Dogs like Rollo have been well supported by Animal Aid in Coldstream through all of his allergy treatment and fostering journey. He’s been loved and cared and is now on his way to having a forever home. But as just one of many dogs, cats and kittens being cared for by the animal shelter, the great need for support only grows. Each year around 6000 animals find their way to Animal Aid through no fault of their own. As you’re dusting off the decorations, planning festive feasts and cherishing time with family and friends, why not add a donation to the list of things to do these holidays. Do something a little different this year and give the gift of giving by visiting the shelter or their website.
MOUNTAIN VIEWS UPPER YARRA
CHRISTMAS IN YARRA GLEN
Carols spirit for Yarra Glen
Yarra Glen Carols by
2024 will be a spectacle of Christmas and celebration!
The event will begin at 7pm on the 14 December in McKenzie Reserve, Yarra Glen.
Last year’s event was such a success, the committee said it was a beautiful night of fun, friends, family and festivities.
“We had such a beautiful celebration of festivities and fun thanks to our wonderfully talented
made us have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” the carols committee posted to social media.
This year, there will be performances from Voice Code Studios and local singers like Anthony Gerace, with plenty of family friendly entertainment and quite a few fun surprises throughout the night.
The committee will be providing a free sausage sizzle from 6pm. Pack a picnic and blanket, and bring along friends and family for a night of singing, entertainment and good times.
Wishing all of our loyal customers the very best wishes for the festive season & thank you all again for your support this year. We will be closed for the Christmas break from Thursday December 19th, 2024 & reopen on Wednesday January 8, 2025
If you are a regular at the Yarra Glen Christmas Carols make sure you pop 14 December on your calendar.
If you have never been to the Yarra Glen Carols before, make sure you make the effort to go, you will be glad you did!
To keep up to date with the singers names and other exciting news, you can find the Facebook page by searching Yarra Glen Carols By Candlelight.
This year’s Carols event is proudly supported by Yarra Glen Bake House and Integrity Real Estate.
Candlelight
There is a scheduled visit from Santa on the cards too. (Supplied)
The Yarra Glen Carols by Candlelight is stacked with performances from locals. (Supplied)
CHRISTMAS IN YARRA GLEN
Gifts aplenty at markets
It’s time to get some Christmas shopping done in the open air and what better place to do this than the Yarra Glen Racecourse Craft Market, tucked away in the Yarra Valley. It might sound far away, but the drive here is easy no matter where you’re coming from, and
picturesque enough to distract the fussiest of backseat drivers.
On arrival, you’ll be guided to a car park – no shopping centre car park rage here.
And just a short walk away, the market begins.
Row upon row of handmade and homegrown, locally designed pieces, sold by the best shopkeepers around.
The stallholders are only too happy to stop and chat, to tell you the story behind each piece and help guide you to the perfect present.
It’s the dream place to find those unique gifts, while supporting local makers, making the gift
even more special.
After a couple of hours of solid shopping you’ll be feeling thirsty or getting a bit peckish, so stop and have a drink and a snack at one of the many options available – then, recharged, get straight back into it before the best bits are gone!
There will be two great Christmas Markets at the Yarra Glen Racecourse Market, Sunday 1 December, 9am-2pm and Yarra Glen Racecourse Twilight Market, Saturday 7 December, 3pm8pm. Parking $5 with a small surcharge for electronic payments.
While dogs are loved, please leave them at home for this one!
Don’t miss the chance to buy from local makers. (Supplied)
The twilight setting is the perfect backdrop when shopping. (Supplied)
The Craft Markets will be filled with present ideas. (Supplied)
CHRISTMAS IN YARRA JUNCTION
Spread some festive cheer
As Christmas approaches, the Yarra Valley Professionals are gearing up to spread holiday cheer through their annual food drive. Running now until mid-December, this community initiative aims to provide much-needed support to local families feeling the pinch of rising living costs.
This year, more families than ever are struggling to make ends meet. The festive season, while joyful for many, can also be a time of immense financial stress. That’s why the Yarra Valley Professionals team is urging the community to come together and lend a hand to those in need.
Donations can be dropped off at the Yarra Junction Professionals office at 2460 Warburton Hwy, Yarra Junction, where the collected items will be distributed to local families.
Lyndal, a dedicated member of the Yarra Valley Professionals team, shares the importance of the initiative: “The food drop is something we do every year. We’ve shifted our focus to food donations because that’s the biggest priority right now. It’s all about helping people take some of the pressure off.”
Non-perishable food items and Christmasthemed treats are especially appreciated, bringing a bit of festive warmth to families doing it tough.
The food drive, inspired by similar initiatives Lyndal observed in South Australia, has become a cherished tradition for nearly a decade. The team’s commitment, combined with the generosity of locals, ensures the Christmas spirit reaches everyone.
Let’s come together, Yarra Valley, to make this Christmas brighter for our neighbours in need. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference.
The Professionals Yarra Valley team love lending a helping hand. (Supplied)
all of our Customers a
CHRISTMAS IN YARRA JUNCTION
New and exciting events
By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Junction is getting in the festive spirit this December with a pair of events for the community.
The newly-formed Yarra Junction Community Group is wasting no time ins starting its community efforts, hosting a Christmas Window competition and a Carols event to start the festive season.
“We wanted to involve kids and make it a lead up to Christmas so we looked at a window decoration competition as a way to bring a sparkle to people’s faces,” she said.
“Last year when I saw the first decorations go up in Woolworths outside, it brought a smile to my face and I thought that’s what we need around this time of year.”
Invitations to register for the competition
Vice President of the Yarra Junction Community Group Rosemary Crowley said they decided they wanted to do something special for Christmas.
were extended to traders in the township, inviting them to get onboard and compete. 14 shops had registered by the morning of Friday 22 November and voting by the community will take place from 9 to 13 December.
The Christmas Window competition winners will be announced and lucky voters will be drawn at the Community Christmas Party and Carols to be held at Zac’s Place at the All Saints Anglican Church at 2438 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction on Sunday 15 December from 4pm to 6.30pm.
Ms Crowley said the carols will be a small affair.
“It takes a lot of time to run big carols and we decided that we would do something in a smaller vein so we’re just making it a like Christmas party with sausage sizzling and children’s carols after,” she said.
“Our group was formed because people saying there was no organisation, there was no advocacy and there were no traders anymore, so we’re just trying to bring some life back into Yarra Junction and I think Christmas time is the right time to do it.”
Who can come up with the best Christmas Window in Yarra Junction?
The Yarra Junction Community Group are helping foster the festive spirit in town.
CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE
Healesville shines bright
Get ready to experience the festive magic of Healesville as the Rotary Club brings back its much-loved annual Shop Window Competition!
From 1 to 12 December, businesses along Healesville’s main street will transform their windows into dazzling displays of Christmas cheer, creating a vibrant and inviting atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.
“Any business that decorates their window is automatically part of the competition. It’s about celebrating community spirit and supporting our local shops,” Rotary Club president Sally Piper said.
Rotary members will photograph each deco-
rated window, with winners chosen through a combination of public votes and Rotary Club selections. Five prizes are up for grabs, each involving spending vouchers purchased from the winning businesses. These vouchers are then used as raffle prizes to support Rotary initiatives throughout the year.
Voting is easy and open to everyone via the Healesville Rotary Club’s website, encouraging community engagement while showcasing the creativity of local businesses.
Sally noted the impact of the competition:
“It’s wonderful seeing kids marvel at the displays and parents stopping to admire the effort. It’s our
Hosted by the ROTARY CLUB of HEALESVILLE 2024
1st to 12th December
The Rotary Club of Healesville invites Main Street shop-owners to participate in the Annual Christmas Window Competition to create a festive atmosphere in the Main Street of Healesville and to attract customers to their shops.
Shop-owners who present a beautiful festive shop window display, which reflects their products and services can win a certificate and the Rotary Club of Healesville purchases $50 vouchers:
1st Prize - 8 vouchers = $400
2nd Prize - 6 vouchers = $ 300
3rd Prize -5 vouchers = $250
4th Prize - 4 vouchers = $200
5th Prize -2 vouchers = $100
These vouchers are used by the Rotary Club of Healesville for raffles to support local business sales
On-line nominations will be accepted from the wider community, starting 1st December.
The last day for nominations is the 12th December
Here is the link for the nomination form: https://rotaryhealesville.org/xmas
Winners will be chosen during the Rotary Club's Christmas Function held on the 12th December 2024.
Another Community event organised by the Rotary Club of Healesville
way of acknowledging the businesses that make Healesville so special.”
The event not only celebrates the holidays but also fosters connection among businesses, locals, and visitors.
“We want new businesses to feel welcome and part of the community,” Sally added.
For more information, including how to get involved with Rotary, visit www.rotaryhealesville. org. This Christmas, take a stroll down Healesville’s main street and soak up the festive magic while supporting local businesses!
Christmas window displays are starting to pop up throughout Healesville. (Mikayla van Loon: 445058)
Touches of Christmas spirit can be found in every display at the Jewellers. (445058)
This winter toy village can be found at Healesville Jewellers. (445058)
CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE
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Marcia and Glenda with a happy Christmas shopper (front) at Glenda’s Candle Gifts during the 2023 shopping night. (Stewart Chambers: 378496)
CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE Looking back - and ahead
Queens Park Kindergarten was the first preschool to open in the district and has been operating out of the same site for 60 years.
With the long history, there are some families who have attended the kindergarten through multiple generations.
Queens Park Kindergarten teacher Melanie Mullens said there are some children whose parents or even grandparents attended the kindergarten.
“Queens Park Kindergarten has been an important part of the community over the last 60 years,” she said.
Queens Park Kindergarten hopes that not only to generate some much-needed funds for critical equipment purchases through the Christmas Fete but also to create a wholesome local tradition for the kids that is pure fun and builds a strong sense of community and connection.
“Funds raised throughout the event will go towards our resources,” Ms Mullens said.
“We will buy extra resources for our children like play equipment, which are not funded by the government.”
There’ll be lots of fun ‘Christmassy’ things to do including a visit from Santa and carols, food and drink, book stall, loads of local wine to raffle, we’ll also have some traditional events including the sack plus Egg and spoon races!
Ms Mullens thanked the parents committee who devoted their time to the fete as well as the businesses in the community who supported the fete.
The Queens Park Kindergarten Christmas Fete will be held in the first week of December. All are welcome.
L-R: Two pairs of twins Alice and Tommy with Isla and Hazel rolling the gingerbread playdough. (Dongyun Kwon: 445546)
p / p (Under 12s Half Price)
Complimentary Glass Of Bubbly On Arrival Book Early to Avoid Disappointment
The stockings are hung, the lights are twinkling, and the countdown to Christmas is on with Santa and his elves once again ready to take your calls.
Until Christmas Eve, kids of all ages can call Santa for free from any of Telstra’s 14,000-plus payphones by dialling #HO HO HO (#46 46 46).
This year, Telstra has made it even more special for Australia’s littlest callers to connect with Santa by introducing the first-ever kid-sized Telstra payphone – made just for Aussie kids.
Specially designed for small callers who might find regular handsets hard to reach, these mini payphones will be set up in select Telstra Stores in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane until Christmas Eve, giving kids their very own special way to reach the North Pole.
Telstra’s free calls to Santa has become an increasingly popular festive tradition for Australian families. Last year alone, over half a million calls were made to Santa from payphones across Australia, spreading joy to families nationwide. According to Telstra, calling Santa isn’t just festive fun – it’s also a great way for kids to learn how to find and use a payphone in case of an emergency, especially if they’ve never used a non-mobile phone before. Here are some handy tips:
• Use free calls to Santa to teach kids what a payphone is and how they work;
• With all standard national calls and texts free from Telstra payphones year-round, encourage kids to memorise at least one important phone number, which can be a lifeline for those unexpected moments; and
• -Fun fact: Every payphone has a unique number you can dial from your mobile. It’s a great way to show kids what an old-fashioned phone sounds like.
Kids can make free calls to Santa from Telstra payphones until Christmas Eve. (Supplied)
CHRISTMAS IN HEALESVILLE
It’s time to get singing
Get ready for a magical evening as Healesville’s beloved annual Community Carols returns on Saturday 7 December. Hosted by the Liberty Family Church, with support from various churches and community groups, this cherished event promises to bring the community together for a night brimming with festive joy and holiday spirit.
The celebrations will kick off at 5pm in the picturesque Queens Park. Attendees can look forward to a variety of pre-show activities, including kids’ games, Christmas crafts, and a special visit from Santa, who will make a grand entrance.
The night will showcase an array of performances by talented locals, with last year’s event featuring groups like St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, the Healesville Community Choir, and the Badger Creek Women’s Choir. Solo artists will also take the stage, adding to the festive atmo-
sphere with a mix of carols and holiday tunes.
This free event offers something for everyone. Food, drinks, and festive items will be available for purchase, with proceeds helping to fund future events. Donations on the night will also go toward supporting the important work of HICCI (Healesville Inter-Church Community Care).
Whether you’re singing along to classic carols, enjoying family-friendly activities, or simply soaking up the holiday cheer, this is a night you won’t want to miss. Bring your friends and family to Queens Park and join in celebrating the season with music, fun, and community spirit.
Healesville’s Community Carols will return for another year on Saturday 7 December. (Supplied)
Local performers have also taken to the stage. (163641)
Special guest Santa has always loved a visit to the carols. (Greg Carrick: 163641)
CHRISTMAS IN WARBURTON Get excited for the market
By Callum Ludwig
The Warburton Waterwheel’s annual Christmas Market is making its return at the start of December, proving the perfect opportunity to grab somegifts and get into the festive spirit.
The market will be held on Friday 6 December from 4pm to 8pm out the front, back and side of the Warburton Waterwheel with plenty of local stallholders already on board.
Warburton Waterwheel Coordinator Michele Ostherhoudt said it looks like they are going to be bursting with stalls, which is quite exciting.
“A wide variety of crafts and gifts of all types, plus some local organisations promoting their cause, we’ll have stalls down on the grass in front of the building, the decks surrounding it, as well as up in the arena on the high side of the Waterwheel, plus we will have our ‘food court’ again around the back side and up in the parking area off Station Road and near the Cog Cafe,” she said.
“We are excited this year to have the Cog Cafe staying open late to offer their delicious toasties, pastries and other freshly prepared food, plus we have Koha Community Cafe back, our local favourite food van Mountain Tucker, the Juicy Momo offering Tibetan and Himalayan delights and I’ve also invited the ice cream truck to pop by and I know several stall holders will be offering biscuits and other nibbles.”
The busking van will also be making a return and anyone interested in performing can contact Ms Osterhoudt at 03 5966 9600, 0458 274 224 or wwcoordinator@upperyarra.net.au to enquire about availability.
The Warburton Waterwheel can be found at 3400 Warburton Highway, Warburton, right in the centre of town. If you struggle to find a park alongside the highway other parking can be found at the Warburton Recreation Reserve, Thomas Avenue, Dammans Road across the river or the ADRA Redwood Centre’s overfill parking may be opened.
‘tis the season for…
… your judgemental in-laws to come to your house for Christmas lunch and make snide remarks about all the jobs you haven’t done.
We can’t help with your relos, but we can help you eliminate unfinished jobs to give them less ammo. How?
Warburton & Valley Hire now has a full “small engine service and repair workshop. Get your push or ride-on mower, brush-cutter, chainsaw, pump, generator, blower and more running smoothly before Christmas and GET STUFF DONE!
• Pickup and delivery service available.
• Call or text ahead to book your machine in 0413 891 964
• Thomas Avenue Warburton behind the Bakery (serving the whole valley)
*for an additional fee we will say we are too busy if you just want to pretend you care.
The Warburton Waterwheel Christmas Market is coming up. (Supplied)
Come get in the festive spirit at the market on Friday 6 December.The event is set to be filled with local stallholders.
A star is born
By Dongyun Kwon
Healesville Junior Football Club product Cody Anderson was selected by Hawthorn Hawks with pick 64 in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft on Thursday 21 November.
The former Blood, now dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’, grew up as a footballer step by step from the local stage, Coates Talent League to VFL and is now looking forward to making a debut in the AFL.
Anderson’s football journey started when he was six, joining Healesville Junior Football Club.
The Healesville footballer said he wishes to come back to his local footy club after his successful career in the AFL.
“My goal this year is to work hard to get a game next year, and my ultimate goal is to win an AFL premiership and have a long career,” Anderson said.
“I plan on finishing up my football at Healesville one day in the future. I truly believe nothing beats playing footy in your hometown.”
Turn to page 36 for more
Barking mad...
By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges Council went into lockdown for about an hour on the afternoon of Friday 15 November when Upwey resident Benjamin Kay arrived with the intention of trying to speak to a Council officer following frustration over the seizure of his dogs. He had previously been on the phone with the front desk earlier that day, had said he wanted to come down in person and was told not to.
The Star Mail spoke with Mr Kay who openly confirmed that his two dogs, a five-year-old Eng-
lish Staffordshire Terrier and an almost two-yearold American Bulldog were temporarily seized after they escaped the front door and yard and attacked a pedestrian and their dog outside, causing injuries that required hospitalisation around on Thursday 26 September this year.
Mr Kay said he felt he wasn’t in any way threatening when he called and then arrived at the Civic Centre trying to speak to someone about the process of dealing with his dogs..
“There was no argument or disagreement, it was just a shame that I’d didn’t get to speak to anyone that I wanted to, it was just with the front
desk, the people who put through all the calls to different departments but all the messages are relayed, none of these people can tell me themselves,” he said.
Mr Kay pleaded guilty to charges regarding not containing the dogs on the property and for the attacks on a human and dog in the Magistrates Court and was fined.
Director of Communities at Yarra Ranges Council Leanne Hurst said when a dog attack occurs, it can be very distressing for all involved.
“The subsequent seizure of dogs is also emotive, and Council must consider community
safety and comply with the Victorian Domestic Animal Act 1994 in circumstances like this,” she said.
“It is imperative that our staff feel safe when dealing with the public. In some emotive circumstances, there can be a safety risk and Council will make the necessary decisions to ensure the safety of our staff,” she said.
“If staff feel unsafe, the matter will be dealt with in a variety of ways which could include locking the building down and contacting the police.”
Turn to page 7 for more
Cody Anderson with his new brown and gold jersey. (Hawthorn Football Club)
‘Homelessness doesn’t take a holiday’: Anchor
As Australia’s homelessness crisis intensifies, Anchor is calling on the community to extend support to children and young people experiencing homelessness, especially during the festive season.
During a time that should be filled with joy and spent with family, homeless young Australians will face profound isolation, shame, and disconnection.
