Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 30th April 2024

Fallen

By Dongyun Kwon, Gabriella Vukman and Callum Ludwig

Anzac Day Services went successfully across the Yarra Valley and Upper Yarra including Healesville, Yarra Glen, Seville, Wandin, Warburton, Millgrove andYarra Junction.

Despite the bad weather, all the services were crowded with the community members.

Healesville RSL president Colette Shaw said she’s happy to see the number of participants in the service getting bigger every year.

“We’re really grateful to the community for

supporting our veterans,” she said.

“We’re particularly delighted with the ever increasing number of younger people, from children through to teenagers, who are upholding the tradition and paying their respects to our veterans and serving members on Anzac Day.”

Yarra Glen’s Anzac Day service started with the march from Yarra Glen police station at 10.15am which was the first service led by the Yarra Glen RSL’s new president, Michael Watkins.

The guest speaker at the Seville dawn ser-

vice was Warrant Officer Class One Michael Hutchinson of the 22nd Engineer Regiment of the Royal Australian Engineers who told the story of Seville’s Victoria Cross and Military Medal recipient Captain George Ingram and his two years on the front line in Europe.

Anzac Day also marked an exciting new chapter in Wandin’s war history, even over a century later, as 44 names previously missing from the cenotaph were added on newly installed plaques which were unveiled during the morning service.

Private Shin stood among the servicemen

dressed in short sleeves surrounding the cenotaph in the murky, dewy morning at the Yarra Junction dawn service.

It was Shin’s first time being in a catafalque party and standing completely still.

“We had three days and a couple of hours each day to prepare for it,” Shin said.

“Most of the catafalque stuff is the same as what you learn for a basic drill so a lot of us could pick it back up and learn it in a couple of hours.”

Turn to pages 12 to 14 for more

Yarra Junction residents gather for the Dawn Service.

Picture: GABRIELLA VUKMAN

Anzac Day march in Yarra Glen.

Picture: DONGYUN KWON

Three car crash chaos

By Dongyun Kwon and Tanya Steele

Coldstream CFA was called out for a three-motor vehicle accident around the intersection of Victoria Road and Coldstream West Road on Saturday 20 April.

The accident happened around 1.30pm.

Coldstream CFA captain Sean Bethell said Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and SES were on the scene.

“By the looks of it, one vehicle was going straight through the intersection which had quite a heavy impact on the other car turning [into the intersection],” he said.

“No persons were trapped. All occupants removed themselves from the vehicles.

“No serious injuries. Two were taken to hospitals for observation.”

The captain said the intersection was dangerous.

“It’s just one of those accidents that are happening around that area,” Mr Bethell said.

“It’s very hard to see who’s coming over the hill.

“[I want to encourage everyone to] drive safely for the road conditions, and observe the speed limits and traffic signs.”

Coldstream CFA is calling for more volunteers to help the brigade.

“If there’s anyone in the estate around the Coldstream Fire Station that is interested in

learning what we do, life skills and how to be a firefighter, and run to danger instead of running away from it, we’re always looking for new members,” the captain said.

“If anyone wants to drop in at the station anytime between 9.30 and 11.30 on a Sunday morning, come and have a chat and we’ll lead them in the right direction to becoming a firefighter.”

A three-motor vehicle accident happened around the intersection of Victoria Road and Coldstream West Road in Coldstream.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Tax cuts for every taxpayer

Man lucky after fall

By Tanya Steele

On Friday 19 April, a young man was lucky to escape with minor injuries after falling near the popular Burke’s Lookout on the face of Mount Dandenong.

A multi-service effort from Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, SES and multiple CFA units rescued the man from around 10 metres down the steep embankment with a rope pulley system at around 9.30pm.

Lilydale SES attended the scene and unit controller Shaun Caulfield said they were called out to assist with the high angle rescue.

Ambulance services had initially walked down to the patient and as they got more information Mr Caulfield said it became evident that they were going to need some rope access systems.

Multiple CFA units from Montrose, Kalorama, Monbulk and Wandin CFA were also called to assist.

“Monbulk and Wandin are our region’s rope rescue providers and the area that he fell in - the access is difficult,” he said.

The terrain was quite narrow, steep and damp and the rescue efforts involved using a specialised piece of equipment known as a ‘mule’.

“It’s essentially like a buggy wheel, it’s got handles on the front and the back and allows us to wheel the stretcher rather than carry it,” Mr Caulfield said.

“It worked out quite well in this instance because the track at that particular point where he was was quite narrow,” he said.

After assessment and treatment by paramedics, emergency services worked together to form a hauling team to retrieve the man and the people holding the stretcher.

“The system has to be prepared to pull everybody up and many hands make light work as they say,” Mr Caulfield said.

Mr Caulfield said it was a well coordinated job with Ambulance, Police, CFA and SES working together on the night.

“The fundamentals of what we do is, is the same so it pays for us to work together and to cross train and then when we come together with events like this, everything goes far more smoothly,” he said.

A spokesperson from AmbulanceVictoria said paramedics were called to a report of a fall and Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics attended the scene and worked alongside CFA and SES to extricate the patient.

“A man in his 20s with upper and lower body injuries was transported by road to The Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition,” they said.

Stop the violence

By Callum Ludwig

As Australians rally against the devastating incidents of violence against women and alarming rates of domestic and family violence incidents occurring around Australia, crisis talks are being held between politicians, police, courts and support services.

A national cabinet meeting is being held on Wednesday 1 May amidst calls for changes to the bail system, tougher punishments, education for young men and boys and greater funding for support services.

Community health service EACH offers qualified family violence counselling throughout the Outer East and EACH’s Head of Service Design and National Practice Lead for Family Violence Olivia Sinn said government funding needs to increase so support services can help women and children live free from violence.

“EACH’s Family Violence Program supports people affected by both past and current family violence, but ever-growing demand for this program far exceeds our capacity,” she said.

“We need to provide services to meet community needs, including flexible and extended services to reflect the long recovery journey.

“When a child or young person reaches a different developmental stage, or an ex-partner is released from prison, people should not have to go back to the start.”

At the time of writing on 29 April, the death toll of women killed by violence for the year stands at 27 according to Destroy the Joint, with some protesters and marchers saying that number could be as high as 32.

The number of women killed is almost double the number in any of the four years prior and almost halfway to the total of 63 women killed in 2023 total.

Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway fronted a press conference on Friday 26 April to discuss the issue and said it seems like there’s another terrible news story every day.

“Those of us who work in family violence are equally disheartened by the statistics and they’re not just statistics, they’re people who have suffered the most tragic circumstances of family violence,” she said.

“I do think that some of the conversations we need to really think about is that it shouldn’t be on women to change everything, we know who is committing the violence and we know what needs to change and some solutions, I think, place too much emphasis on women to do the changing and we know that that’s not the long-term solution,”

“We need to really remember that the majority of violence committed against women is done by men who are known to women and it’s in places where they’re expected to be safe like their home.”

Crime Statistics Agency data reveals there was a total of 57,111 family violence incidents recorded in 2023 with 70.1 per cent (40,028) of those being recorded as one incident, 16 per cent (9133) being two related incidents, 6.2 per cent (3559) three incidents, 3.2 per cent (1812) four incidents and five or more related incidents accounting for 4.5 per cent (2579) of

those recorded.

The data shows that not only are a shockingly high number of family violence offences being committed and recorded, but the same perpetrators are able to offend repeatedly in a short timeframe.

Offenders are likely targeting and harassing the same victims, overwhelmingly women and children, while the number of incidents given the likelihood of other incidents not being reported due to a lack of trust in effective action, fears for their own safety or lack of access to support.

Assistant Commissioner Callaway said Victoria Police arrest about 80 family violence offenders a day.

“It’s a balance and certainly there is a very strong emphasis on victims, survivors and their rights to be safe, certainly from the police perspective that is the most important that we are here to preserve,” she said.

“But it is a very blunt instrument to simply just lock everyone up who commits a family violence incident, we need to find ways to rehabilitate perpetrators, we need to find ways where people can repair their family dynamics.”

According to Crime Statistics Agency data, of the 94,170 ‘family incidents’ recorded in 2023:

· A child was present for 34,014 incidents

· An intervention order (IVO) was applied for in 14,167 cases and a Family Violence Safety Notice (FVSN) was issued in 11,552 cases, meaning neither was applied or issued in 68,579 incidents

· Criminal charges were laid in 22,715 cases, no charges were laid in 19,935 cases, 6009 were deemed unsolved and 45,511 resulted in no criminal incident.

Ms Sinn said there is also often ongoing risk regardless of charges or arrests made with examples as recent as last week of further family violence occurring and tragically, of people being killed, following charges or incarceration.

“Local, integrated support services are essential to support all people impacted by family violence. Though it is important that police and justice systems respond to this endemic by holding people accountable, charges or arrests are rarely the end of the story,” she said.

“People in our community who experience family violence, the majority of whom are women and children, are left with life-long trauma and recovery that requires support so they can thrive and this includes long-term support for children across their changing needs, and housing supports,”

“Increasingly, we are seeing people who are experiencing family violence present to a range of our services. EACH provides integrated services that are tailored to the individual needs of each family we support.”

EACH’s FamilyViolence Program is free and available by appointment Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, as well as a limited number of opportunities for after-hours appointments, for anyone who has experienced or is experiencing family violence. EACH’s Family Violence counsellors can assist with family violence support for those suffering from or who have suffered from physical, sexual, financial, emotional and cyber abuse including stalking and or other controlling behaviours.

Ms Sinn said it’s crucial that communityintegrated support services receive increased funding to provide the necessary resources and support to meet the growing demand.

“Addressing family violence requires a comprehensive approach that involves improving timely response and providing better recovery support for those impacted,” she said.

Other services that can support people impacted by family violence:

1800RESPECT, National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service: 1800 737 732

Safe Steps, for women and children who are victims of family violence: 1800 015 188 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Men’s Referral Service, for men using violence: 1300 766 491

Rainbow Door, for specialist advice to LGBTIQ+ people and their friends and families: phone: 1800 729 367 or text 0480 017 246

The Orange Door: orangedoor.vic.gov.au

IN BRIEF

Excessive speed in Healesville

On Sunday 21 April, Healesville Police detected a motorcycle allegedly travelling at 146km/h on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road, Healesville. A 25-year-old man from Woori Yallock was issued an Infringement Notice worth $817 and will be suspended from holding a licence for 6 months.

EPA issues toxic burn off warning

As fire restrictions ease around the state, EPA Victoria is warning the community that what they toss into the flames while burning off this autumn could be costly for the environment and their hip pocket.

EPA South Metropolitan Regional Manager, Viranga Abeywickrema, says many waste items create toxic smoke and residue as they burn.

“Burning household, garden or farm waste like packaging, treated wood or particle board, old tyres or chemical containers sends smoke and other residue into the atmosphere, waterways and soil,” Mr Abeywickrema said.

“Don’t let a routine burn-off turn into something that contaminates your land or neighbouring properties; send any waste to a properly licensed landfill or recycling facility,” he said.

Common waste materials can be recycled into building and fencing materials and products like floor matting. There’s a handy publication dealing with farm waste disposal and recycling on the EPA website at epa.vic.gov.au/ about-epa/publications/iwrg641-1

If you are burning fallen trees or other natural wood, make sure they are as dry as possible to limit the volume of smoke, and that you have any required and up-to-date local council or CFA permits.

Timber from buildings, furniture or other manufactured products such as timber pallets or particle board (MDF or chip board) is not safe to burn because it is likely to contain chemicals.

EPA can fine offenders more than $9,000 for burning anything other than vegetationsourced matter like wood and crop stubble.

“Landholders understand how important a clean environment is to their livelihood and their community,” Mr Abeywickrema said.

“By thinking twice about what goes onto the pile when burning off, you can protect the environment from contaminating the soil, water and air around your farm and your neighbours,” he said.

“You can also protect yourself from a hefty fine, which we won’t hesitate to issue if we find evidence of illegal matter being burned.”

Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov. au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution

Over 4000 Hyundai EVs recalled Hyundai has recalled 528 Genesis 2022-2024 G80, GV60, GV70 and 3521 Hyundai 2021-2024 IONIQ 5 (NE) and IONIQ 6 (CE) electric cars due to a fault that may cause the battery to fail to charge properly.

Due to a software issue in the Integrated Charging Control Unit, the auxiliary 12 Volt battery may not charge as intended, resulting in battery drainage and loss of motive power.

A loss of motive power whilst driving could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users.

Rising family violence incidents are prompting protests and rallies calling for action. Picture: UNSPLASH

Eyes on agri compliance

By Dongyun Kwon

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has been conducting surprise inspections of agriculture businesses in the outer Melbourne regions of Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley to check workers are getting the right pay.

Fair Work Inspectors have been on the ground visiting about 20 agriculture businesses, such as farms, vineyards and labour hire operators, for just over a week.

Acting FWO Michael Campbell said continuing to boost compliance among agriculture sector employers remained a priority for the agency.

“Where our intelligence says there is a high risk of non-compliance with workplace laws, we proactively conduct audits to ensure workers are receiving their lawful entitlements,” Mr Campbell said.

“The agriculture sector commonly employs vulnerable workers such as backpackers and other migrants, who may have limited English skills, be unaware of their rights, or be unwilling to speak up.Visa holders should remember they have the same workplace rights as all other workers.

“We have been working constructively with agriculture employers and employees in the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley regions to check compliance rates. This includes assisting employers understand their legal responsibilities, such as proper record-keeping – the bedrock of compliance – and the minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers.”

Peninsula Employsure content and training head Ryan Price said the inspections are a recurring theme, with the Ombudsman’s campaign in the industry dating back to December 2021.

“For a surprise inspection, it’s not all that

surprising, unfortunately. The Ombudsman does seem to target rural and regional businesses from time to time, particularly those in agriculture and horticulture,” he said.

“The rationale seems to be that these businesses have high proportions of migrant or overseas workers on visas, with inspections arising from concerns that these populations may be taken advantage of due to language barriers and isolation.

“However, the main breaches seem to relate to record-keeping and payslip laws and regulations.”

Inspectors spoke with growers, labour hire operators, managers and employees on the ground, and requested employment records and payslips that allow them to check compliance with workplace laws.

Mr Price said there are many misconceptions about payslips and records and what does and doesn’t need to be recorded.

“This is covered in the Fair Work Regulations, which lays out specific rules that employers need to follow,” he said.

“People are often caught out by a few things including the requirement to make and keep

pay slips and records for up to seven years.

“Many employers assume that they can dispose of records within a reasonable timeframe after employment ends, but this isn’t the case.”

A court can order penalties of up to $18,780 per contravention for an individual and $93,900 per contravention for small businesses.

Companies that are not small businesses could face penalties of up to $469,500 per contravention for certain breaches.

Maximum penalties are 10 times higher if a court determines breaches were serious contraventions under the Fair Work Act.

Mr Price said the constant changing of the relevant law confuses people.

“The Fair Work Act has been through three major rounds of updates in the last two years. This has included things like the outlawing of pay secrecy and the introduction of the new Right to Disconnect,” he said.

