By Ethan Benedicto, Violet Li
Mum Danin Chin, Zoe ten broek, Kidsafe CEO Sarah Sexton and Casey Highway Patrol Senior Constable Travis Perkins were with the baby Jamie in the child restraint.
Sissons: 463493)
Homeless concerns
By Violet Li
Cranbourne residents say a rough sleeper is turning people off from a playground in the town centre, as Casey Council says they have no authority to move the person.
Cranbourne Public Hall president Judy Davis said the homeless person had been residing in the Perry Park playground next to the hall since late last year.
Ms Davis said she had received a lot of complaints from parents who were worried that the man would scare their children.
“There’s a lot of personal belongings and rubbish collecting near the barbecue, and it stops people from coming,” she said.
“I feel sorry for (the man). But in the long run, we’ve still got the hall to look after.
“We’re trying to make Cranbourne look presentable.”
Ms Davis said she had reached out to Casey Council and Victoria Police, but it didn’t go anywhere.
According to Casey’s Local Law, a person must not, except with a permit, camp, erect, place or occupy a temporary structure or dwelling in or on any council land, public place or road.
However, Casey Council states that council officers do not have the authority to move individuals on, and only Victoria Police can do so.
Council may issue a direction or notice to comply for individuals to cease camping within a specific timeframe. Infringements may also be issued to individuals for non-compliance, however, there are complexities of issuing infringements to individuals of no fixed abode.
City of Casey connected communities manager Callum Pattie said the council is committed to supporting community members who are sleep-
ing rough or who are at risk of homelessness.
“Council officers have visited the site next to Cranbourne Public Hall and can confirm that one person has now left,” he said.
“We are working with the remaining person to connect them with local homelessness and housing support organisations.
“Once the site has been vacated, Council will undertake a clean-up of the area.”
A spokesperson of Victoria Police said their priority is to link people who are sleeping rough to the services available to them.
“We work closely with local councils and support organisations to address these issues,” they said.
“If an offence is detected, police will deal with the matter at hand.
“Anyone who commits criminal or anti-social behaviour that puts the community at risk can expect a swift response from the police.”
Clyde home impacted in Wednesday fire
The
was deemed under control at 11.48am and safe at 12.52pm.
Probe into man’s death
By Violet Li
A State Coroner is investigating the death of an armed man who died at a Lynbrook shopping centre after a police chase-up in February this year.
Star News reported on 14 February that an armed man died at Lynbrook Village Shopping Centre after self-harming and then being tasered by police.
As the investigation of the death is still in its early stage, a direction hearing on Wednesday 12 March revealed the 36-yearold, who had no fixed address, was wanted by police at the time of his death, with three outstanding bench warrants for alleged criminal offending. Police also intended to serve a Family Violence Intervention Order on him.
According to the police and audiovisual footage, on the day of his death, police attended his residence in Lynbrook to arrest him. The deceased then fled the residence and jumped over a fence that abutted the car park at Lynbrook Village Shopping Centre.
He ran into the shopping centre, and police officers located him in a bathroom. He was self-inflicted behind the closed door. The police kicked the door open and the deceased was seen in the cubicle holding a knife in his right hand, covered in blood.
The court heard that the officers repeatedly instructed him to drop the knife and asked him to slide the knife away from him so that they could obtain medical assistance for him. They warned him that he would be tasered if he was not compliant, yet the 36-year-old remained standing holding the knife. At approximately two minutes after the cubicle door was opened, the police tasered him twice, restrained him with handcuffs, and applied medical aid, but the man became unresponsive shortly afterwards. He was then transported to hospital but could not be revived.
The paramedics found the deceased had suffered significant blood loss and had two deep lacerations on his neck, but the full results of the autopsy that will determine the medical cause of the death will be delivered in some months, according to the court.
The Coroner Court acknowledged that as the investigation processes, other issues may arise and lead to further investigations.
The Coroner Dimitra Dubrow will also determine whether things could have been done differently and whether there are any prevention opportunities that arise.
Victoria Police will also conduct their internal review of the incident.
The next step is a coroner brief to be served approximately in late June this year. Once the brief is received, the interested parties will consider if necessary to convene a further direction hearing.
Lifeline 13 11 14. Call a BeyondBlue counsellor on 1300 22 4636 or chat to a counsellor online at beyondblue.org.au
Four CFA units alongside FRV responded to a house fire on Ballarto Road in Clyde at around 10.13am on Wednesday 12 March. Units responded from Clyde, Berwick and
Narre Warren.
Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and the relevant power company were called to the scene.
The fire impacted approximately half of the house.
incident
Childcare centre showdown
By Violet Li
A proposed childcare centre in Cranbourne North has been met with opposition from an adjoining property owner, who is ready to build their own childcare centre.
However, the state’s planning tribunal has ruled the two childcare centres can operate sideby-side without significant cumulative impact.
Casey Council granted a planning permit for the use and development of a childcare centre on the site at 24 Huon Park Road in Cranbourne North for up to 86 children, later revised to 95 children, with a reduction of two parking spaces from the standard car parking requirement.
The adjoining property owner at 26 Huon Park Road took his opposition to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), as they already hold a planning permit for the use and development of a childcare centre for up to 112 children on their land.
This means Huon Park Road will see two neighbouring childcare centres in the future if both are constructed.
The objector argued that having two childcare centres operating on adjoining sites would create an “unacceptable cumulative impact” on local traffic and street parking.
They submitted that the childcare centre should not be proposed on Huon Park Road, a collector road, when combined with the approved childcare centre on the adjoining property.
Casey Council claimed that the road is capable of carrying the additional traffic generated without exceeding the daily threshold number.
The traffic expert witness opined that the intersection treatment with South Gippsland Highway to the west of the proposed site makes this particular collector street suitable for childcare centre access.
VCAT member Cassandra Rea stated that the two adjacent childcare centres were an appropriate town planning outcome.
“The co-location of the two childcare centres will minimise impact to residential interfaces whilst forming a small hub with the parkland across the road,” it stated.
“I am not persuaded that there is a cumulative impact if both childcare centres commence operation.”
The objector was critical about whether the most recent proposal fulfils a demonstrated local community need. Rea noted that “a demonstrated need for a fa-
cility or use may be a relevant factor in a decision but lack of a need will rarely, if ever, be a ground for refusing to grant a planning permit”.
The objector also argued that the parking re duction was unreasonable and that relying on on-street parking would aggravate local conges tion.
The tribunal stated there is the availability of on-street parking to accommodate the two car spaces not provided on-site.
“If the approved 112-place childcare centre
Friday 28 March, 7.00pm
Friday 28 March, 7.00pm–10.00pm Bunjil Place Precinct
Celebrate the opening of the exhibition. Book your tickets now for a night of floral
Celebrate the opening of the Floribunda exhibition. Book your tickets now for a night of floral wonder, live performances, and immersive experiences.
A sign shows a childcare centre is coming soon at 26 Huon Park Road. (Stewart Chambers: 463953)
Locals call for full upgrade
By Violet Li
A small section of Evans Road in Cranbourne West will be duplicated under a $30 million pledge from the Federal and State Governments, with works to commence later this year.
Community members welcome the upgrade, but they say the entire road should be duplicated, or at least the duplication should be extended longer to Thompsons Road.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Evans Road duplication between Duff Street and Central Parkway in late February as a part of a $1.2 billion roadworks package to increase capacity and improve efficiency in growth areas surrounding Melbourne, partnering with the State Government.
The about-to-be-duplicated section is about 500 metres, against the total 5 kilometres on Evans Road from Duff Street to South Gippsland Highway. Only intersections have been duplicated within the 5 kilometres.
Evans Road runs across three suburbs in Casey: Cranbourne West, Lyndhurst, and Lynbrook.
Cranbourne West local Michael Hin pointed out that Evans Road, a major road in the area, is very busy during peak hours.
“Traffic has been getting worse and worse because there are more cars and more people living here,” he said.
“It’s a critical road here. This road allows you to bypass Cranbourne, so you don’t have to go through the South Gippsland Highway.”
He said locals would be frustrated when the traffic would have to be diverted into the estate nearby with the coming roadworks.
He also did not understand why only such a small section was going to be duplicated.
“A lot of people are not happy that they’re only doing this part,” he said.
He understood that roadworks took steps, and the costs could be high in some parts of Evans Road, given the drain and the adjourning wetland, but he said even if the governments were doing the whole way to just Thompson Road, people would be happy with that.
Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen agreed with what Mr Hin said. He believed the $30 million upgrade was a huge win for the Cranbourne West community, but the Council is now calling on the State Government to consider co-contributing to this Federally-funded project and prioritise the duplication of Evans Road between Central Parkway and Thompsons Road.
“This will ensure the completion of an efficient road network for the Cranbourne West community, including active transport connections to Merinda Park train station and bus interchange,” he said.
Quarters Ward Cr Carolyn Eaves said the
500-metre duplication would remove the bottleneck in this part of the road and would support the industrial development in Cranbourne West by complementing the duplication and connection of Central Parkway with Western Port Highway.
She also pointed out the importance of duplicating the entire Evans Road.
“The entire upgrade of Evans Road between South Gippsland Highway and Duff Street is included in the Council’s top 10 priority transport
advocacy projects,” she said.
The$30millioncostofduplicatinga500-metre had also been a mystery to Mr Hin and other community members. He said the community joked that the cost only made sense when they took the $42 million Thompson Road roundabout removal into account.
Evans Road upgrade has not been new in the community. Back before the election in 2022, the Liberal Nationals Coalition pledged to fully duplicate Evans Road with a $87 million
budget if elected.
According to Major Road Projects Victoria, planning work will soon commence. Key activities include a detailed traffic analysis and modelling, to better understand the future growth of the area and the demand this will place on the road network, environmental investigations to understand flora, fauna and tree species, and investigations to map utility services. Construction timelines will be known once the planning has progressed further.
Exploring Dorothy’s century of life, love, and resilience
By Violet Li
Cranbourne East resident Dorothy Jones lives a century of life, love, and resilience. Residing in Langford Grange, she celebrated her 100-year-old milestone with her family and a caring community on Monday 10 March.
“Her eyesight’s perfect. A hundred years old. No glasses. Her heart is healthy,” her only daughter Jenny said when asked how her mother had been doing.
“She’s very healthy. I had her heart tested. Her heart’s stronger than mine. I had her eyes tested. I need glasses. She doesn’t.
