Mail - Mountain Views Star Mail - 29th October 2024

Magical Millgrove on show

A fun-filled day came to Millgrove as the Millgrove Residents’ Action Group (MRAG) hosted their annual Millgrove Community Open Day on Sunday 28 October.

Performers, community groups and residents gathered outside the Wsburn-Millgrove CFA to enjoy the festivities, as well as get prepared for the summer as part of MRAG’s push to make the community more disaster resilient.

Upper Yarra SES, Red Cross, the Wesburn/ Millgrove CFA and MRAg representatives were

all in attendance and the event was certainly not short of entertainment with performances from Maite, Chris James, the Misfit Theatre Company, Toil from Little Yarra Steiner School and The Dreaming Space’s ‘Funky Monkey Family Band’ all on display.

Photographer Angela Rivas captured plenty of shots from the Funky Monkey Family Band show and kindly supplied them to the Star Mail to share.

Turn to page 10 for more photos from the day

New book looks at Kyeema

Tragedy legacy

By Mikayla van Loon

The stories of a potential Prime Minister, a trio of winemakers and a newly wed couple intertwine in the devastating and deadly tale of the Kyeema plane crash.

On 25 October 1938 the Australian National Airways DC-2 Kyeema plane took off from Adelaide heading for Essendon. On board were 14 passengers and four crew members.

Flying in what was reported by The Argus as “dense cloud” with “visibility…restricted to 50 yards”, the plane plunged into the side of Mount Dandenong, the location now just metres away from the famed Burkes’ Lookout.

At the time it was Australia’s “worst disaster in the history of aviation” but it also became an important mark in the country’s history.

Delving into the stories and mishaps that led to the plane’s untimely demise, Joel Martin explores it all in his newly authored book The Weeping Mountain.

Growing up in Montrose and still a resident in the outer east, Joel said “I just got curious, it’s always fascinated me”.

Beginning the research as a pandemic project Joel realised there was much that had been left untold.

“It was a big government stuff up where there was a beacon system that should have worked but it wasn’t turned on because they wouldn’t let them buy the right planes to test them, because the planes were American,” Joel said.

“So we had an English policy. The beacons didn’t work, the plane was in the sky, it was meant to land at Essendon but it kept going and it hit Mount Dandenong instead.

“The tragedy of the story is that it didn’t need to happen. And when the inquiry was held politicians and bureaucrats lined up to throw each other under the bus.”

The good that did come of the tragic event was that it “changed the laws and created the government bodies that make our skies some of the safest in the world”.

“It also influenced some random things like the wine cask and Medicare,” Joel said.

Joel said instantly for anyone who may search for information on the crash it brings up the story of Charles Hawker, a politician who was on his way back to Canberra where he was said to be about to challenge for the Prime Ministership.

“He had a profile. He was a war hero, but he was only one of the 18,” Joel said.

Among the dead were honeymooners, who had been married for 72 hours, and were on their way to Tasmania, three best friends who were buried side by side, and other ordinary folk who had taken a chance to fly.

“It’s fascinating because on the surface it’s just a story about a plane crash, but it’s a love story, and it’s one about a mum on the plane who was flying because the last time she was near a train, it was sending her son off to war, and he didn’t come back.

Continued page 6

Health check for insurance

By Callum Ludwig

Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) and Disaster Legal Help Victoria are bringing a free event to Warburton with the aim of helping residents ensure they are adequately insured in the face of disaster.

Convening with the Warburton Emergency Planning Group to bring the event to town, the Insurance Legal Health Check will be held in the Redwood Community Centre on Thursday 14 November.

ECLC chief executive officer Michael Smith said as the upcoming fire season approaches, it is important that local residents have access to information about how to protect their home and assets.

“One way of doing this is to make sure that families and properties are not underinsured and know the kinds of things that insurance companies will need if they are impacted by a disaster,” he said.

“Eastern Community Legal Centre and Disaster Legal Help Victoria will be coming out to present to locals on this timely issue, sharing information about ways to prevent disputes and options for seeking advice and help.”

The workshop will aim to help residents understand:

• Home Insurance and what it covers

• The risks of underinsurance

• How to prevent disputes with Insurance providers

• Claims and disputes processes

• Future climate risks

• Where to seek help and support

Mr Smith said the most common issue ECLC has identified is when community members areunderinsured.

“It is so important for community members to know what their insurance covers and the common pitfalls before a disaster occurs, rather than finding out after an actual event has occurred,” he said.

“When people do make a claim, it is also essential that they then seek advice around the insurance process and any potential offer, some insurance companies will seek to minimise payments so it is vital that the full costs are considered,”

“Many people don’t realise they have a problem until well after a severe weather event has occurred, ECLC hopes to prevent these problems from happening by working with key services and groups to equip and support community members so that they are not caught out.”

A webinar version open to anyone across the east will also be held on Thursday 7 November from 3.30pm to 5pm.

Mr Smith said extreme weather can lead to legal challenges and emotional distress including problems around property damage and insurance.

“Residents around the Warburton area are in a high fire risk area and many people are unaware of what their home insurance actually covers until it is too late and the damage is done,” he said.

“ECLC’s Climate Justice program works to build community resilience to minimise risks before a disaster occurs, the community cannot prevent extreme weather events, but people can learn to be

equipped, and one important way to do this is to ensure that homes are properly insured,”

“Insurance policies vary widely so it is important for community members to check their policies and ensure they are adequately insured before a disaster occurs.”

The in-person event will be held from 5pm to 6.30pm with tea, coffee and snacks provided.

Member of the Warburton Emergency Planning Group Kevin Bargar said as they move down the path of trying to provide a resilience plan for Warburton, this is definitely information that could make a community more resilient.

“Every time we get a new insurance bill coming in the mail, we are all really worried about opening it up and figuring out what the new prices are going to be, so we thought it was a good opportunity to help the community understand a bit more about their insurance,” he said.

“In the recently-completed survey we did, the number one concern of people was future disaster impacts, over three-quarters of the people that responded were worried about exposure to natural hazards like bushfire, storms and floods,”

“Obviously with the Yarra, there are areas of Warburton that could be subject to floods, and lately there’s been more storm damage, power outages and property damage as a result of the storms and somewhere in the future there’s going to be a bushfire because there hasn’t been one in Warburton for a while.”

The online and in-person events will go for about an hour and a half and residents are asked to have their insurance policy handy.

Mr Smith said their ECLC Disaster Recovery Legal Help Check is another tool that can help people with problems after a disaster.

“This Checklist asks residents to consider a range of important issues including safety, housing, insurance, employment and children,” he said.

“Going through the checklist can help identify new issues or existing problems that may have been exacerbated by the impact of an extreme weather event,”

“For example, many people may not realise that legal advice could help with lodging insurance claims or managing employment issues”

The Disaster Recovery Legal Help Check checklist that can be found at: eclc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Disaster-Recovery-Legal-Help.pdf.

Mr Smith said another concern is that family violence can also increase in the aftermath of a disaster.

“This has been observed consistently after major bushfires and through the pandemic lockdown periods, if you are concerned for your wellbeing or the wellbeing of someone you know, help is available,” he said.

“The Orange Door is the access point for local family violence services, and ECLC can provide a range of family violence legal assistance including support with intervention orders.”

In the case of an immediate safety risk, please call Triple Zero (000). If you require legal assistance, you can call ECLC at 1300 32 52 00, email eclc@eclc.org.au or use their online appointment request form: eclc.org.au/help.

Whether its floods, fires or storms, there’s plenty of insurance concerns for Warburton and Yarra Ranges residents. (File)

Improve survival chances with card

By Callum Ludwig

As we near the end of Motorcyclist Awareness Month this October, there’s one small stop riders can make to help improve their chances of survival in the event of a collision.

Motorcycle CRASH cards are available to pick up at VicRoads customer service centres, select Victoria Police stations and motorcycle training providers across the state and can provide critical information for emergency responders.

In the Yarra Ranges, the only locations stocking crash cards are the Healesville and Warburton police stations while Ride-Tek Motorcycle Training Academy in Hallam or Cranbourne police station may be the closest point of access to CRASH cards for Hills residents currently.

“Sadly, motorcycle riders and their passengers are over-represented when it comes to fatalities and serious injuries on our roads,” a Department of Transport and Planning (DOTP) spokesperson said.

“The motorcycle CRASH card in Victoria helps

us provide the best trauma care possible in the event of a crash, and reduce serious injuries and deaths of motorcyclists on Victorian roads.”

The CRASH card is a small self-laminated card with a form that riders can fill out with their personal details, emergency contact information and any health conditions before placing it in the line of their helmets.

The rider places a red sticker that clearly identifies to emergency responders that a crash card is inside, saving time in and assisting emergency services even more so if the rider is unconscious or unable to communicate. Emergency responders are trained to be able to remove rider’s helmets safely to access the card.

The CRASH card concept was formed in the UK and the DOTP developed the localised version of the card in collaboration with Victorian motorcycle riders, their Motorcycling Community Engagement Panel, Ambulance Victoria and the trauma units from The Alfred and Royal Melbourne hospitals. The DOTP welcome any suggestions from rid-

ers on locations to stock more CRASH cards and a representative of a local police station encouraged their use.

According to the DOTP, Motorcycles make up only four per cent of registered vehicles, however, motorcyclists account for 16 per cent of deaths on Victorian roads. According to the TAC, 55 motorcyclists have been killed on Victorian roads this year as of midnight on 24 October 2024, up by 16 from the same time in 2023.

To set up your CRASH card: Fill out your personal and medical information before removing the crash card from the brochure.

Gently peel the personal details layer of the card from the brochure, leaving the second layer in the brochure and exposing the adhesive surface.

Flip the card and carefully place it back onto the adhesive surface where the card was removed.

Pop the completed card out of the brochure by pushing carefully.

Place the crash card in your helmet under the lining.

IN BRIEF

New container deposit for Seville Seville residents and visitors can now cash in their eligible drink containers, with the installation of a CDS Vic Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) refund point ready for the community.

Since CDS Vic commenced on 1 November 2023, Victorians have returned over 900 million containers across Victoria. The CDS Vic North Zone RVM at Woolworths Seville, 585 Warburton Highway, Seville will help Victorians return even more containers close to where they live.

The community can bring their eligible drink containers to the CDS Vic Woolworths Seville Reverse Vending Machine and receive a refund of 10 cents per container. The refund can be redeemed as a cash voucher refundable at Woolworths Supermarket, via an electronic funds transfer, or as a donation to a charity.

Visy is the Zone Operator for the CDS Vic North Zone and has established over 240 refund points across the Loddon, Mallee, and Hume regions and the inner north and eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

“We continue to expand our network of refund points in the Yarra Ranges Council to make recycling easy and rewarding for all.” said Tim O’Donnell, Visy General Manager, Container Deposit Scheme.

The community can find their nearest refund point, and access their electronic refunds, through the CDS Vic North app for iOS or Android.

To find out more about Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme visit cdsvic.org.au.

RACV urge fire preparations to be done by Saturday 2 November

RACV is urging Victorians to have summer preparations complete by the first Saturday in November (the 2nd) following a predicted increase of bushfire risk during spring.

Without significant rainfall, there is likely to be an above average fire risk and an earlier start to the fire season during the spring period.

RACV General Manager Home Bill Bloodworth said it’s important Victorians have a plan and stay informed, prepare their property and review their insurance.

“Victoria could be facing an earlier start to the fire season this year and RACV is urging Victorians living in high-risk areas to take action now to prepare their household and property,” Mr Bloodworth said.

“Before the weather gets too hot make sure you have a plan and know how to stay informed, prepare your property and review your insurance.”

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) recommends Victorians:

Have a plan and stay informed:

• Sit down with your family or household and make a Bushfire Survival Plan, and if you already have one, it’s a great time to review it.

• Stay informed by downloading the VicEmergency app to stay across incidents and fire danger ratings in your area.

• Visit the CFA website to learn more about how to prepare ahead of bushfire season at cfa.vic. gov.au/plan-prepare

Prepare your property as the weather begins to warm:

• Move your winter woodpile away from the house or sheds.

• Prune tree branches so they are not overhanging the roof or touching walls.

• Clear your gutters.

• Keep grass shorter than 10cm.

• Remove leaves and twigs from around your property.

• Test anything that is part of your fire plan such as sprinklers, pumps and generators.

Grab a CRASH card to put inside your motorbike helmet in case of a collision. (Sean Benesh/Unsplash)

NEWS Hillcrest CFA receives leg up

By Callum Ludwig

The latest round of the Victorian Government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grants have been announced with one Upper Yarra fire brigade set to benefit.

Hillcrest CFA has been granted $26,000 to put towards ‘minor facility improvements’ from the $15 million pool.

Hillcrest CFA Captain Colin Dickson said they will be putting the funds towards a generator for the fire station.

“The case we put forward in relation to the generator was that it would tick a few boxes for the brigade,” he said.

“In the event of a power outage at the station, we currently have to open our doors manually and this will enable us to have power supplied to our engine bay doors to get us out the door quicker,”

“Additionally, we’re a backup site for Ambulance Victoria so if there is a local power outage for a prolonged period, AV can actually relocate and utilise our station for dispatching ambulances from.”

The arrangement is not unfamiliar to the Hillcrest fire station, with ambulances having been stationed at the Launching Place location in years prior.

Mr Dickson said they are awaiting further confirmation on the grants before figuring out if they will get a generator that automatically kicks in to gear in an outage or that has to be manually started.

