Star Weekly - Sunbury Macedon Ranges - 29th June 2021 by Star Weekly

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Long road ahead

(Matty Be)

Three weeks after extreme weather battered the Macedon Ranges, businesses and emergency services are still working around the clock to recover from the damage. Top of the Range Tea Rooms and the entire Macedon Regional Parks has remained closed to the public since June 10, as emergency services work to clear the area of fallen trees. Tea Rooms proprietor Luke Chapman said it was another blow to his business after an already difficult year. “We will miss out on some of the busier traffic that the park usually gets on school holidays,” Mr Chapman said. “In general, our business is surviving despite these setbacks, but it has been a hard year, we are looking forward to a return to normal.” Woodend SES controller Kevin McNair said the extreme wind and rain which lashed the region was the most intense wet weather event he has seen in his 12 years’ experience. “It’s really just the scale of it, I was there during the 2010-11 floods, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” Mr McNair said. ■ Continued:

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Sunbury, Bulla ‘betrayed’ A “tsunami of fury” has been directed at the state government following a decision by Transurban to send toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP) to Bulla. Transurban and builder CPB-John Holland have signed a contract to commence building the facility required to receive and treat the soil at the Hi-Quality site on Sunbury Road, it was announced last Thursday. Western Metropolitan Bernie MP said the decision was a “betrayal” of the people of Sunbury and Bulla. “The tsunami of fury that the government is about to receive is something that they will never forget,” Mr Finn said.

“This is a disgrace. The fact of the matter is that the people of Sunbury and Bulla will fight this. What I am asking the Acting Premier to do this evening is to intervene to ensure that carcinogenic toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project is not dumped in Sunbury Road.” The Bulla site was one of three potential destinations for the three million tonne soil relocation project, the others being Maddingley Brown Coal in Bacchus Marsh and Cleanaway in Ravenhall. The WGTP soil project has been the focus of several legal proceedings, including a Supreme Court challenge by Hume council to review a decision made by Planning Minister Richard Wynne.

Hume mayor Joseph Haweil told Star Weekly he has never supported Hi-Quality as a location for the toxic soil. “We’re very dismayed by this decision, we have opposed this project from day one,” Cr Haweil said. “My understanding is that the legal process continues as planned, but we are still awaiting legal advice.” Cr Haweil said the council had received legal advice about applying for an injunction to prevent contracts being signed and was currently exploring legal options. In May, hundreds of concerned residents gathered at the Village Green in Sunbury to voice their disapproval at the potential dumping of soil in Bulla. Sunbury Against Toxic Soil Facebook group

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administrator Chris O’Neill said he had met with Hi-Quality on June 17 and was reassured that no contract agreement had been reached at that time. “We are devastated as a community that we have been let down by our local member,” Mr O’Neill said. “He has not represented us and because of that we are going to be Australia’s largest toxic dump.” Sunbury MP Josh Bull said he was disappointed by the decision. “I remain very strong in my view that there are other more appropriate sites, closer to the project location that should have been selected,” Mr Bull said. The Supreme Court challenge will commence with a directions hearing scheduled for July 27. 12501697-CG27-21

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3 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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Council declines pokies donation By Oliver Lees Macedon Ranges council has knocked back a $15,000 donation because the money was raised from gaming machines. The Victorian Tavern in Gisborne had offered up the donation toward the council’s Community Funding Scheme, which provides grants to not-for-profit groups for programs and initiatives that benefit local residents. However following more than an hour of debate the council declined the funds because it would go against its stance on gambling. Cr Janet Pearce said it would be contradictory

for council to give funds that have been raised through electronic gaming machines to a scheme designed to improve community health. “What we are providing is often grants for mental health, for community gardens, for sports projects… focusing on health and wellbeing,” Cr Pearce said. “So I don’t feel that councillors should act as a conduit to this sort of money, I don’t necessarily see that as acceptable. I think it’s actually against what we stand for as a community.“ Cr Rob Guthrie said the Victorian Tavern should find another means to distribute its

funds. “While we have this coming through council it’s almost giving it [pokies] some credibility, and I believe council should not be giving it this recognition. However, Cr Bill West said the Victorian Tavern donation would help worthy projects. “Basically council’s throwing away the chance to possibly see $15,000 distributed through viable organisations,” Cr West said. “I think we’re throwing money away.” Cr Geoff Neil said recipients of council grants are made aware of the origin of grant money and can choose to accept or reject it.

He said groups should be able to make their own decisions. Mayor Jennifer Anderson said it was important the council took responsibility for identifying the source of all money that comes through it. “To be told, well you can have your $6000, but it comes from the Victorian Tavern, are you still willing to accept it, that’s a really hard call,” Cr Anderson said. “We can find an extra $15,000 from other places.” Victorian Tavern was contacted for comment.

Health merger approved

Andrew and Shanie Duhau with Nate, 4, Aston, 2, and Knox, four-and-half-months. (Damjan Janevski) 241454_01

Centre embraces PJ Wednesdays Staff and children at Gumboots Early Learning Centre have decked themselves out in their pyjamas this month to raise awareness for a congenital disease most commonly found in children. Gumboots Early Learning Centre staff member Shanie Duhau’s son, Knox, was diagnosed with congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) eight days after he was born. If a woman is newly infected with cytomegalovirus – a common virus in the herpesvirus family – while pregnant, there is a risk that her unborn baby will

also become infected with cCMV. Although cytomegalovirus is common, cCMV infects only six in 1000 babies in Australia and in severe instances can cause disability or death. In Knox’s case, the full impact of his diagnosis is still unknown, but the virus has resulted in bilateral hearing loss. Gumboots Early Learning Centre educational leader Corinne Brown said her colleagues and the centre’s children have worn pyjamas each Wednesday this month as part of the ‘Jamas in June’ cCMV awareness campaign. “It’s really important to raise awareness

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4 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

about cCMV, because many people don’t have any idea about it, even many of the staff here had never heard about it,” Ms Brown said. “We want to make [the Duhau family] feel comfortable and at ease and raise some funds at the same time.” Ms Brown said businesses in Sunbury had also participated by wearing pyjamas in their stores. Details: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ vjzg6-stop-cmv-in-honour-of-knox Oliver Lees

Western Health and Djerriwarrh Health services will become one, with the state government approving an amalgamation of the two services. The two health providers announced in March they had agreed to a voluntary amalgamation, which was ticked off last week. It follows two years of extensive community and staff consultation across both health services and communities. It is hoped the voluntary amalgamation will ensure a greater co-ordination of health services across the west, improve access to health services while focusing on the community’s future healthcare needs. Western Health and Djerriwarrh Health Services currently service the healthcare needs of 985,000 people from Footscray and Williamstown to Bacchus Marsh, employing more than 7600 workers across 13 sites. The new health service will operate Sunshine Hospital, Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Caroline Springs Community Health Centre and the proposed Melton Hospital. As part of the merger, $5.5 million will be invested to redevelop the Grant Lodge Aged Care Facility in Bacchus Marsh. All Djerriwarrh staff will have continued employment. Health Minister Martin Foley said the merger comes after a long and mutually beneficial partnership “It will deliver more services and better care for Melbourne’s growing west.” Tara Murray

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Two new million dollar towns By Oliver Lees Mount Macedon and Macedon have joined the million dollar club, with the median house price in both towns cracking $1 million for the first time. The May median house value for Mount Macedon was $1,319,881 (up from $961,495 12 months ago) and $1,134,177 (up from $843,237) for Macedon, CoreLogic’s Million Dollar Markets report for June shows. “The current upswing in the Australian housing market has produced some extraordinary results,” the report states. “In the 12 months to May 2021, national

dwelling market values increased 10.6 per cent, marking the highest growth rate since July 2010. “The value of the national dwelling market hit a record high in January 2021, and has continued to hit a fresh record high each month since. “The wealth effect of house value increases has likely been a key component of elevated consumer confidence, and Australia’s economic recovery from strict social distancing restrictions through 2020.” Topping the million dollar markets list for Melbourne were Brighton, with a May median house value of $3,316,986 (up from

$2,785,108); Deepdene at $3,168,364 (up from $3,804,921); Canterbury at $2,877, 330 (down from $2,914,204); Malvern at $2,834,558 (up from $2,577,509); and Portsea at $2,766,753 (up from $1,981,556). Mount Macedon Realty director Lisa Fowler said it was only a matter of time before Macedon and Mount Macedon joined the million dollar club. “People are waking up to the advantages of living on this side of Melbourne,” she said. “It’s the gateway to the Grampians, Goldfields, there are emerging wineries that are starting to get a lot of recognition as well. “There are a lot more things to do out this

side of town, everyone used to swamp to the Mornington Peninsula, but we’re seeing a strong emergence in desire for people wanting to go bushwalking and enjoy nature, which we have an abundance of.” Mount Macedon Realty recorded a sale of $5.5 million on Tucketts Road in Mount Macedon in the past year. Ms Fowler said COVID-19 restrictions also encouraged more people to explore their home state and discover the value of the region. “COVID happens and people realise they can work from home and enjoy the area, not to mention the accessibility to the airport and CBD,” she said.

