Mail - Lilydale Star Mail - 19th March 2024

Council

advocates for flood mitigation

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Bridge Builders’ prepared for next venture

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Celebrate Mooroolbark enjoyed by many

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See Real Estate liftout inside

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A decade of good company

The Montrose Men’s Shed celebrated its 10th birthday last week after being officially opened on 14 March 2014.

Since that time it has provided men of the foothills suburb with friendship, conversation and place to put their hands to work.

It was a joyous day reminiscing of where the Shed started and thinking about where it’s going.

The Men’s Shed has developed over the years from just woodworking to more offering more social activities to ensure all men have something to take part in, with it growing every day.

To read more, see page 10

Childcare woes

Despite the urban parts of the Yarra Ranges moving forward with the building of new childcare centres the situation still remains dire for parents trying to access places. A report in 2022 found that parents in the Yarra Ranges were competing with 10 to 15

with waitlists now pushing out to two

While a childcare centre is being built in Mount Evelyn, as well as one in Montrose, childcare advocates and ministers are worried about the inaccessibility.

Founder of the Mums of the Hills group Belinda Young said she has heard stories of people calling childcare centres as soon as they find out they are pregnant because of the waitlist times.

“It’s a really difficult situation because we are in a very tough financial situation at the moment and people are looking to go back to work earlier or do additional hours just to cover the cost of their mortgages and daily expenses and when they can’t find childcare they are unable to do that,” she said.

Casey MP Aaron Violi said a lack of availability is something affecting his entire elec-

torate but is more prominent in the regional and rural parts.

Ms Young said the lack of available spots is also being compounded by some parents having to travel to two different centres if they have multiple children who cannot attend the same childcare facility.

More of this story can be found on page 3

The Montrose Men’s Shed has seen four presidents over its 10 years, with Daryl Couch (far left) the current and Lee Kirkby, Reg Wright and Max Lamb former presidents.

Picture: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Childcare places remain hard to find

By Callum Ludwig

The availability of childcare remains dire in large parts of Australia with the Casey electorate and other outer-eastern areas no stranger to the struggle of families to find a place.

Using the research of the Mitchell Institute, the ABC published an investigative report ‘Mapping Australia’s childcare blackspots’ in 2022 that revealed that some areas of the Yarra Ranges had no access to a truly local childcare centre or were fighting for a place with 10 to 15 other children.

The situation does not appear to have gotten much better, with many families spending two years on waitlists for available spots.

Last month Casey MP Aaron Violi invited Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education Angie Bell to meet with himself and the founder of the Mums of the Hills group Belinda Young and Mr Violi said he has a significant concern about availability.

“We were hearing some really heartbreaking stories of families having to put their children on wait lists and if they haven’t put them on within weeks of being born, not being able to get them into facilities within their community, that’s limiting their ability to work and just function without the support of family,” he said.

“It’s definitely an issue across the whole electorate, but there’s no doubt that our more regional, rural and non-suburban areas are more impacted in terms of the Dandenong Ranges and the Upper Yarra, but within our suburban areas, it’s still very challenging.”

The Mount Dandenong-Olinda region had between 15.43–15.87 children competing for a childcare place locally, while the WandinSeville area also had areas where between 7.7 and 17.98 children per available place.

Ms Young said it doesn’t feel like it has gotten better for local families.

“I’ve heard of people that instead of celebrating when they’ve found out that they’re pregnant, telling their family and loved ones that they are expecting, the first people they call are the childcare centres, because they know that it’s at least a two -year wait to get into long daycare,” she said.

“It’s a really difficult situation because we are in a very tough financial situation at the moment and people are looking to go back to work earlier or do additional hours just to cover the cost of their mortgages and daily expenses and when they can’t find childcare they are unable to do that.”

Even in more suburban areas of the Outer East such as Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Montrose and Kilsyth, the data indicated there were over twice as many children as available childcare places in their local areas.

Mr Violi said a lot of young families are moving out to the Yarra Valley because it’s a beautiful place to raise a child but issues with

supply and affordability of childcare have been created.

“One of my criticisms of the government’s policy is while it’s good that they’re looking to provide relief and make it easier for families, if you put a subsidy in without increasing supply, you’re driving more demand than that increase in supply and it’s going to push the price up, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen,” he said.

“I’ve heard stories of families, they’ve had an increase of $13 a day above the subsidy in one example, and it’s not a criticism of childcare providers as such as they are struggling with increased costs like everybody, but I’m even hearing stories of childcare providers that are charging people a non-refundable deposit just to get on the waitlist.”

Mt Evelyn could welcome two new childcare centres in the near future: one is being constructed at 1A Gear Avenue after getting planning permit approval in 2023 while another is being slated for Hereford Road at the current site of Pro Futsal. Montrose is welcoming a new childcare centre near the historic Alta Dena home following a decision from VCAT to issue a permit while Woori Yallock will welcome a state-run centre in either 2027 or 2028; one of 50 being delivered across the state from

2025 to 2028.

Ms Young said we know it’s not as simple as just creating more childcare centres but any changes will have benefits for parents, particularly mums hoping to return to work.

“The childcare centres themselves are struggling to find staff so there is a real need to increase or reduce costs that are involved with training new staff and certainly providing as many incentives to encourage people into the sector without the costs being passed on to families,” she said.

“When parents have got two children that require care and the older child has got care, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a sibling will get care at the same place, so what we’re finding is that children are being placed in separate centres and adding 30-40 minutes to the commute,”

“Everybody’s situation is different and not every family needs or wants to access childcare but it is disproportionately affecting women because statistically, we are more likely to be the caregivers of young children and not only does it reduce their economic opportunities, but they’ve lost that connection with your work colleagues or with their area and the people they usually connect with when they can’t access childcare.”

IN BRIEF

Vase hidden cash

A large sum of cash was located inside a vase at an opportunity shop last week and handed into police.

The vase, which had been donated to the Salvos store in Kilsyth, was identified has having cash stored in on Tuesday 12 March.

If you think you may the person who donated the vase please contact Croydon police property office on 9724 0110.

A photo of the vase has been supplied to police so a description of the vase will be required.

Cricket bag located

A large black Saint Peter Diamond cricket bag and cricket gear was located on 16 March in the vicinity of Sherlock Road, Mooroolbark

If you’re the owner, please get in touch with Mooroolbark Police to be reunited with your gear.

AusNet grants

AusNet has announced it will provide hardship grants for eligible AusNet residential and business customers who were without power as a result of severe weather events on Tuesday 13 February and Thursday 22 February 2024, as part of its Energy Resilience Community Fund.

Grants of $300 are being made available to cover losses that households experienced when refrigerated goods became spoiled due to power outages caused by the storms. No proof of loss is required. Grants are available to households who were without power for more than 72 hours but are not eligible for a Prolonged Power Outage Payment (PPOP) because their power was restored within a week. Proof of financial hardship can be verified simply with a healthcare or pension card.

Businesses grants of up to $5000 are available to those small business who can provide proof of specific loss. If businesses have received a PPOP, then they are eligible for the difference between the PPOP and the amount of loss incurred, up to the maximum grant amount (typically around $2,000).

Financial hardship grants will be open until 30 April 2024. Further information, including detailed eligibility criteria and how to apply, is available on AusNet’s website: ausnetservices. com.au/ERCF. Eligible customers will also be directly sent an SMS over the coming days to alert them to availability of the grants.

3G phase out

Agriculture Victoria is reminding Victorian farmers of the upcoming phase out of the 3G network.

Starting from 30 June, the 3G network will be phased out in rural Victoria. So if you use devices that rely on a 3G SIM card for connectivity, it’s important to understand how this may impact your farm operations.

Reach out to your technology providers to ensure your devices are compatible with the upcoming changes.

Reward a school crossing supervisor

Nominations are now open for the School Crossing Supervisor of the Year Awards.

School crossing supervisors have a very important job assisting children and adults to safely cross the roads around schools at dropoff and pick-up times.

Visit this website and place a nomination: schoolcrossingsvictoria.com.au/supervisoryear-awards/

L-R: Casey MP Aaron Violi, Mums of the Hills founder Belinda Young and Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education Angie Bell in February. Picture: SUPPLIED

Nod for Chirnside tower

By Mikayla van Loon

The promise of better connection has outweighed potential visual bulk of a new telecommunications tower in Chirnside Park.

Approving the planning application for a new monopole tower to be built at the Chirnside Park Country Club, Yarra Ranges councillors said, at the Tuesday 12 March meeting, the benefits offset the negatives.

Despite some conjecture from nearby residents and from Cr Tim Heenan as well, construction of the tower was approved unanimously.

The application was submitted by Ventia, who will initially facilitate the supply of Telstra connection, with the vision to be a collocation for other providers within three to six months.

“Due to the limitations of the current 4G Telstra antennas and for the Country Club, this application seeks to resolve coverage issues at Chirnside Park using a new location for Telstra facilities at the premises,” Amplitel Telstra representative Marc Bays said.

Having already been the site for a telecommunications antenna on the rooftop of the club’s building, Mr Bays said it seemed appropriate to not establish a new site although they were investigated.

“The Country Club stands out as the most suitable candidate as it effectively avoids the need for introducing a new additional telecommunication site within Yarra Ranges,” he said.

The existing three-metre facility in the form of a slimline chimney will be decommissioned with the installation of the new 30-metre-high monopole and the ancillary equipment.

It will be painted in mist green, with the already established trees working to shield the pole and extra yellow box gums and lilly pillies proposed as part of the plan.

A total of 16 objections were received most-

ly relating to electromagnetic health concerns, visual implications and noise during construction. In contrast, eight submissions of support were also made indicating the current service connection was not good.

Telstra has four other telecommunications facilities within Lilydale, Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park, all to which it identified were

not suitable for improving coverage or collocation.

Cr Heenan said this was his reason for not supporting the application.

“I’m a bit befuddled and not understanding why as Telstra says on page 36 of the report that they already have equipment at the location of Chirnside Park Shopping Centre and

therefore collocation is not an option,” he said.

“The nearest one is 1.3 kilometres, it said and we only have the word of our presenter tonight to say that this is needed in this location at a much higher elevation. I would have probably looked at it a little bit more favourably had it not been quite a substantial structure.”

Putting forward the motion to approve the application, Cr Len Cox said with areas of the Yarra Ranges still with poor reception, providing the community with better access to communications seemed necessary.

“We all have mobile phones and we need towers to make them work. We’ve had some bad storms, floods, all sorts of stuff lately, it’s just so important to have [a mobile] that works,” he said.

Seconding the motion, Cr Jim Child said the perceived benefit in his eyes is the collocation option for other service providers.

“We heard about collocation and that is probably one of the biggest things for me. It’s free enterprise at its best,” Cr Child said.

“Why shouldn’t we have a facility built where we’ve got it available to all the carriers and if it’s available to the carriers, well then it’s available to our community so they get the best bang for their buck.”

The proposal also received verbal support from Cr Andrew Fullagar who said in an age of more emergencies “there’s a continuing and ever increasing demand for comms” so “the overall community benefit outweighs the downside on this one”.

Mr Bays did, however, say a generator in the instance of a blackout to power the facility would likely not be feasible because of the noise factor, with“remote sites”“assigned generators”.

This did not curtail the decision from the councillors, with the vote in favour of approving the monopole. Cr Heenan was the only one to vote against it.

A telecommunications monopole has been approved for Chirnside Park Country Club. Picture: UNSPLASH

Move on vexatious requests and serial complainants

By Callum Ludwig

Yarra Ranges councillors have discussed some key proposals they hope to put forward to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) as motions for the next MAV State Council Meeting in May at the Tuesday 12 March council meeting.

Notably, councillors proposed as part of an alternative motion to strike out the second motion to MAV to advocate to strengthen Victorian laws on ‘vexatious requests’ and ‘serial complainants to Council’.

Before the item was even discussed by Councillors, a question from Belinda Bernadini asked for a definition of ‘vexatious’, called on Council to clarify who would determine what is viewed as a vexatious request and if passed on to MAV, what remedies would be available for residents who felt their issues hadn’t been dealt with satisfactorily and whether the changes could prohibit freedom of information.

Yarra Ranges Council’s Director of Corporate Services Andrew Hilson said in a response to the question and said Council’s definition of vexatious aligns with the Victorian Ombudsman’s definition of unreasonable behaviour.

“Specifically, this relates to behaviours such as unreasonable persistence, demands and arguments, along with an unreasonable lack of cooperation and aggressive behaviour. The Victorian Ombudsman and Council’s current complaint handling policy both include several examples of each of these behaviours and can be found on each organisation’s website,” he said.

“Ultimately, the definition of vexatious requests would be defined by the state government who would draft and pass that legislation,”

“Regardless of whether the MAV motion is passed or not, residents who feel that their complaints have been unfairly rejected as vexatious or unreasonable are able to escalate their complaint to a third party agency, such as theVictorian Ombudsman, local government inspectorate or the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.”

When it came time to discuss the item, there was a speaker in objection Kathy Ricciuti who was particularly opposed to the second point in the proposed MAV motions.

Ms Ricciuti said herself and many others saw it as an attempt to shut down and shut out the community of the Yarra Ranges.

“Can you tell me what is your source of authority to block people that you are meant to be representing, what solution is offered to a resident who needs to follow up when no satisfactory resolution has been received, who determines if a complaint is vexatious, who determines if a complaint is trivial, trivial to whom,” she said.

“May I suggest that while council complaint processes are a critical mechanism for ensuring that councils and councillors are accountable to the community, these processes are increasingly being used to isolate council from the real issues on the ground,”

“They restrict accountability as well as restrict efficient and effective solutions, I feel that people across Victoria are simply asking more questions and pointing out the inefficiencies of their councils and councillors due to increased awareness.”

The Cambridge Dictionary defines vexatious as ‘difficult to deal with and causing a lot of anger, worry, or argument’, while in relation to claims, complaints or lawsuits it can often also mean that is has been brought to bring annoyance or financial cost to a defendant rather than on its merits of winning.

Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister then proposed an alternative motion she had prepared earlier, calling to strike out the second item and add an additional motion in its

place calling for the release of funding from the landfill levy.