“It has been unlawful to enter new contracts that prevent employees from discussing their pay with others since the introduction of the secure jobs, better pay amendments in December 2022. If you are relying on old or outdated contracts to create new ones, you could potentially be breaching the Fair Work Act without knowing it every time you issue a new one.

“The Right to Disconnect has been a source of much controversy and confusion over the last few months, and many people have the wrong end of the stick. The new Right to Disconnect allows employees to refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside of their working hours unless it would be unreasonable to do so.

“It’s unclear exactly how this will be interpreted by the Fair Work Commission and the courts but what we do know is that factors like

the employee’s pay, their position, their level of responsibility, the urgency of the issue, or any extra benefits for being on call will be relevant. For example, calling an employee outside of their working hours because of an emergency on a property that they are responsible for is likely to be classified as reasonable and unlikely to find you in breach of the Act.”

Investigations continue and results will be published at a later date.

Mr Price shared actionable tips for employers on how they can achieve compliance.

“First, never set and forget. Don’t assume that an agreement, contract, or employment relationship you entered into is still compliant six or 12 months down the track. Employment relationships, just like personal ones, require maintenance,” he said.

“Second, get to know your Award. you can seek professional advice, from an organisation like Peninsula Employsure, or speak to the FWO to get help identifying which Award is most applicable to your business. I’d also advise visiting the Fair Work Commission’s website to familiarise yourself with the Award and make certain it matches your business operations.

“Third, keep detailed records. It’s hard to establish compliance or defend yourself and your business against allegations if you don’t have records, which is also a requirement under the FairWork Act and FairWork Regulations.”

Employers and employees can visit www. fairwork.gov.au or call the FairWork Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace.

A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.

Issues can also be reported online anonymously, including in languages other than English.

Public consultation to protect Central Highlands forests

By Dongyun Kwon

The Great Forest National Park (GFNP) encouraged the community to get involved in the public consultation to protect Central Highlands State Forests.

The consultation was instigated by Engage Victoria on a proposal to link more than 500,000 hectares ofVictorian forests and conservation reserves, some badly damaged by fire and logging, into one vast, enclosed and protected national park, the GFNP.

There was an urgent push for public support to conserve the Central Highlands State Forests, home to the world’s tallest flowering plant, the Mountain Ash, and one of Australia’s most endangered mammals, the Leadbeater’s Possum.

GFNP creative and business director Sarah Rees said the community’s voice was important to conserve nature although the government has already announced a ban on logging.

“We are askingVictorians to help us shape the government’s decision so that we can not only safeguard the habitats of endangered species and protect these critical forests but also secure the water supply for the five million people of Melbourne, lower the risk of catastrophic bushfires and boost tourism and employment for local areas,” she said.

“What can happen to landscape is that it can be repurposed for other things such as logging perhaps by a different name or a lack of proper investment into new opportunities around recreation ecotourism.

“It may not get funding to be restored. There’s a very big debt left from long-term logging in these forests, so there are all these unknowns in just ending logging.”

The GFNP was seeking to establish a tenure with joint management with First Nations groups that encourages investment for recreation, restoration and conservation to rehabilitate wild species such as Greater Gliders, possums and owls.

Forest conservation expert professor David Lindenmayer said if the forests are not logged, Mountain Ash can sequester carbon, help modulate the climate and act as giant storage banks to absorb excess carbon for about 550 years.

“While the recent logging ban from the

Victorian Government is a huge victory, we know that a turn in government or future policy change can quickly reopen the land at risk of logging,” he said.

“We’re seeing the devastating result of this happening in Tasmania right now.”

Establishing the GFNP has the potential to add more than $70 million to the local economy annually, attracting an extra 400,000 visitors to the area each year and creating an additional 750 full-time jobs.

“People love national parks. They come to visit national parks and want to do things and spend money, and it will improve the economy for regions,” Ms Rees said.

“The park will employ more people with better, longer-lasting jobs than those in wood production, with workforce opportunities in tourism, firefighting, invasive species management and forest restoration.”

The Engage Victoria’s public consultation closed on Monday 29 April.

CentralHighlandsStateForests.

Picture:SARAHREES

RyanPrice. Picture:SUPPLIED

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Upgrades in dire need

By Callum Ludwig

The Wesburn Junior Football Club has called onYarra Ranges Council to help fund upgrades to their facilities at the Tuesday 23 April council meeting.

Wesburn is the only standalone junior club in the AFL Outer East competition, with players usually splitting off between playing for Warburton-Millgrove, Yarra Junction, Powelltown andWooriYallock for senior competition.

Wesburn JFC President Wayne Morgan attended the council meeting to make a submission and said currently has 230 children registered on their list which is a record number for the club.

“The club has 10 teams, three of those teams which are standalone girls and we have our new inaugural women’s team which is affiliated with the Warburton Senior Club, but at Wesburn we have inadequate facilities that don’t meet the child safety regulations and standards that are required in today’s modern times,” he said.

“I just feel that our club is sometimes disrespected in the way that we’re just a standalone junior club, we don’t have income, we don’t have seniors playing there and to me, it’s a bit of a kick in the teeth for our young children, boys and girls, that we’re just at the end of the Valley no one really cares about.”

The club is seeking to remedy a number of concerns with their facilities including a lack of disabled-access toilets, girls and boys having to use the same change rooms and toilets, the outdated canteen, the lack of any room to hold a club function to help fundraise and the lack of lighting for the bottom oval.

Mr Morgan said for the girls to wash their hands, they’re standing three feet from the urinals that the boys use.

“We rely solely on the canteen as our only passive income other than the small amounts of sponsorship we receive from some of the local companies and businesses around town,” he said.

“We’re unable to host functions to raise any funds to help pay our bills, we don’t have lights on the bottom oval to train so we are now training over four nights of the week and therefore our electricity bill is expected to double from last year, we’re looking at around at least $5,000 just on electricity bills,”

“We understand that it’s going to be a build for the whole park, the SES, possibly the horse group and the mountain biking track that’s planned for the future down there as well, we don’t need a fancy $8 million building however we wouldn’t mind just a second story built onto our rooms to host functions cause as it is its just two change rooms and an outdated canteen.”

In the Wesburn Park Masterplan that was approved by councillors in December 2022, the plan approved three items that will directly benefit the Wesburn Junior Football Club; the $8,863,000 ‘Community, Recreation and Education Centre’ which was indicated the club could use, $100,000 for a shade structure between the ovals and an $800,000 upgrade to

the playing surface of the main oval and the oval’s fencing.

Mr Morgan said his own daughter even quit football because she didn’t like having to into the change rooms to use the toilet and wash her hands.

“We were promised new portables at the end of season 2023 that were going to come from Powelltown Football Club, then we’re told we’ll have them before Round One of this year and now we’re told in an email from the Council last night that we’re expecting the portables to be delivered around end of May, almost halfway through the year” he said.

“If I was told at the beginning that several clubs were in front of us, which I wasn’t, I would’ve been happy and I could sell that to our fans but right now we’ve got a lot of unhappy parents and in particular unhappy mothers at the lack of a solution for their girls and I don’t blame them.”

In the Wesburn Park Masterplan, all the upgrades servicing the Wesburn Junior Football Club were anticipated to be delivered within a five to 10 year timeframe.

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child spoke to the submission and said he goes back 43 years so the clubrooms were built to when it was just a boys club and it’s certainly past its used-by date.

“I want to get it out in the public realm, where we stand as far as the asset renewal of that building there and more importantly it’s the commitment that we have to have those appropriate facilities there for young girls, I just can’t believe that we still haven’t got that facility there,” he said.

Councillors Fiona McAllister and Tim Heenan also spoke, showing support for the need for a short-term solution such as the relocation of the temporary change room portables from Powelltown and share a comparison to similar concerns previously held at the Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club.

Manager of Recreation, Projects and Parks at Yarra Ranges Council Phil Murton said the Wesburn pavilion features in the Council’s top four of advocacy asks to other levels of government.

“It’s a live project that we’re seeking external funding for to help complement what Council may be able to contribute to it,” he said.

“There were, unfortunately, some delays in getting the Powelltown pavilion to occupancy level, which is why there were some delays in getting the temporary change rooms off-site, but that’s expected to be delivered shortly, but it does need to get plumbed electricity and a whole lot of services attached to it, which is why we’re expecting that in the next few weeks, by the end of May, that will be operational,”

“Happy to get our facilities maintenance team to work with the club on some minor amendments to the canteen so it may be able to function more suitably.”

Options for the club to access grants for a solar and battery solution to help with electricity costs and access the Council’s Small Grants program to upgrade the canteen were also touted.

FUTURE FOREST EXPERIENCES IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Help shape the future management of the Central Highlands state forests, share your experiences and knowledge with the Panel. Contribute your thoughts on how we maintain healthy forests for future generations.

What is important to you about the Central Highlands forest area?

The Eminent Panel for Community Engagement, working in partnership with Traditional Owners, has been established to provide advice and recommendations to the Victorian Government on the Central Highlands state forests.

You can help shape the future management of the Central Highlands state forest by attending a drop in on Monday 6 May 2024.

Monday 6 May from 6.00 – 8.00pm Alexandra Shire Hall 55 Grant Street, Alexandra

The Wesburn Junior Football Club are calling for urgent upgrades to their facilities to make them safer and inclusive for all junior players.

Picture: SUPPLIED

The Wesburn Junior Football Club are struggling to hold out for the awaited upgrades as the club continues to grow.

Picture: ON FILE

Budget backs Yarra Valley

By Dongyun Kwon

The main focus for Yarra Valley in the draft budget is recovering flood-affected areas, rehabilitating road pavement and the Yarra Glen Trail project.

Yarra Ranges Council allocated $1.2m for drainage improvement works and road rehabilitation to address pavement deficiency on Victoria Road, Coldstream, over $1.3m for road pavement rehabilitation on Maddens Lane, Gruyere, $225,000 for drainage improvements to address flooding and erosion on Maroondah Parade, Healesville and over $2.2m for development of a 10.7km trail circuit north of Yarra Glen.

Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said she wanted to reassure people who are worried about the projects that are missed out in the budget.

“They aren’t forgotten and are still very visible in our other key strategic documents,” she said.

“I’m gonna name some, I’m not gonna do a long list but there’s a long list - Don Road walking track, the community has been advocating for over 20 years for us to construct that and we will, Healesville Football Club and Healesville Cricket Club, we’ll continue advocacy in terms of funding for both of those clubs’ pavilions rebuild or refreshed.

“One of the things, invisible not forgotten, is the impact of flooding emergencies on many of our community and community groups and certainly the increased funding for drainage is very front of mind, and supporting some of our community groups who are in facilities, like the Yarra Glen Football Club, that tackle flooding.”

The Yarra Valley Trail is getting more significant funding in Yarra Ranges Council’s 2024-25 draft budget.

Picture: ON FILE

$3.5m underlying deficit

By Callum Ludwig and Mikayla van Loon

Yarra Ranges Council’s draft budget indicates a total revenue of $253.6 million and expenditure of $235.8 million, resulting in a total $18.8 million surplus but will operate at an underlying deficit of $3.5 million with the funding related to the Council’s Capital Works Program excluded.

Yarra Ranges Council estimates this will only be for the short term as their future financial projections are expected to return to positive. Thiscomesascouncilreleaseditsdraftbudgetfor 2024-25 for community consultation following theTuesday 23 April council meeting.

The council’s draft budget has to go out to the publicforfeedbackeachyearbeforebeingadopted prior to the end of this financial year.

Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar spoketothemotionandsaidherecommendsthe community take it up and read it.

“In my opinion, it’s a noticeable improvement in clarity of language to ensure that the overall pictureisclearandreadilyreadableandcaptured, and without the need for a deep dive into the figures, especially the opening number of pages, which read quite well on their own,” he said.“Despitethedeficit,Ithinkresidentscanbeconfident that we remain in a strong financial position, if you look at our balance sheet and our cash flow perspectives, it’s all looking well so on that basis, I’m very supportive of this budget.”

Council estimates it will spend $68.3 million through the Capital Works Program, of which $25.1 million will be rates funded, $1.6 million from contributions from various sporting clubs or other community groups and the rest through borrowings and external grants. Another significantpointtonoticewastheadoptionofaraterise increase of 2.75 per cent, the cap for council rate rises this year set by the Essential Services Commission, which Yarra Ranges Council Mayor SophieTodorovsaidwasnotadecisionmadelightly.

“The biggest one (decision) for us initially was consideringtheadoptionofthe2.75percentproposed rate cap at the onset of all of this, understanding that we are operating in very tight fiscal circumstances,” she said.

“We’re all impacted by the cost of living pressures and also by increasing material costs as well and many other factors as well, and we still, despite this, need to focus on our essential services and the delivery of all those essential things that our 160,000 residents need and appreciate.” Councilsacrossthestatearefindingwaystodeliver key projects with reduced support as State and FederalGovernmentfundinghasbeenreducedat the local government level.

Speaking to the Star Mail,Yarra Ranges Council’sDirectorofCorporateServicesAndrewHilson said that it all comes down to the local level at a pinch point.

“Ifcouncilsneedgrantfundingfromotherlevels of government, and that slows down because local governments are generally much smaller when you’re not accessing grants it makes an enormous difference,” he said.

Yarra Ranges Council estimates the reduction in funding from other levels of government to be about 32 per cent, not including the about $100 million stripped from the Roads for Community program by the Federal government. Mr Hilson said the overall budget recommending a deficit for the next year might not sound great on the surface, but is quite appropriate given all of the pressure points on Council’s finances. “If there arecouncilsthataremakingenormoussurpluses, you’d have to scratch your head and think about that, because that makes it worse,” he said. “It’s reflectingthestoryofallthepressurepointsthat there are, with limited revenue opportunities, the cost pressures, the demands on assets and all of that stuff, so not surprisingly, that’s projecting a deficit for next year and in fact for the next couple of years, maybe two or three and to return to a small surplus in the third year.”

What’s in the budget?

By Callum Ludwig

A number of significant projects will re-

or continue to receive funding, including:

$8.2 million for the continued development of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination (a multi-year project with State and Federal government funding),

$339,000 for easement creation to improve drainage for Britton Road in Seville,

$316,000 for drainage improvements to address flooding and erosion on Schoolhouse Road,WooriYallock,

$219,000 for footpath rehabilitation on McKenzie King Drive, Millgrove

$516,000 for pavement rehabilitation work to address pavement deficiency on

Swales Road, Macclesfield, the road accessing the new Cire Community School campus in Monbulk from the direction of the Upper Yarra (multi-year project, using Roads to Recovery funding).

The public toilet facilities in Wandin North and the McKenzie King Playspace in Millgrove are also up for renewal.

A few road sealing projects will proceed on Alfred Street and John Street, Wandin North ($1,493,000 still to be spent), the Alpine Street group in Warburton ($130,000), the Bell Street group in Seville ($135,000), the Station Road group in Seville, ($75,000), Tainton Street and Railway Parade, Wandin North ($1,148,000), the Victoria Road group in Seville ($740,000) and Gruyere Road in Gruyere between Harvey Close to Darling Road ($363,000).

