Mail - Ranges Trader Star Mail - 26th March 2024

‘Lake Knox’ subdivision gets nod, with restrictions, but decision leaves... Campaign ‘gutted’

By Tanya Steele

Knox Council is “disappointed” and Knox Environment Society “gutted” after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) approved the planned subdivision of “Lake Knox”.

VCAT gave the green light to the planned subdivisioninKnoxfieldonMonday,18March, with several conditions attached to the pro-

cess and many unhappy with the final outcome at the former dam site.

Development rights have been granted to Development Victoria for a 105-lot residential subdivision on the north-western corner of Burwood Highway and Scoresby Road (621 Burwood Highway), Knoxfield.

President of Knox Environment Society (KES) Richard Faragher said he and his many colleagues in the environmental group were

gutted by the final call and Knox Council said it was disappointed about the issue, via social media on 20 March.

“We’re gutted and devastated – but at the same time we don’t have any issue with the VCAT process,” Mr Faragher said.

“We’re upset with the decision, not the process - however our angst lies with DevelopmentVictoria,” he said.

Knox’s Mayor, Cr Jude Dwight, said via a

press release released onWednesday 20 March that the council would continue to concentrate its best efforts towards ensuring the provision of housing remains balanced, with the need to respect environmentally-sensitive flora and fauna.

“This is a very disappointing outcome after such a lengthy appeal,” she said.

Continued page 5

Development has been approved by VCAT - with conditions attached.

‘Lake Knox’ has been the subject of campaigning, letters, posters and a petition with thousands of signatures from the community.

Pictures: TANYA STEELE

You can keep fighting fatigue, until you can’t.

Working 17 continuous hours causes impairment equivalent to .05 blood alcohol concentration level.

Working long, multiple days in a row by yourself can be part of the job but consider the cost to you and your family.

Check in with yourself and others around you.

Know the signs of fatigue, visit worksafe.vic.gov.au/farmfatigue

It’s never you, until it is.

IN BRIEF

Liquor store burglary in Ferntree

Crime rises across Ranges and Knox

By Dongyun Kwon

The Crime Statistics Agency has released its annual crime data for 2023, showing that criminal incidents rose in theYarra Ranges and Knox for the first time over the past few years.

The Yarra Ranges continued to drop in the number of criminal incidents in 2021 and 2022 while Knox dropped three years consecutively from 2020 to 2022.

In the Yarra Ranges, the total criminal incidents rose by 2.2 per cent compared to the previous year.

The most common criminal incident in the Yarra Ranges was breaching family violence orders, which slightly dropped to 475 incidents compared to 493 the previous year.

Family violence dropped 6.3 per cent compared to the previous year, with 1933 total family incidents.

An average of 1,217 family incidents per 100,000 people in the Yarra Ranges was below the Victorian average of 1,384.7.

Women were almost 2.5 times more likely to experience family violence, with 1386 being the affected family member compared to 545 men.

The top five hot spots in the Yarra Ranges saw 852 incidents in Lilydale (down from 918), 650 in Mooroolbark (down from 679), 478 in Chirnside Park (up from 381), 382 in Kilsyth (up from 341) and 329 in Healesville (up from 300).

Crime in theYarra Ranges was most likely to occur at houses, slightly dropping to 1714 incidents compared to 1728 in 2022.

In Knox, total criminal incidents rose by 14.4 per cent compared to that of 2022.

The most common criminal incident in Knox was stealing from a motor vehicle, which rose to 941 incidents compared to 598 the previous year.

Family violence rose 4.1 per cent compared to the previous year, with 2009 total family incidents.

The average of 1,248.5 family incidents per 100,000 people in Knox was below the Victorian average of 1,384.7.

Women were almost three times more likely to experience family violence, with 1484 being the affected family member compared to 524 men.

The top five hot spots in Knox saw 1303 incidents in Boronia (up from 1170), 1279 in Ferntree Gully (up from 1113), 1221 in Wantirna South (up from 931), 1209 in Rowville (up from 964) and 789 in Bayswater (up from 760).

Crime in Knox was also most likely to occur at houses, rising to 2081 incidents compared to 1843 in 2022.

There were 523,523 criminal offences recorded in Victoria in the 2023 calendar year, representing an increase of 40,351 offences or 8.4 per cent from 2022.

In a statement, Victoria Police deputy commissioner regional operations Neil Paterson APM said crime in Victoria has gradually increased over the past few years asVictorian life has returned to normality post pandemic.

“When population is considered, Victoria pleasingly still has its third lowest crime rate at any point over the past decade – ahead of only 2022 and the Covid-marred 2021,” he said.

“While this is positive, that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas of concern.”

One of the crimes that has challenged Victoria Police is child offending in recent years.

Overall child and youth offenders aged 10 to 24 were responsible for 47,511 incidents, an increase of 13.8 per cent year-on-year.

Victoria Police continue to hold the young offenders accountable, with youth gang members targeted as part of Operation Alliance as well as young burglars and car thieves continually arrested and put before the courts under Operation Trinity.

These operations have led to over 5,000 combined arrests over the last year, with Op-

eration Trinity alone leading to the arrest of almost four burglars and car thieves every day, the vast majority of children.

Mr Paterson said child offending remains a real challenge for police and a significant driver of serious and violent crime in Victoria.

“Much of the child and youth offending we’re seeing is mindless and driven by the pursuit of notoriety or social media likes. This is highlighted by the fact that police recovered 94 per cent of vehicles stolen during aggravated burglaries as part of Operation Trinity – cars stolen purely for joy riding and no financial gain,” he said.

“When interviewed, offenders are telling us they will walk up and down a street until they iind a door or window that is unlocked. Our intelligence supports this, with over half of all homes burgled in key hotspots unlocked.

“While police will continue to patrol known hotspots every evening until dawn as part ofTrinity, we are also calling on the community to play their part and lock their properties and cars.”

Gully

Knox Crime Investigation Unit are appealing for witnesses following a burglary in Ferntree Gully on 20 March.

It is believed a man attended a liquor store on a motorbike on Ferntree Gully Road about 2.40am.

The man used a sledgehammer to smash the store window and entered the store.

It is understood the man stole bottles of high-end liquor and attempted to steal packets of cigarettes.

The man left the store and fled on the motorbike.

He was observed on CCTV a short time later with another man on a monkey bike.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Mercedes Benz recalls

Two recalls in the same week for different issues have seen almost 7000 Mercedes Benz models recalled.

4837 GLE and GLS (model series 167) with a year range of 2019 to 2023 have been recalled due to a software issue in the transmission control module.

The transmission may not downshift under certain conditions and could result in a sudden loss of engine power.

A sudden loss of engine power increases the risk of an accident and injury or death to vehicle occupants or other road users.

Owners of affected vehicles should contact their nearest dealership to have the transmission software updated as soon as possible, free of charge.

1983 Certain, AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SClass, SL, CLE, EQE, EQS models from 2023 to 2024 have also been recalled due to defect affecting the fuse box.

Due to a manufacturing defect, vehicle management systems connected to the fuse box may fail. If this occurs, it may lead to a sudden loss of motive power and/or a vehicle fire.

A sudden loss of motive power whilst driving and/or a vehicle fire could increase the potential risk of an accident, causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users, bystanders and/or damage to property.

Owners of affected vehicles should contact their nearest authorised Mercedes-Benz dealership to have the fuse box replaced, free of charge.

Bark drop trips line and cuts power to 18,000 homes

Homes in the Yarra Ranges were left without power quite suddenly on Wednesday 20 March.

18,000 customers from Belgrave to Ferntree Gully lost supply at 8.45pm on Wednesday night when the 66kv sub transmission line tripped.

An AusNet spokesperson said that a patrol was undertaken, bark was found on the line and removed.

Customers were restored in tranches between 8.58pm (12 mins after trip) and 10.15pm (1.5 hours after trip).

“We apologise for the impact this had on our customers,” the AusNet spokesperson said.

Criminal incidents increased in the Yarra Ranges and the Knox in 2023. Picture: ON FILE

Teen hospitalised after fire

By Mikayla van Loon

A teenage girl

The Francis Street house was destroyed by fire as emergency service crews battled the blaze, made difficult by the wind, at around 5.50am on Tuesday, 19 March.

“On arrival, firefighters found the second storey of the weatherboard home well alight,” a CFA spokesperson said.

It took 15 CFA vehicles to get the fire under control, with crews remaining onsite throughout the morning to monitor remnants.

The second person in the house at the time

also escaped without injury but was noticeably shaken, residents said.

“A teenage girl was taken to Dandenong Hospital,” Ambulance Victoria confirmed.

“No other emergency treatment or transport was required.”

Residents along the street were evacuated with fears of the fire spreading.

It was brought under control at around 7.10am.

The CFA issued a warning for Belgrave, Tecoma and Upwey because of smoke in the area.

The cause of the fire is still unknown with investigators working on Tuesday to understand what happened.

Campaigners ‘gutted’ over ‘Lake Knox’ subdivision

From page 1

Mayor Dwight said that while the final decision was disappointing, the council succeeded in negotiating extensive permit conditions during the appeal process.

“These conditions provide the best available opportunity now to achieve a reasonable environmental outcome for the final development,” she said.

Conditions on the development included establishing a new wetlands site before decommissioning the existing waterbody known as Lake Knox, to give the local fauna the best chance to relocate.

This fauna includes several native species and the blue-billed duck, which is threatened in Victoria.

“They have tried to make it a bit deeper and more accommodating to the blue-billed duck – so there may be a chance for it to move across and they do have to wait,’ Mr Faragher said.

“The importance of this site was that it was a breeding site for the ducks, a successful breeding site and they’re not common,” he said.

The tribunal heard key objections from local community and environmental groups on the impact of “decommissioning” Lake Knox and building new wetlands in the de-

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velopment area.

“I’m sure it’ll be a wonderful wetland – but that wasn’t our argument either,” Mr Faragher said

“We were quite happy for them to build that wetland - we just wanted that original lake protected,” he said.

Tribunal presiding member T Bilston-McGillen and member Claire Bennett overall permitted the residential subdivision, allowing the construction of the new wetlands and the decommissioning of the water body.

“Having regard to the principles of net community benefit, whilst there may be some disruption arising from the proposed development, the benefits gained by the broader community from the proposals favour approval,” they said.

Several reasons were given in support of the choice, the tribunal said the additional housing was a chance to increase housing diversity and capitalise on existing infrastructure in the area as well as provide community access to a public open space.

The tribunal also reasoned that there was much-needed rehabilitation of the dam at the current lake site would also impact flora and fauna, that the planned development would be performed according to codes and additionally place formal stormwater quality

treatment for the site, as well as the existing upstream catchment.

“Which is currently only passively managed,” they said.

In turn, the tribunal said that the development would create a link to the Blind Creek corridor and increase the total area of wetlands on the site and, more broadly contribute a larger habitat area to the linear Blind Creek corridor.

“There will be some vegetation losses, but on a site of this size, the losses are limited,” they said.

A petition to “Save Lake Knox” that began on 15 March 2018 has raised nearly 40,000 signatures – representing five years of effort from the Knox community.

Mr Faragher said that their journey has ended and that the financial burdens have been high for the small community organisation.

“All of this money, we spent over $150,000 – we very nearly went broke.”

“We just simply don’t have the funds, the big players like Development Victoria have millions and millions to throw at it,” he said.

The tribunal heard that Melbourne Water, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and other authorities had no objection to the proposals subject to

the inclusion of permit conditions on any permit issued at the final hearing.

Development Victoria concluded its case by submitting that the permit applications enjoyed a high level of policy support, are following the planning provisions and the proposals appropriately deal with the environmental and biodiversity issues of the site, including those associated with the Bluebilled Duck.

Mayor Dwight said that the council would like to thank Knox’s environmental groups and residents, including the Knox Environment Society and Friends of the Glenfern Green Wedge, who contributed significant time and resources towards the lengthyVCAT appeals process alongside the Council’s representatives.

“We will work with Development Victoria to achieve the best outcomes for the site that the permit conditions allow,” she said.

With only minimal patches of natural environment left in the Knox area, Mr Faragher said that while the loss might not seem like much to some it is ‘important to the animals and plants and everything that is living there,’

“We didn’t want the lake destroyed, it’s an ecosystem and you cannot replace it.”

Development Victoria was contacted for comment.

escaped with burns as her Tecoma family home went up in flames around her last week.

A teenage girl was hospitalised with burns after escaping the blaze.

