Star Weekly - Melton Moorabool - 2nd August 2022 by Star Weekly

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2 AUGUST, 2022

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A safe place to blossom

Ravinder Kaur and volunteers.

Melton residents affected by domestic violence will now have a new safe place to call home, with a local charity working to protect the municipality’s most vulnerable. The Rehmat Sandhu Foundation officially opened the Blossom Home earlier this month, which will provide the not-for-profit organisation with more capacity to offer refuge to those in need. The foundation is run by Harkness resident Ravinder Kaur, who named the charity after her son Rehmat who died in 2014. “He was very lively and very helpful, actually he taught me how to love people,” Ms Kaur said. The organisation assists those within the community with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and those who are struggling with financial difficulties. Ms Kaur said while the foundation receives National Disability Insurance Scheme funding, many of the workers were volunteers, including herself. “All the profits, they go to the charity and that’s how we run the charity.” Details: https:// rehmatsandhufoundation.com.au/

(Joe Mastroianni) 291461_03

Op shop ransacked again By Olivia Condous A Melton church group has been the victim of two incidents of theft and vandalism, causing hundreds of dollars in damages and losses. The Melton Baptist Church op-shop was broken into and ransacked earlier this month, and last week it happened again, with the culprits leaving broken windows and spray-paint tags at the rear of the building. The op-shop is open at the church each Thursday, so the volunteers who discovered the vandalism and break-in are unable to confirm exactly which day it occurred. Church member Rick Dickson said the unknown culprits were “low life scumbags”.

“They are attacking an op shop, which is a community thing, run by volunteers,” he said. Over the last three weeks, the op-shop has been broken into twice, had two windows broken and been vandalised twice, by unknown individuals. “They get in and they just ransack the place and I just think it’s got to be exposed,” Mr Dickson said. Mr Dickson said he estimated a few hundred dollars of goods had been stolen and the church would now have to spend hundreds of dollars to repair damages to the property. “This is a cost that we shouldn’t have to be worrying about,” he said.

All the profits made from sales at the op-shop go towards community outreach, events and activities through the church. Mr Dickson said the recent incidents were hard for the elderly volunteers who worked at the shop to handle. “It’s all volunteers, they’re getting older and older and it’s just very distressing to me to see how it affects them, they feel like we’ve got to give up,” he said. Melton police have been notified of the incidents and are currently investigating the matter. Residents with any information on the incidents should contact Melton Police on 9747 7999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Melton Baptist Church op shop was recently the victim of theft and vandalism. (Supplied)

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Ravenhall landfill operator fined The operator of the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall has been issued with $20,000 fine. In a statement, the Environmental Protection Authority Victoria said the company failed to notify it of non-compliance and breaches of its licence at the site. Landfill Operations, which trades at Melbourne Regional Landfill and is part of the Cleanaway group, recently pleaded guilty in the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court to two charges encompassing a total of five licence

breaches under the Environment Protection Act 1970. Three of the licence breaches were for failing to notify EPA of non-compliance and two for failing to limit the tip face size stipulated within its license conditions. “Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) brought the action after multiple reports from the local community of odour issues from the Landfill Operations site,” the statement said. In May 2021, the EPA said residents living

near the landfill had reported strong odours coming from the site. The environmental watchdog said it has been monitoring odour in the area since 2013, focusing on preventing odour. “We regularly check the landfill’s operations for compliance,” the EPA said in a community update at the time. The court did not record a conviction but ordered Landfill Operations to pay EPA’s court costs of $7344 on top of the fine. It follows the EPA issuing Cleanaway with a

pollution abatement notice for the site in 2020, requiring it to manage potential environmental risks at the site. The notice asked Cleanaway to address leachate levels at the landfill. Leachate is a liquid formed from rainwater and decomposing waste. Cleanaway was also issued an infringement notice in October 2018. The EPA said the infringement notice was for allowing the wind to blow litter off the landfill into the surrounding area.

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Dane Simmons with two of his dogs. (Supplied)

Tails wagging for our working dogs and endurance. Mr Simmonds, who has 12 working dogs on his farm, said he was looking forward to competing against other dogs across Australia and New Zealand and showing his dogs’ hard work. “They’re fantastic working dogs, very highly intelligent and very, very loyal,” he said. “I honestly could not do my job without the dogs … they work really hard, “But what’s really good about them … is the companionship that they provide as well.” Mr Simmonds has a soft spot for his dogs, who live inside the house in a special “mud

Watergardens jobs fair gets down to work Job seekers are being encouraged to visit the Watergarden Shopping Centre Jobs Fair this week. Running from Tuesday, August 2Saturday, August 6, the fair will showcase job opportunities within the centre. Watergardens centre manager Trish Gardiner said the centre was excited to connect job seekers with prospective employers. “By hosting a Jobs Fair here at Watergardens, we are able to support local retailers and businesses as we know they have a significant number of vacancies to fill,” she said. The event is a collaboration between the Watergardens centre, Brimbank council, WISE Employment and APM Employment

Services and will include workshops, training and mentoring. Resume workshops and mock interview sessions will be held on Tuesday, August 2 at 10am, noon and 2pm From Wednesday, August 3 to Friday, August, Brimbank Jobs Advocate Services will host workshops between 10am and 4pm. Retailer job interviews will be held from Wednesday, August 3 to Saturday, August 6, while job seekers can have free professional head shots taken on Saturday, August 6, from 11am to 3pm. All workshops will be held outside Best & Less and bookings are essential. Details: https://watergardens.qicre.com/ Campaigns/2022/08/JobsFair22.

room” where they can rest and keep out of the cold. At their home in Myrniong, Mr Simmonds and his wife have a menagerie of animals including goats, cattle, ducks, guinea fowl and chickens that coexist with the dogs. “[The dogs] know which animals that they’re allowed to chase and they know the ones that they’re not allowed to chase,” he said. The 2022 Cobber Challenge Relay will run from August 22 to September 11, with fans able to follow along on the website.

Olivia Condous

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A Myrniong farmer is set to have a barking good time at the first Cobber Challenge Relay competition, which will be an event that will have tails wagging for all four-legged friends involved. Parwan Prime farmer Dane Simmonds will represent Victoria at the competition with two of his farm dogs, Ruby and Tully, in a bid to win as the hardest working farm dogs in Australia and New Zealand. The competition’s team challenge will have 12 teams compete over three weeks by tracking their dogs with a GPS collar device while they’re herding, to record their distance, speed

Melton and Moorabool residents are being encouraged to take advantage of a state government initiative to help them cope with the high cost of living. The government is currently offering a Power Saving Bonus for all Victorian households, by which each household can receive a $250 payment. According to government data, within the Melton municipality only Truganina and Caroline Springs ranked within the top 100 postcodes that had claimed the most bonuses, with 5804 and 3436 households respectively accessing the payment. In suburbs such as Melton South, Melton West, Kurunjang and Harkness, fewer than 2000 households have accessed the payment. All Victorian households are eligible, including concession card holders who previously claimed the payment under an earlier phase of the program. The Power Saving Bonus is available until June 30, 2023 and there are no caps on the number of households that can receive the payment. Households can claim the $250 payment through the Victorian Energy Compare website and then compare energy offers to see if they can get a better deal, or by engaging with a participating community outreach partner. Details: compare.energy.vic.gov.au

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Deeming endorsed by Liberals By Olivia Condous Melton councillor Moira Deeming has officially been chosen by the Liberal Party as the first preference candidate in the contest for the upper house Western Metropolitan seat at November’s state election. Cr Deeming, who has been a Watts ward councillor since 2020, was endorsed at a Liberal Party convention on July 23. Controversial MP Bernie Finn previously represented the Liberal Party as Western Metropolitan MP but was expelled from the

party earlier this year after he posted a string of anti-abortion social media posts. He is now leading the Democratic Labour Party. Cr Deeming is well-known to Mr Finn, as she was the secretary of the March for the Babies anti-abortion rally in 2019, which was organised by Mr Finn. Mr Finn said he was “good friends” with her. Speaking at the 2019 rally, Cr Deeming said abortion was a “lie”. “You are not loving women by getting them abortions,” she said.

In her time as a councillor for Melton, Cr Deeming has been a vocal advocate against the Safe Schools Victoria program, transgender people in sport and transgender people accessing single-sex bathrooms. In a Facebook post last year, Cr Deeming encouraged her followers to challenge “the lie that ‘female’ is just a feeling”. “I choose to challenge the erosion of women’s sex based rights to female only spaces, female only services and female only sports,” Cr Deeming said. Mr Finn said he was “absolutely delighted”

that Cr Deeming was slated to come into Parliament. During a meeting in 2021, former Moonee Valley mayor Cam Nation criticised Cr Deeming’s “homophobic and transphobic views”, after she submitted a question to many Victorian councils on the legal provision “sex based” services and facilities separately to “gender identity based” services. “This is clearly nothing more than trying to bring divisive and offensive rhetoric into our chambers and into our city,” Cr Nation said at the time.

Group means meeting of the minds

Crime briefs

It was searing, intense pain which woke Carol Franklin up in the middle of the night nearly three years ago, taking her to hospital to have a tumor removed from her brain. The tumor was a 4.2 centimetre Acoustic Neuroma, and though it was benign, the Sunbury resident has lost hearing in her left ear and is still adapting to her sudden acquired brain injury (ABI). After getting involved with Brain Injury Matters, Ms Franklin saw that while there were ABI support groups in the city, there was “a gap” in outer Melbourne and regional areas – so she decided to start her own. “Ideally, once a month, we get together, have a hot drink and just chat because it’s others that have gone through similar experiences who understand and can give you advice, or you can give advice, on the experiences that you yourself might be going through,” Ms Franklin said. With funding help from the Victorian government’s Department of Family, Fairness and Housing, they had their first get together at the Gisborne Community Centre on Wednesday last week. As a former vet nurse who could no longer practice due to her injury and the associated fatigue, she said it was the connections with other people who understood which made support groups important. “Family and friends are absolutely lovely of course, extremely understanding and supportive, but there’s nothing quite like people that have also gone through, or similar, to what you have gone through. To have that connection, to know it’s not just you,” she said. The North West ABI Support Group meetings will take place on the last Wednesday of each month at the Gisborne Community Centre. If you need help with transport costs, contact gisborneBIM@braininjurymatters.org.

