Star Weekly - Melton Moorabool - 4th July 2023

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Brumbies find a home

Four wild brumbies saved from potential culling have arrived in Melton from Kosciuszko National Park to be broken in.

At 23 Maddison Buckner has been breaking-in horses for eight years, and has just received four new brumbies to train.

She said she will spend about three months training the horses before finding them a permanent home.

The process requires slowly building trust with the animals, introducing new items slowly, until you can eventually ride them.

“They’re cool, they’re really smart. They’re different from other horses. Only the toughest survive out in the wild,” she said.

She said breaking-in wild horses is dangerous, but she likes the challenge.

“I like that bit of adrenaline rush, and the reward of it – the problem solving that comes from working with horses,” she said. “Domestic horses can actually be more aggressive when they’ve had bad experiences with humans, but brumbies are blank canvases.

“They’ve been really good … the stallion who is almost 15 has already got a halter on and I can brush him.”

Push for Plumpton pool

By Liam McNally

A $116 million aquatic leisure centre for Plumpton isone step closer, after Melton councilendorsedarevisedbusinesscaseforthe project at a meeting on Monday, June 26.

A business case for The Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre was created in 2017, and was revised and updated last year.

Thebusinesscaseproposedanaquaticcentre on Beattys Road, projected to cost $116.4 million if construction commences in 2025.

The document proposes a range of

district-level features including $7.9 million in waterslides, a gym, a 50-metre indoor and 25-metre outdoor pool and a $2.7 million “aquatic sensory experience room”.

Councillor Sophie Ramsay said a delegation of councillors “went like the Leyland brothers around Victoria” to see what other municipalities have done with their aquatic centres, and “can’t wait to see this in the City of Melton”.

Cr Kathy Majdlik said the business case is an “important milestone for the project”.

“With nearly 170,000 people expected to live

near Plumpton by 2040, we’re committed to delivering the kind of aquatic centre a growing communitydeserves,”shesaid. “Ican’twaitfor it to be delivered to our community, we’ve been waiting for a long time … but I understand it’s a long process because it’s a very expensive and large asset, but I say let’s get this thing built …” Council officers anticipate the project will be completed before the end of the next council term.

Melton’s 2023-24 budget allocated $250,000 to commence the next stage of the Plumpton Aquatic Leisure Centre, which is to create

a master plan and schematic design for the centre.

The purchase of land for the aquatic centre site is yet to be finalised.

Cr Justine Farrugia said she anticipates all the members of the municipality “will enjoy this very thoroughly”

“I’m sure it will bring much joy to all of the members of our community including all the children and I’m sure we’re going to have the best slides, the best gym, and the best possible facility going around which will be trend-setting.”

Liam McNally

Maddison Buckner.

(Damjan Janevski) 343835_01

Hospital bid progresses

The state government has shortlisted two consortia featuring construction companies, sponsors and facilities management providers, vying to deliver the new Melton hospital.

Health Infrastructure Minister Mary-Anne Thomassaidtheshortlistedconsortiawhohave been invited to develop proposals to design, construct, finance and maintain the hospital.

The shortlisted consortia are Exemplar Health, comprising Capella Capital, Lendlease, Honeywell and Compass Group, and Wilam Marrga, comprising Tetris Capital, John Holland, ISS and Cushman & Wakefield.

With construction set to begin next year, the shortlisted consortia have begun preparing detailed proposals to deliver the new hospital in 2029.

Ms Thomas said today marks an “important milestone to deliver one of the most significant new hospital projects in Victoria”.

“We are excited to see a strong response from consortia for this new project and I look forward to seeing their innovative proposals for the Melton community,” she said.

Thegovernmenthasinvestedmorethan$900 million to deliver the new Melton Hospital which will be Victoria’s first fully electric hospital, providing 24-hour emergency, at least 274 beds, an intensive care unit, maternity and neonatal services, mental health services, radiology services and outpatient care.

The hospital will be designed to allow for future expansion to ensure it can grow with the community and will create more than

700 direct jobs and 1700 indirect jobs during construction.Oncecompleted,thenewhospital willhavecapacitytotreat130,000patientseach year and see almost 60,000 patients in the emergency department.