“She never smoked in her life, and she never drank in her life. So maybe that’s why.
“Sometimes she gets confused with numbers, so she says that she’s turning 200 and I say, no, no, no, you’re turning one hundred. But it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if she lived to 200 because she’s so well.”
To tell the life of her mother, Jenny would not hesitate to start with a love story.
In early 1945, Dorothy met young British Commando Frederick Jones while walking with friends in Kent, England. Fred was invited to a gathering at Dorothy’s house. Eager to spend more time with her, Fred proposed during the event.
“When he asked Mum to get engaged, Mum was shocked. She said, you better go and ask her Mum. Her Mum was just shocked as well. And she said, oh, you better go and ask the fa-
ther,” Jenny recalled.
“And because my grandfather was sick, he really didn’t understand what he was asking. He said, oh, you better go and ask mother.
“So Dad went back to Mum and he said, well, I’ve asked your mother and I’ve asked your father, so we’re engaged.”
It was during the wartime and things moved fast.
“They had a great relationship. It’s that soulmate and that bonding. They did everything together, and that built security and love,” Jenny said.
The couple emigrated to Australia in 1956 when Dorothy was about 30 and Jenny was five. It was a strong call.
“She said it took a long time for her to settle into Australia because although she loved the country, she had no family other than her immediate family,” Jenny said.
“But once she settled, they only went back to England several times.
“They always came home here because this was their home. They loved it so much.”
The family first arrived in Wangaratta. And they moved around for Fred’s bridge-building business, which remains in operation today.
Dorothy took on the role of bookkeeper, managing the finances. Eventually, they all came back to Victoria, their home.
The family grew bigger over the years, welcoming two grandchildren and later, three
great-grandchildren. Fred passed away in 2018, a heartbreaking loss for Dorothy, but she still speaks of him with love and admiration. The 73-year love story forms the unfading undertone of her life.
Cranbourne West local Michael Hin did not understand why only such a small section was going to be duplicated, and he said he said even if the governments were doing the whole way to just Thompson Road, people would be happy with that.
Now, one of her great-grandchildren is planning to spend a couple of years in the UK with her partner to experience a different lifestyle. The shape of another transcontinental story is in the forming for this family.
Cranbourne East resident Dorothy Jones celebrated her 100-year-old milestone on Monday 10 March. (Stewart Chambers: 463277)
Unregistered builder fined
By Violet Li
An unregistered Cranbourne builder was fined $16,000 with a conviction for accepting payments of more than $108,000 but failing to supply the goods and services.
Cranbourne man Najy Rayes, the sole director of Melbourne Landscape Design Pty Ltd, was sentenced in the County Court on 6 March to one roll-up charge of wrongly accepting payment of $108,568.75 for residential renovation works from seven victims over 18 months between March 2021 and December 2023.
The court revealed that Rayes was never a registered builder.
The accused pleaded guilty on 27 February.
Rayes practised fraud by first requesting an
Positive
By Sahar Foladi
Concern Australia in Dandenong has won more than $800,000 federal funding to expand its work as a ‘circuit breaker’ for at-risk youth.
The organisation works with vulnerable young people aged from 5 to 25 with employment, resume building, housing, homelessness, youth justice and other services.
The youth empowerment grant will help extend its existing Hand Brake Turn program, a five-week automotive training program to provide pathways to employment and further training.
Chief executive Judith Atkinson says the funding will support 100 young people aged between 14 to 17 during the grant’s two-year period.
“The reason we applied for this funding is young people kept asking if they can come back and do another course, do more workshops. We
unlawfully high deposit, which ranged from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of the contract price.
According to Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV), for domestic building work, a deposit can be no more than 10 per cent, if the total contract price is less than $20,000, or five per cent if the total contract price is $20,000 or more.
He then requested extra payment for additional work, provided excuses for not showing up to work, left his work incomplete and defective, and ghosted the homeowners.
The court noted that on one occasion, one victim believed Rayes had demonstrated “discrimination when speaking with women and had also made some racist remarks”.
Rayes allegedly verbally abused the victim. He refused to leave the property when asked to and allegedly harassed and abused the victim
youth
knew we had to find a way to continue this positive work.
“What’s brilliant about the funding is it’s giving us the time to work longer with people. It’s a very great investment in the young people’s future.”
The funding will allow the organisation to employ additional two part-time youth workers in Dandenong to run the extra weekly sessions with the participants to ensure they’re employed.
“It strengthens the connections through weekly sessions, team-building, doing projects.
“Sometimes they need extra help to make those things work. It will help us support them longer term, ensure they transition to employment and training.”
Hand Brake Turn has mentored about 10,000 participants in Dandenong over the past 30 years. It is the biggest HBT program with outreach
which caused her to call the police, who attended the scene and directed Raynes to leave.
Raynes was also found to enter contracts without being a registered builder or giving the building owner a contract information statement.
The court discovered Rayes refused to attend an interview with CAV in 2023.
Rayes was found to have prior convictions as CAV issued two infringements to him in 2019 for wrongly accepting payment for accepting payments from consumers and failing to provide a service.
Judge Trevor Wraight took Rayes’ personal and financial circumstances into account when sentencing, as the court acknowledged that he experienced difficulties arising from needing social benefits and drug use.
to South East suburbs such as Cranbourne and Berwick.
Atkinson says schools and Youth Justice sup-
“You admit that the difficulties you were facing during the pandemic coincided with your poor business management and unprofessionalism ultimately leading to your significant financial liabilities,” Judge Wraight said.
However, Judge Wraight said Rayes showed “little evidence of remorse” while pleading guilty. He said that Rayes had not repaid any amount to victims despite being ordered to.
Judge Wraight was concerned that Rayes had “guarded” prospects of rehabilitation.
“You have a lengthy prior criminal history containing numerous dishonesty related offending, and you have served a number of terms of imprisonment for such offending,” he said during the court.
“Your prior history also reveals numerous breaches and court orders.”
ported the funding application because they could see the benefits.
“A lot of (participants) arrive when they are disengaged, or maybe gone down a pathway that’s not best for them.
“We call it a circuit breaker. As well as learning skills, we do a lot of life skills to encourage them to think about what it is they would like to do, and we positively connect them with employment and mentoring opportunities.
“We’ve had young people go from not engaging with anything into jobs, apprenticeships, go back to school, Tafe - 70 per cent have gone into a positive pathway.”
The hands-on experience also includes building their resume and help seek jobs with local automotive employers.
At the same time, it seeks to minimise any anti-social behaviours and divert young people’s contact with the youth justice system.
Daniel Anang and Chris De Silva get under the bonnet as part of the Hand Brake Turn program in Dandenong.(Gary Sissons: 463709_01)
Car seat check saves kids
By Ethan Benedicto
With 90 per cent of child car restraints being incorrectly fitted, Kidsafe Victoria held a free fitting event in Casey Fields, Cranbourne East, on Wednesday, 5 March.
To mark National Kidsafe Day, the event began at 10am and lasted until 2pm, with a focus on raising awareness on the critical importance of properly fitted child restraints.
This came after research showed that from 36,000 child car restraint checks across the state, Kidsafe found that 9 out of 10 restraints were incorrectly installed or used.
Likewise, Casey remains in the top five for serious injury and fatal collisions within the state.
Melbourne mum Zoe ten Broek, whose infant son, Jax, was left fighting for his life following a tbone accident, was also in attendance.
A strong and vocal advocate for child safety, Zoe said that before the accident, installing the child seat was “something that I took upon myself to dive into”.
“But I dove deep, very deep, on how to do it before I even had Jax, and I had a professional install it too.
“It was something that I had a lot of knowledge about before the accident even happened, and I was very confident that I was doing it correctly,” she said.
In 2022, Zoe secured Jax in his rear-facing car seat for what was a routine 20-minute drive to her parents’ home.
Suddenly, their vehicle was t-boned on Jax’s side, leaving the then one-year-old unconscious and suffering multiple seizures.
He was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where he underwent four surgeries to treat a fractured skull, torn neck ligaments, and severe head trauma.
Zoe recalled the events as a “crazy” experience.
“An incorrectly fitted child car restraints could be a tragedy waiting to happen - the risk of lifethreatening injuries is greater, and that’s why we’re calling on the community to help fund more of these essential checks.”
After the accident, doctors told Zoe that Jax’s rear-facing position likely saved his life.
With several weeks in the hospital passing, Jax eventually made a remarkable recovery, and while he has experienced developmental delays, Zoe describes him as “just your average little boy”.
Senior Constable Travis Perkins from Casey Highway Patrol said that the incorrect use of child restraints is a major issue on Victorian roads.
He said that many parents are unaware of the issue and that “small mistakes can have devastating consequences in the event of a crash”.
“During intercepts and random breath testing, we often see incorrectly fitted child car restraints, which is why safety checks are so important.
“Kidsafe offers an invaluable resource as they don’t just ensure the restraint is properly fitted, they also educate parents and carers on how to use them properly,” he said.
Sexton added that with many newly arrived families, they may not be “aware of Australia’s child restraint laws or best practices”.
“This makes education and community outreach essential for their children’s safety,” she said.
“It took a whole 24 hours before I saw him, and when I did, I was not prepared to see him in that bed with all those monitors and wires, all the swelling.
“He was barely recognisable as Jax, it was very frightening.”
According to Kidsafe, the risk of life-threatening injuries is four to six times greater when a
“I woke up, and Jax had already been airlifted, so my first response was, where’s my baby?” she said.
child’s car restraints are incorrectly fitted or used.
Kidsafe CEO Sarah Sexton said that the demand for professional child car restraint fittings exceeds the current resources.
“Parents and caregivers want to ensure their children’s car seats are installed correctly, but our resources are stretched,” she said.
“Without additional funding, we can’t meet the growing demand for these life-saving checks.
For Zoe, being an advocate means that she can play a hand in informing others to not make any mistakes when it comes to their children’s safety.
“There’s no room for error, please double check, it’s something that is so necessary to make sure that it’s done correctly,” she said.
“The hardest part about it all was not knowing whether Jax was going to make it those first two weeks.
“I knew that this is the message that I wanted to spread and wanted all parents to know because if we know better, we’ll do better.”
Lynbrook home raided over alleged identity-theft scam
A man has been charged with an alleged bulk phone-porting scam after police raiding a home in Lynbrook on Tuesday 4 March.
Australian Federal Police seized several mobile phones, a desktop computer, SIM cards and suspected drug items.