$171,000 will also be spent to renew and upgrade parts of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.

Drainage improvements make up two of the key projects funded in the draft budget for the Upper Yarra. Picture: ON FILE

Bev’s legacy keeps giving

By Dongyun Kwon

Bev Schmolling, best known for her contribution to the Save Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG), died on Friday 29 March.

Now known as the Services for Healesville Hospital Action Group after the operating theatre was successfully saved, Ms Schmolling’s legacy lives on through the group members who remember her fondly, and through the renal dialysis unit she campaigned for at the Healesville Hospital.

SHHAG chair Jane Judd said Ms Schmolling was an awesome woman.

“My own personal work with Bev started in 2012, but her story of community activity precedes that,” she said.

“She was a hardworking stalwart and we were all impressed by her dedication to the community and its needs.”

In 2012, Ms Schmolling joined SHHAG as a foundation member, seeking to expand, maintain and revive Healesville Hospital and Community Health Service after dire plans were proposed to close down vital services like the operating theatre and the birthing services on site.

“At the end of 2012, Eastern Health said they were going to close the operating theatre and the maternity services and there was a large backlash from the community,” Ms Judd said.

“We held a public meeting in December 2012, 350 people turned up and we formed a committee. The purpose of that committee was to maintain existing services and expand services.

“We worked together to advocate choice to

health for what we believed our community needed.”

In the end, local access to birthing at Healesville Hospital was lost, but the operating theatre was maintained.

While Eastern Health was reducing services, Ms Schmolling knew there was a need for new services after she had gotten through her personal experience accessing renal dialysis services for her husband.

Ms Schmolling single-handedly won funding for renal dialysis services which are onsite today.

Ms Judd said her friend was pleased when-

Pictures: ON FILE

ever family members of renal disease patients thanked her for bringing the renal dialysis unit in Healesville.

“Her husband had developed kidney failure and they needed to access renal dialysis.When Ms Schmolling was trying to find out where she had to take her husband, she discovered it was quite a long way away from Healesville,” she said.

“She initially started by lobbying for a renal dialysis centre at Maroondah [Hospital], which was successful, and they did establish that.

“When her husband finally passed away from his kidney failure, she decided that it was

important to get renal dialysis units at Healesville Hospital, so she wrote countless letters to the multiple ministers.”

Ms Schmolling’s love for the Yarra Valley grew after she moved to Healesville in 1965. She and her husband had Murray Grey cattle on their property and she loved those cattle.

She was actively involved in promoting the breed and ended up receiving the honour of life membership from the Murray Grey Beef Cattle Society in 1986.

Calls for the sealing of Beenak Road, Yellingbo

By Callum Ludwig

A group of Upper Yarra residents are calling on theYarra Ranges Council to seal one of the region’s important linking roads.

A petition for the council to consider a Special Charges Scheme to seal Beenak Road, Yellingbo between Smiths Road and Hansen Creek Road had 51 valid signatures when it was submitted at the Tuesday 23 April council meeting.

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child said it is an issue that gets highlighted on a regular basis.

“It’s a well-used road over a fair length of distance of course and it will have some challenges going into the future in regards to the officers appraisal and how that will come back in regards to the expense, but yes, there’s definitely a need for that particular road to be sealed,” he said.

“I think the next step, which is how we always deal with petitions is to accept them and go to the appropriate officers who then come back to us in Councol with a recommendation so I’m happy to move that.”

Beenak Road in Yellingbo connects Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road through Yell-

ingbo to Gembrook-Launching Place Road in Hoddles Creek, including providing access to the Kurth Kiln Regional Park and campsites, the Lyrebird Park camp and conference centre and Solitude Estate Wines’ Tibooburra Vineyard.

If the petition’s request was to be adopted by Yarra Ranges Council, the sealing would service the road up to just prior to the Monkhouse Track and Kurth Kiln Regional Park and start from where Smiths Road connects to Beenak Road from Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road.

Near the Kurth Kiln Regional Park, Beenak Road also branches off to run adjacent to Gembrook-Launching Place Road (linking back up to it near Penrose Road) and provides access to the end of the Kurth Kiln Scout Loop, the end of the GilwellTrack and a few children’s and outdoor education camps.

Beenak Road also continues across Gembrook-Launching Place Road and hosts the Beenak Cemetery before terminating at popular camping spot Basan’s Corner.

Beenak Road was not considered or planned to be sealed through the now-defunded Roads for Community Program.

The intersection of Smiths Road, Old Beenak Road and Beenak Road, Yellingbo.

Picture: GOOGLE MAPS

Beenak Road, Yellingbo at Hansen Creek Road (on the right). Picture: GOOGLE MAPS

The Lyrebird Park camp and conference centre is also on Beenak Road, which has been used by Forest Fire Management Victoria for training in the past.

Picture: ON FILE

The late Bev Schmolling.

SHHAG members with other young people in 2015 (front from left, Bev Schmolling, Sheryl Treen, Fiona McAllister with Lexie, Jane Judd with Ryan, behind from left, James Gray with Cassiuss, Steve Smith and Caitlin Judd).

Adventure to Neverland

By Dongyun Kwon

Chum Creek Primary School (PS) students unveil their production of Peter Pan to the audience on Wednesday 24 Apri at the Healesville High School Performing Arts Centre.

All students were involved on stage in some way with costumes and props made by the students and their families.

Chum Creek PS student captains Violet and Eamon said the storyline had to be reimagined to get all students involved in it.

“We have changed some of their dreams, so there’s gummy land and flamenco dance now,” they said.

“We put more Peter Pans and Tinker Bells in but they’re in different scenes so that everyone gets a little bit of a talking line.”

The students prepared for the production from the end of last year.

“We started like the day after we finished our last play because we don’t simply copy words but we make our own script,” the two captains said.

“So a lot of our Grade 6 students read books and articles about it to write our own script.

“We’ve been practising all our lines through term 1.”

Students chose Peter Pan for this year’s play by themselves.

“The story is good and suitable for all the kids because it’s not scary and everyone knows about the story,” Eamon said.

Violet said the preparation went smoothly.

“The only difficult thing was finding songs,” she said.

“But, I’m really happy that we actually have two plays [matinee and evening show] this year.”

Chum Creek PS senior class teacher Kate Bilton said everybody in the school community took part in to play to make it a

spectacular show.

“Every student in the school was involved in the production and all teachers helped. Parents helped out too with set design and props,” she said.

Chum Creek PS principal Michael Corr said the school has put on productions every year for the past four years.

“Every production was sold out,” he said.

“We feel we punch above our weight as far as student participation and enjoyment, and having programs that are student-focused.”

The profit from the tickets goes back to the school.

“We usually hand it over to the students and it’s really students’ choice how that money is

spent to make Chum Creek a better school,” Ms Bilton said.

The two student captains said they learnt teamwork and collaboration while they were working on the play.

“We learnt how to work together and we felt really good about bringing our community together,” they said.

“We also learnt resilience because even when stuff goes wrong, we just have to keep on going with everything.’

The production was presented twice at 1pm and 6pm thanks to the venue support from Healesville High School.

“We have to say big thank you to Healesville High School because what the students all

agree on is the most special part about the play is that we get to do it in a real theatre where we have a real light and sound technician who really brings the kids dreams to life on the stage,” Ms Bilton said.

“Healesville High School has supported us four years in a row now.”

Healesville High School principal Allan Rennick said his school loves to share its facilities with local primary schools.

“We are happy to offer this opportunity for free of charge to small schools that don’t have such a facility and money to hire a big space,” he said.

“I love seeing the little kids showing their talents here.”

Major and minor repair of tyres

Repair and sales of industrial and agricultural tyres

Wheel balancing (car, 4WD, light truck and truck)

Wheel alignments (car and 4WD)

Wheel rotations

Truck Tyre Re-grooving

Tyre pressure maintenance

Battery services

On-site service - truck, tractor and industrial

COMMUNITY DIARY

Yarra Junction Library donates to Koha

The Yarra Junction Library has heard the call to support the Koha Community Cafe in Warburton, donating over $550 garnered through their book sale to support them with the community meals they provide. Yarra Junction Library has committed to finding ways to continue to support Koha through the autumn and winter months as well.

On 12 April, the Koha Community Cafe thanked all those who had donated in recent weeks, including the Yarra Junction Library, on their Facebook page saying the any contributions ‘really do make a difference’ to them and that they are ‘fortunate to have such community-minded and generous people’ around.

Previously theYarra Junction library has also helped in receiving donations for Christmas gifts to pass on to Koha as well as the ADRA Redwood Centre for their Christmas appeals and donated $300 from another book sale in 2023 for the community meals program.

Explore Egyptology

The Yarra Junction Library is hosting an interesting event exploring Egyptology with archaeologist Karen Thomas on Thursday 2 May at 2pm.

In Egyptology and other archaeology, digs are a lot of hard work and not always a lot of return, but to those like Karen Thomas involved in a dig, it’s unbelievably rewarding. They aren’t digging for ‘treasure’ of the shiny kind (though that would be nice) but for any artifacts that tell us about the daily life of the wealthy and poorer inhabitants of the area.

Join Karen as she talks about what actually happens at a dig, find out about the tools and equipment that are used, the sorts of things that are found and what happens to them.

Please reserve your place at this event by calling0398006462orbookingonlineatevents. yourlibrary.com.au/.

Ladies welcomed to local tennis

Ladies, do you fancy having a fun social hit of tennis doubles every Monday morning?

If so, please come and join us between 9.30am and 11.30am followed by a cuppa from Mon 15 April.

Come to Healesville Tennis Club at Queen’s Park off Don Road when you can.

$2 per session.

All levels of players are welcome.

You can play three times before deciding whether to become a club member and continue or not.

Queries to Mic on 0404

Come for a community campfire in Badger Creek

The Badger Creek Hall Committee invites all residents to drop in on the first Friday of each month to relax with friends and neighbours around a warm campfire under the stars.

The attendees are encouraged to bring chairs, jackets, snacks and drinks, and are also welcome to cook on the fire or bring an instrument to entertain.

The event will start on Friday 3 May.

For more information, contact the committee at enquiries@badgercreekhall.org.au or 5962 3639.

L-R: Olive, Eamon and Violet.

Pictures: DONGYUN KWONMusical performance while changing the stage. Pirates.

Honeyeaters flying high

By Callum Ludwig

Another step in the road to recovery for the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater was made on Friday 19 April with 18 more birds released into the Yellingbo Nature Consevation Area.

The zoo-bred birds were raised at Healesville Sanctuary through Zoos Victoria’s conservation breeding program and will be calling Yellingbo home alongside the established wild population already there.

12 more are set to be released in the forest near Warburton to join another population in the near future, ensuring there will be multiple populations of genetically-diverse birds.

Healesville Sanctuary Bird Keeper Monique Winterhoff said it is incredibly rewarding to see 30 more Helmeted Honeyeaters released into the wild.

“Not only as a zookeeper who has watched these birds grow up from tiny three-gram eggs, but also knowing the important role they will play in the conservation of this subspecies,” she said.

“The release birds are a combination of juveniles bred in the latest breeding season at Healesville Sanctuary as well as adults that have already successfully produced offspring and who are recommended for release to the wild.”

The two separate populations in Yellingbo

and Warburton are carefully maintained to ensure the species won’t be wiped out in the event of a catastrophic bushfire or disease, as well as to ensure the diversity of the species.

Ms Winterhoff said the juvenile Helmeted Honeyeaters are housed in social groups which allows them to build up important social skills and fitness prior to release.

“All release birds are quarantined from the rest of the birds at Healesville Sanctuary 30 days before being released. They undergo checks by veterinarians at our Australian Wildlife Health Centre and have unique colour and numbered bands placed on their legs so that each bird can be identified individually once released into the wild,” she said.

“The teams that work with Helmeted Honeyeaters in the wild and at Healesville Sanctuary work closely with each other,”

“By understanding the genetics of the populations at Yellingbo and Warburton, we can select which birds to release, and which are bred at Healesville Sanctuary, to ensure the Helmeted Honeyeater population is as genetically diverse as possible.”

The population of Helmeted Honeyeaters in the wild has tripled in the last three decades following direct and sustained conservation efforts, with the wild population now believed to be above 250 across the two Upper Yarra locations.

President of the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater group Virginia Wallace attended the release and said it was a great moment to be able to open one of the boxes herself and let the

Environmental groups protest works

By Callum Ludwig

Environmental groups are challenging Forest Fire ManagementVictoria (FFMVic) on its firereduction practices, including in the protected Yarra Ranges National Park.

Autumn is a significant time of year for FFMVic, with most planned burns, clearing efforts and other fire reduction activities carried out at this time but groups such as Warburton Environment and Forest ConservationVictoria are concerned that crews are removing significant and hollow-bearing trees.

President of the Warburton Environment group Nic Fox said they find it deplorable that living, hollow-bearing, old-growth trees can’t be protected in national parks.

“We know the Federal and State Environment Ministers released a plan last month, a Leadbeater’s Possum recovery plan, which sets out very clear requirements for the protection of large and hollow-bearing trees and that there should be no destruction of critical Leadbeater’s Possum habitat which is what we’re seeing this month,” she said.

“We’re bearing witness and documenting the destruction of critical habitat, some of these trees are hundreds of years old and they’re being cut down.”

In the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)’s National Recovery Plan for Leadbeater’s Possum announced on 5 March, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) used hollow-bearing trees as an indicator of the abundance of Leadbeater’s possum as they are the most limiting resource required by the species, take the longest to regrow or be replaced and any current or future decline in hollow-bearing trees would result in a decline in the population of the possum.

The decline in hollow-bearing trees has been attributed to the collapse of dead- hollow-bearing trees burned in the 1939 fires, the reduction in the extent of mature ash forest or areas that will mature in the future due to historical timber harvesting and the impacts of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire. Climate change and any future extensive bushfires are seen as the biggest threats to the trees and the Leadbeater’s Possum in the future.

Ms Fox said she thinks we need to close all the loopholes that still exist since the end of native forest logging, which began at the state of this year in Victoria.

“What we really need is an independent regulator that has the resources, authority and power to regulate what’s happening out here because the fight’s not over, the forest wars continue, it’s morphed into another beast,” she said.

“We need to look at the assessment method of what hazardous trees are, we need to look all

over the planned burns and there are other groups that are more knowledgeable about that but I think the methods that have been used are outdated,”

“We need to look at the new size (of the forest since the end of naive forest logging) and we also obviously need to incorporate traditional owners.”

Forest Conservation Victoria conducted a peaceful protest in the Yarra Ranges National Park on Wednesday 24 April, with some local community members involved.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer for the Port Phillip Region Shannon Devenish said work is underway to maintain the strategic fuel break network in and around the UpperYarra water supply catchment, including within Yarra Ranges National Park.

“Working within the footprint of existing fuel breaks, crews are treating dangerous trees and clearing encroaching vegetation,” they said.

“Trees that are structurally compromised and are a threat to firefighter safety have been marked as hazardous during an initial assessment,”

FFFMVic’s fire-reduction works are also in-

birds escape and fly out.