The state government said community feedback will help shape the development of the new hospital, with more than 1000 pieces of feedback captured through workshops with the community consultative committee, as well as input from online surveys, information sessions and targeted workshops.

Melton MP Steve McGhie said the state government is “thrilled“ to be moving on to the next stage of the project, “taking us one step closer to delivering this much-needed, landmark hospital for the Melton community”.

Councillors pass budget

Melton council has adopted its budget for 2023-24 centred around a $114 million capital works budget.

The average rate increase is 3.25 per cent or $1.05 per week, below the state government’s 3.5 per cent rate cap, with nearly half of all households seeing an increase less than that, according to council.

An $85 pensioner rebate will also be available to eligible property owners.

Roads were the biggest budget winner with $29.4 million allocated for upgrades including $10.35 million for the construction of Bridge Road, Cobblebank, $4 million to duplicate Hume Drive (stage two) Calder Park Drive to Gourlay Road, $3.75 million for urbanisation of Bulmans Road, Melton West.

The budget also includes $14.1 million to upgrade recreation, leisure and community facilities including $3.3 million to complete Diggers Rest community pavilion and oval two.

There are 18 community-initiated projects budgeted for a total of $1.6 million including more accessible parking spots, toilets in parks and community centres, new sports club upgrades and support for festivals.

Also allocated is $14.2 million to upgrade local parks and streetscapes, $6.2 million for footpaths and cycleways and $231,000 for improving street lighting across the city.

The $239 million budget also delivers critical services including $8.3 million for social support for older people and people with a disability, $8.1 million for maternal and child health, $4.4 million for children, family and youth services, $4.9 million to support libraries and funding for much-loved community festivals including Djerriwarrh Festival, FlavourFest, Lakeside Alive and Carols by Candlelight.

Out-of-this-world school holiday fun

Kids were beamed from Bacchus Marsh to outer-space in the school holidays with the Discovery Dome Planetarium offering an out-of-this-world school holiday activity at the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall on Thursday, June 29.

Across two free hour-long sessions between 10am and midday, a space-faring ranger welcomedalmost100attendeesintotheBacchus Marsh Public Hall which was transformed into the Discovery Dome Planetarium. Theinflatabledomestoodfivemetrestalland 10 metres wide within the hall, and once inside parents sat on the sides while kids laid down

to watch an educational adventure, Adventures of the Cardboard Rocket, projected across the roof.

In the feature, two children embark on an amazingadventure,spendingthenighttouring the planets in our solar system and learning a bit about each one, before discovering the secret of the cardboard rocket.

Moorabool mayor Rod Ward said it was fantastic to see the event book out.

“The stars and astronomy fascinate kids because they offer a window into the world that is both real and magical, both familiar and unknown,” he said.

Flood information session

Moorabool residents can better understand their flood risk by attending a community flood information in Ballan on July 7.

Organised by the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES), the session is designed to help residents prepare for floods.

“Wehopethatthisworkwilltakethepressure off emergency services during flood events to reduce the need to respond to incidents that could have been prevented,” VICSES mid-west operations manager Chris Arnold said.

“Areas within the Ballan area are prone to less predictable flash flooding, which can happen quickly and with little warning. Flash floods can be very deep, rise quickly and move fast, so you need to keep away from trees, drains, culverts and stay off the road during flashfloodingtokeepyouandyourfamilysafe.

“We’re all collaboration, so we’re always

eager to listen to locals’ experiences and learn fromthem,usingthoseinsightstoenhanceour future response in the area.”

Theinformationsessionwilltakeplace from 3pm to 7pm at the Ballan Mechanics Institute on Inglis Street.

VICSES has advice online to get flood-ready at home, on the farm and in business.

Details: www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready

Liam McNally

The Discovery Dome Planetarium activity was as a part of a series of free space-themed Moorabool council held during the first week of the school holidays.

Other holiday space events included two intergalactic crafting sessions at the Ballan and Lerderderg libraries across June 26 and June 27, and three screenings of Lightyear across the two libraries on June 28 and June 30.

More school holiday events can be found on Moorabool council’s website.

