Mail - Upper Yarra Star Mail - 16th July 2024

Ready to ride in Paris

By Dongyun Kwon

Healesville resident Bridget Murphy finally put her name in the Paralympics team for the first time in her life with her 7-year-old horse Macey.

They have been training with their coach Monica Bird, who lives in Coldstream, twice a week and doing extra training by themselves whenever they have time.

Murphy said she thanks the local community.

“It’s a very expensive sport and I’ve had a couple of big fundraisers and everyone was so supportive,” she said.

“My whole team is Valley-based, we lived here, the horse was bred here, the owners are here, and my coach is here.

“So, I feel the whole Valley is behind us, we’re just really excited to be on this journey, and I hope everyone enjoys it as well.”

Turn to page 27 for more

Reckless hunters

By Callum Ludwig

Instances of illegal deer hunting in the Upper Yarra have risen again, prompting local police to call on hunters to make sure they are doing the right thing.

Recent offences have involved hunters who have gone out at night and/or are hunting on private property without permission.

Officer in Charge at the Warburton Police

Station Jason Kelly said the laws and regulations surrounding the use of firearms for hunting/pest control exist to keep everyone safe.

“Police have genuine concerns for public safety as well as domestic pets/livestock when firearms are used in contravention of the laws and regulations, such as when they are used on private property without the knowledge or permission of the owners,” he said.

“Legal hunting on public land (i.e. state forest) can only occur during daylight hours with the required licences and permits. It is illegal to possess, carry or use a loaded firearm in a public place – which covers roadways or residential streets,”

“It is also illegal to possess, carry or use a loaded firearm in a non-public place with reckless disregard for safety, these are indictable (arrestable) offences and carry potential

jail sentences if found guilty at court.”

Warburton Police responded to a report of a headless deer carcass located on private property on Brett Road, Warburton between 10pm and midnight on Wednesday 26 June, where the offender had killed the deer within 30m of a person’s home and stayed long enough to remove the head before leaving.

Continued page 3

Bridget Murphy and Macey are going for their first Paralympic Games soon. (Stewart Chambers)

NEWS Tackling short-term rentals

By Callum Ludwig

Yarra Ranges Council has issued a statement on the management of short-term rental accommodation (STRA) and the impact it has on the region.

Yarra Ranges Council has previously called for action and also recently confirmedWarburton’s exceptionally low housing supply to community land trust advocacy group Grounded for the ‘Airbnb: from a housing problem to solution’ report.

A Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson said the Yarra Ranges is one of the most visited regions in the state of Victoria for tourism, particularly in the Dandenong Ranges, Yarra Valley and UpperYarra areas includingWarburton and surrounds.

“However, with tourism, comes the issue of STRA which is a key challenge for Council. Council needs to ensure that we balance the opportunities for tourism, economic growth with other short-term rental requirements such as accommodation for farm workers as well as the need for available and affordable housing for permanent local communities,” they said.

“From an economic benefit our local economy – which boasts countless cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels, wineries, breweries and distilleries – relies heavily on this visitation, and we’re pleased to welcome overnight visitors to the region annually,”

larly to ensure minimum standards and safety associated with rental properties, regardless of if they are rented for a short or long period of time,” they said.

“Council is monitoring developments in this space across the country and is keen for the state to take a leading role to ensure consistency.”

Statewide registration systems have already been implemented in New South Wales and Tasmania, with New South Wales in the midst of a six-month review of its framework.

The spokesperson said Council also recently released its 15-year Housing Strategy which highlights the need for diverse housing choices for all stages of life.

“Having access to housing choices that are well located, affordable, secure and safe, enables people to live with dignity, provides access to education and employment choices, and encourages participation in community life,” they said.

Yarra Ranges Council previously called on the Municipal Association of Victoria to lobby the State Government to create an STRA register in 2022.

The spokesperson said an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 could be

“Council is working to better understand the impacts and scope of STRAs, on both local housing and economies, through the development of an issues paper.”

one way to establish a state-wide register for STRA which would allow for consistent standards to be regulated across Victoria.

“Council is aware of the impact that the STRA market has on the provision of properties for long-term rental and is looking to the State government to consider how short stay accommodation could be regulated, particu-

“Further, Council’s Advocacy Agenda and Housing Strategy, outlines actions for diverse housing choices and the issue of STRA with an aim to enhance regulatory and monitoring mechanisms, to allow our community to balance the economic benefits of tourism with their housing needs,”

“An increase in property values often accompanies a growth in tourism. This can have a knock-on impact on people wishing to remain within the Yarra Ranges, who may wish to downsize or buy a first home.”

Drug consumption report reveals record highs

The 22nd report from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program was released on Thursday 11 July, giving a recent snapshot of Australia’s drug use.

The report, put together by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) every quarter, tested wastewater from 56 sites in capital city and regional sites around the country over seven days in December 2023, representing 14.1 million people 55 per cent of the population.

Further sampling only in capital cities was undertaken in February 2024.

ACIC CEO Heather Cook said the data presents a stark reminder of the persistent and evolving challenge of drug use and its implications for public health and safety.

“As we continue to combat this issue, it is crucial to understand underlying factors contributing to these trends and to develop targeted strategies to address them,” she said.

“Wastewater analysis permits the ACIC to engage meaningfully with international agencies on transnational drug threats, working alongside our domestic law enforcement partners, certain investigations now integrate targeted, high-intensity wastewater analysis to gauge the impact of law enforcement actions,”

“Additionally, wastewater analysis is increasingly used as a key element in drug ‘early warning’ systems, enhancing the ability to anticipate and respond to emerging drug threats.”

A number of record highs for drug consumption were exceeded in December 2023 sampling, with cocaine consumption in both capital cities and regional areas, methylamphetamine consumption in capital cities and nicotine consumption in regional areas hitting their highest recorded levels.

The average consumption of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, MDA, ketamine, alcohol, and nicotine all increased in capital cities and regional areas, while cannabis was the only substance tested for that decreased across the board.

The average consumption of alcohol, cocaine, MDMA, MDA, heroin and ketamine in capital cities exceeded regional areas while nicotine, methylamphetamine, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis consumption in regional areas was higher than in capital cities.

The report also compared data with the 2023 Sewage Core Group Europe (SCORE)

findings, which covers 112 cities across 34 countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Oceania:

Australia was ranked fourth out of the 34 nations for the use of illicit stimulants, including ranking second for methylamphetamine (from 30 countries), 15th for MDMA (from 33) and 20th for cocaine (from 32).

Australia was also ranked third out of 20 countries for cannabis consumption.

A recent survey by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation conducted in May 2023 also recently found 64 per cent of the 367 people in the survey (out of 3604 total) who had concerns regarding a friend or relative’s alcohol or other drug use didn’t feel as though they knew how to provide support.

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s CEO

Dr Erin Lalor AM said the survey findings reaffirm the critical need to reduce the barriers that prevent family and friends seeking information and support for themselves, or a relative or friend.

“Knowing that a family member or friend is experiencing issues with alcohol or other drugs, can be incredibly tough, and given that a major source of support for people experiencing alcohol or other drug harms are family and friends, it’s crucial people within these support networks have better awareness and access to help and information for both themselves and those they’re worried about,” Dr Lalor said.

“This survey also highlights that many concerned relatives or friends are waiting long periods of time before seeking help. It’s vital that we increase awareness about the

benefits of accessing help and support early,”

“Knowing how to support someone can be overwhelming. By seeking information and support for yourself early on, and then starting a conversation with your friend or family member about where to find information or help, and how to minimise the risk of harm, you can help encourage healthier outcomes.”

Nearly 60 per cent didn’t know how to hold a conversation with someone, 45 per cent didn’t know where they could suggest someone find information or support about their alcohol or other drug use while 46 per cent didn’t know how to find help for themselves.

This is despite 78 per cent reporting that they understood the importance of seeking support and information early, with 58 per cent saying they did not seek it at all.

Barriers that made it difficult for people to seek help included not knowing what to ask or where to go, feelings of a lack of privacy, worries about the thoughts of others or their relative/ friend and feelings of embarrassment.

Dr Lalor said she was incredibly saddened to see 12 per cent of those who had considered seeking help for a friend or family member were too embarrassed to ask, while 16 per cent were worried what people would think of them or their relative/friend.

“People should feel no shame about reaching out for help and support. We need stronger investments in initiatives to reduce stigma and encourage greater rates of helpseeking,” she said.

“For people who do experience issues with their alcohol or other drug use, often this has more to do with the other challenges they might be facing. In these situations, our role is to help them with the support they need to be healthy and well,”

“Health-based approaches to drug use are also needed and benefit the whole community as they can help to reduce stigma, see more people reaching out for help and support, and reduce drug-related harms such as deaths and disease.”

For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.

For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to the Turning Point website.

Cocaine consumption hit record levels in both capital cities and regional areas of Australia in December 2023. (On file: 346757)

Yarra Ranges Council want Victoria to take a leading role in addressing the issues with short term rentals. (On File: 399827)

Illegal hunting rise

From page 1

Sgt Kelly said recently there have been at least three separate incidents that have occurred in the Warburton township with a few others in outlying areas in the Upper Yarra area.

“We would like to encourage reporting of these incidents to assist with targeting our patrol areas,” he said.

“These incidents invariably occur at night with poor visibility and the use of spotlights and/or thermal scopes are apparent, in the past we have had cases in the Yarra Ranges where a horse and goats have been shot and killed,”

“The proximity to dwellings is also a major concern considering the high powered firearms that are used to hunt deer, there is a very real possibility of a round passing through or ricocheting off the intended target and ending up inside someone’s house which has also occurred in the past.”

In 2023, police from the Yarra Junction and Warburton Police Stations partnered with the Victorian Game Management Authority (GMA) for Operation Thicket, with an increased police presence around hotspots in Don Valley and Powelltown among others, as well as making a push for residents to report more incidents.

GMA members and police were out in force, both in uniform and plain clothes and in marked vehicles or unmarked, targeting offenders.

In August 2022, the Star Mail also reported an incident whereWarburton Police responded to reports of gunshots close to homes, checking a vehicle en route where they found a deer carcass, firearm and a spotlight.

The perpetrator did not have a firearms license, with the weapon belonging to a licensed firearm owner, and he was charged with multiple firearms and hunting offences. The licenced firearm owner also faced a charge for allowing an unlicensed person to be in possession of his firearm, also having his firearms licence suspended and the remainder of his firearms and ammunition seized.

Sgt Kelly said this year they have increased their tasking in relation to patrolling known areas as well as appealing for public information about reporting suspicious vehicles.

“We will be engaging with other agencies to work on joint operations in the future, which have been successful in the past,” he said.

“I want to be clear that the majority of licenced firearms owners who take their hobbies seriously do the right thing, this is not directed at them,”

“The people we are targeting are not hunters, they are breaking the law and have no regard for public safety or respect for private property.”

Illegal behaviour in regards to deer hunting includes hunting without a Game Li-

cence, using incorrect firearms, calibres and ammunition, hunting in prohibited areas including hunting on private property without permission, breaching Victoria’s spotlighting laws and regulations and the incorrect use of dogs and dog breeds.

For hunters looking to do the right thing, Sgt Kelly said the local firearms dealerships are an excellent source of information and now run the Firearms Safety Courses.

“The pre-requisites for getting a firearms licence cover the education aspect and there is a plethora of information available online from the Victoria Police website as well as Game Management Authority and other government agencies, not to mention plenty of private providers,” he said.

Night hunting, illegal spotlighting or possessing a firearm in recognised deer habitat can lead to fines in excess of $3,600, equipment seizure, including firearms, spotlights and vehicles, and Game and Firearm Licences cancelled.

Sgt Kelly said residents can take note of any suspicious vehicles and obtain registrations if safe and possible, with a view to making a Crimestoppers report or calling a police station.

“Phone calls to the local non-24 hour police stations now divert to the closest 24-hour station when unmanned,” he said.

“If gunshots are heard or illegal activity involving firearms is suspected call 000.”

IN BRIEF

Correction

In the article ‘No cheers for proposal’ in last week’s paper on Tuesday 9 July, it was printed that “The proposal is very small scale and the winery element simply seeks to have a former cellar door reopened to cater for a maximum of 32 patrons,” they said.

It should have read ‘20 patrons’.

Missing Healesville man

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing Healesville man Benjamin.

The 43-year-old was last in contact with a family member via social media on Thursday morning however has not been seen or heard from since.

He is described as being Caucasian in appearance, of medium build with short blond hair and blue eyes.

Police and family have concerns for Benjamin’s welfare as his disappearance is out of character.

Benjamin is known to frequent the Lake Eildon, Narbethong, Reefton and Mount Donna Buang areas.

He is travelling in a blue 2005 Ford Falcon, with registration UYX 152.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Lilydale Police Station on 9739 2300.

School zones return for Term Three Drivers on the road in the mornings and afternoons are urged to take care as school zone speed limits are in place again this week as Term 3 of 2024 commences Monday 15 July.

Drivers are reminded to be patient around school zones as speed limits return and there is an expected increase in road, pedestrian and bicycle traffic at drop-off and pick-up times.

Some school speed zones are permanent, while others operate from 8am to 9.30am, and from 2.30pm to 4pm on weekdays, with reduced speeds of 40km/h or 60km/h in school zones until the end of the school term.

Continued parking enforcement

Yarra Ranges Council is continuing enforcement of parking restrictions across the Yarra Ranges, following a trial of new technology in the first half of the year to help create more equitable parking opportunities and better safety outcomes for the community.

The initial increase in enforcement came following feedback from community that cars were parking in no stopping zones or overstaying the timed restrictions, resulting in safety concerns, a lack of available parking spaces for other motorists and general traffic disruption.

Along with increased enforcement officers, camera based technology mounted to Yarra Ranges Council branded vehicles will continue being used to monitor areas with parking restrictions.

The technology increases the efficiency of staff in patrolling such a large region, allowing them to cover more ground in less time.

Deceased person sadly found

A deceased person was found on a footpath near Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Health on the morning of Friday 12 July.

Star Mail contactedVictoria Police and confirmed it was a non-suspicious death.

Ambulance Victoria paramedics were called to the scene at around 6.45am.

Illegal deer hunters are in the line of fire of local police. (File)

How council will engage

By Callum Ludwig Yarra Ranges

Council has approved a revised Community Engagement Policy at theTuesday 9 July council meeting.

The Community Engagement Policy was first adopted in April 2021 and the new revisions were made following over 240 community engagement projects that have been undertaken by the Council since the original policy was implemented.

Starting the discussion, Lyster Ward Councillor Johanna Skelton asked a question to Executive Officer for Communications and Engagement Joanne Hammond regarding if there is any guidance in the Community Engagement Policy about when the Council decides to undertake an external review of an engagement project.

“We don’t have any specific projects in mind when it comes to evaluation, we’ll simply have a look at what’s going on, what is contentious or what has piqued the interest of the community and has created a great deal of feedback for us to make decisions around how we will evaluate,” she said.

