayor and Councillors and with their agreement, has decided to close the public gallery until further notice. This decision is considered necessary in order to maintain the health and safety of all persons attending Council meetings.

The Local Government Act 2020 allows Councils to close meetings to the public for security reasons or if it is necessary to do so to enable the meeting to proceed in an orderly manner. Council will continue to live stream its meetings in accordance with its obligations under the Governance Rules and the Local Government Act 2020. Any person whose rights are directly affected by decisions made at Council meetings will continue to be invited to make a submission online. Any person who submits a Question to Council, Petition or would like to make a Public Submission will also be invited to register to participate online.

Tammi Rose

12423634-SN31-19

MRADistributorsare seekingIndividualsand families,Community Groups,Sporting GroupsandSchoolsto participateinthedistributionofTelephone Directories. Thisisagreatopportunitytoearnthoseextra $$$$'stohelpwith householdexpensesor tofundraise. ABNessential.

ContactKerri 0429214229or info@mrad.com.au andleaveyourname, contactnumberand area/sofinterest.

Chief Executive Officer 12601786-AI17-23 MILLER Ken 5.7.1936 – 14.4.2023 Passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family. Loving husband of Greta. Devoted father of David, Sandra, and Bruce. Loving Grundy of Rebeca, Sarah, Michael, and Zac and Great Grundy of 10. Words are few Thoughts are deep Memories of you We will always keep 12601157-SN17-23 Motoring section of Network Classifieds. Buy&Sellinour Want to place an ad but not sure where to start? Call our helpful classified team between 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri for FREE advice! Call or visit us online! networkclassifieds.com.au V Pets & Services V Public Notices and Event V Deaths V Self Employment Opportunities

SPORT

TheHargraveRacingTeamcompetedin Queenslandandarerisingthedragracing ladder.

Picture:ONFILE

In the spirit of the Anzacs

The Woori Yallock Senior footballers opened their 2023 campaign on Saturday against an up-and-coming Monbulk side in an Anzac weekend clash. The two combatants met in glorious autumn weather at Monbulk as both sides were keen to put a stamp on the new season. Monbulk has often troubled the successful Valley Tigers over the last few decades and the two sides were split 1-1 last year in their two encounters. However, a year is a long time in local football and Monbulk had 10 changes from the team that metWoori in Round 15 last year while Woori had 8 different faces from that game.

Seniors

Monbulk 14.6.90 d

Woori Yallock 8.10.58

Monbulk started the better of the two sides and notched six goals to one in an impressive opening quarter. Woori was not to be denied and fought back in the middle two terms, kicking 7.5 to Monbulk’s 5 goals straight in that period. The Hawks went into the last term holding on to a 13-point lead after having made the most of their opportunities while the Tigers had squandered some gettable set shots. With the match evenly poised it was Monbulk that ran the game out best, adding 3 last quarter goals to emerge victorious by 32 points in an entertaining contest.

Reserves

Monbulk 15.17.107 d

Woori Yallock 2.3.15

The Monbulk and Woori Yallock Reserves have been at the wrong end of the ladder for most of the past decade, with both sides often battling to avoid the wooden spoon. Last season the Hawks had that ignomy with just a solitary win in 2022. Meeting in the opening round would mean that at least one side would start with a win. Monbulk looked a class above their opponents throughout the tussle and ended up running out convincing 92 point victors with systematic play that had been honed over the pre-season.

Under 19s

Monbulk 9.13.67 d

Woori Yallock 0.3.3

The reformed Woori Under 19s, consisting mostly of members of last years’ Under 17 premiership side took on a slightly weakened Monbulk outfit who had loss five players to a mixture of senior call-ups and injury. Any doubts the Hawks may have had as a result were soon dispelled as they kept the Tigers goalless in a commanding 64-point win, controlling all facets of the game .

Bombers back to their brilliant best to upset the Blues

A resurgent Emerald side made their mark in Round Two of the Division One campaign, comprehensively beating out premiership favourites Seville at home.

The Bomber burst out of the blocks with a 6.4, 40 first-quarter score to the Blues’ 2.1, 13.