Zoo tales just awesome properties or schools. Every little action makes a difference,” Humfrey said. “I believe education is the key to conservation. That’s my mantra – getting kids involved with nature; immersing in it, understanding it, reading it. “Books are powerful and permanent – they stay with you, on your shelf, in your car, on the couch. I believe books are the best way to instil excitement and passion for nature in kids.” Detauks: www.newhollandpublishers.com Oliver Lees

Zoologist Chris Humfrey. (J-Town/New Holland

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Zoologist Chris Humfrey is sharing tales from his animal-filled life in the Macedon Ranges, in a new book set to be released later this month. Intended for a young audience, Awesome Australian Animals will include stories from Humfrey’s life-long commitment to wildlife, from his appearances on television alongside Dr Chris Brown to the set up of his own Wild Action Zoo sanctuary in the Macedon Ranges. With 45 minutes of video content accessible through the book’s QR codes, the book is designed to foster an understanding of Australia’s unique wildlife. Humfrey said that it is particularly important that children appreciate Australian animals so they can be better looked after into the future. “Hopefully this book will empower kids and their families to do something small and positive for nature in their backyards,

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Storm support An assistance program has launched for people experiencing financial hardship as a result of extreme weather in Victoria. The Personal Hardship Assistance Program is funded through the commonwealth-state disaster recovery funding arrangements and includes payments up to $560 per adult and $280 per child. A needs assessment is carried out by a hardship office as there is specific criteria for eligibility. For more information, contact your council or email: emergencyhardshippayments@ dffh.vic.gov.au

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Live4Life alumni Kyle Hayes and Laura Crozier. (Sandy Scheltema)

New home for charity A health promotion charity that focuses on improving mental health standards for young people in rural communities has opened a new headquarters in Woodend. Established in 2015, Youth Live4Life was designed to expand a youth suicide prevention and mental health education model in the Macedon Ranges. Youth Live4Life chief executive Bernard Galbally said the mental health of young people in rural and regional Victoria has never been more important than now.” “Over the past year, Youth Live4Life has experienced a period of considerable growth and we are thrilled to set up our office in the rural shire where Live4Life began,” Mr Galbally said.

“Life4Life provides mental health education and suicide prevention initiatives for rural and regional communities. The program supports young people to recognise, seek and offer help for mental health concerns, and builds the capacity of the whole community to look after its young people.” Suicide is the leading cause of death among young Australians with rates of suicide higher in rural areas. According to Live4Life data, almost 25 per cent of the Macedon Ranges population has received mental health first aid training. The headquarters will be located on Collier Street in Woodend.

Nominations are now open for the Mental Health Foundation Australia’s Mental Health Awards. The awards recognise advocates in the field of mental health in five categories. These include a youth award, senior award, volunteers award and overall mental health advocate of the year. To nominate, visit: https://www.mhfa.org. au/Awards.aspx

Garden workshops Learn how to attract native wildlife to your garden and develop garden designs during three free gardening workshops at Sunbury library on Wednesdays from July 7. Register: https://bit.ly/35ZBDLn FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

Oliver Lees

Print and Online Sales Executive

DON’T FORGET YOUR FLU SHOT PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS THIS FLU SEASON The best way to avoid the seasonal ﬂu is by getting your ﬂu shot. And this year, remember to make sure it’s at least one week apart from your COVID-19 Vaccine.

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Star Weekly Star Weekly seeks an enthusiastic sales executive to work across our print, digital, social and online platforms. Star Weekly is an independently owned company which prides itself on its long history of community experience but also its investment in the future. The successful applicant will need to possess good people skills to enable them to meet with local businesses to sell solutions through our advertising platforms to help promote their business. Sales skills/experience: • Ability to maintain existing professional relationships and to create new ones • Ability to meet defined sales and activity targets • Excellent listening skills • Accuracy and attention to detail • Effective time management to meet deadlines • Ability to operate in a team • Demonstrates initiative and flexibility • Effective oral and written communication Applicants will need their own reliable vehicle for which we will provide an allowance. The position is salaried, plus we offer an open ended commission scheme. Send your application letter and resume to: Sales Director Ben Sutton ben.sutton@starweekly.com.au

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6 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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Koalas at risk following storm By Oliver Lees A wildlife carer is asking people to keep an eye out for struggling koalas, following extreme weather in the Macedon Ranges that caused major damage to their habitat. Macedon Ranges Koala Project founder Linda Healy said that with so many trees uprooted in forest areas, many koalas may be vulnerable or displaced. “The main problem in our areas is the linkages in different forest areas and roadsides,” Ms Healy said. “There’s been a lot of roadside tree damage through these storms and that limits the

connectivity to different areas that they move through. “They potentially could be forced to the ground more frequently and are therefore open to a higher risk of road trauma or dog attacks.” As a specialist in koala rehabilitation, Ms Healy founded the project in 2009 after recognising an increase in the number of traumatised koalas. A large enclosure on her property, where she regularly houses koalas following extreme weather events such as bushfires, was also damaged in the storms. Ms Healy said koalas rarely like to stray from the areas where they were raised and that a

forced change of environment can impact their diet. “Koalas are very specialised eaters, they don’t eat all gum leaves, it depends on their specific chemical make-up,” she said. “I could pick a ute load of gum leaves and they might only eat a quarter of that. That’s why trees and their diversity are so important.” Ms Healy said that distressed koalas will curl up on the ground. If found, contact a local wildlife rescue or Wildlife Victoria on (03) 8400 7300 Ms Healy plans to conduct a shire-wide koala survey in September. To participate: fauna1@live.com.au

Macedon Ranges Koala Project founder Linda Healy. (Supplied)

Donations tailor-made

Nursery owner Geordie Taylor is giving away a $1000 voucher for a family whose property has suffered storm damage. (Damjan Janevski) 241496_04

Generosity after the storm Riddells Creek Nursery will help someone regrow their garden, after extreme weather wreaked havoc in the Macedon Ranges earlier this month. The nursery is accepting nominations for families that sustained significant damage to their home or property to receive a voucher for $1000 to use at the store. The voucher can be used on anything to help replant trees or garden beds. Riddells Creek Nursery owner and Mount Macedon resident Geordie Taylor said it was his own experience of the weather event that led to the idea.

“It was a very harrowing night for my family, we’ve got significant damage at home and so many of our friends and neighbours do too,” Mr Taylor said. “We’ve probably got six months of cleaning up to do. We’ve lost two ancient poplar trees that were 30-40 metres. “Going down the road to the school, there were families that had lost their cars and two had a tree land on their house. “The community supports my business, and I’m trying to repay some of that.” Mr Taylor said since posting online about the voucher, he had been bombarded with stories of people in need.