A house in Tecoma was destroyed by fire on Tuesday, 19 March. Pictures: TANYA STEELE

Kallista’s oaks restored

By Gabriella Vukman

New Pin-Oak trees are scheduled to grace the streets of Kallista after the removal of several wide-canopied oaks due to structural faults posing a risk to the community.

Following the launch of an online petition that saw 288 Kallista residents request for the oak trees to be renewed, a meeting was held on 26 February with the tree team from the Yarra Ranges Council and a small group of Kallista’s traders where the matter of the trees was decided.

Advocate for the Kallista Flood Watch Community Group, Karen Kestigian said, “I was quite surprised at the number of people who contacted me wanting to support the oak trees.”

“I spoke firstly to Councillor [Johanna] Skelton… and later to Daniela De Martino who fully endorsed the whole idea of the trees coming back,” Ms Kestigian said.

“We then launched an online petition and there was a lot of discussion around putting oak trees back without having the large canopies causing problems.”

The original oak trees were planted in 1933 and are thought to be a part of an avenue of honour, dedicated to the fallen from Kallista as was the tradition for many Australian towns during that time period.

Ms Kestigian said,“although it may not necessarily have been a formalised avenue of honour, it was regarded that way and the trees are and were heritage listed.”

“Many of the residents were quite disturbed at the fact that three of the oaks had gone.”

“So many people remember those oak trees and it would be a shame if they weren’t restored,” Ms Kestigian said.

The Pin Oak planting will take place in winter and the stumps of the former oak trees will be removed over the next few months.

Ms Kestigian said, “People grow up with these trees and as a result, that is a part of our landscape. With Kallista being an old settlement, there is a great sense of pride and a great sense of beauty in the minds of the residents around these trees.”

“It’s a very comforting thing to see a tree that goes through the seasons and that is a big comfort to the people of Kallista. The trees are a part of our landscape and are noted by the people who visit,” Ms Kestigian said.

The new Pin Oak trees are cone-shaped and fast growing.

Ms Kestigian said, “the good thing about

them is that they don’t drop their leaves in autumn, they go through the winter period with the leaves that have changed colour and then as spring is coming in, they lose those leaves and the green ones come on.”

“We’ve got the red oaks in Kallista too which drop just before winter so these Pin Oaks trees mean that we’re not going to have a huge problem with the falling leaves because there are two periods which I think is a very good consideration,” Ms Kestigian said.

Oaks were the tree of choice for early stage Victorian towns as their big canopies cool the roads and the tree itself lasts for over

one hundred years.

Ms Kestigian said, “the trees become like centuries to the whole area. They are sentinels that look after the road and also the community.”

“There was a lot of passion around getting the oak trees back and when we actually announced that the oak trees were coming back, the feedback was unbelievable, people were so happy about it.”

“Because Kallista is a nice little village and is quite historic it is just a lovely feeling that we can conserve and preserve that sense of history and that sense of beauty,” Ms Kestigian said.

Oaks set to be refurbished in Kallista.

Picture: SUPPLIED

War over clean-fill plans

By Gabriella Vukman

A

will go ahead.

President of the Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushland Group Jackson Ellis said, “The clean fill proposal was originally refused by Yarra Ranges Council last October, prompting the applicant to then put a submission into VCAT to have that case contested.”

“We’ve been working really hard to put a case together to make sure that LysterfieldVal-

ley is protected from these sorts of landfill sites and specifically this one being a fifteen hectare site.”

“The fill is going to be a massive pile of dirt coming from unknown locations to within 200m of Monbulk Creek where our famous 24-year-old platypus was identified only earlier this year and we are really concerned that the sediment run-off from this development will impact those environments,” Mr Ellis said.

Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushland Group, Green Wedge National Trust, Save the Dandenongs League and the Green Wedge Coalition are just some of the groups that are banning together to object to the case.

Mr Ellis said, “We are hoping that the tribunal will be able to define what types of permits are required for this type of development and if the applicant wishes to pursue those permits then we might be meeting them again in VCAT

after they put those relevant applications into council.”

“We hope that the planning office and the tribunal next week can take this in hand with our case and with future cases going forward to make sure that green wedge areas in periurban environments around melbourne are protected from these sorts of developments,” Mr Ellis said.

The Green Wedges and Agricultural Land Action Plan for 2024 stipulates that theVictoria Department of Planning and Transport will be imposing tougher trigger requirements for permits over green wedge land.

The fill that will be deposited at the proposed site is known as Clean Fill which is classified by the Environment Protection Authority as having a ‘limited or no amounts of dangerous contaminants,’ meaning it is in-

tended to be a non-toxic component.

Mr Elis said, “We know from other cases and specifically in and around the infrastructure developments happening currently that there are high risks of contamination.”

“The shame of it is that they have deep pockets and we are a bunch of volunteers who are putting up a really strong fight against this with community fundraising to support us,” Mr Ellis said.

The 400,000 cubic metres of fill will be delivered by over 50 trucks per day for the span of three years.

Mr Ellis said, “There will be the pollution from trucks themselves as well as invasive species weeds and vermin which inhabit the site inevitably as a result of that again, threatening the environment which includes Lysterfield Park on two sides of the site.”

VCAT approves telecommunication facility in Silvan

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Indara Infrastructure has had its appeal granted by VCAT to construct a 43 metre high monopole telecommunications facility in Silvan, after an initial refusal from Yarra Ranges Council.

Yarra Ranges Council initially rejected a planning permit application from Indara Infrastructure to build a telecommunications facility and associated fencing on a property at 181 Queens Road Silvan.

The council’s grounds of refusal were that the proposal would impose an unreasonable level of material damages to the neighbouring properties.

Two neighbours have also supported the council’s refusal of the proposal that the telecommunication facility will result in unreasonable material harmful to the neighbours and suggested alternative locations could have been chosen, noting the proposal has not orderly been planned. The neighbours have stated the proposal will not benefit the community based on where the telecommunication facility would be located.

VCAT Member Alison Glynn said she’s satisfied by the evidence of the applicant and her own review of the application that the visual impact of the proposed facility is acceptable.

“I have reviewed the submissions of the parties, material provided through the review process, including the provision of expert evidence on visual amenity provided by the applicant and my own inspection of the review site and adjoining properties against these relevant provisions of the planning scheme,” Ms Glynn said. “I am satisfied that the proposed facility is an acceptable outcome when tested against relevant provisions of the planning scheme, subject to removing the proposed ‘bird nest support frame’ located at the top of the monopole.”

Some of the key issues with this proposal were whether the development will have an unreasonable visual impact on nearby properties, and whether the facility will result in an unreasonable impact on the surrounding rural landscape, contrary to the significant landscape overlay provisions applying to the land.

The proposed facility, as set out in the application plans is for a 43.15 metre high monopole. The monopole includes nine antennas mounted on a collar mount around the pole and are set at about 35 metres above ground. Above the antennas is a further five to six metres of pole with a bird nest support frame located at the top.

The council acknowledged that in this instance co-location is not possible based on evidence provided with the permit application. There is also a nearby NBN tower, but this is not suited to co-location.

“The council says assessment of the potential impact of the proposed development on nearby properties and the landscape of the area needs to be undertaken in context of the need to balance the competing policies that seek to protect the landscape and amenity of the area while also providing needed telecommunication infrastructure,” the VCAT decision reads.

Ms Glynn stated that to ensure the permit requirements are met, the following must be taken into consideration:

Buildings and works in the green wedge zone (GWZ1) should be within five metres of a property boundary and within 100 metres of a dwelling.

Buildings and works in the significant landscape overlay should also be greater than seven metres in height and associated fencing greater than 1.8 metres in height.

Telecommunications infrastructure and services must be provided in an efficient and cost-effective manner to meet community needs, in accordance with clause 52.19.

The permit requirement must ensure

buildings and works are completed in accordance with a heritage overlay.

The review site is irregular in shape with a driveway access from Queens Road that leads to a larger parcel to the north-west. The location of the proposed tower is just northwest of the entryway from Queens Road, close to the boundary of a nearby reservoir.

The Tribunal inspected the site and the nearby properties at 171 and 189 Queens Road, unaccompanied after the hearing on 5 February 2024. This view was from the rear of both dwellings on the land in what could be described as their rear private open space.

The submission of the applicant acknowledges that the monopole and the base structure will be visible ‘to some degree’ from the nearby properties but in the scope of policy for telecommunications facilities there is a need to balance between the provision of telecommunications facilities and the need to protect the environment from adverse impacts arising from telecommunications infrastructure.

In relation to 189 Queens Road, the objectors submit that the monopole will also be visible from the rear of this adjoining rear yard. They acknowledge that there is intervening vegetation but question if this will fully impede views.

“The applicant’s evidence says there is minimal to no impact to this property mainly due to three large Monterey Pine trees which sit in the driveway of the review site at 181 Queens Road.”

Heritage Overlay applies to these large trees on the review site. The trees therefore, cannot be removed without a planning permit being granted for their removal in accordance with the heritage overlay. The trees are identified as ‘protected trees’ numbered three, four and five on the application plans.

“In addition to these larger trees there is also shedding and lower vegetation along the western boundary of 189 Queens Road that encloses and directs the general outlook and vista of this rear yard to the north east, away from the location of the monopole,” the statement reads.

“Any views of the monopole through the existing vegetation to the west and on the review site will be glimpses only. I therefore, accept the applicant’s evidence that any adverse impact from this nearby property will be negligible,” Ms Glynn stated.

The council did not refuse the proposal with any specific reference to the proposal’s impact on the broader landscape. The proposal exhibits attention to reduce visual impact and protect the wider rural landscape values by opting to strategically locate the facility directly behind an existing Melbourne Water owned large rainwater tank. The water tank is approximately 28.0 metres in height.

In effect, the sitting position conceals the majority of the facility including at grade equipment from wider public review including properties located on the south side of Queens Road. Furthermore, long range views at key public advantages are unspoilt by the sitting position.

Further afield, visuals of the tower structure looking north-west will be minimised by land topography and state forest dense vegetation. Despite this, the council submission at the hearing was that the proposal is inconsistent with ‘Rural landscapes’ and ‘Design for rural areas’ proceedings as the proposal is not sensitively designed with regard to the natural physical features of the land, including slope, existing vegetation and view lines.

As such the council submitted at the hearing that the proposal will have a detrimental impact on the valued rural landscape of the area.

“On balance of the need to provide telecommunications facilities in the area I am satisfied that the proposed development is acceptable and reasonable,” read the statement from Ms Glynn.“This is also noting comments of the council submission in its assessment against the green wedge zone that the proposal will not have any impact on the agricultural potential of the site and the surrounding area and the site contains existing tall and established trees along the boundaries which may provide some screening opportunities for any development.”

Local Action Groups are banning together to object to the site. Sam Yendall (local resident), Robert Stephen (Save the Dandenongs League), John Cull (First Friends of Dandenong Creek), Judy Wolff (SDL) Jackson Ellis (Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushlands) and Richard Faragher (Knox Environment Society) 396606

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

The proposed site for the Clean fill disposal in Lysterfield. 396606

Op shop

Close to home, Anglicare’s Anglicare’s Treasure Chest Op Shop in Lilydale closed from 30 June 2023, the Tecoma PWP Op Shop closed in September 2023 before being revived by a passionate local from the Basin, the Coldstream Op Shop closed for two months from January this year before new owners were able to take the reins and the Golden Opportunity Shop in Wandin North is facing closure currently without someone new to look after it.

Declining volunteer numbers, ageing volunteer populations and rising operational costs have all been cited as reasons behind the struggles.

Associate Professor Craig Furneaux leads the team at the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) which researches and teaches philanthropy, non-profit and social enterprise skills to people across Australia.

Assoc Prof Furneaux said charity retail and op shops had been around for decades as a way for people in the community to give and for charities to channel revenue to important needs.

“The beneficiaries range from local to international causes and from animals to environments to people. There are thousands of outlets and many more volunteers, and some paid staff in larger organisations,” he said.

“Op shops facilitate in-kind giving and that’s critical to Australian philanthropy, not everyone can or wants to give cash, or they might want to help in as many ways as they can so want to donate goods as well as cash to their favourite cause or community.”

In-kind giving is the act of donating or contributing something other than me and can take the form of voluntary labour like that of the volunteers of op shops or donated goods, such as the items given to and sold in op shops themselves.

The ACPNS was commissioned by the Australian Government in 2016 to conduct the ‘Giving Australia’ paper, considered to be the largest research effort into philanthropy in order ‘to understand how, why and how much Australians give to charity.’