The second quarter told a similar story as Emerald piled on another six goals to Seville’s 3 to hold a halftime lead of 49.

The third quarter was cagey, with only 3 goals kicked between both teams but Emerald retained their ascendancy.

Seville came home strong outscoring Emerald kicking 4.2 to 1.4 in the last quarter but it was only to be a consolation.

It was a strong 45-point win for the Bombers over the Blues, with the final score reading Emerald 15.21, 111 to Seville 10.6, 66.

The Bombers’ best were Jake Pedder, Adrian Russo, Mitchell Gottschalk, Ethan Grose, Harry Lang and Josh Rich while Seville’s James Cecere, Daniel Iacuone, Nathan Thompson, Sonny Saniga, Jye Sciortino and Paul Bailey can hold their heads high in the defeat.

Emerald now sits atop the Division One ladder with two big wins, just edging out Berwick Springs on percentage, while Seville are fourth with one win and one loss.

Kilsyth Cobras transgender player application

By Mikayla van Loon

Basketball Australia has handed down its decision to not approve the NBL1 playing application from a transgender player in the Kilsyth Cobras women’s team for 2023.

Lexi Rodgers, who was revealed as the player after she spoke out in an interview on the podcast Under the Surface in March, has been told she is “ineligible to play elite level basketball, including for the Kilsyth Cobras in the NBL1 South competition.”

In a statement released by Basketball Australia on Tuesday 18 April, it was announced that the expert panel, led by Dr Peter Harcourt, Suzy Batkovic OLY and Associate Professor Diana Robinson, did not find Rodgers’ case to meet the criteria required for approval.

Taking to social media to air her disappointment in the decision, Rodgers said she was grateful to have received such overwhelming support from her fellow players, coaches and club.

“Basketball is one of the great loves of my life. Like so many people who play every week across the country, the basketball court is where I feel safe, where I feel free, and where I

Transgender athlete Lexi Rodgers has been denied the ability to play in the NBL1 South competition by Basketball Victoria.

feel I belong,” she said.

While noting the end of this chapter, Rodgers said “this is not the end of my journey as

an athlete”, hopeful she will be playing elite women’s basketball in the future.

“I sought a different outcome from Basketball Australia. I participated fully and in good faith with the process and eligibility criteria,” she said.

“Consistent with the views expressed by so many, I firmly believe I have a place as an athlete in women’s basketball.”

Despite being concerned about how this might affect other transgender athletes, Rodgers said she would work towards creating a safe space for all in sport and would like to think organisations like Basketball Australia will do the same.

“I am sad about the potential message this decision sends to trans and gender diverse people everywhere.

“I hope that one day basketball’s governing body can replicate the inclusion and acceptance I have found on the court with my teammates.”

Basketball Australia took over the process of assessing Rodgers’ application from Basketball Victoria, with both governing bodies still in the process of establishing frameworks

refused

for transgender athletes.

“As we continue to develop our own framework for sub-elite and elite competitions, we understand the need to have a clear process and continual education within all layers of the sport so we can best support players, coaches, clubs, associations and the wider basketball community,” Basketball Australia Director, former Olympian and panel member, Suzy Batkovic, said.

“I also want to make it clear because it’s important, that while this particular application was not approved based on criteria for elite competition, Basketball Australia encourages and promotes inclusivity at community level.”

Batkovic thanked Rodgers for her patience and cooperation during the assessment process, stating it is “a complex space that continues to evolve” and said Basketball Australia is committed to furthering its understanding and education.

“While Lexi is understandably disappointed with the outcome, I know she’ll continue to support her NBL1 South team throughout the season and be an active member of the basketball community.”

Mitchell Arnold (25 Woori Yallock) grabs Nicholas Wall (13 Monbulk).

Picture: ROB CAREW

Picture: SOCIAL MEDIA

Patrick Mckimmie (11 Emerald) with the ball, chased by Jarrod Hardy (9 Seville).

Picture: ROB CAREW

Gustsy win for River Pigs

By David Ball

With the Yarra Glen facilities still under repair following last year’s floods, they hosted Broadford at Woori Yallock in perfect conditions.