A Kurunjang woman was among six people arrested in Keilor Downs on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged drug trafficking syndicates in Melbourne’s north-west. Police seized more than 75 items during a search of a Keilor Downs property, including weapons, an explosive device and what they believed to be drugs. A 44-year-old Keilor Downs woman has been charged with trafficking cannabis, possessing cocaine and dealing property suspected proceeds of crime. A 22-year-old Keilor Downs woman was charged over the suspected drugs and proceeds of crime and committing an indictable offence while on bail. A 21-year-old Keilor Downs man was charged with trafficking and possessing cannabis, weapons offenses, dealing property suspected proceeds of crime and committing an indictable offence while on bail. A 17-year-old Keilor Downs boy was charged with drugs offenses, possessing a prohibited weapon, dealing property suspected proceeds of crime and unlawful possession of explosive device. A 20-year-old Kurunjang woman and a 16-year-old Belgrave girl were released and are expected to be charged on summons.

Teens arrested Four teenagers were arrested after they allegedly evaded police in a stolen car in Melbourne’s north-west on Wednesday, July 27. Police attempted to intercept a white stolen Suzuki Swift at the intersection of Derrimut Road and Sayers Road in Tarneit just before 11am. The female driver allegedly sped off and was followed by police on the ground with the assistance of the Air Wing through Werribee, Melton and Sunshine. The car was finally dumped in Village Avenue in Taylors Lakes where two boys and two girls were arrested about 11.50am. The driver, a 17-year-old girl, her female passenger aged 14, and two male passengers aged 15 and 12 are all in custody.

Elsie Lange Carol Franklin is starting the North West support group for those with acquired brain injuries. (Joe Mastroianni) 290982_02

Public transport gets university rethink Melbourne University has released a briefing paper which highlights a proposal for a new bus network for Melbourne’s west, with initial modelling showing the number of people able to access buses could increase by fourfold or more. Melbourne School of Design public transport network planning lecturer and the paper’s co-author Iain Lawrie said the research had discovered “amazing” improvements to accessibility to bus networks, especially considering that an average of 1.3 per cent of western region respondents in the 2016 Census indicated buses were their main mode of transportation to and from their workplace. “Buses have an incredibly low mode share,” he said. Using spatial modelling software, the Melbourne Centre for Cities paper has proposed 4 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

Kurunjang woman arrested

a ‘clean-slate’ bus network comprising of 25 new frequent route corridors. “By adopting established public transport planning principles, the ‘clean-slate’ network achieves a staggering improvement in network accessibility at a viable capital and recurrent cost,” the report read. Mr Lawrie said the proposed system highlighted a significant improvement with buses travelling quicker across the west by keeping to arterial roads and being prioritised at traffic lights. “We are getting two, three or four the number of people that are able to be reached,” he said. “It’s not a pie in the sky idea. “It’s just a question of political will.” Within the spatial modelling software, in weekday peak periods, the population able to

Stolen boat

reach their nearest activity centres within 30 minutes on the enhanced network increased by between 18 per cent for Williamstown and 1155 per cent for Hoppers Crossing, with increases for evenings and Sunday mornings even greater. Mr Lawrie also co-authored a briefing paper on the challenges surrounding the transition to an electric bus fleet. He said that the current contracting arrangements would need to be amended before a full rollout occurred. The report highlighted that fragmented asset ownership and assumptions within the current contract structure was “broadly incompatible” with a smooth transition to zero emission bus technology. Matthew Sims

Police are seeking help to find a boat that was stolen from Kurunjang. The boat is a 1978 white Swift half-cabin bearing a boat registration of TU361. The boat was on a silver boat trailer, registration Z4586. The boat and trailer were last seen on July 23 at 1pm out the front of a house on Coburns Road, Kurunjang. Anyone with information should contact Melton Volume Crime Unit on 9747 7999. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

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New homeless refuge By Olivia Condous Vulnerable people affected by homelessness in the west will have a new place to take refuge, with the finished construction of a new home for women and children escaping family violence. The new custom-built five bedroom home, located within the Melton municipality, was named the Margot Rottem House in honor of the founding member of The Victorian Homeless Fund and will be managed by The Women’s Property Initiatives.

‘‘

If individually we all give a little, collectively, we can change people’s lives

’’

- Colleen May The Victorian Homeless Fund Project home was constructed by Dennis Family Homes, on land donated to Women’s Property Initiatives, with additional funding from Lendlease Future Steps program, Industry Superannuation Property Trust and The Bourne Foundation. The home will provide accommodation for women and children at risk of homelessness while they access support and advocacy services. Victorian Homeless Fund chair Colleen May said she was delighted by what has been achieved through the generosity of many. “Homelessness is still a significant problem, and we can’t solve it by ourselves but if individually we all give a little, collectively, we can change people’s lives,” Ms May said. “The builders, suppliers and tradespeople who have donated to this project have been amazingly generous and because of them, a

Housing Industry Association executive director Fiona Nield, Victorian Homeless Fund chair Colleen May, Women’s Property Initiatives chair Katie Struthers and Dennis Family Group director Adele Levinge at the opening of the new home. (Supplied)

family will have a safe home and hope for the future.” Women’s Property Initiatives chief executive Janette Large it was amazing to witness the generosity of everyone involved. “Creating a home for women and children

escaping the housing crisis and who are at risk of homelessness will profoundly change their lives,” Ms Large said. “A secure and affordable home provides the foundation for a happy and healthy life and helps to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.”

NEWS

Try arts, crafts and Zumba A series of free workshops will take place at the Melton Town Centre amphitheatre throughout August, where residents can learn new skills or try a new activity for free. A recycled art workshop and demonstration is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2 from 11.30am-1.30pm, where residents can learn to repurpose and reuse old tyres into an outdoor seat or planter for the garden. Residents who prefer a more active alternative can participate in a Zumba class on Tuesday, August 9, from noon-12.30pm or 12.45-1.15pm. Zumba Gold is ideal for beginners of all ages and abilities, with easy to follow choreography and a slower pace. A craft workshop on Tuesday, August 16, from 11.30am-1.30pm will teach participants macrame as well as the Japanese craft of Kokedama, leading to the creation of a key chain or small plant hanger. Residents with pre-school children can learn about the garden, insects, flowers and growing fruits and veggies on Tuesday, August 23 from 11.30am-1.30pm. Kids will plant a seedling and have the opportunity to take it home to watch it grow. For a strength and balance inspired yoga class, people can attend the yoga session on Tuesday, August 30, from noon-12.30pm and 12.45-1.15pm. Details: melton.vic.gov.au/ Out-n-About/Events-Activities/FreeCome-Try-Workshops-in-Melton-TownCentre.

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Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 5

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Unclear road upgrade timeline By Olivia Condous Melton councillors have questioned the progress of a long-awaited road upgrade in the municipality’s south eastern region, but have been unable to confirm if the project will be completed within the current financial year. During a council meeting on July 18, three councillors put questions to officers regarding the progress of the $5.8 million Troups Road South, after the council also heard several questions from residents at the meeting. Troups Road South is an unsealed road in Mount Cottrell, on the border of the Melton

and Wyndham municipalities, that has been the site of many accidents. Residents have been lobbying to have the road sealed for years, and Melton council committed to beginning construction on the project at the beginning of this year, even preparing the construction site. But due to planning delays, construction on the project is now due to commence in late 2022, according to council officers. During the coucnil meeting, officers confirmed while the initial planning stage included road surveying, vegetation assessment, geotechnical assessment and civil

design, it did not include flood modeling which had caused the delay. Despite questioning from resident Michelle Spiteri, who is a member of the Troups Road South Action Group, and councillor Steve Abboushi, officers could not confirm whether the project would be completed within the 2022-23 financial year. Council’s acting corporate services general manager Luke Shannon said the council was doing everything it possibly could to get the project under way. “I can’t give you the absolute detailed construction dates at this point, but rest

Greyhounds in need of caring homes A national animal rescue organisation has made a plea to residents in Melbourne’s west, as the number of greyhound dogs in need of a home continues to increase. Gumtree Greys rescue and rehome greyhounds across the country, in order to save many from the hostile racing environment. The organisation has previously seen many residents in the western suburbs foster or adopt greyhounds, but claim this base of helpers has dropped off since COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. Gumtree Greys director Fiona Milne said there was a serious shortage in greyhound foster carers and adopters.

Hands-on start for students Sunshine Hospital will be among the first 30 hospitals and health care services to benefit from a new state government program providing nursing and midwifery students with hands-on and practical experience. The $59 million program will create 1125 registered undergraduate student nurse positions per year for two years, while a further $9.8 million will be invested by the government to create 75 registered undergraduate student midwife positions. The positions will be filed by registered second and third year nursing and midwifery students. Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas announced Sunshine Hospital as one of the first 30 hospitals and health care services to welcome the students. Working under the supervision of a registered nurse or midwife, students will help with showering, feeding and transferring patients. Over time, they take on more complex tasks, such as monitoring vital signs, testing blood glucose levels and dressing minor wounds. Midwifery students are given additional opportunities to help on maternity wards and under the supervision of experienced midwives, deliver care and support to new mums and their babies. The government said the program would provide support to the existing nursing workforce as it faces record demand due to a challenging flu season, the emergence of new COVID variants causing a rise in hospitalisations and an increasing number of unwell healthcare workers. “Healthcare systems across Australia are under pressure – providing more opportunities for student nurses to enter the workforce and while they get on-the-job training is just one way we’re relieving pressure on the system,” Ms Thomas said.

