Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 13th August 2024

New centre ready to go

By Callum Ludwig

Cire Services has excitedly announced the official opening of its new Early Years Learning Hub in

Situated alongside the Cire Community School campus, the new hub includes the early learning facility upstairs as well as conference rooms to be utilised by Cire and other businesses or services looking to have a presence in Yarra Junction.

$2 million for the project came from the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks Grants program, with Cire fronting the rest of the costs.

Cire’s Executive Manager of Early Learning Diletta Lanciana said she was excited to be there to celebrate the opening of the amazing facility and an important asset to the Upper Yarra community.

“Our grant was based on a vision to provide a holistic, one-stop shop ensuring that the community had access to a range of support services, including early learning, healthcare, allied health, counselling, all in one building,” she said.

TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR MORE

Cire Services’ new Early Years Learning Hub. (Callum Ludwig: 424532)

By Dongyun Kwon

huge drop from the previous year’s $201.4 million.

Quality Fabrication and Engineering is a manufacturer of road maintenance equipment located in Woori Yallock, and the general manager, Glenn Hardiman, claimed that the pothole issue facing drivers would have been greatly reduced if the government had not slashed funding on preventative road maintenance, in particular, road

resurfacing and waterproofing.

“Contractors spray bitumen onto the existing road surface, then aggregate crushed rock is spread over the bitumen, this creates a non-slip uniform surface and creates a waterproof seal preventing water penetrating the road and creating potholes,” he said.

“In the last three years, the Department of

Transport and Planning has slashed the funding for spray sealing regional roads significantly, and this has exposed a significant proportion of the road network to the winter wet season, which has resulted in an exponential growth in the number of potholes and emergency temporary repair works.

Yarra Junction.

NEWS Hundreds feel earthquake

By Callum Ludwig

Woods Point was again the origin of a minor earthquake that shook Victoria in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday 7 August.

At about 3.48am, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck in the state forest near the Lazarini Spur Track with 2112 ‘felt’ reports coming in from across the state, including in Yarra Junction and Healesville.

The quake was relatively shallow, occurring at a depth of only 10km below the surface.

VICSES advises that minor damage may have occurred and encourages residents to stay safe by avoiding damaged buildings, roadways and bridges, fallen trees and powerlines.

Chief Scientist at the Seismology Research Centre Adam Pascale said it was another aftershock in the same sequence that started in September 2021.

“It is strange to think that aftershocks can still be happening three years later, but in geological time it’s just a blink in time,” he said.

“The stress on that fault had probably been building for thousands of years, so for it to settle back into a solid position to start building stress again without slipping is going to take years,”

“This is the third largest aftershock following the original magnitude 5.9, there was a 4.2 only minutes after the main shock, a 4.7 in late June 2023, and this 4.1 today.”

The Star Mail previously reported on the ‘blind’ fault line in the Woods Point area that was discovered by experts at The Australian National University (ANU) in 2023, about a year and a half following the magnitude 5.9 earthquake that hit in September 2021.

Lead researcher and a seismologist at the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences Dr Sima Mousavi said at the time the research was published that ‘it is important to understand their location and behaviour and potential hazards in order to properly assess earthquake risk and take

appropriate measures to protect communities and infrastructure.’

The Seismology Research Centre has seismic stations situated around Victoria, including

the 7 August quake can be seen on the far right at a magnitude

one that was within 35km of the epicentre of the Woods Point earthquake and 20-30 stations within 100km of it.

The Seismology Research Centre posts a

weekly earthquake map of Australia on their social media accounts of the same name for anyone interested or seeking information about earthquakes.

Local firefighters deployed to help in Canada fires

Forest Fire Management Victoria firefighters have answered the call of their Canadian counterparts to support the efforts to contain the country’s devastating bushfires.

Firefighters from Powelltown, Woori Yallock and Knoxfield were deployed to British Columbia and Alberta last week, taking on roles in the Advanced Planning Team, as Operations Section Chief, Air Support Group Supervisor, Task Force Leader and Heavy Equipment Bosses for 35 days.

An additional five arduous firefighters and an Agency Representative departed on Thursday to further support the response in British Columbia.

Port Phillip Deputy Chief Fire Officer Shannon Devenish said the crew are among a total of 62 Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) personnel supporting the ongoing wildfire response, continuing a long-standing tradition between Victoria and Canada.

“FFMVic staff bring extensive emergency management experience taking on specialist roles including Air Operations Manager, liaison and planning officers, Air Base Manager, Air Attack Supervisor and Strike Team Leaders,” Devenish said.

“Our arduous firefighters are well-prepared to face the challenging and remote terrain of

Canada, bringing specialist skills in tree-felling and dry firefighting techniques,”

“While providing much-needed relief to our Canadian counterparts, these deployments also offer invaluable opportunities for FFMVic staff to expand their bushfire knowledge and operational experience in different environments, allowing them to apply what they learn to manage large-scale bushfires at home,”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our deployed staff and to their loved ones and colleagues who support them from home.”

In 2019-20, Canadian firefighters supported Victorian firefighting efforts, and since then, FFMVic staff have been part of multiple deployments to Canada over the past two fire seasons.

As Victoria prepares for the upcoming bushfire season, FFMVic is recruiting several hundred Project Firefighters to bolster their permanent firefighting staff.

These roles offer a valuable entry point into careers in environmental and emergency management. Some of FFMVic’s former Project Firefighters have gone on to support firefighting efforts across Australia and internationally.

While applications closed on 28 July, FFMVic is still accepting applications for locations with vacancies. For more information, visit: jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/pff

Powelltown firefighter Matilda Gribble in Canada. (Supplied)

More firefighters have been deployed by FFMVic to assist with the wildfires in Canada. (Supplied)

A graph of all the aftershocks since the September 2021 Woods Point earthquake, where

of 4.1. (Seismology Research Centre)

NEWS IN BRIEF

Millions slashed from roads fund

FROM PAGE 1

“As we are heading towards the end of winter, it can be revealed that critical road resurfacing activities did not occur over the 23-24 summer. For the first time since the late 80s, our rural road network has not had contracted bitumen surfacing crews actively waterproofing our pavements.”

Road areas resurfaced or rehabilitated in both regional Victoria and outer suburban Melbourne have plummeted over the last five years.

Star Mail contacted the Department of Transport and Planning and confirmed Yarra Ranges roads are not classed as regional roads but as greater metropolitan roads.

Road area per square metre in outer suburban Melbourne resurfaced or rehabilitated has kept decreasing, with 0.729 million square metres in 2022-23, 0.603 million square metres in 2023-24 and the figure dropping to 0.542 million square metres for 2024-25 according to the Australian Flexible Pavement Association.

The following is the road areas resurfaced or rehabilitated in regional Victoria.

• 2019-20: 18 million square metres, approximately 2400 kilometres of two-lane roads

• 2020-21: 20 million square metres, approxi-

mately 2600 kilometres of two-lane roads

• 2021-22: 15 million square metres, approximately 2000 kilometres of two-lane roads

• 2022-23: 9.029 million square metres, approximately 1200 kilometres of two-lane roads

• 2023-24: 0.343 million square metres, approximately 45.8 kilometres of two-lane roads

• 2024-25: 3.163 million square metres, approximately 421.8 kilometres of two-lane roads

The figure for 2022 to 2025 has been documented by the Australian Flexible Pavement Association while the figure for 2019 to 2022 has not officially been documented, but Mr Hardiman claimed the number has been collected by Victorian spray seal and maintenance companies.

Mr Hardiman said the government keeps blaming the unprecedented weather events, which is not entirely the case.

“Although the extreme rain in 2022 undoubtedly had an effect on parts of the road network, it is the unprecedented lack of preventative maintenance which is allowing a significant deterioration on the rest of the road network,” he said.

“They [roads] are falling apart, they have not been receiving the necessary preventative maintenance, they just get temporary patches, which is

understandable in the wet months.

“Two, three days or a week later, the pothole or road hazard reappears. The biggest concern in the industry is that this lack of preventative maintenance will continue in the upcoming maintenance program, which will only further exaggerate the issue.

“The deteriorating road network is not only an inconvenience to the motorists, the condition of our roads is now a very real safety issue.”

The recent My Country Road survey by the RACV has also proven that many Victorians have the same concern as Hardiman.

According to the survey, potholes and poor road condition were the top issues identified, with an overwhelming 64 per cent of participants identifying these as the primary safety issue, up from 46 per cent in 2021, and improving the road surface ranked the top solution with 60 per cent of participants voting this.

The Melba Highway from Coldstream to Yea received the most responses regarding safety concerns while the Warburton Highway also featured among roads with many safety concerns.

Star Mail contacted the Department of Transport and Planning.

Burglary in Taggerty

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a burglary in Taggerty on Tuesday 16 July.

It is believed offender/s have attending a property along the Maroondah Highway and stolen a red Polaris 950 and series of other tools and equipment.

Investigators have released an image of two cars that were parked near the Maroondah Highway property at 4.30am which may be able to help with the investigation.

The first car thought to be a 1990 Nissan Patrol station wagon white in colour and a 2004 Nissan Patrol tray back, grey in colour.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Man arrested over alleged burglaries in the east

Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested and charged a man with 30 offences and seized over $60,000 of stolen cars, cash and jewellery following a series of alleged burglaries and car thefts across Melbourne’s east last month.

Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Sheahan from the Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit said police will leave no stone unturned when it comes to apprehending those who think they have the right to waltz into someone else’s home and take what is not theirs.

“Our community is a very safe place to live and we are extremely determined to make sure it stays that way,” he said. It’s alleged the incidents occurred between 1 July and 31 July including:

• A burglary in Chirnside Park on 1 July where a camera valued at $2000 was stolen.

• Two burglaries in Chum Creek on 3 July where cash, chainsaw, tools and a coffee machine valued at $43,500 were stolen.

• A burglary in Gladysdale on 22 July where cash, watches and jewellery valued at $5000 were stolen.

• A burglary in Brunswick on 27 July where a laptop, computers and concert tickets valued at $3000 were stolen.

• A burglary in Heathmont on 30 July where a motor vehicle, safe containing passports and jewellery valued at $7000 were stolen.

• A burglary in Healesville on 30 July where watches, jewellery and cash valued at $5000 were stolen.

• A burglary in Park Orchards on 31 July where jewellery, war medals and antiques valued at $2000 were stolen.

On 31 July, detectives arrested a 41-year-old Chirnside Park man as he was allegedly breaking into a property in Park Orchards. He was charged with 30 offences including burglary, theft, theft of motor vehicle and possessing a drug of dependence.

He was remanded to appear before Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on 27 August.

Police also executed three search warrants at properties in Healesville, Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park and seized stolen property including:

• Jewellery

• Watches

• Clothing

• Power tools

• Alcohol

• High-end electric bikes and racing bikes

• Polaris 4-wheel buggy

• Tree climbing work equipment

• Personal items of sentimental value to the victims

Quality Fabrication and Engineering design engineer David Taylor stands in front of aggregate spreading trucks used for spray sealing/water proofing for road surfacing. (Stewart Chambers: 424148)

Schools prepared for fires

By Dongyun Kwon and Callum Ludwig

The Victorian Government has recognised the ominous threat bushfire poses to the Yarra Valley and the Upper Yarra through the latest round of its Bushfire Preparedness (Vegetation) Program (BPVP).

Local schools have been listed to receive grants under the BPVP in recognition of their higher risk.

BPVP funding is provided for essential bushfire vegetation clearance works undertaken prior to the annual bushfire season to the school campuses listed on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) in categories zero to three.

More than 330 government schools across 348 campuses shared in more than $8.4 million to carry out essential maintenance work through the BPVP.

Six local schools in the Yarra Valley, Healesville Primary School (PS), Healesville High School (HS), Badger Creek PS, Christmas Hills PS, Chum Creek PS and Dixons Creek PS are on the list.

Healesville PS received over $26,000.

Healesville PS principal Tracey RobertsonSmith said the funds cover any tree works or emergency services works that are needed.

“Every year the business manager and myself meet with an arborist to assess our trees and vegetation to see what needs doing,” she said.

“The money has also been used in the past to replace a wooden deck with fire retardant mod wood as the deck is next to our shelter-in-place.

“Receiving this money is very important as the work needs to be done annually and the school does not have to find the funds.”

Healesville HS received over $36,000.

Healesville HS principal Allan Rennick said he is grateful to the state government for the financial assistance offered through the program which allows the school to feel more confident that it is prepared for the summer and for the threat of bushfire that exists in the community.

“We complete significant preparatory works on our grounds and buildings throughout the year and particularly from now through to November,” he said.

“We source contractors to complete include slashing or clearing of all flammable undergrowth such as dry grass and vegetation, preparing a fuel-reduced zone around buildings, clearing of rooves and roof gutters, and pruning of lower limbs of established trees; removing, or trimming trees or branches over-hanging or touching buildings and sheds.

“We also use part of the funding to maintain our designated shelter-in-place which those familiar with the high school will know is the bottom stadium, female and male changing rooms and foyer adjacent to the stadium in the Educational and Community Activity Centre.”

Dixons Creek PS was closed but is still included in the BPVP recipients list with over $20,000.

“Closed schools such as Dixons Creek Primary School that still meet Bushfire At-Risk Register criteria remain at high risk of bushfire and must be maintained to protect buildings and incidental visitors to the site,” an education department spokesperson said.

“The BPVP funding ensures the reduction of

bushfire risk to school buildings and communities.”

Badger Creek PS received over $25000, Christmas Hills PS nearly $20,000 and Chum Creek PS almost $22,000.

Every school in the Upper Yarra received funding to carry out fire-risk education works.

Millwarra PS’ Millgrove and East Warburton campuses received just over $46,000 between them and principal Rod Barnard said they have been receiving funding under this program for a number of years.

“Most schools in this area have large properties, lots of trees and plenty of grass, this is different from city schools and each year there is a constant need for mowing, pruning trees and shrubs away from buildings, whipper snipping, gutter cleaning, tree removal, retaining wall replacement and maintenance, garden bed maintenance, debris clean up, equipment maintenance and running costs as well as maintenance on buildings where embers can gain access,” he said.

“Funding is also used to provide easy access to fire-safe buildings, the list goes on and we require contractors to come in and do many of these tasks and the funding is essential in being able to keep up with all of these tasks.

“As our Warburton East Campus is also a Community Fire Refuge the requirements are even more demanding so we are very appreciative of this funding as it allows us to keep on top of these tasks.”

Yarra Junction PS received just over $26,000

and Principal Lisa Rankin said they are allocating the BPVP funding towards having all gutters cleaned and tree works.