“DEECA, ParksVictoria and ZoosVictoria do an amazing job and they stayed out there for the day observing the birds, recording where they are and what they’re doing to make sure that they’re settled in properly and that they’re accessing feed stations,” she said.

“We’re a volunteer group and thousands of volunteers have planted hundreds and thousands of plants to try and increase habitat for the species because that’s the main issue,”

“So it’s great that we can work together and we can bring the community engagement and volunteering side and DEECA, Parks Victoria and ZoosVictoria can bring their science-based approach and we can all come together to protect this species.”

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria, The Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater Inc., Melbourne Water, Monash University, University of Melbourne, Yarra Ranges Council, Cardinia City Council, Greening Australia, Trust for Nature are all actively involved in the conservation efforts for the feathered faunal emblem.

DEECA Senior Ornithologist Bruce Quin said he importance of the release of zoo-bred birds cannot be understated.

“It continues our work to increase both size and genetic diversity of this wild population.”

All about the birds

By Dongyun Kwon

An event regarding birds on farms was held by Yarra Ranges Landcare Network on Saturday 27 April in Gruyere Hall. The event Birds on Farm Talk and Survey was a free event where participants could learn about BirdLife’s Birds on Farms project.

Yarra Ranges Landcare Network landcare facilitator Corey McFadyen said the project aimed to help landowners manage their properties in a way that increases farm productivity as well as benefits birds.

“They [BirdLife Australia] provide habitat plans to landholders and also assist them to seek funding for revegetation and rehabilitation works on their land,” he said.

“It [Birds on Farms project] is to increase the amount and diversity of native birds.

“There’s research that shows that having more birds on your property, particularly small birds, can increase the quality of your soil which can lead to better productivity on your farm.”

tended to help firefighters protect the state’s water supply, with the Yarra River accounting for 70 per cent of Melbourne’s drinking water, and where silt, ash and debris during and after a bushfire can flow into reservoirs like the Upper Yarra and Maroondah Reservoirs and disrupt the water supply for an extended period of time.

Devenish said further assessments will be carried out to determine if alternative protection measures can be used to keep fire out of the trees during a bushfire event.

“These fuel breaks enable firefighters to carry out backburning in the event of a major bushfire and are a critical part of FFMVic’s strategy to protect Melbourne’s water supply and other important environmental values from bushfires,” they said.

“The Upper Yarra water supply catchment area is home to environmentally significant flora and fauna including Leadbeater’s possum, Southern Greater Glider, Smokey Mouse and Cool Temperate Rainforest, all of which are highly susceptible to large scale bushfires.”

Forest Conservation Victoria and the Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum were contacted for comment.

After the information session, participants conducted a bird survey in the Gruyere Recreation Reserve to learn how to survey birds on their property.

Mr McFadyen said they used the Birdlife’s survey technique.

“They [Birdlife Australia] have got volunteers to go out and help birds on farms,” he said.

“They helped the participants monitor bird activity as a part of the project.

“People could see how bird life is changing.”

Birds on Farm Talk and Survey was a free event where participants could learn about BirdLife’s Birds on Farms project.

Environmental groups are rallying against the logging of hollow-bearing trees during fire-reduction works.

Protesters alongside some felled trees.

Pictures: FOREST CONSERVATION VICTORIA

The zoo-bred birds are released from their boxes. Pictures: JO HOWELL, ZOOS VICTORIA

Feeding stations help the Helmeted Honeyeaters settle into their new home.

Even skies weep for heroes

By Dongyun Kwon

The sky joined this year’s Anzac Day service, weeping for the national heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect the freedom of the country.

Despite the bad weather, Healesville and Yarra Glen RSLs were pleased to host Anzac Day services successfully with people of all ages.

Healesville’s dawn service started at 5.45am with a welcome and acknowledgement by Healesville RSL president Colette Shaw, followed by wreath laying.

Ms Shaw said she’s happy to see the number of participants in the service getting bigger every year.

“We’re really grateful to the community for supporting our veterans,” she said.

“We’re particularly delighted with the ever increasing number of younger people, from children through to teenagers, who are upholding the tradition and paying their respects to our veterans and serving members on Anzac Day.

“Special thanks to our bugler John Stanhope OAM who’s been playing a bugle for 50 years supporting us.”

Guest speaker Bruce Argyle, who is well known within the community for his dedication, spoke about his extended family members who were killed on the same day at Gallipoli in the First World War.

The Healesville High School Band played Abide with Me and two Healesville High School captains read the two poems In Flanders Field and Reply to In Flanders Field respectively.

The dawn service ended around 6.10am with poppy laying.

Yarra Glen’s Anzac Day service started with

the march from

10.30am

A new president of Yarra Glen RSL led the service for the first time.

The president, Michael Watkins, said the service went well although he made a couple of mistakes.

“I hope not too many people noticed,” he said.

After the opening address by Mr Watkins, Rev Matthew Smith from Yarra Glen St Paul’s Church conducted an invocation.

The service culminated with the active participation of local students from Yarra Glen Primary School and Christmas Hills Primary School along with Yarra Glen RSL vice president George Miller OAM’s Anzac Day poem recitation and Ted Bowling’s The Ode recitation.

The morning service was finished with floral tributes and poppy laying.

Yarra Ranges councillor Fiona McAllister attended both Healesville dawn service and Yarra Glen morning service.

Cr McAllister said the both services were “heartfelt, special and moving”.

“The dawn service is always beautiful and the Healesville RSL did a wonderful job for the very special part of Anzac Day for the community,” she said.

“Bruce Argyle spoke really well about history and his family story.

“I went to Yarra Glen for morning service, which was again a beautiful service with a march that was attended by about a hundred people, where lots of schoolchildren were involved.”

Yarra Glen police station at 10.15am and the service commenced at around

when the crowd arrived at the Yarra Glen Cenotaph.

Wreath laying by mayor Sophie Todorov and Cr Fiona McAllister.

Poppy laying in Healesville.

Bugler John Stanhope OAM.

Wreath laying by Yarra Glen Girl Guide.

Wreath laying by Christmas Hills Primary School.

Yarra Glen Primary School received a book Alfred’s War.

Opening address by Mr Watkins.

Yarra Glen RSL former president Stephen Shortis’ granddaughter Gabby played bugle.

The 100 Squadron.

Wreath laying at Yarra Glen Anzac Day service.

Healesville High School Band played Abide with Me.

Wreath laying at the Healesville dawn service.

Anzac Day march in Yarra Glen.

Picture: DONGYUN KWON

Wreath laying by St Brigid’s Primary School students.

Guest speaker Bruce Argyle.

Dawn breaks over Seville

By Callum Ludwig

As dawn broke upon theValley, the Seville community stood to honour those who have served the country.

Beginning at 5.45am, residents had surrounded the Seville War Memorial ready to pay their respects this Anzac Day.

Chair of the Seville War Memorial Committee and local historian Anthony McAleer OAM welcomed attendees to the service and said this morning, all over the country in towns and villages and cities, people are coming together as Australians to commemorate our heritage and to remember those who have served, suffered and died for our nation in peace and war.

“Our magnificent War Memorial this year, is looking quite stoic after all that’s happened to it over the last 12 months but being stoic while surrounded by bushland is part of the Australian story, it’s part of the spirit that our pioneers showed and it’s what our Anzacs had to endure,” he said.

“I also want to make special mention to all of the young people that are here today, it is magnificent to see so many of you and it just goes to show that Anzac Day has really become our most nationally significant day,”

Violinist Rachael Hook had opened the service with a rendition of ‘We Are One/ We Are Australian’, while also later playing Waltzing Matilda during the laying of wreaths and singing the Australian National Anthem.

The first guest speaker at the service was Seville resident andWarrant Officer Class One Michael Hutchinson of the 22nd Engineer Regiment of the Royal Australian Engineers who told the story of Seville’sVictoria Cross and Military Medal recipient Captain George Ingram and his two years on the front line in Europe.

“Over the two years, he experienced all the horror and the heroism of the Western Front, with the men who wore the red and white diamond,” he said.

“On October 5 1918, he was in the IAF ad-

vance on the French village of Montbrehain, and his actions on this day were courageous and heroic, and earned him the highest award for gallantry in the Valley, the Victoria Cross, and was last Australian to receive one in the GreatWar,”

“But his experiences on this day were bloody and traumatic, it may have been a moment of brave actions to those who witnessed, but to him, it would represent the death so many of his close friends and it should not be forgotten that he himself, was responsible for the deaths of many on that day.”

Officer Hutchinson went on to share how Captain Ingram struggled with his life, injuries and mental health after returning from the war before later finding purpose and healing in becoming at Shrine Guard at the Shine of Remembrance, and consequently becoming the most decorated member of theVictoria Police.

A historical reading ‘September 1939’ was ready by Second Lieutenant of the Seville Rural Fire Brigade Andrew Butler, followed by the

poem ‘Faded Suits of Green’ read by Ray Van Weert of the Seville Recreation Precinct Committee and then the poem ‘Our Freedom’ was read by Sergeant Brendon de Schwartz of Lilydale Police.

Chandler Ward Councillor David Eastham then stepped up and read out Seville’s extensive roll of honour, detailing those who lost their lives through serving the country in bothWorld Wars, notably including the brothers of Capt Ingram; Driver Alex Ingram and Lance Corporal Ronald William Ingram, as well as Private Arthur Albert Douglas, the uncle of the bugler for the service Ian Douglas.

Peter Paterson from the Mt Evelyn RSL read the Ode to the Fallen and Charlie Aulich and James de Schwartz raised the Australian and New Zealnd flags.

Wreaths were then laid at the war memorial on behalf of the 22nd Engineer Regiment of the Royal Australian Engineers, the Seville Township Group, the Mt Evelyn RSL, Yarra Ranges Council, Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence, Casey MP

Aaron Violi, the Seville Primary School, the Seville Rural Fire Brigade, the Seville Football Netball Club, the Seville Recreation Precinct Committee and the Lilydale Police.

Acknowledgements were made by President of the Seville Township Group Graham Black, who thanked the Wandin-Seville Community Bank,Yarra Ranges Council, the SevilleWar Memorial Committee, the 1st Seville Scouts group, the musicians, the guest speakers and Mr McAleer for their efforts in organising the service before also announcing some exciting news for the SevilleWar Memorial.

“The township group has applied for grant funding from the state government to cover the cost of replacing and installing the two damaged panels, exactly as they were, and we are hoping to hear very soon whether we are successful in that grant,” Mr Black said.

“We’re also happy to announce there will be further improvements to the memorial avenues soon, the donors and history board will be going up this year, recognising the creation of this wonderful memorial, and two special commemorative seats will be installed by the Wandin-Seville Bendigo Bank.”

Attendees were invited to stay for the free community breakfast and to attend the inaugural George Ingram Cup matches at the Seville Football Netball Club later in the day.

More Wandin servicemen honoured back home

By Callum Ludwig

109 years on from the landing at Gallipoli, Wandin residents gathered to remember all of those who have served Australia, especially those who gave their lives doing so.

Anzac Day also marked an exciting new chapter in Wandin’s war history, even over a century later, as 44 names previously missing from the cenotaph were added on newly installed plaques.

Anthony McAleer OAM and Chris Manders were the ones to compile and proofread the missing names of Wandin residents and Mr McAleer said the story of the new plaques started a few years ago during the centenary ofWorldWar One commemorations.

“While researching the men and women of Wandin who served in this period and using recently released documents from the archives, I found quite a number of names of Wandin service people who weren’t in fact listed on the war memorial, 44 extra names in fact, including another six that had died while on active service,” he said.

“All of these extra veterans clearly hadWandin recorded in their official documents as their place of birth or residence, in fact it became easier to prove their connection toWandin than it was with some of those already listed on the memorial many of whom had no mention ofWandin in their files,”

“In the early 1920s in this area, communication was limited, it was a society that had no internet, no television, no radio, no mobile phones, in fact very few phones of any sort in the distric, only a couple of cars and no access to official files or documents, they relied heavily on word of mouth.”

The new plaques, completed with state government funding sourced by the Rotary Club ofWandin, were officially unveiled by Seville resident and Warrant Officer Class One Michael Hutchinson of the 22nd Engineer Regiment of the Royal Australian Engineers.

Mr McAleer said there were numerous incidences of local servicemen who had lived all their lives in Wandin and then moved out of the area before 1914 when the war started.

“Unless they were in contact with someone living here physically or via correspondence, no one in Wandin would know if these people had enlisted or not,” he said.

“At the same time, we decided to right another wrong that existed with this current war memorial, as at the time it was made it was commonplace just to list the person’s surname and initial, because everyone at the time knew who that person was,”

“100 years later however and very few people now know who the names are referring to and there is scant information that personalises the name…so it was decided if we’re going to add the new names to the memorial let’s also include more information on the individuals as well, to the new names and those already listed.”

The new plaques now include the full name, rank, number, unit served with and years served for allWandin servicepeople, and for those that died while on active service, the date the died, where they are buried and their age at the time of their death is also included.

MrVioli’s address included reading out the winning submission from Don Parsons Memorial Anzac Creative Writing Piece competition he held, which came from Wandin North Primary School student Kaylee and called ‘War Memorials.’

“Respect is shown on a special day, respect is shown in a special place, in the one minute of silence there is nothing to say, in the war memorial where we see our soldiers face, here it explains how they fought in the war, some are now put where no one can ignore,” Mr Violi read.

“They all made a big sacrifice, but some had to pay a heavy price, as you wake up at dawn to come to this place, you lay the wreath down and look at their face,”

“A war memorial is about recognition, it also puts us in a good position, graffiti and spray paint are my worst fear, so come a little

closer up and listen here, I’m a war memorial, strong and tall some pay respect and some not at all.”

Kaylee’s poem impressed the attendees of the service.

Ms Vallence told the story of 18-year-old Harold Hunter in her address.

“Harold Hunter was 18 when he enlisted, would go on to distinguish himself at the Battle of Bullecourt in France. During the battle, while under heavy machine gunfire, Harold continued to lay and repair communication lines, so important to the war effort and captured various positions,” she said.

“His work was described as ‘practically continuous and most valuable’ and for his ‘conspicuous gallantry’, he was awarded the Military Medal,”

“Harold was one of the fortunate ones, he got to come home, Australia lost 7000 lives during this particular battle and today we hold this service adjacent to the road, Hunter Road, that was named after him and his family.”

Students from the Wandin North (Chase, Claudia, Harry and Harper) and Wandin Yallock (Asha, Kai and Axel) Primary Schools also each read a poem and laid a wreath during the service.

Mr Eastham said on days like Anzac Day, we need to remember more than just some initials on a plaque.

“Each person who took up arms and took part was a person with family and friends. They had a history, a community back home that they were part of, they might have played in a local footy team, been a local tradie or a butcher, they had hopes and dreams, things that they’d achieved and things that they still wanted to do,” he said.

“Many had partners back home waiting for them and many had friends fighting alongside them and when we talk about the thousands of losses during this campaign, it’s important that we never forget that each and every single loss, every fallen soldier, every service person who never made it home was a human who had a story just like every single one of us standing here today.”