“The generator is also then going to be an available resource for the community if they need to come and charge phones or for members to charge phones and the like during an outage,” he said.

“Lastly, we operate our BA (breathing apparatus) filling station there, which means that even when the power is out, we will be able to continue to refill breathing apparatus cylinders for local brigades.”

This flexibility will help in the CFA’s overall goal of working towards a widespread BA swapand-go system, which will help keep all trucks

Protect your business and your workers

Attend a free information session in Healesville to understand your obligations under Victorian labour hire law.

If your business pays another company to provide contract staff, cleaners or security guards, you’re probably using labour hire services.

Under Victorian law, companies that provide these services must be licensed, to protect workers and improve the fairness and integrity of the labour hire industry.

If you use an unlicensed labour hire provider, it could cost you – penalties of over $630,000 and disruption to your business.

And if your company provides labour hire services, it’s important to understand and meet your licence obligations –to maintain your business, avoid penalties, and contribute to a fairer industry.

Information Session

This one-hour session will cover:

•Businesses’ obligations under Victorian labour hire law

•Current focus of labour hire licensing, compliance and enforcement

•Tools and resources to support businesses

•Questions and answers

12.00pm to 1.00pm Thursday, 7 November 2024 The Memo – Nan Francis Room 235 Maroondah Highway

and vehicles operational in an emergency.

“We know this funding will be a vital boost for our selfless volunteers who are always there for Victorians when they need them,” Minister for

Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said.

“Volunteers look forward to the VESEP grants every year – we’re proud to support the vital fundraising work they do with this program.”

Tuning down the power bill

By Dongyun Kwon

A community radio station has been equipped with a solar panel system.

After receiving a grant from the Federal Government in 2019, Healesville Community Renewable Energy (HCoRE) set up a revolving fund that has helped community organisations install a solar panel system.

The revolving fund is an interest-free loan that the end client can repay with the savings made on their power bills by using the solar panel system.

HCoRE duly installed three systems at Robyn Jane Children’s Centre, Healesville Living and Learning Centre, and St Brigid’s Primary School with the assistance of Yarra Ranges Council.

As the accumulated funds from the previous installations became enough to fund a further system, HCoRE identified Yarra Valley FM (YVFM) as a suitable candidate, which is located in the Healesville Lions Club precinct.

HCoRE technical manager Leo de Jong said three different options were prepared for

YVFM by Leeson Group, the installer of the system.

“In the end, the option with 8kW of solar panels plus a battery was selected by YVFM to be able to make best use of the collection and storage of solar energy for the running of radio equipment day and night,” he said.

“The cost of the YVFM system was approximately $20,000. An interest-free repayment system is based on part of the savings made on the electricity bills by the solar system.

“These repayments will eventually accumulate to fund yet another installation, so HCoRE will soon be looking for another community group to take advantage of this interest-free loan with no upfront costs.”

Solar panel system installation was completed in July for YVFM and is now fully operational.

Yarra Valley FM committee member Mark Riddell said the revolving fund is a wonderful idea.

“Other people can benefit from it, and it can be an example for other people to follow,” he said.

L-R: Yarra Valley FM committee member Mark Riddle, HCoRE president Karen Roberts, Healesville Lions Club member Bert Bresser and HCoRE technical manager Leo de Jong (second row). (Dongyun Kwon: 439308)

Hillcrest CFA have been supported by a $26,000 VESEP grant. (File)

Serving up two awards for Yarra Glen Tennis Club

By Dongyun Kwon

After facing the challenges, a local tennis club with over 100 years of history successfully proved it was on the right track to getting fame back by receiving two awards from its governing body.

The 2024 Tennis Victoria Player Awards took place on Sunday 20 October at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Yarra Glen Tennis Club (YGTC) shone at the awards as one of its committee members received the Pennant Player of the Year award for Grade 11 as well as the club winning Community Engagement Award.

YGTC president Craig Bennett said it’s been a successful year for the club.

“I feel extremely proud to be part of the club,” he said.

“[The Community Engagement Award] is a tremendous achievement. It’s a testament to the fantastic community spirit around the club and it recognises the dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm of our club.

“We have a great team culture, a great feeling of belonging.”

Jarron Morris, who is a committee member and a coach of YGTC, won the Pennant Player

of the Year award two years in a row.

The award is based on the singles and doubles performances across the home and away season and players must have played 75 per cent of matches.

Morris said it’s a really good feeling to be able to bring the award back to the club.

“YGTC is a club with a long history but it’s been starved of success,” he said.

“Given its long history, it’s really good to finally give the club some recognition for extending the test of time.”

The award recipient was undefeated for 10 matches in both singles and doubles.

Morris emphasised the importance of consistency and hard work and said his secret to controlling his mindset for important games comes from preparation.

“It’s about putting effort in, even when you don’t feel like it, and you always have to keep a focus on what you want to achieve,” he said.

“In my mind, I didn’t necessarily want to achieve the Pennant Player of the Year award. I wanted to win a pennant flag and that’s what drove me each week, and it’s just a bonus as a reward for the effort that I put in.

“The more you prepare, the better you feel

for the important matches. When you go into big finals, if you haven’t trained all that week, you don’t have anything to base your level on.”

Jarron Morris was the organiser of Pennant Picnic event where YGTC invited two tennis clubs in Victoria in June.

The event drove more engagement from the wider community, and YGTC was able to have about 50 people on the grade final day at Beaumaris Lawn Tennis Club, which all together contributed to winning the Community Engagement Award.

Morris said the Community Engagement Award is fantastic recognition for YGTC and Pennant Picnic definitely drove away momentum for his team and for the community.

“[After Pennant Picnic,] more people stayed actively engaged in what our pennant team was doing,” he said.

“When we made the final, a lot of people felt like they’d been on the journey with us from midway through the season.

“To have 50 people from Yarra Glen travel over an hour to go to a neutral venue is probably a testament to how strong our community is and what we’ve managed to achieve here as a club.”

Tennis Victoria chief executive officer Kim

the

“That sense of belonging, and community and team culture was so incredible to witness,” he said.

“There were 50 or so supporters in their branded beanies, jumpers, homemade signs and all cheering the team on and they bought their own spread as well.

“It really epitomised what is great about pennants and was awesome to see.”

The YGTC president complimented Morris for his professionalism and enthusiasm and said Morris was the reason why he came back to tennis after leaving the sport for a long time.

“Morris has followed through with his ideas,” Bennett said.

“His engagement with all the people, from the kids and juniors right through to the people who have come back and the people who are still there, has been amazing,” he said.

With the brilliant performance by Morris and his team along with the support from the community, the YGTC managed to lift the pennant flag for Grade 11.

Star Mail will follow up on the journey of YGTC winning the flag next week.

Top honours for workers

By Dongyun Kwon

Two locals were honoured by the Healesville Rotary Club’s Pride of Workmanship Award.

Kelly Laidlaw, a Grade 5/6 teacher at Healesville Primary School, and Shelli Johanson, a customer relations officer at Bendigo Community Bank Healesville, received the award on Thursday 10 October.

At the awards night, Healesville Rotary Club president Sally Piper briefly explained the history of the Pride of Workmanship Award.

Ms Piper said the award provides an opportunity for employers to recognise employees who demonstrate outstanding qualities and commitment to their role in the workplace.

“The award is an Australian initiative. It was launched as a Rotary project in June 1975,” she said.

“The aim was to encourage a much-needed pride in personal performance in the workplace and to help create a national attitude for the benefit of our country.

“The first Pride of Workmanship Award was presented in Healesville in 2015 and has been awarded to 11 awardees since then.”

Ms Laidlaw was nominated by Healesville Primary School principal Tracey Robertson-Smith for Pride of Workmanship Award.

The award recipient said she didn’t know about the nomination.

“She had called me and let me know. It was such a shock and was such an honour as well,” she said.

“I do love Healesville Primary School to be recognised as well.”

Ms Robertson-Smith explained why she nominated Ms Laidlaw at the awards night.

“Kelly didn’t get chosen for Pride of Workman-

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ship just because of her teaching. Kelly is very active in the community as well,” the principal said.

“She is a passionate advocate for all things local, schools, community groups and sports. She is a coach for our women’s football team and team manager of the Healesville Soccer Club.

“We have been convinced that Kelly has shown Pride of Workmanship in her teaching and has demonstrated her love of Healesville in com-

munity service above and beyond her paid job.”

Kelly Laidlaw has been teaching in Healesville Primary School since 2018 after she worked for her first posting Marnebek School in Cranbourne for about two years.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. My mum said when I was little, I used to have my blackboard and chalk, and taught my teddies,” she said.

Her journey as a teacher started when she was

25 and went on to La Trobe University for an education degree.

“While studying, I worked with kids with disabilities as a disability support worker in my first year in Bendigo,” Ms Laidlaw said.

Before she started university, she travelled to Scotland and Europe, working as a waitress and in customer service where she could confirm her dream of being a teacher once again.

“My parents are from Scotland and they came over [to Australia] when I was one,” the teacher said.

“I just wanted to know why [my parents moved to Australia] and meet all my family.”

Over the last six years, Ms Laidlaw experienced different positions in Healesville Primary School, teaching physical education, performing arts and Grade 2 students and is now teaching Grade 5/6 students as well as supporting students who need additional help in mathematics every Tuesday as numeracy leader.

Besides teaching local students, the teacher has been involved in local sports for a long time.

She was a member of the Healesville women’s footy team in 2019 when the team won the flag and won the premiership this year as a soccer player for Healesville Soccer Club this year.

“My partner Kyle is the coach for the U-9 and I’m the team manager. My two boys play with them, and I play for the women’s team,” Ms Laidlaw said.

“I’ve been [in Healesville] for 10 years now. I just love how everyone in the community is so caring and looking out for each other.

“It’s like the community in our school as well. Everyone is connected and caring as well.”

Star Mail will introduce the other award recipient Shelli Johanson next week.

Kelly Laidlaw (left) and Tracey Robertson-Smith with Pride of Workmanship Award. (Dongyun Kwon:

Kachel attended

grade final game between Yarra Glen and West Brunswick.

(L-R) Tahlia Wheatley, Jack Rothwell, Zac Scott, Alex Maffescioni, Jarron Morris, Daniel Roper, James Maffescioni, Temprence Neale, Anton Barbaro at the Tennis Victoria Player Awards with the Community Engagement Award and the Pennant Player of the Year award. (Fiona Hamilton Photography)

Jarron Morris with the Pennant Player of the Year award.

Kyeema: The crash that changed the face of aviation

From page 1

“So she said, ‘I’m never catching a train again. I’ll catch a plane, it’ll be safer’.”

Three prominent winemakers, whose legacies have carried on, Hugo Grant, Tom Hardy and Sidney Hill Smith were also on board that fateful day.

“The winemakers were going to Canberra to lobby the government on the wine exercise,” Joel said.

Hugo Grant, son of Gustav Gramp and grandson to Johann Gramp, who planted the first vines at the now Jacob’s Creek, was chief winemaker for 10 years changing Australian wine culture from fortified wines to table wines.

“His son (Colin) was at school, and he heard a plane take off, and it was actually his dad. He didn’t realise. They turned on ABC News at four o’clock on the wireless and it was announced,” Joel said.

It’s also a tale of those who decided not to get on the plane that day.

“There’s about three or four people who were supposed to be on the plane and didn’t for one reason or another. One person’s wife said, ‘don’t get on a plane, they’re too dangerous’ and he didn’t,” Joel said.

And through all of the heartbreaking stories of love and loss, Joel said the one thing that does remain a mystery is what would have happened if Charles Hawker wasn’t on the plane that day.

“I’m really interested in the fact that we still haven’t got a conclusive answer on whether Charles Hawker was going to Parliament to challenge for the leadership and if he was challenging for the leadership of the party, he could have become prime minister. Joseph Lyons died a few months after from a heart attack,” he said.

“Going into World War Two, we could have had a commander in chief who was a former soldier, much more conservative, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the war but it might have meant conscription.

“That’s pretty fascinating, and it all happened here.”

The sub-title of the book sums up what the reader can expect to experience - “An aspiring

Prime Minister, honeymooning lovers and a mother bound by a memory intersect in the incredible true story of Australia earning its wings.”

“It’s pretty gruesome but it’s also a classic thing of the government not listening to people and lots and lots of red tape basically killing people. It’s love stories, sliding doors, all of this in one.”

86 years ago residents of Mount Dandenong found their small hilly suburb on the front page of every newspaper not realising at the time the

transformative effect it would have on aviation and the community.

And yet despite this, the story and history of Kyeema remains somewhat hidden.

The Weeping Mountain sheds light on all of this and can be found on Amazon for purchase.

Joel will also be doing a free talk for the Lilydale and District Historical Society and guests on Saturday 2 November from 2.30pm to 4pm at the Old Lilydale Court House on Castella Street.

Frank’s 50 years on trust

By Callum Ludwig

A dedicated Upper Yarra volunteer has been recently recognised for 50 years of committment to a community facility which means the world to many in one of the hardest times of their lives.

On Monday 21 October, the Upper Yarra Public Cemetery Trust met for their meeting and commended Chairman Frank Colverson for his five decades of service to the trust and the cemetery, as well as farewelling Roger Pape who was moving on after 15 years.

Mr Colverson said it was a very pleasant surprise.

“They did it all themselves, all those people I’ve worked with for a long number of years made the presentation which was really nice,” he said.

