News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 21st November 2024

Active lifestyle in focus

One councillor rules himself out as...

Mayor race on

By Corey Everitt

Longtime councillor Brett Owen has ruled himself out of being mayor again just a few days away from the mayoral election, further opening up the field for new councillors who may be eyeing a leadership role.

On Monday 25 November, councillors will meet for the first time this term to elect among themselves the mayor and deputy mayor for the next 12 months.

The field is more unpredictable than usual as six new faces make up the nine councillors representing the shire.

Cr Brett Owen, the longest-serving councillor with three stints as mayor already to his name, has ruled himself out of the election.

He said he is excited with the new cohort of councillors for the next term, but believes it best to step aside from leadership this year.

“I do like that role and I will seek it in future years, but it’s not right at this current time,” Cr Owen said.

“I would like others to take on the role, particularly a new person for deputy.

“I think with six new councillors, it was a statement for change from the community and it’s appropriate for them to have the opportunity.”

So far, Cr Collin Ross is the only councillor to declare his intention to stand for mayor, having already served the role once through 2017-18.

“I enjoyed the first opportunity and I would love to do it again,” he said at the declaration ceremony on 11 November.

“To lead the council and make councillors the best they can be.”

The last returning councillor, Jack Kowarzik, has not declared any intention in the election.

So far, Trudi Paton is the only councillor to rule themselves out of the nominating for either

mayor or deputy mayor this year.

“I feel a responsibility to learn the role for the first year and I want to dedicate myself to Westernport Ward at this stage,” she said.

“I will take part in sub-committees where they are relevant to Westernport Ward.” Paton is still one of nine votes that will decide the mayoral election; she believes leadership should reflect the state of the new council.

“What I would like to see is a mix in the mayor and deputy mayor roles, between experience and new ideas, that represents all of the shire,” Paton said.

Cr Liz Roberts and Cr Samantha-Jane Potter have not ruled themselves out of the election.

Alongside all councillors who were contacted, they both trust that whoever is picked will be fit for the role.

“I think the group are all amazing, I’m grateful to be a part of this team,” Potter said.

“Whoever ends up being mayor and deputy mayor, I have complete faith that the right people will be in the role.”

It’s reported that conversations are happening between councillors as a group, considering the particular factors a mayor will need to take on in the next year.

“With the Federal Election coming up and the broader want for change in the community, there is a lot to consider,” Roberts said.

“I think there is plenty of skills and talent in this group to lead.”

The council will decide the mayor and deputy mayor for 2024-25 in their first public meeting to be held on Monday 25 November at 7pm.

The councillor team consists of Casey Thomsen, Brett Owen, Alanna Pomeroy, Jack Kowarzik, Liz Roberts, Samantha-Jane Potter, Collin Ross, Trudi Paton and David Nickell.

Six of them are new faces

to the Cardinia Shire Council.

Chris, Tai Chi instructor Cheryl and Marilyn. (Stewart Chambers: 443395)

Local women and girls embraced This Girl Can Week (10 - 17 November), participating in a range of fun, inclusive programs to stay active.

NEWS Fundraising goal smashed

By Afraa Kori

As the cost of living crisis continues to mount for people and their beloved pets, Pakenham’s Gabbi Rossiter has reached an incredible milestone in her quest to keep best friends together.

She created charity portraits as part of Pets Of The Homeless (POTH) ‘Never Tear Them Apart Giving Day’ on Wednesday 13 November.

Initially her goal was $2000 but she raised $20,866, earning her the distinction of being the first highest creative fundraiser and the top fundraiser for POTH.

“It completely blew my mind because I only started 3 November and we were at $5000 the first day. With my waitlist, I’ve drawn 160 portraits for this event,” Gabbi said.

“I love that I get to draw and it makes a difference. I’m an animal lover, so I get all these funny photos of dogs and cats, and then I get to have fun and put my spin on it and do something I love. I got a lot of positive comments about how my art is unny and insightful on the pets’ personalities.”

The funds raised will provide essential pet food and veterinary care because a person’s financial position shouldn’t prevent their pets from receiving the care they need.

POTH has just reached their 2,000,000th meal distributed to feed hungry pets of people in need, and they are not stopping there.

The charity, whose mission is to help keep vulnerable people and their pets together during tough times, started from humble beginnings nine years ago when founder Yvonne Hong hit the streets of Melbourne with a suitcase full of pet food and a desire to give back.

“Pets play such an important role in our lives, and during times of hardship their companionship can be a huge source of emotional support. For some people, their pets are all they have,” Yvonne said.

“Not only is it helping to raise vital funds, but it’s also spreading awareness about our mission. This creative and heartwarming initiative is a truly delightful way to make a difference,” Yvonne said.

“A lot of people that I was speaking to about it, they could all relate on some level of how important their pets were to them and how they didn’t know that the charity was even out there doing the work that they’re doing. I’ve been in many community notice boards, spreading the word in all of my posts and it’s helped everyone realise that there is this amazing service out there. I just like seeing all the support and the comments encouraging me to keep going.

I feel like I’ve been in contact with so many people and I’ve raised so much awareness for it,” Gabbi said.

“In terms of my fundraiser, I don’t think I’ve really seen anyone offering the portraits back as a donation incentive. Pets for the Homeless are Melbourne specific and they’re a local charity. Yvonne, the founder, was literally on the ground with pet food, walking the streets of Melbourne to begin this charity, and it’s just grown so much. I feel like at the current cost of living crisis, we can all relate to and it’s hard to afford everything for your pets. I’m just so glad that we have something so specific and so local that can help.”

Gabbi is also encouraging others to start their creative fundraisers to help make a difference in the community.

The charity established Victoria’s first ever Pet Food Bank in 2019, and today their network of committed volunteers help to pack over 44,000 meals every month to distribute to their network of over 65 community partners across the state. They also provide veterinary care and safe shelter to people and pets in need.

ber of individuals who now depend on our assistance to keep their pets fed. For many people needing support, they will choose to feed their pet before they feed themselves,” Yvonne said.

“Having reached two million meals is a source of immense pride for us, but it also brings us a sense of sadness as it reflects the increasing num-

As the demand for the charity’s support reaches new heights and donors face increasing financial pressures, Gabbie’s portrait fundraiser is making an incredible impact.

“Just do it and just do something different. I was so scared when I first put those posts out and thought that no one would want it or, people would be unhappy with the portraits they got back. But the response has just been amazing. A lot of people are very eager to get involved. I had a lot of people who participated in the last round commenting, encouraging people to do it because they were happy with what they got last time.”

Fundraiser continues: petsofthehomeless.org. au/fundraisers/gabriellerossiter/nevertearthemapart

Gabbi’s colourful portraits. (Supplied)

NEWS Battling gender violence

By Afraa Kori

To tackle the gender-based violence in our families and communities, Cardinia will be participating in a 16-day global campaign against genderbased violence.

The campaign runs from International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November to Human Rights Day on 10 December 2024.

During the 16 Days of Activism, communities globally join the call to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

This year Cardinia Shire Council is promoting a range of initiatives to get the local residents involved.

The campaign begins with author and family violence survivor Rosie Batty AO sharing her powerful story and details about her second autobiographical book, ‘Hope’.

Locals are encouraged to book now to attend ‘Hope’ a special talk held at Pakenham Library on Thursday 28 November at 6-8pm.

Rosie so bravely fronted the media after her son’s death at the hands of his father; she has given voice to thousands of domestic violence victims - and her impact has been extraordinary. By sharing her own journey of healing and resilience, Rosie has empowered countless others to find hope in the face of adversity. To not only find the strength to confront darkness, but also the courage to find a way forward.

The event will feature an activity to participate in the ’Clothesline Project’ and will be emceed by Kit McMahon, CEO of Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE). Light refreshments and mingling will follow the event.

In addition, DV Safe Phone smartphone recycling initiative will run throughout the 16 Days of Activism. Cardinia Shire community members can donate their old smartphones to the DV Safe Phone initiative.

This initiative recycles and redistributes old

phones to support services assisting people who have experienced domestic and family violence, ensuring they have free access to a safe and clean phone - a lifeline for those in need. By donating, community members can directly contribute to the safety and support of those affected by domestic violence. It’s an easy yet powerful way to show your support.

Drop-off points are conveniently located at:

■ Hills Hub, 400A Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald.

■ Hewitt Eco House (Kooweerup Regional Health Service), 215 Rossiter Rd, Koo Wee Rup.

■ Cardinia Shire Civic Centre, 20 Siding Avenue, Officer.

■ Outlook Community Centre, 24 Toomuc Valley

This Girl Can Week success

Local women and girls embraced This Girl Can Week (10 - 17 November), participating in a range of fun, inclusive programs to stay active.

This Girl Can Week is a VicHealth campaign that promotes the many ways to achieve an active lifestyle for women and girls that is accessible to all regardless of age, background, or ability level.

A variety of activities were held throughout the week, from pilates at Cardinia Life to baseball tryouts at Toomuc Reserve.

On Friday morning 15 November, local women joined a free Tai Chi class at Cardinia Life. The session was also held on Saturday morning in Lang Lang. You can learn more about the This Girl Can campaign at thisgirlcan.com.au

Rd, Pakenham.

■ Cardinia Life, 4/6 Olympic Way, Pakenham.

■ Pakenham Library, Corner John Street and Henry Street, Pakenham.

To prepare (’clean’) your smartphone for donation, follow the simple steps outlined on the DV Safe Phone website at www.dvsafephone.org/ donate-phones.

The last initiative is Walk Against Family Violence whereby Cardinia Shire staff and residents will unite in Melbourne on Friday 22 November.

By joining the Walk you can take action to prevent family violence and violence against women and stand in solidarity with victim survivors.

The event will commence at 11am at Birrarung Marr (Upper Terrace) with a Welcome to

Country and opening remarks. Everyone will walk together to Treasury Gardens (approximately 700 metres), where they will hear from a lineup of powerful speakers.

Locals are invited to stay in the Gardens after the formalities finish to enjoy a picnic lunch. There will be food trucks, entertainment, market stalls and a positive atmosphere!

