News - Berwick Star News - 29th February 2024

for 175th Berwick Show

Picture: ROB CAREW

Coverage calling

By Ethan Benedicto

While the roads in and out of Clyde North have seen some change, the suburb is still in the shackles of poor cell reception.

Clyde North had a population of 31,681 residents in 2021, with Clyde having a population of 11,177, according to that year’s Census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Despite the growth, Elizabeth Sabelino, who has been living in Clyde North since 2017, is still experiencing reception issues.

“To this day the reception hasn’t gotten any better, from my house I still only have one bar on a good day,” she said.

In 2016, Clyde North had a population of 8000 residents, while Clyde had 2000 - both suburbs seeing an exponential growth of 288.26 per cent and 427.76 per cent respectively, by 2021.

Ms Sabelino, who was previously a communications intern for the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, had instances where she worked from home, an experience she said was made challenging by the lack of proficient cell reception.

“I’ve had to work around by doingWIFI calling but even that doesn’t help that much.

“What I’ve had to do every time there’s a call, I have to go to the front of the house to get better reception,” Ms Sabelino said.

Furthermore, idCommunity has forecasted both suburbs to have a combined population of roughly 65,500 in 2024.

Maree Cullinan, the manager of the Balla Balla Community Centre in Selandra Rise, echoed Ms Sabelino’s sentiments, saying that the poor cell reception “isn’t really a selling point for Clyde North”.

“Many people are still working from home,

and we have trouble even here, we have to go out of the building just to make calls.

“The one thing we should have access to is good cell reception, especially in this day and age,” Ms Cullinan said.

Mark Gregory, an associate professor in RMIT’s school of engineering said that “the issues are the distribution of the axis points”.

“Also things like buildings, the terrain and of course, the location of freeways and vehicles, supermarkets and so on,” he said.

The axis point the professor mentioned refers to how factors of a network are being spread out, such as geographical distribution which are physical routers, switches, and servers across an area, and planning their placement for effective and optimal coverage.

Another axis is traffic, or data and their movements, which involves ensuring that data flows through different networks efficiently

without causing jams or delays.

While topographically Clyde and Clyde North are relatively flat, Professor Gregory said that the weather is one of many things that“really degrade the signal”.

“In regards to that you’ve got heat, dust, and moisture in the air.

“You mix that in with tall objects like trees, buildings, and hills, you’re going to have a combination of things that are going to affect the signal,” he said.

The professor also added that cellular reception is an important part of a suburb’s infrastructure, especially if it’s continuously seeing population growth.

“It’s very important to suburbs that are growing because you get these situations where new housing is built and the coverage won’t or may not exist there.

Continued page 2

Josh’s road to

By Emma Xerri

At only 17 years old, Berwick resident Josh Close is taking on more than most.

After being hit by a 4WD while riding his escooter to work, a traumatic brain injury saw Josh in an induced coma for three weeks, with the family unsure if their son and brother was going to be okay.

“The first three weeks when Josh was in the ICU was the scariest time of my life,” Josh’s father, Shaun Close said.

“When we got the call in the morning, I immediately knew something bad had happened to him.

“You can prepare for someone passing, but trauma is a completely different experience.

“My wife and I couldn’t eat or sleep, but the social workers at the Alfred Hospital really made sure we did so we could be strong for Josh when he came out of the coma.”

Now at the Alfred Health Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Josh is passing his memory and speech tests with flying colours.

And having received the go ahead to start more stimulation and more physio in the main gym, Josh is well on his way to learning to walk again, determined to get back to what he loves doing: running.

“His determination and his mentality is just amazing. Ever since he’s woken up he’s been ready to go,” Mr Close added.

“He’s doing some speech therapy at the moment and he did some physio this morning with a bit of walking using the rails.

“Last week he wasn’t able to open his left hand, and this week he’s been able to open up and lift his hand over his shoulder. So, since last week he has been improving every day.

“The plan is to get him home, the timing just depends on the goals they set with him.

“He’s always saying to them ‘I’m gonna run’, but he needs to walk first.”

As an enthusiastic member of the Berwick Waters parkrun group, with over 43 parkruns on his belt, Josh was excited to take the next step in his running journey, eager to take part in Melbourne’s Run for the Kids, before braving the Melbourne Marathon.

While Josh’s plans have temporarily been put on hold, the support from those close to him have allowed those dreams to live on, with his friends doing Run for the Kids in his honour.

Josh’s running mentor and former teacher Tom Price is also doing what they both love to raise money for Josh and his family by running 100km. But the support from those outside Josh’s close circle has been the most surprising for the family, who have received more than $18,000 in donations on GoFundMe to go towards their goal of $100,000.

“Josh has always been a very outgoing kid. He would hang out with friends, go to church, attend youth group and go for runs.

“But since the accident, I’ve really learnt just how much love and respect people from his

community have for him.

“A lot of people that work with him, and even people in the wider community, have reached out and put money towards it.

“The support we have received from the local community has been sensational.

“We haven’t got a car, so this money is something that will help us get him to his appointments in the future.

“We are just so overwhelmed by the support. It has blown me and my wife away.

“Josh knows it’s going to be a long road to get there again, but he will do it.”

To donate to Josh’s GoFundMe, visit gofundme.com/f/josh-closes-recovery-fund, or search Josh’s Recovery Fund.

Phone coverage calling

From page 1

“It does mean you’ve got to look at telecommunications as something you’d be doing before you start to build some of these suburbs at their proposed location,” Professor Gregory said.

On 20 February, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams addressed State Parliament on the aftermath of the storm that caused outages on the telecommunications network across the state.

She emphasised the importance of telco networks and customers’ inability to access emergency services, stating that “these recent events remind us of how essential telco services are”.

“That is why we have made it clear to the Commonwealth that better regulation of telcos as critical infrastructure must be a priority,” MsWilliams said.

However, she also acknowledged that issues with telco providers are not an uncommon occurrence.

“The reality is, though, that even outside of emergencies many of these communities experience poor coverage.

“That is why we have invested $540 million in the Connecting Victoria program to fast-track improved mobile and broadband connectivity across many communities,” Ms Williams said.

While this project is still underway, Professor Gregory said that there’s a limit as to how much telcos will invest in infrastructure, and at that stage then“becomes a problem for the consumer.”

“There are things that consumers can do to assist themselves with the signal.

“It’s one of the combinational things where telcos will do a certain amount and then it’s really down to the consumer to find a solution that works for them,” the professor said.

One of these solutions he mentioned includes purchasing devices such as antennas

that can extend or amplify the signal into one’s home, much like WIFI extenders but for cell service.

For Ms Sabelino however, the whole issue became something she got used to and decided to live with.

“It’s a necessity if an emergency were to happen or from work-from-home purposes, it’s hard to contact people in tough situations sometimes.

“I feel like there’s no point with contacting [telcos] because either they’re going to give you the same response, or they’re going to give you a PR-trained response, but there’s going to be no action.

“It’s a testament to how long we’ve been here and nothing has happened,” she said.

A previous article published on Cranbourne Star News in May of 2023 delved into the same issue, with residents saying that the reception was a joke.

The Connecting Victoria project aims to deliver 1,400 projects by 2026, with Clyde North planned to have four mobile towers erected, and Clyde planned to have two mobile towers and one broadband solution.

However, specific locations are currently unavailable with many of the projects still in the planning phase.

Josh with VET Building and Construction teacher Mark McQueen.

Josh with former teacher and running mentor Tom Price.

Maree Cullinan from the Balla Balla Community Centre said that cell reception shouldn’t be a concern. 230903

Picture: GARY SISSONS

Delaray Clubhouse is situated in the heart of Clyde North, and is one of the many spots in the suburb that lack cell service.

Picture: ETHAN BENEDICTO

Fines hurt disadvantaged

By Ethan Benedicto

South East residents in the most disadvantaged postcodes have been impacted the hardest by road toll fines, according to recent research.

According to Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC), 40 per cent of all road toll fines that were issued across the state in the last 12 months were in Melbourne’s South East.

For the City of Dandenong, there were a total of 15,434 fines issued, with 10,445 of these leading to enforcement orders.

The City of Casey had roughly double the amount, with a total of 35,246 infringements, and 24,138 of those leading to enforcement orders.

Jackie Galloway, the PCLC chief executive, said the “areas in our catchment where the highest numbers of fines were issued last year also have some of the most disadvantaged postcodes in the state.”

Frankston saw a total of 16,714 fines issued in the same time frame, with 11,817 moving forward to enforcement orders.

In response, Eastlink is calling for drivers to plan ahead and act quickly if they receive an invoice.

Doug Spencer-Roy, Eastlink’s corporate affairs and marketing manager said that the company “wants to help, we don’t want people to be in difficulty.”

“We don’t want people to be receiving fines, we want people to ideally have an account with us with a positive balance if you’re using tollways,” Mr Spencer-Roy said.

He also added that there are alternatives to using the Eastlink, such as Stud Road and Springvale Road, but for those who are using the tollways, they have a thorough process of reminders and assistance options if people are having difficulty with payments.

“So we do a lot of reaching out before we do

IN BRIEF

Put the phone away

Undercover traffic police have helped nab more than 60 drivers on their phones in a twoday operation in the South East.

As part of Operation Spotto, 187 offences were detected in Springvale, Cranbourne and Dandenong over 15-16 February.

Sixty-eight drivers were using mobile phones, 19 not wearing seatbelts, 19 disobeying traffic lights/signs and 15 speeding.

There were also five unregistered vehicles, three disqualified drivers and three drug drivers caught.

Police also issued 18 vehicle defect notices.

During the op, officers with walkie-talkies posed as pedestrians as they spied on drivers touching their phones.

“People are stuck in the cars at traffic lights, and they can’t help but go for their phone,” State Highway Patrol Sergeant Harry Lazarou told Nine News during an operation on Springvale Road.

“We always get the ‘I’ve got to call the boss, I’m running late’, but a lot of the time they’re just their scrolling on social media.”

New road rules were introduced in 2023 that now include looking at, touching or having a mobile device resting on a driver’s body.

The penalty for using or touching phones while driving is $577 and four demerit points.

Not wearing a seatbelt will result in a $385 fine and the loss of three demerit points.

“To people that say it’s revenue raising, I say it’s all voluntary contributions.

“This is part of the fatal five, which is distraction, impairment, fatigue, speed and seatbelts, so there is just zero tolerance from police.”

Car thefts in the hundreds

Casey, Cardinia and Dandenong were among the most targeted areas for stolen vehicles according to Victoria Police data.

The data, from Operation Trinity which investigated vehicles and motorbikes stolen during an aggravated burglary in 2023, showed there was 321 vehicles stolen from Cardinia, Casey and Dandenong (making up 22.6 per cent in total for the operation) just

pass on that information, and the fines these days are a maximum of one fine per seven days.

“If they don’t purchase the trip pass we do send a toll invoice and if that’s not paid, we post an overdue notice.

“If that’s also not paid we send text messages or email reminders to the registered owner of the vehicle, before we pass any information about unpaid trips to Victoria Police or Fines Victoria,” Spencer-Roy said.

