Star Weekly - Sunbury Macedon Ranges - 21st June 2022 by Star Weekly

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A century of Jean The formidable Jean Emmie Hitch will be welcomed into the ranks of Macedon Ranges centenarians on July 1. The Gisborne Oaks Aged Care Facility resident has lived a colourful life, working in broadcasting and in a doctor’s office before diving headfirst into farming in the Macedon Ranges. She was born in Elsternwick, and grew up while the second world war raged. When Jean left Australia in 1947, she spent years overseas in Holland and Indonesia, and travelled through Europe. In 1965, Jean bought property in Kerrie, even though she knew very little of farm life. After buying her first hundred sheep, she never looked back. She ran the farm on weekdays, up at the crack of dawn to check on her flock. After eight years, it was time to upsize, and she impulse-bought Glenbrook, a 1200 acre established property near Kyneton. Her greatest joys in life are her three children, and it’s with a little smile and a wink that he says the biggest life lesson she’s learnt is to “grab every opportunity you can”.

JEAN HITCH

‘Traumatic’ time at Hume By Elsie Lange A councillor has opened up about the “traumatic” toll of Hume’s internal arbitration processes, which have cost the organisation nearly $143,000. The previously confidential details and costs of councillor complaints against each other were revealed during a council meeting on Tuesday, June 14. Cr Joseph Haweil said he felt “immense sadness and disappointment” that $142,898 of ratepayers’ money had been spent to investigate applications to the Principal Councillor Conduct Registrar from November, 2020 until May 31, 2022, despite limited breach findings.

“After councillor [Jack] Medcraft, I think I am the second most complained about councillor … although not one of the four complaints ever made against me provided an adverse finding against me, only two even proceeded to arbitration,” Cr Haweil said. “It’s fair to say going through that complaints process can be a very traumatic and upsetting period, it can be a period in which you feel like you’re in limbo. “You don’t know what the outcome will be, you have to expend … a significant amount of time providing responses to arbiters … I certainly did that, at financial cost to myself.” Cr Haweil said it had been an “upsetting and difficult period” for him, and other councillors had told him the same.

“You do lose sleep, at times, and I’m not embarrassed to say that, because you think … did I do something wrong, have I said something wrong, and what will the outcome of this process be,” Cr Haweil said. The documents show the council has spent at least $48,583 on 21 internal arbitration matters brought by Cr Trevor Dance. One has resulted in a finding of a breach of the councillor code of conduct, so far. The most expensive arbitration case to council was brought by a group of councillors, who were represented by mayor Carly Moore, against Cr Dance, costing $16,987. In this case Cr Dance had eight breaches found against him, was banned from two council meetings and forced to apologise.

The documents also reveal council spent $65,014 on costs for a councillor conduct panel, which found Cr Dance guilty of serious misconduct and suspended him for three months. Cr Dance has appealed that verdict to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and has been reinstated while the process plays out. Cr Haweil implored his colleagues to avoid recourse methods that costs ratepayers “huge amounts of money”. “Nearly $145,000 of their hard-earned money has been spent on lawyers, and from what I can see … those figures we see quoted could very much increase, and increase exponentially, depending on what happens,” Cr Haweil said.

Mary-Anne Thomas MP

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2 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

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Crime drops, except in Macedon Despite the overall crime rate in the Macedon Ranges dropping 29 per cent in the year to March, the village of Macedon saw a 34 per cent increase in offences recorded. The latest Crime Statistics Agency data shows a 207 per cent increase in Macedon in offences related to drug dealing, trafficking, possession and use – 13 offences in March 2021, compared to 40 offences over the same period ending in March 2022. Macedon Ranges Crime Investigation Unit Acting Detective Sergeant Andrew Bowen said the increased number of drug offences recorded

is the result of “more proactive policing”. “Drug offences are detected offences, that being that the offences are detected by police versus reported offences, whereby somebody’s a victim who has reported to police,” Acting Detective Sergeant Bowen said. He said there may also be more drug users “out and about”, as drug use is generally undetected in the home without drug trafficking also involved. “We’d rarely detect just drug use in the home unless we were there for another reason,” he said.

He said the overall decline in the Macedon Ranges crime rate could have something to do with the number of police available to attend and be present in the community, as they had previously been required on the COVID-19 front line. In Gisborne, the crime rate dropped 35 per cnt during the same period, and decreased in Kyneton and Riddells Creek by 36 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. The largest decrease in types of offences in the Macedon Ranges were property and deception offences, including arson, property damage,

burglaries or break-ins, theft and deceptions – falling 20 pe rcent, or by 203 offences. The crime rate also fell by 21 per cent in Sunbury, with the lowest number of offences recorded for the year to March since 2017. Victoria Police Regional Operations Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said it was “incredibly pleasing” to see crime continuing to reduce year-on-year. “Importantly, we are seeing a reduction in the number of victims in our community and the number of people offending, particularly in relation to youth.”

New weather station for CFA

Christina Cheers and Garry Bartlett would love you to join the Friends of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve on June 26.

(Damjan Janevski) 284260

Become a friend of Emu Bottom After a two-year, pandemic-related hiatus, the Friends of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve in Sunbury (FEBWR) are back. For 28 years, the group revegetating the farmlands have worked to restore the area to the eco-friendly community facility it is now. And on June 26, FEBWR want you to come along to Jacksons Creek to get involved with the initiative. FEBWR president Christina Cheers said when the group started there were just 17 mature native trees down there, where now, there is an abundance.

“Together with [Hume] council … we’ve been responsible for revegetating that area and it’s a really lovely area now, a savoured walking place for a lot of locals,” she said. “It was wonderful during the lockdown, because we were allowed to go for a walk, and we could walk through the reserve.” Ms Cheers said the planting and restoration helps the environment for the platypuses in Jacksons Creek to thrive, as well as numerous, special birds. “We’ve done bird counts in the area where we’ve revegetated, and we’ve found all these wonderful little bushbirds there, which you

don’t find in the open grassland areas,” she said. “They’re coming back as a result of our efforts planting down there.” She said her “chest swells” when she walks down there. “We are proud of what we’ve done … it’s been a wonderful experience,” she said. The revegetation bee will meet at the car park on Racecourse Road, Sunbury, opposite Albert road, from 10am until noon. The activities will be followed by a light lunch and mingle.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has revealed one of 10 new automated weather stations will have a permanent home in Trentham East, improving firefighter and community safety in the Macedon Ranges. Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) are used all over the world for hyper-localised weather data, fire spread predictions and community warnings. CFA acting chief officer Garry Cook said the weather intelligence would be vital in helping firefighters, not only in ensuring their own safety, but also in fire response and preparation. “Fire is a true force of nature and its behaviour can change in an instant, putting lives and property at risk,” Mr Cook said. “Accurate, localised and up-to-the-minute weather information on a fireground is critical to providing an effective emergency response.” The CFA announced the $680,000 state government investment would deliver 10 stations across the state, including seven portable stations and three permanent ones. Data from the stations will be transmitted via satellite to the Bureau of Meteorology, which is then accessed by the CFA, agencies and the general public on the bureau’s website. “The stations will help firefighters understand fire behaviour on the ground during a fire incident, or by measuring the weather conditions of an area in the lead up to and during planned burn events,” acting chief officer Cook said. “They have a huge potential to improve our planning and responses, thereby improving firefighter and community safety as well.” Elsie Lange

Elsie Lange

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4 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

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Signs signal Sunbury’s rich history Sunbury’s streets will soon be adorned with new signs, adding historical context to the names attached to them. At a meeting on Tuesday, June 14, council voted to approve the installation of the signs on 28 streets, following years of work by the Sunbury Family History and Heritage Society (SFHHS), formerly the Sunbury and District Heritage Association. SFHHS secretary Rosa McCall helped in researching the project, and said the group was delighted the council had voted to go ahead with it. “We’re thrilled that it’s now come to fruition, because it’s probably been about five years in the making, from the time we first started and submitted it to council,” Ms McCall said. The new green signs will replace the recognisable white signs, adding a short line of text below each street name, with the $5650 cost funded in council’s 2021-22 budget.