Anchor’s chief executive officer Heidi Tucker highlighted the unique hardships young people experiencing homelessness face over the holiday period.
“Homelessness doesn’t take a holiday at Christmas,” Ms Tucker said.
“This season, many young people will be spending Christmas in tents, boarding houses, motels, and even on the streets.
“Many other children and young people won’t have the opportunity to spend time with the ones they love at Christmas as they reside in state care. While our amazing carers and staff make Christmas warm and inviting, often they cannot replace the family these children and young people don’t see.”
This year, homelessness services saw a notable rise in demand, especially from young women aged 15 to 17, indicating a growing crisis.
“Christmas is especially hard for young people in these situations,” Ms Tucker said.
“They’re painfully aware of how different their lives are compared to their friends and peers. There’s no talk of holiday plans or gifts to look forward to, which can bring feelings of shame and make them want to withdraw.”
Anchor’s Christmas campaign features the story of Ommy, a young woman who has overcome the trauma and barriers she experienced in homelessness, to now be thriving and embracing a bright future.
“I left my home because of fighting… it felt safer for me to be away from there at the time,” she said.
“I was homeless in the city. Most of the time I wouldn’t have somewhere to go. I spent nights in the toilets at Crown and places like that.”
Having found support through Anchor’s youth homelessness services, Ommy has been able to find safe and stable accommodation and be supported by workers who help build her independence, living skills and connections to the community.
“I have amazing support. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Anchor has changed my life and helped me achieve my goals and dreams.”
Ms Tucker emphasised that the community has a powerful role to play in brightening the holiday season for these young people.
“Even though many may have outgrown a belief in Santa, community support can inspire the kind of Christmas magic that changes lives— through donations that bring comfort, stability, and hope.”
“Knowing there are warm and generous people in the community can be life changing. That is what is important to us – making sure that people experiencing homelessness don’t feel so alone.”
With around 28,000 young people experiencing homelessness on any given night in Australia according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’
Estimating Homelessness: Census 2021, the Anchor Christmas campaign is a vital reminder of the support needed from our community, and the life-changing impact it can have on individ-
uals like Ommy. Donating to Anchor this Christmas means providing young people with a safe, stable home, and the chance to follow their dreams.
Ommy was homeless in the city before finding support through Anchor which has led to a home and connection. (Supplied)
IN BRIEF
$50K in stolen items
By Callum Ludwig
A painstakingly-curated arboretum in Hoddles Creek has been the target of a brazen theft of tens of thousands of dollars worth of farm equipment just prior to Cup weekend.
The Bogle Arboretum has been under the management of John O’Hara, a member of the Australian Rhododendron Society in the Dandenong Ranges, following the death of its original owner earlier this year after almost 60 years at the site.
Mr O’Hara said nothing had even been taken from the property in the owner’s life and the day after the owner’s death, he went over and took the keys out of the ute, tractor and ride-on mower.
“In the four months since then, the house has been broken into, and it was clear that it had been broken into but not clear that things had been moved, it looked like things had been put back carefully to make it look like things hadn’t been moved,” he said.
“On the Wednesday to Friday before Cup Day, they came again and went through the tool shed and took three chainsaws, a whole bunch of small hand tools, some antique tools like an eight foot two man bush saw, which have no practical value but antique value, and a hand mower I had just paid $750 for,”
“I thought that was the damage but round the corner 300 metres from the house, not visible from anywhere other than right in front of the shed, was a relatively new tractor and a very new $10,000 flail mower they had taken.”
The thefts were discovered after a professional shooter hired by Mr O’Hara messaged him at 11.30pm on Friday 1 November with a photo of the security chain which the perpetrators had taken a large bolt cutter to and cut one of the links off.
Mr O’Hara said he believed the offenders had their own flat-bed trailer they had taken the tractor and other items with.
“The plants crushed at the front gate made it clear, it looked like a wide vehicle had gone through the front gate but the plants were crushed with a conventional tyre, so not a tractor tyre,” he said.
“Someone else further up and on the other side of the road told us thye had been broken into in around May, someone had cut their fence and entered their property on an initial occasion, cased the place and came back likewise equipped and stole their equipment so i believe it’s a professional unit,”
“Around the last 12 months, the CFA has been broken into and burgled, which is on the corner of the block, so has the school down the hill, Hoddles Creek Primary School so to my knowledge this is the fourth serious burglary.”
Hoddles Creek CFA did report they had been broken into on 30 July 2023 with the perpetrators stealing chainsaws, toolboxes and various other small tools from their trucks. CCTV footage of that incident was passed on to police.
Mr O’Hara said without the equipment he is unable to properly manage the property, which has had as many as six international visitors in a single month coming to visit it.
“It’s a 100-acre property, 40 hectares, and it is
a world-class, if not the world’s best collection of conifers, it is a world-class collection of oaks and a highly significant collection of maples and other rare species,” he said.
“It’s a collection that was put together from the 70s through to now, at a time when collecting was possible, so it’s irreplaceable and we cannot afford a grassfire to go through it, it’s critical that we get the grass down and reduce the risk of fires taking out the collection.”
In order to maintain the property without the safe and timely return of the stolen equipment, Mr O’Hara expects he will have to foot the entire cost of replacing it all.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed police are investigating the theft of farm equipment in Hoddles Creek last month.
“It is understood an unknown offender broke into three sheds and stole farm equipment and a tractor sometime between 31 October and 1 November,” they said.
“The tractor is estimated to be worth more than $30,000.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
motorbikes due to an issue with the clutch.
724 2022 to 2024 XTZ690/D - Tenere/Tenere World Raid models, 18 2023-2024 MTT690 - MT07TRA models, 1453 2023-2024 MTN660/690 - MT07LA/HO models and 256 2022-2024 MTM660/690 (XSR700) models are affected by the recall.
Due to a manufacturing process, the clutch may not fully disengage when the clutch lever is pulled all the way to the handlebar. If this occurs, it could cause an unintended movement of the vehicle.
An unintended movement of the vehicle may increase the risk of an accident, causing serious injuries or death to the rider and/or passenger, or other road users.
Owners of affected vehicles can contact their authorised Yamaha dealership to schedule an appointment to have the clutch replaced, free of charge.
Gruyere house fire
CFA responded to reports of a house fire at around 2.10 pm on Maurice Road in Gruyere on Wednesday 20 November.
A CFA spokesperson said eight CFA units from multiple local brigades attended the scene.
“Upon arrival crews found smoke coming from a structure and began work to contain the situation,” they said.
“The incident was deemed under control at 2.26pm.”
Crews remained on scene as of 2.34pm.
Operation Trinity data finds thefts and burglaries on the rise
Victoria Police is urging the community to lock home and vehicle doors this summer, as new police intelligence reveals aggravated burglaries and car thefts have increased as the weather starts to heat up.
The intelligence released by Operation Trinity shows a spike in offending over the past month, with unlocked properties and vehicles continuing to be targeted by opportunistic thieves.
Between 17 August and 18 October this year, there was an average of 22 aggravated burglaries per week where a car was stolen.
While each burglary and car theft is one too many, this represented an almost 30 per cent reduction in offending rates compared to the three months before Operation Trinity was first established.
Operation Trinity has been specifically targeting burglars and car thieves each night since March 2023.
On top of standard patrols, there are another 70 police including members of the Dog Squad, Public Order Response Team, and Air Wing, specifically tasked with preventing and responding to burglaries and car thefts each night.
As a result of this intense focus, police arrested 673 burglars and car thieves almost 1,550 times over the 12 months to September 2024.
‘Airing of the Quilts’ correction
A correction to the story on the upcoming ‘Airing of the Quilts’ exhibition in the 19 Noveber edition. In error, the date, location and time of the event was not included in the article.
The event will take place at Crestwood Place, Yarra Junction on Sunday 1 December between 10am and 4pm with patchwork material, patterns, threads and associated things for sale.
The theft is one of as many as four theft and vandalism incidents in the Hoddles Creek around the last year.
An estimated $50,000 worth of equipment was stolen from the property.
The Bogle Arboretum in Hoddles Creek has been the target of theft. (Don Teese)
New deputy mayor is in
By Dongyun Kwon
During the first Yarra Ranges Council meeting with the new councillors, Cr Richard Higgins was elected as deputy mayor who will support the newly elected mayor Jim Child.
After the Chirnside Ward councillor was uncontested for his position, Cr Higgins told the Star Mail he could put more time towards serving the local government as he had retired from the police force. He started to keep his promise by taking the role of deputy mayor.
When he was nominated by his fellow Cr Tim Heenan during the meeting on Tuesday 19 November, he didn’t hesitate to accept it and said “be honoured” to take the nomination.
Cr Heenan said Cr Higgins would be an important attribute towards Mayor Child.
“I believe with his 12 years experience on the council in many different avenues, Cr Higgins will be able to fulfil any duties that he needs to assist Mayor Child in his role,” he said.
“Both mayor and deputy mayor will play an important part as part of the wider team of councillors.
“I look forward to working with Mayor Child and Deputy Mayor Higgins.”
As no one else was nominated for the position of deputy mayor, Mayor Child announced Cr Higgins as the new deputy mayor for the next year.
This is Cr Higgins’ second term as deputy mayor.
Deputy Mayor Higgins has a variety of experience in the local government as he is now in his fourth term as a councillor and he took the deputy mayor role between 2018 and 2019 and the mayor position between 2019 and 2020 when Covid-19 first hit the world.
Cr Higgins said he would focus on building good harmony between the old councillors and the new councillors during his deputy mayor term.
“We’ve got a new council with four new councillors, so we’ve got to get that up and running as a
complete unit,” he said.
“Importantly, we’ve got a Federal Election coming up and the State one sooner than later, so we need to be in the right place with what we need to
at.”
Deputy Mayor Higgins thanked all his fellow councillors for their confidence in him to do his role.
“I do look forward to working hand in hand with
all councillors to make this council get over the initial phases of a new council, which will be interesting to hear everybody’s thoughts and ideas come through,” he said.
look
Cr Jim Child (right) and Cr Richard Higgins were elected as mayor and deputy mayor of Yarra Ranges Council for 2024-25. (Yarra Ranges Council)
Jim Child returns as Yarra Ranges Council mayor
By Callum Ludwig
O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child has taken on further responsibility at Yarra Ranges Council stepping back into the Mayor’s chair.
Starting his fourth consecutive term as a councillor, it will be Cr Child’s third stint as Mayor of the council during this time, including backto-back terms in recent years.
At the Tuesday 19 November Council meeting where the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor were announced, Cr Child said he wanted to thank his fellow councillors for their unanimous support in electing him for a fourth term as mayor.
“I’m extremely honoured and proud to once again be able to lead a council that will be passionate in their collaborative approach to represent their constituents but also to protect and enhance this amazing place that we call home, the Yarra Ranges,” he said.
“I wish to acknowledge Sophie Todorov for her exceptional role as mayor for the past 12 months, I also extend my sincere thanks to David Eastham as deputy mayor for the past 12 months.”
Cr Child was elected as a councillor for the first time in Yarra Ranges Council in 2012 and first served as mayor from 2012 to 2013 and most recently from 2021 to 2023.
Cr Child welcomed the new councillors to their positions and said he is sure they will have no regrets on the decisions they’ve made to represent the residents of Yarra Ranges.
“Together in the coming year we will be delivering more than 120 services to our community and delivering them with passion and a keen
eye on how we are able to keep the costs down while we still while we’re still meeting the needs of more than 150,000 people, thousands of businesses and countless visitors,” he said.
“I’m proud to say that we’ll be able to do this while navigating the challenges of the past pandemic, whilst assisting and facilitating storm and flood recovery of our communities and while facing the dual impact of inflation and rate capping,”
Cr Child was nominated for mayor by new Melba Ward councillor Mitch Mazzarella and no other nominations were put forward at the Council meeting.
Cr Child said visitors to the Yarra Ranges region are expected to double to nine million in the next decade. “We will be advocating for federal and state government to support vital services and projects that strengthen our communities, provide quality infrastructure and create local jobs for local people,” he said.
“That’s why we’re asking for the continued support for our Ridges and Rivers projects consisting of the Yarra Valley Trail, Ridgewalk and the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination, these projects on completion will deliver 500 jobs and some 80 million dollars per year into the local economy and that’s the boost our businesses need. We as the council will be shortly finalising the development of the 2025-2029 Council Plan and the longer-term Asset and Financial Plans, these plans outline the high-level priorities for council including how we manage our finances and assets and the goal of these plans is to advance Yarra Ranges towards the future outlined in the community vision.”
Jim Child is returning for another stint as Yarra Ranges Council Mayor. (File)
Gareth Ward elected to Chandler Ward councillor
By Callum Ludwig
Gareth Ward has been elected as the successful candidate for Yarra Ranges Council’s Chandler Ward. Cr Ward beat out Belinda Grooby and Ashley Hansen to take the seat in the recent local government elections.
Cr Ward said he is incredibly grateful for the support of his community in electing him as their representative and is excited to get started and make a meaningful difference.
“I hope to bring a fresh perspective, drawing from my experiences as a local business owner and father,” he said.
“This term, we are fortunate to have a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds among the new and re-elected councillors, each of us has something valuable to contribute.”
Cr Ward received 3886 first preference votes (39.46 per cent of total first preference votes) with the second-best being Ms Grooby with 3224 (32.74
per cent) followed by Mr Hansen with 2737 votes (27.8 per cent). After preferences were distributed, Cr Ward ended up with 5498 votes (55.83 per cent), ahead of Ms Grooby (4349, 44.17 per cent).
Cr Ward also previously ran as the Liberals candidate for the Monbulk district in the 2022 State election.
Cr Ward said as promised during his campaign, he is particularly eager to address the budget and ensure they are not overspending.
“The Yarra Ranges, while a beautiful place to live, comes with unique risks and challenges, recentweatherchangeshavehighlightedourneedfor resilience and exposed drainage issues throughout the Shire, I believe that with a controlled budget, we can allocate more funds to bolster our resilience and improve our infrastructure,” he said.
“For Chandler Ward specifically, I am here to support our industries, including agribusiness and tourism, for our families and residents, I want to enhance our assets, parks, play spaces, and town-
of
10,206 residents (82.50 per cent of the total enrolment, 12,371) of which 9847 votes were formal and 359 were informal and could not be counted (3.52 per cent of the total votes).
Cr Ward said he plans to attend as many local events as possible, where residents can feel free to come up for a chat or seek assistance.
“Residents can always contact me via phone, email, or text, and I will be available to assist,” he said,
“The most important part of my role will be using my vote in the chamber to balance the wishes of the community with our local laws,”
“Additionally, I will work with my colleagues to advocate for government funding to support vital services and projects essential for our continuous improvement.”
Chandler Ward consists of Kalorama, Macclesfield, Monbulk, Silvan, Wandin East, Seville, most of Seville East and Wandin North and part of Montrose, Mount Evelyn, Olinda and Emerald.
Badger Creek Hall will act as Community Resilience Hub
By Dongyun Kwon
Badger Creek Hall (BCH) will be able to upgrade its solar system thanks to AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund.
Ultimately, the BCH committee is planning to use the hall as a Community Resilience Hub in events of severe weather or power outages.
BCH committee member Adam Cole said they have two priorities with the grant.
“We want to eliminate our energy bills by increasing our solar system from 3kW to 9kW and adding a 13kW house battery,” he said.
“In addition to that, we already have purchased a diesel generator, so with the upgrade of the solar system and the installation of the generator, we will be able to provide an off-grid safe haven for our community in the event of storms or long-term power outages.”
Badger Creek has a community of almost 2000 households. Badger Creek residents were traumatised by recent storms and prolonged power outages, which left them at risk without access to medication.
“We didn’t have anything last time for about five days when there was a long-term power outage a couple of years ago,” Mr Cole said.
The following candidates were elected to Yarra Ranges Shire Council at the general election held in October
Billanook Ward
HEENAN, Tim Chandler Ward
WARD, Gareth
Chirnside Ward
HIGGINS, Richard (elected unopposed)
Lyster Ward
MCILWAIN, Peter
Melba Ward
MAZZARELLA, Mitch
O’Shannassy Ward
CHILD, Jim
Further
Greg Shillabeer
Election Manager
8 November 2024
Fiona (elected unopposed)
BCH will receive $24,925 through this grant program.
Mr Cole said given the location of Badger Creek
next to Badger Creek
the Community Resilience Hub would bring a big synergy effect.
“The fire brigade has got excellent communication facilities and generator for backup power,” he said.
“We feel if the community needs a safe haven during the power outage, the dual sites of the CFA as well as the hall will be able to provide people with communication, power, heat and refrigeration for medicine.”
AusNet established the $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund following the storms in February this year, and $3 million has already been distributed to help support impacted communities.
AusNet executive general manager distribution Andrew Linnie said the company is pleased to be able to help make a difference through the Fund.
“The Energy Resilience Community Fund was created to enable projects that will build long-term community energy resilience and provide support to communities during the recovery phase of severe weather events which significantly impact the network,” he said.
Be part of new strategy
Yarra Ranges community members are encouraged toprovidetheirthoughtsonwhatissuesareinfluencing their health and wellbeing as part of the development of Yarra Ranges Council’s next Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2029.
The four-year strategy will act as a roadmap for the council to support optimal health and wellbeing of communities across the municipality. It will reflect and leverage where the council has responsibility, capability, influence, roles, and resources to support health and wellbeing of the community.
Yarra Ranges Mayor Cr Jim Child said he was looking forward to seeing Council build on the momentum created from the previous Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025.
“A lot was accomplished through the previous plan, and the input into it from the community went alongwaytowardsdeterminingitssuccess,”CrChild said.
“Just a small sample of these achievements included rolling out free mental health first aid training to over 480 community members and volunteers, supportingcommunitygroupstoruneventsandprograms through our Grants for Community program, providing Child Safe Standards training for community organisations and supporting social connection and physical activity for our older residents through events held during the annual Over 50s Festival.
“We have a lot of health data already for the Yarra Ranges, not just from government departments and local health providers, but also from our own community on health-related issues from the recent community engagement on our upcoming Council Plan.”
Communitymemberscan‘follow’thisprojectvia the Yarra Ranges Shaping Page to keep informed.
Community members are invited to have their
say online at shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/ health-wellbeing-strategy-2025-29
Community are also invited to come and speak with Council in-person at a range of pop up events, in townships such as Healesville, Chirnside Park, Kilsyth, Seville, Warburton, Lilydale and Tecoma.
Community members have until Sunday 15 December to provide feedback.
Further consultation on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2029 will happen again in 2025.
“Now we’d like community to help us rank identified health issues in order of importance to them,” Cr Child said.