Cr McAllister said that a number of councillors were not in support of advocacy to the Victorian Government through the MAV to strengthen laws in relation to vexatious requests.

“For me, the reason for scratching that one is, that I’m not sure what the problem is that we’re trying to fix,” she said.

“I do agree that genuine concerns and issues that haven’t been resolved and feedback to Council are an important part of how we operate in our democracy, and when it’s respectful feedback and it’s a good conversation, it’s really the basis for local government and hearing from the community.”

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child seconded the motion and said he believes they have mechanisms within the Council to do with that particular item.

“I did sit in that Mayor’s seat for the last two years, and there were some challenges,” he said.

“There were some challenges with people that approached our Council, but I sincerely believe that we have mechanisms in place to deal with that.”

Billanook Ward Councillor Tim Heenan also supported the removal of the second

item.

Instead, Yarra Ranges councillors called for transparency on the uses of the sustainability fund, funded by the landfill levy in whichYarra Ranges Council paid $3.8 million in the last year alone.

Cr McAllister said the fund is reported to improve issues relating to waste and recycling, reduce the use of landfill and all of the things that, as a council, they are tasked to do.

“It’s a bit of a secret fund, a lot of money goes in it. Money does come out, it’s not a very transparent process, and in doing some research for tonight’s meeting, it’s really hard to find out how much money is in that landfill levy, that sustainability fund,” she said.

“We should know how much money is sitting in that fund, and it should only be allowed to be spent on specific agreed issues and opportunities locally and regionally that will improve waste, recycling, all of those other issues that local government tackles on a day-to-day basis and puts an additional charge out to our ratepayers for.”

Cr McAllister also referred to a report from the Australian Council of Recycling in 2017 called the Victorian Landfill Levy Report that estimated $500 million was forecast to be sat idle in the sustainability fund.

Flood intervention sought

By Mikayla van Loon

The mitigation of increasing flood events across the Yarra Ranges has again been raised in front of the council on the night it discussed further advocacy at a state level.

At the Yarra Ranges Council meeting on Tuesday 12 March, questions from residents pushed for answers about submitted petitions and what the council will do to address flooding in the shire.

It came as councillors also put forward a motion for advocacy items to be shared with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) at its upcoming May meeting.

Lilydale resident Susan Lee began with asking for an outcome of Rosemary Mosley’s petition which was submitted in early February and Star Mail reported on on 13 February.

“What date can the nine unit owners at 26 and 28 Chapel Street expect drainage work to commence please? All the owners are waiting for the specific date from your Drainage and Infrastructure Team,” Ms Lee said.

Built environment and infrastructure director Hjalmar Philipp responded and said the petition was being investigated “with scoping and design” the first stage of the process.

“In this case, the team will commence with catchment analysis to properly understand water flows and determine what improvements may assist, without causing downstream impacts elsewhere,” he said.

“Engineering concepts for any identified improvements are then developed, including cost estimates and a delivery plan, for consideration in Council budgets. Subject to budget confirmation, we can then start planning works on the ground.”

For that reason, Mr Philipp said an exact date could not be given but works are being undertaken.

Submitter of a different petition, SoniaWeir, also raised a question on why “it [has] taken 20 years for the council to finally listen, step up and take action to fix our drainage issues”.

Mr Philipp said the council has always allocated a budget to drainage maintenance and upgrades but the increasing events is something the council will have to work through.

“The severity and frequency of flood events are increasing, which is heavily impacting our Shire,” he said.

“Throughout 2023 the council commenced a Draft Stormwater Management Plan which is a key piece of work that will guide future priorities in this area. This plan will be available for public review late 2024.”

Michael McGill, a Lilydale resident, questioned the use of the council’s funds, with rumours of a private chef which were denied by corporate services director Andrew Hilson.

Following this discussion, councillors voted to put forward a motion that would ask the MAV to advocate on behalf of the shire for the

State Government to improve flood mapping data, develop a Flood Information Framework and invest in flood mitigation infrastructure.

The agenda outlined the rationale for these three points, suggesting the “patchwork of existing datasets is insufficient, and exposes [the] community to unnecessary risk” particularly with the impacts of climate change.

“Beyond the framework and data, urgent investment in flood mitigation infrastructure is needed to manage increasing occurrences of severe weather and flooding events across Victoria,” it states.

CouncillorTim Heenan supported the flood advocacy points made, saying “it couldn’t be said more plainly”.

Given the vastness of the shire, spreading 2500 square kilometres, 70 per cent of which Cr Heenan said is bushland, parks and crown land, has meant the flood mapping is limited for the region.

“The information is key to creating a clear and full picture of risks and it’s not readily available to councils currently and we suffer from that because of the coming together of the four shires all those years ago,” he said.

Flooding has been felt right across the municipality, with flood watch groups now established in Coldstream, Lilydale, Kallista and Belgrave as the issues of flood become more impactful, more frequent and more destructive.

The motion was passed unanimously.

Chapel Street resident Marlene had to sandbag her front door aiming to prevent water from entering her house in October 2022.

Yarra Ranges Council removed an advocacy item to put to the Municipal Association of Victoria regarding ‘vexatious requests’ and ‘serial complainants’.

Picture: ON FILE

Seniors clubs lock horns with council over support

By Dongyun Kwon

Local senior citizen clubs are struggling with making ends meet and asking for more support from the Yarra Ranges Council (YRC).

Yarra Valley Combined Seniors president Raymond Cooper asked councillors for more support for local senior citizen clubs at the YRC meeting on Tuesday 12 March.

Senior Citizen Clubs and Over 50’s Friendship Groups provide a relaxed environment where people can enjoy the company of others and participate in a range of social activities.

Mr Cooper said seniors clubs play an important role in helping older people.

“Seniors clubs are not just a place for old folks to sit down and have a cup of tea and a biscuit,” he said.

“They come to the clubs to actually find out things. They ask us if we can fill their forms online and we can help them with questionnaires.”

Mr Cooper said the local senior clubs wanted to improve their clubs and found the lack of support from the YRC.

“What we [Wandin Senior Citizens Centre] did recently is we put in four air conditioners and got 10-panel solar power from the government which we increased to 20 of our own backs,” he said.

“Kitchen upgrades cost us $11,000. We only got five [thousand] off from the council and the dishwasher cost us $9600 which the Bendigo Bank was very kind to give us six [thousand].

“The council would only offer us a $700 single household dishwasher which only washes six plates at a time and we feed 50 people.

“So in all, we spent $55,470 and the council contributed $5500.The Bendigo Bank gave us $6600 the government gave us $22,400 and the seniors donated $20,970.”

One of the expenditures that seniors clubs find hard to pay is the hall hiring fee.

In the meeting, Mr Cooper claimed one of the seniors clubs that is most affected by hall rental fee is Yarra Junction Over

50’s Friendship Club.

“One club I must mention is Yarra Junction [Over 50’s Friendship Club], the council would not give them the $5000 grant because the club hasn’t got the word ‘seniors’ in their club,” he said.

“They’ve got about 30 old pensioners who are over 50 but the council only gives them a grant of $1000 a year.

Star Mail contacted Yarra Junction Over 50’s Friendship Club and the club’s secretary Carole Corcoran said the reason the club didn’t put the word ‘senior’ in the name was to include a wide range of people.

“We wanted it open to other age groups because there were a lot of people up in the Upper Yarra who were in need of support,” she said.

“But we never ever received any of the seniors’ funds over $5000 a year because we didn’t use the name ‘seniors’.

“The only grant we’ve ever got from the council helped us with paying our rent to the council, they gave it to us and then we’d give it back to them to cover the rent.”

Yarra Junction Over 50’s Friendship Club has run a community free meal to help people redevelop friendships after the Covid lockdown.

“We get approximately 50 people coming along and they’re not just from Yarra Junction. We do it once a month on the third Wednesday at the Yarraburn Centre,” Ms Corcoran said.

“We got one grant from YRC and it’s exhausted and got no other grant, so we had to look for another way to keep it going.

“We started a dance [lesson] and the money from the dance has continued to help the [community free] meal for the local people.”

To run all the activities including the community free meal, dance and games, Yarra Junction Over 50’s Friendship Club hires three YRC’s halls in Yarra Junction, Kilsyth and Mount Evelyn regularly which has burdened its finances.

“The Yarraburn Centre is $11 per hour. The Mount Evelyn Hall is the same price, $11 an hour,” Ms Corcoran said.

“The Kilsyth Hall is $87.81 per dance, [we run it] twice a month which costs over $170 per month.”

In response to the question, O’Shannassy Councillor Jim Child said he would look at what is going on at Yarra Junction Over 50’s Friendship Club.

“I was on the Upper Yarra Shire when the building [the old senior citizens hall] was built in the 1980s and it was eventually fell

away because of lack of memberships and we’ve got another council building in Warburton, solely built for the senior citizens, again closed because we didn’t have that involvement of the seniors in the community,” he said.

“We’re starting to get back now, especially inYarra Junction with the over 50s club which is absolutely amazing.

“We’ve got the other facilities like U3A in Yarra Junction, which actually uses our building and that is just a tremendous resource for the elderly to get involved with and there’s actually younger people learning so much from that facility as well. So to me, I reiterate our commitment to senior citizens and their facilities.”

The other issue that Mr Cooper mentioned was the YRC’s transport service.

The transport service provides a vital social link to our residents who are isolated or unable to utilise other modes of transport and connects them with their community.

The service is provided to seniors clubs, shopping trips, outings and medical appointments.

YRC considered stepping away from providing a transport service by 30 June this year at the Tuesday 24 October 2023 council meeting.

“There are a lot of seniors on the outskirts and they’re being told they’re going to lose their transports,” Mr Cooper said.

“When they spoke to the transport drivers, one of them heard ‘Why can’t the people on the outskirts move nearer to the town?’.”

Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said she was shocked when she heard what Mr Cooper said.

“I’d hate to think that it was ever said ‘move closer’, I’m shocked,” she said.

“We’re a municipality with two and a half thousand square kilometres, and that’s what we love and that’s why many of us don’t live in urban areas.

“It’s time to change because the funding has been pulled away, [but] the council’s commitment hasn’t pulled away.”

Funding future aged care

By Callum Ludwig

The AgedTaskTaskforce set to work by the Australian Government released its final report on Monday 11 March, looking into how the sector can be properly funded now and into the future following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The report makes 23 recommendations for options to support older people to age in place, provide equitable and sustainable funding and improve quality, innovation and transparency.

Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells, who chaired the taskforce, said there is universal acceptance that something must change in order to ensure all Australians can age with the dignity, safety and high-quality care they deserve.

“After spending their lives building up our country, we have a solemn responsibility as a nation to respectfully care for older Australians as they age,” she said.

“All of us have a stake in a sustainable, high-quality and dignified aged care sector –whether it’s for our parents, ageing loved ones, or even eventually for ourselves,”

“As we consider the Taskforce Report and continue to implement the reforms of the Royal Commission, our focus will always be ensuring dignity and respect for older Australians.”

A notable point in the final report was the expected recommendation to not introduce an aged care levy as touted by the Royal Commissioners Tony Pagone QC and Lynelle Briggs AO, who made the suggestion Australia should introduce an aged care levy of 1 per cent of a person’s taxable income, which had already been rejected by the former Coalition government.

Instead, the report indicates that non-pension consumers, whether residents or their family members, can be called upon to pay

more towards the costs of their aged care.

CEO of AdventCare David Reece said he thinks the government has certainly embraced the reforms.

“From a funding point of view, I think that they’ve given us a good funding outcome, particularly with the recent increase from the first of December,” he said.

“I think there are so many balls in the air at the moment, and they’re responding to so many different things,”

“But it’s a fairly balanced report and we’ll see what appetite they have to follow through on some of the initiatives.”

As reported in industry news site TheWeekly SOURCE, modelling showed that if all recommendations were accepted, the residential aged care sector could see its revenue increase by around $2.3 billion and Home Care potentially by $965 million in the first year.

Mr Reece said the main things in the report that stood out to him were the talk of increasing daily care fees and shifting away from refundable accommodation deposits.

“They talk about daily care fees and increasing them, and while some people might do that we probably would find that we don’t need to, because you know we don’t want residents to pay more than they need to,” he said.

“Probably the bigger thing that’s always been out there is the discussion about the eventual changing out of the RADs(refundable accommodation deposits), there’s billions of dollars that the aged care facilities rely on as of now so it’s about getting an alternative capital to be able to fund that,”

“That’s been pushed out to 2035 and I think that’s that’s a good outcome because it’s going to be reviewed in 2030 and liquidity is an issue for some providers.”

RADs have to be refunded in full within 14 days of a resident leaving care and are often preferred by wealthier residents so they don’t have to make a direct contribution to their accommodation costs compared to DAPs (daily accommodation payments). The change is part of a number of measures aiming to make the costs of aged care more equitable and clear for residents and their families.

Mr Reece said he still thinks it comes back to the providers to make sure their residents and families are well informed of the costs.

“The government does have information that tries to simplify it and if they can improve that it’s well and good, and some financial advisors do a good job but it still gets back to the facility,” he said.

“We want to talk to people because we don’t want someone coming in without having a clear understanding or who might have issues paying the account,”

“If you were going in or if you had a parent or grandparent going into aged care, you wouldn’t have a lot of understanding unless you were interested about costs so we’ll run them through the basic fees and have to be pretty transparent upfront.”

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) and UnitingCare Australia are among the organisations that have welcomed the release of the report.

Funding remains a key concern surrounding the future of aged care in Australia. Picture: ON FILE

Yarra Junction Over 50’s Friendship Club’s free community meal. Picture: ON FILE

Playspace boost at Reserve

By Mikayla van Loon

The final redevelopment stages of Mount Evelyn’s Morrison Reserve are inching closer with a contractor appointed to renew the playspace.

Warrandale Industries’ tender of $1.1 million was approved by Yarra Ranges councillors on Tuesday 12 March with works expected to get underway in April.

The revitalised playspace will feature intergenerational play, new paths, landscaping, a new public toilet and all-abilities access, with scope for a future youth precinct and an urban bike park project.

Having worked on revitalising this reserve since he started at the council decades ago, councillor Tim Heenan said this upgrade to the playspace will be well received by the community.