Anzac Day addresses were given by Casey MP Aaron Violi, Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence and Chandler Ward Yarra Ranges councillor David Eastham.

Warrant Officer Michael Hutchinson unveils the new plaques at the Wandin Cenotaph.

Picture: CALLUM LUDWIG

The remaining panels of the Seville War Memorial were lit up for the Dawn Service. Pictures: CALLUM LUDWIG

Violinist Rachael Hook.

Paying their respects

By Gabriella Vukman and Callum Ludwig

Warburton residents gathered in the street on Thursday 25 April at 10.30am, ready for the annual march through the township.

The parade formed at the Warburton RSL Sub-Branch and marched up the highway ready for the service at the Warburton Cenotaph at 10.50am.

Guest Speaker Trevor Hince spoke at the service and told the story and service of his father, Corporal Hugh Hince, who served in WW2 with the 1st AustralianWar Graves Maintenance Unit, tending to the dead in New Guinea.

“My story is that of a solder who saw more of the death and carnage than many men did, though his rifle was never fired, he received a mention from the King and two oak wings for his distinguished service,” he said.

“At age 25, with two sons, one 18 months and another three weeks old, he joined the CMF (Combined Maritime Forces) for training and then signed up with the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) to be more proactive with the threat that was developing in New Guinea.”

According to an article on the RSL Victoria website written in October 2023, Corporal Hince ‘walked the Kokoda Track nine times’ during his service, having been initially tasked with searching for and retrieving the bodies of dead soldiers on the frontline, burying them in makeshift cemeteries along the track and maintaining those grounds.

Mr Hince said his father’s need to wear spectacles is why he was exempted from one of the many deporting roles in the infantry before he was assigned to the war graves unit.

“After he died in 1996, among his effects, my brother Kevin and I came across an old ration tin that contained his medals, a few bits and pieces and two tiny diaries written in extremely small handwriting,” he said.

“From these, we learned that Corporal Hugh Hince followed the AIF who were pushing the Japenese back up the Kokoda track, and learnt how the war graves unit hastily buried the fallen soldiers along the track and

established a number of cemeteries, with the remains of both Australian and Japanese soldiers given a respectful burial,”

“One of his earlier recoveries included the body of Private Bruce Kingsbury who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his extraordinary courage.”

Later in the war, Corporal Hince was stationed at the Bomana War Cemetery, 19km kilometres from Port Moresby where he was initially sent to, with the cemetery becoming a final, ‘dignified’ resting place for many of the soldiers after Corporal Hince and the war graves unit exhumed and repatriated the already-buried bodies along the Kokoda track and brought them back to Bomana.

Mr Hince said his father’s job regularly took him deep into the jungle.

“We learned how he searched for and found remains and identification of thousands of decomposed remains, sometimes with just the serial number on the belt to go on as Aussie boots were prized by the Japanese making identification more difficult,” he said.

A new private’s point of view for Anzac Day

By Gabriella Vukman

A sense of community abounded as dark shapes filter through the shadows, all meandering silently towards the cenotaph.

Each poppy graced the stone’s cool surface, a reminder of those who served.

This is the Yarra Junction Dawn service.

“Most units tend to wake up for the dawn service which I got to be a part of today.”

Private Shin stands among the servicemen dressed in short sleeves surrounding the cenotaph in the murky, dewy morning.

“After that we go around, might get a couple of drinks and either play some two up…”

Shin pauses for a lighthearted chuckle.

“Or hit the local RSL and have a good time,” he says.

“A lot of Corporals probably have a different point of view towards ANZAC day but I guess what ANZAC day means to you really depends on the person,” Shin says.

Waltzing Matilda fades as the haunting wheeze of bagpipes belts out their rendition of ‘Amazing Grace.’

Private Shin says “I joined the army last year so I’ve only been a part of two ANZAC days so far.”

“Normally we get picked at random for services. I’ve done remembrance day and Australia day.”

“It’s a pretty nice drive out here. An hour away from base you see something completely different,” Shin says.

The day was Shin’s first time being in a catafalque party and standing completely still.

“We had three days and a couple of hours each day to prepare for it,” Shin says.“Most of the catafalque stuff is the same as what you learn for a basic drill so a lot of us could pick it back up and learn it in a couple of hours.”

“I was a waiting member today and was standing completely still so I didn’t have to bend my head down but I feel like that headbending is a bit harder. Our leader couldn’t move at all,” Shin says.

Private Shin is the first in his family to serve for Australia.

Shin says, “I came from South Korea which means i got out of the military service there but I joined the army anyway.”

“I’m still in my initial deployment training so I’ve still got a lot to learn but I can’t wait to get to my unit and see what it is like from there,” he says.

Private Shin acknowledges the divergent meanings of ANZAC day for different generations.

Shin says, “The people who have served overseas and I guess older people in general have a more traditional view compared to us newer entrants. We like to follow and uphold their traditions and learn from their experience.”

“They are good role models and we just like to follow in their lead as younger people,” Shin says.

Dawn broke as Yarra Junction remembered.

Yarra Junction residents gather for the Dawn Service.

Pictures: GABRIELLA VUKMAN

Standing to attention for the service.

The Warburton march comes to a close.

Pictures: GABRIELLA VUKMAN

SENIORS LIVING

Vibrant retirement living

In the heart of Lilydale, where the lush Yarra Valley meets the Dandenong Ranges, stands Lilydale Valley Views – not just a retirement village, but a thriving community where residents relish every moment of their golden years. For the past 15 years, we have meticulously crafted an environment that goes beyond providing accommodation; it’s a place where the essence of retirement living is fully embraced.

Our village boasts an array of accommodation options, from stunning homes with valley views to cosy terrace living.With 139 homes, including semi-attached 2/3 bedroom units, each designed to ensure a family-like atmosphere, we prioritise creating a space that fits the unique preferences of every resident. What sets Lilydale Valley Views apart is the commitment to offering a comprehensive retirement experience. Picture a heated indoor swimming pool and spa, providing residents with an oasis for relaxation and exercise. Imagine weekly Tai Chi and dancersize sessions, tailored to keep both the body and mind active and engaged. Our village bus takes the hassle out of shopping, offering a convenient door-to-door service, freeing residents from the need to drive and park.

One of the key pillars of our community is the vibrant social committee. This dedicated group organises a plethora of indoor and outdoor activities, ensuring residents always have opportunities for connection and enjoyment. From outings to social events, our calendar is brimming with activities that cater to diverse interests, creating an enriching experience for everyone. Yet, the true magic lies in the residents themselves. A wonderful group of people with a wide range of interests, they form the beating heart of our community. The warmth and genuine sense of camaraderie that have flourished over the years are truly heartwarming. Newcomers quickly find themselves embraced by the community, invited to various

activities and social occasions, allowing them to tailor their level of engagement. At Lilydale ValleyViews, we recognise the importance of social connections for overall health and wellbeing as we age. Our environment is curated to facilitate an active and connected lifestyle, fostering a sense of community that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the village.

Centrally located near essential amenities, including medical practitioners, supermarkets, and the train station – all within walking distance – Lilydale Valley Views provides a seam-

less blend of convenience and tranquillity. The nearby Warburton Trail offers residents the opportunity for scenic walks or bike rides, while a thriving veggie/flower garden on-site adds to the communal spirit. As a testament to our commitment to excellence, we are proud to have built a retirement village that has evolved into a close-knit community. Lilydale Valley Views is not merely a place to live; it’s a place where people flourish, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and cherished moments. In celebration of our journey and the joy of

Enjoy some quite time with a book from the extensive library collection.

Meet

vibrant retirement living, we invite you to explore Lilydale Valley Views. Come and witness firsthand the beauty of terrace living, stunning views, and the warm embrace of a community that defines the essence of retirement living.

For more information, contact Lilydale Valley Views at 471 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, email manager@lilydalevalleyviews.com.au, or call 03 9735 5944 to speak with Rosemary Seymour our manager. Our doors are open from 9am to 4.30pm, welcoming you to a new chapter of vibrant retirement living.

Be part of a vibrant Community and

enjoy the Facilities

Breathtaking views await residents at Lilydale Valley Views.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

and mingle with friends in the community centre.

Local talent shone

One hundred years ago country towns in Victoria relied mainly on visiting concert artists and circuses troupes for entertainment, but they also organised their own.

On Friday 21 April 1924, a typical concert, presented by Yarra Glen Presbyterian Sunday School, was held in theVictoria Hall. This large community hall was located on the southern side of the current United Service station. The night was fine and there was a large attendance.

Miss Smedley, the superintendent of the Sunday school coached the children and Ms. J. Ellis, was the accompanist.

Many of the children listed below stayed in the district, most married and their children and grandchildren may still live locally or visit from time to time.

The programme was as follows:

· song, The Seasons, Marjorie Allen (leader) Spring, Rosie Jell Summer, Freda MacKenzie Autumn, Reg. Nicholas Winter;

· recitation, At the Party, Mary Brudenell; song, The Grocer’s Young Man, junior boys

Write better

Rated M

Part 1: 3/5, Part 2: 3.5/5

Best described as bootleg StarWars, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films are exciting and beautiful but shallow and poorlywritten action epics. Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious woman with a dark past on a remote farming world, must gather a band of warriors to defend her village from the tyrannical Imperium.

Rebel Moon, Part 1: A Child of Fire features stunningly imaginative visuals, painterly cinematography, an elegant score by Tom Holkenborg and several thrilling action sequences.

Boutella is a fierce yet sensitive lead, and Ed Skrein is a compelling villain of prim, barely-controlled rage as Admiral Noble. Unfortunately, the slow, erratic pacing carries little urgency, and the film is full of clunky dialogue, smothering exposition and thinly-sketched characters.

Snyder pitched Rebel Moon as a Star Wars movie or game a couple of times, and so the Star Wars influences are blatantly obvious; the action also suffers from gratuitous slow-mo, which is a hallmark of Snyder’s work.

Rebel Moon, Part 2: The Scargiver feels like Seven Samurai in space, as Kora’s warriors and the village prepare to fight Admiral Noble and his forces.

The Scargiver has much the same technical virtues and storytelling and slow-mo shortcomings as the first film, and takes nearly an hour to get going, but it’s more cohesive; the bulk of The Scargiver is one massive, enthralling war sequence.

Even though we barely know the main characters across two movies, each hero still gets a brutal chance to shine in battle.

A Child of Fire’s climax emerges from a well-executed twist, and The Scargiver effectively splits its focus between increasingly-devastating skirmishes on the ground and Kora’s subterfuge aboard Noble’s ship.

Action-packed and viscerally-satisfying but dramatically hollow (as Snyder films often are), both Rebel Moon films are available to stream on Netflix.

Looking back

Helen Mann

(Albert Jell, Jack Cooper, Percy Ah Yet, Tom and Andrew Bell);

· recitation, Biddy’s Chicks, Mary Walker; song, Ten Little Dicky-Birds, junior girls, (Agnes Ah Yet, Eileen Le Kong, Myrtle Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Jean White, Marjorie White, Ivy Jell, Dorothy, Mary and Alma Walker); dialogue, The Mission of The Flowers, Mona Smith (student of Nature), Ora Lawrey (the Rose), Dorothy Ellis (the Lily), Joy Brudenell (Snowdrop), Jean Jewson (Forget-me-not); song, The Three Grey Geese, Mona Smith, Eileen Le Kong, Dorothy Ellis; dialogue, Sen-

CARTOON

na’s Dream, junior boys and girls; recitation, Grandma’s Letter, Dorothy Walker; song, At the Farmer’s Gate, the boys of the school; song, Six Little Marks from School, Dorothy Walker, Ede Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Agnes Ah Yet, Gwen Nicholas; dialogue, Keeping House, Jack Lithgow, Les Weller, Roy Mills, Eric Mills, Reg. Nicholas, Albert Jell, Tom Bell, Jack Cooper;

· duet, Hear Us We Pray, Ede Ellis and Gwen Nicholas; recitation, Fifty-Four, Ora Lawrey; song, Joe the Railway Porter, senior boys; · dialogue, The Rainbow, junior girls, Mona Smith, Dorothy Walker, Dorothy Ellis, Mary Stewart, Mary Brudenell, Joy Brudenell,Winnie Jell, Ede Ellis; · monologue, The Golden Rule, Mona Smith, Marjorie Allan, Freda MacKenzie, Rosie Jell, Joy Brudenell; song, The United Kingdom, by the Sunday school, Mona Smith and Les. Weller (England), Gwen Nicholas and Roy Mills (Ireland), Dorothy Ellis and Jack Lithgow (Scotland), Joy Brudenell and Reg Nicholas (Wales) Alma Walker (Australia), Winnie Jell (Brittania).

The “BookTok generation”

In last week’s article, we explored the “Discovering a Good Read” report from Australia Reads, which identifies the reasons given by teenagers for their withdrawal from reading.

Some of these are particularly noteworthy, such as “reading is not fun”, “it’s hard to find anything good to read”, and “there are not many books about people like me”.

Based on this report, Australia Reads recommends ways to support teenagers in reading for pleasure. One of them is “meet teens where they are”.

Specifically, the popularity of BookTok, Bookstagram and BookTube shows “the incredible power of social media to support reading behaviour, through aiding with book discovery and forming online communities”.

According to the Australia Reads Research Review in 2022, 68 per cent of teen readers say that BookTok has inspired them to read a book that they would otherwise have never considered.

The “Discovering a Good Read” report also reveals social media ranks as the top passive leisure pursuit for teenagers, with their preferred platforms being Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Australia Reads further cites a recent research by the Publishers Association in the UK, titled “The BookTok Generation: How social media is transforming Gen Z reading habits”.

Among the research’s over 2000 respondents aged 16-25, “almost two-thirds (59 per cent) say that BookTok or book influencers have helped them discover a passion for reading”.

PASSION FOR PROSE

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

The research finds that BookTok helps Gen Z-ers connect with their peers and create communities based on what they are reading. Even better, the platform has a positive impact on brick-and-mortar bookstores, with “nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents visiting a physical bookshop to buy a book they have seen on BookTok”.

In Australia, publishers, booksellers and authors are already harnessing the power of the platform to engage and inspire readers.

As explained by researchers from the “Teen Reading in the Digital Era” project at Deakin University:

“By showcasing teenagers who love books and are proud of their reading habits, BookTok inspires other young people to enjoy reading. And it creates trends that influence the types of books they read, sometimes in unexpected ways.”

“To foster a strong reading culture among teens, it’s essential to align initiatives with their digital habits and busy schedules,” the report concluded.

The Great Gatsby play at 1812 Kemp’s curtain call

The 1812 Theatre

The Great Gatsby

Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan.

Nick Carroway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into their world of obsession, greed and danger.

The breathtaking glamour and Decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage.

· Season: May 16 - June 8.

· Bookings: 9758 394

The Basin Theatre

Comedy at The Basin

In The Basin’s quest to bring you the best in performing arts they are having a series of special comedy nights.