“We’d also like to hear from community about what keeps them healthy and well and what would better support community health and wellbeing?’
“While every local council in Victoria must have its own health and wellbeing plan, this is more than just a legislative requirement to us, we want to ensure we’re doing all that we can to enhance the health and wellbeing of our community which is why it’s crucial to hear from them about what their needs are, as the landscape is ever-changing.”
In-personengagementdates(Thesedatesmaybe subject to last minute changes):
Lilydale Melba Festival and Street Fair Main Street Lilydale
ship streetscapes.”
The Chandler Ward had a voter turnout
Gareth Ward is the successful candidate for Chandler Ward. (File)
Hall
CFA,
Given the location of Badger Creek Hall next to Badger Creek CFA, the Community Resilience Hub would bring a big synergy effect. (File: 367005)
Dog dispute triggers council lockdown
By Callum Ludwig
The reasoning behind the Yarra Ranges Council lockdown on Friday 15 November has come to light.
Yarra Ranges Council went into lockdown for about an hour on the afternoon of Friday 15 November when Upwey resident Benjamin Kay arrived with the intention of trying to speak to a Council officer following frustration over the seizure of his dogs. He had previously been on the phone with the front desk earlier that day, had said he wanted to come down in person and was told not to.
The Star Mail spoke with Mr Kay who openly confirmed that his two dogs, a five-year-old English Staffordshire Terrier and an almost twoyear-old American Bulldog were temporarily seized after they escaped the front door and yard and attacked a pedestrian and their dog outside, causing injuries that required hospitalisation around on Thursday 26 September this year.
Mr Kay pleaded guilty to charges regarding not containing the dogs on the property and for the attacks on a human and dog in the Magistrates Court and was fined.
Mr Kay said he felt he wasn’t in any way threatening when he called and then arrived at the Civic Centre trying to speak to someone about the process of dealing with his dogs..
“There was no argument or disagreement, it was just a shame that I’d didn’t get to speak to anyone that I wanted to, it was just with the front desk, the people who put through all the calls to different departments but all the messages are relayed, none of these people can tell me themselves,” he said.
“The police asked me what I was there for and then went in and spoke to the Council and I never heard from the police again, this all took place outside the Council offices and the public was still being turned away even though they could see there was nothing happening.”
Dogs can be declared ‘Menacing’ (has caused a non-serious bite injury to a person or animal or has rushed at or chased a person) or ‘Dangerous’ (has caused serious injury or death or been declared menacing and owner issued with two
infringement notices for failing to comply with requirements such as leashing or muzzling their dog in public).
Mr Kay said he felt he wasn’t informed that his dogs would be declared dangerous until the court case and believes it won’t be feasible for him to meet the conditions required for keeping dangerous dogs.
“I can’t build all this stuff, it will need planning permits, it’s going to need concrete foundations for what it needs to be and I’ve got to think about neighbours,” he said
“I know they want eight-foot fences erected, I know they need 10 square foot per dog, so that’s 20 square metres of concrete that has to be poured and the planning permits obviously take months to get approved so with the logistics of it all it is basically the cost of building another dwelling, I’ll have to surrender them or euthanise them, which I don’t want to be the one to do,”
“I haven’t even been able to visit them since they were seized, I was told they were at Coldstream [Animal Aid] and wanted to visit them but was told they’re sick or I can’t see them or some other reason.”
There are strict conditions for keeping declared dangerous dogs, which include: keeping it muzzled and on a lead, chain or cord in public, the dog must wear a red and yellow striped collar, the premises it is on must have dangerous dogs signs posted at the entrances and must have a fully enclosed outdoor enclosure over 1.8 metres in width and height and over 10 metres of floor space.
Director of Communities at Yarra Ranges Council Leanne Hurst said when a dog attack occurs, it can be very distressing for all involved.
“The subsequent seizure of dogs is also emotive, and Council must consider community safety and comply with the Victorian Domestic Animal Act 1994 in circumstances like this,” she said.
“When a dog is seized and a court case has concluded where it was found that the dog had attacked another dog and person, Council follows standard procedures when serving emails, letters and paperwork to the owner,”
“Council has followed these procedures in
Best of the press
More than 170 people attended the Victorian Country Press Association’s pinnacle event for 2024,heldattheRACVResortinTorquayonFriday 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 chief executive officer 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 DaveO’Neilandhad19awardsannouncedaspart of a new look for the VCPA’s major yearly 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, theYarrawongaChronicleintheunder2500circulation paid newspaper category and the Shepparton Adviser as winner of the Best Free Newspaper. Star News Group featured prominently in the awards, with the Upper Yarra Star Mail’s very own Callum Ludwig nominated for Cadet of the Year. Commended for his story submissions, Judge Sonja Heydeman said it was clear Callum was making an impact in the newsroom.
this instance and has outlined our intentions with the owner.”
Some Councils, such as Melton City Council, offer the chance to review requests to visit impounded or seized dogs on a case-by-case basis. It is unclear whether Yarra Ranges Council offers this.
Ms Hurst said the next steps in this process is for the case to be heard by a formal Council panel to make a decision as to whether the dogs should be declared as dangerous.
“The owner of the dogs is able to appeal against the decision and the matter would then go to VCAT,” she said.
“It is never the intention of Council to euthanise dogs and Council works with owners to assist them through the conditions required should dogs be declared as dangerous. The owner has been informed of this intention,”
“It is important to ensure that the community is protected from dogs that have been declared as dangerous. Should the dogs be declared dangerous, they will not be released by Council until the list of provisions regarding owning a dangerous dog under the Domestic Animal Act 1994 are complied with. Should the provisions not be met the dogs will not be able to be returned to the owner and will be euthanised.”
To find out more about the penalties if your dog attacks a person or another dog, visit: yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Environment/ Pets-and-animals/Problems-with-animals/ More-infomation-about-dog-attacks/Penalties-and-Potential-Outcomes-for-Dog-Attacks.
Ms Hurst said there are a variety of ways that people can contact Council and it depends on what the enquiry is as to whether it can be dealt with by email, phone call, at the front counter or if an appointment is needed with an officer.
“It is imperative that our staff feel safe when dealing with the public. In some emotive circumstances, there can be a safety risk and Council will make the necessary decisions to ensure the safety of our staff,” she said.
“If staff feel unsafe, the matter will be dealt with in a variety of ways which could include locking the building down and contacting the police.”
“Astrongselectionofstoriesprovidedbalanced coverage of issues relevant to the region. In the dingo management story, well done capturing the debate around a challenging and complex issue for farmers, government, and animal welfare groups,” she said.
“‘Greater glider death on the Yarra Ranges National Park’ is an example of a compelling story reporting on the death of an endangered glider during tree-felling works. This complex story effectively captures a range of views.”
Ms Heydeman commented on the talent displayed by all finalists and the in depth reporting that brings the challenges and stories of their communities to the fore.
“The cadets shared a broad range of articles demonstrating versatility and management of complex subject matter,” she said.
“The stories reflected their communities and thepoweroftheirpublicationsandhighlightedthe profound importance of the industry recognising, celebrating, and encouraging emerging talent in regional and rural Victoria.”
Reporter Corey Everitt was commended in the Best Agricultural Story category for his On The Land feature headlined Chicken Before The Egg.
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.
Group Editor Garry Howe was commended in the Best Editorial or Opinion category for an Editor’s Desk on IBAC’s Operation Sandon investigation into planning issues at Casey Council.
The judge was Patrick Elligett, editor of The Age.
Cranbourne Star News reporter Violet Li was also 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.
Rob Carew’s entry Show Delight was highly commended in the Best Agricultural Photo category.
The seized dogs, Staxx and Andre. (Supplied)
The Gazette’s Corey Everitt, Cranbourne Star News journalist Violet Li, Star Mail news editor Mikayla van Loon and Upper Yarra Star Mail journalist Callum Ludwig at the VCPA Awards. (Ivan Kemp)
First step for reconciliation
By Dongyun Kwon
Regardless of the result of the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum, a group of Healesville residents would like to keep supporting the process of knowing the truth.
Last year, a group of Healesville community members formed a group to support voting yes for the referendum.
After the referendum failed, however, the group decided to remain with the hope of narrowing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities by educating themselves with more knowledge about the First Nations.
The group has been reformed with the new name Yarra Valley Reconciliation Group (YVRG).
YVRG chair Heidi Renner said the group aims to learn about First Nations communities within a safe environment.
“One of the things that arose from the referendum is that a lot of us don’t have a deep knowledge about the history of the area and what’s happened. We needed information but it was hard to know what was real and what was not real,” Ms Renner said.
“I’m a non-Indigenous person and I wanted to learn more. I wanted to find a way to educate myself, and as a non-Indigenous person, I feel that I have a responsibility to have those conversations with other non-Indigenous people because it means that we can learn together and we can make mistakes together but we’re seeking to understand.
“From my perspective, I want our group to be a place where people can come to these conversations with their misconceptions and feel comfortable and safe to be able to ask questions.”
YVRG hosted its first event on Thursday 14 November.
Ms Renner said their first event was Conversation for Reconciliation, which the group is planning to have bimonthly next year.
“We decided that we would start a series of conversations for reconciliation that primarily
will be delivered next year,” she said.
“We have a group of people who’ve been connected with us for a while, and so we wanted to let them know where we were.
“We had about 20 to 25 people come, and we invited Professor Andrew Gunstone to talk to us. He has 25 years of experience and knowledge and has written a lot of publications about Indigenous rights.”
Professor Andrew Gunstone has taken several roles at the Federation University; associate deputy vice-chancellor reconciliation, executive director of National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice and Indigenous Studies professor.
He is also co-chair of Reconciliation Victoria.
In April, Prof Gunstone published a book Reflections on the Voice: During and After the Campaign, writing about the lessons from the referendum for reconciliation movement.
Prof Gunstone said he had a great discussion with the YVRG, talking about widespread topics and issues related to reconciliation, such as the role of allies, key lessons from the referendum, the importance of addressing Indigenous rights and building networks in different communities.
“There was a lot of racism in the campaign last year, which is very distressing. I know a lot of Indigenous people who were racially attacked during the campaign,” he said.
“We looked at the importance of building reconciliation networks in different communities. The reconciliation movement needs to engage more with multicultural communities and regional communities.
“We also talked about the importance of the wider Yarra Valley community understanding the history and impact of the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station.”
During the conversation, Prof Gunstone also advised the group regarding its next steps.
YVRG vice-chair Shona Rimmer said Prof Gunstone confirmed the group was heading in the right direction.
“Our focus has been about sharing learnings
about reconciliation, but also about Indigenous issues, Indigenous rights and Indigenous perspectives by providing a platform for other people to have that learning,” she said.
32 local reconciliation groups including YVRG have currently been formed and working for the reconciliation movement across Victoria.
As a co-chair of Reconciliation Victoria, Prof Gunstone had the opportunity to have conversations with about 20 local groups over the last few months.
Prof Gunstone said it is important to have par-
ticipation in the reconciliation movement from the local level.
“It’s very important for local reconciliation groups to work with organisations like local governments, local schools, and local businesses, to help educate the broader community about the importance of reconciliation,” he said.
“Clearly, the referendum, as well as my longitudinal research conducted over two decades, shows that the country remains quite divided in this space, and many non-Indigenous peoples have very limited understanding of our history.”
Yarra Valley Racing filled with hundreds of trucks and cars
By Dongyun Kwon
An annual truck show returned to Yarra Valley Racing, an ideal venue which can accommodate hundreds of cars and trucks.
Historic Commercial Vehicle Club (HCVC) hosted its 43rd Display Day at the Yarra Valley Racing on 10 Sunday November.
HCVC vice president Frank Mercuri said the main aim of the annual truck show is to promote the historic commercial vehicle restoration and ownership of old and significant vehicles that played significant roles in the road transport industry.
“More recently, we have been joined by the Chrysler Restorers Club who have a similar view, that is the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of Chrysler products from around the world,” he said.
“The show is held to give people who own these vehicles an opportunity to get together from all over Victoria and often interstate, chat and display their
vehicles.
“It’s a bit like a statewide men’s shed for trucks of any description and cars, mostly Chrysler based but other clubs and marques are often invited and always welcome.”
Over 100 trucks, 50 buses and 100 cars of various makes joined the latest event.
“It was a great day, the weather was terrific and there was the usual great sense of camaraderie,” Mr Mercuri said.
“We had a significant number of general public visitors, somewhere around 1000 adults plus lots of kids coming through the gate to have a look.
“We try really hard to make a family day by having kids activities, such as a petting zoo, facepainting, a live band and food available from the canteen.”
After HCVC Display Day had been hosted at different places like Sandown Racecourse and Waverley Park, it has settled at Yarra Valley Racing for the past several years.
The vice president said Yarra Valley Racing is an awesome venue.
“We’ve worked with the management and events team from Yarra Valley Racing and they’ve
been great. They are very helpful people,” Mr Mercuri said.
The annual truck show brings benefits not only for the HCVC members but also for the community of Yarra Glen.
Mr Mercuri said the benefit to HCVC members is to get a chance to show off the results of their work, meet up with like-minded people and talk over old stories of the old days.
“It also gives owners a chance to put that car or truck up for judging and maybe take a trophy home,” he said.
“For the community, it’s an opportunity to look, feel and touch cars that they may have driven or ridden in in their youth or remember that uncle or aunt who had an old Dodge just like that one. Kids are just fascinated with anything big, be it cars, trucks or diggers and we have something for everyone.
“We often get a local group to do the parking for and donate some money towards their organisation, CFA or Men’s Shed or similar.”
Yarra Valley Reconciliation Group’s first conversation for reconciliation went successfully. (Kath Gannaway)
Historic Commercial Vehicle Club hosted its 43rd Display Day at the Yarra Valley Racing on 10 Sunday November. (Supplied)
Nursery sold after 22 years
By Callum Ludwig
A long-standing local business is set for a change of pace as the old owners step aside after 22 years.
Shane and Karin Franks will be handing over the reins to the Country Gardeners Nursery in Woori Yallock as of Wednesday 27 November.
Mr Franks said by September 2002 they had taken over from a couple who had the nursery for 10 years prior, but he believes a nursery had been there since 1973.
“We came in and there was really nothing here, we’ve built it up over the years to what it is today, we also created the wholesale nursery at the back which we developed probably 10 to 12 years ago, which is a good part of the business as well.,” he said.
“22 years we’ve been here now as it is, business has been fantastic, customers are fantastic, the community is fantastic,”
“We’ve sold it on to some new people who are going to do some new things with it, I’ve got a new manager coming to start as well, so a new young fellow that brings some new life to the place as well and continue it on.”
The new manager is Sam Perkin, who is coming onboard alongside the new owners.
Mr Perkin said he’s very excited by the opportunity to continue Country Gardeners from Shane and Karin.
“It’s very important [to keep the nursery running smoothly], to have it so successful for so long, I think it’s very important we continue what they have done so well for 22 plus years, keep it running smoothly and keep providing good quality plants to the locals,” he said.
Hillcrest CFA also offered to cook up a sausage sizzle on Saturday 23 November to farewell the Franks.
Mr Franks said they are going to ‘take on’ retirement now and live a bit of a quieter life.
“We’ll try and do a little bit of travelling around, see a bit of the world and a bit of Australia but that was really our decision behind it, we’re getting on in years now and it’s time to hand it over to somebody new and get some good new blood into it,” he said.
“We’re just proud of what we’ve achieved here, we’ve got some fantastic customers that keep coming back and just making our lives easier and better and we hope that we make their lives better as well,”
“We did not want this garden centre to leave the community, to be honest with you, we were pretty adamant about that, so we’re pleased that it’s go-
Kerrie Steur’s devotion to Girl Guides won’t be lost
By Dongyun Kwon
Yarra Glen Girl Guides are getting ready to send off Kerrie Steur, one of the leaders of the group, in December.
Kerrie Steur has served for Yarra Glen Girl Guides for 26 years and shared the burden of the leader role with Heather Dynes.
Ms Steur was sad to leave all the girls but had to make the decision as she has lately found it hard to lead the girls with different activities.
“I find it hard to do with the girls when they’re doing crafts as my hands are very painful, and Heather’s having the same problem. We’re both having trouble doing the fine stuff” the 63-year-old leader said.
“I’m not able to do what I used to do with the girls. My body’s giving out in places mainly in the hands and eyes.”
Ms Steur said one of her special memories with Yarra Glen Girl Guides was sleeping over for Anzac Day at the guide hall, McCracken House.
“The girls have a special night, we sleep over and get up in the morning, get our uniforms on and all readytowalkdownthemainstreetofYarraGlen,”she said.
“Three of our older girls carry the flags at the front oftheparade,soit’ssuchaproudmomenteveryyear.”
Not only Ms Steur herself but also her three daughters and one of her granddaughters have also got involved with the Yarra Glen Girl Guides.
Although her three daughters all left the girl guides, her 13-year-old granddaughter is still with it.
MsSteurjoinedtheYarraGlenGirlGuidesin1998 after her eldest daughter had joined the girl guides.
Ms Dynes, another leader who has served Yarra Glen Girl Guides for over 40 years, trained Ms Steur to be a leader.
“When she came in and asked questions, I just
thought to myself, ‘here’s another leader’,” she said.
Ms Dynes said she would miss her friend on many occasions although she could keep the friendship with Ms Steur as Ms Steur is locally based.
“It’s the friendship that Kerrie and I have had over the years,” she said.
“I will miss Kerrie’s sense of fun, great to work with, easy to work with. I get things organised, and then Kerrie implements them, I’m going to miss that. “In the guide hall and the guide activities, I’ll really miss her because we rely on each other’s thoughts and we’re just used to working together.”
Yarra Glen Girl Guides is now planning to host a special celebration to send off Ms Steur over the Christmas party on 11 December.
“We’re having an afternoon tea and Kris Kringle [at the McCracken House], we have Father Christmas coming too,” Ms Dynes said.
The Yarra Glen Girl Guides Christmas party will be held from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. For more information about the event, contact Ms Dynes via phone on 0409 355 304 or email at yarralynne@ bigpond.com.
ing to continue because we think it’s an important place for this area, there are a few businesses in the area that really need to stay, and I believe that this
120 reasons to celebrate
By Callum Ludwig
Past and present members of the Warburton Tennis Club, as well as Tennis Victoria CEO Kim Kachel, came together on Saturday 16 November for a celebration of the club’s history.
In one of the most tumultuous years in its history, the Warburton Tennis Club marked 120 years in 2024 with an eye to the future.
Warburton Tennis Club President John Champion the night was wonderful and had a really warm feeling about it.