Details: https://www.moorabool.vic.gov.au/

Events

Liam McNally

Mayor Lara Carli said council has developed a “financially sustainable budgetthatwilldeliveressentialservices and the new and upgraded facilities our community expects”.

“With the City of Melton now the fastestgrowingmunicipalityinVictoria, it’s more important than ever to deliver the high-quality infrastructure, programs, services our community needs to thrive. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our budget this year. Community feedback helps usto deliver a budget that is fair, sustainable and strikes the right balance between keeping the costs of living down while delivering better services for a growing community.”

LAWYER

Natasha Papaelia

Discovery Dome Planetarium event at the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall. (Damjan Janevski) 343793_02

No to LGBTIQA+ advisory group

By Liam McNally

Melton council has opted not to establish an LGBTIQA+ advisory committee that was requested in a February petition to council.

At the February 27 council meeting, a public petition with 20 signatories was submitted by RainbowLocalGovernmentrequestingcouncil establish an LGBTIQA+ advisory committee.

Rainbow Local Government is co-ordinated by the Victorian Pride Lobby and describes itself as a campaign to “support and promote the efforts of local governments to foster a culture that is inclusive, responsive and

accessible to LGBTIQA+ Victorians”.

Council responded to the petition at a meeting on Monday, June 26. Council officers recommended renaming the existing intercultural advisory committee to inclusive cities advisory committee, and divide it into two working groups – with one focused on culturally diverse communities and one for LGBTIQA+ communities.

The recommended motion failed, with councillorBobTurneropposingonthegrounds that he didn’t want an existing advisory committee “watered down” with different responsibilities, while Cr Kathy Majdlik said

she had “major concerns” about the way the petition came to council.

“The main element to consider is that [Rainbow Local Government] is an external lobby group that has sent out a blanket email to its members in Victoria in hope of establishing an advisory committee group so they can have influence on this council,” she said.

“I would say to the 20 people that signed the petition there are many ways in which to provide your feedback to this council. We seek your feedback and value it greatly … ”

Cr Majdlik moved an alternate motion that would not alter the functioning of the

Engaging youth on and off the field

Aside from practising line-outs and scrums, the Melton Rugby Union club has been keeping kids busy these school holidays with cultural dancing, cultural cooking, and First-Aid courses.

On Tuesday, June 26, the session involved a Tongan and Samoan dance workshop facilitatedbyLoseSamasoniandSarahSauao, with Ms Sauao getting a significant amount of help teaching the Samoan dance from her nephew, and course participant, Maile.

Ms Maiava said Melton Rugby Union Club is a multicultural organisation and

it’s important for the kids to be in touch with their own culture as well as other club members.

The sessions come as a part of a wider two-year youth engagement program initiated by the Department of Justice and Community Safety.

Melton Rugby Union Club secretary Priscilla Maiava said the club has been running the program since January, with an emphasis on keeping kids busy in the off-seasons from sports and school.

“Theprogramistohelpkidsmakeinformed

decisions. We jumped on board because we have a high rate of [local] youth in the justice system,” she said.

“We run these youth engagement programs to keep the kids engaged so that they’re not out causing trouble on the streets.”

Ms Maiava said the sessions get up to 60 attendees, and that she has seen an improvement in attitude of those involved.

“It’s getting that bonding time and learning about someone else’s culture, hobbies, and discussing among themselves. It’s good, they learn a lot from each other,” she said.

intercultural advisory committee, and also prevent council from introducing any new advisory or working groups for the remainder of the council term unless any current committees of council are disbanded.

Victorian Pride Lobby co-convenor Austin Fabry-Jenkins called the decision to block the more advisory groups until the end of the council term “profoundly undemocratic”.

“Melton locals aren’t interested in culture wars. They just want a safe and inclusive community. Safety and inclusion are things Melton councillors should be actively and proudly supporting – after all, that’s their job.”

Potential for new bike path

Cyclists and walkers may be getting more opportunities to enjoy Kororoit Creek following a Melton council decision to investigate potential pathway expansions.

At a meeting on Monday, June 26, councillor Kathy Majdlik asked council officers for report identifying the current walking and cycling network along the Kororoit Creek, and potential opportunities to expand this network along the Kororoit Creek corridor throughout the municipality.