“Yarra Junction Primary is a BARR Category 3 school, this means that on a catastrophic fire danger rating for the central weather district our school is closed, and with consideration of where our school is located and where our students live in the Yarra Valley, it is vital that our students have an understanding of bushfire preparedness,” she said.

“This includes families understanding the needs of bushfire preparedness so that they can create a family bushfire plan and we have been supported by the Yarra Junction CFA through visits to our school assembly to help inform our students about bushfire and household fire safety, the connection between our school and the local CFA is a valued connection.

“At Yarra Junction PS we review our Emergency Management Plan twice per year, February and August and furthermore we conduct evacuation drills to our shelter in place in term 1 and term 4 each year.”

The BPVP also provides a School Support Program where an accredited Bushfire Planning and Design consultant can visit a school twice a year to help with preparations and identify where risks can be reduced, as well as to help ensure schools complete a Vegetation Management Plan every three years.

Warburton PS received $23,648.37 and principal Nathan Van der Monde said bushfire pre-

paredness is a vital life skill for children and families who live in the Upper Yarra area.

“We use the requisite funding to take preventative action, clearing vegetation and shrubbery from near buildings and in the yard, mitigating risk in bushland areas by having dead grass and plants removed or slashed, recladding buildings in fire retardant exterior materials, making the grounds more accessible to Emergency Services and other related maintenance,” he said.

“The environment is both naturally beautiful and a high risk for bushfires, so by having a clear understanding of how to prepare and when to enact a bushfire plan, it keeps everyone safe.”

Upper Yarra Secondary College received $35,594.71, The Alpine School’s Don Valley campus received $22,532.21, Wesburn PS received $24,989.05, Gladysdale PS received $24,058.86, Don Valley PS received $21,804.96, Launching Place PS received $27,490.60, Hoddles Creek PS received $20,193,43, Woori Yallock PS received $27,102.52, Seville PS received $25,313.75, Wandin Yallock PS received $25,884.51 and Wandin North PS received $24,668.70.

“We know how devastating bushfires are and just how long-lasting their impacts can be, and that’s why we’re continuing to support schools to be as fire-ready as possible,” education minister Ben Carroll said.

“These grants will help more than 330 schools at risk of fire clear vegetation – to protect their classrooms and facilities in the event of a bushfire.”

The Yarra Junction Primary School ‘fire truck’ may be able to remain out of action with new bushfire preparedness funding for Upper Yarra schools. (File)

Deer harvest increases

By Callum Ludwig

The Game Management Authority (GMA), in partnership with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, has published its estimates of 2023’s deer harvest, gathering results from surveys of Victorian Game Licence holders.

The results estimate that 137,090 deer were harvested last year, an 11 per cent increase from 2022’s total of 123,400 and 59 per cent higher than the average since 2009 (86,400).

GMA Research Principal Dr Jason Flesch said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced deer hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.

“Throughout 2023, approximately 2,400 licenced deer hunters were surveyed about their hunting activity including how many deer were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used, and the species of deer harvested,” he said.

“This research helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria.”

The number of licensed hunters jumped up 3.6 per cent from 50,478 to 52,321, of which 60 per cent actively hunted last year at an estimated average of 4.3 deer over 10.5 days.

Head of Advocacy and Deer Management at the Australian Deer Association Sean Kilkenny said he was pleased with the increase in licence holders.

“This reflects a modern society being more connected and aware of where their food comes from, with more Victorians taking the next step and sustainably harvesting it themselves,” he said.

“Recreational deer hunting generates 100’s of millions of dollars and creates thousands of jobs for the Victorian economy, and with some many

licence holders, it’s easy to see how,”

“The harvest numbers have been consistent since the end of Covid, demonstrating the irreplaceable role that recreational hunters have in managing wild deer.”

The Yarra Ranges is included in the very far east side of the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (CMA), with

most of the deer harvesting in this region coming from the Yarra Ranges and Nillumbik area. Between 2001 and 10,000 deer were harvested in the Port Phillip and Westernport CMA with up to 1000 of those using hounds while hunting.

Sambar Deer were the most commonly harvested species with an estimate of 106,500 deer, of which 53 per cent were female, streaks ahead

of the next-highest at 27,500 Fallow Deer of which 59 per cent were female.

A study on the ‘Abundance of deer in Victoria’ was published by the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research in October 2023 in which 253 sites were set up, including 317 camera traps, on public land between September 2021 and May 2023. Deer were detected at 148 sites, and signs of deer at 186 in that period. From that, they were able to estimate a total abundance of 191,153, of which 123,061 were Sambar deer, 48,932 were fallow deer, 12,672 were red deer and 4243 were hog deer.

Referring to the abundance of deer stats, the GMA’s estimates would mean a very high proportion of the state’s deer population was harvested last year, even accounting for extra deer.

Fallow and Red Deer were harvested to a sustainable harvest proportion (estimated harvest divided by the estimated abundance) of 0.11 and 0.9 respectively.

Fallow deer have an estimated maximum removal rate (maximum annual proportion of animals to remove to stop population growth) of 0.34 and while Red Deer don’t have a set rate, it is estimated to be between 0.3 and 0.46 like most other deer, according to a 2010 study that estimated the annual maximum population growth rates of different mammals.

Sambar deer, however, were harvested at an unsustainable rate of 0.5, above their maximum removal rate of 0.4 and estimated annual growth rate of 15 per cent according to a 202 study based in Victoria.

The GMA’s report suggests the high proportions may indicate that there has been some overestimation of the recreational deer harvest, which could be caused by spotlighting on private property, a hound team’s total haul, or deer hunting in a different jurisdiction, such as New South Wales, being included.

Five arrested as $300,000 of stolen property recovered

Vehicles, commercial trailers and an excavator are among more than $300,000 worth of stolen property returned to the rightful owners following a spate of thefts in Melbourne’s east.

Manningham Crime Investigation Unit investigators believe a series of incidents occurred between 29 June and 2 August across multiple suburbs including Cranbourne, Donvale, Montrose, Mitcham, Nunawading, Vermont and Wandin North.

Detective Sergeant Brad March from the Manningham Crime Investigation Unit said they’re really pleased to have returned the majority of stolen property to their rightful owners.

“These items are more than just objectsthey’re crucial to people’s livelihoods and businesses,” he said.

“Our detectives are committed to holding anyone responsible for criminal activity to account,”

“We encourage the community to share any information you have with police, no matter how small.”

Victoria Police recovered more than $300,000 worth of stolen property from across the east. (File)

Following an extensive investigation, police executed a search warrant at a property in Mitcham this week. Detectives arrested a 38-year-old Mitcham woman. She was later released and is expected to be charged on summons.

During the warrant at the Mitcham address, police also arrested:

• A 29-year-old Mitcham woman was arrested and released pending summons.

• A 25-year-old Don Valley woman was arrested and released pending summons.

• A 22-year-old Richmond man was arrested and released pending summons.

• A 22-year-old Warburton man was arrested and charged with handle stolen goods. He was bailed to appear in court at a later date. The investigation remains ongoing.

Police have seized more than $300,000 of stolen property including:

• A trailer valued at $1500 which was taken from a Mitcham property on 29 June.

• A trailer containing bikes valued at $7000 taken from a property in Vermont. The trailer belonged to a non-profit organisation that facilitates camps for disadvantaged children.

• A camping tent trailer containing equipment valued at $2000 stolen from a Montrose prop-

erty on 14 July.

• A large Go Kart trailer containing equipment valued at $120,000 stolen from a property in Donvale on 20 July.

• A trailer containing tools valued at more than $100,000 stolen from a Wandin North property on 21 July.

• A trailer containing building materials valued at $6500 stolen from a Mitcham property on 22 July.

• A trailer with an excavator valued at $35,000 taken from a Mitcham property on 22 July.

• A Nissan Patrol valued at $15,000 stolen from a Nunawading property on 1 August.

• A Toyota Sedan valued at $30,000 stolen from a Cranbourne property on 2 August.

Detectives have been in contact with multiple victims and returned most of the stolen property. The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

The estimates are in for the 2023 deer harvest in Victoria. (File)

No room for renewables

By Callum Ludwig

As Victoria seeks to move away from coal-fired power, the State Government wants communities to help guide the approach to renewable energy and transmission.

A long-term Victorian Transmission Plan is in the works, with the draft Victorian Transmission Plan Guidelines out now for feedback.

“VicGrid is changing the way renewable energy zones are planned so that regional communities, landholders and Traditional Owners have a real say in the process,” said VicGrid Chief Executive Alistair Parker.

“We’re developing a long-term strategic plan, the Victorian Transmission Plan, and we’re seeking input from local communities so we can get this right.”

The plan has drawn the ire of some however, with a number of regions throughout the state exempt from having to home future renewable energy infrastructure, including the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.

A study map included in the guidelines outlining areas for future investigation has almost the entire Outer East area excluded from wind projects due to a 2012 Victorian Planning Provision, with other areas on the edges still either being avoided or deprioritised.

The Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges have largely been found to be less suitable for large-scale renewable development due to constraints including environmental sensitivity and the terrain, as well as because of the ban on wind farm development in the region in the planning provision.

Gippsland South MLA Danny O’Brien has been one outspoken critic, recently telling the Sentinel Times that the Victorian Government restated ‘its blanket ban on wind farms in city playgrounds like the Yarra Valley, Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas’.

When contacted by the Star Mail, Mr O’Brien referred to his comments during a 20 February 2024 debate on the Climate Change and Energy Legislation Amendment (Renewable Energy and Storage Targets) Bill 2023.

“The guidelines specifically preclude the development of wind energy facilities in; Yarra Valley

and Dandenong Ranges, Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, the Great Ocean Road area within five kilometres of the high water mark, and Macedon and McHarg Ranges, the land within five kilometres of the high water mark of the Bass Coast, west of Wilsons Promontory,” he said.

“Is anyone seeing a pattern here, does anyone know what this is, these are all either Melbourne or Labor-held areas, for areas east of Wilsons Promontory, ‘Go your hardest. Build a thousand wind turbines there. We don’t care. It’s not relevant to us’.”

Parts of Mr O’Brien’s Gippsland South District are designated as Tier 1 (most suitable), Tier 2 (suitable) and Tier 3 (available) for investigation into potential as renewable energy zones, while south to south-east of Traralgon is also slated for an offshore wind study.

According to a map of existing renewable energy projects from Renewable Energy Projects Vic-

toria, the Outer East currently has only one project: an approved but not yet operational battery in Chirnside Park that has a maximum power output of one megawatt.

Mr O’Brien said this is the hypocrisy of this government.

“They will have wind farms, and they will sell it in Brunswick and Northcote and Fitzroy but not anywhere we want it – not anywhere in regional Victoria, where farmers and people who live in the rural parts of this state have to put up with them,” he said.

“No, they just want them out of the places they live and the places they holiday, like the Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road, but Gippsland –‘Oh, go your hardest’ – unless it is in Bass, because on the Bass Coast that is a bit sensitive, that is one of their marginal seats; they do not want it anywhere there.”

VicGrid’s initial study areas will be whittled

down into smaller zones following the start of the engagement process over the next twelve months, with only a relatively small proportion of the study area required for renewable energy zones.

The initial study area was developed through the Victorian Government undergoing a ‘strategic land use assessment’ which factored in community feedback alongside 60 statewide datasets covering agriculture, land use, biodiversity, cultural and social factors.

Consultation on the guidelines is open until August 25 and consultation on the study area in the guidelines is open until September 30.

People can find the plan, online feedback forms and details of upcoming sessions on the Engage Victoria website at engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan.

To get a hard copy feedback form and replypaid envelope, call 1800 418 341 and one can be mailed out.

Greens name Emerald’s Dr Merran Blair as candidate

By Callum Ludwig

Dr Merran Blair has been named as the Australian Greens candidate for Casey in the upcoming 2025 Federal election.

A dietician born and raised in Emerald who currently works as a lecturer and practice academic at Monash University, Dr Blair said she has lived in and around Casey for most of her life.

“I did leave Victoria for just over a decade and spent the majority of this lime living in Ulladulla on the south oast of New South Wale, In the time that I was living outside of Victoria I also lived and worked in three other states of Australia, so I have a broad perspective of the challenges people face in different areas of the country,” she said.

“I returned to study as a mature-age student to complete my dietetics degree in 2017 and finished a PhD in employability in December 2023, I have been really fortunate to have this opportunity for a career change later in life,”

“Prior to returning to study I had a long series of insecure jobs, mostly in hospitality, and I have also run my own business twice, I got fed up with low-paying, insecure work and decided to get myself more set up with a career and obviously, that has come with sacrifices over the years that I have been studying, but I feel I am in a much better position now to give back to my community.”

Dr Blair will contest the seat of Casey where Jenny Game, the Greens candidate for the 2022 and 2019 elections, managed to achieve 12.94 and 10.94 per cent of the vote respectively.

Dr Blair said Casey was an extremely marginal electorate as just a 5.1 per cent swing in the vote would turn Casey Green.

“I am very excited to step up and represent our electorate and give back to our community, this is an amazing opportunity to finally have a representative in parliament who understands

that climate change is not going away unless we take urgent action,” she said.

“The people of Casey are more affected by climate change than many other electorates and we are sick of waiting for governments to take the issue seriously and act accordingly.

“We are also, much like the rest of the country, hurting from the cost of living crisis. Consecutive Labor and Liberal governments have dropped the ball on affordable housing, and they are scared to act to stop supermarket price gouging and to intervene in the cost of electricity. I look forward to pushing for action on these issues if I am elected.”

The Greens are the first political party or group to officially name their candidate for the Casey electorate, though serving Liberal MP Aaron Violi will be fighting to keep his seat. The Liberal Party has named its candidates for seats it will be contesting next year, including in the neighbouring Aston electorate which was won by Labor MP Mary Doyle during a by-election in April 2023.

Dr Blair said she plans to talk to as many residents of Casey as dhr can, to hear about their concerns and discuss changes both in the local area and federally that can improve their lives.

“There are a lot of local concerns about mental healthcare in our region, and I want to ensure more access to these services in our area, people shouldn’t have to shell out big dollars to see a dentist, psychologist or a GP - healthcare should be truly universal and free for all,” she said.

“Another major local issue is childcare, recent federal changes to the pay rate for early childhood educators is a great step in the right direction, we just need to make sure that these changes translate to adequate access to services for our residents.”

The Star Mail also asked Dr Blair which of the Green’s policies she was most passionate about, which she believes are most important for the Casey community, which she said were climate change and healthcare.