Yarra Glen got off to a solid start to be leading at quarter time, 4.3 to 0.1.

Josh Hawkins andWill Goodwin were working well up forward, taking advantage of a dominant midfield.

Around the ground, Yarra Glen’s pressure was forcing a number of turnovers.

The second quarter, however, saw Broadford start to work their way into the game, kicking 4 goals toYarra Glen’s 3, with both sides missing a number of easy goal opportunities.

The River Pigs started the third quarter with a 14 point advantage but were soon in trouble with Blake Binion and Josh Hawkins out of the game and Broadford taking control in the ruck and through the midfield.

The errant kicking by both teams continued, withYarra Glen kicking 1.6 and Broadford 1.5, leaving Yarra Glen 15 points up going at the last break.

Yarra Glen went into the last quarter with 4 injured players on the bench unable to continue and a couple of key players having to continue on the ground despite injury concerns.

Caleb Surplice took on the rucking duties and was outstanding in both the ruck contests and with intercept marking.

Richie Wyles was tireless in both midfield and defence roles as Yarra Glen held on.

A great goal from Tom Sullivan had Yarra Glen 15 points in front with 3 minutes to go.

Broadford kept coming and with a late goal, reduced the lead to 7 points at the final siren.

It was a great contest and a gutsy win for the River Pigs, 10.12 to 8.17.

Best players were Caleb Surplice, Richie Wyles, Ryan Smith, Sam Wood, Tom Sullivan and Nick McKenzie.

Goal kickers, Josh Hawkins 4 and singles to Will Goodwin, Sam Wood, Richard Gurney, Richie Wyles, Marcus Kikidopolous and Tom Sullivan.

In the reserves, both teams were coming off big losses in round 1 and attacked the game with ferocity in the first quarter.

Yarra Glen started well, being 4.1 to 0.1 ahead at quarter time.

Broadford looked fitter and quicker and through the second and third quarters they outscoredYarra Glen to be just 4 points behind at 3 quarter time.

Some of the better players from early in the game were tiring.

It took great efforts from Callum and Pat Tucker in the midfield to lift the River Pigs in the last.

Max Murphy in his first game for the club was outstanding in defence.

Kicking 2 goals to 1 in the final quarter saw Yarra Glen victorious 8.5 to 6.7.

Best players were Max Murphy, Jacob Reddaway, Steven Mylas, Callum Tucker, Heath Chamberlain and Nick Martin.

Goal kickers were Heath Chamberlain 2, Nick Martin 2, and singles to Ben Thomas, Steven Mylas, Josh Dick and Jacob Reddaway.

Next week Yarra Glen take on arch rivals, Yarra Junction at Yarra Junction.

Once again the Yarra Glen Netball D Grade had a bye with Broadford not fielding a D Grade team.

The day started with the C Grade team well on top in their first quarter, leading 10 goals to 5. Yarra Glen were moving the ball well shooting well, whilst the Broadford shooters were not converting under good defensive pressure.

This all changed in the second quarter, with Yarra Glen converting for just 1 goal whilst Broadford piled on 9.

In the third it all turned and Yarra Glen scored 9 goals to 4 to be 2 goals up at the last break.

The last quarter saw Broadford quickly close the gap and with a desperate goal for goal effort from both teams, the game ended in a thrilling 24-24 draw.

Best players were Ashley Shanks, Michele Young and Courtney Cochrane.

B Grade got off to a slow start, being down 8 goals at quarter time.

The girls lifted in the second with the teams

scoring 8 goals each.

Whilst Yarra Glen were very competitive in the second half, Broadford proved to be just that little bit better to finish with a 13 goal win, Yarra Glen 34 to Broadford 47.

Best Players were Chelsea Birchall, Tiah Large and Alex Bray with 22 goals.

The Yarra Glen A grade girls got off to a slow start, with Broadford showing more composure to open up a 2 goal lead at quarter time.

Yarra Glen improved their connection in the second and with a 15 goal to 7 burst, led by 6 at half time.