“[Kororoit Creek is] a natural beautiful assetthatwehaveinourcommunitythat could be further explored and enjoyed by our community,” she said.

“I’m interested to also see what current pathways and networks we have, particularly adjoining the Kororoit regional park that is led by the state government, but also how that can connect to the wider municipality.”

Cr Sophie Ramsay said Melton has great nature linkages through walking reservesin“ourwonderfulmunicipality”.

“From the botanic gardens right through to Toolern Creek, down past the weir and into Eynesbury, it’s only fitting that we start planning for some beautiful walkways and bicycle lanes through Kororoit creek and surrounds,” she said.

Melton council is undertaking a report on the potential of expanding bike paths for Kororoit Creek.

Maile and Lose Samasoni leading the dance. (Jacob Pattison) 344177_01

Deanside temple set to expand

By Liam McNally

Kundrathu Murugan Kumaran Temple in Deanside is ready to expand, with a planning permit for a new community hall being approved by Melton council on Monday, June 26.

The temple is a Hindu temple based on the South Indian traditions.

The community hall will allow the temple to host small functions and religious weddings, as well as conduct classes on religion, yoga and meditation.

The permit also includes an additional 164 car parking spaces, and will allow for up to 520 visitors at a time for major events.

Theapplicationwasmetwith14community objections, the majority of which centred around concerns regarding increased traffic congestion on inadequate roads and a lack of parking.

Melton council planning services manager Robert Baggio said officers were particularly sensitive to the concerns that were expressed by residents in the area, however, they are satisfied that the existing road network will be

G bags bronze in Berlin

A 16-year-old Taylors Hill basketballer, Giuliano ‘G’ Maiolo, has returned home from the 2023 Special Olympics Summer World Games in Berlin with a bronze medal for Australia.

G was the youngest player on his Traditional Men’s Division One basketball team, but still came home the second highest goal scorer in the league, with 23 points across three games.

G said that even when South Africa put three players guarding him, he played his highest-scoring game of the tournament.

“The overall atmosphere was ecstatic … It was definitely an honour to put up a fight in Germany,” he said.

“Knowing that we are part of the top three teams in the world … is amazing.”

Although they came close in their two matches against South Africa, Team Australia couldn’t clinch any of the three games, however a last minute bump up to division one meant they were still crowned the third best

Traditional Men’s team in the games.

G said his first world games is “just the beginning”, and he still has his sights on a gold as the “highest peak”.

“I’m really excited to see where it all goes,” he said. “To my teammates, thank you for the experiencethatallofyouhaveprovidedandfor all the effort that you have put into making it so far, making us one of the top three teams in the world and putting on a good show for all us Aussies.”

TearswelledG’sdad,Eugenio’s,eyeswhenhe described watching his son play.

“It was really good … Watching him play out of his skin in each game of the comp was the best. I’m very, very proud of him, he put in a lot of hard effort but it paid off.”

Liam McNally

Giuliano ‘G’ Maiolo competing at the 2023 Special Olympics Summer World Games in Berlin, and with his bronze medal. (Supplied)

able to accommodate the increased traffic and there’s adequate car parking on site.

Councillor Goran Kesic supported the application saying the temple plays a vital role in providing individuals with the space to explore and practice faith and find support.

“Thetempleisactivelyengagedincharitable work and the community outreach programs they provide support those in need, address social issues and promote a positive change in society,” he said.

“The temple often serves as a hub for organising and volunteering efforts and

coordinating community service projects, so these reasons highlight the importance of temple as a place of worship, community building, spiritual growth, education, and service.”

Temple project manager Kasi Nathan said theapprovaloftheplanningpermitisexciting.

“We have been working on this plan for about three years so it’s nice to get this town planning application approved and we are thankful to the council for favourable consideration,” he said.

A week of cultural excellence

NAIDOC Week, running from July 2- July 9, is a time for celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Jennifer Pittorino finds out how the week will be marked in the west.

NAIDOC (National Aboriginals and Islanders Day Observance Committee)

Week is a time of reflection, celebration, history, culture and excellence.