“It was wonderful that there were people that were probably older, in their 70s or 80s or something like that, and were really happy to be there and relive some parts of their lives,” he said.
“Later on in the night we called up groups of players from the 50s, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s and 90s, not just players, but also office-bearers and members and as they came up in groups they all told some individual stories which was really nice; some of those were tennis-related and some of them were stories about horses or dogs eating cakes.”
The Warburton Tennis Club spent the start of this year fighting for their club to remain at it’s historic riverside site, with Yarra Ranges Council’s Warburton Place Plan and Urban Design Framework initially floating the idea of a move of the courts to the Warburton Recreation Reserve and away from their traditional clubrooms.
Mr Champion said he believes the club is well-placed now to host more regular community events and gatherings.
“I asked some of the older people if they get together much still or see each other often and they said ‘Probably not apart from funerals’ and I just reflected that there’s so much history and so many people have been through that club, but we don’t actually do things like this regularly enough,” he said.
“We’ve tried over many years different kinds of fundraising or different events to get people, and this has probably been our most successful
getting together of people, it was not a fundraiser, but just the amount of people that we got there.,” he said.
“I would really like to think that maybe every couple of years we could do it, the format we had was people got there at 5.30pm and then they were kind of free to leave between 8 and 9pm,”
“I think definitely we will run more of these things, and it’s lovely to have different generations, from the current girls team who are in their teens, up to people that are 70 and 80 together.”
The Warburton Tennis Courts and Club House, as well as the nearby Swing Bridge and Rotunda, are on the Yarra Ranges Heritage Database.
The Club was established by Elijah and Clementia Story in 1904, with Clementia later leaving gifting the club 25 pounds in her will, as part of various donations to community groups. This money was put towards the building of the clubhouse.
According to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Pre-Decimal Inflation Calculator, 25 Australian pounds in 1926 would be worth about $2374.93 in today’s dollars.
is one of them.”
Mr Franks also thanked all of the ‘wonderful’ staff they’ve had over the years.
Karin and Shane Franks. (Stewart Chambers: 445024)
Ellena Biggs with a 1920s Spalding racquet, the decade in which tennis took off in Warburton. (Kate Baker)
The friendship between Kerrie Steur (left) and Heather Dynes will remain even after Ms Steur leaves Yarra Glen Girl Guides. (Dongyun Kwon: 445068)
Learning new skills
By
Yarra Glen Primary School (YGPS) Grade 4/5 students went to Spadonis Reserve, Yering and had the opportunity to learn science and the environment in real nature on Wednesday 6 November.
Earlier this year, YGPS was selected as one of the five local schools for the Eco Warriors Australia’s Planting the Seed project.
The project is to revegetate local reserves while teaching students how to collect local native plant cuttings, propagate and take care of them.
YGPS assistant principal Jessica Amey said the students were really engaged and it was great to see them out in nature, doing something that’s going to make an impact.
“All the students had to identify a particular type of plant and take cuttings of the plant, and then we came back to school and did a propagation session where they potted all their little cuttings,” she said.
“They were really interested to find out some facts about all the different trees and share some of the knowledge they had already learnt earlier in the year from our STEM classes.
“They were really keen to look after their plants. Unfortunately, some of the cuttings have not survived, so one of the students tried to put them in a different location and spray them with water to make sure they’re going to survive a bit longer.”
17 students from Grade 4/5 class participated in the program.
Ms Amey said the class was chosen because she taught them gardening in the STEM classes.
“Earlier this year in our STEM classes, I had a gardening project with the Grade 4/5 and 5/6 classes where the students created their own veggie patches, and the Grade 4/5 class were really engaged and they loved doing the gardening and growing their vegetables,” she said.
“Next year, we’ll go to a different site, which needs some help with revegetating the area but also increasing habitat for wildlife.
“That may be the same group of kids but it also may be an opportunity for kids from different classes.”
A botanist came along with the students to the reserve to help them identify the plants as well as teach the features of those plants and what kind of habitats they can create for local wildlife.
Ms Amey said education around long-term sustainable practices in the local environment is important for kids.
“It’s really important that they see science and environment in a different light,” she said.
“It’s educating them around sustainability but also opening up their eyes to the field of science more broadly by having a chance to work with a botanist which is a type of scientist the students might not have even known existed.”
Better sight
By Callum Ludwig
A number of Warburton Primary School students are some of the latest to benefit from the Glasses for Kids program.
Glasses for Kids visited the school on Monday 18 November, providing free vision screening for students from Prep to Grade Three.
State Schools’ Relief Glasses for Kids Program Manager Luke Owen said Warburton came up as being an area of need.
“We screened 22 students for any sort of vision difficulty or issue and we ended up prescribing five pairs of glasses, there were five students who were identified as needing vision support and they’ll receive glasses at no cost through the program,” he said.
“Statistically we find through the program that about 25 per cent of students have an undiagnosed eye condition, so that’s 25 per cent of students in a classroom who might not be able to see the board, might not be able to read a worksheet, may have issues with colour identification, and obviously for a student who’s just entered prep or is still in the early years of primary school, that can really entrench a level of disadvantage and struggle within a classroom setting,” he said.
“By going in early, identifying these issues earlier, flagging these issues with parents and hopefully being able to prescribe glasses as well to limit the impact that this issue will have on the child, it ensures that the child has an equal footing with everyone else in the classroom to achieve and do their best.”
Glasses for students who require them usually arrive at their school to be handed out about three weeks after their screening.
Mr Owen said they get a lot of feedback from families and schools.
“In general, attendance improves as students are much more likely to want to go to school because they’re not in that daily struggle of not being able to see correctly,” he said.
“In terms of educational attainment and achievement they are doing better in school, have less behavioural issues and just have a greater sense of wellbeing and feeling of being part of the school community,”
“Sometimes if they do have an undiagnosed vision issue they’ll feel a little bit on the outer, always trying to mask the fact that they can’t see correctly.”
A scheduled Glasses for Kids program visit consists of:
Optometrists conduct individual screenings for students whose parents have consented to them taking part
Additional vision testing for students whose initial screening indicates that further assessment is required
Optometrists will order prescriptions for students requiring glasses
Program staff help these students to pick a frame of their choice for their glasses
Written advice is handed to the school to send home with students to their parent/carer detailing the outcome of the visit
Students with eye issues that require further investigation will be provided with a referral letter.
Warburton Primary School Principal Nathan van der Monde said Glasses for Kids is a really easy program to set up if you’re a school leader.
“The program itself offers a service for families that is much needed and something often that is harder to organise, particularly because sometimes things like eye tests, glasses and follow-up appointments can be quite pricey,” he said.
“If you are under financial pressure, particularly in today’s current financial climate, it may not be something that you prioritise so this just is a way through State Schools’ Relief funding that more students can be given access to that quality support,”
“At the end of the day, if you can’t access the learning, then you are relying on other senses and other ways of absorbing information and the majority of the learning that we do is done through sight.”
Tahlia (left) and Jordyn enjoyed learning experience at Spadonis Reserve, Yering. (Supplied)
L-R: Tyson, Reid, Jessup and Charlie potting their little cuttings. (Supplied)
Tayah collecting local native plant cuttings. (Supplied)
Dongyun Kwon
Glasses for Kids paid a visit to Warburton Primary School. (David Travis/Unsplash)
KNOXBROOKE ANNUAL CAR PARK SALE
Spring has sprung for sale
By Mikayla van Loon
For the second time this year Knoxbrooke’s nursery in Mount Evelyn will be opening up its car park for its major plant sale having had an incredible spring growing season.
Knoxbrooke chief executive officer Annie Revell said it’s such a delight to be able to open the nursery to the community for four days next month so they can purchase some beautiful stock.
“We’re really delighted to be able to do it. We’re going to be having it run from the fifth to the eighth of December,” she said.
“We’re just going out with those four days because we actually think we can bring out the biggest amount of our plants at one point in time and just open them up so that everyone gets as much opportunity to get what they want from it.
“Because we don’t do sales through the nursery on a regular basis, this is when we really make sure we’ve got the peak of our stock that’s able to come out to people and just really showcase the nursery.”
Having always been known as the Yarra View Bushland Nursery, Ms Revell said come early next year the name will be streamlined to the Knoxbrooke Nursery, so when people buy from them they know it “supports people with diverse abilities to have real jobs”.
“Most of the people who come or come to our car park sales really just know us for our great plants, the huge range that we’ve got and of course, we also are a commercial nursery to the industry,” Ms Revell said.
“But what people might not really be aware of is that we are actually a social enterprise, and in fact, we’re the largest and most successful social enterprise nursery in Australia.
“We’ve had the nursery since 2000 but Knoxbrooke as a charity organisation, a not for profit, has been in business for 57 years now.
“So we’ve decided it’s time to take a step, to rebrand all of our social enterprises as the one name Knoxbrooke, so when people are buying from us, it’s really clear to them and to any new customers that they’re going to be supporting a social enterprise every time people do business with us.”
The nursery alone employs 75 people with diverse abilities, while Knoxbrooke as a whole has 143 supported employees currently working with them.
“We’re really proud of our Knoxbrooke team and the people that work with us, and some have
been with us for so many years as well, that it really becomes a large family.”
As much as the plant sale itself is about selling plants and supplying top quality products to the community, Ms Revell said it is also an opportunity for people to walk in and see how a social enterprise functions.
“What’s really great is it allows people to see that it’s actually a meaningful job, not just something that’s tokenistic,” she said.
“They have their set rosters that they do, they have to take sick leave or holiday leave like all the rest of us, they get the expectations of anyone that
comes to work, the highs and lows that everyone gets with a normal job, our supported employees experience all of that.
“It’s not just the outside work and nursery that appeals to people, which is why Knoxbrooke is so proud that we’ve got other social enterprises that can suit what people’s skills are and what their goals are in life.”
Ms Revell said as for the plants “spring has really sprung” providing a great variety of plants at an affordable price.
“The nursery is having its biggest year yet. It’s quite incredible the amount of stock. We’ve got the Aussie natives, the exotic grasses, hedging, you name them, we’ve been growing it, and it’s just looking gorgeous at the moment. The nursery is just sparkling,” she said.
The car park plant sale will be running from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 December, opening at 8.30am at the York Road site.
To find out more, go to yvbn.com.au or call 9737 0400.
The nursery provides meaningful employment to 75 supported workers. (Supplied)
Knoxbrooke’s nursery has a wide variety of plants ready to be purchased by the community. (Mikayla van Loon: 242627)
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Telling their own stories
By Dongyun Kwon
A group of people with autism in the Yarra Ranges finally have become official authors as their stories were published in a book.
Healesville-based author Sandra Thom-Jones, who has been diagnosed with autism and won two awards at a national awards Scarlet Stiletto last year, ran a series of workshops The Auti-magination: Sharing Stories of Autistic Writers in the Yarra Ranges to showcase the talent, creativity and imagination of local autistic people, sponsored by Yarra Ranges Council.
After the workshops, the participants were able to combine the stories they had written during the workshops into a book.
The book launch event was held at The Memo, Healesville on Tuesday 19 November.
Thom-Jones said the event was a great opportunity to celebrate how creative the authors were.
“We had all the authors, their families and quite a few people from the community who came to hear about the book,” she said.
“The authors got an opportunity to talk to people about their stories and their creative ideas.”
The workshop was originally going to be held three times but the workshop facilitator had to add one more session as the participants had much fun and didn’t want to stop.
11 people from the age of eight up to 78 attended at least one workshop, and eight of them attended all of the workshops.
“They all worked well together, they shared their stories with each other and provided feedback to each other,” Thom-Jones said.
“We had seven authors who put their stories in the book. Everyone contributed at least one story, some people put in more than one.
“The artwork on the front cover and the back cover were also created by people who participated in the workshop as well.”
The workshop facilitator knew a lot of autistic people were discouraged from writing by school and university where they were required to follow certain formats of writing.
“The consistent experience of being told that the way they wrote wasn’t the right way of writing discouraged them,” Thom-Jones said.
The focus of the first workshop was telling the participants there isn’t a correct way of writing because writing is about being creative and expressing oneself
in the way that they want to express themselves.
Thom-Jones said the whole group was supportive, positive and encouraged each other.
“At the beginning, they were nervous about sharing their writing,” she said.
“It was great watching the participants share their ideas and grow in confidence throughout the workshops.
“By the last workshop, everyone was happy to
read out their stories to each other and provide each other feedback.”
Free copies of the book have been distributed to schools and public libraries in Yarra Ranges and are on sale at Bendigo Community Bank Healesville.
At the book launch event, Thom-Jones officially announced she would run the workshops again next year in Lilydale thanks to the grant from Yarra Ranges Council.
“I found this whole journey really rewarding and enjoyable,” she said.
Eildon MP Cindy McLeish, who attended the book launch event, complimented Thom-Jones.
“Sandra had an amazing idea that she was able to pull off brilliantly,” she said.
“There was a real buzz and excitement in the room by everyone present and it was a pleasure to be a part of it.”
Incredible skills of UYSC students on show
By Callum Ludwig
The talented artists and technicians of Upper Yarra Secondary College were celebrated on Wednesday 20 November in the school’s annual Tech and Art Exhibition.
The exhibition featured the works of students in VCE Art, Product Design & Tech, Media, Drama and Food Studies as well as in Years 7-10 Art, 3D Art, VCD, Food Studies and Photography.
UYSC Visual Arts Teacher Grace Bariola organised the exhibition and said the local community is welcome to visit the annual exhibition each year, so please join them at the end of 2025 to see what the students of UYSC have created.
“Students benefit from exhibiting their artworks as they are given the opportunity to display their hard work and dedication to their art and tech class from throughout the year,” she said.
“It also provides them with the chance to express their feelings and thoughts that went into their artworks, students have known about the exhibition, therefore it gave many of them a goal to work towards in order to submit their work in time to be displayed and celebrated.”
“So much hard work and dedication goes into these pieces [particularly] from the senior students, so it is a privilege to celebrate them at the end of the year and share their work with families and the wider community.”
The artworks on display were; Year 7 Art self-portraits and landscape collages; Year 8 3D Art ceramic pinch pots and ocarinas; Year 8 Visual Communication and Design mixed media playground sculptures; Year 9 and 10 Art final artworks; Year 9 and 10 3D Art pinch, slab and coil pots, ceramic busts and final 3D artworks; Year 9 and 10 Photography, demonstrating techniques in depth of field, portraiture, lighting, and responding to a theme; Year 9 and 10 Food Studies photographs of final dishes; VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Unit 2 and 4 final artworks and accompanying folios; VCE Art Creative Practice Unit 4 fi-
nal artworks; VCE Product Design and Technologies Year 11 storage units and outdoor games, Year 12 innovative products; Media Unit 2 and 4 videos available to watch, alongside their accompanying folios and other pre-production materials, such as storyboards; VCE Drama recordings of solo performances were played, featuring students from Unit 2 and 4 Drama; the 2024 school production of Puffs was also being played with seating space available to enjoy.
The creative can start early at UYSC, and Ms Bariola said junior and middle school art classes build their knowledge and skills in the design process including research, planning, experimentation, development of a final and then reflection which prepares them to follow pathways into VCE art and technology subjects.
“Year 12 Media studies produce a media product of their choice, empowering students with the agency to make their own decisions in terms of the creative direction of their production allows them to showcase their strengths, skills and culture. When Media students graduate school, they are equipped with a portfolio of their work and their own media production which can immediately be used to demonstrate their ability to work in a team scenario and organise a media production,” she said.
“Students in the Let’s Bake electives have developed their skills in design and presentation of the foods they have made. Decoration techniques including piping icing and chocolate, making pastry and a range of yeast goods and working as a team saw them display enthusiasm and creativity,”
“The Cafe Cuisine elective students experienced working in the college hospitality kitchen and using a wider range of equipment to produce foods that are commonly found on a cafe menu. Their skills and expertise developed over the semester to demonstrate competence in working in a commercial kitchen setting. Working with food offers opportunities for students to produce individual creative products.”
There was also a special display of ‘My Body’s Story - Empowering Futures’ which was created as part of a program run for mainly Year 9 girls presented by Body of Wellbeing Ltd. Local artists Sioux Dollman and Monika Poray asked the girls who participated to focus on a part of their body they wished to celebrate or thank, or a part they would like to send more love and acceptance to and they put together a body of work celebrating this theme during a Creative Mentor Day on Wednesday 13 November.
Ms Bariola continued giving insight as to what senior students learnt and developed in their classes throughout the year.
Year 11 product design and technologies proj-
ects were based around solving an individual storage problem for themselves for unit 1 as well as designing an outdoor game for UYSC students. Year 12 projects were the result of research into current markets to identify a need or opportunity to design and produce a unique and innovative product,” she said.
“During the year, VCE Art Making and Exhibiting students learn about ways to display artworks in exhibition spaces. To further develop their knowledge, they also complete a critique presentation about the display of their artwork, the ability to display their finals in our annual exhibition consolidates this knowledge and understanding of the display of artwork.”
L-R: Eildon MP Cindy McLeish, one of the authors Victoria Rose and Sandra Thom-Jones. (Supplied)
Yahnni with her Mixed Media on canvas work. (Stewart Chambers: 445194)
IN THE SPOTLIGHT First Nations circus a hit
By Dongyun Kwon
The Memo, Healesville is inviting an awardwinning First Nations circus team to show their moving acrobatic performance, linking people, country and culture.
Na Djinang Circus (NDC) is a Melbournebased contemporary circus company working with diverse young artists to share unique insight with the next generation’s hands and feet.
The team will come to Healesville to perform Arterial, where the unseen bonds between the body and the land become beautifully visible.
NDC artistic custodian Harley Mann said Arterial is the second work by Na Djinang with the cast of all First Nations performers.
“We premiered it back in 2021 as a part of the Yirramboi festival. It’s a First Nations circus work about the connections First Nations people have with each other, country and history,” he said.
“We have a way of trusting and supporting each other, and these connections translate beautifully to a circus where safety is literally in each other’s hands.
“Circus has a huge underrepresentation of mob and so even the act of having four black acrobats on stage should be celebrated, let alone the incredible things they do.”
Arterial is a 60-minute four-person circus show.
“During the time we are in Healesville, we will also engage in a number of community activities teaching circus and just entangling ourselves in the community,” Mr Mann said.
“During the show, you will see a combination of tumbling, group acrobatics and pyramids, modern cultural dance and aerial work. The show is woven together with tracks by musician Jason Renehan.”
NDC has performed in Healesville during the National Reconciliation Week this year, but this will be the first time for the team to perform Arterial on a full scale in Healesville as they performed other works and did a short 15-minute excerpt from Arterial last time.