The 34-year-old man was allegedly responsible for more than 190 suspicious ‘port-in’ against 86 phone numbers registered with different networks.
The AFP alleges 44 were ported without the rightful owners’ consent.
The man was charged with knowingly causing an unauthorised modification of data, with reckless disregard as to whether the modification impaired access, or the reliability, security or operation of other data.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment. He was granted police bail to appear at Mel-
bourne Magistrates’ Court on 6 March.
In July, 2024, an Australian telecommunications company alerted the AFP that multiple attempts had been made to port mobile numbers using potentially stolen identification information.
Porting scams involve the transfer of an unsuspecting identify-theft victim’s mobile number to a device or SIM card controlled by a scammer.
They can then bypass multi-factor authentication settings to access bank accounts and other sensitive information.
The AFP says it is trying to identify victims and procure statements from those allegedly affected.
AFP Detective Superintendent Bernard Geason said the alleged offending highlighted how far scammers would go to try to bypass security settingsandaccesspeople’slinkedpersonaldata.
“I urge people to be alert to unexpected text messages from your mobile service provider saying ‘you’ have requested your number be ported to a different network provider.
“This could indicate a scammer is trying to port your phone.
“Alternatively, if your mobile phone service is suddenly disconnected, or shows ‘SOS only’, this could also be a warning sign your number has been transferred to another provider without your authorisation.
“If you believe you have been the victim of an unauthorised porting attempt, it’s critical to contact your mobile phone provider immediately, and contact your bank to take steps to put a freeze or hold on banking transfers and cancel any potentially affected cards.
“Finally, report the incident to ReportCyber.”
OPINION
Symmetry between the wickets, Garfield Tynong’s Sean Somers and Kasun Ranasinghe, Bellbird Park, Drouin. (Stewart Chambers: 464277)
A 34-year-old man was bailed to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 6 March.
Zoe ten Broek with her son Jax. (Supplied)
Where everyone belongs
The week is a celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
The week is a time to acknowledge and reflect on the many faces that make up our community and how everyone brings with them their stories, food, language, and traditions that make Australia such a vibrant country to live in, particularly the City of Casey.
Balla Balla Community Centre is in Clyde North and recognised the amazing diversity within our community and will celebrate this with a Free Open Day where ‘Everyone Belongs’.
The day will be on Saturday 22 March from 11.30am - 3.00pm.
The day will be a celebration to share in cultural performances, activities for the children including an animal farm, face painter, balloon artist, art and craft activities as well as henna tattooing and kite making. There will be food available on the day as well as market stalls for you to browse through.
Bring along your family and friends and celebrate the day with other community members.
For more information visit: https://ballaballa. com.au/balla-balla-open-day/
Or contact Balla Balla Community Centre on 5990 0900.
Balla Balla Community Centre is in Clyde North and recognised the amazing diversity within our community and will celebrate this with a Free Open Day where ‘Everyone Belongs’ on Saturday, 22 March.
THE LOWDOWN
Q&A
Tell us about yourself and how you got into improve?
I’m an actor, but I used to be so terrified of improv that I would run away and cry whenever someone tried to make me do it. That obviously wasn’t ideal, so in 2019 I enrolled in an Improv for Actors course and discovered that it was much less spooky than I’d previously believed. I got a scholarship to train at The Improv Conspiracy from 2021-2023 (the “eight week” level one course took six months because of lockdowns but nevertheless, I persisted). Then I auditioned and joined The Big HOO-HAA! and Improv Conspiracy ensembles at the beginning of 2024.
What has been your most memorable moment during your theatre/comedy/improv career so far?
I love doing work that impacts young people. I’ve been working with a children’s theatre company called Playhouse Pantomimes for eight years, so every school holidays I get to perform for babies, toddlers, and primary school kids who are experiencing live theatre for the first time. That feels really special. I also had the privilege of working with Momentum Studios and the Knox Rainbow Youth Action Group on their short film Still Me in 2021. It was incredibly meaningful to be able to bring such a beautiful queer story to life in partnership with the queer young people who created it. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
I think I look a fair bit like a fish. But going off vibes alone, probably a quokka: I’m very bouncy, very smiley, and I curl up in a tiny little ball when I’m frightened.
What event, past or present, would you like to witness?
I’d have loved to be in the live studio audience for the taping of the ‘Friends’ finale. Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
Ayo Edebiri, Cat Stevens, Matthew Perry, Susan Sarandon, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sinead O’Connor.
with Cranbourne North actor and improviser Alanah Parkin
What three words would your friends use to describe you?
I just asked a couple of them so I didn’t have to think about this for myself, and my favourite answers were “passionate,” “unusual” (which they clarified was a compliment), and “curious” (as in “eager to know or learn” — they’re not just listing synonyms for “weird” I promise).
What would you do on your perfect ‘day off’?
I’d wake up whenever my body tells me it’s ready, and eat some big fluffy pancakes with ice cream and syrup (plus hashbrowns on the side) with my partner. Then we’d head down to the Peninsula and have a big old soak in the hot springs. We’d get a late lunch in our robes, and then we’d go to the drive-in and see a horror film. We’d order a big bucket of popcorn, and a boysenberry choc top each. Then, we’d do some night rides on some roller coasters (let’s imagine for the sake of my perfect day off that there are roller coasters in Dromana and they’re open all night). When we got home, we’d fall asleep watching YouTube videos about defunct theme park attractions. Where is your happy place?
I love being on stage, and as I just mentioned, I love being on roller coasters. I like to think of both standing up in front of crowds and zooming around on big fast rides as (very different kinds of) thrill-seeking behaviours.
If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?
I would describe my efforts in the kitchen as “extremely inconsistent” at best. I DO make reliably delicious canned sardines on toast, but whenever I eat them my partner has to sit on the other side of the room on account of the smell… perhaps too polarising of a dish for TV audiences.
Cranbourne North actor and improviser Alanah Parkin will soon bring their debut solo comedy to the upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival. (Supplied)
Cardinia Shire’s Night of Nights
Join us for the Cardinia Community Foundation & Rotary Club of Pakenham
THREE … ways to celebrate Holi Festival
With the Holi Festival just around the corner on Friday, 14 February, here are three ways to celebrate the Festival of Colours.
1
Joining a celebration or festival is the easiest way to commemorate the day, with the events, historically packed with everything from music, food, dance, song and colour, a sure-fire way to take part in the festivities.
2
Hosting a small Holi gathering with friends and family is another way to commemorate; even if you are not of the Hindu faith, being able to indulge yourself, friends and family with the messages of good’s triumph over evil, and the fun of throwing colour and water at one another is something one can’t miss out.
3
Embracing the spirit of Holi through acts of kindness is another way to celebrate, emphasising love, forgiveness and new beginnings. This can be done through giving back to the community, from donating to a cause, cooking for those in need, or mending old relationships, all in the essence of unity and positivity.
NEWS Changing of the guard at RSL
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Southside Racing Pakenham 420 Nar Nar Goon - Longwarry Road, Tynong
Dinner FUNDRAISER
Date: Saturday 5th April
RSVP by 22 March 2025
Bookings: TryBooking
An Evening of Fun, Networking & Fundraising
Enjoy a spectacular night filled with: Great company and networking opportunities Entertainment to keep you dancing Delicious food and drinks Exciting fundraising activities and auctions Together, we’re making a difference! Funds raised will support local community groups and initiatives that strengthen our region and foster a brighter future for Cardinia Shire. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate, connect, and contribute to our amazing community. Be
A new era dawns at Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL, which paid farewell to long-serving general manager Greg Betros on 5 March.
It comes soon after the sub-branch’s stalwart president John Wells retired, bringing the curtain down on a durable double-act.
At the send-off, Betros was feted with many warm handshakes, hugs and tributes from staff and veterans.
Betros started working two hours a week at the RSL’s bar in 1996, ascending his way up to general manager 10 years ago.
Now, his thoughts turn to home renovations and an upcoming golf trip to Scotland and Ireland.
“I just knew my time was up, about half-way through 2023.
“You get tired,” citing the stress of steering the RSL sub-branch and 100 staff through the “stopstart” Covid lockdowns in 2020-’22.
The bistro has emerged ever-stronger post Covid, while many venues and RSLs have struggled. Its 2024 food sales were $2.2 million, up from $1.3 million in 2019.
Betros is most proud of how the branch has opened itself to the wider community, including interpreters from Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts into the ranks.
Seated beside a wall rich in war medals and memorabilia, recent past-president Wells paid tribute to Betros’s “absolute integrity”, sticking by the “RSL ethic” and to fund the growingly complex need for veteran welfare.
For his part, Betros praises Wells for his oratory, magnetic personality and not being scared to have an opinion.
The outspoken Wells last year retired to a quieter life of gardening and writing.
He feels “unburdened” after his 12-year stint of arguing for the “things that matter” like veterans’ “holistic welfare”.
What also matters is carrying on the traditions of self-reliance, courage, humour in adversity and looking after mates – “those things we used
to think were Australian qualities”.
In his time, the iconic ‘Huey’ – a Vietnam War-era medevac helicopter – gained worldwide attention when hoisted proudly in the RSL’s car park. Nearby was a ground-breaking joint memorial for Australian and Vietnamese servicepeople.
Wells says it’s on the lookout to replace its controversially-closed Cranbourne venue as well as to open Australia’s first memorial park for servicepeople killed domestically – estimated to be more than 700 personnel since 1945. He worries about the future of the RSL with its diminishing numbers of active veterans.
“We need to run this right up until the last serviceman.
“If we continue to run a good business, we should be all right. I wish we weren’t reliant on poker machines to do it.”
That said, he doesn’t see a sustainable business model without pokies. But as a recovered horse-racing gambler, he doesn’t like seeing people “sucked into” the machines.
Betros’s successor Suong Tran previously ran venues at Sandown Greyhounds and Reservoir RSL.
She vows to continue Betros’s legacy of leadership and teamwork and bring the club to the “next level”.
“Hospitality is in my backbone as well as giving back to the community. At Dandenong, to see the welfare services here and giving back – that’s a beautiful thing.”
Past president John Wells, president Lance McDermott, general manager Suong Tran and past general manager Greg Betros at DandenongCranbourne RSL. (Gary Sissons: 462322)
Store pledges fix after alert
By Violet Li
Cranbourne’s new discount retailer Panda Mart says it will liaise with suppliers on the proper labelling of products that contain button batteries and hire a professional to check stocks, amid Consumer Affairs Victoria’s public warning.