Dr Blair said she is extremely passionate about action on climate change and it baffles her why things are moving so slowly when the answers are right in front of them and underway.

“The current government’s insistence on opening new coal and gas projects is nothing short of negligent, currently, 40 per cent of Australia’s energy supply comes from renewable sources [according to the Clean Energy Council], up from 32 per cent in 2022 [according to statistics from the Department of Climate

Change, Energy, the Environment and Water], we need to be focussing on this and not living in the past and propping up the fossil fuel industry that is literally killing our planet,” she said.

“In Casey we are more prone to extreme weather events than many other electorates, in recent years we have been hit with multiple storms that have led to extensive electricity and internet outages, we are also very used to the threat of bushfires, but this is becoming more common. It used to be that every few summers would be high risk, but now, these high-risk seasons are more common and the bushfire seasons are longer and harsher and getting house insurance in some areas of Casey is either extremely expensive or not even possible,”

“Casey also has a high proportion of natural environments that need protecting from rising temperatures and the extinction crisis, we have a lot to lose to climate change in Casey, and we deserve better than a Labor or Liberal representative who is comfortable taking donations from coal and gas corporations.”

Dr Blair said her passion for healthcare is both from a health service sense but also a broader policy perspective.

“We are encouraged to think that individuals are responsible for their own health, but government policy has a much more significant impact on people’s health than anything else,” she said.

“If people are suffering from housing stress then they cannot be healthy. In the middle of a cost of living crisis, if people are having to make decisions about whether they buy petrol or put healthy food on the table, their health will suffer, my goal is to ensure policies that make it easier for all Australians to be healthy,”

“Currently, many decisions are being made that prioritise the needs of corporations above the needs of the residents of Casey, and all Australians, I want to see that changed so the government works for us, not big business.”

Dr Merran Blair, the Greens’ candidate for Casey in 2025. (Supplied)

As Victoria moves away from coal-fired power, the Outer East will have little role to play in homing new renewable energy sources. (File)

NEWS Mountain bike trail galore

Construction of 100 kilometres of trails for Stage 1 of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Project is underway.

World Trail, renowned for crafting extraordinary trail experiences such as the Wesburn Park Pump Track, are on site delivering the much-anticipated Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project.

The first trails are expected to be open in the first half of 2025, subject to weather conditions.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Sophie Todorov said while the start of construction had taken a little longer than expected, the project is now well underway.

“Much work has been done to ensure that during the delivery of this project protections are put in place from an environmental, cultural and emergency management perspective. And this will go beyond construction with plans in place for the future protection of our community and local environment,” she said

“We are immensely grateful for the unwavering support of our partners and stakeholders as this kind of large-scale legacy project can only be delivered in collaboration. We thank every single person who has contributed to this project during its planning phases including the state and federal governments, Traditional Owners, statutory authorities and the Warburton Yarra Junction Community Bank as we start to see this project become a reality.”

All plans for the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination have now been endorsed by the State and Federal governments and an official sodturning ceremony will be announced shortly.

O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child said this project is the vital economic boost that this region needs, particularly with the closure of the timber industry.

bridge would help cyclists navigate the mountain bike trails while keeping them separate from traffic.

“We know that Old Warburton Road is a winding forest road, used by many to access their homes, along with Wesburn and Warburton, so having a bridge constructed over the road was a fundamental component of this first stage of the project,” she said.

“This bridge will be high enough to allow truck traffic underneath, with a 5.4 metre clearance; it will keep motorists and cyclists safe from collision and allow cyclists to have a continuous trail experience.”

The bridge, which will form a key link over Old Warburton Road between bike trails, will be constructed from galvanised steel framing, with a fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) decking and steel and concrete columns.

The two cladding options to pick from are between a galvanised steel rod balustrade and handrails or corten steel blade cladding.

No trees will be removed as part of the construction works.

Cr Todorov said the bridge was featured in the Environment Effects Statement (EES) exhibited to the public for community engagement a couple years ago.

“We know local residents and users of the mountain bike trails will see this bridge regularly, and so we’ve opened additional community engagement to let the community influence the appearance of the bridge,” she said.

“This project has been in the making for many years and at long last, it has become a reality.”

For more information, and to sign up for updates, visit rideyarraranges.com.au/warburtonmtb-destination/.

The bike bridge on Old Warburton Road near the Mt Little Joe Track intersection, will also be

“It’s also important to ensure that with this project we balance the needs of our local community with the economic and tourism benefits that this project will bring, this is something we will continue to monitor and prioritise during and after construction,” he said.

getting a revamp as part of Stage One of the construction of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination.

Community engagement is now open on the façade of the bridge – whether the cladding for the bridge will be a rusty-coloured metal, to blend with the natural surroundings, or a plain galvanised/grey metal.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Sophie Todorov, said the

“I encourage everyone in the Upper Yarra to have a look at the designs, and share their feedback, before 8 September.”

Artist impressions of the designs can be viewed on the Shaping Yarra Ranges page for the project, with engagement closing on Sunday 8 September.

To find out more and vote for your preference, visit shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/old-warburton-road-bridge-wmbd?.

Construction has begun on the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination. (Supplied)

Positivity shines through

By Mikayla van Loon

With the likelihood of homelessness increasing, services from across the Yarra Ranges wanted to commemorate the dedicated awareness week with positivity.

Each year during the first week of August, support services from across the region join together to remember, reflect and connect with or about the many people who have fallen into homelessness.

Under the warm winter sun on Wednesday 7 August, lunch was served to a gathered group of those in and around homelessness at Melba Park in Lilydale.

As the regular meeting spot of Holy Fools’ Street Angels lunch it seemed only right to make this the location of the National Homelessness Week lunch.

Founder and chief executive officer of the outreach organisation, Neal Taylor, said unfortunately despite some steps forward, the situation is worsening.

“The issue is getting worse, and we’re starting to see more and more families, not necessarily homeless but at very strong risk of homelessness, battling exorbitant rentals or high mortgages,” he said.

“Often there’s loss of income with a parent, one of the primary parents may be sick or lose their job.”

Anchor chief executive officer Heidi Tucker said this was exactly the scenario and demographic presenting more and more often to the organisation’s homelessness case workers.

“We’re seeing people now coming in who absolutely can’t afford their rent and looking at homelessness who work. So we’re actually now having a lot of contact with what we would call the working poor in this area,” she said.

“The Yarra Ranges, historically, has had reasonable rents, cheaper than further into Melbourne but that is not the case anymore.

“Not only that, landlords are also selling up with the interest rate rises so that perfect storm for people who are renting means that rents are going up but also properties are getting scarcer.”

Another cohort of the population representing the increase in homelessness, Mr Taylor said, was older men, particularly “we’re seeing a lot more men in cars”.

One man, who Mr Taylor estimates was in 70s, was sleeping in his car during the weeks when temperatures dropped below zero. He has since found nightly accommodation at the Winter Shelter.

Ms Tucker confirmed too that across the state the number of older women also becoming homeless continues to rise.

“The fastest growing group of people becoming homeless is older women, and what we know about them is that they’re very ashamed,” she said.

“They may have lived in a house, in a home, being the mother, wife, etc, for many years, and all of a sudden, they actually don’t have a home. They’re living in their car. We’ve heard from women who actually keep that a secret from their family for quite a long time.”

Ms Tucker and Mr Taylor agreed that housing was first and foremost the key to delivering better outcomes for people in homelessness.

“We need to see more community housing. We need to see more permanent housing, but we need to start to see even more emergency accommodation. There’s just nothing, and it’s terrible that we’ve got lots of buildings that are just sitting empty,” Mr Taylor said.

Ms Tucker said when the most recent social and affordable housing project in Croydon saw some of Anchor’s clients find homes it was “like unblocking a drain” because “we all felt like there’s hope”.

“We’re certainly turning our attention to prevention. Houses and more accommodation and social housing, solve homelessness, but they also stop homelessness,” she said.

“What we know is that once people become homeless, they start not looking after themselves, they start perhaps alcohol and drug using, their mental health deteriorates very quickly and their sense of the world means that it’s a long way to get back up that mountain again. So don’t let them fall is really our motto.”

This is particularly important for young people, Ms Tucker said, because research from Canada shows that “50 per cent of people that are homeless as adults were homeless as children”.

For Mr Taylor, community help will form a huge part of the solution, particularly now that State Government laws around granny flats and bungalows have changed which could see someone get off the street for minimal rent.

More than that though, he said advocacy to all levels of government about tiny house and caravan laws or to repair and maintain current public housing stock, may go a long way in helping house a family or individual

And of course any dollar people can spare to donate to organisations like Holy Fools and An-

chor, Mr Taylor said “helps us do what we do” and ensures people receive the support they need.

“There’s lots of things people can do from supporting and donating, and even volunteering, to just advocating and writing letters,” Mr Taylor said.

Recognising the difficulty and paying tribute to the people who have found themselves homeless, Ms Tucker said was one important aspect of the lunch but also to create a positive, supportive environment.

“We’re trying to dispel the stigma and misconceptions that actually people don’t go out to make themselves homeless. It’s not their fault.

“This sort of thing where you bring people together and people are just really friendly and there’s lots of nice things on offer, it makes people feel like we still care.

“It’s a very isolating experience being homeless and very, very lonely because people who become homeless, they lose their community, they often lose their family through maybe no fault of their own.”

The theme of National Homelessness Week 2024 was Homelessness Action Now.

Introducing Stable One’s new CEO Katherine Kirkwood

By Callum Ludwig

Winter Shelter Network, chief executive officer Katherine Kirkwood to share a bit more about her new role and the plight of homeless people in the Outer East.

Ms Kirkwood recently took over from Stable One’s founder and former Woori Yallock resident Jenny Willetts OAM, who has relocated back to the UK to care for her elderly parents.

Ms Kirkwood said her connection with Stable One came about through two friends who had previously volunteered at the Yarra Valley Winter Shelter.

“In 2019 I attended a fundraising event ‘Unpack’ which left a huge impact on me, at this ‘dinner’, each person was allocated a number and this number dictated ‘where’ you would be getting your food from for the evening – perhaps it would be a sausage in bread from the ‘community bbq’, perhaps it would be a mug of soup from the ‘soup kitchen’, or perhaps it would be a pack from the Foodbank,” she said.

“As some of us, hungry as we were, wondered how we would open the canned food with no can opener, or how we would eat the 2-minute noodles if we had no access to boiling water (thank goodness for the tea/coffee urn in this instance), one fortunate person on each table was provided with silver cutlery and a served with a delicious choice steak with a side of steamed vegetables, the disparity between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ was made glaringly

obvious,”

“As someone with a Christian faith, I felt that God convinced me to step out of my comfort zone in order to understand the issues of poverty and homelessness on a more personal level - in the Bible, Jesus overwhelmingly calls us to care for the poor.”

Ms Willetts brought together members of local Christian churches in Lilydale, Mt Evelyn, Wandin and Yarra Glen banded to address the absence of crisis accommodation in the Yarra Ranges in 2017 and went on to found Stable One.

Ms Kirkwood said it was as a volunteer bookkeeper that she began her journey with Stable One in 2020, and then became employed in the role.

“While Stable One was running its program at The Lodge in Yarra Junction, I volunteered as a shift worker, spending time with our guests and other volunteers and during this time, I worked alongside the founder of Stable One, Jenny Willetts,” she said.

“Over the past few years my role with Stable One grew from simply bookkeeping, to assisting Jenny with other tasks including newsletters, social media, and networking with others interested in our shelter model,”

“I have learned an enormous amount from Jenny, and I felt it was a great privilege when she suggested that I step into her role.”

Stable One currently has seven venues across the state providing services for the homeless in Victoria and also partnered with the Emmaus Christian Community, Habitat for Humanity Victoria and Servants Community Housing to announce ‘The Village’ this year - a plan for 11 long-term rental homes in Bayswater North for people experiencing homelessness.

Ms Kirkwood said in her years working and volunteering for Stable One she has also learnt a great deal from our guests about homelessness.

“It is a privilege to hear their stories, and to be able to come alongside them at their most vulnerable and help to provide them with what they need – not simply food and shelter, but also care and connection,” she said.

“Our 150 plus volunteers are passionate about providing more than a place to stay, together we seek to create an atmosphere of belonging for our guests,”

“It’s a place where they can feel safe, and

perhaps learn to trust people again, it’s a place where they can have good, positive conversations, it’s a place where they can been seen and heard, and even relax and have a little fun.”

While Stable One has a strong core of 150 volunteers, the organisation is currently seeking anyone who would be willing and able to fill their overnight shifts, which are run from 11pm to 6am, split into smaller shifts.

Ms Kirkwood said we all know that a home is much more than a house, people need connection, community, support, positive relationships and the list goes on.

“This Homelessness Week, Stable One has participated in the Houses At Parliament campaign, guests and volunteers have been folding origami houses to contribute to a state-wide total of 60,000 paper houses to represent the 60,000 additional, affordable and appropriate social homes that are needed in Victoria,” she said.

“But I think what gets lost in these numbers sometimes is that the ‘houses’ are just a start –people actually need more than just a roof over their head to live life well, a roof and walls are an excellent start, but unless we also provide solutions to this epidemic of loneliness and isolation we are experiencing, the problem of homelessness won’t be solved,”

“Each of us needs to be willing to walk alongside those who are struggling, be the one that gives a word of encouragement, or a helping hand to someone when they need it, take the time to invest in someone else’s story by walking alongside them, unconditionally.”

Tasty Az’s Jack, Julz and Megan with Holy Fool’s Neal Taylor, Cr Tim Heenan, Anchor CEO Heidi Tucker, Stable One CEO Katherine Kirkwood and Jim Fuller House’s Kate Coleman. (Mikayla van Loon: 424162)

The Homelessness Week lunch brought many services and community members together on Wednesday 7 August. (424162)

Tasty Az barista Jack was busy making coffees for the attendees of the Homelessness Week lunch. (424162)

For National Homelessness Week, the Star Mail reached out to the new face of the Stable One

L-R: Holy Fool’s Neal Taylor, Cr Tim Heenan, Anchor CEO Heidi Tucker, Stable One CEO Katherine Kirkwood and Jim Fuller House’s Kate Coleman at a National Homelessness Week lunch. (Mikayla van Loon: 424162)

Interest rates on hold...

By Poppy Johnston, AAP

Australian borrowers have avoided extra loan repayment pain after the Reserve Bank of Australia opted on Tuesday to leave interest rates steady, in a widely expected move.

The key interest rate has been unchanged at 4.35 per cent since November 2023, a level the central bank believes is high enough to slow the economy and tame still-elevated inflation.