“From as far as Trentham, people writing about devastation to wildlife rescue shelters and others nominating a school that wants to host a memorial,” he said. “It’s going to be so hard to make a decision because I’m receiving so many sad and compelling stories. If anything, I’d like to try and gather these submissions and find another way to help them.” Entries close on June 30. To nominate, message the nursery via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ riddellscreeknursery

A not-for-profit organisation is helping those who have fallen victim to the harsh storms that lashed Victoria by providing a service that tailors individual needs to public donations. Founded in 2009, GIVIT is an online donation management platform where individuals, groups or businesses can pledge items. The platform then allows registered organisations or individual users to accept the donation. GIVIT Victorian manager Solange Ardiles said the extreme weather had triggered specific needs from the community. “Majority of need is from a lack of power, we’ve had a lot of requests for generators and there’s been demand for petrol and food vouchers too,” Ms Ardiles said. “Generally what happens in times of disasters is people rally together to gather items, but without proper identification that can actually be a burden for those having to receive and sort them.” Woodend Neighbourhood House and Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health (SCCH) are registered donation partners of GIVIT. SCCH access and support worker Cathy Brideson said after signing up for GIVIT early last year the organisation has been able to browse the virtual warehouse to find donated items. “We have found furniture, white goods, electrical items – even clothes and toiletries which has enabled us to assist many local people,” Ms Brideson said. “GIVIT has been incredibly beneficial for a number of our clients and participants.” Details: https://www.givit.org.au/ Oliver Lees

Oliver Lees

Long road ahead for storm clean-up ■ From

page 1

“Power line after power line down, it really did look like a war zone. “I predict that we’ll still be doing jobs for the next month related to this.” Gisborne SES has continued to experience a high volume of requests for help, with more than 100 calls for assistance received in a 48-hour period last week. A Gisborne SES spokesperson said most of their jobs had been in Gisborne, Macedon and surrounding areas. According to Powercor, power was successfully restored to all areas within north central Victoria on June 15, after some homes

and businesses in the area went without for more than a week. Coliban Water also confirmed that the ‘do not drink’ advice for Trentham has been lifted. Macedon Ranges council has been providing shower facilities, heating, power and food at its recovery operations centre. Council chief executive officer Bernie O’Sullivan said efforts to clear roads of tree debris would likely be ongoing for the next four to six weeks. “Council is providing assistance to residents who have reported property damage by providing free inspections by the municipal building surveyor and arborists,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“Macedon Ranges Shire Council has been included in the list of councils eligible to seek funding from the joint state and federal government funding. “We know that a number of private properties across the shire have sustained damage to fences and trees and council is advocating to the state government to provide assistance to residents with this clean up.” For SES assistance, call 132 500. In case of emergency, call triple-0. Oliver Lees Storm damage in the Macedon Ranges. (Pictures: Matty Be and Top of the Range Tea Rooms) 7 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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Inside the seniors festival

(iStock)

The Victorian Senior of the Year Awards are part of the annual Victorian Seniors Festival. The festival featured as a “reimagined” special for 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reimagined festival took physical distancing into account, and was broadcast straight into people’s homes. The festival featured 131 video performances, and interviews with 146 performers, and had more than 160,000 virtual visitors to its website. The festival will be back in person in October 2021, to celebrate award recipients and their achievements.

Seniors in the spotlight The ‘invaluable’ contributions seniors make to the community will be celebrated later this year as part of the annual Victorian Seniors Festival, writes Michaela Meade.

or more than 20 years, the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards have celebrated the efforts of older Victorians to support, assist and encourage others within their communities. Disability, Ageing and Carers Minister Luke Donnellan said the awards will hold a “special meaning” in 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic during which many seniors managed to maintain their involvement in community service despite lockdowns and uncertainty. “The Victorian Senior of the Year Awards is our opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contributions senior Victorians make to our state,” Mr Donnellan said. “It is more important than ever to thank these incredible seniors for sharing their skills, experience and time with the community.” Award categories include: Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year; Promotion of Multiculturalism Award; Healthy and Active Living Award; Ageing Well Award; COTA Victorian Senior Awards; and the Veteran Community Award. Peter Burquest was the recipient of the 2019 Veteran Community Award and is a Vietnam War veteran. He was nominated as an acknowledgement of his volunteer service to the Australian veteran community and his commitment in supporting young Victorians who come from underprivileged backgrounds. Mr Burquest said he was surprised to be nominated for the “great honour”. “There are so many people in the community looking after our senior citizens on a voluntary basis,” he said. “I’m a little bit humbled by [the award]. “I’m enjoying what I’m doing, and I think whilst the award was a bit more than I was expecting myself, it’s good for the community,

Victorian Governor Linda Dessau, Veteran Community Award 2019 recipient Peter Burquest, and Disability, Carers and Ageing Minister Luke Donnellan; Recipients of the 2019 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards with Linda Dessau and Luke Donnellan. (Pictures: Supplied)

and nice recognition of the work I’ve done. “Many people are as worthy of such an award similar to this, if we just look at the bigger picture.” Mr Burquest co-founded the Caroline Springs RSL Sub-branch, which he said was the beginning of his extensive involvement in the community. “That was the yardstick that kicked me off on being involved with more senior veterans,” he said. “The RSL’s been really important for me in keeping up with the community. “We have quite a number of senior members on our list – war widows and ex-service persons – many who are not required to pay membership.

8 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

“Seniors have made an important contribution to communities, they have been integral in the development of this country and we, the country, owe a lot to them. “They’ve paid their taxes, they’ve done the hard yards, they just sometimes need some help, and we should be available to make that happen. “COVID has presented some real challenges, for our more senior socially-isolated group particularly, but we’ve been there to assist via our welfare visits/phone calls and small food packages during the long lockdown.” The sub-branch now boasts 258 members, and a turnover of about $300,000 a year. Mr Burquest said establishing the sub-branch from the ground up was “probably my greatest

community achievement”. “The development of the RSL was a hell of a ride for me in the early days, for nobody had any experience in starting a sub-branch,” he said. “Having started a brand new RSL, and not taking over something already established, it proved to be quite difficult. “Our purpose was to assist young troops returning from Afghanistan [and] Iraq as well as the roles mentioned above.” Each award nominee receives a certificate acknowledging their work. Award recipients are honoured at Government House at the Victorian Seniors Festival in October each year. Nominations for the awards close on Friday, July 9. Details: seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards.

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS

Start date set for sports hub By Oliver Lees Construction of stage one of the long-awaited Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct is expected to start in April next year. Macedon Ranges council estimates the first stage to cost up to $24.9 million, including a $4.6 million upgrade of the Barringo and Hamilton road intersection in New Gisborne. As well as an indoor basketball stadium, stage one will include a carpark extension, a main turf oval, an outdoor table tennis court and improved safe pedestrian crossing.

According to a council report, works should be completed by August 2023. Macedon Ranges residents have long campaigned for a regional sports precinct. A feasibility study for the facility was first presented to the council in 2017. Andrew Condron, part of the reference group that has been working with council through the planning stages, said he was pleased to see the plan progressing. But he was concerned that elements of the consultation had been overlooked. “The seating around the three indoor

basketball courts is not going to be the required amount, it seems they’ve not really taken that on board,” Mr Condron said. “They’ve also decided not to include the toilets and cafeteria areas in stage one, or the multi-function room. “We’re reasonable, we understand this is a costing issue, but it’s disappointing it’s taken so long to get here.” The new precinct will provide court space for the Kyneton, Macedon Ranges and Riddells Creek Basketball Associations, as well as Woodend Basketball Club and Gisborne Basketball Club.

Mr Condron said the need for new basketball facilities was increasing as interest in the sport grows year on year. “This year our Basketball Victoria under-14 academy had more than 40 kids from the region that qualified, that’s up from around 20 kids two years ago,” he said. “With numbers doubling every two or three years, we’ve had to move some of our teams to train in Kyneton in order to access courts.” Council received $3.2 million from the state government’s Growing Suburbs Fund toward the project.

Fired up for energy park A localised energy source in the Macedon Ranges is another step closer. Last week, Macedon Ranges councillors agreed to ask Agriculture and Regional Development Minister and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas to consider an amendment to the Victorian Plantations Corporation Act 1992 that would allow the Macedon Ranges Community Energy Park to progress. The project has been halted because the park’s desired location is designated as forestry land and cannot be used for other purposes. Cr Mark Ridgeway said his motion to write to Ms Thomas was designed to “uncork that blockage” and allow the development to commence. Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group (MRSG) vice president Bruce Mildenhall said there is widespread support for the development of a localised energy source. “Hancocks PTY is the licensee of the land

and they’re keen on the energy park and we’ve got a development party who are keen to move on it,” Mr Mildenhall said. “The technical feedback we’ve received is that for Woodend, the grid is well-designed for a self contained system … Really the only thing that is stopping it is trying to secure access to the land.” According to the MRSG website, the park will produce enough clean energy to power every household in the shire, using eight wind turbines and 24,000 solar panels. Cr Ridgeway said lessening dependence on external energy sources would benefit the shire. “In the light of recent events with all the storm damage that we’ve had it’s probably quite timely as well,” he said. “Such an energy park would actually help stabilise our energy future, particularly for local communities in this area.” Oliver Lees

Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group vice president Bruce Mildenhall, Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters, Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, Barry Man, Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas, Al Reid, mayor Janet Pearce, David Gormley-O’Brien, Cr Jennifer Anderson and Ralf Thesing. (Supplied)

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Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly

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We’re upgrading the Sunbury Line

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As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re upgrading the Sunbury Line and removing the Gap Road level crossing.

