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Teachers step it up Teachers from Coburn Primary School are taking on a walking challenge this week to raise funds for people on the autism spectrum. Walk for Autism is a national annual fundraising event run by Autism Spectrum Australia and encourages participants to raise awareness by walking ten thousand steps daily between March 27 and April 3. Coburn Primary School teacher Caitie Scott said the cause was close to the group’s hearts as some of their pupils are on the autism spectrum. The five teachers plan to spend recess and lunch increasing their step count and already have pupils joining in too. “It’s really good at lunchtime and snack time, we wear our T-shirts and we go for a walk around the oval, the kids come and join us and they see what we’re doing,” she said. “It’s just nice to raise awareness and show that we’re all in it together, the ten thousand steps is the minimum of what we could do to help, we just want to make a difference,” she said. Teachers Annielee Sweet, Emma Esposito, Caitie Scott, Alana Duffy and Casey Glen.
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Families feel the pinch By Olivia Condous The rising cost of living has impacted many families in recent weeks and local community charities have felt the pressure. Supermarket prices have sharply increased and more families are turning to charities for food than ever before. Melton South Community Centre manager Pamela Madej said the centre’s weekly Friday food parcel distribution had a large jump in demand. “Over the past six weeks the numbers have been steadily increasing,” Ms Madej said.
“A lot of food bank charities have closed down because they don’t have enough staff or staff are isolating.” Ms Madej said the centre normally had about 105 people come to receive food parcels but last Friday they had 140. “Some of the people that may have had a job and were reasonably well off are a bit embarrassed to come, but we make them as comfortable as possible and we say to them that this is for everybody and they’re welcome to come every week,” she said. “People need that extra little hand out as the prices of food are going up.”
However, Ms Madej warned that the centre had reached capacity on its most recent donation day. Combined Churches Caring Melton manager Denise Morris said her centre had also seen a big increase in the demand for food from the local community, especially with the rise in fuel prices. “People say the food we’re giving helps to alleviate their budget so they can afford petrol,” she said. “The last three weeks we’ve seen numbers escalate, probably to about double.” The centre is open five days a week for Melton residents to collect food parcels, with current
demand at about 15 families visiting per day. “I can see people that have traditionally seldom approached are now more desperate and are coming more regularly,” Ms Morris said. Last week’s federal budget included one-off cost of living tax offset payments for low income earners and pensioners. The Australian Council of Social Service said these tax offset payments would only help people struggling financially for a week, rather than serving as permanent help. “We don’t need temporary measures, we need measures that communities can rely on,” it said.
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Federal budget transport wins By Olivia Condous Two key transport projects in Melton will receive funding as part of the federal budget The government pledged $740 million for the Western Interstate Freight Terminal in Truganina and $920 million for the Outer Metropolitan Ring Road projects. The Western Interstate Freight Terminal project will reduce the number of trucks and trains required to transport interstate freight by bringing local warehouse precincts closer
to freight terminals. The Outer Metropolitan Ring Road will accommodate a 100 kilometre long high-speed transport link for people and freight in Melbourne’s west. Melton mayor Goran Kesic said the council was that the federal government had listened to what the industry said it needed. “These are two key projects that together will help create 39,000 ongoing jobs in the west, unlock commercial investment, and ensure more efficient road and freight movements
across the country,” Cr Kesic said. The Melton will also likely receive $1.3 million of the $101.7 million allocated to the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, council said. “With one of Australia’s fastest growing populations, our infrastructure needs are significant and we hope that our high priority projects will benefit from this fund,” Cr Kesic said. The funding comes after council called for the state and federal governments to
prioritise projects to meet freight demands in Melbourne’s west. Senator Greg Mirabella said the projects will make roads safer and reduce travel times. “Investing in infrastructure upgrades ensures we are planning for a better future, giving locals the roads and services they need and deserve,” he said. “The federal government’s record infrastructure investment pipeline continues to deliver better outcomes for the people of Victoria.”
Mental health boost for west
Bacchus Marsh Lions Club members David Atterbury (front), Bill Richards and Ben Noble.
(Picture: Damjan Janevski)
Shaking up Good Friday donations The Bacchus Marsh Lions Club will be back shaking donation cans from Saturday, April 9 to raise funds for the Good Friday Appeal. Despite COVID complications last year, the club managed to raise $30,338.60 and hope to collect even more donations this year. Bacchus Marsh Lions Club appeal area manager David Atterbury said the club collect donations year round with cans outside local shops, but the biggest influx of donations come in the lead up to Good Friday. “We were very, very happy with our result last year, it was a big effort in that last week,” Mr Atterbury said. “We collect three times as much in the last week leading up to Good Friday compared to
the rest of the year.” The Good Friday Appeal has been fundraising for The Royal Children’s Hospital since 1931 and is set to reach more than $400 million in total donations this year. Mr Atterbury said supporting the cause was close to his heart, as his own son was in critical care for a week at the Royal Children’s Hospital after an accident many years ago. “We were certainly very pleased with all of the work that they did at the Royal Children’s, so when I was asked to do the fundraising ten years ago, I didn’t hesitate at all,” he said. Mr Atterbury said the cause was important to many members of the community who also
have connections to the hospital. “There are very few people who, when you talk to them, don’t have some sort of connection with the Royal Children’s Hospital,” he said. Volunteers will be at The Village Shopping Centre collecting donations outside of Food Works, IGA and also Bunnings Melton. He encouraged people to reach out and get involved, as the Lions Club is still looking for volunteers who can help out with fundraising on Good Friday. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Mr Atterbury on 0439 324 494.
A mental health hub providing families with a “one-stop shop” for mental health support will open in the Brimbank-Melton area. The hub is one of three announced by the state government on Saturday, April 3, with the other hubs to open in Loddon and Southern Melbourne. The Health and Wellbeing hubs are designed to help improve the mental health of young Victorians. They will deliver a range of specialist and allied health services – like paediatricians, psychologists, parenting support and speech pathologists – under one roof, making seeking support for mental health concerns easier for families, the state government said. Providing tailored care, the hubs will deliver earlier and better outcomes for children aged 0-11 years who have developmental, behavioural and emotional challenges, as well as their families – including access to free assessments for development issues and autism. The government expects the hubs to be operation from July 2022. It said the three initial locations were chosen based on factors like population growth, early childhood development rates and the projected demand for mental health and wellbeing support in the coming years. The hubs will be designed in consultation with local community health services, family services, mental health and wellbeing service providers and the community itself – making sure their service offerings are properly tailored to local needs.
Olivia Condous
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Imagination Magic Imagination Magic is a monthly performing arts and literacy program for babies, toddlers and pre-school children, and their parents and caregivers. The program encourages child interaction and provides a fun and creative experience filled with music and movement. There are a variety of performers including musicians, dancers, puppets and drumming. There are three sessions available per month. Booking details are available on the Melton council website.
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Food drive for families A Hillside woman will help families in need by donating boxes of food this Easter. Nicol Allegrezza set up her group Sharing is Caring as a way to help others less fortunate. Ms Allegrezza said she was motivated by the thought of the many families in the community who are struggling to feed themselves in an already difficult time, as well as her own personal experiences. “There was a particular moment, about 10 years ago, when I was unemployed and I remember what that felt like,” she said. “Not knowing if the bills for that week would outweigh the need for going food shopping, it would’ve been nice if at the time I knew of organisations that were offering food boxes.” The Easter food drive will mark Ms Allegrezza’s third round of donations, after she coordinated the donation of 100 boxes to local charities for Christmas last year. Members of the wider Hillside community
have offered to volunteer their assistance for the food drive by taking boxes to fill up with food items at home. “With support from the Hillside community, so far we’ve completed about 40 boxes, which is fantastic,” Ms Allegrezza said. The food boxes donated will be distributed to those in need by local charities, such as Vantage Point Church and Connecting Home, an organisation that supports families of the stolen generations. Ms Allegrezza said 60 boxes would be donated to charity and she planned to reach out to the Hillside community to donate the remainder to local families in need. Residents in the Hillside area who would like to donate food items or fill a box in the lead up to this Easter can contact Ms Allegrezza through the Sharing is Caring Facebook page.
Explore papercrafting Moorabool library is offering a free introductory adult class in crafting with recycled papers on April 4 from 2pm. The program encourages participants to reconnect with the community, the library and explore new creative activities while meeting new people. Bookings can be made on Eventbrite via the Moorabool council website.
Feed the mind, body and soul BacchChat returns with a special midweek presentation on health and wellbeing for the mind, body and soul. The session will explore holistic medicines and health approaches including naturopathy, reiki and herbal medicines. The session will be held on Wednesday, April 13 from 10am. For more information contact Sophie Kuypers on 5366 7100. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
Olivia Condous
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Skate park finally coming to Gordon
Artist Carla O’Brien with some of her creations.
(Pictures: Supplied)
Interact with neon art By Olivia Condous Interactive neon art installations will light up Melton at an exciting new event next week. Illuminate Melton will run from Thursday, April 7 to Saturday, April 9 and exhibit the work of renowned Australian visual artist Carla O’Brien. O’Brien will install a range of small and large scale pieces around Melton’s Clock Tower Ampitheatre and other various locations along Bakery Square for the event.
The event will host up to 32 neon installations for the community to experience. On Saturday night there will be a range of family friendly activities including glow in the dark mini golf, LED face painting, an LED circus space, a silent cinema and roving LED hula hoopers. Local food traders will also be open and available during the event. Melton council will host the event as a part of plans to revitalise Melton’s town centre and attract more members of the community
to the area. Mayor Goran Kesic encouraged the community to visit the event to see the neon installations and make the most of the free entertainment. “It’s fantastic to have the Illuminate installation come to the City of Melton,” Cr Kesic said. “This exciting display has previously been showcased at White Night in Melbourne so it’s wonderful to bring it to our local community.” Details visit melton.vic.gov.au/ illuminatemelton.