“Some projects create more interest than others and we can’t always tell at the beginning of the project what that will be, but we will be looking at getting some external evaluation done to make sure that it’s as objective as we can make it.”

Yarra Ranges Council sought to update the Community Engagement Policy prior to the adoption of the new Council plan and the council elections in October, with the draft having been open for feedback from 27 March to 5 May this year.

Cr Skelton said she thinks it’s an excellent review of the existing community engagement policy.

“It’s right that we see how it was landing, make sure that it’s delivering on expectations, I think throughout the six-week exhibition, we got really insightful and good feedback from the community that I can see how it’s improved the policy,” she said.

“I can see from the report that they did a very good deep dive around all different teams of council and saw how it landed in different parts,”

“Between the officers and the community, we’ve got a good list of proposed changes for

us to look at on page 53 and 54 and to me, they all make sense and look like they will improve outcomes for communities.”

Prior to community feedback, these were some of the key changes implemented in the draft revised policy:

Updated to 2023 Council-approved version of the Acknowledgement of Country

Inclusion of a revision history table and administrative changes clause (to allow for changes without Council endorsement)

Inclusion of a clear definition and specific use of ‘Community Engagement’

Clarified the factors considered in Council decisions, including community engagement

Removed the list of suggested groups to engage with

In the ‘when we engage’ section, consolidated it into a list of times Council will and will not engage, rather than ‘will, may and will not’

Included an overarching statement that defines the deciding factors as ‘when there is/ is not a genuine opportunity for input to inform,

change or influence a decision’

Removed the specific steps for planning engagement which can widely be found elsewhere but remain available internally

Removed example initiatives in the‘Level of engagement’ subsection

New ‘Deciding the engagement approach’, ‘Deciding on the tools of engagement’ and ‘What does consistency look like’ subsections

A new section covering how Yarra Ranges Council will inform the community of engagement outcomes and evaluate the engagement performance

Addition of a new section with legislative context, such as the inclusion of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and other relevant legislation

Outline the relationship between the Council plan and community engagement as well as relevant Council policies like the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

General clarification and removal of broad or unclear statements eg: ‘changing

something’

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child said the revised policy really reflects the outcome from those community engagement pieces.

“I go back to the previous policy that Cr Skeleton referred to and the previous item we discussed here tonight was the waste issue, and when you looked at the waste management plan that we went out to the community with, it was probably one of the best buy-ins we had from our community, that process was really showed how we did that and we did it well,” he said.

“It really builds on that previous piece and it shows that we really take seriously the value of community engagement.”

Community feedback on the draft revised policy also resulted in Yarra Ranges Council including the role of communication to support community awareness of their chances to engage, commit to improving transparency regarding decisions on planning community engagement and resource allocation, include people experiencing homelessness as a cohort to consider when planning engagement and highlight the role within Council to continuously improve and train to deliver better outcomes for the community.

Billanook Councillor Tim Heenan said local government gets flak at times because some members of the general public think that they just go out there to tick the boxes.

“We all have understandings that certain things need to be done in local government but because the officers have gone much more in-depth this time, though of course there’s more to be done, I’m really supportive of the immense diversity of what we’ve got back so far,” he said.

“I think we forget, I’m sure the people around the room here don’t forget, but members of the community forget how big this Shire council really is, how much we have to take care of and the immense diversity of things that we have to take care of which are not just roads, rates and rubbish which is the old saying,”

“We need to find out what people want to say, what level of detail they want to give to us and try to understand what they’re saying to us.”

Yarra Ranges supports Birrarung Valley Walk project

By Dongyun Kwon

Yarra Ranges Council (YRC) endorsed theentering a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Birrarung Valley Walk Inc to support the Birrarung Valley Walk project at the council meeting on Tuesday 9 July.

The BirrarungValleyWalk Inc is seeking to link existing walking tracks and paths from the mouth of the Birrarung (Yarra River) to the Upper Yarra Reservoir to protect, en-

hance and promote the natural environment and First Nations culture of the Birrarung Valley.

YRC has completed or is progressing a number of projects along the Birrarung which contribute to the Yarra Strategic Plan released in 2022.

Lyster Ward councillor Johanna Skelton said the Birrarung Valley Walk project is a lovely project for YRC.

“The BirrarungValleyWalk is not a council project and nor are we expected to contribute money to it,” she said.

“We are a council that has the large majority of the Yarra River in our municipality, we take in all the beautiful clean parts of it and have such a duty to protect, enhance and support it, and support people’s connection to it.

“This proposal has already got the support

of a Traditional Owner group [Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation] and a bunch of other councils and government entities like Melbourne Water as the lead group.”

No financial commitment is required to enter the MoU.

Birrarung Valley Walk Inc will use the signed MoUs to seek philanthropic support for the project.

Yarra Ranges Council has adopted a revised Community Engagement Policy. (On File: 335071)

FOGO effective so far

By Mikayla van Loon

With six months passing since the introduction of food organics and garden organics (FOGO) bins in the Yarra Ranges, a mid-year review proved its effectiveness but highlighted core concerns for further advocacy.

From the transition period in January and February to June, Yarra Ranges Council collated data and feedback from the community to understand the challenges, opportunities and outcomes of the FOGO service.

It revealed a positive environmental impact, showing a 73 per cent diversion rate of waste going to landfill, which sits just below the council’s 2025 target.

An additional 9037 tonnes of organic waste material was collected, with a reduction of general waste materials equating to 6248 tonnes.

But it also returned a saturated request for weekly waste collections or larger bins particularly for households with young children or with more than five people residing in the home.

Further feedback related to a possible optout option for residents who already have a system in place to compost or manage food and garden organics within their properties.

This led to the council’s recommendations to explore options of bin sizes or collection changes within the contract, investigate solutions for multi-unit developments with reduced space and hold consideration for an opt-out clause until the finalisation of state service standards for municipalities.

In total the council’s officers put forward seven recommendations, including an extension of the reusable nappy workshops, an endorsement to defer the glass collection service until July 2026 and advocacy for better managing soft plastics.

At the council meeting onTuesday 9 July the

seven recommendations were accepted, with councillors Fiona McAllister and Tim Heenan putting forward additional wording.

The alternate motion Cr McAllister put forward asked “to undertake further consultation with non residential properties to work to resolve current waste service challenges they are experiencing”.

Cr McAllister said while the report outlined some of the challenges, particularly for small business owners who had also been reduced to a fortnightly waste collection, “I think it needs to be specifically refer-

enced in our recommendation to acknowledge that we are continuing to find ways to resolve those issues,” she said.

For Cr Heenan the wording of “as soon as possible” was added to the second recommendation regarding contract discussions and bin size outcomes to pass on that advice to the community when it was finalised. “There may be members of the community out there that want another bin.We do have to work that through with our contractors to make sure we can come up with a new solution. Hopefully not at a substantially inflated cost,” he said.

“I just want to see that done as soon as possible.”

Addressing the report and the motion as its mover, Cr Johanna Skelton said with many of the major concerns relating to frequency of collection and bin size, she felt the council’s approach “[captures] the main issues”.

“I feel like the option to increase the bins size strikes a good balance between us addressing that concern for overfill bins and not incurring extra costs…for all the community members to pay for this service,” she said.

“So I feel like that, hopefully, will nail a major concern around just not having enough bin space while still providing the incentive to reduce landfill which we know we need to do to meet legislation and for ethical reasons.”

Cr Skelton did reiterate “we’re [not] going to change it immediately” with discussions still needing to be had “about what costs may be incurred”.

Adding to this, Cr Richard Higgins said given the State Government’s household waste service standard was open for public consultation, it would be remiss of the council to proceed concretely.

“It would be irresponsible of us to actually lock in a lot of the things we’re considering until we actually get that feedback from the State Government or their words of wisdom on which direction we should go,” he said.

“I think we should be a little bit hesitant to say anything in concrete.”

Addressing the deferral of glass collection, Cr Skelton said it seemed like the most appropriate action until contributing factors like the container deposit scheme could be fully assessed.

Cr Skelton closed out the discussion by congratulating the community on its uptake and success so far with the FOGO system.

The motion was passed unanimously.

The Yarra Ranges Council has monitored the data since introducing FOGO and released the review’s results. (On File)

Battery sparks interest

By Callum Ludwig

The community battery set to be installed by the end of the year in Yarra Junction has already drawn the interest of Yarra Ranges residents from around the region.

Montrose resident Ian Wheater had taken note of the battery’s upcoming installation and asked at the Tuesday 9 July Yarra Ranges Council meeting if more will be installed in other townships.

Director of Planning and Sustainable Futures at Yarra Ranges Council Kath McClusky said at this stage, the council doesn’t have any plans to install community batteries across the municipality.

“The community battery in Yarra Junction was installed by Indigo Power via a federal grant program, Indigo Power is a communityowned energy company and will operate the battery as part of their network,” she said.

“Council is generally supportive of community batteries, this support will differ depending on specifics of each project,”

“However, council doesn’t manage a dedicated program to roll them out across the municipality.”

The Yarra Junction community battery was promised by the now Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen in the township as a 2022 election promise and is one of 400 that was funded in the October 2022 Federal Budget across the country.

Project Manager at Indigo Power Heath Shakespeare said Yarra Junction makes an excellent location for a pilot community battery.

“Indigo Power believe that projects like this, community batteries, will encourage interest in energy and the renewable energy transition,” he said.

Indigo Power will be working closely with Yarra Ranges Council to roll the project out and will provide updates through our social media pages. Updates can also be requested directly from Indigo Power.”

The battery will be located at 2436 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction (near the Yarra Centre).

A recent meeting information session facilitated by Yarra Ranges Council between Indigo Power had more than 30 participants attend.

Mr Shakespeare said the feedback was positive.

“The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the project including key stakeholders and the community across the Yarra Junction region,” he said.

“This was to provide local people with information about community batteries so they can have an opportunity to ask questions, learn and understand how the battery will operate, and how the battery will benefit the local community.”

Indigo Power holds a lease agreement with Yarra Ranges Council for the battery’s installation, along with a connection agreement with AusNet.The battery is estimated to be installed and operational in November 2024.

Mr Shakespeare said the more batteries that are deployed in local areas, the more flexibility there may be to unlock further access the benefits.

“When projects such as this are launched, there is a postive engagement from other communities to get involved, local energy groups from neighbouring areas generally reach out to find out how what the application process is, what type of sites are suitable to host a community battery and how to engage with others in their community,” he said.

“Benefits of a network of community batteries in a local region such asYarra Ranges can include allowing more rooftop solar and electric devices to be connected, reduced pressure on the electricity grid, the potential community shared energy while lowering emissions,”

“The opportunity to lower electricity costs may be achieved by storing electricity during the day when generation from renewables is high and prices are low then feeding electricity back into the grid when it is needed most and at a higher price.”

The battery is 120kW/300kWh Pixii Lithium iron phosphate battery, containing a built-in fire suppression system, three units and one switchboard, a ‘footprint’ of about four square metres, front of meter (FOM) battery connection and a life expectancy of about 10-15 years.

Hydrogen fuel cells installed across the Yarra Valley

By Dongyun Kwon

The Yarra Valley is ready to deal with the extreme weather conditions as the State Government has been investing in renewable hydrogen to keep Victorians connected during emergencies and power outages.

The government invested $1.1 million into the Telstra Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot project which has installed five hydrogen fuel cells in communities, all who have experienced extreme storms like Coldstream, Kinglake, Christmas Hills, Chum Creek and Neerim North, from May to July.

Telstra integrated network facilities and environment executive Vicki Romanovski said Telstra’s hydrogen fuel cell trial aims to determine the technical and commercial viability of deploying fuel cell generators using hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources as an alternative backup source in the case of a power outage to help keep customers stay connected and support the sustainability of the their operations.

“These systems will be able to store around 72 hours worth of energy for the site within the green hydrogen fuel tanks,” she said.

“The fuel cells themselves will operate on the site exactly like a diesel generator would in the same situation – providing full site backup if the AC mains fail.

“The existing battery site reserve will remain and won’t change. This is typically eight hours per site. The fuel cell provides an additional reserve of 72 hours per site on top of this.”

This pilot is one of the projects funded through the $6.6 million Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund.

Other companies like Volgren Australia, Viva Energy, Energys Australia and Boundary Power are also undertaking hydrogen pilots, trials and demonstrations as part of the program.

Ms Romanovski said this trial is important

to Telstra.

“It will help us test the viability of hydrogen fuel cells to provide additional site power, assessing their technical and commercial viability to provide reliable extended backup power should mains power fail, and doing so with zero carbon emissions,” she said.

“The biggest impact we can have on climate change, especially in the short to me-

dium term, is to emit less carbon.

“Not only do the fuel cells emit zero carbon, but these fuel cells will also provide an additional reserve of 72 hours per site via the storage of 100 per cent renewable green hydrogen stored in hydrogen tanks at each site.”

All five hydrogen fuel cells have been successfully installed with the launch of the Neerim North mobile network renewable hydrogen backup system on 4 July.

“Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap confirms that renewable hydrogen will play a critical, targeted role in the energy transition by strengthening energy resilience as we keep communities powered reliably and affordably,” energy and resources minister Lily D’Ambrosio said.

The new community battery in Yarra Junction will be installed near the Yarra Centre. (On file: 338486)

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor (then Mayor) Jim Child, now Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and 2022 Labor candidate for Casey Bill Brindle at the announcement of the battery in the lead-up to the election. (On file: 276786)

Energy and resources minister Lily D’Ambrosio (left) and Telstra integrated network facilities and environment executive Vicki Romanovski. (Supplied)

Neerim North mobile network renewable hydrogen backup system. (Supplied)

NEWS Wombat focus for webinar

By Callum Ludwig

An opportunity to learn about the plight of one of our favourite native animals is coming up.

Katja Gutwein is the Vice-Preisdent and Secretary of Mange Management is set to be the key speaker for a ‘Wombat Webinar’ that is open for Yarra Ranges residents to tune into.

Ms Gutwein said she started out as a registered wildlife carer, raising native wildlife including wombats and then got involved with wombats with mange, as a founding member of Mange Management.

“Wombats face a lot of threats, not only mange but also road accidents, loss of habitat and legal/illegal culling and I’ll talk about all of these in my webinar,” she said.

“Pretty much all of these threats would apply to the population in the Yarra Ranges, in fact, it’s a hot spot for mange there as mites like cool and moist conditions.”

Wombats are one of the most affected species by mange, caused by the parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows into the skin of its host (often wombats, foxes or dogs) causing thick, crusty skin, and hair loss.

Ms Gutwein said it is very urgent to protect and look after wombats, as numbers have decreased drastically.

“In some areas, there have been reports that wombats used to live there but not anymore, so local populations are being wiped out, an example of this is Narawntapu Nations Park in Tasmania where over 250 wombats used to live, and now there’s less than 5, as they’ve been all wiped out by mange,” she said.