FEBRUARY 2, 2021 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

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Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions

‘‘

Sunbury Line

improve safety and ease congestion in the heart of - Josh Bull our community

‘‘

’’

improve safety and ease congestion in the heart of - Josh Bull our community

’’

Concept design for the new-look Gap Road level crossing. (Supplied)

By Jessica Micallef The first concept design for the new-look Gap Road level crossing in Sunbury has been released. Gap Road will be lowered under the rail line to preserve the character of the heritage-listed Sunbury station. Construction on the project was brought forward to begin this year, with the level crossing expected to be removed by late 2022, and the remaining works completed in 2023 – two years ahead of the initial 2025 completion date. About 19,000 vehicles pass through the Gap

Road level crossing each day, with the number expected to reach 27,000 in 2026, according to state government data. A three-week community consultation period was held in November last year for the public to provide feedback on the design, landscaping and public artworks for the new level crossing. Sunbury MP Josh Bull said more than 170 residents contributed to the preliminary design. “The level crossing will be gone for good by the end of 2022, with a road under rail design as promised,” he said. “This year we will see site investigations continuing as well as some early works, with

the majority of major construction towards the end of 2022.” The level crossing removal is being delivered in conjunction with the $2.1 billion Sunbury line upgrade, which includes platform extensions, train stabling modifications and rail track power upgrades at Sunbury station to enable bigger and more modern trains to run on the line. The line is expected to transport up to 113,000 passengers in peak hours every week when the Metro Tunnel is open. “We promised to remove this crossing by 2025, but this vital project has been fast tracked to synchronise works between the level

crossing removal and the $2.1 billion Sunbury line upgrade,” Mr Bull said. “It means we will only need to close the line for an extended period of time once, rather than twice, resulting in less disruption and a level crossing-free Sunbury three years ahead of schedule. “This is a critical project that will improve safety and ease congestion in the heart of our community and it is time to get it done.” The Gap Road level crossing will be the fourth crossing removed on the Sunbury line and is one of 75 “dangerous and congested” level crossings in Melbourne to be gone by 2025. 12476330-CG03-21

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Crossing design revealed

From 9pm 2 Jul to 4 Jul From 8pm to last train each night, 5 to 7 Jul

North Melbourne to Sunbury

Until 8pm each day, 5 to 7 Jul 8 Jul

Sunshine to Sunbury

Road disruption: Closed lane Gap Road and Station Street, From 5 Jul Sunbury

Lane closed between Horne and Evans streets

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9 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

COMMUNITY STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication.

Farmers market

Mondays at St Thomas Anglican Church foyer, 117 Synnot Street, Werribee, from 7.30pm, and on Tuesdays at the St Mary’s Tennis Club rooms, 204 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough. ■ 0412 432 760

The Kyneton Farmers Market is on Saturday, July 10, 8.30am-1pm at St Paul’s Park, Piper Street, Kyneton.

Sewing group The Sunbury Neighborhood House Social Sewing Group meets on the first Saturday of each month to chat, share ideas and sew. Beginners through experienced welcome. Sunbury Neighbourhood House, 531 Elizabeth Drive, Sunbury 12.30-3.30pm.

Melton South Knit & Natter All welcome to join this social crafting group, running at the Melton South Community Centre each Monday from 10am-noon. Bring along any knitting or crochet projects and work on them while sharing tips, learning skills and catching up over a cuppa. ■ 9747 8576

Deer Park probus The Deer Park Combined Probus Club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at The Deer Park Club, 780 Ballarat Road, from 10am. New members and visitors welcome. ■ Don, 0409 191 580

Singing group

Through the lens

Join the Melton South Community Singers at the Melton South Community Centre on the first and third Tuesday of each month. ■ Sue, 0400 082 413

Garden club The Sunbury Garden Club meets on the first Tuesday of every month. There is a guest speaker at each meeting, which starts at 7.30pm at the Sunbury Football Club. ■ Cheryl, 9744 1663

Senior citizens club Senior citizens are welcome to visit the Sunbury Senior Citizens’ Club on Mondays, from noon-3pm at 8 O’Shannassy Street. A variety of activities offered – carpet bowls, cards, snooker, darts, board games or just a cup of coffee and a chat. Lunch subsidised If you’re over 55 years of age

Martin Blake, manager of The Blackwood Post Office & Cafe, feeding the megpies. The post office also helped out the community after storms ripped through the area and left people without power. (Picture: Damjan Janevski) 241862_01

and would like to meet new people, come along. ■ Frank, 0423 392 884

My Social Club

7-9.30pm, except public holidays, COVID restrictions permitting. Bring your supplies and get creative. ■ www.craigieburnartgourp.org

An 18+ not-for-profit disability recreation, sports and social sub-branch of ‘Rainbow Club Point Cook Inc’. Meets every third Friday at local venues. Members plan their own adventures. Membership fee is NDIS funded. ■ www.mysocialclub.org.au, email: social@rainbowclub.org.au or call 0414 384 557 during business hours

AL-ANON meets

Zonta club meets

AL-ANON provides support for families and loved ones living with alcoholics and problem drinkers. The group meets

The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month. ■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420

Art creation Craigieburn Art Group runs a creative art club every Monday night at the community rooms, Craigieburn Sports Stadium, Craigieburn Road, 3pm-5.30pm and

Keep the kids entertained and creative this school holidays! Presenting creative exploratory workshops, and award winning puppetry performances. Kyneton Town Hall’s school holiday program is sure to entertain and delight. Book now!

Kids can create their own wild city to explore!

Combining puppetry, storytelling, action and animation

Wild City is an art based workshop for children using sculpture as a medium for creative learning.

Bart is a boisterous puppy waiting to be chosen from the animal shelter. Mabel is a lonely widow, trying to fill the hole in her heart. The day they find each other is the beginning of Bart’s next adventure.

This workshop introduces children to urban ecology, and the real issues that animals face in an increasingly human built world. Children use the sculptural building blocks to collaboratively explore ideas and get hands on with making their own ‘Wild City’. KTH Kids is local artists presenting creative content for local kids!

New Owner is a sensitive tale of friendship, loss and new beginnings, told through a dog’s eyes. Recommended for children aged 7+ as it contains scenes of sadness and loss that may be upsetting for very small children.

Date: Wednesday 30 June, Thursday 1, Friday 2 July Time: 10am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 3pm (1.5hrs session). Location: Kyneton Town Hall Cost: $12.50 per child Phone: 1300 888 802

Date: Tuesday 6 July Time: 10am and 1.15pm, (55 minutes performances). Location: Kyneton Town Hall Cost: Adult $25, Senior $18, Child $10, family (4 tickets) $65 Phone: 1300 888 802

For more information visit: mrsc.vic.gov.au/arts-events

mrsc.vic.gov.au 10 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

MV1345

This workshop is presented by Kathy Holowko.

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FEBRUARY 9, 2021 \ STARWEEKLY.COM

EVERY WEEK

Valentine’s at Hanging Rock

Celebrate Valentine’s Day under the stars at Hanging Rock with a special movie screening of Peter Weir’s 1975 film, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The film, which is the 1967 novel by an adaption of the same name by Joan Lindsay, revolves around the disappearance of several schoolgirls and their teacher during a Rock on Valentine’s picnic to Hanging Day Moviegoers are encour in 1900. aged to bring their own picnic for dinner, a chair, rug and a blanket and get cosy as the drama mystery film is screen ing. For a bit of fun, come classic 1900’s costum dressed in a The film night is on e. Saturday, February 13 from 7pm at Hangin g Rock, 139 South Rock Road, Woodend. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $10 for children or $60 for a family of two adults and two children. To book: bit.ly/3pzPyji

(Supplied)

Pick up your favourite local newspaper, the Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly from local outlets listed below or subscribe to our digital edition and have it sent to your device every week!