“The families of Mount Evelyn have been waiting for this little egg to emerge for as long as I’ve been on council,” he said.

“It’s going to be a great precinct in the future councillors and this is a step in the right direction and I just can’t believe I’m sitting up here after so long.”

First starting the process of the Morrison Reserve renewal as a candidate for the third time in 2005, Cr Heenan said it began with fixing what was “a rabbit track” for athletics.

“They now have a fantastic facility together with the upgrade of the two soccer grounds,” he said.

“Now we’ve come to the playspace. This is a fantastic, good news story, councillors, with a lot of money attached to it. I can assure you Mount Evelyn families have been waiting a long time. It’ll take on lots of different aspects and this is just part of it.”

Cr Johanna Skelton seconded the motion and said it was nice to see the input of the community being listened to, ensuring the elements they loved of the old playground re-

Community Bank Mt Evelyn

mained as part of the new design.

“[It’s] kept that charm and the farm theme and the fountain but just trying to make them more user friendly and more beloved with the toilet refurb and more trees and seating and shade areas and of course a refresh of the play-

ground itself,” she said.

Cr Len Cox said having watched the development of Morrison Reserve over his years serving on the council as well, this “last little bit is the icing on the cake”.

The old playground, Cr Heenan said, will

hopefully be repurposed by Rotary and transported overseas to a disadvantaged community to ensure it has another life providing joy to children elsewhere.

Councillors approved the motion unanimously.

Part of the team

It’s a win-win when you bank with us.

Councillor Tim Heenan has championed the renewal of Morrison Reserve with the playspace the next item to be upgraded. Picture: SUPPLIED

Valley brigades to rescue

By Gabriella Vukman

As fires raged throughout Ballarat and across the Grampians Central Highlands in recent weeks, brigades have been rushing from far and wide to assist, and the Yarra Valley and Ranges services have missed none of the action.

From Seville to Mooroolbark to Yarra Glen, the Valley lent a significant portion of its resources to the Ballarat effort.

Graham Brown from the Coldstream CFA was part of the squad that was sent to help in Bayindeen near Ballarat.

Mr Brown said, “it was actually frightening when we got in there because the smoke was black. It was Really dark and gruesome looking.”

“My squad was allocated to asset protection which is where you just sit beside houses and make sure that the fire doesn’t come over the top of them.”

“We sat there with Mooroolbark all night waiting to see if the fire would come towards the houses but luckily the wind changed direction and went around us.We were there from 5 o’clock in the evening to 7 o’clock in the morning,” Mr Brown said.

After waiting from 5pm until 7am, Mr Brown was sent to a new location.

“We went to a place where the fire had come out of the bush and into the paddocks so we were sent there to stop it coming any further and black it all out there,” Mr Brown said.

Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Silvan, Kallista-The Patch, Belgrave, Badger Creek,Warrandyte and Scoresby were among the District 13 CFA strike teams sent to fight the fires in the Ballarat region.

“Our strike team consisted of Coldstream, Yarra Glen, Mooroolbark and Wonga Park,” Mr Brown said.

“The Yarra Valley has been heavily involved in terms of fire fighting, sending meals, trucks and crews up to help,” Mr Brown said.

Lilydale Fire Brigade lieutenant Ron Haines shared the Lilydale CFA’s contribution to the Ballarat effort and said, “on 22nd February Lilydale’s Tanker along with other CFA tankers from Silvan, Badger Creek and Scoresby were despatched to a major wildfire just north of Beaufort.”

“The main task of the CFA tankers was to quickly extinguish these running grass fires- to prevent them spreading into farming properties and nearby houses and towns,” Mr Haines said.

Describing flames ‘leaping into the air’, Mr Haines noted the skill needed in order to manage crews fighting fires on the back of the tanker as well as manoeuvre the truck through fire.

“Again, during the recent Labour Day long weekend many hundreds and hundreds of CFA volunteers from around the State including brigade’s from the Yarra Valley District gave up their time to be on stand-by for strike teams,” Mr Haines said.

Travelling across the state and in some circumstances, the country to help out, the Valley’s local heroes are helping out abroad.

Local Valley heroes Helping out.

Picture: RON HAINES

Coldstream team fighting Bayindeen fires 77.5km from Ballarat. Picture: GRAHAM BROWN Fires tore through bushland.

The sky glowed with the colour of the flames.

Firefighters put out spot fires across the Beaufort area.

Saws down as firm chopped

By Rachael Ward, AAP

A state-owned forestry company is being wound up after a ban on logging native trees, legal troubles and battles with environment and wildlife groups.

Victoria’s state-owned logging company will shut down within months.

A June 30 end date was revealed onWednesday during a court hearing involvingVicForests and environmental group Wombat Forestcare.

The winding-up of the body is part of the Victorian government’s decision to end native forest logging, which took effect on January 1.

Stand-down payments to VicForests contractors are due to end on June 30.

Community and Public Sector Union industrial organiser Kassey Dickie said VicForests’ 100 employees were aware the company would close on June 30.

She said workers were able to apply for about 80 other government jobs, including five-year contracts with Forest Fire Management Victoria.

“Everyone’s going to lose their job atVicForests, whether or not a large portion find other work, that remains to be seen,” Ms Dickie told AAP.

The government initially planned to phase out native logging in 2030 but brought that forward over claims the sector had become unviable because of ongoing legal action.

Ms Dickie said many workers were stressed and finding new roles had been a “very fast process” for them.

“They’re sad I think, to sum it up, many of them have worked together for a very long time,” she said.

“They have been rushed through a process made by government in a hurry that has been pretty stressful.”

The decision comes after a series of court actions against VicForests, including a Su-

preme Court finding in 2022 that it failed to adequately survey and protect two endangered glider species.

In 2023 the Victorian Information Commissioner revealed the business used taxpayer money to illegally spy on environmentalists, using a private investigator to try to discredit them.

The case involving Wombat Forestcare will now go to mediation.

A Victorian Government spokesperson said it had helped workers transition into new roles or take redundancies since the end of 2023, with a range of support services on offer.

They said forest planning, seed collection, forest regeneration and other responsibilities

would be transferred from VicForests to the the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Victorian Greens deputy leader Ellen Sandell accusedVicForests of being “environmental vandals” and said it was about time it was shut down.

“We now need Labor to focus its environment department on restoration and protection of our forests, with specialised staff who have these skills,” she said.

Nationals Leader Peter Walsh told AAP VicForest workers had been treated “appallingly”.

“The government has no comprehension of the stress hard working VicForests employees have been under carrying out government

policy directions,” he said.

“They have done everything asked of them and deserve much better.”

VicForests recorded a net loss of $60.1 million in the 2022/23 financial year, blaming court action brought on by environmental groups.

During that time it harvested $17.9 million in timber, paid $110 million in compensation for undersupply to customers and $41 million to contractors who were not able to work.

It received $149 million from the state to fund the compensation.

VicForests, through the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, directed media queries to the government.

State logging company VicForests is set to be shut down. Picture: ON FILE

Youth take centre stage

By Mikayla van Loon

For the last 12 months, youth support organisation Bridge Builders has been embarking on a new venture to provide more opportunities for young people while connecting with the broader community.

The soon-to-be open CriBB Cafe and Wine Bar, located at 222 Maroondah Highway Lilydale, has been a passion project for the notfor-profit’s directors.

Bridge Builders founder Phil Stenhouse OAM said the project came from a desire that was twofold.

“Of course the whole place is about the development of young people. So this is a for profit business to support our not for profit. It’s designed to make money so that we can continue to sustain what we do,” he said.

“We don’t get government funding so dozens and dozens of people are involved in the

project, and it’ll train young people, employ young people and be a great little space for the community.”

With young people at the forefront of everything Bridge Builders does, whether it be social activities, counselling or future growth, Mr Stenhouse said professional development is no different.

“We’ve got a stack of resumes but it isn’t just about being part of Bridge Builders, they have to go through an interview process because that’s life,” he said.

But while the main function of the cafe and wine bar is to support the Bridge Builders programs, Mr Stenhouse said it is also about community.

“We want our staff to know the community so people who walk in, we want them to know their name.”

That sense of fellowship stems from Lily-

dale’s local history, tying into the name choice of the cafe and the commissioned mural on the Clarke Street facing wall.

Mr Stenhouse said the cafe name draws on the old mining term ‘crib’, the place where workers would break for lunch and play the game of cribbage. The two capital‘B’ represent Bridge Builders.

“So the idea of the crib is, it’s got that byday cafe kind of feel where we have mums with babies, so it’s got that idea of the baby’s crib.

“And then after hours, it’s that place where mates and people come together to share a drink and food together. There’ll be live music and beer and wine at night.”

Sourcing much of the produce locally, even the bench tops will have a connection to the Yarra Ranges, with Treasuring Our Trees founder David Ferrier supporting the project.

Mount Evelyn artist Damian Cazaly was

tasked with highlighting a selection of Lilydale’s icons displaying Dame Nellie Melba, the first and last train into Lilydale station and some of the town’s pioneers.

“The mural has caught everybody’s attention which it’s meant to. It’ll be an absolute destination point for people to come to,” Mr Stenhouse said.

Although not finished yet, Mr Stenhouse said it’s all coming together thanks to the support and generosity of local trades and suppliers.

An open date for the CriBB hasn’t yet been set but the aim is for it to be soon.

The intention is to host a barbecue for Anzac Day whether the cafe is ready or not, to honour local service men and women, while sharing in that community spirit.

So for the next little while, watch the space as it comes to fruition.

Shed clocks up a decade supporting the community

By Mikayla van Loon

In a decade of the Montrose Men’s Shed the group has helped support a large number of people in thousands of sessions.

Celebrating the official 10 year anniversary of the Men’s Shed onThursday 14 March, it was a joyous occasion for new and old members.

“Exactly 10 years ago, we had our State member and our Federal member come to officially open the shed and they said ‘this is your temporary building’,” founding president Max Lamb said.

“Well it’s been a big success, that’s all I can say.”

Getting a start on establishing the Montrose arm of the Men’s Shed movement came from the generosity of the late Ken Dowling, who Mr Lamb paid tribute to on Thursday.

Despite having outgrown the old fire station building in Montrose, the group still gathers three times a week, with woodworking, a walking group and social activities all part of the offering.

Now entering its next phase of offerings, the men’s shed will teach people to fly a plane without leaving the ground.

Former charter pilot Chris Hodges has supplied the Shed with the FlySim program, a computer based flight simulator, running individuals through all the stages of learning to fly a plane.

Reflecting on the official opening on 14 March 2014, as one of the presiding government members, Yarra Ranges councillor Len Cox congratulated the Shed on the years it has provided conversation and friendship to the men of the foothills suburb.

“You’ve done a terrific job, all of you have and hopefully you’ve all enjoyed every day you’ve come down here,” he said.

“It’s been good to be able to mix with other people your own age and talk about all sorts

of things and I just think men’s sheds generally have been one of the greatest advances for many, many years indeed and they’ll go on being that as well.

“I just wanted to congratulate you all on the 10 years that you’ve been here and who knows how far you’ll be in the future.”

Sharing in the celebrations as well was Federal Casey MP AaronVioli who said it was a privilege to see the Shed thriving a decade on.

“A Men’s Shed or any community organisation only exists because community

members put their hand up to volunteer and say we need this in our community, we’re going to make it happen,” he said.

“So Max to you, to all the founding members, thank you for what you did 10 years ago to make sure this important group could come together.”

Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence said for a decade, the Montrose Men’s Shed has been providing an incredible space for lifelong friendships to be forged and no doubt will continue to do so.

“Over 10 years, that’s over 1500 opportu-

nities you’ve made available to men in your community to come together, to share time together, talk with one another, support each other through challenging and difficult times,” she said.

“To tinker around, use your hands and support each other in your own well being and mental health and just make great social connections.”

New members are always welcome to join and can inquire by sending an email to montrosemensshed@gmail.com

The Clarke Street facing mural was created by Damian Cazaly and draws on the history of the township. 395478

Bridge Builders directors Phil Stenhouse OAM, Beck Mitchell and Nabil Salameh outside the new mural at CriBB Cafe. 395478 Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Founding Montrose Men’s Shed president Max Lamb, Yarra Ranges councillor Len Cox, Casey MP Aaron Violi, Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence, current Shed president Daryl Couch and Chris Dowling, wife of the late Ken Dowling at the 10 year celebration. Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Montrose Men’s Shed members were pleased to show Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence some of their handy work.

Roy Bennett gets behind the FlySim to test his skills at flying.

Sad tale reborn as lesson

By Dongyun Kwon

The story of a Yarra Ranges resident becomes the basic source of a course for Year 11 and 12 students in Victoria.

James Wood has shared his workplace injury experience to educate employees, employers and management teams on the real impact of workplace injury for over 25 years.

Mr Wood was a diesel mechanic.

In 1985, on his way to a parking bay after fixing a truck, he lost control of the truck.

“It was five to nine in the morning, so I thought if I could get back to the lunchroom by nine o’clock, I could catch up with my workmates,” Mr Wood said.

“I put my foot down a little bit, was going a little bit too quick, I lost control of the truck and the truck ended up rolling on the side of a hill.

“I got thrown out of the cabin, broke my back and damaged my spinal cord.”

Mr Wood said the accident happened due to his lack of safety awareness.

“The reason I got thrown out of the truck that day was obviously I was going too fast and I didn’t have a seatbelt on,” he said.

“I made some wrong choices and ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.”

Mr Wood decided to use his experience to prevent others from a similar tragedy.

He established a small safety training consultancy CNB Safe based in Yarra Glen with some other speakers who experienced a workplace injury.

Mr Wood and his teammates have gone around Australia to share their stories to raise workplace safety awareness.

“When I first got asked to share my story at a workplace over 25 years ago, initially, I didn’t want to do it because I was a diesel mechanic

and I’d never stand in front of people to do public speaking,” Mr Wood said.

“But then I thought it’s the thing that I would have liked to listen to, if somebody, who experienced an injury, turned up at my workplace and shared their story, it might have given me a little bit more of a reason to think about some of the choices that I made that day.