“If we don’t do anything now, wombats might become endangered in the next few decades or even extinct and we can’t afford to lose such an iconic Australian animal.”

Ms Gutwein encouraged residents to report wombats with mange to Mange Management via their website mangemanagement.org.au where they can also enquire to volunteer or do-

nate while also spreading the word that wombats with mange can be treated.

For any injured wombats, she recommended residents report them to a wildlife rescue organisation and urged motorists to slow down at night and check pouches of wombats or other wildlife that has been hit and killed on the roads.

Join FFMVic’s firefighters

By Dongyun Kwon

New opportunity is open for local residents to become a firefighter as Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic)’s annual recruitment drive for seasonal firefighters ahead of this year’s bushfire season runs from July 4 to 28.

Applications are now open for project firefighter roles across 18 locations including the the Hume region including Alexandra, Marysville, Toolangi, Kinglake.

FFMVic Hume region deputy chief fire officer Aaron Kennedy said successful applicants would boost Victoria’s firefighting and land management capacity in the lead-up to summer and the peak fire season.

“Being a project firefighter can bring a sense of purpose and personal achievement knowing your efforts contribute to protecting Victorian communities and the environment,” he said.

“Recruits will have opportunities to train and work alongside FFMVic’s permanent firefighting staff, responding to emergencies such as bushfires and floods.

“They will also work in land management and help reduce bushfire risk through planned burning, weed control, maintaining the public land road network and strategic fuel breaks.”

Two firefighters shared their stories with the Star Mail.

After years of working in the health industry, Andrew Brown decided to change careers and became a project firefighter with FFMVic.

Based in Alexandra, he enjoys the variety of the role and working in the forest environment.

“I appreciated all the training and mentoring from experienced firefighters and learning new skills such as chainsaw use and fourwheel driving,” Mr Brown said.

“I love learning about the history of the forests as well as local flora and fauna.”

Another firefighter Ben Thomas joined the team at Marysville as a project firefighter when he was 18.

Five years on, he’s working as a forest and fire operations officer technical lead.

“I was uncertain about what I wanted to do after finishing year 12, so I thought I’d just give

18.

it a try,” he said.

“Marysville is a fantastic place to work; we’re like a family here.

“I love the forest we look after around Marysville, it’s some of the most beautiful and diverse in the state.”

Mr Thomas said he enjoys the diversity of the role and opportunities to continually upskill.

“One day you could be track clearing with a chainsaw and the next fighting a forest fire,” he said.

FFMVic is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the Victorian community.

As part of its ongoing commitment to support meaningful careers for current and future First Nations staff, designated positions are available.

Applications close 28 July and employment occurs between October and May, with some variation depending on seasonal requirements.

Mr Thomas encourages anyone who loves the outdoors and physical work to give it a go.

“If you enjoy working in a team, you’ll love being a Project Firefighter.”

For information and to apply, visit jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/pff or call 136 186.

Ms Gutwein said it’s very important to show respect and love for these beautiful creatures, they still often have a bad reputation.

“We at Mange Management are doing our best to raise the reputation of wombats so more people can see what amazing animals they are,” she said.

“They are eco-engineers and very important for soil health for example.”

The Wombat Webinar will take place from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesday 23 July.

To find out more about the event or register for access, visit yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/Wombats.

Yering marks first cultural burn on council land

Yering was the location of Yarra Ranges Council’s first cultural burn on shire managed land last month.

The burn took place at Spadonis Reserve, located on Victoria Road, an area prone to flooding and the home of the Yering Billabongs Project.

The cultural burn was led by the council’s firestick officer, Darren Wandin, and supported by the council’s bushlands team.

The area selected for the burn, currently dominated by weedy grasses, has seen an increase in growth of native trees and grasses thanks to the increased rainfall from the past two years.

“The objective of the burn was to reduce

the weeds and stimulate further growth of the native species,” Yarra Ranges mayor Sophie Todorov said.

“We had some amazing feedback from those who attended saying how calm and seamless the experience was.

“There was also a highlight moment where cool burning was applied to a Lomandra and a frog was discovered sitting inside the base, unharmed and not particularly bothered by the experience!”

For more information on the Yering Billabongs Project, visit yarraranges.vic. gov.au/Environment/Sustainable-communities/Healthy-Waterways/Yering-Billabongs-Project.

Spadonis Reserve in Yering was the site of the Yarra Ranges Council’s first cultural burn. (On file)

Ben Thomas joined the team at Marysville as a project firefighter when he was

(Supplied)

Help revegetate Badger Creek

By Dongyun Kwon

Mt Toolebewong and District Landcare is inviting locals to its event to revegetate Badger Creek.

The group is hosting Tree Planting Day on Sunday 28 July in collaboration with Yarra Ranges Council.

Mt Toolebewong and District Landcare secretary Karen Garth said the event is to continue the revegetation of the local reserve to improve biodiversity and protect platypus habitat.

“We’ve been working along Badger Creek

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since 2010,” she said.

“It’s a continuation of finding some spots that we can replant to improve the habitat for birds and possums and protect the water quality flowing into the creek where we’ve got our platypus.

“We are going to put in about 800 plants.”

The event will start at 9.30am with free morning tea and an explanation of the planting.

The planting will be held between 10am and 12pm.

“It’s a pet-free event so we don’t want peo-

ple to bring their dogs,” Ms Garth said.

“Children are most welcome and we also love to have families coming out to join us.

“If they can bring their own gloves, a foldup chair and a cup for their drink, that will help us as we have some spare gloves for adults but not for children. A change of footwear would be advisable.”

The meeting point will be at the corner of Bluegum Drive and Badger Creek Road Badger Creek.

The booking is required by 26 July at treeday.planetark.org/site/10030018 0

Koala joey says hello

An adorable, tiny koala joey has made its pouch premiere at Healesville Sanctuary, branching out of mum’s arms for the first time.

Yet to be sexed, the curious joey snuggled into third-time mum Lucy’s fur as it looked out at the world through the leaves of the eucalyptus tree.

Healesville Sanctuary mammal keeper Craig McQueen said it was magical for visitors to see the six-month-old pouch potato emerge after months of anticipation.

“Koala joeys are in and out of the pouch until the age of nine months, so we’ve seen the joey stick its arms and legs out for the past few weeks and now it’s popping its little head out,” Mr McQueen said.

“It’s absolutely adorable and will only get cuter as it becomes fluffier.”

As an experienced mother, Lucy is doing a fantastic job caring for her new joey.

Part of this care involves getting her joey ready to eat eucalyptus leaves through somewhat unorthodox methods.

“Koala joeys begin their lives feeding on their mother’s milk inside the pouch, before transitioning to feeding on something called ‘pap’,” Mr McQueen said.

“Pap is a runny poo that the mother produces which is fill of microorganisms that enables the joey to digest the leaves.”

Koalas are one of Australia’s most iconic animals and can spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping in a tree.

Their diet consists almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves.

Threats to this species include loss of habitat due to agriculture and development, and the disease Chlamydia.

Visitors to Healesville Sancturary can enjoy watching the joey begin to explore and feed as it becomes more confident over the coming months.

Victoria Road, Warburton Rail Trail, Seville. To register, visit au.openforms.com/Form/ d560ed39-eaf9-4f29-b16b-344de76025a3.

Hearing Australia visiting Yarra Junction

Hearing Australia will be visiting Cire’s Yarra Junction Community Hub on Wednesday 17 July from 9.30am to 12pm

This free event is your chance to receive hearing screenings, expert advice, and support.

Public toilet upgrades

National Tree Day planting in Seville

Come along and help plant grasses, groundcovers, shrubs and trees for National Tree Day. Participants will be planting along the Wandin Yallock Creek in Seville and things can get a little muddy so attendees are encouraged to wear gumboots. BYO gloves and refreshments.

The event will be held on Sunday 4 August from 11am to 1pm at Wandin Yallock Creek west of

Public toilets across the Yarra Ranges will undergo upgrades throughout the second half of July, with a number of sites needing to close for a period while works are carried out.

Yarra River Walk toilet at Scotchmans Creek, Warburton Highway Warburton - 1 July to 10 July (Alternative toilet, Thomas Avenue, Warburton or Dammans Road, Warburton)

Thomas Avenue Road Reserve toilet on Thomas Avenue, Warburton - 16 July to 26 July (Alternative toilet, Ottrey’s Carpark or Warburton

Recreation Reserve)

Warburton Recreation Reserve Bramich Bridge toilets at 2/3455F Warburton Highway, Warburton - 10 July to 22 July (Alternative toilet, Ottrey’s Carpark or Warburton Recreation Reserve)

Woori Yallock Shopping Centre toilet at 1585 Warburton Highway, Woori Yallock - 9 July July to 13 July (Alternative toilet,WooriYallock Recreation Reserve)

The toilets in the Millgrove Town Centre toilets (3060 Warburton Highway, Millgrove), Warburton Ottreys Carpark (3455G Warburton Highway, Warburton), Wandin North Pavilion (420 Clegg Road, Wandin North) and Wesburn Park (1/2804B Warburton Highway, Wesburn) will remain open during works.

Don Valley Primary School’s Pre Prep Program

Join Don Valley Primary School for its Pre Prep program, ‘Step into Prep Storytime’, building important early years language skills through stories, craft, rhythm, rhyme, songs and play. Don Valley Primary School warmly invites all

3, 4 and 5-year-old pre-schoolers along. No bookings necessary.

The event will be held on Wednesdays until 18 September from 2.30pm to 3.15pm.

Voices For Casey Yarra Junction stall

Voices for Casey will be at The Yarra Junction Community Market on Sunday 11 August. Drop by the stall to say hello and find out what Voices for Casey are up to - RSVP to let them know theyll see you there: voices4casey.com. au/yarra_junction_stall_20240811

If you’ve got a bit more time up your sleeves, they’d love your help on the stall gathering survey responses. It’s a fun way to spend a few hours chatting to locals. Click ‘I want to volunteer’ then select a shift time on this event and one of the organisers will be in touch ASAP to confirm details and answer any questions. The shift times allow for 30 minutes of set up and pack down time at the start and end of the market.

Lucy and her tiny koala joey. (Zoos Victoria)

Previous planting event in Badger Creek in July 2022. (Supplied)

Yarra Valley & Croydon Toyota

Clean clothes and smiles

By Callum Ludwig

The Dignity Program at the ADRA Redwood Community Care Centre has received a welcome boost, with a new commercial washer and dryer installed on Thursday 11 July.

The Warburton Advancement League (WAL) raised $6000 from a combination of a $1330 grant from the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise (UYCE), donations from local businesses, some other small grants and the hiring out of their community bus to fundraise for the appliances.

Redwood Community Centre Manager Kate Barratt said access to clean clothes and bedding is absolutely vital.

“We had real trouble in fitting in more than one person’s load of washing for washing and drying because it would take up to two and a half hours, so this will give us the capacity to get maybe three even to four people’s washing done each day,” she said.

“This will include our own as well because we go through so many towels with our shower too, we used to have to chuck out blankets if we couldn’t wash them as well, so it’s an environmental bonus and they’re going to be better on water and power as well which will save us some money.”

The Dignity Program is a drop-in facility at the Redwood Community Care Centre providing showers, washing facilities, fresh clothes if needed and other amenities to people experiencing homelessness or financial stress.

Ms Barratt said she’s happy that there won’t be massive lines to get in to wash clothes anymore.

“We have people that are sleeping rough using them but we also have people that perhaps don’t have the facilities at home or don’t have running water or power that use them too,” she said.

“Sometimes people use them because they can’t afford their electricity or even

water bills as well,”

“We do ask for a $2.50 per load donation to go towards our utilities, however, people can always chat to us if they can’t afford that.”

The new washer and dryer can hold a 10kg load and complete a cycle in only 30 minutes.

Vice President of the Warburton Advancement League David Pratt, who was instrumental in the initiative to upgrade the washer and dryer, said they will also be able to wash doonas and sleeping bags.

“A lot of people just don’t want to ask ‘Can I?’ because the face of a homeless person could

Forming new friendships for local women

By Dongyun Kwon

A new Facebook group has lately been formed for local women at the age of 45 and over.

Healesville resident Lisa Gaye opened a new Facebook group Yarra Valley Women’s 45 Plus Friendship Group on 3 July and is inviting locals to join the group for friendship.

Ms Gaye said she had mulled over the idea to create this group for 8 months.

“Being unable to locate one close by, I thought creating a group may be a good idea,” she said.

“There was nothing in this area, but only the city or Victoria as a whole, so I wanted to make new friendships locally and meet in person, not just online.

“Women need to support, uplift, encourage and applaud each other.”

Ms Gaye has created the group to make a space where women can support each other in anyway they need within their own lives while creating connections and friendships whether they choose to remain solely online and/or meet in person as a small or large group.

The group founder said she hoped local women could regain confidence in stepping out of the home within a safe group environment.

“I hope that the group will, as a collective of women, inspire each other and support each of us under all circumstances of life,” Ms Gaye said.

The group has been growing rapidly and has reached over 120 members in one week.

They had their first meeting at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery on Saturday 13 July.

Ms Gaye said she appreciates each one of the group members because it is a group of women who make the group amazing.

“I have been overwhelmed with how much a group like this was needed and how much, while we are all unique and different, we are all looking for an outing, some laughs, conversation, new friendships and connections,” she said.

“The women have blown me away, the kindness, the support and the energy and vibe

Lisa Gaye. (Supplied)

are so nice and welcoming.

“I want all women within the group to feel as if it’s our group and a community that all are welcome and accepted and equal.”

There are more events to come for the group, Christmas in July lunch at The Lilydale International, Lunch at York On Lilydale in August and Weekday Walk at Emerald Lake followed by lunch at Lakeside Railway Cafe.

Ms Gaye said she is happy that her idea has come to fruition.

“I appreciate the friends who encouraged

me to fire this up and am looking forward to wonderful times shared with new friends,” she said.

“There is one additional admin outside of myself that contributes to this lovely flowing group with me. I would like to thank Tracey Frazer for her support.

“All women aged 45 or over, please feel welcome to join us in our group, we will warmly welcome you.”

To join this Facebook group, visit the following link, facebook.com/ groups/856038076417986/

be anyone standing in this room,” he said.

“But if you’re wanting to know what can you do to help your community, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a financial donation, if you’re donating your time or donating assistance in some of these programs, you’ll get more out than you’ll ever put in.”

Help make a difference

By Dongyun Kwon

Healesville Inter-Church Community Care Inc (HICCI) is calling locals for support to help people struggling with the cold weather.

HICCI is planning to add extra supports during winter including supplying blanket, on top of its usual programs.

HICCI executive officer Alison Gommers said a lot of people are in tough situations because of the cost of living pressure.

“We don’t change our programs, we still have our weekly community meal, emergency relief and our social transport program,” she said.