For Ms Galloway and the PCLC, there is a particular concern with the fine system being a common entry point into the criminal justice system.

behind Boroondara, Manningham, Monash, and Whitehorse at 438 (30.8 per cent).

Surrounding areas such as Knox, Maroondah, and Yarra Ranges saw 78 stolen vehicles (5.5 per cent) while Frankston and Mornington Peninsula had 113 (8 per cent).

While 13 (1 per cent) were stolen from Latrobe, Bass Coast and Baw Baw areas.

However, Cardinia, Casey and Dandenong had the highest number of recovered vehicles at 581 (43.5 per cent).

This was followed by Boroondara, Manningham, Monash, and Whitehorse 159 (11.9 per cent) and Frankston and Mornington Peninsula - 135 (10.1 per cent).

The top vehicles that criminals targeted included:

· BMW - 184 stolen/175 recovered/9 outstanding

· Mercedes Benz - 180 stolen/169 recovered/11 outstanding

· Volkswagen -146 stolen/137 recovered/9 outstanding

· Toyota - 141 stolen/133 recovered/8 outstanding

· Audi - 113 stolen/107 recovered/6 outstanding

· Mazda - 85 stolen/84 recovered /1 outstanding

· Hyundai - 57 stolen/54 recovered/3 outstanding

In total, 1420 cars and motorbikes were stolen during an aggravated burglary in 2023 across the Trinity areas of operation such as Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia and Knox, Maroondah, and Yarra Ranges.

Almost 1337 were recovered (94.2 per cent) with 83 remaining outstanding (5.8 per cent).

“These are vulnerable people who are not trying to avoid their fines, but who simply don’t have the means to pay.

“This means our fines team is seeing an increase in the number of people who are already struggling to put food on the table and pay their rent and who simply don’t have sufficient funds to pay their fines, even though they want to do the right thing,” Ms Galloway said. She also added that the State Government needs to take more action in helping individuals pay off fines in other ways, “rather than crippling them with life-long debt and the threat of criminal sanctions”.

Leading up to July 2023, more than two-

thirds of the PCLC’s clients were experiencing financial disadvantage, with the average fine debt sitting at $13,000, with some even at $70,000.

In response to the 40 per cent figure mentioned earlier, Mr Spencer-Roy said that while the initial sum of the toll invoice is relatively small, it’s when it escalates to a fine that things get difficult.

“If you receive a toll invoice from Eastlink or another tollway, you have to act on it, not let it slip, not ignore it, not let the toll invoices pile up because that will result in potentially a lot of fines with a very large financial cost.

“We have a hardship policy that people can contact us about, for example, to arrange a payment plan or a payment deferral.

“And for people who are experiencing genuine hardship there are other opportunities as well including now, with us having the ability to have fines withdrawn from Fines Victoria,” Spencer-Roy said.

A current Fines Victoria scheme, called the Work and Development Permit Scheme has been in operation since 2017, which the PCLC has been supporting since 2019.

While it aims to help vulnerable people resolve their fines and allows them to work off fine debt through financial counselling, educational and vocational courses and other programs, Ms Galloway said that the scheme “is at risk of stalling”.

“In the 2021/2022 financial year in NSW, there were 29,508 WDPs issued to work off fines to the value of $44,200,000, while in the same period in Victoria, only 1504 WDPs were completed to work off $3,504,758 worth of debt.

“The fines enforcement system is ineffective and disproportionately burdensome for vulnerable members of the community who find it impossible to pay their fines,” Ms Galloway said.

JackieGalloway,thePeninsulaCommunityLegalCentreCEO.

Picture:SUPPLIED

Minister’s lasting legacy

By Violet Li Hampton Park

Uniting Church’s minister, Reverend Frederic Holland has retired after 53 years of commitment to social justice programs and dedication to the community sector.

It was a hard decision out of health considerations, but the 76-year-old has come to terms with his very own departure, moving on to rest, recover, and spend more time at home.

Before being a minister at Hampton Park Uniting Church for five years, the restless soul had a huge catalogue of different jobs, seeking a state of constant occupation.

The venture took root on the other side of the ocean in the UK with an Honours Degree in Theology, Philosophy, Ethics, and Sociology at the University of London. He later undertook ministerial training and ordination in the UK Methodist Church and was accepted into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1989.

“I was offered a job by the Synod, the headquarters of the Uniting Church in Victoria,” Rev Holland said, recalling his immigration.

“My background has been predominantly media. I’ve been working with radio and television throughout the whole of the UK, producing programs on social justice, and the Synod of Victoria was looking for somebody who was a minister but also had an understanding and experience in working with radio and television, which is what I had.”

Social justice programs have been his lifelong pursuit. Enabling people and breaking down barriers between people of all backgrounds and faiths have been his phrases as far as Hampton Uniting Church is concerned.

“I describe it as a church without walls, and that means that anybody, whether they got a church or not, it doesn’t matter.Whether they’re Christian or not, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

“In the course of a week, we have a huge number of people of different faiths and none. We have a big Islamic community who join us regularly throughout the week. That is all about providing people who are in need with a whole range of different services.

“In our case, that is food, lunches, and different pantry items. It is also about providing education classes for, mostly women, who don’t speak English.”

Historically, Rev Holland has been engaged with reaching out to people who are stuck in the cycle of homelessness all the time, both in the UK and Australia. He firmly believes that societal institutions need to offer not just accommodation, which is vital, but also how to get out of that cycle.

From 2010 until recently, Rev Holland was the chief executive officer of the Melbourne City Mission, a community support organisation established in 1854 with a focus on creating new possibilities for children, young people, and adults experiencing disadvantage.

He put great efforts into the education program of the organisation Melbourne Academy, which provided schooling for over 1000 homeless young people in the city. Several classrooms served as education facilities for those promising young lives, an escape from the vicious poverty circle.

The prolific career has also included leadership roles across the community sector including the Marriage Guidance Council UK, the Animal Welfare League, and Parkinson’s Australia.

One of the highlights has to be the minister leading the campaign in Melbourne for marriage equality.

When asked what he liked the most about being a minister, Rev Holland gave out an unexpected answer: freedom.

“In many cases, ministers don’t have freedom because they’re restricted by the orthodoxy at their organisations. I like the freedom that you have to be able to respond to different needs in different ways,” he explained.

“And I think I’ve always been able to do that, as a minister. I also like the opportunity that it gives you to enter the lives of people, who otherwise wouldn’t be open to you.

“As a minister, people are accepting and well welcoming. And there’s a general level of accepting of a minister in the community, and I’ve always enjoyed that freedom.”

Leaving his ‘office’ and ‘quitting’ the daily routines was no easy job for a person who had devoted his whole life. A retirement service on Sunday 25 February farewelled him.

“The service was very moving. There were lots of tears. There were lots of fantastic words from everybody who was there. And I’m sad too, of course. But they’re open to the fact and they’re moving on to the next stage,” Rev Holland said.

“My ministry is finished, but the ministry of the church hasn’t. I spoke about my career over 53 years, and I finished up the service. I started off by saying this is how it all began. I went through all the different roles that I’ve had, and then I finished up by saying this is where it all ends.

“And there was a stunned silence. Then I said, no, it’s not where it ends. It still goes on. There are new beginnings.”

Rev Holland will continue to campaign in different ways for different causes after his retirement. He will also spend more time with his families, his two beautiful dogs, and his farm.

‘Hefty bank account boost’: Syndicate wins $1 million

A group syndicate set up by Hunt Club Lotto in Cranbourne East scored a sensational $1m in the lotto.

The 12-member syndicate, called Mad Monday 2, held the only division one winning entry nationally in Monday &Wednesday Lotto draw 4366 on Monday 19 February.

In addition to scoring division one, the syndicate’s System 9 entry also scored division three 18 times and division four 45 times, bolstering the winning group’s total prize to $1,007,579.35.

Each syndicate member collected a share worth $83,964.94.

However, some syndicate members may

have yet to realise their $83,000 windfall, prompting lottery officials to urge players to check their tickets as soon as possible.

The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said she encouraged allVictorian players who purchased a syndicate entry in the latest Monday & Wednesday Lotto draw to check their tickets.

“We know some of these division one winning syndicate members have already begun celebrating their good fortune knowing they have a hefty boost coming into their bank accounts,” she said.

“However, some syndicate members hold unregistered entries and could be starting

their Tuesday morning completely oblivious to their win.

“If you purchased a share into a syndicate for the recent Monday & Wednesday Lotto draw, check your ticket as soon as possible. If you do discover you’re holding a winning share in the Monday &Wednesday Lotto draw, callThe Lott on 131 868 to start the prize claim process.”

The winning numbers were 11, 34, 3, 22, 20, 6, while the supplementary numbers were 17 and 42.

The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 268 so far in FY24, including 90 won by Tatts customers.

A group syndicate set up by Hunt Club Lotto in Cranbourne East scored a sensational $1m in the lotto. Picture: SUPPLIED

Minister of Hampton Park Uniting Church Rev Frederic Holland, speaking at his retirement. 390737

Pictures: GARY SISSONS

The Hampton Park Peace Choir performed at the retirement service. 390737

The choir sounded incredible. 390737

THE WHAT DAY IS IT BIT

Victoria’s bathing experiences are a short trip from home, but light years from the real world. Don’t be alarmed by that strange feeling – that’s just your stress melting away.

Unwind at revitalising places like Alba Thermal Springs & Spa.

VISITVICTORIA.COM

Expect a rise in flooding

By Violet Li

Hampton Park resident and Australian severe weather forecaster Dennis Luke warns Casey residents of a definite increase in rain and floods in the second half of the year as La Nina has a strong chance of returning.

An update from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said earlier in January there were increasing odds of La Nina in the seasons after a shift to ENSO-neutral around April to June. Using global weather models from NOAA and the International Research Institute to monitor severe meteorology, Mr Luke noted that most of south-eastern Australia, including New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, would have a really cold winter with more rain and floods resulting from a moderate to strong La Nina.

“We could be looking at temperatures anywhere from minus 5 to plus 5 anywhere in Victoria,” he said.

“I haven’t seen a cold winter like this for a long time because, over the last 20 years, winter’s been reasonably cool to mild.

“We’re going to get just as much, if not more, rain than what we had in 2022, to me, that’s a given.”

Mr Luke pointed out that many areas in Casey were susceptible to severe rain and flood.

“If you have undulating areas, for example, a road that goes down and then backs up again like NarreWarren-Cranbourne Road under the railway line, as soon as we have 20 millimetres of rain, it floods in the left and middle lanes because the drainage system is not built for heavy rain,” he said.

“They need to replace those drains and

OPINION

SOCIALLY SPEAKING

On Facebook, we said: We’re exploring the poor cell reception in Clyde North. How are you coping with patchy mobile coverage?

Nia McMartin

Talk to Cassandra Fernando MP she’s done a survey and is advocating for better service!

Karen Wilsy

Telstra became worse in Cranny West since they switched off 3G. Now lucky to get one bar.

Kazz M Jarman

Too late. My son moved from there lol. It was always bad for five years.

Gabriele Frenkel

Not just Clyde, internet coverage in Coastal Villages (Blind Bight, Cannons Creek, Tooradin andWarneet) are shocking too.