People of all genders are welcome and they are encouraged to bring their workmates, friends, family, chosen family and even their dogs. As well as wear orange if you can, bring a water bottle, and don’t forget colourful signs and banners.

For details on Walk Against Family Violence 2024 visit respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/campaigns/ walk-against-family-violence-2024

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At the Tai Chi class, back Klara, Nina and Juliet; front Chris, Cheryl (instructor), Chris and Marilyn.

Tai Chi instructor Cheryl.

Cardinia Shire staff and residents will unite in Melbourne on Friday 22 November for the Walk Against Violence. (372467)

Rosie Batty AO. (Supplied)

Beyza’s long road ahead

By Sahar Foladi

A Cranbourne North couple are desperate to bring their pet cat back home fully healthy after he was diagnosed with a viral disease.

Tanya Kamil is distraught after what she thought would be a regular vet check-up with some medication. Instead she was told to take her cat Beyza to Dandenong’s Veterinary Referral Hospital (VRH).

The one-year-old “sweet indoor cat” has been treated at the hospital for feline infectious peritonitis - an immune-system response to feline coronavirus.

He’s not off the hook yet as recovery may take months with ongoing medication.

Beyza returned home from the hospital with a weak immune system, isolated in a room completely disinfected to avoid him falling sick.

“He used to eat three times a day. When he fell sick, he stopped eating. He used to love his food,” Tanya says.

“He’s a simple boy.

“I feel bad for him because he doesn’t cause problems. He’s not strong or the fighter of the group.”

Tanya says she and Beyza bonded when she nursed him back to health during a previous illness.

“We weren’t friends at first but slowly he grew on me. I connected with him when he had his first cat flu.

“I had to take care of him and give him his medicines in the morning a few times a day, put in his eyedrops.

“We liked each other. We were hesitant at first, but we bonded. We used to play with each other.”

The feline coronavirus infects cats worldwide however it mutates within the host becoming virulent and the infection uncontrollable for the immune system.

The infection can affect all organs such as brain, liver, eyes and kidney.

It was once considered to be a death sentence with no successful treatment available until recently, according to a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist at VRH.

“The treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (“FIP”), a coronavirus that is specific to cats, is a landmark development in veterinary medicine,” Dr Matt Munro said.

“FIP is a serious systemic infection that can occur in any cat but is more commonly seen in younger patients.

“Until recently, there was no successful treatment available for FIP and this disease was invariably fatal for all cats.

“With the explosion anti-viral drug discovery in human medicine, veterinarians have been able to adopt treatment with medications such as remdesivir, GS-441524, and molnupiravir.”

According to him, recent studies show up to 80

Two injured in school bus rollover on the freeway

Two males were hospitalised after a school bus rolled over on the side of South Gippsland Freeway, Hallam.

Police say the bus left the freeway and rolled about 10.30am on 13 November.

The 55-year-old driver from Carrum and his male passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police say.

Both were taken by road ambulance to Dandenong Hospital. Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol officers

From our humble beginnings journey has been one of dedication and heartfelt care. We extend our deepest gratitude to the families who have entrusted us during their most challenging times. Your trust and support have been the cornerstone of our success. Thank you to our incredible team for their unwavering dedication. Here’s to many more years of providing the little things that make a big difference.

Thank you for being a part of our story.

were investigating the rollover. The exact cause is yet to be determined, police say. Any information or dashcam footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

Emergency services at the scene of a bus rollover on South Gippsland Freeway, Hallam on 13 November. (Casey Crime Page/Facebook)

per cent of cats can be successfully cured in what is considered a “major breakthrough for veterinary science.”

Some cats however can relapse but Dr Munro says options remain to continue to successfully treat the patients.

“Treatment is typically carried out over several months and generally consists of daily oral medication. Research continues to optimise treatment protocols and treatment success.”

Tanya has so far used almost $4000 of savings on Beyza’s hospital stays, medicines and tests.

She has organised a GoFundMe page to help cover Beyza’s present and future medical needs, which amount to $10,000 or more, depending on his recovery.

She doesn’t have any insurance to cover the costs and is also on a hunt for a work-from-home job.

“I should at least spend $3000-4000 for the month because he has internal specialist appointments and his medicines. It’ll be a lot.

“If I had the money I wouldn’t hesitate, it wouldn’t matter to me.”

She fears Beyza may stop receiving the treatments due to financial strain and desperately welcomes any help on her page.

Beyza’s GoFundMe page can be accessed at gofund.me/701c0039

Little Beyza is being treated for FIP but needs financial help to recovery full health. (Supplied)

Dr Matt Munro says what was once considered a fatal infection can now be cured. (Supplied)

Mayor announced for Casey

By Ethan Benedicto

The City of Casey has welcomed its new mayor and deputy mayor after official announcements on Tuesday 19 November.

Following a special council meeting at 4pm in Bunjil Place, Waratah Ward’s Stefan Koomen has been elected as Casey’s mayor, with Kalora Ward’s Melinda Ambros as the deputy mayor.

Though labelled as a special meeting, this was also the first time all councillors - save Anthony Walter - officially gathered with a public audience, with the affair also attended by members of the local community and former candidates such as Jane Foreman and Gary Page.

Koomen, who was moved to tears after he was unanimously voted in as the mayor, said that exalted to be the first mayor in over eight years.

Addressing the meeting, he said that he was “absolutely delighted to be here as a councillor, along with my fellow councillors, and secondly as a mayor”.

“I’m genuinely taken aback, thinking on when I first started knocking on doors earlier this year in Doveton - to think that right now I’m a councillor, let alone mayor was not something that crossed my mind.

“I came into this role with a real desire to serve our community and I’m happy to be here.”

While he was moved to tears after thanking his mum, wife, kids, fellow councillors and everyone else who had shown support for him, Koomen also added “I don’t think we could have wished for a better group of people”.

“It’s often said that the voters don’t get it wrong and they didn’t this time, and I think we’ve got a real collection of different experiences and different backgrounds.

“An exemplary group, that based on the last week we’ve been together, can really work together to serve the people of Casey.”

Koomen said that the first thing as mayor he aimed to do was build a culture of good gover-

nance and trust from the residents, acknowledging that the councillors themselves are also residents, “we want the people to know that we’ve experienced and we’ve felt the difficulties of the last five years”.

“We were shocked about what happened and we have to be upfront about that, and I think our job is to bring back that trust and we’re ready to do that,” he said.

A true sense of pride and honour also graced Ambros, who, after also being unanimously elected as deputy mayor, was taking in her full capabilities of representing the people on important levels of local government.

“To be standing here as deputy mayor, I know I couldn’t have been here without my fellow councillors and I’m grateful for their support and trust

in me,” she said.

“But also I couldn’t have been here without the voters, the residents, my family, husband and children - and I’m looking forward to supporting the whole City of Casey and moving in the right direction.”

Working towards Ambros’ vision of a stalwart deputy mayor, she said that it is important to “identify that we have support around us”.

“To utilise that support that we do get from the council and also from my fellow councillors and the community, that is the best way to, in turn, support me and help me do my job.

“It’s also knowing about the fact that I am human, and I have limits, but I did take on this responsibility and I will do it to the best of my ability.

“I can’t do it alone, I have to do it with the people around me,” she said.

After a round of photos and prior to departing for the election of mayor dinner, Koomen added that while he was not expecting to be taking the seat, “democracy is back”.

“The representatives are back and we are ready to help, ready to make decisions on behalf of the community.

“This [mayor] is a full-time role, it needs absolute commitment and I’m ready to give that so from tomorrow I’ll be straight into it.

“I would say I’ve got a lot of experience working in government and across different councils so I think I’ve got the ability to hopefully lead a team and bring together this new group and make sure we get the governance right and make decisions in the best interest of the community.”

As for the first step, Koomen is adamant that all councillors being on the same page is integral before making any big decisions, emphasising that a “strong team” is needed to cater to the city’s needs.

River Gum Ward Cr Lynette Pereira, who told Star News last week that she would run for mayor, decided not to run.

She said there was a positive side to not being mayor as she could spend more time focusing on the Waste Transfer Station issue.

She also said she looked forward to her first time on the Audit & Risk Committee.

“A role in which I will learn more about the internal and external audits and have the opportunity to examine the Council budget in more detail”, she said.

Cr Pereira and Quarters Ward’s Carolyn Eaves have also been elected to be part of the council’s audit and risk committee who are scheduled to have their induction for the role early in December.

While the councillors finalise their last steps of introduction, the first general council meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 10 December.

Melinda Ambros (deputy mayor) and Stefan Koomen (mayor) were both unanimously elected by the council. (Stewart Chambers: 442356)

Kids can see clearly now

By Violet Li

Cranbourne East Primary School has received 89 glasses from the non-profit organisation State Schools Relief (SSR).

SSR, in partnership with the State Government, is delivering an expanded Glasses for Kids program from 2024-2027, aiming to remove vision impairment as a potential barrier to educational engagement for disadvantaged students.

Martina Owen, business manager of Cranbourne East Primary School, shared that about 70 per cent of the students were screen-tested for the glasses and 89 glasses were prescribed following

the optometrists’ visit to the school, which was 23 per cent of the students screen-tested.

Acting principal Stephen Bourbon said the glasses were a game-changer for the students.

“They weren’t able to learn to their very best ability without these glasses,” he said.

“We’re really proud of our community for taking out the opportunity.”

In research conducted by SSR, it was revealed that over 56 per cent of parents of disadvantaged prep students had expressed concerns about their child’s eyesight but did not attend a vision service, and approximately 83 per cent of prep students had not been seen by an optometrist in

more than 12 months.

Optometry Australia has highlighted the need for early screening in children for myopia (shortsightedness), which develops from a young age and affects around 6.3 million Australians.

According to its 2022 Vision Index report, one in five children in Australia have an undetected vision problem.

The ‘Glasses for Kids’ program aims to identify these problems through initial vision screening, which will occur in 770 mainstream and specialist schools across the state and target 108,000 students from Prep to Year 3.