Mr Mann said Healesville is a beautiful community where they had a great time, and his team are excited to share their another work with the community.
“This continent is full of rich and complex history, and Healesville is no exception to this. We are very excited to spend time in this country with the traditional towns and hear some of the stories,” he said.
“As performers, we work in the world of sto-
Arterial is a 60-minute four-person circus show. (Supplied)
rytelling, and so it’s essential to understand the ones that have taken place before us. It keeps the stories and culture alive and makes our work rich.
“What is great about the continued support of the council and the arts team is that every time we return we get to grow on the relationships and connections we make with mob and audiences.”
The event will be held in the Memo, Healesville from 7.30pm on 7 December.
“I’d like to remind people that performing arts are an essential part of culture, and I encourage the audience to be courageous, take a risk on a show,” Mr Mann said.
“You don’t need to like it. Not every piece of art is for everyone but if you don’t try new things then you will never discover anything exciting.”
For more information, please visit the following website, yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/ Events/Arterial-by-Na-Djinang
Intersection of art and mental health
By Jill Fraser
Yarra Valley artist Olene Simon has turned the page on an exciting new chapter.
What began as the catalyst for a life-altering turning point during a long battle with depression has become the lens through which Olene views life and the reason she brings a Zen-like focus to painting.
When working as an art tutor at Rivendell Mental Health Centre, Olene began introducing techniques and insights that had helped her weather many challenging months and which she credits with disclosing the lost skill of transmuting mental health symptoms into creativity.
Galvanised by her own healing and the way art featured in the healing of her students’ troubled minds, she began exploring the power of creativity.
This led to a deep dive into the symbiotic relationship between art and mental health and the associated therapeutic benefits.
“When you’re painting, you’re no longer thinking about what’s going on in your life. You’re an observer. You’re witnessing what’s occurring on the paper,” she said.
“Creativity bypasses the intellect. Watercolour in particular allows a freedom of expression that’s a fundamental human right.” Olene, a descendent of artist Norman Lindsay, sank into “a black hole of misery” following the death of her mother and sister.
“I was halfway through a course at the Vic-
torian College of the Arts when I chose an essay topic that opened up a well of misery,” she said.
“The tears wouldn’t stop. I felt I couldn’t walk out the door of my house. I literally stopped functioning.”
Her previous work with the Brain Foundation served as motivation for her to become her own art therapist.
“I kept saying to myself: You believe in the power of art so why are you spending all day every day eating chocolate and watching televi-
sion? What a waste of everything you’ve learned and done,” Olene said.
“I pushed myself. I can still hear myself saying, ‘just do it for 10 mins, Olene’.
“I found little strips of paper and my favourite brushes and forced myself to paint every night until I suddenly realised, I was enjoying what I was doing. I made a bargain with myself to do it every night because I was cognitive enough to recognise the pointlessness of escaping into television land and devouring chocolate.”
She recalls the first time she identified the art and mind intersection.
It was early in her career when she was teaching at Sherbrooke Art Society.
“A lady with a disability always insisted on using the back stairs like everyone else,” Olene said.
“It was a heck of a climb so I told her I could open the front door. I clearly remember her saying: ‘thanks but once I start painting, I’m fine. I don’t feel any pain.”
Musing, Olene continued: “Another student said something similar. She told me, ‘I don’t feel any pain when I’m doing my watercolour’. That sowed the seed.”
Sitting in the grounds of a landmark A-Frame on Warburton Highway, Launching Place in which she is currently holding a retrospective of dozens of her art works, she talks of why she needs to let go her former paintings before she can move into her next chapter.
“In part it’s that old cliche of one door needing to close before you find the creative impetus to move forward. And from a purely pragmatic perspective, I’ve been so prolific I need the physical space,” she laughed.
Asked if she plans to continue looking into art as therapy while working on new canvases, Olene replied, “Absolutely. It’s who I am and a big part of what I do, whether consciously or not.” Olene Simon’s A-Frame Art retrospective exhibition opens from 11am to 4pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 2010 Warburton Highway, Launching Place. Entry Carter Street.
Yarra Valley artist Olene Simon. (Stewart Chambers: 444495)
Na Djinang Circus in Healesville during National Reconciliation Week. (Suzanne Phoenix)
Still no end to gender violence
By Mikayla van Loon
As the 16 Days of Activism campaign begins to again work towards the end of gendered violence, Star Mail took a look back at over a decade of reporting.
Much of this work in bringing a spotlight to family and gender-based violence began with a team of reporters in 2011.
Mara Sowden Pattison, Casey Neill and Kath Gannaway led the charge at Mail News Group with a six week series sharing the stories of women who had fled such violence but also the remarkable people who had dedicated time to supporting these women through horrible circumstances.
Reflecting on the intention and catalyst for this series, Ms Gannaway said it was very much the story of one woman in 2010, Jeannie Blackburn, which prompted the need to bring gendered violence to the fore.
“Her partner had been jailed for abusing her and the abuse was horrific, she lost her eyesight in one eye. She came to us with that story, and he’d already been jailed, so there were no impediments to reporting on the story, and she just wanted to get that out there about abuse,” she said.
At the same time, Yarra Valley Community Health were working on teaching young boys about respectful relationships where they had a “strong focus on changing the perception and the behavior of young men at that age”, as well as a dedicated support program for women.
Ms Gannaway said the other prompt was the incredibly high rates of family violence incidents being recorded in the Yarra Valley region but at that time still “it was a personal thing between a man and a woman inside their house. It was no one else’s business, it was domestic”.
Bringing these stories into the light, Ms Gannaway said felt like a responsibility of the paper but one they had to do carefully, given the closeness to the community.
Despite being somewhat ahead of the curve in 2011, Ms Gannaway said unfortunately the same issues are still present today.
“The same issues that were written about then, about the controlling nature, about all the reasons behind it, and the indicators like isolating people from their families, all those things are still relevant,” she said.
“There’s still a trademark of family violence for the physical, mental, emotional or financial abuse but the housing situation [too] is a huge impediment.”
Adding to these factors Ms Gannaway said in her opinion, services have been reduced, particularly those in more regional townships.
“We’d like to think there are more services. I personally don’t think there are. I’m an expert on that, I think just anecdotally, I don’t know that there’s more or that it’s a better situation now than it was then.”
One thing Ms Gannaway said has improved however, is the police response in understanding and believing women when they say they
have been abused.
A discussion that remains even decades later Ms Gannaway recalls is the one about pornography.
“It must be 20 years ago that Chum Creek Primary School had a massive community discussion on the effect of pornography on young men and women, really young teenagers, and even that long ago, they were talking about the effects and expectations of both men and women young which can often lead to violent situations,” she said.
Family and gendered violence over the last 13 years since the six week ‘Stop the Violence’ campaign has remained and will continue to remain a part of the Star Mail’s focus.
It has always been a promise of the Mail’s to hold people accountable where possible and to report truthfully but with the local community in mind.
“When you’re working in a smaller community, there are so many things you have to be so careful about, because you might think that you’re using a different name to someone’s is enough but people can be so easily identified by just a couple of comments or features or circum-
stances,” Ms Gannaway said.
“There’s a bigger responsibility to not put people that may have the best story in the world in a position which is more dangerous for them or even exposes them to sharing their most personal situations with the broader community, where everyone then knows their business.”
It is for that very reason Ms Gannaway said for the women who came forward in 2011 to tell their story, “they were very brave to do that” and “we were very grateful”.
“As a mum and grandmother, I just think those personal accounts, they’re terrible, but they’re the stories that get people to think about what’s happening and then all the other stuff has to follow as well.”
The 16 Days of Activism campaign runs from 25 November to 10 December every year, initially led by the Zonta Clubs around the world.
The history behind the 16 Days of Activism is both compelling and heartbreaking with the International Women’s Development Agency.
On 25 November 1960, sisters Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal, three political activists who actively opposed the cruelty and systematic violence of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Do-
Celebrating 50 years of community law
Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) hosted its 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 18 November. The event offered members, stakeholders, and the community a chance to reflect on the Centre’s accomplishments over the past year and explore plans for the future.
ECLC chief executive officer Michael Smith emphasised the importance of the Centre’s 50th AGM, marking a significant milestone in its history.
“ECLC was thrilled to bring together over 100 partners, staff, and volunteers for its 50th AGM,” he said.
“This event was a chance to reconnect, celebrate the Centre’s accomplishments and impact over the past year, and showcase its plans and vision for the future.”
A key highlight of ECLC’s 50th AGM was hearing from guest speaker Ali Besiroglu, who shared insights into his professional and personal experiences, and the fundamental values that inspire his commitment to social justice.
Reflecting on his own journey into law, Mr Besiroglu spoke openly of his childhood and
growing up in a household impacted by family violence.
“I grew up in the Collingwood commission flats, where resilience was woven into the fabric of our lives. My mother, a single parent, was my first lesson in courage,” he said.
“In the 1980s she fled a violent marriage. At that time, family violence was seen as a private matter, not a criminal one.
“My mother endured unimaginable suffering, including being hospitalised, yet the police took no action against my father. Desperate to escape, she attempted to take her own life.”
It wasn’t until a legal aid attorney saw her “not as another file or a case but as a person deserving of justice” that his own path became clear.
“[He was] the blueprint for the kind of lawyer that I aspired to be,” Mr Besiroglu said.
“[He] didn’t just restore my mother’s legal rights, he restored her humanity. He showed our family the profound impact one person can have when they commit themselves to justice.”
Mr Besiroglu was very recently awarded the
prestigious Stephen Myall Award by the Victorian Magistrates’ Association and the Law Institute of Victoria, which recognises an individual who demonstrates an ongoing commitment to social justice issues and who encourages and inspires others
“ECLC was delighted to have Ali share about his advocacy journey, including his efforts to address police misconduct, his work on bail law reform, and his dedication to supporting disadvantaged communities, particularly First Nations peoples,” Mr Smith said.
As ECLC hosted its milestone 50th AGM, the spotlight shifted to the future with the Centre highlighting its innovative approaches to addressing evolving community needs and unveiling the Centre’s new 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.
“ECLC’s new strategic plan is the result of extensive collaboration, and the Centre is proud to be able to officially launch it at the AGM,” Mr Smith said.
For more information about the AGM, including detailed agenda and supporting documents, please visit: eclc.org.au/2024agm
minican Republic, were clubbed to death and dumped at the bottom of a cliff by Trujillo’s secret police.
The Mirabal sisters became symbols of the feminist resistance, and in commemoration of their deaths, 25 November was declared International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in Latin America in 1980.
This international day was formally recognised by the United Nations in 1999.
In June 1991, the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), alongside participants of the first Women’s Global Institute on Women, Violence and Human Rights, called for a global campaign of 16 Days of Activism Against GenderBased Violence.
The 16 days begins with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends with International Human Rights Day on 10 December– highlighting that violence against women is a fundamental violation of human rights.
A far cry from Australia, but the sisters’ legacy has reached all corners of the globe and kicks off the 16 days of activism that calls for an end to violence against women.
Ali Besiroglu was the guest speaker at Eastern Community Legal Centre’s 50th AGM. (Supplied)
People participate in the Walk Against Family Violence 2023 in Melbourne. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
The Road to Respect
16DAYS OF ACTIVISM
ACTION 12. SUPPORTING
Plan for and actively address backlash and resistance
ACTION 11. SUPPORTING
Strengthen prosocial behaviour
ACTION 10. SUPPORTING
Reduce the long-term impacts of exposure to violence, and prevent further exposure
ACTION 9. SUPPORTING
Challenge the normalisation of violence and aggression as an expression of masculinity
ACTION 8.
ESSENTIAL
Strengthen positive, equal and respectful relations between and among women and men, girls and boys, in public and private spheres
What Can You Do?
16 Days of Action Against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign that runs from 25 November (the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day) and encourages action and awareness against all forms of violence against women and girls.
ACTION 1.
ESSENTIAL
Challenge the condoning of violence against women
ACTION 7.
ESSENTIAL
Build safe, fair and equitable organisations and institutions by focusing on policy and systems change
ACTION 2.
ESSENTIAL
Promote women’s independence and decision-making in public life and relationships
ACTION 3.
ESSENTIAL
Build new social norms that foster personal indentities not constrained by rigid gender stereotypes
ACTION 4.
ESSENTIAL
Support men and boys to develop healthy masculinities and positive, supportive male peer relationships
ACTION 5.
ESSENTIAL
Promote and normalise gender equality in public and private life
ACTION 6.
ESSENTIAL
Address the intersections between gender inequality and other forms of systemic and structual oppression and discrimination, and promote broader social justice
Fourth term as Yarra Ranges Mayor
On Tuesday 19 November, I was honoured to be elected as Mayor, alongside returning Chirnside Park Ward Councillor Richard Higgins as my Deputy.
This is my fourth term as Mayor of Yarra Ranges, and I’m proud to lead our new Council in their first year.
This Council will be passionate and collaborative in representing our community; we’ll continue to protect and enhance the place that we call home, and the things you love about it.
Council is responsible for delivering more than 120 services to 55 townships, and our Council group has a keen eye on how we can keep costs down, while still meeting the needs of more than 150,000 residents, thousands of businesses and millions of annual visitors.
We expect visitation to the region to double over the next decade, so a priority is going to be advocating to the State and Federal Government for their continued support.
With more than 500 local jobs and an extra
CARTOON
From my From my desk
Jim Child
$80 million per year into our local economy, as a result of our Ridges and Rivers projects, we’re excited to usher in the first stages of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination, ngurrak barring and the Yarra Valley Trail.
We’re currently working to finalise our 202529 Council Plan, along with our Long-Term Financial Plan and Asset Management Plan.
We, as community and Council, will build on these plans, to ensure our future matches the vision of our community.
I’d like to take a moment to pay tribute to our outgoing Mayor, Sophie Todorov, and Deputy David Eastham, along with our previous Council group.
We worked fantastically over the last four years and I’d like to thank each of them for their service to the community.
Welcome to our new Council group, particularly our new Councillors, Cr Mitch Mazzarella Melba Ward, Cr Jeff Marriot Streeton Ward, Cr Peter Mcilwain Lyster Ward and Cr Gareth Ward Chandler Ward.
We’re going to have a great four years ahead of us.
The one person I’d like to thank more than anyone is my wife, my confidante and my support over countless years - Teresa. Thank you.
I look forward to working with our community for another fantastic four years.
Cr Jim Child, Mayor of Yarra Ranges
A green mark of quality
Rated PG
3.75/5
Directed by Jon Chu and based on the hit stage musical of the same name, Wicked is a magical experience driven by two exceptional central performances.
In this prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a woman born with green skin and magical gifts, enrols in Shiz University and locks horns with fellow student Galinda (Ariana Grande).
Wicked features vibrant art direction and plenty of joy, pageantry and lively musical numbers.
Erivo is a magnetic lead, conveying incredible dignity as a dedicated, compassionate woman rising above the stigma of her skin and the scorn of her classmates. Grande is her perfect frenemy counterpart: sweet and bubbly on the surface and a vain, bossy suck-up beneath.
A popular fan theory about the 1939 Wizard of Oz film asserts that Galinda/Glinda manipulated Dorothy into killing the Wicked Witch to gain control over all of Oz, and Galinda being Wicked’s Mean Girls-esque antagonist for the first act amusingly lends some weight to this theory.
Wicked’s narrative doesn’t accomplish much dramatically in this first half (with Wicked: Part 2 coming out in November next year), but Elphaba and Galinda’s steady journey from enemies to best friends provides a satisfying foundation.
At 160 minutes, Wicked is too long, and beyond Elphaba and Galinda, the characters are somewhat thinly-sketched. Elphaba and Galinda finally drop their feud in a bizarre scene that contains some of the daggiest dancing since Raygun at the Olympics, and the plot draws a clumsy parallel between the people of Oz discriminating against Elphaba for being green and prejudice against the land’s talking animals.
Playing in most Victorian cinemas, Wicked is mostly song-and-dance set-up, but still an endearing, energetic and stunning ride.
A life led astray makes for uncomfortable reading
Book review of Fang Si-Chi’s First Love Paradise by Lin Yi-Han
Fang Si-Chi’s First Love Paradise, written by Taiwanese author Lin Yi-Han and translated by Jenna Tang, is an intense and uncomfortable read.
The story is full of pain and trauma, and is said to be of an autobiographical nature. It is widely recognised as the most influential book of Taiwan’s #MeToo movement.
As Lin described in an interview eight days before her death by suicide at the age of 26 in 2017, the story can be summarised in one “direct and brutal” sentence:
“Over many years, a teacher used the power of his position to seduce, rape and sexually abuse female students.”
And that is what happens to 13-year-old Fang Si-Chi, who loves reading and learning, and whose parents are rich and strict yet unsuspecting of all figures of authority.
When a revered literature teacher offers private tutoring for free, Si-Chi’s parents happily accept.
After all, he is a long-term resident in their upscale apartment complex.
Si-Chi’s story is a harrowing account of sexual violence and sexual grooming, but it is also a fierce attack at the power structures that allow it to continue happening.
One of the most haunting paragraphs in the book is from the teacher and serial predator himself:
“Lee Guo-Hua discovered...that social taboos about sex were all too convenient for him.
After he raped a girl, the whole world would point at her and tell her that it was her own fault. And then the girl would actually think it was her fault.
A sense of guilt would chase her back to him.”
Equally chilling is the scene when Si-Chi informs her mother that “a student in her school” is having a relationship with a teacher.
Her mother quickly passes a judgement: “Already a seductress at such a young age.”
When Cookie, another girl in the story, reveals what Teacher Lee has done to her, she is immediately dumped by her boyfriend: “How can I still be with you when you’ve been dirtied?”
When Hsiao-Chi, yet another girl in the story, tries to expose Teacher Lee online, she herself is
condemned: “So how much money did you take from him?” “Homewreckers should go to hell.”
“That teacher’s wife should be pitied.”
And when Si-Chi’s literary mentor I-Wen gets married, she cannot know that one day her beloved husband will wake up from his drunkenness to find himself in a pool of her blood.
“He thought about the night before, when he came back home and kicked I-Wen fiercely.”
As translator Tang explains: “The idea of sexual grooming...is central to what this novel wants to bring to our attention.
It is the idea of a monster trying to make sense of the world for those who didn’t understand what situation they were in, and therefore, through its crooked logic, that monster convinces its audience that certain sentiments, certain emotions, exist for a reason.”
Fang Si-Chi’s First Love Paradise is Lin’s only novel.
Trigger warning.