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Young children growing up will get to know more about the suburbs they live in - Jim Overend

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Jacksons Creek Ward councillor Jarrod Bell acknowledged the efforts of the historical society in putting the “fantastic piece of work” together. “To now have read this report and to have understood with greater meaning and with greater depth the stories of those names … it was almost like a journey through time,” Cr Bell said. He said every dollar spent on the renewed celebration of Sunbury’s history was “money well worth spent”. Cr Chris Hollow said he would like to see

the initiative spread across the municipality after the trial in Sunbury. “If we look closely at our city, this city is full of history, especially in the Meadow Valley Ward,” he said. “Using Sunbury as a pilot, it would be great to see if we could review the city as a whole and acknowledge its rich history when recommending actions like the one we’ve brought before us tonight in all areas of our municipality.” Cr Jim Overend and Cr Jodi Jackson also spoke in favour of spreading the project further. “Council should take it upon themselves to do some homework … It’s a wonderful thing for people to see,” Cr Overend said. “Young children growing up will get to know more about the suburbs they live in, I think it’s a wonderful thing.” Elsie Lange

NEWS

Contract awarded for sewage plant Greater Western Water (GWW) has appointed a delivery partner to upgrade the Gisborne Recycled Water Plant (RWP) to meet the needs of the growing region. A GWW statement said the new facility will be designed, constructed and operated by Comdain Infrastructure, part of the Service Stream Group. Work will begin in late 2022. GWW is investing about $35 million on the plant upgrade. Built in the 1980s, the sewage plant treats wastewater from Gisborne, New Gisborne, Macedon and Mount Macedon, producing Class B recycled water used for local agriculture and recreation irrigation. According to GWW, the remainder of the recycled water is released into Jackson’s Creek under an Environmental Protection Authority Victoria licence. GWW growth and infrastructure general manager Amanda Smith said due to population growth, the plant is approaching its capacity and the upgrade is needed to better serve the community and protect the environment. “The plant is a vital community asset treating community wastewater since the 1980s, but the region is growing and the local population is expected to increase by around 40 per cent by 2036,” Ms Smith said. “We’re meeting this challenge by investing in the plant upgrade, to ensure we can manage the increasing volumes of wastewater by turning it into fit-for-purpose recycled water. The plant currently has the capacity to treat close to two million litres per day and when the upgrade is completed, this will increase to 3.65 million litres per day.” Ms Smith said the upgrade will improve the quality of recycled water and the plant’s energy efficiency by almost 40 per cent, with the new facility operational by 2025. Details: yoursay.gww.com.au/ GisborneRWP. Elsie Lange

(Supplied)

Walking for brain cancer By Elsie Lange It’s not everyday you hear your local chemist goes on a trek for charity, but Ryan Alexander is about to give you a walk for your money. The manager of two UFS pharmacies in Gisborne will embark on a 150km trek over three days to raise money and awareness for brain cancer research, through the Mark Hughes Foundation. It was Mr Alexander’s brother who started the concept of the fundraising walk, called the Big Three, raising money for various charities and causes for the third year running.

“I am a little bit excited, I probably am a little bit underprepared, in terms of that I haven’t been able to do a big walk yet … there’s not really too much you can do, besides being able to walk a fairly long distance,” he said. The Mark Hughes Foundation is a health promotion charity started by the National Rugby League champion after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The merry band of strollers will make their way on foot from Sydney to Newcastle starting on June 29, arriving at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium in time to see the round 16 National Rugby League game between the

Knights and the Gold Coast Titans on July 1. Mr Alexander said it was seeing how much support his brother received from the initiative that made him want to be a part of making a contribution. “I thought this year, I would be able to play my part, because we have a really good community in the Macedon Ranges,” he said. “We’re very lucky … to have a good amount of people who will be able to donate money to a very good cause.” To donate: https://challenge. m a rk hu g he s fou nd at ion .c om . au /p a ge / RyanAlexander-91379388.

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Briefs Refugee Week film night In an extended celebration of Refugee Week, Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees invites you to a screening of ‘Scattered People’ on June 24 in Woodend. The film is a story about the healing power of music, which brings people, cultures and countries together while exploring attitudes towards people seeking asylum in Australia. Catch the film at 6.45pm at Norma Richardson Hall – entry is free but bookings are required. Details: https://bit.ly/3mUz9Gq.

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Winter holiday activities There are some great council-run activities happening across Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges these school holidays. Hume council’s winter holiday program is absolutely jam-packed, with three events in Sunbury including an arts and crafts day, a first aid training event and an E-Games program. On June 29, the arts and crafts day is open to kids aged 10 to 14, running 1pm to 4pm at the Sunbury Youth Centre. No matter what level you are, head along to try out some new art skills across a range of mediums. Sunbury residents aged 15 to 24 are invited to take part in first aid training at the Sunbury Youth Centre on July 6, from 10am to 5pm. Bookings are required and it is currently fully-booked – put your name down on the waitlist in case of any cancellations. E-Gamers aged 12 to 18 can head along to

E-Games Hume Tour, on July 8 at the Sunbury Youth Centre, from 1pm to 4pm. Show off your skills and win some prizes. There are some gorgeous activities happening in the Macedon Ranges too, including author Dee White’s writing workshop at Woodend Library on June 25, starting at 10am, open to all ages. Join local artist Jo Mott for the Brush-tailed Phascogale Art Workshop, for kids aged six to 12, happening June 28 at Kyneton Library and Woodend Library, and July 5 at Gisborne Library and Romsey Library. Check times and book in on the Goldfields Libraries website. Other programs include Shrinky Dinks workshops, a matinee screening of The Bad Guys, a box play activity and a zine maker space. Details: https://www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/

A new round of grants are now open to set up more outside school hours care services at schools across Victoria. Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas announced applications are now open for the third round of the government’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Establishment Grants Initiative. A further 100 schools can apply for grants up to $75,000, and Ms Thomas said it will make an outside school hours facility viable for smaller schools. “It will mean so much to busy working families across the state,” Ms Thomas said. Details: https://bit.ly/3xTO3D8.

FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

We’re building big in Sunbury and there will be transport disruptions As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re upgrading the Sunbury Line and removing the Gap Road level crossing. We’re also upgrading Sunbury Road, reducing congestion and making it easier to get around.

Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions Sunbury Line

Until last train 29 June Sunshine to Sunbury

Road disruptions: Closed road and lanes Gap Rd/Station St, Sunbury

Until October

Road closed between Horne Street and Evans Street

Sunbury Road, Sunbury

At times, in June

Lanes closed between Powlett Street and Bulla Diggers Rest Road

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Find a detailed list of disruptions at bigbuild.vic.gov.au/sunburyworks

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Bulla Bypass questions raised By Elsie Lange Questions about the long-awaited Bulla Bypass made their way into the Victorian parliament this month. On June 7, independent Western Metropolitan MP Catherine Cumming asked the government for any details of funding provided to the Bulla Bypass project in the 2022-23 budget, and an update on the bypass’ business case. “I have been raising the issue of the Bulla Bypass for over three years, and I keep being told that options are being investigated,” Dr Cumming said. “Surely those investigations must be complete by now. We need the funding

within the budget.” The bypass would require a new road built to connect Somerton Road and Sunbury Road, which has been discussed for some time. It is understood the government is investing a total of $20 million for the development of the potential future of the bypass, and to secure planning and environmental approvals. Responding to questions from Star Weekly, a government spokesperson said there was planning for the potential bypass to provide a connection between Sunbury, the northern suburbs of Melbourne and the airport. “This development work is looking at ways to improve traffic flow and ease congestion in the northern suburbs, improve safety and improve amenity for Bulla and Sunbury residents.”

Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) is currently completing investigations, which includes traffic modelling, planning and environmental studies to inform the development of design options and scope and to gauge costs. Hume councillor Jarrod Bell said he was excited to see the government had allocated $6.5 million in the 2020-21 budget to develop a business case for the project, and looked forward to seeing it released soon. “I know this project will stack up, it just makes sense,” Cr Bell said. “I call on both the federal and state governments to work together to make this an infrastructure priority for not only our community, but our state and our nation.”

In the upper house, Dr Cumming urged movement on the project, citing Sunbury’s projected population growth from 42,494 people to 86,000 in the next two decades, and the failure of existing infrastructure. “The Sunbury South and Lancefield Road precinct structure plans have been approved, enabling the development of more than 19,000 additional dwellings,” Dr Cumming said. “The vehicle volumes along the Sunbury– Bulla road are in excess of 25 000 vehicles per day … while the government has funded the duplication of the Sunbury–Bulla Road from Macedon Street, Sunbury, to Bulla, traffic comes to a standstill within the Bulla township.”

Historic flour mill residence back on the market

Main: The historic Campaspe Flour Mill up for sale sits on 5.2 ha. Above, left to right: There are four-storeys in the converted mill, renovated to look authentic; An American-style barn sits on the property; The Homestead is a gorgeous, Georgian home. (Pictures: Supplied: Abercromby’s Real Estate)

alongside a spacious office area and board room, while the top floor is an open plan studio, with north facing arched windows and bluestone cobbled floors. Nearby the grand house is the charming, Georgian bluestone homestead, built in 1853

to manage the building of the mill. With open fire places in each of its four bedrooms, plaster lined hallways and a laundry, it is on its own a delightful place to be. “It is truly one of a kind, a very special home and opens itself to a wide range of uses,” Mr

Richardson said. “These types of properties do not come up very often, if at all. It is a fleeting opportunity.” Though its price isn’t currently listed, it was last on the market for more than $6 million. Details: https://bit.ly/3N1jj7J.