It is projected that over the course of the three-

year program, over 64,000 students will participate in screening, with a further 27,000 comprehensive eye tests conducted, and over 16,000 pairs of glasses distributed at no cost to the students or their families.

Acting chief executive officer of SSR Anshika Heritage took great pride in the opportunities that the Glasses for Kids program provided.

“This is an essential program that addresses vision impairment as a barrier to education, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to fully participate in learning from an early age,” she said.

Hot off the press: South East mastheads recognised

More than 170 people attended the Victorian Country Press Association’s pinnacle event for 2024, held at the RACV Resort in Torquay on Friday, 15 November.

The awards night was the culmination of the VCPA’s annual conference, in which delegates from across Australia heard from a world-class field of speakers, headlined by International News Media Association executive director and CEO, Earl Wilkinson.

VCPA chairman Jared Loughnan said Mr Wilkinson was widely regarded as one of the news media industry’s most experienced and respected speakers, and his presence and participation in this year’s conference was a major highlight.

“Earl is a true leader in our industry and our members and other conference delegates thoroughly enjoyed his presentation, and his company over the time he was able to spend with us,” Mr Loughnan said.

The awards night was compered by comedian Dave O’Neil and had 19 awards announced as part of a new look for the VCPA’s major yearly

Rob Carew was highly

event, with a record 537 entries received.

Major winners included the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser, which was named winner of the open category Newspaper Excellence award, the Yarrawonga Chronicle in the under 2500 circulation paid newspaper category and the Shepparton Adviser as winner of the Best Free Newspaper.

Star News Group featured prominently in the awards.

Cranbourne Star News reporter Violet Li was commended for her story Home Fires Fury.

Judge Alison McAdam said her story was commended for cleverly linking a breaking news event with a long-running campaign for a new fire station.

“The journalist seamlessly switches between reporting the latest event and explaining the background context, and includes good quotes throughout the story,” she said. “The photos are well composed, showing the action of fighting the blaze as well as featuring the main primary source.”

Rob Carew’s entry Show Delight was highly commended in the Best Agricultural Photo category.

“Rob has captured what will probably one of this young girl’s most memorable moments,” judge Peter Hyett said. “Proudly, but with some obvious challenges, this young girl strives to place

the ribbon around the prizes winning entry’ neck. Capturing these moments takes a keen eye, patience and the ability to respond quickly which Rob has managed to achieve. The use of long lenses does reduce your ability to create the perfect picture in relation to depth of field but with a strong focal point on the young girl face this picture draws you in to this very proud moment.”

Gazette reporter Corey Everitt was commended in the Best Agricultural Story category for his On The Land feature headlined Chicken Before The Egg.

“Great headline and beautiful photos,” judge Simone Smith said. “A deep-dive into an agricultural business, this article includes the ideal combination of background, production detail and personal quotes to tell a well-rounded story about the development of a local egg business and what it has meant to this family.”

Corey was also highly commended in the TAC Award For Road Safety for his piece Road Trauma to the Fore, which judge Samantha Cockfield described as an in-depth look at how volunteers working for Amber Community, a not-for-profit dedicated to addressing road trauma, are changing attitudes of people convicted of serious road traffic offences.

“Corey’s portrayal of the volunteers, some of whom had previously been convicted themselves, showed a strong level of trust between the

reporter and his subjects. The story also explored the potential of extending the use of seminars beyond offenders, to all young drivers.”

Kelly Price was commended in the Best Locally Produced Advertisement category for her Meet Your Local Agent ad for Barry Plant.

“This is a great ad and creates a sense of intimacy but inviting readers to learn more about the agents,” judge Krista Shada said. “The layout is simply but works really well with the colour scheme and business logo and information. The copy is engaging and designed to encourage a real relationship between buyer or seller and the agent.”

Editor Garry Howe was commended in the Best Editorial or Opinion category for an Editor’s Desk in the Gazette on IBAC’s Operation Sandon investigation into planning issues at Casey Council.

The judge was Patrick Elligett, editor of The Age.

“Garry Howe’s notes from the editor’s desk are eminently readable,” he said. “Engaging to the last word, his snappy assessments of complex issues are delivered with such familiarity that they leave readers feeling like they’ve just caught up with the editor for a coffee and a chat. The tone might be casual, but the topics are important and the messages they contain are compelling.”

Reporters Corey Everitt and Violet Li at the VCPA awards. Both were commended for their entries.

A proud Hanna with Berryvale Russia and a ribbon to take home at the Berwick Show. This image by

commended at the VCPA awards.

Exodus-Reign with his glass. (443880)

Acting principal Stephen Bourbon with student Evelyn, who received a free glass from the program. (Stewart Chambers: 443880)

Evelyn, Exodus, Aubrey, Suprise, Gurshan and Armin with their glasses. (443880)

255km/h hoon too ‘vulnerable’ for jail

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A serial hoon from Berwick has been spared jail for an eight-month spree of high-speed, dangerous social-media stunts on public roads.

Sushant Mittal, 20, had pleaded guilty at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to a long list of offences – including 11 counts of reckless conduct endangering life for 11 separate driving incidents in 2022 and 2023.

The P-plater had admitted to speeding up to 255 km/h, street racing and rapid swerving between heavy traffic in his family company’s sports Mercedes - a car so high-powered it’s prohibited for P-plate drivers.

Several times, Mittal had also seat swapped with a passenger while travelling on Monash Freeway.

The car was effectively driverless during the transition – but for cruise control and lane-assist.

The incidents took place in Hallam, Clyde North, Berwick, Dandenong North, Eumemmerring, Mulgrave, Blackburn North, Glen Waverley, Parkville, Mt Waverley, Box Hill North, Wheelers Hill and Melbourne.

On 19 November, magistrate Malcolm Thomas said he’d come “extremely close” to sentencing Mittal to a youth justice centre.

However, he noted that the “vulnerable” exprivate school student with poor social skills would be “no doubt” subjected to bullying and abuse in custody.

Mittal had been “bullied at Haileybury”, so “you can imagine what it’d be like bullied at Parkville”, Mr Thomas said.

Mittal’s youthful age and being a first-time offender were significant mitigating factors. His offending was largely a product of his immaturity,

Mr Thomas said.

“I accept that you’re immature even for your age.”

Mittal had not reoffended since his arrest in April 2023, and had “reasonably good” rehabilitation prospects, Mr Thomas found.

After receiving a torrent of social media abuse during his case, it was more likely he’d not reoffend.

On the other hand, Mittal had “wantonly and totally unnecessarily” put a large number roadusers at peril for “social media and likes - or to show off”, the judge said.

During what the judge termed a “lifestyle of arrogance”, Mittal had exclaimed that it was like playing a “game“.

It was only through “luck” that no one was seriously injured or killed, Mr Thomas said.

Defence lawyer Chris Farrington had told the court that Mittal was distressed by abusive, threatening social-media messages in recent weeks, warning what would befall him in jail.

It “heightened” his expectations of what custody would be like.

Having tried to gain “respect” on social media, Mittal was now aware that the public were “disgusted” and “hate” perpetrators of this sort of offending, Farrington argued.

While in the shower recently, he suffered a medical episode - “some sort of shock” - in which he lost functionality but was still conscious.

Prosecutor JJ Jassar urged for a combination of youth detention and a CCO, given the repeated “deplorable” offences even after a police warning.

Any offener facing potential jail would endure “high anxiety” prior to sentencing, Jassar said. “That is the norm.”

With head bowed for much of the hearing, Mittal wiped his eyes and nose several times after receiving his sentence - a two-year community corrections order, including judicial monitoring and 350 hours of unpaid work.

He was also convicted, fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for five years.

Mr Thomas said the “punitive” community corrections order was designed to deter Mittal and others – taking into account his youth and previously clean conviction record.

He hoped Mittal had “grown up” and would “act in an adult and mature way”.

“Grasp the opportunity that’s been given you.”

Mr Thomas ordered for the forfeiture of “tainted” property used in Mittal’s crimes, such as the family company’s Mercedes and his phone.

The family has 60 days to appeal the car’s forfeiture to the State.

Mittal was scheduled to appear for judicial monitoring at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in February.

IN BRIEF

Man arrested after fight

A recent group scuffle at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre on Sunday 17 November saw a man allegedly brandishing a knife before fleeing the scene.

A 20-year-old Beaconsfield man was arrested on Monday evening and charged with affray, assault with a weapon, assault in company and possession of a prohibited weapon. These charges follow an alleged fight between a group of males at around 6pm, with the group fleeing prior to police’s arrival. No injuries were reported to police, and the 20-year-old will face court at a later date.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward by reporting to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Energy resilience boost

Casey Council will receive over $56,000 in two grants from AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund.

About$6,660willbeusedforanenergyefficiency awareness multilingual video. The video will be produced and translated into Hindi, Hazaraghi, and Sinhalese to address the gap in energy efficiency education among diverse groups in Casey. The video will be shown and distributed widely throughout local schools, community centres, council’s social media platforms and websites.

According to the City of Casey manager Active Communities Angie Peresso, filming for the video is anticipated in the coming months, with final translated versions expected to be ready in February or March 2025. Another $50,000 will be used to fund solar batteries at two community facilities, Fairhaven Family and Community Centre in Cranbourne West and Arbourlea Family and Community Centre in Cranbourne North, providing backup power support for residents in emergencies.

According to the project summary by AusNet, Casey Council currently doesn’t have buildings that can operate during a blackout, which limits the ability to provide support to residents during extreme weather. “During storms in February and September 2024, Council successfully activated emergency Power and Shower Hubs at Casey community facilities, these temporary hubs provided support to our community during these extreme weather events,” Ms Peresso said.

“The grant will assist in bolstering future emergency responses. It is anticipated that the batteries will be installed and commissioned in mid-2025.”

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. (Cam LucadouWells: 171634)

Thunder before the storm

The build up to the biggest day of racing on the local calendar went to exciting new heights on Tuesday morning when Southside Racing hosted its Stars and Strides Breakfast Gallops.