‘‘

There’s also the joy of watching an ex-racing greyhound relax and realise it’s safe and loved

’’

- Fiona Milne

“We desperately need volunteer foster carers from the western suburbs. While the lock downs saw a huge number of greyhounds adopted, there has now been a slow down,” she said. The organisation has placed particular emphasis on the need for temporary foster carers. “Without foster carers, dogs are often unable to be rescued from their current situation in racing kennels,” Ms Milne said. “This can mean the difference between life and death, particularly if a trainer is not prepared to wait for a home to become available.” Gumtree Greys pays for all reasonable vet costs while a dog lives with foster carers, who pay for food and provide inside accommodation for the greyhound. “Fostering is a great opportunity for people who love dogs, but don’t want the responsibility of one permanently, to enjoy having one for a few months,” Ms Milne said. “There’s also the joy of watching an ex-racing greyhound relax and realise it’s safe and loved.” Details: https://www.gumtreegreys.com. au/foster/

assured we’re doing everything we can to get that project mobilised,” Mr Shannon said. Council officers also addressed resident questions on the grading of the unsealed road, which was previously graded weekly but is now being maintained monthly. Acting planning and development general manager Sam Romaszko said the road was still being inspected weekly. “If the road is inspected and found to be unsafe, then additional grading will be undertaken accordingly,” Ms Romaszko said. Council officers did not provide any further detail on when construction would commence.

Gumtree Greys director Fiona Milne with a rescue greyhound. (Supplied)

‘Painless commute’: Mount Mary Road to cut travel time Construction on a key road connecting the Melton and Wyndham municipalities has begun, providing improved ease of travel for residents in rapidly growing suburbs. Mount Mary Road will connect residents living in Eynesbury estate to Wyndham, with the aim to reduce commuter travel time, saving motorists travelling from Eynesbury to Werribee 25 minutes by connecting to Ballan Road. The existing Mount Mary Road is an “unmade road” which is accessible via gates 6 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

at both ends, and is used by the adjoining landowners and the CFA. Melton mayor Goran Kesic said the new road would help residents to get to where they need to be faster. “It’ll be much, much faster, so they can spend more time with their families rather than in the car,” Cr Kesic said. “It’ll be a really great thing … lots of kids that live here play basketball [in Wyndham] at least three times a week,” he said. Mount Mary Road is a $20 million project

funded by Eynesbury estate property developer Resimax Group. Melton and Wyndham councils approved the project in May 2021. Resimax chief executive Steve Hooker said the new road would benefit residents of Eynesbury estate as well as those in the broader community. “When it’s completed, Mount Mary Road will bring a wide range of benefits to the local community,” he said. “The painless 25 minute commute will be great news for those who work

and go to school in Wyndham Vale or Werribee and will also be a positive for residents who have family and friends in the region or like to shop and socialise in nearby suburbs.” The new four-kilometre road is expected to be completed in mid-2023. “It’s been wonderful to see two local governments band together to help connect their communities and ease traffic congestion in the area,” Mr Hooker said. Olivia Condous

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Motorbike impounded A Caroline Springs man had his motorbike impounded after allegedly being caught speeding in Plumpton. Police said the man came to the attention of officers on the Melton Highway after his CBR250 motorbike was detected travelling at 147km/h. The 25-year-old holds a learner’s motorcycle permit, according to police. His bike was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1305 and will be summoned to face court at a later date.

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Free show entry for kids Kids under the age of 14 will receive free entry into the Royal Melbourne Show, the state government has announced. The show will return for the first time in two years from Thursday September 22. Details: royalshow.com. au.

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School zone fines The new mural artwork on the windows of Melton Waves.

(Damjan Janevski) 290783_02

Colourful pool privacy

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Visitors to the Melton Waves pool will be greeted by more colour with new mural artwork across the windows, designed to provide privacy from the outside world for those using the facility. The window art was installed by Melton council after feedback from the community said that a perceived lack of privacy prevented some people from enjoying the pool. The mural provides window frosting that allows pool users to look outside, while being screened from those passing by. Mayor Goran Kesic said the Melton Waves Inclusion Project aimed to welcome people

from diverse backgrounds while providing a privacy screen between pool users and pedestrians or road traffic. “We wanted to provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds to swim in a safe, inclusive and friendly environment,“ he said. “Facilities like this enrich the lives of our residents, improve health and wellbeing, and help make our city a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.” For more information about programs offered by Melton Waves, visit: meltonwaves. com.au Olivia Condous

Twenty-eight people were issued with parking-related infringements following a blitz on offences in school zones during drop off and pick up times. Police targeted Melton South and Brookfield during the July 18 operation, following community complaints. Over one hour, 28 infringements were issued along with five vehicle defects in Exford Road, Wilson Road and Brooklyn Road.

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Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 7

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STEVIE, MONTANA, ZALI, MACI AND FYNN

PJ party The kids at Aussie Kindies Bacchus Marsh were warm and cosy last week, with the child care cente hosting a special pyjama week, Star Weekly photographer Joe Mastroianni visited the child care centre on Wednesday, July 27 to capture these pictures.

KENZIE

FYNN

STEVIE AND TEGAN

The staff got into the spirit of the week. (Pictures: Joe ZALI 8 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

Mastroianni) 291244

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Mel goes the extra mile Social worker Mel Walters loves making a difference for clients every day. Not only does the Ravenhall Bolton Clarke employee help avert family crisis, but she also helps people access secure housing, travels up to 300 kilometres a day to make visits and helps people navigate the aged care system. Speaking ahead of Aged Care Employee Day on August 7, Mel said the satisfaction of helping people access services and get back on their feet is all in a day’s work. “I often liaise with clients who have no family who can help them, so I assist them to gain the additional supports they need,” she said. “I’ve been a social worker for over 40 years in a community setting and I love the variety, the privilege of hearing peoples’ stories and working with them to put in place preventative methods based on their preferences. “Social workers are there to work with people – everyone is equal and entitled to respect and care.” Mel’s duties include helping people make decisions about future care planning so their wishes are understood if their needs change. “I also help make informed choices about their accommodation, elder abuse, family conflict, deal with risk management surrounding the clients’ safety at home and develop networks to find creative solutions to peoples’ issues identified at the time,” she said. To keep clients safe and connected, Mel continued with phone consultations during COVID-19 restrictions. “I also linked people into projects in the west like a telephone chat program,“ she said. She said helping people with social issues, like adequate housing, supports their overall health and wellbeing. “I had a gentleman who was living in a community housing complex which had security risks for him, and he had undergone

Mel Walters.

Supporting a sports career Victorian women in sport will have the opportunity to hone and develop their skills through the state government’s new Change Our Game Professional Development Scholarships Program. Community Sport Minister Ros Spence announced applications for the program opened on Monday, July 25 and close on August 22. “This new program will support women’s careers in sport and recreation, from clarifying their goals and building their skills, to empowering them with the confidence to prosper in leadership positions,” Ms Spence said. “We’re creating more pathways and facilities for women and girls to get involved in sport on and off the field.” The program provides grants of $5000 and $10,000 for professional development for women working in the support and recreation sectors, to help them get into and flourish in leadership roles. In addition, applicants can receive personal career coaching to help map career paths and identify the skills they might need to land bigger roles. In a statement, the government said successful applicants would also have the chance to attend the world conference of the International Working Group on Women and Sport to be held in November this year. “The group is the world’s largest network dedicated to advancing gender equity and equality in sport, physical education and physical activity,” the government said. Details: changeourgame.vic.gov.au.

(Supplied)

chemotherapy and treatment for cancer,” she said. “He was completely alone in the world and we worked with him to relocate to a more secure form of shared accommodation which met his needs. Within three months he went into remission and his wellbeing was greatly improved.” Mel has worked at Bolton Clarke for three

NEWS

years, supporting clients in the west including Melton, Werribee and Altona Meadows. “What do I love about the westies? The diversity,” she said. “We have lots of cultural groups and immigrants and mostly clients haven’t been into contact with services before. You are really making a difference.”

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

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

From 8pm 13 August to 23 August

Sunshine to Sunbury

8.30pm to last train, 31 August

North Melbourne to Sunbury

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

Until October

Between Horne St and Evans St

Sunbury Rd, Sunbury

At times, in August

Between Powlett St and Bulla Diggers Rest Rd

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne 12518321-AV43-21

1855

Check before you travel at bigbuild.vic.gov.au/sunburyworks

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SECTION STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

2 August 2022

STAY INFORMED

Mayor’s message Cr Goran Kesic I’m pleased to tell you that we’ve met some exciting project milestones this month! Firstly, the MacPherson Park Recreation Reserve car park is finished. The car park is part of Stage 2 of the park’s major redevelopment and will service the brand new purpose-built soccer pavilion which we opened in May. Meanwhile, the foundations for our new community and sporting pavilion at Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve are almost complete. I was delighted to present new City of Melton Youth Awards last week to two of our inspiring young locals. They join an esteemed list of young people aged between 12 and 25 who have made significant contributions to our community. Speaking of inspiring local residents, don’t forget to nominate someone you know for our annual Community Achievement Awards. Nominations close 31 August and it’s our opportunity to recognise and celebrate the fantastic people who volunteer and serve our community and make the City of Melton such a great place to live. Our Fix Our Roads campaign is gaining momentum and I want to thank everyone who’s shared their experiences using our roads. Your stories are important to us and help support our campaign which calls on the State and Federal governments to invest in six key roads to improve safety and ease congestion. Tell us your stories at fixourroads.com.au/ yourstory Please feel free to contact me on 0437 241 436 or goran.kesic@melton.vic.gov.au regarding any Council issues.

Quickly and easily connect with us online: melton.vic.gov.au facebook.com/cityofmelton Instagram @cityofmeltonofficial

Have your say on local park and town projects Community consultation is currently underway for some exciting local projects in your area that are set to include new sporting ovals, courts and more, as well as playspace upgrades, picnic facilities and path networks. We’re inviting your feedback on: • Melton Town Centre Revitalisation

• Sovereign Boulevard Reserve Playspace, Melton West

• Navan Park upgrade, Harkness • Toolern Creek Regional Park Get involved at conversations.melton.vic.gov.au

Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve works in full swing Digging hasn’t stopped at the new Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve Pavilion. Nearly 400 screw piles have been sunk up to three metres deep to support the north and south section foundations, which will soon be finished in August. Oval 2’s sub-base layer is complete and the contractors are laying the pipe and pits for oval drainage, while the cricket practice site is cleared and ready for nets. For updates visit melton.vic.gov. au/diggersrestpavilion

Community Achievement Awards

The car park at MacPherson Park Recreation Reserve is finished!

Our Community Achievement Awards close 5pm on 31 August.

The sealed car park will service the brand new, purpose-built soccer pavilion that was opened earlier this year, and includes lighting, landscaping, a pedestrian crossing and upgrades to access roads.