“The success with anything is to have a good team and you’ve got to have people who are willing to be part of that team, it’s just a matter of keeping the team going,”

“I suppose I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been there for a while and I’ve been able to carry on some of those things that we’ve done to continually improve the cemetery.”

Chris Thomas was the one to present Mr Colverson with his Certificate of Appreciation.

Mr Colverson said he was introduced to the Trust by a forme Shire of Upper Yarra engineer when he started to work for the Shire and thought it would be good for his career.

“That was in 1974, just started volunteering then and I just kept going, one of the first things we did was we started a lawn section, there’d only been a monumental section at the cemetery and then we started the lawn section which was just coming into vogue in the mid-70s,” he said.

“We’ve just been doing projects ever since people have joined and left and I just seem to be continuing on,”

“But it’s been a team effort, there’s been probably five or six or seven people who’ve been on the cemetery trust for a certain time before

they’ve rotated, lost interest or gone off.”

Other projects that the Trust declared have ‘Frank’s mark’ on them include new provisions for cremated remains, the office refurbishment, road construction, introduction of natural bush burials, the shelter construction, planting of native plants Indigenous to the area and construction of the wetlands and walking tracks.

Mr Colverson said his goal has always just been to make the cemetery as pleasant as it could be.

“We are the end of the line for a lot of people, and when people are burying their relatives, friends or loved ones, they really need a nice place to put them to rest,” he said.

“Probably the hardest thing in the world anyone has to do is bury someone so I want to make sure the surroundings are at least pleasant and the service they get there from the staff is good.”

Frank Colverson has been on the Upper Yarra Public Cemetery Trust for 50 years and counting. (Supplied)

Roger Pape, left, and Frank Colverson. (Supplied)

Author Joel Martin with his book The Weeping Mountain pictured at the Kyeema crash site memorial in Mount Dandenong. (Stewart Chambers: 439190)

The explosion and blaze was so intense there was barely anything left of the plane.

Travelling from Adelaide the Kyeema collided into the side of Mount Dandenong. (Supplied)

The Kyeema crash site memorial sits just metres away from Burkes’ Lookout in Mount Dandenong. (439190)

Unravelling flag mystery

By Mikayla van Loon

A navy blue pennant flag donning the words Lest We Forget in white lettering is enshrouded with a sense of mystery, one the Lilydale RSL would like to solve.

While the pennant used to hang on the wall of the sub-branch club rooms, when the renovations began it was packed away in a box only to be found around two weeks ago.

“Originally, it was pinned on the wall outside [the main room] and that was when I first came to this RSL 10 years ago,” memorabilia manager Maureen McGinnes said.

“When they had the painting done, it disappeared and I’ve been looking for it ever since. I found it just the other week in a box when we’re looking for something else.

“I saw it and picked it up and said ‘that’s it’. I was very pleased because I was worried about it but at least it was in a safe place.”

Not much is known about the pennant flag but it is thought to have been created in the late 1930s or early 1940s to be raised at the Lilydale War Memorial to signify the death of a local soldier during the war.

“If anyone knows anything about the history or any function that it’s been used at, or how it was used, when it was first obtained, because we really haven’t got much of an idea,” Ms McGinnes said.

“I’ve been told that they used to fly it, but I wasn’t told when. So there’d be particular functions, maybe Anzac Day, or something like that, that they would have flown it, or maybe on the death of a member.”

Lilydale RSL president Bill Dobson said it may have even been flown to commemorate the deaths of four Vietnam veterans but again it’s not known.

As the generation of people who may have witnessed the pennant being flown in town decreases, Ms McGinnes and Mr Dobson said it would be

lovely if the community could help paint a picture of its use while it’s still possible.

“Children may have seen it on the flagpole down at the cenotaph,” Mr Dobson said.

“Or if a parent, a father passed, they would probably remember seeing the flag there,” Ms McGinnes added.

On special commemoration days like Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Vietnam Veterans

Day, Mr Dobson said unfortunately, with only one flagpole the pennant wouldn’t be able to be flown but perhaps the RSL could reinstate tradition.

“In the event that we lost the veteran somewhere, we could do it. We could rekindle that and go back to what we used to do,” he said.

Extending that further, Ms McGinnes said it would be nice to recognise all members of the

RSL in that act of remembrance.

“Anyone that’s passed, that belongs to the Lilydale RSL, not necessarily that they’ve served overseas, because a lot of them haven’t, but the thing is, they still served, and they were willing to make the sacrifice,” she said.

In the meantime, anyone with information about the pennant is encouraged to contact president@lilydalersl.com.au

Lilydale RSL president Bill Dobson and memorabilia manager Maureen McGinnes with the pennant flag. (Stewart Chambers: 439530)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Outer East features in song

By Callum Ludwig

An up-and-coming Victorian artist has incorporated a touch of the Outer East in her latest release, with a famous voice of the Valley and popular local venue featuring in a new single.

Electronic artist Alice Ivy, who hails from Geelong, has paired up with the Yarra Valley-based Josh Teskey of The Teskey Brothers for ‘Do I Need To Know What Love Is?’, with the music video shot in the Caribbean Rollerama skating rink.

Alice said from the moment she heard The Teskey Brothers, she knew that she wanted to collaborate with Josh.

“We were still in and out of lockdown in Victoria when Josh and I wrote ‘Do I Need To Know What Love Is?’, so part of it was recorded at my place but Josh came up with the lyrics while he was listening to the demo and driving around the Yarra Valley,” she said.

“From the moment I laid eyes on Caribbean Rollerama I always wanted to do something there, originally, I was planning on launching my 2020 album ‘Don’t Sleep’ there with a big roller skating party, but once again, the lockdowns prevented us from doing that,”

“When it came time to think of a music video concept for ‘Do I Need To Know What Love Is?’ I immediately thought of Caribbean Rollerama as a location and we shot the most beautiful onetake music video there after-hours that features some of Victoria’s best roller skaters, with help from Pat Pierce (of the Pierce Brothers) and the director Dara Munnis.”

Alice’s latest single has dropped ahead of the release of her latest album ‘Do What Makes You Happy’, which releases on 22 November. It follows Don’t Sleep in 2020 and her debut album ‘I’m Dreaming’ in 2018.

Alice said the experience of working with Josh was really unique.

“When he came into my studio to record his vocals he spent a few hours warming up his vocal

chords by blowing through a straw and then he belted out a few takes of the whole song from start to finish, which is very different approach to how a lot of singers record, which is usually in bits and pieces, chopping and changing things, which was unreal to witness,” she said.

“I grew up listening to Motown records and Soul music and I’ve always had a great appreciation for music that’s raw and authentic, but also intricate and layered, which is something I think Josh and The Teskey Brothers do so faithfully,”

“Josh had never collaborated with an electronic producer or sung on an electronic song before, but I just had a gut feeling that his sensational voice would sound beautiful on a lush electronic pop song.”

The Teskey Brothers, Josh and Sam, grew up in

Warrandyte and are now based in the Yarra Valley.

Alice said funnily enough, Do I Need To Know What Love Is was never intended to be a single.

“I always thought it would be a beautiful album track that complemented some of my new albums’ more obvious, uptempo, high-energy pop moments as singles,” she said.

“But when Josh and I finished the song and people on my team heard it for the first time they all individually reached out and said, ‘that’s the one’ which was obviously a nice surprise,”

“The reaction to the song so far has been amazing with all of the airplay on triple j, Nova, Hit, K Rock, it’s such a good feeling when people connect with something that you’ve created.”

Alice Ivy is currently touring the UK and Eu-

rope will return to Victoria in November for the album’s release.

Josh Teskey will be one of few Australia features on Do What Makes You Happy, which Alice said is the inverse of her last album.

“On my last album ‘Don’t Sleep’ in 2020 I mostly worked with local artists like Thelma Plum, Odette, Montaigne and Ecca Vandal with a few overseas artists thrown in the mix,” she said.

“The new album is mostly overseas collaborations with people like Mayer Hawthorne, Låpsley, Kah-Lo and others but I wanted to have at least a couple of really special local collaborators as well,”

“The first was my friend Mallrat who sings on ‘Broke My Heart’ and the other was Josh Teskey on “Do I Need To Know What Love Is?’, the benefit of working with both of those artists was that we got to spend a lot of time together face-to-face, unrushed and make both of those songs extra special.”

Alice Ivy is a two-time ARIA nominee and twotime Australian Women in Music Awards winner among other accolades and currently has over 180,000 monthly listeners on streaming service Spotify.

Alice said Do What Makes You Happy was written at a time where we were finally allowed to create music in the room with each other again.

“You can just feel the emotion and energy, because we were all so grateful to be back doing what we love,” she said.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle on what genuinely excites me about making music; live instrumentation, analogue sounds and music written outside of the box, most of the vocal recordings on the album were tracked on the first day of writing,”

“The music that inspires me, Motown and Soul music, was generally done in a few takes and everything feels so raw and warm, that’s how I like to sonically describe Do What Makes You Happy.”

Presentation of porcelain art at historic homestead

By Callum Ludwig

The Victorian branch of the Australasian Porcelain Art Teachers is coming back to the gallery at the Mont De Lancey Historic Homestead for a month-long display.

The presentation of porcelain products will be on display throughout November, the same time as the group exhibited last year.

Member of the Australasian Porcelain Art Teachers Chris Chamberlain said the reception they got last year was really good.

“We had people coming through and we had some artists demonstrating at the exhibition on different days so the public could just watch and see how we go about it,” she said.

“Mont De Lancey is such a lovely place to have an exhibition so we were pleased to be going back again this year.”

Works included in the exhibition will range from traditional, European-style, scenes, portraits, animals and stylised designs featuring pen work, textures and lustres.

Ms Chamberlain said it’s a very versatile art form.

“It opens people’s eyes to the work involved in porcelain art, painting on the china, some people have no idea how it’s done and so they find that interesting and we have many different styles from very modern types of work to more traditional types of painting,” she said.

“With your oils or watercolours, you can sit and paint until you finish it but with the porcelain art we’re firing the porcelain in a kiln, there’s several firings involved in finishing one piece the work won’t sort of stay on the chinar until it’s fired,”

“Being porcelain, we can paint anything from cups and saucers to plates to vases, we can also paint on either ceramic or porcelain tiles and have them framed so you can hang them on the wall, the same as you would an oil or watercolour painting.”

The Australasian Porcelain Art Teachers formed over 40 years ago, with the Victorian branch consisting of teachers all over the state who run classes teaching the medium and feature in many exhibitions.

A flyer will be available in the gallery with information about the Australasian Porcelain Art Teachers and how anyone interested can find a teacher near them.

The gallery is free to enter and will be open from 10am to 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday each week.

A plate by Chris Chamberlain. (Supplied)

Victorian artist Alice Ivy headed to the Outer East for her new single ‘Do I Need To Know What Love Is?’

(Ian Laidlaw)

This Girl Can is returning

By Callum Ludwig

VicHealth’s This Girl Can program is coming back to the Yarra Ranges from 10 to 17 November, but the Yarra Ranges will see events hosted all the way until 7 December.

The event brings a range of free or low-cost active events and exercises to venues across the Yarra Ranges primarily for women, girls and nonbinary people though this year some events have been opened up to people of all genders.

Belgravia Leisure’s Community Engagement Coordinator for the Yarra Ranges Kelly Parker said it’s incredibly exciting to bring back the This Girl Can events to the Yarra Centre.

“Last year’s program was such a success across the Yarra Ranges, and we’re thrilled to build on that momentum,” she said.

“With 64 per cent of Victorian women who are inactive wanting to get more active in the next 12 months, this is a perfect opportunity for improvement, we know that around one in three women believe that sporting clubs aren’t welcoming to people like them, and 52 per cent worry about being judged while exercising.”

“Additionally, two in five women feel embarrassed exercising in public, this highlights the need for inclusive and supportive environments, which is exactly what we aim to create during This Girl Can month.”

A range of Belgravia Leisure venues will host events including the Yarra Centre, Jack Hort Memorial Community Pool, Monbulk Aquatic Centre and Belgrave Heated Outdoor Pool while many more across the region will be included.

Ms Parker said their goal during This Girl Can month is not just to promote physical fitness, but also to create a welcoming and supportive environment where participants can connect with one another.

“Participants can look forward to a diverse range of options, such as Aqua Fit classes, Pilates classes, Heart Foundation walks, Aqua Zumba classes, Deep Water Aqua classes, mother and

Yoga sessions, Tai Chi and mindfulness painting workshops,” she said.

“By fostering community spirit, we hope to empower individuals to embrace an active lifestyle, build new friendships, and inspire one another on their wellness journeys. Whether you’re looking to try something new or enhance your fitness routine, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”

To find local events, local residents can contact the following Belgravia Leisure centres: Yarra Centre on 5967 1675 or yarracentre.com. au,

Jack Hort Memorial Community Pool on 9562 2709 or jackhortmcp.com.au,

Monbulk Aquatic Centre on 9756 8000 or monbulkaquatic.com.au,

Belgrave Heated Outdoor Pool on 9754 2743 or belgravepool.com.au,

You can also book via the Active World app to secure your spot in a session.

Ms Parker said providing accessible events for women, girls, non-binary, and all genders is crucial.

“These events break down barriers, allowing everyone to participate regardless of their fitness level or background, it’s about creating an inclusive space where everyone feels welcomed and encouraged to take part in physical activities,” she said.

