News - Berwick Star News - 31st October 2024

Seniors keeping social

Having performed for the Narre Warren Seniors Club for over 20 years, Andy D’Rozaria, also known as Lonestar, has kept the spirits of the club high, stressing that there is importance in maintaining that sense of community and camaraderie in all stages of your life.

For the full story, turn to page 12

Lonestar props his guitar as the club’s committee members gather behind him. From left, Yolande Paull, Jan Geary, Bill Good, Dennis Hogan, Annette Blaze, Brenda Miller Good, and Ann Campbell. (Gary Sissons: 439196)

Calls answered

By Ethan Benedicto

Known for its lack of mobile connection, the suburb of Clyde will soon be undergoing a major step in connectivity, with a tower set for 2025 announced on Thursday 24 October.

The event was attended by the Federal Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland, Holt

MP Cassandra Fernando, National Growth Areas Alliance CEO Bronwen Clark and Waveconn CEO

As part of the second round of the Peri-Urban Mobile Program, or PUMP, the electorate of Holt, and the suburbs of Clyde and Blind Bight will be the recipients of a tower each, signalling the recent changes to government policies on infrastructure accompanying the growing fringes of cities such as Casey.

Grant Stevenson, parties who all shared the same sentiment of providing sufficient and proper support for growing communities.

With an additional 12 towers approved for the city and undergoing community consultation, the announcement paints an infrastructural future that residents in the ever-growing areas of Casey can look forward to.

Story page 2

For Fernando, who had been advocating for action towards the issues of mobile connectivity since her nomination in 2022, the development is significant, as she recalled many constituents’ complaints in Cranbourne East, Clyde North and Clyde revolved around mobile reception and its drawbacks.

Mobile towers announced

By Ethan Benedicto

The first few steps of improved connectivity are underway for the growth fringes of the City of Casey, as two towers as part of the Peri-Urban Mobile Project were officially announced in Clyde on Thursday 24 October.

The project, also known as PUMP, will have two towers in the Holt electorate, one in Clyde and another in Blind Bight to open in 2025, with a grand total of 12 for the growing suburbs in Casey.

Attended by Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland, she said that “this is absolutely essential for every resident, everyone relies on connectivity; the people who are working from home, the students, and for accessing emergency services.”

“This is no longer a society where we rely on landlines, there would be a huge percentage of people here who would either wouldn’t be using a landline or wouldn’t know what their landline number even is.

“So it’s absolutely essential that they have connectivity, and to date, there has been very little incentive for mobile operators to come in and make sure that they’ve got connectivity before the houses come up and before people start becoming residents.”

Also present was Holt MP Cassandra Fernando, and as someone who has been advocating for these infrastructural improvements for over two years, she is more than glad to not just be a part of the announcement, but also to be able to witness it.

“When I was in pre-poll, in 2022, that (mobile connection) was one of the biggest issues, even door knocking in Clyde, Clyde North and Cranbourne East, it was one of the biggest issues that the residents bring up to me every single day,” she said.

This marks the second round of PUMP, with the two towers being delivered as part of a $40.9 million project, with the mentioned 12 towers already approved and currently undergoing community consultation.

Clyde, which falls under the peri-urban fringe,

is more prone to risks of natural disasters, which previously made it difficult to deploy infrastructure due to difficult terrain, planning challenges, and lower population densities.

However, considering that Stockland Estate is looking at establishing around 1500 homes, the incentive is more present than ever.

Rowland, as part of the Connecting Victoria Campaign, has mandated that all new housing developments with 50 or more lots must consider coverage during planning.

“As a government, we are changing that, we are changing the regulatory framework to incentivise operators to come into these areas and that includes the $40 million dollar peri-urban mobile

program,” Rowland said.

“We’re bringing together a good regulatory framework, good incentives, it is a challenge, but I am so pleased that as a local member, Cassandra’s been advocating so strongly for residents here.”

Waveconn, a New South Wales-based telecommunications service provider will be responsible for the future construction of the tower at Stockland, with Erin Buyers, marketing and a strategic representative from Waveconn saying that they are looking to “fastrack as many of the sites as we can”.

“It’s working with the developers with their development sites, but it’s basically ready to go,

we’re just in the process of pulling together power quotes and getting it ready to build next year,” she said.

Waveconn’s CEO, Grant Stevenson said that what is clear is “the demand for these services”.

“We’ll be moving as fast as we can to make it happen.”

Buyers said that every site that they build will be optimised for all three main carriers (Optus, Telstra and Vodafone), so that “the residents have a choice”.

For the National Growth Areas Alliance, CEO Bronwen Clark sees this as a major step forward for every region, not just in Casey, but in Australia to be receiving appropriate mobile connection.

“This is really significant because it’s taken so long to deliver,” Clark said.

“We’ve got residents right across Australia in places just like in the City of Casey who are experiencing the same problem, and in 2024 mobile connectivity is an essential service.

“We’re trying to build 1.2 million homes across Australia to respond to the housing crisis, now imagine if those didn’t have mobile connectivity, where would we be?”

Looking ahead, the next few years look to hold a set of promising developments of connectivity for the growing suburbs of Casey, as the two towers for Holt mark a significant step in progress.

From left to right: Grant Stevenson (Waveconn CEO), Bronwen Clark (National Growth Areas Alliance CEO), Holt MP Cassandra Fernando, Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland and a Stockland Estates representative. (Ethan Benedicto: 440787)

Michelle Rowland and Grant Stevenson touched on the technicalities of the future tower, its location and coverage in the suburb. (440787)

Both Michelle Rowland and Cassandra Fernando addressed the long-standing issues of mobile connection that embroiled the suburb of Clyde, with the latest a step forward in the right direction. (440787)

Discussion on mobile coverage improvements was rife, with an emphasis on support for growing communities. (440787)

NEWS Man jailed after fatal crash

By Ethan Benedicto

The tragic loss of 19-year-old Noah Peacock has left a void in his family and community, as Jayden Colverd, the man whose actions led to the fiery crash, could be eligible for parole by May 2025, after his sentencing on Wednesday 23 October.

Jayden Colverd, 28, from Hampton Park, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and failing to render assistance.

In August 2022, Colverd, driving unlicensed and at high speeds, crossed into the opposite lane of South Gippsland Highway near Jeetho, and collided with Noah’s vehicle, resulting in a fiery crash that tragically ended Noah’s life.

On a wet but otherwise clear day, a witness, who had been driving ahead of Colverd, witnessed him pass her in his 2004 Ford Falcon wag-

on “like a rocket”, while she had been traveling around 100km/h.

She saw the horrific aftermath of the incident after a bend, with Colverd’s vehicle having crossed to the wrong side of the road and colliding head-on with Noah’s car.

The force of the impact pushed Noah’s 2005 Ford Falcon sedan off the road, where it hit a tree and caught fire.

Witnesses attempted to help but the intense heat prevented them from approaching the burning vehicle.

Colverd, although injured, was able to escape his vehicle with a witness’s help, but after being assisted, fled the scene to a grassy area and down an embankment.

Noah’s body was found inside the car once the fire was put out by CFA members.

New look for soup kitchen

By Ethan Benedicto

Local tradies and businesses have joined forces in a valiant effort to transform and renovate the Transit Soup Kitchen and Food Support in Narre Warren.

In an incredible feat of community spirit, the charity, which is run by more than 100 volunteers, will see improvements to its amenities, foundational structures, tiling, tables, and more.

The charity’s community relations officer, Michelle Pinxt, said that the “cost of living pressures have seen a surge during the last 12 months in the number of people asking for help”.

“Transit’s rundown building is making it hard for our volunteers to serve more than 1500 individuals and families coming to us for food and support each week.”

With Transit unable to pay for a renovation, Pinxt asked the local community for aid, and the response was nothing short of astounding.

Pinxt recalled that it began with a group of tradesmen who said to her that they were more than happy to take up the task of renovating the soup kitchen, where “they said we will get the people, you get the stuff”.

“They said that we will have everyone donating their time, all of these professional tradesmen, they will donate the time, making Transit amazing, and if we could source the materials, then we’ll go from there.

“It just grew, it absolutely grew, so then I contacted a couple of organisations that started… and it just caught and continued from there.”

From electricians, plumbers, painters, tilers and plasterers, other key contributors to the makeover of the Transit Soup Kitchen included 3fold Resources Pty Ltd, who contributed $18,000 worth of custom-made cabinetry, Berwick Glass for replacing and repair-

Collision reconstruction experts revealed that Colverd’s vehicle was approximately 1.47 metres into the opposite lane.

They were not able to determine why the vehicle crossed the lines as there was no evidence of pre-impact braking from either vehicle.

Driving without a licence after it was cancelled in 2022 for refusing a breath test, Colverd’s blood sample in hospital revealed cannabis and a blood-alcohol level between 0.037 and 0.064 at the time of the crash.

Noah’s death had a heavy toll on his family, as described in their victim impact statements.

Judge Nola Karapanagiotidis also considered Colverd’s diagnosed PTSD and undiagnosed ADHD, as well as his history of trauma.

Judge Karapanagiotidis added that the sentencing could never measure the depth of the loss

felt by Noah’s family and the wider community, adding that “the sentence I am about to impose is not a measure of Noah’s life”.

“Nor is it a measure of the deep profound grief of those who knew and loved him.

“Rather, it is a reflection of a range of factors that by law I am required to take into account and balance, as already canvased,” she said.

Colverd, who was 25 years old at the time of the incident, was jailed for four years with a 33-month non-parole period.

He has served 798 days in pre-sentencing detention, making him eligible for parole by May next year.

Colverd’s driver licence was also disqualified for four years, and a Section 89C declaration was issued, marking that the offence was committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Early tallies are in for Casey

By Ethan Benedicto

The early provisional results for select wards in the City of Casey council elections are in, as the wards look to tally up the final numbers for November.

It is important to note that these are the numbers as of 30 October, the total tally has yet to be decided and is still subject to change.

As it stood at 11.50am, Samuel Dennison led the fray in Akoonah Ward, with a total of 1411 first preference votes, with Scott William Dowling following closely with 1191.

Dianne Pagliuca had 859, Mush Rahaman with 820, Kushal Shah with 607 and Patrick Ferdinands with 369.

Akoonah Ward’s count was sitting at 5257 votes and is at 39.73 per cent completion.

For Grevillea Ward, as of 11.57am, John Ternel was leading with 639 first-preference votes, with Carmen Powell at the tail at 601 votes.

Stephen Matulec held 546 votes, with Dave Perry at 527; Bernie Postma has 449, David Parr with 342, Stephen Capon with 285, Sinfree Chirunga with 144 and Haroon Sayed with 123.

Grevillea Ward’s count was sitting at 3646 votes and is at 24.98 per cent completion.

Cranbourne Gardens Ward was holding some big numbers as of 1.30pm, with Michelle Crowther ahead with 2609 first-preference votes.

and Damien Rosario with 249.

River Gum Ward had a current total of 3519 votes and was at 27.45 per cent completion.

Quarters Ward, as of 1.50pm, had some varying numbers, with Carolyn Eaves leading with 1140 first-preference votes, followed by Ian Wood with 1037.

Craig Baird was close with 838, Kuljeet Kaur Robinson with 682, Aftab Hussain with 669, Jagdeep Singh Sukhija with 551, David Rolfe with 355 and Ridvan Rasimi with 124.