Kelly Brown

It’s always been bad. Complete dead area. Clyde and Cardinia have no signal with Telstra and limited with Optus. It’s always been like it.

Louise Bonney

Terrible mobile coverage in Clyde and Cardinia, it’s so frustrating.

Mel Hunter

It’s shocking. I have had better service in Thailand than in Clyde Nth. Black spots, calls drop out, it’s a disgrace.

Rhonda Hobbs Clare

While you’re at it you could also check out Narre Warren North. It’s not a good area, lucky to have any reception some days.

Alan Johnston

I am in Narre South in Heritage Drive on top of hill and reception is poor.

Roz Coles

It’s rubbish. My kids cannot contact me on their phones when leaving school and I can’t reach them - there is a huge dead area around the schools and Selandra Shopping Centre. What’s the point of paying for mobiles when our kids cannot reach us if there is an emergency.

make the pipes bigger because you’ve not only got the rain coming down the hill [but] from both ends. That would be one of the worst places flooded in Casey.”

As storms could be selective, it was quite indiscriminate as to places that were going to be flooded in Casey, Mr Luke believed.

“It just depends on where the rain falls and

how much the rain falls.

“This is one of the reasons why I’m doing the weather because I want people to be better informed.”

City of Casey manager active communities Angie Peresso said it was great to hear the resident was thinking well ahead of potential future emergencies.

“We strongly encourage them to think about their own plans and preparedness for any emergency, including flood. Lots of supporting information is available on our website,” she said, directing people to casey.vic. gov.au/emergency

To know more about Mr Luke’s severe weather forecast, visit shorturl.at/yBHX5

LENSCAPE

Wilson

Hampton Park resident and Australian severe weather forecaster Dennis Luke. 208538

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

We’re building big near you and there will be transport disruptions

As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re easing congestion by building better roads and removing level crossings in Melbourne’s south east. We’re also building the Metro Tunnel. While we work, transport disruptions may affect your travel.

What we’ve done

Opened the new

Opened the newly upgraded intersection of Taylors

roads in Skye, along with new lanes on

Upgraded four intersections on Western

Highway – at Thompsons, Hall, Ballarto and CranbourneFrankston roads

Upgraded 8 new intersections as part of the Narre WarrenCranbourne Road Upgrade, including Lyall Street and Rochester Parade in the last month

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions

Cranbourne & Pakenham lines 9 to

Newborn service concern

By Violet Li

Casey mums are questioning when the council’s maternal health checks would be fully restored as their newborns keep missing out on critical services, despite the council claiming a full restoration from December 2023.

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service, a free program provided by the local councils, supports families with child health information and developmental checks from birth to the age of six. The program offers 10 appointments at key stages from two weeks old to three and a half years old.

Michelle Crowther, a local mother and women’s health physiotherapist, noticed many of her clients, pregnant and postnatal women, raised concerns about their reduced MCH appointments.

“I know my friend’s daughter has just had a baby and couldn’t get the visits in Casey, so she’s going to Frankston Council to get the visits done,” she said.

“And then I had another patient who told me she could not get any visit about six weeks ago.”

Ms Crowther understood that Casey struggled to provide the full service during Covid, but what confounded her was that Casey didn’t seem to expand the programs after Covid.

Casey was one of the local councils hit hard by Covid due to nurse shortages, with a record 12 per cent decrease in participation in the MCH service in 2022/23.

The council has worked gradually to restore the delivery of the service, with its 2022-23 Annual Report stating that ‘following a period of reduced service offering to the zero to eight week age group from October 2022, this has now increased to zero to 18 months age group at the end of June 2023’.

However, Ms Crowther believed it was not entirely the case.

“My clients and the feedback I received online all said their care was limited to four to 12 months and parents had not been contacted to resume visits,” she said.

After raising her confusion at the February council meeting, she was told that the service had been fully restored, but the council did acknowledge a workforce shortage.

When inquired by Star News, City of Casey

manager child, youth, and family Bronwyn Saffron said that the council recommenced its full MCH service from December 2023, which echoed what Ms Crowther had been told at the meeting.

Baffled by the response, Ms Crowther posted posts on the local Facebook page after the meeting and a lot of new mums replied with the same experience.

A mother with a 20-month-old kid did not get a call or a message for an 18-month checkup.

Another commented that she just tried to make an appointment for her almost 18-month-old and was told no service could be provided now.

Ms Crowther said the services were critical for detecting early development disorders.

“I got contacted by someone who works in childcare, saying they noticed at the childcare

that the child wasn’t walking or crawling like they should be. And today, when they mentioned it to the parents, they just thought they were just a bit behind, but actually, the baby had hip dysplasia,” she said.

“And by not having that diagnosed early and not getting the right treatment early, that’s something that will affect that child for the rest of their life.

“I would like to know when the full MCH services that other Victorian children receive will be fully restored and if Casey Council will contact toddlers whose care was reduced to resume their visits.”

Ms Saffron, from the City of Casey, said the council recently employed seven new MCH nurses, and more appointments were becoming available.

“Although we are excited about the large number of new MCH nurses appointed, we

will continue to work closely with the Victorian Department of Health, Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, and Safer Care Victoria to resolve workforce issues, which includes council supporting MCH student placements,” she said.

“Council is committed to supporting all families and parents in our community and continues to provide free first-time parents’ groups, sleep and settling support, breastfeeding (lactation) support, and online workshops for the introduction of foods. Council’s Enhanced MCH Team also provides additional in-home support for parents who are referred to the council by an MCH nurse, GP, or other health professionals.

“Parents of older children who in the past have not been able to get an appointment, are encouraged to call the central booking number on 9705 5590.”

‘We don’t have enough food’: Call to help fill lunchboxes

By Emma Xerri

Narre

Warren’s

Transit Soup Kitchen is hoping to make the burden a little lighter for local families, with a‘lunchbox filler’ food drive that will allow them to provide more for those in need.

Struggling with sourcing food, the soup kitchen is running their first ever drive throughout March, hoping to boost their supplies and raise awareness of the important work they are doing year round.

“We have so many families and we simply don’t have enough food coming in,” Transit volunteer Dot said.

“Supermarkets don’t have enough left over to give us, and Foodbank is passing food out elsewhere, so we’re not getting as much from Foodback as we would like. It’s been very difficult.

“We’re usually able to give people a choice of about eight or nine groceries, but now we’re down to four.

“We’re hoping that by putting out this food drive, we will be able to get some support from the community so we can help our underprivileged families, especially those with children who don’t have enough food to take to school.”

Fellow volunteer Michelle acknowledges that the cost of living crisis is hitting school students in a way that primarily goes unnoticed.

By focusing on foods that are suitable for school lunches, she hopes that Transit can do their part in providing groceries for lunch boxes that will make kids feel confident around their peers.

“I’m a teacher, and I think a lot of people

don’t realise the impact of the rising cost of living on kids going to school,” she said.

“Groceries for kids’ lunchboxes are very specific. A can of baked beans, for instance, is not going to fill a lunchbox for a kid to go to school confidently.

“So there’s a niche within this need for food that is really lacking and kids are paying the price.

“Anything that will fill a lunch box and

make up a meal - like muesli bars, biscuits, spreads like Vegemite or jam, snack packetswill allow kids to open up their lunchboxes in front of their friends around a table and not feel ashamed.”

Transit Soup Kitchen will be putting out posters for collections around local schools for the month of March. Alternatively, people looking to donate can drop off their non-perishable, in-date foods to Transit Soup Kitch-

en at 3 Webb Street on Monday afternoons, Tuesday mornings, and all day Wednesday and Thursday.

“We would appreciate any donations,” Dot added.

“The community is generally very caring, but they don’t always realise the need. So if they could help us, we would be ever so grateful.”

Lisa Milkovic, dedicated volunteer and Transit’s grocery manager.Natalie Mason, one of the many hard-working volunteers.

Michelle Crowther, a local mother and women’s health physiotherapist, spelled out the concerns for reduced MCH appointments in Casey. 390923

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

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Fighting tax hike

By Emma Xerri

The South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) is campaigning against significant land tax increases being felt by their members state-wide.

Calling the increase an “unjustified tax grab”, SEMMA believes manufactures should be exempt from this tax increase, and are urging for transparency from the State Government regarding the substantial increases in land values and consequent land tax burdens on local manufacturers.

SEMMA CEO HoniWalker believed the burden had been placed on the state’s manufacturers to “absorb Victoria’s debt burden”.

“Manufacturers are being penalised for running profitable businesses – businesses that are the engine room of our state’s economy,” she said.

“We kept the state’s economy ticking over during Covid as manufacturing was designated an essential service.

“We continued to pay ever-increasing taxes – (land, payroll, FBT, PAYG, Capital Gains Tax, GST and Company Income Tax) plus an increase in WorkCover premiums, in some cases over 70 per cent – you name it, we paid it.

“And we did not receive any government hand-outs to keep our doors open.

“Now we are being asked to cover a debt that we did not contribute to.”

In a survey to SEMMA members, 100 per cent of respondents said they were facing extreme increases in land tax from last year.

Managing director of Berwick’s own Australian Precision Technologies Pty Ltd, Richard Weinzierl, said their land tax had more than

tripled since last year.

“In the current climate it is hard enough to run a medium-sized business and keep the running costs down when you are served with an unexpected increase, particularly when we have budgeted according to the previous year,” he said.

“Our business is making an enormous effort to create local employment in the area, and we also run apprenticeships.

“If these increases persist, it will have a very big impact on business going forward. We would even have to seriously consider not continuing with apprenticeships or the like.”

Hallam manufacturer Ace Wire Works’ land valuation also doubled from $4.2 million to $8.5 million in 12 months, resulting in a land tax bill climbing from $58,575 to $177,400.

Project manager Simon Blashki said their land tax bill had soared 1000 per cent in five years, stressing that increased land value “doesn’t make our business more profitable”.

A fairer revenue-raiser would be tied to a company’s profit, Mr Blashki said.

“It’s a huge amount of money to pay. Trying to compete overseas and interstate – that’s where this gets more challenging.”

With these increases being felt across SEMMA’s entire membership base, Ms Walker highlighted that “the effects will be felt at the consumer level when we are forced to increase our prices to cover these tax hikes”.

Long-serving SEMMA member and president, and Dandenong manufacturer, Peter Anglico also spoke to the severity of the issue, saying this campaign is “probably the strongest action we’ve taken”.

South-Eastern Metropolitan MP David Limbrick of the Libertarian Party regarded the issue as a “dreadful assault on the most valuable people we have, the people who use their ingenuity to create wealth”.

He told Parliament that “thousands” of manufacturing jobs were under threat due to “yet another over-the-top government response to the pandemic”.

Opposition treasury spokesperson Brad Rowswell also said the “excessive” land tax rises were “crushing Victorian families and businesses”.

“The government has run out of money and we’re all paying the price.

“Victorians deserve immediate tax relief which would take some of the pressure off families and provide businesses with the breathing room to scale up operations and help grow our economy.”

A State Government spokesperson said it was engaging with SEMMA to discuss its concerns and how to support manufacturing in South East Melbourne.

“We’re continuing to invest in Victoria’s manufacturing industry to help local businesses innovate and expand as they are key to growing our economy and supporting local jobs.”