.AU

Anti-vax leaflet slammed ‘‘

Jessica Micallef

By Jessica Micallef

Let’s not

McEwen MP Rob let false lies Mitchell is urging Sunbury residents to “tear spread as being facts up and throw anti-vaccination leaflets away” . It’s that may appear their letterbox. in dangerou s - Rob Mitchell Mr Mitchell said residen ts had notified him last Monday (Februa leaflets is from ry 1) about anti-vaccinatio American-based leaflets about the n IDoNotComp company, COVID-19 vaccine ly, which labels that had global been dropped in their movement that oppose itself as a letterbox. The leaflet, seen by s COVID-19 regulations. Star Weekly, stated should “avoid the people “It’s danger COVID and claims the “vaccin vaccine at all costs” People will ous that people are getting this. read e could this and wonder if potentially be he more deadly than it’s true,” said. “We are seeing the virus”. Mr Mitchell believe out … it’s all garbage these theories being put s the sender of . Tear the leaflet up the put it in the bin.” and

’’

RADIOLOGY SAVES LIVES

How healthy is

Mr Mitchell said only contacted him about Sunbury residents had be done to combat potenti was concerned peoplethe leaflets so far, but he misinformation ally “deadly in surrounding areas ”. would also receive He said people should them. consult a doctor The leaflet also has or medical address to the organis a QR code and a web vaccinations professional when it came to and medica urged people not to ation’s site. Mr Mitchell “We don’t know who l treatment. scan the code. these people are and “It’s for your own that is why safety,” he said. “It we have medical experts from an American-base comes ,” he said. “They have decade d organisation which s you’d think wouldn to understand these in training and learning ’t be so callous and things. They are the to make a stateme stupid to talk to. people nt like risk of dying of COVID ‘most people have no “Let’s not let false -19’. lies spread as being “This from a countr It’s dangerous. facts. y where tragica lly more than 440,000 deaths “What we have achieve have been recorded.” d in Victoria … Mr Mitchell said an amazing job is more work needed to people spreadi and the last thing we need is ng theories.”

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Pick up your FREE newspaper from these local outlets... • Bulla BP Service Station - Bulla 84-86 Bulla Road • Bulla Jack McKenzie Community Centre 11 Green Street • Clarkefield Coach and Horses Inn - Clarkfield 50 Station Street • Diggers Rest FoodWorks 22 Glitter Road • Diggers Rest Diggers Rest Post Office 76 Old Calder Highway • Diggers Rest Houdinis Cafe e Cucina 52-56 Old Calder Highway • Gibsorne Gisborne Village Fresh Brantome Street • Gibsorne Morgan’s SUPA IGA Gisborne Brantome Street • Gisborne Brad Teal Real Estate - Gisborne 40 Aitken Street • Gisborne Kennedy Hunt Real Estate - Gisborne 33 Brantome Street • Gisborne Gisborne Real Estate - Gisborne 38 Brantome Street • Gisborne Raine & Horne Real Estate 42 Brantome Street • Gisborne Gisborne Library 8 Hamilton Street • Gisborne Foodworks - Gisborne 24 Hamilton Street • Gisborne Macedon Ranges Health Service 76 Hamilton Street • Gisborne Gisborne Nursing Home - The Oaks 5 Neal Street • Gisborne Puma Service Station Gisborne 23 Robertson Street • Gisborne Caltex Service Station - Gisborne 4 Station Street • Kyneton Kuppers Fuel Stop - Kyneton 199 Burton Avenue

• Kyneton RT Edgar Real Estate - Kyneton 10 High Street • Kyneton Kyneton Newsagency 95 Mollison Street • Kyneton Kyneton Shire Offices 129 Mollison Street • Lancefield Lancefield Newsagency 18 High Street • Macedon United Service Station - Macedon 313 Black Forest Drive • Macedon IGA Supermarket - Macedon 20 Victoria Street • Macedon Macedon Newsagency 25 Victoria Street • Malmsbury General Store 75 Mollison Street • Monegeeta Newsagency 2076 Melbourne -Lancefield Road • Mount Macedon Mt Macedon Post Office 341 Mt Macedon Road • Riddells Creek Riddells Creek Nursery 675 Kilmore Road • Riddells Creek Riddells Creek Post Office 80 Main Road • Riddells Creek Foodies - Riddells Creek 86-88 Main Road • Riddells Creek Riddells Creek Supermarket 2 Station Street • Romsey Chess Property - Romsey 102 Main Street • Romsey IGA Supermarket - Romsey 107 Main Street • Sunbury Leeburn and Co Real Estate - Sunbury 6 Brook Street • Sunbury Sunbury Newsagency 14 Brook Street • Sunbury The Jolly Miller cafe Shop 2/2 Brook Street • Sunbury The Jolly Miller cafe Shop 2/2 Brook Street • Sunbury The Local Sunbury Bottleshop Shop 2b/15-17 Dornoch Drive • Sunbury Goonawarra General Store 23-25 Dornoch Drive • Sunbury Sunbury Neighbourhood House 531 Elizabeth Drive

• Sunbury Brad Teal Real Estate Sunbury 54 Evans Street • Sunbury Reliant Real Estate 11/114-126 Evans Street • Sunbury Muffin Break Shop 2/24 Evans Street • Sunbury Sunbury Square Shopping Centre Shop 2-28 Evans Street • Sunbury Terry White Chemist 83-85 Evans Street • Sunbury Gap Road Medical Centre 46 Gap Road • Sunbury United Fuel Sunbury 47 Gap Road • Sunbury 7-Eleven Sunbury 128 Gap Road • Sunbury Asia Finest Shop 4&5, 106-126 Gap Road • Sunbury Puma Service Station Sunbury 96 Horne Street • Sunbury Woolworths Supermarket 25-47 Horne Street • Sunbury Big W - Sunbury 25-47 Horne Street • Sunbury BP Service Station 53-55 Horne Street • Sunbury Sunbury Day Hospital 7 Macedon Street • Sunbury Hume Council Offices - Sunbury 40 Macedon Street • Sunbury Sunbury Information Centre 43 Macedon Street • Sunbury Sunbury Library 44 Macedon Street • Sunbury Community Health Centre Unit 12-28 Macedon Street • Sunbury McKwen Drive Milk Bar Shop 1-3 McEwen Drive • Sunbury Foodworks Bottlemart on Melba 16 Melba Avenue • Sunbury Foodworks on Melba 16-18 Melba Avenue • Sunbury Melba Cafe 22 Melba Avenue • Sunbury Mitchells Lane Milk Bar 192 Mitchells Lane

• Sunbury Just Planet 37 O’Shannesy Street • Sunbury An Apple a Day Natural Health Store 49 O’Shannesy Street • Sunbury The Spotted Owl 93 O’Shannesy Street • Sunbury Cafe Circe 109 O’Shannesy Street • Sunbury IGA Supermarket - Sunbury 98-122 O’Shannesy Street • Sunbury Killara Family Store - Sunbury 57 Phillip Drive • Sunbury Strathearn Glen Corner Store 10 Strathearn Drive • Sunbury Sacco & Saba Cafe 2/20-30 Sussex Street • Sunbury Rosenthal Shopping Centre 90 Vineyard Road • Tylden Tylden Store 36 Trentham Road • Woodend Keatings Real Estate - Woodend 83 Calder Highway • Woodend Coles Supermarket - Woodend 61 High Street • Woodend II cafe 66 High Street • Woodend Andrews Cafe 77 High Street • Woodend Fox in the Chamber 90 High Street • Woodend Jellis Craig Real Estate - Woodend 91 High Street • Woodend Maison Maloa Licensed Cafe & Gifts 95 High Street • Woodend Woodend Newsagency 101 High Street • Woodend Paysanne Cafe 112 High Street • Woodend Bourkies Bake House 115 High Street • Woodend RT Edgar Real Estate - Woodend 124 High Street • Woodend BP Service Station - Woodend 130 High Street • Woodend Woodend Community Centre High Street & Forest Street

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11 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

Property news

Avoiding common trip-ups to first home ownership Being a first home buyer can be a confronting experience. You’re entering into the transactions cold, often trying to trump other more experienced buyers and grappling with your hopes and limitations. While there are many things that can go wrong, there are five typical mistakes to watch out for. Here are the most common trip-ups and how you can overcome them.