This annual celebration acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Kirrip elder Peter Webster said it is uniting for the community.

“It’s for our people, so we can come together and celebrate our history and our culture and who we are,” he said. “... It celebrates where we have come from and recognises the fantastic thingsthosewhocamebeforeus,ourancestors have achieved for us.”

Peter is referred to as Uncle Peter by his community, as a sign of respect for who he is given his position in the work he does as chief executive of Kirrip, an organisation he joined in 2016.

Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation began in 2007 as a safe place for community to connect sociallyandculturally,tocelebrateculture,and to promote self-determination and healing.

“We have a housing worker, a justice worker, a food bank, we run elders, men’s, women’s programs , homework clubs, a playgroup and more,” Peter said.

“InmyrolehereIsitasaneldertoadviseand support , I personally don’t consider myself an elder but my community do.

“I consider myself a community leader because of the position I am in, an elder is someone who has been given this position by their community to hold knowledge.

“Elders share their knowledge, they are someone the community can go to to confide in and be someone they trust, which is what NAIDOC week is all about.”

Peter said he has had many previous jobs, but nothing has made him as happy as what he does now.

“MywifesaysIforgettocomehomeattimes, she needs to send me a text sometimes to remind me where I live,” he said.

“For me it’s about giving back to the community. If someone told me 10 years ago that I would be doing what I am, I would’ve laughed at them, but I love what I do.

“I am Stolen Generation so I didn’t grow

up culturally or with my community. I look at this as my way of paying back those people who have supported me and given me the connection to my community and culture that I didn’t previously have.”

NAIDOC week comes at a time when Peter feels there is still great racism.

“Westillseeracismtowardspeoplewhohave come from other cultures, we still see it far too much,” he said.

“Peopleforgetweareamulticulturalcountry, we will always have our own cultures but we can become one Australia.

“NAIDOCisaboutallofuscomingtogether, regardless of whether you are on traditional country; all of us standing together and being one people.”

Kirrip will mark NAIDOC Week with the ’Western NAIDOC ball’ for its elders.

“These events are about passing on cultural knowledge and giving our youth the chance to

see we are not a forgotten culture, we are still here,” Peter said.

“Wearetheoldestsurvivingcultureonearth and we are very proud of it, NAIDOC is the time for us to stand up proud and let everyone knowwearestillhereandnotgoinganywhere.”

Youth Support and Advocacy Service’s (YSAS) Scott Krakouer said its upcoming NAIDOC week celebration will bring together the large Aboriginal community in the west.

“ThewesternsuburbsAboriginalcommunity have been crying out for a big event like this for years,” he said.

YSAS works with 10-17 year olds across the west who are having contact with police to try and steer them away from the justice system.

‘MobRunThis’isarunningfestivalexpected to bring together 700-800 people from all over Victoria, to get the community moving. It will be held at Presidents Park, Wyndham Vale, on Sunday, July 9 at 10am.

“I know from when I was young, connection to sport and connection to health and wellbeing are two things that helped me keep out of trouble, that’s why we are doing a fun run,” Scott said.

Scott said the last 230 years of colonisation have left the community disconnected from their culture.

“The events at NAIDOC week like the welcome to country, smoking ceremonies and traditional activities will help the healing and help connect them to the culture that might be disconnected from,” he said.

“There is a myth that the majority of Aboriginal people in Melbourne live in the northern suburbs but there is a huge growth of Aboriginal people in the west, in particular in Wyndham and Melton.”

“NAIDOC week allows us to bring them all into one spot and get all the services that work with Aboriginal people in the west together.”

Scott Krakouer from YSAS. (Damjan Janevski) 342723_01 Inset: Peter Webster from Kirrip Aboriginal Centre. (Jacob Pattison) 342893_01

‘‘ When I was young, connection to sport and connection to health and wellbeing are two things that helped me keep out of trouble ’’ - Scott Krakouer

A footy history lesson

Moorabool council’s July 1 BaccChat was a mid-footy season special, and gave residents the opportunity to learn about the history of Australian Rules Football in the region with Tim Hogan.