The spokesperson said the changes to land tax rates and thresholds were “temporary”.

“Land tax assessments also move with land values.

“Victoria’s land tax scale remains progressive and ensures that smaller property investors pay proportionally less than those with larger landholdings.”

VCAT gives building green light

By Emma Xerri

Two side by side dwellings are set to be constructed on Berwick’s Kramer Drive, despite opposition from Casey Council.

The proposal, given the go-ahead by Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) member Sarah McDonald, was seeking approval for two three-storey side by side dwellings at 30 Kramer Drive, including a garage to be cut into the site.

The council originally refused the permit on the grounds of “overdevelopment [and] neighbourhood character”, claiming the appearance of the proposed development would create “excessive visual bulk”.

They also claimed the proposed development lacked sufficient landscaping to allow the property to fit in with the neighbourhood character, which predominantly comprises double-storey detached houses with significant frontal landscaping.

Ms McDonald ruled, on 19 February, that the council placed too much emphasis on maintaining the existing character of the area, and that respecting character does not mean preventing change.

Moreover, she maintained that the character of the area would change as housing growth occurs.

While Ms McDonald acknowledged issues relating to landscaping, she did not believe these issues were significant enough to deem the proposal unacceptable.

Instead, she mandated changes to the proposal to ensure that the scale and visual impact were a more acceptable fit within the streetscape.

These changes included increasing the setback of the balcony and front wall on the top floor of the dwellings, and maximising the landscaping space between the two driveways and along the side boundaries.

She also required the width of the driveways and garage doors be reduced to single car width.

Amended plans incorporating these required changes must be submitted to and approved by the council before development starts.

Scouts concerned for hall’s future amid plan development

By Emma Xerri

The future of the Narre Warren Scouts Hall remains uncertain, with the group saying it has received little information or clarification in the years since the release of the Max Pawsey Recreation Reserve Master Plans in 2020.

The reserve, which is situated opposite Bunjil Place and Westfield Fountain Gate, currently functions as a sporting reserve, supporting a variety of local organised sports including AFL, cricket, tennis, athletics and lawn bowls, along with the Narre Warren Scouts Group.

In an attempt to better support these groups, the master plan outlines opportunities for development which, most significantly for the scouts, includes an option to replace the existing scouts hall with a dual-purpose major facility incorporating the hall with the AFL/cricket sporting pavilion, community room and public toilets.

While the estimated $4.56 million development serves to improve the reserve’s facilities and better accommodate Casey’s growing population, the Narre Warren Scouts remain uncertain of what this change will mean for the future of their group.

“As the group leader of the Narre Warren Scout Group I have phoned the council and

repeatedly requested information on what was happening with the Master Plan and the council’s plans for our Scout Hall,” Narre Warren Scout Group leader, Melinda Davison said.

“There was no communication with me and I was left feeling in the dark, until 25 January of this year when I received an email asking the community to provide feedback on

the draft plans for the playspace and car park at Max Pawsey Reserve.

“In the letter they state that the ‘space is for the community’ and that they want it ‘to be a place for you, your family and friends to visit together for years to come’. The letter also stated that the project will have a focus on providing a space that is ‘inviting, inclusive and welcoming which will also help the demands of our growing community’.

“I absolutely agree with this and our Narre Warren Scout Hall has already been doing this for almost 48 years.

“We have members who were Joeys and are now leaders of youth, and parents who bring their child to their assigned nights and speak fondly about their memories here as a young scout.”

City of Casey manager for city asset and planning, Keri New, responded to these claims regarding the lack of communication.

“The City of Casey recently consulted with the community regarding its draft concept design for the Max Pawsey Reserve playspace and car park,” she said.

“The playspace and car park is an exciting project that will provide greater amenity to all users of Max Pawsey Reserve.

“The draft design, which is identified in the Max Pawsey Master Plan, does not impact

the Scout Hall. Future plans for the Scout Hall are included in the Max Pawsey Reserve Master Plan, which is currently under review.

“The community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the Master Plan in the coming months.”

But for Ms Davison, it is not the plans that are of concern, but the lack of input her scouts have been able to give, worried that the legacy of their group will fade if their hall is removed.

“Our group is growing in numbers and we are excited to welcome everyone.

However, families are uncertain about commiting to Narre Warren Scout Group as they want to join a scout group that will still have a dedicated space where they can play ball games, camp over in the hall on the weekends and host other local Scout groups,” she added.

“Due to a lack of transparency and communication from the City of Casey it has left over 80 leaders, youth members and families uncertain what the future of our group holds.

“All we want is to collaborate and communicate with the City of Casey to ensure that we are kept informed of changes to their plans and to work together to ensure that our youth members in scouting have a space where they can continue their learning through play and adventure without limitations.”

Richard Weinzierl (front) with apprentices Harrison Don, Tom Stevens and Joshua Parkinson. 391403

The Max Pawsey Reserve has been home to the Narre Warren Scouts Hall since 1989.

Reach out and dive right in

By Ethan Benedicto

From swimming to mental health, Laps for Life aims to not only raise awareness but also raise funds for those who urgently need support.

Put together by Reach Out, the organisation aims to make the month of March a period for advocating and preventing youth suicide through the act of swimming.

Georgia, a 19-year-old swimming instructor whose passion for swimming was recently reignited is more than keen on taking part in the month-long event.

“I think for me it’s all about raising awareness, about preventative measures, and particularly about the interaction between physical health and mental health,” Georgia said.

Intending to swim 10 kilometres in March, Georgia is encouraging others to also take the plunge for a noble cause.

For her, swimming was a much more engaging activity that someone could undertake, allowing multiple muscles to be worked, but also allowing time for someone to reflect on themselves.

“Physically, it’s good exercise, I feel like I’ve become stronger and have more energy the more I’ve been swimming.

“Once you go underwater it gets quieter and you can sort of just forget about everything, which has been very helpful,” Georgia said.

Linda Williams, senior psychologist and clinical lead at Reach Out said engaging endeavours such as Laps for Life are important when it comes to advocating and understanding mental health.

“One of the things we know is that mental health difficulties are really, really common in young people.

“One of the challenges is a lot of young people aren’t seeking professional support, not going to see a GP face-to-face.

“So it’s important to have options for young people that are more appealing to them, more accessible, something that they’re more likely to access and that’s what Reach Out’s focus has been,” MsWilliams said.

For Ms Williams, Laps for Life hits multiple targets with one arrow.

“If you know somebody who is doing laps for life, that brings mental health to your attention.

“If you’re somebody who is participating in laps for life or supporting someone who is, you’re doing something to support mental health and active in that sense, but also in a physical sense.

“One of the more consistent findings and recommendations when it comes to good mental health is that regular physical activity can be supportive when it comes to maintaining good mental health,” she said.

While she added that it’s not a cure, and is never a hundred per cent, “exercising regularly is good for your mood”.

The funds for the challenge will be directly supporting Reach Out, which is an online-only support service that is anonymous and confidential.

Ms Williams said that when it comes to looking for or accessing help, there’s no need for it to be a big leap, “it’s not all or nothing”.

“You don’t have to make the decision to tell everyone in your life, or you don’t have to start with seeing somebody, you can start small and build from there.”

In Georgia’s journey with her mental health, swimming itself has played a vital role as a helping hand.

“I think it was definitely a good release, I had pent-up energy that I didn’t know what to do with and I was feeling really restless a lot of the time.

“Swimming has helped me focus on one thing, it’s a very achievable goal, just swimming one lap at a time,” Georgia said.

To those who are looking to take part in the event but are unsure, Georgia said to just “go for it”.

“Even if you can’t swim you can still pick a shallow pool and walk the lap - you can find different ways to participate,” she said.

Ms Williams also encouraged those who are seeking help to do so, and do it one step at a time by either taking advantage of readily available resources that organisations like Reach Out provide, or by simply reading about it online.

“On our online platforms, a lot of young people will post and talk to other young people.

“Sometimes people will just go to the forums as readers, and even just reading about what others are going through helps them begin to feel connected but in a safe way.

“This means that you don’t have to share more than you’re comfortable with, you don’t have to take that step if you don’t want to,” she said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, online help through chatting with peers and other young people in similar situations is available through Reach Out at about.au.reachout.com

Alternatively, if you or someone you know need urgent mental health care, please contact Lifeline at 13 11 14.

For ages 5 - 25, Kids Helpline can be reached at 1800 55 1800.

Council undergoes electoral shake-up

By Violet Li

The Minister for Local Government endorsed a new electoral structure for Casey on Thursday 15 February that would see 12 wards with one councillor per ward.

The recommended names for the wards are Akoonah Ward, Casuarina Ward, Correa Ward, Cranbourne Gardens Ward, Dillwynia Ward, Grevillea Ward, Kalora Ward, Kowan Ward, Quarters Ward, River Gum Ward, Tooradin Ward, andWaratahWard.

An electoral representation advisory panel, appointed by the Local Government Minister, proposed three structure models in its preliminary report in November 2023 for public consultation.

All models sit under a single-councillor structure in compliance with the Local Government Act 2020.

Model One adopts an 11-ward structure, using major roads as boundaries.

ModelTwo also uses an 11 single-councillor structure, but it employs suburb boundaries to delineate wards.

Model Three has 12 single-councillor wards and applies mainly road and rail infrastructure as the dividing borders.

The public consultation attracted 32 valid submissions and the majority of them favoured Model Two, mostly using a templated letter with identical wording.

The final report provided by the advisory panel noted that Model Two was preferred because it ‘kept localities and grouped communities of interest together and had an odd number of councillors’.

Model Three was supported by seven submitters for its strong boundaries and capacity to manage population growth in Casey, ‘especially having two councillors in the south of the council’.

No support for Model One was submitted.

The advisory panel believed Model Three with‘the best potential to promote fair and equitable representation for voters in Casey and consequently facilitate good governance’ after careful consideration.

It found 12 councillors to be an appropriate number for Casey given its size, population, and the number and distribution of voters across the area.

To address the tied votes concern of the Model Two supporters, the panel quoted the

Local government electoral review stage 2 report: “[We] could not see any compelling reason for applying a preference for uneven numbers when determining councillor numbers, given that absence of councillors from time to time mean that the full complement of councillors is frequently not in attendance for council decisions and, in any case, the legislation allows for a stalemate to be resolved

through the mayor’s casting votes.”

The panel stressed that the council that was dismissed by the State Government had an 11-councillor structure.

It also noted that Model Three was relatively close to the current electoral structure, which would add to its advantage because of the familiarity.

Leisure centre shift

The City of Casey’s leisure centres will be under new management, with Aligned Leisure set to take the reigns from 1 July.

Aligned Leisure will be managing Casey ARC, Casey RACE, Doveton Pool in the Park, Casey Stadium, Endeavour Hills Leisure Centre, Olive Road Sporting Complex and The Shed Skatepark, with the city’s leisure facilities having a combined annual visitation of over three and a half million people, James Collins, Casey’s acting chief executive officer said that Aligned Leisure is a highly capable, communityfocused organisation that has a proven record in facility management and community activation.

Aligned Leisure is currently partnered with several other councils and cities, such as Cardinia, Mildura and Manningham to name a few.