With a total of 5396 votes, Quarters Ward was at 43.93 per cent completion.

Correa Ward, as of 10am, had Gary Rowe leading with 352 votes, followed by Kanu Aggarwal with 279.

Tracey Ryan was next with 264, Abdullah Neshat with 133, Shegofa Naseri with 79 and Onkar Singh Sandhawalia with 36.

Correa Ward had a total of 1143 votes and was at 8.38 per cent completion.

Down south with Tooradin at 1.40pm, Anthony Tassone led with 1259 votes, followed very closely by Jennifer Dizon with 1245.

After a big drop-off, Kuldeep Kaur held 631, Andrew Gai with 553, Ali Yaghobi with 464, Brenton Kelly with 378 and Ravneet Singh with 181.

Tooradin Ward had a total of 4711 current votes and was at 37.06 per cent completion.

ing windows and IKEA Springvale for privacy screens.

South East Water also contributed with stainless steel kitchen benches, sinks and tapware; Omnitech Playgrounds for temporary housing of shelving and goods, as well as tipper trucks for rubbish removal; Inspirations Paint Narre Warren for wall and ceiling paint and much more.

“I think people understand that the cost of living is hitting everyone very hard at the moment, I think that they’re realising that there are a lot of people experiencing a housing crisis, ending up on the streets, and they can see a tangible way that they can make a difference,” Pinxt said.

“We’re all blown away by the support, Transit has a lot of love to give, but it was incredibly run down; to be able to create a space that the volunteers and our guests can walk into that is inviting and warm and feels like we’re actually investing in them, everyone is just blown away by that.”

A total of $25,000 of commercial flooring was also contributed by a Sydney-based company that wished to remain anonymous, with the team currently in the kitchen undergoing work.

While the soup kitchen is closed for renovations, its grand re-opening is set for Saturday, November 23, from 2pm to 4pm; in the meantime, the Rotary Club of Cranbourne, and other community groups have taken their time to provide those in need with food hampers and other goods.

“It’s incredible seeing it all unfold, that we can create a haven for people, not just provide food,” Pinxt said.

“Our volunteers are excited to be able to step back into this and be able to gift even more people with food, community, and friendship.”

She was followed by Anthony Lake with 1848, Tamas Kapitany with 1457, Jo Muir with 762, Blessing Nhliziyo with 580 and Mary Beth Melton with 547.

Cranbourne Gardens Ward was sitting at a total of 7803 votes and is at 58.10 per cent completion.

Kowan Ward was holding a tight race as of 11.12am, with Kasuni Mendis just ahead with 667 first-preference votes.

On her tail was Bernard Brian Carr with 662 votes, and just behind was Christine Skrobo with 649.

Shane Taylor had 581, Jawad Erfani with 253, Joby George with 208, Gagan Bumrah with 106 and Raj Nayak with 93.

Kowan Ward had a total of 3219 votes and was at 24.74 per cent completion.

Leading River Gum Ward at 11.50am was Lynette Pereira with 846 votes, followed by Wayne Smith with 609.

Nazir Yousafi had 563, Geoff Hansen with 517, Asher Coleman with 479, Garry Page with 256

Waratah Ward had no clear numbers, but it was confirmed that Stefan Koomen was comfortably leading in Waratah Ward, ahead of Jamel Kaur Singh after 40 per cent of the count.

Kalora Ward had Melinda Ambros in the lead with 2074 votes, with Brain Oates nearby at 1431.

Damien Sawyer was coming close with 1286, followed by Zabi Mazoori with 1175; the ward sat at 63 per cent completion.

Casuarina Ward had Kim Ross leading the pack with 1330 votes, followed by Rex Flannery at 748, Jane Foreman at 745, Lyndon Samuel at 721 and Morteza Ali at 651; the ward was at 45 per cent completion.

For the City of Casey’s participation stats, 193,435 ballots had been returned (78.34 per cent), with the final participation rate for each council area, including Casey, not to be known until the postal receipt period ends at 12pm on Friday 1 November.

As the information is still incomplete, this article will be updated online as soon as new tally numbers and new information on other wards are made available.

The early provisional numbers for the City of Casey’s council elections are in. (File)

Local tradies alongside Transit volunteers working on the soup kitchen include Rodney DeHaan, David Vanderree, Daniel Pinxt, Scott Pinxt, Michelle Pinxt, and Andrew Westendorp. (Supplied)

Machete attacker sentenced

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A Hallam teen has been jailed in adult prison after slicing a 52-year-old shopper’s arm with a machete at Fountain Gate shopping centre and a wild police pursuit in Greater Dandenong.

Daniel John Batsanes, 19, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to charges including recklessly causing serious injury, three car thefts, burglary and dangerous driving while pursued by police.

A drug-binging Batsanes was on bail and disqualified from driving during the crime spree in late 2023.

On 19 October, he and a teen co-offender were in a stolen ute trying to steal a spare tyre from a victim’s vehicle in the top-storey of Fountain Gate’s car park.

The victim tried to unsuccessfully remove keys from the ute’s ignition. As he backed away, Batsanes brought down a 50-centimetre machete into the top of the victim’s forearm, slicing it open to the bone.

The two offenders sped away in the ute.

The victim went back inside the shopping centre for help. He was given first aid by a security guard and treated by paramedics at the scene.

He was taken to Dandenong Hospital with multiple fractures to his forearm, a 15 centimetre laceration and multiple damaged tendons.

In a later police interview, Batsanes said of the victim that “some c*** tried to be a hero”.

“If you see something happening, unless you wanna f***ing get some – unless you want something to happen to you … keep your mouth shut.

“Anyone that f***ing wants to jump in the way and try to be a hero is gunna get f***ing hurt.”

He told police he was affected by meth at the time. With “drug and adrenaline”, he “didn’t know my own strength” and “turned out worse than I wanted it to be”.

After multiple surgeries, the victim still suffers PTSD, a loss of function and movement in his finger and thumb and the loss of substantial income.

All as a result of Batsanes wanting to steal a spare tyre and the victim having the “temerity to call you out”, sentencing judge Marcus Dempsey noted on 25 October.

Batsanes was also involved with a petrol driveoff in Endeavour Hills and three stolen cars over about a month.

On 29 November, he smashed a window of an Audi parked at Sandown Park railway station, found the victim’s address on paperwork and took a garage remote.

He went to the victim’s home, got inside via the garage, stole the Audi’s spare key from a kitchen drawer and then ultimately the Audi.

Five days later, a police car tried to box in Batsanes in the Audi in a service lane at Princes Highway Dandenong.

A drug-affected Batsanes drove away over the nature strip and down the wrong side of the road into traffic, slamming into the front passenger side of a Hilux ute and closely missing other vehicles.

Police Air Wing followed him driving erratically in Endeavour Hills, Dandenong, Keysborough and Noble Park.

He was arrested after abandoning the Audi near Sandown Park station. He was found with a knife, 1, 4-butanediol, cannabis and quetiapine

pills.

Meth, a tomahawk and various stolen bankcards and ID were found in the Audi.

Sentencing judge Marcus Dempsey on 25 October noted Batsanes’s “tragic history” who grew up in deprivation, instability and grief.

He’d been “shaped in the most unfortunate way possible”, dropping out in Year 6, extensively using drugs, prolifically offending and living in residential care units.

Batsanes was assessed as unsuitable for youth detention, and seemed to respond better to structure and rehab programs in adult remand, Judge Dempsey noted.

As a youth, he still had “reasonable” but “guarded” rehabilitation prospects.

He was jailed for up to four years and 10 months, with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months.

His term included 326 days of pre-sentence detention – meaning his earliest possible release is October 2026.

Batsanes was disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.

All systems go as Elders welcome workers to the land

To welcome the Clyde Road Upgrade team onto Bunurong land, Major Road Projects Victoria and Seymour Whyte crews were invited by Bunurong Land Council Elders to join in a traditional smoking ceremony.

Bunurong Elder Mark Brown welcomed crews to the land and to join in the ceremony as part of the start of major works on the project, which will add new lanes between Enterprise Avenue and Bemersyde Drive and create more capacity at the Kangan Drive and Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard intersection.

Major Road Projects Victoria program director Marc Peterson said the team was grateful for the public’s co-operation with the increasing level of works.

“We’re ramping up works on the Clyde Road Upgrade as we work to overhaul this major thoroughfare for Berwick and surrounding suburbs,“ he said.

Between October and December, crews will be relocating water and power services, removing existing kerbs and centre medians, and removing existing light poles and traffic lights and construction of bridge access points in preparation for widening works next year.

Crews will also be constructing a site access point from the Princes Freeway outbound exit ramp into a parcel of land located behind Federation University.

To complete these works safely, there will be a series of weekend inbound and outbound ramp closures, an extended two-week closure of the Princes Freeway outbound exit ramp onto Clyde Road from Friday 8 November to Monday 25 November and weekend closures of Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard.

To minimise impact to people accessing lo-

cal education and hospital facilities, most major disruptions will occur on weekends or at night to help avoid delays.

There will also be closures of Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard on weekends until Monday 25 November to relocate underground water services.

During these closures, access to Sir Gustav

Nossal Boulevard will be maintained via Enterprise Avenue and Venture Drive, with drivers advised to allow an additional five minutes of travel time.

Head of Campus Talk & Tour

The team will also position safety barriers and replace the existing light poles and traffic signals with temporary ones.

For more information on the project, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/roads/clyde-roadupgrade

As part of these works, the Clyde Road Upgrade team will also lay temporary asphalt in the removed centre median, which will create more space and allow two lanes to remain open as much as possible while the team builds the new lanes behind barriers.

Bunurong Elder Mark Brown conducted a traditional smoking ceremony to welcome Clyde Road Upgrade workers to the land. (Supplied)

Sail from Bali to Sydney this December from just $6,295 per person

Discover the cultural splendours and natural wonders at your doorstep on our 17-day Komodo & The Australian Coast ocean voyage. Explore the Indonesian archipelago and Australia’s pristine coastline. Meet the region’s diverse residents, from Komodo dragons to jumping crocodiles, and visit charming island locales. Discover colourful traditions and meet local craft artists or visit Komodo National Park with a trained naturalist.

Set sail on 7 December 2024 from the special price of $6,295 per person. To secure your stateroom, please call our Reservation Team today and quote code ‘465’ – this special offer is not available on our website.

KOMODO & THE AUSTRALIAN COAST

Bali to Sydney

17 DAYS | 2 COUNTRIES | 9 GUIDED TOURS

SET SAIL: 7 DECEMBER 2024

From $6,295pp in Deluxe Veranda Stateroom

Quote code ‘465’ when booking* LEARN MORE

ULUN DANU BERATAN TEMPLE, BALI, INDONESIA

It’s decision time

By Violet Li

Casey Council has recorded a 13 per cent decrease in planning applications decided within the required timeframes since last financial year, according to the recently released Annual Report 2023-24.

About 54 per cent of the regular planning application decisions were made within the required 60 days last financial year. In the previous financial year, the number was about 62 per cent.

Casey Council commented on the Annual Re-

port that the decrease could be attributed to sustained recruitment over the year, which impacted the decision timeframes.

According to the State Government’s Planning Permit Activity Reporting, Casey Council received 954 planning permit applications in the 2023-24 financial year and issued 776 new and amended permits. About 480 dwellings and 2893 subdivisions were estimated for the year.