Consumer Affairs Victoria issued a bombshell public warning on Wednesday 5 March to customers who purchased goods from the store to stop using them immediately and return them to the store for a refund.
According to its statement, inspectors visited the store last week and seized thousands of products they believed failed to meet mandatory product safety and information standards.
The items taken off the shelves included toys and baby rattles containing button batteries that were inadequately secured or labelled.
Owner John Chen said the inspectors took away about 50 kinds of products, which were mainly items with button batteries, including birthday cards and kitchen scales.
He said the products were qualified but loosely labelled.
“For example, the instructions and manuals say the products have button batteries, but it isn’t pointed out on the package. And according to the regulation, we need to label that on the package,” he said.
“We have to tell the supplier that they need to have this label on the package.
“We have studied this before, but because we have too many varieties of goods, you just missed some.
“The supplier did say there is a label, but the logo is actually on the manual. There is some miscommunication.”
Mr Chen said the inspectors also took away toy guns, children’s cosmetics and tissues for labelling issues.
“Toy guns do have labels, but the labels do not comply with their regulations. It should be labelled that you can’t use them to hit the eyes
or the face, and we labelled that you can’t use them to hit the body and animals. So it should be more strict,” he noted.
“For children’s cosmetic toys, we didn’t label the ingredient list. We were told to list the
ingredients and labelled that if you are allergic to this ingredient, don’t buy it.
“The tissues only have Chinese labels, but English versions are needed.”
Mr Chen said they had learned their lessons
and would hire a professional in the industry to check their stock in future. He said they were waiting for the formal investigation report from Consumer Affairs Victoria.
With affordable villas available with services offering a more supported lifestyle, and 24/7 emergency call system, enjoy peace of mind in retirement.
Inside of Panda Mart Cranbourne. (Ljubica Vrankovic: 461172)
St Therese’s Primary School stands proudly as one of the smallest schools in the Cranbourne area. This unique characteristic allows us to foster a close-knit community where every name is known, and every individual is valued. Our ethos extends warmly to our Foundation students, the newest and youngest members of our community, ensuring they feel welcomed and cherished from the very beginning.
At St Therese’s Catholic Primary School our vision is simple: do all that you do with love. This is at the core of everything we do, especially when it comes to those embarking on their educational journey with
us. Before the start of the school year, our dedicated Foundation teachers planned orientation sessions to ensure a smooth transition from kindergarten to primary school. These sessions were designed in collaborationwithschoolleadership,allowingustoget to know each student and their families personally. We understand the importance of providing parents with the opportunity to ask questions, share their hopes, and address any concerns they may have about their child starting school.
On the first day of school, each of our prep students and their families were warmly welcomed by name
at the school gate. This personal touch included the opportunitytocaptureafamilyphoto,commemorating this significant milestone. The relationships that began to form in 2024 have continued to flourish, resulting in a cohort of children who, in just six weeks, have settled into the daily routine of the classroom and are enthusiastically engaging in their learning.
With 28 students enrolled in the Foundation year of 2025, our class sizes remain small, allowing for personalised learning experiences. Our dedicated staff are able to provide ample opportunities for small
group activities and one-on-one interactions, ensuring that each child receives the attention and support they need to thrive.
At St Therese’s, we believe that a strong sense of communityandafoundationbuiltonloveareessential for fostering a positive and enriching educational environment. As we continue to grow and nurture our students,weremaincommittedtoourvisionandtothe values that make our school a special place for every child and family.
For those curious about what St. Therese's offers, we invite you to contact the school at 5996 7525 to arrange a personalised tour or visit our website at www.sttcbourne.catholic.edu.au. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you and your family to the warm embrace of St. Therese's Primary School.
St Therese’s Catholic Primary School is a welcoming and happy place where children are nurtured to become independent and responsible learners.
To learn more about what St Therese’s has to offer, contact the school on 5996 7525 to book a personalised tour, or visit the school’s website: www.sttcbourne.catholic.edu.au
We look forward to welcoming you and your family to St Therese’s Primary School. 131
Meeting access unclear
By Ethan Benedicto, Violet Li
Decisions are in the air as an online option becomes a possibility for the next Casey Council meeting on Tuesday, 18 March.
Casey’s mayor, Stefan Koomen, said that as it stands, “no decisions have been made yet”.
“But it’s a discussion we’re having with the councillors; we just want to make sure that our meetings are safe for the public,” he said.
Koomen added that more details on the meeting’s format will come with the release of the agenda on Thursday, 13 March.
The remainder of the councillors are in limbo, with talks of either possibility swaying the scale.
Kalora Ward councillor and Casey’s deputy Mayor, Melinda Ambros, said that she is not aware of any motions to move the meeting online.
“The one yesterday (Tuesday, 11 March) was online, that has been done, but the next one is something, at the moment and as far as I’m aware, that is going to be in person,” she said.
A council source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that while they can’t be certain, it’s “looking likely” that it will be online based on “police advice we’ve been getting”.
They also added that the gallery will most likely not be open in person, while it remains
open to the possibility that councillors can join the meeting online from home or still remain in the chambers.
Speaking on fairness, they said that they were “not sure how to call it”.
“It’s not like we’re trying to keep residents from attending; it feels more like we’re backed into a bit of a corner here,” they said.
They also added that no matter the outcome, it’s a “lose-lose” situation for the council and that they are unsure of how the community will react.
“I’ve heard from some in the community that they’re planning to show up at Bunjil Place anyway, online or not,” they said.
“We’re trying to juggle it all, safety and being available to the public, but with people possibly turning up regardless, it’s feeling like no matter what is done, it’s a tough spot.”
Akoonah Ward councillor, Scott Dowling, is on a similar page, adding that the council is taking into consideration the advice of different official bodies.
“I think it should be in person, and I think most of the councillors would like it to be in person, but we do need to act on the advice of the Victoria Police and our own security,” he said.
“It has to do with their assessment because there have been threats to councillors and the council in general.”
Giant recycled Queen Bee coming to Pakenham Show
By Violet Li
Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School is heading to the Parklea Pakenham Agricultural and Horticultural Show this Saturday with a giant Queen Bee sculpture made of recycled materials.
It will be the school’s first time participating in the show, which themes bees this year.
The school’s visual art specialist Saskia Rochow said the sculpture had been a collaborative piece, which took students about four weeks to complete.
“It’s pretty much like a giant humanoid beast. It’s a dress with red and yellow striped colouring with the bodice with the six arms, wings on the back, and a giant beak and it’s going to have a crown,” she said.
“We tried to make it out of recycled materials such as garbage bags, things that we found in the garage, like hazard tape, caution tape, stockings.”
Saskia said the sculpture was one of the challenges the school put forth to students who had a high ability in arts.
The school does a variety of high-ability clubs for students who display a high aptitude for different subjects across the school.
“It’s been a fun process,” Saskia said.
“There was direction from me on ways we could go about it, but that was in collaboration with the Year Six captain leaders to form the visions of the sculpture, and then all the children that were chosen from other year levels helped put it together.”
Saskia said students could go with their fam-
Up north, Grevillea Ward councillor Dave Perry said that the council remains in deliberation but that he has not heard of any strong motions for an online meeting.
As for Casuarina Ward councillor Kim Ross, she said that the council is currently “looking at the best way to proceed with the meeting”.
“We’re primarily looking at everyone’s safety, including the residents who are attending and their safety, as well as being able to make decisions and move the motions of managing Casey forward,” she said.
Down south, Tooradin Ward councillor Jennifer Dizon said that “the plan has always been for it to be a public meeting”.
“The meeting that was conducted last night was just for the purpose of moving motions that weren’t dealt with last time, and hence, it was conducted online,” she said.
River Gum Ward councillor, Lynette Pereira, is of the same mind, saying that the meeting “is still going to be public”.
“Some of those people (before) are not local, but they just wanted to come and make a whole lot of noise,” she said.
When asked if the meeting would be online next week, Quarters Ward councillor Carolyn Eaves said, “not as far as I know and not as far as we’ve decided”.
‘Residents
By Ethan Benedicto
“We know there’s a lot of angst in the community, and there’s been lots of threats made, but no decisions have been made yet.
“We had an online meeting yesterday, and it was purely admin to carry over the motions that we couldn’t go through because of the bad behaviour last meeting.
“I mean, the aggression they were showing, they were slapping each other on the back and smiling and congratulating each other when they thought they had sent a really vile comment.
“They’re congratulating each other, they were having a good time,” she said.
Another anonymous council source said that the council remains keen for the meeting to “remain open to the public”.
“But the ceo and the mayor must weigh-up safety risks for the council officers and the public,” they said.
Dillwynia Ward councillor Anthony Walter believes that it should remain open to the public but with “extra mitigation in place so there isn’t a repeat of last month”.
“Going online, of course, is a last resort, and if my fellow councillors and staff feel that is necessary for safety, then I will support them in that,” he said.
An official decision has yet to be made and will be coming in the next few days.
are not your enemy’
As the next council meeting for the City of Casey is fast approaching on Tuesday, 18 March, the community’s appeals have remained the same, as a local MP weighs in.
David Limbrick, South-Eastern Metropolitan Libertarian MP, said that while people may think that the residents of “Casey are out of control, you would have it the wrong way around”.
“This is what happens when a council gets out of control; it is what happens when a council refuses to respect property rights,” he said. In light of the criticism, Limbrick did acknowledge that the current council were “put in this predicament” by the former administration.
Vice president of the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association, Anthony Tassone, who was also in attendance of the first council meeting, said that, likewise to Mayor Koomen’s words, he sees that the community is “engaged”.
Touching on the process that the council has in establishing a formidable relationship with the residents, he said, “the best time for the councillors to assert their authority on management staff and the council was yesterday, and the next best time is today”.
“These are still issues that the community feels very strongly about, and I do expect a strong turnout at the meeting next week.
“I also expect a lot of public questions because there’s a strong level of interest from the community, but also because more people are becoming aware of the processes.
“But also there is the greater understanding that council meetings are not a public forum to ask questions from the floor, and that there are processes that need to be followed,” he said.
Speaking on how the current council can improve overall relations with not just the gallery present but also the city’s residents, Tassone said that the council needs to ensure proper “genuine consultation” on the many different issues. “With the local law, the City of Casey published one Facebook post, and that they’re being reviewed and in that same post, there were four other topic mentioned. It was easy for people to miss, and not surprisingly, there were zero submissions or responses to the consultation.