Moorabool families are in for a treat with exciting upgrades coming to Gordon Public Park for local youth to enjoy. Moorabool council announced the park will gain a long-awaited skate park and basketball court this year. Construction on the skate park will begin in June with the basketball court to follow shortly after. Council chief executive Derek Madden said discussions with the Gordon Public Park Committee of Management on upgrades to the park had been ongoing since February last year. “We have worked very closely with the committee to ensure this is a great deliverable for the people of Gordon and surrounds,” he said. Mr Madden said there were ongoing future plans for upgrades to complement the existing park facilities, such as tennis courts, public toilets, a community garden and a clubhouse. The construction of the Gordon skate park will follow another being built at Mill Park in Ballan. In the lead up to the Gordon park upgrades, council will work towards further landscaping improvements in the park area. Olivia Condous
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CFA welcomes vital equipment By Olivia Condous Moorabool CFA fire brigades received vital new equipment last week as a part of a statewide roll-out funded by bushfire relief community donations. The Ballan, Gordon and Greendale CFA were among 116 Victorian brigades that received new breathing apparatus sets to be installed into fire trucks. The CFA and Brigades Donations Trust allocated $2.25 million in donations to purchase the sets which will improve local CFAs capabilities and protect the health and safety of firefighters at incidents. CFA and Brigades Donations Fund chair
‘‘
It’s the highest respiratory protection that the CFA can offer
’’
- Brandon Lebehen Graeme Jilbert said it was great to see the community donations going towards a project focused on increasing firefighter safety. “The project also funds a newly developed breathing apparatus cylinder exchange system which will improve operational efficiencies and save time for our volunteers,” he said. Greendale CFA captain Brandon Lebehen said the breathing apparatus equipment
was a new addition for the brigade that was previously inaccessible. “It’s an important bit of gear, it’s the highest respiratory protection that the CFA can offer. “It’s able to give our members that extra respiratory protection, so they know they’re not breathing in toxic fumes, especially at house fires and care fires,” Mr Lebehen said. “This bit of gear will limit the exposure, so the members at Greendale that are trained to go into these toxic situations, it’s all about their health.” CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan, Greendale CFA captain Brandon Lebehen, Gordon CFA volunteer Roger Lowery and Gordon captain Diane Lawson. (Supplied)
CFA warns fire risk is not over
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The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has warned Victorians to be vigilant about containing private fires. A statement from Victoria CFA on Wednesday, March 30 said that while summer is over and fire restrictions have ended, high risk days could still occur in autumn and Victorians should take care with open fires. CFA chief officer Jason Heffenan said people should take extreme caution when undertaking burn-offs in areas where the Fire Danger Period has ended or when lighting campfires. “Unfortunately, many vegetation fires start from escaped campfires and recreational fires, it’s vital to know how to properly light and maintain a campfire to make sure it doesn’t go bush,” Mr Heffenan said. “Before lighting a fire, check fire restrictions and weather conditions, not only the day of your fire but in the following days when a badly extinguished fire can flare up in warm and windy weather.” Ballan CFA captain Ben Hatfield said while the brigade had been fortunate with quieter fire seasons in recent years, Moorabool residents needed to maintain caution when conducting burn offs. “If you are burning off in the fire danger period, make sure that you have your permits in place and burn plans in place and adhere strictly to those,” Mr Hatfield said. “Outside of fire season, people need to make sure that they have enough water on hand and a good cleared area.” Mr Hatfield encouraged residents to reach out to their local council or fire brigade if they required any further advice. Olivia Condous
13.3 million
+260,000 More people in work than before COVID
13 million
March 2020 - January 2022 Data: ABS Labour Force, Australia
Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra. 6 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
Music in the Myrniong vines Myrniong will play host to an exciting local live music showcase on Sunday, April 10. ‘Vibes in the Vines’ will take place at St Anne’s Winery and see an array of well-known and up and coming musicians entertain audiences. The festival will have three separate stages which will host local artists such as Andrew Borg, Breckin, Five O’Clock Charlie, HeartBeat, Salty Dog and many more. The day will also include a series of free music workshops, where attendees can learn about the ukulele, cigar box guitar and vocal improvisation as well as take part in a guitar seminar. Audiences can expect a wide variety of musical genres to enjoy, from blues to folk and funk to Irish. Adult tickets are $15 and tickets for children aged 5-14 are $5, available online through Trybooking. All proceeds from the event ticket sales will go towards the local CFA. Olivia Condous
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Billions for mental health help By Olivia Condous The federal government will provide an additional $2.3 billion over four years to improve mental health. The funding was announced on Tuesday, March 29 as a part of the federal budget, to add to the existing mental health and suicide prevention funding of $6.3 billion. North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (PHN) executive service and reform director Jagjit Dhaliwal said the new funding would help to extend existing services that were developed during the pandemic to meet
increasing demands on the mental health care system. “There is significant demand for services, and there can be some waiting,” Mr Dhaliwal said. “So that’s why we are encouraging people to reach out early, use some of the other online supports that are available as well, because that all helps to take some of the pressure off the system.” The mental health budget allocated $111.2 million to improve the availability of digital mental health services, such as a new government service currently in trial, Head to Health.
The online platform provides a phone intake service and resources designed to improve access to mental health services and in-person hubs have been rolled out across the state, with north western Melbourne residents being able to access a hub in Brunswick East, Broadmeadows, Wyndham Vale and a satellite hub in Melton. “That’s a really great service for people who perhaps haven’t experienced the or haven’t had the need to access mental health services before and don’t know where to start the journey,” Mr Dhaliwal said. According to North Western Melbourne
PHN, the Head to Health north-western intake service has received more than 4000 phone calls and 600 visitors, with more than 5000 sessions delivered so far. “There is work happening in the region, to look at how we support people to access the care they need, there are significant changes happening in Victoria to improve the services available and access to those services,” Mr Dhaliwal said. “It’s really great to see that there is a recognition of the importance of mental health and suicide prevention at both state and Victorian and government levels.”
A walk through history Eynesbury is gearing up to celebrate Heritage Month this April with its newly curated Heritage Trail. The Heritage Trail highlights the extensive history of the area, from the traditional owners who cared for the 288-hectare Grey Box forest, to the construction of the famous Eynesbury homestead. The Heritage Trail is developed by Resimax property group and will feature new signage that offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of the area. Resimax chief executive Steve Hooker said while the development of Eynesbury was contemporary, the area has a rich history. “We are really proud of what we’ve got here at Eynesbury and that goes from the traditional owners, the Wadawurrung heritage that we have within the estate, but also that pastoral heritage,” he said.
“Those who embark on the trail will learn about the original owners of Eynesbury homestead and their interesting past, the Myer Kit Homes, which were built like flat-packs in only 15 days and the structures and other buildings left behind from the thriving farm.” The self-guided trail tour includes sites that date back to the 1800s, such as a stables, smokehouse, butcher’s shed, farmer’s cottage and more. Mr Hooker said Resimax group felt they had a responsibility to share these special elements of Eynesbury with residents and tourists alike. “We want to get as many people through to experience what is a big part of what made up the western suburbs of Melbourne over the last 200 years.” Olivia Condous
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Regional first home buyer help By Olivia Condous
their first home. The funding boost comes after reports that housing prices in regional areas increased by 26 per cent in 2021. A report from Infrastructure Australia found that the Grampians region had a clear shortage of affordable housing to accommodate growing demand, as an influx of remote workers moved to regional Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic. The support scheme will help first home buyers with a deposit of five per cent by reducing the cost of mortgage insurance.
Moorabool residents with hopes of entering the property market will receive a helping hand whoever wins the upcoming federal election. Opposition leader Anthony Albanese announced the Regional First Home Buyer Support Scheme last week. The pledge was then matched by the Coalition in Tuesday’s budget. The new scheme will assist 10,000 Australians living in regional areas to buy
‘‘
The savings that you’re putting aside aren’t keeping up with the increase in housing costs
’’
- Anthony Albanese
Eligible residents need to live in a regional area for more than 12 months to receive the funding and the property price cap for regional Victoria is $500,000.
Mr Albanese said the scheme was primarily aimed at providing better access to homeownership for young people who had been saving for years. “Too many younger Australians in particular simply can’t access the housing market to get into it, their rent is going up, they’re struggling to get by,” Mr Albanese said. “If you’re saving to buy a home, the savings that you’re putting aside aren’t keeping up with the increase in housing costs, so you are getting further and further away from being able to buy a home.”
Ready to remember sisters.” Attendants are welcomed to lay a wreath at the service. Bacon and egg rolls will also be on offer at the service as well and tea and coffee. Following the service, the Caroline Springs RSL Sub-branch invites all attendees to join with the committee and members for the traditional gunfire breakfast at the West Waters Hotel complex. Details:https://bit.ly/3Dr8YPd
Caroline Springs RSL Sub-branch volunteers will be selling Anzac badges from April 17 ahead of the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Caroline Springs War Memorial on Lake Street. The community is invited to attend the service, beginning at 6am. Caroline Springs RSL Sub-branch president Peter Burquest said honouring Anzac Day and Remembrance Day was special for veterans. “Most veterans, particularly those who were front line troops, suffer these days from Post Traumatic Stress incorporating flashbacks and/or loneliness, aggressiveness, fear of confinement, crowds, failure and more,” he said. “The day isn’t so much a day for us to remember our mates who’ve fallen in the fight and after, but more for us to share a moment with our communities and country to honour all our sons, fathers, husbands, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, daughters,
Caroline Springs RSL Sub-branch Murray Lewis and Bob Matthewman with Caroline Springs Scouts Jahvia, Jonah and Joel; and students Zara, Devaughn, Myla and Kaytlin. (Damjan Janevski) 273821_03
Western Health is seeking Potential Café Operator for the following sites
Co no nd al e e Av nu e
Mc Kinley Dr
ive
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Large Format Retail
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Kirkpatr ick
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Hopkins Road
Located in Truganina, the Hopkins Road Business Precinct is a new employment precinct situated close to the future Mt Atkinson Town Centre and significant industrial precincts. A draft Urban Design Framework (UDF) that will guide the development of the precinct has been prepared and we are now seeking feedback. To find out more and have your say go to: conversations.melton.vic.gov.au/HRBPUDF or contact the City Strategy Team on 9747 7200 or email citysupport@melton.vic.gov.au Comments close 28 April 2022.
A vibrant, safe and liveable City accessible to all
8 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
• The Williamstown Hospital, • The Bacchus Marsh Hospital (post Dec 2023) • Melton Health and Community Services We are conducting a market analysis to identify interest and potential providers for a suitable Café Operator to establish a five year lease to operate the onsite café facility with a further options of a further 5 year term maybe negotiable. Interested Parties should email Mr Bryan Ross on bryan.ross@wh.org.au to register their interest by no later than COB 21/04/2022 and a Market Analysis questionnaire will be sent out by e-mail to registered parties. For further information, please call Bryan on 0403 993 546
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Better justice system support By Max Hatzoglou Brimbank and Melton families involved in the justice system will receive improved case support under a state government pilot program. The program will assign a case manager to families, giving them a single point of contact and eliminating the need to contact multiple staff from different services. Up to 200 families will take part in the program. According to the government, the case
manager will support families in providing access to legal, financial, mental health, housing and family violence services and other supports. It is hoped the program will lead to reduced offending. Services will be delivered in partnership with orgainisations led by OzChild, including the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, which will help meet the needs of Aboriginal children and families. The Australian African Foundation for Retention and Opportunity, and Charis Youth and Community, will also work with families
with African and Pasifika backgrounds. Corrections, Crime Prevention, Youth Justice and Victim Support Minister and Sydenham MP Natalie Hutchins said the program will benefit the Brimbank and Melton communities. “By working in more co-ordinated and intensive ways we can improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable Victorian families,” Ms Hutchins said. Child protection and Family Services Minister Anthony Carbines said the new model will stop families from losing connection to services and support.
“Working with one case worker instead of several will mean families do not have to keep re-telling their stories and will prevent problems falling through the cracks – keeping vulnerable children safe and families connected.” OzChild chief executive, Dr Lisa Griffiths, said it is hoped the program will have good outcomes. “Reduced offending, improved child and parental health and increased school attendance rates are just some of the many positive outcomes we will see by centralising support via the Putting Families First initiative,” she said.