“It’s a great opportunity to step out of your routine and try something different, all in a welcoming and supportive environment, you can connect with others in the community while focusing on your own well-being,”

“I would like to thank VicHealth for such a fantastic campaign and the Yarra Ranges Council for their support in bringing such an impactful program to our community, it’s been truly fantastic for Belgravia Leisure to partner with organizations such as Eastern Health, VicHealth, Women’s Health East, and Inspiro Health for this year’s campaign.”

Grant program opens

The Victorian Government is enhancing Victoria’s local waterways with projects that protect the environment and create more green open spaces for the community to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

Minister for Water Harriet Shing opened the second round of the Green Links Grant Program, with $2 million to be invested across projects that help to restore and improve local waterways all over Victoria.

“As our communities grow, it’s so important to respect and protect our precious waterways and the environments that we know and love - the Green Links Grants are helping more people to get involved, and to make a

Nestled in the picturesque heart of Wandin lies Wandin Valley Farms.

This idyllic family-owned farm has been a cherished gem for generations, its story interwoven with the rich tapestry of the Sebire family’s dedication to quality and tradition.

The Sebire family’s history is the backbone of this thriving agritourism destination. Over a century ago, they sowed the seeds of their vision, cultivating not just cherries, but a legacy that would stand the test of time.

Today, the spirit of this legacy permeates every inch of Wandin Valley Farms.

Cherry season at Wandin Valley Farms is nothing short of a spectacle. As spring blossoms into summer, the orchards burst into a vibrant sea of red, a testament to nature’s abundance and the meticulous care that goes into every tree.

The Sebire family’s expertise and commitment to excellence shine through in each plump, juicy cherry.

The Farm Gate Shop stands as a testament to the Sebire family’s dedication to quality. Here, visitors can find an assortment of cherry-inspired delights, from artisanal preserves to other delightful creations, all crafted with the same care and attention that defines the Sebire legacy.

The aroma of ripe cherries fills the air, creating an ambiance of pure indulgence.

Open seven days a week from early November till late January, the Farm Gate Shop welcomes all who seek a taste of Wandin Valley Farms’ exquisite cherries.

In preserving the Sebire family’s legacy, Wandin Valley Farms embodies the spirit of sustainable agriculture. The farm employs eco-conscious practices, ensuring that the land continues to thrive for generations to come.

This commitment to stewardship is not only admirable but crucial in today’s world, where responsible agriculture is paramount.

Wandin Valley Farms is more than a farm; it’s a living testament to the enduring power of family, tradition, and the land. Visit us this cherry season, and let the Sebire legacy enchant you.

Come and experience the magic of Wandin Valley Farms, where every cherry tells a story.

To ensure the availability of cherry boxes on the day of your visit, it is recommended to give the cherry farm shop a call on 0408 189 052, ahead of time.

positive and lasting difference,” Ms Shing said. Under round two, eligibility has been extended to also include projects delivered by schools – giving young people more opportunities to get involved in restoring and safeguarding the state’s precious rivers and creeks. Community groups, water and land managers, Traditional Owners, local councils and now schools are encouraged to apply for project funding between $20,000 and $350,000.

Victoria’s waterways are home to more than 1,800 species of native plants and 600 species of native animals and revegetation projects are essential for the health of our waterways and their parkland corridors.

daughter

The Yarra Centre will be one of a number of venues in the Yarra Ranges hosting events for This Girl Can in 2024. (File)

Funky Monkeys and more

The Millgrove Residents’ Action Group (MRAG) successfully held another Millgrove Community Open Day on Sunday 20 October.

Part community festivities and part informative safety and resilience seminar, the Millgrove Community Open Day was started by MRAG as a way to bring residents of the township together as well as work towards creating a more emergencyresilient community.

Hosted outside the Wesburn/Millgrove CFA, Upper Yarra SES held a demonstration of how they use the ‘Jaws of Life’ in a road rescue scenario while Ted from Red Cross gave a presentation on how to get prepared.

MRAG themselves also took the opportunity to launch their 2024 Community Plan.

The event was certainly not short of entertainment, with singer Maite performing twice throughout the day, Chris James performing his ‘Kazam Magic Show’, the Misfit Theatre Company’s Junior Crew performing, rock band Toil from Little Yarra Steiner School jamming out and The Dreaming Space’s ‘Funky Monkey Family Band’ performing a variety of musical and acrobatic feats.

Photographer Angela Rivas captured plenty of shots from the Funky Monkey Family Band show and kindly supplied them to the Star Mail to share.

MRAGPresidentMaureenHalit.

BubbleworkwithJimmy.

Gettinggroovy.

Ontopoftheworld.

Chaironachin.

Perfectlybalanced. Allsmiles.

StrikingaposewiththeFunkyMonkeyFamilyBand.(AngelaRivas)

Glorious gardens on show

By Callum Ludwig

The Upper Yarra Valley Garden Club’s (UYVGC) annual Open Weekend is coming up, with new gardens across the region to open up over Melbourne Cup Weekend.

Five gardens will be on display for a small fee to see, three of which have never been featured in an open weekend prior and two of which haven’t been displayed for over a year.

Former UYVGC President and long-time member Kevin Hince said all the gardens are relatively new and different to previous years.

“The closest one to town is Seville which I’m at at the moment and the last one’s at Wesburn, so they cover a fair area,” he said.

“The one I’m at at the moment is 15 acres, but they go right down to a normal house lot in Yarra Junction, they are all very different and with different owners.”

The Open Gardens will be available to visit on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 November and attendees can pay a full $25 for access to all five gardens or $5 for each they would like to visit. Children under 16 can enter for free.

Mr Hince said each year they encourage any of their members top open their gardens up, because it gives them something to work on their gardens for.

“The one I’m in at the moment, has a beautiful view across the Dandenongs and towards the Valley, with lot of very interesting and rare plants in it, we just had the Creswick Garden Club here, it’s a very popular garden that was on Gardening Australia a few weeks back,” he said.

“The next one down is a very new garden, it’s only been there three years and it’s a garden in development and just around the corner, there’s two almost side-by-side; one’s been open quite a few times with a very nice, well laid-out maintained garden with a lot of vegetables in it, the owner there is a tomato expert so people might learn something there,”

“Another one is a very new garden to it but it’s a big one-acre block, nicely laid out, with a nice little pond, we’ve got a very new garden person that has only just joined the garden club and has two or three acres of roses and iris, it’s very spectacular with big lakes and waterfalls and a very big farm garden with horses and the lot.”

Each garden will be open from 10am to 4.30pm

each day. Entry passes are available at any garden and you can start your tour anywhere and just follow the signs along the Warburton Highway.

Toilets are not available at any garden but there are public toilets in townships along the way. Dogs are only allowed entry with permission of the garden owner and must be on a lead.

Attendees are also encouraged to visit the

will be

Warburton Community Garden as well.

The addresses for the five gardens are as follows:

• Heywood House, 50 Linwood Road, Seville.

• 54 Braeside Drive, Launching Place.

• 17 Cairncroft Avenue, Launching Place.

• 120 Lowes Road, Yarra Junction.

• 13 Greenridge Court, Wesburn.

NOWLISTEN!WE’RESTEPPIN’OUT

At The Memo in Healesville on Sunday 17 November at 4pm - Star Mail are offering one lucky reader a double pass to the show! From Daddy Cool to Mondo Rock and as a solo artist, no less than 26 ARIA Top 40 hits to his credit as a singer, songwriter and producer, Ross Wilson is one of Australia’s most awarded, respected, and well-known artists!

Visit local gardens during the Upper Yarra Valley Garden Club’s Open Weekend. (Supplied)

Gardens will be open from 10am to 4.30pm.

Entry passes

available at the gardens for $5 each or $25 for entry to all five.

Healesville’s park blessing

By Bryn Jones

Healesville is blessed with attractive, long-established public parks and gardens, enjoyed by generations of tourists and ‘locals’ alike.

In 1865 Government-Surveyor, George McDonald set aside a large area, centrally located, designated as ‘Recreation Reserve’ and now known as Queens Park. Although essentially still a park, with magnificent trees, shrubs, a rose garden and a creek forming its eastern fringe, it now also houses many recreational and sporting facilities.

As early as 1901 its amenities were recognised beyond Healesville when 4000 Post Office employees and their families, travelling in 7 special trains, spent their annual ‘trade picnic’ there. The Healesville Golf Club played its early years on a part of the park with members having to contend with grazing cows, tussocky grass, an uneven surface and, in winter months, very swampy surfaces. Visitors can be assured that no such hardships will now confront them!

By far the most extensive park is Maroondah Reservoir Park. The dam wall, 41 metres high, offers a scenic lookout to the reservoir lake itself and the spectacular spillway’s waters cascading into the river below. The work on the dam began in 1920 and was completed seven years later. The park area contains an extensive array of trees –

including towering native eucalypts and many exotic deciduous specimens – and flower beds, lawn areas, winding walks and a great variety of bird life. Although it experienced in recent years the loss of many well-established trees from storms and wild weather as well as a considerable reduction in garden maintenance staff, volunteers are working hard and successfully to restore some of its former botanical glory. Maroondah Reservoir Park is still a very attractive place to visit in its natural and rather spectacular setting.

Badger Weir Park and Donnelly’s Weir replete with creeks, weirs, bush walks and extensive treed areas on Healesville’s outer areas are popular spots for visitors who may be able to enjoy the presence in Badger Weir Park particularly of goannas, rosellas, other wildlife and even lyre birds. Badger Weir Park suffered severe damage in the wild storms of 2016 but after more than two years work the park and infrastructure are fully restored and again open to the public.

Healesville’s public parks and gardens provide a backdrop to the town’s attractive setting, nestling at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range – a far cry from one traveller’s description in its earliest stage in 1865 as ‘a township consisting of four or five shanties in the course of being erected – a detestable hole in which nothing to drink was to be had except gin, and nothing to eat but damper’!

Special shows coming soon

Torvill and Dean

Skating Legends return to Australia after 30 years for the Arena Spectacular Torvill and Dean’s last dace.

Tickets on sale from 29 October. DuetodemandPaulDaintyhasannounced new shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Torvill and Dean’s highly anticipated June 2025 Farewell Tour.

Torvill and Dean: Our Last Dance will feature the greatest skaters of all time, alongside Company of the world’s best skaters, as they teel the story of Torvill and Dean and recreate their legendary moments, including their iconic Bolero, for one final time.

Tickets for the newly added shows go on dale at 10am on Monday 28 October.

Torvill and Dean’s Last Dance marks their first return to Australia since 1994, celebrating over decades if their illustrious career Before retiring from skating together.

Season: Roc Laver Arena. June 18, 19 at 2pm and 7.30pm, Tickets on sale from TICKETEK. Burrinja Theatre

Double Feature- Sara Storer and Fanny Lumsden

Experience a spectacular night at the Lyre Room with two ARIA and multi Golden Guitar winning artists Sara Storer and Fanny Lumsden. Enjoy their unique Australian country sounds and captivating stories in this special double feature event.

Each artist will perform a full set, promising an unforgettable evening.

Season: Friday 1 November at 8pm.

Kemp’s curtain call

Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre

LITTLE WOMEN the Broadway Musical.

Luise May Alcott’s beloved story if the adventures of the four March sisters is brought to vivid musical life in Little Women.

The American Civil War is in full swing and the March sisters – Meg, the oldest and a romantic, the spirited and boyish and sweet and loving Beth; and irascible, playful Amy – lve in concord, Massachusetts with their Mammee while their father is on the battlefield.

Filled with adventure, heartbreak and a deep sense of hope , the sisters’ efforts to find their own voices mirrors the growing pains of a young America.

Season: Thursday 14 November – Saturday 30 November.

1812 Theatre

Noises Off

Called the “funniest farce ever written”, Noises Off presents a manis, menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing as flop called Nothings On.

Doors slamming, on and offstage love triangles and plates and plates of sardines all feature in the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.

Season: 14 November – 7 December.

This year’s National Shared Reading Week takes place from Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November.

As Street Library Australia declares: “Shared reading is simply reading with others.”

Sharing delight of reading PASSION FOR PROSE

“National Shared Reading Week presents an opportunity for people to share not only books, but the importance and joy of reading... Because teaching children to read shouldn’t be the domain of parents and teachers only; it’s everyone’s responsibility to be good role models for future generations,” Nic Lowe, Founder and Chair of Street Library Australia, said.

Established in 2016 as a not-for-profit and a registered charity, the organisation’s mission statement begins with these famous words from Dr Seuss: “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you will go.”

Street Library Australia exists to encourage literacy and bring neighbourhoods together through books.

“The hope is that one day, a little boy or girl with no books in their house can pass by a local Street Library and discover a new world of opportunities.”

“When people take a book and leave a book, they create a cycle of generosity that allows them to share what they love with those around them.”

The Street Library movement is all about “encourage reading, encourage sharing, and encourage community”.

Presently there are more than 5200 registered Street Libraries across the nation, with 1170 in Victoria.

These are “a contemporary, thriving example of the circular economy – where the items we buy can be reused by other people,” Mel Lake, general manager of Street Library Australia, said.

During the National Shared Reading Week, Street Librarians around the country are encouraged to host an event where a chosen book can be shared with their community.

After registering, participating Street Li-

CARTOON

WITH CHRISTINE SUN

brarians will have their events publicised via a country-wide map on the National Shared Reading Week website.

They will also receive a badge for their Street Library, plus posters and flyers to inform the community about their events.