“That shouldn’t be taken by the City of Casey to mean acceptance or any lack of query or concern.”
Limbrick remained critical, adding that despite being in a cost-of-living crisis, “they are trying to impose a permit system to allow people to keep cars on their own property”.
“They took it a step further when they snatched cars from a resident’s backyard in Hampton Park.
“The good news is it’s not too late for the new councillors to turn this around,” he said. The Casey Council previously officially stated that no vehicles were removed from the property of the vehicle owner and that officers did not enter that property’s premises. These reports initially came when a member of the home’s family posted their friction with the council on Facebook, where they said that on 10 February, when she had come home, she found council officers loading their car onto the back of a tow truck. Three unregistered cars were towed away on the day without notice, as claimed by the family. It was revealed, however, that the family first heard from the council in October 2024 regarding unregistered vehicles in their backyard, as well as shipping containers; to which the family said they moved the cars right away. According to a statement provided by Casey Council, the family was storing their unregistered vehicles on the neighbouring property. After three months of unfruitful communication, the council sent out a formal notice that provided details of the vehicles that were impounded and how they could be released.
Limbrick had urged the State Government to investigate “these examples of council overreach”; on the other hand, Tassone believes that a lot is left to be done when it comes to mentioned consultation with the people. “There needs to be a better consultation process, and promotion and awareness of those consultations happening, as well as additional opportunities for residents to ask questions,” he said.
“While council meetings themselves are not the place to do that, residents should be afforded the opportunity for it to happen in addition and separate to council meetings.”
He said that mayor Koomen’s video, which he posted on Facebook addressing the need to touch on the proposed waste transfer station as well as the local laws, was an “encouraging acknowledgement of issues”.
Tassone remains adamant, however, that that form of communication needs to continue and that while it’s one thing to say something, it is something else entirely to do it.
From Limbrick’s point of view, he said that “the residents are not your enemy”.
“You (councillors) still have a window of opportunity to speak to them and restore relations with the people who voted for you.
“I urge councillors to listen to their constituents, respect their property rights and take back control of the council,” he said.
For Tassone, “the sooner that council demonstrates that they are the ones in charge rather than management and it’s not the tail wagging the dog, the people will build that trust and respect”.
ilies this Saturday to see the giant bee sculpture in the show.
Group shot with Queen Bee. (Stewart Chambers: 463889)
Musa with Queen Bee.
Road needed for jobs
By Corey Everitt
The State Government has given the green light to 22,000 jobs in Officer South, but there is one crucial hurdle to overcome before the expansion of industry in the South East.
The Officer South Employment Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) lays out the town’s transformation from sprawling paddocks to one of the shire’s largest industrial centres.
The PSP was gazetted on 28 February, paving the way for an expected 22,000 local jobs.
However, as the major leaders in the South East have known for years, the full development is limited until Thompsons Road is extended from Clyde North through Officer South to Pakenham.
As the Federal Election is on the horizon, the project is one of the many core issues Cardinia Shire Mayor Jack Kowarzik will be raising with prospective or incumbent MPs.
Close to 70 per cent of Cardinia residents leave the shire for work, many of them have no choice but to join regular peak-hour congestion.
The council welcomes the PSP approval but is eager for the Thompson Road extension as it would be a significant one-two combo for “fostering high-skill local job opportunities and cutting congestion.”
“This means our residents won’t have to rely solely on the Monash Freeway to access wellpaid, high-skilled jobs,” Mayor Kowarzik said. The extension is laid out in the PSP to alleviate increasing bottlenecks through the freeway and Princes Highway. For industry, much of the heavy vehicles will have alternative routes to Dandenong, Port of Hastings and even a future South East Airport.
Officer South will be a central link between
the industrial and commercial areas stretching from City of Casey through to Pakenham.
A 2022 report by planning consultants REMPLAN said that between Casey and Cardinia, more than 80,000 jobs would be unlocked by the extension. A further 60,000 would be created by increasing demand on supply chains and consumption to total an injection of $58 billion to the economy by 2060.
Greater South East Melbourne Councils (GSEM) has led the charge on Thompson’s Road for many years. Chair Simon McKeon AO welcomed the approval of the PSP. “However, for this precinct to realise its full potential, Thompsons Road needs to be extended and upgraded,” he said.
The South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) said the promise of Officer South is not just “jobs”, but “higher-skilled and high paid careers”.
“Industry 4.0 is here, and SEMMA members are embracing advanced technology including AI, robotics, 3D printing and building on the skills we have to ensure we have a Future Made in Australia,” SEMMA CEO Honi Walker said.
The precinct stretches south from the freeway to Patterson Road and the majority of land zoned for industry resides in the southern half of the precinct where a close arterial road is crucial for a sound investment.
“Thompsons Road extension is not just a road – it is the arterial that will give our regions’ industrial economy the lifeblood to attract new business, innovation and most importantly – people,” Walker said.
“It needs to be poured, paved and painted pronto so we can prosper.”
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the Federal Government has been investing in
Pakenham roads through the many current or recently finished projects - when it came to Thompsons Road through Officer South, King left the matter in the hands of the State Government.
“We work in partnership with State Governments and should the Victorian Government identify the extension of Thompsons Road to Kooweerup Road in Pakenham as a priority for future investment, we would consider funding through the usual Budget processes,“ Minister King said.
Recently, the State Government announced they will upgrade the roundabout of Thompsons Road and Berwick-Cranbourne Road into a signalised intersection in collaboration with the Federal Government.
On 25 February, the Gazette asked Premier Jacinta Allan if this could pave the way for the extension.
“We always have discussions with the Federal Government about how we can secure support for really important road projects,“ Premier Allan said.
“Of course doing this work provides for further opportunities to look at what more we could do into the future.“
The 2022 REMPLAN report estimated the budget at $785 million while stating that there is “$4.40 in benefit for every $1.00 of cost“ for the extension.
Today, Cardinia Shire Council is asking for Governments to dedicate $900 million to the project.
“This initiative is about creating a more vibrant and diverse local economy. By facilitating job creation closer to home and reducing commute times, we are directly benefiting our residents and businesses within Cardinia Shire,”
Mayor Kowarzik said.
Open and green spaces a priority: Mayor
By Ethan Benedicto
The City of Casey’s mayor, Stefan Koomen, is confident in the municipality’s efforts to address green and open spaces, with $30.9 million dedicated to their viability.
Infrastructure Victoria (IV) recently released their ‘30-year Infrastructure Strategy’ which highlighted the need for a bigger boost in these open spaces due to rapid urban expansion.
Koomen said that “in 2024/2025, council invested $30.9 million to renew and upgrade recreation and open space infrastructure, including new and upgrades sporting facilities and playscapes”.
“Since being elected, open space has been a top priority in our work (and) we are currently reviewing our Community Vision and Budget that will help define our new council going forward.”
Casey’s Open Space Strategy recognised the increasing population of the city and its, like many growth areas in Melbourne, rapid urbanisation on the pathway to drowning out green spaces.
The strategy called for a network of trails and green corridors that would connect parks, reserves and community spaces, much like what was identified in IV’s draft.
“Council is proud to have one of the strongest open space strategies in the state,” he said.
“With accessible open spaces, parks and playgrounds being among the best in Victoria, we recognise the benefits that a quality open space network has for the health and liveability of the city’s residents.”
As mentioned in the previous article, the strategy aims to have local parks within 400 metres of all residents, with district and regional
Outer ring councils push for more funds
By Ethan Benedicto
The Outer Melbourne Councils’ mayors, which include the mayors of the City of Casey and neighbouring Cardinia Shire Council, have pushed for more pool and library funding.
In light of Infrastructure Victoria’s report on the southeast’s need for more green spaces and their interconnectedness, the OMC has called for a $20 million federal cash injection to bolster amenities.
Furthermore, this comes with the adoption of a fair funding formula for public pools and libraries.
According to the OMC’s report on ‘access gaps’, over one-third of Melbourne’s babies and toddlers live in outer-suburban areas.
However, these areas don’t have as many pools and libraries as the inner areas of Melbourne, and with growth and urban expansion, communities are lacking adequate access to aquatic facilities.
The same report stated that while historically both State and Federal Governments have been aiding in the funding of these facilities, councils have been the sole parties overseeing this in ‘recent years’.
Together with Aligned Leisure, Casey currently manages three facilities that double as an ARC, with Casey ARC, Casey Race and Doveton Pool.
In turn, the lack of contribution from both state and federal levels has led to what the report described as a ‘growing deficiency’ in the availability of libraries and aquatic recreation centres.
Similar to the number of younger children that live outside inner Melbourne, the one-third approach sees all three parties, state, federal and local governments, contribute to the funding of these facilities.
As stated in the report, the OMC “propose that new public library and community aquatic recreation projects be funded equally by the Federal Government, Victorian Government and the relevant local council”.
“This approach will best ensure that we can respond to the needs of outer Melbourne communities and provide our residents with the infrastructure they demand in a timely way,” it said.
Citing Infrastructure Victoria’s 2021 report on ‘Social infrastructure in Melbourne’s growth areas’, it was found that funding gaps exist, and the burden on local governments can be alleviated from increased contribution to outside sources such as the higher levels of government.
With the continued rapid growth of these outer councils, such as Casey, the OMC has highlighted the need for adequate aquatic centres for learning swimmingskillsandunderstandingwatersafety.
parks within one kilometre of suburban homes for easy access.
Interconnectedness was also highlighted at all levels, from local and district to regional, with details on circuit routes through neighbourhoods and larger trails as connectors between suburbs.
“The community will always be at the heart of the decisions we make,” Koomen said.
“Open space is one of the major priorities, and having councillors back is a great way of ensuring that gaps in our strategy or barriers to improving open space can be identified and addressed as a group.
“We’re focused on ensuring that the community’s voice is heard, and this will be done through our day-to-day work, talking to residents, and via our engagement of projects and investments into open space.”
Specifically, the report detailed an 88 per cent reduction in drowning risk for children aged one to four years old.
“Swimming lessons equip individuals with critical skills, including water survival techniques, safe behaviours and lifesaving knowledge,” the report said.
The report also identified that over the next decade, at least nine new community aquatic and recreation centres, alongside 17 libraries, are needed across outer Melbourne.