Council’s Annual Report 2023-24 has noted that the median time taken to decide on planning applications was 119 days, 12 days shorter than

the previous financial year. Council commented on the report that it was in the expected range.

Council also reported that about 32 per cent of the council’s planning decisions were upheld by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), a 54 per cent decrease since the last financial year.

“This can be attributed to a greater portion of decisions being slightly varied but generally consistent with the council’s original stance. In addition, a number of appeals were settled prior to a hearing being held,” council stated in the report.

Put your pets first this Halloween

The Lost Dogs’ Home is warning those who celebrate Halloween to be wary of risks that may harm their pet.

While dressing up in scary costumes and trick or treating may not present any obvious immediate dangers for pets, there are a few things that all fur parents should consider on Halloween.

The Lost Dogs’ Home spokesperson Suzana Talevski said that several Halloween treats were toxic to pets and pet owners need to be vigilant in ensuring their animals didn’t ingest them.

“Pet owners need to hide any sweet treats out of their pet’s reach, the candy bowl is for trick-ortreaters and not our pets,” she said.

Ms Talevski urged pet owners to call their veterinarian or the animal poison helpline (1300 TOX PET) if they suspected their pet had ingested something toxic.

While costumes may be an essential part of Halloween for humans, they may not be safe for pets.

Ms Talevski encouraged pet owners to avoid putting their animals in costumes.

“If you do dress up your pet, make sure that the costume doesn’t limit physical movement or their ability to see, breathe and bark or meow,” she said.

‘’Before dressing pets in a costume, pet owners should check that the costume does not have any small pieces that could be chewed off and cause their pet to choke.’’

Ms Talevski warned that Jack-O-Lanterns could be hazardous if lit with an open flame as animals might be in danger of burns.

“Curious kittens are especially at risk of getting burned by a single candle flame,” she said.

‘’While it may be exciting to have an excuse to

dress up and celebrate Halloween, the excitement may be too much for pets to handle. Frequent trick-or-treat visits from strangers may leave your pet feeling distressed and scared.

Safe trade spots at cop stations

Safe zones for exchanging online-marketplace items have been set up at Dandenong and Pakenham police stations.

The Safer Exchange Sites are designed to be a safer alternative than their homes, parks or car parks.

The zones have clear signage outside the police stations as well as CCTV coverage and lighting.

They have been rolled out to 35 Victorian 24-hour police stations, but excluding Narre Warren and Cranbourne.

A successful trial in mid-2022 resulted in regular exchanges at the sites as well as decreased thefts and robberies from online sales in the trial areas.

Police say there had been an increase in robberies, thefts and assaults linked to online trading, peaking in 2020 before Covid lockdowns.

Smartphones were the most common high-value items stolen.

“While the overall number of assaults, thefts and robberies connected to online exchanges is low, we don’t want to see any occur,” Victoria Police’s Commander Tim Tully said.

“With the popularity of buying and selling items via online marketplaces continuing to grow, this initiative is all about police getting on the front foot to ensure an emerging crime theme doesn’t become an embedded trend.”

Commander Tully said police suggest meeting in daylight hours if possible and bringing someone with you to the exchange.

“While these sites are a safer alternative than meeting someone at your home or in a dimly lit area with no CCTV, we still encourage people to consider the risks of meeting a person they’ve never met before.”

Exchange zones have also been popular in the US.

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Thumbs down

To VicRoads - the sinkhole is back on the South Gippsland Highway at Lang Lang.

Thumbs up

To Lakeside Residents Group for another amazing family friendly Halloween event with kids in spooky fancy dress.

Thumbs up

To the organisers and all that attended the Walk to Support MND Victoria event at Lakeside.

Thumbs up

To those election candidates who have been so prompt in removing their advertising signs.

Thumbs up

To the Cardinia Foundation and the wonderful work they are doing supporting our community.

Thumbs up

To Casey Relay for Life 2024. A great effort and all teams raised over $91,000 for the Cancer Council of Victoria. A new venue and new committee - great job!

Tooradin’s Dylan Sutton put everything into this fielding effort against Devon Meadows. (Stewart Chambers: 439505)

“Many unfamiliar people may cause your pet to act uncharacteristically or try to escape, so it’s a good idea to keep pets away from the door and always ensure they are microchipped just in case.”

The Lost Dogs’ Home is warning those who celebrate Halloween to be wary of risks that may harm their pet. (Supplied)

MELBOURNE CUP SWEEP

THE LOWDOWN

Q&A

What made you choose journalism as your career?

If you know me on a personal level, then you would know that I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. But my professor and the Apex gang’s media coverage set me on a different path. During my years of uni, I wrote a research paper analysing the relationship between crime and media, in relation the Apex gang. Before the marks were released, my professor wanted to speak to me privately which I immediately thought I failed the assessment. Surprisingly he was overwhelmed with my writing, told me I got a high grade and I should consider journalism. Also as a Christian, I learnt that words can bring life and death. This motivated me as a journalist to use words that promote healing and change, avoiding harmful narratives that target minorities.

How do you stay disciplined in your work?

I have been obsessed with Korean dramas since I was 13 years old and I grew up on tough love (e.g my parents used to confiscate my phone in my teens). So when I have news articles to write and I procrastinate, I ban myself from watching Korean dramas until I get work done. I got into the habit of punishing myself and it keeps me disciplined. What’s something people don’t know about you?

By the age of 25, I earnt three degrees but have never graduated because I wanted my cousin Jasmin to witness my graduation. Every time the graduation ceremony is near, she is fighting cancer in the hospital and can’t travel interstate to attend. While she lost her battle, it doesn’t feel right to celebrate without her so I refuse to attend a ceremony (she wouldn’t like this mindset). What is something you wish you had?

When I look at Australian families, I see that they are blessed with grandparents. Unlike me who escaped a war torn country, I lost connection and communication with my grandparents. I missed out on hearing their words of wisdom and hearing stories of how they navigated this

with Star News journalist Afraa Kori

thing called life. What is the most important life lesson you learn’t about yourself?

Don’t waste your years of youth! I learnt that you

have to let some people and things go before you can go to the next level. It reminds me of my favourite quote - your elevation may require isolation.

THREE … things to keep in mind when surfing the web

1

Keep your usernames and passwords for your accounts written down somewhere safe, where people wouldn’t think to look or out of sight.

1ST NOVEMBER - 4:30PM - 8:30PM

2

If an unknown person messages or emails you with an offer that sounds too good to be true, or asking to confirm any of your personal information report it and most importantly do not respond to it.

3

Be aware of fake news. These articles can look legitimate, but if your are unfamiliar with the organisation or the site, do not click on it and do some of your own research to confirm if it is true or just hoax.

Star News’ newest journalst, Afraa Kori.

Candidates on home stretch

By Ethan Benedicto

With the results of the local council elections soon to be announced, the candidates for Akoonah Ward gathered in Berwick High Street to reflect and show solidarity to one another, and also the local community.

Gathering for lunch at La Baguette on Friday 25 October, the get-together was attended by Mush Rahaman, Samuel Dennison, Scott Dowling and Dianne Pagliuca, with conversations on campaign hurdles, residents’ feedback and general community concerns flooding the table.

For each of the candidates, there is merit for Berwick and the entirety of Akoonah in the character of people who stepped forward and put their hands up to represent the ward.

To Scott Dowling, “it shows how diverse Berwick is, how friendly it is”.

“People love getting out in this city and talking to each other, having a coffee, even competitors can get together and share a chat because we’ve all got the community, at the end of the day, at our heart.

“As a collective, we’re all behind the community, so whoever wins, we’re going to back them regardless.”

Dianne Pagliuca sees the importance of similar meetings, not just between candidates, but between the residents themselves.

“I think it would be amazing if people could continue this conversation outside the election, it would be great to have different inputs and viewpoints,” she said.

“I can only speak on one part, but having different people from different backgrounds, organisations and such, will give you different perspectives.”

Mush Rahaman acknowledged the sense of competition among the candidates, with shoulders rubbed and roughed; but even so, called for those notions to be put aside for the betterment of the people.

“What we need to do now is put everything

behind, move forward and with mutual respect, acknowledge one another,” he said.

“Everyone came in here with their priorities and their platform, and each and every single one of these, the community needs, and I can’t come up with all of these by myself.

“If we can all work collectively in the future, that would be amazing and is something we should focus on.”

The sense of togetherness and healthy competition is a factor that Samuel Dennison prides Akoonah Ward on, once again reiterating that the significance of the breadth of candidates, from all walks of life, is something the community should take pride in.

“I think everyone here has worked together, with simply having a chat, and even from early on when we reached out to each other and opened up that communication,” he said.

“We all have the community in mind, we want to do the right thing and we want to make sure we rebuild the trust in council because that’s the most important thing.”

Kushal Shah, who had arrived late but still attended said that “it’s important to be aware that we are all standing for the same community”, not just from the community’s perspectives but from theirs as well.

Although Patrick Ferdinands had not been able to attend, he commended the gathering

and appreciated the invitation, saying that “the fact that we’re not at each other’s throats, I think shows that democracy is at work and it doesn’t have to be so hostile”.

“I think the fact that as candidates we can work respectfully in terms of promoting our particular views is great, and whichever candidate is successful, we, the whole community, including myself, wish that person the very best - that person’s success is the community’s success.”

All in all, heads are held high as the candidates ready themselves for the upcoming announcements, and regardless of the outcome, continue to strive to work and support the local Akoonah community.

Akoonah Ward candidates, from left to right: Mush Rahaman, Dianne Pagliuca, Samuel Dennison and Scott Dowling. (Ethan Benedicto: 440257)

Relay for a good cause

By Violet Li

An 18-hour overnight walk for a good cause is no doubt a brilliant weekend pastime.

Cancer Council Victoria’s Relay For Life lit up the sky at Casey Regional Athletics Track on the night of Saturday 26 October.

Relay For Life is a fundraising event that empowers communities to come together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones, and fight back against cancer.

During the event, teams will complete laps around a track or oval to signify that every day towards a cancer-free future.

The overnight weekend walks in Casey started at 6pm on Saturday 26 October and finished at 12pm on Sunday 27 October.

Committee member Morgan Cunning said the weekend was fantastic with about 400 participants.

For Ms Cunning, this year marked the ninth year of her participation in the event.

“I was still a teenager then. My first time at this event was all kind of crazy and the event was so wild and fun and exciting,” she recalled.

“And I was so keen after the first time to do it again and just get better every year.

“It’s so much fun. You’re doing it all for a great cause, but it’s also just really fun. And you just get an excuse to spend a night with your friends.”

Ms Cunning said the most special part was the first lap.

“It is dedicated to survivors and their carers, that I do with my mum, who had breast cancer when I was in school,” she said.

“Everyone applauds you as you walk around, and Mum has this big proud look on her face, it’s just really moving for us.

“I had my daughter participate with me last year, and I’m currently pregnant with my second child, nothing stops us from being a part of Relay for Life.”

Cancer Council Victoria’s community giving manager Renee Gani said Relay For Life events were a chance for whole communities to unite for a common cause.

“Relay For Life is such a beloved, unique event and allows people to make a difference in the communities,” she said.

“With one in two Victorians diagnosed with cancer, cancer affects all of us. Everyone has a reason to get involved in Relay for Life.