But shared reading is not just about Street Libraries, as reading together strengthens social connections among people of all backgrounds and ages.

Professor Genevieve McArthur of the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy explains: “Reading is one of the most influential factors in determining success in school and in life. Shared book reading builds children’s understanding of words and spoken language, and improves general cognitive skills like memory and problem solving.”

Perhaps award-winning YA fiction author Maryam Master illustrates it the best: “As a child I lost myself in books and stories. For me they truly were an escape. A lifeline. A portal into a world beyond my own reality. I love Shared Reading because it connects human hearts through words and stories. It’s food for the soul.”

Those interested in the National Shared Reading Week events hosted by participating Street Librarians can check out the official website, at streetlibrary.org.au/nationalshared-reading-week

The Street Library Australia website also has a Street Library Map where readers can find their local Street Libraries, at streetlibrary. org.au/find/

A sloppy but entertaining end to the

Venom: The Last Dance

Starring Tom Hardy, Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor Rated M 3.25/5

The fifth film in the Sony Spiderman Universe franchise, Venom: The Last Dance is a sloppy but entertaining film, just like the rest of the Venom trilogy.

Fugitive journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien symbiote best friend Venom must

go on the run from government forces and Venom’s creators.

Constantly clashing yet devoted to each other, Eddie and Venom have better chemistry than ever, resulting in plenty of charming, funny moments.

An endearing plot-thread has Eddie and Brock bond with an alien-obsessed hippie family on their way to Area 51, which feels like a cheeky nod to the 2019 social media campaign to storm the base.

Funnily enough, The Last Dance has two short

Venom trilogy

musical sequences that more actively impact the plot than anything in Joker: Folie A Deux.

Like in the first two Venom films, Eddie and Venom’s amusing dynamic holds up a scattershot, poorly-made action movie.

The Last Dance’s pacing is slow and sparse, Chiwetel Ejiofor is unmemorable as Strickland, a shortsighted soldier tracking Venom, and Knull (Andy Serkis) is one of the blandest, most ineffectual villains in any comic book movie.

The action is chaotic and indistinct (but finally has a decent amount of blood; the Venom series

is oddly bloodless for a title anti-hero who bites bad guys’ heads off).

Playing in most Victorian cinemas, Venom: The Last Dance is miles ahead of Morbius and Madame Web, and the best film in the Venom trilogy. Kelly Marcel wrote the prior Venom movies, and so does a great job directing Eddie and Venom’s final adventure, but the elements surrounding the charismatic core are underdeveloped as ever.

-

Seth Lukas Hynes

Gardening club is blooming

By Callum Ludwig

A new offering at the Seville Community House is set to provide a regular opportunity for green thumbs in the community to come together.

After a number of expressions of interest, a monthly Gardening Club is forming out of the community venue with gardeners of any experience encouraged to get involved.

Manager of the Seville Community House Stacie Adams said they have a very broad idea of what the club will be right now and are open to making it whatever the community wants.

“Two weeks ago, we had a big working bee

because our garden was looking a little bit worse for wear after winter, so we gave it a big refresh, mulched the garden, cut it all back, mowed up all the lawns and it’s looking lovely again,” she said,

“Having spoken to some people around that, as well as before and after that, we have had a lot of interest in a gardening club,”

“For now, we’re saying to come along once a month and they are welcome to work in our garden if they want, but that also doesn’t have to happen and it can be more of a space to share ideas, bring and swap seedlings and cuttings and that kind of thing.”

The first meeting of the Gardening Club will be on Saturday 2 November and another is locked in for Sunday 7 December.

Ms Adams said it’s about creating a space for people to share a common interest.

“Sometimes you have an idea that you’d like to meet with people around you with a common interest, but you don’t necessarily know who those people are,” she said.

“The social connections are so important, there’s a lot of isolated people, whether it’s because they’ve got so much going on that they haven’t even thought about how they are isolated or lonely, or whether it’s because they don’t know

what space they can go to to find other people who share,” she said.

“Gardening is something that a lot of people like to do, especially this time of year, getting out in the sun and being around nature, getting to breathe in that lovely Upper Yarra air, so to allow other people to enjoy it and not just keep it for myself on my lunch breaks is lovely.”

The Gardening Club will be held from 10am to 12pm and attendees are asked just to bring a gold coin donation.

For more information, you can call 03 5964 3987.

New threatened species at Healesville Sanctuary

A new threatened species has moved into Healesville Sanctuary with a precious pair of yellow and black Regent Honeyeaters fluttering in the Fighting Extinction Aviary.

With fewer than 250 left in the wild, the critically endangered bird is on the brink of extinction, and it’s hoped this pair will support the species in the future.

Healesville Sanctuary bird keeper Olivia Debernardi said they are looking forward to the male and female pair breeding in the coming years.

Regent Honeyeaters are highly active birds.

Healesville Sanctuary visitors can see them flying around in swift movements while their call sounds like clapping.

“If you come over summer, you may be lucky enough to see nesting behaviours too,” Mrs Debernardi said.

“When they are making their nests, they

make a little cup shape out of straw or pieces of bark and then they’ll bind it together with fresh spider web which acts as a glue.

“Regent Honeyeaters are great parents. The

female will build most of the nest. She’ll do most of the incubating; however, both parents will feed the young chicks.

“When the adults feed the chicks, they then clean out any droppings to keep it nice and clean. They do this every time.”

The best time of day to see the Regent Honeyeaters is in the morning when they are most active.

Healesville Sanctuary last had Regent Honeyeaters in 2016.

Regent Honeyeaters can also be found at Melbourne Zoo.

Healesville Sanctuary is part of Zoos Victoria, a not-for-profit conservation organisation dedicated to fighting extinction.

Many of Zoos Victoria breeding program are based at the Sanctuary.

This conservation work includes innova-

tive, scientifically-sound breeding and recovery programs for Giant Burrowing Frogs, Helmeted Honeyeaters, Leadbeater’s Possums, Mountain Pygmy-possums, Northern and Southern Corroboree Frogs, Orange-bellied Parrots, Spotted Tree Frogs and Tasmanian Devils.

More information about the 27 local priority threatened species that Zoos Victoria is working to protect into the future can be found at the following website, zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/ local-threatened-species/

The Regent Honeyeater is supported by multiple partnerships in collaboration with Birdlife Australia, Taronga Conservation Society, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Office of Environment and Heritage, Australian National University and Monash University.

Generous philanthropic donors also support this species.

Regent Honeyeaters at Healesville Sanctuary. (Rick Hammond/Zoos Victoria)

The newly-refurbished front garden of the Seville Community House.

A Gardening Club is starting up at Seville Community House. (Supplied)

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 Association football (6)

4 Science venues (abbr) (4,4)

10 British territory in southern Spain (9)

11 Delay (5)

12 Expression (4)

13 African country (4)

14 Happen (5)

16 Adolescent (4)

17 Flower merchants (8)

20 Pastoral (8)

22 Element’s smallest part (4)

25 Jet (5)

26 Scottish island (4)

28 Slight (4)

30 Verboten (5)

31 Insipid (9)

32 Becoming prominent (8)

33 Strain (6)

DOWN

1 The outstanding features to be seen on a visit (6)

2 Restaurant with entertainment (7)

3 Web auction site (4)

5 Dreadful (8)

6 Ordinariness (10)

7 Touches (7)

8 Astonish (8)

9 Sicilian volcano (4)

15 Stubborn (10)

18 Plastic unit containing audio or visual tape (8)

19 Southern Asian country (8)

21 Disintegrate (7)

23 People of Malta (7)

24 Outer parts of loaves (6)

27 Cosy retreat (4)

29 Flesh (4)

SPECTACULAR OFF-GRID LIVING

IN PRESTINE WILDERNESS

SPECTACULAR OFF-GRID LIVING IN PRESTINE WILDERNESS

DISCOVER the epitome of secluded, off-grid living on this breathtaking 57-acre property nestled in untouched bush of the Australian Alps, only 70kms from Melbourne CBD. This masterful log cabin offers luxury living with the ultimate Yarra Valley view.

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Ample gardens feature stunning stonework, bluestone pathways and a massive stone fire pit for outdoor living. A bonus hothouse equipped with its own solar power, water tank and planter boxes is perfect for the avid gardener.

This unique property blends a characterful

BEAUTIFUL HOME NEAR BELGRAVE TOWNSHIP

STEP into impressive style and liveability at this freshly renovated family home situated only a stroll from Belgrave township and train station, Selby Primary School, bus transport, and beautiful Belgrave Lake Park.

This double-storey dwelling is filled with brilliant updates that add immense comfort throughout. The covered verandah welcomes you into the lounge featuring high ceilings, a cosy wood fire, and modern easy-care laminate floors. A bespoke barn door then leads into the open plan dining area and contemporary kitchen with sleek black cabinetry, butcherblock benchtops, quality appliances, and timeless subway tiles.

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For added convenience, the lower level

bonus bedroom/living area with separate entry is accompanied by the equally stylish laundry.

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This beautiful home suits buyers seeking a turn-key property in a lifestyle location near amenities and leafy parkland. Guaranteed to impress, prompt inspection is advised to call this property home. Plan your viewing today.

• Beautiful quarter-acre landscape with abundant off-street parking

Impeccable family residence with impressive updates throughout Chefs’ kitchen with quality appliances and butcherblock benchtops

• Lounge with wood fire and lower level bonus living area/bedroom

• Sunlit bedrooms and luxurious bathroom with freestanding tub.

Powder room with second toilet

HOME FOCUS

SERENE FAMILY OASIS WITH DUAL LIVING

NESTLED in the tranquil surroundings of Belgrave Heights, 12 Osborne Avenue offers a unique opportunity for comfortable family living, complete with the added benefit of a second dwelling for multigenerational use or rental income.

The main residence is a spacious twostorey home featuring five bedrooms and two bathrooms, perfect for large families or those seeking extra room.

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Year-round comfort is assured with split system heating and cooling, along with gas ducted heating throughout the home.

Step outside, and you’ll be greeted by an

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The property is also secured with CCTV cameras installed both inside and out.

At the back of the property lies a fully self-contained second dwelling, perfect for generating rental income or housing extended family. This modern one-bedroom unit includes a well-equipped kitchen, complete with an oven, cooktop, dishwasher, and laundry facilities, as well as split system heating and cooling to ensure comfort. Currently rented out at $350 per week, this additional home is an ideal source of passive income.

Adding to the property’s functionality, there’s a large workshop and a single-car garage under the main roofline, providing ample storage and workspace. With its beautiful surroundings, practical features, and potential for extra income, this property offers a rare opportunity in the heart of Belgrave Heights. It’s more than a home — it’s a lifestyle waiting to be embraced.

Arrange your inspection today to discover all that this remarkable property has to offer.

A WARBURTON MASTERPIECE WITH VIEWS

THIS newly built exceptional home has been designed with style and sophistication that will appeal to all. Sleek, modern, and meticulously furnished, its simplicity allows the home to be the highlight, with majestic mountain views as a backdrop. Perched high with privacy as a priority, you won’t want to leave.

This home features premium efficiency throughout, boasting a 6.5 star energy rating, double glazed windows and doors, low energy LED lighting, and natural gas hydronic heating. Every inch of the home feels warm, with an additional level of comfort provided by three split systems. The versatile layout includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms, plus study.

Upstairs, the master bedroom features quality carpets, a large walk in robe, and a sumptuous ensuite. The kitchen serves as the centerpiece of the home with ample space, stone benchtops, seamless and extensive cupboards, quality appliances, and a butler’s pantry, a delight for the chef in the family. The home features hybrid flooring throughout and an open plan living and dining area with high architectural ceilings that add to the bright modern vibe. The expansive, zero maintenance composite decking offers the best seat in the house, overlooking the golf course and spectacular views of Mount Little Joe. Two additional bedrooms and a large family bathroom complete this level.

Downstairs offers a fabulous setup with a double garage spanning around 56m², a storeroom, and a studio/bathroom with its own patio and access to the gardens. This turnkey property presents an opportunity for an executive buyer looking for a grand weekender, an Airbnb for the up and coming bike tracks, or a home with nothing left to do except enjoy. A superb location with easy access to walking tracks, the pristine Yarra river, shops and cafes - not to mention a wander across the road for the morning round of golf.

38ChristineStreet,Millgrove

AffordableOpportunityinthisCharmingHome

$540,000-$580,000

Tuckedawayattheendof aquietstreet,thischarminghomeoffersa fantasticopportunityforfirst timebuyersorsavvyinvestors.Currentlytenantedwith asolidrentalreturn,itpresentsgreatvalue. Thecozyhomefeatures2 to 3bedrooms, 1bathroom,andanopenplanlivinganddiningarea, alongwithanoriginalkitchenthatopensouttoa largeoutdoordeckperfectforenjoyingthe serene,treefilledsurroundings. Awoodfireandsplitsystemensureyearroundcomfort,whilethe carportandspaciousbackyardofferplentyofroomtorelaxorentertain.Thispropertyisa wonderful packageandgreatvalueformoney.

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068

LargeAcreageBlisswithPeaceandPrivacy

Admireandenjoytheamazingviewsallyearroundatthissuperbproperty,situatedonjustover36 picturesqueacreswith amixofundulatingpastureand abushsettingit’ssuretoimpress!Theclassic rusticmudbrickhomeiswarmandinvitingandhasallthecharmandambienceofa countryescape offering 4bedroomsplusanoffice/studyarea.Thespaciouslounge/livingareasoffergreatspacefor thewholefamily.A separatemeals/diningareahasamplespaceforthegrowingfamilyplus alarge kitchenareaand averyimpressivecombustionstyleovenandhotplate.Amplecar,trailer,truckor caravanaccommodationwith alargebarnandloadsofextraroomtomove, ablankcanvasready andwaitingtocreatetheidealcountrylifestyle.It’sa greatplacetocallhome.