Nominate someone you know for: Citizen of the Year; Gender Equity Leader of the Year; Young Citizen of the Year; Disability Access and Inclusion Leader of the Year, and; Intercultural Engagement Leader of the Year.

Find out more at melton.vic.gov.au/ macphersonpark

• Bridge Road Active Open Space Stage 2 Masterplan

• McDonald Street Reserve Playspace, Melton South

MacPherson Park’s new car park

Nominate today: melton.vic.gov.au/ CommunityAchievementAwards

Watts Ward with Cr Moira Deeming Local roads, sportsgrounds, parks, and trees are set to be maintained to new standards under contracts recently awarded by Council. Following many questions from residents regarding maintenance of community assets, I’m pleased to advise Council entered into four separate contracts this financial year, to provide more tailored and effective service provision across the City. This includes year-round maintenance of sportsgrounds, parks, trees, and roads, while also creating local jobs for local people. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to support Council’s Fix Our Roads community campaign, with over 2,500 people already signing our online petition. We continue to advocate for upgrades to our major arterial roads, including upgrading Western Highway and duplicating Melton Highway, so you can get to and from work safer,

and spend more time with family and not stuck on gridlocked roads. You can find out more and sign the petition at fixourroads.com.au Finally, nominations for the 2022 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards are now open. These prestigious awards are a great opportunity for businesses to showcase their strengths and celebrate what sets them apart from others. Nominations close Wednesday 7 September. Winners will be announced at a special event at Russo Estate Winery, Diggers Rest, on Friday 25 November. To nominate or find out more, visit melton.vic.gov.au/mbea Feel free to contact me about Watts Ward or Council issues on 0499 801 198 or email at: moira.deeming@melton.vic.gov.au or visit my Facebook page at: facebook.com/crmoiradeeming

Your Councillors – Visit melton.vic.gov.au/councillors to find your ward Councillors and their contact details

Mayor Cr Goran Kesic

Deputy Mayor Cr Lara Carli

Cr Steve Abboushi

Cr Moira Deeming

Cr Kathy Majdlik

Cr Sophie Ramsey

Cr Julie Shannon

Cr Bob Turner

Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg

A vibrant, safe and liveable City accessible to all 12556196-AV31-22

10 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

NEWS

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

Mental health workforce boost A new partnership between Victoria University (VU) and Orygen, Australia’s centre of excellence in youth mental health is aimed at boosting youth mental health workforce capacity, and ultimately improving mental health outcomes in Melbourne’s north-west. The partnership will build the region’s mental health workforce capacity through education and training opportunities for VU students, and focus on collaborative research efforts to address challenges in Australia’s youth mental health sector. The partnership delivers on

recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system, which called for enhancing workforce capabilities and professional development and the translation of research into practice. As part of the agreement, more than 50 work experience placements will be available for VU’s psychology, nursing, and social work students in the partnership’s first year, increasing to about 100 students per year during the five-year agreement. From 2018 to 2021, almost 3000 students graduated from Victoria University and VU

deep alliance connected to our curriculum and the communities we serve.” Almost two-in-five young people (39.6 per cent) aged 16–24 years experienced mental ill-health in the past 12 months, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on July 22. This rate for young people has nearly doubled since 2007, and is now nearly twice the rate of the general population, making it more critical than ever to support and grow a diverse, multidisciplinary mental health and wellbeing workforce.

Polytechnic in the areas of psychology, nursing, social and youth work, the university said. Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said the university was delighted to be collaborating with Orygen in this vital area. “Together we will provide unique opportunities for VU students and staff in education, placements, and research, developing synergies that would not otherwise be possible,” Professor Shoemaker said. “Most importantly, we will be serving the people of the north-west of Melbourne in a far deeper way. This isn’t just a partnership – it is a

Free food for the soul Bacchus Marsh volunteers are working to support families and those needing a bit of extra help during a tough time, free of charge. The Soul Food Program is running at the Uniting Church for the 13th year, providing a free community meal and a supportive, welcoming atmosphere each Wednesday. The program is run by a small group of dedicated volunteers, supported by Combined Churches of Bacchus Marsh and Uniting Church and working in conjunction with other support networks such as Child and Family Services, St Vincent de Paul and Neighbour’s Place. Soul Food Program Incorporated co-ordinator Jenny Kearney said the program provided much more than just food. “This much needed program not only provides practical assistance through our two course meal, but we also provide a respectful and friendly place for our guests to interact socially and share our community meal

together,“ she said. The program receives support from multiple sponsors and community groups. “Without our sponsors, Soul Food Program Inc would not be able to provide our meal free of charge, so we are very grateful for their continued generous support,” Ms Kearney said. The Soul Food Program offers donated bread, fruit, vegetables and cakes, as well as clothing, bedding and household items for those who need assistance, all for free. Last year, the program provided about 4500 meals and this year is set to exceed that tally. For more information, contact Jenny on 0408 104 155. Olivia Condous

Soul Food Program volunteers Jan, Jan, Veronica and Leonie serving up. (Supplied)

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Pricing under the pump

Pricing under the pump By Benjamin Millar

Melton’s petrol prices are coming under greater scrutiny with a local MP vowing to help take action to bring prices in line with neighbouring areas. Melton MP Steve McGhie said the area’s families are being unfairly hit with higher prices than people in neighbouring suburbs, often paying more than 20 cents per litre extra at the pump and spending at least $10 more every time they fill up. “I have had many constituents raise concerns regarding the prices of petrol in Melton being noticeably higher than in other areas,” Mr McGhie said. “I am deeply concerned that families in Melton are paying more than they should be.”

By Benjamin Millar Melton’s petrol prices are coming under greater scrutiny with a local MP vowing to help take action to bring prices in line with neighbouring areas. Melton MP Steve McGhie said the area’s families are being unfairly hit with higher prices than people in neighbouring suburbs, often paying more than 20 cents per litre extra at the pump and spending at least $10 more every time they fill up.

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strongly encourage residents to complain to the ACCC - Steve McGhie

Fuel prices at Melton petrol stations last week. (Damjan Janevski) 226880_01

He said while there are currently about 1400 BP branded sites across Australia, about three quarters are owned by independent business partners who set their own retail pricing. “When it comes to retail fuel pricing, our aim is to be competitive and attract customers to our sites,” he said. “Generally speaking, the price at the pump is impacted by a number of different factors. In particular, international product prices and competition between service stations in a local

area. There are also other factors including exchange rates, taxes and local operating costs.” On Monday, unleaded 91 pump prices at Melton’s BP, Coles Express and 7/11 Mobil were all at 155.9 cents per litre, according to price comparison website Petrol Spy, with Woolworths Caltex at 168.9. Meanwhile Bacchus Marsh BP, Coles Express and 7/11 Mobil prices were 129.9 cents per litre – 26 cents less per litre – and independent outlets were just 119.9 cents per litre.

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Melton’s Andre Peters said the lack of independent competition makes it easier for the major fuel companies to keep prices inflated well above those in neighbouring suburbs. “Sadly there is no competition in Melton as there are no independents,” he said. “Generally we pay at least 20 cents a litre more at times in Melton.” A BP spokesman said petrol prices at the pump can be impacted by a number of different factors.

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Mr McGhie said he has taken the issue up with the Consumer Affairs Minister Melissa Horne and will be contacting federal Gorton MP Brendan O’Connor to discuss this issue soon, as fuel prices are regulated by the federal government. “In the interim I strongly encourage residents to complain to the ACCC [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]” he said. The ACCC’s latest petrol monitoring report showed that average petrol prices rose in the 2020 September quarter after a record low earlier in the year. Although the ACCC does not set fuel prices, it does monitor retail fuel prices on a daily basis. A spokesperson said it has the power to investigate where it sees issues of concern. “Where we find sufficient evidence we will take action to protect consumers against misleading and anti-competitive conduct by fuel retailers.” Mr McGhie’s promise to take action was widely welcomed on social media, where some residents said they had seen price differences of up to 50 cents per litre between Melton and Watergardens.

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BEHIND THE NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

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 easy to Ellie O’Neill. While the author 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.

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

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- 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’ 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. 12 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

“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.”

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Melbourne United on their way By Tara Murray Brimbank basketball fans will have the chance to see some of Australia’s best players up close and personal, with Melbourne United bringing their pre-season to Keilor. United will face American college team St Mary’s Gael’s in an exhibition match on August 9 at Keilor Basketball Stadium. While keen to get back on the court ahead of the season, the pre-season match will mean more to one player than the others. United development player Zac Triplett grew up playing basketball at Keilor and is part of the club’s National Basketball League 1 South team. Triplett is looking forward to the opportunity to take to his home court. “It’s pretty special to play in front of my home crowd,” he said. “It’s great for the community as this side of town doesn’t get to experience games like this. “It’s big for the association. Having grown up at Keilor, I’m assuming I’ll see a fair few people I know in the crowd.” Keilor Basketball Association general manager Paul Rovis said hosting this game was a massive opportunity for the association. “To have the privilege of hosting two internationally recognised teams at Keilor, says a lot about what we believe we’re building,” he said. “We have strong pathways from junior rep to NBL1 that has seen the KBA establish itself as a destination association that has thrived, even coming out of COVID. “We’re excited to be a part of the spectacle we’re certain these two teams will put on and can’t wait to have a full-house at Keilor Basketball Stadium.” The match is set to be one of Triplett’s first after returning from injury. He had surgery on his wrist after injuring it playing for the Keilor

Zac Triplett (Getty Images/Melbourne United)

Thunder earlier this year. Triplett said he was back training with Melbourne United, and hoped to start contact work next week. He’s hoping to play a couple of games for the Thunder before the season is out. “I got a few bolts in my wrist,” he said. “It’s seven-eight weeks post op now. “I’m just working with United and hopefully I’ll play with Keilor next [this] weekend.” Triplett said it had been disappointing that he hadn’t been able to have more of an impact on court for the Thunder in their first season in the NBL1 competition.

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He said though he’s still been able to take a lot of out it. “Things didn’t go to plan and there’s not much I can do about that,” he said. “I’ve been there most games and training. “I’ve been trying to have my say on things and telling the coaches what I’m seeing out there. “I’m learning a lot from the older guys and the coaches. It’s [the injury] been a good and bad thing.” After playing sparse minutes in his first NBL season, Triplett is keen to step up even further with United.