The third quarter sawYarra Glen continue to dominate with Madeline Hargrave converting everything that came her way.

A 14 goal advantage was reduced to 10 at the final hooter as Broadford improved their cohesion. It was a good 51 to 41 wine forYarra Glen.

Best players were Madeline Hargrave with 44 goals, Alana McGurgan and Edana Lacey.

Next week all four teams will be in action away against Yarra Junction.

Horse Talk

By Anita Prowse

Northern Metropolitan Zone Horse Trials (State Qualifier) was held last weekend at Wandin Park, in less than ideal weather, but the riders continued in torrential rain at times and a huge congratulations to the placegetters, organising committee, photographers, sponsors and volunteers.

Grade 1

· 1st Sarah McMaster on Holy Host (OTT) Euroa Pony Club

· 2nd Amy Slocombe on Willunga Just Because (OTT) Balnarring Pony Club

Centre Rachel Thompson transitioning down the court.

Anzac rounds with exciting results

By Anne-Marie Ebbels

The Anzac round kicked off with netball taking centre stage at home againstYea with some exciting results.

Yea got the jump on C grade early and Healesville couldn’t pull back the lead in the following quarters to steal the win ultimately going down by 5 goals in a low scoring affair.

In the B Grade action, it was another tight contestant, Healesville took the early lead, but Yea kept coming and it went down to the final quarter with the teams going goal for goal, Healesville ran out the eventual winners by 6 goals.

The A grade game was no less exciting than the first two netball games.

The Anzac ceremony was held first providing some inspiration for the teams and lots of local support.

Yea went into the first break with 2 goal lead

and quickly extended the lead to 5 goals by half time.

An improved shooting performance in the second half in a blistering third quarter saw Healesville go into the final break one goal in front. In a nail-biting final quarter, Healesville held onto the lead won by 2 goals.

After not having won a game in 2022, wins for both B Grade and A Grade was an exciting outcome for the club given the hard work in the off-season to re-invigorate the netball at Healesville.

The Women’s football also played their first home game against Pakenham.

Healesville dominated the game from start to finish keeping Pakenham goalless for the entire game. Most of the action was in the Healesville forward half with 7 different goal scorers for the game.

The final game of the day was the Veterans who unveiled their 2022 Premiership flag before their game which inspired the team to a

resounding win against Mt Evelyn.

Healesville set-up the win in the first quarter and Mt Evelyn were left chasing jumpers for the rest of the game while Healesville continued to dominate on the scoreboard.

The second half was a tighter contestant after the six-day break for the veterans started to take its toll.

Healesville were winners by 45 points.

· A Grade Healesville 36 defeated Yea 34, Best B Erickson, A White, R Thompson

· B Grade Healesville 33 defeated Yea 27, Best Z Boundy, C Bouma, H Blackney

· C Grade Healesville 16 defeated by Yea 21, Best T Pinkster, C Haywood, K Deuart

· Women Healesville 10.12 defeated Pakenham 0.2 Best S Potter, A Frazzetto, S Frazzetto, C Wilsmore, P Pavic, A Bryan

· Veteran Healesville 10.13 defeated Mt Evelyn

4.4 Best B Bell, C Adams, R Emmett, H Lamaro, A Peters, B Boote

Grade 2

· 1st Abby Noxon on Teasing to Please Balnarring Pony Club

· 2nd Isobel Morse on Broadway Diamond Diva (OTT) Seville Pony Club

Grade 3

· 1st Jett Lord on Memphis Kangaroo Ground Pony Club

· 2nd Maeve Potter on Alfie Yarra Glen and District Pony Club

Picture: KYLIE ROWE Holly Blackney takes the well-weighted pass into the circle. Picture: SUPPLIED

Caleb Surplice in a ruck contest.

Pictures: SUPPLIEDMadeline Hargrave shooting one of her 44 goals.