In the research, the ACPNS heard from focus groups and in interviews that in-kind giving and goods-based donations were per-

ceived to achieve ‘100 per cent potential benefit’ compared to cash donations where scepticism remained about how much money actually made it people in need and provided a way to give for those who couldn’t financially.

Assoc Prof Furneaux said op shops had always been important for people on tight funds, however they were also increasingly popular with people who purchase to resell or ‘flip’ items.

“The rise of the circular economy, with the mantra of ‘recycle, reuse, refurbish repurpose to reduce waste’, has raised the awareness of how to achieve more sustainable consumption,” he said.

“In this way, Op Shops greatly reduce environmental impact of goods which would otherwise just be sent to the local council tip. Vintage shopping and being able to affordably dress in style are also drivers here.

“It’s been a growth area - in op shop numbers, innovation and sometimes but not always contribution to income and apparently that’s been an international trend.”

Some larger organisations have also pulled out of or reduced the number of op shops they operate: Vision Australia pulled out of operating op shops in late 2019 into early 2020, Doncare has closed op shops at locations across the state since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and Animal Aid last week had to close their Lakes Entrance location.

Assoc Prof Furneaux said that there was a range of reasons why op shops may close.

“Some organisations have not fully recovered from the pandemic which affected faceto-face activities – such as volunteering – so there may be a lack of volunteers.

‘‘Volunteers are often very enthusiastic but may lack the skills required to function effectively in a retail environment such as an op shop.” he said.

“The nature of volunteering itself is also shifting with the rise in episodic volunteering, rather than long term volunteering; and commitment to a cause, rather than to a single organisation.

‘‘Additionally, while volunteers are not paid, they need to be recruited, trained, supported and supervised which is a cost the charity needs to meet.

“Finally, not all donated goods are of a quality which can be re-sold, and there is a cost involved in ensuring items for sale are clean, functional and priced in a way which represents good value. Goods which don’t meet these criteria still need to be disposed of.”

The Anglicare Treasure Chest Op Shop in Lilydale shut permanently in mid-2023. Picture: ON FILE

Government announces plan to protect Green Wedge

By Callum Ludwig

The Victorian Government has released a Green Wedge and Agricultural Land Action Plan to complement last year’s Victorian Housing Statement in a bid to outline how the green wedges and agricultural land on the outskirts of Melbourne will be preserved.

The plan will aim to protect the state’s food supply, cultural heritage sites, water catchments, conservation areas and quarries while setting the framework to allow for the growing population of the city, expected to hit between 8 million in the 2050s, almost the current population of London.

“From our iconic wine regions to market gardens, our green wedges contribute not only to our economy but make Melbourne one of the best cities in the world to call home,” said Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny.

“More housing doesn’t have to come at the expense of our green wedges – that’s why we’re providing better permanent protection for these areas against over-development.”

The plan has set out 20 actions related to setting tighter controls, protecting the ‘food bowl’, planning for future farming and securing the right to farm while also allowing for smarter land use and stronger protections.

The ‘food bowl’ around the fringes of Melbourne currently supplies 41 per cent of the state’s food needs, including 80 per cent of vegetables, but without action, it could shrink to 18 per cent by the 2050s, according to the findings of the Foodprint Melbourne project in 2016.

To protect the food bowl, the Victorian Government is going to implement a new planning scheme overlay to protect key irrigated agricultural areas (including developing criteria to guide it), explore opportunities for water authorities to share their views on planning permits in areas with a current or planned recycled water supply and develop a new regional policy to preserve futures opportunities for agricultural irrigation.

Protecting future farming in fringe areas

relatively close to the city like theYarra Ranges is also a priority, with agricultural policy set to be updated to protect agricultural land within 100km of Melbourne and developing a Planning Practice Note to better guide councils in assessing planning permit applications in agricultural areas.

The ‘agent of change’ principle will be expanded with the 100km around Melbourne and making the permit applicant responsible for mitigating impacts of agricultural operations with sensitive uses to protect the right to farm, including updating the Planning Policy Framework to encourage ‘appropriate siting, design and scale’ of these uses in the 100km zone.

More updates to policy will be put in place to implement stronger protections;

Planning Practice Note 31 ‘Preparing a Green Wedge Management Plan’ will be updated to better direct green wedge planning locally,

Planning policy will be updated to emphasise the ‘non-urban values, purpose and

character’ of green wedges,

A new Planning Practice Note will be developed for urban-rural interface areas like the Yarra Ranges to manage land use pressures and permanent growth.

To make smarter use of the land in the outskirts of Melbourne, planning decision guidelines and application requirements will be updated for green wedge zones, a pilot program carrying out mandatory site coverage, setbacks and building heights for discretionary uses in green wedge zones will be tested and the plan will try to increase flexibility to allow for primary production and farm gate sales.

In tightening controls, new data centres in the Green Wedge Zone, Green Wedge A Zone and the Rural Conservation Zone and subdivision of small lots below the minimum lot size in some areas of the 100km zone will be prohibited, new conditions will be put in place for exhibition centres, group accommodation and hotels in green wedge zones, connections between host farm accommo-

dation and operating agricultural properties will be encouraged and strengthened, a new permit trigger for soil dumping (clean fill) will be implemented and a new land use term for ‘community hall’ will be adopted.

All 20 actions through the plan are expected to be implemented in either the short (within the first year) or medium term (within three years) of the plan being released.

Director of Planning and Sustainable Futures at Yarra Ranges Council Kath McClusky said council officers are currently reviewing the actions in the State Government’s Green Wedge Management Plan.

“The Department of Transport and Planning has advised that there will be further opportunities for council to provide input into how the actions are implemented,” she said.

“From an initial review, the actions don’t appear to address some key issues affecting the Yarra Ranges Green Wedge including seasonal workers’ accommodation, small second dwellings, earthworks and the future of non-agricultural land uses.”

Residents in tech limbo

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

Emerald resident Gail Knightbridge has been left with no internet and landline phone since the heavy storm six weeks ago.

The major storm on Tuesday 13 February caused power outages and significant damage in areas of Dandenong Ranges.

Mrs Knightbridge said the whole street is in the same situation and they are not getting any answers on when it will be back on.

“After the storm, the internet and my landline telephone went down, that was six weeks ago and we still have no internet,” she said.

“I have no telephone landline to get help; from Telstra you get no help, and nobody is explaining anything.”

“I understand from other people’s investigations, this has got something to do with the NBN waiting for a new poll,” she said.

“I don’t know what sort of poll, but it shouldn’t take this long.”

Even though Mrs Knightbridge has had no internet or landline working, she still received the internet bill from Telstra to pay.

“I phoned them and explained to them I wouldn’t be paying the bill because I hadn’t received any service of any kind over the period the bill is covered, and the young lady told me that if I didn’t pay the bill, I would be cut off,” she said.

She tried calling Telstra but it takes over an hour for somebody to answer her and sometimes the call hangs up on its own.

She has also booked a technician twice to have a look at the system.

“He hasn’t turned up, didn’t call, didn’t apologise, didn’t explain, just simply didn’t turn up,” she said.

“I’m very cross and the whole street is annoyed.”

A Telstra spokesperson said they’ve spoken to Mrs Knightbridge and they’re sorting out her bill for her.

“We provide credits to customers affected by a long-running outage after the issue’s been resolved, to ensure we can accurately calculate the cost of the impact,” they said.

Mrs Knightbridge told Star Mail that people in her street run businesses online, and they are all left in limbo.

With the internet down, Mrs Knightbridge has become dependent on her neighbour to take her to the Emerald library once a week to do her banking.

“You’re pushed on to the internet because everything is online, which is fine when you have access to internet but once it goes down, you’re in a real pickle.”

“What is worse is all these companies - they

keep sending me emails, like the insurance company that I’m dealing with…they are all replying back to me on emails but I’m not getting my emails so I can’t read them.”

“It’s just a nightmare, no explanation, no apology, nothing,” she said. A tree fell on her house and her car and all her fences were downed during the storm.

“I’m trying to work with the insurance company to get all that done, but it’s difficult because I can’t talk to them on the internet.”

“We can’t reach NBN, we can’t talk to themthere is no way of contacting them.”

“I got the local MP and Telstra to contact them, because I can’t do it myself – it’s not allowing me to do so.”

She said other areas of Emerald and Cocka-

too that were impacted by the storm have all got their internet back to normal.

An nbn spokesman said damage to infrastructure poles hosting nbn equipment needed to be replaced.

“The work has been complex, with an arborist first required to remove fallen trees and foliage and then the damaged poles removed and replaced,“ he said.

“The poles were installed today, and we are working as quickly as possible to have nbn cabling reinstated and restore services to local residents.“

“We’re sorry for the length of time this has taken to fix.“

Tighter protections for agricultural land will be implemented as part of the Green Wedge and Agricultural Land Action Plan. Picture: ON FILE

Mrs Knightbridge has been without internet and landline phone for six weeks.

Picture: UNSPLASH BRETT-JORDAN

The aftermath of heavy storm damages.

Picture: FILED

Trade compensation calls

By Mikayla van Loon

Feeling the burden heavier than expected, Montrose businesses are petitioning the State Government to compensate them for the duration of the intersection upgrade works.

In as little as three weeks, The Little Flower Shoppe business owners Chloe Oswell and Sigrid Petersen felt the reduction in trade so significantly they started a petition which has now reached over 1000 signatures.

“I was pretty naive in thinking the roadworks wouldn’t affect us or not as significantly as they have,” Sigrid said.

“It’s hard to tell if people are avoiding the area or they just are running out of time to even stop. It’s hard to pinpoint what it is but we have the figures to show that we were doing well and then as soon as the roadworks started it just stopped.”

While Chloe had been running the business for four years, she and Sigrid made the decision to buy the Flower Shoppe together which came into effect on 1 February this year.

The $20 million intersection upgrade from a roundabout to traffic lights is expected to be completed in early 2025.

“The community support has been awesome but we can’t sustain that for 12 months. 12 months is a really long time for one little intersection,” Sigrid said.

With electronic signs popping up across nearby towns, Sigrid said she believes it scared people into avoiding Montrose completely.

“There are signs all around the suburbs saying ‘long delays, that the roadworks are going to 2025’,” she said.

“They’ve changed those signs a few times because I reckon I saw one that said ‘seek alt routes’ weeks ago and then when the shops have started to kick up a stink they’ve changed them.

“Now only a couple of the signs, and they’re pretty close to the shops, say ‘shops open’, but they don’t say ‘shops open’ in the surrounding suburbs where those signs are still saying ‘long delays, 2025’.”

The Little Flower Shoppe isn’t alone either, with the Montrose Fruit Basket owner Sopath saying although he’s trying to stay positive it’s hard when his customer base has dropped.

“In one year’s time, how are we going to get the money to pay the rent?This is a long period of time,” he said.

“If we have no customers, it’s difficult for us. Because all of the produce you can keep for only five days. So if I keep buying and then no customers come to buy it we lose money and then we still have to pay for everything.”

Sopath said first it was the Covid-19 pandemic and “now we are hit with this” which has already affected small businesses.

Although talk of the upgrades had circulated for years, Sopath said the works came earlier than expected.

“We didn’t realise they were going to do this

now and it seems to have really affected the local business. You can see it everywhere, it’s quiet,” he said.

Sigrid said the same, that initially works were due to start in December 2025, so the February and March start date came as a shock.

“It was not enough time for businesses to prepare and decide what they were going to do,” Sigrid said.

“My business partner, [Chloe], thinks that if she had known how bad it was going to be, then maybe we would have relocated just for 12 months. I am a photographer, so I have a space in Ferntree Gully, it’s empty most of the time so we might have just gone there for a year.”

A Department of Transport and Planning

(DTP) spokesperson, who is delivering the project on behalf of the Australian Government, said communication with businesses and residents began in December 2023.

“To help minimise disruptions to residents and businesses, DTP has maintained access to businesses, maintained two-way traffic in all directions at the roundabout, used roadside signs to advertise that shops remain open, provided notifications of works and changes to traffic changes, and conducted regular check-ins with traders to address concerns,” they said.

“DTP sent letters to more than 6,000 residents, updated their website and hosted a stakeholder reference group with multiple businesses, schools and community groups.

“Communications explained how traffic

management for the project aimed to keep the intersection open throughout work.”

Compensation has not been offered as an option as part of the help being provided to businesses until next year.

Montrose Township Group president Chelsey Cooper said there’s no doubt the works have been “disruptive” to the town already.