“So I started off the business myself and my wife started working with me and then we had other people approached to us to work with. We go out to workplaces all around Australia, share our stories and try to stop what happened to us from happening to somebody else.”

When Covid hit the world and all Victorians were stuck in lockdown, Mr Wood wrote a book based on his experience.

The book It Hurts! is about how the injury changed Mr Wood’s life.

The Vocational and Applied Learning Association (VALA) has launched a new program Disability Inclusion and Workplace Health and Safety: It Hurts! Expo based on Mr Wood’s book.

The program is a community and workplace-focused school program targeted at young people in Year 11 and Year 12 who are undertaking the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Vocational Major (VM).

VALA CEO Helene Rooks said VALA launched the program at VCE VM induction day.

“It’s a really good way for young students to learn about both disability inclusion and workplace safety,” she said.

“We got really positive feedback during the conference because teachers were really looking for meaningful programs rather than going back to textbooks, workbooks and worksheets.”

Celebrity chefs join in to help Box Hill Institute students

Box Hill Institute raised $17,500 to help students struggling to make ends meet with the help of their alumni and celebrity chefs Guy Grossi and Frank Camorra, alongside fellow Melbourne chefs Morgan Hipworth and Ian Curley.

While classes have just started for the year, 75 per cent of student welfare requests are related to financial hardship, up from 25 per cent in 2023.

The funds raised will translate to supporting hundreds of students with the essentials to ensure they can continue their education.

Box Hill Institute’s student wellbeing

coordinator Johanna Dutton said as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, some students are choosing between eating and paying for other necessities, like public transport.

“If a student comes to us with welfare concerns, we typically ask “Have you eaten today?” and quite often the answer is ‘no’,” she said.

The money was raised through a fundraising dinner, with the celebrity chefs working with Box Hill Institute students to cater for the crowd.

In addition, items were auctioned and the chefs also donated dining experiences

to each of their restaurants, such as a fourcourse dinner matched with drinks for six people at Grossi Florentino.

“The importance of education in our industry is massive. We really need to encourage younger people back into our industry and give them a pathway into hospitality they can feel proud of,” Guy Grossi said.

There are many reasons why students experience financial difficulty, but some common scenarios are young people forced to leave home before they are ready or women escaping family violence and returning to study to get back on their feet.

“Students experiencing financial distress

are in survival mode, which makes it difficult for them to concentrate on their studies. Through investing in their well-being, we tell them they are worth it, and we believe they will make a valuable contribution when they graduate,” Ms Dutton said.

Box Hill Institute’s CEO Grant Radford was heartened to see the level of support for students in need.

“We believe that education should be accessible to anyone who wants to pursue it. This is a wonderful outcome, and it will allow us to support many students who might otherwise struggle to stay in education,” Mr Radford said.

Celebrity chefs and cookery students collaborate to raise money for students facing hardship.

Picture: SUPPLIED

L-R: Helene Rooks, James Wood and VALA professional learning and development manager Natalie Purves.

Picture: SUPPLIED

EASTER

‘Egg-cellent’ Easter fun

When it comes to Easter, egg decorating is somewhat of a tradition.

And if you haven’t given it a go, here’s a how-to on dyeing, painting and marbling hard boiled eggs.

The first step may be simple but place the eggs in a pot of water and bring to the boil on the stove. Then let them simmer for ten minutes and cool.

Now it gets to the creative part.

Let’s start with dyeing eggs. Fill some cups halfway with hot water, a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of food colouring - repeat with all the colours you want to use.

Carefully place the egg in the coloured water and leave for five minutes - when it’s done, you’ll have one completely coloured egg.

If you want to go one step further, use string, tape or elastic bands to create patterns. Should marbling your eggs take your fancy, here’s two ways to try

· Using shaving cream or whipped cream (if you’d like to eat your eggs).

· Place the eggs in a bowl of vinegar and leave for 20 minutes.

· Using a large dish, fill with a layer of shaving cream and add some drops of food dyeeven divide the dish into two to four sections and do multiple colours.

· Using a skewer, swirl and marble the colours together, then roll the egg gently over the surface of the shaving cream and once covered, place on some paper towel for

20 minutes.

· Wash off excess shaving cream using a bowl of water.

Using oil

· In a glass bowl, add one cup of hot water, a teaspoon of white vinegar and five to ten drops of food colouring (be sure to use a light colour for the base of the egg).

· In another bowl, one cup of water with about 20 drops of food colouring and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.

· When the egg is completely dry, place it into the bowl of oil mixture with a spoon and gently roll.

· Take it out when marbled and dry on paper towel.

· Other options include using watercolour paint or acrylic paint to make patterns and designs of all sorts.

· Don’t forget to wear old clothes or an apron and maybe gloves too, it can get messy.

‘Calming craft bubble’: Benefits in an uncertain world

There’s no doubt about it, the last two years have been a rollercoaster ride of change, fear and uncertainty. However, one thing that many of us have relied on is the security of home and the everyday joy found in simple pleasures.

School teacher and craft expert Shannon Wong-Nizic says that this is particularly true when it comes to children, who benefit enormously from home-based ‘back to basics’ activities such as crafting, needlework and baking.

“Creative pursuits help children feel grounded and calm - it requires them to busy their hands, put down their screens, still their minds and be present in the moment,” Shannon says.

“These are such important self-care skills for little ones to learn growing up in today’s fast-paced, news-driven world.”

Shannon says that Easter is the perfect time for parents to connect with their children through craft.

“Holiday periods like Easter provide us with a beautiful opportunity to create calming family traditions,” she says.

To help create a ‘calming craft bubble’

in your home this Easter, Shannon has put together some inspirational Easter craft activities – a cute Easter Bilby hat, perfect for the Easter Hat Parade and an ‘Eggscellent Spoonville’ activity whereby you can decorate wooden spoons to look like Easter Eggs and plant them around your neighbourhood.

To download Shannon’s Easter craft templates and how-to’s, visit: visit: www.pilotpen.com.au

“Spoonville is a wonderful way to connect with friends and neighbours through sharing the joy of craft - what better time than Easter to take the time to have some fun!” says Shannon.

Shannon Wong-Nizic is a teacher, mum of three and avid crafter. She runs a popular blog and online parenting resource dedicated to all things creative, www.ohcreativeday. com

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that life is to be celebrated and it’s the simple things that matter the most,” says craft expert Shannon Wong-Nizic, from Oh Creative Day. Picture: SUPPLIED

Easter joy at Blue Lotus

The Blue Lotus Water Garden has teamed up with Mad Hatter Theatrics from Warburton and the Easter Bunny to provide a magical experience for children this coming Easter.

Storybook Eggcellent Egg Hunts - The Easter Bunny and his storybook friends including Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and others will be at the garden to conduct eggcellent Easter hunts on Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Children will be invited to search for artificial eggs to give the Easter Bunny who will swap the artificial eggs for 4 x hen sized chocolate eggs. The egg hunts run for 1 hour approximately and include entertainment by the storybook characters.

For more details and session times, please see below (note: all egg hunt tickets are limited and must be booked online, all sessions are one hour long).

Saturday 30 March

· AM Session: 10.30am

· PM Session: 1pm

· Sunday 31 March

· AM Session: 10.30am

· PM Session: 1pm

· Monday 1 April

· AM Session: 10.30am

· PM Session: 1pm

Face Painting - Lovely Lara, our very talented face painting artist will also be at the gardens each day of the weekend. She charges a small fee for her services.

Dragon Spotto - Being the year of the Dragon, kids will love this activity as they search for different things in the garden including our special dragons. If the children return their pencil after completing the challenge, they will be rewarded with a sweet treat.

Good Friday - The Blue Lotus Water Garden is open from 10am-5pm on Good Friday 29 March. Although there will be no special entertainment for children, all facilities will be open including the Flower Fairy Garden, Ice Cream Shop and our new tree house, the Dragon Spotto activity and Face Painting.

The Gardens at Easter – This Easter we will feature a brand-new attraction. Australia’s largest display of hanging baskets full of thousands of flowers. The display stretches over half a kilometre with 180 baskets containing an amazing array of colourful

begonias and petunias.

The Blue Lotus Water Garden is an ideal destination for families with over 14 acres of stunning lakes, waterfalls and amazing plant exhibits to explore. Thousands of autumn flowers will be on show including the new hanging basket display, the amazing Giant Amazon Waterlily with its huge lily pads and plenty of waterlilies and lotus to see. The gardens also contain fantastic facilities including picnic huts, BBQs, Cafe, Ice Cream Kiosk, Plant Nursery and Giftshops.

Online Bookings Essential – Tickets for the

Storybook Eggcellent Egg Hunts sessions are limited and must be booked online at bluelotus.com.au. Egg hunt tickets are available to purchase for children aged 0-15 years only. All children must be accompanied by an adult with a paid admission ticket. Child Egg hunt tickets include garden admission and entry to one egg hunt session only.

· Adult Ticket: $24.50

· Senior/Pensioner Ticket: $22

· Child Egg Hunt Ticket (must be booked online): $11

The Mad Hatter and Alice from Alice in Wonderland will be making appearances over easter at the Blue Lotus Water Gardens.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Easter egg hunts with the Easter Bunny will also be part of the holiday period.

Vital service from the air

By Tanya Steele and Mikayla Van Loon

Ambulance Victoria (AV) has extended its contract with Babcock Australasia (Babcock) to continue providing air ambulance operations to support paramedics in providing the best care to patients across Victoria.

The Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley areas have recently seen a woman from Emerald airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in February and a Healesville man was airlifted to the Melbourne Hospital after a motor vehicle crash into Healesville High School in June 2023 - saving their lives.

The five-year extension of the existing arrangement for the Air Ambulance helicopter fleet, valued at more than $370 million, will come into effect from 1 January 2026.

AV Chief Executive Jane Miller said the renewed partnership, which first commenced in January 2016, would ensure AV continued to provide safe, timely and expert patient care during some of Victoria’s most logistically complex emergencies.

“This partnership helps us provide the highest level of care for every patient, no matter where they are located across the state,” Ms Miller said.

“Someone experiencing a medical emergency in a rural location can quickly receive expert care from our ground crews, further clinical support and expertise from our MICA Flight Paramedics and definitive care from a flight to one of Victoria’s high-quality trauma centres. It’s an impressive service,” she said.

Mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) paramedic Gavin Lawley is a flight paramedic who takes on the challenge and variety the specialised position offers.

“There’s a lot of moving parts – so it’s quite a dynamic environment to work with. And that’s part of the challenge of working out there,” he said.

“It’s comforting for the community to know that if ever something happens in the remote and far-reaching locations of Victoria – and some parts of New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania – AV is equipped to provide the best possible emergency response,” Ms Miller said.

“This agreement will ensure patients who need AV’s helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) continue to receive best care right across Victoria,” she said.

Last year, AV’s HEMS responded to 2,197 incidents, averaging 200 cases each month and Mr Lawley said the services they cover are quite varied, from airlifting complex patients, delivering blood and participating in search and rescue.

“The major role differences from a say a road MICA is the transport times and the distance we travel,” he said.

“But we do a lot of work with other rural or regional hospitals that have reached their limit of speciality care for certain patients – we also transfer the patients down to a metropolitan centre or a specific line of care in Melbourne.”

From motor vehicle accidents to primary cardiac arrest in the regional areas or remote locations, Mr Lawley said the air ambulance teams are there to provide one of the highest level of medical emergency skill sets in Victoria.

Mr Lawley said air ambulance teams also have the capability with a helicopter aircraft to complete search and rescue tasks and winching operations.

“Whether it’s water or land, we can work with other agencies to search and locate patients and perform rescues and provide medical care in remote locations when required,” he said.

AV Acting Manager Air Operations Rupert Freeman said Babcock provided AV’s HEMS operations with five AW139 helicopters and a service assurance aircraft.

“AV is in its eighth year working alongside our Babcock colleagues and we’re pleased to continue this partnership, which places a strong focus on serving the Victorian community,” he said.

MrLawleysaidtheserviceismedicallyquite ‘vast’ and sees it’s own ‘peaks and troughs” in the areas they visit and call outs they attend.

“During hot weather during summer, we can get a lot more jobs involving what bodies of water whether it’s the bay, the ocean, or rivers, during those holiday periods, we find, especially in the post-Covid, a lot of people are often in the high country, so we respond to a lot of remote locations that way,” he said.

“Whenever you have people moving in and throughout the state, in peak periods, there’s an increase in road trauma.”

Mr Lawley said several factors dictate how a patient is triaged for an airlift callout and patients are triaged from their flight coordination centre, where the highly trained MICA flight paramedics receive calls from a number of agencies including Triple zero, paediatric and neonatal specialities and search and rescue operations.

“Travel time withVictoria being quite a vast area, we provide a service where we can either get our skill set, or medical treatment to the patient to best stabilize and treat them and

then bring them down to a centre or send us to the patient to bring them down as quickly as possible to the highest level of care – that’s our primary goal.”

With only five rotary and four fixed wing aircraft in the fleet, the triage is a vital part of the process and Mr Lawley said that if a primary search and rescue job comes in, it also gets triaged against other cases and available aircraft and so the workload is quite high at times.

The airlifts can make all the difference and Mr Lawley said that giving someone the support they need in the way of blood or a medical procedure and then getting them to the highest level of care in the shortest amount of time finally has a benefit to the possible health outcomes.

The job is challenging and Mr Lawley said the flight paramedics work very tightly with a three person crew, responding to cases where they can be surrounded by hospital staff at one

location to being in the middle of a bush with only bystanders and the patient at the next.

“Communication and team dynamics are really important, but it’s always evolving – you have to be able to build teams and communicate really well.”

“Our MICA Flight Paramedics will continue to provide the best possible care, supported by our Babcock partners, when our patients need it most,” Mr Freeman said.

The partnership has been extended to 31 December 2030 and Mr Lawley said it was important to acknowledge the ground teams the flight crew work with - from hospital staff, SES and CFA to police and regular bystanders.

“You’re always working with different teams in different environments – we can’t do this role by ourselves.

“Bringing everyone together usually gets the best possible outcome for the patient,” he said.