United was the minor premier before being knocked out in the semi finals. Triplett said with a different group, more opportunities could arise for him. “I need to stay ready to go out on the floor,” he said. “I want to showcase my talents and we as a group want to win a championship, that is the goal. “We’ve got different guys coming in and there will be different opportunities. My role is to keep working and earning my spot in the team.”

and sports balls that float

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Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 13

NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

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

20 years ago

15 years ago

10 years ago

July 29, 1992

July 30, 2002

July 31, 2007

July 31, 2012

A public meeting called by Melton Council in the Rockbank hall tomorrow is expected to be well attended by residents and could be a stormy affair.

The Melton to Bacchus Marsh section of the Western Highway has been ignored in VicRoads’ projected arterial funding for the next five years.

Donations from the community have been offered for Louis Chaffat after the Express Telegraph reported last week that the welder was waiting for funding from the State Government to replace his wheelchair.

Spice of life: Indian migrants make a colourful impact.

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30 years ago

14 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

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

Melton Men’s Group Melton Men’s Group meets every Thursday from 5-8pm at The Gap on Graham, 5 Graham Street, Melton. Focusing on Senior Men’s mental and physical wellbeing. The group invites new members to come for a cuppa and a chat, listen to guest speakers and participate in our activities including; carpet bowls, pool or table tennis. ■ https://meltonmensgroup.home.blog/

Melton Over 50s Social Group A friendly group of people aged over 50, who enjoy each other’s company while attending events and outings such as dinners, shows, dancing, cinemas and more. If you live in the Melton area and would like to meet new friends, in a welcoming group environment, this is for you. ■ Marlene, 0498 329 290

Bacchus Marsh Market Bacchus Marsh rejoice! There will be a monthly market at the gorgeous location of Maddingley Park. On the second Saturday of every month there will be a lovely variety of stallholders and food trucks. Bring a picnic blanket and invite your friends and family for a lovely market day out.

This week’s picture of the week is of Alvin De Castro, a dance teacher who created choreography for major artists’ music videos. (Damjan Janevski) 291839

Take weight off naturally Struggling to lose weight? Struggling to get motivated? Want to try and do it in a friendly and less stressful atmosphere? Come and join TOWN (Take Weight Off Naturally) every Tuesday at 6pm at the Darlingsford Barn, Darlingsford Boulevard, Melton. ■ Catherine, 0416 612 517, or Bob, 0411 824 739

Parkinson’s support group The Melton Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the second Thursday of the month 10.30am–12.30pm at Kurunjang Community Centre, 33-35 Mowbray Crescent, Kurunjang. New members and carers welcome. ■ Helen, 0409 186 576

Eynesbury Market A community market next to the iconic Eynesbury Homestead. The market is on the fourth Sunday of the month. It features a great range of food trucks, artisans, makers and more.

Melton Friendship Group. Join the Melton Friendship Group for singles 55 and older. Meet fortnightly for coffee and chat nights and organised affordable outings and events. ■ 0406 493 734

Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club The Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club meets at 10am on the second Tuesday of each month at the Melton Country Club. The group is open to everyone, new and old members, to get together and discover the social aspects of the group. ■ Ann, 0425 705 150

Sewing classes Beginners Sewing courses return to Melton South Community Centre in term three, available on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons. Learn all the basics of machine sewing in this eight-week pre-accredited course and make your own fabric creations. Cost: $30/$20 concession. ■ 9747 8576

Boomerang Bags Bacchus Marsh Boomerang Bags Bacchus Marsh makes reusable shopping bags from rescued fabric. They’re looking for people to cut, sew, iron and market our bags. Meets on the first Sunday each month at the Darley Neighbourhood House 2-4pm. Find the Facebook group for more details.

Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support other women. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton. ■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420 U3A Melton offers among its activities a Book Group, Australian History and a gentle exercise class for those 55 and over who are retired or semi-retired who wish to stay mentally and physically active. ■ 0419 563 016

Melton Combined Probus Club Melton Bridge Club The Melton Bridge Club has recommenced weekly social Bridge sessions at the Melton Library on Fridays from 10am-noon. Come along to play an exciting, social card game and have loads of fun. Bridge offers the suspense of poker, the cerebral qualities of chess and the excitement of athletic sports, all in a relaxed and social setting. If you like playing cards this is for you. ■ Rosemary, 0407 894 817

Melton Cycling club meets for regular Sunday rides. There are three different riding groups to cater for different abilities starting at 7.30am. The rides finish at Lazy Moe’s for a cuppa. ■ 0403 057 003

French and Italian for over 50s Over 50, retired, or semi-retired and wanting to learn a language? U3A Melton offers French and Italian classes for beginners and those with more advanced skills. ■ www.u3amelton.com or 0419 563 016

Community singing group If you love to sing, come join the Melton Singers. The group rehearses regularly and also performs at aged care facilities. The group is very relaxed and sings songs mainly from the 60’s and 70’s. It meets Tuesdays at 10am. ■ Val, 0418 667 150

Rotary Club of Melton The Rotary Club of Melton invites new guests to join its meetings, held on the first and third Tuesday of every month, 6pm at Tabcorp Park in Melton. ■ meltonrotary@gmail.com

Deer Park Lions Club U3A Melton

The Melton Probus Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Melton Dart Club, 63a Reserve Road, from 9.45am. ■ 9746 0271

Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park The Rose Carers meet Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh, to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always welcome – with or without experience.

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

Melton Cycling Club

Zonta club meets

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

■ Elaine Greenhall, 0418 171 119, or 0400 052 857

Deer Park Lions Club is looking for new members. It meets at Deer Park Senior Citizens, 119 Station Road, Deer Park. ■ Michael, 0417 307 572

Sunshine Community Brass 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

Seniors citizens meet 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

DJ workshop in Woodend If you’re between 12 and 17 years old, head down to the Woodend Youth Space to learn how to mix together your favourite tracks in a DJ workshop. Beginners are welcome to the event on Wednesday, August 10, 4pm-5.30pm. It’s free and taking place at 47 Forest Street, Woodend.

Reptile encounters Sunbury Head to Sunbury Library on Saturday, August 13 for a free reptile show by Reptile Encounters. It’s for kids aged zero to 12 and runs from 10.30am until noon. Register at the link below. ■ https://bit.ly/3B5e845

Jacksons Creek Combined Probus Visit or become a new member of the Jackson’s Creek Combined Probus Club, gathering on the second Monday of each month at the Sunbury Football Club at 10am. Enjoy outings and meetings each month with a friendly group of men and women, and twice yearly trips away staying in cabins and caravans. ■ Doug, 5428 3317, or Teresa, 9746 3402

Chatty cafe Woodend Each month, the Woodend Neighbourhood House invites you along to enjoy a cup of tea and a good talk. Everyone is welcome and no bookings are required. The next event is on Tuesday, August 9, from 10.30am until noon.

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

The Sunbury Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at the Sunbury Bowling Club from 7pm. ■ sunburyrotary@gmail.com Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 15

PUZZLES

hard

4 1 8 2

3 5 8

8 2

10 11 12 13

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

W S

3 4

B N R U Y L Z HQO TWS 20

4 9 6 3 5 1 2 7 8

9 4 6 5 7 3 8 1 2

1 5 3 8 2 6 9 7 4

2 7 8 1 4 9 6 5 3

4 9 5 6 8 1 3 2 7

Today’s Aim: 17 words: Good 25 words: Very good

3 8 7 2 9 5 1 4 6

8 6 4 9 1 2 7 3 5 3 1 2 4 9 7 6 5 8

5 3 1 4 6 7 2 9 8

7 2 9 3 5 8 4 6 1

4 6 5 8 1 2 9 7 3

1 9 3 2 4 8 7 6 5

8 2 6 5 7 9 4 3 1

V D

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1 2 7 9 4 8 3 6 5

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9 7 4 5 1 2 8 3 6

2 8 1 7 3 6 4 5 9

5 6 3 4 8 9 7 2 1

5 7 4 1 6 3 8 2 9

2 3 9 7 8 4 5 1 6

7 5 8 6 2 1 3 9 4

6 4 1 9 3 5 2 8 7

No. 092

QUICK QUIZ

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

NOTE: more than one solution may be possible

E R F

H E R M

16 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

R E S H U N C E C T A L

F O O

7 LETTERS DESCENT LIGHTLY OBTAINS OUTLAID PENSIVE PIRANHA

SPECK STOLE STRAW STYLE TREAD URGES VISED YARDS YOUTH

8 LETTERS DELICATE POLLSTER RESIDUAL STROLLED

6 LETTERS ENTREE ESKIES LESSER REEFED

05-08-22

FALSE FARES GRASS GROSS GUILE HAIRS LEDGE LOOSE LUPIN MALTS MANGE METRO NORTH RESTS ROBOT RODEO RUINS SHEDS SHOOS SIREN SLEET

advert, aver, averred, avert, averted, devote, dove, drove, drover, evade, ever, ovate, over, overate, overeat, overrate, OVERRATED, overt, OVERTRADE, rave, raved, raver, reave, revert, roved, rover, trove, trover, veer, veto, vetoed, vote, voted, voter

6 1 2 7 3 4 5 8 9

9 8 7 3 5 6 1 4 2

5 LETTERS ADORE ALLOW APTLY AREN’T ARMED AROSE AURAS AVERT BASTE BLAZE CHOPS CIRCA CRUDE DEATH DENTS EAVES ELECT EPOCH ERECT ETHOS

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”.

E U

9-LETTER WORD

34 words: Excellent

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

medium

easy

3 1 9 6

2 8

hard

5x5

6 6 5 7

XMV E G I F J K A P D C

8 7

5 6

In the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin, what does the king ask the miller's daughter to turn into gold? Which character did Dick Van Dyke play in the 1964 film Mary Poppins? Cognac is a variety of what alcoholic spirit? In which year was the first trial by jury held in Australia: 1824, 1860 or 1901? Ailurophobia is a fear of what domesticated animal? The ruins of the third-century Roman city Volubilis lie in what country?