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The bluestones that built the towering walls of the now-converted Campaspe Mill were transported from a quarry near Malmsbury and laid in 1855, when construction began. It’s been on the market for a year, waiting for prospective owners to take the plunge – to use as a country retreat, or even a commercial endeavour. There’s so much history attached to this stunning landmark, now a six-bedroom home on 5.2 hectares, with a homestead to-boot. It was one of several mills built and owned by flour-miller William Degraves, namesake of the city’s Degraves Street and son of Tasmania’s Cascade Brewery founder Peter Degraves. The mill was also designed by Frances Maloney White, a sought-after architect at the time, responsible for other flour mills across the state. Like a relic from a place far from here, the four-storey home is huge, but understated. Its grounds are neat and expansive, framing the converted-home like something out of a Jane Austen novel, with an Australian twist. But unlike anything in an Austen novel, it sits next to the Calder Freeway, making it recognisable to many Macedon Ranges locals. Abercromby’s Real Estate sales manager Jack Richardson said it was one of the largest properties of its kind owned privately in Victoria. “The property has been renovated extensively over the last 26 years, you will not find a home that has been better cared for and looked after,” he said. The ground floor of the mill boasts living and dining areas, floorboards, beams, a high-quality kitchen and a butler’s pantry. Here too is a gallery space, and a laundry room with a beautiful view of the grounds. Just above, on the second floor, is a billiards room, a function room, a library, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The third floor features two more bedrooms,

120 Piper Street, Kyneton, VIC 3444 Ph: (03) 5422 1821 www.mragmach.com.au | info@mragmach.com.au Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 7

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Indigenous names for reserves By Elsie Lange Hume council has voted to adopt Woi Wurrung names for three reserves in Sunbury, following community consultation. Darr Banneem for Sunbury Fields Grassland, Mumilam Korobine for Fullwood Drive Reserve and the addition of Wuruwurrt Biik as a second, dual name for Albert Road Nature Reserve will now be submitted to the Registrar of Geographic Names for consideration and approval. The community’s feedback, which was mostly in support of the names bar a few objections,

was noted in the decision at a council meeting on Tuesday, June 14. Councillor Jack Medcraft said as an Aboriginal person, seeing the names be accepted was a “really enlightening moment”. “It’s a long time overdue … it’s great to see the reserves named after certain Aboriginal places, or people,” Cr Medcraft said. “Really they were here before anyone else was here and I think it basically says that we do acknowledge the places that have been named and I think that it’s a really good initiative.” Sunbury Fields Grassland is a remnant of the endangered plains grassland vegetation type

and supports First Nations artefact scatters – its new Woi Wurrung name ‘Darr Banneem’ means ‘spear grass’, a prominent plant in the reserve. In Woi Wurrung, ‘Wuruwurrt Biik’ means ‘bushy ground’ reflecting the shrubby character of Albert Road Nature Reserve, and ‘Mumilam Korobine’ means ‘western initiation ground’, referencing its proximity to the Bora Rings. Council voted to open the names to public feedback in July last year, where they underwent two consultation periods over September to October 2021, and April to May 2022. Darr Baneem received 32 submissions, 30 in

support and two objections, and Albert Road Nature Reserve – Wuruwurrt Biik received 18 submissions, with 15 in support and three objections. Due to a minor error in the Mumilam Korobine naming proposal led to a second consultation process, with a total of 32 submissions, 25 of those in support and five against. Cr Jarrod Bell said he was “thrilled” to see the vast majority of respondents to council’s request for comment on the names over September to October 2021 and April to May 2022 had been “almost unanimously supportive”.

SunFest will rise again Calling all food truck and market lovers, get ready to gorge at SunFest WinterGraze on June 25, happening in Sunbury. The event is fundraising for the annual SunFest, coming back in March bigger and better after a three year, COVID-19 related hiatus. Usually, SunFest events are held at Sunbury’s Village Green, but due to road and rail works in the town, have relocated to Tulsa Drive Reserve in Goonawarra. SunFest vice president Shona Davie said she’s keen to settle into the new spot and make the most of it. “We are all excited to give this new place a go and see what we can do with the space,” Ms Davie said. “It’s huge, twice the size of what we’re used to.” After the financial blows the pandemic dealt to many businesses in the community, SunFest

is using WinterGraze to fundraise more for themselves rather than relying on sponsorship. “We didn’t feel it was right to ask our major sponsors for money again, after they’ve all been devastated,” Ms Davie said. The festival runs for 11 hours from 10am to 9pm, with live entertainment, market stalls and kids amusement rides there on the day. “It turns into a bit of a winter graze sort of thing, so people can come down and sample different foods from as many local people as we could get,” Ms Davie said.

SunFest WinterGraze organisers Shona Davie, Rod Davie and Juan Carlos Rdriguez-Deller can’t wait to welcome you. (Damjan Janevski) 285577_01

Small acts make a big impact. Remembering to take your reusable water bottle when you leave home helps reduce plastic waste ending up in landfill.

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8 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

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Enrol now for kindergarten

Woodend Golf Club members Paul Stuart, James O’Brien, Cheryl Payne, Eva Wilcox, Barney Hearnden and Jan Graefe. (Damjan Janevski) 285261_02

Driving need for funding James O’Brien says the Woodend Golf Club flies in the face of the elite, golfing archetype – and is still seeking council funding to upgrade its dilapidated club rooms after years of campaigning. He’s the secretary, and wants to make sure the $470,000 allocated in Macedon Ranges council’s 2022-23 draft budget is definitely on the way. “I want to be absolutely clear that whilst this is a significant amount of money, it is the

absolute minimum required to ensure that the building complies with contemporary building codes and in particular, disability access requirements,” Mr O’Brien said. The club was established in 1908 and now has about 230 members, many of whom live locally. Mr O’Brien said the clubhouse, built in the 1950s-60s, was “coming to the end of its life”, and undermined efforts to expand its use. “We’ve got a beautifully maintained and presented golf course but the clubhouse lets us down – with this very modest upgrade, it

will ensure that we’ve got a course that we can all be proud of, and one that members and businesses will be comfortable in,” he said. “We get lots of visitors coming from Melbourne, because we’re close to Melbourne. “It’s regarded as one of the most picturesque courses in close proximity to Melbourne, it’s a wonderful place to visit. We drive lots of local economic activity and it makes a lot of sense to deliver this upgrade.” It is anticipated the final budget will be presented to council for adoption at a meeting on June 22.

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Macedon Ranges council is inviting local families to join one of its eight kindergartens in the region. The kinders offer rich, nature-based and creative learning experiences, including play spaces that “encourage creativity and problem solving, in beautiful outdoor areas”, with three and four-year-old programs now available. “Council recognises the importance of early childhood education and ensuring all families within the shire have access to high quality early education and facilities,” a council statement said. “This includes, works that were recently completed on the new Kyneton Kindergarten as well as a successful funding submission from the Victorian government to upgrade Gisborne’s Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre, allowing the opportunity to enhance the nature-based learning environment where children can learn, grow and thrive for many years to come.” The new Kyneton Kindergarten facility opened its doors earlier this year on Edgecombe Street, built on a school site joining the educational precinct for the township aimed at making it easy for kids to transition from kinder to primary school. Works on Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre in Gisborne are due to be completed in time for kindergarten in 2023. Applications for three or four-year-old kindergarten in 2023 will be accepted until June 30, and families interested in a tour can contact the kindergarten directly.

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 9

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Mental health award for Ranges Macedon Ranges council (MRSC) has been recognised for its unwavering commitment to improving the mental health of young people in the region. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia recognised council with a ‘Mental Health First Aid Champion Community’ award, because of how hard it works to tackle the high rates of mental illness. MHFA said the new Champion Community status is an acknowledgment of continued efforts to embed MHFA training, via the local Live4Life model, into education providers, secondary schools and the wider community. MRSC youth services co-ordinator Vishal

Tandon council wanted to create more supportive networks for young people to rely on. “This meant providing MHFA training to adults in key community roles, such as teachers, sports coaches, and local service providers,” Ms Tandon said. “It also meant providing MHFA training to empower young people to play an active role in peer-to-peer mental health support.” The Live4Life mental health education and youth suicide prevention model was designed for rural and regional communities, focusing on support and education for young people through mental health first aid skills and

training. Data collected by the Northern Western Melbourne Primary Health Network in 2018 showed the suicide rate in the Macedon Ranges was above the statewide and national average. “This recognition will support the ongoing implementation of Live4Life in our shire and promote the value of MHFA training for adults connected to young people throughout our community and for young people themselves,” Ms Tandon said. The training is being delivered far and wide by a range of communicators, including school nurses, psychologists, youth and health promotion officers, partnership brokers and

other community-based workers. MHFA community, school and university engagement co-ordinator Caillin Moore congratulated the council for their Champion Community status. “By equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to recognise, talk about and safely respond to mental health problems we can empower them to help themselves and their friends,” Ms Moore said. “By further encouraging empathy and reducing stigma, we create more connected and supportive communities.” If you need mental health support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Inspiring young minds Woodend is the home of one of the state’s most prolific children’s authors, and she’s about to release her latest book. With more than 20 publications to her name, Dee White has written a story celebrating the life of Professor Emma Johnston OA, marine biologist and TV presenter, to join the Aussie STEM Stars series. “I’m very excited about the new release because women in science is a subject that’s close to my heart,” Dee said. “My mother was a mycologist and she was one of the first women scientists to work for the CSIRO … it’s great to see women scientists and engineers in Australia getting recognition through the Aussie STEM Stars series.” Professor Johnston is a strong advocate for women in science, having completed “amazing research” on the impact of humans on the environment. Her work has taken her

to the screen as a regular commentator and co-presenter of Coast Australia. Readers of the Aussie STEM Stars books are generally between 10 and 13 years old, but older teens and adults get into them too. Inside the book will be teachers’ notes, to use as a resource in STEM. Dee said she hopes her book inspires some future scientists, and encourages readers to think more deeply about marine life and its conservation. “Today’s readers are concerned about the environment and climate change and I wanted this book to empower them through knowing that they can make a difference – that small steps can lead to big change,” she said. ‘Emma Johnston Marine Biologist and TV Presenter’ will be released on July 1 through Wild Dingo Press. Elsie Lange

Dee White wants to inspire more young scientists with her new book.