ExecutiveStyleLuxuryLivingintheYarraValley

Thisstunning,modern,twostoreyhomeintheheartoftheYarraValley,idealforthoseseekingluxury andstyleisnestledonoveranacre.Beautifullydesignedthroughoutandfeaturinganopenplan kitchenwithhighqualityappliancesand aspaciouswalk-inpantry,thediningandlivingareaopens uptoalfrescoentertainingwith amagnificentmountainbackdrop.Witha totalof3 bedrooms, 3bathroomsandlotsoflivingoptionstocomplimentthisexecutivefamilyhome.Upstairs,the hugemastersuiteboastsa luxuriousensuiteandexpansivewalkinrobe, aversatiletheatreroom downstairsforthemoviesbuffsortheoptionofanadditionalbedroom.Outside,enjoythewell maintainedgardensandbreathtakingValleyvista.Thisspectacularhomeiswaitingforyou,don’t misstheopportunitytomakeityours!

Thiswillbe ajoytolivein!

Welcometoa spacious,lightfilledsanctuarynestledina quietspotwitha beautifulbabbling“ WalkersCreek”meanderingthrough.Thespaciouskitchenanddiningareaflowseamlesslyinto alargeundercoverdeck,makingitidealforentertainingwithfriendswhileenjoyingtheserenity. Thisversatilehomeboaststhreegenerousbedrooms,plus astudyornurseryorhomeoffice.Two stylishbathroomsandbeautifulwindowvistasthroughoutenhancethesenseofspaciousnessand tranquillity.Offstreetparking, alock-upgarage/workshoparea,there’sampleroomforvehicles. Whetheryou’reseekinga weekendgetawayor aforeverhome,thisstunningpropertypromisesa lifestyleofcomfort,beauty,andconnectiontonature.Don’tmissyourchancetomakethisunique homeyourreality! 45WongaRoad,Millgrove

RebeccaDoolan M 0401832068 Inspection: Wed5:00-5:30pm

$600,000-$660,000

THE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE OF KINGLAKE LIFESTYLE

THIS architecturally designed home, within minutes of town, ticks every single box: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms (incl master ensuite and powder room), 3 living areas (incl formal lounge, open plan living room, upstairs rumpus) and remote-controlled double lock-up garage. The home is air-conditioned by electric reverse-cycle ducted air-conditioning, 2 x split systems, ceiling fans, and a double-sided wood heater for both living rooms.

Features include: built-in robes and master walk-through robe

• attic storage throughout ceiling space cathedral ceilings and hardwood floors

• free standing bathtub and double vanities

• vehicle access to backyard and roundabout driveway

Externally the property provides a spacious timber decking for parties and summer barbecues, a beautifully landscaped arbour and established garden, and an 8 m x 12 m 3-bay shed with mezzanine, concrete base, pot belly heater and separate metre (3 phase power connected). There is also vegetable gardens ready to be sown, chicken coop and fire pit area to complete your lifestyle dreams. If you’ve already clicked the star at the top of screen, a dozen other buyers have. Don’t miss out. Text 21BALD for your exclusive inspection.

-Wood burner, reverse cycle air conditioning

-9 solar panels, gas instant hot water, gas stove top

- 3.5 m x 3.5 m shed for gardening and tool storage.

-Landscape architect-designed habitat garden with reticulated pond

- 80 acres on a sealed road, just minutes from town.

-7x7m gazebo and wide verandas and 8x7m garage

-12x11m barn with 4 stables, tack room, wash bay

-Combustion wood heater, ducted central heating and reverse cycle air con

- 3 dams, piped bore water and Steels Creek water frontage, 125,000 litres of water storage

-Olympic-sized riding arena -Fully renovated home, hardwood timbers

Double carport. 3 phase

- Extra-large master with

is

robe and ensuite - Recently renovated

with 1200 mm Bosch induction

-Built on concrete stumps with ample access and faces due north. - 9 m x 8 m 4-car garage with wood heater and sink

- Paved alfresco, huge covered deck and 3 living areas - Wood heating, Ducted heating, Ceiling fans in all bedrooms, Ducted vacuum

Chicken coop and ample veggie boxes tank + mains

-Downstairs offers versatile self contained unit - Hydronic heating, reverse cycle air-conditioning, charming Jotul wood heater. - Leadlight windows and high ceilings, Blackbutt laminate flooring, Double glazing and solar - Breathtaking views of the mountains

LIFESTYLE LOCATION WITH TREETOP VIEWS

WITH nearly 2 acres of lush landscape in a location that offers easy access to Monbulk’s shopping, transport, and schools, this beautiful property provides a balanced lifestyle.

Completely private and complimented with a double carport, garden shed, wood shed, greenhouse, veggie beds, and walking access to Hunter Street, you will discover a wonderful lifestyle here.

As you cross the landscaped pond and step onto the wrap-around verandah, there is a sense you have arrived some place special. Upon entry, the feel of light and roominess created by cathedral ceilings with exposed trusses makes a lasting impression. The versatile study/sitting room introduces the rich timber flooring that flows throughout. From here, open plan living takes centre stage highlighted by a modern kitchen with butcherblock benchtops, Blanco dual sinks, DeLonghi 900mm gas range, Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, and inviting peninsula seating. From the lounge and dining area with warm wood fire access is afforded to the charming alfresco that soaks up the treetop views. Equal consideration has been paid to providing beautiful bedrooms. The family bedrooms with quality carpet and built-in robes share a stylish bathroom with soaking tub and separate WC with skylight. The privately situated main bedroom has a relaxed retreat-feel and features a walk-in robe and modern ensuite. This lovely lifestyle property suits houseproud buyers who seek move-in readiness in a superb location. Inspection will impress, so join us for a tour today.

• 7,765sqm (approx.) property with greenhouse and double carport Landscaped pond entryway leading to the wrap-around verandah

• Versatile sitting room/study with timber floors upon entry

• Exquisite open plan living and dining with wood fire and alfresco access

Stylish kitchen with high-end appliances and inviting peninsula seating

4 generous bedrooms including main with ensuite and walk-in robe

SuzieBrannelly

Clearer skies over fairways

By Ron Hottes

The Monday V.V.V’s:

Although we had less than enough playing on this day, for a club-comp. it should still be noted that a couple of the Girls returned very healthy back-nine results. Vicki had 18 points, with a scratch by the way (those lessons are clearly helping) and Annalies also performed well posting a 17-point result. Well done, Ladies.

Wednesday 23 October, Par:

With a smaller field than usual, due to a number of members being involved in Master’s-Pennant matches, the odds of winning with a decent score were shortened. A decent result certainly came in from Dale Horrobin, who posted a +4 result. Great shooting Dale. Robert Ferguson continues his consistent form with a +3 to grab the runner-up voucher. The 3rd prize went to Mr.Hendy, with a +2. RJH has found a rare vein of form recently, so well done Robert. Balls, in the smallish field, went down only to -1. NTP daily winners were: Trevor Porter (3rd), Ian ‘Junior’ Garside (9th), Matt Maloney (lovely 2nd shot on the 10th), Merilyn McDonald (12th) and David Mackey (15th).

Twilight:

Wow, some good scores on this day. Two rounds of 21 points led the field; so on a countback, young Matthew Maloney took the honours over his regular playing partner, Brayden Millar. Both scores are well worth a hearty pat on the back. Good shooting boys. With the big field of 50+, the balls extended to 18. The 3 NTP winners were as follows: Josh Hin (for a very accurate second shot on the 1st), Shane ‘Bomber’ Camp-

bell (3rd) and Danny Fox (9th).

Saturday 26 October, Stableford:

Under clear skies, in near-perfect conditions for playing good golf, Michael Eldridge played nearperfect golf to post a great 39-point score. Good shooting, Father Michael and bragging rights, note, Patricia. Dale Sund took home the runnerup voucher, with an impressive 38 points. Winning Master’s Pennant Captain Peter Whitehead came in 3rd, posting a 36-point result. Good job, Captain. The ball rundown got down to 33 only. NTPs went to Tim McKail (3rd), Jason Kennedy (9th), Paul Osbourne had a good day snaring 2 NTPs on the 10th (2nd shot) and the 12th. Great shooting, Ossie. Finally, on the 15th, Geoff Sharp hit a great tee-shot.

Wins on return after tumultuous winter break

By Peter Brennan

The winter months at Yarra Junction Bowling Club were a tumultuous time, as the long awaited renovations finally got underway. What began as a plan to improve disabled access to the clubhouse grew exponentially, as the repairs to the roof resulted in the discovery of asbestos and a general overhaul of the entire clubhouse, with a new verandah, access ramps, toilet relocations, and sundry other improvements. Well done to the Council, the workers, the club members who participated in several working bees, and the committee members who contributed above and beyond.

As the Pennant season loomed the clubhouse was resplendent, and an open day was attended by sponsors, life members, and politicians, with the State and Federal representatives presenting awards to club champions and high achievers.

The first game of the weekend Pennant was due to be an away game at Eastwood Golf, but severe weather rendered their grass green unplayable. Thankfully the Junction green polished up nicely, and the match was relocated, which suited Junction very well. All four rinks went to Junction, and the season opened with an away win on the home deck, which cast a nice glow over the world.

The midweek season opened with a home game against Croydon and was a hard-fought match with many momentum shifts, with Junction running out overall winners. Winning is better than losing, and the season last year began with a string of narrow losses from which they never recovered. While sitting at the bottom of the ladder may be character-

building, it is hardly enjoyable and it is far better to open the season with a win.

Croydon returned to Junction for the second game of the weekend season, albeit with a different team in a different division. The weather was warm and the match was tight early on, but Junction imposed themselves on the game over the course of the day, running out strong winners on all four rinks.

So both seasons have started strongly, with the test of away games still to come. Time will tell. Meanwhile, the club farewells those players not playing this year and welcomes the new ones who have joined.

Yarra Junction Bowling Club President Ian McGregor, Casey MP Aaron Violi and Vice President Elly Byrne. (Supplied)

Clear skies returned to the Warburton Golf Club. (File)

Barefoot and bold

By Ian Milgate

First week of the Community Barefoot Bowls was a great success with 22 teams competing for the Charles Hort Memorial Trophy.

This season saw several new teams enter including The Bodi Tree, The Grand Hotel, Terminus Tornadoes and the Healesville RSL.

Healesville Bowling Club had great conditions for the first night and everybody enjoyed the bowling and of course the sausage sizzle.

After night 1, the leader is Advanced Agg on 20 followed by Code Art on 19, the RSL on 18 and right on their tail on 17 points are McDonald Maintenance, Terminus Tornadoes and Watts River Brewing.

Come on down next Wednesday night and watch these great teams put down some good bowls.

Tuesday’s Team 1 played Healesville’s very friendly rivals Warburton at home and knowing that they always put a strong side in.

Healesville had to be at their best to take the win.

The team was travelling not too bad with two rinks up and one down and by the half time break Warburton were just up 38/32.

After the break, Healesville started to struggle apart from Steve Bulled’s team and finally went down by nine shots 54/63.

rick, Colin Jarvis 11/26

Rita Featherstone, Robyn Turville, Bob Brown, Steve Bulled 22/18

Ian Milgate, Damian Key, Barry Parker, Effie Laban 15/22

Tuesday’s Team 2 played away against Mooroolbark.

This was their first game away so the new Pennant players had to deal with new surrounds and new opponents.

Mooroolbark came out firing and by the half time break had a reasonable lead.

To the credit of Healesville players, they hung in there and tried to change the result but came up short by 16 shots 49/65.

John Allen, Glenda Graham, Len Cosson, Wally Mays 11/26

Jim Viggers, Russell Smith, Judy Veermann, Mike Adams 22/18

Tino Macari, John McMillan, Bernard Godde, Gerry Gommers 16/21

Saturday’s Team 1 played away at Lilydale and were looking forward to playing them on their own turf.

All four rinks got away to a great start and by the half time break were leading by 22 shots 60/38.

There must have been something in the water because after the break all teams struggled to gain

or hold the lead.

In the end, it came down to the last team playing on the last end and they managed to hold Lilydale off for a win by one shot 83/82.

Ian Milgate, Robyn Halton, Colin Jarvis, Adrian Beales 20/26

Mick Featherstone, Robert Ayres, Bob Brown, Mark Ward 16/18

Rita Featherstone, Chris Hawting, Effie Laban, Steve Bulled 23/20

Barry Parker, Wally Mays, Rob Broadhurst, Steve Graham 24/18

Saturday’s Team 2 played away at Doncaster with an under manned team.

Two rinks played really well with Sarah and Ken Gallacher, John McMillan and John Howard putting some good shots in.

Unfortunately, the team with only three players in it were struggling all day against a team of four but to their credit, they didn’t give in. In the end they lost by nine shots only 53/62, a great effort.

John Allen, Jim Viggers, Leonie Fitzpatrick, Russell Smith 19/14

Ken Gallacher, Glenda Graham, Judy Veermann 10/32

Jude Wallace, John McMillan, Sarah Gallacher, John Howard 24/16

Good luck every one for next week, keep up the great work and don’t forget, Enjoy your bowls.