Wicked Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Michelle Yeoh
PICTURESQUE ACREAGE WITH GLORIOUS VIEWS
PICTURESQUE ACREAGE WITH GLORIOUS VIEWS
COME and enjoy the glorious surrounds and fantastic Yarra Valley views at this beautiful property, situated on just over 10 picturesque acres with a mixture of undulating pasture and scattered bush it’s the ideal spot come and live the relaxed country life.
The home is superb and just a few years old offers the growing family a fantastic semi rural lifestyle with self sustainable off grid living with alternative solar power.
Beautifully presented and offering 3 bedrooms with a luxurious main bathroom and ensuite in the main bedroom, the kitchen is stunning, light and bright with quality appliances and fixtures throughout with ample bench and cupboard space.
Welcome the outdoors in with the main living/lounge areas perfectly situated to sit back, relax and enjoy the ever changing Yarra Valley vista.
Immerse yourself in the outdoors with established gardens and loads of space for the kids and pets to explore and enjoy, a fantastic small acreage property in a beautiful location with acres of space to create your own hobby farm.
EXQUISITE RESORT-STYLE RETREAT
ESCAPE to unparalleled luxury and serenity with this magnificent property that will make will feel like you are constantly on holidays.
Offering the perfect balance of lavish living and nature’s beauty this craftsman built home has been designed to create the ultimate lifestyle of grandeur, comfort and privacy.
Nestled on 5 stunning acres with magnificent views, this impressive residence is located just minutes to Pakenham, the freeway and local amenities yet you will feel like you are miles from civilisation with the privacy and rural setting on offer here.
Inside you will enjoy 4 generously sized bedrooms plus 4 spacious and separate living zones designed for relaxation or entertaining on a grand scale, each with ample natural light, high-end finishes and attention to detail that defines every inch of this home, offering a sense of refined elegance.
Warmed by a cosy gas log fire, 3 split systems and slab heating you can be sure of complete comfort all year around. From every angle the double glazed windows provide you with wonderful views of the surrounding landscape and beyond.
Dive into your very own paradise with a luxurious solar heated, salt chlorinated inground pool, complemented by a spa, surrounded by lush gardens and shaded outdoor spaces. Perfect for cool evenings, the fire pit area creates a cozy ambiance for relaxing with family and friends under the stars.
The oversized 4 car garage provides ample storage, while the massive 16 x 12m shed with 3-phase power, concrete flooring, and remote doors offers endless possibilities for work, hobbies, or additional storage. With plenty of parking space for guests and vehicles, this magnificent home is surrounded by lush landscaping ensuring you’ll enjoy ultimate privacy in your own oasis.
THIS is more than just a home; it’s a lifestyle. With its exceptional combination of luxury, space, and seclusion, this property offers an idyllic setting to relax, entertain, and unwind in total comfort. All the hard work has been done here – inspect today!
HOME FOCUS
YOUR LUXURY OASIS: 27.5 ACRES OF PERFECTION
NESTLED in the prestigious and picturesque pocket of Macclesfield, this extraordinary property offers 27.5 acres of rolling pastures and natural bushland, creating the perfect blend of luxury, tranquility, and rural charm. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel the care and attention that has gone into crafting this exquisite, one-owner residence, designed with comfort, elegance, and functionality in mind.
The home itself is a masterpiece of design, boasting four oversized bedrooms that cater to every need. The master suite is a private haven featuring a spacious walk-in robe and a luxurious ensuite complete with a double vanity.
The guest bedrooms are thoughtfully positioned at the opposite end of the home, each with built-in robes and serviced by a stunning family bathroom adorned with marble benchtops. Adding to the home’s versatility is a large office, ideal for those who work from home or easily adaptable as a fifth bedroom. At the heart of the home lies a chef’s dream kitchen, offering an abundance of stone bench space and quality stainless steel appliances. The adjoining expansive family meals area ensures effortless entertaining and everyday living. For larger gatherings or moments of relaxation, the home provides multiple living areas, including a main living room with soaring high ceilings and a wall of windows that flood the space with natural light while showcasing the breathtaking garden and pasture views.
An additional rumpus room with a vaulted ceiling adds an extra layer of grandeur, while a formal dining area completes the living experience with timeless sophistication. Throughout the home, premium features abound, from the 2.7-meter ceilings and 2.4-meter-high doors to the ducted refrigerated heating and cooling system. A solid fuel fire in the family room adds warmth and charm, creating the perfect ambiance for cooler evenings.
Stepping outside, you’ll find an entertainer’s paradise. A spacious covered alfresco area leads up stunning Ironbark steps to a resort-style, self-cleaning, heated, salt-chlorinated pool that overlooks rolling hills. This incredible outdoor space is complemented by a pool house featuring its own bathroom, complete with floor-to-ceiling
HOME ESSENTIALS
tiles and an oversized shower, ensuring every gathering is unforgettable.
Beyond the main residence, the property offers unmatched infrastructure for those seeking space or versatility.
A massive 12x14 meter shed provides the perfect environment for running a business from home or catering to car enthusiasts, with additional machinery and storage sheds enhancing the functionality of the property. Multiple paddocks, eight of which have
water, are ideal for grazing livestock or horse enthusiasts, while the bushland areas and dam further enhance the property’s charm. To the rear of the property there is an adjoining creek, perfect to sit by and relax.
Adding even more value, a separate twobedroom bungalow with its own driveway offers complete independence with a lounge room, kitchen, bathroom, solid fuel fire, split system, and separate utilities.
Situated in an enviable location next to a
renowned primary school and just minutes from the vibrant Emerald town centre, this property offers the ultimate in convenience. With easy access to supermarkets, schools, restaurants, cafes, shops, and public transport, this is an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy the best of rural and modern living. RARELY does a property of this calibre come to market. Don’t miss the chance to make this extraordinary luxury oasis your own. Contact us today to secure your dream lifestyle.
3
6
QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND CLASS ON 3166M2
• 3 phase power ideal for any tradesman.
• 1 acre of space and stunning garden.
• Entertain on your covered decking or paved alfresco.
Dual street access with remote controlled gate.
Presenting a spacious family home with extensive storage on just under 1 acre.
Close to Healesville, and walking distance to the RACV Country Club and Golf Course, yet only 59 mins to Hoddle Street, this property is positioned to be your next great investment.
The home comprises 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (incl ensuite) and 3 living areas including kitchen / dining, formal lounge and rumpus / pool room with wine cellar.
The home is in fantastic condition, having been constructed with R-22 rated timber on CD ply and concrete stumps.
The master is of mega proportions, with a lovely aspect and view onto the grounds, plus walk-in robe. Downstairs, the rumpus room opens out onto a paved alfresco, adding
another entertaining option to the huge covered deck above.
Features include:
• Recently renovated kitchen with 1200 mm Bosch induction stove.
Solar panel system.
Wood heating.
• Ducted heating.
• Ceiling fans in all bedrooms.
• Ducted vacuum.
Externally the 9 m x 8 m 4-car garage/shed is pride of place, offering secure parking for 4 cars, and a wood heater and sink. Additionally, there is a double carport. 3 phase power is connected. One of this property’s favourite features is its double street access with remote-controlled main gate and second drive. There is so much parking here. Add to the package a dam and small orchard.
This property represents the best offering on 1 acre in Healesville right now.
Text 30-34HAZFORD to 0448 820 022 now to register for limited private viewings
METICULOUS HOME ON MAGNIFICENT GARDENS
TUCKED into magnificent Tuscan-inspired gardens complete with a patio with dappled sun and shade and a gazebo covered in lush greenery, this property offers a refined yet relaxed approach to Hills living. Perfect for entertaining in the warmer months ahead and inspirational for budding gardeners, this 1,556sqm (approx.) property will make a lasting impression.
The interior of this inviting single-level brick home is meticulously presented. The lounge features floor to ceiling windows, plush carpet, and a beautiful gas fireplace. At the rear of the residence, the open plan kitchen with gas cooktop, wall oven, and breakfast bar flows to the dining area and alfresco to ensure it is ideal for hosting family and friends.
The 3 bedrooms provided are also bright and inviting. The main bedroom boasts a bay window, stylish ensuite with spa tub and
skylight, and ample storage.
Added features include a family bathroom with soaking tub, generous laundry with linen press, and a double garage for convenience.
This immaculate residence and incredible landscape are the perfect find in this lovely lifestyle location. Prompt inspection is advised to call this property home. Plan your viewing today.
• Landscaped gardens with paved patio, leafy gazebo, established trees, and meandering pathways
• Meticulous single-level residence with double garage
Inviting lounge with gas fireplace and plush carpet
Open plan kitchen with wall oven and breakfast bar
Impressive main bedroom with relaxing spa tub ensuite.
HOME SWEET HOME
DON’T miss out on this 3 bedroom home, ideal for first time buyers or those looking to downsize.
This property offers a simple, functional layout with a spacious family bathroom and comfortable living space that make it feel like home from the moment you step inside.
The living area flows seamlessly into a well appointed kitchen, creating a welcoming environment for both daily living and the outdoor entertaining is certainly the place to be.
A cozy wood fire adds character and warmth, while the split system air-conditioning ensures year round comfort. Step outside to the expansive yard, perfect for family gatherings, gardening, or just relaxing in your own space.
The large, fully fenced backyard offers privacy and plenty of room for everyone to enjoy. A standout feature of the property is the dedicated “man cave” a great space for hobbies or storage, with a concrete floor, power connected, and even a woodshed for added convenience.
This well maintained home has had significant improvements over the years, including the added benefit of solar panels, making it more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
Enjoy the convenience of being just a short stroll to the Yarra River, Warburton Rail Trail, local schools, and public transport, putting everything you need within easy reach.
This lovely property presents a rare opportunity in a fantastic location be sure to add it to your list of homes to inspect.
Woven Wire & Gates are Powdercoated in 8 standard colours. Gates come in 7 different pedestrian and driveway styles.
ENCHANTING FIVE BEDROOM HOME
STEP into this charming 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with character straight from the 1890s, that seamlessly blends rustic ambience with modern comforts.
Set on over 2,000 sqms of gorgeous landscaped gardens, this serene country home invites you to experience a lifestyle of relaxation and peace.
Spacious bedrooms bathed in natural light through large picture windows, creating warm and inviting spaces throughout the home. The master suite is a sanctuary of its own, featuring a private ensuite with a shower, vanity and toilet, along with a cozy sitting area, for beautiful moments of reflection and harmony.
The heart of the home is the inviting open plan kitchen, thoughtfully designed for cooking and entertaining. It effortlessly flows into the dining area, where French doors open onto a generous deck. This outdoor space is ideal for alfresco dining and soaking in tranquil garden views, or simply unwinding in the peaceful surroundings.
The lounge exudes warmth and charm, with a wood burning fireplace providing the ideal backdrop for cozy evenings with a glass of wine and a good book.
The main bathroom showcases a luxurious clawfoot bath for indulgent relaxation. There is a quirky retro style toilet, a spacious laundry with abundant storage.
Throughout the home, soaring ceilings and polished floorboards enhance the sense of space and light, adding character and charm to every corner.
Outside, the expansive gardens are a true haven, filled with a variety of trees and endless possibilities for entertaining, gardening or some art work in the additional studio space.
This property is more than just a house, it’s a place to call home, a perfect blend of comfort, charm, and a wonderful Yarra Valley lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle and just a short stroll to local walks and the creek, short drive to the shops and cafes of Warburton, schools and transport.
A unique combination of historic beauty, modern amenities, and serene surroundings, this is the quintessential country retreat where cherished memories are waiting to be made.
UPON a sealed drive with terraced lawns and spectacular views this renovated residence anticipates the arrival of new owners.
Refurbished and set in quiet family-friendly surrounds, steps from Belgrave Heights Christian College and beautiful Birdsland Reserve, this move-in ready home offers a magnificent lifestyle.
The interior is brimming with beautiful features including high ceilings, polished floorboards, and 3 impressive living areas to choose from. With a new open plan kitchen calling out to the chef of the family and a flowing floorplan that expands out to a new deck and beautiful balcony, this inviting home encapsulates how exceptional it is to live in the Hills.
Complemented by spacious bedrooms and modern bathrooms on both levels, super-size laundry/wetroom, expansive under-house storage/Workshop space, and a patio and firepit area to take in the fabulous views, buyers will be thrilled they have secured this thoughtful home.
All that is required is to move in and enjoy, so act quickly to acquire this outstanding property.
New Solar panels and dual hot water service
Sensational location only steps from Belgrave Heights Christian College and beautiful Birdsland Reserve
• Easy access to bus transport and Belgrave township and train station
• Sealed drive, landscaped garden, and terraced upper lawn with garden shed perfect for a fire pit area.
Renovated family residence with adaptable bedrooms/work-from-home spaces
• Deck entry into spacious living area with high ceilings and clerestory windows
• Second living area adjoins new kitchen with lush hillside outlooks
• Upstairs retreat accompanies spacious and sunlit bedrooms
PUZZLES
To
Sudoku
of
and
ACROSS
1 Unfathomable (7)
5 Reprieve (7)
9 Most pungent (9)
10 Facetious (5)
11 The capital of Spain (6)
12 Former US Supreme Court
Justice Thurgood – (8)
14 Hate (6)
15 Monarch (4)
19 Musical instrument (4)
20 Leader of the X-men (6)
24 Self-government (8)
25 Bottle for the table (6)
27 Belonging to them (5)
28 From Oslo, eg (9)
29 Broadcast, transmitted (7)
30 Ways (7)
DOWN
1 Undertake (6)
2 Surrenders (6)
3 Island group in the Indian Ocean (8)
4 Ogle (4)
5 Alluring (10)
6 One who goes naked (6)
7 Relating to lines on a weather map (8)
8 Large logs traditionally burnt at Christmas time (4,4)
13 Looked again (10)
16 Of no consequence (2,6)
17 City in Québec (8)
18 Deteriorating (8)
21 Liveliness (6)
22 Gambling house (6)
23 Game played on a court (6)
26 Stiffly neat (4)
Hitting wall is underway
By Dongyun Kwon
Yarra Glen Tennis Club (YGTC) recently commenced the construction of a wall to provide more training opportunities to club members.
The construction finally started on 13 November and is expected to be completed by early to mid December.
The Hitting Wall will stand 3 metres high and 5 metres wide, providing opportunities for hitting without having a partner.
YGTC president Craig Bennett said the Hitting Wall project was part of the longer-term objectives to continue to grow the club.
“It’s a significant achievement as it gives us another driver and opportunity to develop and upgrade around the club,” he said.
“We thank the Yarra Ranges Council for their support. They’ve been actively involved in the planning.”
The Hitting Wall project began in 2018 when the club had only around 30 members and the members found it hard to find a hitting partner to practise.
YGTC committee member and head coach Jarron Morris said he noticed one of the boys in his group lessons would ride his bike down to the courts alone and hit against a very old chain-link fence several times a week.
“Nick Roper’s situation highlighted a gap in our club; there weren’t enough members to consistently find hitting partners, but Nick still had the drive to improve. This moment inspired me to propose the idea of building a dedicated Hitting Wall,” he said.
“At the next YGTC committee meeting, I raised the idea, and it was unanimously supported. The main goal was to ensure that any member without a hitting partner could still practise and improve. It was also seen as a way to attract and retain members.
“Sadly, this would eventually lead Nick to
leave the club and pursue soccer instead.”
The first move YGTC took was to approach the Yarra Ranges Council for funding.
“They agreed to support the project, but only on the condition that it be accessible to the public, not just the tennis club,” Morris said.
“There were differing opinions within the committee on how to handle this, but in the end, it was agreed that if we were going to put in the effort, it should be a club project for our members.”
Despite the loss of the funding opportunity from the council, YGTC didn’t give up and decided to put fundraising efforts through different events.
In the end, Morris was put in charge of the fundraising efforts and came up with the following ideas; Xmas party with a mini tournament, trivia night and club-specific beanies.
Morris said the turnout for all of them exceed-
ed expectations.
“Our first fundraising event was the Christmas party in December, 2018. We had planned for around 30 to 40 attendees, but to our surprise, over 100 people showed up, including many new faces and former members. The turnout far exceeded expectations, raising a decent amount of money,” he said.
“Our second event was a trivia night. By this time, we had a new president, Joe Serra, who was a big fan of trivia. I convinced him to help run the event, and we initially booked a room for 30 people, however, the number of attendees grew so much that we needed to upgrade to a much larger venue, and we ended up with around 120 attendees, giving the project another significant boost.
“We also ordered club beanies, which quickly became an iconic symbol of our club. We started with an order of 50, which sold out quickly,
prompting us to order 100 more. These beanies alone raised over $1000 for the club.”
On top of the fundraising efforts, Yarra Ranges Council offered funds for a major upgrade of YGTC facilities in 2019.
Thanks to the funds, YGTC courts were resurfaced, fences replaced, and new LED lights were installed which also contributed to boosting the membership and helped the club reach the fundraising goal.
In the following two years, the Covid pandemic hampered the project.
“At the start of 2020, we had an engineering report, soil tests, and all the necessary paperwork to get the build underway, including a contracted builder,” Morris said.
“However, by 2022, many of our documents had expired, and the builder had retired, costing us over $3000.
“Post-Covid inflation had also caused the project quotes to balloon to $30,000, not including permits, which initially came in at around $10,000 when we first obtained quotes before Covid.”
Despite the obstacles, YGTC kept chasing the ways to get the Hitting Wall as the new president Craig Bennett and the new secretary and treasurer Kerry Guthrie brought fresh energy to the project.
All permits were updated earlier this year, and the construction finally commenced in November, six and a half years after Morris first proposed the idea to the committee.
Last year, Nick Roper returned to the club, and the Xmas Party and Trivia Night continue as annual events of YGTC.
Morris thanked everyone who helped commence the Hitting Wall project.
He said one of the key supporters of the idea was Scheryl Williams, who had been both the club’s secretary and treasurer.
Craig Bennett (far left) Jarron Morris and Nick Roper (centre left and centre right) surrounded by a handful of current junior players in front of the Hitting Wall. (Supplied)
Healesville up and down
By Ian Milgate
Tuesday’s Side 1 played away at Croydon on grass and it was going to be a big ask to win as the team has been savaged by illness.
The team went out determined to do their best, but by the break, they were 13 shots down, although Steve Bulled’s rink were playing very well.
After the break, the team thought there was light at the end of the tunnel if they could pick up a shot on every end.
Steve Bulled’s team were playing exceptionally well but Bob Brown’s rink after their half time discussion came out and Blitz their opponents allowing them to only get one shot for the next 11 ends while Bob and his team picked up 21 shots. Overall, it was a great display of courage to be short of players, but came home winning by seven shots 65/58.