The total funding required to deliver these projects is currently estimated to be more than $1.2 billion, with the delivery of some larger projects now calculated to be well over $100 million.
Stefan Koomen (Casey Mayor), Jack Kowarzik (Cardinia Mayor), Honi Walker (SEMMA) and Simon McKeon AO (GSEM) (Stewart Chambers: 463808)
FEDERALELECTIONSURVEY
What issues matter most this Federal Election in suburban Australia?
As one of the largest publishers of independent community news in Victoria, Star News Group is conducting this simple survey to gauge community sentiment around the forthcoming federal election.
Please take 5 minutes to have your say and be part of this important conversation. The results of the survey will help us gauge the appetite of readers toward the forthcoming Federal Election and we will share results with our readers.
You can either fill in the survey below and email in or complete the survey online (Simply scan the QR code below)
1. What do you see as the single most important issue in the upcoming federal election?
8. Regarding immigration policy, do you believe the next government should:
Increase immigration
Reduce Immigration
Keep it about the same
9. At this point are you more likely to vote for:
2. Please select the top 5 of the following issues that are "Extremely Important" to you:
Electricity Prices
Climate Change Policies
Inflation (Cost of Living)
Health Services
Immigration and border control
National roads and rail infrastructure
Water infrastructure
Broadband interenet access
Please specify:
3. Please select the top 5 of the following issues that are "Least Important" to you:
Electricity Prices Climate Change Policies
Inflation (Cost of Living)
Health Services
Immigration and border control
National roads and rail infrastructure
Water infrastructure
Broadband interenet access
Please specify:
4. Which is more important to you?
Cheapest electricity possible
Reducing carbon emissions
5. Do you support nuclear energy in Australia?
Yes No
6. Would you support a nuclear plant in your local area?
Yes No
7. Where would you most like to see a local increase in federal funding, and why?
Local hospitals
Local national highways
Local infrastructure project Defence
Other
Once completed, please scan or photograph your completed survey and email to:
A major party (Labor or Coalition)
A minor party
An independent
10. On a scale of 1 to 5, (5 the highest), how significant do you think the influence of social media is on public discourse and political decisionmaking in Australia?
1 2 3 4 5 Why?
11. On a scale of 1 to 5, (5 the highest), how concerned are you about global security currently?
1 2 3 4 5 Why?
12. On a scale of 1 to 5, (5 the highest), how concerned are you about housing affordability in your region? 1 2 3 4 5
13. In your opinion, how important is improved national road and transport infrastructure in your region? 1 2 3 4 5
14. What specific infrastructure projects do you believe should be prioritised in your region?
15. Are there any other local or regional issues that you feel are not getting enough attention in the federal election campaign? Please share your thoughts.
16. What age group do you fall into?
First Name: Last Name: Daytime Contact Phone No:
Thank you for completing the survey. We really appreciate your support and value your opinion - Star News Team
Over 76
WHAT’S ON
17
- 10-12:30 - Hazaragi Computers for Work - Learn digital skills for the workplace in Hazaragi from a native speaking computer skills teacher - Free during term 1
Every Monday - 9.30-11am - during school termsCome and sew tote bags - For sewists who want to meet new friends and practice their sewing skills making tote bags - we supply the sewing machines and fabric - Free
Every Friday - 11am-2pm - Thee Coffee Table - Welcoming women’s community group - Free Volunteers are welcome to come and help to maintain our community garden
All the above are held at Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre, 141 - 147 Endeavour Drive, Cranbourne North 3977
For more information and bookings call - 5996 9056
We also have:
Fridays 9.30am-11.30am during school termsConversational English Classes at Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre - Come along to practice and improve your English skills in a relaxed environment comfortable, casual classes with a friendly, patient tutor - $5 per class.
Call 03 5996 9056 to enrol in Conversational English or come along to Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre during class times. The Cranbourne Park Community Hub is conveniently located in Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre, in the space behind Target, next to Pacific Smiles Dental and opposite Centre Management, and the nearest entrance is next to Australia Post.
U3A Cranbourne
A community group for people aged 50 and over to pursue a variety of activities and interests. We are at 20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne.
Line Dancing and ballroom dancing are run offsite. Supported by Casey Council we are a not-for-profit organisation with a membership fee of $50 per year which entitles you to join as many classes as you wish.
Members have the opportunity to learn, share and socialise. The variety is endless from table tennis to Italian, cardmaking, art, sewing, quilling, knitting, singing and ukelele and guitar classes.
Our gardening group started this week with a lovely meeting to share ideas and encourage each other.
We are keen to start planting out some tubs and containers next week with herbs and vegetables. Wish us luck! Check out all our courses at our website www.u3acranbourne.org.au or phone 0493 991 919 for more information.
Berwick Bridge Club
Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members.
There are two free beginner’s courses.
One starts on Monday night, 24 February, from 7 to 9pm and the second is on Friday morning, 28 February, from 10am to 12pm.
Both courses run for eight weeks.
Lessons are run at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick. No partner is required.
To reserve your place please phone Maree on 9702 2348.
Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club
Not a member? Doesn’t matter, come along and join the fun.
Cranbourne Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens
Victoria Inc Autumn Plant
Sale
Plant sale dates: Saturday and Sunday 22 and 23 March, 2025
Times: 10am – 4pm on both days
Location: Royal Botanic Garden Victoria – Cranbourne (Cnr Ballarto Road and Botanic Drive, Cranbourne)
The plant sale will be held at the northern end of the Australian Garden. Parking and entry is available nearby (look for the large red banners). A large variety of Australian native plants will be available. A plant list will be available on our website approximately a week before the sale. EFTPOS is available.
Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club meets weekly for a range of different events, including bus trips, community days, games, coffee and chat, bingo, dancing and carpet bowls.
Weekly activity times - Line Dancing Mon.10am12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.
For all enquiries or bookings contact Marilyn mobile 0432 107 590.
Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/ groups/487808127399953
Blind Bight Community Centre
Craft gift making for adults from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Tuesdays.
Join in the craft gift making class and bring along your own craft to complete.
A variety of techniques and skills are shared including mosaics, macrame, sewing and painting at $3 per class.
Playgroup from 10.30am to noon on Wednesdays. The program provides fun play activities and craft for children at $5 per family.
Free knit and crochet from noon to 2pm on Wednesdays.
Line dancing from 1pm to 2pm on Wednesdays. All ages, and abilities welcome at $10 per class.
For more information and for bookings, visit www. blindbightcommunitycentre.com.au
Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club
Are you new newly retired, or new to the area, or just wanting to enjoy your freedom as a senior or expand your social life?
Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating activities and friendship.
The club hosts weekly social activities with dance to low-key in-line dancing if you want to tap your feet, great music, a chat, and then afternoon tea. Day, short and long trips away via coach, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly Tuesday dine-outs, a weekly walking group, a weekly table tennis group, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, entertainment function days and more.
Anyone interested can visit on Thursdays at 2pm for socialising and low-key dancing at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House at 21A Bemersyde Drive or join the club for a coffee and a chat every Wednesday from 10am at the new François cafe in front of Myer in Fountain Gate.
For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.
Combined Probus Club of Narre Warren
The club welcomes men and women to join for fun and interesting activities.
The club hosts bowling, armchair travel, book clubs, walk and talk, happy snappers and cards. For enquiries, contact Heather at hsims14@gmail. com
Scrabble Club
Berwick Activities Club has started a Scrabble Club recently and it runs every Friday from 1pm to 3.30pm.
It will be both competitive and social on a one-toone basis.
Come along to learn how to play or improve your game.
Word lists and more will be available to increase your skills.
Contact David on 0433 566 456.
Lions free-fall ends fourth
By David Nagel
Historical remnants of a strong start to the season are the only things to have saved Pakenham’s (96) title as a ‘top-four team’ in the CCCA Premier Division after the Lions failed dismally against Tooradin (184) on Saturday.
The Lions have once again qualified for finals - but not by their own doing on the last day of the season - after producing their worst batting performance of the year.
Only club stalwart Jason Williams (21 off 79 balls) and youngster Mitchell Varty (11 off 65) could bat for longer than 35 balls as the Seagulls reversed a round-two loss to the Lions on their own deck at Tooradin.
The Lions were uncomfortable, but in contention, at 2/50, but lost their three main hopes – Williams, Zac Chaplin (13) and Dom Paynter (0) – on that exact score to decimate their hopes of success.
Nick Sadler (4) and Rob Elston (7) would soon follow as Bailey Lownds (4/20), Dylan Sutton (3/27) and Tyler Evans (2/27) led the Gulls charge to victory.
The Lions lost 5/16 during that devastating patch of play; hardly ideal for confidence levels heading into a cut-throat semi-final against a high-flying Cardinia this weekend.
Pakenham’s fall from grace has been one of the more noticeable factors in the CCCA Premier Division in the second half of the season.
Jack Anning and his team were top of the table after round seven, but have since chalked up just 30 premiership points in seven games of cricket.
Compare that to Cardinia 74, Kooweerup and Tooradin 66, and Clyde 54; and you can see where the Lions stand as they enter the pointy end of play.
It’s going to take one mighty effort to turn things around when play begins at Cardinia on Saturday.
Pakenham holds on to fourth place due to Cardinia (6/233) showing how a run-chase should be executed against Clyde (226) at Gunton Oval.
The Cougars needed a win to leap-frog the Lions into the top four and opening bowler Max Adams (2/29) provided his team with the perfect start.
He had Alex (17) and John Nooy (0) detaching Velcro with just 27 runs on the board; before the experienced-pair of Mark Cooper (41) and Brad-
ey Welsh (63) settled in for the fight.
The duo restored confidence with a 57-run stand for the third-wicket, with Cooper the unlikely aggressor.
Welsh and Yohan Arumadura (43) then put on an even-80 for the fourth wicket, before Arumadura, Welsh and Travis Wheller (5) became victims of Nick Shannon (3/75) and Ankush Rana (1/61) to keep the Cougars’ dream alive.
With Pakenham making a mess of things at Toomuc Reserve; Clyde required the remaining four wickets for 29 runs to make finals.
But that hope was taken away in a heartbeat as Matt Welsh (34 not out off 31 balls) and Jaco-
bus Hynes (21 not out off 19 balls) whacked seven boundaries and one six in an enterprising and unbeaten 37-run stand.
Clyde can hold its head high after a vastly improved season, while the Bulls are perfectly poised to qualify for their fourth grand final in five years.