Mixed for Yarra Glen

By Rodney Bates

Division 1 had their first home game, and managed to scrape home against a strengthened Whittlesea side, with the winning rink of Ben Simmons covering the other three teams who went down - final score 92/86 (12 Points).

C. Carswell 18/22; S. Manifold 18/21; Beau Simmons 22/32; Ben Simmons 34/11. Division 4 Side two played away against one of last years finalists Ringwood.

A see-sawing game throughout the afternoon, Yarra Glen gained the lead late and held on for a two-rink win 79/74 (14 Points).

S. Smith 14/22; R. Thurkle 23/12; A. Thurkle 19/21; M. Ramage 23/19.

At Croydon, the Division 6 Side 3, had a tough day, going down all rinks on a slick synthetic surface 51/88 (0 Points).

T. Dickson 14/27; J. Leather 13/21; Alan Skillern 12/19; D. McMenaman 12/21.

Midweek pennant round 1 saw our Division 2 Side playing at home against a strong Heathmont side with no rinks able to bring the points home 40/68.

P. Leonard 10/23; P. Tirant 12/22; A. James 18/23.

Having won promotion to Division 3 this season, Side 2 travelled to Boronia, and received a bit of a wake-up call, going down 30/93 (0 Points).

L. Baker 11/28; D. McMenaman 5/40; B. Youl 14/25

Two top wins in pennant play for Warburton Bowls Club

By Garry Lewis

Two exciting wins highlighted the second week of Pennant Bowls for the Warburton Bowls Club during the past week.

The Weekend Warburton 1 side hosted a Lilydale 2 side who were coming off a strong win in the opening round. Warburton was seriously compromised due to important absences and a tough afternoon was expected. However, the Burras got off to a flyer and took a substantial early lead. Lilydale fought back and whittled away the lead until they caught up. Some clutch shots at the death saw the Burras home, however, 93 shots to 89. A tremendous effort from all players. Rink scores were as follows: R. McKail 31/ 16; G. Walsh 26/ 24; C. Neale 15/ 23 and S. Lee-Tet 21/ 26.

The Burras top side looks forward to their next challenge against Ferntree Gully 1 away this week.

The Warburton 2 game against Bennettswood 1 away was played in superb conditions. However, the hosts were far too strong in their familiar green conditions and won comfortably 124 shots to 60.

Rink scores were P. Summers 18/ 25; G. Lewis 20/21; M. Van Meurs 12/ 32 and G. Wynd 10/ 46. The Burras are very determined to show improvement this week against Eastwood Golf 1 at home. The Midweek Pennant Warburton side trav-

elled to traditional rivals Healesville on Tuesday to start the new season and came away with a win. In a tightly fought match, with scores seesawing throughout, the Burras proved stronger in the end to win 63 shots to 54.

Rink scores were S. Lord 26/ 11; G. Walsh 15/ 28 and R. McKail 22/ 15. The Burras look forward to keeping up the good form this week against Yarra Glen 1 at home.

Pennant Training continues Thursdays from 4pm at the club. New and beginning players are always encouraged to attend and join in the fun. Coaching is available.

The highly popular Bingo Nights concludes this week on Wednesday from 7pm with a Halloween Theme. Doors open 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend for a fun evening of Bingo, including Music Bingo, prizes, refreshments and drinks at bar prices.

The Wednesday Night Barefoot Bowls Jack Attack Triples Competition will commence on Wednesday 6 November. Players can come along from 6pm and have a practice rollup before the games begin at 7pm.

The Warburton Bowls Club welcomes the new teams including Bowl-O- Chicks, La La’s, Chicks with Bowls, Giffords Gang All Stars, 1 Wright & 2 Wrongs, 3D’s and Warby Hardware.

Social Bowls continues to be played on Mondays from 12 midday with everyone including new and beginning players encouraged to attend.

Warburton Bowls Club have plenty of opportunities for the community

Gerda Otto, Mick Featherstone, John Fitzpat-

Past Healesville Bowling Club champions Barry and Lenny showing their support. (Supplied)

Yarra Glen Bowling Club Division 4 Team focused on the play with Ash Skillern, Bill Grund, Matt Ramage (hidden) and Dale Batten. (Supplied)

Mixed day for Healesville

By Chris Handasyde, Josh Handasyde, Michael Davern, Matt Wilkinson and Peter Nolan

U12-3 Healesville 6/99 defeated by Ainslie Park 2/127

Reggie Morcombe 19*, Arthur Coleman 14*, Alex Simmons 13* and 1/22, Jackson Lehman 1/28

U12-7 Healesville had the Bye

U14-3 Healesville 146 defeated by Wonga Park 158

Similar to the 1st XI the 14s had 146 on the board to defend and also similarly struck on the third ball with James Howden getting the important breakthrough.

A strong appeal for caught down the legside was turned down shortly after and the Wonga captain made Healesville pay constructing a nice innings.

Healesville would take their second wicket with a mix up between the wickets leaving the Wonga opener in the middle of the pitch coming back for three.

Mika Kerst would then strike shortly after. But again partnerships would build. Healesville would keep taking wickets to keep the game interesting with Skipper Aeden Senti seeming to bowl the bloods back into the game.

But eventually Wonga would reach the total despite the scare eight down and eventually bowled out for 158.

This leaves the 14s 2-1 with the chance to recover against Montrose next week.

U14-7 Healesville 4/119 defeated Warrandyte 6/118

Taylor Caldicott 23, Tully Ellis 18* & 1/11, Thomas Quaggin 16* and 1/13, Manny Winrow 15 & 1/12, Angus Morcombe 13*

U16-4 Healesville 2/112 defeated Mt Evelyn 8/108

Tyler Braden 22*, Denzel Parsons 19*, Sam Keath 19* & 2/10, Sam Drummond 17*, Will Watson 2/13 1st XI Healesville 7/187 defeated by Wonga Park 7/190

With 187 on the board, the boys new what they had to do, and that was take 10 wickets.

The Day started strongly with Mitch Tampaline taking a wicket off the third ball of the day.

A few sharp chances went begging for the bloods but Tarkyn Nicolandos struck for the second wicket, then Darcy English quickly securing the third with Healesville starting to get their tail up. Again a partnership would build for Wonga Park before again Tarkyn Nicolandos and Nick Zinghini would take wickets in consecutive overs leaving Wonga Park 5/120, requiring 68 Runs with five

wickets in hand. Once again the story of the day saw Wonga continue to build a partnership with minimal risk and action leading to quite a boring game with Wonga Park eventually crossing the line with eight overs to spare, despite some late wickets from Riley Cameron leaving them seven down.

This leaves Healesville reeling at 0/2 with Templeton next week to try and put their season back on track.

2nd XI Healesville 8/190 defeated by Chirnside Park 3/192

On the second day of play against chirnside park the 2s had 178 runs left to defend Healesville came out looking to get early wickets.

Luke Chandler started us off bowling well giving an early chance that was put down.

Beau Hawkins opened from the other end putting good pressure on the bats making them work

hard for the runs, until the 20th over when Beau was able to grab two wickets in two balls to get the team going. Despite some great bowling from Sam Keith, Brodie Grace and Denzel parsons, Healesville was unable to break the partnership with a couple more dropped catches.

Both openers came back for a second spell unable to strike again.

Dylan Edwards had a turn with the ball, earning himself a wicket late in the game but the damage had been done and Chirnside Park passed Healesville in the 54th over with seven wickets in hand.

3rd XI Healesville 6/177 defeated Warranwood 7/155

Healesville’s first home game of the season against Warranwood got off to a shaky start. After being sent in the Bloods had slumped to 6/72 with only Ben Mackey (27) showing some resistance.

With the game in a perilous state, father son pair Grant (109*) and Tyler Braden (17*) came to the wicket and batted brilliantly to combine for an unbeaten 100 run partnership, leaving Healesville with a very solid total of 6/177.

In his first game as captain Sam Drummond used his bowlers effectively and set good fields, with Prem Singh and Cooper Bell both taking 2/24.

A close contest for most of the game, the Bloods ended up triumphing by 22 runs as Warranwood finished on 7/155, with Finn Bonniwells 52* a highlight.

4th XI Healesville 8/156 defeated by Mt Evelyn 3/161

Healesville won the toss and batted first making a total of 8/156 (A Keith 44 , M Harding 27).

In the end Mount Evelyn would chase the total down with four overs to spare only losing three wickets. 3/161 (R Morcombe 2/21, A Senti 1/20)

Unlucky Yarra Glen Senior 1st XI struggle to hold the line

By Travis Gloury Under 10’s

The Yarra Glen Under 10’s played their first home game for the season, against Wandin.

Captain Declan won the toss and sent the opposition in, and then proceeded to have an absolute blinder in the field, taking one great catch at square leg and getting four run outs.

Wandin compiled 9-55 off their 20 overs.

When it was Yarra Glen’s turn to bat, the team had two individual highlights in their inningsthe boundaries hit by both Harvey Senior and Nick Holland (who hit the first four of his career).

After their 20 overs of batting, the team finished with 7-34.

Next week, Yarra Glen Under 10’s will play another home game, this time against Seville. Under 12’s

• Wandin 2/82

• Yarra Glen 3/83

Yarra Glen lost the bat flip toss with Wandin electing to bat.

With home ground advantage and a lighting outfield Wandin set about the innings positively.

The first wicket falling in the third over to Harvey Williamson (1/12 off 4 overs).

Wandin batted smart with very little opportunities to the bowlers who were all very consistent.

A Keeper change brought Heath Burke to the crease with immediate impact (1/0 off 2 overs).

Wandin finishing their allotted 23 overs 2/82.

Yarra Glen opened with Flynn Bain (22n.o) and Harvey Williamson (0) – Harvey got a beautiful ball first up and was bowled.

Heath Burke (4) enters the crease first ball four backward of square, second ball caught by the bowler, Yarra Glen on the ropes two for four in the first over. Xander Nielsen (20 n.o) joined Flynn and both players batted with intent and sensibility.

The batting was further supported by Wyatt Hill (7n.o), Oliver Lilley (3), Poppy McLeish 1 (n.o) and Ben Holland (6 n.o) – Yarra Glen winning the match 3/83 in the 18th Over.

It was fantastic to see five of Yarra Glen’s eight batters hold their wicket and retire after the allotted balls.

Great effort to all under 12’s Under 14’s

• Yarra Junction 3/136

• Riley Galea 1/9

• Mitchell Ammerlaan 1/13

• Yarra Glen/ Kilsyth 4/130

• Lucas Burke 20

• Lawson Appleton 15

The Yarra Glen/Kilsyth Under 14’s have gone down to Yarra Junction in a tight game played at Kilsyth on Saturday.

The team won the toss and elected to bat on a beautiful morning for cricket.

Opener Daniel Shaw scored seven off his 25 balls and then captain Lucas Burke retired on 20 off 25 balls.

Number 3 Riley Galea got a good ball (0 runs off 3 balls) that skittled his stumps, but then Lawson Appleton smacked them around later in the innings for a quickfire 15 off 20 balls to lead the team to 4-130 off 25 overs.

In reply, Yarra Junction were just too good with the bat at the top of their order and they made the runs with eight balls remaining.

Mitch Ammerlaan was the pick of our bowlers with his leg-spin, taking 1-13 off three overs.

Riley Galea also bowled well to take 1-9 off two overs. The Yarra Glen/Kilsyth Under 14’s will play Mount Evelyn away next week which will be a very tough game.

Under 16

• Yarra Glen 6/115

• Hoddles Creek 6/121

This week, Yarra Glen under 16 boys took on Hoddles Creek at Yarra Glen in what was a oneday game due to last weeks washout.

After losing the toss and being sent in on a ground where scoring was difficult because of the heavy dew, we reached a total of 6/115 off our allotted 25 overs.

Major contributors were the hard hitting Charlie Watts (38 not out) and Sam Gloury (22 not out).

These two were supported by Sam Donnelly (11 not out), and Sam O’Callaghan (6n.o), both

of whom retired after their allotted 20 balls, and Dylan Shambrook (10).

In reply Hoddles Creek batted sensibly, reaching 93 before they lost their first wicket, putting them in a strong position.

As is always the case our boys fought the game out strongly, taking 4/19 in quick succession, meaning the game came down to the last over.

Needing four to win off the last over Hoddles Creek were able to secure the victory with 3 balls to spare in a closely fought contest.

Wicket takers for Yarra Glen were Dylan Shambrook (1/21), Spencer Boers (1/13), Sam Donnelly (1/12), and Sam Holland (1/22).

A good fightback by Yarra Glen boys and while it was not quite enough to secure the win, it is a testament to their fighting spirit and willingness to fight the game out, something the whole team can all be proud of.

Senior 1st XI

• Yarra Glen 155

• Mt.Evelyn 2nd XI 6/156

Yarra Glen resumed the second day’s play defending 155, needing to take five wickets with the score 5/69 and 86 runs to play with to claim Victory.

The Mt Evelyn batsmen approached the day cautiously, taking their time and with minimal risk. Yarra Glen bowlers toiled hard with persistent line and length in an effort to create some wicket opportunities against some disciplined batting. Yarra Glen got a break through from a Matt Donnelly catch at short cover off the bowling of Phil Cowan with the score at 6/109 with all bowlers bowling well.

With four wickets required and a couple of strong LBW appeals turned down by the umpires.