The Cranbourne track - which will this Saturday host the $500,000 Ladbrokes Cranbourne

Cup (1600m) and $1million The Meteorite (1200m) - was a hive of activity as local trainers and horses fine-tuned their preparations for the two feature races.

Cranbourne News photographer Stewart Chambers was on hand to capture all the action.

How to handle a good employee leaving your company

TAKING CARE IAN

Gone are the days of a job for life even if you want one. The business environment and economic conditions are constantly changing and naturally, businesses need to evolve too if they are to keep up. This situation presents both opportunities as well as challenges, opening up potentially exciting new roles but at the same increasing demands on existing staff who are likely to need to acquire new or at least enhanced skills in order to sustain performance. It is within this dynamic framework that some staff will inevitably review their existing role and may be tempted by the apparent benefits of a new position within a different organisation.

So how best should this situation be handled?

Well, if you agree with my opening state-

ment, then by definition, every role in any business is necessarily transient and while the length of tenure will of course vary, the best thing is for the relationship to be as mutually beneficial as possible. This includes the time between when the staff member hands in their notice and when they actually leave. Ironic though this may sound, I recommend that every manager discusses with their team member the need for open dialogue between them when the potential for the employee leaving arises. There can be few things more frustrating for a manger than when a valued staff member formally hands in their notice to resign over something that, with prior discussion, could have been resolved. From day one, I used to ask my staff to let me know if they were thinking about leaving at any time “in order to give me a chance to address their issue” if one exists. As a manager, you may or may not be able to dissuade them or resolve any particular dissatisfaction, but the fact that you try will definitely be appreciated.

Of course, staff don’t just leave because there’s something wrong. It could be that their personal circumstances have changed and they

need to move location, perhaps they require higher income or they are simply in need of a new challenge. Equally, they may have found or been presented with a new opportunity, not previously considered, which will enable more personal growth, greater remuneration or be a better fit with their overall long term career development plan. Whatever the impetus, it is very important that the employee’s manager clearly understands the reason why the employee is leaving since it could be symptomatic of one or more underlying problems that need to be addressed to prevent other staff members from leaving.

Whatever the reason for going, as a manager it is essential that their remaining time with the company is enjoyable and as mutually beneficial as possible. There are many reasons for this. The first one being that it is not uncommon for ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ effect in which the new role turns out to be nothing like what was advertised and so if no bridges have been burned during the notice period, there is always the possibility that the employee could come back if the former company desires

this as well. More commonly the new role will work out, so if the staff member has left their former employer in a positive state of mind with good memories of their time together, they are likely to talk positively about their working relationship which will reflect well on the previous company perhaps enhancing its standing and reputation making it easier for the business to acquire new staff.

So, parting ways does not need to be an unpleasant experience, but once it is determined that the employee will definitely be leaving their current role, it is important that s/he and their manager sit down and develop an agreed Transition Plan. This will ensure that key information and contacts can be smoothly transitioned in a timely and prioritised manner and that the company is not unduly compromised by the loss of the employee. It may not be great for a company to lose a key staff member, but it does not need to be a hostile experience; handled properly it should give a good result.

Ian Ash ACC, AIECL, AInstIB Managing Director OrgMent Business Solutions - www.ombs.com.au

Jockey Luke Currie enjoys his time at the track.

The team behind the scenes at Southside Racing, from left, Chloe, Jules and Jess.

Scott Brown has been a familiar face at Cranbourne for many years.

Southside Racing Communications Executive Mick Floyd was all smiles on Tuesday.

The Gavin Bedggood-trained Military Expert prepares for a gallop on Tuesday.

Group-1 winner Pinstriped limbers up for his hometown cup with a gallop at Cranbourne on Tuesday.

Mighty Ulysses is well fancied to run a big race in Saturday’s Cranbourne Cup.

Cranbourne trainer Michael Kent Jnr keeps a close eye on his Cranbourne Cup hopefuls.

It’s a Wild Night shapes as a major player in Saturday’s Cranbourne Cup for local trainer Mark Walker. (Stewart Chambers: 444530)

Oscar’s Fortune is shaping to be a key player in The Meteorite.

Moby Dick tunes up for a tilt at the $1million The Meteorite at Cranbourne on Saturday.

Plea for assistance

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Police have released CCTV and images in their appeal for public assistance over the shooting of a Dandenong father-of-three this month.

The victim Jesse, 36, was found with a gunshot wound to his head in Frankston North.

He remains in hospital with “life-altering injuries”, police say.

Armed Crime Squad detectives say Jesse was involved in an altercation with a group at a park on Armata Crescent about 7.15pm on Monday 4 November.

The victim and the group were known to each other, and it was a “targeted” offence, according to police.

Jesse’s mother Michelle visits her son in hospital every day since the shooting. He’s lost functioning in the left side of his body, with surgeons unable to remove the bullet from his head.

She described Jesse as a “family man”.

“He’s good to his partner, good to his family. He’ll give them his last $5,” Michelle said.

“They’re really struggling.

“Words can’t describe how it felt (to hear of Jesse’s injury). Just devastating.

“It’s going to be a long road for Jesse.”

Police say they wish to speak to a man depicted in the released images as part of their investigation.

The man in the images was described as Caucasian appearance, about 18-25 years, with a lean build, light brown hair and a distinctive tattoo on the outside of his lower right leg.

Police say the man was believed to have been involved in an aggravated home invasion in which a group broke in and confronted a female in Raymond Avenue, Frankston just before 6pm on the same day.

Investigators believe the incidents are linked, with Jesse meeting people about the earlier break-in.

The wanted man, who is believed to have not been involved in the shooting, had changed clothes between the incidents.

“The outcome of this incident has been devastating for a young family – a 36-year-old man remains in hospital with life altering injuries,”

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Dave Shannon said..

“Investigators are very keen to speak to anyone with knowledge of this incident – particular-

ly anyone who recognises the man in the images.

“We ask that people look closely at the images and the CCTV and if you have any information, please come forward and speak to police and as always, this can be done anonymously via Crime Stoppers.”

Michelle also implored for the man to “come forward”.

“Be a man and just come forward and help us as a family. I’m sure your family would like you to come forward.”

Police have charged eight people over the incident in the park - a 17-year-old Bentleigh boy, an

18-year-old Frankston North woman, a 21-yearold Mornington man, a 22-year-old Frankston North man, a 23-year-old Mornington woman, a 24 year-old Cranbourne North man, a 26-year-old Carrum Downs woman and a 29-year-old Carrum Downs man.

Two were charged with firearm-related offences, the remainder charged with affray and assault.

A 28-year-old Cranbourne North woman was arrested and released pending further enquiries.

Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

Water plant progress

Hydroflux has been awarded the contract to design, build and operate a new water recycling plant in Lyndhurst.

Using Australian-first technology, the plant will treat about 52 million litres of wastewater a year, converting it to Class A standard for each home in the Aquarevo housing estate.

The water would be suitable for nondrinking purposes such as toilet flushing, garden irrigation and washing machines.

The plant will include a greenhouse and an ‘organica’ food chain reactor, which looks like a natural garden to help blend in with the neighbourhood.

The process could treat up to 207 kilolitres of wastewater daily – the volume of an Olympic swimming pool in 12 days.

The contractor was announced by Planning Minister and Carrum MP Sonya Kilkenny on Friday 15 November.

Construction is planned to start in early 2025, with the plant to be operational by late 2026.

Aquarevo estate is a collaboration between South East Water and Villawood Properties to create a water and energy efficient urban housing development.

Residents have access to three types of water – drinking-quality, rainwater and Class A recycled water - plumbed to their homes.

Their households are using on average 40 per cent less drinking water than other South East Water homes as a result.

South East Water managing director Lara Olsen said Aquarevo was a “working example” of how to reduce the impact of urbanisation on water supplies and local environments.

“We’re excited to work with Hydroflux to deliver Australian-first water treatment services to our customers that will reduce reliance on previous drinking water across our network in Melbourne’s South East.”

New chapter for Cranbourne Chamber of Commerce

By Violet Li

A new committee for the Cranbourne Chamber of Commerce was elected on Thursday 14 November and the business organisation is looking at a big agenda for next year.

President Ian Wood was re-elected again this year.

The new committee includes president Ian Wood, vice president Judy Davis, treasurer Kavitha Joachim, secretary and social media marketing Kristin Lord, Rob Ward, Anthony Cheeseman, Anthony Tassone, Bill McMartin, and Damien Rosario.

The Chamber will launch a major project next year to help locals from multicultural communities with skills to set up and operate businesses, after receiving grants from Bendigo Bank.

“We’re going to be running programs and

workshops. We’re going to bring on speakers.

We’re going to set up a subcommittee to do this in the early part of 2025,” Mr Wood said.

“It’s a brand-new program. This is something we’ve never done before. I think it’s worthwhile.”

Mr Wood shared that the chamber would also continue its normal events throughout 2025.

He also said the chamber would strive hard to expand in 2025 to get up to 100 members.

The institution now has about 50 members.

“We have to get out and work hard on that. And I think that’s achievable,” Mr Wood said.

Jesse, 36, of Dandenong who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in Frankston North.

Images of a man that police want to speak to following the shooting of a Dandenong victim in Frankston North on Monday 4 November. (Supplied)

An artist impression of the Aquarevo Water Treatment Plant, with greenhouse and garden setting.

Part of the new committee. First row: Kristin Lord, Kavitha Joachim, Judy Davis, Damien Rosario. Second Row: Bill McMartin, Ian Wood, Gary Rowe (not a committee member), Rob Ward (Supplied)

FOCUS ON … MEDICALLY SPEAKING

Paramedics to the rescue

With the warmer weather approaching and Victorians heading outdoors, Ambulance Victoria’s (AV) Wilderness Response paramedics are prepared for any emergencies in remote and wilderness areas across the state.

AV’s team of more than 120 specially trained wilderness paramedics are sent to some of Victoria’s most secluded and treacherous alpine or bush areas to help missing or injured people, 4WD off-road incidents or mountain bike falls, or cases where air ambulance is unable to access a patient.

Consider whether you’re an inexperienced hiker or if you’re a capable bushwalker, make sure you choose the right hike, don’t over-extend yourself and be prepared.