Not enough research Not taking the time to research is one of the biggest setbacks any buyer can face, be they a first-timer or a multiple property owner. Research comes in many forms, some of which can include paid-for reports. Other research is less tangible, and often involves visiting the area and inspecting local properties. First home buyers are advised to give themselves enough time to explore the market, both online and off, before diving into a purchase. Tip: Create a research plan that involves heading to auctions in the months before you are ready to put money into a property.

Buying on emotion It’s natural to feel emotional about purchasing property. After all, it’s likely you’ll be living in this dwelling for a lengthy period of time and calling it your ‘home’. You are also most likely making a significant financial commitment to the project. These aspects always come with emotions involved. This can range from desperation and excitement to pride and fear. Tip: If you don’t trust yourself to keep your emotions in check, either pay a professional to buy for you, or find a trusted

Before diving into buying a house: research, research, research. (iStock)

acquaintance to play your ‘devil’s advocate’ questioning your decisions. Remember, taking a five-minute step-back now will save you plenty of money in the long run.

Relying on those who are not experts Younger first home buyers, especially, are prone to asking their parents, friends and those they don’t know online for help. While these three avenues can prove very useful,

it’s important that you are aware of the source of the information, why it is being provided and how it relates to you. Tip: Ensure who you are speaking to is qualified, and if you’re not paying them then know how they get paid and their motivations for giving you this information.

is one, very critical, element to purchasing. However, being aware of what you can realistically afford is just as important. Tip: Set yourself a financial plan ahead of time to see if you can afford the mortgage repayments. Also bear in mind extra unexpected costs, and speak to a professional about insurances.

Overextending financially Being aware of what the bank will lend you

Source: realestateview.com.au 12501648-CG27-21

12 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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13 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

PUZZLES No. 035

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

easy

6 3 8 9 7 5 5 2 5 9 1 1

6 8 9 4 7

4 8 5 7 5 5 6 9 3 7 8

4 8 7 1

medium

1 9

6 4 4 1 9 5 9 4 8

Major (9) Faint (5) Summon (5) Discharge (4) Aquarium (4) Enlisted (10) Comprehend (10) Dogged (9) Underwrite (9) Subject (5) Sporting sides (5) Unemployed (4) Purposes (4)

4 5 6 7 8 13 14 16 17 21 22 24 25

ACROSS Schools (9) Vote for (5) Establish (3,2) Ad (9) Reject (5) Listed in a hierarchy (6) Attacker (9) Discover (5) Felony (5) Provisional (9) Resting (6) Cars (5) Bandit (9) Earth in Latin (5) Result (5) Dangled (9)

1 6 9 10 11 12 15 17 18 19 20 23 26 27 28 29

No. 035

DOWN Aid (10) Benevolent (10) Dear (9)

1 2 3

DECODER

No. 035

4 7

8 1 7

9 6 2

QUICK CROSSWORD

9 2

6 1 5 7 5 9

4 2 hard

8 7

9 6

7 8 5

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

5 1 7 3

L X R I H V F B O K Z QW 24

Today’s Aim: 21 words: Good 31 words: Very good

2 9 8 4 6 1 3 7 5

5 9 3 2 6 4 8 1 7

1 7 4 5 3 8 9 2 6

8 2 6 9 1 7 4 3 5

7 3 8 4 2 1 6 5 9

V B

3 LETTERS ADO ALE BOG DAD ELF ERA ERR FIR GAP GAS GEE GNP INS MES ODE OLD OUT REM REV ROE ROT RUE SAD UTE VCR YES

RUES TAGS TOGA 5 LETTERS ADOPT AFOOT APART AROMA ASSET CLEFS COMAS DENTS DREAD DROSS ELOPE ENDOW ENSUE GRINS HALOS IDEAS

4 LETTERS ACRE ARCS AWES DAMS DROP EYED GORE ISNT MESS NAPE PAST POSE RARE REND ROAD

No. 035

LEDGE LEVEE LOSES LUPIN MALES METRE NAMED NEEDS NOSES OMEGA OPERA OTTER OUNCE PARSE PRESS PRUNE REELS RENEW REPEL ROUTE SATAN

SCALD SCALE SEDAN SENDS SERVE SWEAR TALON 6 LETTERS LASHED STEELS 7 LETTERS ASSIGNS AUDIBLE

COASTAL DANGLED OUTLETS REFEREE 8 LETTERS NEUROSES SERENADE STEEPEST TRANSFER 10 LETTERS ERADICATED GREEDINESS

alive, aver, avert, bevy, brave, bravely, brevity, evil, lave, levity, levy, live, liver, livery, rave, rive, rivet, vale, valet, variety, vary, veal, veil, vela, velar, verb, verbal, verily, VERITABLY, verity, very, viable, viably, vial, vibe, vibrate, vile, viler, viral, vita, vitae, vital

Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

What mountain range in NSW was formerly named the Carmarthen Hills?

Which artist was known for his ‘blue’ and ‘rose’ periods of work?

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

Into which body of water does the Dnieper River flow?

In which city would you find Red Square?

The Orange Free State is a former sovereign country within which modern nation?

Which musician made the 1984 album Purple Rain?

E D Y

E V E R

3 8 1 7 4 6 5 9 2

9 6 2 1 5 3 7 4 8

6 7 1 5 8 3 4 2 9

3 4 5 9 7 2 8 1 6

8 5 6 1 3 7 9 4 2

4 3 2 6 5 9 7 8 1

9 1 7 8 2 4 6 5 3

1 6 9 2 4 8 5 3 7

7 2 4 3 9 5 1 6 8

5 8 3 7 1 6 2 9 4

9 7 6 4 1 5 8 3 2

4 8 2 7 3 9 1 5 6

6 1 7 5 4 3 9 2 8

3 5 8 9 2 6 7 1 4

2 9 4 8 7 1 3 6 5

8 6 5 1 9 7 2 4 3

7 2 9 3 5 4 6 8 1

1 4 3 2 6 8 5 9 7

14 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

P A R S U B I C R O M A

S C A

4 5 7 8 9 2 3 6 1

No. 035

6 1 5 3 7 9 2 8 4

02-07-21

2 4 9 6 8 5 1 7 3

5 3 1 6 8 2 4 7 9

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

9-LETTER WORD

42 words: Excellent

hard

medium

easy

2 6

S D TM J Y C A P NU E G

Q W 14

5x5

WORDFIT

QUICK QUIZ

In the famous performance company the Blue Man Group, how many ‘blue men’ appear on stage at one time?

In which US state would you find Ivy League university Brown University?

Actor Betty White (pictured) is famous for playing Rose in which US sitcom?

10 Morganite is a gemstone of what colour? ANSWERS: 1. Blue Mountains 2. Pablo Picasso 3. The Black Sea 4. Moscow 5. South Africa 6. Prince 7. Three 8. Rhode Island 9. The Golden Girls 10. Pink

SUDOKU

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which team won UEFA Euro 2016 with a 1-0 defeat of France in the final?

8. Interim Collingwood coach Robert Harvey won two Brownlow Medals playing for which AFL team?

13. What country did Denmark defeat 4-1 in the 2020 UEFA Euro tournament?

2. Which Australian cricketer scored an unbeaten 201 versus Bangladesh in his last Test match?

9. 18-year-old Reece Walsh is set to become the youngest Origin player since 1995 when he lines up for which state?

14. What pursuit that takes place in the air was an event at the 1900 Summer Olympics?

3. Former Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney and Canberra NBL player Dave Simmons is the father of which NBA All-Star?

15. What position did Cody Simpson finish in the 100m Butterfly Olympic Qualifying Final?

10. Which team recently won the right to pick first in the 2021 NBA Draft?

4. Which two teams are set to play in the 2021 A-League Grand Final?

11. What AFL team recently played their first game in Tasmania since 1992?

16. What piece of equipment was made mandatory for NFL players in 1943?

5. Jon Rahm recently won which golf tournament?

12. What cricket team will tour Australian for a five-test series in December and January?

17. Which Melbourne City player finished as top goal scorer in the 2020-21 A-League season?

6. The Victorian government recently proposed the lifting of a ban on horse racing on which public holiday?

Cortina d'Ampezzo

18. What two former Wimbledon champions were given Wildcards to play in this year's tournament?

7. South African spin bowler Keshav Maharaj recently completed a hat-trick playing against which Test team?

19. What Queensland stadium hosted the 2021 Women's NRL State of Origin match? 20. Which Melbourne United player played his 350th NBL game in June?