These events have been very popular with the Company’s patrons in the past and the Company is sure they will be a sell-pot.

Join The Basin Theatre for a night of hilarity with The Best of the Fest.

Audiences will enjoy a selection of professional comedians straight from the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival in an event not to be missed.

Your night will be guided by our hilarious MC who will introduce the three comedians for a night of laughs that will warm you to the core.

Drinks and snacks are available at the bar which will open from 7pm.

· Season: Saturday May 11.

Burrinja Theatre

Forever Young - The songs of Bob Dylon

Continuing a tradition that began at the Caravan Club’s original location in Oakleigh in 2011 for Bob’s 70th Leica and Caravan are upping the ante to bring their beloved Bob Dylan Birthday Bash to St Kilda’s iconic Palais Theatre and selected suburbs and regional venues in May.

It’s a tradition that has seen some of the biggest and brightest in Australian music – including Vika and Linda, Joe Camilleri, Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers –perform songs that are enmeshed in the very fabric od their musical lives and to wish Bob a good one.

· Season: Saturday May 25 at 7.30pm

Broad - Geraldine Quinn

Bold dames, bejewelled tales, camo glamour meets ageing grace in this cabaret of self-discovery.

Multi-award winning rock cabaret artist Geraldine Quinn (Spick Specks, Upper Middle Bogan, The Weekly) returns with her first original show in four long years - BROAD.

Quinn grew up idolising fabulous, bold, brassy (mostly ginger) older women.

Now she’s become one.

So Quinn makes her overdue return to the cabaret stage to release everyone’s inner DGAF Dame Whether you want to unlock the Auntie Mame inside you, polish your brassiness or if (like Quinn) your knees just aren’t working anymore and you need to be near someone who understands.

All are welcome in The Broad Church.

· Season: Friday May 31 at 7.30pm in the Lyre room

Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre History Group

Rebel Moon

Starring Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein and Michiel Huisman

PROPERTY

ELEVATED ELEGANCE ON 2600M2

ELEVATED ELEGANCE ON 2600M2

NESTLED proudly atop the high side of the road, this fully renovated brick home offers an exquisite blend of hills living and modern convenience. Boasting a private outlook, this property epitomizes comfort and style.

Comprising four spacious bedrooms, three of which feature walk-in robes, while the master bedroom, thoughtfully zoned away from the guest rooms, presents a beautifully updated ensuite with a luxurious bath. The main bathroom is adorned with floor-to-ceiling tiles and an oversize shower, reflecting the home’s commitment to both elegance and functionality.

The heart of the home lies within its meticulously designed kitchen, adorned with stone benchtops, a 900mm stainless steel oven and cooktop, integrated dishwasher, and ample storage space, creating an inviting space for culinary adventures.

Two distinct living areas offer versatility and comfort. The first, adjacent to the kitchen, features a cozy woodfire, fostering warmth and ambiance, while the main lounge exudes sophistication with floorto-ceiling windows, a gas log fire, and a dedicated dining area.

Boasting gas ducted heating, evaporative cooling, and stunning wormy chestnut flooring throughout, this residence ensures comfort and luxury throughout the seasons.

Stepping outside, a versatile and expansive decked entertaining area awaits, surrounded by lawns and established garden, providing the ideal setting for outdoor gatherings or tranquil relaxation.

Accompanied by a double carport under the roofline and an additional double garage with a double carport, this property caters to all practical needs with ease.

Situated in a prestigious pocket of Emerald, mere minutes from both the center of Emerald and Cockatoo, this property offers unparalleled convenience without compromising on tranquility. Experience the epitome of Hills living with this exceptional property. ●

HAPPY HOME SWEET HOME

THIS inviting home certainly captivates you from the moment you enter, so homely, you just want to light the fire and enjoy the great feeling that this home provides.

Space is key here with high cathedral ceilings, split level living flowing out to established gardens and paths where entertaining will be a delight with a Balinese style hut tucked away privately, you will feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle.

This brick home offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the master with updated ensuite and garden views, a wonderful space to wake up in.

Stunning renovated kitchen, modern neutral colours, great bench and cupboard space.

Mains gas ducted heating and split system will cover your heating and cooling needs for year round comfort.

New blinds, floorboards it’s all ready for you to move in and enjoy, additions being a large garage, carport, plenty of parking and all of this just a short stroll to the Yarra river, public transport and local shops. ●

LOCATION - DESIGN - BACKYARD

LET’S paint the picture for you: Four bedrooms with robes. 2 bathrooms including ensuite. 2 living areas. All the essentials.

Contemporary design with no renovating required.

Big backyard and walking distance to town. Double garage.

Designed with a family in mind, this home offers 4 bedrooms with robes, 2 bathrooms (including ensuite to master), kitchen/meals, 2 living rooms, and a spacious laundry. The home is covered by builder’s warranty. Heating and cooling:

· 2 x split systems

· Jindara wood heater

· Ceiling fans in bedrooms

Features include:

· Walk-in and built-in robes

· Ensuite with double vanity

· 9 ft Ceilings

· Mesh-wire fly screen doors

· Double glazed windows

· Gas continuous flow hot water service

· Walk-in linen press

Externally the home provides double lock-up remote-controlled garage and is Colorbond fenced. More importantly, the backyard has been tastefully landscaped and provides heaps of room to play and entertain.

This property is walking distance to Bollygum Park and Kinglake’s main street, providing shops and essential services. It is the ideal investment or family home.

To secure this popular property, text 73WHITTLESEA to 0448 820 022 or call us today to arrange your inspection. ●

MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE WITH INTEGRITY

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

FOR SALE

$1,800,000-$1,850,000

469 Caveat-Dropmore Road, Caveat 150 Watsons Road, Kinglake West $1,240,000 101 Airlie Road, Healesville

Shop 201C Maroondah Highway, Healesville info@integrityrealestate.com.au

integrityrealestate.com.au

6 Alan Grove, Woori Yallock

37 Victoria Road, Kinglake

3 Monaro Way, Whittlesea

GREAT VIEWS WITH SPACE AND PRIVACY

PERCHED above and overlooking the picturesque valley and mountain views this neat family home is just the place to be.

Boasting 3 good sized bedrooms, fresh modern, open plan kitchen with ample bench and cupboard space, the spacious light filled lounge/living area with large windows is perfectly situated to take full advantage and admire the ever changing views.

Outside offers ample space with established gardens, workshop and storage area and easy access with plenty of space for cars, trailers and caravans.

Ideally situated on a huge block of just over 900 sqm there’s plenty of room to enjoy and explore, a neat family home in a picturesque location with great space for everyone to enjoy. ●

8GreenwoodDrive,LaunchingPlace

GreatValueIn aGreatLocation

$595,000-$650,000

Offeringgreatvaluein apopularandsoughtafterarea,thisneatandmuchlovedfamilyhome issuretoplease.A superbfirsthome,treechangeorlifestylechangeboasting 3bedroomswitha spaciouslounge/livingareawithanopenfireplaceplusa goodsizekitchenwithamplebenchand cupboardspaceandseparatemealsarea.Outsideoffersloadsofspaceforthewholefamilyto enjoysituatedona bigblockofapprox830sqm.Thereisplentyofroomforthekidsandpetstorun aroundandenjoy,a greatpropertyfamilyownedandlovedforover40yearsandideallylocated just ashortstrolltoschools,shopsandtransport. Agreatplacetocallhome.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Inspection:

ByAppointment 3 A 1 B

6BellbirdAvenue,LaunchingPlace

FamilyLivingwithViewsandSpace

$680,000-$720,000

Nestledina popularandsoughtafterlocationthismuchlovedfamilyhomehasloadstooffer, situatedon ahugeblockofapprox.1780sqm.Thehomeoffers 3bedroomsincluding asemiensuiteinthemainbedroomandfreshmainbathroom,goodsizekitchenwithplentyofbenchand cupboardspace.A separatemeals/diningareaoffersextraroomplusthefamily/loungeareaisthe idealspottoadmirethecolourfulscenery,unwindandenjoythepicturesqueYarraValleyviews fromtherearverandah.Anexpansiverearyardwithplentyofspacetospreadoutandexplore, greataccessforcars,boats,trailersandcaravanswithconvenientseparateaccesstotherearand sideyard.A doublelockupgarageandestablishedgardenscompletethisidealfamilyhomeina desirablesemirurallocationandjusta shortstrolltolocalschools,shopsandtransport.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

Inspection:

ByAppointment

3 A 2 B 2 C

7LittleYarraRoad,YarraJunction

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

Location,Location,Location!- Almost 2AcresintheHeartofTown

Brilliantlypositioned,thishugefamilyhomemakesyoufeellikeyouarein acountryretreatyet, convenientlylocatedintheheartoftown.4 spaciousbedrooms, 2bathrooms,multiplelivingzones andgreatoptionsformulti-generationallivingorworkfromhomespaces.A privatemeandering driveway,spaciouspaddocksandgardenareasleadinguptotheresidence. Ahugewalk-inutility room &multiplelinencupboards,thekitchenhasimmaculatebenchtops,cupboardsandbreakfast bar.Downstairsprovideslargelivingspaceswitha cellar,potentialrumpus/gamesroomswiththe convenienceofa toilet& shower.Gloriousoriginalcondition,oozingretrocharacterthatyouwilljust lovewithloadsofroomtospreadout. Ararechancetoacquirenearly 2acresofland(approx.7396 sq.m)withhandysidelaneaccessanda hugehomethatenjoysprivacyandseclusion.

SamanthaPrice M 0438795190

Inspection:

Sat11:00-11:30am

MichaelRobinson M 0418505635

8HenriStreet,Warburton

Brickhomeona bigblock,hugefamilylivingspace

$595,000-$650,000

3bedrooms, 2livingareasplus alargeoutdoorentertainingBBQareaallsituatedon ahugeblock approx.1183sq.minsize.Nestledin alovelyneighbourhood,whereyouareclosetothelocalbakery fora coffeeora walkalongtheYarrarivertrail,thishomerepresentsexcellentvalueformoneyand anopportunitytorenovateandimprove.Thebrickhomeissolidjustneedingsomeupdatingto addyourownhomelytouch.Boasting aspaciouslayoutcateringtovariousneeds,twolivingareas includinga familyroomatoneendofthehousecompletewithanopenfire,convenienceiskey withinternalgarageaccessanda quietnothroughroad.Situatedonthehighsideoftheroadwith windowstoframethepicturesquemountainscenery,ensuringeveryglanceismetwithinspiring views.BringyourTLCandcreativitytotransformthishomeinto agorgeousWarburtonGem!

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

Inspection: Sat1:00-1:30pm

“GLENEAGLES” - AN ENDEARING ICON

INTRODUCING “Gleneagles,” a distinguished architectural gem from the 1920s characterized by its authentic Arts & Crafts design elements, including wood paneling and leadlight windows.

Previously showcased in Home Beautiful magazine during the 1930s, this residence has retained its grandeur while seamlessly incorporating modern amenities and delightful surprises.

Offering an enchanting living environment, the Master suite occupies the first floor, featuring a luxurious ensuite and a spacious retreat with a striking stone fireplace that opens onto the alfresco area, perfect for leisurely mornings bathed in sunlight.

On the upper level, discover three additional bedrooms alongside a family room with balcony access, providing serene views of the established landscaped gardens.

The renovated kitchen, equipped with a 5-burner Falcon stove and adorned with caesarstone benchtop and fine detailed tiles, Travertine flooring, generous storage space which flows seamlessly into the dining room with charming feature windows.

The home is further enhanced by the warmth of mains gas hydronic heating, evaporative cooling, and the ambiance of three open fireplaces (featuring stones from the original Emerald quarry) and complemented by polished Baltic floors and lofty ceilings.

The picturesque outdoor lifestyle is embraced with an elevated deck overlooking the solar-heated pool and golf course. Additionally, a separate studio, thoughtfully renovated to complement the main dwelling, and a self-contained cottage offer versatile accommodation options for extended family or guests. Parking is ample with a double lock-up garage and a double carport.

Set upon expansive 1-acre grounds and adorned with established, tranquil gardens, the property provides views of the adjacent golf course - a true sanctuary.

Opportunities to acquire such historically significant residences are rare indeed. ●

11 MayviewRoad

3 A 2 B 2 D

5 A 3 B 4 D

2 A 1 B 4 D

4 A 2 B

FLEXIBLE FAMILY HOME WITH OFFICE

THIS idyllic property with a vast variety of bonus features will surpass expectations with its scale and versatility. Featuring a generous family home and 2 unique outbuildings that can be styled to suit your requirements, this 2,319sqm (approx.) property is perfect for growing families, multi-generational living, and those who work from home.

Through the front electric gates and along the circular drive, this single-storey brick home with double carport takes centre stage. The adaptable interior can be configured with 2 or 3 living areas with the open concept kitchen and covered alfresco at its heart. Equally efficient is the option to enjoy a 4 or 5 bedroom layout, including a primary bedroom that features an abundance of storage and a stylish rain shower ensuite. However you choose to use the spaces, there is plenty of room to grow into.

In addition, within the lovely landscape there is a generous 2-room Studio/home office with powder room and split system heating/cooling for year-round useability. Add to this a large workshop/rumpus with cinema projector and adjoining woodshed, and this property will tick every item on your wish list. Plan your viewing today.

· Fully fenced 2,319sqm (approx.) property circular drive, hen house, fruit trees, raised veggie beds, and double carport.

· Versatile family home with dual living areas, including family room with wood fire, and a superb open plan kitchen with stone benchtops, gas range, and timber floors.

· Beautiful main bedroom with dual robes and rain shower ensuite.

· Freestanding 2-room bungalow with powder room and split system heating/cooling.

· Workshop/rumpus with TV, projector, wood fire, and wood shed.

· Cost-saving solar power.

· Easy access to bus transport and Monbulk Main Road amenities. ●

1MistyGullyRoad,MENZIESCREEK $290,000askingprice MISTYGULLY–7(APPROX)ACRESWITHVIEWS

Tuckedawayattheendof aprivateaccessroad,linedwith acanopyofRedwoods, Rhododendrons,AzaleasandCamellias,this7-acre approxsanctuaryoffersnotonlyquiet seclusionbutalsoviewsthatstretchfromCardiniaReservoirandouttowards Westernport Bay.Hostto a100yearoldchestnutgroveandnativespeciesofeucalyptusandtree ferns,thispropertyoffers asoughtafterlocationtobuildyourarchitecturallyinspiredhome (STCA).

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

11BeilbyClose,UPPERFERNTREEGULLY $770,000 -$845,000 CHARMINGHOME,LEVELGARDENS,LARGEGARAGE!

Whetheryou’restartingyourpropertyjourneyorscalingdowntosingle-levelliving,this propertyhasplentyoffabulousfeaturesonoffer. Boasting alovely,level745sqm(approx.) allotmentwithhobbyist-havenoversizedoublegarage,buyerswillbeenamouredwiththe lifestyleonofferhere.