Which of the following is not a mythical bird: phoenix, roc, roadrunner or simurgh? 8 Who voiced the adult Mary Daisy Dinkle (pictured) in the 2009 film Mary and Max? 9 In which European country is the Gotthard Road Tunnel, one of the longest road tunnels in the world? 10 On which Australian island is Blinky Beach, Ball's Pyramid and Transit Hill? 7

ANSWERS: 1. Straw 2. Bert 3. Brandy 4. 1824 5. Cat 6. Morocco 7. Roadrunner (also known as a chaparral cock) 8. Toni Colette 9. Switzerland 10. Lord Howe Island

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No. 092

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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

$ 9 ( 5 7

No. 092

0 $ / 7 6

SUDOKU

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

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JAf £ fn¹Ǥ

Illustrations light up library

(Supplied)

An exhibition by one celebrated childre of Australia’s most n’s lighting up Melton book authors is library. Never be late for a a striking series of Parade includes book illustrations by award-winning author and illustra tor Shaun Tan (inset). Featuring a collect ion of illustrations from Tan’s best-kn own including The Arrival picture books , The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, Rules Singing Bones, Cicada of Summer, The and Tales from the Inner City, the showcase celebra tes Tan’s unique approa ch As well as being an to storytelling. acclaimed writer and internationally illustrator, Tan has branched out into theatre design and concept art for ﬁlms Horton Hears a Who and Pixar’s WALL-E . He directed the Academ y Award-winning short based on his winning ﬁlm The Lost Thing, picture book of the same name. Never be late for a Parade is showing at Melton Library and Learning Hub until March 7.

Nursing boss ba nned

Benjamin Millar

By Benjamin Millar

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The Victorian Civil and Administrativ The director of nursing e The allegations at Djerriwarrh Health Tribunal last week returned a Service during a included inadequ ruling disqualified Ms cluster of perinat ate formal reviews Meek from applyin that education and training al deaths registra at Bacchus Marsh of overall clinica l practic for nursing and g for midwifery tion for a period of Hospital has been perinatal deaths as e and staff and that 10 years. banned from working as they occurred. The ruling been aware of deficien Ms Meek should have a nurse or midwif Ms Meek ceased workin e for a of former follows last year’s disqualification decade. cies in midwifery skills. g at DjHS in 2015 maternity “She failed and surrendered The Nursing and her Little for a 10-year services manager Mary the deficien to take adequate steps to ensure Midwif and midwife in 2016. registration as a nurse cies period ery were identified and Board of during for her failures Austra lia sought a remedied,” the same period. 10-year ban for Julia the tribunal found. Djerriwarrh Health Meek in the wake of reports Services chief executi A 2015 review by identify ing “catastr Presiding VCAT membe professor Euan Wallac ve ophic” identified failings behind a r Wendy Boddison Belinda Scott said while she was e and series of “avoidable” “catastrophic and unable to comment deaths systemic and other adverse unprecedented Hallymembers Pamela Barry and Bernad patient outcomes ette Djerriwarrh on individual practitioners, also found Ms Meek at DjHS obstetric governance failings” with the from 2013 to 2015. has implemented failed to ensure shift by shift presenc services at DjHS during e of a midwife compet the change” across the health service “profound External reviews identifi the period. Ms Meek, 63, faced in foetal surveil ent since 2015. ed that the perinatal “It has robust clinica allegations in the tribuna lance monitoring mortality rate was that she had failed l govern l in birthin ance significantly higher the process g suite. systematic trainin to take adequate the state average and than deliver effectiv g, continued profess es, The tribuna much higher than e systems and process steps to ional be expected for a low would in her role es at DjHS for ensurin l found there was no clear criteria development and strong leaders as director of nursing risk unit. hip that ensures Djerriwarrh g only maternity , which she had the cases suitable held since 2005. is a safe, level of the capacit y of DjHS were accepte to fully-functioning health service secure and There was also found to be inadeq d. of Bacchus Marsh, Melton for the people and Caroline uate Springs,” she said.

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SPORTS QUIZ 1. AFLW player Erin Phillips currently plays for which team?

5. How many Grand Slams has Naomi Osaka won to date?

2. What is Tour de France winner, Jonas Vingegaard’s nationality?

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Liz Cambage

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8. How old was Ian Thorpe when he won his first Olympic medal?

18. Which Australian sprinter recently pulled out of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games?

9. Who defeated Brazil 7-1 in the 2014 Mens soccer World Cup? 10. In which year did the first Commonwealth Games take place?

19. 1949 saw the introduction of what piece of safety equipment in the NFL?

11. What AFL team scored an after-the-siren victory against Essendon in round 19?

20. What racquet sport got its name from the name of the country estate of its creator, the Duke of Beaufort?

12. Eleanor Patterson won gold in which event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships? 13. What four English Premier League teams recently played friendly matches in Australia?

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22. Des Hasler last coached which NRL club?

23. What year did Australian golfer Jan Stephenson win the US Women’s Open?

28. Which Washington Nationals player won the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby?

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29. Kevin Proctor last played for which NRL club?

25. Australian professional soccer player Lydia Williams signed a contract with which French club in July 2022?

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Suzuki in need of an update By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring The Suzuki Vitara is a car crying out for an update. The design of the five-seat wagon dates way back to 2015, although there has been a minor facelift since then. The little car that could has been overtaken by cheaper and better equipped Chinese offerings from MG and Haval. Significant price increases haven’t helped its quest for the buyer dollar. When we tested this car in 2019, the auto kicked off from $24,490 – it’s now $28,490. The turbo was $29,990 – now $33,490. Suzuki risks pricing itself out of its own market segment.

Styling Although distinctive, the squarish, three-box design hasn’t changed much since 2015. There are three grades: Vitara, Vitara Turbo and Vitara Turbo Allgrip, priced from $26,490 or $30,490 driveaway. Metallic paint is an extra $500 and two-tone with a different coloured roof is another $1250. Vitara Turbo is $33,490 or $34,990 driveaway, while the all-wheel drive AllGrip -- is priced from $37,490 or $39,990 driveaway. The entry grade is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, while the turbo gets a punchier, 1.4-litre turbocharged unit that produces 20 percent more power and 40 percent more torque. The latter figure is the more significant. Our test vehicle was finished in Savannah Ivory with optional Cosmic Black Roof and comes with cloth trim, a leather-clad steering wheel and single zone climate control air. Standard kit includes keyless entry and start, tilt and reach adjust steering wheel, 17-inch alloys, rear view camera, LED DRLs, halogen headlights, cruise control, manual lights and wipers.

Infotainment The infotainment system is well laid out and easy to use. Features include a 7.0-inch touchscreen, with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AM/FM radio and four-speaker audio. Missing is DAB+ digital radio. Satellite navigation is built-in although it could do with speed camera warnings. There’s one USB and one 12-volt socket in the lower centre console, with another 12-volt socket in the luggage area.

AT A GLANCE

Engines / transmissions

MODEL RANGE

The 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine produces 86 kW at 6000 revs and 156 Nm of torque from 4400 revs and can be paired with either a five-speed manual or six-speed sequential automatic with paddle shifts – and drive to the front wheels. Outputs from the Turbo are 103 kW at 5500 rpm and 220 Nm at 1500 revs.

Vitara FWD: $26,490 (manual), $28,490 (automatic) Vitara Turbo FWD: $33,490 (automatic) Vitara Turbo AllGrip AWD: $37,490 (automatic) SPECIFICATIONS Suzuki Vitara 1.6-litre petrol five-door wagon

Interior Vitara is starting to show its age. Although it sits in the budget-buy category, the cabin and instrumentation looks and feels dated. The analogue clock between the air vents is a classy touch, but we’d swap it for a digital speedo. You do however get some other totally irrelevant information cycling through the trip computer, including graphs for power and torque. Rear legroom is okay thanks to scooped out seatbacks in front, but that’s not saying much. It’s still pretty tight and lacks air outlets, or really anything for back seat passengers. Cargo capacity with the rear seat in place is 375 litres, with a hidden area under the floor which in turn hides a space saver spare. Vitara is 4175mm long and in automatic form weighs in at 1180kg – 15kg more than the manual.

Safety Vitara has a five-star safety rating, seven airbags and a rear-view camera, but this rating dates back to 2015 which is really another era now. 20 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

Note: These prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Suzuki dealer for drive-away prices. Vitara has been overtaken by its Chinese competitors. (Pictures: Supplied)

It’s missing the latest advances in crash avoidance, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert. If you want them, you’ll have to shell out an extra $5000 for the turbo model. I don’t know about you, but I have a very low tolerance for car manufactures that reserve any safety features at all for their higher priced models. You can’t put a price on safety. Two Isofix and three tether style child seat anchor points are provided.

Driving Small engines aren’t necessarily bad, or even relatively low power output, depending on what they are being asked to push or pull. But the engine in this car doesn’t produce a helluva lot of torque, which is the stuff that gets you off the line quickly and up hills easily.

Performance isn’t too bad, but you will find yourself wishing you had paid the extra dosh for the turbocharged version the first time you encounter a big hill. Be that as it may, around town, day-to day performance is fine. The six-speed auto, however, sometimes feels like an old four-speed the way it carries on, changing down and roaring dramatically to life if you punch the accelerator. Also, and this has been well documented, reefing the transmission selector back for drive will see manual mode selected and the engine max out before you’ve figured out what is going on. It becomes tiresome. The car sits flat, feels taught and has a firmish ride, and can be driven enthusiastically with confidence. In fact, the suspension is excellent on backroads. Steering is sharp and accurate and the brakes are confident. But the Continental tyres are a

bit of a disappointment as they lack grip. Fuel consumption is excellent. Rated at 6.0 L/100km, we were getting 6.5 L/100km after 555 km. It takes standard 91 RON unleaded.

Summing up What you’re looking at here is no frills Japanese transport, but at $30,490, even if that is driveaway, it is far from competitive. Vitara is a practical, well-engineered little wagon (maybe even over-engineered going on the size of the manual) that uses hardly any fuel. But seven years down the track it needs to be more than that. Suzuki is unique in Australia in that Queensland has a different importer than the rest of the country. While specifications are identical the model names differ, s the base Vitara is called GL+, the Turbo is S-Turbo and the AWD Allgrip is AWD S-Turbo.