Melton Easter fete fun City of Melton residents can enjoy some early Easter festivities next weekend at a fun fete in Fraser Rise. Dahua Australia will host the celebrations at the Westwood estate on Saturday, April 9. The main event of the day will be the presentation of five $2000 cheques as donations to local community groups within the City of Melton. The festivities will also include live entertainment, activities for kids including an Easter egg hunt, face painting, a petting zoo and a variety of food trucks and eatery outlets. The SES, CFA, Lions Club, Little Athletics and the Koala Club will also attend the fete. In addition, the day will mark the opening of Westwood Park, a new parkland for Fraser Rise locals to enjoy. Dahua Australia senior development manager Piotr Rutkowski said the company wanted to support the City of Melton’s
population growth and give back to the local community. “We’re grateful for the support of local leaders and community members, which is why we take great pleasure in giving back to our community by donating to charitable organizations that rely on volunteers,” Mr Rutkowski said. Attendees can find more details and register online for the event to receive free food tokens at https://www.eventbrite. com.au/e/westwood-easter-family-fetetickets-292854584947. Olivia Condous
An Easter Fete will be held at Westwood estate. (Kylie Iva)
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Government’s solar rebate push By Olivia Condous Melton locals are being encouraged to make the switch to solar this year through the government’s Solar Homes Program. Melton MP Steve McGhie has urged Melton residents to take advantage of the government rebates in order to save money on their energy bills. “Hard-working Victorians want to save on their energy bills and the Victorian government is helping them do that, putting money back
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We have made it our goal to halve emissions by 2030 - Steve McGhie
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into their own pockets through the Solar Homes Program,” Mr McGhie said. The $1.6 billion program provides eligible Victorians with the opportunity to take up a $1400 rooftop solar panel rebate, $3500 solar battery rebate or solar hot water rebate
of up to $1000, to reduce upfront installation costs. Mr McGhie said a number of homes within the Melton electorate had already taken up the government offer. He said those who had already made the switch to solar saved up to $1073 per year on energy bills. He said the solar rebate program also benefited the broader Victorian community, with the creation of 5500 jobs. “Victorians continue to embrace renewable
energy, they know solar is good for jobs, it’s good for the environment and it’s good for bringing down power bills,” Mr McGhie said. The program also serves the government’s goal to reduce carbon emissions in the next 30 years. “We have made it our goal to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions in Victoria by 2050, residential solar is a key part of delivering that goal,” Mr McGhie said.
Hospital takes shape The new $140 million Sunshine Private Hospital has reached the final stages of development, with the core hospital structure now complete. The hospital, owned by Australian Unity, will open its doors in January, 2023, with the new facility set to create what experts describe as a “health triangle”. Final stages of development to the six-storey private facility include the interior fit-out and installation of medical equipment following the construction which began in April, 2021. The private hospital is being built directly opposite the Sunshine Hospital on Furlong Road in St Albans. Stage one of the hospital opening will include a 30-bed medical and surgical ward, four operating theatres, an endoscopy suite including a dedicated day of surgery area, high dependency beds and a 21-bed mental health inpatient unit. Australian Unity’s head of healthcare property, Chris Smith said the hospital will
support the needs of communities in the west. “We are now another step closer to opening Sunshine Private Hospital, which will provide Melbourne’s West with world-class healthcare capabilities to meet local community needs for decades to come,” Mr Smith said. Unitas Healthcare chief executive Linda Edgerton said the hospital will relieve pressure on health services in a growing population in the west. “With the population of Melbourne’s West forecast to grow by 60 percent over the next fifteen years, our medical and surgical capabilities and specialist mental health inpatient and outpatient services will all play a critical role in nurturing the physical and mental health of Australians, alongside public health services at Sunshine’s health, wellbeing and education precinct. “With the hospital’s structure now completed, we look forward to moving in next year.” Max Hatzoglou
Australian Unity’s Peter Beale (senior asset manager), Tim Atkin (project leasing manager) and Chris Smith (general manager - healthcare property), with St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman, Brimbank mayor Jasmine Nguyen, Matt Whittle from Built, and Unitas Healthcare chief executive Linda Edgerton. (Supplied)
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Health, roads top UAP promises By Olivia Condous The United Australia Party (UAP) has pledged to guarantee the proposed Melton Hospital will be funded and built if the party wins the federal seats of Hawke and Gorton. UAP candidate for Hawke Andrew Cuthbertson said the Gorton and Hawke electorates had experienced large population growth in recent years but no new public facilities and services to meet increasing demand. “Melton is one of the fastest growing
communities in Australia and deserves a world class 24-hour hospital,’’ Mr Cuthbertson said. “These electorates and seats are considered safe Labor strongholds and neither major parties are interested in spending taxpayer’s funds anywhere other than those they marginally hold or think they can win. “As a result, the people of Melton and Brimbank councils and surrounding areas are forced to travel to Sunshine, Footscray, Werribee, or the Royal Melbourne hospitals to receive emergency medical treatment. “These electorates have experienced massive
population growth in recent years but sadly the essential public facilities and services have been ignored. Melton is one of the fastest-growing communities in Australia and and deserves a world-class 24-hour hospital.” The state government is in the process of acquiring land for the hospital, while the state opposition has vowed to commence construction within 12 months of the Victorian election if it wins government. The UAP also pledged upgrades to the Western and Calder Highways in order to prevent traffic issues for city commuters.
UAP candidate for Gorton Michael Virag said the road link between Melbourne and Ballarat was an important gateway to agriculture, regional tourism and manufacturing services. “A duplication upgrade to double four lanes in each direction between Melbourne and regional cities is essential,’’ he said. The party stated that these projects will be funded and start work within three years if United Australia Party candidates win the Hawke and Gorton seats in the upcoming federal election.
Book tells a timely tale In her new book, ‘If I Can, You Can’, former radio and TV journalist Karen O’Sullivan tells the story of Kyneton Football Netball Club’s (KDFNC) Hayden Walsh. The biography of the 31-year-old explores his life loving sport and living with cerebral palsy. Walsh is well-known around the Bendigo Football League and has been Kyneton’s senior timekeeper since 2014. “I feel really blessed and privileged to be able to be able to tell his story – it’s given me insight into longform writing, and small run publications,” O’Sullivan said. O’Sullivan was the first female president of the KDFNC and after meeting Walsh through the club, knew immediately that she wanted to write about him. Walsh said as a young kid, he was told to make the most of life despite the obstacles he faced. “That’s what I am doing; living my life to the best of my ability,” Walsh said.
Even former AFL player and coach Nathan Buckley contributed a forward to the biography of Walsh, who was the first person with a disability to play Auskick halftime at a match, and was central to the KDFNT creating its first all-abilities team in 2021. “His actions do speak louder than his words,” O’Sullivan said. “He just gets about his business and does what he does, in a kind and thoughtful way, and that’s something we can all try and achieve.” ‘If I Can, You Can’, launched at 5.30pm Friday, April 1, at the Kyneton Hotel. Elsie Lange
Hayden Walsh and Karen O’Sullivan with ‘If I Can, You Can’. (Supplied)
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Pricing under the pump By Benjamin Millar
By Benjamin Millar Melton’s petrol prices are coming under greater scrutiny with a local MP vowing to help take action to bring prices in line with neighbouring areas. Melton MP Steve McGhie said the area’s families are being unfairly hit with higher prices than people in neighbouring suburbs, often paying more than 20 cents per litre extra at the pump and spending at least $10 more every time they fill up.
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Pricing under the pump Melton’s petrol prices are coming under greater scrutiny with a local MP vowing to help take action to bring prices in line with neighbouring areas. Melton MP Steve McGhie said the area’s families are being unfairly hit with higher prices than people in neighbouring suburbs, often paying more than 20 cents per litre extra at the pump and spending at least $10 more every time they fill up. “I have had many constituents raise concerns regarding the prices of petrol in Melton being noticeably higher than in other areas,” Mr McGhie said. “I am deeply concerned that families in Melton are paying more than they should be.”
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strongly encourage residents to complain to the ACCC
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- Steve McGhie
Mr McGhie said he has taken the issue up with the Consumer Affairs Minister Melissa Horne and will be contacting federal Gorton MP Brendan O’Connor to discuss this issue soon, as fuel prices are regulated by the federal government. “In the interim I strongly encourage residents to complain to the ACCC [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]” he said. The ACCC’s latest petrol monitoring report showed that average petrol prices rose in the 2020 September quarter after a record low earlier in the year. Although the ACCC does not set fuel prices, it does monitor retail fuel prices on a daily basis. A spokesperson said it has the power to investigate where it sees issues of concern. “Where we find sufficient evidence we will take action to protect consumers against misleading and anti-competitive conduct by fuel retailers.” Mr McGhie’s promise to take action was widely welcomed on social media, where some residents said they had seen price differences of up to 50 cents per litre between Melton and Watergardens.
Fuel prices at Melton petrol stations last week. (Damjan Janevski) 226880_01
Melton’s Andre Peters said the lack of independent competition makes it easier for the major fuel companies to keep prices inflated well above those in neighbouring suburbs. “Sadly there is no competition in Melton as there are no independents,” he said. “Generally we pay at least 20 cents a litre more at times in Melton.” A BP spokesman said petrol prices at the pump can be impacted by a number of different factors.
He said while there are currently about 1400 BP branded sites across Australia, about three quarters are owned by independent business partners who set their own retail pricing. “When it comes to retail fuel pricing, our aim is to be competitive and attract customers to our sites,” he said. “Generally speaking, the price at the pump is impacted by a number of different factors. In particular, international product prices and competition between service stations in a local
area. There are also other factors including exchange rates, taxes and local operating costs.” On Monday, unleaded 91 pump prices at Melton’s BP, Coles Express and 7/11 Mobil were all at 155.9 cents per litre, according to price comparison website Petrol Spy, with Woolworths Caltex at 168.9. Meanwhile Bacchus Marsh BP, Coles Express and 7/11 Mobil prices were 129.9 cents per litre – 26 cents less per litre – and independent outlets were just 119.9 cents per litre. 628174
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Government’s internet boost By Olivia Condous Businesses and residents in the Rockbank and Mt Cottrell areas will benefit from a broadband boost as the Victorian government announced new NBN upgrades for the two suburbs. On Monday, March 28, the state government announced a $73 million agreement with NBN Co to improve broadband connections using more than 1000 kilometres of fibre. The upgrade will take place as a part of the $550 million Connecting Victoria project, which aims to provide communities with better internet connectivity through new telecommunication infrastructure. The project will get more Victorian businesses access to business-grade broadband to improve and expand mobile coverage.
The government said over the next two years, more than 34,000 residences and approximately 7700 businesses will be connected to the internet with speeds up to one gigabit per second, which is about 10 times faster than what is currently available. Businesses in Rockbank and Mt Cottrell will receive faster and more reliable internet through a new business fibre zone, allowing direct fibre connection to business premises. Innovation Minister Jaala Pulford said improving internet connection was essential for Victorian communities. “Better connectivity in Victoria is critical in creating more opportunities for jobs, supporting small business and keeping people connected,” she said. The new fibres are due to be finished being installed by the middle of 2024.
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Nick D’Angelo (Fortunato Construction), Stephen Thorpe (acting CEO, Wyndham City Council), Sean Hanrahan (Greater Western Water), councillor Susan McIntyre, Helal Matin (Fortunato), Hannah Pexton (Melbourne Water), Councillor Robert Szatkowsk, Mayor Peter Maynard, Parliamentary Secretary for Water Harriet Shing, Stephen Herd, Fraenkische (stormwater storage unit suppliers), Sarah Connolly MP, Emma Pryse (Wyndham City Council), Anna Leersnyder (Melbourne Water). (Supplied)
The Victorian government will build a series of parklands in Melbourne’s west, creating a network of vibrant green spaces all the way into the city. The Greening the Pipeline project is now under way, and will run all the way from Truganina to Laverton. The $9 million project will transform the decommissioned heritage-listed sewer pipeline that extends for 27-kilometres along Federation Trail into parks and will include a 22-megalitre stormwater harvesting and irrigation system that will ensure the park is kept green and healthy all year round. The project is being delivered in partnership with Wyndham City Council and the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. They will work to ensure that Traditional Owner values are included in the park’s design and creation. The project is part of the Labor government’s $174 million investment to deliver the Suburban Parks Program.