Plan ahead by monitoring the conditions and let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll return.

Take plenty of water, sunscreen, food, phone and a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).

Wilderness Response paramedics are Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics who are trained to be self-sufficient in the wilderness and can be sent off-road whenever a wil-

derness response is required.

AV emergency management planning coordinator for Gippsland Danny Anderson said the wilderness response team were called on to play key roles in larger-scale community emergencies such as the Wye River fires in 2016, the Mallacoota fires in 2020 and Traralgon storms in 2021.

“Our wilderness paramedics can be flown or dropped into isolated, remote communities during an emergency or natural disaster, so they are completely self-sufficient, they carry with them their gear, water, meals and a communications radio,” he said.

“It’s about supporting these communities in scenarios where medical assistance may be hard to access.

“It’s a true specialist role in which select paramedics are specifically trained for and they must have the right experience being out in the elements in the bush as well; it’s not a typical ambulance job.”

The opportunity to become a Wilderness Response paramedic is offered to paramedics with strong outdoor skills and who have more than five years’ experience on-road.

TRIDENT MEDICAL CENTRE

We’re thrilled to announce that our new clinic will open its doors this 7TH OF SEPTEMBER 2024

Asthma tips

October brings the start of grass pollen season, generally lasting until 31 December. Warmer weather, increased amounts of grass pollen in the air and certain types of thunderstorms, when combined, can result in an Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma (ETSA) event triggering severe asthma.

Thunderstorm Asthma can cause serious health impacts for people with known and unknown conditions of asthma. Symptoms of ETSA include an itchy and runny nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing and/or chest tightness. Some of these symptoms can become very severe, very quickly, and may require urgent medical assistance.

Sharon Rukavina, respiratory clinical nurse consultant – asthma and allergy at Northern Health, said that during the 2016 event, thousands of people suddenly had asthma attacks, therefore, finding it difficult to breathe.

“Some had never had asthma symptoms before,” Ms Rukavina said.

“In Victoria, from October to December, thunderstorm asthma results from a combination of high grass pollen counts, such as ryegrass, and specific weather conditions. Strong winds carry the pollen, while storms or moisture break open the pollen grains, releasing ultrafine particles into the air.

“These particles are small enough to penetrate the lower airways, potentially triggering severe asthma symptoms in those that are susceptible. A comprehensive review of the 2016 Melbourne thunderstorm asthma incident revealed that it primarily affected individuals sensitive to grass pollens,” explained Ms Rukavina.

“Consequently, those with springtime hay fever or poorly controlled asthma – characterised by asthma symptoms on many days of the week or frequent ongoing use of a reliever inhaler – will require additional protection against thunderstorm asthma. If you think your asthma may not be controlled or you have spring hay fever, then please see your GP as soon as you are able.”

Ms Rukavina urges everyone in the community to be able to recognise the symptoms of someone having an asthma attack and to know the four steps of asthma first aid.

“It is very important not to ignore any symptoms of asthma such as wheeze, persistent cough or unexplained breathlessness. Everyone should be able to recognise the symptoms of someone having an asthma attack and to know the four steps of asthma first aid,” Ms Rukavina said.

• Step 1: Sit person suffering the attack upright.

• Step 2: Shake the blue/grey reliever puffer and give them four separate puffs using a spacer if available.

• Step 3: Wait four minutes and give four more puffs if the person cannot breathe normally.

• Step 4: Call an ambulance if they still cannot breathe normally and keep giving reliever puffs as above until an ambulance arrives.

Completely avoiding pollen can be difficult during the pollen season, however the following steps may help reduce your exposure if you are sensitive:

· For individuals with known asthma, it is important to use your prescribed preventer inhaler as directed, even in the absence of symptoms.

· Carry a blue/grey reliever inhaler such as Ventolin or Asmol at all times and ensure you are familiar with its proper use

· Avoid going outdoors on days with high pollen counts, high winds or after thunderstorms. Stay inside with the windows shut and the air conditioner switched to recirculate/recycled.

· Check weather forecasts and pollen levels.

· It may be prudent to manage hay fever symptoms with a daily steroid nasal spray during pollen season, although its effectiveness in preventing thunderstorm asthma remains uncertain.

To access daily forecasts for ETSA events, please visit: health.vic.gov.au/environmentalhealth/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-riskforecast

Jason Amos, director emergency management and Sharon Rukavina, respiratory clinical nurse consultant.

Corridors for our koalas

By Violet Li

Moonlit Sanctuary and Western Port Biosphere Foundation officially launched the three-year Koala Corridor Project in November.

A launching ceremony was held on Wednesday 13 November at Moonlit Sanctuary.

The project aims to create corridors of trees to link koala habitats within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These corridors will reconnect fragmented habitats and provide safe pathways for koalas and other vulnerable species to move between areas of bushland.

Moonlit Sanctuary founder and director Michael Johnson addressed the public at the launching ceremony on how important the project would be for the future of koalas in the area.

“We are losing koalas,” he said.

“We’re facing a situation where we’ll lose them entirely if we’re not careful because we’re putting them in smaller and smaller areas of habitat where they become inbred, and the population dies out or there’s just not enough food for them.

“They can’t move around. They’ve got to get across roads.”

According to the project officer Kelly Smith from Biosphere Foundation, the project contains two key components.

The first part, a population survey and research, will involve thermal imaging drones to find koalas and acoustic monitoring to listen out for their sounds to see whether they’re present or absent in an area. Volunteers will also help collect koala scats for future analysis of their DNA.

Ms Kelly said the information gathered would help the project understand how koalas use the landscape, how healthy the koalas are, and give an estimate of koalas across the entire Biosphere Reserve.

The information would help the team better manage the species and help guide them in the

other key part of the project: revegetation, she said.

Revegetation efforts will create a big continuous wildlife corridor across the entire Biosphere Reserve, from the Mornington beach across to the Bass Coast. It involves planting trees on private properties with the help of volunteers.

“Koalas and all wildlife need to be able to move through the landscape safely,” Ms Kelly said.

“They need to be able to mix with all the animals and breed with all the animals in different areas so they can increase their genetic diversity.

“Essentially, this wildlife corridor is safeguarding them for the future.”

A private landowner shared her experience of working with the project at the launching ceremony to encourage other landowners to consider volunteering.

She recollected how she grew up with koalas on the trees in the backyards.

“We planted out an area that was probably almost a third of our property here, which probably would be about three acres. And it was a couple of thousand trees,” she said.

“We’ll lose a certain amount of them, so it’s important that you put many in.

“I was told that in five years, I might have some koalas come and visit and live again. That’s wonderful.

“Hopefully, more people will come on board.”

According to Ms Smith, approximately 8000 trees have been planted for koalas on private properties, between the Mornington Peninsula and Corinella on the Bass Coast by November 2024.

The Koala Corridor Project is calling on the community to support the initiative. In addition to planting trees, the project is looking for volunteers to help survey koala populations, create new habitats on private properties, and raise funds for the project.

Stephen Brend from UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Foundation, Koala Corridor project officer Kelly Smith from UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Foundation, and Moonlit Sanctuary founder and director Michael Johnson at the launching ceremony. (442401)

Western Port Biosphere chief executive officer Mel Barker at the launching ceremony. (442401)

Stephen Brend from UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Foundation is giving a speech at the launching ceremony. (442401)

Moonlit Sanctuary founder and director Michael Johnson and Koala Corridor project officer Kelly Smith from UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Foundation are with one of the koalas at Moonlit Sanctuary at the launching ceremony. (Gary Sissons: 442401)

One of the koalas at Moonlit Sanctuary. (442401)

Kelly Smith and Michael Johnson are cutting a koala-looking cake. (442401)

FOCUS ON … EDUCATION CHOICES Developing young leaders

St Patrick’s Primary School is a vibrant and contemporary learning environment which celebrates many diverse cultural backgrounds.

Its catholic community of students, teachers, and parents works together as one to inspire faith-filled, lifelong learners.

The school promotes educational excellence and nurtures the growth and wellbeing of all of its students.

St Patrick’s takes pride in developing strong leadership skills in its senior students.

They are immersed in a buddy program with junior students, lead school assemblies, represent the school in local community events such as Anzac Day ceremonies, Rotary public speaking, and are relied upon to welcome visitors to the school and assist with school tours.

St Patrick’s provides a comprehensive education that allows all students to thrive and this is achieved with additional specialist classes.

With performing arts, digi-tech, Japanese, and physical education, the school’s engaging classrooms create an environment that allows for student creativity to be developed and nurtured.

All students experience fun excursions and incursions throughout the year, with senior students taking part in a year level camp program.

Utilising out of classroom activities enhances resilience, respect for others, and courage to take risks within a safe and supportive environment.

Specialist classes create an engaging learning environment.

Recent renovations have occurred within the St Patrick’s campus to include modern flexible learning spaces along with small break out areas

to cater for alternate styles of learning and methods of teaching.

For further information, call 5943 9000 or visit

www.stppakenham.catholic.edu.au.

St Patrick’s Primary is at 136 Princes Highway, Pakenham.

Easing the high school transition for students

New resources are helping students to stay engaged as they transition from primary to secondary school.

Education Minister Ben Carroll in August updated the materials that Victorian schools use to support about 200,000 students every year.

“A student’s transition can have fundamental and long-lasting impacts on their achievement, engagement and wellbeing,” he said.

“We want to make sure every student and their family feels supported and connected as they journey from primary school to secondary school, which can often be a daunting time.”

It’s also a time with a heightened risk of disengagement from education, poor wellbeing, and a decline in learning outcomes.

Mr Carroll said keeping kids engaged in school helped them to be productive and successful young adults.

A student’s transition experience is successful when they have good engagement with their peers and their families.

This is especially important for students who might be at higher risk of a poor transition, including neurodiverse and autistic students, students with disabilities, and students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The updated materials feature internal guid-

ance, resources, and practical examples for schools to use through a four-year staged process from upper primary to lower secondary:

Preparation (Years 5 and 6)

This introduces students to general skills like organisation and time management that will help them navigate in a new environment, like using lockers and having a timetable.