“Sometimes, people need more in the winter because their bills are much more expensive.

“That puts an extra strain on our resources, so if we can have people coming and supporting us in the community, that would make it easier for us to make a difference for people that are doing it tough.”

HICCI welcomes any type of support at any time including donation and volunteering.

“We can talk to them [who wish to volunteer for HICCI] about what their interests are and how best they would fit,” Ms Gommers said.

Any donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Donations can be made via transfer (BSB: 633000, Account: 161236773), call on 5911 6000 or pop into the office at 231 Maroondah Highway, Healesville.

Anyone wishing to volunteer is encouraged to call HICCI or pop into the office during the operation hours from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 3.30pm.

L-R: UYCE’s June Petrie, ADRA’s Kate Barratt and WAL’s Jeff Gill and David Pratt. (Stewart Chambers: 418694)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Where pain meets healing

By Mikayla van Loon

A month has passed since Olinda-based artist Emma Jennings launched her exhibition Stories of Giants at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum in Lilydale.

Recounting both the destruction and calamity alongside the remarkable strength and regrowth of the storms that hit the Dandenong Ranges, in particular, with immense force in June and October 2021.

And while a major part of the exhibition was focused around Jennings’ portraits and portrayals of six different stories, an element of community healing was embedded into the project.

Having found a sense of healing herself by returning to the forest, feeling the soil in her hands and creating, Jennings said it was that experience that inspired the workshops which invited affected members of the community to do the same but in the safe space of her studio.

“I did a whole lot of work in the forest and about the forest after I was done in the emergency relief centres and when I could eventually get to a place where I could be back in the forest which was a big deal,” she said.

“That process led to the development of the community project because I found it really therapeutic just standing in there.”

Providing a comfortable environment within her Olinda gallery, Jennings said, allowed people to grieve the loss of their house, to simply reflect on a challenging time or feel the emotions they’d bottled up for months.

“A good example is somebody who is a leader in the community who was quite emotional, and she thought she was fine.

“It wasn’t until she had the permission to sit in that space and just go back in time a little bit she realised that was just below the surface and the emotion was very much still there.

“In her artwork, she wrote a beautiful poem and did a beautiful painting. Sharing her experience with the people around her was really therapeutic and healing and powerful and that’s happened in every single workshop.”

One of the most important aspects of opening the workshops to the community, Jennings said, was ensuring everyone felt comfortable to enter, no matter their experience.

“Everyone’s experiences were valid. Another curious thing is that people think that if they didn’t lose their house, then they weren’t worthy of support or acknowledging what they’ve

been through.

“But again, having this place open over this whole time I’ve had residents walk in overcome with emotion when they can see the work that’s been done because they feel so connected because of their experience.

“For a lot of people it was just being without power for such a long time in the middle of winter. Winters here are cold and that was really hard and that experience is really valid.”

Because of the potential trauma that was going to enter the room and the stories of pain that could have been told, funding for the project also enabled Jennings to engage a trauma psychologist to guide her through the experience.

“It’s been kind of confronting listening to a lot of stories but I feel really privileged actually,” she said.

Red Cross volunteers were also present at

every session to be of extra support and provide some mental health first aid should a participant have needed it.

The workshops invited CFA and SES volunteers, residents, Yarra Ranges Council staff and members of the community to create using natural materials, paints, words and imagery.

From the abstract to the literal, the artworks took the form and direction of whatever inspired the individual.

“People have spoken about mourning and grief. One lady wrapped paper around her log and she was embalming the tree. So that was a mourning process,” Jennings said.

For participant Deb Sargentson, she felt “so blessed” to have been given time and space to process her emotions and reflect on what had happened given she jumped straight into recovery mode.

“The beauty of art is that it enables us to

interpret where we’re going. It doesn’t require words, it doesn’t require us to write, the stories are in these images, and there are so many things that have meaning to us that it enables us to process our experience without telling us how to feel or what to do,” she said.

The exhibition itself, Sargentson said, also enables a place of “hope and healing”, of quiet reflection and of comfort for others who need to go on that journey.

“It’s their way of honouring, their way of saying I’ve been able to process this in a really beautiful place. There’s no markers, there’s nowhere to go but this gives us a place to go to with no restrictions on what we feel or how we see it.”

Stories of Giants is on display until 8 September, located at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum on Castella Street in Lilydale.

By Callum Ludwig

A multi-faceted exhibition is still on show in the Warburton Arts Centre till the end of July, with a closing event set to bring another element to close out the display.

‘Whispering Land’ by Antonia Green has been on display since June and will be joined by Ms Green and her band The Wandering Arc on Saturday 27 July from 2.30pm to 4pm.

Ms Green said the exhibition is a response to the local landscape, going as far out as the Cathedral Ranges, though most of it is from within the Yarra Ranges.

“A lot of the places are around Mount Donna Buang and Mount Boobyalla which is next to it along the range and some of the places in the paintings depicted are of the bush block where I live as well, which I’ve been going to since I was a really young child and then we moved in there as a family about nine years ago,” she said.

“I started out just wanting to go to places, be immersed in those places and be prompted from that but it ended up being more of an internal journey as well.”

Ms Green said she was also inspired by the spiritual practice of dadirri from the Indigenous people of the Daly River region considered a deep listening to the ‘spring’ inside of yourself.

Ms Green said she’s quite a sensitive person and feels as though she has a deep rela-

tionship with the land.

“It’s a documentary of the relationship that I have with the land, going into wild places in the area as well as going to some places that are scarred as well from the actions of the early settlers who my family were part of,” she said.

“It’s telling that story from my own perspective and maybe even being the first person in my bloodline to be looking at things with a bit more of a broader perspective, taking into account Indigenous Australian perspectives and what’s happened to those people and wanting to make a deeper inquiry.”

The exhibition combines poetry, paintings and printmaking as Ms Green explored her connection and appreciation of the land, while she was also being adding the musical element of her band to the closing event.

Ms Green said she thinks the different art forms bring out different parts of her personal creative expression.

“They provide different access points for people to enter into the story that I’m telling and uncovering and it’s not really what usually happens in galleries,but it’s just what’s been happening in my creative life,” she said.

“I’m giving myself permission to let all the different types of creative expression come together to bring out this deep longing to talk about something that’s really difficult or uncomfortable to talk about,”

“I’m not making a really strong statement, I’msharing something that’s really personal, I feel like my relationship with the bush block where I live is quite a personal and beautiful relationship and something that’s really close to my heart.”

To book a free spot during the closing event, visit yarraranges.sales.ticketsearch. com/sales/salesevent/133674.

‘Whispering Land’ is on display at the Arys Centre Warburton until Sunday 28 July. (Stewart Chambers: 418695)

Mountain Song by Antonia Green. (Stewart Chambers: 418695)

Each participant was given complete freedom to express themselves in whichever felt natural.

Artist Emma Jennings was there to guide people at every step.

Natural materials from the forest, paints and paper were all laid out for the workshops.

(Cathy Ronalds)

Meta must pay its dues

By Andrew Schreyer, CPA President

Last month, Country Press Australia (CPA), the largest representative association of newspaper publishers in Australia, appeared before a joint hearing in Canberra into social media and its impacts on Australian society.

The hearing was convened out of concerns about the negative impacts social media platforms have upon our community, including the recent decision by Meta to no longer pay news publishers for content posted to the company’s platforms.

That announcement has been met with anger, frustration, disappointment, worry and concern among news publishers, and the news industry shares the concerns of the broader community over Meta’s outrageous behaviour that has had such a damaging impact on so many sections of the community.

Facebook particularly has evolved into an anti-social entity that has provided a haven for toxicity, fake news, scams, blackmail, cyberbullying, doxing, revenge porn, trolling, deep fakes, political interference, surveillance capitalism and the spread of mis and disinformation that has caused so much damage within our communities.

The live streaming of massacres, images of unrealistic so-called beautiful people and conspiracies are also part and parcel of social media today.

In the case of the news industry, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has said Meta’s decision to no longer pay for news content in a number of jurisdictions “represents a dereliction of its commitment to the sustainability of Australian news media,” a comment CPA endorses wholeheartedly.

Meta has shown complete disdain for Australian media outlets, the News Media Bargaining Code and the Australian Government by announcing its intention not to renew agreements with publishers.

Meta has been deemed an unavoidable trading partner, and as such, is expected to conform to the same standards and expectations as the rest of us.

In short, we believe Meta fails to meet those standards, and that the company long ago ceased to be just a provider of social media platforms.

Just last month, the US Surgeon General called for social media to have warnings attached to it over mental health concerns for

users. It’s one of the great paradoxes of our time that rather than tackle unacceptable elements and accept responsibility for the damage caused by providing the habitat for such scornful matter, Meta has instead opted to diminish the presence of the real news and of truth by continually adjusting its algorithms and rendering public interest news content more and more difficult to find.

The federal government has the News Media Bargaining Code at its disposal, a mechanism established to ensure social media platforms can be held to account and that media organisations are treated fairly in their dealings with the social media giants.

Should the government designate Meta under the Code, the company is likely to block news sites from its platforms just as it has done

in Canada. And in that country, it’s been regional and rural publishers who have been negatively impacted the most.

In this instance we encourage the government to insert a ‘must carry news’ clause in the code forcing them to negotiate with publishers or impose a 20 per cent tax on Meta’s Australian revenue.

Proceeds from the tax can be used for mental health programs to assist young people negatively impacted by social media, and a component distributed to publishers as compensation for Meta’s use of their content.

If Meta refuses, they should be banned from Australia.

Meta is a publisher just like our members; however, their platforms are not subject to laws including defamation and contempt of court, editorial standards and regulatory frameworks.

If they were, I would not need to write this opinion piece and there would be a lot less social harm and mental health issues in our community today.

Meta’s Facebook has little, if any, checking mechanism prior to content and comments being published. Its algorithms serve up content based on popularity regardless of what may be appropriate for the audience.

It has no transparent complaints process, is not held to account in any way and isn’t required to respond to complaints.

It’s one thing to rip billions of dollars out of our economy, but the social, mental and physical damage caused by what is allowed to prosper on Meta’s platforms takes things to another level.

We believe that as a corporate citizen, Meta has a responsibility to do what is right, just as we as publishers do.

Meta’s commercialisation of the negativity it allows to fester on its platforms is a scourge upon that company and has created significant hardship and misery for many Australians.

To suit its narrative and justify its agenda, Meta claims its users don’t go to Facebook for news, however the University of Canberra’s Digital News Report: Australia 2024 released in June found that 49 per cent of Australian users of Facebook use it for news and one in four rely on it as their main source of news – our trusted, independent and professionally written news Meta no longer wants to pay for.

The digital news report shows this year, there was actually a surge among young people turning to social media to get news.

Sixty per cent of Gen Z say social media is their main source of news, a 17-percentage point increase on last year.

In line with the increase in the use of social media platforms for news, concern about what is real and what is fake on the internet has skyrocketed to 75 per cent. This is an increase of 11 percentage points in the past two years and echoes an increase in the global rise of six percentage points over the same period.

It suits Meta to claim Australians don’t use the company’s platforms to read the news and for it to be allowed to continue to ride roughshod over our communities. But it suits the rest of us for Meta to be held to account.

Andrew Schreyer is president of Country Press Australia and publisher of the Warragul and Drouin Gazette.

The basic necessity of food and its importance

By Maria Millers

Food is a basic need essential to our survival and wellbeing and as American psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed in 1943 in his pyramid of human needs survival needs must be in place before we can achieve our more creative self-actualisation goals.

Today food is everywhere, at least in developed rich countries like Australia.

From wall to wall cooking shows to food courts, take away franchises, local fish and chip and pizza shops, the choices are staggering.

Then there is also the growing number of specialized options available either for health reasons or merely as lifestyle choices.

But even though there is this abundance of food, paradoxically there are in our community people who are finding it hard to feed families.

We are told that food banks are seeing a new demographic of the struggling employed.

And we are also told that growing number of our population is malnourished, deficient in nutrients, necessary for good health and well-being.

This is likely the overdependence on that unholy trinity of sugar, salt and fat, present in so much of the over processed food consumed Australia is not a country with a strong food culture like France or Italy.

As food historian Michael Symonds wrote: Unlike other societies with a dominant agrarian history, we have inherited no cuisine in the traditional sense. Australia’s food history has instead been dynamic, urban, in-

WOORILLA WORDS

dustrial, science-based and capitalist-driven.

It was the post WWII migrants that slowly but surely began to change our taste buds: from Mediterranean to Eastern European and then to Asian and Middle Eastern food.

Garlic became acceptable, olive oil moved from pharmacies to supermarkets, sour cream was no longer seen as cream gone bad and hummus has become a favourite go to dip.

And suddenly bread choices multiplied: sourdough, wholegrain, rye, ancient grains, hemp, the list is endless.

Henry Leigh Hunt’s A Loaf of Bread celebrates the simple pleasure of bread, a staple, nutritious food that should sustain and nourishes us, A loaf of bread,/said Pythagoras,/is the most/perfect of all things;/for it is/made of air,/and light,/and water,/and flour,/and salt,/ and yeast,/and love,/and time.

This week Maggie Beer long known for her TV shows, like the Chef and the Cook and her gourmet products, but also for her passionate advocacy for fresh nutritious food, uninhibited by fads and trends, has turned her

gaze to the quality of food found in our Aged Care homes.

She found that there was something soulless in the whole eating experience for those living in Aged Care.

Of particular concern was that there was heavy reliance on processed ingredients from stock cubes to instant potatoes.

Older people not only need fresh, nutritious food but also tasty, flavoursome food to compensate for any loss in taste.

The program was motivated by the high levels of neglect, malnutrition and social isolation identified by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

It is estimated that 68 per cent of Australians in residential aged care are malnourished or at risk of becoming so.

But it’s not only those in residential care that are not getting a good diet.

Those existing on weekly deliveries of frozen food and also those in the general community whose diet for various reasons is contributing to the many chronic and other health conditions we are seeing, even among children.

Many an unruly child is a hungry child.

With the many stresses facing families today, nutrition is often sub optimal.

Who can blame the parent (still most likely the mother) tired from work leaning towards shortcuts offered by processed food rather than cooking from scratch.

There is also the undeniable fact that today many have fewer skills of how to prepare a fresh nutritious meal in less time than buying something processed.

Food has become a minefield as we are constantly told what to avoid what to eat and what not to eat.

Some belief that totally plant based diets will save the planet, others disagree.

Maya Angelou in her gently humorous dig at vegans in The Health-Food Diner writes:

No sprouted wheat and soya shoots And Brussels in a cake, Carrot straw and spinach raw, (Today, I need a steak). Not thick brown rice and rice pilaw Or mushrooms creamed on toast, Turnips mashed and parsnips hashed, (I’m dreaming of a roast). Healthfood folks around the world Are thinned by anxious zeal, They look for help in seafood kelp (I count on breaded veal).