“It has impacted people in many different ways. Some much more than others and The Little Flower Shoppe, which is a beautiful little business, has borne a big brunt of the disruption given their location,” she said.

Trying to focus on having meaningful impacts by keeping residents and businesses informed as part of the stakeholder group, Chelsey said that’s the role Township Group can facilitate during the project.

“From a Township Group perspective, we’re trying to focus on the things we can impact during this time, because there’s a lot that isn’t in our control,” she said.

“Our focus is to keep people informed of upcoming changes to the roadworks, reflect back specific concerns or questions from the community for the BILD Group and DPT to respond to when they can, and importantly encourage everyone to support local businesses and be kind to one another.”

Helping do so is Monique Naudi, a resident of a neighbouring suburb, who has decided to help share to social media the businesses in Montrose that need some extra support.

“After Covid, I just became so aware of how easily a small business can go under and so when I heard how long the road works were going to be, I was even thinking ‘I’m so not driving through there’,” she said.

“But then I realised ‘how are these small businesses going to survive? For years now we’ve been saying ‘support small businesses, support local businesses’, so anything I can do to support those local businesses I will do.”

Showcasing a Montrose business every week, either through a recommendation or through her own discovery, Monique said it was a visit to Market and Cafe 3765 that triggered the posting and support.

“It’s just to spread love and remind people that we need to support these businesses because it’s going to be a really long year,” she said.

Leading into the busiest day of the year for florists, Sigrid said she and Chloe are worried about getting passersby and foot traffic that would normally come through town.

“Our biggest day is Mother’s Day. Everyone, I’m sure, would think it would be Valentine’s Day, which was pretty awesome. It was pretty good here. But Mother’s Days are big,” she said.

“We’re really worried about that too, because that’s a weekend and they won’t be working but there will still be one lane of traffic.”

Longterm, the worry is businesses across town won’t be able to sustain the road works and lack of trade.

Sophath from Montrose Fruit Basket has been quiet ever since the works started. 396599

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

The road works are expected to continue until early 2025, changing the roundabout to a traffic light intersection. 396599

The Little Flower Shoppe owners Sigrid Petersen and Chloe Oswell have seen such an impact from the roadworks they’re not sure how they will sustain 12 months. Picture: JACK CURRIE

Housing concerns shared

By Mikayla van Loon

Homelessness organisations from around the country, including Lilydale’s Anchor, travelled to Canberra last week to call for funding to provide housing for young people.

The Foyer Foundation led the charge, asking the Federal Government to support the building of 10 new youth foyer accommodation facilities, requesting $184 million in the upcoming budget.

Anchor chief executive officer Heidi Tucker visited the Australian capital on 18 and 19 March as part of a consortium of 13 community organisations known as FoyerInvest.

“[The] Lilydale Youth Foyer is operating at maximum capacity [of] 12 young people. A new foyer will help support up to 25-30 more young people,” she said.

“That would be a fantastic increase in our ability to support young people experiencing homelessness or who don’t have a stable homelife.”

The proposal seeks to build 40-bed units in places experiencing high rates of youth homelessness across the country.

Lilydale, in the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 census, found that 488 young people were experiencing homelessness across the outer east.

Foyer Foundation chief executive officer Liz Cameron-Smith said despite common beliefs, young people, under the age of 24, actually make up a majority of those who are homeless, equating to 40 per cent of the homeless population across Australia.

There are too many young people being forced to couch surf, live in cars, in overcrowded or unsafe homes or even on the streets,” Ms Cameron-Smith said.

“Foyers are a proven solution that gives young people who are ready to learn and earn a way out of homelessness.

Although the current proposal only requests funding for 10 Foyers, Ms CameronSmith said there are more communities that have been identified as needing this type of accommodation.

“Our partners have identified 16 communities in regional, remote and metropolitan places where a Foyer would make a significant difference to the lives of the young people and their communities. An investment of $184 million in this budget will mean we can get to work on delivering 10 more Foyers.”

Ms Tucker confirmed there has been a high demand of support being sought by young people in the outer east, saying two to three are turned away each week from accessing accommodation because the Foyer is full.

“Young people can stay in their Foyer property for up to two years, so vacancy in the program doesn’t become available all that often,” she said. “We also know there are plenty of young people who will be perfect for this program but aren’t actively seeking out services relevant to them. Young people who live in Healesville and Warburton, are unlikely to leave their area and present to services in Lilydale, or Ringwood.”

Foyer accommodation provides young people aged 16 to 21, who are willing to engage in

their own growth and development, as well as community, with education, employment and overall well-being support.

Ms Tucker said it’s about “lifting aspirations of both young people who have experienced disadvantage and those around them” while focusing on their “strengths and talents”.

“The Lilydale Youth Foyer is a safe, secure and affordable setting to live and study, where young people are also concurrently supported as part of the program to develop their skills, independence, and resources needed to achieve their personal goals,” Ms Tucker said.

This has been evidenced by some of the current residents living and thriving at the Lilydale Youth Foyer.

For Connor, who moved around a lot with his dad prior to moving into the Foyer, it was a scary but rewarding change that has helped him achieve goals he never thought possible.

“The Lilydale Youth Foyer is very welcoming. At first you feel awkward because you don’t know anybody.When you move around a lot...you don’t know if you can trust someone, or if they are going to be nice. But it’s been really easy to make friends here,” he said.

“I finished Year 12 and have got the skills to be able to live sustainably. My goal is to find work that helps me to live comfortably. I don’t have to make millions. Just be able to pay my way and live to the best of my abilities.”

While the responsibility is quite big, signing a lease to live at the Foyer and requirement to engage in education or work, Ommy said: “I was excited from the start because I knew I had an opportunity to be somewhere safe.”

Many of the young people who find support within the Foyer have experienced unstable beginnings and potential trauma, whether it be from moving around from place to place or disengagement from school.

“Some of our current Foyer students have experienced rough sleeping or living in tents.

Couch surfing is very common. For many, the experience of uncertainty, constant upheaval and moving from motels and temporary accommodation with parents is common,” Ms Tucker said.

“It’s no surprise that young people living like this might struggle to be able to engage in school, or transition into the workforce in an easy way. What is most impressive and heroic about these young people is the determination and motivation we see in them to improve their own situation, and their excitement in reconnecting with education or training once they achieve a certain level of safety and stability in a program like Foyer.”

A Foyer Foundation report called Under One Roof found that for every dollar invested in the Youth Foyer program, it generated an additional $6 in benefits and modelling found 65 per cent of young people in a Foyer were in employment on exit, reducing the need for welfare by $47,330 per person.

Ms Tucker said Foyers have evidenced based research to prove the worth they provide to communities but with tens of thousands of young people without permanent housing, more is still needed.

“There are an estimated 40,000 unaccompanied children and young people in homelessness each year in Australia without their families,” she said. “For those young people with serious drug and alcohol issues and perhaps involvement with the justice system, Foyer provides a positive next step that delivers stability and hope while recovering from these challenges…but they are not for everyone.

“Yarra Ranges is also without any youth refuge or supported crisis accommodation. Young people are getting pushed further and further into the city to get much needed accommodation.”

The Federal Government budget is expected in May.

Hit a trail, try a class, get moving for Active April

By Mikayla van Loon

The cooler temperatures of autumn may be showing up but health organisations across the Yarra Ranges are encouraging people this April to not let that stop them from getting active.

The joint collaboration between Inspiro, Eastern Health, Belgravia Leisure, Yarra Ranges Council and Reclink will see free activities, free class passes and other events hosted throughout the month of April to get people up and about.

“We want to encourage people in the community to be active in whatever way suits them,” Inspiro health promotion officer Megan McInerney said. “So whether that is just exploring a local trail or taking the kids to the park, whatever works for them, we just want to encourage the community to move a little bit more and explore the beautiful Yarra

Ranges.”

From walking groups, to pop up volleyball and a soccer clinic, as well as special dance inspired library storytimes, a variety of facilitated options means hopefully there’s something for everyone. Monbulk Aquatic Centre access and inclusion coordinator Ruby Southam said ensuring there’s programs for all ages and abilities was a key part and was the reason for offering the soccer clinic.

“So that will be looking at people from eight years old, up until maybe mid-teens. There’s two coaches and it’s just for one event and one day during the school holidays,” she said.

“We’ve done two in the previous school holidays and we’re looking at a partnership with Monbulk Soccer Club, to do an all abilities soccer program in the future. So it’s like a stepping stone and keeping the interest in the area for kids to get into soccer.”

Inclusivity is also a major focus for Reclink’s volleyball program, trying to provide an accessible activity for young people.

“Yarra Ranges youth who want to access sports and active recreation face barriers such as lack of transport, insufficient social support, financial constraints, and fear of being judged or bullied,” Reclink’s Anthea Merson said. “Reclink runs inclusive, fun activities to support Yarra Ranges young people to be more physically active. We’re excited to be part of Active April, partnering with awesome organisations to get more people having fun and physically active.”

There will be a beach volleyball session at Lillydale Lake and an indoor volleyball clinic at Yarra Centre through the two week school break. If getting to an in-person session is not possible, Reclink will also be providing online classes in things like yoga, pilates, zumba and tai chi.

“Then there’s some activities people can do on their own. We’ve got some nature walk treasure hunt activity sheets that families can download from the web page,” Megan said.

“We’ve got an Active April pass, so it’s a free pass for Monbulk Aquatic Centre orYarra Centre for a free swim, gym or group fitness class.”

Ruby said the group classes across the two centres may be limited depending on availability but people are still encouraged to try out a session or access the gym and pool to get a feel for the place. Check out all the ways to get involved and active in April by visiting inspiro.org.au/news/inspiro-is-encouraging-everyone-in-the-community-to-get-active-in-the-yarra-ranges-during-april/

The passes, activity worksheets and an event calendar of all the activities can be found here.

Lilydale Youth Foyer residents have found stability and friendship. Picture: SUPPLIED

A voice for all: Non-speaking kids get tech boost

By Tanya Steele

A Ferntree Gully School has recently received several iPads for non verbal students to use at school to boost their communication skills in class, at home and beyond.

Eastern Ranges School received the welcome donations from State Schools Relief (SSR) – aVictorian not for profit, and the CEO Sue Karzis visited the school on Thursday 21 March to see how the students were doing with their new devices.

Principal at Eastern Ranges School Sam Silverwood said the iPads will help greatly assist his students with their communication in the school.

“Around 50 percent of the students here use some sort of communication device, like a visual aid or iPads,” he said.

The six students at Eastern Ranges receiving the iPads are in middle to late primary school and early high school, giving them a vital new communication tool to implement in their daily schooling life.

“It’s giving them tools to communicate with others in class and in play,” Mr Silverwood said.

Ms Karzis said she was happy to assist and that her charity had previously identified the need for technology based donations to specialist schools.

“It’s making sure that we’re bringing students up and that they’ve got equal access to communication – that they’ve got a voice and they’ve got agency,” she said.

“This started five years ago and it’s for students and families in need who cannot afford the devices.”

SSR has an established partnership with Bank First and the Australian Schools Canteen Association and has so far donated over 400 iPads, along with supplying kids with uniforms, shoes and other educational resources to students in need.

In the 2022-23 period alone, SSR distributed $7.1 million worth of essential items, including iPads which benefited 452 students.

Since 2016, the not-for-profit has distributed over $45 million worth of essential items, highlighting its significant impact on Victorian communities and Ms Karzis said she would love to see the government and other organisations take on the cause - particularly the iPad program.

“I want this to be sustainable and I’d like to think that this is important enough that someone will pick this up,” she said.

Communication with the devices can greatly assist non-verbal students in engaging with peers, staff, their families and the greater community.

Ms Karzis said that through the donations she has heard beautiful stories about parents hearing for the first time that their son or daughter is hungry or thirsty or even staff being told about health issues like toothache from the children.

“It’s allowing them to have agency but also to reflect their personality – they can show more of who they are,” she said.

“We see incredible growth here and the parents, the parents see the differences – it’s heart warming and really amazing,” Principal Silverwood said.

Speech pathologists who work with the

children at Eastern Ranges will now set up the devices with specialised programs, giving the students a personalised device to work with.

Principal Silverwood said that the ideal outcome is that the students can communicate more effectively and by using a communication device students can become more fluent.

“So we want them to communicate in whichever way they can - verbally or through the communication device – having access to these with the support of the speech team can give great results,” he said.

“They’re going to get great use.”

Social enterprise expands

By Mikayla van Loon

The vision of growing Knoxbrooke’s Outsource social enterprise has come to life in the new Bayswater factory location, with the grand opening an exciting step for all involved.