Transfer (End of Year 6)

Students can attend their new school for a day to learn the new layout, attend classes, and meet key staff and future classmates.

Induction (Year 7)

This phase supports new students to develop a strong sense of connection and belonging in their new environment and ease into the new practices, rhythms, and relationships.

Consolidation (Year 8)

This builds on the skills, knowledge, and experiences students have gained in previous phases, with a strong emphasis on supporting their wellbeing and confidence in their learning environment.

Easing the high school transition.

FOCUS ON … EDUCATION CHOICES Ready to go for 2025

St Clare’s Catholic Primary School Welcomes 2025 Foundation Students.

At St Clare’s Catholic Primary School, Officer, we are excited to be getting to know the new Foundation students for 2025. Beginning school is a special milestone in family life, full of both excitement and a little trepidation. Our ’Meet and Greet’ sessions this term have provided an excellent opportunity for families and students to learn more about what school life entails, while also allowing our staff to better understand each child’s individual story.

These sessions, along with our orientation and information evenings, offer new families an insightful preview of what they can expect as members of the St Clare’s community. As a Catholic Primary School, we are committed to nurturing every child to reach their full potential in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment—one

where Faith Leads to Wisdom and Courage.

Our whole-school approach to positive learning behaviours plays a key role in shaping the experience of our students. We foster an atmosphere where Respect, Optimism, Courage, Kindness and Safety (ROCKS) are at the heart of everything we do. These values are integral in helping each child develop not only socially and emotionally but also academically and spiritually.

As we continue our orientation process, we remain focused on preparing both students and their families for the exciting journey ahead, one that will involve personal growth and learning in all aspects of life.

We look forward to a wonderful year ahead, where every child is encouraged to thrive in all areas of their learning journey, underpinned by the values of Faith, Wisdom, and Courage.

St Clare’s Catholic Primary School Welcomes 2025 Foundation Students.

Legends inspire students

Several sports stars recently took time out of their busy schedules to visit St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School and speak with High Performance Program (HPP) students during their annual HPP Seminar Day.

Organised by program coordinator, Scott Armour, student-athletes in Years 7 to 12 across both St Paul’s campuses were fortunate to hear from five presenters: Brad Crouch (AFL player), Saraid Taylor (basketball and AFLW), Sophie Taylor (physiotherapist and Australian hockey player), Alex Chidiac (Matildas player) and Caitlin Parker (boxer and 2024 Olympic bronze medallist).

Students were eager to hear from each guest about their experiences in sport, and how they

balanced their education with their early professional careers. Each presenter made themselves available to the students after their sessions for more questions and conversation, as well as posing for photos that the students will no doubt use for inspiration to develop into the best athletes they can be.

The HPP Seminar Day is a highlight that participating students look forward to each year, anticipating the insights, tips and tricks that are shared by sports professionals. St Paul’s High Performance Program assists student-athletes in supporting their sporting goals while maintaining a high level of academic achievement throughout their secondary schooling.

AFLW Melbourne Demons player Saraid Taylor with Ruby Reidy, Georgia Hasthorpe, Ainsley Bawden, Sapphire Pratt and Lucy Bates.

High Performance Program hockey players, brothers William and Oscar Callanan, and Regan Smith standing with Sophie Taylor, an Australian field hockey player.

With the shirt she has previously presented the High Performance Program with is Caitlin Parker (middle) standing with Abbey Wilson, Claire Finger, Amelia Henry and Rebecca Kesendany.

Smiling alongside Brad Crouch (middle) are Adrien Nardone, Henry Boothman, Brett Butler and Corey O’Brien.

The White Exhibition Gallery

White Ribbon Art Gallery has returned to Cardinia Cultural Centre (CCC), with diverse artwork advocating against domestic violence. The exhibition is open daily and free to the public until Sunday November 24 2024.

Caldermeade Farm & Cafe night

carvery

Every Thursday and Friday night Caldermeade Farm and Cafe are offering a two course roast dinner to make life easy for our amazing customers. They are open from 6 ‘til late and the carvery service is from 6-8pm. The price for adults is $35 and kids (12 and under) are $20.

Christmas Twilight Market

Locals are invited to Christmas Twilight Market held in Cockatoo on Saturday 30 November 2024 from 3:00pm-8:00pm. The event promises family fun carnival and great food. Local produce, bread, olive oil, preserves, plants, unique Christmas gifts, leather goods, timberware, garden art, craft, pet products, community stalls, entertainment by local musicians and kids activities.

• Alma Treloar Reserve, Healesville - Koo Wee Rup Road, Cockatoo VIC

Myli- My Community Library creative haven craft group

From beginner to expert, locals are encouraged to bring along their knitting, crochet or other craft project and have a yarn and a cuppa. This is a free event with refreshments provided, at Emerald Library on Tuesday 19 November from 6:00pm-7:30pm. Carols By Candlelight

Join the festive evening to celebrate the holiday season. This family-friendly event features a fantastic afternoon and evening filled with fun, food, music, and festivities. The carols will be held at Toomuc Reserve, Pakenham VIC on Saturday 7 December 2024, 4:30-8:30pm.

2025 Leongatha Art and Photography Show

Calling all artists and photographers!

The highly anticipated 2025 Leongatha Art and Photography Show, hosted by the Rotary Club of Leongatha, has announced entry submission for the 2025 show is now open until 6pm on Friday 6 December. The 2025 show will open to the public at Leongatha Memorial Hall on Saturday 18 January

and will run until Saturday 8 February.

Celebrating over 48 illustrious years, the event has evolved into a cornerstone of artistic expression within the Gippsland community.

• For more information, visit www.leonartshow. com.au or contact rotaryleongatha.artshow@gmail. com

Officer Probus Club

The new Officer Probus Club meets on the first Friday of the month from 10am at the Officer Sports Club on the corner of Princes Highway and Sterling Road in Officer

Be part of a social club to meet new friends, hear from guest speakers and enjoy activities and outings.

• For more information, contact Helen Kusters on 0412 170 300 or officerprobussecretary@gmail. com

Kids Fun Run with Puffing Billy

up to hold the event for the 21st time on Sunday 24

November at Gembrook Puffing Billy Station.

This will be the fifth year the event will support Monash Children’s Hospital Cancer Centre.

Children aged three to 12 run in seven age groups against the train and every participant receives a show bag and certificate.

• To register, visit www.emeraldrotary.org.au/ page/kfrwpb

Pakenham Arthritis Self-Help Group

Are you living with arthritis and looking for a supportive community?

Join the Pakenham Arthritis Self Help Group (PASH) and discover the benefits of water and chair aerobics.

The group offers a safe and welcoming space to connect with others who understand your challenges.

Together, the group learns strategies to manage

ity of life.

Warm water exercises are held at Cardinia Life from 8.15am to 9.15 am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with chair exercises running at Meadowvale Retirement Village from 10.30am to 11.15am on Mondays and Pakenham Senior Citizens Centre from 10.30am to 11.15am on Thursdays.

• For additional information contact bernadette. lilley56@gmail.com or 0411 098 519.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens

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

Weekly activities include line dancing from 10am to noon on Mondays, new vogue and old time dancing from 1pm to 3.30pm on Tuesdays, carpet bowls from 11.30am to 2.30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays and bingo from 11am to 2pm on Thursdays.

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

Line dancing

The Berwick Senior Citizens Centre is hosting line dancing sessions from 10am to noon every Tuesday at 112 High Street in Berwick.

First session is free, with a small fee for future classes.

Morning tea or coffee included.

Probus Club of Casey Combined

The Probus Club of Casey Combined is welcoming any new members to meet at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick from 9.45am to noon on the second Tuesday of each month.

After morning tea, the club hosts an interesting guest speaker, with members often meeting up for lunch at a local cafe after the meeting.

• For more information, contact Margaret Luxford on 0409 861 207 or Magda Michael on 0406 468 265.

Inner Wheel Club of Berwick

The Inner Wheel Club (IW) Berwick is a ladies international friendship club which raises funds to support local charities and other worthwhile causes. They have a dinner meeting on the first Monday of the month and enjoy a range of activities including guest speakers, morning teas, book club and craft afternoons.

• For more information, visit their Facebook page

Old and new faces to assist Officer’s planned ascension

By Marcus Uhe

Officer Football Club has finalised its senior coaching panel for the 2025 season, with a hybrid blend of both on-field and off-field mentors tasked with guiding the Kangaroos back to prominence.

Joining Nathan Allen is his brother, Ash, set to take the defensive line as a playing-coach, while Mark Seedsman will lead the forwards for another year.

From the bench, club legend and 323-gamer Kable Dowsett will join respected junior football coach Tim Ferguson and five-time Narre Warren premiership player Josh Tonna in managing the magnets and rotations while providing an alternate perspective from the sidelines.

Tonna and Nathan Allen are close mates, having played together at Narre Warren earlier in Allen’s playing career, and filled in as a runner for the Magpies at times in 2024, having called time on his playing career after his last premiership in 2022.

Allen said Dowsett expressed a desire to reintegrate himself with the club once more, while Ferguson brings an impressive pedigree from local Coates Talent League clubs.

“He’s (Ferguson) coached a lot of junior footy and done a lot of representative footy,” Allen said.

“The club really wanted to get him involved because he has coached their juniors and he’s very well respected around there.

“A couple of other people I know were trying to get him as an assistant coach as well, so I’m pretty happy he committed to us.

“He should be huge for me on the bench.”

Outside of the Allen brothers, Officer has not made a point of ‘winning’ the offseason by an-

nouncing a swag of new faces committing via social media posts.

Joining the Allen brothers is Max Welsh, a key position player from Orbost Snowy Rovers, but an internal directive from the powers at be at Starling Road saw a heavy focus on re-signing the majority of its abundance of talented youth and senior players.

Among the key names to recommit include captain, Brent Moloney, Sam Hoghton, Josh Westra, Jake Gains, Antonio Quach, Ryan Hutton, Lachlan Ward and Tyler Canute.