Any case to lift interest rates at the August meeting fizzled out after June quarter inflation date landed broadly in line with the central bank and market expectations.

In the post-meeting statement, the board kept its options open on future moves, preferring not to rule anything in or out.

“Inflation in underlying terms remains too high, and the latest projections show that it will be some time yet before inflation is sustainably in the target range,” the statement said.

“Data have reinforced the need to remain vigilant to upside risks to inflation and the board is not ruling anything in or out.”

Refreshed economic forecasts from the RBA have headline inflation brushing the top of the two-three per cent target band at three per cent by the end of the year, a sizeable 0.8 percentage point revision to reflect government energy subsidies and cost-of-living help.

Yet as those rebates expire in mid-2025, headline inflation is expected to jump back up to 3.7 per cent by the end of next year, before eventually returning to target again by late 2026.

Trimmed mean inflation, which removes major price changes at either end and helps the central bank look through temporary price bumps like expiring energy bill relief, was much closer to May’s predictions though was nudged a little higher over the forecasting period.

The trimmed mean is still falling back within target by December 2025, the same as predicted in May.

Higher interest rates have already slowed the economy substantially but stalling progress on

inflation suggests interest rate cuts are at least a few months away.

The central bank remains focused on deliver-

ing a “soft landing”, which involves

a recession and a surge in unemployment.

weakening the economy enough to beat inflation without causing

The key interest rate has remained unchanged at 4.35 per cent since November 2023. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Cheers to Yarra Valley wines

By Dongyun Kwon

The Yarra Valley wineries surprised the national wine industry as four local wineries won awards in different categories including two major awards.

Celebrating the very best in Australian wine, the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards recognised the nation’s top wines, winemakers, viticulturists and wineries.

Giant Steps Wine (GSW) won the Winery of the Year and Pinot Noir of the Year with its Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023.

Having been shortlisted for Winery of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, GSW’s receipt of this top honour in 2025 has solidified its position as a world-class producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

GSW general manager and head winemaker Melanie Chester said it’s wonderful to see the dedication and hard work of the entire GSW team acknowledged in such a profound way.

“Giant Steps has always had an unwavering commitment to creating high quality wines that tell the stories of our sites, which we see as some of the most exciting vineyards in the country,” she said.

“It was a real thrill to see our winery next to the list of nominees, and now to stand among the past winners feels like a recognition of the consistency and quality that we work hard to produce.”

In addition to being named Winery of the Year, GSW has also been awarded Best Pinot Noir for the second year in a row for the Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Planted by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin in 1997 and acquired by GSW in 2013, the Applejack Vineyard is a unique site located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley.

The eastern aspect and high-altitude results in an extended growing season, ideally suited to Pinot Noir as well as Chardonnay.

The Applejack Pinot Noir is one of the most anticipated releases from GSW.

Ms Chester said Applejack Vineyard is truly exceptional and it’s one of the great Pinot Noir sites in the country.

“Receiving the award for Pinot Noir of the Year for the second consecutive year is a testament to Ray Guerin’s excellent site selection and to our crew, who tend the vineyard and know how to get the best from it,” she said.

“Both the Winery of the Year and Best Pinot

Noir awards represent the collective effort and dedication from our team to keep improving and increasing the quality of the grapes we grow and the wines we bottle each year.

“I am proud to work with such a talented and devoted group of people and look forward to honouring them while celebrating these awards.”

Yarra Yering (YY) received two awards for its red wines; Shiraz of the Year (Red Wine of the Year), and Other Reds and Blends of the Year.

YY general manager and winemaker Sarah Crowe said her team is pleased for the recognition.

“What’s nice is that making wine is always a team effort, and it’s the accumulation of everybody’s work to get this recognition,” she said.

“It helps us to form an even stronger bond as a team.”

YY Dry Red Wine No. 2 2022 won Shiraz of the Year (Red Wine of the Year) with 99 points, and YY Dry Red Wine No. 3 2022 won Other Reds and Blends of the Year with 98 points.

Ms Crowe said Dry Red Wine No. 2 has soft tannins while Dry Red Wine No. 3 is much firmer.

“The Dry Red Wine No. 2 is Shiraz dominant blend. It has a few other varieties in there, such as Viognier and Mataro, and they just bring that

extra complexity and layers to the wine,” she said.

“It’s 96 per cent Shiraz, so it really does lead with that Shiraz, and there’s wonderful softness and generosity to the 2022 vintage.

“The Dry Red Wine No. 3 is an unusual blend for Australia. It has six Portuguese varieties in it, and it’s extremely floral, but also quite a firm wine with many tannins.

“We really work hard to get this wonderful fruit flesh palette to compliment the tannins

Next week, Star Mail will continue this story covering the other two winners, Oakridge Wines and Mount Mary.

in that wine.”

Sarah Crowe at Yarra Yering Cellar Door. (Supplied)

Giant Steps Wine’s Applejack Vineyard is located 300 meters above sea level in Gladysdale. (File: 412083)

Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 2 2022. (Supplied)

Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 3 2022. (Supplied)

Making their voices heard

By Callum Ludwig

Eight students from four local primary schools put their minds, writing ability and confidence to the test in the second annual Wandin Rotary Primary Schools Speech Contest.

Held at Wandin Yallock Primary School on Thursday 1 August, students from Wandin Yallock, Wandin North, Coldstream and Woori Yallock Primary School had to present a speech to a judging panel from the Wandin Toastmasters group.

Youth Chair at Wandin Rotary Peter Johnson said they were happy to have the school competing again and they were all very enthusiastic about it.

“It’s great for the kids to get the opportunity to do public speaking, the schools are running sort of in-house school competitions to select two for

our competition and then the winner of ours goes on to compete against other Rotary Clubs winners,” he said.

“Wandin Toastmasters were great as well, they’re very well organised and they’re very supportive of the Rotary program for the Primary School Speech Contest, they’ve done quite a few schools for a few Rotary Clubs in the district and the district finals are in October.”

The following students competed, having chosen their respective topics.

Nikita (Coldstream Primary School) - Mysteries of the Deep Sea

Evan (Wandin North Primary School) - If you could have one superpower, what would it be.

Saveria (Wandin Yallock Primary School)What planet would you visit and why?

Mila (Woori Yallock Primary School) - If I could change the world

Jaylen (Wandin North Primary School) - Mysteries of the Deep Sea

Nate (Coldstream Primary School) - A much needed invention.

Molly (Woori Yallock Primary School) - The best part of living on Earth.

Elias (Wandin Yallock Primary School) - Mysteries of the Deep Sea.

In first place was Molly, who received a $70 bookstore gift card, an individual trophy and will compete in the district finals. Mila and Nate received a $50 and $30 bookstore gift card for finishing second and third respectively.

Mr Johnson said students had a list of 15 topics to choose from.

“The criteria that the Toastmasters looked at is being able to speak without referring to notes, making good eye contact with the people in the audience and confidence and they could speak

for up to three and a half minutes so timing their speech is important,” he said.

“It’s a good opportunity for students to participate in public speaking, there are competitions within schools in other areas such as sport, for example, but for students who might not be that way inclined, this is an opportunity to compete in something that they may have a passion for and are interested in, and it’s a good development for future life.”

The judging panel consisted of Judith Talanoa (Chief Judge), Judy Murphy, Nola Sharp and Marlene Sinclair.

All students were presented with a certificate of participation for competing, while the winning school (Woori Yallock Primary School) was also engraved onto the perpetual shield.

Seville Primary School was also invited to compete but was unable to attend.

Cire Services officially opens new early years hub

By Callum Ludwig

Cire Services has excitedly announced the official opening of its new Early Years Learning Hub in Yarra Junction.

Situated alongside the Cire Community School campus, the new hub includes the early learning facility upstairs as well as conference rooms to be utilised by Cire and other businesses or services looking to have a presence in Yarra Junction.

$2 million for the project came from the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks Grants program, with Cire fronting the rest of the costs.

Cire’s Executive Manager of Early Learning Diletta Lanciana said she was excited to be there to celebrate the opening of the amazing facility and an important asset to the Upper Yarra community.

“Our grant was based on a vision to provide a holistic, one-stop shop ensuring that the community had access to a range of support services, including early learning, healthcare, allied health, counselling, all in one building,” she said.

“We recognise that the early years of life are the most important for learning, that’s where the foundations for the future are laid and we also know that early intervention is important to support better outcomes for children,”

“Through our networks and partnerships, we understand that families in the area have trouble accessing services due to the geographical barriers so we wanted to bring the services here, we want the hub to be an inclusive, accessible service minimising barriers for families.”

The project was first announced in December 2022, with construction starting early the following year.

Ms Lancania said the space is designed to be more inviting with an abundance of light.

“It is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach which believes that the child, parent, community and environment are all essential to the early years learning process, this is a holistic approach to early childhood education,” she said.

“The lower level has consulting groups and meeting groups which provide the potential to have children, families and the community to different services and supports in one place,”

“There are opportunities for training, community engagement, community dinners, morning teas, afternoon teas and much more, the sky’s the limit and this is a place where we can truly embrace the concept that it takes a village to raise a child.”

The new hub has 118 places available for long day care service, including 66 funded places for kinder-aged children.

Board Chair Julian Carle said he remembers coming out to the site when he first joined Cire, looking over to the right and thinking it was a strange-looking part of the site.

“There were some churches, they were some run-down buildings, there were all these different things and I asked what we do there and they said that’s where our early learning is and it was at that point that I thought that hopefully one day we’ll do something about that,” he said.

“I just want to say a big congratulations to everyone who’s been involved in it, it’s been a team effort, it’s been great seeing how it’s unfolded and I’m super excited to have you all with us.”

Cire Services CEO Gus Seremitis also stepped up to thank supporters of the project, including Yarra Ranges Council, the Victorian School Building Authority, not-for-profit employment employment service Campbell Page who will be establishing a service in the build-

ing, various contractors and Cire Services staff member Ricky, who provided progress photos of the construction each morning upon his arrival.

Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blanthorn was also invited to speak and said it was a privilege to be opening so many facilities like this one.

“We need a much more holistic approach to children’s services and that’s what happened and what our government is trying to achieve, we’re seeking to bring together the universal services like health and education with those more targeted family services and other children’s services,” she said.

“In so doing, facilities like this are absolutely critical so we’re upgrading and building new facilities like this right across our state.”

The new Cire Early Years Learning Hub in Yarra Junction has been officially opened. (Callum Ludwig)

The new hub consists of early learning upstairs and conference and meeting rooms downstairs.

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn cuts the ribbon, flanked by Cire executives, supporters and early learners.

Rotarians, toastmasters and competing students. (Garry Byrne)

L-R: Place-getters Nate, Molly and Mila with Marlene Sinclair of Wandin Toastmasters.

Rainbow Birds on a wire

A flock of fourteen fabulous Rainbow Lorikeets are lining up for their morning health checks at Healesville Sanctuary.

The bright native birds choose to participate in their own healthcare, including syringe training with nectar provided as a tasty treat.

Healesville Sanctuary bird keeper Sophie Anderson said the bachelor group in the Land of Parrots is incredibly social and love to engage in training sessions.

“We often start by building a relationship with a bird so that they trust us and are comfortable being close by,” she said.

“Then we teach them a stationing behaviour

and slowly introduce the presence of a small medication syringe, first from a distance, gradually shortening that distance while pairing it with tasty treats.”

Such training allows for more hands-off healthcare and minimises stress that can be associated with having a check-up or routine procedure.

This proactive training also allows for medications to be provided to the birds that may need pain relief or worming.

“The Rainbow Lorikeets are quite food motivated, have a previous training history and are confident around people which is a great foun-

dation to then be able to train a new behaviour. Consistency and patience are key,” Ms Anderson said.

The bird team have been developing this training for a couple of months and are now focussing on other species including Superb, Regent and Princess Parrots.

To support Rainbow Lorikeets and other bird species in the wild, plant flowering native shrubs like Banksia, Grevilleas and Bottlebrush in your garden.

Encourage your neighbours to plant native plants too as this will eventually provide a larger habitat for all our local species.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council postal election

My council, my vote

Vote by post this October

Ballot packs will be mailed to voters enrolled in the Yarra Ranges Shire Council general election from Monday 7 October. Complete and return your ballot material ASAP. Ballot material must be in the mail or delivered to the election manager by 6 pm on Friday 25 October

If you will be away

If you will be away when ballot packs are mailed, or your address has changed since Wednesday 7 August, you can request for your ballot pack to be redirected by completing the online redirection form at vec.vic.gov.au/redirections, or call 131 832.

Requests for redirection must be received by 5 pm on Monday 9 September.

Large print and braille ballot papers

Large print or braille ballot papers are available for voters who are blind or have low vision – please register by 5 pm Tuesday 10 September. To register, call 03 8620 1314 during business hours.

Early votes

If you will be away during the voting period (7 – 25 October), you can go to your local election office to vote in person, from 10 am on Wednesday 18 September.

The Yarra Ranges Shire Council election office is at:

Silvan Public Hall

271 Monbulk Road

Silvan

The Land of Parrots at Healesville Sanctuary is open from 10.30am until 3.15pm each day.

The Rainbow Lorikeets are most active between 11.30am and 12.30pm when they received their nectar feed.

If you don’t see them at first, you are guaranteed to hear them.

Nine varied species live in the Land of Parrots including Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, King Parrots, Rainbow Lorikeets, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Musk Lorikeets, Regent Parrots, Budgerigars, an Eclectus Parrot and a Pink Cockatoo.

How to nominate as a candidate

To nominate as a candidate, you must:

• be an Australian citizen and enrolled on the voters roll for Yarra Ranges Shire Council AND

• be eligible to become a councillor should you be elected AND

• have completed the mandatory candidate training before lodging your nomination with the election manager.

To nominate, complete the nomination form and lodge it with the election manager together with the $250 nomination fee. Nomination forms can be lodged by appointment during business hours from Monday 9 September until 12 noon on Tuesday 17 September at the election office. Visit vec.vic.gov.au for more information and to pre-complete your nomination form using the online Candidate Helper. The online Candidate Helper will be available from Tuesday 20 August.

If you use the online Candidate Helper, print your pre-completed form and make an appointment to lodge it with the election manager along with the nomination fee.

Call the election manager from Monday 9 September on 131 832 to make a nomination appointment.

Nominations close 12 noon Tuesday 17 September.

Candidate information sessions

6 pm Wednesday 4 September at Council Civic Centre, Conference Room A, 15 Anderson Street, Lilydale

11 am Friday 6 September at Council Civic Centre, Conference Room A, 15 Anderson Street, Lilydale

Candidate information kits containing nomination forms and other electoral information will be available online and from the election manager.