Jon Rahm

21. Jhaniele Fowler, leading scorer in this year's Super Netball season, plays for which team?

26. Which two cricket teams are set to compete in the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship?

22. Which Major League Baseball team lost a record 23 straight road games during the 2021 season?

27. Which Melbourne-born basketballer was selected with the first pick of the 2011 NBA draft?

23. Cortina d'Ampezzo and what other Italian city will host the 2026 Winter Olympics?

28. A so-called QClash is the name given to a match between which two AFL teams?

24. Target shooter Michael Diamond won which type of medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics?

29. With a score of 50 to 6, which team won Game One of the 2021 State Of Origin series?

25. Which New Zealand batsman scored 200 on his Test debut at Lord's?

30. Which NBL team is on the verge of being purchased from current owner Jack Bendat?

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Bold and the beautiful By Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring AT A GLANCE

The first thing anyone commented about when they saw this week’s road test SUV – the Genesis GV80 – was its size: “It’s big isn’t it?”. Though it’s almost five metres long and two metres wide, which is large but not exceptionally so, it’s shaped to look bigger than it really is. Bigger is better is often a sales incentive in the SUV field.

MODEL RANGE GV80 2.5T RWD: $90,600 GV80 2.5T AWD: $95,600 GV80 3.0D AWD: $103,600 GV80 3.5T AWD: $108,600

Styling

Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Hyundai/Genesis dealer for drive-away prices.

Bold is the first word that comes to mind. The front is totally dominated by a huge grille with headlight housings that seem to be a couple of sizes wider than they need to be. Funnily the lights aren’t all that large, it’s just the housings that make them look that way. The rear lights follow the style of the fronts and the tail has a bold centre section. The roof slopes sleekly to the rear and the side windows sweep upwards to give a streamlined look.

Interior Inside the bold look continues, but it has a good combination of upmarket class at the same time. Our test Genesis had a luxury package that includes quilted Nappa leather. It had suede on the pillars and dash as well as timber trim on the centre console. There’s space for three adults in the centre row seat, though it’s shaped for two individual seats, with the one in the middle being for occasional use only. The two outer rear seats can be adjusted electrically in the manner that we normally only associate with front seats. Given the size of the vehicle there’s less legroom than you would expect. The front seats are fine but if they’re set back for a tall driver there is barely enough kneeroom for those in the second row. Getting into the third row of seats isn’t easy because of the height of the vehicle off the ground. Again, there’s not as much legroom as we would like. There appears to be too much emphasis on boot space, which is positively cavernous, resulting in the aforementioned missing legroom. Perhaps it’s the sweeping style at the rear that has the third-row seats rather limited for headroom.

Infotainment The very wide infotainment and navigation screen is excellent and simple to see at a glance. Apple Car Play or Android Auto can be easily accessed. Sound comes from 21 Lexicon speakers and Quantum Logic surround sound technology. It is supported by a 14-channel high output external amplifier.

Engines / transmissions Our test vehicle was powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine with 279 kW, and 530 Nm of torque the latter with a very wide spread from 1300 to 4500 rpm. So, the torque is in the rev range that’s being used virtually all the time in normal driving.

Safety When the driver uses the indicators to signal a change direction the speedometer or tacho shows a picture taken by an outside camera of what’s beside and behind the Genesis at that time. We found ourselves still using the door mirrors, but with more time in the driver’s seat we might come to rely only on the pictures and keep our eyes on the road ahead. There’s not only advanced collision avoidance if other drivers make a mistake, but also a feature that stops you making a driving error. Try to change lanes into another vehicle and it prevents you from doing so by using the brakes or not replying to your steering. Obviously, you can still get into trouble, but the big Genesis does its best to save you. It almost goes without saying that the GV80 has been awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Bold shape of the upmarket Genesis GV80 is a real selling point. (Pictures: Supplied)

Driving Response from the twin-turbo petrol V6 was very quick, proving that its design is a cracker. It looks as though the days of the second or two of hesitation before turbo units really get going are virtually no more. At least with the Genesis unit, we wonder how long before other engineers get theirs up and running? Comfort is very good as the car’s Road

Preview Electronic Control Suspension has a forward camera that looks at the road ahead for potholes or bumps. It then quickly adjusts the suspension damping according to what it sees. This further adds to the feeling of being isolated from the outside world. Handling is pretty good for a vehicle of this size and mass though obviously it’s not aimed at the driver who wants to toss it at bends. You

can choose to use a Sport setting but if you feel that way inclined, but we wonder how many owners would do this.

Summing up Genesis GV80 is a large SUV positively stacked with many features and is sold for tens of thousands of dollars less than European SUVs in this class.

17 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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McConnell eyes Games success By Oliver Lees Gold medallist Ashleigh McConnell will be aiming for another podium finish at this year’s Paralympic Games, following the announcement she will represent Australia once again on swimming’s biggest stage. This will be the second time the Sunbury resident has represented Australia at the Paralympic Games – she took out gold in the women’s 4x100 metre freestyle at Rio in 2016. Alongside Ellie Cole, Maddison Elliott and Lakeisha Patterson, that women’s relay team set a new world record within the event. McConnell said her focus this year is to improve her individual racing. “It’s pretty exciting,” she said. “I’ve had success in relay swims but individually I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I feel like this time around that is my biggest goal.” McConnell has qualified for the 100 metre freestyle within classification S9 of the paralympic system and may also be selected for the relay team depending on her form leading up to the games.

Ashleigh McConnell (centre) with Rachael Watson and Taylor Corry at the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships in 2019. (Delly Carr, Swimming Australia)

McConnell started her swimming journey at the Sunbury Swimming Club as a junior. She said it was in her teenage years when she started to consider swimming at a professional level.

“Probably around the time I went away on my first junior national team at the Arafura Games in Darwin when I was 15-years-old,” she said. “It was that competition where I was performing really well that I thought I could represent Australia at some stage.” McConnell went on to compete for qualification at the London Paralympic Games in 2012, but narrowly missed selection by 0.12 seconds. “Missing out on the team like that really lit a fire in me to make it next time,” she said. The 23-year-old has since notched a number of accolades, such as reaching the women’s 50m and 100m freestyle S9 finals at Rio, and receiving a bronze medal in the women’s 100m backstroke S9 at the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Last week the International Olympic Committee announced that up to 10,000 spectators will be allowed at venues, but a decision on crowds at the Paralympic Games has been postponed until July 16. McConnell said although COVID-19

Star rising for former Rookies champ Former Gisborne Rookies club champion Harrison Jones has made an early mark with the Essendon Bombers, as the forward received a round 14 nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star. Bulldogs president Jodie Bannan said she was proud to see Jones recognised for his hard work. “Harry is one who always took it in his stride, he never thought he was better than anyone else and got along with everyone,” Bannan said. “He was always a leader right through. “He’s been given a great opportunity this year with Essendon the way they’ve supported the youngsters, and he’s taken it.” Playing in his 13th match for the Bombers against the Hawks last weekend, Jones finished with 14 disposals, two goals and eight marks in the 13-point win in Launceston. As a result of his rising star nomination, the Bulldogs will receive a NAB club recognition award valued at $2500 as part of the AFL’s rising stars program. Bannan said the funding would help the club after the financial difficulties of COVID-19 restrictions. “We’ll put it [the funding] toward player development and hopefully the funding can help support the next generation of players,” she said. “Having more equipment around will take some pressure off the club.” Jones played all of his junior football with the Bulldogs and was awarded club champion honours in 2017 while playing under-16s. After representing the Calder Cannons in the NAB League, he was taken by Essendon with the 30th pick in the 2019 national draft. The Bulldogs have had a handful of their players go on to play in the AFL, including Pat McKenna (GWS Giants), Brent Reilly (Adelaide Crows) and Matthew Goodyear (Collingwood Magpies). Oliver Lees

Main: Harrison Jones in action for Essendon. (AFL Photos) Inset: Harrison Jones (left) with his cousin Riley Vernon. (Amanda Jones) 18 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

restrictions had affected her preparations she doesn’t see it impacting her racing. “Coming from Melbourne my preparation has definitely changed because I haven’t been able to train, whereas many of my competitors have been,” she said. “The change in crowd hasn’t affected how I’m imagining the games. It will definitely seem empty because usually the Australian crowds are very vocal, like at Rio, but it’s hard to know how that will affect my performance. “Overall it’s just very lucky that it’s even going ahead.” McConnell said even at a professional level, she’s motivated more by personal development than acquiring accolades. “I enjoy training more than I enjoy competing,” she said. “It’s all just so much fun to me, it’s the people that you meet along the way that make the experience. “I’ll be happy coming home having swam my best, if I can get a personal best and it lands me a medal then that’s great. But that’s not the most important thing.”