Tim Hogan is a Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society committee member, principallibrarianforVictorianandAustralian Collections at State Library Victoria and is also the editor and chief contributor to Reading Australian Rules Football: The Definitive GuidetotheGame

At his talk at the Lerderderg Library, Mr Hogan explored the local history of footy from Bacchus Marsh’s first team in 1874.

“There were lots of little clubs in early times, every little hamlet and village had one playing in tiny leagues,” he said.

“But it was popular, lots of people followed and went and the rivalries were very, very strong.”

The two-hour presentation included an

opportunity for attendees to share their stories, and showcased old memorabilia, including a 1901 premiership team wearing knickerbockers, long sleeves and caps.

MrHogansaidit’sinspiringtoseetheimpact local clubs have had over a long period.

“It’s inspiring to show people what can be done–theystartedoffwithnothingintheearly days,they’djustlookaroundforapaddockthat might have a couple of trees close together that would function as the goals, or people would chop down a bit of timber and fashion it into goal posts.

“It’s all about community participation, and stillis.Itdoesn’thappenwithoutpeople-power.”

Moorabool mayor Rod Ward said he’s very into his local footy and was delighted to attend the event.

“Tim has a vast knowledge of local football and his book into the origins of football in Bacchus Marsh and surrounds is fascinating,” he said.

Briefs

Portable changing place

Melton is the recipient of one of 13 new changing places delivered through the $2.3 million dollar Changing Places Fund. Melton will benefit from Changing Places funding with the addition of a portable facility for events and festivals. Each changing place has a height-adjustable adult-sized changing table, a ceiling tracking hoist system, and enough space for two people either side of a peninsular toilet - making community spaces more accessible for people with disability.

Winter road hazards

Following a tragic beginning to school holidays on Victorian roads, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is reminding motorists to remain vigilant as the winter months can bring unpredictable road conditions. Less than a week into the winter school holiday period, six lives have already been lost on Victorian roads. With 154 lives lost on the state’s roads this year, authorities are calling for caution on the roads, with winter weather bringing potential hazards like black ice, fog, rain, and landslides.

Boutique living in Armstrong Creek

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FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au

Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

Tim Hogan with photos and trophies from Moorabool’s football history. (Damjan Janevski) 344095_02

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STAY INFORMED

Quickly and easily connect with us online: melton.vic.gov.au

facebook.com/cityofmelton

Instagram @cityofmeltonofficial

Council budget adopted

A $114 million capital works program, $8.3 million to support older people and people with a disability, $8.1 million for maternal and child health services, and $1.6 million towards 18 initiatives submitted by our community are just some of the highlights in Council’s 2023/24 budget. The average rates increase is $1.05 per week with nearly half of all households seeing an increase less than that. An $85 pensioner rebate will also be available to eligible property owners.

Mayor’s message Cr Lara Carli

With the City of Melton now the fastest growing municipality in Victoria – and one of the fastest growing in Australia! – it’s more important than ever to deliver the high-quality programs our community needs to thrive.

Bridge Road extension

Work has commenced to build a new extension to Bridge Road in Cobblebank, between Ferris Road and Adelong Boulevard.

The $10 million project will link the Atherstone and Robinsons Rise estates and provide access to the future Melton Hospital and the wider Cobblebank precinct.

The roadworks will include an 830-metre extension and upgrading the Ferris Road intersection to have traffic signals.

The Victorian Government has contributed $620,000 to the project to support sewerage and conduit works required to service the Hospital. Council expects minimal disruption to residents,motoristsandthecommunity during the construction works. Keep up to date at: melton.vic.gov.au/ BridgeRoadextension

Cambridge Ward with Cr Goran Kesic

It was an honour to be in Canberra on 13 June when Melton City Council was announced as the winner of the National Award for Local Government in Productivity through Infrastructure for our Moving Melton Transport Prospectus.

The Moving Melton Transport Prospectus is an innovative platform created to show how State and Federal Government investment in road and transport projects will save travel time, improve productivity, and attract significant economic value to

our region.

Winning this prestigious award is a huge achievement, and recognition of our outstanding leadership and innovation.