The service in action: A woman was airlifted to hospital after being hit by this runaway motorhome in Emerald on 28 February. Picture: GARY SISSONS

The Air Ambulance helicopter fleet is valued at more than $370 million dollars.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Glaucoma, a silent thief

By Dongyun Kwon

There’s an eye disease taking hold of 300,000 Australians, with more than half going about their day-to-day lives without a diagnosis or the knowledge they are affected.

In Australia, one in 10,000 babies are born with glaucoma, one in 200 have it by age 40 and one in eight have it by age 80. Yarra Valley is also under the impact of the disease.

Eastern Eye Specialists, a local ophthalmic clinic located in Lilydale and Bayswater, founding director Dr Malvika Gupta said approximately one in eight of her patients would have glaucoma.

“It is very important to understand that many people who have glaucoma are actually not aware and many times they don’t go to the optometrist because they don’t think anything is wrong,” she said.

“More than 70 per cent actually have no symptoms, we are trying to prevent them from getting into late-stage glaucoma which could make them lose driving vision and visual field.

“Anybody who’s on doctor’s care, it’s very unlikely for them to lose their vision completely, but someone who has not been diagnosed and no treatment has been done can lose their central vision or visual field which causes legal blindness and inability to drive.”

Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) vice president associate professor Ashish Agar said the ASO was drawing attention to glaucoma, also known as the silent thief of sight, during theWorld GlaucomaWeek from 10 to 16 March.

“Glaucoma is a condition where the eye’s optic nerve, which provides information to

our brain, is damaged with or without raised intraocular pressure,” he said.

“Glaucoma develops slowly and often without any symptoms, which is why there is such a high rate of non-detection in Australia.

“When left untreated, it can cause vision loss or lead to irreversible blindness reinforcing why awareness and early intervention are crucial.”

The first line of treatment for most patients with glaucoma is eye lasers and eye drops, which could salvage most of the disease problem and prevent further progression.

Dr Gupta said regular screening would be a key to prevent late-stage glaucoma.

“Everybody over 50 years old needs to see an optometrist every year because they can identify if you have any risk factors for developing the disease,” she said.

“If you do have risk factors, then they could refer you to the ophthalmologist.

“More people can be managed early if we pick it up early, that will save a lot of damage and the disease burden.”

Dr Gupta said there has been a remarkable progression in terms of treatment for patients with glaucoma in Yarra Valley.

“A few years ago, the laser wasn’t available within Yarra Valley, but, fortunately, we now have a laser called Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty,” she said.

“It’s a laser that gently stimulates the eye to pump the eye fluid better and that helps regulate the tension on that optic nerve.

“Only when somebody needs glaucoma surgeries, we send them to eye and ear hospitals, which is extremely rare.”

Good screening rates here

Data reveals people in the outer-east of Melbourne have outperformed the state’s average in participating in the National Cervical Screening Program.

Cancer Council Victoria has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the importance of regular cervical screening and the option to self-collect your test.

According to AIHW data, more than 72 per cent of people in Knox andYarra Ranges have participated in the National Cervical Screening Program, while Victoria’s average is sitting at 69 per cent.

The ‘In Your Hands’ campaign data shows more than 200 Victorians were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2022, with more than 1000 cases diagnosed in the five years of 2018 to 2022.

A Cervical Screening Test is the best way to prevent cervical cancer and is recommended every five years for women and people with a cervix aged 25-74 under the National Cervical Screening Program.

Yet, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows around one in three eligible Victorians are still not participating in this life-saving test.

Cancer CouncilVictoria Screening, Early Detection and Immunisation head Kate Broun said she hopes the campaign encourages eligible women and people with a

cervix to make cervical screening a priority.

“The Cervical Screening Test is unique in that it can find people at risk of cervical cancer before it even starts to develop. It does this by looking for the very common virus that causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, human papillomavirus or HPV,” she said.

“By participating in cervical screening, we can find the HPV infection and treat any cervical cell changes it may cause before they may develop into cancer. This is why it’s so important that everyone who is eligible does the test as soon as they are due and doesn’t put it off.”

Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas is urging Victorian women to keep up to date with their cervical cancer screenings.

“With self-collection making it easier and less daunting, we are urging all women to ensure they keep up with their five-yearly cervical screening – the earlier the diagnosis and access to treatment, the better chance of survival,” she said.

In July 2022, the option to self-collect your Cervical Screening Test using a small swab was expanded from limited eligibility criteria, to be made available to everyone eligible for cervical screening, something that Ms Broun said has been a significant step in addressing some of the barriers preventing people from participating.

Dr Malvika Gupta.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Fun, food and more at Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival

Hookey Park came alive on Sunday 17 March as hundreds of people flocked to the annual Celebrate Mooroolbark festival.

From a vintage car display, live music and lawn games to a baking competition, food stalls and local organisations engaging with the community, there was so much to see and do.

The heat certainly didn’t deter people from heading out for the day to explore the festival, with Star Mail photographer Stewart Chambers there to capture some of the joy being had.

Another successful year for the festival, organisers were extremely appreciative of the attendance and help provided.

“The Celebrate Mooroolbark Team thanks each and every person who was involved today. You all helped make our event so wonderful, fun, memorable and successful,” the team posted to socials.

“Whether you attended as a guest, were behind the scenes, on the stage, selling your goods, helping us stay safe and hydrated, or were a valued sponsor and everything in between we thank you.”

Hear the mighty pipe bands

By Mikayla van Loon

For those planning to attend the Melbourne Highland Games and Celtic Festival this year, they’re in for a treat with the Victorian Pipe Band Championships also running on the day.

Seeing entries from across the state, it will be a show of talent and togetherness as bands put their best foot forward for the competition in Croydon on 24 March.

Pipe band coordinator for the festival Mick Ryan said despite there being five high level grades and then the school age competition, Victoria only has a singular band in grade one and currently no bands in grade two.

But luckily with 19 bands registered and 26 competitive performances across grade three and grades four A and B, Mr Ryan said calibre is not questioned.

For an audience, Mr Ryan said hearing and seeing the skills of the pipe band is unlike anything else.

“The band marches into a circle and plays. There’s two different elements, there’s a marching element and then a medley element,” Mr Ryan said.

“[A circle] is not always the best for the spectators because they’ve got their back facing out, but the idea is that they are facing one another to get the very best out of the music.”

Judged on the drumming, the piping, the ensemble, dress and sometimes drill components, Mr Ryan said one small element can make a big difference to the overall performance.

“There’s not much between the bands at the highest levels in their grades. So lots of different things can affect it, who turns up on the day, if someone’s sick, and their best player is missing, the band can’t form as well.

“At that level, the slightest mistake can cost you first place or a second place.”

While some tunes may be repeated by the different bands Mr Ryan said“even that’s interesting to hear the differences”.

Hosting the championships is shared among the state’s highland festivals each year but with the Croydon gathering the only one for Melbourne and its outer suburbs, seeing it locally isn’t always easy.

The best part of the day for Mr Ryan is right at the end when all the bands come together to play.

“At the end of the day, we have a mash band where all bands come together and they march up playing and that’s quite spectacular. You

could have hundreds of people. It’s like a giant pipe band and people enjoy that spectacle,” he said.

As someone who began learning the bagpipes as a boy in 1956, Mr Ryan has dedicated much of his life to playing with the likes of the Edinburgh Tattoo and the Ringwood Pipe Band, teaching up and comers, as well as being vice president of Pipe BandsVictoria and regulating competitions to keep them fair.

Mr Ryan said Australia and Victoria have always had a strong relationship with pipe bands, leading the way on many of the innovations to improve the bagpipes as an instrument.

“Some of the innovations in the modern

bagpipe, such as synthetic bags and reeds made from cane and moisture control systems, all of those have been pioneered in Australia.

“Interestingly, the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association was the very first pipe band association in the world. It’s now coming up to 100 years old. It’s somewhere around six or eight years ahead of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association being formed.”

Seeing the interest as a teacher of the bagpipes at the Ringwood Pipe Band, Mr Ryan said most recently there were 20 learner pipers ranging from 10-years-old to adults.

“Like any movement, it waxes and wanes as years pass, but we’re on the up at the moment.

“The last person to graduate from our learning program to actually playing in the band was 14.”

Although “not easy to play, it’s not impossible to play either” and Australia has produced some of the world’s best pipers and drummers over the years.

“In 1998, the Victoria Police Pipe Band won the grade one World Championships, which is the top pipe band in the world.

“So, we’ve got people up at that level, as well as the majority of people who play at grade four B level but they play for their communities.”

Despite the festival bringing together the best bands from the state, there will be so much more to explore as well, with Highland, Scottish and Irish dancing, heavy games, traditional Celtic food stalls and folk music.

Gates open at 9am with the festival finishing up at 5pm located at Eastfield Park, Croydon. Tickets can be purchased online here, melbournehighlandgames.org.au/ticketsmerch/buy-tickets/

Denis Hough and Lance Curtin from the Mooroolbark Men’s Shed. 395551

Dennis Botten, Denise Kirby and Les Hunter from Mooroolbark Bowls Club. 395551

Isla and Hugo from Mooroolbark enjoying the festival. 395551 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Nick, Coby, Elly and Marlie. 395551

Hudson, Jude and Roseanne from Mooroolbark checking out the car show. 395551

Rebecca, Faye, Amity, Anderson, Lauren and Isaac from Candlebark Community Nursery. 395551

Amber and Charlie from Fire Opal. 395551

Back Daina, Chris, Linda and Sandie Front Margaret and Barbara Croydon Mooroolbark Lions Club. 395551

Stay until the end and see over 100 pipers and drummers play collectively.

Growlers

By Mikayla van Loon

Hearing the sound of a growling grass frog may be rare but in these prime warmer months it’s important to listen out.

Ecologist, conservationist and Frogs Victoria president David De Angelis said breeding season for the growler is typically during spring and summer and is the time when they’re “most active and calling”.

The vulnerable-listed species had its last confirmed sighting in 2019 on a private property in Coldstream after two arborists Grant Harris and James Gibson heard the calls.

This led to a MelbourneWater survey of another nearby property, with the approval of the owner, and Mr De Angelis helping to confirm the good news after listening to a recording.

“[This] is exciting because the species is threatened and there are few known populations east of Melbourne,” Melbourne Water waterwatch coordinator Jane Petch said.

Mr De Angelis said because it was “the peak of their calling and breeding season, we heard up to 20 frogs” during the end of December, early January period.

Growlers are known to breed between September and March and particularly like “slow flowing water or still water to breed in”.

“You won’t usually find them in fast flowing creeks but the Stringybark Creek for example which slows in between some of these properties is that type of slow flowing creek,” Mr De Angelis said.

“Dams absolutely provide breeding habitat as well as ponds and up to larger wetlands. That’s particularly relevant in this case because that’s exactly the type of breeding habitat the frogs were rediscovered in.”

But Mr De Angelis said despite needing water to breed in, a lot of the adult growlers will do their feeding up on land.

“These wetlands that they’re holding on in,

in the Coldstream area, do have some trees and shrubs, but otherwise they’re fairly open and exposed to the sun and that’s really important for maintaining that fungus at low levels so the frogs can survive,” he said.

Growling grass frogs are particularly prone to a disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus which has been “causing the die-off of frogs all up the east coast of Australia” for many years.

While it is expected that growling grass frogs have always existed in the Coldstream, Gruyere and larger Yarra Valley area, with the previous known sighting being 2006, Mr De Angelis said with many of the properties being private it is hard for researchers to access dams to understand the exact population.

“Without people having maintained a re-

cord or knowing it was still in the area there was a possibility that it might have disappeared entirely

“The fear was they had disappeared from the middle to Upper Yarra catchment and more broadly.”

After the first rediscovery, Melbourne Water used automated sound recording equipment and could confirm the growlers were at a second property, something Mr De Angelis identified as being “a big relief…and very exciting”.

“Those landowners are happy to have the frogs there and to try and ensure their habitat is protected on that farm into the future so at the very least it gives us more confidence that there’s less risk of the frog disappearing entirely from the region.

“Hopefully we can find them on some other

properties and in the first instance see how widespread they are still.”

One of the best ways to do so, Ms Petch said, is to take part in the Frog Census and become a citizen scientist.

“If you are wondering how to identify a Growling Grass frog then download the Frog Census App and listen to its distinctive call,” she said.

“When you make a recording using the App it is verified by an ecologist and the information is made publicly available on the Atlas of Living Australia.”

The Frog Census program has been running for over 20 years and has gathered over 14,000 frog records contributing to the understanding of the health of waterways, wetlands and frog population trends across greater Melbourne.

A female growling grass frog found in Coldstream.

Picture: DAVID DE ANGELIS

Preventing low back pain

We’re all familiar with the age-old adage, ‘Prevention is better than the cure’.

Nowhere does this ring truer than in the realm of low back pain.

Treating back pain can be a complex, difficult and frustrating process - so what can you do to protect your back and minimise the likelihood of injury?

First things first, your back needs to be exercised.

Our spine is tough and robust and loves bending, twisting and lifting.

These things don’t hurt your back, they strengthen your back.

Exercising toughens up the muscles, ligaments and discs of your spine and keeps your back agile and flexible.

Healthy living

Ben Croxford

Physiotherapist, Leads the team at Form & Practice Mount Evelyn and Olinda

The opposite of moving - sitting and other prolonged postures - is literally the worst thing you can do for your back.

We live in the age of computers, TVs, office jobs and cars - so it shouldn’t be a surprise that

Picture:ONFILE

Anne Frank exhibition at show at Belgrave Library

“I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death!... When I write I can shake off all my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived! But, and that’s a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?”

Anne Frank wrote these words in April 1944.

Four months later, she and her family were arrested by the Gestapo.

She was later transported from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where she died in early 1945.

She was only 15.

Anne’s diary was first published in the Netherlands in 1947.

Ten years after that, the Anne Frank Foundation was established to protect the 17th-century house in central Amsterdam where Anne and her family hid from Nazi persecution.

Officially opened in 1960, the Anne Frank House has been receiving over 1.2 million visitors from all over the world each year.

The Anne Frank House’s first international travelling exhibition was launched in 1996 and has been displayed in over 3,500 locations in 77 countries.

In Australia, the organisation has been active since 2000 with travelling exhibitions and educational activities.