(Damjan Janevski) 285216_03

Print and Online Sales Executive Star Weekly

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

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‘‘

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

‘‘

’’

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

’’

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

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

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

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

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

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10 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

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NEWS

MY PLACE Sunbury resident Andrew Connor loves nature, and captures that delight through his lens. Sharing his magnificent snaps in local social media groups sparks joy for many who see them, commenting their pride about their region. Andrew tells Elsie Lange all about it.

What’s your connection to Sunbury? I have lived here for over 30 years. What do you like about where you live? While it has changed dramatically over time, it is still filled with parks and so much wonderment to explore. I like the Blind Creek- Kismet creek areas, Spavin Lake, the Wetlands, and Jacksons Hill parkland areas too. [I like] the smaller trails that connect estates too, [there’s] so much birdlife in our town. I love that the roos still visit us on the outskirts, helps it retain that country feel. Shopping-wise, you really can get almost anything you need here too. So many wonderful food options too.

What, if anything, would you change about where you live? I’d love to see the wetlands connected to ‘The Nook’ with nature trails developed all the way, I think there may even be a plan in the early stages for this. That would be a great walk. The town itself has grown, but it still feels like home. I think we have been disrespected with the soil and tip issues along Bulla Road, and of course the Calder [Freeway] issues. However, we truly do live in a lovely spot. I guess my ‘inner hippie’ comes out here, but one wish is for people to remember that in the darkest of times over the last two years, we saw families outside all the time, connecting. They were walking as families, talking to each other, walking the pets, riding bikes – it really was wonderful to see. It seemed to have disappeared so fast. Where is your favourite local place to spend time? Locally, the Spavin Lake is where I watch the day begin when I can, and the walks you can do from there. I love the birdlife on and around the lake too. Not too far out of town is Conglomerate Gully, or Woodlands (near the airport), and even Mount Macedon’s trails. These places are all so different from each other, and so delightful to explore anytime of the year.

(Supplied)

Tell us a bit about you and what you do? I love being out walking, and spend every moment I can doing this, capturing nature’s happy moments along the way. The world truly is so beautiful. I think with age, you appreciate the simpler things more and more every day. My working life is an office admin role, and I worked in city for 30 plus years, but with COVID-19 and work from home, I got to discover so much more of Sunbury than I ever knew was there. Now I work in a wonderful hybrid arrangement – so now I still get to go out a few times a week.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors

25 years ago

20 years ago

10 years ago

June 22, 1992

June 24, 1997

June 25, 2002

June 26, 2012

Community groups upset by what they view as nearly 10 years of government inactivity in implementing a management plan for the Macedon Regional Park intend to take the initiative.

Macedon Ranges’ residents might be forced to pay a levy to help reduce the shire’s $14 million debt.

Traders in shops adjoining a derelict building in Sunbury are concerned about the security of their businesses.

Costume party: A generation is reinventing role-playing games. Sarah Harris surveys the scene from a very cool dirigible.

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30 years ago

12 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

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BEHIND THE NEWS

O’Neill’s a passionate storyteller Ellie O’Neill recently released her fourth book, ‘Family Matters’. She spoke with Laura Michell about her passion for creating characters and their stories.

riting is not something that comes easily to Ellie O’Neill. While the author has recently released her fourth book, and is busy working on her fifth, she freely admits that she finds writing a bit “tricky”. “I thought by now, with my experience, I would be able to just kind of crank it out, but not a chance; this is really tricky!” Yet, O’Neill can’t imagine doing anything else. “I find writing kind … of good for me. I feel good when I am writing,” she explains. “I can’t imagine not writing and not worrying over characters and storylines because it is so brilliant to be able to create these worlds and these people and these stories. “It’s fun”. An avid reader as a child, O’Neill didn’t set out to become an author, starting her working life in advertising. But a desire to do something different set her on the path to becoming a published author. “I was in London and I was working in advertising and I was feeling a bit burnt out actually,” O’Neill recalls.

‘‘

I’ve had this character in my head ... she was following me around – like literally talking to me

’’

- Ellie O’Neill “I couldn’t see my career, like I couldn’t see myself working in an office for indefinitely, and I thought, ‘I have to do something different’. “I’ve always wanted to write, so I kind of just pulled the pin – but I could at the time, I was single and I didn’t have any commitments really – and I moved back to Dublin, and moved in with my parents, and pulled up my laptop and just started working on my idea I kind of had. “But I didn’t have any experience writing, not really, not the way some people do. I just wanted to do it. I wanted to try and see if I could do it. “Did I think I would write four books? Not a chance – I can’t believe I’m here and I’m working on a fifth.” O’Neill’s latest book, ‘Family Matters’ was released on Monday, May 31. ‘Family Matters’ tells the story of Evie McCarthy, her daughter and granddaughters, who discover that sometimes life is entirely different to what they’d dreamed it would be. O’Neill says the character Evie was inadvertently the catalyst for the story. “I was writing my previous book, which is called ‘The Right Girl’, which is a story around an app. I came across a lot of research around matchmaking because I was looking up stuff about Tinder and all the algorithms for matching people; it is really quite amazing that they have to down to a science because falling in love is so magical,” she says. “I thought that was really interesting and so I was kind of playing around with what I could do with matchmaking in terms of a story. “And then, I’ve had this character in my head for a couple of years who is my matriarch, called Evie McCarthy, and she was following me around – like literally talking to me – and I felt like if I just sit down and write Evie, I can get rid of her and I can park her somewhere else. “So I started writing about Evie, and as I was doing that, she introduced me to her daughter and she introduced me to her granddaughters, and one of the granddaughters was working on a matchmaking app, and then it turned out that Evie was a matchmaker. She’s an old-fashioned matchmaker.

“In Ireland there is a tradition of matchmakers that ended in the 1950s but I brought it back for Evie.” O’Neill says ‘Family Matters’ took longer to write than her other books, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the book proved to be a welcome distraction from the reality of Victoria’s 2020 lockdowns. “I finished the first draft just before COVID and lockdown started,” she says. “Then when COVID hit … I kind of froze and creatively I froze as well. All that load came in where I was working and I was homeschooling, and all of that anxiety and fear and everything else that everybody else was experiencing, and I put the book on hold … I didn’t go back to it for quite a while. “I started dipping in and out of it again, editing and rewriting, and it was a great escape, I have to say, and I found it really useful to run away from masks and viruses and illness, that felt really nice. “It was probably another year before I even sent it to my agent … this [book] took a lot longer [to write] because our friend COVID came to visit.” While O’Neill hails from Ireland, she has lived in Victoria for the past 10 years, after

Highton author Ellie O’Neill’s latest book, ‘Family Matters’, is available now. (Pictures: Ivan Kemp) 282898

moving to Australia for love. “I guess if you are going to move across the world for some reason, it may as well be love,” she says. However, her homeland continues to feature prominently in her work.

“Most of my books – not all, but most of them – lean on some sort of Irish tradition or Irish folklore and that’s just the way the stories have evolved for me,” she says. “I don’t really know why I set them all in ireland, it’s just happening that way for me.”

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 13

COMMENT STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

STIs are the forgotten epidemic By Christopher Carter, CEO, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network Epidemics are annoying things, not least because they refuse to arrive in an orderly fashion, one at a time. So while Melburnians have been largely focused on battling COVID-19, another epidemic has been playing out in the background. The past couple of years have seen a surge in sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, and our region is one of the hotspots. For a multitude of reasons, GPs and sexual health clinics are seeing patients with a range of STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. Unlike coronavirus or flu, sexually transmitted infections are not often talked about in public – but it’s important that we get past that reluctance and start having a conversation. Keeping STIs secret and not seeking treatment can lead to chronic and severe health problems – for you, and for others who may not know they are at risk. Many people feel embarrassed to go and see their GP about symptoms that might indicate a sexually transmitted infection – but there is no need to be. Doctors see STIs pretty much every day of the week. STIs can be treated easily, but things can get nasty if you leave it too long. Late-stage STIs can be challenging, especially for women. Some infections can be passed onto babies during pregnancy. This can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or serious abnormalities. Understandably, many people with newly diagnosed conditions feel awkward about the next, very important step in the process: informing sex partners. Well, the good news is that for those who don’t feel up to having that talk, you can do so anonymously. The Melbourne Sexual

Don’t be embarrassed about chatting to your GP about symptoms that might indicate a sexually transmitted infection.

Health Centre (MSHC) has a service called lethemknow.org.au, and Thorne Harbour Health has a similar service on its website, ‘the drama down under’. All GPs know how to treat STIs, there are also some who make it a speciality. It’s worth noting that MSHC collaborates with six ‘partner clinics’. They are Cranbourne West Medical Centre, Kardinia Health, Kings Park Medical Centre Hillside, Mediclinic Clayton,

Tarneit Family Medical & Dental Centre, and Yarram District & Health Service. You can find them all on the internet. STIs are varied and common, and sometimes don’t produce symptoms in the early stages, which is why experts recommend regular checking. However, symptoms that could signal you’ve acquired one include itching, pain or discomfort, rash, redness, stinging or burning,

(iStock)

swelling or inflammation, ulcers, sores, blisters or spots, weight loss, bleeding, cramps, diarrhoea, bodily discharge, discolouration, growths or bumps, fever, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, and body movement issues. If you experience any of these, it’s a good idea to make an appointment and get it checked out. It might be nothing, of course, but finding out is the only way we’re going to beat this STI epidemic,and stay safe and well.