Well done everyone.
A special mention to Steve Bulled who played his best game for the year.
Rita Featherstone, John Fitzpatrick, Robyn Turville, Steve Bulled 26/11
Gerda Otto, Mick Featherstone, Damian Key, Colin Jarvis 8/26
Ian Milgate, Hilda Gurney, Rob Broadhurst, Bob Brown 31/21
Tuesday’s Side 2 played at home against Heathmont who were above Healesville on the ladder.
The team Healesville put out on the field were expected to put in an effort but certainly not win.
The team had been changed seven times prior to the day due to illness running through the side.
At the half time break, Healesville were six shots in front 34/28.
After the break, Mike Adam’s rink and Barry Parker’s rink continued putting some great bowls down till the team finally wore Heathmont down and finished up winning by 18 shots 73/55.
Well done to all players, especially Anne Knibbs who was playing her first Pennant match.
She had a great time and is looking forward to the rest of the season.
Gerry Gommers, Anne Knibbs, Leonie Fitzpatrick, Barry Parker 26/17
Bernard Godde, Judy Veermann, Russell Smith 17/17
Karl Tok, Jim Viggers, Glenda Graham, Mike Adams 30/21
The Barefoot Community Challenge was
Friday night under lights
By Rodney Bates
The Yarra Glen Bowls Club’s first Friday Night fixture was a big hit, with a good crowd of local members and people across the broader bowls community in attendance to see a close game.
The kitchen provided some well received food options, and the bar was certainly busy as well.
In the game itself, Yarra Glen’s Div 1 side played Bundoora 2, and it came down to the last bowl of the night to decide the result, a two shot loss 82/84 (4 points).
C. Carswell 25/14; S. Manifole 25/17; Beau Simmons 11/28; Ben Simmons 21/25
On Saturday, Division 4 Side 2 played away for the second week in a row, to second placed Bayswater.
At once stage the umpire stopped the game due to the temperature, but this only lasted a few minutes before it dropped below the 36 degree
required to continue play.
Bayswater held a solid lead all day, and Yarra Glen eventually went down 60/87 (4 points).
S. Smith 8/25; M. Ramage 18/10; R. Thurkle 15/35; A. Thurkle 19/17.
Division 6 Side 3 also played away against Mitchum. Mitchum too strong on their home turf, a loss 75/106 (2 points). J. Leather 11/37; D. Skillern 26/27; D. McMenaman 18/15; T. Dickson 20/27.
Midweek pennant
Playing away at Ringwood, the game again came down to the last bowl of the day, with Yarra Glen going down by two shots 61/63 (2 points).
P. Leonard 31/11; P. Tirant 17/37; A. James 13/15. Division 3 were at home to Eastwood Golf. Another nail-biting finish with the result – a draw 67/67 (8 points).
L. Baker 15/28; T. Dickson 32/19; Di Skillern 20/20.
Another great week on the green
By Elly Byrne
The midweek’s team home game match against Ringwood needed to be a good performance for the Eagles to try and maintain a good position knowing that the next round would be a bye with no points. A strong start with some superb bowling, gained momentum as the match continued with all three rinks coming away with a victory. A 77/41 win and max points banked was a pleasing result, after slipping off the ladder previously. During their bye, they will be closely watching the results of the Lilydale / Healesville game this week, which may change the ladder position from the Eagle’s current second place.
With the temperatures expected to be unpleasantly hot, an early start was mutually agreed to with Lilydale for the weekend’s team matchup. The Eagles started well and after 40 completed ends were up 41/26. The heat turned up after the break for bowls and bodies, with Lilydale unfortunately one team member down after lunch due to the heat. Yarra Junction continued to pull ahead on all rinks with all team members taking turns at lifting their game when needed. The final result, a 92:56 win, keeps the Eagles well-placed at the top for another week.
The second week of the Lightning Community Cup was held on Friday evening in perfect conditions. Current holders of the cup, U3A Motley Mob, are ahead after week two but will be challenged as the confidence and skill of the chasers grow. Anything could happen on the final night. See you there at 6.30pm, with all welcome and the bar and barbecue open.
Week 2 Scores:
U3A Motley Mob 38
Simply Irresistible 32
OLAM 27
FOHC 25
H Hardware 21
CIRE Crash Test Dummies 18
Egg Farm 16
Burnt Out Blokes 16
Recovery Options 15
Golden Staffs 2
Running Total:
U3A Motley Mob 77
Simply Irresistible 58
OLAM 55
CIRE Crash Test Dummies 48
Egg Farm 43
Golden Staffs 40
FOHC 35
Burnt Out Blokes 24
H Hardware 22
Recovery Options 17
Community Barefoot bowls will again be run in the New Year commencing 10 January 2025. New players are always needed and welcome to join a progressive and very welcoming Club. See the ‘Yarra Junction Bowling Club’ Facebook page for more info.
played on a beautiful warm night with lots of great bowls going down the green.
Several players have improved so much so they could be playing Pennant for Healesville.
The Healesville Bowling Club members may have to put the hard word on them after the challenge is over.
It was great to see lots of kids around and they contribute substantially to the sausage sizzle.
At the end of night three, we have advanced Ag on 54 with the Laneway catching them up on 53.
McDonald Maintenance are in third place on 51 while the ‘Jack Kissers’ are in fourth spot on 49.
Codeart aren’t far behind on 46.
The Club has extended the comp by one week owing to the weather.
The finals will now be on 11 December instead of 4 December.
Saturday’s Side 1 played away at Chirnside Park under extreme conditions with a very fast green and a strong wind coming from all directions to contend with.
Chirnside Park were languishing down near the bottom of the ladder so Healseville were hoping for a successful outcome.
In the first half, the team were finding it very difficult to bowl on and after the half time break,
it did not improve. In the end, they went down by 43 shots 63/106. It was good to see Robert Ayres back in form this week.
Ian Milgate, Robert Ayres, Col Jarvis, Mark Ward 22/16
Barry Parker, Bob Brown, John Fitzpatrick, Rob Broadhurst 17/33
John Howard, Chris Hawting, Rita Featherstone, Steve Bulled 10/29
Bernard Godde, Mick Featherstone, Robyn Turville, Adrian Beales 14/28
Saturday’s Side 2 were to play at home against Diamond Creek.
Due to the predicted heat, the teams had a 10.30am start so as to miss the afternoon sun.
Unfortunately, Healesville continued to be short of players making it very difficult for the team to put up a strong effort.
But to the surprise Diamond Creek pulled out giving the team’s second side 16 points to be second on the ladder.
Jodie Ward, Glenda Graham, Russell Smith Leonie Fitzpatrick, Kenny Gallacher, Judy Veermann
Judy Wallace, John Allen, Anne Knibbs, Mike Adams
Two tight matches
By Garry Lewis
A close away victory by the Warburton Midweek side and another nail-biting finish in the Weekend Warburton 2 game at home were the highlights of this week’s Pennant Competition for the Burras. In hot windy conditions, Warburton 1 travelled to Heathmont on Saturday. The Burras were determined to give a better account of themselves following their previous loss last week. However, Heathmont 2 proved to be a formidable opponent on their own grass green and held Warburton’s top side at bay in a competitive contest to win 89 shots to 61.
Rink scores were as follows: P. McConachy 18/ 20; S. Lord 15/ 25; C. Neale 17/ 19 and S. Lee- Tet 11/ 25.
The Burras face another challenge this week against Mitcham 2 at home. The Warburton 2 team played top side Croydon 3 at home in warm conditions. Despite having several players unavailable, the Burras were determined to continue their improvement of previous weeks.
Trailing behind at the break, the Burras quickly got back into the game largely due to a great comeback and two ends of 5 shots from Peter Summers’ rink. Every rink lifted as the overall scores juggled up and down with both clubs not giving up. However, Croydon’s experience in the finish saw them win by 2 shots overall in an exciting finish to another close contest, 70 shots to 72.
Rink scores were P. Summers 25/ 21; G. Lewis 17/ 16; M. Van Meurs 16 / 16 and D. Fahey 12/ 19.
The Burras play Mooroolbark 5 away this week as they look to get back into the top four.
Warburton’s Midweek side travelled to Chirnside Park on Tuesday. In warm and gusty conditions on a fast and wide surface, the standard of play was inconsistent resulting in a closely fought contest throughout the game. Warburton prevailed by 7 shots, 59 to 52 and moved to second place on the ladder.
Rink scores were S. Lord 22/ 16; G. Walsh 18/ 22 and R. McKail 19/ 14. The Burras next play Croydon 2 away.
Pennant Training continues Thursdays from 4pm at the club. New and beginning players are always encouraged to attend and join in the fun. Coaching is available.
The Wednesday Night Barefoot Bowls Jack Attack Competition continued last Wednesday in perfect bowls conditions. Young Mitch Wynd from the Pensioners team commenced the evening well by winning the prize for being the first person to touch the jack. Well done, Mitch!
The enthusiasm and enjoyment being displayed across all rinks during the evening was wonderful to see. After three rounds only two teams remain undefeated, Gunners and Thomos. This highlights the general evenness of the competition with vast improvement being shown particularly from the newer teams so early in the season.
Intra Club Competitions have commenced with club members striving to claim bragging rights over their friends.
Social Bowls continues to be played on Mondays from 12 midday with everyone including new and beginning players encouraged to attend. Come along and give Bowls a try.
The ‘Simply Irresistibles’ sit second in the Yarra Junction Bowling Club’s Lightning Community Cup after Round Two. (Supplied)
Terry Heyward bowling in a recent Midweek game at home. (Supplied)
A week of highs and lows for Wandin Cricket Club
By David Marshall
1st XI: Victory Against the Odds
The 1st XI faced St Andrews in a highly competitive two-day clash. Day 1 was a scorcher, and after losing the toss, Wandin was sent in to bowl first—a decision that promised a challenging day ahead. Dan Trembath gave Wandin the perfect start, striking twice early to leave St Andrews reeling at 2/15. His fiery spell set the tone, and the rest of the bowling unit maintained tight lines, restricting the opposition to less than three runs an over by the first drinks break.
However, the game began to slip from their grasp when some missed chances in the field allowed the opposition to build a solid third-wicket partnership of over 130 runs. St Andrews capitalized on these opportunities, and though Dan came back with two more quick wickets to reduce them to 4/158, another big stand saw their total soar to 323 before we could make further inroads. Despite Wandin’s best efforts, they ended their innings at a daunting 373. Hamish Lamont and Jason Kneebone each took a wicket, but it was Dan Trembath’s remarkable bowling figures of 7/76 that stood out as a true highlight in the field.
Returning for Day 2, Wandin faced a massive chase. The pressure was on, given their recent struggles to bat out a full 80 overs in two-day matches. But this time, the batters rose to the occasion in spectacular style. Bryce Edwards and Jamie Atkinson, forming a new opening pair, were a class above as they took on the St Andrews bowlers with precision and flair. Together, they amassed a superb 190-run partnership that set the platform for the innings. Jamie’s 86 was full of class, while Bryce’s solid knock of 92 underpinned the chase.
After the openers fell in quick succession, the momentum continued with Eden Van Beek’s well-crafted 54, and Joel Galvin’s explosive knock of 60 off just 36 balls put the opposition under immense pressure. Joel’s aggressive hitting ensured Wandin stayed ahead of the required run rate and within striking distance of the target. Further contributions from Taylan Hall (22) and Ben Warren (33) kept the scoreboard ticking and saw Wandin home with nine overs to spare. This monumental effort sealed an incredible victory and pushed the 1st XI to second on the ladder. It was a team performance to remember, with standout contributions from both bat and ball.
2nd XI: Tough Day at Wonga Park
The 2nd XI travelled to Wonga Park for their split-innings two-day match, determined to bounce back from recent challenges. Batting first,
Wonga Park posted a steady 3/107 in their allotted overs. Gordo Gosland was the pick of Wandin’s bowlers, delivering an exceptional spell of 2/8 from six overs, keeping the opposition batters in check. He was well-supported by young rising star Jed Leckie, who bowled a tight spell of five overs for just 15 runs. Although Jed didn’t claim any wickets, his control and precision showed maturity beyond his years. A brilliant piece of fielding from Jed resulted in a key runout, further demonstrating the promising talent in the side. When it was Wandin’s turn to bat, the openers started strongly, with Gordon and Jarrod putting on a 60+ run partnership. Gordo’s composed 23 and Dobby’s gritty 39 laid a solid foundation, but unfortunately, things went downhill after their dismissals. The middle and lower order struggled against disciplined bowling, collapsing for just over 30 runs and leaving Wandin all out for 99. While it was a disappointing finish, the 2nd XI remains 2nd on the ladder and looks forward to welcoming back key players in the coming rounds. This team has shown resilience all season, and there’s no doubt they’ll bounce back stronger.
3rd XI: Fighting Spirit Against the Top Side
The 3rd XI took on ladder-leaders Croydon North in what was always going to be a tough contest. Winning the toss, Wandin opted to bat first and aimed to put up a defendable total. Captain Greg Foden led from the front with a fantastic knock of 51, combining with the ever-reliable Tom Chrisfield (49) for a 100-run opening partnership. Their steady and confident approach provided the perfect start to the innings.
As the game progressed, Peter Vaughan showcasedhisexperiencewithanunbeaten39,guiding the team through the middle overs and ensuring Wandin posted a competitive score. Contributions from Trent Richards (12), Ralph Peet (12), and Shaun Doolan, returning from injury with a valuable 14 not out, added crucial runs. At the end of the allotted overs, Wandin had reached a solid 205, giving their bowlers something to defend.
The bowling effort began positively, with Sam Robinson striking early to dismiss Croydon North’s opener with the score on just 19. His partner, Trent Richards, followed up soon after, leaving the opposition at 2/30. Croydon North began to rebuild with some strong partnerships, but Peter Vaughan’s crafty bowling broke through, claiming two key wickets to finish with impressive figures of 2/20. At 4/117, Wandin were in with a real chance, but the remaining wickets eluded us. Croydon North eventually chased down the target with just a couple of overs to spare, clinching a
One win, two losses for Lusatia Park cricket club
By Garry Nicholls
Lusatia Park went into day two of their game against East Ringwood looking to chase down the target of 260.
Lusatia Park lost their first wicket at 24 and the next at 54, Chris Reynolds scoring 35 of the total. Lusatia Park were ahead of the opposition in run rate but lost the next two wickets for the addition of only 14 runs. The task was beginning to look grim with Matt Robbo and Lochie doing their best to build a decent partnership but unfortunately, Lusatia Park was bowled out for only 187 with Robbo making a defiant 31 and Lochie 29 and the side lasting only 57 of the 80 overs.
The 2nd XI in their two-day game against Kilsyth needed only 40 runs to pass the visitors with a full day’s play. With Paul Broussard on 48 and Sumant Gupta on 38, they reached the target without the loss of another wicket. The team continued batting with Paul and Sumant continuing to plunder the attack putting together a brilliant partnership of 113 until Sumant fell for a fantastic 77. Dean Sharman joined Paul at the crease and they continued to pile on the runs adding another 83 when Dean fell just short of a half century for 48.
Captain Kieran came to the crease with PB getting closer to his century but with only 5 runs added to the total he fell for a brilliant 98, the skipper immediately declared withthe total at 4/277 as both captains agreed to call it a day.
The 3rd XI missed out on a game this week with Mt Evelyn forfeiting.
The 4th XI played Yarra Junction at Wesburn Oval No.2 with the visitors winning the toss and batting first. At the end of their 36 overs, they had scored 4/147 with their best batter B.Thomas making 51 retired. Lusatia Park’s turn to bat and young Flynn Pritchard opened the batting as the veteran Colin Voigt got Lusatia Park off to a great start with a partnership of 68 for the first wicket. After that wickets kept falling steadily and Lusatia Park could only manage a total of 8/145, young Flynn the best with 50 retired. Special mention to young Amelia English who made her highest score of 26 nout out, well done.
The Ladies’ team didn’t get on the park this week because of another washout. Fingers crossed for better weather next week.
hard-fought win.
Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives to take from the match. The team pushed the competition’s top side to the brink, and with the return of key players over the next few weeks, momentum is clearly building for the 3rd XI. The dedication and team spirit on display are a credit to the group, and there’s plenty of optimism for the rounds ahead.
Looking Ahead
It was a weekend of highs and lows for Wandin Cricket, but the overall trajectory of the teams is incredibly promising. The 1st XI’s remarkable
chase showcased the depth of talent and fighting spirit within the group, setting the tone for what could be a very successful season. While the 2nd XI and 3rd XI didn’t secure wins, their performances highlighted areas of growth and resilience that will undoubtedly serve them well in upcoming matches. As the season progresses, the return of key players and the continued development of emerging talent will only strengthen the squads. Each team has shown flashes of brilliance, and with more consistency, Wandin are poised for a strong finish across all grades.
Lady golfers have a crack
By Ron Hottes
The Monday Ladies’ Bowl, 4BBB Stableford: This 4BBB Special Club event was always going to produce some outstanding results. With 15 pairs competing, representing some seven neighbouring clubs, and some very lucrative prizes on offer, the ambience was pleasant but serious. After a welcome, including Vicki’s muffins, tea andcoffee, the field of 30 got down to work. And, clearly the most efficient workers were Merilyn McDonald and Annaliese Duivenvoorden representing the Home Club. Their points tally of 44 was indeed indicative of the great teamwork between Annaliese and Merilyn. Their fine teamwork was adequately rewarded with the top cash prize. There were twoo pairs who posted 38 point results, they being Nellie Stoer and Lorraine Watson, from Eastern G.C. and another local pair in Suzanne Barrat and Michelle Jordon. There were also plenty of NTPs to vie for. They went home as follows: Annaliese (3rd), Raylene Chisholm( from Gardiner’s-Run, for the straightest drive on the 4th), Brenda Henderson (also from Gardiner’s Run, for a gigantic long drive on the 8th), Deborah Hamment (9th), Rosebud’s Jan Heinrich (12th), Nellie Stoer again (15th) and another Gardiner’s Run member Pam Bolton, for a superb second shot on the 17th. The Committee, and Ladies from Warburton, would like to acknowledge the incredible preparation and work that Vicki and Merilyn did to get this exciting event off-theground and to Ray, Skye, Alan and Rob for their
important input.