The council is confident that Aligned Leisure will be able to deliver innovative, inclusive and high-quality programs within the facilities and also out to the community, enhancing member experience.

“Having a number of different management contracts, with a number of different providers, is not efficient for council and means the experience for users of those facilities is not always consistent,” Mr Collins said.

He also ensured that the council’s priority as of now is to work with the current facility managers and Aligned Leisure to guarantee a smooth transition for members, visitors, existing staff and stakeholders.

All current members will be contacted in the coming weeks with specific details on the transition and the next steps to take.

For more information, visit the City of Casey’s website at casey.vic.gov.au

The adopted 12 single-councillor wards structure for Casey. Picture: ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION ADVISORY PANEL

Linda Williams is the clinical lead at Reach Out and is also a senior psychologist.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Your questions answered

By Violet Li

Hallam Masjid in Narre Warren North had a successful Mosque Open Day on Sunday 25 February with opportunities for locals to learn more about the Islamic culture and religion.

Public relations officer Javid Khan said they gave people information and answered any questions.

“Some people just want to come and have a look at how we pray, and some people are sitting down when we’re praying,” he said.

“We had a lot of posters about various things, like what is the difference between Islam and Christianity and Judaism.”

Mr Khan said they held Mosque Open Days a couple of times before Covid and they used to have more people coming.

“After Covid, we didn’t get as many people as we did before, but we decided that we still would do it this year,” he said.

The atmosphere was great on the scene with a sausage sizzle in the garden, a guided tour, and all sorts of fun activities.

Deep dive into the flywheel effect and its purpose

In 1996, Jim Collins and a research team of 21 staff decided to find out what characteristics made great American companies “great”. Their criteria were very tough – the company had to produce cumulative returns which beat the general stock market by a factor of three over a 15-year period (in fact the great companies they identified actually managed more than double this!) and the companies had to be a household name brand (companies like Amazon and Google did not make the cut as they had not been around long enough). They looked at 1435 Fortune 500 companies to identify those that met the ‘great’ criteria and then determined what was common to these businesses so that others could learn from their findings and potentially apply this knowledge within their own businesses.The results and conclusions were groundbreaking and documented in a book called “Good to Great” which provides a summary of their results along with key insights on the common themes that were identified. One of these insights was the identification of what they termed ‘The Flywheel Effect’ which we will explore this in

TAKING CARE IAN ASH OF BUSINESS

more detail now.

As most of you will already know, a flywheel is a large, heavy disc attached to an engine.

Its purpose is to maintain smooth motion as the engine accelerates and decelerates and it achieves this by storing energy in the form of rotational momentum. As the flywheel spins, so it applies torque back to the engine itself hence maintaining momentum and requiring less input from the engine itself. The key point here is that momentum is built incrementally and gathers pace quickly and easily – it is impossible to point to a single point at which the flywheel creates a profound difference in speed.

What Collins and his team found was that

performance in ‘great’ companies was completely analogous to the effect of a flywheel, i.e. there was no one single point of transformation that made them great – their success came about due to the accumulation of many incremental improvements. What was seen as a ‘breakthrough’ by those outside of the business was actually the result of years of work by those inside it and achieved by a combination of persistence, incremental improvement and learning from what worked.

This conclusion is remarkably similar to the approach advocated by James Clear in his book ‘Atomic Habits’ in which he shows how lasting change is achieved through a series of small improvements (or changes in habit) to achieve remarkable results. (He cites a particular example of how a one percent improvement every day will lead to a massive 37 times increase in performance over the course of a year). Neither Collins nor Clear believe that revolution creates breakthroughs, it is the application of continued evolution that enables incredible outcomes.

If you go back ten to fifteen years in business, a common term you may have heard,

especially among larger organisations, was the need to achieve a BHAG – a big, hairy, audacious goal in a relatively short timeframe. The intent was to inspire and engage staff to achieve outstanding results. I do not know how many organisations actually achieved their BHAG(s) but I am willing to bet that the majority did not since as the Flywheel Effect shows, this is not the way that extraordinary results are typically produced. In fact, extremely aggressive targets tend to be demotivating rather than inspirational.

It is important to note that I am not advocating that only easily achievable goals should be defined (quite the reverse!) since these will cause a business to underperform in the long run.What I am saying is that if you have a significant goal to achieve, break this down into a series of smaller, realistic objectives that can be achieved within practical timeframes and persevere with this for the duration.

Ian Ash ACC, AInstIB Managing Director OrgMent Business Solutions - www.ombs.com.au

Bridge - give it a go!

Why play bridge?

The world’s most challenging mental sport, bridge is a game of skill, communication and infinite possibilities. It is an easy game to learn, a hard game to master and you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it.

Bridge provides an excellent mechanism to improve a player’s:

· Logical thinking skills

· Mathematical ability

· Memory

· Teamwork

· Social skills

· Concentration

· Critical thinking ability

· Communication skills

· Problem-solving ability; and

· Inferential reasoning.

The Berwick Bridge Club is a friendly club that holds duplicate bridge sessions at the Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House three times a week, on Monday evenings, as well as Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

It’s a friendly club which welcomes players of all abilities, the club is always looking for

new members.

Not yet a player?

That’s fine as the club offers lessons which run for approximately six weeks, giving brand new players an introduction to the game and preparing them for the supervised sessions.

Supervised sessions are held on Friday mornings, allowing players to ask questions as a number of prepared hands are played and then discussed. This is the perfect place for players to further their knowledge upon completion of the lessons, and is also perfect for those returning to bridge after an absence.

In addition to the regular duplicate bridge sessions, throughout the year there are a number of competitions held, offering players a chance to compete in events within the club as well as (some) across the nation.

There are also social events such as the Christmas party and the Melbourne Cup party.

Berwick Bridge club will be conducting beginners’ classes on Monday 4 March running for six weeks from 7pm until 9pm.

For general information about the club, email us at Berwick.bc@bigpond.com or call us on 9702 2348

Abdul, Fahim, Hashim, and Mohamed. 390758

Picture: GARY SISSONS

Hallam Mosque Open Day public relations officer Javid Khan next to one of the displays. 390758

Sen Sgt Rob Colcott, Mohammed, Abdul, Sen Sgt Alan Dew, and president Fahim.

Berwick

An engaging education

Don Bosco School welcomes you!

Each day our students engage in learning prepared by a team of teachers, based on evidence and observation of students on task alongside the curriculum.

Helping

All teachers are trained in the research based phonics approach we utilise along with our wellbeing framework, ‘Kimochis’. We have a huge expanse of land inclusive of a running track, natural oval, basketball court, courtyard space and two adventure playgrounds.

Our school hall allows sports to run all year and provides a wonderful gathering space to host special events for mums, dads, grandparents and close friends. Our school leaders host our assemblies and support a variety of initiatives including our garden and Mini Vinnies.

Each child experiences weekly lessons in French, Physical Education, Visual Art, Performing Art and STEM.

Sign up to come on a school tour on our website www.dbnarre.catholic.edu.au.

kids with maths adds up for parents, carers

Helping primary school children learn math at home can be a rewarding experience that lays a strong foundation for their future academic success. Parents play a crucial role in fostering a positive attitude towards math and providing the necessary support. Here are some effective strategies for parents to help their primary school children learn math at home:

1. Create a positive attitude: Parents should maintain a positive attitude towards math themselves and avoid expressing any negativity. Emphasize that math is a valuable skill that can be interesting and fun. Avoid saying things like “I was never good at math“ to prevent your child from developing a similar mindset.

2. Incorporate math into daily kife: Integrate math into everyday activities.While cooking, involve your child in measuring ingredients, estimating quantities, and understanding fractions.When shopping, ask them to compare prices, calculate discounts, or estimate the total cost.

3. Play math games:

Engage in math games and puzzles that

make learning enjoyable. Board games, card games, and online math apps offer interactive ways to reinforce math concepts, improve problem-solving skills, and enhance logical thinking.

4. Establish a dedicated study space: Create a comfortable and organised study space where your child can focus on math activities. Minimise distractions and provide the necessary math tools, such as pencils, paper, rulers, and calculators.

5. Set realistic goals: Set achievable goals based on your child’s current math level. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, to boost their confidence and motivation.

6. Use real-life examples: Show how math is relevant in the real world. When planning a family outing, discuss distances, travel times, and routes. Calculate the tip at a restaurant or determine the change after making a purchase.

7. Be patient and supportive: Each child learns at their own pace. Be patient and provide the necessary support. Of-

fer guidance without imposing pressure, and be ready to explain concepts multiple times if needed.

8. Encourage problem-solving: Expose your child to various math problems that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. Encourage them to approach challenges from different angles and develop their own strategies.

9. Provide practical applications: Connect math concepts to practical applications. For instance, when learning about fractions, use pizza slices to illustrate different fractions and their relationships.

10. Communicate with teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s math teacher to understand the curriculum and identify areas where your child might need additional support. This partnership ensures a coordinated effort between school and home.

11. Use online resources: Utilise reputable online resources that offer interactive math lessons, tutorials, and practice exercises. These resources can reinforce classroom learning and provide additional

practice.

12. Read math-related books: Explore math-related storybooks that make math concepts more relatable and engaging. These books can stimulate your child’s interest in math and provide different perspectives on the subject.

13. Emphasise mistakes as learning opportunities:

Encourage your child to view mistakes as a natural part of learning. Discuss errors openly, identify the areas that need improvement, and work together to overcome challenges.

14. Make math a family activity: Involve the entire family in math-related activities. Play math trivia games during family gatherings, solve puzzles together, or have a math-themed movie night.

By adopting these strategies, parents can create a supportive and engaging learning environment at home, fostering their primary school children’s interest and confidence in math. Remember that your positive involvement can have a lasting impact on their academic success and overall attitude towards learning.

Don Bosco School is welcoming environment for all.

Eight sustainability tips

Sustainability is a focus of many schools these days, with students often encouraged to engage in practices such as packing‘nude’ lunches, recycling and switching off lights when not in use.

How can parents help encourage their kids to be sustainable students?

Here are eight tips from Sustainability Victoria:

1.Lunches - get the kids to make their own lunch and use containers suited to nude food, eliminating the need for disposable wrapping. If you do need to wrap, reusable beeswax wraps can be used. Find out about them online or do a course on making them at your local neighborhood house or community arts centre.

2.Make your own snacks - despite what they say, many kids have plenty of time on their hands. Teach them to make their own muesli bars and other snacks. Be patient, it’s a great life skill. They will learn to be more independent and have fun doing it!

3.Get more value - use the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ website to get great recipes to use last night’s leftovers in exciting ways for school (and work) lunches.

4.Use what you’ve got - save money by digging out pens, pencils and other consumables

from drawers, cupboards and bags, rather than buying new ones. Many stationery makers also have a range of notebooks made

from recycled paper.

5.Textbooks and uniforms - most schools have secondhand book and uniform shops, but

your local op shop is also worth trying. Many high school English and literature books are available for free on Kindle. For other subjects, ask teachers what the difference is with this year’s version of a textbook compared with last year’s, as the older edition may still be suitable.