How to make sure you retain good employees Recently I had the privilege of being one of four panellists on a business breakfast at The Palladium at Crown, on the topic “Don’t let good people get away – how to attract and keep them”. This is a massive issue right now with many businesses finding it very hard to get staff amidst the well-publicised staff shortages and those that do are finding that salary requirements have increased substantially. With the prospect of further interest rate rises and inflation showing no signs of reducing, the current situation is unlikely to change significantly for some time, and so now, more than ever, it is vital that businesses retain valuable staff and, where necessary, attract good, new employees. So how is this done and where should the focus be placed? If a business is able to retain staff but not attract new employees, then while it may be able to continue on a BAU (business as usual) basis, over time the workforce will become stale with a consequent impact on new ideas and innovation. Conversely, if a business is able to attract staff (perhaps through paying higher salaries) but is unable to retain employees, then the cost of employment (and staff training) becomes very high and the level of staff churn is likely to create low morale, not to mention a poor reputation for the business. Clearly being able to both attract and retain is important, but the primary consideration is really retention, since if the talent pool is leaking, there is a continual drain on cash and resources, so plugging the leak needs to be done first. Oakstone International (a UK-based recruitment company), identified the top eight reasons staff stay with a company (oakstone. co.uk/new-blog/2018/8/10/the-top-8-reasonsemployees-stay-with-a-company/#believe):

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IAN ASH 1. They believe they are part of something special: culture, team, environment. 2. They believe in what they’re doing, and it has purpose and meaning. 3. Their work is recognised and appreciated. 4. They appreciate and respect their co-workers. 5. They have a mentor who encourages them. 6. They have trust in the business leaders. 7. They are emotionally invested and genuinely care about the company. 8. They are treated fairly.

Note that none of these reasons have anything to do with financial reward, but they do have everything to do with company culture. It is well known that typically “staff don’t leave companies, they leave bosses” so this really does underpin the need to ensure that a company culture is created that is healthy, positive and supports staff growth and development. In fact, the 2019 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report found “94 per cent of employees say that they would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn”. Once a company’s talent pool drain is plugged, then the focus can shift to attracting new staff, safer in the knowledge that they will stick around for a while. There are a few essential steps to getting this right which are often overlooked. Key to the process is ensuring that the healthy company culture is clearly articulated

14 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

Being able to both attract and retain staff is important, but the primary consideration is really retention.

in marketing and job-related materials since this is likely to then describe why the role is exciting as opposed to just what it does. If appropriate, the list above can be used to extract key benefits that are likely to

appeal to good candidates. Finally, although salary is not the be all and end all, you must at least pay market rates otherwise even happy staff may get tempted to leave.

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COMMUNITY

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

Friends of Emu Bottom Be a friend of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve and take part in a community planting day at 10am on Saturday, June 26. Tools are supplied but bring gardening gloves. Meet at the carpark on Racecourse Road, Sunbury, opposite Albert Road, and follow the witches hats. A light lunch will follow at noon. ■ 0419 266 676

Woodend Community Lunch Have a bite at the Woodend Community Lunch on June 28, noon to 2pm at the Woodend RSL. The regular lunches are a great way for the community to connect over a delicious meal and are open to everyone. Bring a $5 donation on the day, or $10 if you want to pay it forward. Bookings required. ■ https://bit.ly/3MWaagC

Craft and conversation If you’re a passionate crafter and want some company, why not head down to the Sunbury Library on Mondays at noon for the craft and conversation group. The program is free and open to people aged 15 years and older. ■ https://bit.ly/39BIu2O

Chill Out Sunbury Are you between 12 and 18 years old and want to engage with other young people, participate in activities such as trivia, games, art, music, competitions, personal development and more? Chill Out Sunbury is for you. It’s free and happens every Wednesday, 3.30-5.30pm at the Sunbury Youth Centre, 51-53 Evans Street. ■ https://bit.ly/3lmVgVh

Sunbury Ladies Badminton Club Get involved with a welcoming, fun, social group of women who have spread the word of ladies badminton since 1999. Social games are on Mondays, 9.30am-noon, and team competitions are on Thursdays, 9.30am-12.30pm at Eric Boardman Reserve, Wilsons Lane. ■ sunburylbc@gmail.com

Come have a chat Delve into deeper topics and enjoy intriguing conversations by joining the Table 8 Discussion Group. The key theme for the coming months will be kindness. The chats take place every Tuesday from 10.30-11.30am at Macedon Lounge, 40 Victoria Street, Macedon. ■ Carol, 0431 186 575

Sunbury badminton fun The Sunbury Badminton Club has a new extra playing time on Wednesdays, 10am-noon. All are welcome to attend at Clarke Oval Stadium, 49 Riddell Road, with equipment provided and coaching available. Playing for the first time is free. ■ sunburybc@gmail.com

Family History and Heritage Society If you’ve got a hankering to learn more about Sunbury and even your own family history, why not check out the Sunbury Family History and Heritage Society, meeting at 1.30pm on the third Thursday of each month at the Sunbury Senior Citizens Centre, 8 O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury. ■ https://bit.ly/3jvM6oJ

Rotary club The Sunbury Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at the Sunbury Bowling Club from 7pm. ■ sunburyrotary@gmail.com

Lancefield park run relaunch Lace up your runners and join the relaunch

Hannah, 11, and Emily, 10, are gearing up for a Teddy Bear’s picnic. (Damjan Janevski) 284462_02

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, and remember to register. ■ https://bit.ly/3IEDB4L

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. ■ Leonie, 0401 764 182

Sunbury Ladies Probus Club The Sunbury Ladies Probus Club meets at 9.30am on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Sunbury Football Social Club rooms. The friendly group of women enjoy outings, film mornings, speakers and presenters, as well as special events like holidays and bus trips. New members are warmly welcomed. ■ Pat, 0433 789 754 or Sylvia, 0417 170 142

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

starts at 7.30pm at the Sunbury Football Club. ■ Cheryl, 9744 1663

Station Road, Deer Park. For the election of the committee and general business. ■ 9363 7326

Sunbury Seniors

Community wills day

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

The Salvation Army in Sunshine will host a community wills day on Tuesday, July 19. For $100 you can make an appointment to have your will arranged or updated by a volunteer solicitor (simple wills only). All proceeds will support the Salvos’ work in the Sunshine community. Bookings essential. ■ Peter Nankervis, 0417 155 691

Poetry workshops

Seniors citizens meets

Calling all potential writers, poets, story tellers. Join Soul Lounge at St Albans Community Centre, 33 Princess Street, on Friday, June 24 at 4pm for a free spoken word poetry workshop. Learn to write poetry and connect with others. Open to all, no experience necessary. ■ https://creativebrimbank.com.au/spokenword-poetry-workshop-free

The St Albans Senior Citizens group is welcoming new members. The group meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 am-1.30pm at The St Albans Senior Citizens Centre, corner of Alfrieda and William streets, St Albans. Cost of membership is $10 annually and $1 entry on the days you attend. ■ Mary, 0408 396 691

Safari fun at Sun Park

CWA Keilor Downs

Meet Tantor the elephant, enjoy bucket drumming, safari craft and face painting at the Sun Crescent pop-up park, 1b Sun Crescent, on Saturday, June 25, 1-4pm. Support the local eateries and relax on one of the many picnic tables. ■ https://www.brimbank.vic.gov.au/events/ safari-fun-sun-crescent-pop-park

CWA Keilor Downs meets at 10am on the first Monday of the month at Keilor Downs Community Centre, 90 Taylors Road, Keilor Downs. An organisation based on friendship who welcome all women who would like to do their little bit to make a ig difference for women, children and families. ■ Dorothy, 0428 874 488

Sunshine Community Brass 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

Sunshine Community Brass is looking for new members to join its vibrant band of musicians. With over 90 years of history, the band is looking to grow for the future. Sunshine Community Brass is currently looking for trumpet and percussion players. It rehearses Tuesdays from 7.30pm, at 45 Furlong Road, North Sunshine. ■ Andrew, 0419 444 620

Garden club

Senior citizens AGM

The Sunbury Garden Club meets on the first Tuesday of every month. There is a guest speaker at each meeting, which

Senior citizens of Deer Park will be holding its annual general meeting on August 15. The meeting will be held at 1pm at 119

Toastmasters

Refugee week Head to Sunshine Library on Wednesday, June 22 for a special celebration of the significant impact and contribution refugees have made to the community. This year’s Refugee Week theme is ’healing’ and Brimbank council is bringing together some inspiring community members to share their stories, their journey of resilience and the importance of healing. Light refreshments will be provided. Bookings essential. At 301 Hampshire Road, Sunshine, 6-7pm. ■ http://www.brimbank.vic.gov.au/ refugee-stories

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 15

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FREE

12477071-CG03-21

FEBRUARY 9, 2021 \ STARWEEKLY.COM

EVERY WEEK

Valentine’s at Hanging Rock

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

(Supplied)

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

.AU

Anti-vax leaflet slammed ‘‘

Jessica Micallef

By Jessica Micallef

Let’s not

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

’’

RADIOLOGY SAVES LIVES

How healthy is

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

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

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

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

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16 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

PUZZLES

medium

3 7

1 2

Pudgy (6) Prohibited (7)

DECODER

No. 086

3 4 7

6 6

1 7 8

8 1

9 7

3 4 hard

3 4 5 9

2 9 4 3

4 3 9 4

10 11 12 13

V K 14

U AN SMC H XW J I D E 5

Today’s Aim: 10 words: Good 15 words: Very good

7 5 9 1 2 6 3 4 8

8 1 4 7 3 5 9 2 6

1 4 7 3 6 9 2 8 5

TRAWL YESES

HOONERS REGALIA TUITION

6 LETTERS CEASES ECHOES FLEECE GENRES NEURON SADDER

8 LETTERS BRETHREN LENGTHEN MESSIEST MONOTONY 10 LETTERS DISPOSSESS LEGALISTIC

7 LETTERS BASSOON CELSIUS EVASION

How many gods are worshiped in Taoism?