Club still in search of champions

By Ron Hottes

Wednesday 19 April, Par:

Any Par round can sort out the chaff in each field, folks. There was plenty of chaff, but some players finished in positive territory. The most positive score this day was posted by Ron Wilson, with a very strong +6. This result trumped all others to the tune of 4, with a number of +2’s vying for the runner-up voucher. Ross Machar clearly had the best back nine, for he took home that prize on a countback, from 3 others. With these scores, it is no surprise that the ball rundown only extended to ‘square.’ NTPs were taken home by Kevin Bargar (3rd), Rod Kempton (5th), Glen Forbes/ Mick Eldridge (9th, a deadset even result), Dale Horrobin (12th) and Steuart Hawke (15th).

Wandin enjoys win

Round 1 produced a big crowd, great weather and some fantastic footy from the visiting Wandin side to claim the win and the Professionals Cup over their local rivals the Rovers.

Mt Evelyn was able to stay in the game until halftime but sustained pressure from the Doggies allowed them to open up the game as the

game wore on and it was 29 scoring shots to 6 after the main break.

Wandin’s star recruit and former North Melbourne and Carlton player Aaron Mullett did not disappoint on his Doggies debut, taking best-on-ground honours with the athletic Harrison Van Duuren, former Sydney Swans

draftee Cody Hirst, exciting young gun Connor Smith and crafty forward and new recruit Jordan Jaworksi also among the top performers.

Final score: Wandin 23.19, 157 defeated Mt Evelyn 9.8, 62.

Solid day’s work for the Burras at home

By Alex Woods

First home game at the nest on the weekend against Yarra Junction, and what a success. The conditions for good, sunny with a touch of warmth. Then turned overcast for the Seniors which made for perfect conditions for a major win.

Early start for the 17 and Under netball. They took off with a strong start and retained that the whole way through. With minor hiccups and silly mistakes, they still managed to pull off a 17-3 lead by halftime.The team gelled well and took their training into their game. The final score was 40-8, Tayah Humphreys putting up 18 goals earning her in the top performers, along with teammates; Lucas Rush and Grace Cole. Lexi Cole also shot 10 goals, Lucas Rush with 9 and Tahlia Thornton with 3. Good game by everyone to start the morning.

Next up was D grade for their first match of the season. A new inclusion in Emily Kay, Tayah Humphrey and Tahlia Thornton also joins up from the Juniors to debut in their first Senior game. Kicked off with a major start of a 24-2 first half. With massive defensive pressure, they managed to keep Yarra Junction to 1 goal in the first quarter, 1 in the second and scoreless in the second half. With new goaling partners, they worked flawlessly shooting 47-2 for the game. Captain Camryn Partel put up 28 goals, Tayah Humphrey with 18 and Tahlia Thornton with 1. Cam also earned herself top performer, along with Tamin Crunden and Nicole Cervasio. Another great team effort match.

Next up was C Grade in another convincing win for the day. A team with a new goaling duo that managed to work together again with little done wrong. A combined team effort with Captain, Mel Hancock putting up 28 and Ella Meerkotter with 22. The defence end was turned on hot as they manage to keep Yarra Junction to only 4 goals for the entire game. Ruby Kelly was once again the girl of the match along with defender teammate, Courtney Irwin. Ella Meerkotter also earned herself a spot in the bests too.

B Grade took the court next, in hope of their first win for the year. They managed to do exactly that with another big on the board for the day of 57-18. Chelsea Barnard had a mega day on the defensive end with teammates Katelin Borondy and Emily Hay, keeping Yarra Junction to 18 goals. Emily Hay and Jordana Butch-

er also saw themselves as the top performer with Em shooting 13 goals and Jordy with 23. Alex Woods also put up 21 to finish off the total. The team worked well and used their training nicely into the game, a good team effort by all.

The reserves kicked off the footy backing up with another big win. Lots of defensive pressure keeping Yarra Junction to 3 goals for the game. Both Marcel Kocher and Josh Read kicked 3 goals each and Brayden Ferguson and Matt Sidari with 2 Each. Kris Hall and Jackson Jones both also got 1 goal to their name. There were also top performances from Marcel Kocher, Aidan Norfolk, Ben Gray, Josh Read, Tyler Bert and Zayden Crunden. The final score was 12.14-86 to 3.4-22, with no signs of this team slowing down.

