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8 MARCH, 2022
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Treehouses go full circle At the old sawmill on Blackforest Drive, the Woodend Men’s Shed members are making tiny wooden homes for native wildlife left homeless by recent storms. Microbats, mini-gliders, ringtail possums and hollow-nesting birds are just some of the species who have been gifted new real estate – made from the trees they once inhabited. Woodend Men’s Shed president Kevin Davis said the organisation has been providing nesting boxes to vulnerable species in the Macedon Ranges for some time, but have only recently used the recycled timber provided by council. “We were using purchased timber, but now the Macedon Ranges Shire is supplying us with planks that have been cut from storm-felled trees, and we’re using those to manufacture the nesting boxes,” Mr Davis said. “In a sense, it’s a win-win. Because the timber is being recycled back out into the environment and it’s providing these nesting spaces which have been removed from the environment by the storms.” Paul Muller working on one of the nesting boxes made from recycled timber by the Woodend Men’s Shed.
(Damjan Janevski) 270358_02
Call to flush toilet rules By Elsie Lange A petition by Sunbury College students is calling for new trial toilet rules to be scrapped, citing a lack of hygiene, anxiety and time wasting as major issues. The petition, with over 1000 signatures so far, says students are “outraged” by the rule which leaves just three unisex toilets unlocked during class time, for a cohort of more than 900 students. Year 11 student Ashton Varapodio started the petition and told Star Weekly the queuing at the toilets was “unbelievable” because of the trial. He said students were “scared” to go to the toilet, because other students had been banging on the door in desperation or anger.
In correspondence seen by Star Weekly, assistant principal Jared Dyson told parents on February 27 that a “new system for bathroom access during class time” would be trialled, in which students would only be able to access single cubicle, unisex bathrooms at the centre of the school. He said the trial would be reviewed in the week beginning March 14. “The aim of this trial is to ensure students access bathrooms that are central and highly visible, limiting opportunities for the space to be a gathering point or a space to spend extended periods of time out of class,” Mr Dyson said. The correspondence also said students with a medical condition requiring more frequent access would be accommodated.
In response to feedback, Mr Dyson said on March 2 that another bathroom would be opened during class time, and that cleaners had been engaged to maintain hygiene in cubicles. Year 11 student Jessica Maxwell said her experiences while waiting for the toilet had prompted her to share the petition to a local Facebook group. “I was waiting in the line and these two boys went up and started knocking on the door pestering the person to get out of there because they were taking too long,” she said. “And then the person who walked out was a little year seven girl. “Another time when I went in there, there was pee all over the toilet seat, like a public
bathroom in the city or something.“ A parent at the school, who asked not to be named, told Star Weekly, said her daughter “fired up” about the trial. She said it first and foremost a hygiene issue. Another parent, Sharon, who did not want her surname published, said she believed the majority of students using the toilets were “probably doing it to get out of class”. Sunbury College principal Craig O’Bree said students were encouraged to use toilets outside of class times so they don’t interrupt their learning. “We’re continuing to review how this is working, and are engaging in ongoing conversations with our school community and we welcome their feedback.”
Mary-Anne Thomas MP LABOR MEMBER FOR MACEDON DELIVERING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
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