6.Walking or riding to school is a great way to stay fit. It saves fuel and reduces vehicle pollution and traffic jams at the school gate. Otherwise, park a short distance from the school and walk with the kids and use it as an opportunity to teach road rules. Catching the bus may also be an option.

7.Buying a desk, bookcase or filing cabinet? Second-hand office furniture shops often have very modern goods at a much better price than new and they will last. It is also worth checking out Facebook Marketplace for some great quality bargains.

8.Ask your school to join the ResourceSmart Schools program offered by Sustainability Victoria. Supporting schools within the state to embed sustainability measures across the school facilities, community and curriculum, once a school joins the program, it will have access to an online portal to learn and practice ways of integrating sustainability while also saving resources and money for the school.

Walking or riding to school is a great way to stay fit.

Make your own snacks.

Teaching your kids about sustainable food choices is an important life skill. (iStock)

Bumper crowd for show

By Emma Xerri

The Berwick Show celebrated its 175th run over the weekend, with two jam-packed days of family fun and the finest of local agriculture.

Taking over Akoonah Park, the show saw over 20,000 people in attendance, covering the grounds to immerse themselves in the entertainment on offer and enjoy Melbourne’s uncharacteristically nice weather.

“It was fantastic. We could not have asked for better weather, grounds and people. It all came together and we are so fortunate,” show secretary Margaret Boon said.

The weekend had a plethora of things lined up, from stage shows for the more musically inclined (or musically inclined at heart) attendees, to adrenaline-inducing stunt bike shows, and trade stalls.

This year’s show also saw the return of the crowd favourite woodchop competitions, with an impressive 30 choppers grateful to once again be showing off their axe-wielding skills to a packed crowd.

“Having the woodchop back was terrific,” woodchop organiser Andy Fyfe said.

“Everyone was really welcoming and the choppers were all very happy to be there, because they’ve been starved of woodchops for the last year.

“And it’s great for an agricultural show to have a woodchop as part of the scene. It brings that country flavour.

“There were lots of new young choppers coming through the ranks, too. We had an 18-year-old winning one of the big chops yesterday, so that’s good to see.”

Outside of the woodchop, attendees feasted not only on food, but on all the other attractions.

Show regulars like the animal nursery, carnival rides and showbags continued to be roaring hits.

The aptly named Kidding Around Area also provided some release for the kids (and their guardians), away from the high-pitched squeals of the rides, with free children’s books, face painting, biscuit decorating and pony rides.

And for those on the lookout for a palate cleanser after working their way through the food court, attendees were treated to a devonshire tea running all weekend.

2024 firsts the Produce Paddock and farriers competition also added a delightful newness to the festivities.

“One of the biggest highlights was the farrier competition, which was a state championship,” Mr Fyfe added.

“There’s a big cohort of them locally, with the Pakenham and Cranbourne race tracks nearby, so there were around 100 farriers at the show, with some even joining from New Zealand.

“That was a big crowd pleaser!”

“But every small section played its part.

“There were sheep on Saturday, and dogs in the same shed on Sunday. We had arts and crafts, which saw well over 400 entries. The photography was full too.

“And of course, the arena attractions were a big hit.

“The audience loved the stunt motorbikes, and one of the really popular events was the dog high jump, which always has crowds gathering around to watch. That was won by a kelpie yesterday who jumped 2.4 metres, which definitely isn’t a bad spring into the air.

“It’s the little things like that that make a show.”

The return of the woodchop was welcomed by all. 390798

Flyball for the dogs. 390798

Showjumping on Sunday. 390798

Talia in the Junior Handlers event with a Jersey Heifer. 383931

Mason, 12, with a rabbit from Animals Fur All in Tooradin. 383931

Dale Hansford honing his axe before the woodchop competition. 390798

Austin Ferris is a veteran at a young age - here in the Junior Handlers event with a Jersey Heifer. 383931

Plenty of action in the flyball area. 390798

One of the pygmy goats on display at the Trinity Pygmy Goat display by Paul Hamilton. 390798

Judge Angus Fraser (middle) with Ian Anderson (left) with King’s View Rosella and Kevin Collins (right) exhibiting for Winsome Anderson - in the Cow 4-5 Years in Milk category. 383931

Mitchell Coffey at the woodchop. 390798

The Curls from Rivercrest Christian College performed live on stage.

left, Tanjil (11), Sierra (8) and Jasper (13). 383931

Woodchop action. 390798

Farriers compete at the Berwick Show. 383931

Stunt motorbikes at the Bewick Show. 390798

Paul Hamilton from the Trinity Pygmy Goat stand with Asha from Baxter with one of the cute pygmy goats in her lap. 390798

Mason and Katie in the Children’s Farm with a rabbit. 390798

Rod Craig from Rod Craig Farrier Services works fast in the farriers event. 383931

Kaylee Stephens on Polly Darto in the showjumping. 383931

Tell us about yourself and what you do in your organisation.

Pinoy Casey Community, Inc. (PCCi) was formed by “community-service-focused Filipinos (Pinoy)” who all reside in the City of Casey. However, our slogan “we all belong”, simply means that PCCi also caters to all people from different heritage (not just Filipinos), and also those who live outside the City of Casey, although our projects are mainly focused to serve those who live in the City of Casey.

What do you love the most about your role in your new organisation?

Meeting people from all walks of life, being a positive influence and being of service to them, and learning from them, are for me, the ultimate high. That’s what I love most about being involved in community organisations such as PCCi, to be given the chance to give back to the community.

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

Depending on their respective habitats; 1) Land-based, I’d be a monkey because monkeys, I believe, can entertain people more and do more things like humans do. 2) Water, I’d be a dolphin to signify my being a happy and expressive kind of person. 3.) Air, I’d be an eagle, who flies high and be at its best when the wings are spread.

What was your most memorable moment during your current job?

The most memorable moment so far happened last December during our first Pinoy Olympics held in Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick. To see all family members getting together, having fun, and playing traditional Filipino street games as a team…that’s precious. For me, a happy family equates to an amazing community.

What were you like as a kid?

This is the shortest question and therefore deserves the longest answer. I was a dreamer

with

as a kid, I dreamt of becoming a lawyer as my first choice (and engineer, as a second choice), a great basketball player, and an amazing singer. Praise to God because I have fulfilled everything…well almost and not really! I fulfilled my (second choice) dream to become an engineer because I am a practising chartered professional engineer. My eldest child (I have two children) is also fulfilling my dream because she’s now working as an engineer, and my youngest graduated with a law degree a few months ago. Then, I feel like I am a great basketball player (in my own right, ha ha). In the eyes of others, I might be a “bad” basketball player, but hey, I am confident enough to say that I can play! Finally, I am gifted with unlimited confidence in me, so I can say that I am an amazing singer (again, in my own right) too. Check it out (and subscribe), here’s my YouTube channel with me singing more than 500 songs already: @alfietilan895 (no hate, please).

What event, past or present, would you like to witness?

There’s one that always comes to mind, the life of Jesus Christ when he’s still living amongst us. Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

Tough list but here they go: Michael Jordan, Gary Valenciano, Lee Iacoca, Mother Theresa, Albert Einstein, Taylor Swift (and if she’s not available, she can be replaced by Madonna). What three words would your friends use to describe you?

Funny, confident, and kind.

What would you do on your perfect day off?

My perfect day-off (24 hours) are like this: 1) Morning: Watch my favourite sports (basketball) whilst sitting on the couch with my feet up and having a snack. 2) Midday to late afternoon, fishing in Phillip Island and a late afternoon walk in a park with my wife Julie. 3) Complete family dinner, and have karaoke later. 4.) An uninterrupted eight-hour sleep. Where is your happy place?

Normally, I would say being with “nature” (trees, beaches, etc.), but there’s really no specific happy place for me. “Happy place” is in the heart, as long as I’m with my healthy family sharing treasured moments together…that’s my happy place.

If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

I don’t cook, so I’ll be disqualified right away. Julie is the perfect cook for me, and what good is a cook if there’s no one to eat… so that’s my role, to eat perfectly cooked foods by a great MasterChef wife. Anyway, if, say for example, I do cook, I’d cook the most delicious crispy pork with rice and soup.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

A specific town in Switzerland called Neuchâtel. Hopefully I can finally be there this year, 2024.

THREE … ways to stay cool at night without air con

1 Close the windows, shut the blinds, and block the air openings during the daytime.

2 Invest in electric fans for each room. Turn them on at the maximum power and place a bowl of ice in front of the fans.

3 Revamp your bedding. Look for bamboo mats, or linen or pure cotton sheets.

Alfie Tilan in a sack race. 379801

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

WHAT’S ON

Berwick Bridge Club

Are you looking for some exercise for your brain that is both fun and challenging? Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. Lessons are held at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick. The course will run for six-plus weeks on a Monday night.

To reserve your spot phone Maree on 9702 2348.

· There is a free beginner’s course starting on 4 March from 7pm-9pm. No partner required.

Balla Balla Community Centre

Located in Clyde North, the centre has vacancies in the following classes: Introduction to Creative Writing, Conversational English, Yoga, Zumba, Playgroup, Balla Balla Bubs (0-12 months). Morning Melodies is back! Share a morning of music, enjoy a cuppa, or scones with jam and cream, and make new friends along the way.

· Enrolments can be made online at ballaballa. com.au/programs or by phoning 5990 0900.

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club

Are you newly retired or new to the area or just wanting to enjoy your freedom or expand your social life?

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating activities such as weekly social/ chat activities with low-key in line dancing if you want to tap your feet and enjoy an afternoon tea. Day, short and long trips away via coach and flights, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly evening dineouts, weekly table tennis club, walking groups, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, and more.

· Come along and get to know us by visiting us on a Thursday at 2pm at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House or join us on a Wednesday at 10am for a Coffee at Little Sparrow Fountain Gate. For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.

Cranbourne U3A

We have commenced our classes and are happy that the new classes are proving to be very popular. Our Ballroom dance class has commenced and it is a lot of fun. You do not need a partner, just come along and give it a try. The Tai

Chi class is also going well. We have room for new members if you are interested. Our usual art, music, calligraphy, quilling, knitting, sewing/patchwork, chess, Italian, and Table Tennis groups are all back and enjoying lots of laughs and good company.

New members are always welcome. If you would like to join us pop into our rooms, we are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm. Our website is u3acraqnbourne.org.au for more information.

· Our rooms are in the Cranbourne Library building - enter from the Casey Radio entrancenext door to L’Arte Cafe.

Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre

Located in Cranbourne North, it has vacancies in the following classes, learn to speak, read, and write in English - all levels, Monday to Thursday; Early Childhood Education classes - four hours on a Friday, government-funded, great to do before enrolling in a Certificate class; Computer classes every Wednesday morning and afternoon and in Hazaragi Wednesday evenings; Crochet and chat every Wednesday morning with a crochet teacher for free.

Music by the Lake Casey Philharmonic is partnering with Wilson Botanic Park Berwick to bring you an afternoon and evening of music in the park. A range of local dance troops, choirs, and bands will join the Philharmonic Orchestra for this free community concert in the park.

· Saturday 2 March, Wilson Botanic Park Berwick, 2pm to dusk, free family events.