Water parliamentary secretary Harriet Shing said projects like which utilise stormwater harvesting systems create a more natural water cycle. “… They help save our drinking water supplies while maximising liveability and resilience in urban areas,” she said. Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly said it was good to finally see the space being used for something that the whole community can use. “It’s great to see how this underutilised space will be transformed into a thriving stretch of parklands, providing beautiful open spaces for future generations to enjoy,” she said. Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said: “The new linear parkland will improve access to open space in Melbourne’s west, helping the community connect with nature.” The first section of new parkland between Skeleton Creek and Lawrie Emmins Reserve is set to open mid-year.
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Science experiment turns thirty By Molly Magennis Scienceworks has officially been educating young minds for 30 years. The iconic science museum in the west first opened its doors in March 1992, and has fostered the learning of millions of children that have visited ever since. Scienceworks general manager Jonathan Shearer said the museum has become a leader in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) space since it opened three decades ago. “When we opened Scienceworks in 1992, our vision was a place for young people to play with science. Today, 30 years on, Scienceworks is bursting with things to challenge curious minds of all ages,” he said. “In an age where science and technology have the potential to solve some of the biggest problems facing our society, we take pride in the role we play in engaging and exciting people, creating the next generation of innovators and problem solvers. “This milestone excites us as we look forward to what the next 30 years of Scienceworks may bring.” To celebrate, Scienceworks are collecting images, videos and stories from any of its past and present visitors, staff, volunteers and community.” Anyone who has any fond memories or pictures to share should visit: https:// museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/ about-us/scienceworks-is-turning-30/ 1/ Aerial view of the Scienceworks construction site, 1991. 2/ Amphitheatre during construction, 1990. 3/ Gallery interior, circa 1992. 4/ Entrance desk, 1992. 5/ Scienceworks Melbourne music band, 1992. 6/ Young girl turning a wheel at Scienceworks, 1992. (Pictures: Museums Victoria)
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re places a c d il h c h g u eno ed to deliver il fa s a h t e on Ranges Lisa Chesters d e c a M The mark e th in Kyneton in the families
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The reality of a ‘childcare desert’ Data released by the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University this month highlighted the difficulty many families face in accessing childcare across the country. Families in the Macedon Ranges tell Elsie Lange what it’s like trying to secure quality care for their children.
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t was when Romsey resident Mara Lazdins was at a mother’s group with her daughter Evija that she realised she might be on the backfoot when it came to getting into a childcare centre. As a first time mum, she had no idea how difficult access to childcare would be in the Macedon Ranges. “They don’t teach you that in pregnancy school,” Ms Lazdins said. She and her husband started hunting around for care when Evija was three months old, and have only now, nine months later, secured a place at a new childcare centre in Romsey. The couple are relieved, but it was a journey that was far from easy. Ms Lazdins said they were lucky her husband was able to work from home one day a week, while she went out and worked as a nurse. “It’s interesting, you read on the Facebook Macedon Ranges pages, [there are] posts saying ‘Hey, we’re moving here, we’re a young family, we need daycare’, and you sort of look at it and think ‘Good luck because everyone else needs daycare as well’,” she said. According to research by the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University released last week, Macedon Ranges exists in a ‘childcare desert’. That is to say, there are more than three children vying for each childcare place available in the municiaplity. Macedon Ranges residents are among the nine million Australian families in the same position. The data paints a picture: in Romsey there are 7.6 children per childcare place, in Riddells Creek there are 6, and in Kyneton there are 5.7. Ms Lazdins said she was told “You have no chance”. Hannah Matthews, a policy fellow at the Mitchell Institute and author of the report, said the findings highlighted how difficult it is for families in the region to get into centre-based daycare – which forces them to consider their options. “One of the interesting things we found here
Mara Lazdins has found it hard to get her daughter Evija into childcare in the Macedon Ranges. (Elsie Lange)
is … the wealthiest areas are able to charge the highest fees and therefore have the highest levels of childcare accessibility,” Ms Matthews said. “This is talking about the private model that we have… where providers are able to determine where they can establish their services. “But the other thing that we found was where we have children under five, from mothers or carers who are living in a childcare desert, there’s also a correlation there with lower levels of workforce participation… because if you have low levels of childcare, then it’s really difficult for mothers to make decisions about work,” she said. Federal Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters said the new data backs up what she’s heard on the ground, and described the situation as “a crisis”. “They say it’s an issue that’s left up to the market, well the market has failed to deliver enough childcare places for the families in Kyneton in the Macedon Ranges,” Ms Chesters said. She said while making childcare more affordable through lifting the subsidy cap,
the federal government would also have to improve access. “There’s no point providing cheaper childcare if you don’t have the places,” she said. “We need a dual approach: we need to increase places as soon as possible, by looking at local solutions, and then we need to encourage a greater build over the long term.” Childcare, which is under federal government jurisdiction, is set to be a hot issue at May’s federal election. In 2018, the Coalition government introduced a Child Care Package, which included a child care subsidy (CCS), following an inquiry by the Productivity Commission into the childcare system. A 2021 evaluation of the package by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) said analysis of the data at the time the CCS was introduced, and of the following 18 months, showed “no marked changes in access to child care”. “There are though large differences in access geographically, and issues for children with additional needs,” the evaluation said. A spokesperson for the acting Education Minister Stuart Robert said the Morrison government was proud of its investment in child care. “This will be around $11 billion in 2022-23, including reducing the costs for families with more than one child aged five and under in care,” the spokesperson said. “We introduced the Child Care Subsidy in 2018 to reduce the cost of child care, with low and middle-income families receiving the greatest benefit.” The government says it is tackling ’market gaps’ by investing in a Market Strategy to be delivered by September this year. The strategy will provide “information to government, providers and families to buoy competition and guarantee effective consumer choice”. “Women’s workforce participation has reached a record high of 62.4 per cent,” the spokesperson said. However, this is not the experience of
Romsey mum Danielle Corner who has had to decline multiple job offers because her family didn’t have access to childcare. Ms Corner was two months pregnant when she put her unborn child on one of the local daycare waiting lists. Her baby is now 15 months old and when she recently called the centre for update, she heard she was still number 62 on the list. With some sheer luck and immense persistence, Ms Corner managed to secure her daughter a childcare place so she could commence tertiary study, but it didn’t last long. “Because she got sick all the time, I had to stop studying, but we couldn’t afford to lose our place,” Ms Corner said. “We did find out there was a new centre opening and we waited while paying the other one … in the end she kept getting too sick and we knew the other centre was only two weeks from opening, so I pulled her out of that one in January, and the new centre opens tomorrow.” Gisborne resident Nicole, who did not want her surname published, has to drive a long way to ensure her child is looked after while she goes to work three days a week. “Because I’m working, I kind of had no choice,” she said. She said she wanted to go back to work full time, but couldn’t commit because daycare was so expensive. “I can’t even get a spot, anyway,” she said. Kirsty Long is the new director of the recently-opened Romsey Learning Centre and said parents had been “emotional” when she told them they’d secured a place. “I’ve had parents come in after having their child at the first day of orientation and just thanking me, our service and our company for having what they need from us,” she said. Nicole simply said when it comes to childcare centres in the region, “there’s not enough”. “It’s obviously across the board with every mother in the Macedon Ranges,” she said. Have you had trouble accessing childcare in your area? Let us know your experience at westeditorial@starnweekly.com.au Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 15
BEHIND THE NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU Wajiha will be taking part in her first Ramadan alongside her grandmother, Mounira Osman. (Helena Abdou)
Fasting for a deeper connection Ramadan began on Friday, April 1 for Muslim’s across Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs. Helena Abdou spoke to Newport grandmother Mounira Osman and her granddaughter Wajiha about what the holy month of fasting means to them.
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es, not even water. When Muslims spend 30 days fasting from sunrise till dusk, they abstain from food and drink. It’s the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and the holy month of fasting. It starts and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon. This year, Ramadan began on the evening of Friday, April 1 and will end the evening of Sunday, May 1. According to the Demographic Resource Centre at .ID, there are over 100,000 Muslims in Melbourne, some of whom, like nine-year-old Wajiha, will be fasting their first Ramadan. “I’m excited to be fasting Ramadan this year, it’s going to be my first one,” Wajiha said. Wajiha’s favourite part of the holy month is rekindling her relationship with God and loved ones. “I get to reconnect with Allah (God) and my family and we sit together and have dinner,” she said. However, she won’t be doing the momentous celebration alone, her 78-year-old grandmother has been fasting for almost 70 years . “I started fasting when I was 10-years-old and I’m going into my 68th year now,” Mounira Osman said. For Ms Osman the holy month means more than just fasting. “Ramadan gives meaning to your life and soul, it’s about building a deeper connection with Allah through praying and a time to be compassionate towards others,” Ms Osman said. Muslims believe it to be a time to further develop your submission to God, empathise with the less fortunate and focus on spirituality. Fasting forms one of the five pillars of Islam which constitutes the basic norms of a practicing Muslim. This way of life was depicted in the Quran through the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. “This is a very peaceful time for me, it’s where I find myself most grounded and feel whole as a person,” Ms Osman said. 16 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
Wajiha shares a moment with her grandmother whilst reading the Quran. (Helena Abdou) Right: The Australian Islamic Centre (AIC) in Melbourne’s west is a central place of worship for hundreds of Muslims. (Supplied)
Reminiscing on previous Ramadans, Ms Osman says not a lot has changed with the sense of community and love still very much strong. “I remember one of my first Ramadan’s in Australia and how me and my Muslim neighbours would go around to each other’s homes with a plate of food and before you know it you had a table-spread fit for a king,” Ms Osman said. “But it’s not just about food, people really come together in these times and look out for one another.” Muslims in Australia taking part in Ramadan will spend 13 hours of their day fasting, this is a sign of “rahma (mercy)” to Ms Osman. “When we were younger in Lebanon, around my granddaughter’s age, we had a shortage of water and hardly any food but we made it through and it makes you appreciate everything you have now,” she said. There are exemptions when it comes to fasting for certain individuals. If you are sick, pregnant, menstruating,
nursing or traveling long distances you are not expected to fast. The elderly and young children aren’t required to fast either. Ms Osman and her granddaughter Wajiha have chosen to fast this year even though they don’t have to. “As long as I have my health and the strength to do so I’ll continue to fast,” Ms Osman said. “The religion is very forgiving, fasting isn’t a form of punishment but rather a body and soul cleanse.” Ms Osman naturally wakes up at 4am every day during the sacred month to prepare breakfast for herself and her husband to help prepare them for the day ahead. “After breakfast, I’ll do my morning prayers and read the Quran and begin my day of worship,” she said. This year will be the first time Ms Osman will be able to have all six of her children and 31 of her grandchildren over for a pre-Ramadan dinner. “The last two years, Ramadan has been a bit
lonely because I didn’t have the chance to have all my family over due to the pandemic,” Ms Osman said. “I love hosting and having my family around, year round.” Wajiha looks forward to being around her extended family again and observing the sacred month alongside them. “I can’t wait to see my cousins and celebrate the start of Ramadan with them.” Ms Osman is elated that yet another grandchild will be joining her with fasting for the first time. “I’m happy to be able to see my grandchildren grow up and take part in such a blessed month,” she said. When the sun sets on the night of the 30th day, Muslims will begin their post Ramadan festivities. To celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Muslims dress up, visit one another and attend local Eid festivals. “Through all the trials and tribulations we faced the past two years, we get to be together again and that’s what’s most important,” Ms Osman said.