“We’re thrilled to see this special event back again and can’t wait to see the Casey community come together again.”

The 501st Legion Knightfall Garrison appeared as the sun went down. Their moto is ‘Bad Guys Doing Good’. (439676)

Candlelights are on as night time arrives. (439676)

People in the darkness watch the four candles being lit and the stories of those who spoke. (439676)

Gordon Chalmers played the bagpipes at the opening ceremony of the event. He has played the bagpipes for 35 years. (439676)

Narre Warren North Girl Guides (Team “GG4Life”), from left, Emily, Tia, Emily, Alanah. (Rob Carew: 439676)

Walkers in the sun. (439676)

Dylan Binzer, Joel Binzer and Ash Wroe from St John of God. (439676)

Narre Warren North Girl Guides. Their team is called GG4Life. (439676)Riding into the sunset with Charlie from Cire Community School - Berwick. (439676)

StocklandHalcyon,

Halcyon Evergreen display homes now open

Make your best move yet to a Stockland Halcyon community for over 55s. Explore our range of architecturally designed homes, all within walking distance of resort-quality facilities, with no exit fees or stamp duty.

Visit Halcyon Evergreen’s display homes: 1965 Ballarto Rd, Clyde VIC 3978 Open Mon – Sat 10am to 4pm

Halcyon

Scan the QR code to find out more or call us on 1800 050 050

NEWS Candidate confronts racism

By Afraa Kori

Despite being born in England and raised in Australia for 44 years, it wasn’t enough to protect Casey Council candidate Jamel Kaur Singh from racism.

Without any political aspirations, she participated in the elections because she wanted to serve the community she loves.

“I just thought I’d put up my hand and say ‘I’m here, use my skill set, let’s go’. I kind of had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I’m really glad I did because I’ve had the most eventful five weeks and there’s been a lot of drama in the process,” she said.

Ms Singh is concerned racism has increased not only in politics but everyday life.

“I have been told many times in the last four weeks that I speak Australian really well, not English. The amount of assumptions that people make due to the colour of my skin, I have never had in my life. Racism definitely is more prevalent because my kids who are Australian born, 24 and 23, are finding themselves being more racially targeted today than I ever did my entire life. That’s just my personal experience, let alone all the stories I can tell you about everybody else’s.

“My sister last week or a couple of weeks ago, she parked slightly over the line in a disabled parking space. She got out of her car with my nephew and this guy started screaming at her. He said can’t you see it’s freaking bloody disabled parking? You’ve got to learn the rules here. My sister quickly turned around and said ‘I’m so sorry, I’ll move over for you.’ He goes, oh, you’re not one of them, you’re all right, love. He changed his tone as soon as he realised she spoke ‘normally’, like with an Australian accent.”

“I know there’s a lot of people that are not going to vote for me because I wasn’t able to get out and meet. If I got out and I was able to really meet 20,000 people that were voting, they would have voted for me. Whereas people are looking at a photo of me and stereotyping me. If I don’t get in, I would 100 per cent say that it is purely based on the fact that I’m a female from a different racial background. Though I see myself as very, very Australian and I am a very proud Australian.”

Throughout the election, she had to fight back against her racist detractors, and racism as a whole, with kind responses and endlessly educating people with her social media posts.

“There are so many unconscious biases and stereotypes and prejudices that people have that they don’t even realise they have it until they’re facing it and really thinking about it. That’s why I’ve also written my books because it gives us a

platform, it gives teachers a platform to be able to talk about culture and talk about these differences.

“When my big boards were slurred, I initially went into a fear. But then I realised that it would have just been some punks saying whatever they wanted to say. At the end of the day, it actually made me more motivated to write the books that I do. Also a lot of teachers don’t have the resources that they need to be able to start talking about culture,” she said.

Now, going even much further and deeper in her battle, she releases the sixth instalment of her cultural education book, The World is Our Playground Series Book 6: Nanak & Tara’s Australian, Broome Adventure, which teaches beauty in diversity.

The World is Our Playground series was created to provide a means for people to be made aware at a young age of the existence in this world of different cultures, people, beliefs, ways of life, and languages.

“It is through this powerful knowledge that people get to be a receptive and inclusive society, and further use this familiarity as a tool to derive the best outcome in every situation – whether it be at home, in school, at work, in the community, or during travels. The beauty in diversity, then shines through, eradicating racism and bullying,”

she said.

The sixth book of The World is Our Playground series further supports its objective to educate, especially, primary-aged children to learn, realise, and appreciate individual differences and promote harmony despite the dissimilarities to prevent racism and bullying. These books also serve as teaching resource materials to parents and teachers.

These books are living testaments that Singh’s cause and rally for inclusion and opportunity for all are not mere campaign slogans but her real way of life to break down racial and cultural barriers that plague the society including her very own community.

Ms Singh empowers her children, young people and the community to face racism head on.

“Whether they’re in the work life, whatever jobs they’re doing in their lives, whatever direction they want to go in, yes, stand up and be the change you want to see.

“Unless we stand up and be the change that we want to see in the world, we can’t sit here and b***h about it. You can’t sit here and complain about stuff going on around you if you’re not ready to stand up and make a change, make a difference in the world.

“I coach netball and I’ve got 20 - 30 girls that

are from the ages of 12 to 20 that I coach on a regular basis every week. I know that just me standing up right now has inspired them to be better and to be able to have a voice. I think that is really important if we as women, especially coloured women, don’t step up and also the men as well. How are we going to expect change to happen if we just keep getting knocked back and not standing up again? That’s where the discipline of fighting for the downtrodden, fighting for those that are underprivileged and helping those in need, that service orientation in each and every one of us has to stand up and make change. If we don’t make changes now, that means my daughter’s generation and my granddaughter’s generation, they’re going to have to do it. So we must start somewhere.

“The demographic, cultural and linguistic diversity of Casey is both a strength and a challenge. Building bridges between different communities is essential and I encourage every councillor to proactively engage with places of worship, service providers and cultural groups to foster connections. Regardless of election outcomes, I’m committed to this work and I’m willing to support any councillor in their efforts to create a more cohesive community. Whether I get into council or not, these are things that must be addressed.”

Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman said a collective effort is needed to support candidates and address racism.

“Local governments need to have dedicated anti-racism programs. A recent audit of local government authorities showed of the 537 LGA’s in Australia, only three had one,” he said.

“Part of this is naming racism as a problem. Too often government doesn’t even want to use the word racism, and often the person calling out racism gets punished more than the perpetrator of the racism.

“Policies need to focus on cultural safety in politics. Just having equity and diversity targets doesn’t ensure the safety of people in politics or running for politics.

“It shouldn’t be the case that for a person of colour to succeed in politics or local government, they must shed themselves of everything that makes them different; their culture, religion, language, or dress, leaving them with nothing to differentiate them from someone who is Anglo, but the colour of their skin.

“That forced assimilation and lack of cultural safety is a form of systemic racism, which in turn is what leads to the kind of interpersonal racist attacks these candidates suffered.”

For more details on Jamel Kaur Singh’s book, go to CulturalEducation.com.au

Narre Warren seniors celebrate with music and memories

By Ethan Benedicto

Keeping everyone active and social has been the mantra for the Narre Warren Senior Citizens Club for a very long time, with every Wednesday marking their much revered Club Day.

Regular performer and beloved musician

Andy D’Rozario, also known as Lonestar, took to the stage on Wednesday 23 October, bringing back the sounds of the sounds of the past for a member attendance of over 60 people.

Club president Dennis Hogan sees these hump day gatherings as an essential part of the club’s sense of community, camaraderie and kinship, saying “it’s important for us to keep active”.

“It’s good for people to have something to look forward to, somewhere to go and have a chat.

“It’s also about enjoyment you know, we get the chance to enjoy entertainers like Lonestar and that’s always fabulous,” he said.

Lonestar is more than just a regular and much closer to family, having performed for the club for over 25 years, it’s about “taking them back to memory lane”.

“I do everything, rock and roll, everything, I [mostly] play the guitar because I love it, but I play a bit of everything,” he said.

A cosy atmosphere was unavoidable, with hot tea and coffee, alongside small bites to start and lunch for all while enjoying the performance was a guaranteed recipe for joy in the air.

Hogan strongly emphasised these group activities, as October was filled to the brim with

the 50s and 60s melodies, graced the stage and delivered a performance, indulging the members with a strong hit of nostalgia.

Andy D’Rozario, also known as Lonestar, has performed for the club for over 25 years. (Gary Sissons: 439196)

The committee and Lonestar gathered outside to enjoy the sun and have their photo taken before the performance began. (439196)

Secretary Annette Blaze and president Dennis Hogan took centre stage to begin the day, opening with the National Anthem and a few announcements for future activities. (439196)

Casey Council candidate Jamel Kaur Singh speaks out against racist attacks. (Gary Sissons: 434074)

This is Hyland Farm, a property where history, luxury, and opportunity converge.

365 Seymour Road, Nar Nar Goon North, Vic 3812

Hyland Farm – Historic Legacy - Extraordinary Lifestyle Homestead with Unlocked Development Potential

365 Seymour Road, Nar Nar Goon North

Owned by the iconic Hyland Family, this exceptional estate is a testament to a rich legacy in Australian horse racing, with Pat Hyland—Melbourne Cup-winning jockey and trainer—leaving his indelible mark on the world of thoroughbreds. This unparalleled offering brings together a vast rural landscape, historic significance, and incredible future potential, creating a once-in-alifetime opportunity.

Hyland Farm unfolds over 105.34 acres of beautifully maintained pastures, with 8 fenced paddocks supporting 80 head of cattle and 4 ponies. With panoramic views extending towards Bunyip State Park, the property is an idyllic rural retreat just over an hour from Melbourne.

At its heart lies a modern country residence designed by Vibe Design and completed in 2019-2020. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home reflects both sophistication and comfort, featuring high-end finishes, expansive living areas, a pool, and a 2-3 car garage. The house is complemented by extensive plans for stables, offering further infrastructure potential. From the moment you arrive, the home commands attention, seamlessly integrating with the surrounding natural beauty.

For those with an eye for future possibilities, 6.18 ha (15.27 acres) of net developable land presents the opportunity for thoughtful expansion (STCA), while the existing 2 large machinery sheds provide ample infrastructure to support additional ventures. This is a rare chance to secure a significant landholding steeped in history, offering breathtaking views, modern comfort, and exceptional future potential.

Features:

· 105.34 acres (42.63 ha) with incredible views across to Bunyip State Park.

· Modern 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom residence with a pool, designed by Vibe Design.

· 6.18 ha of net developable land, with 12.67 ha in total developable area.

· Plans for stables, 2 large machinery sheds, fully fenced and landscaped grounds.

· Owned by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey and trainer Pat Hyland.

· Newly sealed bitumen road almost to the driveway

· Freeway access to Melbourne CBD in under 60 minutes (outside peak times)

· New multi-level train station at Pakenham East

· Access to Casey Public Hospital and medical specialists in Berwick

· Proximity to public and private schools, including Haileybury and Berwick Grammar

· Close to South East Business Park, a major development hub with significant local and foreign investment

· Future town centre development in Ridgelea Estate, featuring schools, medical facilities, shopping precincts, and aged care

· Water tanks and connection to mains water

· Southside Racing (formerly Pakenham Racecourse) just

drive

Tennis glory for Khalil

By Ethan Benedicto

Excelling at one’s sport will always have that sense of satisfaction, that sense of accomplishment of your abilities, perseverance and hard work, and much more when being adorned the Pennant Player of the Year for the men’s grade 6 tennis division in Victoria.