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

From which part of the world do cows (pictured) originate: the Middle East, Northern Europe or India?

Which dynasty ruled China for more than 400 years, from 202 BCE to 220 CE?

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

As beef is used for the meat of the cow, what word, no longer in use, was used for chicken?

Which famous trade route began from China in this time?

What is asphalt primarily made of?

Y D R A R O O N

5 LETTERS ABBEY ABETS ACING ACRES ADORE AGREE

LONGS OUTDO PARES RECAP RENTS RESET REVUE SASSY SERVE SLOGS SOLAR SOLES SOLVE SPELL STAYS STILL SUING TEAMS THAWS TIARA

Which marine mammal is sometimes called a sea cow?

A S T A N T E R G O N E

3 8 2 4 7 1 6 5 9

ARGUE ARISE ATLAS CHOSE CRAVE DEIGN EATEN EERIE EMIRS EXTRA FLOAT GENRE GLENS GRINS HINTS ICIER IGLOO INANE LAUGH LOINS

4 LETTERS CORD DUDE EGOS HISS MAID RICH SEEP SHOT TERM YETI

No. 086

4 9 3 6 5 7 8 1 2

6 7 8 4 1 2 5 9 3

5 2 1 8 9 3 6 7 4

4 5 6 3 9 8 7 2 1

8 9 1 7 4 3 5 6 2

5 6 4 2 8 9 3 1 7

, * / 2 2

24-06-22

P E A

9 3 5 2 8 1 4 6 7

3 LETTERS ACE ASH CHI DEN DEW EVE GUT HER ICE LAX LEE MAS MOO NOR NUN NUT ODE OIL PAD ROE TEE WIN

No. 086

cogent, coming, COMPETING, coping, emoting, gemot, gnome, gnomic, gone, ingot, meting, moping, opting, pigeon, pigment, ping, tinge, toeing, tong, toping

2 8 6 5 7 4 1 3 9

7 1 9 5 6 2 4 8 3

3 8 4 2 5 7 9 1 6

3 6 2 9 4 8 7 5 1

2 6 7 9 4 1 8 5 3

5 9 1 6 3 8 4 7 2

6 3 2 4 1 9 7 8 5

9 7 5 3 8 2 6 4 1

1 4 8 5 7 6 3 2 9

7 5 6 1 9 4 2 3 8

4 2 3 8 6 5 1 9 7

8 1 9 7 2 3 5 6 4

2 7 3 1 5 6 8 9 4

9 4 7 8 2 5 1 3 6

6 3 5 9 1 4 2 7 8

1 2 8 6 3 7 9 4 5

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

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”.

20 words: Excellent

hard

medium

9-LETTER WORD

easy

9 3 6 8

2 1 2

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

5 2 5 4

5x5

P R Z Y O B T G F L QV K

4 8

2 8

WORDFIT

QUICK QUIZ

Lugdunum was an ancient Roman city in Gaul that is now which French city?

Who wrote the 1997 novel Cidade de Deus (City of God), later made into a film of the same name?

10 Who sang the first recording of Along the Road to Gundagai in 1931? ANSWERS: 1. Manatee 2. The Middle East 3. Pullet 4. Lyon 5. Paulo Lins 6. 16 7. Han dynasty 8. The Silk Road 9. Petroleum 10. Peter Dawson

$ 5 , 6 (

DOWN 1 2

5 ( & $ 3

2 1 3

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1 5 7 6 2

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7 6

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7 6

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Deceptive movement (5) Central American country (9) Parcel out (5) Provisional (9) Crime being married to two people at once (6) Puffed up (8) Voters (10) Lameness (10) League (8) Comprehensive (6) Bow (9) False gods (5) Bearing foliage throughout the year (9) Abode of the dead (Grk) (5)

: / , ( 1 * $ / / 2 , 1 6 * 7 6 , & 3 $ & ' ( $ 1 6 8 ( 7 6

easy

Relating to the natural emblem of a clan or tribe (7) Title (4) Determination (7) Shimmer (7) Remedy (8) Australian animal (8) Leads an orchestra (8) Divided (8) Slanting (7) Significance (7) English explorer, Sir Walter — (7) Forbidden (7) Draws (6) Uncharitable (4)

ACROSS 1 4

No. 086

' ( , * 1

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.

QUICK CROSSWORD

$ ' 2 5 (

No. 086

6 2 / $ 5

SUDOKU

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 17

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. Which two NHL teams won their way to the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals?

5. Which national team did the Socceroos defeat 5-4 on penalties to qualify for the 2022 World Cup?

2. Liz Watson and Steph Wood are captain and vice-captain of which Commonwealth Games team sport?

6. Montrezl Harrell last played for which NBA team?

14. Former Wallabies star David Pocock was recently elected to what house of Australian parliament?

3. Bailey Smith last played for which AFL club?

7. Which professional golf tournament did Rory McIlroy win to claim his 21st PGA Tour title?

15. What Indigenous former St Kilda star was recently inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame?

4. Which seven-time Wimbledon singles winner accepted a wildcard entry to this year’s tournament after a year away from top level competition?

8. Former Wallaby Israel Folau is set to make his international rugby return after being named in which country’s national team squad?

16. Which national soccer team recently lost 0-4 at home to Hungary in the UEFA Nations League?

13. Who is the current coach of the Socceroos?

9. Which two New Zealandbased teams qualified for the final of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season? 10. Which Australian racehorse defeated a world-class field to win the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in England? 11. What months in 2022 will the FIFA World Cup take place in Qatar? 12. What year did the GWS Giants join the AFL?

Jess Fox

17. What city will host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games?

23. In the EPL, how many times has Manchester United been champions?

29. The NHL team nicknamed the Sabres is based in which US city?

18. Which Major League Baseballer was nicknamed “The Bambino”?

24. In which year did Wimbledon prize money become equal for both sexes?

19. The 1986 movie Hoosiers revolves around which sport?

25. Who won the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield title?

30. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, excelled in which sport?

20. How many periods of play are there in a National Hockey League game?

26. Which two Asian nations will the Australian Boomers play home matches against in July 2022?

21. In what sport would you hear the terminology double hit, flick and kill?

27. What 2007 Marvel film was partially filmed at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium?

22. Who won Australia’s sole gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics?

28. In what country was Olympic champion canoeist Jess Fox born?

Rory McIlroy 1. Tampa Bay Lightning, and Colorado Avalanche 2. Netball 3. Western Bulldogs 4. Serena Williams 5. Peru 6. Charlotte Hornets 7. Canadian Open 8. Tonga 9. Blues, and Crusaders 10. Nature Strip 11. November and December 12. 2012 13. Graham Arnold 14. Senate 15. Nicky Winmar 16. England 17. Los Angeles 18. Babe Ruth 19. Basketball 20. Three 21. Badminton 22. Jakara Anthony 23. 13 24. 2007 25. Western Australia 26. China and Japan 27. Ghost Rider 28. France 29. Buffalo 30. Rowing Positions Vacant

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Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 19

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BMW Gran Coupe turns heads on the road By Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring The BMW 430i Gran Coupe is a fascinating mix of pure-bred sports car and family hatchback. It’s capable of carrying five people, though see the Driving section of this review for comments on that, and is low enough to look sleek. It certainly grabbed the attention of people who saw it on the road during our test period. Either when we were on the road or in carparks.

Styling Gran Coupe has the sometimes-criticised very-large front grille, but in the 4 Series the sheer size of the car means the grille makes it less intrusive on the eye. Side on the Coupe looks just right, with the downward slope of the roof meeting the upward slope of the window line. There’s a hint of a Hofmeister kink at the rear but it’s rather downplayed in our opinion and really doesn’t shout out ‘BMW’ the way other Bimmers do. The rear glass has an interesting shape with that’s rounded nicely at the lower corners and blends into the slight kick-up of the metal that has an aero shape. The taillights are slim in the centre and gradually widen toward their outside edges.

Interior The dashboard area has a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. The quality of finish is exceptional and the seats are not only comfortable but also easy on the eye. Okay so you don’t get seats to look at them but they are a further indication of the attention to detail on all aspects of the design.

Infotainment The central display can be controlled using “Hey BMW” voice prompts, touch inputs as well as a rotary controller on the lower console. The Harman/Kardon sound system fitted to our test car powered 10 speakers and provided us with excellent entertainment.

The large grille teams nicely with the overall shape of the Gran Coupe.

Engines / transmissions

(Pictures: Supplied)

The BMW 430i is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with 190kW of power and 400Nm of torque. It drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic.