They finish top of the ladder; and host an outof-form Pakenham this weekend.
Kooweerup (5/138d) tried its best to roll Devon Meadows (135 and 2/119) outright at Denhams Road on Saturday; but couldn’t break through the defences of Panthers’ superstar Lucas Ligt (78 not out).
Resuming at 2/73, and needing just 63 runs for first-innings points, the Demons batted for just 11 overs on day two as Shiran Rathnayake (54) completed a magnificent home-and-away season with his third half-century this summer.
Add to those scores of 160 not out and 102and four scores in the forties - and Rathnayake finished the season as the number-one batter in Premier Division with 656 runs.
Leg-spinner Ben Marsh (3/30) took all three wickets for the Panthers on day two; with his side needing to survive 66 overs of game time to deny the Demons a maximum 20 points.
Ligt once again stood firm in a crisis, with his 78 not out adding to his 75 from 172 balls on day one.
Remarkably he made 153 of his team’s 254 for the match, and faced 304 balls compared to his teammates’ total of 350!
The Demons failure to gain outright points didn’t matter in the end; with their quest to finish top two denied by Cardinia and Tooradin winning their last games of the season.
And relegation-bound Merinda Park (9/157d and 0/22) will be scratching its head and thinking ‘what could have been’ this summer after pounding Upper Beaconsfield (79 and 98) outright at Lochaven Reserve.
The Cobras declared overnight with a 78-run lead and then ran through the Maroons like a hotknife through butter.
Matt Dennerley (5/36) was the star for the Cobras on day two; taking his season-tally to 22 with his best figures for the summer, while skipper Bevin Corneille (2/27) and Sasindu Perera (2/32) also enjoyed their last bowl in Premier Division.
The Cobras finish the season just one win away from survival, and will be ruing serious missed opportunities in at least five games.
Upper Beaconsfield on the other hand has a mountain of work to do if it wishes to become competitive next season.
Despite not being relegated the Maroons are widely-regarded around the competition as the worst team in Premier; and earning back respect must surely be their goal over their next 14 games of cricket.
Needing just 21 runs to win outright; Ashley Slater (17 not out) and club-legend Daniel McCalman (5 not out) were enjoying a cold-one at the tea break after guiding their team to victory.
Lions take hard road against Cooper’s high-flying Bulls
By David Nagel
CARDINIA (1) V PAKENHAM (4)
CARDINIA - MARK COOPER (C)
Last Premiership 2020/21
Recent Form W-W-W-D-W
Most Runs Alex Nooy 481 #6
Most Wickets Mark Cooper 22
X-Factor Matt Welsh
PAKENHAM - JACK ANNING (C)
Last Premiership 2018/19
Recent Form L-L-W-D-L
Most Runs Chris Smith 502 #4
Most Wickets Jason Williams 21
X-Factor Dom Paynter
On form Cardinia will be arriving at Gunton Oval on Saturday via David Warner’s chartered-helicopter while Pakenham will be walking up Cardinia Road trying to hitch-hike a lift.
One of these teams is flying at the moment while the other seems to have all momentum flowing against it.
The Bulls sort of snuck up on us in the early partoftheseason,butlastweek’sclinicalvictory over Clyde gave a full showcase of their strength.
Yohan Arumadura, Trishane de Silva, Mark Cooper, Travis Wheller, Josh Browne, Josh Grogan and Matt Welsh provide Cooper with so many avenues with the ball, while the Bulls’ top eight are all very adept with the bat.
Alex Nooy failed in a rare occurrence last week, but Bradey Welsh, Cooper, Arumadura, Matt Welsh and Jacobus Hynes were all there to pick up the slack.
Pakenham will be hoping that gun-opener Chris Smith can make a remarkable recovery from a knee complaint; with the onus falling on proven types in Dom Paynter, Zac Chaplin and
Jason Williams if he doesn’t come up this week.
Pakenham has the talent to win; but it would be foolhardy to tip them right now…it’s the Bulls to progress to their fourth grand final in five years with a commanding and convincing victory.
TOORADIN (2) V KOOWEERUP (3)
TOORADIN - MICK SWEENEY (C) Last Premiership 2023/24
Recent Form W-L-W-D-L
Runs Shiran Rathnayake 656 #1
Most Wickets Luke McMaster 24
X-Factor Chris Bright
This is not the semi-final match up these two great teams would have wanted when the season began in October.
They respect each other greatly; with both teams possessing so many weapons that can take the game away in an instant.
Tyler Evans, Connor O’Riordan, Dylan Sutton, Bailey Lownds and Josh Lownds have been terrific with the ball this summer, overcoming Tooradin’s loss of Brad Butler (Injury) and Peter Sweeney in the off-season.
Cal O’Hare has had a 500-run season with the bat, while Mick Sweeney, Tom Hussey and Josh Lownds have also played significant innings.
And when it comes to x-factor; no team has more weapons than Kooweerup.
Shiran Rathnayake and Chris Bright sit one and two in the league with the bat, while Luke McMaster, Jess Mathers and Adam McMaster provide a lethal combination with the ball.
The defining factor here might be the very thing that all teams fight for over the home-andaway season…a home final.
The Seagulls were far too good for the Demons on this very patch of turf in round 10, with Evans claiming the wickets of Bright and Luke McMaster early; allowing Sweeney to tie things up with a well-set field and a disciplined bowling attack.
Flip of the coin…but it’s Tooradin to win.
Bulls are poised to turn a top-of-the-table season into a first-up finals win over Pakenham. (Stewart Chambers: 462764)
Bailey Lownds celebrates the wicket of Rob Elston, just before tea; one of his four wickets for Tooradin against Pakenham. (Stewart Chambers: 464088)
CASEY CARDINIA CRICKET ASSOCIATION PREMIER REVIEW - ROUND 14 (DAY 2)
Luke’s medal masterclass
By David Nagel
Kooweerup star Luke McMaster is no longer knocking down the door to become the best player in the CCCA Premier Division after the class all-rounder claimed his first Terry Stephenson Medal at the Tooradin Sports Club on Sunday.
McMaster was tied on 15 votes with Cardinia opener Alex Nooy heading into the final round of the season, but his four wickets and 42 runson day-one against Devon Meadows - saw him poll three final-round votes to claim victory.
The recently-turned 26-year-old has been a genuine contender for the last three years; finishing top-10 last year behind Pakenham champion Chris Smith after a runner-up finish to Lions’ skipper Dale Tormey in 2023.
McMaster also tied for third behind Smith in 2022; with his breakthrough victory on Sunday thoroughly deserved.
The hard-hitting all-rounder was a Kooweerup junior, a local boy, before his talents were recognised in year-12; earning a cricket scholarship at Haileybury.
That elevation led to a connection with Dandenong, where he won a premiership in the lower grades in his three years at the club.
But it was a journey that never reached the expected great heights due to a back injury that stopped him in his tracks.
He was a batter at Kooweerup as a junior, but more a bowler at Haileybury and Dandenong.
He couldn’t bowl for two years, and was only batting here and there.
The last time he broke down was the final straw and he decided to move back home to Denhams Road.
He originally returned as a batter, but his bowling came back and became his predominant feature once again.
McMaster returned to Kooweerup for the 2018/19 season and has gradually improved his game with bat and ball.
Overall, in his Premier Division career at Kooweerup, he has made 2515 runs at an average of 30.67, with three hundreds and 14 half-centuries.
But its over the last four seasons that he has really started to blossom, with 1974 of those runs coming at the much-improved average of 40.29.
All of his milestone innings, apart from two fifties, have come in the last four years.
With the ball he has taken 142 wickets at an average of 19.47 to prove him the ultimate allround package.
McMaster was chuffed after placing his first ‘Stevo’ around his neck.
“It’s great, obviously a little bit surprising; a
few of the other boys had pretty good years and I thought I was a little bit sub-par at times, but some big games got me on top in the end,” he said.
“Some great players have won this award in the past and it’s great to have my name on that list.”
When McMaster played well he dominated, with six three-vote performances.
While he considers that side of his game a strength; he also acknowledges that it does provide room for improvement.
“When I played well this year I got the three votes; there were no twos and ones in there, but when I don’t play at my best I get zero,” he said.
“That’s probably a weakness of mine to be honest; I want to be consistent all the time and playing well and polling well…and not being the best player one week then the worst player a week later.
“Obviously I did a lot of good things this season but need to fill the gaps in the middle.
“I was a little bit disappointed this year; no hundreds, a few good fifties, but I was pretty consistent with the ball.
“I took wickets frequently, so the ball was there all year, but finding that consistency with the bat is where I can probably take my game to the next level.
“But overall, I’m very happy right now.”
McMaster said the ongoing form of his captain and opening-partner Chris Bright, and the recruitment of Shiran Rathnayake, had taken the pressure off him somewhat.
“Bringing guys like Silk (Rathnayake) into the team has been great for the club, the amount of runs he has made, and it makes my life easier when you’ve got Wombat (Bright) and Silk at the other end,” he said.
“The club as a whole is moving in the right direction and we’re still thereabouts; our three best players are nearly the three best players in the comp, so it’s a great club to be a part of.”
Kooweerup’s first medal winner since Jess Mathers in 2017/18 said he hadn’t even considered a medal win until recently.
“To be honest, a week ago I didn’t even think about it, didn’t think I was in the conversation for it; but went through the results a little bit and thought I might have a few three-vote games,” he said.
“There have been a lot of consistent players and the previous guys that have won it have all had pretty good years.
“So it’s an honour to now be in that category.”
His next focus is a blockbuster semi-final match-up with reigning-premier Tooradin.
“It’s a massive test this week, we see Tooradin as one of the best in it; if not the best in it, and to be the best we have to beat the best just to make it into a grand final,” he said.
“But we’ll back ourselves in this week.” McMaster wanted to thank his club mates at Denhams Road for their unwavering support through his cricket journey.
backed my skills and I’m so proud to be part of our cricket club.”
Holm Park proves to be a home away from home for Tigers
By David Nagel
Beaconsfield’s Holm Park Reserve will host some elite-level football over the coming months with Richmond VFL to play three home-games at the venue in 2025.
The VFL Tigers will play home games at various venues this season, with the redevelopment of the Swinburne Centre at Punt Road causing the club to look for alternatives.
Richmond has already built a strong connection with Holm Park Reserve, with the AFL Club having training runs and having played practice matches at the facility as part of its ongoing partnership with Cardinia Shire Council.