Cooper Khalil nearly went undefeated in the most recent season, losing only once in a doubles match-up, he was so locked into the flow of the games that he never even considered the possibility of winning the award.

When he did, he couldn’t have been more ecstatic.

“It’s a pretty surreal feeling, to be honest, and I’m very grateful and honoured to win the award,” he said.

“You know, being the best player in the whole grade is pretty special because there were over 300 different players in there, and it was an awesome night.”

Being awarded on the same night as Olympic gold medalist John Pearce was exhilarating according to Cooper, considering that the moment itself came as a surprise and that he wasn’t aware of an award at the beginning of the season.

Cooper lost the winning streak during the finals, but having played since he was six years old, he had been able to condition his body and adapt to the demands of the sport to achieve the feats of a near-flawless season.

“I started tennis when I was six, here at the Berwick Tennis Club and I’ve been here the whole way through 25,” Cooper said.

“I was kind of obsessed with it in a weird way, there was just something so good, like, such a good feeling of hitting a tennis ball and then rallying.

“It was something that I’ve always just loved and wanted to just keep improving and getting better.”

When Cooper was around 10 years old, he realised he had a more competitive side, recalling that he would use to “cry on the court” and “throw my racket”; but as he grew, he channelled those emotions into drive for his development, both physically and mentally.

Competing at such a high level, “it’s pretty tough”.

“With all the experience I’ve had, I’ve been able to condition myself to deal with moments like that.

“Playing for such a long time, I think the toughest thing is mentality, and I feel like I was able to really sort myself out, mentally, this season.

“I had a very clear mind going into the matches, but I also had the confidence that I would be able to go out there and put on a good show every week.”

Like everyone else, Cooper gets a rush of nervous energy in the moments leading to a match, but once his feet hit the court, it leaves and his

breathing settles, and he “just goes back to the skills I’ve learned throughout the years and rely on that to get me through”.

“I feel like once the match starts, if I get in the right headspace and think tactically, then I’m able to just forget about the nerves and everything else and just focus on the game.”

In addition to playing, Cooper also coaches at the club, with his main message to those he teaches is to simply “have fun”.

“I feel like kids learn a lot better if they’re in an environment that they enjoy, so if they have that fun element, and are enjoying themselves, it’s going to be much better for them to grow and im-

prove as tennis players and as individuals.”

Looking ahead, Cooper aims to use his winning the award not as a token to relax, but as motivation to strive for more, to be better and surpass himself on all levels.

“I’ve got big shoes to fill now, if someone says they’ve beaten the pennant player of the year, they’ll feel pretty good,” Cooper said.

“I’ve got to try and stop them from having that; but obviously, this is a great honour, it validates myself just a little bit, to be recognised for a good reason.

“It’s a great feeling, and hopefully I can keep that good form and momentum moving forward.”

‘Should have been done already’: Long road to homes

By Violet Li

A greenfield land project consultant says the state government’s recent 10-year housing plan for parts of the Casey South is “almost a step backwards”.

On 23 October, the state government released a plan for additional greenfield areas across Melbourne’s outer south east to be released over the next 10 years, promising to provide the space and complete the planning work to deliver 180,000 new homes over the decade.

Across Casey South, plans for Casey Fields South Precinct, Cardinia Creek South Precinct (Part 2), Croskell Precinct, and Devon Meadows Precinct are set to be under preparation in 2024-25 and will be completed by the end of 2028. The plan for Clyde South Precinct is set to commerce between 2025-26 and 2028-29, with completion by 2033.

James Thomas, the chief executive officer of Greenfield land project consultant Core Project, pointed out that some plans were not new.

He said the Devon Meadows Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) first went on the Victoria Planning Authority (VPA) list in the 2020-2021 Business Plan as part of the PSP 2.0 process, which was meant to deliver fast-tracked approval routes for collaboration between what was the Victorian Planning Authority, local government, and development.

“At the same time as well, Clyde South PSP was on that list,” he said.

“Both of them over the last few years have been listed as tier one projects or priority projects. And still, nothing’s happened.

“So this recent announcement is actually almost a step backwards because they should have been done already.”

Mr Thomas said that if it took VPA until 2028 to deliver the PSPs, it would end up being an eight-year process.

On 23 October, the state government released a plan for additional greenfield areas across Melbourne’s outer south east to be released over the next 10 years, promising to provide the space and complete the planning work to deliver 180,000 new homes over the decade. (File/(AAP Image/ Lukas Coch)

“So if it takes them until 2028 to complete the plan, once the developer actually launches the project and starts construction, it’ll generally take them 12 to 18 months to deliver the first stage and your housing construction will take six to 12 months resulting in homes being available around 2030, or two years post-civil construction commencement,” he said.

“So from whenever they get the plan approved before the first home goes in, it generally takes about two years assuming development starts immediately. So even if they approve the plan today, the first house won’t get on the ground until sometime in 2027.

“Unfortunately the pace of Devon Meadows PSP means you are unlikely to see a home there until at least 2027 at the earliest, more likely 2030.”

According to the Vision & Purpose document on VPA’s website, Devon Meadows Precinct has been envisioned to be an “immersive, walkable residential neighbourhood that is home to nearly 10,000 residents living in 3,000 homes in a seamless blend of modern urban living and natural landscape character”. It sits next to the proposed Casey Field South Precinct, which will deliver 42,000 jobs.

The original project timelines released in

June 2022 showed the two PSPs would be gazetted towards late 2024. The VPA website shows that the draft plans are currently under council and state agency validation and community engagement and exhibition will be held in the second half of 2024.

As for Clyde South Precinct, the website shows that VPA is leading the preparation of a PSP and infrastructure contributions plan (ICP). No timeline has been provided.

When inquired, City of Casey manager Growth and Investment Kathryn Seirlis said: “The City of Casey continues to support VPA, who is the lead agency, in the preparation of the Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows Precinct Structure Plan.

“The VPA’s most recent project update indicates that they are currently reviewing technical information with stakeholders, including but not limited to, cultural heritage, drainage and infrastructure matters, prior to finalising a draft plan for community consultation.”

Ms Seirlis also said that given the preparation of Casey Fields South and Devon Meadows PSPs were well advanced, the council believed that the plans could be finalised in the next 12 to 18 months, which was well before the 2028 target set by the VPA.

“The Clyde South PSP is a residential PSP scheduled for commencement between 202526 and 2028-29, with completion by 2033. Council’s view is that the preparation of the Clyde South PSP must commence in 2025-26 and be expedited with appropriate resourcing and project management to ensure delivery within three years by 2028 to provide additional housing supply and support affordability.”

VPA has been contacted for comment.

Cooper Khalil holds his award proudly, something that he is more than grateful for after a flawless regular season. (Ethan Benedicto: 440258)

As both a player and a coach, having fun with the sport is the main message Cooper aims to deliver, for himself, and those he teaches.

(Ethan Benedicto: 440258_02)

Roots run deep as Beaconsfield Mitre 10 celebrates 40 years of business

focus was on supporting the local community.

"We have always supported the local community who have supported our business, proudly sponsoring many local sporting clubs and organisations over the years," he said.

Rohan said the store has changed with the times and seen a number of changes, including the arrival of competitors Bunnings and Masters.

"We continue to reinvest back into the business and to evolve from handwritten and priced paperwork with calculators to fax machines, computerisation, mobile phones, emails, spreadsheets and now truck tracking apps," he said.

"A lot of the systems now are all automated.

"We've got a wider range now."

Rohan said the face of Beaconsfield has also changed over the years, originally going from a single-lane highway with four service stations and two road houses and acting a break for travellers from Gippsland to Melbourne without banks, chemist, large supermarkets, restaurants or cafes.

"I think Beaconsfield has retained that community feel," he said.

Rohan said the business' longevity would not have been possible without the support of its loyal customer base and staff.

"We know all our customers personally," he said.

"Throughout it all, everything is still built on relationships.

"The longevity of the staff is the backbone of our business."

Rohan said he was looking forward to see what growth the future would bring for the Beaconsfield and Drouin stores.

"I've enjoyed driving the business and watching it grow," he said.

"I do enjoy serving and looking after people.

"I've always said our staff are our family and our customers are our friends."

Beaconsfield Mitre 10 is located at 102-112 Old Princes Hwy, Beaconsfield.

Story by Matthew Sims

2024 Team Mitre 10 Beaconsfield.

Early years of the timber yard, formerly known as Home Timber and Hardware Beaconsfield.

(Left) Gerald and Rohan Treasure early years of Home Timber and Hardware.

Young Rohan hard at work at Home Timber and Hardware Beaconsfield.

(Left) Rohan, current owner of Mitre 10 Beaconsfield, pictured with his father, Gerald Treasure, the past owner.

Chasing stunning auroras

By Violet Li

It has no doubt been a huge year for aurora hunters in Victoria, including for Berwick aurora and astro photographer Mark Osmotherly.

Mark’s shared his story, looking back on the last three years.

The interesting part is the 45-minute notice of the night.

“We know that there’s been solar activity on the sun that could be Earth-directional. It could be like a solar flare that’s come up in the sun, and it could be heading towards Earth,” Mark said.

“There are no guarantees what that’s going to do until it’s about 45 minutes away from Earth.

“We don’t really know how that’s going to look on Earth until we only get about 45 minutes warning, then you need to make decisions about what you’re going to do.

“It’s going to be a quick decision, and often it’s a wrong decision. But I suppose that’s the interesting part of the chase.”

For someone who lived in Berwick, planning and luck were the tricks, Mark joked.

“You certainly need to plan. You need to have your camera bag packed and ready to go, especially for people like myself in Berwick. We’ve got an hour’s drive,” he said.

“There’s a certain amount of luck. There’s a certain amount of planning. There’s a lot of planning, maybe.

“And it can be a fantastic night, and you can be on one beach, and you can have clouds and 50 kilometres down the road can be getting an amazing show.

“So it’s when everything does align, and you capture some photos that display from mother nature. It’s absolutely amazing.”

The last time aurora showed up on Friday 11 October, Mark made the right decision.

“I set my alarm at 3am to check the cloud radars because that was roughly when the prediction was going to be. And the cloud wasn’t very

left from work. I drove for two hours to Philip Island from work. I was really fortunate that just as it started getting darker, we got a bit of a gap through the clouds. And I was able to get photos for about the next hour and a half.

“I think it was 55 per cent moonlight. The moonlight obviously competes with the aurora, so you need a brighter aurora to overcome any moon. The bigger the moon is, the less chance you’ve got to catch an aurora through the moon.

“But it was a really big aurora that night.”

On big aurora nights, Mark tends to go to more remote places to get better shots.

“It’s harder to get photos when there are people around. It’s fantastic that people are getting out and experiencing it, but to take photographs with someone’s got a torch on or anything like that, takes away from the photos,” he said.

groups that really support each other, and I got some fantastic support,” Mark said.

“Often I’ll meet some friends there on the night. We might be talking about cloud predictions, and we might try and converge on the same area, and so the last few times I’ve been out have been with people.”