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Petracca turns on superstar run By Michael Howard The hype machine has reached fever pitch after speed demon Petracca blitzed his rivals with a spectacular 40-metre win, positioning himself as a leading player in this lucrative two-year-old season. Emma Stewart’s colt by Captaintreacherous out of Lovelist has been closely watched since a stunning first trial and only enhanced his reputation on Saturday night 2 April with a powerful win for reinsman Nathan Jack and owners Danny and Jo Zavitsanos. “He looks a superstar,” was TrotsVision co-host and leading reinsman Anthony Butt’s assessment. “That’s freakish that performance.” The hit-out was Petracca’s third, having previously won his Bathurst Gold Crown heat and then overcame a difficult draw to power into third in the final. The IRT Australia Shakamaker Classic always looked a case of how far would he win by, having been backed into a $1.04 favourite and when Jack slid quickly to the front it became a race against the clock. A 27.1 second final quarter closed out a 55.7 second last half and a 1:54.1 mile race for the short distance, just 0.9 seconds outside of Act Now’s age track record over 1720 metres. “I’m sure he’s got the potential to be the best (two-year-old I’ve driven), but (I am) not (declaring that) just yet,” Jack told TrotsVision. “He was just a gem to drive. He’s got great manners. He went to Bathurst and just stood there in front of the whole crowd, nothing worried him. He’s just a natural.” Jack said Stewart initially planned to spell him after the Bathurst campaign but instead elected to give him a run on home soil, a decision he made good in the $24,000 Classic, which he won by 40 metres ahead of Captain Foxtrot and Mister Hunter. “(Emma’s stable) has done a great job with him like they do every year,” Jack said. “I take
Petracca.
his foot on the pedal throughout. Boots Electric separated himself from the chasing pack and while Major Roll and Bulletproof Boy battled on well to place, the win was always in the leader’s keeping. There was also plenty of pride in the Larajay Farm camp after Copacabana rewarded her big group of Cranbourne Club 21 owners, trainer Jess Tubbs and reinsman Greg Sugars. The four-year-old mare had to do it tough
in the Colin Redwood Memorial Victorian Square Trotters Association Handicap Final but fought brilliantly to the line for a third win in five outings and the fifth of her 20-start career. “This is one we’re actually quite proud of, what we have been able to achieve with this girl,” Greg Sugars told TrotsVision. “She came to us with a real rogue nature and a couple of trainers had gone through her and she was banished and looked like she was never going to make a racehorse. “We got her to the races in one prep, which was a bit of a surprise and she performed quite well throughout the prep. “We were always quietly confident that once she got that education out of the way and had a good spell and matured a little bit she had the chance to turn into a handy mare. “Her attitude’s got a lot better, she’s actually a really lovely mare to have around the place. Her attitude’s done a complete 180 and we’re starting to get results on the track because of it.” That was how it played out tonight, with Copacabana sitting outside Fling It Rainbow throughout even quarters and fighting on when favourite Love Gun attacked off the final bend. The latter found the front but hung-in in the final 200 metres, threatening to encroach on Copacabana, which prompted his reinsman Chris Alford to correct him and Love Gun broke gait. That opened the door for Copacabana to power to the finish, a win Sugars said was well deserved. “(Love Gun) came very quick and poked his head in front, but no sooner that he hit the front it looked like his horse was under pressure and wanting to lay in, and my girl was still going strong at the one speed,” he said. “Even prior to him breaking I still had the thought I’m going to kick back and beat this one.”
(Stuart McCormick)
my hat off to them, year after year they get the best early one, they get the best late one. They just have the best juveniles. “He just does everything right. You just click him up, he’s lazy, but you can chase him off the gate and he’ll come back to you.” Jack walked away with a double having also steered Boots Electric to an impressive win in The Big Screen Company Pace, finding the front from the widest gate and then keeping
FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors
30 years ago
25 years ago
20 years ago
10 years ago
April 1, 1992
April 2, 2002
April 3, 2007
April 3, 2012
Residents of the Kirkton Park estate are the people Melton forgot.
The Express Telegraph would like to dedicate this edition to those people who serve the local community, saving lives or simply improving quality of life.
“It was like a bomb going off.“
Mount Egerton residents are calling on wind energy company West Wind to move four 150-metre-high turbines further away from residential properties.
Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 17
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
Women’s Mental Health Support Monday’s from 1pm at Melton South Community Centre. The group is very supportive and friendly. Just come along on the day. No cost. ■ Val, 0418 667 150
Melton Friendship Group Are you single, over 55 and a resident living in or near Melton? Looking for some new friends? Then the Melton Friendship Group is the right group for you! The group meets fortnightly for coffee and chat nights and organised affordable outings and events. ■ 0406 493 734
Community Singing Group If you love to sing, come join the Melton Singers. The group rehearses regularly and also performs at aged care facilities. The group is very relaxed and sings songs mainly from 60’s and 70’s. They meet Tuesdays at 10am. ■ Val, 0418 667 150
James Liotta and Piero Viavatene in their characters Pasquale Pappagallo and Pippo Siciliano. Their show ‘Pippo and Pasquale’ is on a national tour. (Damjan Janevski) 274213_01
Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club The Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club meets at 10am on the second Tuesday of each month at the Melton Country Club. The group is open to everyone, new and old members, to get together and discover the social aspects of the group. ■ Ann, 0425 705 150
Melton South Knit & Natter All are 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
Zonta club meets Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support other women. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton. ■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420
Melton Over 50s Singles Group Members enjoy regular outings, catch ups and fun new experiences in a friendly group environment. If you are over 50, single, living in the Melton area and would like to meet new friends, contact us. ■ 0498 329 290 Mahjong group
Learn to play Mahjong Interested in learning to play Mahjong? The game is a tile-based game that is derived from China where it was developed in the 19th century. U3A Melton has a group who play on Tuesdays at 10am. ■ u3amelton.com or 0419 563 016
Melton Men’s Probus Club The Melton Men’s Probus Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Melton Dart Club, 63a Reserve Road, from 9.45am. New members and visitors welcome. ■ 9746 0271
Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park The Rose Carers meet Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh, to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always welcome – with or without experience. ■ Elaine Greenhall, 0418 171 119 or 0400 052 857
Melton Cycling Club Melton Cycling club meets for regular Sunday rides. There are three different riding groups to cater for different abilities 18 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
starting at 7.30am. The rides finish at Lazy Moe’s for a cuppa. ■ 0403 057 003
Melton Parkinson’s support group The Melton Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the second Thursday of the month 10.30am – 12.30pm at Kurunjang Community Centre, 33-35 Mowbray Crescent, Kurunjang. New members and carers Welcome. ■ Helen, 0409 186 576
French and Italian for over 50s Over 50, retired, or semi-retired and wanting to learn a language? U3A Melton offers French and Italian classes for beginners and those with more advanced skills. ■ www.u3amelton.com or 0419 563 016
Rotary Club of Melton The Rotary Club of Melton invites new guests to join its meetings, held on the first and third Tuesday of every month, 6pm at Tabcorp Park in Melton. ■ meltonrotary@gmail.com
CWA art exhibition Are you up for seeing some cute and quirky local art? Head to Creative Art Exhibit by the Country Women’s Association of Victoria Central Highlands Group. Happening at the Mechanics Institute in Lancefield on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday April 10, opening at 10am both days.
Sunbury Seniors Sunbury Seniors meet on Mondays and Fridays at 8 O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury from 10am-3pm. A variety of activities are offered – indoor bowls, cards, snooker, guest speakers, day excursions, subsidised lunches or just a cup of coffee and a chat. If you’re 55 or older and would like to make some new friends. ■ 0493 408 890
Puppy Pride In what is set to be a barking good time, bring your dog down to the Kyneton Botanic Gardens on Sunday, April 10 for a celebration of puppies and pride! The free LGBTIQA+ event is open to everyone and is part of the Macedon Ranges Autumn
Festival, packed with food and fun. Get to St Agnes Place at 11.30am for the dog walk, or to the botanic gardens at 12pm for celebrations. ■ bit.ly/3DbYDX3
Mount Macedon to see works by Anna Konecny and Yukimi Breaden. 684 Mount Macedon Road, Mount Macedon. ■ bit.ly/3hS2BdN
Rotary club Lancefield park run relaunch Lace up your runners and join the relaunch of Lancefield’s 5km park run, happening every Saturday at 8am at Lancefield Park. No need to be speedy – participants can go at any pace. Make your way to 62 Chauncey Street, Lancefield. ■ bit.ly/3IEDB4L
Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival Make sure to check out what’s on at the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival. From the Woodend Autumn Farmers Market, to a traditional straw weaving workshop, to Don Watson in conversation, to live music park pop-ups – there’s so much delight to be had across the shire. ■ bit.ly/3NmiBDt
Sunbury mental health forum Do you feel like you’d know what to do in a mental health emergency? Check out Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health’s mental health forum on April 6, at 6.30pm, taking place at the Hume Global Learning Centre in Sunbury. ■ bit.ly/3igWHTO
Sunbury over-40s night If you’re over 40 and looking for a great time listening to vinyl and dancing to tracks from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, head to the Sunbury Over 40s night. From 8pm, old school DJs will play five hours of music on April 9 at Club Sunbury. Tickets are $25. ■ bit.ly/3KQfdi3
Sculptures and wine For lovers of art and wine, Art in the Vines at Hanging Rock Winery, on until April 25, could not be more of a perfect outing. You can even enjoy a guided cellar wine tasting. 88 Jim Road, Newham. ■ bit.ly/3tHZFpz
Exhibition in Mount Macedon If you’ve got a hankering to see some stunning Japanese paper cords and kimono fabric? Look no further. Head to The Gallery
The Sunbury Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at the Sunbury Bowling Club from 7pm. ■ sunburyrotary@gmail.com
Ladies probus The Woodlands Ladies Probus Club of Sunbury meets on the fourth Monday of each month at the Sunbury Bowling Club at 9.45 am. The club is based on fun, friendship and fellowship and enjoys monthly outings, an annual trip away and a lot of fun meetings. ■ Val, 0418 138 214
Sunbury Combined Probus Club The Sunbury Combined Probus Club meets every fourth Thursday of the month at the Sunbury Football Social Club at 10am. Visitors and new members welcome. ■ Carmel, 0416 477 271
Toastmasters Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Toastmasters helps its members develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 7.20-9.30pm, at the Sunbury Senior Citizens Hall. ■ vpm-4185@toastmastersclubs.org
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
Keilor probus The Keilor Combined Probus Club is back in business following the lockdowns. The group meets the third Monday of every month at Keilor Pub. New members welcome. ■ Steve, 0408 193 793, or Keith, 0409 494 801
FEATURING ... MY BUSINESS
Advertising feature
Gavin Kronberg, Euca’s Business Development Manager. Right: Proud Products has a huge range of environmentally friendly and high quality Euca products. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 273061
Stay squeaky clean with Aussie manufactured Euca Proud Products is a local manufacturer of domestic cleaning goods in Altona and has instigated and produced a comprehensive range of environmentally friendly products under the brand name Euca. Its wide range of high quality cleaning products include laundry powders and liquids, stain removers and sanitisers, wool washes, fabric softeners, essential oil, dishwashing powder and liquid, air fresheners, car care, pet care, personal care hand and body washes,
shampoo and conditioners, as well as window, oven, cooktop, benchtop, floor, metal and house cleaning sprays. Short for eucalyptus, Euca is endeavoring to package all suitable products in cardboard containers, further focusing its environmental awareness to its packaging systems and services. Not only is Euca’s laundry powder, soaker products and dishwashing powders packed in cardboard, but also its range of cleaning liquids.