Similarly, Billy Collins is outright in the pleasure that a hearty osso buco can induce: I love the sound of the bone against the plate/and the fortress-like look of it lying before me in a moat of risotto/,the meat soft as the leg of an angel who has lived a purely airborne existence/.and best of all, the secret marrow the invaded privacy of the animal/ prised out with a knife and swallowed down/ with cold, exhilarating wine.

Maggie Beer’s attempts to bring awareness of nutritious food should resonate beyond her primary concern of feeding those in Aged Care Feeding the next generation and teaching them good eating habits and the skills to cook a healthy meal is vital.

And as Maslow pointed out until that basic need of food is met, our higher achievements are compromised.

Woorilla Poetry Prize 2024 is now receiving submissions. Visit the following website, woorilla.org.au

CPA executive director Peter Kennedy, committee chair Kate Thwaites MP and CPA president Andrew Schreyer.

The building of the Maroondah weir and aqueduct and the Lilydale to Healesville railway in the late 1880s swelled the populations of Healesville, Tarrawarra North, andYarra Glen.

Early itinerants of Valley Looking back

Four different contracts were called for the Maroondah aqueduct and others for the railway. Messrs McNeil and Bath held the contracts for the railway and also for section four of the aqueduct. The itinerant workers were accommodated in navvy camps which had a range of accommodation, from weatherboard huts provided for the bosses to canvas tents and bush humpies set up by the workers themselves.

Some pitched their tents close together for comfort and security, others preferred to be solitary at a distance.

A few of the men had family with them but it was observed by journalist ‘Vagabond’ (John Stanley James) in 1890 that few children attended school.

There was a school at Tarrawarra between 1875 and 1892 which would have been at a convenient distance but the itinerant families working on the aqueduct did not stay long.

The enlarged population provided more income to local primary producers through the demand for fresh food, to local traders who provided processed foods and domestic articles and clothing, and to local publicans who pro-

CARTOON

Helen Mann Yarra Glen & District Living & Learning Centre History Group

vided recreational facilities and accommodation. In some cases, it resulted in an upgrading of some commercial buildings in the townships or a complete rebuild.

With the building of the railway, businesses in Yarra Flats (now Yarra Glen) gravitated south from the intersection of Bell Street and Armstrong Grove to the southern end of Bell Street adjacent to the new railway line. The Farrell brothers erected a hotel they named the Burgoyne Hotel, now theYarraValley Grand Hotel.

They were to prosper from their investment, at first by accommodating inspectors and supervisors who regularly visited from Melbourne to check the engineering projects, and later from the tourists who travelled by train to holiday in the hills and mountains.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Melbourne Rare Book Week, which will start on 18 July and culminate with the Melbourne Rare Book Fair (25-27 July) at the University of Melbourne’sWilson Hall.

Melbourne Rare Book Week PASSION FOR PROSE

A major festival focusing on the printed page, the Melbourne Rare Book Week features a dazzling range of talks, conversations, displays and exhibitions that celebrate the importance of books, literacy and literature in our lives.

Most events are free, but bookings are essential. Below are some of the highlights that have caught this reviewer’s eye.

Readers can discover other interesting events via the official website, rarebooksmelbourne.com

First and foremost is an interview with legendary Melbourne bookseller Mark Rubbo, who retired as Readings managing director in 2023 after nearly half a century in the business. Rubbo will discuss the past 50 years of Australian writing, how he nurtured Australian writers and worked to extend Melbourne’s cultural influence.

Next, the Old Treasury Building will present an online event on the Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks and their influence on Australian food culture.

In addition, the Books for Cooks Bookshop in Queen Victoria Market will offer a talk on Elizabeth David, the British cookery writer who strongly influenced the revitalisation of home cookery in the mid-20th century. Furthermore, the Supreme Court Library will draw attention to the oldest book in its collection, Statham’s Abridgement of the Law (1491).

Concurrently, Hellenic Museum at the Former Royal Mint Building will host an exhibition on Byzantine manuscripts, illustrat-

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

ing how the Byzantine Empire was the medieval threshold between East andWest.

Meanwhile, State Library Victoria has prepared a series of awesome events, starting with an exploration of the first book ever printed with moveable type in English, by William Caxton.

A separate talk on the Women Writers Fund will feature first editions by Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Ursula Le Guin, Toni Morrison, and many more. Another session at the library will delve into the life and exploits of E.W. Cole, bookseller and founder of the famous Cole’s Book Arcade.

Then there is the World of the Book exhibition from 27 May 2024 to 18 May 2025, with more than 300 rare and remarkable items showcasing books as objects of beauty and craft. Particularly worth mentioning is the Hoping Against Hope exhibition at Monash University, which celebrates 500 years of Ukrainian print culture.

Finally, a special event titled NowWe Are Ten will reflect on the evolution of the Melbourne Rare Book Week from the original concept to its 10th iteration.

Further reading, blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/ our-stories/ask-a-librarian/e-w-cole-andhis-famous-book-arcade/

Adolphus Edgcumbe and Patrick Daly did the same in Healesville.

Edgecumbe replaced the old Royal Mail Hotel on the corner of Nicholson and Green Streets with a three-storey hotel bearing his own name.

It was renamed the Grand Hotel in 1894. Patrick Daly built the Terminus Hotel near the railway station. All were opened by 1888.

Some of the effects arising from the large camps were not so beneficial.

On pay day many men from the camps went to town, both literally and figuratively.

The hotels were well patronised on these occasions. With frequent drunken brawls and increasing petty crime an extra policeman was requested for Healesville and forYarra Flats.

In March 1887 Constable Freebairn was criticised by the magistrates at Lilydale because he was frequently late when bringing prisoners fromYarra Flats to the Magistrates Court there.

It was not an easy task to transport three or four unwilling men by horse drawn vehicle.

Due to the increase in the number of cases being dealt with a Police Court was established inYarra Flats by the end of that year.

It was presided over by a travelling magistrate or a local Justice of the Peace.

In 1887, a typhoid epidemic caused consid-

erable concern in Victoria. Early settlements throughout Victoria without reticulated water were subject to outbreaks of this disease, and a dry start to 1887 made conditions for infection even more favourable.

As part of an enquiry made by the Central Board of Health, Dr Andrew Shields made a special visit to the navvy camps between Healesville and Yarra Flats to find insanitary conditions. Both camps were very close to the Yarra River which was used by the campers for drinking water and other domestic purposes.

At the same time pollution from the camp in the form of human litter and animal waste which was being washed into the river.

There were another three camps on the Watts River near Healesville which were in a similar state although, at the time of his visits, no cases of typhoid had been reported there.

The result of the meeting was that two regulations drafted by the President of the CBH were posted to the contractors in charge of the camps, asking for their cooperation in providing latrines and prohibiting the deposit of night soil on the banks of waterways.

In September 1887, local residents and traders were complaining to the Shire Council about the state of local roads but they were left to battle with such conditions for some time.

The 1812 Theatre

The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

It tells the story of five unforgettable women who set aside a long weekend every August to meet at the same beach cottage, the Sweet Delilah to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives.

Enjoy two different plays Kemp’s curtain call

An hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that lasts forever. Season: 1 – 24 August. Bookings: 9758 3964.

Athenaeum Theatre

Melbourne

Cirque Bon Bon

stage with Scott on skates and Emma also on skates but much of the time was around Scott’s neck.

A spectacular evening of Circs featuring artists who have performed everywhere from Broadway to Las Vegas and London’s West End.

A short evening of one and a half hours but did one feel exhausted after seeing such a production.

The emcee Mario Queen of the Circus.

An amazing emcee keeping the show together with plenty of audience participation.

A great character who really made the show was Cody Harrington is an amazing juggler.

Some of his juggling had to see to believe.

Artistic skating duo, Emma Goh and Scott Lazaravech were on a small circular

The skating was absolutely wonderful and kept the audience in their seats waiting for what happened next.

One of the highlights of the evening was Shannon Michaela, a contortionist who had everyone on the edge of their seats and she showed why she holds the Guinness Worlds Record for shooting an arow from her feet further than anyone else.

She had a ballon placed on one side of the stage then she balanced on a table on her hands with a bow and arrow held by her feet and ten shot the arrow to burst the balloon.

An amazing feat.

A fantastic evening of circus on a theatre stage and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

Three amazing shorts

Kinds of Kindness

Starring Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe and Emma Stone

Rated MA15+

4.25/5

The latest film from Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos, Kinds of Kindness is one of the most enthralling, unsettling and confidentlycrafted films of the year.

Like a dark cousin of Wes Anderson’s Henry Sugar anthology, Kinds of Kindness consists of three short films sharing the core cast of Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Emma Stone, Hong Chau and Margaret Qualley.

These shorts are linked by nihilism, superb tension, black-and-white dreams and distinctly unkind themes of obsession and abuse. In the taut first short, The Death of R.M.F. Robert (Plemons) faces an impossible task from his domineering boss Raymond (Dafoe). The acting has a very deliberate, almost stilted feel, which generates a stifling atmosphere of constant performance to please Raymond, who micromanages his employees’ lives.

In the viscerally disturbing second short, R.M.F. is Flying, Daniel’s (Plemons) wife Liz (Stone) returns home after being lost at sea, but

Daniel is certain she is an impostor. This harrowing short does an amazing job of inverting our perspective: we are initially suspicious of the blunt, changed Liz, but come to detest Daniel as he rebukes and tests her in cruel ways. Whether Liz is real or not, it’s clear Daniel doesn’t deserve her. Lanthimos runs slightly astray with R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich, the quirkier third short, in which the cultist Emily (Stone) searches for someone who can raise the dead. This short is confronting yet often darkly hilarious, but feels mean-spirited in a less motivated way than the other shorts.

Kinds of Kindness is a fascinating feel-bad movie, playing in select Victorian cinemas.

the nine letters in the

how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter

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”.

FLAIR AND OPULENCE - THE CHURCH

FLAIR AND OPULENCE - THE CHURCH

A local gem, The Church Yarra Junction has been extensively remodeled and expertly designed with flair and opulence.

Offering country accommodation at its finest, this retired Church backs right onto the Warburton Rail Trail with an abundance to offer as an ideal place to call home or an incredibly appealing investment opportunity. As tourism growth is projected throughout the region with the much-anticipated Warburton Mountain Bike Destination opening to the public early 2025, this is an ideal start to build your portfolio.

Bright open space basked in beautiful natural light, wood-burning fireplace, split heat/air systems, washer and dryer, eurostyle electric oven, free-standing bathtub,

balcony, native gardens and multiple seating areas. Currently configured to sleep 4 with 1 queen size bed downstairs and 2 king size single beds on the mezzanine/ upstairs level.

There is plenty of onsite parking and bike storage, walk to the local cafe’s and Yarra Junction shops or wander along the picturesque trail to Warburton and beyond. Also close to the Yarra Centre community, gym and swimming facilities. Having previously operated as a Bed & Breakfast, this turn key ready property is now offered by The Weekender Property Co. as an opportunity for the astute Investor or entrepreneur. ●

HOME FOCUS

LOCATION! - ALMOST TWO ACRES IN THE HEART OF TOWN

BRILLIANTLY positioned with only a short stroll to the Yarra Junction shops, cafes and walking trail is this huge family home that makes you feel like you are in a country retreat yet, conveniently located in the heart of town.

Entering along a very private meandering driveway you will be taken by the spacious paddocks and garden areas leading up to the residence. Majestic trees and lovingly established gardens that include magnolias, camellias, roses and fruit trees offering private areas and plenty of space. The home is in glorious original condition, oozing retro character that you will just love.

Step back to a time where life felt a bit easier and your large family had loads of room to spread out. You will be well accommodated with 4 spacious bedrooms, all with built in robes, 2 bathrooms, multiple living zones and great options for multigenerational living or work from home spaces should you desire.

There is so much storage in this house, from the huge walk-in utility room to the multiple linen cupboards, the kitchen beckons you to put on your apron and embrace the vibe of this fabulous space. Yellow is the theme, with immaculate bench tops, cupboards and breakfast bar where the family will gather and enjoy time together.

The kitchen/meals and living area is quite open plan in design, with easy access to the

formal lounge, or the conservatory where you access the amenities and the outdoor entertaining zone.

On the main level, the family bathroom has cedar lined walls and ceiling, a bath, large shower and timber vanity, a separate toilet is accessed through a large laundry/ mud room, and downstairs there are huge living spaces with a cellar. This level could be rumpus/games rooms or elderly/teenage living areas with the convenience of a toilet shower and vanity – would also be the ideal work from home space with its own external access.

Other features include higher than average ceilings, wood fired ducted heating, split system, dishwasher, 4 car shed, cubby house, original ‘wash house’ with power and water connected and even yellow coke bottle glass feature windows at the front door.

Come and view this fantastic opportunity and envisage yourself sitting on your front porch unwinding with a cuppa, overlooking your spacious property including pony paddocks if desired and plenty of room for kids to explore and play.

This is a very rare chance to acquire nearly 2 acres of land (approx. 7396 sq.m) with handy side lane access and a huge home that enjoys privacy and seclusion so conveniently located right in the middle of town! ●

HOME FOCUS

PERFECT HOME WITH FLEXIBILITY AND COMFORT

NESTLED in a prime location on 1400sqm approx. with breathtaking views of the Cardinia Reservoir, this fabulous family home offers the perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and flexibility.

Spanning over two levels, this residence is designed to cater to the diverse needs of a modern family, providing ample space and a variety of functional areas to enjoy.

Upstairs, you’ll find three generously sized bedrooms, including a master suite that boasts a walk-in robe, a full ensuite and with sliding doors onto the deck.

The open-plan living area is a highlight of the home, featuring a lounge, dining, and kitchen space adorned with floorboards throughout. The kitchen is a chef’s delight, equipped with modern appliances and ample storage.

The cosy wood fire in the living area, along with gas ducted heating and evaporative cooling, ensures year-round comfort. A convenient study nook provides an ideal space for work or study, while the fantastic outdoor living area is perfect for entertaining with family and friends, or just to relax.

The lower level of the home is designed with versatility in mind. It features a fourth bedroom with its own private patio, a powder room, and a large rumpus room that serves as the perfect teenage retreat or guest accommodation.

This space offers privacy and independence for family members, making it an invaluable addition to the home.

The property includes two driveway entrances, providing ample parking space with a double carport. The fully fenced rear yard ensures safety and privacy, making it an ideal play area for children or pets.

Additionally, the home is equipped with substantial 37,000-litre water tanks, promoting sustainable living. Location is key, and this home excels in convenience.

It is within walking distance to the bus stop and a primary school, doctors, tennis court, making daily commutes easy and stress-free. Belgrave Central is just moments away, offering a range of shops, cafes, train station and amenities to cater to all your needs.