A person who used to casually enjoy photography, Mark turned serious at the beginning of 2022 after seeing some amazing aurora photos from a good friend of his. He finally went out on the following night of big aurora night in February that year.

“I went out the following night and just got what they call a bit of diffused colour,” he recalled.

“I didn’t do the photo very well, but that’s okay. It’s all part of the learning. And I’ve been chasing auras since then.”

good where I was, so I decided to not go out Friday morning, but to go out Friday night as soon as it got dark,” he recalled.

“I took all my camera gears to work, and I

Driver mired in ‘deep hole’ of deceits

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A Casey property manager staged the theft of his car and lied to police after he evaded a breath-test roadside station, a court has heard.

Ahmed Mohammadi, 22, of Hampton Park, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County to perverting the course of justice as well as perjury and failing to stop at a breath-test site.

Mohammadi fled in his Mazda 3, disobeying a police direction to stop at the site at Hallam Road, Hampton Park on 15 December 2022.

He later claimed that he panicked over taking a Xanax tablet – which ironically can’t be detected at roadside testing stations, sentencing judge Wendy Wilmoth noted on 25 October.

He then “dug a deeper and deeper hole” for himself, she said.

Later on the night in question, he hid his car on Ormond Road, Narre Warren.

He then arranged for someone to drive him to Black Rock where he rang police to falsely report his car was stolen from the Red Bluff Lookout car park.

Two days later, he left his phone at home while moving his car to Centre Road, Hallam and abandoning it. It was discovered with minor damage by a member of the public.

Mohammadi maintained his fiction in a signed police statement.

However police found his phone signals differed significantly from his claimed movements.

They seized his phone – which he told them was his work phone.

He lost his personal phone a few days earlier, he claimed.

A year later, when police arrived to search his family’s home, he offered to tell them the driver’s identity if they left. Police persisted in

the search and found his personal phone.

On his second police interview, Mohammadi falsely claimed he was covering for an unlicensed friend driving him in the car at the time.

On his third version, he eventually volunteered that he’d driven away from the testing site to hide that he’d taken a Xanax tablet.

Judge Wilmoth noted the remorseful Mohammadi had no prior convictions, no history of drug abuse and had “good” rehabilitation prospects.

The Hazara refugee was diagnosed with PTSD, having experienced four friends dying at the hands of police in Afghanistan, as well as witnessing suicide bombings and being a victim of a violent armed robbery.

Judge Wilmoth noted a conviction would put his property-management licence in jeopardy. Deportation was also a possibility.

Currently on a permanent protection visa, Mohammadi had his citizenship application on hold due to the charges.

“There is every indication that you’ve learnt a hard lesson,” Judge Wilmoth said.

The maximum penalty for perverting the course of justice is 25 years’ prison; for perjury, it’s up to 15 years.

Prosecutors argued that his falsehoods were protracted but less serious because he didn’t deceive a law court.

His defence lawyer attributed his “foolish” conduct to immaturity and youthful lack of judgment.

Both sides agreed that a community corrections order (CCO) was “within range”.

Mohammadi was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month CCO with 80 hours of unpaid work and mental health treatment.

He was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for two years.

Travelling afar to capture the untainted beauty is an Odessey alone, but it is not always a lonely journey.

“There’s a community, like some Facebook

If you are one of the aurora chasers and interested in getting a companion in the community, or you simply want to see more aurora photos, follow his Instagram account @markosmotherly.

You’reInvitedtoaSpecialEventbyTheCardiniaFoundation,Falcone& AdamsandIndependentCivilCelebrant,TinaMcInerney: "Wills,Bequests,Probate,andFuneralPlanning"

Date: Wednesday13November2024

Time: 6.30pmstart

Location: PinkHillHotel,20PinkHillBoulevard,Beaconsfield

PlanforTomorrow,Today

JointheCardiniaFoundation,Falcone&AdamsLawyersandTinaMcInerney,CivilIndependant Celebrantforaninformativeeventdesignedtohelpyoutakecontrolofyourestateplanning. Whetheryou’reupdatingyourwill,consideringacharitablebequest,orpreparingfuneral arrangements,thiseventwillprovideexpertadvicetoensureyourfutureplansarewellinorder.

KeyTopicsCovered:

1. WillsandEstatePlanning –Learnhowtocreateor updateyourwilltoensureyour wishesarecarriedout.

2. Bequests –Discoverhowtoleavealastinglegacybyincludingcharitablegiftsinyour estateplan.

3. Probate –Understandtheprobateprocessandhowtomakeiteasierforyourloved ones.

4. FuneralPlanning –Ensureyourfuneralarrangementsreflectyourpersonalpreferences andrelieveyourfamilyofdifficultdecisions.

WhyAttend?

Thiseventprovidesauniqueopportunitytoaskquestions,getpersonalizedadvice,andgain peaceofmindknowingyourestateisprepared.

RSVP: Monday11thNovember2024

BookingcanbemadeonTrybooking

Welookforwardtohelpingyousecureyourlegacy.

This photo was taken from Point Addis on 17 March 2024. The rising Milky Way Core was captured with a home-built Star tracker and stacked to bring out all of the colours in the Milky Way. The foreground was then captured and blended in post-editing. (Mark Osmotherly)

Mark Osmotherly, aurora and astro photographer based in Berwick. (Gary Sissons: 438589)

Star trail with aurora. (Mark Osmotherly)

Clubhouse work kicks off

Exciting developments are under way at Stockland Halcyon Jardin, an all-electric land lease community designed for over 55s in Victoria’s south east, with construction of the $13 million state-of-the-art clubhouse kicking off.

Nestled in the vibrant suburb of Clyde North, around 50 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, and next to the new St Germain Central shopping centre and medical and wellness precinct, Halcyon Jardin is set to redefine community living with its state-of-the-art amenities and prime location.

Once complete, Halcyon Jardin will comprise 278 architecturally designed homes with a 7-star energy rating and 3.9 kilowatt solar system as standard.

The clubhouse will be a central hub that will enhance the lifestyle of its residents. This modern facility will include a health and wellness precinct housing an indoor pool, outdoor spa, sauna, yoga deck, and a gym. Additionally, the clubhouse will provide a fully equipped community kitchen, indoor/outdoor bars, gold-class style cinema, games room and library.

Halcyon Jardin is surrounded by seven pocket parks, providing green spaces for relaxation and for homeowners to socialise. Residents will also enjoy access to three pickleball courts, half-sized bowling green, sports pavilion, picnic areas, vegetable garden, and a BBQ area complete with a pizza oven, and a firepit.

Local homeowner Ian Robottom, who recently purchased a home in the community said he is looking forward to moving to Halcyon Jardin with his wife.

“We went to the open day at Halcyon Jardin earlier this year, and as soon as we walked in, I told my wife we’re moving in!” Mr Robottom said.

“We’re a short drive away from our daughter, and close to the St Germain Central shopping centre, with easy access to public transport. It’s also the perfect time for us to enjoy the amenities including the resort-style pool and fully equipped gym.

WHAT’S ON

Halloween at the Old Cheese Factory

Ghouls and ghosts are welcome to enjoy a night of spooky fun at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick on Thursday 31 October.

Between 5pm and 9pm, one of Casey’s oldest sites will become a Halloween playground for kids and families to enjoy a range of free activities, rides and entertainment.

Cost is $15 for children and $5 for supervising adults.

There will be a DJ, face painting and a princesses and mad scientist stage show.

Kids will also be able to wander through the Haunted Factory, Witches Lair and Spider Den, create their own lantern at the craft workshops and take a selfie with the giant Bounce Beasts.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club

Community Day - Morning Melodies with Gavin Chatelier - Friday 1 November 10.30am-4pm -

“We’ve always enjoyed being part of a community and that’s very important to us. We’ve been going to Stockland community events to meet our future neighbours and have loved getting to know other people who are moving in at the same time as us,” Mr Robottom added.

Stockland General Manager Halcyon Victoria, James Westh, said it was exciting to start building the clubhouse, which will be the first community facility in Halcyon Jardin.

“We understand that today’s over-55s are looking for more than just a home – they’re seeking a lifestyle. The clubhouse at Halcyon Jardin will provide a convenient and vibrant place for homeowners to connect with new friends, keep fit, and relax.

“We’re already seeing strong interest in Halcyon Jardin, driven by its location and easy access to the St Germain Town Centre and medical and wellness precinct that is expected to open this month. Halcyon Jardin follows the success of the

now sold-out Halcyon Berwick, and the popular Halcyon Evergreen nearby.

“These communities are an attractive option to those over 55 because it can allow them to bank a portion of the equity when they sell the family home and take ownership without any stamp duty or exit fees. The benefit to the wider housing market is that they are downsizing and are often freeing up that larger home for a family looking to upgrade,” Mr Westh added.

Stockland has appointed Victorian company, Jardon Group as the builder, with an anticipated completion date of September 2025, subject to weather conditions and construction progress.

Halcyon Jardin is one of Stockland’s five land lease communities in Victoria, joining the ranks of Halcyon Berwick, Halcyon Evergreen, Halcyon Highlands in Melbourne’s north and Halcyon Horizon in Armstrong Creek near Geelong.

More information on Halcyon Jardin can be found at: https://www.stockland.com.au/halcy-

on-communities/vic/halcyon-jardin

The latest Spring offer on eligible homes in Stockland Halcyon is here: https://www.stockland.com.au/halcyon-communities/vic/stepinto-spring

includes lunch and afternoon tea - Proudly sponsored by the City of Casey.

Not a member? Doesn’t matter, come along and join the fun.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club meets weekly for a range of different events, including bus trips, community days, games, coffee and chat, bingo, dancing and carpet bowls.

Weekly activity times - Line Dancing Mon.10am12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.

• For all enquiries or bookings contact Marilyn mobile 0432 107 590.

• Find us on facebook: https://www.facebook. com/groups/487808127399953

Cranbourne Chorale

Cranbourne Chorale invites you to enjoy a pleasant Sunday afternoon of lovely choral music...

Selected from this year’s wide-ranging repertoire,

with world music, folk (traditional and recent), Gospel and popular songs... plus a lively set of jazz and swing numbers, sure to get your toes tapping!

2:30pm Sunday 10 November, 2024 Cranbourne Presbyterian Church, Crn Sladen & Russel Sts, Cranbourne

Tickets $25 Adult, $20 Concession, $5 Children With guest artists Paru and Pranav, folk-playing siblings on guitar and violin. ...and after all that, a sumptuous afternoon tea to refresh you before your journey home! Berwick CWA

The Country Women’s Association Berwick Branch acknowledges recent support for their ’Spring Comes to Berwick 2024’ Fashion Show in September.

As promised, 100 per cent of profits from this event is supporting their Casey North Community Information and Support Service Christmas Appeal. This is being donated as $4000 of food hampers

for some of the community’s most vulnerable members and $500 of children’s toys.

The members of CWA Berwick recently voted unanimously that a further $500 be donated to Bk2Basics in Narre Warren and Have A Little Hope in Pakenham in the form of children’s presents. A further $500 of food and presents supporting the local WAYSS branch is also being donated.

The CWA ladies are holding their Christmas Bake and Craft Stall at Akoonah Market on Sunday 1 December.