Having been operating from a small factory on Clancy Road in Mount Evelyn when Star Mail last caught up with general manager Abdul Bakhach in March 2023, it was clear the supported employment venture had outgrown the facility.

“We went from 28 supported employees out there and we already have 40 and that’s only in six months. Our goal is to double our size now to become 85 within the next 12 months,” he said.

“Up in Mount Evelyn we couldn’t have done it. So now we can comfortably accommodate those employees.”

The packaging and distribution arm of Knoxbrooke’s offerings, Abdul said, now has the capability to engage more partnerships with businesses because of the added warehouse space, production area and loading zone which can handle b-double trucks and semi trailers.

But that too comes with the challenge of sustainable growth, something new chief executive officer Annie Revell said will be the aim over the coming months and years.

“We’re really excited but one challenge we’ve got is ensuring that what we do is sustainable, and that we look into the future and make sure that we grow in line with our strategy and our purpose,” she said.

Abdul said similarly, that growth will be a key focus to ensure more people with diverse abilities can find employment but that it’s done in an appropriate way.

“One of our challenges is to increase the number of employees and the business at the same rate,” he said.

For employees like Aaron, being in a bigger and better place has been “a pretty cool” transition.

Annie said the move has created a “beautiful vibe” among employees and “you see people are happy in what they’re doing and it’s meaningful for them”.

Going from not really having a break room in the Mount Evelyn factory to a beautiful, modern kitchen, Abdul said something that may seem like “for us a really minor thing”, for the employees they now have “the facilities they deserve”.

Welcoming Aston MP Mary Doyle, Bayswater MP JacksonTaylor and Knox Council mayor Jude Dwight to the official opening on Friday 22 March, they each said it was a privilege to have a social enterprise of this kind in their catchment area.

Located in the heart of the Bayswater Business Precinct, which is home to 5,000 businesses across the Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges councils, Abdul said not only does being among so many well known names improve credibility, with limited numbers of social enterprises in the area, they’re proud to

bring more opportunities to this cross-section of communities.

For 58 years, Annie said Knoxbrooke has had employment and training for people who have “diverse abilities of all abilities” at the forefront of what they do. The factory is just an expansion of that mantra.

“To me, people are at the heart of any business but I think the employees we have here are just a little bit more special than usual, and they really make this a magical place,” Annie said.

Speech Pathologist Rhiannon and student Maverick Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Timothy with Speech Pathologist Dan

From Left: Sue Karzis, CEO of State Schools’ Relief with Sam Silverwood, Principal at Eastern Ranges School and Speech Pathologist Rhiannon.

Outsource employees Stu, Aaron and Phillip work to pack tubs of playdough. 397076 Pictures: MIKAYLA VAN LOON

Business partners, employees, families and supporters joined for the official opening on Friday 22 March. 397076

The new factory is equipped with enough space for a warehouse. 397076

Teen Mr Fix-it finds passion

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor Ferntree

Gully teenager Charlie Blanchard has found his passion for fixing bikes at an age where most kids don’t have a clue of what they like, let alone developing interest in it.

Charlie has been successful in making a motorbike from scratch including the frame as a part of a school project and he received top spot for his work at school.

“I just like fixing up motorbikes; I have lots of knowledge about it and it’s something that I enjoy doing,” Charlie said.

His school project will be displayed in Federation Square as part of arts and technology competition.

His passion for fixing motorbikes started from the age of seven when he started going go kartings.

“I liked the motors and stuff, and enjoy working with them.”

Charlie has been successful in fixing many things like lawn mowers, his own bikes – and providing a hand to neighbours who needed fixing.

Though getting paid for his skillful services, it’s never about money for him.

“For me, it’s not all about the cash; I like working on this kind of stuff and my dream is just to have a shed full of motorbikes and stuff that I can fix up because I love what I’m doing.”

“The cash is just something that can help me buy more motorbikes and bikes to work on.”

Charlie has felt the support not just from his family, especially his mum but also from his school and the locals.

“I was really surprised that people would come to someone like me, instead of going to a bike shop where everyone else would go, I’ll want people to come to me because it’ll give me more to work on,” he said.

Charlie’s talent has been noticed by more

than just those who know him.

When he went to his local’s steel shop, the staff who was helping him with the designing and building his bike said they only know four other people who can design and fix bikes at his age.

Charlie’s mum, Elizabeth Symonds said the steel-store staff was really impressed with Charlie’s skills.

“It’s a dying art and he encouraged him to keep going with that, and they even offered him work experience with them,” Ms Symonds said.

When Charlie was younger, his mum taught him about the importance of going with his heart.

“He always does things that give him joy and then it will never feel like work,” she said.

Ms Symonds always made sure her son was out in the nature to keep his creativity going and not just stuck in a room.

“I reckon if kids can keep their imagination open, that creates innovation, then that creates leadership,” she said.

“I knew if I balanced the creativity side of him, he would get a lot of satisfaction from creating from his own mind and that would balance out with doing a lot of schoolwork in a classroom.”

Ms Symonds said Charlie’s passion has helped him make sense of his schooling life.

“His creativity is driving his learning, now he’s his own machine,” she said.

“There’s a little paddock next door, and he built a geodesic dome, which we got the kit and I couldn’t put it together because I was running kids nature lessons next door and he put it together within an hour.”

He’s in Year 10 this year and he’s loving school - he’s ahead of all of his classmates in most classes including his wood tech class.

Thus far, he has fixed about four lawnmowers and sold them, he built a wooden bike with wooden frame and wooden wheels.

Charlie has made his own shed at home where he stores all his tools in, he even made a mini resting place for himself at the rooftop of the shed.

“I went to my mate’s house the other day, he got this little motorbike, and they could not work out why it wouldn’t start and go…but as soon as I got there, I figured out the problem straightaway,” he said.

“I got it running and he was super happy about it.”

He’s determined to start his own little business and become his own boss.

“I want to have a big shed with all the tools, motorbikes and machinery that I can work on, and people can come in and just drop stuff off, and I can fix it,” Charlie said.

For Charlie every day is a learning day and every new bike is a trial and error to polish his skills.

“I feel pretty proud of myself to be honest, I’ve worked hard,” he said.

His mum has been his number one supporter and she will continue to support him at whatever he does.

“He always has really good ideas, even if I don’t know what the outcome is gonna be, it’s always really good, so he’s teaching me faith and I trust him,” Ms Symonds said.

Charlie Blanchard, 15, has been fixing bikes from a young age, a passion that led to a display at Federation Square. Picture: SHAMSIYA HUSSAINPOOR

Considering the future of the area

On Tuesday 26 March at the Yarra Ranges Council meeting, we will consider the commencement of community engagement for our Council Plan – one of the largest and most significant documents we have.

The Council Plan is a four-year document, which sets out our high-level goals as an organisation. Everything we do comes from, or funnels up to, these goals.

These goals help us move the region to where the community tells us they want to be, so it’s important that we take the time to hear from community and really get them right.

If endorsed by Council, staff will be hosting pop-up booths across the municipality in coming months, at events and popular locations, to gather perspectives from a wide range

From my desk

Sophie Todorov

Mayor of Yarra Ranges

of visitors and locals.

We’ll have hard-copy and digital surveys, community summits and conversations with Council’s advisory committees, aiming to get as much information as possible from community members of all backgrounds, beliefs,

abilities and ages.

As part of the engagement, we’re proposing to establish a representative community panel, who will develop recommendations to Council on issues affecting the entire region – those recommendations will go back to the community and make sure they’re on the right track.

Next year, the 2025-29 Council Plan will start to take shape; we’ll have opportunities for the community to get involved then, too.

So this is a call to any community members interested in sharing their thoughts, their time or their expertise – sign up at shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au, get involved in the engagement and keep your eyes peeled for more ways to get involved.

Reader recommendation: Willa Cather

Reader Jill, from Mt Evelyn, recently recommended American author Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the Lark (1915) and My Antonia (1918).

In Jill’s words, these are“excellent, beautifully written and evocative”.

“Although the stories are works of fiction, they bring to life the scenery and society of the American West which has long since disappeared.”

These books are often referred to as Cather’s “Prairie Trilogy”, as they portray life on the Great Plains, the western part of the flatland in North America between the Appalachian Plateau and the Rocky Mountains.

Throughout the 19th century, settlers of mainly European backgrounds migrated to the Great Plains as part of a vast westward expansion.

Born in Virginia in 1873, Cather’s family moved to Nebraska when she was nine years old.

Her time in that frontier state was a formative experience, as the vastness of the prairie and the diverse cultural backgrounds of the local immigrant families left her with a deep impression.

Cather started writing during her university years, but it was only after the Prairie Trilogy became popular that her work was widely recognised. She was praised for having ordinary people as characters and using plainspoken language in her books, as well as “bringing Nebraska to the wider world for the first time”.

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

Inspired by a poem by Walt Whitman, O Pioneers! tells the story of a farming family of Swedish-American immigrants in Nebraska at the turn of the 20th century.

Meanwhile, The Song of the Lark tells the story of a talented singer from Colorado who finds success in New York City but never forgets her small home town. As Jill explains, this story is regarded as the most autobiographical of Cather’s novels.

But it is My Antonia that truly showcases the American West as one of the novel’s most memorable characters. The book tells the stories of Jim, an orphaned boy from Virginia, and Antonia, the elder daughter in a family of Bohemian immigrants. (As Jill clarifies, “Bohemia” is another name for “Czechoslovakia”, now Czech Republic.)

Both are brought to Nebraska as children and raised as pioneers near the end of the 19th century.

Narrated from Jim’s perspective, My An-

Entertainment is coming

1812 Theatre

The Fire Raisers

Fires are becoming something of a problem.

But Biedermann has it all under control. A respected member of the community with a loving wife and a flourishing business; surely nothing can stop him.

The great philanthrope, he is happy to meet his civic duty and give shelter to two new houseguests and when they start filling the attic with petrol drums, he’ll help them wire the fuse.

Season: April 4 – 27.

CPP Community Theatre

Little Women

Christmas Eve 1862. With their father away in the frontline f the American Civil War, the four March sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – journey into adulthood, each determined to pursue a life on their own terms.

But growing up means contending with love and loss, as well as the myriad twists of fortune that can shape a lifetime.

Season: Friday April 5 – Sunday April 13.

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre

Still Alice Alice Howland is a university professor at the height of her career when she is diag-

Empire Queen fun

Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic Starring Chris Dane Owens, Ciel Post and Jason Schulz

Unrated 3.5/5

Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic is a campy, charming but bloated fantasy romp from musician and filmmaker Chris Dane Owens.

In the fantasy realm of Alerion, Commander Jade Cross (Owens) must find the Sovereign Wand and bring the peasant girl Arra (Ciel Post) to her rightful place on the throne.

tonia paints a vivid picture of pioneering life in the AmericanWest where farming is an essential part of everyday existence.

The lifelong friendship between Jim and Antonia is shaped with a sense of place –both natural landscapes and domestic spaces, where adventures, families and communities are found.

It is interesting that My Antonia is described as “a departure from the focus on wealthy families in American literature”.

Indeed, it is said that even F. Scott Fitzgerald considered his own The Great Gatsby a failure in comparison to My Antonia.

Cather received the Pulitzer Prize for her 1922 novel One of Ours, which is set during the First World War.

However, it is the Prairie Trilogy that defines her as a novelist of the frontier and pioneer experience.

Thanks again to Jill for recommending this extraordinary author.

Note: “Reader Recommendation” is a new series of articles featuring outstanding authors and books recommended by our readers.

Its origin can be traced back to June 2022, when reader Elizabeth from Clematis recommended English author Richmal Crompton’s Just William (1922).

If you, too, like to recommend a favourite author or book – either Australian or international – please drop a note to Christine Sun via christine.yunnyu.sun@gmail. com.

Kemp’s curtain call CARTOON

nosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Fiercely independent, with a husband and two children, Alice strives to make sense of her changing world as her memory begins to fail.

Season: Thursday April 18 – Friday April 26.

The Basin Theatre Berlin

Charlotte is a Berliner through and through.

Tom is a foreigner travelling around Europe. After meeting in a bar, sparks fly between them, and she invites him to spend the night at her place.

As they navigate the ritual of seduction, their desire gives way to secrets that cannot be ignored, and questions neither of them can answer.

Season: Previews Thursday April 18, Gala Opening Friday April 19 - Sunday April 28.