The current travelling exhibition“Let Me Be Myself – The Life Story of Anne Frank” has been touring Australia since 2013.

Designed to highlight the contemporary relevance of Anne’s story, the exhibition explores universal themes such as identity and belonging and encourages visitors to consider the following questions:

How do you identify yourself? How do others define you?

What groups do you belong to? How do

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

others categorise you?

What happens if you are not accepted by others? Where does exclusion start?

What do you know about the struggle against persecution and discrimination?

How do you respond to stories of Anne Frank and other young people who are the victims of war?

To this reviewer, what remains inspiring today is Anne’s optimism and faith in humanity.

Even in the most difficult of times like hers, where “ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality”, she continued to be hopeful: “It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical.

Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”

“Although I’m only fourteen, I know quite well what I want. I know who is right and who is wrong. I have my opinions, my own ideas and principles, and although it may sound pretty mad from an adolescent, I feel more of a person than a child. I feel quite independent of anyone.”

“Who would ever think that so much went on in the soul of a young girl?”

“Let Me Be Myself – The Life story of Anne Frank” is now on display at Belgrave Library until April 20. Please, bring yourself and the young people in your family to see the exhibition.

statistics suggest back pain is more prevalent now than it has ever been.

There are lots of forms of exercise that help to prevent back pain.

This can include Pilates, strength training and even walking.

However, research suggests that almost every type of exercise out there can reduce the risk of low back pain!

It’s important to remember that if your back is deconditioned or you have a history of injuries and pain, you do need to be careful and build into new exercise routines safely.

Sometimes it is best to get some guidance in the most appropriate and effective ways to exercise.

CARTOON

The risk of developing back pain is also strongly correlated with being overweight, poor diet and low sleep-quality - suggesting to us that maintaining a healthy lifestyle both significantly prevents and treats low back pain.

So, if you really want to look after your back, get out there and get moving!

Ben Croxford is a Physiotherapist and leads the team at Form and Practice Mt Evelyn, Olinda and Chirnside Park.

His writings explore his favourite health topics, challenge common myths and aim to empower you to take control of your own health.

Find out more at formandpractice.com.au

Rose Glass shatters viewer expectations

Love Lies Bleeding

Starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian and Ed Harris

Rated MA15+ 4.5/5

Directed by Rose Glass, Love Lies Bleeding is a surreal, genre-bending romantic thriller.

In 1989, Lou (Kristen Stewart), a gym manager, falls in love with Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder, but the couple are quickly pulled into a criminal underworld.

Stewart cements her status as an enthralling character actor, and the Amazonian O’Brian balances gentleness and vulnerability with growing rage and a slipping hold on reality.

The droning electronic score enhances the seedy atmosphere, and the camerawork frames the human body as sensual and grotesque – sometimes both at once.

Lou and Jackie’s sweet relationship is stretched to breaking point as good intentions go south and the traumatic past Lou tried to escape reasserts itself.

Love Lies Bleeding grips the viewer with an intensely morally grey landscape – psychopaths showing kindness, a blackmailing manic pixie dream girl, love and cruelty coexisting – and a taut plot that tightens unbearably toward the end.

Love Lies Bleeding’s style has Lynchian

notes, with its vibe of heightened reality, moments of body horror and several scenes that pay clear tribute to BlueVelvet and Lost Highway, but still feels fresh and bold, and Ed Harris’s Lou Sr. is like a subtler, more scheming take on Blue Velvet villain Frank Booth.

In 2024, I described Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night as the best David Lynch movie that Lynch didn’t make, and Love Lies Bleeding reveals Glass as another worthy successor to Lynch.

Comparing this with 2024’s other lesbian crime caper, Love Lies Bleeding is more macabre and compelling, and Drive-Away Dolls is lighter, brighter and more fun.

A touching but confronting and extremely tense thriller with dashes of horror and dark comedy, Love Lies Bleeding is playing in select Victorian cinemas.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

BelgraveLibrarywillbehosttoanAnneFrankexhibition.

By Maria Millers

At the moment followers of two of the Abrahamic religions, Muslims and Christians are in the middle of periods known respectively as Ramadan and Lent, leading up to the religious festivals of Eid and Easter with the practice of fasting integral to both.

Lent is the Christian season of spiritual preparation before Easter.

It begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days, based on the Bible episodes of Jesus’ wilderness testing and his resurrection.

Christian adherence to the strictures of Lent have loosened in our predominantly secular society and celebrations are often merely reduced to ‘getting away’ somewhere and the consumption of chocolate Easter eggs and hot cross buns.

Football matches remain scheduled for Good Friday.

There are however still stricter observances, particularly in relation to fasting, in the Eastern Orthodox churches.

The holy month of Ramadan is a significant time for Muslims worldwide.

It is a time of self-reflection, gratitude, and spiritual awakening.

It is a commemoration of when the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

Muslims eat only before dawn and after dusk, coming together for the evening meal of Iftar.

So what comes to mind when you hear the word fasting?

Maybe you have tried intermittent fasting, so popular with celebrities in the quest for health and beauty or as the latest attempt at losing weight.

Or maybe, you have been to some Northern Beaches hinterland retreat to take part in holistic health with fasting as part of the experi-

WOORILLA WORDS

ence.

And an overnight fast probably meant you were heading in the morning to have your ‘bloods’ tested for medical reasons.

Health professional have long put forward the benefits of letting the body have a rest from the cornucopia of food most of us have available to indulge in.

Of course, we know that for many in the world food security is still a huge issue.

Even in our own affluent country some people are feeling the pressures of the high cost of food, particularly healthy food.

And immediately one cannot but feel for all those in war torn Gaza who are unable to take part in the rituals of Ramadan when there is barely enough food to sustain life and when children are dying from malnutrition.

Our 21st century culture can make us blind to all of this.

Our world is full of distractions as we navigate a lifestyle where we have too much to do and not enough time to reflect.

There are the constant pressures of work, finances, relationships, caring for elderly parents or children.

Then there are the social pressures of what the young call FOMO: keeping up with the latest podcast, TV show or social media updates.

This fear of missing out can be a distraction

‘We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything, no music. If the brain and belly are burning clean with fasting, every moment, a new song comes out of the fire.’ - RUMI

and time consuming.

So why is fasting still central to those who take part in Lent and Ramadan?

Fasting is considered a sacred practice across many religions and a way to quieten our minds, increase awareness and at the same time loosen our dependence on material things and turn our thoughts to the spiritual.

Clear the mind and confront issues of importance.

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.

We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything, no music.

So wrote the 13th century Persian Sufi poet known as Rumi.

The state of the body impacts the clarity and focus of the mind. Feeding the body pure, healthy foods in general, and periodically allowing it to rest from the tiring work of digestion can profoundly free up energies for awareness to tap into.

Elisabeth Bishop draws attention to the amount of time spent ‘in the planning, purchasing, preparing, eating and cleaning p of meals. ’Fasting is a powerful way to put aside these distractions. It allows us to focus on important things and away from the distracting and mundane.

Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.

This is why fasting is practiced in all religions. And you don’t even have to have a religious “faith.” Just try it sometime, for a day, for half a day, wrestle your way through, and see what happens in you.

May all those participating in the observances of Lent and Ramadan in the lead up to the celebrations of Eid and Easter have a meaningful and enriching experience.

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.

We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything, no music.

If the brain and belly are burning clean with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.

The fog clears, and new energy makes you run up the steps in front of you.

Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.

When you’re full of food and drink,Satan sits where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue in place of the Kaaba.When you fast, good habits gather like friends who want to help.

Fasting is Solomon’s ring. Don’t give it to some illusion and lose your power, but even if you have, if you’ve lost all will and control, they come back when you fast, like soldiers appearing out of the ground, pennants flying above them.

A table descends to your tents, Jesus’ table. Expect to see it, when you fast, this table spread with other food, better than the broth of cabbages.”

Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273)

Hats off to the theatre

By Mikayla van Loon

Community theatre’s night of nights, the Lyrebird Awards, were hosted in early March seeing the best of local theatre awarded for a year of plays and musicals.

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company scored a total of 33 nominations and 11 wins across all five of its 2023 productions.

But it was the production of Switzerland which outshone, winning best drama production, best director, best lead female and awards for lighting, costumes and set design.

Director Helen Ellis said the awards were “the icing on the cake” after producing an excellent show of talent from all involved in the play.

“We’re really, really proud of the production and you don’t do them with awards in mind and you shouldn’t. It’s about the process. It’s about providing entertainment for the audience,” she said.

“This is just icing on the cake and when we got as many nominations as we did, we were super excited and then when we started winning some, it was even better.”

The play, inspired by the life ofTheTalented Mr Ripley author Patricia Highsmith, was written for the stage by Joanna Murray-Smith in a thriller, come comedy, style.

Given the dark nature of the play, Ellis said everything in the production was important to give off the right effect so the audience felt the intensity of it.

“We had an incredible backstage team as well, who were there for the entire rehearsal process as well, which doesn’t always happen,” she said.

“Our stage managers, and our lighting, and sound technicians were there all the time. To have that level of enthusiasm and support was incredible and made a massive difference, because it is a challenging play as well.

“All the components came together,the lighting, the sound, the sets, the costumes, the

props, the set dressing.”

The complexities of using quite a bit of fake blood as well as needing an armorist for the display of guns and knives as part of the set, Ellis said only added to the realness of the production.

So too did having skilled actors who were willing to try the weird and wonderful to convey such a dark thriller.

“[Angela Glennie and Travis Handcock] worked really, really well. You have to have strong people when you’re doing a two-hander where there’s only two people on stage for the entire play,” Ellis said.

“They have to be engaging, the audience needs to feel connected to them and that happened, which was fabulous.

“Both of them, all the way through the play, were just so committed and so trusting and for two people who are also incredibly experienced, to get them to do things they might not have ever done before and to sometimes step outside their own comfort zone and to know that someone’s going to throw themselves into that and is the best thing.”

For her outstanding performance, Angela Glennie was awarded best lead female, a role that was different to anything she had done before.

More than anything the Lyrebirds were an opportunity for the community theatre world to come together and celebrate a big year of productions at the new state of the art facility in Nunawading, The Round.

“It’s actually an opportunity to just celebrate regardless of what the results are. Those sorts of evenings are an opportunity for everyone to get together, have a chat, have a drink, have something to eat and for us to round out the previous year.

“It was fun to spend it with the cast but also with the group from all the other plays, not just from Lilydale but other theatre companies as well.”

Switzerland’s Angela Glennie, Travis Handcock and Helen Ellis with the haul of Lyrebird Awards.

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Features abound with zoned refrigerated cooling and gas heating, coonara, wine cellar, and picturesque views from most rooms. Manicured lawns and exquisite mature species create a picturesque setting, offering ample space for kids and animals to play. A double remote garage, over-height carport for caravan or boat, sealed driveway, and remote gate adds both convenience and privacy.

The prestigious address is as convenient as it is impressive, neighbouring superb properties on acreage, and within walking distance to Emerald Village, schools, parkland, and public transport.

This enchanting storybook home seamlessly blends timeless charm with modern convenience, offering a lifestyle of tranquillity and sophistication in the heart of Emerald. ●

Address: 49 Kilvington

Contact: Riley Nicholas 0488 501 218 Sue Colic

311-313MainStreetEmerald

1/32EramosaRoadEast,Somerville

$985,000 -$1,080,000

FantasticLocation,Light,Bright &CharmingCalifornianBungalowwithWork FromHomePotential!

With 3bedrooms&2bathroomsinthemainhome,thereisalsothepotentialfora teenageretreat intherenovatedstudiowithupdatedensuite.Thelovelyresidencehas awelcomingdoublefront doorthatopenstotheneutralpaletteofthehome.Thekitchenisequippedwitha 900mmcooktop, 2stainlesssteelovens,anabundanceofstorage &a walkinpantry.Therearetwolivingareas,& a cutelowmaintenance &establishedflatyardtopotterin.Thishomealsofeaturesornateceilings, timbersashwindows,afireplaceinthefrontloungeroom &a baywindowtoenjoyyourfavourite bookon.Thehomealsohaspolishedhardwoodfloors& anairconditioningunit.Thereisalsoa doublelockupgarage, &a covereddeckareaforentertaining.

BethanySullivan

Lot2,25BoydRoad,Gembrook

$850,000 -$920,000

TwoBedroomHomeInGorgeousGembrookonApprox.14Acres

Thisisanopportunitytosecurea primeparcelofflat &gentlyundulatinglandinGembrookwitha home.Thehouseisquaint,with 2bedrooms&1bathroom.Thereis awoodfireheater &electric heaterintheopenplanloungeroomwithvaultedceiling, &thekitchenhasanelectricoven.The homeisconnectedtomainswater,a septictank,& mainselectricity.Thiswouldbetheidealhome toresideinwhileyoubuildyourdreamhome(STCA)or agreatweekender.Thisblockhasbeen developedwithhorsesinmind.Therearemultipleelectricfencedpaddocks, &a horsetrotting trainingtrackthatrunsthroughthisLot2&Lot1.Thereisalsoa4bayshedwithmainswater,a builtin tackroomwithconcretedfloor&awashbay.Thereis asinglecarport &a doublewoodshed/horse shelter.

AaronDay M 0407365994

BrennanMileto M 0422996451

AnOutstandingApprox.9 Acres,withAbundantShedding &a2StoreyHome! Offeringapprox.9 acresofflattogentlyslopinglandwithanareaofbush& thenlargecleared& wellfencedpaddockswithelectricfencing.Thereis aroundyard,&ascenicdam.Thehomeis convenientlylaidout,witha doublecarportatthefrontentry &thena cosywoodfireheaterinthe loungeroom.Thereis abuiltinbarintheloungeroom &theloungehasa vaultedceiling& isopen planwiththekitchen.Thereare 2bedroomsdownstairs,& thefamilybathroom.Upstairsdiscover alargemasterbedroomwithexposedrafters &Julietbalconyoverlookingthewellmaintained paddocks.Externallyis aDLUGwithglassslidingdoors &3 internalrooms,onewitha woodfire heater.There’salsoanouthouse &numerousmiscellaneoussheds &fenceddogyards.Thishome hasmainselectricity& tankwater.