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Bensley to help Centrals find their winning form New Melton Centrals Kieran Bensley is hoping a bit more consistency will help the side get back on track in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association. After a winless season in division 4, Centrals are keen to get back on track and help build the confidence back up. The club announced the appointment of Bensley last week. “Kieran is a player who leads by example, his efforts on both training and game day speak for themselves and he thoroughly deserves the opportunity to lead our great club for the 2022-23 season and hopefully beyond,” the club’s social media post said. Bensley said he was excited to step up and coach the club. He has been through the ranks at the club and played in the first XI side last season.

Kieran Bensley

(Supplied)

“I’ve helped out the last couple of years as something new,” he said. “I was helping out with training and last year I was an assistant coach. They offered me the role and I decided to take it.” Bensley takes over the coaching role from

long term coach Adam Hulett, who will remain on as captain. Bensley said he would turn to Hulett during the season when needed. “Ads was my coach in under-12s,” he said. “I’ve known him since I was nine. “I’ve now played with him as well. He’ll still be around if I need anything, along with the other senior players. “Ads will remain captain and I’ll do the coaching and whatever needs to be done.” Centrals are expecting to be in division 5 this season, after the poor results of the previous season. Bensley said the biggest thing that will help them this season is some consistency in the playing group. “Hopefully we will be stronger this season and start the season with a bang,” he said.

Falcons through to final By Tara Murray City West Falcons coach Marg Lind has seen a lot of Victorian Netball League championship matches, but the Falcons semi final win against the Geelong Cougars on Wednesday night tops the cake. The Falcons trailed by 14 goals in the first half, before slowly working their way back into the game. They still trailed by eight goals at the last break, but the tide was slowly turning. The Falcons levelled the scores with the two teams going goal for goal in the dying minutes. Julia Woolley had the chance to win the game in the dying seconds, but missed and the game headed to extra time. The Falcons had the better of the extra 15 minutes, to get the 70-65 win and the first spot in the grand final. Falcons coach Marg Lind said it was an unbelievable match. “I’ve been in the VNL since the start and that’s the best game I’ve seen,” she said. “It was electrifying and up and down, then equal at full time. That is what sport is about.” Lind said the difference in the group after half time was that they started to believe that they could do it. She said the coaching group thought they might be headed for a big loss at the break, but the players had other ideas. “They wouldn’t lie down,” she said. “I said to Toddy [Jacinta Todd] that we have to be focused on being positive. There wasn’t a lot of technical talk at the break, it was the girls talking about it themselves and saying ``believe in ourselves and have a go.” A couple of positional changes also worked in the second half and paid off as the Falcons started to make their comeback. Mel Oloamanu came on in goalkeeper, while they made the decision to bench Jane Cook and bring in Uneeq Palvai in goal shooter. Both worked. “Jane was good early, but they weren’t releasing the ball to her,” Lind said. “She hadn’t shot enough goals for a holding shooter. Toddy said how about Uneeq as she’s a different type of player. “She can also shoot from range. We missed one goal in the second half. “They had quick shooters, so Mel was a great match up for them. “She sat off the body a bit and would go hunting for the ball and brought Zoe [Davies] into the game.” Lind was also pleased with the work of Lucia Fauonuku, who played the whole game at wing defence, with Soli Ropati missing through injury. With the game a physical one, players from both sides became tired with the Cougars starting to make changes which the Falcons capitalised on. For the Falcons, Maggie Lind and Montana

Young players through the hockey ranks Youth is driving Melton forward in the Hockey Victoria men’s Vic League 3 competition. The Mustangs sit in third position heading into the back end of the season, having had some good results against the teams above them. Mustangs winger Lachlan Vallance said they were sitting about where they expected to heading into the season. “It’s been pretty good, but we’ve been a little inconsistent,” he said. “We’ve started picking it up again. “We’ve got a pretty young side with a lot of young players coming up. We’re beating the lower sides and keeping up with the top sides.” “It’s about where we expected to be.” Vallance said the average age of the playing group was in their early 20s with several teenagers among the group. The likes of Reuben Micallef, Brody Lawrence and Levi Micallef haven’t looked out of place when they’ve got their opportunity. “We lost a few players at the end of last season,” he said. “We’ve looked to up and coming players to fill those spots. “They’re stepping up to a higher level and they’ve got the size and skills to be competitive. Steve Lawrence as a coach wants to play the younger players as much as possible so they can step up and take the reins in years to come.” “They’re doing everything right.” The Mustangs have a bye at the weekend. Vallance said while they were using this as a development year, they were still aiming to be in the mix come September. For Vallance a title at the Mustangs would be a dream come true having been involved for 17 years. “We want to win,” he said. “We want to compete with the top teams. “We drew with one of the top teams in the early rounds.” The Mustangs’ women’s Vic League 2 side had a 3-1 loss to MHSOB.

Lucia Fauonuku. (Robbab Photography)

Holmes started cramping late in the game. Marg Lind said once the side had hit the front late in the game, she thought they would win it even when Woolley had the shot to win the game. “We thought we weren’t going to lose, she said. “The players just took control.” Lind said the other factor in the game was the big Falcons crowd on the side lines. It was a big night for the Falcons with their under-19 team also winning through to the

“We had only a couple of consistent players playing last season with players in and out with family things and holidays and more travel. “Hopefully we’ll be a bit more consistent this year and hit back.” Bensley said all new players were welcome to join the club and they were hoping to add a couple of players to their first XI. He said the development of the younger guys coming through was also important. “We’ve got a few young kids in the lower grades, all through the grades,” he said. “We’re hoping to see them keep on improving themselves and pushing up. We want to see players wanting to play higher and pushing through the grades. Centrals’ pre-season will get underway during August. Tara Murray

grand final. The division 1 team was knocked out. The Falcons will have next week off, before the grand final on August 10. Lind said having got the win, it would free the side up and give them even more confidence. “It was enormous to have all teams in finals, and if we could get a result as in a championship or runners up, that’s a bonus. “If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. I’m proud of the club.”

Tara Murray

Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 21

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Hawks, Cats fighting for one spot The finals race remains alive in the Riddell District Football League with two rounds remaining. Woodend-Hesket and Macedon will fight for the fifth and final spot in finals. The Hawks have moved into the top five after a low scoring affair with the Melton Centrals on Saturday. Neither team was able to heavily impact the scoreboard all day, with the Hawks leading from start to finish to win 6.9 (45)-3.6 (24). The Hawks scored three goals to one in the second half, which proved to be the difference. It was all single goal kickers for the Hawks, with Frank Fazzolari, James Hicks and Miles Miranda named their best. For the Centrals, Kirk Fenton and Connor Charge were named their best. The win was the Hawks 34 points, with six wins and a draw. They moved two points clear of Macedon, which suffered a big loss to Wallan on Saturday. The Magpies, who have secured a top three spot, had it all their own way in the 23.11 (149)-4.1 (25) win with the Cats struggled for

numbers in recent weeks. Matthew Perri kicked nine goals in a best on ground performance for the Magpies. He now sits 11 goals clear of teammate Corey Grindlay in the league goal kicking award. For the Cats, Matthew Knox and Karl Staudt were named their best. The Cats have the bye this week, which will give them four important points in the run home. They then face a win less Western Rams in the final round of the season. The Hawks have a tougher run home and will need to be at their best if they’re to play finals for the first time in a number of years. They play Wallan this weekend, before hosting Romsey in the final round of the season. In other results at the weekend, Diggers Rest was too strong for the Western Rams with a 21.16 (142)-3.3 (21). The Burras led by 10 points at quarter time after not making the most of their scoring shots.

They were able to open the game up in the second quarter with five goals to nil, before increasing the lead throughout the second half. Marcus Calvaresi kicked five goals in the win for the Burras. Luke Delahey was named best on ground. For the Rams, Ricky Cameron was named their best. Romsey locked in fourth spot with a big win against Lancefield. The Redbacks controlled the game from start to finish, in the 16.22 (118)-5.1 (31) win. Dean Walsh kicked four goals in the win for the Redbacks with Nathan Rayment being named their best. For the Tigers, Joseph Slattery and Benjamin Bryant were named their best. Riddell had the bye. This coming Saturday, Diggers Rest hosts Lancefield, Wallan hosts Woodend-Hesket, Riddell will take on the Western Rams and Romsey will face the Melton Centrals.\ Tara Murray

Set to finish on a high By Tara Murray Melton South is focused on making sure it finishes the Ballarat Football League season strong. While the Panthers are out of finals contention and the scoreboard might not reflect it, they’ve made big inroads this season. Panthers coach Heath Pritchard said they needed to ensure that they continued to build on what they had been doing. “We need to not disappear off the face of the earth,” he said. “In similar situations we’ve been, that is what we’ve done. “Between rounds three and 10 we were in front for periods in every game. This group has come a long way, we need to continue it. “We have North Ballarat and Redan who are both good sides. We need to try and finish of the season and not get blown away.” It’s been a few tough weeks for the Panthers with injury and COVID hitting hard. On Saturday they had 30 players not available across their senior teams, leaving them scrambling to fill a reserves side. On Saturday, their senior side got back into the game after a poor start but weren’t able to get the points against the Sunbury Lions. The Lions kicked away in the last quarter to get the w19.13 (127)-10.8 (68) win and move above the Panthers on the ladder. Pritchard said they weren’t able to convert their chances when they had them. “We had a really poor start with Sunbury getting the jump on us,” he said. “We were six goals down at quarter time. “The second quarter was really good as was the third. We had a shot for goal two minutes to go in the quarter to go six points down. “We missed, Sunbury took it up the other end and scored. They then got the centre clearance and got another one. “We were looking at being one goal down, to being four goals down.” Pritchard said when Sunbury took the ascendancy early in the last quarter they were able to convert and the score line then blew out. “We didn’t take the chances, Sunbury deserved to win,” he said. Ben Casley and William Thornton-Gielen kicked two goals apiece for the Panthers. Billy Lloyd and Broden Collins were named their best. The 10th placed Panthers have a much welcomed bye this weekend. In other results, Darley got an important win against East Point. The Devils led at every break but weren’t able to break the game open until the last quarter. Three goals to none in the final term sealed the 13.9 (87)-8.9 (57) win. 22 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY Tuesday, 2 August, 2022

Tom Gawthrop

(Shawn Smits)

Strikers eye promotion Westside Strikers continue to hold the cards in the battle for promotion in the FV state league 4 west. The Strikers sit atop the table one point and goal difference ahead of the Keilor Wolves with two rounds remaining. The Strikers, the Wolves and fourth placed Gisborne all have an extra game to play. On Saturday, the Strikers beat Barnstoneworth United 2-0. Jordan Borg scored just before half time, before a penalty to Milan Savic doubled the score in the 72nd minute. Spring Hills’ tough season continued on Saturday with a 1-0 loss to Golden Plains. A goal in the 12th minute was enough for Golden Plains to get the win. In state league 5, Melton Phoenix’s championship hopes remain alive. The Phoenix beat Bendigo City 2-1. Scores had been locked at 1-1, before Cameron Stewart scored the sealer in the 67th minute. The Phoenix sit second on the table equal on points with Barwon. Barwon’s 10-0 win against Surfside Waves increased the goal difference between the two teams to 17 goals with two rounds remaining. In state league 1 north-west Caroline Springs George Cross is one step closer to the title. On Saturday the Georgies beat Keilor Park 4-1. Jay Hart scored in the 25th and 52nd minutes to give the Georgies control before two late goals to seal the result. The Georgies are five points clear of second after 20 rounds. The Georgies are one four teams that will play a catch up round this week. A Georgies win against Strathmore and an Essendon Royals loss to Brimbank Stallions would clinch the title for the Georgies.