· Enrol now for our funded three and four-yearold Kinder Program with sessions up to five days a week. 9.30am to 2.30pm every day with structured play.

Seated Movement Sessions (Chair Dancing)

Would you enjoy exercising from the comfort of your chair?

Join the Berwick Activities Group for some seated movement sessions including fun and uplifting songs and different styles and eras of music. An opportunity to get moving and enjoy the company of others.

Timbarra Community Centre, 20-26 Parkhill Drive, Timbarra Way, Berwick. $8 per session. Contact admin@berwicknc.com.au or phone 9704 1863.

· Wednesdays from 10.45am to 11.30am.

Craft Classes

Do you enjoy craft making?

Join Berwick Activities Group’s Elizabeth to discover the world of papercraft and have a chat with like minded people.

You will be introduced to a range of papercraft techniques through a new project each week.

Casual attendance is welcome.

Timbarra Community Centre 20-26 Parkhill Drive, Timbarra Way, Berwick $5 per class, all materials supplied.

Contact admin@berwicknc.com.au or phone 9704 1863.

· Tuesdays from 10am to noon.

Berwick Springs VIEW Club

Affiliated with The Smith Family, the Berwick Springs VIEW Club is a not for profit organisation, with the aim to fundraise to support Learning for Life students.

The club currently supports seven students of varying ages with their education expenses and are about to take on an eighth student.

Throughout the year, the club has a couple of special fundraisers, as well as casual morning tea and lunch for interested ladies.

The club is always looking for new members in all age groups.

For more information, contact Shirley on 0419 878 481 or email berwicksprings.viewclub@ gmail.com

· The club meets on the first Monday of each month in the Berwick Springs Hotel function room from 11.30am, where members enjoy a lunch and then host a guest speaker.

DnD at Orana

Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is an inclusive tabletop, fantasy, role playing game.

Participants work together with other players to go on adventures in the DnD world.

You can act, explore, instigate, solve problems, and tell stories as you bring their chosen character to life within the game world.

Second Saturday of each month, 1pm to 9pm, Orana Community Place, 16/18 Playwright St, Clyde North.

· For enquiries and to book a spot at the table, reach out to Jonathan Whelan at thestoryweaver.dnd@gmail.com

Weekly badminton

Badminton for ladies or retired.

All welcome.

· Mondays 7pm-9pm and Wednesdays 12pm2.30pm at Hallam Badminton Club, Frawley Road Recreation Reserve; $5.

Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick. 349842

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Distancing from darkness

By David Nagel

Stephanie Lee Cutting is making up for lost time and it appears no-one will stand in her way.

The Clyde local and former Berwick and Cranbourne footballer will enter the ring on Friday night aiming to add the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) Super Featherweight championship to her first title win in December last year.

A third-round knock-out of Fijian Maureen Chand took Cutting’s professional record to 5-0, with four of those stopped inside the distance; claiming the WBF Australasian Lightweight title along the way.

It’s been a rapid rise for Cutting, who continues to deal with the trauma of a workplace injury that instantly curtailed a promising football career.

“I was always into sport as a kid; played footy until just before it exploded into AFLW, and the injury probably cost me being drafted,” Cutting explained.

“Basketball, netball, football, I was into everything - a real sporty kid.

“I had the job of my dreams, was playing high-level football, also kick-boxing at the time.

“I had a few amateur kick-boxing fights; I was travelling overseas…just living my best life.

“The I lost my career, couldn’t play sport anymore; and basically, got stuck on the couch wondering what could have been.

“The injury put me in some strife, physically, emotionally and mentally, so I’ve had a bit of a rough trot for the last five or six years.

“I worked in film and television, on TV shows like Wentworth, House Husbands and feature films that were produced here in Australia, and I lost all of that in an instant.”

The now 33-year-old, who grew up around Cockatoo and Emerald, had a decision to make.

“I had to get myself out of that dark place,” she confessed.

“My doctors wanted me to get back to the gym, to try and find my identity again, and that’s how it all started.

“I had my Pro-debut on March 17 last year and won my title-belt on December 16; now I’m 5 and 0 with four knockouts.

“I’m looking to go 6 and 0 with two titlebelts in my first year of boxing.”

Cutting’s Melbourne debut was won via a majority points decision, but her subsequent four fights have all come by way of knockout.

She attributes her improving skillset to a

strong and dedicated support team.

“A friend of mine and ex-fighter, Sarah Howett, she helped me out from the beginning, and my current head coach is Blake Caperallo.

“He’s in America at the moment for his own fight, and ‘Neekz’ Johnson is a former world champion and also my best friend, she’s been a huge support also.

“I knew I had it in me before the injury, which is why it was so disheartening when I was sitting on the couch, wasting the prime years of my life.

“Sarah knew what I had; and then Blake came along and we just started chipping away; trying to get better each day.”

Cutting said it can’t be underestimated what boxing has done to reinvigorate her life.

“It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and has definitely put the spark back into me that I used to have,” she said.

“It keeps me out of that dark hole.

“I still struggle with my injury every day, but I just have something now to look forward to.

“It’s my passion…I can’t explain it any other way.

“It’s about getting back out there and trying

to get my life back again.”

The self-described “pressure-fighter…with a strong right-hand” has never taken a backward step, and doesn’t intend doing so until she reaches her full potential.

“I just want to see how far I can go and I’m not stopping until I get to the top,” she said.

“I just want to keep getting the wins under my belt, travelling, getting the experience; I

just want to keep learning.

“I haven’t stopped and thought about what I’ve achieved so far…it’s more like I’m trying to make up for lost time.”

Businesses or individuals who would like to support Steph on her exciting journey can contact her on Instagram via @stephyleecutting, or drop her an email at stephy_lee18@ hotmail.com

A return home? Beaconsfield considering its options

By Marcus Uhe

An extraordinary general committee meeting in mid-March will determine the future of where Beaconsfield Cricket Club will play its cricket in the coming years, with the possibility of returning to the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association, formerly the West Gippsland Cricket Association, on the cards.

Beaconsfield moved to the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) for the 2015/16 season, climbing the ranks to Turf 1 after winning the Turf 2 premiership in 2022/23, in its first season under captaincoach Mark Cooper.

While the season begun brightly with a win in the club’s first fully-completed game against Narre South in round four, and competitive showings against strong sides, the toll of playing in the DDCA’s highest standard on a young side and small committee has weighed heavily on volunteers and contributors.

Speaking on the DDCA Radio Show on Casey Radio, Cooper said the club undertook a review in order to determine the club’s next steps.

“We got thrown into Turf 1 this year and on limited resources, volunteers and budget,

we gave it a crack,” Cooper said on Saturday morning.

“But coming towards the end of the season, we sat down and said ‘what’s our vision for the next three to five years, what does that look like?’.

“That meant we had a bit of a review, similar to Berwick last year, a pulse check of where the club is at, what people are think-

ing, where do you want the club to go, etc.

“That’s driven some conversations around, is Turf 1 the right fit for us as a club, moving forward?

“That was unanimous that across the board that juniors, seniors, life members, that Turf was a really good aspect to the club.

“Now it’s about exploring those and what it’s going to look like for the future

for Beaconsfield.”

Where other well-established clubs inTurf 1 are able to draw on supporters and spectators to contribute with tasks such as scoring, Beaconsfield’s base is considerably smaller by comparison.

“The committee has explained to me that this is the smallest committee that they’ve ever ran on, and that’s been over a long period of time, so that’s been a real challenge for them,” Cooper said.

“I guess Beaconsfield is a bit different to some of the other clubs nearby when you look at Officer or Berwick, either side, they’re quite large clubs and we’re a medium-sized club.

“We, if you look at our age demographic, from 25-35, we’ve lost that generation, and they’re probably the dads that play that backseat role, not driving them everywhere but definitely there to support and offer a hand, score, or do something like that, because they’re probably getting towards the end of their working career.

“We don’t have that as a club and that’s a real challenge for us.”

Beaconsfield Cricket Club president Brad Miles was contacted for comment.

The Beaconsfield Cricket Club is considering its future in the DDCA. 323333 Picture: GARY SISSONS

Stephanie Lee Cutting will look to add a second title-belt to her growing collection on Friday night. 391083 Pictures: SUPPLIED

Steph is all smiles after claiming the WBF Australasian Lightweight title in December. 391083

A powerful right-hand has seen Cutting finish her last four fights inside the distance. 391083

Shelton’s serious Swans

By Marcus Uhe

Casey South Melbourne captain Luke Shelton says his side’s experience in big games will hold the Swans in good stead as they embark on another finals campaign in Victorian Premier Cricket.

A draw at home against Footscray on Saturday in the final round of the home-and-away season was enough for the Swans to secure fourth place on the table and the crucial double-chance.

Footscray ‘batted-on’ on Saturday morning to reach 311, with Casey South Melbourne reaching 7/277 in 81 overs by the close of play.

Yash Pednekar made 69 in his return to the side since injuring his hand in December to top the batting card for the Swans; Devin Pollock the next best on 46.

Pednekar and Ashley Chandrasinghe resumed their union at the top of the order that brought so much success earlier in the season and added 82 runs for the first wicket before Chandrasinghe fell for 39.

Each of the Swans batters made starts but only Pednekar raised his bat for a half-century.

At 4/240, a successful chase was on the cards, but three quick wickets forced a change in approach.

Knowing that other results had panned-out favourably, the home side played defensively in order to protect their remaining wickets, knowing a draw would lock them into the four.

The Swans will now face Prahran at the neutral venue ofWalter Galt Reserve, the home ground of Kingston Hawthorn, due to Prahran’s home ground being unavailable as it undergoes construction.

The prospect of facing the premier side in the home-and-away series doesn’t faze Shelton, with his squad adopting an ‘anywhere, anyone’ mentality.

“I think it’s a bit like how we think about the finals series; I don’t really care about who we play or where we play, because I know that you’ve got to win these games to get what you want, which is a premiership,” Shelton said.

“They’ve (Prahran) essentially been doing that for the last two seasons; going away every week, playing cricket and finding a way to win.

“It’s a really good effort from them and I’m sure they’re very proud.

“There’s not really too many secrets to their line-up and it’s pretty similar to ours.”

Shelton’s side easily won the only contest between the two this season in round nine, but being a T20 contest, there’s not too much either team can gleam from the result ahead of the two-day clash this weekend.

The pressure will be on the Swans who, as the lower-ranked team, must win the clash in order to progress to the preliminary finals, as a draw will see the higher-ranked Prahran benefit.

Pressure isn’t a new phenomenon for the Swans, however, who are just two seasons removed from a grand final appearance in 2021/22, when they also finished fourth.

“There’s probably only two or three guys in (this) side that weren’t a part of our grand final loss a couple of years ago,” Shelton said.

“We’ve been there and done that as a group, collectively, and a lot of those guys have been and done it, whether it’s at Casey or other sides or States in the past.

“There’s enough experience there for sure and that’s where you’ve got to rely on those guys as well; there’s probably a few guys that haven’t experienced as much finals cricket as some of the other guys, so it’s on the guys that have that experience to make it as easy as possible for everyone else and give them a step in the right direction.

“We need Nathan Lambden to continue his good form, we need Chand (Chandrasinghe) to keep doing what he’s been doing and all those guys that have been in really good form.