Packaged in a way similar to how wine is often sold in casks, this process is completely eliminating the use of plastic packaging for these products. Euca also offers a free service to pick up empty plastic Euca containers for recycling to help reduce the need for single use packaging, further improving sustainability and lowering plastic usage and waste. Also offering product concentrates, Euca has products cleaning goods that can be diluted
into their ‘forever’ sprayers, saving hundreds of plastic containers over time, and also saving customers money on their cleaning costs. Purchasing and using Euca products is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment and also to get a great clean, every time. Euca and Proud Products are located at 47 Burns Road, Altona. For more information, visit www.eucaonline.com.au.
)UHH /RFDO 'HOLYHU\ You can now receive your Euca Laundry and household cleaning products far easier with our new “personal” local home delivery service. This means if you're located close to the Euca factory in Altona, we will personally drive out and deliver your order directly to your doorstep. This covers post codes: 3011 to 3038, 3335 and 3336 No catch, no minimum spend. Buy one bottle, or by a dozen.
Simply visit our website, add your address details at the checkout (need address filled in) and you will automatically be selected for home delivery if you are within one of the eligible postcodes. We're a three generation family owned business, based in Altona/Williamstown since CIRCA 1960. We hope you take advantage of and enjoy this new service. An easy way to sample and test our products, if you have not tried Euca before. Contact us if you have any questions on this or about any of our products, we are only too happy to help. 12543482-HC14-22
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Illustrations light up library
(Supplied)
An exhibition by one celebrated childre of Australia’s most n’s lighting up Melton book authors is library. Never be late for a a striking series of Parade includes book illustrations by award-winning author and illustra tor Shaun Tan (inset). Featuring a collect ion of illustrations from Tan’s best-kn own including The Arrival picture books , The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, Rules Singing Bones, Cicada of Summer, The and Tales from the Inner City, the showcase celebra tes Tan’s unique approa ch As well as being an to storytelling. acclaimed writer and internationally illustrator, Tan has branched out into theatre design and concept art for films Horton Hears a Who and Pixar’s WALL-E . He directed the Academ y Award-winning short based on his winning film The Lost Thing, picture book of the same name. Never be late for a Parade is showing at Melton Library and Learning Hub until March 7.
Nursing boss ba nned
Benjamin Millar
By Benjamin Millar
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The Victorian Civil and Administrativ The director of nursing e The allegations at Djerriwarrh Health Tribunal last week returned a Service during a included inadequ ruling disqualified Ms cluster of perinat ate formal reviews Meek from applyin that education and training al deaths registra at Bacchus Marsh of overall clinica l practic for nursing and g for midwifery tion for a period of Hospital has been perinatal deaths as e and staff and that 10 years. banned from working as they occurred. The ruling been aware of deficien Ms Meek should have a nurse or midwif Ms Meek ceased workin e for a of former follows last year’s disqualification decade. cies in midwifery skills. g at DjHS in 2015 maternity “She failed and surrendered The Nursing and her Little for a 10-year services manager Mary the deficien to take adequate steps to ensure Midwif and midwife in 2016. registration as a nurse cies period ery were identified and Board of during for her failures Austra lia sought a remedied,” the same period. 10-year ban for Julia the tribunal found. Djerriwarrh Health Meek in the wake of reports Services chief executi A 2015 review by identify ing “catastr Presiding VCAT membe professor Euan Wallac ve ophic” identified failings behind a r Wendy Boddison Belinda Scott said while she was e and series of “avoidable” “catastrophic and unable to comment deaths systemic and other adverse unprecedented Hallymembers Pamela Barry and Bernad patient outcomes ette Djerriwarrh on individual practitioners, also found Ms Meek at DjHS obstetric governance failings” with the from 2013 to 2015. has implemented failed to ensure shift by shift presenc services at DjHS during e of a midwife compet the change” across the health service “profound External reviews identifi the period. Ms Meek, 63, faced in foetal surveil ent since 2015. ed that the perinatal “It has robust clinica allegations in the tribuna lance monitoring mortality rate was that she had failed l govern l in birthin ance significantly higher the process g suite. systematic trainin to take adequate the state average and than deliver effectiv g, continued profess es, The tribuna much higher than e systems and process steps to ional be expected for a low would in her role es at DjHS for ensurin l found there was no clear criteria development and strong leaders as director of nursing risk unit. hip that ensures Djerriwarrh g only maternity , which she had the cases suitable held since 2005. is a safe, level of the capacit y of DjHS were accepte to fully-functioning health service secure and There was also found to be inadeq d. of Bacchus Marsh, Melton for the people and Caroline uate Springs,” she said.
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20 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
PUZZLES No. 075
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
2 2
5
6 7 1 8 2 2 1 7 6 8 8 9 2 4 5 1
7 3
9 1
4
8 3 2 4 3
9
9
7 6 4 9 1 3 7
19 22 25 26
3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 18 20 21 23
24
DOWN Place protected by natural features (8)
1
8 3
5
Swiss currency (5) Clergyman (9) Breastbone (7) Pottery (7) African country (7) News (7) Made dapper (7,2) Over (4) Enthusiastic supporters of an actor, sport, etc (4) Funeral or burial rites (9) Sprinting (7) Of, or relating to, China (7) Dutch technology company (7) Scoundrels (7) Mental disorder (9) Terminated (5)
1
No. 075
One who evens the score (7) Binding agreements (9) Appear sporadically (4,3,2) Whole (5) Solved (5) Souvenir (7) Most pleasant (6) Messages sent on holiday (9) Accept reluctantly (9) Levied (8) Yearly payment (7) Island in the North Atlantic (7) Support (4,2) Being from 20down (5) Strong wind blasts (5)
2
ACROSS 1 4 9 10 11 12 13 15 17
27 28 29
medium
1
QUICK CROSSWORD
DECODER
No. 075
2 5
3 2 1 8 1 4 6 9 4
5
hard
9 7
8
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
10 11 12 13
3
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
9-LETTER WORD 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”.
H
Today’s Aim: 16 words: Good 24 words: Very good
N
I
D
G
No. 075
HOPED ICONS INDIA INTER INTRO LLAMA MAINE MINES MOTIF MPEGS NADIR NERVE OPENS OUGHT REEDY RESET RETRO SAINT SEATS SEETO SLATE
SNAIL SPARE SPREE STATS SWEDE TENSE TERSE VERDE WAFER 6 LETTERS AGREES EGOISM LENDER SEEKER
7 LETTERS APROPOS BANSHEE FORCEPS ORATION PARENTS RANGING 8 LETTERS DEBONAIR DOCTRINE ENDORSED RETURNED
diner, dingier, dinner, dire, dirge, engird, gird, grid, grin, grind, grinned, heir, herd, herding, hinder, HINDERING, hire, hired, hiring, inhering, inner, reign, rein, reining, rend, rending, ride, ridge, riding, rigid, rind, ring, ringed 08-04-22
No. 075 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.
QUICK QUIZ
1
Does the leopard seal (pictured) live in the Arctic or the Antarctic?
2
Shoko Asahara formed which Japanese religious movement, which was later found responsible for the Tokyo subway attack of 1995?
NOTE: more than one solution may be possible
A P S I
3 9 6 4 1 7 2 8 5
8 3 4 9 7 6 5 1 2
E
M E R
M A C R O E T H I C T R U T H
2 6 9 1 5 4 3 7 8
5 7 1 3 8 2 6 4 9 6 3 2 5 9 1 8 4 7
E
N
R
A
1 2 7 8 9 5 4 3 6
9 4 5 6 3 1 8 2 7 5 8 1 6 7 4 9 2 3
E
E
4 LETTERS ATOP BASS BUNK CHAN ELSE ERIN FAST MEMO MINS PORT SAFE SILK TEST WAVE
3
How many people are needed to perform the exercise of shadowboxing?
4
Bordered by the Rhine valley, which country is the Black Forest found in?
5
What was Tim Winton’s eighth novel, published in 2008?
L
7 1 5 3 2 9 8 4 6
4 5 8 2 6 3 7 9 1
H
5 LETTERS ADAGE ADDER ADEPT ALLOW AMONG AORTA ARGOT ARIAN ARISE ATONE BERYL BOARD CLARA CODES COMMA DINGO DROOP EDDIE EYING FILMS
1
6 8 3 7 2 9 1 5 4
7 1 2 5 4 8 9 6 3
7 9 4 8 3 2 5 6 1
1 2 5 3 4 6 7 9 8
8 6 9 1 2 7 3 5 4
U
9
15
O I
P
7
14
4 2 8 7 5 6 1 3 9
3 9 6 8 1 4 7 5 2
5 3 7 2 4 8 9 6 1
4 7 3 9 5 8 6 1 2
3 5 8 4 1 9 2 7 6
2 4 6 7 8 5 1 3 9
L
6
I
C
I
5
33 words: Excellent
6 4 1 9 7 5 2 8 3
2 8 9 1 6 3 4 7 5
9 5 4 6 8 2 3 1 7
1 6 2 4 3 7 5 9 8
8 7 3 5 9 1 6 2 4
9 1 7 2 6 3 4 8 5
Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com
T
4
3 LETTERS ATE CAM DOE DYE ELK ERA GEE HAW HEN ILL ISA KEN KIM LOO MID NAP NEO NIP ODE PER PRO TVS TWO UPS
O T RWH B J X S L E F Z
4 8 5
medium
T
3
K N
easy
M
2
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
hard
5x5
1
GU A P Y VMC D I QK N
6 5 3 2 6 5 2 4 8 1 4 5 7 9 8 2 6 5 1 7 9
WORDFIT
6
What transition metal has the chemical symbol Pd?
7
Funambulism is the art of walking along a what?
8
What shape is a honeycomb cell?
9
The city of Pompeii was destroyed during the eruption of which volcano?
10 Ranidaphobia is a fear of what animal?
ANSWERS: 1. Antarctic 2. Aum Shinrikyo 3. One 4. Germany 5. Breath 6. Palladium 7. Tightrope 8. A hexagon 9. Mount Vesuvius 10. Frog
SUDOKU
Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 21
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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which Australian women's batter scored 135 not out in a World Cup clash against the South African women's cricket team? 2. Which is the only undefeated team in the NRL after three rounds? 3. Which Tasmanian fast bowler took remarkable match figures of 13 for 42 against Queensland in a recent Sheffield Shield match?
4. Which soccer playerturned-actor won the FA Cup with Wimbledon in 1988?
13. How many of their seven group stage matches did Australia win at the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup?
5. How many French Open titles has Rafael Nadal won in his career so far?
14. Which US city recently overturned a ban on unvaccinated athletes playing home matches?
6. Lance Franklin kicked his 1000th goal in the AFL in round two. How many others have achieved this feat in the league's history?
15. Which team pulled off a Golden Point victory against the Melbourne Storm in Round 3?
7. How many of the 10 F1 teams start with the letter 'A'?
16. Which driver won the 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
8. Melbourne's 2021 premiership-winning coach Simon Goodwin played his entire career for which club?
17. What ground hosted a AFLW for the first time in week 2 of the 2022 Finals Series?
10. Which Australian Test batsman was named player of the series against Pakistan?
23. How many team changes did the West Coast Eagles make for their Round 2 match against North Melbourne?
19. What two AFL teams also have affiliated teams in the Super Netball competition?
11. What is the name of the Supercars Championship event held at Albert Park Circuit during Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend? © Flickered
22. For how many matches was Mitch Barnett recently suspended by the NRL judiciary panel for an offthe-ball forearm strike?