Empire Queen is a long-term passion project for writer-director Owens (who co-wrote and co-directed the film with Jason Schulz), whose eighties-style power metal song Shine On Me and its music video are classics of early YouTube.

Empire Queen is corny but made with clear passion and enthusiasm as a tribute to silly fantasy movies.

With its attractive cast in beautiful locations, upbeat tone, whimsical score and opulent art direction (subpar CGI and obvious greenscreen be damned), Empire Queen is a very enjoyable lightweight adventure, and Mary Elise Hayden stands out among the cast with haughty venom as Queen Gwendolyn. For fans of Shine On Me, it’s also fun to spot where Empire Queen expands upon the viral 2008 music video.

Empire Queen is a rewarding watch for viewers with a liking for cheesy movies, but it’s far too long at nearly 2.5 hours, and bogged down with heavy exposition and multiple quests for fantasy Macguffins. Moreover, while the film has plenty of funny moments, some of the dialogue and performances are too stilted and awkward even for a corny movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Despite the film’s faults, Owens realising his dream project after nearly twenty years is a net good, and Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic is a campy fun time that you can rent or buy on Amazon Prime and Vimeo.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Looking back on shooting

By Janice Newton, Mount Evelyn History

Group

Following World War Two, many European migrants visited Mt Evelyn Recreation Reserve with factory or cultural groups.

In the warmer months, picnic gatherings with music, food and merry-go-rounds became a weekly occurrence.

One interaction between a migrant visitor and St Mark’s Holiday Home, Tramway Road, Mt Evelyn, adjacent to the Recreation Reserve, could have ended tragically.

On 21 January 1951, Gordon Craig, a 29-year-old physical culture Instructor from Laburnum, visited St Mark’s with an Opportu-

nity Club camp for poorer children.

The Lilydale Express reported that Craig found Ioannis Ioakim ‘passing through the property with a .22 calibre Browning automatic rifle’.

He told Ioakim not to go shooting up the hill as there were children in the vicinity.

Ioakim, a tailor from South Yarra, said he was just walking, not shooting and that his gun was not loaded. The instructor disagreed and said that it was loaded.

To prove Craig wrong, Ioakim pulled the trigger and shot the instructor in the leg, accidently. The instructor was treated for a bullet

wound in hospital.

Ioakim, through an interpreter, explained in court later that he had bought the rifle earlier in January and had used it for the first time when he went on a picnic with the Macedonian Club to Mt Evelyn.

He told a Russell Street Detective he only wanted to shoot rabbits. (Rabbit meat augmented the sparse diet experienced by many new migrants).

He thought the safety device was on. He was fined £5 with costs for carrying a firearm on a Sunday and advised to acquaint himself with local laws.

Less than three months later, in April 1951, St Mark’s Holiday Home was sold to the Lands Department to be run as the first permanent National Fitness Camp in Australia.

One of the first acts of the National Fitness Council, nine months after the shooting incident, was to ask in October 1951 if the area could be declared a sanctuary.

Although a small area and, according to the report, lacking specific flora or fauna under threat of extinction, the biologist Mr McNally agreed that such conservation was beneficial for the education of the young, so the area was gazetted by September 1952.

The picnic ground at the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve where picnickers often arrived in furniture vans.

Picture: MOUNT EVELYN HISTORY GROUP

PUZZLES

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every

from

and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no

ACROSS

1 Baby dog (coll) (3)

3 Linguistic (10)

10 Zeppelin (7)

11 Bedbound (7)

12 Stimulus (9)

13 That following (4)

15 African horned animal (10)

17 Agricultural land (4)

19 Old sailor (coll) (4)

20 Taking over leadership (10)

23 German automobile manufacturer (4)

25 Work independently (9)

27 Speech (7)

28 Ships (7)

29 Expert (10)

30 Idiot boxes (3)

nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in

DOWN

1 Act of stealing other’s work (10)

2 Narrow-minded (9)

4 Pleasure (9)

5 Doubly (5)

6 Gulch (6)

7 Sepals of a flower (5)

8 Vein of metal (4)

9 A Japanese religion (6)

14 Literary assistant who copies manuscripts, etc (10)

16 Us (9)

18 Relative position (9)

21 The best at (6)

22 Beachgoer’s two-piece (6)

24 Father’s brother (5)

25 Ultimate (5)

26 Inserts (4)

No. 178

No. 178

No. 178

PROPERTY

SPACE, STYLE, AND SPECTACULAR SURROUNDS

FAMILY OASIS WITH POOL AND TENNIS COURT

TREAT yourself to a tour of this stylish lifestyle property situated on one of Upwey’s finest residential roads, a stone’s throw from Upwey South Primary School, childcare, train station and bus transport. Boasting a landscaped 2,132sqm (approx.) block bursting with features including a swimming pool and tennis court, this property is what fabulous family living is all about.

The striking façade with rich timber and standing seam Colorbond cladding is enhanced with a family-friendly level garden and a single garage. Upon entry, engineered wideboard timber floors and hydronic heating add welcome warmth. At the front of the dwelling is the rumpus room/home office with ample storage and access to the large laundry with stone benchtops and guestWC.

The hub of the home is the open concept living area featuring a custom timber accent wall and a chefs’ kitchen with expansive island, Siemens and Miele appliances, and walkin pantry. From here you can step out through bifold doors to your own private oasis featuring covered and open decking and views of the tennis court, pool, veggie garden, firepit area, and powered studio.

On the upper level with large balcony, there are 5 unique bedrooms with quality wool carpet and plenty of storage accompanied by a family bathroom with spa tub. Two of these rooms feature ensuites and walk-in robes, including the parents’ retreat with private balcony, dressing room, and luxurious ensuite with egg tub, dual sink vanity with stone benchtops, dual rain showers, and make-up station.

A feast for the senses, this property invites you to explore and make yourself at home. Plan your viewing today.

· 2,132sqm (approx.) property with landscaped gardens

· Tennis court, swimming pool, veggie beds, firepit area, and powered shed

· Timber and standing seam Colorbond exterior with single garage

· Versatile and stylish interior with engineered timber floors and hydronic heating

· Magnificent chefs’ kitchen with Siemens and Miele appliances ●

at Grand Hyatt Melbourne on Saturday night.

The awards recognise the achievements of First National’s Victorian and Tasmanian agents throughout 2023, with winners now competing for the network’s National Awards, which will be announced at the network’s annual convention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this May.

First National Ranges, principal, Mick Dolphin, says these awards are a testament to my staff’s dedication to serving our clients with the highest level of professionalism and integrity. We are incredibly proud of their success and grateful for the contributions they make to our company and the real estate industry as a whole.

At the awards presentation, the Ranges First National team received the following awards:

· Jan Brewster – Silver Sales Award of Excellence

· Amy Carson – Silver Property Management Award of Excellence

· Grant Skipsey – Silver Sales Awards of Excellence

· Mick Dolphin – Diamond Sales Awards of Excellence

Key staff members were also recognised for their individual performances:

· Amy Carson received another year in ‘The

Elite’ (top 15 in Victoria) for her work in our Rental Department

· Mick Dolphin also received another year in ‘The Elite’ (top 15 in Victoria)

The Rental Department was also acknowledged for their efforts being named the number 1 Highest Property Management team providing the highest return for our

clients in VIC – maximizing our residential property management revenue for clients, focusing on strategies like increasing occupancy rates, optimizing rental pricing, reducing vacancies, and implementing costeffective maintenance practices. Additionally, providing excellent tenant services leads to longer tenancies and higher tenant retention

rates, ultimately boosting revenue for property owners.

Mick Dolphin said the First National General Excellence and Marketing Awards are an important event as they encourage First National’s agents to aspire to an ongoing process of performance improvement that benefits customers. ●

Group winners

Silver award winners

GEMBROOK

BRICKVENEERHOMEWITHPOTENTIALON4.99Ha!

Privatelylocatedneartheendof ano-throughroad,down alongdriveway,thisproperty is offered forsale forthefirsttime.Beatonewithnature,withwildlifeonyourdoorstep

This1980’s homeneedssomeTLCbuthasso much potential!Featuringa centralliving areawithtimberfloorboards,galleykitchen,workshop,shadehouse/storageareanear thehouse&agardenshedoutback.Private,yeta convenient5-minute driveawayto Gembrooktownship,offeringanIGA,shops,cafes,bus,Primaryschool&aservicestation!

MickDolphin 0429684522

ErinDavies 0493136937

ASUPErB5 ACrES!

GEMBROOK LoT4-130GEMBrook-TonIMBUkrD

MINUTESTOGEMBROOKTOWNSHIP

Theperfectblendofconvenienceandserenity,these 5acres,accessedvia asealed road,awaitsyourvisiontobecomea reality(STCA).Thelifestylewillbeidyllic,andit allbeginshere.Thelandismainlyclearedandscenicallyblessed,overlookinga dam. YouareminutestoGembrookTownship,cafes,specialtyshops,restaurants,fabulous amenities,primaryschool,busconnections,horsetrailsandhikes.Connectionsatthe gateareelectricityandtelephone.Domesticwaterrightswithscopetoincrease.

MickDolphin 0429684522

ErinDavies 0493136937

771SqMFLATLAnD,BUnGALoW& STUDIo

abungalowwithbathroom,studio, BIrstoallbedrooms,spaciousliving& dining,greatnaturallight,timberkitchenwitha breakfastbar,amplestorage,entryvestibuleforaddedsecurity,securitylight,wheelchair accessible,dualdriveway, flat771sqm allotment, easycare garden,gardenshed, outdoorsink &BBqarea,ductedheating &splitsystem.Zoned(nrZ)Schedule4 (nrZ4)

MickDolphin 0429684522

ErinDavies 0493136937

THIS gorgeous home offers zoned living with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 living areas, a separate dining room, currently being used as a home office, and lovely outdoor entertaining deck with elevated views, a fire pit and room for the kids & fur babies to play.

The property has great curb appeal with it’s tidy front garden and double lock up garage with remote door, which provides internal access into the central hallway.

The front wing contains 3 good sized, robed bedrooms, a family bathroom with a shower and separate bath, and a large living room/chill out space for the kids. The home then flows through to the well-appointed open plan kitchen with walk in pantry and stone benchtops, that spreads out to the dining room and second loungeroom. The rear of the home offers a 3rd living area, currently a theatre room and the master bedroom complete with walk in ensuite and large walk in wardrobe.

Externally the backyard is fully fenced and has an undercover entertaining area and a sunny rear deck to overlook the flat grassed area and the views over the valley from the rear yard.

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

4VistaCourt,Gembrook

$840,000 -$900,000

WalktoGembrookMainstreet &EnjoyTheGorgeousGarden!

Thisprivate& lowmaintenance3 bedroom,2 bathroomhomeis ashortstrollfromthemainstreet. Featuring2 separatedrivewayentries,thereareplentyofpossibilitieswiththishome.Thehomehas anopenplankitchen/lounge/diningroomthatenjoysviewsouttothebackgarden& hasa split systemAC.Thekitcheniswellequippedwitha gasstove &oven&abutlerspantry.Themaster bedroomenjoysitsownsplitsystemAC,BIRs& ensuite.Thereare 2furtherbedroomsbothwithBIRs. Thereisa lovelyfamilybathroomwith ashower&aseparatebath.Thereisalsoductedheating throughoutthehome& plentyofnaturallight.Outsideis adelightinthefullyfencedbackyard.The manicuredgarden& lawnistranquilwithanarrayoffruittrees.Thereisalsoa securitysystemwith alarm& cameras, &sensorlightingatthefrontofthehome.

BrennanMileto M 0422996451

BethanySullivan M 0438844968

9SeaviewStreet,Emerald

$1,100,000 -$1,200,000

NestledinEmeraldisthisDelightful& SpaciousHomeonapprox.3.5acres!

Thishomeis adelightwithit’scirculardriveway &grandlobbywith abifurcatedstaircase.This homehasa formaldiningroom,& expansivekitchenwithnaturalgraniteisland &semi-integrated dishwasher,1200mmDoubleFalconOven&awalkinpantry.Thereisa bedroomnearthefrontof thehomewitha WIR& BIR.Thereisalsoa familybathroomwith acornerspabath &shower.Onthis flooris acosyloungeroom,witha woodfire &a splitsystemACenjoyingviewsouttothewraparound verandah.Downstairsisa kidsrumpusroom &storagearea.Upstairsare 3largebedrooms(2with BIRs).Themasterbedroomhasa WIR& ensuite.Thishomehasductedheating,a fenceddogarea, afencedpaddock,a gardenshed,establishedgardens,andlovelynaturalbushareaincludinga seasonalcreek!