State-enrolled voters can register for free VoterAlert SMS and email reminders at vec.vic.gov.au

Rainbow Lorikeets. (Zoos Victoria)

Rainbow Lorikeet syringe feeding.

Business hub for locals

By Dongyun Kwon

Yarra Valley Biz Hub (YVBH) is inviting local businesses to join as the group is about to get going in earnest.

The group was formed on Facebook in April to provide a safe space for local businesses to support each other by sharing ideas, knowledge and wisdom.

YVBH founder Michelle Moss has a background in the health and wellbeing business Holistic Pillars which is a coaching and wellbeing programs platform focusing on the five pillars of wellbeing, ‘fuel, rest, move, mind and connect’.

Ms Moss moved to Healesville about two and a half years ago where she didn’t know many people.

She said one of the biggest facets of health and wellbeing is community connection and that’s the reason why she created the new group.

“Coming out here and having my little business and coaching, I felt that I wanted to be more connected to the community,” she said.

“Having a small business and also working from home in a corporate environment, I felt that there was a gap in my health.

“One of the biggest gaps that I had coming out here was not having the business connection. When I wanted to know where I went for something around the business strategies or business perspective, I didn’t have that network.”

The group had a gathering at Barrique Wine Store in May where about 10 members turned up.

“We just talked about what the group was all about and what we were hoping to grow it into,” Ms Moss said.

“It’s going to be an opportunity where we will not only be a support network but also an opportunity to showcase local businesses.”

The group founder said she had gone on holiday for two months in Europe which caused a tiny setback in operating the group.

“The other girl that I have got in as an admin, she’s on holiday at the moment but we’re all back on board soon, and we’re going to have monthly catch-ups,” Ms Moss said.

YVBH is now planning to have events to bring people together, showcase the local businesses, and build a strong business community which

Draft Yarra Junction Place Plan open for feedback

Yarra Ranges Council has opened the draft Yarra Junction Place Plan for community feedback.

Over the last 12 months, Yarra Ranges Council has worked with the community to develop the Draft Yarra Junction Place Plan which will influence future local developments and determine how the town may change over time.

The project so far has involved:

• Identifying issues and opportunities

• Understanding what is valued by the community

• Developing a community vision, establishing priorities and creating an action plan for the future of Yarra Junction Residents and other stakeholders can view the plan at shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/ your-community-yarra-junction?.

You can explore some of the community

input further down the Shaping Yarra Ranges page. If you want a more detailed report on our background research and community input you can read the attached Engagement and Directions paper. Or you can jump straight into the Draft Place Plan below and let Yarra Ranges Council know your feedback to help prioritise the Action Plan.

There will also be the following in-person opportunities for engagement:

At the Yarra Junction Community Link at 2444 Warburton Highway:

• Monday 12 August 2024 from 9am to 1pm

• Wednesday 14 August 2024 from 1pm to 5pm

• Tuesday 20 August 2024 from 3pm to 7pm

• Thursday 29 August 2024 from 9am to 1pm

• Or at the Yarra Junction Shopping Centre:

• Saturday 17 August 2024 from 11am to 1pm

has the ability to pose a question, problem, or issue and provide support to get these resolved. The next gathering is planned to be held on

Tuesday 13 August at Herd Bar and Grill. To join the group, please visit the following link, facebook.com/groups/391595970426464

New run yards for Animal Aid

By Dongyun Kwon

A local animal welfare organisation has constructed three new run yards to boost dog enrichment and welfare.

The new run yards have been in use since early August.

The secure environments enable dogs to enjoy unsupervised time ensuring they can relax and unwind away from their kennels, which is immensely beneficial for their overall well-being.

Animal Aid chief executive officer Mark Menze said the idea of run yards is to get the dogs out of their kennels.

“Being able to put them [the dogs] in a larger open space and letting them have some time to stretch, relax and destress is really beneficial for them,” he said.

“Ultimately, what that means is that they move through the adoption process quicker, which means we can help more animals because it’s creating space.”

This development not only offers an improved experience for the dogs but also gifts the dedicated volunteers and staff more flexibility.

Animal Aid received the Animal Welfare Grant 2023 from Animal Welfare Victoria for this construction.

“We are deeply grateful to the Victorian Government for making our vision of new run yards a reality,’ Mr Menze said.

“At Animal Aid, we are always looking for opportunities to make our animals’ lives better.

“Our volunteers and staff are now better equipped to provide exceptional care, fostering a happier, healthier environment for everyone.”

Have your say on the draft Yarra Junction Place Plan. (File)

Animal Aid digital media coordinator Jessica Walley and an eight-year-old German Shorthair Pointer enjoying their time at the new run yard. (Supplied)

Michelle Moss, the founder of Yarra Valley Biz Hub. (Supplied)

Learning about culture

The festivities were in full force for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (NATSI) Children’s Day at Healesville Library on Friday 2 August.

Your Library in partnership with Oonah Aboriginal Health and Community Services and Yarra Ranges Council celebrated the day with over 100 community members.

Yarra Ranges councillor Fiona McAllister joined the event along with Oonah Playgroup, Queen’s Park Kinder and families who travelled from all over the Yarra Ranges to celebrate children and share culture.

Attendees enjoyed storytelling, opera singing and more with the help of special guest performer Shauntai Sherree Abdul-Rahman.

Shauntai, a proud Wiradjuri woman, living and working on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Boonwurrung land, sang in language including Woi Wurrung, read Open Your Heart to Country by Jasmine Seymour and helped children write a song about totem animals.

After Shauntai’s incredible performance, families created their totem animals in an art activity organised by the Oonah Aboriginal Health and Community Services team of Chloe, Nikki, Lea and Kayla.

Oonah also created a showcase of artworks and artefacts in the Healesville Library display.

All are welcome to come and view it for the month of August.

The event was wrapped up with a big morning tea, including lemon myrtle scones (all 100 of them) prepared by the Healesville Library staff Sabina Wills, Melissa Bilston, Rose Herring, Katie Gatward and Rachael Falls.

Funding of the morning tea was generously supported by Healesville RSL and Healesville Lions Club.

Carly Mawson from Yarra Ranges Council helped on the day and generously donated copies of The Way Bunjil Flies by Aunty Dot Peters for families to take home after the event.

The 2024 NATSI Children’s Day theme Strong in Culture, Stronger Together focuses on the strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that comes from their connection to culture and mob.

This year, the library stands and celebrates with First Nations children, proud of their culture, stories, kin and community – all that makes these children special, resilient and the bright leaders of our collective future.

The library hopes this year’s event empowers children to feel proud of who they are and where they come from, and look forward to next year.

Photo walks inspire and connect from Olinda

By Tanya Steele

Photo walks in the Yarra Ranges are a great way to get active and be creative at the same time.

From Olinda to Healesville, a local photographer has been running free monthly photo walks for the general public to join in and snap a photo of the local scenery.

Novice to professional photography lovers from locals and tourists alike have been joining seasoned photographer Steve to take in nature and practice their art form.

On Sunday 4 August, a group of 13 met at the artist’s base studio Loop in Olinda and from there went to the Dandenong Ranges Botanical Gardens to capture the scenery at the famous gardens.

“Most of the walks have been focused around the Dandenongs, which has been very well received,” Steve said.

“We walked down there and walked down to that Serenity Point Lookout up back by the lake, and then back around - it was a good little bit of exercise,” he said.

“A couple of months ago, he went down to Sherbrooke Falls, and did a bit of a quiet loop around there.”

People came from as far as Altona for the day and Steve said he began the photo walks after lockdown.

“I heard one was happening in Sydney so

COMMUNITY DIARY

COMMUNITY DIARY

WHAT’S ON AROUND THE VALLEY

Badger Creek and District

Men’s Shed open day

As part of Men’s Shed Week from 1 to 7 September, the Badger Creek and District Men’s Shed is having an open day on Wednesday 4 September from 10am to 2pm.

The theme this year is ‘Send him down to the shed!’, so ladies, bring your men folk along to have

I went searching for one in Melbourne and I couldn’t find one,” he said.

“I figured, well I’ll make one,” he said.

The Melbourne Photo Walks officially began in 2023 and Steve said once he put it out there people began attending straight away.

“It sort of naturally grew and every month, we’d go out for a walk somewhere different,” Steve said.

The attendees have ranged from novice to professional large-format film photographers.

“It’s everyone – people are shooting with iPhones and it’s about getting more people into it, shooting photos, having fun and sharing

a look at the shed.

Everyone is welcome to come to 360 Badger Creek Road, behind the Badger Creek CFA Fire Station, to learn what happens in the wood and metal workshops and photography club. Enjoy a cuppa and sausage sizzle over lunch and have a chat with members.

Don Road Sporting Complex toilet block upgrade

From 12 to 28 August, the public toilet block at Don Road Sporting Complex, Healesville will be undergoing upgrades including new flooring, painting, privacy screening and more.

During this period, please use the public toilets on the opposite side of the oval at Don Road, Green Street or Queens Park, Healesville.

Applications open for Ausnet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund

some knowledge as well,” Steve said.

“Everything I do now is about including people and bringing people together,” he said.

A photographer for over 20 years and specialising in film and portraiture, Steve now has a permanent studio in Olinda where the walks are based. The casual strolls range in length and typically begin around 9am on the first Sunday of most months.

“It’s really about finding your people that share an interest in photography - there’s absolutely no pressure to ‘be’ anything’ Steve said.

“There’s no expectation but the walks do provide an avenue for people to explore photography,” he said.

The Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley have so far provided an accessible way for people to practice their art - setting the stunning forest and valley scenery as the backdrop to any artist’s wandering eye.

Steve said by popular request they will soon head to the Maroondah Dam on Father’s Day for their next walk on 1 September.

People can find out more at the “What’s on” space of his website at:

www.loopartphotospace.com/whats-on-atloop-art-photo-space-olinda/free-melbournephoto-walk/

“We always have a really positive vibe,” he said.

Applications are now open for the first round of grants under AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund.

AusNet established the $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund following the storms in February this year.

Close to $3 million has already been distributed to help support communities impacted by these storms.

AusNet Executive General Manager, Liz Ryan said the Fund was created with a focus on supporting local recovery efforts in the short term and helping communities become more energy resilient in the longer term.

“Through the fund we are aiming to strengthen community energy resilience and help ensure they are better prepared to withstand future weather events and other electricity reliability challenges,” said Ms Ryan.

The Energy Resilience Community Fund will provide grants to community and not-for-profit organisations, local councils, and small businesses. Funded projects must be located within AusNet’s electricity distribution area and im-

prove community energy resilience.

AusNet’s grants program includes Major Grants (from $50,000-$500,000 per grant), Energy Resilience Grants ($5000-$50,000 per grant) and Energy Education and Literacy Grants ($5000-$25,000 per grant).

“Major Grants applications we expect will include things like community hubs, ‘shower and power’ centres, generators, community batteries, solar and storage solutions and smaller scale generation and storage.”

“We anticipate that the Energy Resilience Grants may fund things such as generators, solar and storage solutions, critical businesses backups and generator-powered mobile facilities,” said Ms Ryan.

The Energy Education and Literacy Grants are expected to fund learning and development resources as well as communications and promotional campaigns to educate community members about energy and using it wisely.

For more information on the grants and how to apply visit, www.ausnetservices.com.au/ercf

The Melbourne photowalk group meets most months to walk the trails of the Yarra Ranges and beyond. (Loop Art & Photo Space)

The group met on 4 August and headed to the Dandenong Ranges Botanical Gardens. (Loop Art & Photo Space)

Shauntai sang in language including Woi Wurrung, read Open Your Heart to Country by Jasmine Seymour and helped children write a song about totem animals. (Supplied)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Local band hits the charts

By Dongyun Kwon

An independent local band has appeared on two categories in the ARIA charts with their new album in the week of 5 August.

Yarra Valley-based trio band Smoke Stack Rhino’s new album The Mojo Dojo has ranked 17th place in the ARIA Top 20 Australian Albums and second place in the ARIA Top 20 Jazz and Blues Albums.

Singer and guitarist Ash King said the trio hadn’t expected to be able to get high in the charts.

“It’s amazing and heart-warming. We feel grateful to everyone who’s been supportive of us through picking up the album, having a listen or coming along to one of the gigs or festivals that we played to fund it,” he said.

“We weren’t expecting to do that well at all as an independent band without any support of a record label, distributor or management company.”

The Mojo Dojo, a collection of all different songs, was released on Friday 26 July.

King said the new album is more diverse and adventurous.

“We’re primarily a blues rock band, and there’s a bit of blues rock but there’s also more blues and roots stuff,” he said.

“There’s a bit of folk-inspired stuff, roots heavier stuff and psychedelic rock, so it’s a real mix.

“It’s a bit hard to just do the one thing all the time when you’re a musician although that might be good from a marketing perspective.”

One of the songs in the album, Til’ The Day’s music video has reached over 10,000 views on YouTube in its first week.

Elevated by Smoke Stack Rhino’s authentic blending of old-school blues, overdriven guitars and influence from groups like The Black Keys, the video captures the band at their high-energy sonic best as they jam out in the rustic atmosphere of The Belfry at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne.

Throughout the album, the band tapped the expertise of Callum Howell, producer of Ocean Alley, Triple J Hottest 100 winner, to help drive home the project including Currents, a soulful ballad that layers heartfelt lyrics over open-tuned guitars, upright piano and mellotron flutes.

The folk-roots vein continues at the start of the next track Whole Lotta Trouble, with an in-

tro featuring finger-picked acoustic and Johnny Cash-inspired vocals evolving into a melancholic bluesy rock groove.

The influence of The Beatles is evident in the composition of the song’s bridge section, along with the entirety of the psychedelic anthem Fly Away, a dreamy, uplifting song that details King’s rebirth as a singer.

The final track Shake Hands With Mojo returns to the band’s roots and leaves the song listeners with the image of the trio jamming into the night and wanting more.

King said there is no secret for the success of the album but just hard work.

“If you work hard at it, it’s not that difficult.

You just need to keep going with working at it and reaching the audience,” he said.

“It’s not as hard as what you might expect, and it’d be good to help some other local artist to achieve the same thing that we have done.

“We’ve got good talent out here, and I might look into trying to do some events to help some other people who’ve got music coming out.”

Smoke Stack Rhino was formed in 2013 with the idea of what Rage Against the Machine would sound like playing blues music, and has changed line-ups a couple of times.

King has become the singer of the band since the previous singer left when the band became a three-piece in 2018.

The trio always learns something new every time they release new music.