18. In the NBL, the Perth Wildcats and Tasmania JackJumpers both have head coaches with what first name?
9. Which team won the first two Suncorp Super Netball titles in 2017 and 2018?
24. In what round of their recent boxing match did Sonny Bill Williams defeat Barry Hall by knockout?
20. The 1908 Olympics were the first to include what traditional part of the modern games?
25. Dustin Martin last played for which AFL club? 26. Australian athlete Dyson Daniels is tipped to be among the first 10 2022 draft selections in which US major league sport?
21. Which team did Ash Barty play for during the 2015– 2016 Women's Big Bash League cricket season?
12. Which two teams are set to play off in the 2022 WNBL Grand Final series?
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MOTOR STARWEEKLY.COM.AU The 2022 Nissan Patrol. (Pictures: Supplied)
Big, bold and boisterous By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring Like a couple of sumo wrestlers from their native Japan, Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol have been grappling with each other for more than 70 years. The SUV (Sports Utility) tag really doesn’t fit these two giants, they are old-style, off-roading 4WDs. They’re right up-to-date in terms of engineering and safety but lag behind in technology, although in the case of the latest LandCruiser that has been addressed with the new 300 Series. The latest, sixth generation, Patrol has been here since late 2019 with a minor upgrade for the MY2022 version that we’ve just tested. Patrol is only available in two premium variants, the Ti and Ti-L, priced at $82,160 and $95,115 (plus-on road costs), respectively. Both are powered by the same 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine with seven-speed automatic transmission. The ‘L’ in Ti-L stands for Luxury, not long wheelbase, with extra features including a powered sunroof; roof rails; powered tailgate; automatic headlight levelling; puddle illumination light; driver’s seat memory; three-zone air conditioning; heated/cooled front seats; rear-seat video screens; premium sound system; and front row centre console cool box.
Styling The recent trend towards couple-like SUV styling has been by-passed with the Patrol designers sticking with the traditional square corners and avoiding any fussiness. There’s more chrome than some may prefer but to our eyes it really works well. Sidesteps are almost a must for a vehicle of this size especially for smaller passengers. Wheels are 18-inch all-terrain alloys.
Interior Unsurprisingly there’s lots of space in every direction inside the Patrol although, as is normally the case, the third-row seats are best suited to children. Patrol Ti is a 2-3-3 eight-seater while the Ti-L is a 2-3-2 seven-seater. All seats are leather. Access to the third row is made easier with the second-row seats able to fold and tumble forward. With the third row of seatbacks in place there’s 467 litres of storage space, expandable to 24 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
1413 litres with the third-row folded flat. That increases to a van-sized 2632 litres with the middle row rolled forward against the backs of the front seats. The front seats are large, supportive and very comfortable. Both driver and front passenger get eight-way electric adjustment as well as heating and cooling. The driver’s seat has a memory function. There is a deep centre console cool box which can be accessed from either front or second-row seats. The instrument cluster is clear and uncomplicated, and that’s just the way we like it. Everything is easy to find and operate with minimal distraction.
Engines / transmissions Power for Patrol comes from a direct-injected, naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine that delivers 298 kW of power at 5800 rpm, and 560 Nm of peak torque 90 per cent of which is available from 1600 revs. Power is put to ground through an advanced seven-speed automatic transmission and a sophisticated, electronically controlled, all mode 4x4 system with settings for Auto, 4H, 4L, diff lock and hill descent control. The centre console mounted-control knob also incorporates Patrol’s terrain select system, featuring on road, snow, sand and rock settings for the serious off-road adventurer.
Safety Standard safety features include six airbags with curtain bags covering all three seat rows; Intelligent Around-View Monitor with Moving Object Detection; Hill Descent
AT A GLANCE
with headphones and remote controls.
MODEL RANGE
Driving
Patrol Ti: $82,160
Getting into the Patrol involves a bit of a climb for the less agile with the combination of sidestep and grab handle coming onto play to assist. The next chore is releasing the parking brake which, unfortunately, is of the old-fashioned foot-operated variety. Once underway though, these two little annoyances are quickly forgotten - at least until the time comes to pull up alongside the petrol bowser. Despite its size Patrol isn’t too difficult to drive around town with the cameras ensuring that awkward spots are handled On the open road it’s smooth, composed ride and exceptional occupant comfort make it an ideal long-distance cruiser. The 140-litre fuel tank will stretch the distance covered but, with fuel prices soaring there will be a nasty shock at the bowser. Consumption is listed at 14.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, we averaged 16.6 L/100 km.
Patrol Ti-L: $95,115 Note: These prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Nissan dealer for drive-away prices.
Control and Hill Start Assist; two IsoFix child restraint anchorage points; front and rear adjustable active headrests; Intelligent Cruise Control; Intelligent Forward Collision Warning; Lane Departure Warning; Intelligent Lane Intervention; Blind Spot Warning and Intervention; There are also Intelligent Emergency Braking; Intelligent Forward Collision Warning; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; front and rear parking sensors; and tyre pressure monitoring.
Infotainment Patrol’s infotainment system is showing its age. There’s an 8-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and traffic monitoring system but other features are limited and, unusually, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The audio system has CD/DVD, AM/ FM radio (no DAB+), MP3 and USB / iPod connectivity with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. There are two USB ports and a 12V socket at the bottom of the front console and two USBs in the rear. Ti has a six-speaker audio system. Ti-L adds premium BOSE sound with 13 speakers as well as two second row seat 8-inch DVD screens
Summing up Patrol is the most luxurious and sophisticated Nissan offered in Australia and although it’s showing its age in many ways it provides a top-class drive on and off road and can double as either a luxury people mover or tow vehicle for pulling large boats or horse floats. All Nissan models now come with the five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with free roadside assistance during that same period.
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Special moment for umpiring Matthews family Riddell District Football League legend Ollie Matthews has umpired more games than most people have ever watched. Still keen as ever, Matthews, who is in his 70s, stepped out to umpire four games on the weekend across seniors and juniors. The first of those games was as goal umpire for the under-19s match between Woodend-Hesket and Lancefield on Saturday morning. While not many people will remember the match nor the result, it will be one that Matthews remembers for a long time to come. Matthews, who has umpired more than 1500 games, was up the other end of the field
to his granddaughter Kirra Courtice, who was umpiring just her fourth game Matthews had stood behind 14-year-old Kirra to help her learn, but it was the first time the two had umpired together and they’re hoping that it won’t be the last. Speaking before the game, Matthews said he was pretty excited about the opportunity to umpire together and it was something that they would both remember for a long time. The two came to the game together in what was part of the special day. Matthews was back in action later that day, before stepping in a field umpire on the Sunday for juniors. Matthews still plays football in masters competitions.
Matthews, a former president of the RDFL, encouraged anyone interested in umpiring to get involved. The league like many others has struggled to attract new members, with the impact of COVID-19 hitting hard. “If any young boy or girl would be interested in becoming an umpire, any discipline field, boundary or goal the umpires train every Wednesday at MacPherson Park, Melton between 6.00pm – 7.00pm. “It is a good way of meeting friends, being involved in football, keeping fit, and earning a bit of pocket money.” Tara Murray
Kirra Courtice umpired with her grandfather Ollie Matthews on Saturday. (Supplied)
Centrals blow out cobwebs
Caroline Springs opened up the season with an important win.
(Joe Mastroianni) 275238
Winning start for Lakers By Tara Murray The results of a huge pre-season were on show for Caroline Springs in the opening round of the Western Region Football League division 1 season on Saturday. Facing a Deer Park side that have recruited well in the off season, the Lakers were challenged in the third quarter after a good start, but were able to respond and come away with the 15.13 (103)-7.6 (48) win. Lakers football manager Marc Raak said they entered this season on the back of one of their best pre-seasons ever. “In years past we’ve had injuries and haven’t got through a pre-season without them,” he said. “We had a full list to choose from for the three practice matches and had great numbers play. “Coming into round one it was a bit of a nightmare for the coaches. It was very hard to pick a team, but we picked the right team looking at the result.
“It was good to get a win against Deer Park.” The Lakers blew the game open in the first half, as they led by 42 points at the main break. While they didn’t have it all their own way in the second half, Raak was really pleased with how they responded. He said the match showed how far they had come in the last couple of years. “We started really well and controlled the game for 95 per cent of the time,” he said. “We knew they would come back and they put a few goals together in the third quarter. “We responded with a couple of steadying goals. Two to three years ago we would have lost that game due to inexperience. “The recruits that we got in, helped us settle down when we needed to.” Steve Kyriazis kicked three goals, while four players chipped in with two as the Lakers shared the goals around. Max Tessari was named the side’s best. Raak said recruit Josh Cubillo, a premiership player at Aberfeldie, was really good in the
middle of the ground, while Josh Mold was really good on the wing. Jamie Ristoski and Dylan Laurie, who have come through the Lakers junior system, were others to impress Raak as they look to make their mark in the senior side. The Lakers this week face Yarraville Seddon at Yarraville. Raak said it provides a good opportunity for them. “They didn’t have a good start to round one by looking at the scores,” he said. “They pushed us all the way there last year and beat us at our ground. “We have a good opportunity to go 2-0.” The Lakers women’s side will start their season on Saturday night against Hoppers Crossing at Hoppers Crossing. In other results from the men’s competition, Altona had a 60-point win against St Albans, Hoppers Crossing was way too strong for Sunshine, Spotswood easily accounted for Yarraville Seddon and Werribee Districts piled on the goals against Point Cook.
Melton Centrals have four points on the board, but aren’t getting carried away in the Riddell District Football League. In windy conditions, the Centrals were able to account for an improved Western Rams side on Saturday, winning 17.14 (116)-3.4 (22). Centrals coach Mark Pederson said they were quite happy to walk away with the win. “It was good to blow out the cobwebs,” he said. “It was really blustery conditions for both sides. I thought Rockbank [the Western Rams] were really good. “We played better last week in our practice match. There’s a few things we’ll have to work on during the week during training.” Pederson said they had about 10 new players in the side, who will all take some time to gel. Jared Scott and Jarrod Spry kicked three goals each for the Centrals. Pederson said there was a really even spread of contributors in the win. “Jimmy Roberts was a bit of a standout, as was Adam Tomac, Dylan Clarke and Peter Akech in the ruck. “It was a pretty good even spread and we got quite a bit out of it.” For the Rams, it was all single goal kickers. Ricky Cameron in his return to the club, was named their best along with Phillip Hoyland. Centrals this week face Diggers Rest, which had a bye in round one. Pederson said they know they will have to play a lot better than they did in round one to come away with the four points. “We have played a lot of match simulation, but it’s nothing like playing real games,” he said. “We are not getting carried away as we know we have to improve on if we are looking to play finals and challenge. “Diggers Rest and Wallan are our next two matches and they’re two of the top teams. We’ll definitely know in a fortnight where we are at and whether we are up for the challenge or still a fair way off.” In other results, Wallan held Romsey goalless in the shock of the round, While the Magpies were favourites, the margin wasn’t what many people expected. The Magpies winning,13.11 (89)-0.4 (4). Corey Grindlay, Jake Layley and Matt Perri kicked three goals each in the win. Riddell won a thriller against Macedon with the Bombers winning 6.5 (41)-5.7 (37). Under lights, Woodend-Hesket accounted for Lancefield. The Hawks kept the Tigers goal less after quarter time, winning 9.13 (67)-2.7 (19). Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 25
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The Georgies kick off season on the right foot The early signs are good for Caroline Springs George Cross in the FV state league 1 north-west season. Despite a brand new side and a number of injuries, the Georgies have won their opening three matches of the season, defeating Strathmore 2-1 on Saturday night. Speaking before Saturday’s game, Georgies coach Eric Vassiliadis said they were happy with the early results. The Georgies were on top of the table last season when the season was called off early due to the pandemic. “We come into this season on the backdrop of a cancelled season last year,” he said. “There were a lot of players leaving and a lot of injuries, so we were unsure where we were sitting. “It was important to get off to a good start, the outcome has been two wins. We’re very
Caroline Springs George Cross have started the season well. (Supplied)
happy.” Vassiliadis knows despite the good start to the season, the side can’t sit on its laurels. With
ambitions to return to the National Premier League, there’s still plenty of work to do. “We have to consistently continue to improve,” he said. “It’s important at this stage for the club to problem solve and find what works. “On the backdrop of injuries and the amount of departures, we have to work hard as a football club to find solutions. “As a team it’s about getting some players back and the new guys understanding how we go about it. We need to marry it all together.” Vassiliadis said they currently had about eight injuries at the moment. He said they were lucky to have a deep squad and players who had stepped up. He said while they had started the season well, it was still early in the process, He said
there would be a lot to play out. “We have to maintain what we’ve been doing,” he said. “There’s some new dynamics in the league. We don’t know where everyone else is at . “The first six weeks is really important for us. “The scoreboard could be lying. We’re not going to take any games for granted.” Vassiliadis said there was a really good vibe at the club overall. “John Floros has done a really good job with our junior program,” he said. “Excited for the senior girls in the Nike F.C Cup. There’s a real wholeness at the club, which is not easy with the diversity there is. “It’s a good place to be, we have to maintain it.” Tara Murray
Netball takes off in Melton
Western United’s Adisu Bayew.