Officer’s reserves won the Division One premiership in 2023 and its Under 19s side reached the grand final in 2024 against Pakenham, after finishing fourth and winning a pair of sudden-death finals to reach the last day of the season.

Allen declared that everyone is beginning preseason this week with a clean slate, having intentionally steered away from match footage and opinions of his playing stocks.

“We just want to add a little bit of experience around these young guys, whether that’s to help him on the training track or whether it’s onfield, we just see where everyone’s at, really,” he said.

“We haven’t gone too hard (recruiting), the footy operations guys have been pretty happy with the young list and talent we’ve got, it’s about bringing them on and giving them opportunity.

“Knowing what’s coming through, they (football operations staff) don’t really want to turn these kids away because they see that we’ve recruited five or six and they think they’re not going to pay senior footy.

“It’s about keeping the local guys together and hopefully happy and hopefully that brings results

on the field.

“Hopefully the senior guys around the young kids can hopefully bring them on a little bit.”

Officer blew a gilt-edged chance to qualify for the top six this season in the Outer East Football Netball’s Premier Division, having hovered around the mark for much of the year and finish-

ing three points back from sixth place come season’s end, with seven wins and 11 losses.

A slide late in the year saw the club make the shock decision to part ways with former coach Daniel Charles, while Brenton Hillard will ply his trade at Warragul Industrials after one excellent season at Rob Porter Recreation Reserve.

Fresh faces inject new excitement for Warriors Youth Men

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Pakenham has announced its Youth League men’s squad for the 2025 season.

The Warriors will have two new players on the list and Jake Meagher graduates from the development list to the roster.

19-year-old Jye Horne joins the Warriors after spending time with Casey Cavaliers, while Angus Murdoch comes from the Illawarra Hawks.

“(Angus is) a good guard who can shoot it,” coach Braden Venning said.

“He has relationships within the team which is pretty cool.

“He’s a big body and can hit bodies

“(Jye is) a very defensive minded guard.

“He’ll hound the ball and while we were the number one rated defence last year, there were areas we wanted to improve upon and he’ll be a good catalyst for us being aggressive defensively.”

Linden Moon replaces Meagher as a development player, a natural progression for a young player in the Warriors pathway.

Luke Rawiri, Jackson Grey and Cal McNiff are the outs, with the former two key pillars and serving as co-captains in 2024.

“Everyone can be a leader,” Venning said.

“We don’t go in thinking about having a leadership group, the natural leaders come to the front and we have a lot of them.

“Jarred and Ethan Small can step up and lead by example, Riley Pollard has been around it for a couple of years , and there’s also Kaleb Beveridge and Hayden Melsen and Cooper Lanting is vocal so we have no end of guys who can help.

After finishing on top of the table in the Youth League 2 competition last season, the Warriors will have a play-in series in February, seeking promotion to Youth League 1. It will change the course of preseason, with Pakenham needing to play practice games early

to be able to hit the cutthroat games in form.

“Having a returning core makes it easier so you only have to get a few players up to speed,” Venning said.

“We definitely have to hit the ground run-

ning, you go straight into a finals atmosphere in February so it’s just about steadily building.”

Full Pakenham Warriors 2025 squad: Braden Venning (coach), Cooper Lanting, Mason Fraser, Kaleb Beveridge, Aaron Small, Ethan Small,

Jarred Small, Angus Murdoch, Jye Horne, Jake Meagher, Hayden Melsen, Riley Brown, Riley Pollard

Development players: Linden Moon, Mitch Zeunert

Mason Fraser will return in 2025. (Stewart Chambers: 425710).

Officer’s Kable Dowsett will be an assistant coach at the club this season. (Stewart Chambers: 425714)

Cougars claw to first win

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Devon Meadows top four hopes have taken a hit, Clyde has its first win of the season and Pakenham staved off a major upset in an eventful round 5 of Casey Cardinia Cricket Association’s Premier competition.

Chasing 316 for victory after a Trevor Bauerled Clyde found rhythm with the bat on day one, an 81-run opening partnership gave the Panthers a strong base they were unable to capitalise on.

An enterprising 68 off 61 to skipper Lucas Ligt, and each of his teammates in the top four got starts, but none were able to anchor the run chase, and the bottom seven contributed a paltry 31 between them.

The hosts collapsed from 2/151 to 199 all out as first change bowler Nick Shannon unleashed on the middle order after getting one through the defences of Ligt.

The important spell of bowling which yielded figures of 5/49 follows a solid but largely unrewarded start to the season for Shannon.

The win is a critical one for Clyde, which has competed well across a brutal early season fixture without reward.

It lifts the Cougars to sixth on the table, two games outside the top four but with a favourable month to finish off the first half of the season.

Bauer’s 116 and Anurudda Fonseka’s 62 was the highlight of day one, while Devon Meadows off-spinner Jakeb McVicar took 6/84.

At Toomuc Reserve, Pakenham sneaked to victory over the Cobras by two wickets to remain undefeated and consign the winless Merinda Park to the bottom of the table.

Sitting at 2/9 entering day two, night watcher James Close absorbed pressure and sought to bat through the chase, while the middle order wilted.

Entering at 6/72, all-rounder Nick Sadler was a calm head with an 81-ball 29, before Dominic Paynter cut the tension with a boundary-filled 32

off 26.

Demoted down the order due to neck soreness, Paynter’s unbeaten 32 is his third important cameo of the season to help Pakenham to victory, after steering the latter stages of the run chase against Clyde in round 4, and Tooradin in

round 1.

Fast bowling pair Tyson Bertrand and Matt Dennerley built pressure by bowling disciplined channels before Bevin Corneille and Matt Campbell bowled well in tandem through the middle overs.

Ultimately stung by not having enough runs on the board, the Cobras will still feel as though they let a winning position slip for the third time in 2024-25.

At Tooradin, the Seagulls cantered to an outright victory over Upper Beaconsfield, losing just three wickets across their two innings, while bowling the Maroons out for 120 and 130.

Leading by 11 runs overnight, Tooradin declared and took just 51 overs to run through Beaconsfield, with former Seagull Cooper Shipp top scoring for the visitors with 30.

Skipper Michael Sweeney then opened the batting, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 48 to lead Tooradin to an outright victory, an important result given two early losses this season.

At Gunton Oval, Cardinia chased down Kooweerup’s 174 with four wickets in hand. John Nooy and Yohan Arumadura stabilised after Mark Cooper was dismissed late on day one which put the Bulls on top.

Two quick wickets to Steve Dillon briefly got the Demons back into the game but a grinding unbeaten innings to Bradey Welsh alongside brother Matt got the Bulls over the line.

It’s a significant result for the Bulls, putting them six points clear on top of the table, while the Demons drop to fourth.

Mouthwatering round awaits as top-two teams collide

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Every game in round six of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association premier competition is set to have meaningful implications on the season.

Undefeated teams Cardinia and Pakenham are set to face off, while Kooweerup hosts Tooradin with the loser set to diminish their grip on a top four spot.

Merinda Park has Devon Meadows, with the Cobras desperate to get their first win of the season, while the Panthers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss against Clyde.

Clyde, meanwhile, has Upper Beaconsfield.

The Cougars need to win these sort of games if they are to challenge for finals after a tough start to the season, while the Maroons will be looking to prove themselves after a weak month.

Cardinia’s clash with Pakenham pits two sides against each other that have found ways to win without any starring contributions.

Both have been reliant on bit-part contributions and cameos with the bat, with the middle and lower order of each team working hard to

rescue them from sticky situations on multiple occasions.

Powerhouse Kooweerup has been strengthened by all-rounder Shiran Rathnayake in the off-season, with their depth arguably the best in the competition.

It will pose an intriguing test for Tooradin which has had a par start to the season, but has been hurt by the stability and wicket taking of Pete Sweeney and Brad Butler.

At Tony Way Recreation Reserve, it will likely be a battle of which team’s depth shines brighter.

For the Cobras, Daniel McCalman has done most of the work with the bat, and Matt Dennerley with the ball, with others getting starts but unable to rise when the game is on the line.

Devon Meadows has been similarly dependent on experienced leaders Lucas Ligt, Chris Cleef and Jakeb McVicar.

The Cougars are among the form teams of the competition despite round 5 being their first win of the season, with the club exceeding expectation in each of the past three rounds despite the mixed outcomes.

have found their best batting combination and the bowling lineup is firing which poses a great challenge for Upper Beaconsfield.

Casey and Cardinia community groups set to win big

Excitement is building for Saturday’s $500,000 Ladbrokes Cranbourne Cup day with 14 community groups in contention to win significant cash prizes over five weeks of fantastic racing action.

Southside Racing randomly selected the community groups to participate in the inaugural Southside Slot Series, Australia’s first-ever thoroughbred Slot Racing Series.

The Southside Slot Series begins at Cranbourne on Saturday, with the running of the $1million Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m), before the series continues with the $1million Sportsbet Supernova (1400m) at Sportsbet Pakenham Cup Day on Saturday, 21 December.

With support from major partners Ladbrokes and Sportsbet, this ground-breaking event will match these local organisations with prestigious slot holders for two thrilling days of racing in November and December.

Each group will attend the Meteorite Barrier Draw on Wednesday, 20 November, where they will be assigned a slot holder and discover the horse they will support in the first leg of the series.

The process will be repeated in December at

the Supernova Barrier Draw.

The call for Expressions of Interest received an overwhelming response, with many worthy groups vying for a place in this exciting event.

To ensure fairness, Southside Racing conducted a random draw to select the 14 partici-

pating groups.

Participating groups have a chance to win significant cash prizes based on their horse’s performance, with rewards of up to $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, and $2,000 for third in each race. Additionally, each group will

receive 10 complimentary general admission tickets for both race days, allowing them to fully experience the excitement on track.

Southside Racing said it was proud to offer this unique opportunity to local non-profit organisations in Cardinia Shire and the City of Casey, celebrating their invaluable contributions to the community and marking a historic chapter in Australian racing.