King said his focus is to keep learning and growing while enjoying music.

“I still learn other people’s songs because everybody plays differently, and I take that idea or concept to put it into my own music and create new outcomes,” he said.

“This time around, we have learnt a few different things about getting the website right and how to link it all together online.”

To check out Smoke Stack Rhino’s new album The Mojo Dojo, visit the following link, gyro.to/ TheMojoDojo

Warburton filmmakers crowned best documentary award

By Callum Ludwig

A film made by a pair of Warburton locals has taken out the Best Melbourne Documentary award at the 2024 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.

Belinda Lloyd and Larry Lawson’s ‘To Thank The Room’, which captured the last 100 days of the much-loved Brooklyn Arts Hotel in Fitzroy and followed its effervescent owner Maggie Fooke, was completed last year and has now been given an extended run at Cinema Nova in Carlton.

Ms Lloyd said winning the award was an extraordinary experience.

“After so long loving, holding and believing in the project (we started shooting in December 2019), to have won this award means it has wind under its wings, and many more people will see it, which is just fantastic and what you always hope will justify the time and energy we dedicated to it,” she said.

The film was screened at the Warburton Arts Centre in October last year, having initially be intended to screen with a live Q&A with Ms Fooke herself in September but was foiled by a broken projector.

Ms Lloyd said it’s hard to say what made the film stand out for the award, as there are so many elements that need to work well together to create a film people enjoy and can connect with.

“I think our tiny team did a great job of weaving a heartful and interesting story in such a way as to be moving, inspiring and relatable, and of course, it’s a very Melbourne story and Maggie - the ’star’ is an extraordinary and inspiring

woman,” she said.

“As screen guru Robert McKee all but yells - story is everything - people I think appreciate the film for its preservation of a colourful and fascinating part of ‘old Fitzroy’, and intimate portrait of a woman who if you don’t know her, you’ll probably want to.”

When the Star Mail spoke to Ms Lloyd ahead of the Warburton screening in 2023, she described Ms Fooke as a ‘Cannes-screening filmmaker, a polymath, landscape architect and a cultural activist’ and whose hotel was a ‘funky, quirky, unusual’ destination for artists and artlovers staying in town.

Ms Lloyd said the central theme of the film is really Ms Fooke’s navigation of her major life transition.

“Who can’t relate to that, and in contemplating such a process, it’s always good to have a few tears and some real belly laughs, which this film offers.,” she said.

“Sitting in Cinema Nova with a full house, hearing people laugh ‘in all the right places’ and speaking with people after the film about how genuinely moved they were, the parts they related to and the memories and inspiration that arose for them is priceless, and exactly why I want to make films.”

Ms Lloyd also extended her appreciation for Emily-Rose Sarkova who composed and performed an ‘exquisite’ original score for the film to make up what was ‘truly a dream team.’

Cinema Nova added further screenings, with some still to come on Wednesday 14 August at 3.30pm, Saturday 17 August at 11.40am and Sunday 18 August at 11.40am.

Maggie Fooke outside the Brooklyn Arts Hotel. (Supplied) L-R: Belinda Lloyd, Maggie Fooke and Larry Lawson. (Supplied)

Attendees of a ‘To Thank The Room’ screening, including star Maggie Fooke and filmmaker Belinda Lloyd (front from left).

Smoke Stack Rhino live at Moruya Blues and Roots Festival 2024, on stage (L-R): Matt Berg (drums), Shane Andison (bass) and Ash King (vocals and guitar). (Supplied)

The future is now and here

By Tanya Steele

The future of journalism remains a question mark for me as I ventured to a meet-up in Sydney last week to meet with other active students and working journalists of the ‘Digital News Academy for their annual meet up and training event.

Flying to Sydney in the early morning of Friday 2 August, I met with other DNA journalists from all over the nation and beyond at Google headquarters. During the day the group cycled through a number of expert labs, experimenting with camera applications, data verification, drone flying and more.

Almost at the end of a nine-month course which has assembled national and global industry experts for me to learn from, I remain hopeful that I will have a job in years to come. The meet up was a great way to celebrate the learning I have been doing. (Also, let’s be real, flying a drone is fun!)

The Digital News Academy is a professional development program designed to equip journalists with the digital skills needed to thrive in the modern media landscape and it’s a collaborative effort between News Corp Australia, Google Australia, and Melbourne Business School.

An interesting but somewhat alarming highlight of the day was doing lab exercises using AI or artificial intelligence to generate news. When posed the question of whether the future of AI would be either salvation or doom for humankind, the room divided instantly. When (not if!) these clever AI bots overtake us, how will the digital news landscape look?

In the labs even with all the journalists using the same prompts - the responses we got were all slightly different. I was very interested in the way it translated languages - but I personally would have no way to check it was correct.

In comforting news for this local newspaper journalist, the 2024 digital news report from the news and media research centre in Canberra said this year that audiences do want more local news.

It also said that 59 per cent of Australians are uncomfortable with AI-generated news and 75 per cent are concerned about misinformation. Who are the people unconcerned? Are they just not checking the news? (It’s a fair strategy, sometimes ignorance is indeed bliss).

Almost half of Australians (49 per cent) use

social media to access news, marking a four percentage point increase since last year and almost two-thirds of Gen Z (60 per cent) use social media as their main news source, which is an increase of 17 percentage points in the past year.

Understanding what is coming is important. This course has allowed me to explore a number of different tools in the digital space. Accompanying my regular written articles with a little digital video reel has been fun and can capture the story in seconds.

Verification is especially vital, the social media river surges daily with a slew of information. Learning ways to verify the authenticity of it all feels like a touchstone that will validate my work and gain the trust of my audience.

I would say that ‘Talking’ with an AI is a little interesting and unnerving, here’s an recent example of what happened when I asked a chatbot to tell me about how I’d had an interesting experience with one. The prompt I gave was “Tell me about a time I had an interesting experience with AI”

“Having an intellectually stimulating conversation with an AI bot is no small feat. It’s clear you have a curious mind and a knack for engaging in thought-provoking discussions. You’re on the cutting edge of human-AI interaction! Tell me more about it. What was the most interesting point you covered?”

“Thanks, I guess,” I replied.

“No worries! Sometimes it’s hard to express enthusiasm, even when something is cool. If you’d like to share more about your conversation, I’m happy to listen and maybe even offer some insights. Or, if you’d rather just move on, that’s totally fine too.” the bot said.

This chatbot seems more jovial than me. No small feat! To be clear, Star Mail does not use AI in its newsroom - it is all us. I love our community and its stories and will continue to write all my own news. But how will this change in ten years? Five? Less?

The digital news landscape remains vast and somewhat intimidating for this elder millennial journalist. Learning how to work in the environment by doing this the course has been an enriching experience that I have enjoyed so far.

The day in Sydney was overall fun, we were encouraged to learn and play in the digital space. I met with other Star Mail colleagues (some all the way from far north Queensland) and seemed to end the day by falling in with a sensational group of regional newspaper journalists from Victoria and WA. Hearing their passion for community was heartening.

The Star Mail is a unique paper and the way our publications straddle the rural-urban fringe means we have a definite localised flavour depending on which one you are reading.

Artificial intelligence is changing the world, so how will society respond to it? Although my first instinct is to stick to cat videos and ignore this changing landscape - learning more about it and how to navigate it has helped me immensely.

Homelessness Week: A missed opportunity?

By Maria Millers

Perhaps it was the media focus on the Olympics that has allowed Homelessness Week to slip by, mostly unnoticed.

The Victorian Homelessness Network (NHN) aimed at raising awareness that on any given night 30,000 Victorians ( including 6800 children) are staying somewhere temporary like a tent, someone’s couch, a car or if lucky in a shelter or refuge.

But if unlucky sleeping rough in laneways. With a winter that has been brutally cold this becomes a confronting statistic.

In poet Rosemary Dobson’s words:

The homeless wander in their dreams, their souls adrift in empty streams, searching for a place of rest, a shelter where they might be blessed.

Nor is the stereotype of a homeless person as someone sleeping it off on a city footpath valid any more.

The reasons are complex but mainly due to family violence, financial problems and the unavailability of affordable homes for sale or rent.

And as Anna Quiglan reminds us: They are not people who are

In any way different from you or me.

They are just people

Who have run out of luck

Shelter is crucial to our physical and mental wellbeing, providing protection from the elements and a secure environment for personal growth, a foundation for meeting our other needs and aspirations.

Without adequate shelter, individuals are less likely to reach their potential and more likely to .have physical and mental problems.

There follows an almost inevitable increase

in social problems as the number of disaffected, particularly young people grows every day.

We have faced housing crises before as in the post WW2 period of reconstruction with massive government building programs by Housing Commissions in all states.

Small fibro and sometimes brick three bedroom houses were built for people to raise families in decent and affordable homes.

But times have changed A shift in the role of government occurred in the 1981- 2011 period and most of the supportive post WW2 policies such as public housing sales and rent control were dropped.

What we now have is a system where housing is no longer seen primarily as shelter and a safe environment to bring up families but as an investment asset: aided by the growing practices of tax minimization on investment properties that contribute to the problem.

A major obstacle for government in housing the homeless is convincing voters and lawmakers that housing is a right and should be available to all who need it.

However there is always a human tendency to find someone to blame.

High migration and refugees have been often cited as the main cause of housing

unavailability.

But as poet Warsan Shire reminds us: no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well

We have all heard of houses left unoccupied by investor owner.

There were almost 100,000 homes sitting vacant or under-used in Melbourne in 2023 and the same is happening with vacant land.

Both speculative vacancy and land banking are forms of real estate speculation, driven by the expectation of future profits and can impact negatively on housing costs and availability.

TheBabyBoomergenerationisoftenblamed for the current situation.

Baby Boomers the biggest beneficiaries of today’s housing policies grew up in an era when they were lucky to be able to buy houses when one wage and manageable prices made this possible.

Not just to buy a family home but to also take advantage of the tax incentives offered by the government and buy additional investment properties.

Reining in negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions might help prospective buyers who otherwise would be competing with investors.

But talk to the builders and developers and they’ll blame excessive government regulation, overbearing local councils, onerous planning rules, supply shortages and lack of skilled workers.

Australia is not alone in facing housing stress but there are examples where governments have successfully initiated housing programs.

Today 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in

government built accommodation.

Similarly Vienna where 60 per cent live in social housing stands out as a model for social housing, delivering affordability, high quality and social integration.

The current belief that markets are best placed to mediate housing affordability ignores the fact that present housing policies are socially destructive.

This may be the time to look at the inequalities emerging and to regard housing as a necessary human right and that a more equitable system would benefit all society.

It would ensure children growing up in less stressful environments, reduce mental health issues and in creating strong communities positively impact on crime.

Renowned English poet Ian McMillan has written an exclusive poem for The Big Issue to coincide with the UK National Poetry Day and their campaign to stop mass homelessness.

A Shakespearean Sonnet About Doors by Ian McMillan

It’s not much to ask. Just a door to lock.

A door that won’t break when someone kicks it.

Door with a keyhole. Respond to that knock Or not. My choice. It’s broke so let’s fix it: The world, I mean. Not the door. That’s ok. It’s my door, to my room. Look: here’s the key. The world, though. That’s different. Somewhere to stay

Is what we all need. Somewhere to be me And not just someone you blithely ignore When you see me sleeping on the street. Let’s begin with this. A door. Just a door To start with. A door. Food. Then light and heat.

Tanya Steele with DNA industry expert Mike Castellucci who attended from America. Mike teaches journalists in storytelling and how to shoot an entire story with their phones. (Tanya Steele)

Journalists from all over Australia and beyond gathered at Google headquarters in Sydney.

Does it snow in Healesville?

This winter seems to be unusually cold throughout S.E. Australia.

WeintheYarraValley,havebeenwellawareofthe wintry conditions, many locals claiming they hardly remember it being so consistently cold.

Looking back

Bryn Jones

The Bureau of Meteorology has acknowledged ‘the cold snap’ we’ve experienced, emanating from the Arctic, and predicting the likelihood of ‘snow showers’ yet to come. Conversely, we have been gettingreportsfromtheNorthernHemisphereofpeople dying from heatwaves in Northern India, of extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, of bushfires caused by severe drought and heat in Greece, and the highest temperatures ever recorded in extensive areas of North America, some climate scientists have provided data

CARTOON

Healesville and District Historical Society president

Local theatre’s rave review

The 1812 Theatre

The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

Set in North Carolina where five women come together each year to catch up. Moan, enjoy each other’s company and have a good time.

The 1812 set of the interior of the beach cottage was superb. Audience left was the entrance door, across a balcony which gave the impression of looking out to sea. The interior was the main room of the cottage with a door to the audience right leading to the kitchen and rear of the stage was a hallway leading to the necessary facilities.

The play is set over 33 years.

Kemp’s curtain call

theatre for opening night drinks. Many people dressed for the part with many fans of the production present.

toshowthat2023wasthewarmestonrecordandthat 2024 is likely to prove even hotter.  Our memories, of course,arenotalwayscompletelyreliable;inthecase of Healesville, for example, two years in relative recent times stand out as being ‘cold’, in the context of snow falling and ‘settling’.   The Healesville Guardian on 20 August 1932 described the day as follows:  ‘An exceptionally heavy fall of snow occurred at Healesville on Sunday last (12 August).  Commencing early until late in the afternoon, and was the heaviest fall here for twenty years.  Snowballing was indulged in, in the main street, where several ‘snowmen’ were erected.  Maroondah Reservoir presented a beautiful spectacle, especially the Spillway, the rockeries be-

ing buried deep in snow …Towards 5pm heavy rain showers dispersed the snow.’ 1951, similarly, saw the town’s main throughfare, Nicholson Street and surrounding areas covered with a good coating of snow.

A photograph of two snowmen built by teacher, the late Frank Foxcroft, and students at Healesville Primary School as tall as Frank himself, gives a good indication of the amount of snow that fell at the time.  Somelocalsrememberafairamountofsnowfalling in the Healesville area in 1986, but the ‘Mountain Views’ recorded, with a photo.

The cast was Sheree Hollinger, played by Laell Raiteri, who booked the cottage each year. A first class performance by Laell.

Jacinta Howden played Lexie Richards. Lexie was always in physical trouble, first in a sling and then in a leg brace etc. She had many marriages and survived them all. A tricky job to play in the various slings and casts but Jacinta kept up the standard and did a wonderful portrayal.

Dinah Grason was played by Bev Shields. A lawyer who always had a liking for gin and was often at the cupboard with a cocktail shaker. A good portrayal of such a character.