(Supplied)
Bayew’s ‘massive jump’ By Tara Murray Western United young gun Adisu Bayew is starting to feel at home in the A-League. After making his A-League debut last season, Bayew has stepped into the senior squad full time this season. Having grown in confidence, he has started to get regular minutes as the season has progressed. He produced his best performance of the season in United’s most recent match against Brisband Roar, scoring his first A-League goal. United coach John Aloisi said they needed some young players to step up while players are out injured and Bayew was doing exactly that. Bayew said he was enjoying the move from the club’s youth league side, to the senior side. “It’s a massive jump,” he said. ”There’s so many things that are different in terms of intensity, quality and professionalism as well. “It’s a massive jump, but it’s something I’ve adapted to and I feel comfortable in this 26 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
environment now after the pre-season. “I would say I’m doing alright and trying to do what the coach asks of me.” Having grown up in Sunshine and St Albans, playing for United is a dream come true for Bayew. He played his junior football at Sunshine George Cross, before moving to Green Gully, before entering the Western United system. He said he could have never imagined playing for a team in the west when he was growing up. Personally he said he knows there’s still improvement in his game. One focus was to score his first goal, which he has now achieved. “My performances have been alright, I haven’t had an amazing performance so far. I’m looking to continue to get comfortable and build on my performances and get to the standard that I believe I can reach.” Breaking through into an A-League team is hard enough, let alone one that is towards the top of the table and contending for the title. Bayew said the group had worked really hard to get where they are now. “We’re very happy with how the season has
gone,” he said. “It had been a really good pre-season and all the boys worked hard and we’re where we are at right now. “We trained almost every day, long sessions, sometimes double sessions. “We pushed through that and any obstacle that came our way just pushed through it. “It’s all well deserved. The aim to go all the way and win it. Hopefully we win the games to come and come finals we can go all the way.” Long term, Bayew wants to cement his spot in United’s starting line up. He also wants to continue to grow and see where it takes him. “I want to continually improve with my team,” he said. “My individual goals are to continue to have a breakout season. “Scoring goals and getting my name out there and hopefully becoming a professional player, starting week in week out and potentially being selected for national teams. I know there’s a lot of work for me to do personally.”
The St Albans and Caroline Springs Netball Association is further growing into Melton. The association will run a new netball competition out of the recently completed Cobblebank Stadium. Association president Jan Schulz said they were asked by Melton council to look at running the new program. “The council approached us as we play at Caroline Springs,” she said. “There’s the new stadium at Cobblebank Stadium and they wanted someone to run netball at the stadium. “We’ll look to promote netball and get some programs up and running.” Schulz said they would be running netball on a Monday night at the new stadium. They will look to have mixed junior competitions, ladies competition and if the interest is there, a mixed senior competition. The association is also seeking interest to get a walking netball program up and running in Melton. She said it would take a while to get the programs up and running but was excited by what lays ahead. The association will have a name change with an extra location as part of their program. Schulz said they would likely be called the Western Region Netball Association. As well as running the local competitions, the association has a representative program, the Westside Saints. Schulz said with the association expanding, it would give more players opportunities in their representative program. “Our representative teams have got kids from all over the place,” she said. “We will hopefully have more children from Bacchus Marsh, Hopetoun Park and Eynesbury and some new areas. “It’ll give those children the opportunity. We encourage them to come along and give it a go.” The association will hold some school holiday clinics in Melton as they look to set up the program. A clinic with three sessions, for different ages, will be held on April 21 at Cobblebank Stadium. There will be one at Caroline Springs on April 12. The clinics will cost $10 per child. To register for the clinic: subbym29@ gmail.com or to express interest in walking netball: janschulz@mps.org.au. Tara Murray
Western Jets open the season with a victory The Western Jets did what they needed to do to come away with the win in the opening round of the NAB League Boy’s season. Facing the Brisbane Lions Academy on Sunday at Highgate Reserve, the Jets led all day in the 14.5 (89)-10.6 (66) win. The second quarter was the key for the Jets when they kicked five goals to none to open up a 34-point lead. Jets coach Robbie Chancellor said they will be better for the match. “We won by about four goals in the end,” he said. “It was a bit scrappy, but we did what we had to do. “The Lions already had a couple of games under their belts, but it was our first competitive outing for us.” Chancellor said there were some good signs and they were able to show some of the stuff they had been working on over the off season.
He said they knew it would take some time to put it all together. “Often it will take time to find rhythm and settle,” he said. “We saw the effort of what we have been practicing. “We’ll be better for it next week.” Chancellor said the two co-captains Massimo D’Ambrosio and Jaelen Pavlidis were the standouts in the win. The two 19-year-olds come from Point Cook and Werribee Districts football club’s respectively. D’Ambrosio had 28 possessions, while Pavlidis had 21 possessions. “They stepped up particularly when we got challenged in the second half.” Harry Miller kicked three goals in his Western Jets debut. Logan Morris, who was a late inclusion on Sunday morning, kicked two goals in a good performance. Chancellor said they had eight debutants in the match, which was good signs for the future. The Jets this week face Gippsland Power on
Sunday at Morwell. Gippsland Power is also coming off a first round win, having beaten the Murray Bushrangers 14.12 (96)-7.5 (47). In other first round results, the Calder Cannons beat the Greater Western Sydney Giants by four points on Saturday. The Greater Western Victoria Rebels were too good for the Bendigo Pioneers, winning 13.12 (90)-8.11 (59). The Northern Knights came out firing against the Sydney Swans Academy, winning 14.11 (95)-3.8 (26), while the Dandenong Stingrays 12.9 (81)-9.13 (67). In the other two matches, the Oakleigh Chargers beat the Sandringham Dragons, 11.15 (81)-9.9 (63), while the Geelong Falcons won a thriller against the Gold Coast Suns Academy, 9.14 (68)-9.13 (67). Tara Murray
Western Jets co-captains Massimo D’Ambrosio and Jaelen Pavlidis (Western Jets Facebook)
Sports shorts EDFL Hillside wasn’t able to hold on against Roxburgh Park in the opening round of the Essendon District Football League division 1 season. The Sharks led at every break, but the Magpies kicked six final quarter goals to win 15.3 (93)-13. (86). The Sharks have a bye, with their next match on Good Friday against the Sunbury Kangaroos. In division 2, Burnside Heights lost to Oak Park, 8.14 (62)-8.4 (52). In the women’s competition, Hillside and Burnside Heights both suffered losses
FV It was a bad day out for Melton Phoenix in the FV state league 5 competition on Saturday against Barwon. Neither team scored in the first half before Barwon tore the game open with three goals in nine minutes. Barwon went on to win 4-1. In state 4 west, Spring Hills lost to Gisborne 2-0, while Westside Strikers lost to Keilor Wolves, 4-1.
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Montana Ham put out a best on field performance in the semi final. (Joe MastroiannI). 268325_05
Jets eye grand final win By Tara Murray The Western Jets have the chance to make history on Friday night as they play in the NAB League Girls grand final. After dropping their first match of the season to Tasmania, the Jets have gone on a nine game winning streak to win through to the grand final. It’s the first time the Jets’ girls team has made the grand final. They will be going for the club’s first premiership, with the boys side yet to taste premiership glory. They have twice made the grand final, in 1992 and 1993. Jets coach Robbie Chancellor said the whole playing group was looking forward to the opportunity. “It’s a very exciting time for the club,” he said. “We’ve won nine in a row and we’re now into a grand final. “We’ll try and get the girls to enjoy the week and the sentiment, but we’re not going to just to play in a grand final. We want to win it.” The Jets won through to the grand final
after defeating the Eastern Ranges for a second successive week. It was a low scoring affair, with neither team able to kick a goal in the first quarter. The Jets were able to kick two goals in each of the middle two quarters, to lead by 21 points at the last break. Despite not scoring in the last quarter, the Jets did enough to seal the 4.5 (29)-2.4 (16). Chancellor said it was a very different game to the previous match. “It was a bit windy and it was played under lights,” he said. “It was a bit more combative. They’re a very physical side and we were able to match it with them and then wore them down on the outside with our run.” Cailitn Sargent kicked two of her side’s fours goals to continue her good season. It was Montana Ham who shone brightest. She had 29 possessions, four marks, nine tackles, four hit outs and seven inside 50s. “I think that’s what you call beast mode,” Chancellor said of Ham’s performance. “It was a new level. These finals games you see the character of the players and she was
clearly the best player on the field.” This season has been new ground for the Jets. From Jets’ first season in 2017 to 2021, the Jets had won just eight games total. Chancellor said they were excited by the chance to make a piece of history. The Jets will face the Dandenong Stingrays in the grand final on Friday night at 7.30pm, after the Stingrays beat the Geelong Falcons. In a twist, which Chancellor hopes will help the side, the two teams haven’t played each other this season. “They haven’t lost a game this year,” he said. “They are the form team and deserve to be favourites. “They’ve got a lot of talented midfielders. We’re hoping there’s an element of surprise as they haven’t seen our game style which is a bit different to other sides.” If the occasion wasn’t already special the grand final is being played at Chirnside Park, which is in the heart of the Jets region. Chancellor is hoping that those in the west will come out and support the girls.
Melton Centrals started the Riddell District Netball League in fine form with a big win against the Western Rams. The Centrals took the win 53-35. In other results, Wallan beat Romsey 45-30 and Woodend-Hesket beat Lancefield.
Hockey Melton suffered a first up loss to Melbourne High School Old Boys in the Hockey Victoria women’s Vic League 2 competition. The Mustangs suffered a 2-1 loss first up. The Mustangs men’s side had a bye to start the Vic League 3 season.
Big V Melton Thoroughbreds remain without a win in the Big V men’s division 2 season. On Sunday, the Thoroughbreds faced Sherbrooke Suns. It was a fairly even first half, before the Suns ran away with the game in the second half, winning 85-61. Panashe Dzimati top scored with 16 points.
FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly Tuesday, 5 April, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 27
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