The VFL Tigers will open their 2025 campaign with a home game at Beaconsfield against Coburg on Sunday 23 March, and then return 13 days later for a round-three clash with Brisbane Lions on Saturday 5 April.
The Tigers will round out their three Beaconsfield home games with a round-11 showdown with Sydney Swans on Saturday 7 June.
Richmond will also be in close proximity for its adoring local fans when the Tigers take on Casey Demons at Casey Fields in round-five on Thursday 24 April.
The AFL fixture release includes the full schedule for rounds 1-13 of the Smithy’s VFL and rounds 1-9 of the Rebel VFLW.
Match ups for rounds 14-21 of the Smithy’s VFL and rounds 10-14 of the Rebel VFLW have also been announced.
Dates, times and venues for those rounds will
be confirmed after the corresponding rounds of the AFL fixture are announced later in the year.
All matches in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL and Rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.
AFL Head of State League Competitions, Jennie Loughnan, said both the VFL and VFLW competitions were in a healthy state heading into an exciting and fresh new season.
“2025 shapes as an exciting year across the Smithy’s VFL and Rebel VFLW and we are pleased to announce the home and away fixtures,” Loughnan said.
“Both competitions enjoyed memorable campaigns last year and we look forward to continuing to build on that momentum throughout the 2025 season.
“Eighteen players from the Smithy’s VFL and eight players from the Rebel VFLW have been selected by AFL and AFLW clubs over the past 12 months and we look forward to watching more stars of the game emerge this year.
“The 2025 Smithy’s VFL campaign will see new chapters written in the storied history of the competition’s traditional rivalries.
“I thank all VFL and VFLW clubs for working closely with us throughout the development of the 2025 fixtures.
“I also wish to sincerely thank our fans for their patience and understanding as we factored in the many considerations that impact our fixtures and scheduling to ensure we can land on the best outcome for our competitions and clubs.”
The same 21 teams from
The 2025 Smithy’s VFL home-and-away season will consist of 21 rounds, with every team to play 18 matches.
The top-10 teams on the ladder at the
sion of the home and away season will qualify for the Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, which will commence with the Wildcard finals on the weekend of August 23-24. The finals series will again be played across five weeks and will conclude with the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final on the weekend of September 20-21.
“Koowee as a whole; they’ve developed me into the person I am today and the player I am, they’ve
Kooweerup star Luke McMaster claimed his first Terry Stephenson Medal at the Tooradin Sports Club on Sunday. (David Nagel: 464563)
Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland who competed across the past two seasons will again feature in the Smithy’s VFL competition this year.
conclu-
The sighting of Tigers will soon be a regular occurrence in Beaconsfield, with Richmond VFL to play three home-games at Holm Park Reserve in 2025. (Star News: 455027)
Top two set for showdown
By Jonty Ralphsmith
Heinz Southern Districts and Parkmore have both progressed to the grand final of Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 2 competition.
The pair had contrasting victories, with a Mackenzie Gardner century leading HSD to a comfortable 147-run win over Lyndale, while Parkmore successfully defended 131 in a thriller against Cranbourne.
At Frederick Wachter Reserve, Parkmore lost important cog Kyle Gwynne early, but recovered to a stable 3/98, before the Eagles instigated a collapse of 7/33.
Four of the wickets in that period went to Eagles skipper Harry Carlyon, who finished with astonishing figures of 4/7 off 13 overs to completely turn the match.
It came after Satheesh Fernandu manipulated the field well in a knock of 54 to set the day up nicely for the Pirates.
But Cranbourne erased their hard work with the ball by slumping to 6/49 at stumps on day one.
Ankit Saxena took three wickets in an inspired late-day spell, with Justin Dickinson the unbeaten batter at stumps, needing to manufacture 83 runs through lower-order partnerships.
After an early wicket on day two, Dickinson formed a pressure-absorbing 30-run partnership with Alex Hollingsworth, before the number five batter was undone by Pirates’ skipper Niranjen Kumar.
Hollingsworth, Tim Fathers and Marty Kel-
ly were all valiant, facing more than 30 balls of high-intensity bowling.
A 25-run last wicket stand briefly lifted the
tension, before Saxena capped a terrific match with the game-sealing wicket.
At KM Reedy Reserve, opener Brent Patter-
son (57) scored his second half-century of the season, putting consistent pressure on the Lyndale bowlers as Gardner built his innings well at the other end.
The pair combined for 91 runs for the second wicket, which set the match up, with Gardner also sharing 50-run partnerships with Triyan De Silva (32) and Harry Funnell (20).
HSD reached 8/276, and took two wickets in the opening spell on day two, before Sakuntha Liyanage’s 4/24 helped bowl Lyndale out for 129.
The Turf 2 grand final will be contested at Thomas Carroll Reserve.
For Parkmore, it will be an opportunity to return to Turf 1 with a different looking outfit, after two seasons in Turf 2, while HSD’s well-supported, tight-knit squad has another opportunity to fight for a spot in the top grade after recent finals heartbreak.
The Cobras have an appetite for run-scoring, passing 250 four times and 300 twice this season, led by number three Gardner, the explosive De Silva and Brent Patterson, while Ryan Patterson has led the way with the ball.
A reasonably young squad, all four aforementioned players have been central to their homeand-away success in recent seasons and are well versed playing finals cricket.
In contrast, Parkmore’s bowling has been its strength, five times bowling teams out for below 150, with five bowlers having at least 13 wickets.
After the pair’s one day home and away fixture was washed out, HSD got the better of Parkmore by three wickets in a low-scoring run chase at Frederick Wachter Reserve in round 10.
Mulgrave hold Cranbourne comeback at bay to win Pennant
CRANBOURNE BOWLS
Mulgrave Country Club 5 was too strong for Cranbourne 4 last weekend, winning the Division 6 grand final by 22 shots (87-65) as the sweltering sun beamed down.
Burden Park was home to the battle and despite a late surge, Cranbourne couldn’t manage to bridge the gap after Mulgrave’s early lead set them up for success.
Mulgrave jumped out to an early lead, and the Cranbourne players knew they were in for a tough day.
Both teams weren’t prepared to give an inch and playing a close quarter’s game, but it was Mulgrave who’d taken a comfortable lead at the break, 49-36.
Cranbourne made a bit of a comeback after the break and despite trying extremely hard; they were ultimately defeated by the better team on the day.
The best rink of the day went to Hans Worsteling (skip), Ron Fenton, Lesley Deal and Bruce Harper (lead), who battled hard and made up 10 shots in the past eight ends, to achieve an honourable draw 23-23.
Cheryl Wright (skip) and her team of Scott De Piazza 3rd, Jo Alsop 2nd, and Jacqui Warner (lead), relinquished an early lead, but fought back again late, to only go down by three shots 14-17.
The team led by Derek Maguire (skip), Steve Bakker 3rd, Neil Fotheringham 2nd and Rod Challis (lead) started off well, but the lack of bowls in the head allowed Mulgrave to push out to a lead of 16-3 at the break.
Following some food and refreshments, the Cranbourne team slowly started pulling the lead back and after 17 ends, they had lessened the margin to 14-18.
Unfortunately, Mulgrave played the better bowls over the next three ends to pick up seven shots - Cranbourne took the last end to go down by 10 shots, 15-25.
The last rink was led by Harry Van Soest (skip), Bill Sherriff 3rd, David McMaster 2nd and Frank Verco (lead) and Cranbourne had a handy two-shot lead at the break.
However, upon returning to the game and over the next nine ends, Mulgrave CC5 were the better side and got out to an eventual winning margin of nine shots, 13-22.
We congratulate the Mulgrave Country Club on their well-deserved win as they just out bowled us in the end.
To my Cranbourne 4 teammates, each and every one of you can be very proud of your season.
We didn’t win the Section Final, but we played in it. We finished 2nd on the ladder and we made finals, three of them.
We did however achieve what we as a team and the club had hoped for, a promotion to Division 5.
To my Cranbourne 4 team, thank you for supporting me as your Team Manager this year.
I know I can be a little pain in the rear end, but I made sure you had all the information needed each week.
Today ends the club’s finals appearances for the season and Weekend Pennant.
MIDWEEK DIVISION QUARTER FINAL
Both the Division 2 (Section 7 and 8) Grand Final winners met at Burden Park to play off in a quarter final as Narre Warren 1 (Sec 7) defeated Cranbourne 1 (Sec 8) by 14 shots (50-64).
It was a mixed bag on the day, with Narre Warren getting out to an early lead, before Cranbourne pegged them back.
At the lunch break Narre Warren had a 10shot lead after 27 ends, 30-20 before a Cranbourne comeback threatened to steal the result.
But Narre Warren still led after 44 ends, despite Cranbourne reducing their lead to 42-36.
After 50 ends, the score was only one shot the difference in favour of Narre Warren (4746), but in the final 13 ends, Narre Warren extended their lead to win by 14 shots.
The best rink for the day went to Nick Arnold (skip), Spanky Stevens 3rd, Karen Hickson 2nd and Vic Butera (lead) as they won by 12 shots (27-15).
Lyn Quigg (skip), Peter Colthup 3rd, Dennis Tomlin 2nd and Kristi Hickson (lead)) were in the game all day, but just got overrun in the past couple of ends (13-18).
That leaves the team of Peter Elgar (skip), Chris Stevenson 3rd, Stephen Bentley 2nd and Loui Magri (lead) were down 18-0 early and at the break it was 18-3 to Narre Warren.
After the break the team made a concerted effort to pull it back and this they did, but again Narre Warren got away in the last couple of ends to eventually win by 21 shots (10-31) but they battled it out to the end.
Narre Warren now moves onto the Division Semi-Final where they’ll play against Essendon 1 at a
We need to take a moment now to congratulate and thank the Cranbourne 1 team on their magnificent efforts throughout a tough year.
To the selectors, managers and players, you should all take a bow and celebrate what you’ve achieved.
You made finals, you won the Div 2 Section Final (Champions) and to top it off, you gained promotion to Division 1 next season.
On behalf of the club board, members, family and friends, thank you for a wonderful achievement. Go Cranny.
- Derek Maguire
Four-wicket hero Sakuntha Liyanage celebrates with HSD teammates after knocking over the stumps of Lyndale’s Manroop Singh. (Gary Sissons: 464261)
The Cranbourne 4 (Division 6) Grand Final team fell short against Mulgrave Country Club 5 last weekend. (Supplied: 464568)
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