Don’t miss the opportunity to make this dream home your reality. ●

Theduallivingpotentialoffers flexibilityfor various livingarrangements &the rural setting withitsscenic views addsaserenecharm.Themainspacious househas 3bedrooms,a study,featuringmodernamenities,expansivedeck,DGH, awoodfire& asplit system. Theattachedunitprovides additionallivingspacewithits ownbedroom,ensuite & kitchenette,idealfor independentliving.outside,thepropertyoffers asealeddriveway, remotegatedentry,ampleparking,establishedgardens,shedding,garage& workshop.

Mickdolphin 0429684522 Erindavies 0493136937

ESCAPETHEGRID& MAKE ATREECHANGE

SELBY 45TEMPlERoAD $725,000

Forthosewhohaveconsidereda TreeChange,thisinvitinghomepresentsanexciting opportunitytocapturethatruraltranquility.WhisperquietbutenjoysproximitytoBelgrave Southshops &theprimaryschool.Timberaccents& aflexible floorplanarethehighlights here.Featuring aMiele-equippedkitchen,casualmealsarea,wood-burner, aseparate diningzone/sittingroom,upstairsextralivingarea,alfrescopatio,DGH,s/system,massive under-housestoreroom,dblcarport,150,000-litrewatertank, 8solarpanelsplus astudio.

GrantSkipsey 0418528102

Theperfectblendofheritage1920’sarchitecture& contemporarystyleon1051m2. Featuringa spacious &privatemaster,luxuriousmainbathroom,‘stateoftheart’ kitchen, afabulousatticareaidealasgaming/theatreroomoryoga/meditationetc oaklaminateflooring,newcarpets,NBN,datanetworked,wood fire,ductedheating splitsystem,establishedgardens,superb4 cargaragewithrear& interioraccess,sealed driveway,frontporch,spaciouscoveredreardeck,shedwithpower& woodstore.

HoMEWITHFlEXIBIlITY& CoMFoRT

PRIMELOCATIONON1400SQM

Nestledina primelocationwithbreathtakingviews,thisfabuloushomespanningover twolevelsisdesignedtocatertothediverseneedsofa modernfamilyandthetoplevel featuresopen-planliving,diningandthekitchenwithfloorboardsthroughout,wood firein theliving, astudynookanda largedeck.Thelowerlevelincludesa fourthbedroomwith itsownprivatepatio,a powderroomanda largerumpusroom.Thepropertyincludes twodriveways,doublecarport,a fullyfencedrearyardand37,000ltwatertanks. 4 A

SECURE FAMILY LIVING WITH PLENTY OF SPACE

FROM the very first moment, you’ll be impressed by this delightful family home full of character and charm.

Cosy yet spacious, offering an open kitchen, dining and family area, 3 bedrooms including master with ensuite and spacious walk-in robe, and a double carport at the front allows easy undercover parking. Both bathrooms boast a delightful feature window where one can take in the lush greenery in absolute privacy.

This secure fenced property is surrounded by attractive established gardens, a large grassy, flat yard all safely behind a charming front picket fence with remote control gates. In addition to the carports there is a lock-up garage and tool shed at the rear also with

easy access. A wide covered verandah extending the length of the house invites you to sit back with a warm cup of coffee and absorb the tranquility whilst listening to the birds and lovely environment. The paved courtyard with built-in BBQ makes an ideal setting for any social gathering. With plenty of space to kick a ball or watch the kids and pets run and play this home is sure to please.

Additional features include gas ducted heating, 3 split systems, ceiling fans, a crackling wood fire in the lounge and a huge block of approx. 1114 sq.m

A great place to call home amidst the picturesque Yarra Valley. ●

TheChurchYarraJunction,a beautifullyremodeledcountryaccommodation,backsontothe WarburtonTrailandoffers auniquehomeorinvestmentopportunity.Withtourismexpectedtogrow duetotheupcomingWarburtonMountainBikeDestinationin2025,it’sanidealportfolioaddition. Featuresincludebrightopenspaces, awood-burningfireplace,splitheat/airsystems,washer& dryer,euro-styleelectricoven,free-standingbathtub,balcony,nativegardens,andmultipleseating areas.Itsleeps4 with 1Queenbeddownstairsand 2KingSinglebedsupstairs.There’sampleparking, bikestorage,andeasyaccesstolocalcafes,shops,theYarraCentre,andscenictrails.Previouslya Bed& Breakfast,thisturnkeypropertyisnowavailablethroughTheWeekenderPropertyCo.forsavvy investorsorentrepreneurs.

DavidCarroll M 0419539320

HorseHavenon aGlorious5 acres( approx.) Comeandlivetherelaxedcountrylifestylesituatedon acolourfulandpicturesque 5acres(approx.) Thehomeisfullofcharmandcharacterwithperiodfeaturesthroughoutandboasting3 greatsize bedroomswitha convenient,flexibleandfunctionalfloorplanwith 2bathroomsand astudy/office areawithextraspace.Thekitchenisfresh,spaciousandoffersplentyofbenchandcupboard space,theopenlivingandloungeareasare ahighlightandseamlesslyopenuptotheoutdoors showcasingthestunningmountainbackdrop.Thewholefamilywilllovetheexpansiveopenspace withapprox.5 acrestoexploreandenjoy,a horseenthusiastshavenwithseparatepaddocks, stables,roundyard,hayshed/machineryshedand adoublelockupgarage. Asuperbsmall acreageproperty,welllovedandwelllookedafterina stunninglocation.

FamilySpaceandConvenienceona GreatBlock

Boastingloadsofspaceforthegrowingfamilythishomeistheidealspottoenjoythepeaceful countrylifestyle.Offering 3largebedroomsallwithbuiltinrobesandanensuiteinthemain bedroom,bigopenlivingareasgivethewholefamilyplentyofspacetospreadoutwithseparate zonedlounge/familyrooms,theopenplankitchenisspaciousandhasamplebenchandcupboard space.Everyonewilllovetheoutdoorswithapprox.2000sqmtoenjoyandexplore,established, landscapedgardenssurroundthepropertywithplentyofcolourandbirdlifetoadmire.Plenty ofsheddingwith acarport,lockupgarage,woodshed/carportwithloadsofspaceforboats, trailersandcaravansandalso aveggiepatch,plustheaddedbonusofbeingzonedNRZ2offering developmentpotential(STCA).A greatfamilyhomein agreatlocation.

EnchantingHomeon ½acrewithMountainViews

Thistwostorycharacterhomeboaststhreebedroomsandtwobathrooms,offering adelightful retreatamidststunningmountainvistas.Nestledon ageneroushalfacreblock,it’sideallysituated. Thegroundlevelhoststwobedroomsalongside amainbathroom,gracedwithhighceilingsand decorativecornices.Theupdatedkitchenis aculinaryhaven,boastinga stylishbreakfastbar,ample benchspace,and adelightfulwindowoverlookingthelushgarden.Stepoutsideontothegorgeous deckarea,perfectforalfrescodiningwhilesoakinginthepicturesquesurroundings.Downstairs, aspaciousrumpusareaawaits,andmainbedroomcompletewithanensuiteandbuiltinrobe. Outside,themeticulouslylandscapedgardensburstwithcolour,adornedwithcharmingshadetrees scatteredthroughouttheproperty,creatinga sereneoasistocallhome.

12BrettRoad,Warburton$740,000-$800,000 RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

A THREE BEDROOM DELIGHT ON GLORIOUS GLENFERN

OVERLOOKING the Lysterfield Valley, and with the convenience of Glenfern Road access to Rowville, Belgrave and Ferntree Gully right at your doorstep, this beautifully maintained property is sure to impress.

Whether you are a new buyer entering the market, downsizing from your current home or looking for a low maintenance property that offers something for everyone, this home will provide it all.

The split-level design offers an open floorplan along with stunning natural light from oversized windows that showcase the perfect rear yard and valley beyond.

There are three bedrooms, the master with ensuite, walk in robe and extra wardrobe space not to mention that special view across the colourful garden.

Beautifully appointed, the kitchen boasts stainless steel Miele appliances that include dishwasher, gas cooktop, under bench oven and great storage. Soaring ceilings look down on the spacious dining area and light filled lounge, giving extra space and light whilst reverse cycle heating and cooling plus gas ducted heating can be found throughout. Outside, the gardens will impress: A flat rear yard welcomes you and will allow you to enjoy time outdoors no matter what the weather, as you can also enjoy your favourite hobby in the separate studio space, complete with power and fully insulated, making it the ideal artists studio or workshop.

A double carport with remote roller door that provides full access to the rear yard, extra car parking for 4 cars, 5kw solar with battery backup, and a 2000 litre water tank with pressure pump is all included to make this a perfect package.

In a sought-after location, close to everything, this property has it all. ●

Furniture Removals

Big scores on the course

By Ron Hottes

The Monday V.V.V’s:

This day’s group saw the ultra-consistent, and saffron-smooth Georgie Houniet take the spoils with an excellent 17 points. Georgie plays consistent golf every round, which means the handicapper needs to note those ultra-consistent results. Vicki Hottes showed much improved form with a 16-point result. Good work, Vicki. There were no NTPs on this day.

Wednesday 10 July, Stableford:

It’s a well-known golfing fact that if you beat your handicap, (37+ points), you have had a very satisfying day on the course. Glen Patrick would be very satisfied then, because under challenging conditions, Glen racked up 39 impressive points to beat his handicap (convincingly), and to collect the top voucher. The daily runner-up was old mate Darryl Ward with a pleasing 37 points. 35 points was the cut-off for the ball rundown. NTP prizes were taken home by Hatty (3rd and 15th, good shooting, David), Matt Maloney (5th), Glenn Forbes (9th) and Rob Ferguson (12th).

Saturday 13 July, Stableford:

With a wet July developing, it could be safely assumed that above-average scores would be few-and-far-between. But loyal readers, there are always exceptions. This day’s comp saw that Chris Leighton and Barry Maltman were clearly those exceptions. Chris just won the day by one point only, posting a fine 39-point result. This was an excellent result under the conditions; and so was Barry’s, with his 38 points. Both those scores were clearly ahead of the field, although balls only crept down to 36. NTP results were not available for this day.

Warburton Golf Club results. (File)

Plenty of nail-biters for round 13 results

By Armin Richter FOOTBALL

PREMIER DIVISION

· Seniors: Narre Warren 21.13.139 def Emerald 8.9.57; Woori Yallock 9.10.64 def UpweyTecoma 7.8.50; Mt. Evelyn 10.7.67 def Officer 6.6.42; Pakenham 13.16.94 def Berwick Springs 8.6.54;Wandin 13.13.91 def Monbulk 10.10.70; Olinda-Ferny Creek 19.16.130 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 12.9.81

· Reserves: Narre Warren 7.13.55 def Emerald 8.4.52; Upwey-Tecoma 13.14.92 def Woori Yallock 4.2.26; Officer 6.6.42 def Mt. Evelyn 3.6.24; Pakenham 8.11.59 def Berwick Springs 7.4.46; Wandin 8.10.58 def Monbulk 6.2.38; Olinda-Ferny Creek 12.6.78 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 8.11.59

DIVISION ONE

· Seniors: Healesville 17.13.115 def Belgrave 4.6.30; Yea 26.8.164 def Yarra Glen 4.11.35; Warburton-Millgrove 21.24.150 def Yarra Junction 3.3.21; Seville 33.24. 222 def Powelltown 4.2.26; Alexandra bye

· Reserves: Healesville 6.7.43 def Belgrave 4.2.26; Yea 14.10.94 def Yarra Glen 1.3.9; Warburton-Millgrove 21.15.141 def Yarra Junction 2.3.15; Seville 18.12.120 def Powelltown 2.4.16; Alexandra bye

· UNDER 19s: Upwey-Tecoma 6.12.48 def Pakenham 2.6.18; Wandin 9.9.63 def GembrookCockatoo 8.8.56; Narre Warren + Officer bye

· UNDER 18s: Mt. Evelyn 28.11.179 def Seville 0.1.1; Woori Yallock 12.12.84 def UpweyTecoma 3.4.22; Healesville + Olinda-Ferny Creek bye

SENIOR WOMEN

· Division 1: Healesville 7.7.49 def Belgrave 0.0.0; Pakenham 11.10.76 def Berwick Springs 2.0.12; Olinda-Ferny Creek 4.6.30 def Upwey-Tecoma 3.6.24

· Division 2: Warburton-Wesburn 5.11.41 def Emerald 2.2.14; Monbulk 6.2.38 def Wandin 5.6.36; Officer 8.4.52 def Seville 4.4.28; Woori Yallock 11.7.73 def Thornton Eildon 0.0.0

NETBALL PREMIER DIVISION

· A Grade: Monbulk 53 def Wandin 48; Upwey-Tecoma 52 def Woori Yallock 43; Narre Warren 59 def Emerald 50; Mt. Evelyn 36 def ROC 28; Pakenham 80 def Berwick Springs 5;

Olinda-Ferny Creek 47 def Gembrook-Cockatoo 44

· B Grade: Wandin 43 def Monbulk 41; Woori Yallock 67 def Upwey-Tecoma 45; Narre Warren 85 def Emerald 41; ROC 45 def Mt. Evelyn 33; Pakenham 77 def Berwick Springs 20; Gembrook-Cockatoo 46 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 30

· C Grade:Wandin 37 def Monbulk 31; UpweyTecoma 27 def Woori Yallock 22; Narre Warren 50 def Emerald 20; ROC 42 def Mt. Evelyn 38; Pakenham 46 def Berwick Springs 14; Gembrook-Cockatoo 22 def Olinda-Ferny Creek 18

· D Grade: Wandin 38 def Monbulk 18; Upwey-Tecoma 33 def Woori Yallock 14; Narre Warren 52 def Emerald 17; ROC 33 def Mt. Evelyn 16; Pakenham 40 def Berwick Springs 10; Olinda-Ferny Creek 21 def GembrookCockatoo 8

DIVISION ONE

· A Grade: Belgrave 54 def Healesville 53;Yarra Glen 87 def Yea 22; Warburton-Millgrove 57 defYarra Junction 23; Alexandra + Seville bye

· B Grade: Seville 84 def Powelltown 20; Belgrave 61 def Healesville 28; Yarra Glen 42 def Yea 33; Warburton-Millgrove 38 def Yarra Junction 22; Alexandra bye

· C Grade: Belgrave 53 def Healesville 10;Yarra Glen 33 def Yea 12; Warburton-Millgrove 35 def Yarra Junction 15; Seville 77 def Powelltown 7; Alexandra bye

· D Grade: Yarra Glen 29 def Yea 6; WarburtonMillgrove 30 def Yarra Junction 12; Seville 60 def Powelltown 8; Alexandra + Belgrave bye

· 17 & Under Premier: Pakenham 29 def Wandin 28; Berwick 27 drew Woori Yallock 27; ROC 68 def Mt. Evelyn 4; Narre Warren bye

· 15 & Under East: Berwick 30 def Woori Yallock 4; ROC 28 def Monbulk 13; NarreWarren 34 def Beaconsfield 11; Pakenham bye

Fun for all

By Anita Prowse

Lots of jumping practice at Shirley Heights Equestrian Centre over the weekend, with Freshmans on Friday followed by Saturday’s Jumping Clinic with Sam Jeffrees, then another Sunday Freshmans.