RachelEastwood M 0401117761| E rachel@chandlerandco.com.au

DanielSteen M 0434979142| E daniel@chandlerandco.com.au

A 2 B 4 C

9JacksonsHillRoad,MENZIESCREEK $1,270,000 -$1,380,000 CONTACTAGENTFORINSPECTIONTIMES

Builtwithqualityandcraftsmanshipasa mainpriority,thisbeautifullykeptandwellmaintainedpropertyboasts aversatilefloorplan,allowingfor avarietyoflivingorwork purposes.Burstingwithnaturallightandwithstunningviewsthattakeinthenearbygreen valleysand reachouttoPortPhillipBayandalsotheYou Yangs

SharynChandler

M 0439882442| E sharyn@chandlerandco.com.au

GlennChandler M 0418410689| E glenn@chandlerandco.com.au

97546888

40BartleyRoadBELGRAVEHEIGHTS $1,230,000-$1,295,000 LUXURYHOMEWITHIMMENSEVERSATILITY

Simplycollectthekeysandmovestraightintothisfreshlyrenovatedandfabulouslyversatile residenceon alushnearquarter-acre allotment. Withhighlightsincludinga swimmingpool withseamlessglassbalustrade,afamily-friendlylandscapewithdoublecarportanddouble garage,plus alowerlevelstudio/salonsuitableasa4thbedroomorwork-from-homespace withstylishpowder room,thisuniquepropertyhasitall.

BradConder M 0422636115| E brad@chandlerandco.com.au

PUZZLES

183

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

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Metal disc under nut (6)

4 Supress (8)

9 Cover story (5)

10 Lasting (9)

11 Intending (coll) (5)

12 Pointless (9)

13 Coffee (8)

15 Peels (6)

16 Tabooed (6)

18 Scale of colour (8)

23 Without trust or belief (9)

24 Long-barrelled firearm (5)

26 Point above focus of an earthquake (9)

27 Senseless (5)

28 Japanese game company (9)

29 Natural aptitude or skill (6)

DOWN

1 Argue noisily and angrily (7)

2 Twig offshoot (5)

3 Territory ruled by an Islamic monarch (7)

5 Tantrum (6)

6 Bucking (7)

7 Grenade-wielding soldier (9)

8 Landed properties (7)

10 Pieces (5)

14 Divide into parts (9)

16 Ten plus five (7)

Excel (7) 19 Adhesive mixture (5) 20 Mediterranean island (7)

Most shy or submissive (7)

Impassioned (6)

25 SOS light (5)

DECODER WORDFIT

9-LETTER WORD

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

Champions crowned

By Ron Hottes

Final Club Championships results:

The Warburton Golf Club’s 2024 Club Champion is a new face to this iconic title. Clinton Toohey won the title with a gross 217, over 3 rounds. Congratulations Clint. The runnerup was 10-time Champion, Paul Mason, 4 shots behind. In 3rd place, was young tyro, Tim McKail, showing indications that he will be a force to be reckoned with in future years. The A-Grade Nett winner was another future bright prospect in Ryan Smith. His total Nett score of 205 was too slick for all others, as Clint finished 3 shots behind on 208. As mentioned last week, young Seth Spenceley’s 80 in the last round, with a total of 255, saw him declared the B-Grade Champ. Enjoy it while you can, Seth, because clearly, next year he will be competing against the ‘big boys’ in the Open/A division. Seth only won that title by the narrowest of margins, with Steuart Hawke and Lee Creedy hot on his heels (Seth also posted the best Nett result in B, but he can’t win both titles). This allowed Chris Fall to take home the Nett title, one behind Seth finishing on Nett 208. Robert Ferguson is the C-Grade Champion, returning a 3-round gross of 282. Well done, Rob. Jack Sheehan and Pacey Luttgens both tied for 2nd place on 284, but Pacey easily won the Nett event title with a Nett 203, 10 shots ahead of Rob.The Senior’s winner, for the Gross title, is David Hatt, achieving that honour by returning two fine 79s. Great effort, Hatty. The Senior’s Nett title was taken out by none other than Your Loyal Scribe ( Clearly a fluke). The Ladies Championships were concluded at the mid-week event. Results were as follows: Deb Hamment is the B-Grade Champion. Deb is one of the club’s most improved players, and her 3 steady rounds proved that. Great result, Deb. That saffron-smooth Georgie Houniet took out the C-Grade title with 3 great rounds, demonstrating that she is the most improved

lady golfer. Merilyn McDonald has won the time-honoured Elva Eddy trophy for posting the best Nett score over the 3 rounds. Club President, Meredith Nursey, is the Open Ladies Champion for the umpteenth time. Great effort, Prez. Thanks to all the ladies for participating, the club hopes to have even more participants next year.

Monday 22 April, V.V.V’s:

The V.V.V’s totalled 6 on this day, as a similar number are away at this time. The clear winner this day was Deb Hamment, who posted

a creditable 18 points. Deb seems to regularly collect the top vouchers. Anneliese Duivenvoorden took home the runner-up prize, on a countback, with 16 points. The unlucky loser in that tight countback was Merilyn McDonald, also with 16. There were no NTPs claimed on this day.

Wednesday 24 April, Par: As said in past articles, Par is a comp that is loved by a few, and hated by many more. A new convert to this demanding event is Dale Horrobin, who recorded a +4 to take home the top prize with very consistent golf for the whole round. He didn’t win it easily though, as he had to survive a Countback over Geoff Sharp, whose back-nine could not match Dale’s. A great result for both men. The ball rundown reached -2. NTPs went home with Max Carvill (3rd), Your Loyal Scribe (5th), Darryl Ward (9th), Alan McDonald (12th) and David Hatt (15th).

Saturday 27 April, Stableford: With the Club-Championships done and dusted and the pressure off, this old scribe suspected that big scores might result and they did. The biggest score was posted by Noel Cross, recording a solid 38 points. Crossey only won on a countback though, because Ray ‘Happy’ Gilmore also recorded a 38-point result. Great work by both boys. Balls reached 35 and NTP winners were Stuart Patrick (3rd), Liam Kay (5th), Paul Mason (9th), Josh Hin (12th) and Ross Archer, (15th).

The iconic Dick-Leith Matchplay Championships were also held, following the conclusion of the Club Championships. Results were as follows: In the Open event, Michael Batten defeated Paul Mason on the 18th hole after a titanic struggle throughout the whole round.

The B-Grade Champion is Seth Spenceley who won over Lee Creedy at the 17th. Also at the 17th, Rob Ferguson won the C-Grade title, overcoming Jack Sheehan in another very tight struggle. Congratulations to all the winners.

Trials a hit

By Anita Prowse

Tintern Grammar held it’s annual Interschool Horse Trials at Shirley Heights over the weekend.

Absolutely amazing weather and very picturesque venue looked amazing. Teams winners were – CLC Caracals

· CCN 2* winner – Emma Hercules from Toorak College

· CCN1* winner – Charlize Scott from Virtual School Victoria

· EVA 95 and EVA 80 winner – Taylor Anderson from Elizabeth Murdoch College

· EV 65 winner – Thomas Harrison from Flinders Christian Community College

· EV 50 winner – Ivy Williams from Rivercrest Christian College

Well done to everyone competing and all the organisers and sponsors. May is a huge month event wise, Friday 10 May Yarra Glen ARC have the last in their series of three Dressage Days, followed by Upper Yarra Pony Club’s Dressage Jackpot Saturday 11 May and Sunday 12 May, remember we will have heaps of things happening over Mothers Day, heaps of activities for the kids and a massive fundraising effort for Forever Friends Animal Rescue.

See you out there and Happy Riding everyone!!

The annual interschool horse trials was held at

SUPPLIED

General Classifieds

Shirley Heights. Picture:

L-R: Seth Spenceley (B-Grade winner), Rob Ferguson (C-Grade) and overall Open Club Champion Clinton Toohey.

SPORT Opponents share spoils

By Callum Ludwig

The inaugural George Ingram Cup became an instant classic as Seville and Belgrave battled it out on Anzac Day.

Hosted by Seville in honour of Victoria Cross and Military Medal recipient George Ingram, both sides engaged in an enthralling game that embodied the Anzac spirit.

It was the Magpies who got off to a flying start, kicking three goals before Seville could register a scoring shot, with Seville’s first opportunity coming courtesy of Dylan Broadway, but his shot missed.

Marks inside the arc were the key to Belgrave’s success in the first with the good set shot kicking that followed justifying the Magpies’ attacking approach of looking inside for the leading forwards.

Belgrave put one more on the board in the first quarter before inaccuracy started to plague both sides, as they each registered three behinds for the quarter and the Blues trailed by four goals at quarter time.

Seville looked to have a good opportunity to open their goalscoring account at the start of the second quarter but failed to convert it into a major, with Belgrave rebounding down the wing.

The ball fell to the back of a pack where the Magpies’ Kyle Nunn collected and jetted off before kicking long towards the goals. The ball appeared to be set to just off-line but a lucky bounce just short and took it through for a counter-attacking goal to take the wind further out of Seville’s sails.

The Blues did bounce back though, kicking their first for the day after a strong mark from Nathan O’Keefe deep in the forward line that he duly converted.

Jack Nolan was key to the Blues’ resurgence, taking a plethora of intercept marks deep in the Blues’ backline and distributing well by foot to push his team forward as Seville kicked another three goals quickly before the end of the quarter, though Belgrave managed another two to keep a lead intact at the long break, up by 14 points.

In the third quarter, Seville set to work and kicked two goals in quick succession including a long-range effort from Jye Sciortino that got them up and about.

Seville would hit the front with their third goal of the quarter but Belgrave bit back to re-

store their lead not long after, and then another.

The Magpies would cost themselves a goal later in the quarter, a Belgrave player would give a free kick away in retaliation to a big but fair hit in a marking contest on the wing that left a player down, with Seville moving the ball quickly and scoring.

Belgrave’s Anthony Johnston would take a strong one-handed mark and convert a tough set shot to inspire his side, before a set shot after the siren from Seville’s Ryan Farrow that faded left saw the Magpies in front by only eight points at the final change.

The fourth quarter started nervy with both sides missing chances early before Farrow would again step up to the plate and this time nail a tough set shot from the boundary to reduce the margin to a single point.

Belgrave’s Lachlan King would give away a 50m penalty late in the quarter that saw Se-

ville hit the front for only the second time in the match but a kick off the side of the boot fell kindly for the Magpie’s onrushing Chris Campbell.

Campbell went back on the tight angle, kicked his fourth goal of the day to draw the game level and the siren blew right after as a thrilling match ended all square.

Goal umpires convened where the final score was confirmed, with the scorecard reading Seville 10.11, 71 to Belgrave 11.5, 71.

Seville’s Nathan O’Keefe was awarded the George Ingram medallion for best on ground, joining Wandin women’s footballer Hailee Stokes in receiving their first edition of the medal and Seville A-Grade netballer Genesis Foster-Jonassen, who received the Robertson Sister’s medal for best on court.

Seville’s other best players were Jett Benninga, Jye Sciortino, Ryan Farrow, Jack Nolan,

Bayley Sciortino and Mark Cecere. Belgrave’s top performers on the day were Chris Campbell, Aaron Green, Lachlan King, Christopher Westcott, Daniel Ryan and Joshua Brown.

Other results:

· Women’s Football: Seville 1.3, 9 defeated by Wandin 5.6, 36

· Reserves: Seville 8.3, 51 defeated by Belgrave 9.6, 60

· U18 Boys: Seville 2.2, 14 defeated by Mt Evelyn 18.15, 123

· A Grade netball: Seville 45 defeated Belgrave 31

· B Grade: Seville 69 defeated Belgrave 29

defeated Belgrave 19

Special rivalry match finally back for Anzac round

By Dongyun Kwon

The special rivalry football match between Healeville and Warburton was finally back for Anzac round.

The two clubs had competed against each other on every Anzac Day for about 10 years and had to have a break.

Warburton-Millgrove Football Netball Club president Steve Noonan said the reason for the break was the change of the division.

“We haven’t played Healesville the last few years because we’ve been in second division and they’ve been in first.

“But prior to that, we always played Healesville on Anzac Day when we were in first division.

“Now we’re all back together to continue the special history.”

The entry was free to the ground on the day.

Healesville Football and Netball Club president Toby Nillman said he was proud of the number of people coming to the ground.

“We wanted to get many people from the community and from Warburton who wanted to come across here, and watch the game without worrying about putting their hands in their pocket,” he said.

The netball game started around 11.20am and the reserve football match started at 12.30pm.

Before the senior football match started, the whole crowd had a special Anzac Day

Federal Casey MP Aaron Violi and Yarra Ranges councillor Fiona McAllister attended the service and watched the football match.

Mr Violi said watching a footy match is one of the ways to commemorate Anzac Day.

“It’s wonderful to be at the Healesville football ground today looking at so many people coming here to enjoy a game of football,” he said.

“In many ways, that is a fitting tribute to our Anzacs who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us to enjoy the freedom of coming to watch a game of football.

“It’s a way to pay respect and commemorate but also celebrate our freedoms and seeing such a good turnout of so many young kids here is really exciting.”

Strong hands in front from Seville’s Jett Benninga.

Picture: CALLUM LUDWIGSeville’s Nathan Thompson gets his kick away. Lining

service led by Healesville RSL president Colette Shaw.

The service was led by Healesville RSL president Colette Shaw.

Getting ready to win.

Anzac round service.

Pictures: DONGYUN KWON

Reserve match.

Old rivals face off again

By Alex Woods

Round three was now upon us with a quick turnaround, playing on Anzac Day.

The day was primed for three games of netball and two games of football against Healesville.

C Grade had a nice early start at 9.30am, they got off to a flying start, having a quartertime score of 1-13.

They carried on the momentum, having a massive second and third quarter, with a score of 3-40 heading into the last term.

C Grade managed to shoot another 14 goals, leaving Healesville to only score one, having a final score of 6-54 at the end.

Cam Partel, Nicole Winzer and Cam Holland were all named top players of the match.

A Grade was on next and it was another strong start from the girls, 10-33 first half.

The conditions weren’t great throughout, wet and slippery court with rain through some stages.

Without rushing the ball, they had another big second half and finished off with a score of 27-59.

Bianca Daniels had another big one, shooting 37 goals and Karly Wappett with 22. Jessie Hare, Taylah Moschetti and Indiana Pinnock were all top performers.

B Grade took the court after to finish off the netball for the day.

The rain soon began again and the conditions became not the greatest, but they adjusted to it and played their game.

They had a nice halftime score of 12-24, and the conditions eased, but it still made for a scrappy game that soon became better as the game continued on.

The final score was 24-47 and a nice clean sweep for netball. Star players of the match were Monique Lee, Tayla Ferguson and Zoe Timoney.

Reserves started their match just after midday, another tough one was set to be had for this team.

The first half of the game went more Healesville way, with a halftime score of 8.4-52 to 3.2-20.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Reserves day with Healesville taking the win with a final

score of 12.7- 79 to 3.6-24.

David Lever, Ricky Andueza and Will Shepherd were the goal kickers for the Burras.

David Lever, Michael Brown, Jackson Jones, Aaron Maguire, Jamie Nelson and Joe McIntosh were the top players of the match.