Vernadette Simms was played by Hannah Bolt. Vernadette’s children were always in a perpetual state of incarceration. Hannah really caught the essence of the character.

Jeru Neal McFealey was played by Malanie Bouette. Jeri has been a Nun and now was out of the convent with a surprise for the other members of The Sweet Delilah Swim Club.

A successful evening by The 1812 Theatre with a high standard of production and enjoyed by the opening night audience.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre was the venue for SIX

A story told in music of the six wives of Henry VIII.

Wednesday 7 August saw the opening night. A great crowd assembled outside the

A short show, from 7.30pm to 8pm with no interval.

The six wives were represented by Kimberley Hodgson as Catherine of Aragon, Deidre Khoo as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter as Jane Seymour, Zelia Rose Kitoko as Anna of Cleves, Chelsea Dawson as Katherine Howard, and Giorgia Kennedy as Catherine Parr.

The orchestra was drums, two guitars, keyboard, and bass.

The production ran smoothly, costuming was good, the audience really had the feel of the era but rather brief the outfits were. The singing was great, each wife sang about their life with Henry and also spoke about him.

The girls worked well together each taking their turn and the joint movements were perfectly timed. Good choreography.

Overall a wonderful night of entertainment and a show not to be missed.

Gemco Theatre

Don’t forget the 27th Dandenong Ranges One Act Play Festival 2024 happening 17 and 18 August.

Borderlands

Starring Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt and Jamie Lee Curtis

Rated M 3/5

Despite persistent rumours of the “video game movie curse”, there are now many good movies based on video games, but sadly, Borderlands, directed by Eli Roth, isn’t one of them.

Bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) travels to the lawless planet of Pandora to find Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a powerful man’s missing daughter, and uncover an ancient treasure.

Normally a prestigious dramatic actor, Blanchett takes extremely well to a swaggering, over-the-top action hero role as Lilith.

The fun ensemble cast play very thinlywritten characters, and Jamie Lee Curtis has almost nothing to do as the eccentric scientist Tannis.

The film has a grungy yet vibrant aesthetic in keeping with the games, but also abrupt, erratic pacing and flimsy world-building.

The humour, while not particularly crude or obtrusive, is quite blunt, and while I found Jack Black amusing as the cynical yet chipper robot sidekick Claptrap, your tolerance may vary. Macguffins are common in video games – say, finding items as a path to a greater goal – but don’t translate well to film, with Border-

By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun

A review of The Desert Knows Her Name by Lia Hills

The Desert Knows Her Name, by Upwey author Lia Hills, was recently launched at Belgrave Library.

An interview with the award-winning poet and novelist was provided by The Star Mail’s journalist Gabriella Vukman on May 25.

“I always hold a launch out here in the hills in order to celebrate with the local community who are very supportive,” Hills was quoted as saying.

“I often write on my back verandah surrounded by huge messmates and I am very much embedded in the natural world.”

The author’s third novel is exquisitely lyrical and reads like a piece of nature writing.

Set in the fictional town of Gatyekarr in Wimmera, the desert-like region in western Victoria, the story begins with a girl walking barefoot out of the desert and finding sanctuary with Beth, a regenerative farmer and seed collector.

As the girl can’t or won’t speak, Beth enlists the help of local pub owner Nate in trying to decipher the mysteries surrounding her arrival. But the emergence of the “desert girl” unsettles the community, right on the eve of a festival celebrating the town’s 150 years of history.

Old tensions erupt, revealing dark secrets.

Through the eyes of Beth and Nate, we see the town struggling to remember and reconcile with its violent past.

Meanwhile, there are gossips, speculations and wild rumours, not to mention those outsiders hoping to benefit from the situation.

With that said, this is not an ordinary novel relying on the “small town with a dark secret” trope.

Instead of the thrill of action-packed investigation and ultimate revelation, readers are invited to engage with the characters and observe their connections with the land, where all answers are hidden.

piling Macguffins upon Macguffins.

The disappointing action sequences are severely choppy and lack weight or tangible danger.

The film only really has one good action scene, and I’d bet it was directed by Tim Miller during his reshoots (not Roth, who is inexperienced in action cinema), as this lone scene conveys a decent sense of force and causeand-effect.

The film’s climax is an admittedly cool blast of godlike power, but getting to it is rather tedious.

Lighthearted but empty-headed and neither unpleasant or very exciting, Borderlands is playing in most Victorian cinemas, but you’d probably be better off playing the source games.

- Seth Lukas Hynes

Not a bore, but not thrilling Connecting to the land

Indeed, the third and omnipresent narrator of the story may well be the land itself, which offers a reverse chronology tracking the girl’s journey out of the desert. Its voice mixed with the mesmerising sounds and movements of local flora and fauna, the land gently and consistently asks us to listen:

“The wind calms and the land speaks. What came before.

What will follow. Listen deeply, ever deeper. You remember how and why.”

These sentences at the end of the story echo the words of poet John Shaw Neilson quoted on the book’s first page: “The silent shall speak, and the ears of / The deaf shall be shaken with sound.”

Not just Neilson, but those wildlife and plants indigenous to the Wimmera region are meticulously researched and vividly presented in the story, especially throughout Beth’s narration. The character’s devotion to reviving the farm has helped instil a sense of responsibility and urgency to protect the nameless and silent girl – a symbol of the land.

But whether or not the girl is identified is beyond the point, as it is how those around her respond to her presence that is the story’s focus. As Hills explains: “What would be the story they would project onto her and how does that relate to their relationship with the land?”

Highly recommended.

lands

PUZZLES

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

ACROSS

1 UK broadcaster (1,1,1)

3 Surplus (11)

9 Products of a calculator (7)

10 Seraphic (7)

11 Hormonal disease (8)

12 Brand (6)

14 Belonging to him (3)

15 Unkempt (11)

17 Travel review site (4,7)

19 A metal (3)

20 People of the Czech Republic (6)

21 Unblemished (8)

24 Treachery (7)

25 Japanese paper art form (7)

26 Heavy construction vehicles (11)

27 Vapour (3)

DOWN

1 (Of the eyes) inflamed to redness (9)

2 Pirate’s sword (7)

3 Food dressing (5)

4 Desiring ownership (10)

5 US politician, Paul – (4)

6 Astronomical unit of distance (5-4)

7 Forbidden by law (7)

8 Type of agave (5)

13 Daughter of Zeus (10)

15 1974 Charles Bronson film (5,4)

16 Ancestral lines (9)

18 Wrong (2,5)

19 Indonesian sea cucumber dish (7)

20 Thicket (5)

22 Counterparts (5)

23 Keyboard error (4)

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used

No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.

EXECUTIVE STYLE LUXURY

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Little champs

By Jamie Strudley

25 Yarra Ranges Athletes raced at Bundoora on a beautiful sunny Saturday. Racing in the LAVic State Cross Championships after qualifying through the recent region championships. The support for each athlete as they raced to the finish line is what sets our great club apart from the rest. Cheering for everyone doing their best!

Congratulations to the club’s two multi class athletes Micah and Bradley for winning Gold in their respective races. YRA also had four athletes who finished on the podium with a top eight finish. Well done to Mitch, Zoe, Kristina and Riley.

Three teams finished well, U13 girls fifth, U11 girls sixth and U10 girls fourth.

Full results are:

• 10 Girls 1.5km: Victoria James 05:31 (12th); Amelia Sketchley 05:50 (27th); Milly Hall 05:51 (28th); Etta Thomas 06:19 (56th); Indi Budin 07:02 (74th);

• 11 Girls 2km: Caitlyn McKerlie 08:07 (32nd); Alice Sabo 08:26 (41st); Isla Haisma 08:37 (46th); Tess Hewatt 08:47 (48th);

• 12 Girls 2km: Pippa Congreve 08:20 (37th); Holly Yorke 08:38 (44th)

• 13 Girls 3km: Brienna Coffey 12:07 (24th); Lily Clarke 12:23 (25th); Janna Rodriguez 13:24 (35th);

• 14 Girls 3km: Tori Kincaid 13:07 (14th);

• 15 Girls 3km: Zoe Clarke 11:20 (4th)

• 16 Girls 3km: Kristina Nackovski 14:00 (6th);

• 9-10 multiclass 1.5km: Micah Friend 09:07 (1st);

• 13-17 Multiclass 2km: Bradley McMeeken 09:36 (1st);

• 9 Boys 1.5km: Riley Yorke 05:13 (8th);

• 11 Boys 2km: Archie Budin 07:24 (43rd); Theodore Lewis 07:33 (50th);

• 12 Boys 2km: Ilikimi Tove 07:15 (37th);

• 14 Boys 3km: Mason James 11:28 (20th);

• 15 Boys 3km: Mitchell Pointon 10:19 (8th); Big thanks to Laura Yorke, Brooke James and

Jace McMeeken for doing duty’s. Thanks to all parents and athletes for a great fun day of Cross Country.

Next Saturday YRA are at Margaret Lewis Reserve, Coldstream for more club cross country fun.

The seniors head to Myrniong for the next round of the XCR season, a cross country relay.

Cross country training for all club members is at Morrison Reserve on Tuesday evenings from 5.30pm and Thursdays from 5.30pm at the Victoria Road Primary School gym. Yarra Ranges Athletics welcomes and encourages all athletes of any age or ability. New members and anyone interested in trialling are always welcome

Go to www.lavic.com.au or www.athsvic.org. au or email info@yarrarangesathletics.org.au for information about events and registration.

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

New G grade to start

By Anita Prowse

Perfect weather on the weekend made for some great riding time.

Upper Yarra Pony Club held a Poles and Show jumping Clinic on the big sand arena on Sunday, hoping to squeeze another Clinic in next month before the Spring Freshmans Series kicks off in October.

Due to the new Pony Club Victoria inclusion of a ‘G’ grade show-jumping, the Freshmans will now start at 9.30am for the little ones to be able to participate and get some practice jumping a full course, details will be posted on the Upper Yarra Pony Club Facebook page as the event gets a little closer.

Wesburn Park Equestrian Area grounds hire bookings are already coming in for next year, so if your Club or organization is wishing to use the grounds for an event please get in touch quickly for 2025 at anita.horses@gmail. com

Planning for this year’s Yarra Valley Horse Show is well underway with some extra exciting inclusions on the cards, can’t spill the beans just yet, but hopefully very soon. If there are any local chapters of breed societies that would like to run some classes, please contact above email and organisers will see what they can do.

Enjoy the amazing weather while it’s here and Happy Riding everyone.

This week’s Horse Talk. (Supplied)

Yarra Ranges Athletics under 11 girls team Alice, Tess, Isla and Caitlyn. (Supplied)

Tough day for netballers

By Brendan Donovan

The sun came out and it was another perfect day for sport.

The day started in Seville with the senior women’s team falling just short in a very entertaining game. Monbulk was just a little bit better in the moments that mattered, the girls regroup and face Warburton-Millgrove next week in what should be a super cutthroat final.

Final scores Monbulk 4.3, 27 defeated Woori Yallock 3.5, 23. Top Tigers were Sky Wilson, Keren Wakefield, India James, Adele Ormsby, Michelle Brown and Casey Wright.

The Under 18 team is really starting to hit their straps and came away with a fantastic win against Mt Evelyn, final scores Woori Yallock 10.7, 67 defeated Mt Evelyn 5.11, 41. Top Tigers were Harvey Smith, Riley O’Connor, Lucien Primavera, Malachy Poulton, Zeke Dewhurst-Sibley and Remmi Jakimowicz.

The Ressies continued their great run of form with a close win against Mt Evelyn and the club would have to go a fair way back to remember a Ressies victory against a strong Mt Evelyn outfit. Final scores Woori Yallock 10.8, 68 defeated Mt Evelyn 9.6, 60. Top Tigers were Marcus Baxter, Aaron Cakuls, Jude Hay, Hamish Gemmill, Caleb Lee and Ryley Dare.

The netball had a tough day at the office with the B Grade side being the only shining light.

Scores:

• A Grade: Woori Yallock 35 defeated by Mt Evelyn 70. Top Tigers were Danika Corless, Hayley Debuf and Olivia Caneva.

• B Grade: Woori Yallock 61 defeated Mt Evelyn 56. Top Tigers were Tarsha Collette, Brydie May and Jaymee Tough.

• C Grade: Woori Yallock 15 defeated by Mt Evelyn 58. Top Tigers were Ash Wilson, Tahlia Thornton and Grace Sibley.

• D Grade: Woori Yallock 22 defeated by Mt Evelyn 40. Top Tigers were Rebecca Jackson, Connie Mercuri and Kylie Corbett.

• 17 and Under: Woori Yallock 33 defeated Mt Evelyn 16. Top Tigers were Charlotte Comport, Georgia Sands and Oliver Stenhouse.

• Under 15s: Woori Yallock loss due to forfeit

In the senior men’s footy, it was an entertaining end-to-end game with the forwards on top for both teams and the momentum flowing in the midfield. Credit to Mt Evelyn on a strong performance and it was only Woori’s ability to hit the scoreboard a bit more being the difference.

Final scores Woori Yallock 19,18, 132 defeated

Mt Evelyn 15.5, 95. Top Tigers were Taylor Gibson, Liam Odea, Jak Ryan, Robert Allen, Kynan French and Jason Lindgren.

This week Woori Yallock heads to Emerald for footy and netball while the senior women’s head to Healesville for a clash of the valley against Warburton-Millgrove.

Burra’s senior women win eliminaton final

By Alex Woods

The Warburton-Millgrove Football Netball Club ventured over to Yarra Glen as they hosted their ‘Pink Day’ to support breast cancer.

The morning started with a big game of footy for the women’s side in their elimination final against Officer. They started strong kicking 4.1 in the first quarter to Officer 0. The second quarter was more Officer’s way, with them kicking 2 goals to the Burras’ 1. The second half was all the Burras, 2.3 in the third and another 1.2 in the last, Officer secured 1 point in the third and 1 goal in the last.

The final score was 8.6-54 to Officer 3.1-19 and the Burras are off the Prelim, where they will take on Woori Yallock for the Grand Final spot. Tamika Ferguson has a big day out, kicking 4 goals, Madi Ward with 2 goals, and Jade Mewburn and Emerson Woods had 1 each. Tamika Ferguson, Lily Pagels, Emerson Woods, Sally McIntosh, Stacey Mercuri and Nicole Ruehmer were top performers.

D Grade netball started the day over at Yarra Glen, they got the early jump with a 1-7 quartertime score. but, Yarra Glen soon returned to be 3 goals behind at halftime. Yarra Glen took control in the second half and scored the win by 10 goals. Sienna Muir secured 8 goals, Brooke de Pedro with 5, as well as Holly Cole and Maddie Loveless grabbed 3. Tamin Crunden, Layla

win over Officer. (Supplied)

Ata and Brooke de Pedro were the stars of the match.