AT A GLANCE

Safety

M440i Gran Coupe: $118,900

Crash avoidance in the 430i is provided by autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Driving Driving a BMW Gran Coupe is a delightful experience. There’s something that brings a smile to your face when you feel the way it communicates your intentions to the road through the steering wheel. It’s neutral in bends until you reach very high cornering speeds, then has some oversteer which is early controlled. If you’re going to be carrying five adults in the Bimmer it might be an idea to bring those

20 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

MODEL RANGE 420i Gran Coupe: $76,900 430i Gran Coupe: $84,900

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

who will be travelling in the back along for your pre-purchase test drive Adults have room behind other adults in the rear seats but there may need to be some compromising for leg room between those in the front and the rear. Tall adults in the back may find they’re very close to the roof and might have to stoop slightly to avoid touching it. The person in the centre rear seat will find themselves sitting with their legs spread on either side of the centre tunnel. Keep in mind that it’s a coupe

not a sedan so that’s acceptable. The official fuel consumption is an impressively low 6.6 litres per 100km. We averaged 7.2 litres per hundred during our testing period which covered motorway, suburban and moderately paced country driving on a variety of roads. These are pretty low numbers for a car in this class and show that BMW engineers are amongst the top in engine design. The engine requires 95 RON petrol to get these impressively low consumption numbers. RON is often ridiculously over priced in Australia. Okay if you can afford a car like this the cost of fuel isn’t going to worry you - but it’s still a rip-off.

Summing up BMW 430i Gran Coupe is an excellent example of the latest in car design and its combination of style, performance and engineering should certainly earn it a place on your list of cars / coupes you are considering to buy.

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Kangaroos jump hurdles to find their best form The Sunbury Kangaroos are hoping to put together four quarters of consistent play in the back half of the Essendon District Football League women’s division 1 season. The Kangaroos were sitting fith ater eight rounds, having come up from division 2 ater last season. While they’ve had some good moments, the side hasn’t been able to put it all together. Kangaroos coach Ron Sikora said overall they were pretty happy with how the season had gone so far. “We always knew there were going to be hurdles coming from where we came from and going from one team to two teams,” he said. “There’s been an influx of players and

sustainability wise, there are things that are in place. “On the field, we’re where I thought we should be.” Sikora said the depth in the division 1 side had been good this season with an influx of experienced and younger players. He said the young girls had stepped up to this level and looked right at home, which was good signs for the future. “I always go by the theory that you are only as good as the 18th, 19th and 20th best player,” he said. “With two teams you’ve got more than just putting your best team out there every week. “Even with injuries we’ve still been able to maintain a good deep team with depth.

“We haven’t had any passengers at all this season.” While having not beaten any of the teams above them on the ladder, Sikora said they had shown some good signs that when they play their best they can push anyone. It’s about the ability to play that football for the whole match which is the key going forward. “We’ve been trying to get that consistency,” he said. “We have not put together four quarters of good football in a row in division 1.” The Kangaroos were set to face the Sunbury Lions on Saturday, ater deadline. This week they face Gisborne. The division 2 side sits bottom, but the three

bottom teams are yet to win any games on the field. All their points have come via byes or forfeits. The side had a bye on the weekend. Sikora said that side was showing massive improvement throughout the year. “It’s more than just about the scoreboard,” he said. “Against Airport West we lost by 220 points the first time and the second game we lost by 122. “I’m really proud of their development. Now we’ll look at more multi positional stuff and see who wants to make their mark.” Sikora said already had one eye on the future, hoping to get under-18 and under-16 teams back up next season.

Jets’ big win

Abbey McDonald is excited for the draft. (Joe Mastroianni) 265355_12

AFLW dream is in reach By Tara Murray Sunbury’s Abbey McDonald has a mix of emotions ahead of the AFLW later this month. Ater a number of strong years of performances, the Calder Cannons star is among those who might realise their AFLW dream in the next few weeks. For McDonald, there’s a lot of nerves ahead of the drat, but she’s excited at the same time. “To be drated would mean the world as I’ve been wanting to play high level footy for years and would love the opportunity to be able to play in the AFLW,” she said. “I started playing football in under-10s with the boys and have played all the way through to under-19s and with the women. “I started playing football as I was always with a family full of boys who loved football and inspired me to start playing and it grew bigger over the years as I got older.” McDonald has been a member of the Cannons squad for a few years and continued to improve each year. She was named in the AFL NAB Academy for the best under-18 players heading

into this year. On field for the Cannons she was one of their best this season and was named in the NAB League Girls team of the year on the half-back flank. McDonald said she enjoyed her top age season with the Cannons. “This year at Cannons was such an enjoyable year playing with all the girls as well as meeting new teammates, being able to travel to Tassie and stay in Corowa was a highlight, being able to travel as a team and play interstate,” she said. “Although I missed a few due games due to injury which was a setback, I still felt I had an impact on the team whether I was on the field or not.” McDonald’s form saw her selected in the Vic Metro squad again. She said her experiences in previous year’s in that set up had helped her massively. It wasn’t quite the national championships she had been hoping for though. “During under-17s was a good eye opener to the wider competition and being able to train with the under-19s that year helped me see and understand what it’s like to play a

higher level of skill with those girls. “My under-19s metro was a lot different as I was unfortunately unable to go up to Queensland and play the third metro game as I had COVID which was also a setback. “I was lucky enough to still be able to play one of the metro games which I loved and was good to play with and against the top named players. “I loved the metro hub and being able to stay on a camp with the other metro girls, making us closer as a team which helped dramatically throughout the national championships.” Having played football for as long as she can remember, McDonald looks up to the Prespakis sisters, Maddy and Georige, when it comes to football. Like McDonald, both played junior football in Sunbury before joining the Calder Cannons. “They have also been on the same path as me playing junior boys through to under-19s at the Cannons,” she said. “I got to see how much work and what it has to take to get there and maintain yourself in the AFLW.” The AFLW drat is on June 29.

Sunbury Jets continued their good run of form in the Big V men’s state championship competition, thrashing Chelsea Gulls on Saturday night. It was an even start at Boardman Stadium, with scores locked at 23-apiece at quarter time. The Jets then switched the flick in the second quarter to open up a 13 point lead at half time. The margin grew to 28 points at the last change, giving the Jets the chance to mix up the rotations and give everyone court time. The Jets won the final quarter, as they finished with a 108-77 win. Ish Sanders top scored with 33 points, while Maxwell Barkeley scored 20 points and Gerald Blackshear had 19 points and 17 rebounds. The win keeps the Jets at the top of the ladder, with just one loss so far. This week they face the McKinnon Cougars on Saturday night. The Jets women had a much closer result against the second-placed Bulleen Boomers in their round 12 state championship clash. It was a topsy turvy game, with the Jets having to work hard to come away with the points. The Boomers led by three points at quarter time, before the Jets found their shooting range to lead by four points at the main break. The third quarter was the Boomers as they regained the lead and led by just two points at the final change. The Jets were able to get the job down with a 22-14 final quarter to win, 88-82. Maria Jespersen top scored with 30 points, while Ida Andersson had 28 points. The Jets sit in fourth spot. This week they face ladder leaders Wyndham on Saturday night. Tara Murray

Ish Sanders top scored with 33 points. (Supersport Images)

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 21

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Kyneton harnesses the sweet feeling of success There’s something different about Kyneton this year in the Bendigo Football League. Having been thereabouts in the finals mix for a number of years, the Tigers have started to put things together on and off the field. On field, the club had won five games in a row heading into the weekend’s game with Castlemaine, which was after deadline. President Hayden Evans said they didn’t know the last time that had happened. “The town is buzzing at the moment,” he said. “Everyone including the supporters, sponsors, players and coaches, they’re really happy. “There’s that self belief.” Evans said an early season loss to South Bendigo had been the catalyst for the side’s turnaround in form. He said it had galvanise the group together. “I think they learned a lot from the close

Kyneton during last year’s Pride Round, (Supplied)

loss,” he said. “Paul Chapman wanted them to play a role for the team and they’re doing that. “Paul has only been there for 13 games or so all up, so everyone is learning each week.” Evans said what had been most pleasing wasn’t the form of the recruits they’ve brought

in the last two years, but that of the young guys coming through. The club had worked hard on its juniors and under-17s and it was starting to shine through into the seniors. Louis Thompson, Bailey McGee, Angus Nolte, Benjamin Cameron and Hamish Yunghanns are some of those who have stepped up. “These young guys are extremely exciting for the club,” Evans said. “Angus is 17, Bailey is 19 and Hamish is 19. “These guys are certainly holding their own.” It will be a big couple of weeks for the club. On Saturday, they hosted their Pride Round, with all their senior football and netball sides in action at Kyneton. The Pride Round celebrates diversity and inclusion in sport for those who identify as

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ). All teams were set to play Castlemaine, after deadline. This Saturday, they face arch rival Gisborne at Gardiner Reserve. The Bulldogs were undefeated heading into their head against Sandhurst on Saturday, which was after deadline. Evans said they can’t wait to travel down the highway to face the only other Macedon Ranges team in the competition. “It is a big test for Gisborne at Gisborne,” he said. “We’ll go down there, hoping for a massive improvement from round one. “This is why we play football, to test ourselves.” Tara Murray