The selected community groups from Cardinia Shire and the City of Casey include:

Local community groups are in contention to win big when the spotlight of Victorian racing focuses on Cranbourne and Pakenham in the coming weeks. (Rob Carew: 375565)

They

CARDINIA v Pakenham, Merinda Park, CLYDE v Upper Beaconsfield, KOOWEERUP v Tooradin, Merinda Park v DEVON MEADOWS

Shiran Rathnayake has been a revelation for Kooweerup this season. (Stewart Chambers: 442533).

Kane Avard and Clyde have a win on the board in 2024/25. (Stewart Chambers: 440878).

History making for Pumas

It was massive week for baseball in Pakenham with the Pumas two regional teams taking each other on in a history-making day for the club. Here’s how the week unfolded.

JUNIORS

Pumas Big League took on Newport Blue this week and came away strong winners 10-1. Cooper Porter threw an excellent game keeping the Newport bats quiet and getting himself out of a couple of jams. Liam relieved the last, to secure the win. Bats were strong all game and Coadhey lead the way with three hits. Great game again by the boys.

Pakenham Pumas SL90 could not keep pace with Upwey FTG SL90 losing 5-2 on Sunday. Will Mayberry started the game for Pakenham. The pitcher allowed three hits and five runs over four innings, striking out 10 and walking six. Oliver Corrigan, Tyler Whitelaw, and Callum Farrow each collected one hit for Pakenham. Lachlan Collier, Corrigan, and Mayberry each stole multiple bases for Pakenham. The boys ran wild on the base paths, accumulating eight stolen bases for the game. Pakenham was sure-handed in the field and didn’t commit a single error. Farrow had the most chances in the field with 14. Next up for Pakenham Pumas SL90 is a game at Sandringham.

The Little League minor kids had fun running the bases and having a crack in the batter’s box. There were some outstanding pitching performances by our team but overall, everyone got to know the true basics of the game. Under 14s had a washout.

SENIORS FIRSTS

Pakenham Pumas Premier 2 were triumphant over Saints 5-2 on Thursday, our first midweek game for the season. Pumas were the first to get on the board in the first when Hiroke Goke singled, scoring one run. Pakenham then committed an error, which helped the Saints tie the game at one-all in the bottom of the first. Pakenham jumped back into the lead in the top of the third inning after Saints committed an error. Max Hunter singled to right field, and Darren Reeves hit a sacrifice fly, each scoring one run. Hunter earned the win for Pakenham Pumas. The hurler gave up four hits and two runs (one earned) over five innings, striking out seven and walking three. Goke led Pakenham with two hits in two at bats. Pakenham ran wild on the base paths, accumulating four stolen bases for the game.

Max Vetter’s big day propelled Pakenham past Preston 14-12 on Saturday. Max drove in four runs on five hits when he doubled in the

sixth scoring two, singled in the first scoring one, and singled in the third scoring one. Pakenham opened the scoring in the top of the first thanks to three singles. Pakenham got on the board when Max Hunter singled, scoring one. Pakenham made the score 8-5 in the top of the third after Vetter singled, scoring one, Dan Taylor singled, scoring one, and Hiroke doubled, scoring two. Preston tied the game in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a walk and a single. Pakenham made the score 11-10 in the top of the sixth after Vetter doubled, scoring two, and Taylor grounded out, scoring one. Pakenham jumped further into the lead in the top of the seventh inning after Goke tripled to right, Hunter grounded out, and Shaun Fahy singled to left, each scoring one run. Rohan Hector led things off on the mound for Pakenham. The starting pitcher gave up seven hits and eight runs over three innings. Hiroke pitched one inning of zero-run ball for Pakenham in relief. The hurler allowed one hit. Pakenham amassed 18 hits in the game. Jesse Hunter, Hiroke Goke, Danny Cannizaro, and Fahy each collected multiple hits for Pakenham. The Pumas had a strong eye at the plate, amassing six walks for the game. Hunter and Kyler Rinehart led the team with two free passes each. Rinehart stole two bases.

RESERVES

Pakenham Premier Reserves sailed past the Preston Pirates in a comfortable 8-4 win on Saturday afternoon in the sweltering heat. Rhys McKenzie started on the mound for the Pumas and pitched well in the 30-degree heat. James McFadden came on to close out the game. As the dugout had the only shade on the diamond, the Pumas were quick to get the outs needed so they could then collect some of their own hits. James McFadden, Rhys Mckenzie, and Dillon Collier each scored multiple RBIS for the team. Pumas ran rampant on the bases and easily accounted for the Preston Pirates winning the game.

STATE 3

Pakenham State League 3’s played Ormond away this weekend. Having posted their first win of the season last weekend, the Puma’s batters came to the top of the first inning at full speed. A combination of good discipline, good running and a few good hits saw Pakenham go right through the batting order and put up the maximum seven runs to take an early lead. The Puma’s added to this in the top of the second, scoring two more runs, before putting the game out of reach in the third where they added four. With the bat every player contributed, but some highlights included an in the park home run by Mathew Howden, multiple hard hits from Conner Mills Emmerson and Brock Edwards (including a double) and Coadhey Re-

becchi. In the field, Ormond put pressure on the Puma’s a couple of times, loading the bases, but these were mostly shut down by a couple of nice plays especially two in a row by James D’arcy. On the mound, veteran/old timer Scott Dale and youngster Lachlan Collier shared the game. After being put under a lot of pressure early, young Lachlan came back strong and finished out the game well. In what was a great team effort, this very young team show a lot of heart and fight to win the game 14-5.

STATE 4

Pakenham Puma’s played Ormon Glenhuntly away at E.E. Gunn Reserve. It was a strange day; the game started 15 minutes late because of rain and ended with players putting on sun screen. The Pumas were not at their best. Pakenham started well scoring two runs in the top of the first but a couple of hits from Ormond saw the lead reduced to one. Pakenham then added one run in the second on a Sac fly from Wayne Porter to extend the lead to 3-1. Pakenham added seven more runs in the third and four more over the fourth and fifth inning but some sloppy fielding by the Pumas allowed four unearned runs which was disappointing. The final score was 14-5 Pakenham’s way but the only shining lights in the game were some good disciplines at the platetallying 13 walks - and a two-for-two effort from Lachlan Collier as hits were scarce.

REGIONAL DERBY

In a historic Pakenham v Pakenham Derby, Pumas Black defeated Pumas White. This summer’s Pakenham v Pakenham derby lived up to its hype on Sunday with Pakenham Pumas Black defeating Pumas White 6-1 in challenging conditions. This match also marked the first time six O’Halloran’s - Malachite, Noah, William, Archer, David, and Jude - played in the same game, showcasing a unique family legacy. Meanwhile, on the Regional Black side, Riley Duncan joined in this week to make it the first time that four of the Duncan family played in the one team; making it a truly unique family affair. Both teams battled wild weather to ensure the ground was ready for play, working together to overcome the elements in a show of community spirit. Pakenham Black took an early lead, scoring in the top of the first inning through a combination of smart base running and patient at-bats. Gregg Duncan and Tristan White earned walks, while Adam Duncan brought in a run with a fielder’s choice. Brad Jones delivered a standout performance for Black, pitching five innings with six strikeouts while allowing only three hits and one unearned run. Malachite O’Halloran started for Pakenham White, battling through challenging weather con-

ditions but giving up four runs on one hit in twothirds of an inning. Lance Llandado was exceptional in relief only allowing a further two runs in 4.1 innings of relief. Greg McCormick was perfect at the plate for Black, going three-for-three, while Bryce Haley added two hits in two at-bats. Brad Jones contributed with two RBIs, and the teams displayed aggressive baserunning, swiping 13 bases collectively. Masters had to forfeit.

WOMENS

Pakenham Pumas played Moorabbin on the weekend ready to challenge the second-place holders. The end score, 8-5 in Moorabbin’s favour, reflected the effort and challenge the Pumas put in against the top team. Pakenham put up a strong trio of pitchers consisting of Olivia Garcia, who struck out five batters and walked one, Carni Dowsett, who allowed four hits, and Katherine Walton, who finished off the game striking out one and allowing no hits. Casey Hynes and Katherine Walton both collected two hits each, while Olivia Garcia, Carni Dowsett, Jade Taylor, Kirby Cannizzaro and Holly Lunn each had one hit. The team collectively had five RBI’s and stole eight bases.

PUMAS WHITE

Pakenham Pumas Women’s White had trouble keeping up with St Kilda in a 22-7 loss on Saturday. The Saints were a force to be reckoned with on the field, getting those runs over home plate, hitting left, right and centre. Pitching for three innings, Jessica Moulding gave it her best shot, knowing that the Saints can watch one pitch and then send the next one right into Albert Park Lake. With only three types of pitches in her repertoire - ranging from loopy, a little less loopy, and then the hard to hit extreme loopy. Clearly the St Kilda Ladies love to just hit baseballs, because that’s exactly what they did! With a couple of errors and walks from the St Kilda pitcher, the Pumas managed to score two runs in the third inning and then some sneaky hitting got them five more runs in the fourth. While things were getting loopy in the Pumas dugout, Jess handed the game ball over to Newbies, Emma Barker and Sofia Fahy to have their time in the limelight up on the mound, both facing about five batters each. The two did an awesome job and are definitely ones to look out for in the future for the Pumas. Sarah Bailey, the number seven hitter for Pakenham, led the way with two runs batted in. Christine Sculley, Jessica Moulding, Mel Woodham and Colleen Graham each collected one hit for Pakenham. Sofia Fahy and Olivia Field led the team with two walks each.

-Jessica Moulding

History was created at Toomuc Reserve on Sunday with Pakenham Black taking on Pakenham White in a Regional Local Derby. (Supplied: 444659)

ENROL NOW FOR 2025

Our faith leads to wisdom and courage.

This motto is the energising source of all that happens at St Clare's and is embedded in the ethos of the school, the curriculum we offer and the relationships we develop within our school and wider communities.

If you are reading this as a prospective student, parent, guardian or family, I invite you to visit us at St Clare's and discover this dynamic learning environment and start the beginning of, what I hope will be, a life-long learning partnership.

Helen Staindl School Principal