Mega Garage Sale Warneet and Blind Bight CFA

Saturday 23 November, 8am onwards Coffee Van, Egg & Bacon Rolls, Sausage Sizzle, Raffle Tickets Blind Bight Community Centre, Warneet Blind Bight CFA Station Approx 40 Garage Sales within 4km

Brian Donovan Jardon Group, James Westh Stockland Halcyon, Nicole Guirguis Stockland Halcyon, and James Kelly ClarkeHopkinsClarke.

Ian and Linda Robottom, Haycyon Jardin Homebuyers.

JPG bowling green, Halcyon Jardin.

Star

Star

The

Sales skills/experience:

• Ability to maintain existing professional relationships and to create new ones

• Ability to meet defined sales and activity targets

• Excellent listening skills

• Accuracy and attention to detail

• Effective time management to meet deadlines

• Ability to operate in a team

• Demonstrates initiative and flexibility

• Effective oral and written communication

Applicants will need their own reliable vehicle for which we will provide an allowance.

The position is salaried, plus we offer an open ended commission scheme.

Send your application letter and resume to:

Advertising Sales Manager

Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au

About

services, and opportunities. As a Telephone Sales Representative, you'll play a crucial role in driving our sales efforts and expanding our network.

What You'll Do

•Engage with potential customers over the phone to promote our advertising solutions.

• Build and maintain strong customer relationships.

•Understand customer needs and provide tailored advertising solutions.

•Meet and exceed sales targets and performance goals.

• Collaborate with a motivated and supportive team. Requirements

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Confidence in making outbound sales calls.

• Motivated, goal-oriented, and results-driven. •Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

•Previous sales or customer service experience is a plus, but not required.

How to Apply

If you're ready to take on this exciting role with the flexibility you desire, we want to hear from you! Please send your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant skills and why you're interested in joining Network Classifieds as a Telephone Sales Representative to Sue Hall, Classified Advertising Manager, at sales@networkclassifieds.com.au.

Join us in helping our diverse communities connect, buy, and sell through effective advertising solutions. Be a part of the Network Classifieds team and

Aarts coming back to Holm

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Jake Aarts is an Eagle again.

The former Richmond AFL-listed talent has committed to return to his junior club for the 2025 season as Beaconsfield look to take the next step.

Mick Fogarty’s young side finished fifth in 2024, defeated by Park Orchards in the preliminary finals by a point.

Aarts’ return to Holm Park comes after 42 AFL games between 2020 and 2022 and 39 games and a premiership across two seasons at Dromana.

“I’m not sure you can put a value on what he’ll bring,“ senior coach Mick Fogarty said.

“Our young kids will benefit from his ability to teach and direct on the ground, (and) his leadership.

“The sky’s the limit for what our guys will take away from what he brings.

“We’ve got a young group progressing well and the more games they get at the level, the better they’ll be and Jake will just add to that, so we’re rapt to have him on board.

“He’ll set up well at stoppage and go through the midfield group and help us impact forward.

“We’re really excited by what he can bring on field as well and it’s the extra dimension he brings from learning at the highest level which gives our guys the best chance to be better going forward.“

Having coached several former AFL-listed players previously, Fogarty highlighted training

standards as an area that sets them apart.

It’s an area Aarts especially will be able to tap into with the young Beaconsfield group, having been overlooked for seven years before finally landing on an AFL list.

“He’ll educate our midfielderss and whole group and we’ll gain a lot from him with training habits,“ Fogarty said.

“He’ll develop our young midfielders and Jake’s a perfect example of a player who never gave up his dream.

“He did it the hard way and it’s a real credit to him to achieve what he did.“

Beaconsfield has also picked up athletic ruck Travis Stewart, who played at Crib Point this year after a distinguished career with Nyora in the Ellinbank District Football League.

Emerging hard working midfielder Cooper Brown has also joined from Longwarry as he seeks to take his footy to another level.

Brown was a ball magnet for the Crows this year, propelling them to the preliminary final and has won the past two Arthur Pollard awards as the junior who polls the most votes in the EDFL senior competition.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A younger Jake Aarts in action for Beaconsfield in 2015. (Rob Carew: 142189)

Gators snap up vital result

By Marcus Uhe

Fountain Gate coach Ray Pal heaped praise on his side’s ability to execute the gameplan in Saturday’s excellent Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 3 win over Berwick Springs.

After playing a deliberately patient innings with the bat, led by captain Karan Singh’s selfless role at the top of the order, the Gators defended 8/178 by dismissing Berwick Springs for 146 in 37 overs, with what Pal described as the deepest bowling attack in the competition.

The wickets were shared among the bowling group, with teenage pace sensation Nadim Nazif leading the way with an impressive 3/29.

Regular wickets prevented the Titans’ ability to build partnerships, compounded by the absence of the talismanic Jackson Marie at the top of the order.

Brayden Hillman (10), Lachlan Marie (10), Riley Hillman (three) and Chirath Uralagamage (zero) all failed to fire, leaving Shalika Karunanayake to make the majority of the runs.

He made 55 off 57 before becoming Nazif’s first victim with the opening delivery of his spell.

“He came in and got three wickets and changed the game because he got Shalika out,” Pal said of his teenage weapon.

“He’s picked up a yard of pace as well, he’s going to be a terrifying prospect in the future.

“(Karunanayake) was the one we identified as the big wicket but they are top-heavy.

“We knew that if we could get a couple of wickets early, not that we could roll them, but (it would) put a big dent in them.”

Karunanayake’s dismissal was the first in a quick demise for the Titans, which crumbled to be all out for 146 after losing their final six wickets for just 45 runs.

It’s a significant win for the Gators, who succumbed to the Titans in a semi-final last summer to end their season in disappointing fashion.

The pressure is now firmly on the Titans, surprisingly yet to register a win in 2024/25 after a grand final appearance last summer and expected to contend once again.

At Hampton Park, a captain’s performance from Christo Otto was crucial in Keysborough’s opening win of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 3 competition season, starring with bat and ball for the Knights in their win over Hampton Park.

Otto’s 3/25 helped to bowl the Lions out for

152 before top-scoring in the chase with 57 runs to guide his side home.

Having been thrashed by 153 runs in their only game of the season thus far, the pressure was building on Keysborough, having been relegated from last summer’s Turf 2 competition.

Dante Happawana took 3/42 from his eight overs, while opening batter Abhinay Motupalli made an important 47 in contribution to the chase.

Lynbrook was similarly blessed with a brilliant all-round effort from its main man in Jattinder Singh, starring in both facets against Narre North.

Singh made 64 from 67 deliveries as the only batter on his side to pass 50 and took 6/12 in a sensational bowling effort in the Lakers’ 96-run win.

His ruthless opening spell reduced the hosts to 4/11 at the beginning of the 11th over, with the top four batters each perishing to his wizardry with the ball.

Narre North made just 98 in reply.

Another side needing more batting practice is Doveton, having fallen away dramatically in the lower order once again against Silverton in a seven-wicket loss.

From 1/81 in the 20th over, the Doves finished all out for 123, letting a promising start slip through their fingers.

Harkanwal Singh, Dylan Hayes and Varinder Verk each took two wickets each for Silverton, which made light work of the chase, wrapping up the match in the 16th over.

Opener Matthew Wall led the chase with 53.

Panthers riding the bumps

Round 2 of Pennant was last weekend and it was not the best of weekends for Narre Warren Bowls Club.

Division 1 went down to a very strong and experienced Mulgrave CC.

Division 3 continued their winning start to the season with a strong win at home to a very good Hampton Bayside team.

Both Division 4 teams lost away to very strong teams from Frankston and Sandringham.

Our Division 5 side went to Cockatoo and got the win overall.

Our Division 7 side had a bye this week.

The Ferguson Plarre rink of the day award went to Ana Mateos, Dean George, Adrian Johnson and Peter Wills with a +30.

Round 1 for the midweek pennant season was a different story with three teams winning and one draw.

Rinks of the day went to Craig Moore, Teresa Epshtein, Scott Butterworth and Wilma Stevenson with a +18.

Saturday Pennant – Round 2 – 26 October 2024

Side 1: (Away) lost to Mulgrave CC 71-83

Points: 4. Ladder: 8th

Best rink: Ryan Tebble; Eric Sydenham; Chris Johnson and Josh McQueen +17

Side 2: (Home) defeated Hampton Bayside 89-63

Points: 14. Ladder: 3rd

Best Rink: Ana Mateos; Dean George; Adrian Johnson and Peter Wills: +30

Side 3: (Away) Lost to Sandringham 60-104

Points: 0. Ladder: 6th

Side 4: (Away) lost to Frankston 66-125

Points: 0 Ladder: 5th

Side 5: (Away) defeated Cockatoo 97-61

Points: 16. Ladder: 5th

Best rink: Kery Cadman; Robert Beare; Ted Tratt and Thomas O’Loughlin: +20

Side 6: (Bye)

Points: 0. Ladder: 5th

RINK OF THE ROUND:

Side 2: Skip P. Wills: +30 (Div 3 Sect 8)

Midweek Pennant – Round 1– 22 October

2024

Side 1: (Away) defeated Cheltenham 74-47

Points: 14. Ladder: 1st

Best rink: Craig Moore, Teresa Epshtein, Scott Butterworth and Wilma Stevenson: +18

Side 2: (Home) defeated Edithvale 76-53

Points: 16. Ladder: 1st

Best rink: Keith Emms; Michael Black; Wally Finlayson and Dennis Paul: +11

Side 3: (Away) drew with Mordialloc 53-53

Points: 9. Ladder: 4th

Best rink: PK Singh; Steven Roy; Graham Saunders and Pauline Blake: +6

Side 4: (Home) defeated Pakenham 63-51

Points: 14. Ladder: 2nd

Best rink: Kery Cadman; Nola Burdett; Graham Dodd and Thomas O’Loughlin: +10

RINK OF THE ROUND:

Side 1: Skip W. Stevenson +18 (Div 2 Sec 7)

Craig Moore lines one up for Narre Warren. (Supplied)

Jasdeep Singh’s express pace was excellent for Fountain Gate on Saturday. (Rob Carew: 392160)

Tigers turfed by Hawks as Watson whacks the Lions

By Marcus Uhe

Beaconsfield has let a golden opportunity slip through their grasp to remain one of the undefeated sides in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 1 competition by squandering an incredible position against Hallam Kalora Park.

The Hawks staged a remarkable fightback against Beaconsfield to spoil the Tigers’ party, winning by eight runs in defence of just 111.

Ashan Madhushanka led the bowling attack with three wickets as Susantha Pradeep and Jake Cutting added two wickets each, with the Tigers rolling the Hawks in the 41st over.

Beaconsfield openers Tyler Clark and Andrey Fernando added 30 for the first wicket before the Tigers’ chase imploded.

Madhushanka was the mainstay in the batting card, making 33 at number three but simply ran out of partners.

Lee Brown claimed the decisive wickets of Fernando, Dylan Vanderwert and Pradeep to rip the heart out of the Tigers’ top order, going on to take 4/12 from 12 overs as the key figure in the contest.

Buckley Ridges champion Daniel Watson has marked his return to the world of the DDCA with a trademark big-hitting innings to help power his side to an important victory over Narre South.

In his first game of Turf 1 cricket since the 2022/23 grand final loss, Watson crunched 69 runs from 37 deliveries with his powerful contribution helping to dig his side out of trouble in the middle of the innings.

Watson was the sole Buckley batter to pass 50, after a number of starts from his teammates earlier in the card.