“If they can carry it through then I think it

gives a really good blueprint for the rest of the group to just jump on their backs and follow.

“The good players always seem to rise to the occasion when finals come and it’s that time of year when you want do everything right, lead from the front from a player, leadership, coaching point of view, because you want your good players playing well.”

Jackson Fry has returned from a hand injury he suffered against Northcote in round 16, while Devlin Webb’s selection is in doubt as he battles leg injuries that have held him out of the side since round 15.

In other club news, exciting batting talent Harrish Kannan has departed the club to play cricket in New Zealand.

Winter sports return on Super Saturday at Cora Lynn

By David Nagel

The Cobradome will spring to life this Saturday 2 March with Cora Lynn set to host a smorgasbord of football and netball action in the inaugural running of ‘Super Saturday’.

New president Rohan Marriot and his hard-working team have wasted no time in bringing winter sports back to the forefront, with the ground at Cora Lynn being handed over to the football club this Friday.

Southern league clubs Carrum Patterson Lakes and Hampton Park will kick off the action at 11am, with MPFNL Division One club Pines to take on Eltham from the Northern league at 1.10pm.

Pines premiership coach Paddy Swayn will take on one of his big guns from that 2018 success, with star big-man Tim Bongetti now at the helm of Eltham.

Cora Lynn will then run onto its pristine home deck to take on MPFNL Division Two club Pearcedale at approximately 3.30pm.

Marriot said Cora Lynn senior coach Shaun Sparks originally flagged the idea, which came together smoothly.

“Sparksy came up with the idea, and through our networks I think we’ve come up with a very exciting concept that we’re excited to host,” Marriot said.

“Our ground is in great condition at the moment and it’s the ideal opportunity to showcase it to teams from other competitions, and it will be great preparation as the season proper draws nearer and nearer.

“Hopefully it’s the beginning of an annual event that all six clubs can pencil in as a great start to their seasons.

“We’ve got a nice mix from the Mornington Peninsula, a team from Northern, and that Southern component as well.

football and netball.”

Marriot said the full-time move to Cora Lynn of Casey Demons star Jimmy Munro had made an immediate impact at the club.

“Jimmy has had a massive influence on the playing group, setting standards, and it will great to see what he and Sparksy can do as co-coaches this season,” Marriott said.

“Our boys will be fit and ready to go and we’re aiming to be competitive in every game we play in this year.”

The new president, who fills the massive shoes of departing long-time president Andrew Bergmeier, said former Casey player and Balwyn small forward Will Stevens will be another player to watch this year.

The Cobras are also on the hunt for under-16 and under-18 players for this season.

Netball certainly hasn’t been forgotten, with Bunyip, Cora Lynn, Neerim South and Pearcedale to play a round-robin competition throughout the course of the day.

“Obviously our club will represent West Gippsland and we’re proud to be able to do that.

“It should be a great exhibition of local

The club is offering a ‘No Fee’ enticement, with shorts, socks and jumpers all provided.

Contact Lynden on 0477 880 686 for more details.

Cora Lynn will host a ‘Super Saturday’ of football and netball at its famous headquarters on Saturday 2 March, with clubs from the Southern, Northern and the Mornington Peninsula leagues all paying a visit. 351669

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Luke Shelton will lead his Swans into battle against Prahran on Saturday as the Victorian Premier Cricket finals begin. 307623 Picture: GARY SISSONS

Bears bounced out of four

By Marcus Uhe

Buckley Ridges and Springvale South will do battle in the first week of Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 finals for a second consecutive year following the completion of the home and away season on Saturday.

Springvale South’s 106-run victory over Berwick knocked the Bears out of the four, a spot they had occupied for much of the season.

Jordan Wyatt smashed 77 off just 46 deliveries as the Bloods hit 6/284, before bowling Berwick out for 178.

Wyatt clinched the mantle as competition’s leading run-scorer with his big-hitting innings but his departure loosened the foundations of an excellent start to the innings.

At 5/151 in the 28th over, a third loss in a row appeared on the horizon for Springvale South, and Berwick’s chances of clinching a finals spot looked to be revived.

Jordan Mackenzie and Blade Baxter were forced to work singles and twos, with pace off the ball making run-scoring tough.

Mackenzie then suffered a quad injury late in the 34th over on 17, and neededWyatt to run between the wickets for him.

Wyatt’s energy between the wickets was electric and was matched by Baxter at the other end, the two putting pressure on the field by picking the gaps in the expansive outfield.

Mackenzie, meanwhile, was forced to take a more aggressive approach, freeing the arms and targeting boundaries as he battled through pain.

Baxter matched his aggression the longer he stayed at the crease as the back-to-back premiers stole back the momentum the longer the innings continued.

Mackenzie fell for 57, caught on the fine-leg boundary, while Baxter finished unbeaten on 64 off just 50 balls, at a ground he’d hold special memories of after winning the Fleming Medal in last season’s grand final. Berwick got a typical fast start out of Jarryd Wills but his stay was short lived, lasting just 14 deliveries before falling toYoshan Kumara for 25.

Matthew Hague and Jake Hancock failed to make significant contributions and when the promoted Toby Wills fell for eight, the score read 4/70.

Jordan Cleland mounted a one-man fightback with 61 to give his side a sniff at an unlikely victory, but Springvale South looked back to its best.

Kumara’s exceptional new-ball spell netted 2/24 while Jarryd Straker bounced back from his first wicketless performance last week to claim 4/20 from his 10.4 overs in a brilliant stint of bowling.

Buckley Ridges secured second place on the table and thus the double chance thanks to a five-wicket win over Narre South at home.

Lions captain Kyle Hardy’s hundred was a lone a hand with the bat as the visitors failed to bat-out their 45 overs, dismissed for 215 in the 42nd over.

Hardy’s 107, his second hundred of the season, included eight sixes and seven fours, with one six into the Pultney Street trees ensuring he reached the coveted milestone, but his nearest

contemporary with the bat was Jeevan Mendis, who could only manage 41.

Hardy’s departure triggered a loss of 5/14 to close the innings.

Ishan Jayarathna continued his brilliant form to close the season, taking 4-52 to lead the Buckley bowling attack.

Buckley Ridges took its time with the run chase but the result was never really in doubt, reaching the target in the 42nd over.

Roshane Silva hit 55 to make it four halfcenturies in a row to close the season, with Jake Cronin leading the card on 59.

Callan Tout’s excellent season for Narre South continued, the pick of its bowlers with 2/35, Hardy adding 2/37 to go with his century.

Narre South fell to fourth as a result of the loss, but will return to finals action after missing out the year before.

Hallam Kalora Park is the other team in the finals equation, finishing third, and will host Narre South in an elimination final this weekend.

The Hawks claimed their fourth consecutive

win, this time over St Mary’s by 72 runs at home.

New opening pair Matthew Cox and Leigh Booth put on 175 for the first wicket, with Cox scoring at just under a run-per-ball for his 84. His innings came to a close when he chipped a return catch back to Susantha Pradeep, and Booth departed shortly after for 74, but the two had given the Hawks the perfect platform.

Mahela Udawatte and Jordan Hammond both fell in pursuit of quick runs as the Hawks posted 4/270.

The Saints conceded a whopping 40 extras, including 24 wides, not helping their own cause in a must-win game.

St Mary’s reached 7/198 in their 45 overs in reply, the innings held together by Pradeep’s unbeaten 106.

Batting at 4, Pradeep added 67 with Wendyl Pires but lacked for other contributors.

William Whyte took 2/41 as the standout Hawks bowler.

The loss consigns St Mary’s to Turf 2, having finished last on the Turf 1 table.

Elsewhere, in a contest with no bearing on the top four, North Dandenong snapped a fivegame losing streak with a six-wicket win over Beaconsfield.

Jawid Khan was the star for the Maroons, hitting an unbeaten 100 in the chase of 194.

North Dandenong held the Tigers to 7/193 batting first thanks to an excellent bowling performance.

Riley Clark hit 63 at the top of the order to top score for the home side but no other batter passed 50.

Left-arm quick Randeep Sahota took 2/27 as the pick of the North Dandenong bowling attack.

Khan’s hundred was his second of the season against Beaconsfield and his third of the campaign, the only batter to reach triple figures three times in Turf 1.

The Maroons reached the target in the 33rd over for the loss of just four wickets.

Yohan Arumadura took 3/37 for Beaconsfield.

Youth and experience put Cannons in the firing line

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Casey Cannons launched its 2024 season on Saturday, with plenty of excitement about what the new campaign could bring.

The Cannons have had a change of president in the off-season, Dave Hyland vacating the role but set to remain involved at the club under the incoming Seann Rowland.

Last year’s women’s coach Jim Voulanas, who won coach of the year in Vic League 1, has been unable to commit and will be replaced by Andrew Harris, while Steve Noney will remain at the helm of the men’s team.

The women’s side has welcomed in former premier league player Sammy Wagg as a playing assistant coach, while retaining almost the entire roster from last year.

The depth of the squad is exceptionally strong, with squad stability set to hold the women in good stead.

“There is an exciting blend of youth and experience in the team,” said coach Andrew Harris.

“We are trying to develop a team identity that focuses on an exciting brand of hockey.”

Despite finishing third last season, the Cannons’ first in VL1 following promotion in 2022, the standard of hockey is set to increase.

A redistribution of clubs in the Vic League competitions will see four teams from the premier division relegated, meaning Casey effectively enter 2024 as the seventh best team by last year’s results.

The club has also put a strong focus on improving junior girls participation numbers, which has resulted in an under-14 team being entered, with the club hoping more teams can be entered in the medium-term future.

The men, meanwhile, will drop into Vic League 2 after a tough season last year where they managed just one win.

Key playmaker Nick McPhee has departed

for a Premier League club, while goal keeper AdamWadley faces a delayed start to the season due to injury, but the Cannons have welcomed three quality new faces.

Casey junior Tristan Chaffey returns after spending several seasons playing Premier League hockey, while Leith Metcalf and Tadhg McCurran, who has excelled in preseason, are also set to liven the Cannons up.

“It was a tough season last year on field and also for morale, but it’s been about get-

ting back to basic skills and fitness and introducing game structure so we’re on the same page with that,” Noney said of preseason.

“I tried to explain to the guys it comes down to consistency and playing more games together.

“So it is about trying to put it together and dropping down to VL2 will assist us with that.”

President Rowland said the strong turnout at the season launch reflected the clubs com-

munity values.

“We want to be a really good community hockey club that people want to come and play at,” Rowland said.

“We want to be involved in the local community and competitive on the field, so we’re excited with the direction the club is heading.

“We’re absolutely overwhelmed with the number of people who have come down to have a look and potentially sign, and members who are involved today as well.”

Copper, 9, shoots for goal.

Front from left: Letitia 7, Matilda 11 and Cooper 9; and back from left, Mark, Jamie and Tegen in front of the logo in the clubrooms.

There was plenty of buzz for the Cannons’ season launch on Friday. 391024 Pictures: ROB CAREW

Blade Baxter played a crucial finishing role with the bat for Springvale South against Berwick on Saturday. 391023 Picture: ROB CAREW

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