Wednesday 20 November, Stableford: Next week is the much-anticipated Garside Challenge - a two-Person Ambrose that lures plenty of members in to create a large field. So, the junior member of the Garside Brothers, Ian, decided to make a statement a week ahead of that event. In fact, a 40-point statement which won the day very easily, and at the same time, put the wind up the rest of the proposed field. Good tactic, Junior. The runner-up to Ian was Ross Machar, a man not to be intimidated. His 39 points, at least, gives Junior and Senior (Phil) something to think about. Plus, new member, David Mackey, with 38 points, also made his own strong statement as did a number of other members, who will get a ball if they posted 36+ points. Bring it on, Garsides. NTPs on this day were won by David Mackey (3rd), Ross Machar (9th), Neil Leckenby (10th), Dave Wappett (12th) and Craig Staggard (15th). A full report on the iconic Garside Challenge will appear in next week’s edition. Twilight:
Top scores today were indeed impressive. Gary Vollmer and Josh Waddell both posted an impressive 22 points. Unfortunately for Gary, Josh beat him on a countback but good shooting by both boys. Luke Patrick took home the thirdplace voucher with a solid 21 points. Balls extended down to 18. NTP winners were as follows: Danny Fox (1st), Josh Hin (5th) and well done to Paul ‘Ossie’ Osbourne, collecting two of them (3rd and 9th).
L-R: Jamie Atkinson and Bryce Edwards’ 190-run opening stanza helped power the 1st XI to a win. (Supplied)
Healesville juniors win five
By Josh Handasyde, Michael Davern, Matt Wilkinson, Pete Nolan and Chris Handasyde
A clean sweep for Healesville junior teams this weekend winning all five games.
U12-3 Healesville 3/88 defeated Coldstream 5/84
Ryder Hudson 21* & 1/8, Kael Senti 12, Angus Morcombe 3/5, Alex Simmons 10 & 1/13 Jackson Lehman 7*
U12-7 Healesville 6/116 defeated Yarra Glen 6/116
Healesville under 12 (7) recorded their first consecutive win and third win of the season with a comfortable win over Yarra Glen.
Healesville batted first with a strong start by Angus Holmes (18) and Will Ferguson (13).
Several players contributed with the bat including Milo Jackson-Ward making his top score for the year (12 n.o), and not outs for Arlo Turner (9) and Fletcher Brook (9).
They finished with 6/116 and bowled Yarra Glen out for 101.
Fletcher Brook bowled well with impressive figures of 1/3 off two overs.
The other wicket taker was Milo Jackson-Ward with 1/9 off two overs.
Excellent fielding saw three run outs. Two of these went to wicket keeper Angus Holmes, with the other going to Felix McMahon with a sensational direct hit of the stumps.
U14-3 Healesville 240 defeated Wonga Park 132 (day 2 of 2-day game)
With 240 on the board, it was up to Healesville bowlers and fielders to bring the points home.
A second wicket partnership of 61 gave Wonga Park hope however once that was broken a steady fall of wickets proceeded and Wonga Park were bowled out for 132.
Louis Keath 5/31 was outstanding.
Aiden Senti. Endo Gotch, Ryder Hudson, Mika Kerst and Max Ferris all got a wicket each.
U14-7 Healesville 4/106 defeated North Ringwood 9/99
Tully Ellis 19* & 2/6, Taylor Caldicott 17, Thomas Quaggin 4/4
U16-4 Healesville 6/144 defeated Lusatia Park 125 (day 2 of 2 day split innings game)
Sam Drummond 35, Tyler Braden 29*, Wyatt Coleman 20 & 2/16, Cooper Bell 20*, Sam Keath 3/12, Denzel Parsons 3/22
1st XI Healesville 262 defeated Eastfield 196 (day 2 of 2 day game)
On a hot windy day our bowlers toiled away to get the win. Captain Darren Edwards didn’t bowl a bad ball on his way to 4/19 and was supported by Mitch Tampaline 3/38 abd Tarkyn Nicolandos 2/25.
2nd XI Healesville 161 defeated by Eastfield 213 (day 2 of 2 day game)(written by Michael Davern)
The 2XI came into day two of this game already making a good platform to start needing 149 more runs with nine wickets left in the shed.
Mark Powell and Max Wallace carried on from where Healesville left off last week, looking confi-
Teams try their best
By Travis Gloury
1st XI – two day game, 80 overs per day.
Yarra Glen all out 247
Bayswater 2nd XI 7/248
With key strike bowler Matt Donnelly off the field after injuring his achillies while batting last week, Jordan Bain and Phil Cowan took the new ball defending 247.
Phil Cowan picked up the first two wickets with a nice caught behind by club legend Tom Davey who filled the void as Yarra Glen’s wicket keeper this game with Phil following up to claim the team’s second wicket getting one past the defences of the other opening batsman.
By the 11th over the score was 3/20 after Liam Senti had their number four batsman caught by Brodie McCann.
All bowlers toiled hard as the day heated up in an effort to take Yarra Glen’s fourth wicket which came in the 31st over to break a 67 run partnership at 4/87 after leg spinner Tony Biddiscombe bowled their number five batsman who was looking good and scoring freely.
With some near misses, Yarra Glen had a stroke off good fortune with Liam Senti hanging on to a well struck full toss at square leg to dismiss their number three batsman on 55 at 5/125 in the 44th over, shortly after the tea break.
When Tony Biddiscombe hung onto a caught and bowled and Phil Cowan clean bowled their captain in the 62 over to be 7/174 to claim his fourth wicket, the game was up for grabs against the ladder leader.
Over the next 13 overs the ball was thrown around to various bowlers in an effort to break the eighth wicket partnership but in the end their batting depth was too strong for Yarra Glen’s weary bowling group who had toiled hard all day in the heat, with only 10 on the ground for the last two hours including Yarra Glen’s injured captain.
Phil Cowan bowled 21 overs in the heat to return excellent figures of 4/60 with good support from all bowlers, with Tony Biddiscombe collecting 2/41 off 15 overs.
2nd XI Two day game, 72 overs each day, split innings
Yarra Glen all out 115
Boronia 4th XI 7/115
The day began with Boronia requiring less than six runs to claim victory, with six wickets in hand.
In a remarkable game of cricket, Hunter Grenfell took three for 0 which left one more wicket required to claim victory as Boronia had only nine players for the day.
As chance would have it, a sharp chance
dent at the crease until Max was trapped in front of the stumps for 17 and Mark was caught in the slips from a bobbled up catch for 39.
This unfortunately started a run of wickets with Healesville losing the next three wickets for two runs.
Things started looking up when Ethan Nikcevich and Beau Hawkins found themselves at the crease early on both playing shots and scoring some crucial runs but again another wicket fell in Ethan playing and missing one on the stumps for 16.
With Beau looking comfortable in the middle, Dylan Edwards joined him, who batted in partnership with Beau holding up an end, turning the strike and playing the critical role Healesville needed at the time, the tide looked like it could turn in our favour.
Beau, not long later, was also beating by the bowler, snicking one behind for 38.
With 60 runs left and the last wicket stand left, Dylan and Brodie Grace tried to hold on to get us over the line but Brodie was bowled.
Finishing our innings 52 runs short of the win.
3rd XI Healesville 202 defeated by Chirnside Park 9/248 (day 2 of 2 day split innings game)
In sweltering conditions at Chirnside Park, Healesville headed back out into the field with the home team resuming at 3/123.
Consistent line and length bowling led to a collapse with Tyler Braden (3/24) and Prem Singh (2/39) the main destroyers, with a special mention to Brenton Damrow for his 10 overs on
Phil Cowan who took 4/60 and made 90 runs in the weekends game. (Supplied)
went down at second slip to claim the last wicket and an unlikely victory before Boronia soon got the required couple of runs required to claim the win.
Both captains agreed shortly after to call the game off due to the heat.
Hunter Grenfell returned match figures of 5/21 off 6.4 overs to claim his first 5WI in senior cricket.
3rd XI one day game, 30 overs each
Yarra Glen all out 109
Chirnside Park 6th XI 3/115 (21 overs)
Under 14 player, Daniel Shaw was again the stand out batsman this week with 33, including two boundaries followed by Dave Taylor (25) and Stefan Atkinson (19) to post a total of 109 with 10 players after the late withdrawal of Sam Holland who fell ill.
Dave Taylor claimed an early wicket with all bowlers toiling hard in the reduced 30 over match as agreed by the captains due to the heat with Snowy Crawford taking the reigns as Captain in the absence of Lucas Walsh.
Daniel Shaw and Ryan Cowan also claimed a wicket each before Chirnside reached the required total in the 21st over.
the trot (1/15), and at 9/185 the game was well and truly alive.
Unfortunately Chirnside’s last pair batted well and took the score to 248.
The bloods resumed batting needing 93 runs but with only two wickets in hand. Aiden Senti (25), in just his second game, and Zach Coleman (11) were up for the fight and batted exceptionally well but in the end fell short, Chirnside winning by 46 runs.
It was a great effort from all the boys in tough conditions and they should all be proud of their commitment and attitude.
4th XI - Healesville 8/147 defeated by Warranwood 6/237
Healesville hosted Warrenwood 5th XI at Margaret Lewis Reserve.
Healesville won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat in hopes of getting in front of the blistering hot conditions, it was hard work in the feild as Warrenwood posted an impressive total of 6/237.
Young P Leonard impressed in the field taking a beautiful catch and put in a huge effort patrolling the boundaries on a lightning fast deck. R Morcombe 2/31, C Bell 2/51
After loosing a few key wickets early in the innings the challenging run chase would prove to too much for the home side, Healesville batting out the overs finishing with a total of 8/147 (B Reid 33, M Harding 28) Warrenwood securing the victory by 90 runs.
5th XI - Cancelled due to heat policy
This week’s horse talk
By Anita Prowse
It was a lovely day on Wednesday for the final Competition in Shirley Heights’ EA Spring Midweek Series, well done to all competitors utilizing such a great event to sharpen up the skills.
The Summer series starts on 11 December with entries closing 6 December, open now at Event Secretary.
UYPC’s last Freshmans for the year was on Saturday, though the time was pushed forward slightly to stay within the heat rule, next one will be on Australia Day 26 January 2025, entries are on the day.
Pre-entries for the Yarra Valley Horse Show on Sunday 15 December will close on 5 December, please note the Eminent Turnout Class is pre-entry only, there will be no entries taken on the day for this class. Go to Event Secretary to secure your spot and ensure the best value tickets. All enquiries to anita.horses@gmail.com If you are feeling the itch to get back into the swing of things after Christmas, Shirley Heights have a great weekend planned Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December with a Dressage and show-jumping training weekend, entries are open now at Event Secretary, closing 23 December. Happy Riding everyone.
Healesville U14-7 team. (Supplied)
Local racers dominate
By Dean Thompson and Callum Ludwig
A number of Yarra Valley racers tore up the track during the start of the race season at the Alexandra Speedway on Saturday 16 September.
Dean Thompson of DMT Speedway Media covered the action and the Star Mail spoke to a few of the local winners from the day.
Alexandra Speedway started its new race season with the local member racers picking up several feature race wins on a night that included series rounds for Sports Sedans, Junior Sedans, Street Stocks and Late Models. An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to see River Paterson from Yarra Junction, Luke Morrison from Officer, Dylan Barrow from Wandin, David Donegan from Healesville and Matthew Nelson from Woori Yallock who were all winners.
The biggest field belonged to the Sports Sedans with competitors who came from Northeast Victoria, Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Southeastern Suburbs of Melbourne and the Murrindindi surrounds. Qualifying race wins were shared by Rhys Collins, Damien Miller, Tommy McDonald, Ian Thomsen, Damien Miller again, Dale Smith, McDonald a second time, Lee Beach, and Dale Smith a second time. There was crash damage and mechanical issues along the way putting drivers out of the event before the final, some of them being favourites for a potential victory. Donegan, McDonald, Russell Smith, his son Dale, Thomsen, and Beach started in the first six spots in the twenty-five-lap final with Donegan securing the lead spot initially before McDonald past him on lap three. Dale Smith moved to the lead on lap six whilst Donegan dropped back into third spot before he passed McDonald for second on lap ten.
It took until lap fifteen before Donegan passed Smith and assumed the lead spot once again and McDonald also moved passed Smith on lap nineteen into second. For much of the race the top three where right around each other before Donegan cleared off later in the race eventually to a four second margin. Donegan would claim the victory ahead of McDonald, Dale Smith, Beach, and Josh Service in the Sports Sedan Extreme Series round.
Donegan, who has been racing since he was 14 and is a member at the Alexandra Speedway, said he probably struggled a bit earlier in the race.
“It was just about getting comfortable with the track conditions and then I had some really good battles with some other guys there that were being racing over the last few years,” he said.
“We were just lucky enough to have the right set-up at the end and a reliable car to get us over the line in the first spot,”
“We always try and set up our race car to be fast in the last 10 laps in a 25-lap race and we really struggled in the first 10 to 15 laps just purely because we had our car set up for the last 10 laps, I think we were back in third at the time and then were able to come through the pack, get back up the front and take the win.”
Junior Sedan Promotional Association competitors in both grades of Top Star and New Stars
were on hand for series action. In the Top Star competition, drivers raced in three of the four heat races held to set their qualifying spot. Cruz Carlin won a first heat race where the first four competitors were separated by less than a second in the closest heat race. Brad Marshall then Victorian state champion River Paterson twice in succession won heat races also. Paterson, Will Fallon, James Peacock, Carlin, Axel Robinson and Jake Bradley were the top six starters. Paterson put himself out in front on lap one with Tamika Simpson moving inside the top six until lap four. Peacock and Carlin swapped spots more than once in third and fourth during the race before Paterson greeted the chequered flag leading all fifteen laps to beat Fallon, Carlin, Peacock and Robinson with the margin just .240 at the end between the lead two in an exciting finish.
River’s father Rob Paterson said River started racing at 10 years old after following in the footsteps of his older brother and that it was a pretty straightforward night.
“He’s just won the state series, which is called the JSPA series, and four state titles, so last year he won the Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales state title so he’s a pretty successful little fella,” he said.
“He ended up doing good enough in the heats to come off pole [position], and his friend Will [Fallon] was the other and they broke away from the pack and had a really good battle, they only finished two-tenths apart when they went over the line, they were bumper to bumper for the entire race, all 15 laps so it was very, very tight,”
“His dream is to win the Australian title in January, that’s certainly what we’re working very hard to do, because he’s won all the state titles and we’re off to the Queensland title in December and then we’ve got the Australian title first week of January.”
In Late Model competition Dylan Barrow and Chevy Edwards shared wins in the two qualifying races before Barrow led all ten laps in the final to defeat the Edwards brothers Chevy and Brock, then came Tasmanian Ellis Dickenson and Shane Belk.
Barrow said he has raced at that track for a few years and can put laps together pretty well there.
“It was pretty good to come away with a win because I’ve had some bad luck there for a bit so it was good to shake that off,” he said.
“It was good to see Matt Nelson as well get a win as well, he’s really good mate of mine so it was
Young Hawk is getting ready to fly high
By Dongyun Kwon
Healesville Junior Football Club product Cody Anderson was selected by Hawthorn Hawks with pick 64 in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft on Thursday 21 November.
The former Blood, now dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’, grew up as a footballer step by step from the local stage, Coates Talent League to VFL and is now looking forward to making a debut in the AFL.
The 18-year-old footballer couldn’t hide his excitement after getting drafted by his dream club.
“Leading up to the draft, I was so nervous,” Anderson said.
“I can’t really explain the feeling of relief when my name was read out, probably the best moment of my life.
“I’ve always had a soft spot for Hawthorn, growing up with a lot of my friends who follow them, and obviously it’s the closest club to Healesville, so I’m beyond grateful for Hawthorn giving me this opportunity and can’t wait for it all to begin.”
At 183 centimetre tall, Anderson plays midfielder and forward.
“A strong inside midfielder and pressure forward, Anderson has seen his draft stocks rise following his solid form for the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League this year,” Hawthorn Football Club’s online statement reads.
“Dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’, the 18-year-old is one to watch in the 2025 AFL
season, due to his competitiveness, strength around the contest and high defensive work rate.”
Anderson’s football journey started when he was six, joining Healesville Junior Football Club.
Nine years later, he made his senior debut for Healesville, and the following year he played five games for the Eastern Ranges competing with other promising players in the Coates Talent League.
“I started the Ranges when I was 16 and that’s when footy really got serious for me,” Anderson said.
“The Coates League was definitely a step up for me. It was so much faster and a lot more professional than what I was used to.
“It took me a bit to get used to that level.”
This year, Anderson racked up averages of 22.5 disposals, 5.7 tackles, 5.5 inside 50s and 2.6 marks across his 11 games for the Ranges, which earned him selection for Victoria Metro.
good to see some mates of mine and local cars win and have a good night overall.”
Three heats were slated for Street Stock competition for a round of their Speedway Sedans Victoria series. Matt Nelson raced away for a huge victory in the first heat race and in contrast the second heat race that he also won had a margin of less than a second. Linken Paterson then picked up a strong win in the final heat race. Twenty-five laps was then the distance to compete over in the final. Nelson began with Paterson from the front with Jack Jordan Ricky Cornwall, Matt Brooks and Matt Bishop holding starting spots in the top six. Nelson led from the drop of the green with Paterson the first to exit the race and Cornwall moving to second. Tim Hutchinson who recently won an event at Wangaratta moved into third on lap five. Nelson held a comfortable lead and the top three held their spots for the next twenty laps with Nelson greeting the flagman four seconds ahead of Cornwall, Hutchinson, Jordan and Bishop. Alexandra Speedway will next hold competition on 7 December with a state Production Sedan series round, a Goulburn Ovens Sedan Association series round, Sports Sedans, National Junior Sedans, Standard Saloons, and a Ladies Standard Saloon series round.
As a member of the Hawks’ Next Generation Academy, Anderson trained with Hawthorn’s senior side and featured in one game for Box Hill.
The 18-year-old footballer said training with the Hawks for a week made him realise how badly he wanted to be a professional footballer.
“Playing the Box Hill game was an awesome experience,” he said.
“The standard was the best I have played.
“Playing with seniors was not a real issue for me because I played seniors for my beloved Healesville for a couple of years.”
Training alongside one of his role models, Jai Newcombe, Anderson is aiming to play at least one game next season.
The Healesville footballer said he wishes to come back to his local footy club after his successful career in the AFL.
“I like the way Jai Newcombe plays with his tough, fast brand of footy,” he said.
“My goal this year is to work hard to get a game next year, and my ultimate goal is to win an AFL premiership and have a long career.
“I plan on finishing up my football at Healesville one day in the future. I truly believe nothing beats playing footy in your hometown.”
Cody Anderson (left) playing for Healesville
Healesville’s Dave Donegan took out the Sports Sedans category. (Louise Norman/Napier Photography)
Wandin’s Dylan Barrow.
Rising star River Paterson in action. Woori Yallock’ Matt Nelson.