Roshane Silva had added 51 for the third wicket with Jayson Hobbs, picking up singles and rotating the strike in a patient partnership but their attempts to lift the strike rate against spinning pair Jeevan Mendis and Morteza Ali brought their demise.

The duo had immediate success with their flight and change of pace, and they combined to pressure the Buckley batters into mistakes.

Silva was dropped in the outfield by Stephen Brooks and attempted to reverse sweeps leading to LBW shouts in the 33rd over, the second of which bringing his dismissal, with Hobbs joining him back in the sheds after edging behind to Joel

Zietsman.

The hosts were meandering at 5/121 in the 34th over shortly after Watson arrived at the wicket, and it didn’t take long for him to rediscover his touch, hitting Zietsman for six on just his fifth delivery of the afternoon, and Ali for another on his 10th.

He finished the innings with seven sixes and three fours in an effortless display of hitting set to send shivers down bowlers’ spines.

The Bucks reached 7/233 from their 45 overs before dismissing Narre South for 181 in reply.

Narre South’s chance began promisingly with Kyle Hardy and Vineth Jayasuriya adding 45 for

the opening wicket before losing 3/3 in 11 deliveries as momentum deserted them in a flash.

Jayasuriya fell to Prav Chahal for 27 and Hardy and Ali both departed in Sanka Dinesh’s opening over of finger-spin to bring two fresh batters to the wicket.

Wicketkeeper Riley McDonald played his shots in a counter-punching innings of 25, before he and Adam Snelling both fell in quick succession to put momentum back in blue.

Mendis’ wicket for 26 at 6/113 marked the beginning of the end for the Lions, unable to muster a challenge to the target despite some late contributions.

Chahal finished with 4/33 from nine overs in his second game at Buckley as he continues to impress in a new environment.

At Berwick, Springvale South’s Forsyth brothers were instrumental in the Bloods’ second win of the year, with opening batter Mitch beginning the year in excellent touch on a personal front.

Mitch made 74, his second half-century from two opportunities, and put on 139 for the second wicket with brother Cameron to help their side chase Berwick’s total of 213 within 41 overs.

Cameron hit 89 top score for his side, which reeled in the target with eight wickets in hand.

Berwick reached 213 thanks to half centuries from Jake Hancock and Michael Wallace, and a quick 45 from Jordan Cleland.

Hancock and Wallace added 90 for the third wicket before Hancock lost his wicket to former Prahran premiership teammate Nick Boland.

Wallace reached 60 but lost his wicket while attempting to lift the run rate, skying a catch off Josh Dowling in the innings’ latter overs.

Dowling took excellent figures of 4/34 from seven overs to be Springvale South’s best with the ball.

North Dandenong, meanwhile, is on the board in decisive fashion, having inflicted Dandenong West’s first loss of the summer at Lois Twohig Reserve.

Imran Laghmani’s run-a-ball century took the Maroons to 202 before an excellent bowling performance dismissed the Bulls for 119.

Laghmani took the attack to Malinga Bandara, hitting the leg-spinner for a handful of boundaries on his way to triple figures in a solo effort, as none of his teammates could muster more than 20.

Laghmani backed up his efforts with the bat, with the ball, taking 3/12 including the crucial wicket of Riley Siwes, who top scored for Dandenong West with 35.

Dandenong West’s run chase never got going, falling to 4/39 early in proceedings and losing their final five wickets for 29 runs.

Randeep Sahota took two early wickets inclduing the dangerous Shaun Weir to put the visitors on the back foot early, with Anthony Brannan making just three on his return to action. Sahota took 2/13 and recruit Charith Keerthsinghe joined Langmani with three wickets himself.

Many wings make light work for Swans as batters fire

By Marcus Uhe

A series of contributions in the batting order put Casey-South Melbourne in pole position in its significant Victorian Premier Cricket contest at home against Prahran.

Whilst Jackson Isakka was the only batter to pass 50, six of his teammates passed 20 as the Swans reached 7/304 at the close of play on day one.

It’s Isakka’s first 50 in the red Swans helmet, having made his club debut in round two against Ringwood.

The number four’s innings included eight fours and came off 122 balls, having shared in a 55-run stand with Ruwantha Kellapotha for the third wicket and put-on 79 with Devin Pollock.

Pollock was the closest to joining Isakka in raising the bat, reaching 49 before he was bowled, while Kellapotha made 44.

Pollock also shared in a 54-run partnership with Calder before Calder lost his wicket for an aggressive 37.

Ashley Chandrasinghe made 39 in an attempt to rediscover some form away from the Victorian Sheffield Shield set up at the top of the order, but Yash Pednekar was tied down at the other end reaching just four from 42 deliveries.

The Swans can opt to continue batting next week and will be confident in their ability to defend the total against Prahran.

In a qualifying final last summer, the Swans rolled Prahran for 245 in pursuit of 271, on the

put Dandenong in a commanding position at stumps on day one of its two-day Premier Cricket Victoria clash with Northcote at Shepley Oval.

Singh was the dominant figure on the Dandenong batting card with a brisk 160 from 182 deliveries as the Panthers reached 299 in 83 overs, before making early inroads in Northcote’s batting card by taking a wicket before stumps.

His century included 15 fours and six sixes on a day that 27 from captain Brett Forysth was the next highest contribution.

Recruited from Richmond in the offseason, the right-hander has wasted little time establishing himself in the Panthers’ top order, with contributions of 26 and a quick-fire 37 when his side needed a lift in tempo in his opening two innings of the summer.

The tail failed to wag following his dismissal, as the Panthers reached 299 upon Nathan Whitford’s stumping to close the batting card.

It meant that Dandenong were afforded a tricky four-over period to bowl at Northcote, and were rewarded for a tidy opening to the defence with late success.

On the final ball of the day in fading sunshine, emerging quick Noah Hurley pinned Sam Harbinson on the pads to give the hosts the clear upper hand by the close of play, reducing them to 1/12.

The visitors will need a further 288 runs to claim the points next week.

back of a five-wicket haul from pace spearhead Nathan Lambden.

Left-arm quick Harry Hoesktra and captain Luke Shelton have returned to the XI, adding

vital bowling depth to the Swans attack in both the seam and spin departments.

At Dandenong, a brilliant century from prized offseason recruit Shobit Singh has

A watchful Devin Pollock made 49 for the Swans on Saturday. (Rob Carew: 319024)

Ashan Madhushanka played a lone hand with the bat for Beaconsfield (Rob Carew: 383168)

Leo makes Casey history with a National BMX title

By Justin Schwarze

11-year-old Casey BMX rider Leo Echeverria made history after winning the 2024 AusCycling BMX National Championships in Perth earlier this month.

The Championships, which took place from 7-13 October, consisted of over 1500 of the best BMX riders from around the country.

After three previous attempts at the national title, in Queensland in 2021, Tasmania in 2022 and Shepparton in 2023, Echeverria finally got his taste of glory.

“I was like ‘finally, I finally won one,’” Echeverria said.

While he finished in first, it was a difficult and challenging build-up to the final.

“Once we normally get to six weeks out, we’ve got really high intensity training, so it’s really tough training.” Echeverria recalled.

There were multiple forms of preparation he undertook for the competition, including weights, sprints, and general fitness.

After winning the semi-final, Echeverria felt confident in his ability to take home top spot.

“Once I won it I thought ‘this is going to be close, but I reckon I’m going to win it,’” he said.

“I was a tiny bit nervous.

“I did find that my start wasn’t the best - I would always have to make up time in the track.”

Not only did he make up time on the track, he became the first rider from the Casey BMX club to win a national championship.

He was also just one of five Victorians to win a national title in 2024.

He dedicated his win to his pace, which is his self-proclaimed biggest strength.

“It feels amazing, it’s really cool and everyone’s always congratulating me,” he said.

“I gain a lot of speed on the track, so that’s how I catch up.”

Echeverria competes in the 11 Boys category, where he is now ranked 1A in Australia.

The 11 Boys is renowned for being a fierce competition in Australia, with a large number of

competitors and riders.

After being crowned Australian champion, Echeverria now has his eyes set on taking his talent to the global stage.

The win qualified him for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Championship

in Denmark next year, where he will compete against the best cyclists in the world for his age.

“I can’t wait to (go) overseas and (see) another country,” he exclaimed.

“I feel confident and I reckon I have a good chance at worlds.”Cio, nonsus furecer opotico

Storm shares professional wisdom with BDTA juniors

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Australian professional tennis player Storm Hunter visited a group of emerging young talent at the Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre on Sunday.

A Wimbledon doubles finalist, Hunter finished 2023 as Australia’s top-ranked doubles player and sat just outside the top 100 singles players in the world before suffering an Achilles rupture.

The 30-year-old’s bright outlook during the difficult period has aided her time on the sidelines, and she offered an insight into her mindset to the juniors.

“She had a chat to the kids and families about resilience and working hard through adversity and how to move through it when things aren’t going your way,” Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre’s Chris Millidonis said.

“The feedback from families was really positive.

“Having someone of her calibre was amazing.

“Everyone appreciated her coming down and speaking so openly and the kids will take a lot out of it given her profile.”

The event was organised through the Berwick District Tennis Association, with Hunter speaking at the Association Junior Pennant (AJP) Blockbuster, which was hosted by Pakenham on Sunday.

The AJP is organised to enable kids at the pinnacle of their age bracket to face off against other players of similar age and ability.

It is an important competition given most top tier young players would regularly need to play opponents significantly older than them to face a similar standard.

Hunter’s attendance is designed to help those stronger players reach their potential and navigate the adversity that will come their way.

four sets, 32 games, defeat Officer (Quentin Fitzsimmons, Tom Orr) one rubber, two sets, 22 games.

Meanwhile, the West Gippsland Tennis Association (WGTA) continued on Saturday, with a full results recap below.

Bunyip (Chris Millidonis, Luke Sankey) two rubbers, five sets, 36 games defeat Beaconsfield (Craig Sankey and Andrew Peart) one rubber, two sets, 30 games.

Drouin (Tim Bloye, Josh Bloye) two rubbers,

Pakenham (Francis Francette, Samantha Merry) two rubbers, four sets, 42 games defeat Pakenham (Giselle De Bartolo, Renee Tsongas, Ronald Leo, Zac Smith) one rubber, four sets, 40 games.

Officer (Troy Haysham-Weidner, Glenn Hobson, Dylan Pettigrew) two rubbers, five sets, 45 games defeat Drouin (Nick

one rubber, four sets, 45 game.

Pratt, Lachie Pitman)

Storm Hunter addresses the youngsters at Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre. (Supplied)

Dylan Pettigrew had a strong comeback on Saturday.

Echeverria attacks the course

Leo Echeverria was crowned National Champion. (Supplied)

HAMPTON PARK CLASS OF 2024

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 at Hampton Park Secondary College! Your journey has been defined by dedication, resilience, and a strong commitment to our core values of respect, collaboration, and learning. As you embark on this next chapter, keep in mind the importance of respecting each other and the diverse perspectives that enrich our community. The collaborative spirit you’ve shown will be invaluable in your future endeavours, reminding you that great accomplishments often arise from teamwork. Your passion for knowledge has been truly inspiring, and it will serve as the foundation for your future. We are proud of each of you and eager to see the incredible contributions you will make in the world. Congratulations once more, and best wishes for the bright futures ahead!