The Seniors finished off the day with a big game against old rivals, Healesville.

It was good to go back to old times, playing Anzac Day against them.

The game started in the Burras favour, having a nice start of 3.3-21 to 4.2-26 at the first break.

The Burras carried on the momentum, having a half-time lead of 4.9-33 to 7.3-45.

Healesville had a good reset and came out in the second half firing.

They unfortunately took control of the

game and got themselves in front and kept the Burras scoreless in the last quarter.

They took the win, but it was a tough battle fought by the Burras.

The final score was 13.16-94 to 8.5-53.

Warburton-Millgrove’s goal kickers were Jack Farrugia with two, Tom Barr, Tyson Henry, Brayden Ferguson, Bailey Humphrey, Tom Marr and Lachy Hewitt all with one.

Tyson Henry, Jake Byrush, Nelson Aldridge, Tom Marr, Tom Barr and Aiden Westlake were all top performers.

The women’s footy team played their match on Saturday.

On what was a beautiful day, the Burras took the drive up to Thornton, to take on Thornton-Eildon.

They started strong kicking 3.8 in the first

quarter to Thornton-Eildon 0.0-0.

The team managed to convert the points into goals and kicked a big of 6.1 in the second quarter.

They had a reset at halftime and managed to continue on into the second half with a few mix-ups and secured a 14.21-105 to 1.0-6 win.

Madi Ward had a big game kicking 5 goals. Kylie Rockwell also secured 3 and Emerson Woods with 2.

Jade Radford, Jade Mewburn, Alex Woods, Maddi Andueza all secured 1 each to the game. EmersonWoods was awarded the Anzac Medal for her performance.

Madi Ward, Hollie Eckhardt, Katelyn Ruehmer, Kyle Ockwell and Sarah Wilcox all also were top performers for the day.

Home game this Saturday taking on Yarra Junction.

Wins all around for Woori Yallock against Berwick

By Brendan Donovan

Perfect conditions for the third week in a row greeted spectators and participants on Saturday as Woori Yallock battled Berwick Springs for the first time in the two clubs’ history.

Woori Yallock’s Under 18 footballers started off the week well for Woori by getting a strong win over Healesville on Anzac Day, 6.8, 44 to 11.3, 69. Best players were Archie Spencer, Tyler Ormsby, Harvey Smith, Mason O’Neill and Kynan French.

It was a healthy crowd for Woori’s first battle against Berwick Springs and the day started well as the Reserves got their first win in 616 days which was a fabulous result for the boys. Final scores 11.7, 73 to 7.13, 55 with the best players being Matthew Den Boer, Ryley Dare, Jake Dare, Caleb Lee, Hamish Gemmill and Marcus Baxter.

The A, B, C and D grade netball sides all got wins which was fantastic for the club, while the U15 and U17 sides had byes.

A: Woori Yallock 66 defeated Berwick Springs 16. Top Tigers were Danika Corless, Gaby Clarke and Chelsea Smith.

B: Woori Yallock 73 defeated Berwick Springs 28. Top Tigers were Louise Chapple, Holly Dunlop and Danielle Gazzola.

C: Woori Yallock 39 defeated Berwick Springs 21. Top Tigers were Jessica Ford, Emmerson Alford and Melanie-Rose Jakobs.

D: Woori Yallock 41 defeated Berwick Springs 17. Top Tigers were Laura Atkins, Alexandra Mcinnes and Rebecca Jackson.

In the senior men’s football, it was a scintillating 20 minutes of football that set up the day with the quarter-time score reading 9.10, 65 to 1.0, 6 Woori’s way.

A complete team effort of strong defence and ruthless attack led to a strong win for the Tigers, with the final score reading 22.24, 156 to 6.1, 37.

The top Tigers on the day were Angus Smith, Kody Busoli, Taylor Gibson, Kane Thompson, Blake Muir and Bradd Arnold.

To complete the day Woori’s Senior Women’s football side won their third game on the trot in a tough contest that finished 4.5 29 to 2.1, 13 against Emerald.

The best players for Woori were Sky Wilson, Piper Crymble, Emelia Robin, Jessica Lee, Jess Laidlaw and Ellie Murphy.

This week, Woori’s Under 18s travel to Olinda whilst the rest of the club heads to Wandin, it’s always a tough contest at the Kennel so Woori Yallock encourages all the club’s supporters to turn up and support the teams.

Marcus Baxter on his way to eight goals and first win in 616 days for the Woori Yallock Reserves.

Picture: ADAM SYKES

Burras were getting warmed up.

Picture: DONGYUN KWON

Big wins, valiant defeats

By Sarah Bailey Healesville Senior Women’s Reds 15:0 MUFC Sapphires

The Reds hosted the Sapphires at the sunsoaked Don Road complex. With the away team short on numbers, it was 9v9 and the Reds dominated from the first whistle.

Charlotte and Olive B scored five goals each, and single goals went to Holi May, Mia and Eloise.

Adding to the scoreboard with their first Senior goals were Sabra and Isla.

Healesville U12 Heelers 11:0 Northern Eagles

In their second home game of the season, the Heelers showed beautiful teamwork, creating abundant opportunities.

Goals were shared between Jesse, Bodie, Mack, Cooper, Ryder, Pepe and Oscar.

His arm in a cast, Jake walked to the ground to watch the whole game and gave plenty of encouragement from the sidelines.

Healesville U11 White Wolves 4:1

Blackburn Stingrays

Playing away for the first time this season, Healesville found the back of the net early through Ardi C. A contender for goal of the year, Sawyer C surged onto a loose ball and hit it with a colossal strike, clearing the Stingray defence and the keeper’s head, on the full from the halfway line!Will B scored soon afterwards.

Evan K’s ball control while dribbling at speed caused all sorts of issues for the Stingray defense.

At the break it was 3-0. A great run and dribble from a Stingray attacker got them on the board early in the second half, but Austin A stepped up to hit the net and quash any comeback.

Healesville U9 Redbacks 3:2 BCSC United Some great team play and individual efforts saw Healesville 2-1 up at half time away against Berwick, with goals to Will and Max.

The second half was tougher as the Redbacks had no interchange players and started to run out of steam. Berwick scored to level up at 2-2.

Teddy made multiple diving saves in goaleven opposition supporters were applauding his efforts.

The Redbacks kept fighting hard and Louis made a fantastic run, only to be brought down in the penalty box, but unfortunately the referee didn’t see it.

With a minute to go Will intercepted a pass and crossed the ball to Kai, who slid in to put the ball past the keeper for the win!

Healesville U10 Goats 3:1 BCSC Thunder

The Goats displayed another winning formula with excellent structure and incredible individual skills including ball mastery and tight dribbling, wreaking havoc for the visiting side.

A powerful left-foot strike from Arlo put the Goats ahead, and goals from Reggie and Isaac soon followed. Berwick fought back, but with solid, tight defending, and excellent instinctive goalkeeping from William, the Goats finished with a win.

Healesville U15 Flames 0:3

Healesville U15 Rebels

The U15 Flames played in the white strip for the Healesville Derby against their U15 Rebels counterparts. In a game that had no fewer than eight players who would also feature in the Senior Women’s teams later that afternoon, the future of Healesville Soccer Club’s Female Football program was on display.

The game was very equal, but the Rebels fin-

ished deserving winners. Best on ground were Hana P for the Flames and Kiah C for the Rebels.

Healesville Hearts U13 Girls 3:3

Blackburn Flamingos

Perfect conditions at the Don Road complex saw Healesville take a 3-0 lead into half time against anolderandmorephysicalBlackburnNorthside. Zara P scored two well-taken goals and Ruby R scored a cracker on the stroke of half time. Healesville would rue missed chances early in the second half as the Hearts’ legs got tired in the last 10 minutes and Blackburn scored three late goals. Shout out to Georgia C and Stella C, who battled hard all day and were best on ground.

Healesville Senior Men’s Reserves 0:1 Berwick Chargers

A tight game with few chances was played out at Grices Road Reserve.

A good strike by Berwick from outside the box in the first half was the only goal of the game. Healesville had four U15s playing and all did an amazing job.

Healesville Senior Men’s Firsts 0:1 Gideon’sWarriors

Yet again Healesville were up against a more youthful team with plenty of interchanges. A goal from a free kick for the Warriors saw them take a deserved half-time lead. Healesville’s spirited fightback in the second half almost saw them get the equaliser, but they just couldn’t find the back of the net.

Anzac Day round a thriller for Healesville

By Anne-Marie Ebbels

All teams were in action on Anzac Day for the first home game of the season.

The U18s kicked off the day against Woori Yallock in a tight first quarter.

WooriYallock went into the first break with a one goal lead.

Woori Yallock came out firing in the second quarter and held Healesville to a single goal while scoring four goals to go into the half time break with a 22-point lead.

Healesville hit back in the third quarter to reduce the lead to 16 points at the final break but couldn’t breach the gap in the final quarter with Woori Yallock running out 25-point winners.

C Grade started the netball games against Warburton-Millgrove for the day on the wet and slippery courts which made playing conditions challenging. Warburton-Millgrove dominated the game from start to finish limiting the Healesville scoring opportunities with a strong defensive effort running out winners by 48 goals.

In A Grade Healesville gave Warburton-

Millgrove a good head start in the first quarter, shuffling of the Healesville line-up at quarter time slowed Warburton-Millgrove’s scoring, but the damage had been done with Warburton- Millgrove running out winner by 32 goals.

B grade took to the court in the final netball game of the day,Warburton-Millgrove got off to a good start and continued to increase their lead at each break. Healesville battled hard, but Warburton-Millgrove were winners by 23 goals.

The women’s football game was played in the worst of the conditions of the day with light rain falling during the first half.

It didn’t bother the Healesville women who dominated the game from the first bounce to the final siren running out big winners by 51 points.

The Reserve had their second win in a row defeating Warburton-Millgrove by 55 points.

Healesville was in control of the game by half time and continued to limit WarburtonMillgrove scoring opportunities in the second half keeping Warburton-Millgrove goalless in the final quarter.

The final game of the day was a tight affair in the first half with Healesville’s inaccurate kicking allowing Warburton-Millgrove to into the main break 12 points up.

A five goal to one third quarter by Healesville put them in the lead by 14 points at the final break.

Healesville managed to keep WarburtonMillgrove goalless in the final quarter to run out winners by 41 points.

Football

· Senior Men Healesville 94 defeatedWarburton-Millgrove 53 Best: N Mende, C Ballingal. L Potts, J Bates, J Methven, D Senior.

· Reserves Men Healesville 79 defeated Warburton-Millgrove 24 Best: T Tweedie,M Renouf, K Jones, D Ebbels, C Boeder, M Evans.

· U18s Healesville 44 defeated by Woori Yallock 69.

· Womens Healesville 54 defeated Berwick Springs 2 Best: IWatson, A Bryan, M Cameron, C McMurray, A Frazzetto, K Willemsen.

Netball

· A Grade Healesville 27 defeated by Warburton-Millgrove 59 Best: H Blackney, J Agnew, J Milne.

‘River Pigs’ run out the winners in tight clash

By David Ball

Yarra Glen travelled to Yarra Junction with play starting in warm, sunny conditions and the ground in great condition. In senior football the River Pigs started well kicking the first goal.

Yarra Junction, however started winning the ball and used a kicking possession game to keep Yarra Glen to just the one goal at quarter time, whist adding three of their own to take a 13 point lead into quarter time. In the second quarter, Yarra Glen increased their tackling pressure and with Caleb Surplice intercepting many of Junction’s forward moves they were able to give their forwards many opportunities.

Up forward Nick McKenzie was marking everything.

The River Pigs added 4.6 to the Eagles 1.2.

The combination of poor kicking and the Eaglespressurekeptthescoresclose,withYarraGlen going into the main break just 11 points ahead.

The third quarter saw the standard of footy really improve as both sides lifted their intensity and improve their delivery into their respective forwards.

For the first half of the quarter it was goal for goal, every timeYarra Glen added a goal to stretch

their lead, Junction would answer.

Late in the quarter as the Eagles lifted, the River Pigs gave away three free kicks that were converted.

WithYarra Glen losing their composure in defence the Eagles took back the initiative to be four points up at the last break.

Inadesperatelastquarterwithbothsidesfeeling the heat,Yarra Glen took control and their defence held Junction goal less with just four rushed behinds being added to their score.

At the other end some quality goal kicking from Josh Hawkins and a great shot from the boundary by Heath Chamberlain saw the River Pigs run out 11 point winners, 11.12 to 9.13.

Best players were Nick McKenzie, Caleb Surplice, Noah Battle, SamWood andTom Sullivan.

Goalkickers were Josh Hawkins three, Nick McKenziethree,HeathChamberlaintwoandone each to SamWood, Nate Capuano and Kobey Jarvis.

The Yarra Glen Reserves game started as a fierce contest.

It took 14 minutes before a goal was scored by Junction, who then added another before quarter time to be 13 points up.

The second quarter was a very even contest

with both teams adding two goals.

Seth McDonnell in his first game for the club was giving the forwards opportunities, with another first gamer, Matt McKenzie providing a strong marking target up forward.

After half time as the Yarra Glen boys tired Junction took control and kicked eight goals to YarraGlen’s3.AshBryansbattledhardinthemidfield and Max Murphy and Ethan Murdock were great in defence.

There was no lack of effort from the River Pigs and they remained competitive until the final siren,beforegoingdown5.3toYarraJunction’s12.6.

BestPlayerswereSethMcDonnell,EthanMurdock, Ash Bryans, Max Murphy and Matt McKenzie.

Goalkickers were Sean Sanderson two, Matt McKenzie, Ash Bryans and Dan Kelly one each.

Netball started with D grade.

We headed to Yarra Junction for our round three clash and what a performance the Yarra Glen D grade girls put on!

The flow down court and a hard working defence saw us keep the home team to a scoreless first quarter.

The defence combination of Sarah Mathews, AnnieDietrichandMollyKeyhoeprovedtobetoo

strong from the first whistle, keeping Yarra Junction to 13 goals for the game.

Best on court goes to Annie Dietrich who is getting better with each game. It was an impressiveeffortfromtheYarraGlenshooters,scoring33 goals for the game.

The 20 goal win sees D grade start with 2 from two wins to start the season.

C Grade also played Yarra Junction away in a contest that Yarra Glen controlled from the first whistle.

TheYarraGlengirlstookonthegameandwere relentless in attack, showing their versatility and exceptional skill.

In A grade, the team saw another decisive and clinical performance from Yarra Glen, a welloiled A grade machine!

Yarra Junction were no match as theYarra girls dominated each quarter, eventually running out winners 56-33.

Yarra Glen’s B grade team, despite winning three quarters of this rough game against Yarra Junction, just couldn’t get the job done, being overrun in last to go down 37-33 in a frustrating encounter.

Next weekYarra Glen will play at home against Yea

Senior’s football Kick off.

Picture: DONGYUN KWON

Healesville’s U10 Goats are one of 16 Junior teams playing for Healesville Soccer Club in 2024.

Picture: SUPPLIED

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