48aBeaconsfield-EmeraldRoad,EmeraldExpressionsofInterest

BeautifulHomeinEmeraldonapprox.23acreswithViews!

Thisoutstanding3 bedroom,3 bathroomhomesituatedonapprox.23Acresoffersgorgeousviews acrossclearedpaddockstoCardiniaReservoir.Thisstoneconstructedhomehas awoodfireheater, acousticstrawboardvaultedceiling,giantwindowssoakingintheview &plentyofnaturallight.The kitchenisvast,with agasstovetop &electricoven, &plentyofbenchspace.Unwindinthesecond loungeroomwithanopenfireplace&astunningstudyarea.Thereisa masterbedroomfeaturinga walkthroughwardrobetotheensuite.Thefurther 2bedroomshaveBIRs& areservicedbya family bathroom.Externallythereisa clearedpaddockwith acentraltreedgully.Thegroundscontaina pizzaoven,a highdoublecarportattachedtothehome, &inthebackyardareais adoublegarage withpower,lights &concretedfloor.Thispropertyhasmainspower,gas& water.

AaronDay M 0407365994

BrennanMileto M 0422996451

3 A 3

PROUDLY

The

510

49

4

2

HOME FOCUS

CHOOSE PARADISE IN MT TOOLEBEWONG

VERY rarely does a property with this much allure open its doors. Located on tightly held Mount Toolebewong, this property of approx. 88 acres (with approx. 4 acres cleared) provides character home and log cabin in the most magical setting, a decades-old established garden, and the seclusion of the bush, all a mere 10 minutes from the Healesville township.

Main House

The home of timber, shiplap construction has been thoughtfully renovated and entirely repainted. It provides 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with wraparound verandas and a balcony from which to soak in the morning and afternoon sunlight. The gorgeous character kitchen is equipped with both wood and gas stoves for your pleasure. This home absolutely oozes old world charm.

Studio – The Simple Life Cabin

You must experience this warm inviting space: it carries an aura of comfort and calm that is owed in part to tasteful decor, and also its redgum sleeper construction. The cabin is a successful bed and breakfast, and a Top 5 Riparide escape, with 485 stays hosted, and an annual turnover of $82,000 (gross as at 2023). With these credentials, the Cabin has been featured on Tourism Australia’s website for Top Tiny Stays and is a major asset for the enterprising buyer. Features include claw foot bath, kitchenette and timber floors.

The property is a handbook in selfsufficiency, at a time when homesteading is ascendant. Enjoy enclosed vegetable gardens, securely fenced for poultry, and a solar panel system with back-up batteries and generator. Mount Toolebewong provides fresh spring water to the home, and completes the self-sufficiency offering for those looking at reducing their environmental footprint and enhancing their way of life. This is your chance to secure a home that provides the ultimate privacy and seclusion every day of the year. Whether you are an artist or creative, passionate about living on the land, or seeking the perfect weekender or B and B investment, we guarantee 139 Nyora Road will deliver on your aspirations. Text 139NYORA to 0448 820 022 for more information. l

Address: 139 Nyora Road, MOUNT TOOLEBEWONG

Contact: Rob Verhagen phone: 0448 820 022, email:

MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE WITH INTEGRITY

Integrity Real Estate is a family-owned real estate agency servicing the Yarra Valley, Kinglake Ranges and surrounds. Our team draws on over 70 years real estate experience to provide premium property services, with unmatched personal service that only a family company can provide.

BEAUTIFUL HOME, BEAUTIFUL LOCATION

IF you are looking to either expand your portfolio, or begin the journey to financial freedom through property, then you absolutely cannot pass this gem up. Complete with the dream tenants who love this home as their own, you have the security of a 12 month lease (or longer if you like).

Alternatively, if you want a home for yourself, to love and enjoy for years to come, provided you have the ability to purchase with a view to moving in after January 2025, then please call me to inspect.

Indulge in the epitome of effortless living with this impeccably presented threebedroom home, poised for you to seamlessly transition into a lifestyle of unparalleled comfort. Revel in the timeless elegance of the split-level design, featuring cathedral ceilings that accentuate the flexible floor plan with two distinct living zones, each offering breathtaking valley views.

Bask in the natural light that bathes the living areas, creating a warm ambiance complemented by a well-appointed kitchen boasting modern amenities, including a dishwasher, ample cupboard space, and a convenient breakfast counter. The three robed bedrooms, including a master with direct access to the spacious main bathroom, ensure both style and functionality.

Nestled on the sun-drenched side of the street, this residence comes complete with a front deck offering a perfect spot to soak up the sun, and a secure private yard at the rear – an idyllic haven for both children and pets. Additional features encompass a single carport, gas ducted heating, a sizable storage shed at the rear, and a host of other premium inclusions.

Conveniently located within a short stroll to local shops, bus stops, and the picturesque Warburton Trail, this home invites you to experience the perfect blend of modern living and natural beauty. Envision yourself on the sunny front deck, daydreaming about the moments you’ll soon create in your new abode.

Please call to discuss and arrange a private inspection of this gorgeous home. ●

Address: 18 Carroll Street, WOORI YALLOCK

Contact: Samantha Price 0438 795 190,

8AzaleaCourt,Warburton

$600,000-$650,000

Quietcourtlivingwithmountainviews Ifquietcourtliving,northfacing,sunny,andneatas apinhomearewhatisonyourbuyingcriteria, thenlooknofurther.Offering 2bedrooms,themainbedroomishugewithgenerousbuilt-inrobes andneutraltonesthroughoutwithlargewindowstoadmireyoursurrounds.Theloungeroomislovely andsunfilled,certainlytakingthemountainviewsforyoutoabsorbyourselfin.LuxuryVinylwood flooringthroughoutgive amodernfeelandlookwhilebeingconvenient.Thekitchenisquality timberthathasbeentastefullyupdatedandallowsenoughroomfora diningtablealso.Updated bathroom,plentyofstoragethroughout,and agreatlaundrywithcupboardsgalore.Outsideisa wellmaintainedyeteasygardentotinkeraroundin.Carportwithdirectentrytothehome,anda gorgeousverandatocompleteyourdayandtakeinallofyournaturalbeautythatsurroundsyou.

RebeccaDoolan

M 0401832068

Inspection:

Fri5:00-5:30pm

2 A 1 B 1 C

22HilltopCourt,YarraJunction

$540,000-$570,000

Charminghomebeautifullypresented Thischarminghomeisbeautifullypresentedinsideandoutandissuretopleasetheminuteyou arrive.Situatedina quiet,peacefulspotsurroundedbybushlandyetjustminuteswalktoYarra Junctionsshoppinghub,schoolsandtransport.Thehomeoffers 2greatsizebedroomsbothwith builtinrobes, aseparatedining/mealsandlounge/livingareasofferplentyofspaceandplenty ofroomtomove.Thekitcheniswellappointedandhasplentyofbenchandcupboardspace. Outsideboastsa coveredentertainingareaplusbeautifullandscapedgardensallaroundthe homewith astunningarrayoffloweringplants,shrubsandtreesplus agardenshedandamplecar accommodationandextraparkingspace.A beautifulhomeina greatlocationwithnothingtodo butrelaxandenjoythecolorful,picturesquesurrounds.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Inspection: Sat10:00-10:30am

2 A 1 B 1 C

8CallopStreet,EastWarburton$500,000-$550,000

Escapetoyourserenetreehouseretreatnestledalongthetranquilriverbanks. Ifyouyearntowakeuptonature’schoirandthegentlemelodyoftheflowingriver,thenlookno further.Situatedjust abrief10minutedrivefromthevibranttownshipofWarburton,,withtheYarra Rivermeanderingbyyourdoorstep,thisisanopportunityyouwon’twanttoletslipaway.Offering comfortandconvenience,thiscozyhomefeaturestwobedrooms, awellappointedbathroom,and anopenplankitchen,dining,andloungeareawithoriginalcharm.A woodburningfireplacestands readytocastitswarmglowonchillyevenings,whilethediningareaspillsoutontoa charmingdeck, invitingyoutobaskinthegreatoutdoorsandsavourthecrispcountryair. Agenerousundercover areaandcarportroundoutthisidylliccountrysideretreat,ensuringeveryaspectofyourescapeis seamlesslycateredfor.

50GlenwrightAvenue,WooriYallock $630,000-$690,000

Brilliantbuyinginsoughtafterlocation

Stepinto ahomethateffortlesslycombinesconvenience,familycomfort,and atouchofstyle. Nestledina fantasticlocation,just aleisurelystrollawayfromtheWarburtontrail,localvillage shops,parks,school,andpublictransport,thispropertyis awinninginvestmentinbothconvenience andconnectivity.Inside,discoverthreegenerouslysizedbedrooms,eachequippedwithbuilt-in robes.Themodernkitchenoffersamplebenchandstoragespaceandseamlesslyconnectstothe adjacentmealsarea,providingflowtoyouroutdooroasisforenjoyableentertaining.Thefamily bathroomis aretreatinitself,featuring aluxurioustubfor asoothingsoak,floor-to-ceilingtiling,and abright,airyambiance.Thetandemcarportensuresampleparkingspaceforyourvehicles.Withits perfectblendofpracticality,comfort,andstyle,don’tmissoutonthisopportunitytomakeityours!

SamanthaPrice M 0438795190

Inspection: ByAppointment

3 A 1 B 2 C

“THE PENTHOUSE”- TRANQUIL GETAWAY

WITH breathtaking Million Dollar views that stretch out all the way to Arthur’s Seat and Port Philip Bay this property really gives you a warm welcoming homey feel that makes you never want to leave.

A private tranquil getaway located in one of the best pockets of the Dandenong Ranges with a vast amount of natural sunlight throughout.

Comprising of 3 good size bedrooms all with robing, 2 bright and beautifully presented bathrooms one with jacuzzi soaker tub, modern kitchen with gas appliances, spacious soft close draws, plenty of storage space, stone bench tops and dishwasher which seamlessly flows

onto a generous dining area and large living area opening up onto the deck with amazing views.

Features include recently upgraded ducted heating, x2 split systems, great sized fully fenced back yard with outdoor entertaining area offering plenty of potential and incredible views from the south facing deck which includes many sightings of colourful birds flying past and incredible sunsets in the backdrop.

Set in a great location being within 5 min from Upwey Township, Upwey Train Station, Glenfern Valley Bushlands, Upwey South Primary, Upwey Primary and Upwey High School. ●

Thisparceloflandoffers agenerous5,241sqm(approx.)ofspacetosetyourpropertyplans inmotion(STCA).Theperfectplacefor anewpicturesqueHillshome,thisenticingblockis anopportunitynottobemissed.Planyourviewingtoday.

SuzieBrannelly

M 0490506910| E suzie@chandlerandco.com.au

ThiscontemporaryhomeintheheartofUpweyistheperfectfindinthispicturesquesuburb. Withfewfreestandingunitsinthearea,thisdelightfulpropertyistheidealinvestment. Situatedinanexclusivepocketofonly 3homes,thispropertyisimmediatelymemorable. Thetimelessweatherboardexteriorwithsinglegarageandcoveredentryevokes awarm andwelcomingfeel.

BradConder

M 0422639115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

Whetheryouarea firsttimehomebuyeroraninvestorsearchingfortheidealenhancement ofyourpropertyportfolio,thisunittickstheboxesof

SuzieBrannelly

97546888

RachelEastwood M 0401117761|

1689BurwoodHighway,BelgraveVIC3160

www.chandlerandco.com.au

office@chandlerandco.com.au

No.

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

ACROSS

1 Australian desert (7)

5 Spectacles (7)

9 Filmed information (11)

10 Miriti palm (3)

11 Pot belly (6)

12 Hinged (7)

14 Passionate (4)

15 Attraction (10)

17 Perspicacious (10)

19 Male elephant (4)

20 Electromotive force (7)

22 Flippancy (6)

25 Fall behind (3)

26 Unwanted (11)

28 Defecate (7)

29 Equal; even – (7)

DOWN

1 Team (4)

2 Car-fixers (9)

3 Boy’s name (5)

4 Uncaringness (11)

5 Indian state (3)

6 Whenever (7)

7 Avoid (5)

8 Absence of motion (10)

12 Reporters (11)

13 American theatrical/musical institution (10)

16 Impartial (9)

18 Rubbing out (7)

21 Sound reasoning (5)

23 Piece of poetry (5)

24 Scottish loch (4)

27 Pass away (3)

DECODER

WORDFIT

3 LETTERS

9-LETTER WORD

Today’s Aim:

15

words: Excellent

4 LETTERS AYES CREW GLEE ICES IONS KEYS OVAL PEST RATS RIOT ROAR SAYS TARS TROT USES

ALONE ALPHA CACTI CLOVE CORPS CYCLE ENACT ESSAY EVADE GEESE HENCE IRONY ISSUE LADEN MATTE MEDAL PEACE PRIOR RACER RENEW RESET ROBIN ROLES SANER SEARS SIRES SNIDE SPLAT STEMS STEWS STYLE TERSE THOSE TONES UNSET VERVE WARDS WASTE

LETTERS EASIER ERECTS SETTER URGING

LETTERS ADAMANT APPEASE CREMATE IMMENSE OMNIBUS SITUATE

8

No. 177

No. 177

No. 177

Tight competition on show

By John Thomson

On Thursday 14 March, the Lilydale Croquet Handicap team traveled to the Monash Croquet club. The weather was fine with a southerly breeze which helped keep the temperature at a comfortable level.

The Lilydale team consisted of Craig McCracken, Alan Jones, Kerri McCracken and Graham Rhodes.

Lilydale’s Alan Jones was first up in a singles game. Because both players were on the same handicap neither player had an advantage so it was just a straightforward shootout. The game was close all the way through, with each hoop a battle and the scores were level a number of times, but in the end, Alan was able to just edge in front at the end. The scores Lilydale 7 hoops Monash 6 hoops.

The next game was a doubles and Lilydale’s captain Craig McCracken teamed up with Graham Rhodes. The Monash team started with one extra hoop, and in a very close game this extra hoop was what made the difference in the end. Monash 7 hoops to Lilydale 6 hoops.