Last Monday, Council approved its 2023/24 budget, which is centred around a $114 million capital works program, including $29.4 million for roads upgrades, $14.2 million for parks and streetscape upgrades, and $14.1 million for recreation, leisure, and community facility upgrades. To see the budget in full, visit melton.vic. gov.au/budget

At the same meeting, we received a report on the updated Plumpton Aquatic Leisure Centre business case and funding strategy, paving the way for work to commence on a masterplan and design for this much-anticipated community. The masterplan will outline the planned components of the facility, such as an indoor pool, gym, and community café spaces. Please feel free to contact me on 0437 241 436 or goran.kesic@melton.vic.gov.au regarding any Council issues.

Melton tied with Camden in Sydney’s western suburbs to be Australia’s fastest growing municipalities, growing by 6.4% last year, according to population analysis .ID.

It’s with that rapid population growth in mind that Council this month passed our budget for the next financial year that will deliver essential services and the new and upgraded facilities our community expects – and Australia’s fastest growing municipality needs.

Some highlights include the extension of Bridge Road, Cobblebank, duplication of Hume Drive from Calder Park Drive to Gourlay Road, completing the Diggers Rest Community Pavilion, redevelopment at Caroline Springs Town Centre Oval and construction of Aintree Children’s and Community Centre.

Work is set to commence on the design and masterplanning process for the Plumpton Aquatic Leisure Centre, which will run over the next 12 months and give the public a chance to let Council know how they want their aquatic centre to look. With nearly 170,000 people expected to live within the Plumpton catchment area by 2040, Council is committed to delivering the kind of aquatic centre our community deserves.

Feel free to contact me about Watts Ward or Council related issues on 0409 951 020 or email at: lara.carli@melton.vic.gov.au or visit my Facebook page at: facebook.com/Cr.LaraCarli

Mayor Cr Lara Carli

Deputy Mayor Cr Julie Shannon

Cr Steve Abboushi

Cr Justine Farrugia

Cr Goran Kesic

Cr Kathy Majdlik

Cr Sophie Ramsey Cr Bob Turner Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg

Crowds flock to winter festival

Eynesbury has embraced the chill these school holidays with the Eynesbury Winter Festival.

From Friday, June 23, the Eynesbury Quarter transformed into a winter village square, with guests roasting marshmallows over the firepit, strapping on skates to hit the ice rink and a variety of activities for the whole family.

Eynesbury Quarter general manager Brad Alton said this year’s festival attracted 70 per cent more attendees than 2022.

“Kids are so excited by all the free activities we have every day, from magic to circus shows as well as a reptile exhibition,” he said.

Micky Trickstar showing the kids how it’s done. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_02

Noah ridin’ the slidin’ kangaroo. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_09

William with his helmet strapped, ready to slide. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_07

The crowd gathering for Micky Trickstar’s magic show. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_04

Ruby-May enjoying the sliding kangaroo. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_10

Micky Trickstar’s magical mischief. (Jacob Pattison) 342311_05

The skating rink has been the main attraction of the Winter Festival so far. (Tony Gough)

Cathy, Ollie and Liam getting among the action. (Jacob Pattison). 342311_13

MY PLACE

Dianne Mair, who is president of the Melton Ladies Probus Club, moved to Melton over 50 years ago. She spoke to Star Weekly about her work with Probus and her connection to the area.

What’s your connection to Melton?

ImovedtoMeltonwithmyparentsandsiblings in December 1970 when the population was about 3000. A lot has changed since then that’s for sure, although l did like the open spaces we hadbackthen.Irememberthe first set of traffic lights going up in High Street. We would walk to Melton Railway Station in our old shoes, leave them at the station and put our good shoes on to go to work, our old shoes would still be there when we arrived back at the station. They were great times back then.

My children grew up here, they enjoyed all sorts of sports. During that same time l did a milk delivery round for Cahill’s Dairy while another driver was on holidays, my run was West Melton. l also worked at the turkey farm on Minns Road of a Sunday afternoon, now that place was interesting to work at. Once my children started high school l became a lollypop lady, working in Palmerston Street … come rain, hail or shine, l would be out there making sure the crossing was safe for the children in that area.

Tell us about your work with Probus, and any other work in Melton you would like to share?