A Grade took the court next also seeking their first win for the season. A Strong start saw them with a 4-goal lead at the first break. The second quarter went a bit more their way increasing the difference to having a 15-goal lead at the halftime break. Across the whole court, every player was working strong and they pulled off another good win with the final score being 53-33. Karly Wappett earned herself top performer shooting 30 goals. Ashlyn

Elliot and Ally Langdon both also had a good game. Bianca Daniels also contributed 23 goals to the team’s win.

An ANZAC Ceremony was completed by Wayne Morgan with Footballers and A Grade Netballers all lining up, paying their respects. The Seniors finished of the day in a performance like no other. The first quarter was solid with the boys kicking 5.4 to Yarra Junctions 2 goals. Strong defensive pressure

throughout the entire match, with Ben Pretty controlling the back line with a ridiculous amount of intercept marks, making Yarra Junction not score another goal until late into the last term. Bailey Humphrey turned it on booting a mega 7 goals for the game, along with Trent Elliott with 3. Tom Barr, Will Farrer, Josh Sharp and Liam Westlake (in his Seniors Debut) also have kicked 2 each. Jack Farrugia, Lachy Marr, Tom Marr, Toby Mitchell and Blake Muir all contributed 1 goal each to the team’s win. Ben Pretty, Tom Barr, Patty Huynh, Nelson Aldridge, Trent Elliott and Bailey Humphrey, all saw themselves as top performers to the team’s solid win. The final score for the day was 23.14-152 to Yarra Junction 3.6- 24.

Away match against Powelltown next weekend.

The Ladies’ B and C-Grade Championship update shows us that Jaqui Hall has a comfortable lead over Ineke DeGraaf. In C-Grade, new girl Deb Hamment also has a sizable lead over Sue Barratt. Full details for these events will be in next week’s edition.

Saturday 22 April, Stroke and 2nd Round of the Club-Championships:

So, with plenty on the line in all grades, a large field was fiercely contesting in each grade. The fiercest competitor was Chris Leighton from B-Grade. His Nett 57 just blew everyone else out of the water. Suffice to say, the next best score in this grade, a great Nett 65 by Geoff-Sharp, would have normally won the day. Geoff had to be content with the runner-up prize. In A-Grade, a fine Nett 67 from Clint Smallman earned him the top gong there, with another Clint, Toohey, posting a Nett 69 to take home the runner-up cheque. In C-Grade, Stuart Patrick posted a Nett 67 to win there, but he only snuck in on a countback, as Kevin Conway also recorded a 67. Balls therefore only extended to 72. The NTP winners, on the day, were Clint Toohey (3rd), Paul Mason, (5th and twice in a row), Rob Hendy (9th), Shane Ford (12th) and Sam Dennis (15th).

Full results of the Club-Championships will be covered next week with photos hopefully. But, the leaders at this stage are: for the Open title, Paul Mason, with 144 has a slender 1-stroke lead over Michael Batten, who is 3 ahead of Clinton-Toohey. The B-Grade leader, Paul Osbourne, has a healthy 11-shot margin over the current runner-up in DarrylWard 160-171. In C-Grade, Chris Leighton has a massive 20-stroke buffer (168), over second-placed Alan McDonald, with Andrew McMath, just one behind, breathing down Alan’s neck.

The winning Wandin side.

Picture: METHVEN PROFESSIONALS REAL ESTATE

Warburton Golf Club results.

Picture:

Warburton-Millgrove players line up for an Anzac ceremony.

Picture: SUPPLIED

We believe it is the right of every Australian to have affordable access to high quality residential aged care services within a homely, safe, supportive and nurturing environment that is able to meet the individual needs, goals, preferences and care requirements of our residents. Our residents always come first.

We recognise and value the resident’s family and/or other representatives in partnering with care, ensuring where relevant communication is strong in developing relationships.

We treat our residents as individuals and promote individual choice and decision making.

We take great pride in the professional quality of our work and have an uncompromising determination to achieve excellence in what we do.

Call our friendly community engagement manager, Amanda on 1300 428 886 for more information or arrange a personal tour.