BethanySullivan M 0438844968

311-313MainStreetEmerald

52PatonsRoad,Macclesfield$1,750,000 -$1,900,000

StylishlyRenovatedHomewithEquineInfrastructureonNearly20acres! Featuringa 40m*20msandmenage,dayyards,electricfencedpaddocks,hotwash,tack room,floatstorage,hayshed,a 3-baybarn,cross-countrycourse,mainswater &a comfortable 4-bedroom,2 bathroom,‘Hamptons’stylehomewithviews &zonedheating& cooling.Thehome has2 loungeareas, adiningarea& entertainingdeck.Themasterbedroomhasa walk-through robe,ceilingfan &ensuite.Theopenplankitchen/dining/livingareahas awoodfire &a 900mmgas stove& anelectricoven,& thelaundryhasa dryingcupboard.Thereare 3furtherbedroomswith BIRs &a familybathroom.Thestockyardshaveloadingramps,thereare5 paddockswithwater,day yards,tackroom,feedshed,hotwashbay,haystorage &machinerystorage.Thereis apermanent creek,a Springfeddam,a chickenrun,anall-weathergraveldriveway, &lockupgarage.

SamanthaScott M 0438680032

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

bellrealestate

HOME FOCUS

TWO DELIGHTFUL DWELLINGS ON MANICURED GARDENS IN KALLISTA

IF you have high hopes for a fabulous Hills lifestyle, this property promises to surpass expectations. Comprising an impeccable 5-bedroom plus study family residence and a charming 2-bedroom bungalow set on a magnificently manicured 3,231sqm (approx.) allotment, this property offers a lifestyle second-to-none.

The primary residence with leafy verandah and enclosed rear alfresco is the epitome of a dream Dandenong Ranges residence. Enjoy spacious living areas with garden views on each level, including one with wood fire, and a stylish kitchen with freestanding gas cooker, shaker cabinets, and inviting breakfast bar.

The bedrooms, including main with ensuite and walk-in robe, are generously proportioned and the versatile study/home office is peacefully positioned. Add to this a beautifully appointed laundry, soaking tub family bathroom, double carport, and versatile workshop, and everything you could wish for can be found here.

Furthermore, adding options for multigenerational living or rental income is the delightful second dwelling. Featuring an open plan living area with quality carpet, dining area with sun-filled bay window, and kitchen with Belling cooker, there is ample space for entertaining. The 2 bedrooms are each adorned with built-in robes and the bathroom boasts laundry facilities.

With a separate drive and seamless garden connection with the main house, these 2 homes are beautifully balanced. This incredible lifestyle property suits buyers seeking something special. Don’t delay, join us for a tour today.

· Generous 3,231sqm (approx.) allotment with magnificent manicured gardens

· Primary 5-bedroom plus study family residence with dual living areas and stylish kitchen with quality appliances

· Ducted heating, evaporative cooling, ducted vacuum, and rain water tanks

· Charming 2-bedroom second dwelling with lychgate and verandah entry plus open plan living with bay window

· Double carport, workshop, level lawn areas, and dual access ●

HOME ESSENTIALS

Address: 12 Helena

Contact: Suzie Brannelly 0490

Enjoyendlessversatilityandcompletecomfortatthismove-inready residenceonalevel quarter-acre landscape.Enrichedwithanoversizedoublegaragewithmezzanineand welcomingoutdoorentertainingareas,thispropertyisalovelylifestylepackage.

BradConder

M

M 0422639115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

ThiscontemporaryhomeintheheartofUpweyistheperfect findinthispicturesquesuburb. Withfewfreestandingunitsinthearea,thisdelightfulpropertyistheidealinvestment. Situatedinanexclusivepocketofonly 3homes,thispropertyisimmediatelymemorable. Thetimelessweatherboardexteriorwithsinglegarageandcoveredentryevokes awarm andwelcomingfeel.

SuzieBrannelly

97546888

BradConder

M 0422639115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

1689BurwoodHighway,BelgraveVIC3160 www.chandlerandco.com.au

For the first time since their establishment, the Mount Evelyn Football Club’s women’s team will have their own clash jumper to don thanks to the collaboration of the junior and senior players.

At the end of the 2023 season, women’s coach Steve Varley said Mount Evelyn faced Whitehorse where the teams’ colours clashed.

“We had to wear a bright yellow jumper. It didn’t feel right and we decided we would investigate the option of our own clash jumper,” he said.

Using it as an opportunity to bring the junior girls and senior women together, Steve said they opened it up to the under 12s and 14s to submit a design “that showed us what Mt Evelyn FC meant to them”.

Blending together the Rovers’ ‘V’ symbol and representation of the mountains, under 14s player Ali won the design competition.

“I based the design on our surroundings in

Mount Evelyn bringing a bit of the training top and the mountains into it,” she said.

One of the senior players, Kiara Simons, who is also a graphic designer, helped bring the creation to life.

“There’s some little things the league has to include and so we were keeping that in mind. Steve sent me through a few photos of what some of the girls had done and Ali’s was definitely the most applicable design we could use,” she said.

“I did a few different concepts with the triangle and then I went for more of a distinctive mountain shape down the bottom. It’s all drawn back to Ali’s initial idea of using the triangle and adding a bit of meaning to it as well.”

For Ali, who only began playing football last year, being recognised as the jumper designer has been a pretty incredible experience.

“It’s really cool. I got a special mention the other day, and lots of people have been congratulating me. It just makes me feel like everyone knows me,” she said.

On Monday 18 March, the clash jumper design was unveiled in front of 110 junior and senior players.

It was a special moment for Kiara as well, knowing the women’s side has its own clash uniform to wear and the legacy she has helped create with Ali.

“We’ve had to use all sorts of different jumpers, whatever we had at the time and it’s never anything really related to our club. So it’s nice to have a proper clash jumper,” Kiara said.

“It means a lot especially playing a fair bit of junior footy here. It’s really cool to be able to design that and to wear it will be awesome, especially because it’s not just a design we’ve thrown together because it looks good, but it’s got a bit of meaning to it.”

Mount Evelyn has always focused on bringing the girls and women together as one, something Steve said they were thrilled to continue as a club with this jumper.

“This jumper will always be special to our girls program as it is truly a collaborative effort

between both the junior and senior squads and it is something we are hugely proud of,” he said.

“We are hopeful over time it will be incorporated throughout all our girls teams.”

Adding to the excitement of the jumper presentation and all girls training was a visit from AFLW player Mikala Cann.

“[The] Collingwood [player] came and assisted and spent time with all the girls and was brilliant,” Steve said.

“She actually lives in Mt Evelyn and does all her running training away from Collingwood on our ground.”

As the girls and women’s teams prepare for the season to start in late April, Ali said no matter what happens it will be fun to run around on the field with a great group of friends.

“We’re going to be a really good team and if we’re not, I know I’ll have lots of fun with the people on my team,” she said.

The Mount Evelyn Football Club’s junior girls and senior women’s teams with Collingwood AFLW player Mikala Cann.

Senior women’s player Kiara Simons and jumper competition winner Ali at the presentation to the players.

Orioles force Game Three

By Sean Talbot

Coming into Saturday’s finals game with a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series, the Upwey FTG Tigers travelled to Billabong Park to again take on Blackburn, looking to secure a second win and advance to the Grand Final series, where they would face off against the winner of Waverley v Essendon.

Entering the game knowing they had not been able to secure a win in either of their regular season contests at the Burners home fortress, the Tigers knew they would be needing to be at their best to secure the points and end the home sides season.

With club coach Donavon Hendricks taking the ball for Upwey and being countered by Blake “Sauce” Hodgson for Blackburn, runs were potentially going to be quite hard to come by, as both starters entered the game with more than 25 years of Division 1 baseball between them.

Upwey struck first in the top of the 1st inning, as Peter Schroeders led off the game with the first of his three hits for the day, eventually coming round to score on a two-out Josh Hendricks single, his first of four hits for the afternoon, before a ground ball ended the inning with Upwey sporting a 1-0 lead.

D Hendricks made quick work of the Orioles in the bottom half of the inning, striking out leadoff hitter AndyTierney before a ground ball and a pop-fly sat the home side down in order.

Hodgson was able to recover from his trip at the starting line, quickly recording two quick outs via foul fly and a three-pitch strikeout before RyderWilson slapped a first pitch, two-out single to extend the inning, however a groundball to shortstop Taichi Nagano negated the threat and ended the inning.

D Hendricks again made quick work of the Burners in the bottom half of the inning, as a flyball and two ground balls ensured the Tigers were able to quickly put Blackburn back in the field.

Leading off the top of the 3rd, Schroeders laced his second hit of the day to center field, however a fielder’s choice ground ball and a 6-3 double play quickly snuffed out the rally and ended the inning.

Undeterred by the short inning, D Hendricks worked around a one-out double by Koetsu Sakamoto to induce a foul pop-fly and a fly ball to end the inning and again keep Blackburn off the scoreboard.

Leading off the inning and continuing to show the form that has led him to be known as the Big Puma, J Hendricks laced a double to left field then advanced on a one-out groundball to pitcher Hodgson.

Staci Rogers drew a full count walk before

intentionally getting hung up between first and second, drawing Blackburn’s defense long enough to allow J Hendricks to charge home and score Upwey’s second run of the game before being tagged out to end the inning.

Looking to get themselves on the scoreboard after seeing their deficit double in the top of the inning, Blackburn closed the gap to 2-1 after a leadoff double to Ryan Berg allowed Ben Leslie to single to right field to score Berg from second while advancing to second himself on the throw.

A ground ball to third base and a fly ball to left field threatened to leave Leslie stranded, however an infield error extended the inning before a Ben Aslett single scored Leslie to tie the game at 2-2 before Sakamoto grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Wanting to find a way to create a new lead for themselves, Upwey were unable to secure any baserunners in the top of the 5th, save for a two-out Schroeders walk before a fly ball ended the half frame.

Using the quick inning and their newly created momentum, the Orioles manufactured a third run as Andy Tierney was plunked with a pitch, Berg hit his second double of the game to put runners at second and third before Leslie singled to centerfield, scoring Tierney and stopping Berg at third.

A sharp line drive to Jack Ratcliffe at second base froze the runners before D Hendricks struck out power threat Hayden Dingle to leave two stranded, but not before Blackburn edged in front 3-2.

TheTigers looked again to grind themselves into the game, however a J Hendricks single was followed by a hard hit ball that found Nagano on the move up the middle at shortstop, resulting in another 6-3 double play and another potential rally ended despite some great hitting from the Tigers.

Carrying their momentum into the bottom half of the inning, Blackburn pushed the score to 4-2 on the back on a lead-off single by Nick Rossell who was forced out on a rare 9-6 fielder’s choice, before another Sakamoto double scored Aslett all the way from first base and saw the Orioles right fielder advance to third on the play, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Nagano before Tierney flew out to end the inning.

Desperate to capitalize on their created chances, the Tigers got that chance in the top of the 7th, as a two-out rally was sparked by pinch hitter Andy Kane who singled to centerfield. Rice hit a high fly ball that landed in noman’s land in shallow centerfield, allowing he and Kane to advance to second and third respectively and Schroeders at the top of the order coming up.

Upwey’s veteran leadoff took full advantage

of the extended inning, lining a ball to right field to score Kane and Rice and advancing to second base on the throw.

Blackburn catcher Chase Hodkinson looked to catch Schroeders advancing, however a close play at second base saw an injury to Nagano and the ball roll to the centerfield wall, scoring Schroeders to complete the “little league home run” and see Upwey now back in front sporting a 5-4 scoreline.

Wade McConnon singled to left field to keep the rally alive before Jordan Elliott reached base on an infield error, drawing an end to Hodgson’s day and summoning left handed flamethrower Andy Jones from the bullpen, his second appearance in the series.

Jones needed just one pitch to produce a fly ball to Sakamoto in right field, ending the inning before the Tigers could keep piling on. D Hendricks took the mound in the bottom of the 7th and made quick work of the Orioles, needing only 10 pitches to record two fly balls and a ground ball that ended the inning in quick fashion.

Jones began the 8th inning attempting to quell the Tigers fire, managing to navigate around a two-out single to Rogers before inducing a fly ball to end the inning and strand the Tigers third baseman.

Knowing that if the Tigers held a lead in the 9th inning that they would be sending staff ace Jarrod Turner to the mound to close the game down, Blackburn saw Nick Rossell single with one-out before advancing on an Aslett single to put runners at the corners and ending D Hendricks’ day.