Monaro Maro speeds ahead In a period when Long Forest trainer Andy Gath is searching for his next great squaregaiter, Monaro Maro reminded everyone of just how good she is with victory in a thrilling and action-packed IRT Australia Matriarch Trot. The race at Tabcorp Park Melton had been billed as a beauty since the release of the fields early in the week, and it delivered in spades with early and mid-race moves setting up a good speed at the top end. And it was Monaro Maro who benefitted, with driver Kate Gath following up Pink Galahs when she eventually worked to the lead, parking outside for the last lap. Mattie Craven’s charge shot for home approaching the final turn, allowing the Gath Racing runner to drop in behind for a breather before peeling back out, hitting the front and staving off a wall of horses. The daughter of Superfast Stuart denied Keayang Livana back-to-back wins in the race, with Margaret Lee’s mare flying home for second ahead of third-placed Illawong Stardust. Just 3.8metre separated the first six trotters across the line. Despite the Group 2 success, Gath felt Monaro Maro wasn’t at her absolute best and expected a spell to be on the cards. “I think maybe if she was at her best, she probably would have won a little bit easier. She got around at the perfect time – even though Pink Galahs went in front of her and did have to make her work a little bit harder - but once we got there we could walk after that and she was able to win the race,” the star reinswoman said. Monaro Maro has now won 18 of 69 career starts for close to $200,000 in prizemoney. The win was one of three for Kate Gath on the night, which started with Tango Tara taking out the DNR Logistics Pace. The former Kiwi overcame some minor injury setbacks to score his first win for the Gath Racing team. Gath’s other victory came behind Emma Stewart-trained Runaway Celebrity, who picked up her third triumph from four career starts in the VHRC Thanks John Hawke Renown Silverware - Major Sponsor 3YO Pace. Tim O’Connor

SPORT Elder signs with Melbourne Rebels With only 12 months of rugby union experience under her belt, Macedon prodigy May Elder has been selected in the Melbourne Rebels 34-woman squad for the Super W season. Elder said that prior to moving to Australia from Fiji in 2018, she was not permitted to play rugby despite her keen interest in the sport. “In Fiji rugby is a really big thing,” she said. “But when I was growing up girls weren’t allowed to play rugby, so I was never given that opportunity. “That was mainly pressure from the community, but since moving here my family has been really supportive of me. “A friend of mine said they were going to play but they didn’t want to do it without me, and so I decided to join.” Since arriving in Australia Elder has played netball for Macedon and football for Gisborne. At the Bulldogs she was awarded the

2018 youth girls rookie of the year and was runner-up in the 2019 AFL Goldfields senior best and fairest. Elder said she was approached by a Melbourne Rebels scout after one of her matches for Power House, a rugby union club based in St Kilda. “It was really shocking to be approached, it feels like a big accomplishment,” she said. “Playing netball I would get pinned a lot for too much contact, people would say I was playing the wrong sport … maybe they were right.” The Super W competition first ran in 2018. The New South Wales Waratahs have dominated the competition’s early history, winning the championship for three consecutive years. In 2020, the season was cancelled after just four rounds due to COIVD-19 restrictions impeding play and the Waratahs were crowned champions as they sat undefeated on top of the

ladder. The 2021 Super W season kicked off earlier this month with the Rebels going down to the Brumbies 5 to 30 in their first match. Speaking before the Rebels’ match against the Queensland Reds on June 27, Elder said despite having not yet played a professional match, she had already learnt a lot from joining the team. “Compared to playing for a local club it’s way more intense given the level of skill that there is,” she said. “The captain of the team [Melanie Kawa] and I play the same position, so I’m trying to shadow her, she’s been playing for 15 years,” she said. “In the long term my ultimate goal would be to make the national squad, either for Wallaroos or for Fiji.” Oliver Lees

Draft hope for Prespakis By Oliver Lees Sunbury’s very own rising star Georgie Prespakis is setting her sights on this year’s upcoming AFLW national draft. The 18-year-old has risen through the ranks of local and representative football to emerge as one of the leading candidates in the draft, which is scheduled to take place in July. Prespakis said she was still coming to terms with the prospect of being selected. “I’m very excited and honestly a bit shocked that it’s actually happening, but overall I can’t wait,” Georgie said. “It’s something I’ve wanted since I was a junior playing in Romsey.” Prespakis started her football journey as an under-10’s player at the Romsey Redbacks before joining the Sunbury Lions. There she played a part in two of the three consecutive premierships the Lions won in the Essendon District Football League, which included a best on ground performance in 2018. The midfielder also took out the under-18’s girls division 1 EDFL best and fairest. That form continued into her play with the Calder Cannons, where she was named the NAB League 2019 best and fairest award as well the EDFL best and fairest for the second year running. Prespakis has now lined up for the Calder Cannons for three seasons, averaging more than 22 disposals and six tackles. This year has seen fresh challenges emerge for Prespakis as she debuted for Essendon in the VFLW and competed in the Vic Metro in the AFLW under-19’s championships, all while Calder Cannons commitments. She said experiencing the variety of each competition had been valuable for her development. “It’s been really good playing all the different levels of footy, going from the younger faster NAB League to the VFLW with much bigger bodies,” she said. “I definitely can notice the difference [between the competitions], the VFLW has given me a taste of what I could be getting myself into.” Prespakis will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of her sister, Madison, who was selected by Carlton with the third overall pick in the 2018 AFLW national draft. Prespakis said she’d enjoyed having her older sister around for advice. “She’s been good at telling me to keep a level head and keep enjoying myself as well,” she said. “My family has been really supportive so it’ll be great if the draft is in person and we can all go.”

Georgie Prespakis in action for the Calder Cannons. (Shawn Smits) 241781_01

Within the AFLW draft system, players nominate which state they would like to be selected in. Prespakis said she had nominated her home

state of Victoria, which could see her drafted to Geelong, St Kilda and Richmond, all of which have a top 10 pick in the draft. The draft will be held on July 27 at 6.45pm.

May Elder. (Getty Images)

Rupertswood eyes former Demon Rupertswood Football Club’s forward line could soon be bolstered by former AFL star Russell Robertson in division 1 of the Essendon District Football League. Robertson was listed as pending on the EDFL’s clearance list for transfer to Rupo from the Eastern Football League on June 23. Rupo coach Arron Bray said the club was still trying to determine a timeline for his debut. “We’re still working out when his first availability will be, we’re not 100 per cent sure when that will be,” he said. “He still works at the Melbourne Football Club which makes working out the logistics more difficult.” Robertson played 228 games for the Demons between 1997 and 2009. He took out the Demons best and fairest award in 2003 and was one of just four players in the club’s history to have led the goalkicking in four or more seasons. The 42-year-old finished his career fourth on the Demons all-time goalkicking list (419), behind David Neitz (631), Norm Smith (546) and Garry Lyon (426). It was a sluggish restart to Rupo’s 2021 campaign in round 8 against Hillside, as Bray’s side went down 49-57. Rupo were sitting in seventh place on the ladder with two wins and six losses after round 8. Bray said he was proud of his side given the difficulties they’d faced throughout the season. “Everyone was very excited to get out there, but it definitely did still felt a bit weird after some weeks out of the game,” he said. “I’m really proud of this group. With the amount of injuries we’ve had to senior players we’ve maybe had six or seven debutants so far this year. “It’s a young group and we’ve had a handful of matches where we’re just not quite getting there.” With COVID-19 restrictions relaxed last Friday Rupo spectators were allowed back at games at the weekend, with a total of 1000 people allowed at matches. Speaking before their match against top of the table East Keilor, Bray said he was looking forward to the challenge. Oliver Lees

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