UYARC July Rally on Saturday 20 July will be at Adam Wootens indoor in Yarra Junction with poles and jumping classes, any HRCAV members wishing to attend please contact uyarc@yahoo.com.au

UYPC July Rally is on Sunday 21 July at Wesburn Park, Pony Club offers a “Come Try” membership for a day to come and check out Pony Club before paying the full commitment of a full membership, all enquiries to anita.horses@gmail.com

UYPC’s Spring Freshmans Series will commence Saturday 5 October with days also running Cup Day, Tuesday 5 November and Saturday 23 November, entries to all three are available on the day.

The Yarra Valley Horse Show is fast approaching for 2024, so pop the date in your diary!! Sunday 15 December, here’s hoping it’s another amazing Summer Show.

Tiana Mancarella reaches to catch a pass in B Grade. (Supplied)

SPORT Sights set for Paris games

By Dongyun Kwon

Two shooters from a local shooting club in Yering will represent Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Mitchell Iles and Catherine Skinner from Melbourne Gun Club have been selected for Team Australia for trap shooting.

Iles said he’s happy to grab one more chance to play for an Olympic team.

“It’s a dream for all kids but very few get to achieve it,” he said.

Iles has been training at two different clubs, Melbourne Gun Club and Werribee Victorian Clay Target Club.

He said he has been putting everything into training.

“Shooting is a very unpredictable sport,” Iles said.

“It’s better to train in two different places as opposed to shooting in one place all the time.”

Iles participated in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at the age of 17 where he experienced a lot more pressure than other competitions.

“It’s not like going to any other competitions in terms of atmosphere, the atmosphere is very different in the Olympics. You’ve got a crowd of people watching, making a bit of noise,” he said.

“My goal for this Olympics is to bring back a medal, that’s everyone’s goal heading to the games.

“Ultimately, I will do my best and not come home with any thoughts that I didn’t try hard enough, I just want to make sure that I can come home satisfied with the effort that I put in.”

The shooter was born with shooting DNA as his grandfather Bill Iles was a world champion Down The Line (DTL) shooter.

His grandfather has coached Iles since he was 12 when he was old enough to start shooting competitions.

Iles followed his grandfather to the Melbourne Gun Club to learn shooting skill.

“My grandfather had retired from shooting by the time I started, but he was still involved in the sport,” Iles said.

“Melbourne Gun Club was the closest club and I’ve been a member there for a very long time.”

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games is also the second Olympic Games for Catherine Skinner.

“I’m very honoured and really proud to be selected for my second Olympic team,” Skinner said.

“I’m getting really nervous but also excited

about what’s coming up.”

Skinner has attempted to be in an Olympic team since the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but she was successful being in the team just twice out of five attempts, the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics.

“My first attempt was for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when I was still very much an inexperienced junior and was not prepared for the process but as I grow up, I took those experiences on board and used it as continual growth,” she said.

“The following games, the London 2012, was really my first solid crack at it, however, I also found that I was outclassed by the competition because Australia has a very long and strong history in women’s trap.

“From there, I realised I had to go back and grow a bit more.”

Skinner was finally successful in making her dream come true in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where she was able to get much more than wearing the uniform of Team Australia.

She successfully aimed her shot for the gold medal in her first Olympic Games.

The gold medalist said she hadn’t expected

to win the gold medal.

“It was a big shock to realise that something I’ve really dreamed out in concept had become very real,” Skinner said.

“There’s no other way to describe it, just the excitement and the pride of what I’ve been able to do.

“But there’s also the dark side because it’s also increased my expectations ‘where do I go after I’ve hit the ceiling?’ and the answer for that is ‘go do it again’.”

After her remarkable achievement, she left shooting for a while.

“Over that period of time, my priorities had shifted too because I had graduated from university and I came to a point where I needed to have a job, so I’d step back from the sport after 2016, trying to get employed and put my engineering degree to use,” Skinner said.

“But as the selections for Tokyo came around, I could be a bit cheeky, I sneaked in for another spot, however, it didn’t work out for me.

“I needed to start my campaign a lot earlier for this [Paris Olympics] and I’m very proud to say that this one was successful.”

Like Iles, Skinner has been training in multi-

ple clubs including Melbourne Gun Club where she is an associated member.

Skinner said it’s good to train at different places, especially for trap shooting.

“It’s not just about hitting the target but also adapting to the weather and ground conditions,’ she said.

The shooter first got into shooting through her family as her dad introduced clay target shooting to one of her older brothers who was interested in firearms.

Along with her brother, Skinner also grabbed a chance to try shooting and her family found the talent in her and supported her to take it to the next level.

Skinner said her goal for the Paris Olympics is to do the best she can.

“Unfortunately, shooting is one of those sports that you have your good days and bad days and it really doesn’t matter how you prepare to lead into it now as to whether you’re going to guarantee any results.

“I’m just going to try and hit as many of those targets as I can.”

Towering ruckman notches highest-recorded ranking

Powelltown Football Netball Club superstar Ben Wratten has etched his name into the history books with a mammoth performance in the Outer East Football Netball League’s Division One competition.

Wratten racked up an astonishing 336 ranking points for his performance, despite Powelltown being comfortably beaten by Alexandra 8.6, 54 to 20.17, 137.

Ruckman Wratten recorded 61 disposals (equally a recording he already held), 37 hitouts, 1 goal, 19 marks, 46 kicks, 17 rebound 50s, 12 intercept possessions, 26 contested possessions and 15 clearances.

Wratten’s new record edged out social media influencer Tom Baulch, known as ‘Prime Train’, who set his 329-point score while playing for Blighty in the Picola District league in April as part of his ‘2024 footy tour’.

Baulch recorded 81 disposals, including 20 contested possessions, 14 rebounds 50s, 14 marks and nine intercepts. Jack Cattanach of the Hay Lions sits in third with 313 points.

Wratten isn’t the first Upper Yarra footballer to hold the Premier Data record either, with Wandin’s Joel Garner briefly holding the record with his 46-disposal, 7-goal performance against Gembrook-Cockatoo in June 2023, becoming the first player to

beak the 300-point Premier Data ranking points threshold in the process.

Wratten’s performance isn’t an isolated showing either with Premier Data including him as the ruckman in its mid-season Team of the Year posted on 13 June. At that point in the season, he was averaging 216 points, 45.8 disposals, 27.8 hitouts and 18.7 clearances per game.

Some of his other highest-scoring performances this season include:

233 ranking points from 42 disposals, 42 hitouts, 34 contested possessions, 17 clearances and 9 intercept possessions in a loss to Yarra Glen.

263 ranking points from 54 disposals, 40 contested possessions, 23 hitouts, 24 clearances and 12 intercept possessions in a loss to Belgrave.

268 ranking points from 61 disposals, 21 marks, 26 contested possessions, 16 clearances and 8 rebound 50s in a loss to Yea.

252 ranking points from 51 disposals, 37 contested possessions and 51 hitouts in a loss to Healesville.

Wratten has also won the last four Jim Wandin medals for the best and fairest player in the Outer East’s now-defunct Division Two and featured in the back-to-back premierships won by Powelltown in 2022 and 2023.

Ben Wratten (left) celebrates the 2023 Premiership won by Powelltown. (Supplied: 419056)

Mitchell Iles (left) with deputy chef de mission Kyle Vander-Kuyp. (Supplied)

Catherine Skinner is going for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Skinner’s family found the talent in her and supported her to take it to the next level.

Paralympics awaits Bridget

By Dongyun Kwon

A local equestrian is excited to fly off to Paris, France with her seven-year-old horse.

Healesville resident Bridget Murphy finally put her name in the Paralympics team for the first time in her life.

Murphy said she’s amazed and excited about it.

“When you start riding as a little kid, you always dream about representing your country,” she said.

“We all want to win the gold medal but we will just go over and do our best and give it a red hot crack just like Australians do, make the country proud, make theValley proud and just do the best we can.”

Para-equestrian is an equestrian sport for people with a classifiable physical or visual impairment.

Para-equestrian dressage is the only equestrian discipline that is included in the Paralympic Games and is divided into five grades.

The grades range from Grade 1 which is for athletes whose impairment has the greatest impact on their ability to ride, through to Grade 5 for athletes whose impairment has the least impact on their ability to ride.

Each grade competes on its own but three riders form a team to represent their country.

Murphy and her horse Macey (Racing name: Penmain Promise) will be participating in Grade 2 and they will only do walk and trot tests, and may show lateral work in Freestyle Tests.

They have been training with their coach Monica Bird, who lives in Coldstream, twice a week and doing extra training by themselves whenever they have time.

“Macey is only 7 years old and, in the scheme of things, she’s quite young but we decided to start the Paris campaign as an opportunity for her to get experience,” Murphy said.

“She stepped up every time and kept getting better and better, and she got the score to qualify.”

The Paris Paralympics is the first Paralympics for the duo.

“This is my first Paralympic Games, but I’ve been riding since I was a kid,” Murphy said.

“I grew up going to the pony club and adult riders and then started in para-dressage in 2018.

“We were having a run for the Tokyo Games but Covid shut everything down and stopped that but we regrouped and are going to Paris soon.”

Murphy said she thanks the local community.

“It’s a very expensive sport and I’ve had a couple of big fundraisers and everyone was so supportive,” she said.

“My whole team is Valley-based, we lived here, the horse was bred here, the owners are here, and my coach is here.

“So, I feel the whole Valley is behind us, we’re just really excited to be on this journey, and I hope everyone enjoys it as well.”

Archers in fine form at Wandin East for 2024 champs

Over the weekend of 6 and 7 July 2024,Yering District Archers (YDA) hosted the State National Indoor Competition at a pop-up venue in Wandin East’s Big Green Shed.

There were approximately 75 archers from clubs all around Victoria, with the Wandin East venue one of five available around the state for competitors in Victoria.

The indoor comp consists of 20 ends each time shooting 3 arrows, for a possible score of 600.

The weekend had two different rounds, one being the State round and the second day the National round. Every archer has a chance at shooting a state record and also a National record and could receive two medals for the competition.

Main Results for Yering Archers:

Male Under 14 compound

· Ethan Brodie - 3rd inVic and 6th Nationally

Female Under 21 compound

· Sophie Southall -1st in Vic and 1st nationally

Male 60+ longbow

· Mark Southall - 2nd in Vic and 3rd nationally

Male 70+ compound

· Bill Mackieson - 4th in Vic14th Nationally

Male 70+ Recurve

· Ron Baddeley - 1st inVic and 5th Nationally

Many other members placed well especially those who were shooting their first competition.

The committee atYDA would like to thank all our archers who competed in the championships, Wandin-Seville Community Bank

Chairman Ray Barrett, Casey MP Aaron Violi and his daughter, and Evelyn MP BridgetVallance who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in the opening ceremony

as well as event sponsors especially the Wandin-Seville Community Bank for their generous donation, which helped YDA purchase new target butts for the event and of course the National Judge, Steve, as without him the show wouldn’t go on.

Lastly, the YDA Committee would like to thank all the volunteers from YDA and Sherbrooke Archers who have helped out tirelessly in running practice evenings prior to the Championships and those who worked over the weekend.

If you are interested in having a go at archery many of our clubs run come and try sessions, just google “archery clubs in my area.”

Clubs would love to see you on our ranges.

Archers take aim.

Yering District Archers once again hosted the State/National Indoor Championships. (Supplied: 419079)

Bridget Murphy and Macey are going for their first Paralympic Games soon. (Stewart Chambers)

Murphy was encouraged to try para-equestrian by a former Paralympian.

Murphy shares ownership of Macey.

250 games for Mel

By Alex Woods

This weekendWarburton-Millgrove were hosted by Yarra Junction for another four games of Netball and two games of Football.

The previous night, the Women’s Footy team ventured to Emerald to take on Emerald.

The team started strong, they secured 2.820 in the first quarter to Emerald’s 1.0-6. They continued only to allow Emerald to secure their next goal in the last quarter while securing a goal or 2 in each as the game went on.The final score was 2.2-14 to 5.11-41 with Jasmine Enever kicking 2 goals, Lily Pagels, Jade Mewburn and Madi Ward all securing one each. Emerson Woods, Madi Ward, Stacey Mercuri, Sally McIntosh, Hollie Eckhardt and Jade Mewburn were all top performers in the match.

D Grade started Saturday morning, and the game had an even start, being 5 all at quarter time. The second half was very different, as the team were able to take control and secure the win 12- 30. Brooke de Pedro put up 17 goals and Sienna Muir shot 13 goals, Nikita Aldridge, Brooke de Pedro and Sienna Muir were the star players of the game.

C Grade were on next and celebrated a big milestone. Mel Hancock played her 250th game and earned herself Life Membership at the club. The team started strong with an 8-17 first half. The game was much in the Burras’ favour and they got the win for Mel with a final score of 15-35. Mel put up 19 goals and was the top performer along with Cam Partel and Casey Hare. Ashlyn Hermansen also shot 15 goals and Cam Holland with 1.

A Grade took the court next and had a solid first half securing 32 goals to Yarra Junction’s 14. In the second half, the Burras kept YJ to only secure 9 goals and got another 25 for themselves. The final score was 23-57 with Karly Wappett and Bianca Daniels shooting 27 goals each. Selina Fotia also made a goaling appearance and shot 3 goals. Ally Langdon, KarlyWappett and Bianca Daniels were the top performers for the game.

Reserves took to the field at midday and also had a solid first quarter. By the first break, the score was 1-7 to 9.3-57. The second half was also to the Burras with them kicking a total of 21.15-141 to 2.3-15. David Lever kicked 5 goals, Damien Egan kicked 4, and Liam Bar-

nard, Tyler Bert, Harry Rothwell and Caelan Flynn all kicked 2. Chad Currey, Jack Halit, Matt Sidari and BrettWinzer all got 1 each. David Lever, Jack Halit, Brayden Ferguson, David Bedggood, Caelan Flynn and Damien Egan are all top performers in the match.

B Grade finished off the netball for the day. The team had a nice lead of 8-20 at halftime. The Burras kept control of the game in the second half and secured a nice win of 22-38. Alex Woods put up 28 goals and Zoe Timoney with 10. Alexandra Woods, Monique Lee and Katelin Borondy were top performers of the match. The Seniors finished off the round. The score at halftime was 2.1-13 to 11.9-75. In the second half, the team managed to keep YJ to only securing 1 more goal, while grabbing another 10.15 for themselves. The final score was 3.3-21 to 21.24-150. Nelson Aldridge kicked 7 goals, Brock Caneva secured 3, Trent Elliott, Jack Lee and Bailey Humphrey all got 2. Tom Baker, Tom Barr, Jake Byrush, Jack Farrugia and Lachlan Hewitt all secured 1 each.