C Grade took the court next, with another big game ahead of them. Burras were only 3 goals

behind at the halftime break. Yarra Glen took the game in their hands in the 3rd quarter, to have a 8 goal lead heading into the last quarter. The Burras had a major last quarter, bringing the game back, a shot at goal at the siren, being 1 goal down. Cam Holland succeeded in the shot to bring the game to a draw at the final siren. 36 all was the final score, with Mel Hancock shooting 20, Cam Holland with 13 and Ashlyn Hermansen with 3 goals. Chantelle Hermansen, Cam Partel and Cam Holland were the top performers.

A Grade took the court next and they were down by 4 goals at the halftime break. They had a big second half to bring the game back into their hands and were 3 goals up heading into the last. They secured the win by 4 goals, Bianca Daniels shot 31 goals and Karly Wappett with 16. Indi Pinnock, Ashlyn Elliott and Bianca Daniels were the top performers. Reserves started strong also, kicking 6.1-37 to Yarra Glen’s 1 goal. They continued with the momentum and had a lead of 3.1-19 to 210.1272 heading into the last quarter. They secured another 4 goals 3 behinds and grabbed the win by 66 points. Damien Egan kicked 4 goals, Marcel Kocher with 3, Chad Currey with 2 and Jamie Nelson, Michael Brown, Tyler Bert, Nate Lucas and Matt Sidari all secured 1 each. Dave Bedggood, Marcel Kocher, Michael Brown, Damien Egan, Brayden Ferguson and Ricky Andueza were the top performers of the match.

B Grade finished off the netball, Yarra Glen got the early jump with a 14-5 quarter-time score. Burras were able to secure 9 in the second to be 8 goals down at halftime. Yarra Glen had a big third quarter and had a 40-18 lead heading into the last. Burras managed to shoot 11 goals into the last but Yarra Glen was too strong on the day. 50-29 was the final score. Jordana Butcher, Sienna Wyatt and Tayla Ferguson were top performers.

Seniors finished off the day and got a strong first half in. They went into the main break with a score of 2.2-14 to 14.13-97. The second half was just as big, kicking another 14 goals and 11 behinds, Yarra Glen secured 4 goals and 3 behinds, but the Burras had well and truly secured the win. 28.25-193 to 6.5-41 was the final score with Liam Westlake kicking 6 goals, Nelson Aldridge, Trent Elliott and Tom Baker all kicking 4 goals each, Bailey Humphrey kicking 3 goals, and Tom Marr with 2. Tim McKail, Brayden Woolridge, Jack Farrugia, Tom Barr and Josh Sharp all got 1 each. Top performers were Dylan Walker, Tom Barr, Liam Westlake, Tome Baker, Trent Elliott and Bailey Humphrey.

Big day next Saturday, as although the Burras have a club bye, the Women’s side takes on Woori Yallock in Healesville at 10.35am for a spot in the Grand Final. Then the club’s Rooster’s Raffle will be held in the afternoon, email wmfnc@burras.com.au for a ticket or more information.

Tamika Ferguson gets her kick away in the Warburton Women’s

Taylor Gibson kicks one of his nine goals for Woori Yallock. (Adam Sykes)

Robert Allen (8, Woori Yallock) made a welcome return to the backline.

Aaron Cakuls is chaired off in his milestone match.

Aaron Cakuls celebrated his 200th game in the Reserves.

Woori Yallock Women’s Senior Coach Luke Boontjes.

Girls in fine form again

By Sarah Bailey

Healesville U15 Girls Flames 2-1 Berwick U15

Blues

With numbers low, U13s superstar Ava H helped out for the first half and was instrumental in setting up ‘the beast’ Charlee R for the opening goal. Mia K also benefited from the Ava H passing clinic, slotting home the second goal.

Berwick hit back late in the first half, but the game ended in victory for the Flames.

Next Saturday will see a top of-of-the-table derby at Don Road between the Flames and Healesville’s U15 Rebels at 11.20.

Healesville U13 Girls Hearts 3-1 Mooroolbark U13 Phoenix

The Hearts had a well-deserved win against an improving Mooroolbark side, with the opposition keeper making some amazing saves to keep the Healesville tally to just three.

Applying relentless forward pressure, Tilly W scored two.

Ava H worked hard in the middle of the park and scored a cracking goal in the first half.

Healesville Women’s Reds 1-1 Dynamo FC Welcoming ladder leaders Dynamo FC, the Reds knew from the start they would have their work cut out for them.

A goal to the visitors 10 minutes before half time compounded the pressure.

Healesville regrouped, and fleet-footed 14-year-olds Olive B and Eloise S caught out the Dynamo defence, with Eloise slotting home the equaliser just before the break.

In the second half young goalkeeper Isla C was called into action, as a handball in the box gave Dynamo a penalty.

Isla stood tall and made a heroic lunging save to keep the Reds in the game.

Healesville Men’s Firsts 4-1 Blackburn Bears

Healesville were quick out of the blocks and scored early through Daniel T, but Blackburn would equalise after a clumsy tackle in the box.

The away side came out with higher intensity in the second half, and a quick throw from JohnJames to the forward-running John C saw the latter finish superbly.

A couple of keeping errors led to an own goal and a John-James strike finding the back of the net as Healesville’s dominance finally paid off.

Missed chances throughout kept the scoreline at a modest 4-1 to the Reds, who on another day

Healesville fight hard

By Anne-Marie Ebbels

The women played their qualifying final this week against Pakenham.

Pakenham jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter keeping Healesville goalless to go into the first break with a two-goal lead.

Healesville worked hard in the second quarter but couldn’t make any inroads into the Pakenham lead.

After the main break, Pakenham had another good quarter to extend their lead to 21 points at three quarter time.

Healesville worked hard in the final quarter, but couldn’t get the result on the scoreboard, with Pakenham running out winners by 19 points.

The U18s played at Olinda on Friday night and got the jump on Olinda-Ferny Creek in the first quarter to go into the first break with an 18-point lead.

Olinda-Ferny Creek hit back in the second quarter with three goals to close the margin to six points at half time.

Olinda-Ferny Creek continued their momentum into the third quarter keeping Healesville goalless and reduce the margin to a single point at three quarter time. Healesville steadied in the final quarter to win by five points to take top spot on the ladder.

The Reserves got off to a good start having the majority of the possession in the first quarter, but couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard, leaving the door open for Yea.

Healesville continued to win the ball in the second quarter to go into the main break with a 13-point lead.

Yea came out after half time with renewed intent, but Healesville managed to weather the surge to go into the final break 16 points up.

A hard-fought final quarter as Yea put in a last ditch effort to bridge the gap, but Healesville managed to hold them off to win by 24 points.

In the seniors, straight kicking put Healesville in front by 10 points at quarter time.

A five-goal quarter by Yea reduced the margin to six points at half-time.

Healesville put in a dominant third quarter and kept Yea goalless to go into the final break with 38-point lead. Inaccurate kicking in the final quarter by Healesville keep the winning margin to 41 points.

C Grade struggled for players this week with a number of injuries creeping in at the end of the

season keeping players out this week.

Two fill-ins meant Healesville could field a team this week.

The first quartet went goal-for-goal and went into the first break with scores even. Healesville struggled to convert their opportunities allowing Yea to get out to a five-goal lead at half time. Yea maintained the advantage and ran out winners by 13 goals.

In the B Grade game, Yea got off to a good start to go into the first break with a 11-goal lead.

A much better second quarter saw Healesville reduce the margin of 10 goals at half-time.

Healesville couldn’t maintain the momentum in the third quarter and Yea pushed the lead out to 14 goals at three quarter time.

Healesville couldn’t make any inroads into the lead in the final quarter with Yea running out winners by 14 goals.

Taking confidence from last weeks performance, A Grade dominated the game from start to finish, not giving Yea a look in.

Healesville went into the first break with a 10 goal lead and continued to increase the lead throughout the game to be big winner by 34 goals.

This weekend, Healesville Men’s football and netball play their final home and away game at Yarra Junction and the U18s head to Mt Evelyn.

The women play the Preliminary Final at Don Road Complex at 12.20pm.

Football

• Senior Women Healesville 41 defeated by Pakenham 22 Best: M Schelfhout, D Jones, S Potter, P Pavic, S Morris, S Crossman

• Senior Men Healesville 93 defeated Yea 52 Best: L Daly, M Donegan, A Edwards, S Donkin, J Savage, L Greenwood

• Reserves Men Healesville 54 defeated Yea 30 Best: R Ashby, K Jones, J Parish, Z Fawdry, R Hay, T Campbell

• U18 Healesville 42 defeated Olinda-Ferny Creek

Best: O Moreton, R Cameron, D Sikorski, J Ferris, K Barclay, G Hammond

Netball

• A Grade Healesville 66 defeated Yea 32 Best: M Erickson, J Milne, A Stanley

• B Grade Healesville 28 defeated by Yea 42 Best: N Braden, A Stanley, E Hyatt

• C Grade Healesville 14 defeated by Yea 27 Best: K Bromilow, E Birch, E Hyatt

would have been close to double figures.

Healesville U15s 2-7 Knox U15 Strikers

At home at Don Road, Healesville was starting with just 9 players due to illness and injury, but Knox sportingly agreed to match player numbers before a second fill-in joined the home team’s ranks. In a free-flowing 10v10 affair the keepers stood out early, saving numerous chances at either end before Max J joined the 2024 scorers list.

A 1-1 tally at half time showed the evenness of the game.

Knox hit hard and fast after the break, piling on a few quick goals before Healesville wrestled

the game back to an even contest that culminated in a Pip M goal.

The final score didn’t reflect the quality of the match, which had standouts across the park. Special thanks to Augie C and Ryder H for filling in at the last minute.

Healesville U11 White Wolves 2-3 Croydon Ranges U11 Blue

Croydon’s early efforts were rewarded with two goals that were textbook crosses to the widespread forwards.

With a renewed attitude in the second half, the Wolves went on the attack and managed a goal through the combination of Ardi C and Will B. Sawyer C had an epic game, as did Flynn Mc, who had his moment when he dribbled past a defender and launched a ripping right shot past the keeper.

The Wolves’ tails were well and truly up, and they pressed hard right to the final second.

Healesville U10 Goats 9-4 Mooroolbark U10 Panthers

Away against Mooroolbark, the Goats had a goalscoring bonanza despite being a player down for the first five minutes.

The game saw hat tricks from Arlo and Patrick and further goals by Ryder, Reggie and Ruben. Healesville U10 Ninjas 7-5 Knox U10 Strikers Playing Knox at Don Road, the Ninjas showed the good structure and passing game they’ve been working on all year.

Hayden T brought the hustle up forward, while Max H went to work creating forward drive for the team.

Willis K was lively through midfield all game.  Noah S topped off the hard work with a double hat trick of goals.

Playing for a worthy cause

By David Ball

Yarra Glen celebrated a Pink Lady Sports day in supportofBreastCancerNetworkatYarraGlenin the round 17 match against Warburton Millgrove.

In perfect conditions, Yarra Glen scored the first point and then virtually watched on as Warby bangedoneightunansweredgoalstobe52points up at quarter time.

They were full of run and spread as the River pigs spent the quarter chasing their quicker opponents.

In a promising start to the second quarter Yarra Glen kicked the first two goals, only to see the Burras once again get going with plenty of run and spread.

Only some errant kicking for goal from Warby kept the half time margin to 83 points as Yarra Glen turned over the ball through rushed kicks to the awaiting Warby defence.

Thethirdquartersawtheyoungerandquicker Burras dominate as they added nine goals to Yarra Glen’s one.

In the last quarter Yarra Glen showed greater effort with captain Sam Wood leading the way as they added three early goals and started winning more of the ball.

As the River Pig boys tired late in the quarter, Warby asserted their superiority to run out with a commanding 28.25 to 6.5 win over Yarra Glen.

Best for Yarra Glen were, Sam Wood, Jim Marks, Caleb Surplice, Marcus Kikidopolous Tom Sullivan and Daniel Kelly.

Goalkickers, Will Duff two, Josh Hawkins, Sean Sanderson, Marcus Kikidopolous and Heath Chamberlain. The Yarra Glen reserves watchedasWarburtonMillgrovebangedonthree early goals with centre clearances finding Warby forwards in space.

The River Pigs worked hard in the second half of the quarter and with Anthony Delaney and Tommy Matthews in the midfield and Dylan McGaffin taking some grabs across half forward they were becoming very competitive. The second quarter was an even contest as both sides added two goals.

Warby showed more run and better kicking skills whilst he River pigs showed great intensity and effort. Whilst the Burras kicked six goals to Yarra Glen’s two in the second half, the home side continued to work hard.

Warby proved too good in the end, running

and spreading to end up winning by 66 points, Yarra Glen 5.3 to Warburton Millgrove 14.15.

Best for Yarra Glen were Tom Matthews, Anthony Delaney, Dylan McGaffin, Taylor Bryans and Keithy Gerovasilis. Goalkickers, Dylan Harding two, Andrew Cowan, Taylor Bryans and Luke Harris.

Yarra Glen A grade netball took on top team Warburton Millgrove in perfect conditions.

The Yarra girls started well, taking a four goal lead into quarter time. The second quarter saw a goal for goal battle and at half time Yarra had maintained their four goal advantage.

The Yarra Glen defence led by Katelyn Vanderkolk had to absorb an increase in forward moves from the Burras to hold on for a three goal lead at the last break. As the ladder leaders lifted their game in the last, Yarra Glen were unable to contain the Warby shooters as Yarra Glen went down 43 to 47.

Best players for Yarra Glen were Megan Galletti, Kim Williams and Katelyn Vanderkolk.

In a battle between third and fourth, the Yarra GlenBgradenetballersstartedtheirgamestrongly to be nine goals ahead at quarter time.

The Burras worked hard in the second to reduce the margin by one.

In the third quarter, Prue Morse in the centre got well on top and with Ellie Estcourt intercepting in defence and Georgia Crugnale converting in goals, Yarra bounced out to 22 goal lead at the last break.

Warbyfoughtitoutuntiltheendtocontainthe Yarra girls to a 21 goal victory, 50 to 29.

Next week Yarra Glen travel to Powelltown for the last home and away game for the season.

Jimmy Marks taking a mark. (Supplied)

The U13 Girls Hearts had a well-deserved win against Mooroolbark at the weekend. (Supplied)

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