The Upwey skipper was absolutely sensational, navigating in and out of trouble and keeping his side firmly in the game. Wes de Jong was called on to try and find a way out of the two-on, one-out situation, however Sakamoto put another ball in play, this one an RBI single to left field to score Rosell and tie the game at 5-5.

Mitch Whiting (pinch hitting for Nagano) managed a two-strike single to load the bases, however de Jong was able to strike out Tierney looking to record the second out of the inning.

Berg again came up big for Blackburn, as the veteran singled to left field to score Aslett and Sakamoto before Leslie triples to center field, scoring Whiting and Aslett to suddenly see the Orioles holding a 9-5 lead.

Knowing they would need a full team effort to either tie the game or take the lead, the Tigers battled in every at-bat in the top of the 9th, as McConnon reached on a two-out outfield error, Elliott reached on a two-out infield error and J Hendricks produced another single, this one scoring McConnon to reduce the score to 9-6.

Randy Senn singled to centerfield to score

Elliott and reduce the lead to 9-7, however a flyball to right field ended the game with the result going the way of the Orioles.

Game 3 on Sunday was now required to decide whose season ended and who advanced, and both teams were going to be sending their best for the affair: Upwey with Turner, and Blackburn with import Michael Cabeza.

J Hendricks (4 hits, 2 RBI) and Schroeders (3 hits, 1 walk, 2 RBI) were the pick of the Upwey hitters, whilst D Hendricks’ 7 1/3 innings of work ensured his charges were never out of the game, also allowing theTigers to ensureTurner was fresh for his start on Sunday.

Travelling to Melbourne Ballpark in Altona for their much anticipated, epic Grand Final clash against Chelsea, the Lady Tigers found themselves in early trouble and unfortunately were unable to climb the mountain that was the ladder leader, eventually falling to the eventual premiers 19-5.

Despite the bloated scoreline, the Lady Tigers were in this game for a large portion of the game, however some untimely errors at crucial times allowed Chelsea to run away with the game, scoring in each inning played whilst keeping the pressure on the Upwey bats for the entirety.

The Lady Tigers managed six hits and seven walks against the leagues best defense, however it was unfortunately not enough to overcome the Dolphins offense assault.

As has been the case the entire season, the Lady Tigers used production from up and down their line-up to score runs, with the dynamic duo of Hayley Mather and Caitlin Kiel continually the lynchpin for some of Upwey’s biggest innings on the year as they regularly got on base at the bottom of the order before setting up the big hitter at the top and middle of the order.

Chelsea Mosbey can take a huge amount of positives out of her growth into the true ace of the team, and was ably supported by Jess McDonald in a season that saw the latter continually produce in the batters box whilst adding more feathers to her cap on the mound and at shortstop.

While a win was the ultimate goal on the day, the program can take a lot of positives from this season in just their second since reforming prior to the 2022/23 season, both of which have seen the team play off in finals (2022/23 saw Upwey fall in the Semi Final, this year making the Grand Final).

With a great mix of young talent and experienced veterans, the future certainly is bright for the Lady Tigers as they look to take lessons from the season’s final game and look ahead to next season where they will aim to go one step further and go home premiers.

2023/24 Upwey FTG Lady Tigers.

Picture: ADAM BATTYE

Tigers fall in heartbreaker

By Sean Talbot

Coming into Sunday’s game looking at a win or go home scenario as they battled to extend their season and book a spot in the Grand Final series, the Upwey FTG Tigers took on the Blackburn Orioles in game three of their bestof-three series at Kings Park in Upper Ferntree Gully.

With staff ace Jarrod Turner taking the ball looking to ride his momentum after Tuesday’s complete game shutout, the Upwey righty found himself in unfamiliar territory as a twoout rally in the top of the first inning saw Ben Leslie single before coming all the way round to score from first on a Chase Hodkinson single to centerfield to give Blackburn an early 1-0 lead.

With Blackburn giving the ball to American import Michael Cabeza, Upwey looked to make Blackburn’s ace work for his outs, however a two-out walk to catcher Jordan Elliott was not able to turn into a run, as a fly ball to right field ended the inning.

Looking to settle into his work, Turner was able to side step a two-out single by Koetsu Sakamoto to get MitchWhiting to groundout to himself on the mound, securing the third out and the end of the inning.

Wanting to give their starter some run support, Donavon Hendricks led off the bottom of the 2nd with a walk and was followed by a groundball with eyes to left field by Jack Ratcliffe.

Harvey Chinn lined a laced a ball to right field to load the bases with none out.

A hard hit 5-2 fielder’s choice saw the first out of the inning forced out at home, however the bases did not remain loaded for long, as Nick Rice singled to left field to score Ratcliffe and tie the game at 1-1, but a hard hit 6-4-3 double play brought a quick end to the inning.

Not to be outdone, Blackburn went back on the offensive in the top of the 3rd, as Andy Tierney led off with a walk, Leslie singled with one out before Hodkinson tripled to left field to score both Tierney and Leslie.

A double by Hayden Dingle scored Hodkinson, and suddenly Blackburn had a 4-1 lead and threatened to blow the game out, especially after Nick Rossell was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, but a timely double play allowed Upwey to strand two and escape the jam.

Leading off the bottom half, Wade McConnon drew a four pitch walk before Elliott was drilled in the back with a fastball to put runners at first and second, however another 6-4-3 double play advanced McConnon to third but left Upwey with two out.

D Hendricks worked a full count walk, however an infield fly ball was not enough o score any runners and ended the inning.

Blackburn started the bottom of the 4th swinging though their batted balls found fielders, save for a two-out Tierney double before

Ryan Berg flew out to Rice in centerfield to end the half.

Looking to again reduce the deficit, Staci Rogers lined a one-out double to left field, coming around to score on Rice’s single before advancing to third on Schroeders’ single to right field, however a fielder’s choice and a ground ball stranded two to end the inning, but not before the score read 4-2.

Sensing a chance to ride their escapes on defense into offensive momentum, Hodkinson singled to left field with one out and advanced to third on Dingle’s single to right, coming into score on Rossell’s single to left field before a 6-4 double play ended the threat.

Understanding that Cabeza was starting to become wayward as he tired, the Upwey hitters continued to apply pressure to the Oriole import, as D Hendricks lined a one-out single which spelled the end of Cabeza’s day and saw Andy Jones called in from the bullpen for this third appearance of the series.

With the change of righty to lefty on the mound, Upwey sent Randy Senn to pinch hit and were rewarded with a two-out walk to put runners at first and second, but a fly ball to right allowed Jones and Blackburn to again tight rope out of danger still sporting a 5-2 lead.

Turner began the top of the 5th breathing fire, striking out Sakamoto andWhiting before a walk toTierney and a single by Berg put runners at first and second, but an infield pop fly by Leslie was accepted by McConnon and ended the Orioles half of the inning.

Starting the bottom half afresh, Jones was able to work a 1-2-3 bottom half of the sixth as a strikeout and two fly balls saw the game head to the top of the 7th with Blackburn still holding on a 5-2 lead.

Taking the ball in the top of the 7th, Wes de Jong was greeted by a single by Hodkinson to centerfield before Dingle flew out and Rossell grounded into a fielder’s choice to leave a runner at first base with two outs.

Ben Aslett was hit on the leg with a breaking ball to give Blackburn two baserunners, but de Jong responded by striking out Sakamoto for the third out of the inning.

Taking their turn at bat, Upwey were unable to capitalize on J Hendricks one-out single, as a fly ball and a lineout saw Jones escape yet another jam and the inning end.

Aiming to work a scoreless top of the 8th, de Jong started well by striking out Whiting but Tierney was hit with a pitch to give the Burners a baserunner.

Berg grounded into a fielder’s choice to find himself at first base with two out, but two infield errors, a double and a single allowed Blackburn to score three runs with two outs and balloon their lead to 8-2 before Aslett struck out to end the frame.

Upwey were unable to do much in response

in the bottom half of the inning, as two groundouts and a lineout saw them go down in order to send the game to the 9th inning.

Looking to again put pressure on the Tigers, Whiting singled with one out and Tierney was again hit by a pitch, albeit one that brushed his uniform, however Berg and Leslie hit back-toback fly balls to end the inning and send the game to the bottom of the 9th with Upwey again needing a team rally to find a way to either tie the game or walk-off on the Orioles.

Battling hard against a clearly tired Jones, Schroeders led off with a seven pitch walk before McConnon was plunked by a fastball to put runners at first and second.

A flyball to right field allowed Schroeders to advance to third and put runners at the corners before an RBI groundball by J Hendricks scored Schroeders to make the score 8-3, however a strike three call on a somewhat dubious call ended the inning, the game and Upwey’s season.

After winning back-to-back premierships the Tigers were clearly disappointed that they were unable to make it back to the Grand Final series, however they can take a lot of positives out of the season on both a team and individual player basis, highlighted by the incredible seasons of Turner, Elliott, Ratcliffe, Andy Kane and the Hendricks brothers.

Blackburn will now take on Waverley in the Grand Final best-of-three series starting at Melbourne Ballpark in Altona on Tuesday night.

Taking the field to host Essendon in the Premier League Fourths Grand Final at Kings Park on Sunday, the Tigers were dealt a blow before the first pitch was thrown with the news that Russell Ferguson would be permanently unavailable after succumbing to a crippling identity crisis that left him questioning who he was.

After surrendering two runs in the top of the first inning and scoring one of their own in the bottom half after a double to Steve Williams, a pass ball and an RBI groundball by Richard Ferguson to score one, however a double by Oscar Monagas could not be turned into more runs as Essendon found a way out of danger to escape the early jam.

With Ferguson settling into his work on the mound, Essendon were kept scoreless in the 2nd and 3rd innings before Upwey broke through for their second run in the bottom of the 3rd inning as Chris Chalmers was hit by a pitch, stole second base and scored on Williams’ second double of the game.

Essendon were held scoreless in the fourth inning, but Upwey produced another run after Monagas reached on an error, Sean O’Halloran reached on an error, both runners completed a double steal of second and third before Monagas scored on a wild pitch, however a ground ball, a strikeout and a fly ball ended the inning without further score.

Dom McGrath took the ball from Ferguson

to start the fifth inning and was able to keep Essendon scoreless, working a quick 1-2-3 innings before the Tigers exploded for three runs in the bottom half of the inning after Riley Johnson singled, Chalmers walked, Williams singled to load the bases and Ferguson doubled to left field to score Johnson and Chalmers.

Monagas lifted a sacrifice fly ball to centerfield to score Williams, and Upwey now had a commanding 6-2 lead heading into the top of the 6th inning.

McGrath continued to apply the screws to Essendon, retiring them in order to keep the score at 6-2 in favor of the Tigers. Chris Dean, pinch hitting for Mathew Smith, singled with one-out, advanced on a wild pitch before coming in to score on a single by Riley Johnson to push the score to 7-2.

Essendon, looking for a miracle in the 7th and final innings, looked to make things interesting as a leadoff infield error and a one-out walk gave them runners at first and second.

Catcher Paul Sadler nabbed the lead runner attempting to advance to third to record the second out before an infield single and a walk loaded the bases.

It was too little, too late however as McGrath induced a fielder’s choice force out at third base to record the final out of the inning and the game, handing Upwey the premiership with a 7-2 win.

The result comes after a season in which the Tigers were never not in first place on the ladder, one that has cemented the team’s status as the one to beat in season 2024/25 after a 13 game undefeated run to start the season that saw a mix of veterans and juniors play terrific baseball.

In other terrific news for the Tigers, the Under 12 Metro League East, Under 18 State and Master 38+ East Black teams all secured Grand Final wins and premierships over the weekend.

The U12 team put a bow on an incredible undefeated season that saw them secure their status as the measuring stick of the league, winning the season’s final game 9-2 at home in front of a rapturous crowd.

The U18 State team were just as dominant in their game against the visiting Geelong side, taking advantage of costly Geelong errors to run out 8-2 winners after also being the ladder leader all season.

Not to be outshone, the Masters team travelled to Melbourne on Monday night and, using a team effort or timely hitting and fielding, ran away winners 7-2 to secure their second premiership in three seasons.

This brings an end to season 2023/24 for all Tigers teams, as both the board and coaching staff can look back and be incredibly happy to add four premiership wins and another club championship to the long list of achievements the club has recorded in recent years.

Upwey FTG premiership winning 4ths. Picture: SUPPLIED