Top performers were Thomas Baker, Nelson Aldridge, Jack Lee, Brayden Woolridge, Dylan Walker and Ben Pretty.

Wandin gain upper hand over Monbulk

Fresh off a convincing win against fourth on the ladder Upwey-Tecoma, Monbulk travelled to Wandin with a confidence in the football they were producing that was very different to the side Wandin had beaten easily early in the year. But a fast start from Wandin was everything the home crowd had hoped for. Dominating time in forward half and racing to a five goal lead before Monbulk could get much control of the football. From there though, Monbulk were able to get the game more on their terms, responding with two goals at the end of the first quarter and then controlling the second. A heavily contested but even second half provided Wandin with a five-goal three-quarter time lead and some strong team defence in the last meant that the home team saluted with just under a four goal win as they prepare for the clash with Woori Yallock this weekend.

Final scores Wandin 13.13, 91 defeated Monbulk 10.10, 70. Top Dogs on the day were Chayce Black, Brodie Atkins, Todd Garner, Daniel Hirst, Damien Furey and Patrick Hodgett.

Other results:

· Reserves: Wandin 8.10, 58 defeated Monbulk 6.2, 38. Top Dogs were Tyson Smith, Alexander Ferguson, Darby Huggins, Aaron Mandl, Jordan Spencer and Jack Dixon.

· Under 19s: Wandin 9.9, 63 defeated Gembrook-Cockatoo 8.8, 56. Top Dogs were Joshua Atkins, Lachlan Alderman, Branden Farr, Joshua Vennix and Cooper Aitkins.

Tough slog

By Brendan Donovan

TheWooriYallock men’s footy and netball headed to the cold muddy ground of Upwey-Tecoma on Saturday whilst the senior women’s headed north to Thornton

The Unders probably had their best game for the year with tough uncompromising footy and a win really sets them up for a massive crack at finals.

Upwey-Tecoma 3.4, 22 defeated by Woori Yallock 12.12, 84. Top (Woori) Tigers were Gabriel Conboy, Mason O’Neill, Tyler Ormsby, Noah Dare, Callum Hobbins and Ronan Taylor.

The Ressies continued their strong form, great effort and intent against one of the strongest reserves teams they had seen for a long time, they fought hard to an honourable loss.

Upwey-Tecoma 13.14, 92 defeated Woori Yallock 4.2, 26. Top Tigers were Callum Scott, Chris Lower, Tom Kear, Christian Cameron, Hamish Gemmill and Thomas Heron.

The netball was hit hard by illness and unavailability, the A Grade had a real good crack, B Grade won again and look certain for a finals berth while the C and D sides battled hard for tough losses.

· A Grade: Upwey-Tecoma 52 defeated WooriYallock 43.TopTigers were Chelsea Smith, Jaymee Tough and Olivia Caneva.

· B Grade: Upwey-Tecoma 45 defeated by Woori Yallock 67. Top Tigers were Rebecca Course, Jaymee Tough and Tarsha Collette.

· C Grade: Upwey-Tecoma 27 defeated Woori Yallock 22. Top Tigers were Jessica Ford, Melanie-Rose Jakobs and Remmi Corbett.

· D Grade: Upwey-Tecoma 33 defeated Woori Yallock 14. Top Tigers were Megan Britton, Kylie Corbett and Charlene Booker.

· 17 and Under: Berwick 27 drew with WooriYallock 27. Top Tigers were Holly Jervis, Oliver Stenhouse and Georgia Sands.

· Under 15s: Berwick defeated Woori Yallock 4. Top Tigers were Charlotte Lower, Lexi O’Neill and Tiahna Foy.

The SeniorWomen’s footballers made short work of Thornton with a powerful defensive performance, keeping the home team scoreless.

Thornton Eildon 0.0, 0 defeated by Woori Yallock 117, 73. Top Tigers were Jessica Lee, Emily Spicer, Emelia Robin, Casey Wright, Piper Crymble and Keren Wakefield.

· A Grade Netball: Wandin 48 defeated by Monbulk 53. Top Dogs were Emmalia Blake, Kate Campbell and Kyah Kimpton.

· B Grade: Wandin 43 defeated Monbulk 41. Top Dogs were Madeline Seeley, Annie Brown and Kailah Meager.

· Women’s: Wandin 5.6, 36 defeated by Monbulk 6.2, 38.Top Dogs were Alysha Henskens, Mikayla Best, Chloe Stokes, Georgia Krueger, Erin Mclaine and Hailee Stokes.

· C Grade: Wandin 37 defeated Monbulk 31. Top Dogs were Cassidy Iedema, Marlee Smart and Aimee Mackenzie.

· D Grade: Wandin 38 defeated Monbulk 18. Top Dogs were Kealey Earney, Ella Rumian and Grace Leggett.

· 17 and Under:Wandin 28 defeated by Pakenham 29. No best players selected.

The Senior footy was always going to be a battle of wills and in the end, the Woori Tigers’ ability to take advantage of the momentum was the difference in a very tough game for both teams. Upwey-Tecoma 7.8, 50 defeated by Woori Yallock 9.10, 64. Top Tigers were Baylin Spencer, Blake Muir, Jordan Williams, Zach Monkhorst, Jacob Aitchison and Taylor Gibson.

This week,WooriYallock hostsWandin in what’s sure to be a great day of sport.

Mel Hancock and the C Grade team picked up a win in her milestone game. (Supplied: 419310)

Wandin players in pursuuit of Monbulk’s Josh Wentworth. (Supplied: 419274)

Woori Yallock Senior Coach Brendan Donovan has guided his team to another win. (File)

SPORT Heart, guts and glory...

By Sarah Bailey

Healesville U9 Redbacks 8-2 Northern Eagles

Facing off against the Northern Eagles at Don Road, the Redbacks got themselves back on the winners list after a draw and two losses.

The game started evenly, but the Eagles capitalised on defensive errors and went 2-0 up within 10 minutes.

That kicked the Redbacks into gear. Max P went on a great run and fired a shot into the back of the net, following up with another goal soon after.

Hudson, filling in for the game, was everywhere and also nailed some fantastic shots.

The Redbacks dominated the second half, with more goals from Will and Louie and an epic left-foot volley from Ben P. Twins Kai and Karl also put in great efforts and helped set up many attacks.

Ethan, also filling in, was awesome up front and rock solid in defence. A highlight was the team’s passing and ability to find teammates in space. Special mention to Louie, who played his best game of the season.

He controlled his side of the pitch, worked really hard and was involved in everything. Healesville U9 Falcons 6-4 Yarra Valley

After conceding an initial goal, Healesville responded with 3 in quick succession and continued to dominate the first half.

Great goalkeeping from Jensen R kept Yarra Valley from scoring another, which saw Healesville 5-1 up at half time.

Healesville allowed the opposition back into the game with some defensive lapses in the second half but were strong enough to hold on for the win. Goal scorers were Ethan S (2), Harry G (2), Bruce S (1) and Logan S (1). Healesville U15 Girls Flames 1-0 Berwick United

The Flames hosted the ever-challenging Berwick United side. The first half was a great defensive battle by both sides with neither willing to concede any ground.

The second half started with Berwick pushing hard to take the lead, but some good defensive work by Evelyn BW and Hanna P kept the

Flames on even terms.

It was then Healesville’s turn to push forward. With just three minutes left in the game, another defensive clearance from Isla C found its way to Charlee R on the wing, who won the 50/50 ball and found the ever-patient striker Kendi LT.

Kendi’s perfectly weighted through ball found Eloise S, who calmly slotted home the winner.

Healesville Firsts 1-0 One FC Firsts

This was most definitely a game of two halves. With the week off last week, it looked as though Healesville had forgotten what a soccer ball was in the first half.

Somegooddefendingandthehelpofapost, and Healesville counted themselves lucky going into the break level on the scoreboard.

A rev up at half time by coach Brian W and the game flipped on its head. Healesville now dominated possession and territory, and after some near misses it was only a matter of time before Healesville would score.

Daniel T was the player to do that, secur-

Yarra Glen overrun by Tigers

By David Ball

Yarra Glen travelled toYea to take on the Tigers and in good conditions got off to a promising start.

While being two goals down at quarter time, the River Pigs were very competitive, creating opportunities through pressuring Yea into a few turnovers.

The second quarter sawYarra Glen winning more of the ball in the midfield and in a goal for goal battle moved to within a goal of Yea 10 minutes into the quarter.

After a dubious call from the umpire to award Yea an extra kick at goal, the River Pigs lost their focus and intensity, and allowed Yea to run free into space and create a number of quick entries to fast leaning forwards.

After being well held by Jimmy Marks, Yea’s leading forward, Corbin Sutherland was able to mark and convert three quick goals.

Yea went into half time 47 points up.

Early in the third quarter, the River Pigs were dominating general play and had all the play in their forward line.

Sadly, they were unable to convert up forward, kicking five points before Yea had a forward entry.

When Yea finally went forward, they converted and continued for the balance of the quarter to goal from virtually every time they went forward.

They added six goals for the quarter to be leading 18.4 toYarra Glen’s 4.9 at the last break. In the last quarter, Yea were running hard and finding loose players everywhere as Yarra Glen failed to pick up Yea’s midfielders.

With their defence under siege, Yarra Glen were completely overrun to end up going down 4.11 to 26.8.

Best players for Yarra Glen were: Oscar Grenfell, Chris Webber, Sam Wood, Tom Sullivan and Chris Beattie.

Goalkickers: Josh Hawkins two, Ethan Mur-

dock one, James Brereton one.

The Yarra Glen reserves were looking to back up after a good win last week but with a number of late withdrawals the team was facing an uphill battle.

Early in the game, the River Pigs competed well and with good defensive pressure were able to keep a younger and fitterYea to just the two goals by quarter time.

An early goal to Will Duff in the second was all they could manage for the game.

Matt McKenzie was great in defence and Tommy Matthews was winning many contests around the ground.

Clinton Harris was impressive in his first game.

To Yarra Glen’s credit, they continued to battle hard and at times moved the ball well.

In the end, their depleted line up could not match it withYea and ended up going down 1.3 to 14.10.

Best players were Tom Matthews, Matt McKenzie, Maf Laloulu, Clinton Harris and Sean Spencer.

ing his 10th goal of the season. More missed chances kept One FC in the game, but Healesville would hold on for the win.

Stuart P was excellent in goal, earning his second clean sheet this season.

Healesville Reserves 1-1 Berwick Chargers

After a great run of results Healesville were looking to continue their march up the table. Unfortunately, it was one of those days where things just didn’t go to plan.

A sloppy start set the tone and a lack of energy throughout the team made it a tough day at the office. Berwick took the lead in the 55th minute, but Healesville found a way (mainly through keeper Nick C) to stay in the contest, and Ben S scored a 75th-minute equaliser that kept Healesville 4th on the ladder.

Healesville U13 2-2 Blackburn Servals Healesville travelled to Blackburn to face a very strong Servals side. Watching the warmup gave a good indication of how the Reds would play.

This was indeed the case, with Healesville putting in their best display of the season.

Healesville were the better side in a first-half stalemate and scored a deserved opening goal through Julian B early in the second. Unfortunately, a five-minute lapse in concentration saw Blackburn take a 2-1 lead.

Healesville showed character and skill, with Louie G hitting a volley from outside the box to level the score at 2-2, and that is how the game finished. Shoutouts go to Cooper W and Tristan T.

Healesville U11 White Wolves v Waverley City forfeit

With Healesville already securing victory when an undermanned Waverley side had to forfeit, the teams agreed that a friendly match was a good idea. Borrowing three players from Healesville’s U11 Panthers, Waverley managed some really nice passages and scoring opportunities.

Healesville’s play of the day belonged to the combination of Robbie K and Will B. Robbie crossed into the box with precision, finding Will, who pulled off a great instinctive header.

Some great runs and passing from both teams gave us all a good session of play.

Special mention to Oscar P, who graciously helped out on the bench despite having to play a very important match later in the day.

Friendly score: 5-1 Healesville’s way.

Healesville Women’s Reds 0-3 Croydon Ranges

The Reds hosted Croydon Ranges under some early winter sunshine at Don Road.

Their previous meetings were physical encounters and the first five minutes of this game proved no different. The Reds kept calm (not bad for a side fielding no fewer than eight of the club’s U15 players) but were trailing 2-0 in the space of a few minutes.

The half-time score would have been much worse if not for some inspired goalkeeping by Ruby M.

The second half was much more even, with two very organised defences keeping it tight. Leah K was instrumental in the Healesville back four, and second-gamer Evelyn BW was lightning across the pitch, but ultimately Croydon took their chances and ran out victorious.

Belgrave tastes defeat

By Anne-Marie Ebbels

Once again, the A Grade netball game was a nail biter against Belgrave.

The first quarter was goal for goal with Belgrave going into the first break with a slight lead.

The second quarter was much the same with the half time lead the same as the first break with Belgrave leading by two goals.

Belgrave played a tough quarter in the third to extend their lead by to 10 goals at three quarter time.

Healesville came charging home in the final quarter but had given Belgrave a too big a lead and the final score had Belgrave victorious by one goal.

In the B Grade game, Belgrave got out to a fast start heading into the first break with an eight-goal lead.

Healesville continued to work hard, but Belgrave proved much stronger and outscored Healesville in each quarter to be big winners by 33 goals.

C Grade started slowly and never really got into the game against Belgrave struggling to convert their opportunities in the goal third.

Belgrave continued to extend their lead at each break running out final winners by 43 goals.

The Senior women took on Belgrave in a one-sided affair. Healesville kept Belgrave scoreless for the game, but Healesville didn’t have it all their own way with the Belgrave defence making scoring difficult.

Healesville were ultimate winners by 49 points.

The seserves took on the undefeated Belgrave side. The first quarter was an armwrestle with Healesville heading into the first break with a one-point lead.

Healesville extended that lead to nine points at half time.

The game continued to see-saw in the second half with neither team able to make a definitive break in the third quarter.

A hard-fought final quarter saw Healesville hand Belgrave their first defeat for the season by 17 points.

In the Senior Men football, Healesville got out to a fast start against Belgrave to go into the quarter time huddle with a 15-point lead. In a defining second quarter Healesville kept Belgrave scoreless to extend their lead to 43 points at half time.

Healesville continued to dominate play in the second half to win the game by 85 points and maintain their spot at the top of the ladder.

Next week Healesville senior football and netball head to Alexandra while the women head south to Berwick Springs and the U18s play on Friday night at Don Rd Complex.

Yarra Glen footy teams were defeated by Yea. (File)

Healesville U10 Girls take on Berwick United. (Supplied)

Jason Savage effected a spoil in round 13 on the weekend. (Kylie Rowe)

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