Yarra Glen was unfortunately not able to get another breakthrough with the opposition needing 32 overs to make the required runs on a day when the team did a lot right which didn`t translate on the scoreboard and ultimately Yarra Glen did not make enough runs to defend.

Matt Donnelly finished with 3/29 off 21 overs and Phil Cowan the other major wicket taker with 2/26 off 10 overs with all bowlers contributing to a team effort on a day which the team was never far away but just unable to get one more key breakthrough.

Senior 2nd XI

• Boronia 4th XI 5/146

• Yarra Glen 3/152

Brodie McCann picked up a wicket in the third over with Xavier Bosua collecting 2/10 off his six overs and single wickets to Shaun Beath

and Will Duff. With the exception of a run out, all dismissals were bowled to restrict Boronia to 5/146 of their allotted 36 overs.

Captain Shane Fordham got the team off to a flyer with the bat, racing to 46 in quick time before being caught in the deep.

In his first game for the club this season, Shaun Beath partnered Dave Prewett after the loss of Blake Davey in the 11th over with the score at 2/62 and proceeded to put on a batting clinic for all to enjoy with an 82 run partnership before Shaun was dismissed LBW for 44 with three runs short of claiming Victory in the 28th over.

Dave Prewett finished with 43 n.o and ensured the team secured victory shortly after.

Well done to our 2nd XI

Senior 3rd XI

• Yarra Junction 4th XI 3/176

• Yarra Glen 3/137

Yarra glen 3rds travelled to Wesburn to take on Yarra junction for the second time in two weeks. The team welcomed first time players Seth McDonnell and Dezza aka Nathan Deringowski and Sam O`Callaghan for their first Senior game for Yarra glen.

Mafou Laloula was thrown the ball for the first over, and had succes early with his second ball with the opener out to a ripping catch from Sam Holland aka the flying Dutchman at square leg.

Pool noodle, aka Sam Donnelly was bowling tight at the other end.

Mafou returned with his second over to remove the second opener with the Shaun hill special removing off stump, Sam O`Callaghan bowling extremely well to follow up mafou`s efforts.

Yarra Junction put on a solid partnership untill some sharp fielding from Lucas Burke removed one of the inform batters with a run out.

Wanting to restrict the junction in the final overs, the 3rds called in Gary Demby, aka the “G Train” to roll the arm over and steady the flow of runs. Yarra Glen got off to a good start batting with Braedyn Crombie hitting a 4 off the first ball but unfortunately losing his wicket shortly after.

Lucas Burke and Danny Shaw partnered well and occupied the crease together for many overs with Lucas finishing with 33.

First Gamer Seth McDonnell scored quickly and freely with 10 boundaries and a six in his innings of 52 n.o compulsory retired with the team falling short of the required total after the alotted 36 overs.

It was pleasing to bat out our overs for the loss of only three wickets with some positive signs from our 3rd XI.

Match report of Yarra Glen Cricket Club. (File: 190068)

Healesville U16s after their win. (Supplied)

Solid century for Charlotte

By David Marshall

Wandin Men’s 1st XI

Returning to Warrandyte for Day 2, we knew defending 131 against their formidable lineup would be a test. Last week, our batters faced a top-quality bowling attack, managing to reach 131 runs but leaving 20 overs unused. Warrandyte had already faced 20 overs last week, finishing on 22 for 2, giving our bowlers a glimmer of hope. Warrandyte, with a low target in sight, batted cautiously, knowing they had 80 overs to chase down 110 more runs. They buckled down, adopting a no-risk strategy that tested our bowlers’ patience. Most of our bowlers went for less than 2 runs per over. Unfortunately, Warrandyte held steady and only lost another wicket at 125. A couple of late strikes by Dobby offered some highlights, including a sharp leg-side catch by keeper Bryce Edwards—a moment Bryce will likely recount with increasing difficulty as the tale grows with each telling.

Wandin Women’s 1st XI

This team never fails to bring highlights, and their match against Chirnside Park was no exception! Losing the toss and being sent into bat, Wandin saw Charlotte ‘Webby’ Edwards and Gayle Burgi open the innings. Although Gayle couldn’t quite repeat her heroics from last week, the innings took a delightful turn with Allanah Peet promoted to first drop. Allanah, showing no signs of nerves, produced a stellar knock of 37, batting seamlessly alongside the experienced Webby.

New recruit Lisa Vanderzee, playing her firstever cricket match (no, backyard cricket doesn’t count, Lisa!), scored a confident 14 not out. Liv Edwards then entered with her usual flair, adding a quickfire 27 off 18 balls, with Tilly Pearce contributing a handy 8 from 9. But the undisputed star of the day was Charlotte, who scored her maiden century, retiring on an impressive 101 at better than a run-a-ball. This was a landmark in-

nings for her and the Wandin Women’s team, who reached their highest total to date at 3 for 281!

With a massive total to defend, we tossed the ball around to let everyone have a go. Kerry Peet, not content to let Allanah take all the bragging rights at home, opened the bowling with style, clean bowling the opener off her very first ball and finishing with 1 for 9. Liv Edwards and Kate Johnstone each took a wicket to keep the pressure on. Jacquie Lowrie also joined the wicket-takers, to loud cheers from the Wandin faithful watching on Frogbox. And if you’re guessing who rounded out the performance—it was Charlotte again, taking 3 for 9 in five overs to complete one of the most dominant displays we’ve seen. Well done, ladies!

In a one-day match against Wonga Park (thanks to last week’s rainout), Wandin found themselves in early trouble after being sent in to bat. Joel ‘Galvo’ Galvin saved the day with a quick 40, nearly scoring at a run a ball, pulling the Dogs up from a rocky 3 for 59. Matty “The Don” Owens kept things moving with a composed 32, but after his departure, Wandin were still looking light at 5 for 113.

The lower middle order took the wheel, with Jack Dowthwaite chipping in a valuable 24, Captain Julian Polido adding a gritty 21, and Gordo Gosland leading the charge with a crucial 56 not out. Their efforts boosted Wandin to a defendable 8 for 199.

Tailenders secure the win for Lusatia Park

By Michael Nicholls

With Wickhams being unplayable last week due to the rain the Lusatia Park 1st XI played Wantirna South in a one-day game this week. Lusatia Park sent the visitors in to bat and their bowlers were doing a great job having them 1/8 and 2/13 early and restricting them to 2/53 after the halfway mark of 20 overs. After the drinks break however, Wantirna South’s batters dug in and didn’t lose their next wicket until the 24th over, having to try and build a respectable total to defend and putting on another 35 runs in only 4 overs, No.4 batter Pereira doing the most damage. He continued to plunder the bowling putting on another 67 partnership with their no.5 batter Wheare until he fell in the 33rd over for 29. The situation wasn’t helped due to some sloppy fielding and dropped catches which could have been crucial at certain stages. Terry returned to the attack for his last 4 overs and in his second over bowled Pereira after doing all the damage with the bat for 95. Tim introduced Matt McConnell into the attack taking 2 wickets in his 1st over and being on a hat trick on the first ball of his next. He couldn’t complete the hat trick but took his third wicket with his 5th, then taking another 2two wickets in his next to finish with the outstanding figures of 5/11 in 2.4 overs. Terry did the job from the other end and combined they took the remaining 6 wickets for only 16 runs, Terry finishing with 3/11 from 7 to have them all out for 171. After the tea break, Lusatia Park set about the target well to be 57 after only 8 overs when Chriso fell for 29. Unfortunately, they then lost their next 6 wickets for only 56 runs to be in trouble at 7/113, Mick Nicholls making 39 of that total. But with some fantastic and very mature batting from the tailenders, Lusatia Park salvaged the win with the loss of only 1 more wicket with 5 overs to spare, Lochie making a brilliant 34 and Matt McConnell 24 no in a fantastic all-round performance.

The 2nd XI were able to get on the park last week for their 2-day game against Yarra Junction away. Lusatia Park’s bowlers started well having the home side on the back foot from the get-go with them being 1/6, 2/17, 3/25, 4/30, then 5 and 6/55 after 25 overs. he home side managed to stem the tide somewhat and put on another 42 runs when their 7th wicket fell at 97, Kocher being their only batter to defend his wicket, their 8th fell at 127 to eventually be all out for 155, Kocher the only batter posting a decent score mak-

ing 86. Great job done by all in the field holding their catches when needed. Good a round performance by the bowlers nearly everyone taking wickets, Lukey with 3/18, Bhavin 3/27 and Dutchy 2/16 the main wicket takers. With 27 overs left in the day’s play, Lusatia Park set about the target with minimal damage finishing at 4/127, Andy out for 30 and Deano 25. Returning for the second day, Lusatia Park are set to chase the remaining 28 runs, losing the next wicket at 178, they continued batting and finished the innings at 242 all out, with great performances from Tyson making a superb 74, Morgs 35 and PB making 20 and Viren 24 at the finish. Reed was their best bowler with 6/51. Lusatia Park put them back in for the outright and had them in trouble at 4/38 but their 5th wicket stopped the rot when the game was called with no chance of an outright result, Jenkinson their opener making 59no. Still a great 1st innings result.

The 3rd XI played away against Warranwood and although they tried their hardest, only man-

Wonga Park came out swinging, with their bighitting opener striking multiple boundaries in the very first over. Their openers put up 82 runs in just 13 overs, threatening a quick finish. Enter Hamish ‘Hammer’ Lamont, who snagged both openers in rapid succession, dragging Wandin back into contention. Hammer ended with 2 for 19, the most economical figures of the day.

The momentum shifted, but Wonga’s middle order stabilized things and kept the run rate ticking. With pressure building, Captain Julian Polido took charge, ripping through the middle order with a game-changing 4 for 34. Yet, Wonga remained in striking distance on the quick Wandin Oval. Going on the defensive, we brought on the ‘ancient one’ Dave Marshall (a man of too many nicknames), whose full, straight deliveries claimed two key wickets in the second-to-last over, nearly sealing the game. Jackson Kneebone bowled the final over, securing the last wicket and clinching a hard-fought 7-run victory. Wandin 3rd XI

In a match that felt like a finals battle, Wandin 3rd XI took on Chirnside Park 6XI on a slow ground. Chirnside won the toss and elected to bat, but they quickly found themselves under pressure as Wandin hunted every ball with finals-like determination.

Olivia Edwards led the attack, taking 3 for 19 off 7 overs, while Sam supported from the other end with 2 wickets, putting Wandin firmly in the driver’s seat. Archie then joined in with two late wickets as Chirnside attempted to accelerate, setting a competitive total of 7 for 167.

In reply, Wandin kept the pedal down, cruising along at 5-6 runs an over. Tom (25), Luke (12), and Archie (47) got us off to a strong start. However, as the wickets began to fall, Chirnside regained control, and despite a valiant effort, Wandin ultimately fell just 10 runs short in a game that had the intensity of a finals clash. Special thanks to young AJ for stepping in and fielding all day for Wandin.

Horse Talk

By Anita Prowse

Glorious weather for the weekend and Upper Yarra Adult Riding Club’s Dressage In The Valley event.

Jackpot winners were:

• Level 1 – Walter Burger on Feidale Griffin from Monbulk Clematis Adult Riding Club.

• Level 2 – Susan Van Sprang on Stryder BW from Working Equitation Yarra Valley Inc.

• Level 3 – Sue Johnson on Romeo from Western Port Equestrian Association Inc.

• Level 4 – Jill Forsyth on Cheval from Dewhurst Equestrian Club Inc.

• Level 5 -Bianca Morelli on Nawarrah Park Dora from Wandin Park Riding Club For Adults Inc.

aged to take 2 wickets and were chasing a score of 170, the only wicket-taker Tayte Hubbard with 2/38. Their batters Pumpa 50 retired, Pitt 32no, Dilorio 29 and Ogilvy 28. lt was Lusatia Park’s turn to bat and they got off to a steady start reaching 35 for the first wicket but then wickets kept falling without another decent partnership to finish all out for 99. The best of Lusatia Park’s batters were Ben Hubbard 22 and Brendan Sharman 23. Best of their bowlers S.Pitt 3/8 and C.Norman 3/20.

Ladies Round 4 v Belgrave.

The ladies hosted Belgrave this week at the picturesque Wickhams Road Reserve.

Belgrave won the toss and sent Lusatia Park in to bat. They batted their 36 overs setting a target of 140 with captain Caitlyn top scoring with 32 runs.

Belgrave came out firing with the bat with the 1st wicket falling at 53 runs.

Belgrave passed Lusatia Park when two down in the 22nd over. Today was the last of the grading games, and the ladies have a week off next week.

Well done to all competitors, event committee and of course, the wonderful sponsors for supporting this popular event, looking forward to next year when Dressage In The Valley which will run back to back with Pheonix ARC’s Dressage Day on Saturday March 1 and Sunday March 2 for a two-day dressage festival at Wesburn Park. Upper Yarra Pony Club have the last two Freshmans Show-jumping Days coming up, on Cup Day Tuesday 5 November and Saturday 23 November. Entries will be taken on the day and hopefully, the UYPC will have the unveiling of anexciting new addition to the clubrooms.

Cricket returned to Wickhams Road Reserve this week. (Supplied)

Wandin 2nd XI

Charlotte Edwards celebrates her century. (Supplied)

They

The Yarra Glen Automotive team includes Brandon, Oliver, Zoe and Ash. (Stewart Chambers 419796)

Owner Ash Skillern prides himself on creating a business locals can trust.