Bombers aim for finals By Tara Murray Riddell is hoping with its full squad together it can make a run at finals in the Riddell District Netball League. The Bombers sat sixth at the half way mark of the season a game and half outside the top five. Bombers coach Adam Boldiston said they hadn’t had any luck with having all their squad on court together. “We haven’t had our full nine players yet,” he said. “The first seven rounds we consistently had fill-ins and were struggling to get seven on the court, let alone our nine that we have on the list. “We’ve had players come up from B-grade to make up the numbers and players playing out of position.” Boldiston said they had been hit with a number of different reasons for players missing games. He said most of the group had COVID-19 at some point, while some have also had the flu and then there’s been work and holidays as well. The last two rounds before the bye, the Bombers had eight of their nine players and were starting to see the connections build. “Consistency has been a real issue,” Boldiston said. “Loz [Lauren Nolan] is finally back from having her second baby and has played a couple of rounds. “Loz and Beck [Anstey] are both experienced but they’re now getting a better understanding of working together, “Ellen [Close] is working with the midcourt which has been a different challenge for her. Shelby [Holter] is getting her confidence back up again. “We’re trying to get her back to where she was a couple of years ago.” Boldiston said he had been really impressed with the development of Chelsea Tobin, who was naturally an attacking midcourter, but was playing wing defence this season. He said there were a couple of young girls who were really impressing him as well. “Mady Brown is just 16,” he said. “She’s improving every week and gaining confidence. “Fionnuala McKeagney Stubbs had been in the under-17 Australian team. She can play anywhere on the court. “She started as a goaler and then in defence. She plays for the City West Falcons in the midcourt now. “She’s had school netball, but we hope we’ll have her for a large part of the second half of the season.” Boldiston said consistency was something they had lacked across their other sides at times, but all sides were still in the finals mix. Boldiston said despite the slow start to the season, finals was still the aim for them in all grades, especially A-grade. On Saturday, they were set to face Woodend-Hesket after deadline. “We’re a game and a half our of finals,” he said before Saturday’s game.

Jacob Konstanty (Vic Country) and Paul Pascu (Vic Metro) are among the squads named for national championships.

Locals named for under-18 championships

Chelsea Tobin has had a positional switch this season. (Shawn Smits)

“I’ve told the girls we’ll need to win seven of nine games to ensure finals. We’re going for nine from nine. “With our combinations and if we’re playing

22 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 21 June, 2022

to our potential we can beat any side.” In other matches, Macedon was set to host Lancefield, Wallan was to play Romsey and Diggers Rest was to play Melton Centrals.

A number of locals from Melbourne’s north-west will compete against the best under-18 football talent in the country at the under-18 boys national championships starting this weekend. The final squads for Vic Metro and Vic Country were announced on Friday morning, following two trial matches between the teams last weekend. The teams will both start their national championships next weekend, while other matches will get underway this week. The Vic Metro side includes players from the Northern Knights, Western Jets and Calder Cannons. Point Cook’s Cameron Kizan and Keilor’s Jovan Petric are the two Jets players in the squad, while Oak Park’s Paul Pascu is the only Cannons player in the squad. Knights’ Darcy Edmends, Nate Caddy, Dane Harvey and Sam Grant are also in the squad. AFL Academy member Aaron Cadman is part of the Vic Country team. The Greater Western Victorian Rebel player plays his local football at Darley in the Ballarat Football League. Jack O’Sullivan, who is from Kyneton, is also part of the Vic Country team. The two Victorian sides will each play three matches throughout June and July as part of the championships, before concluding the championships with a Vic Metro versus Vic Country showdown in September. Additional players may be included to both squads for the match scheduled between the two teams in September. Oakleigh Chargers head coach Jason Davenport has been appointed coach of Vic Metro, while Geelong Falcons head coach Paul Corrigan will lead Vic Country.

Bombers win through to the VFLW grand final Essendon won through to its first Victorian Football League Women’s grand final in stunning fashion. The Bombers faced Casey Demons on Sunday with the first place in the grand final on the line. It was a clinical display by the Bombers, who are yet to lose this year, as they completely dominated the game, winning 11.10 (76)-1.3 (9). It was a slow start to the game, with the Bombers kicking the only goal of the first quarter and the match looking like it would be hard fought tight contest. The Bombers though blew the game open in the second quarter as they piled on six goals to lead by 42 points at half time. It took until the final quarter for the Demons to kick their first major as they Bombers were able to celebrate a grand final spot in the final quarter.

Bombers coach Brendan Major said it was a pretty exciting feeling for the group. “They are pretty up and about,” he said. “They played some pretty good footy today and showed they have what it takes to play well in finals.” Major said that the Demons threw a player behind the ball early, which took them by surprise and it took a little while to adjust to. He said once they did that, it was about making the most of their opportunities. “In finals you have to make the most of the opportunities as they will come at you,” he said. “The backs stood up well and took intercept marks and then allowed the forwards to get plenty of opportunities. “The backs were fantastic and we were able to produce pressure through the midfield and all over the ground, it was a real team thing.”

Joanne Doonan and Federica Frew kicked three goals each for the Bombers. Co-captain Georgia Nanscawen led from the front with 24 possessions, while Alana Barba had 21 and Courtney Ugle and Jordan Zanchaetta had 18 possessions. A grand final is a long way from their first season in 2018 when the side finished bottom of the ladder with just one win. Major, who has been coach since day one, said making it this far was a tribute to those who have been there from the start. “They’ve invested in people at Essendon,” he said. “They’ve wanted to continue to improve and that’s credit to the players. They’ve created a culture that has put us in a good position and people want to come play for us.” The Bombers have a week off, with the Demons to face St Kilda in the preliminary final with the winner to face the Bombers.

Essendon’s Mia-Rae Clifford.

(Joe Mastroianni)

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Sports shorts RDFL Riddell put a dent in Woodend-Hesket’s finals hopes in the Riddell District Football League on Saturday. It was a close match all day, with the Bombers leading by less than a goal early in the last quarter. The Bombers kicked the last two goals of the game to win, 10.13 (73)-8.7 (55). Tim Walsh kicked four goals for the Bombers. In other results, Diggers Rest was too strong for Melton Centrals, Wallan had a convincing win against Romsey and Macedon beat Lancefield.

RDNL Macedon returned to the winners list in the Riddell District Netball League on Saturday. The Cats pulled away in the last quarter to win, 62-44. Chloe Williams shot 53 goals for the Bombers in a best on court performance. In other results, Wallan had no issues against Romsey winning 45-14, Woodend-Hesket continued its strong form, winning 48-35 against Riddell and Diggers Rest was too strong for Melton Centrals, 66-50.

FV Cameron McRorie kicked five goals on Saturday.

(Joe Mastroianni). 280868_17

Sharks stun the Eagles By Tara Murray Rupertswood pulled off the upset of the Essendon District Football League division 1 season on Saturday. The Sharks did what no other team had done this season; beat Airport West. It was a bit of a shootout early on, with the young Sharks able to hold off the Eagles as they came at them in the second half. The accurate Sharks got the win, 25.5 (131)-14.12 (96). Sharks coach Arron Bray was thrilled with the result. “It was probably our first four quarter performance for the year,” he said. “We had a game plan which saw us structured up a bit differently early and the changes we had made, made them have to make a few changes. “We took a few of their guys out of their comfortable spots.” Bray said they knew if they played their best football they would be able to test the Eagles. He said the most pleasing thing was the

group didn’t doubt themselves, even when the score got close. “It was back to two or three points in the third quarter,” he said. “We kicked the next three goals and made the margin 18 points at the last break. “We were pretty confident we could run out the game, we’re a pretty fit team. We knew they would ask the question in the last quarter, and we were able to withstand them.” Bray said it was nice to be able to convert on the scoreboard, after not making the most of their chances in a couple of games. Zac Saad kicked seven goals, while Cameron McRorie kicked five goals. While Saad was named best on ground, Bray said his rewards were the efforts of the whole forward line. “Zac got a lot of the reward,” he said. “Jacob Chahine, Mitch Johnston, were good. Cam kicked five goals and Jordie Tentenello was another one who was good. “Their hard work got the reward. We pressured them really well.”

The win and other results, mean the Sharks sit percentage outside the top four. Bray said the win boosted the confidence of the group, having lost a couple of close matches against top sides in the lead up to the break. “No one was expecting us to win this game,” he said. “It showed the young guys we have a system and game style that holds up and there is more belief. “We know where we are as a footy club. It was quite a good result with the young side that we had in. “It was a really good win, but if we can’t win next week it means nothing.” Bray said they still had four or five players to come back into the side in the coming weeks. The Sharks this week face Roxburgh Park. In other matches, the Sunbury Kangaroos remain without a win after a big loss to Tullamarine. The Demons were in control from start to finish, winning 18.15 (123)-5.7 (37). Tie Cuffe and John Corso were the Kangaroos’ best.

Sunbury United hopes of a top two finish suffered a setback with a loss in the FV state league 3 north-west competition on Saturday. Facing Diamond Valley United, Sunbury suffered a 4-2 loss. In state league 4 west, Gisborne returned to the winners list with a 2-0 win against Spring Hills. The win moves the Sky Blues up to fourth.

Bendigo FL Gisborne suffered its first loss of the Bendigo Football League season on Saturday against Sandhurst. The Dragons broke the game open in the third quarter with six goals to one. The Bulldogs weren’t able to come back in the last quarter, losing 15.8 (98)-9.7 (61). Liam Spear was the Bulldogs best. The Bulldogs remain on top of the ladder, a game clear of Strathfieldsaye. The Bulldogs this week face Kyneton, who had a big win against Castlemaine. FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

Tuesday, 21 June, 2022 SUNBURY & MACEDON RANGES STAR WEEKLY 23

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