Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
11 JANUARY, 2022
12496404-AV22-21
FREE DIGITAL EDITION
SIG N U P N O W!
A year interrupted YEAR IN REVIEW ... THE YEAR THAT WAS
2021 was meant to be the year that life returned to normal. Instead we found ourselves bouncing in and out of lockdowns as a new COVID-19 variant made its way to Australia. As the Delta variant took hold in Victoria, Melbourne earned the title as the most locked-down city in the world, notching up 267 days in lockdown since March 2020. Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs once again bore the brunt of Victoria’s COVID infections as the state’s third wave surged through households in Wyndham, Hobsons Bay, Brimbank, Hume, Melton, Whittlesea and Maribyrnong that were not yet eligible for vaccination. At the peak of the third wave, Hume, Wyndham, Brimbank, Melton and Whittlesea were the five most-infected local government areas in Victoria. But as more vaccinations became available, residents of Melbourne’s north and west turned out in record numbers to be jabbed, helping to halt Delta’s spread and enabling the city to reopen in time for Christmas. We look back at how 2021 unfolded across Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges. In February as the state emerged from its first lockdown of the year – a five-day “circuit breaker” lockdown which ended on February 17 – there was anger in Sunbury after all aged care homes in the town were left off the federal government’s week one COVID-19 vaccination schedule. Former Hume mayor and Japara Goonawarra Aged Care resident Jack Ogilvie called for the government to review the roll-out and prioritise aged care homes that had a high number of cases and deaths. “I saw 20 of my friends die last year and that’s why I am so wild,” he said. “There are places in the regions that hardly had any COVID and they are getting the vaccination before us.” In March it was revealed that thousands of parking fines issued by Hume council could potentially be refunded after the Victorian Ombudsman found the council may have acted illegally by outsourcing its fines review
Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health chief executive Phillip Ripper, Hepburn mayor Lesley Hewitt, Central Highlands Rural Health chief operating officer Phill Catterson and Central Highlands Rural Health director of nursing Susan Jennings. (Supplied)
process. The council vowed to set up an infringement refund scheme for all motorists who unsuccessfully appealed an infringement between 2006 and 2016. In mid-April, Hume council decided to take Bulla’s toxic soil fight to the Supreme Court, challenging Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s decision to approve Hi-Quality Group’s planning scheme amendment for its Sunbury Road site on March 29. Sunbury and Macedon Ranges businesses shared their frustrations in June as Victoria entered its second lockdown for 2021. Sunbury Business Association president Michael Osborne said businesses were frustrated that they have lost their ability to plan for the future.
“Finally we gain some momentum and then they lock us down again. I feel especially sorry for sole traders and casual workers,” he said. Later that month, Transurban decided it would send toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project to Bulla. 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. The state was placed back into lockdown for 12 days on July 15. The state re-entered lockdown just nine days later. Despite the pain of lockdown, in August, the Sunbury community rallied around a
family devastated by cancer. Husband and wife Sue Dohmen-Jolly and Brent Jolly both died from cancer-related illnesses in the three months prior, leaving their children Nathan, Jack and Maddison without parents. As the Macedon Ranges was released from lockdown in mid-August, Sunbury Autobarn owner Adam Mizzi pleaded for the state government to ease restrictions in Sunbury as well. Just days later, the metropolitan lockdown was extended. Regional Victoria was eventually placed back in lockdown as case numbers soared. Melbourne Airport welcomed the return of interstate flights at the start of December, with siblings Flynn and Amelia sharing their travel dreams with Star Weekly.
WE NEED YOUR HELP Brother Kevin Frank McHugh, a teacher and assistant of the Selesian College in Sunbury between 1975 and 1976. If so, please contact Haven at Haven.Roberts@judycourtinlegal.com or call 03 9521 2265
With thanks, Judy Courtin Legal... 127 VICTORIA AVE, ALBERT PARK
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(03) 9521 2265
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WWW.JUDYCOURTINLEGAL.COM
12530874-SN02-22
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