Brody Sullivan is sandwiched between Harry Power and Jake Sutton.

Nick Rodda kicked four goals in the win. Luther Barker and Mace Cousins were named their best. The Devils sit fifth on the table, but only four points behind third placed East Point.

(Joe Mastroianni). 291968_02

Redan which is in eighth spot is still in the mix for finals contention, making every match important. Seventh placed Bacchus Marsh and ladder leaders Melton both had byes on Saturday.

Jordan Borg (left) was one of the goal scorers for the Westside Strikers on Saturday. (Joe Mastroianni). 290864_06

Herbertson gets his ticket to the Inter Dominion To become the champ you’ve got to beat the champ and that was what Nephew Of Sonoko did at Bendigo, along the way securing himself a start in the 2022 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship. Saturday’s Haras Des Trotteurs Wagon Apollo Free For All was the first of eight races that give their winners a place in ID22 and trainer Ross Graham and James Herbertson combined to pluck the first ‘golden ticket’. Nephew Of Sonoko found the front and then held out reigning Inter Dominion champion Maori Law to secure the win and the opportunities that come with it. “To at the moment have a (Inter Dominion) runner and have a drive, as a 22-year-old, it’s very exciting,” Herbertson told TrotsVision. “And to be on a trotter as well – I’ve had a lot of success on trotters – to be able to keep it going and get into a race (series) like that

Nephew Of Sonoko

(Stuart McCormick)

is very exciting.” While Nephew Of Sonoko’s season, which has included wins in five of his last six starts, would have him in good stead to contend for the Inter Dominion nevermind qualify, Herbertson said it was nice to have a place in

the heats locked away. “I was thinking that going into the race – if things went a little bit pear-shaped before the Inter Dominion (and) he lost a few points along the way in terms of selectors putting him in the race – this was his golden ticket into it,” he said. The camp can now start building to the series start in Ballarat on November 26 and, if present form’s maintained they’ll be in it up to their ears. Tonight Herbertson got a relatively easy time of it up front, advancing on Nephew Of Sonoko from the widest draw and crossing to the top amid a comfortable 39.8-second lead time after early threats Kyvalley Chief and Sundons Courage miss-stepped at the start. “I was always in the frame of mind to be working forward and to be staying ahead of Maori Law, if we had to sit parked that was just the case,” Herbertson said.

“Definitely the two main speed horses galloped early, which made it a lot easier just to be able to slide across and get there before the (first time past the) winning post. Everything worked out really well.” He opened up in a 28.2-second third quarter to test Maori Law, who moved to the breeze before the bell, and finished off in a 28.6-second dash home to secure a 1.7-metre win over the ID21 champ. “As long as we weren’t doing too much work through the lead time I thought we’d give (Maori Law) a real good run for his money, but on the same token he’s a champion horse, he won the Inter Dominion for a reason. “Tonight he was very good, I don’t think he lost any followers. He’s going to be the one to beat going forward.” Michael Howard

Sports shorts RDFL Woodend-Hesket moved into the top five with a low scoring win against Melton Centrals in the Riddell District Football League. Neither team was able to heavily impact the scoreboard all day, with the Hawks leading from start to finish to win 6.9 (45)-3.6 (24). It was all single goal kickers for the Hawks, with Frank Fazzolari named their best. The Hawks now sit fifth after Macedon lost to Wallan. In other results Diggers Rest beat the Western Rams and Romsey smashed Lancefield.

RDNL Riddell moved into the Riddell District Netball League top five despite having a bye at the weekend. With the Western Rams losing to Diggers Rest, the four points from the bye was enough to bring the Bombers level on points with the Rams. With a superior percentage they are now in a finals spot. In other results, an understrength Macedon lost a thriller with Wallan, Lancefield got its second win of the season against Romsey and Woodend-Hesket was too strong for Melton Centrals.

EDFL Mitchell Bongiovanni (tackling) was one of Caroline Springs best on Saturday.

(Joe Mastroianni). 289082_01

Lakers keep on going By Tara Murray Caroline Springs won’t mess with a winning formula in the Western Region Football League division 1. Sitting on top of the table with just one loss for the season, the Lakers could be forgiven for taking the foot off the pedal the next few weeks. But with the club’s first finals berth in division 1 already locked up and the possibility of a minor premiership, they aren’t leaving anything to chance, according to football manager Marc Raak. “We’re not going to change what we are doing,” he said. “We play a couple of the lower sides the next few weeks and then Hoppers Crossing. “There’s a possibility to finish on top so we will stick with playing our best team every week and hopefully finish on top and give it a real crack at making finals.” Raak said naturally they were working on things they needed to improve. He said their

one loss to Altona, had shown some key areas where they could improve. He said with a full list to pick from the club was in a really good position. “We’re blessed to have a full crew of people to pick from,” he said. “The reserves are doing well and putting their hands up to get into the sides. “It’s exciting for the club. It’s the first time we’ve been in this position [a full list at this time of the season], fingers crossed it hopefully stays that way.” On Saturday, the Lakers were made to work hard for their 13.18 (96)-6.7 (43) win against the Werribee Districts. Raak said things didn’t go their way early, but they were able to rectify things and get the game in their control. After quarter time, the Lakers kicking 12 goals to four as they were in complete control. “It was a game of importance for Werribee Districts,” he said. “There was a lot on the line for them wanting to get into finals.

“They were in front at quarter time. They are a three to four goal better team at their home ground. “We stuck to the task.” Ryan Allan and Steven Kyriazis kicked four goals apiece for the Lakers. Mitchell Bongiovanni and Allan were named the side’s best. Raak said for him the most pleasing thing was the overall team performance from the group. The Lakers remain four points clear of Altona after 15 rounds. This week they face bottom side Sunshine. In other results on Saturday, Deer Park beat Yarraville Seddon, 11.18 (84)-7.13 (55). Hoppers Crossing was too strong for St Albans, 14.13 (97)-6.5 (41), while Altona smashed Point Cook, 18.9 (117)-4.1 (25). In the other match, Sunshine put in one of its best performances of the year, but still fell short against Spotswood, 10.16 (76)-8.10 (58).

Hillside got home in a thriller against Moonee Valley in the Essendon District Football League division 1 competition. The Sharks trailed all day with the wind favouring one end of the ground. The Sharks kicked three goals to nil in the final quarter to come over the top of the Fog, winning, 10.16 (76)-11.7 (73). Josh Covelli kicked three goals for the Sharks. In division 2, Burnside Heights lost to Keilor Park, 14.12 (96)-13.8 (86). In premier division women’s, Hillside beat Burnside Heights in the final round of the season.

FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly Tuesday, 2 August, 2022 MELTON & MOORABOOL STAR WEEKLY 23

Western Renewables Link The Western Renewables Link is a proposed electricity transmission line that will carry renewable energy from western Victoria to homes across the state and into the National Electricity Market. In the coming weeks we’ll be hosting our next round of community information sessions and we’re inviting local community members to come along and meet the team, learn more about the project and discuss any queries or concerns.

Community drop-in sessions

Community discussion dinners

Drop-in sessions allow community members to talk to project team members or technical specialists about any project topic that is important to them. Bookings are not required for these sessions.

These small group discussions are a chance to discuss general issues of concern and help shape the next stage of engagement. Dinners will be limited to 20 participants to help manage COVID risks and allow everyone to have a fair say. Bookings are essential and available to those who are fully vaccinated. Dinner will be provided. Please book via the QR code, website or phone number below.

Where

When

Where

When

Brown Hill Brown Hill Hall, 375 Humffray Street North

2 pm – 6 pm Friday, 19 August

Waubra Waubra FNC, 2091 Sunraysia Highway

6 pm – 8 pm Monday, 22 August

Toolern Vale Toolern Vale Hall, 1504 Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road

2 pm – 6 pm Saturday, 20 August

Joe Joel Joel Joel Hall, 214 Joel South Road

6 pm – 8 pm Tuesday, 23 August

Joel Joel Joel Joel Hall, 214 Joel South Road

1 pm – 5 pm Tuesday, 23 August

Myrniong Myrniong Hall, 6 Short Street

6 pm – 8 pm Monday, 29 August

Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh Public Hall, 207 Main Street

6 pm – 8 pm Tuesday, 30 August

Creswick Creswick Town Hall, 70 Albert Street

6 pm – 8 pm Wednesday, 31 August

Toolern Vale Melton and District Pony Club, 734 Bulmans Road

6 pm – 8 pm Thursday, 1 September

Webinar Where

When

For those unable to visit us inperson please consider joining our webinar. Details available via the below QR code or at westernrenewableslink.com.au

7 pm Thursday, 8 September

desktop westernrenewableslink.com.au phone 1300 360 795 � info@westvictnp.com.au � PO Box 638, Ballarat VIC 3353 12561369-HC31-22