Kerri McCracken played in the next singles. The Monash player got off to a flying start and did not let Kerri get into the game at all, with Monash winning 7 hoops to Lilydale 2 hoops.

In the next doubles Alan Jones and Graham Rhodes played. Alan and Graham have not played a lot together but they teamed together well, and in the end had a reasonably comfortable win 7 hoops to Monash 4 hoops.

At the lunch break there was nothing in it. The score was Monash 2 games 24 hoops to

Lilydale 2 games 22 hoops with a singles and a doubles game to play.

In the last singles Craig McCracken was playing. Because of the handicap difference between the two players Craig was having to make up two extra hoops. The game was tight, the Monash player was playing well and the two extra hoops that Craig had to make up was just a mountain too far with Monash winning 7 hoops to Lilydale’s 4 hoops.

This win put Monash one game and 5 hoops up so it was up to the Lilydale doubles team to see if they could come from behind to win the day, the pressure was on.

The Lilydale pair of Kerri McCracken and Alan Jones had to make up one hoop on their opposition. Both teams were playing well, Kerri and Alan were able to make up their one hoop to level the score tally and then just work their way in front to win 7 hoops to Monash 6 hoops.

Both Teams were fairly evenly matched on the day and this certainly showed on the scoreboard.

Monash won the day, 3 games 37 hoops to Lilydale 3 games 33 hoops.

Next week we will have the Monday Level Play teams back playing again after the Labour Day public holiday.

Lilydale and East Croydon-Kilsyth were a well matched team for the semi final and showed great sportsmanship.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Lilydale teams scoop the pool with grand finals next

By Joanna Campe

Semi-final results for Lilydale Tennis Club in the Eastern Region Tennis Competition. With winning outcomes for all Lilydale teams they are now off to the grand finals to be held next weekend.

Junior Open Singles Doubles Lilydale v East Croydon-Kilsyth

Lilydale finished on top of the ladder at the end of the regular season.

Lilydale was represented by Adam Paladino, Alex Paladino, Ari Marappan, Ryan Taylor, Rishabh Chowdhury and Joshua Jamieson. As it was the Semi-final all six players got to participate in the match, rather than just the four that play each regular match week.

Lilydaleplayedathomethisweekagainst East Croydon-Kilsyth. The two teams were well matched with excellent rallies and long matches. Lilydale eventually won the day 7 sets to 1 – winning 48 games to 28.

Result: 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, 7-5

Open Rubbers 19 Lilydale Green v Ferny Creek Blue

Lilydale finished in second place on the ladder at the end of the regular season.

Lilydale Green was represented by David

Halkidis and Noah Burow.

Lilydale played at home this week against Ferny Creek Blue who finished the regular season in third place. Lilydale are through to the grand final after a convincing 5 sets to 0 victory – winning 30 games to 9.

Result: 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, 6-3, 6-0

Open Rubbers 25 Lilydale v Mooroolbark Heights Green

Lilydale finished in second place on the ladder at the end of the regular season.

Lilydale Blue was represented by Levi Daly and Tim Bassett

Lilydale played at home this week against Mooroolbark Heights who placed third at the end of the regular season. It was a comprehensive win for Lilydale 5 sets to 0 – winning 31 games to 12.

Result: 6-1, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1

Lilydale Tennis club welcomes all players of any age and ability. For information on how to join Lilydale Tennis Club please visit play.tennis.com.au/lilydaletennisclub.

For all coaching enquiries (Juniors and Adults) please contact Andrew at Pro Touch Tennis Academy ptta.com.au/contact

Impressive final round of golf to top off the season

By David Waters

The final round. It sounds like we are boxing. No but it was just another knockout round. Churchill/Waverley on top for four of six rounds including the last two, were toppled today. This meant courtesy of a bye they couldn’t defend their position in green or gold groups.

Eastern green surged into the final with a strong seven to one win.

Heritage gold held a one-point advantage over Yering and made the final even though both teams finished with a win.

Many of the individual matches were tight, eight ties and 18 going to the last hole. The individual and team results reflected the improvement and evenness of this competition.

Although the competition was fierce it was conducted with sportsmanship and decorum. Signage was minimal and Mark Dowell (the hosting manager) took on the role of traffic cop. Although his directions to first or tenth tees were adhered to, some players got lost playing other holes. Also lost were many balls nestling into the deep rough or submerging into creeks or lakes.

Conditions turned out to be very good for golf once the fog burned off. A very still day, dry fairways with plenty of run. The greens were causing problems, slight slopes downhill tricking putters to hit too soft and going uphill expecting a speedy green also ending with a short putt. Deep bunkers gave many shaky knees. This was very evident around the 9th and 18th greens. The bunkers there caught many players. Onlookers witnessed many frustrating efforts to escape the sand.

It was a long day, many taking five hours and some groups finishing well past the desired finish time of 12.30. Lunch was delayed until one pm. The catering staff and the Eastern Golf Club deserve high praise for their efforts which were recognised with a round of applause.

The grand final of match play will be between Eastern green and Heritage gold next week. All other teams will compete for the aggregate stableford team trophy.

The finals will be at the Endeavour Hills course of the Churchill/Waverley golf club, Friday 22 March.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Graham Gorman putts in to square the match on the last hole with David Jamie.

Les Jonas Box Hill gold manager winds up early in the morning.

Graham Rhodes (picture) paired with Alan Jones to score a doubles win against Monash. 376853 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Barkerettes delight

By Peter Stephenson

Barkerettes began a new season on a sunny Sunday at Esther Park, with a cup tie against Williamstown of State 4W. There were debuts for Rebecca Brown, Emily Stokes and Hannah Turnbull, while three prodigal daughters were back in the fold, with Anita Caro Salve, Miranda Jackson and Simone Otto returning to Barkers after long stints elsewhere.

Barkers began brightly, with Caro Salve finding Stokes on the right, who hit her shot wide. Then three minutes later, a Barkers corner on the right was cleared out to Caro Salve. Well it was as if she had never been away, as she lobbed a beauty over the Williamstown keeper to give Barkers an early lead – she doesn’t score often, but they are usually worth waiting for.

On 12 minutes, Alizah Jones had a shot blocked, and again the ball fell to Caro Salve, who hit a ripper first time shot narrowly wide. On the quarter hour, the pacy Stokes flew down the right and almost found Otto in a dangerous position. Then three minutes later Barkers attacked down the other flank as Brown found Turnbull, whose shot crashed off the bar. The rebound was hit back towards goal by Jones, but the visiting keeper tipped the ball brilliantly onto the post. Jones threatened again on 20 minutes when going past three players before being foiled by the onrushing keeper – surely another goal would come soon?

Surely it did – but at the wrong end. Just after the half hour, Williamstown won a corner on the right. As Barkers stood ball-watching, the ball was played out to Nassou Baro, who chipped the ball towards goal, and a retreating defender could only help the ball into the net for 1-1, much against the run of play.

The final chance of the half fell to the visitors. Four minutes before the break, Baro outpaced the Barkers defence and shot, but keeper Ashleigh Fraraccio rushed out smartly to save. Half-time: Mooroolbark 1-1 Williamstown. An entertaining battle, with Stokes and

Jones causing havoc in the Barkers forward line, but equally, Baro and Matilda Owen looking sharp for the visitors.

Eight minutes into the second half,Turnbull played a nice one-two with Otto, but her shot was saved. Stokes was continuing to give herself the freedom of the right wing and provide dangerous crosses, but they weren’t converted. What we needed was a newly-discovered scoring sensation.

Just on the hour, the ball ran loose to Kelly Butera. Just as with Caro Salve, this is a player who knows how to hit a ball, as Williamstown found out when she sent a lovely shot looping into the far corner of the net to restore Barkers’ lead at 2-1.

Now Caro Salve delivered a couple of dangerous corners from the left. The first was almost sliced in by a defender at her near post, and the second eventually found Amy D’Ortenzio, who lobbed over.

Williamstown then had a dangerous break on 71 minutes when Baro absolutely flew down the left wing leaving defenders in her wake,

before cutting in and shooting wide. They attacked again, this time down the right, and it was only a saving tackle from Hannah Lee that prevented Williamstown breaking clear.

The last few minutes saw the visitors tire, allowing Barkers to send long balls for Jones to chase. However, Barkers got careless right on full time as they conceded a free kick 25 yards out for handball, but Baro hit the shot wide. The cherry on the cake arrived when D’Ortenzio fed Jones, who found Stokes, who lashed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-1 and put Barkers into round 2.

In the end this was a comfortable win for Barkers, but there were a few sliding doors moments when the game could have changed. Next week, the Barkers men begin their State 2SE campaign with a home game against Hampton East Brighton, kick-off Saturday 1pm (reserves) and 3pm (seniors) at Esther Park. Later that afternoon, the Barkerettes will play their second round Nike FC cup tie at Monbulk Rangers, kick-off Saturday 5pm at Monbulk Regional Soccer Facility.

Aiding community sport at a dollar a time

By Mikayla van Loon

Since opening in 2020 The Sporting Globe Chirnside Park has been a major supporter of grassroots sport, providing thousands of dollars worth of monetary support.

Sponsoring clubs locally like Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park, as well as further afield like Silvan,Wandin and Healesville, the playing groups have this year received over $100,000.

Franchisees Eloise Wallace and Dave Sinclair each grew up around sport and have now found a love in providing for community sports clubs and their players.

“Dave and I have both grown up in theYarra Valley so we’re local and we’ve been involved in sports all our lives and this is a really good chance for us to be able to give back to the Community,” Eloise said.

“We are really proud and passionate about sponsoring local grassroots sports teams and being engaged with our local communities.”

Over the three years, at least 30 clubs across football, cricket, basketball, soccer, netball, gridiron and rugby have been sponsored in some way.

“They’re sponsored with a combination of cash and vouchers. The vouchers are a good way to engage the clubs and players,” Eloise said.

“The clubs use the vouchers as they wish, from players’ performance awards to prizes for club fundraising raffles.

“Every year we have ticked over the $100,000 mark in sponsorship, so we’re well over $300,000 to-date.”

For Chirnside Park Cricket Club president Michael McDonnell having a venue so accommodating of the club’s functions has made a huge difference to camaraderie.

“We do team selections here sometimes through season, out of season and even just regular weekend sessions to get the boys or even the girls in the women’s team together,” he said.

“Even the parents of the junior teams come down just to hang out, catch up. It’s good for bonding rather than being in the club rooms.”

Mooroolbark Football Club has also been majorly supported byThe Sporting Globe, now reciprocating the support by having the logo on the team jumpers.

“So them jumping on board, our partnership and relationship has really got bigger, which is great for any sporting club to have that backing from them and they want to be a part of our club as well,” Mooroolbark FC copresident Craig Pretty said.

But also being financially assisted, Craig said, has helped both the junior and senior clubs provide the essentials to play the game they love.

“Financially it helps us and it goes towards the players, it goes towards the juniors, it goes towards helping with equipment for the juniors and seniors,” he said.

“So really it’s giving us more money to be able to spend on those sorts of things as well.”

While some sponsorships have supplied new equipment, over at Chirnside Park Junior

Celebration round for the littlies

By Jamie Strudley

The final round of athletics action for Yarra Ranges’ Little Athletics club members, celebration round, was an opportunity for parents to join in the fun. Our little athletics athletes thrived on the chance to beat mum and/or dad in their running, jumping and throwing events.

There was plenty of encouragement from around the track and undoubtedly sore bodies afterwards. The level of laughter, smiles and friendly banter was fun to see and hear.

Next weekend is the presentation morning for our little athletics athletes. Check emails and socials for the schedule.

Carolyn Rosenbrock continued her fine run of form this summer taking out theVictoria Masters 3000m track walk title, recording 16.43.96. Carolyn also took out the 1500m walk in 8.09.99

Ash Almond had a big weekend at the Masters championships. Competing in the 30-34 age group, Ash took gold in Hammer (24.99m), Javelin (48.11m) and 110 Hurdles (22.22) and silver in High Jump (1.45m) and Discus (29.75m).

Jared Byrne and Max Savill-Bentley competed in the Wangaratta Marathon. Max finishing fourth in a smart 2 hours 47.32 minutes, Jared in 5th running 2 hours 51.37.

We had six athletes competing at the final Vic Milers event for the season. Zoe Clarke chased hard over 800m to record 2.21.53. Kristina Nackovski had one of her best runs of the season to record 2.34.43. Pete Nackovski and Craig Hewitson went head to head in the opening 800m race of the evening, Pete running 2.20.6 and Craig 2.31.9.

Brigette Rice returned to racing over 1500m running 4.50.66 while Harry Norman ran a solid 3.51.23 in the Men’s A race.

Cross country training for under 12yo’s will start up on Tuesday evenings in April, enjoy the rest! Seniors training (13yo plus) is on Tuesday and Thursday from 5.30pm at Morrison Reserve. Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability. Go to www.lavic.com.au or www. athsvic.org.au or email info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au for information about events and registration. Cross Country is coming!

For information on training, how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit the website at yarrarangesathletics.org.au or check us out on Facebook. Run, Jump, Throw…too easy!

Football Club, president Marcus Robinson said it has helped establish new programs to better care for players.

“It also goes towards programs that we’re running. We’re running a new one this year around suicide prevention. So we’re going to get some third parties in,” he said.

“So it’s some vocational pieces around that and also some education around cyber bullying. That’s something the funds from The Sporting Globe have helped us to reach out to the community, not just the football club but for siblings and parents, the whole footprint.”

As a combined Chirnside Park Football Netball Club, Marcus said “we’re really pushing the boundaries because it’s a lot more than just football [or netball]” and the club has been working on providing programs for all ages.

“Football is a lot bigger than just kicking a ball around on Saturday or Sunday. So we really want to have that community ethos and get everyone involved and have a safe place for our junior players and our senior players.”

Chirnside Park Cricket Club president Michael McDonnell, The Sporting Globe franchise manager

Eloise Wallace, Wandin Netball Club representatives, Mooroolbark Football Club president Craig Pretty and Chirnside Park Junior Football Club president Marcus Robinson. 394811

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

New coach Mark Brown celebrates his first win with the Barkerettes. Picture: SUPPLIED

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