I joined the Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club in 2004, where l was treasurer for three consecutive years, l enjoyed the friendship with all the ladies, l resigned from that club July 2010 when both my parents were starting to have health issues.

Both of my parents belonged to Probus Clubs, my dad George Ball was the foundation president of the Melton Men’s Probus Club and my mum Nancy Ball is the foundation treasurer of Melton Ladies Probus Club and is still a member after 33 years.

So being mum’s carer, l joined Melton Ladies Probus Club in December 2013. Our club is full of fun, friendship and fellowship which is the Probus motto.

In 2019 l was nominated president, l have a wonderful committee team with me. They are very helpful and caring, enjoying our monthly meetings at the Melton Country Club. We have a guest speaker each month, we go on bus trips and other outings. I am very humbled and proud to be the current president of our club.

What, if anything, would you change about where you live?

I wouldn’t change anything where l live, l’m happy and content with my surrounds.

Where is your favourite local place to spend time?

I have been taking my mum to Bunnings every Sunday for a coffee and a wander around the nursery for about 10 years now, the staff are very friendly and always so helpful when we need help finding something. We can’t leave until we have bought a sausage either. Doesn’t matter who is selling them, they all taste different, but we are both supporting that particular charity on the day.

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about.

Back in 2005, Ron Blaskett, the ventriloquist with Gerry Gee chose me to be his dummy for a little while, so l donned a bright orange, curly wig and l became his Geraldine. All l had to do was open and close my mouth on command, l haven’t laughed so much like that for a while, it was truly a great day being his dummy.

22ND JULY 2023

Set on 674m2 block approximately, is this solid 4 bedroom home in popular Kurunjang.

All is awaiting is handy person with great vision to turn this into an amazing family home.

Coming with side access and 2 living areas, you don’t want to miss this opportunity.

TERMS: 10% Deposit 30 Days settlement.

Melton Lady’s Probus Club president Dianne Mair with meet and greet lady Shirley Veal. (Damjan Janevski) 344357_03

Little Stars nurtures kids’ development and growth

At Little Stars Early Learning and Kindergarten Melton, staff believe that parents are the first and continuing carers and educators of their children. Recognising this, the centre’s aim is to function as an extended family, providing a secure, loving, nurturing and warm environment crucial for each child’s development and growth.

Staff take pride in fostering a welcoming atmosphere where families and educators work together in unity to meet the unique needs of every child in their care. This collaborative effort ensures that children receive the individualised support they require to thrive.

At Little Stars, staff are committed to inclusivity, making centres accessible and accommodating to families from diverse, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This commitment to diversity enriches the learning experience for all children, fostering a broader understanding and appreciation of different cultures and perspectives.

The centre employs highly qualified and dedicated early childhood educators who have a deep understanding of child development. These professionals work closely with families to create a strong sense of community and support to build positive relationships with children to facilitate their

learning experiences. With an emphasis on learning through play as a primary mode of exploration and discovery, they provide a balanced curriculum that covers language and literacy skills, numeracy, creative expression, physical movement, social skills, and problem-solving abilities.

At Little Stars, staff value the uniqueness of each child and aim to meet their individual learning needs. They observe and assess children’s progress regularly, tailoring activities and experiences to their specific interests, abilities, and learning styles.

Recognising the importance of involving parentsintheirchild’searlylearningjourney,

staff maintain open lines of communication, provide regular updates on children’s development, and offer opportunities for parents to participate in school activities and events.

Little Stars prioritises the safety and well-being of children. Staff maintain a clean, secure facility with age-appropriate equipment and materials, providing ample opportunities for children to explore and engage with their surroundings.

The mission at Little Stars is to provide a positive and enriching educational experience in your child’s first start to a bright future!

Learning is fun at Little Stars.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Star Weekly looks back through the pages of our predecessors

30 years ago

July 7, 1993

A Melton export company with a world leading product has been placed in the hands of receivers by the National Australia Bank.

25 years ago

July 3, 1998

Melton council is about it blitz owners of dangerous or unsightly properties across the shire, threatening court action and repair and clean-up fees which could cost thousands of dollars.

20 years ago

July 1, 2003

The Melton Super Clinic is one step closer with the Department of Human Services (DHS)nowpreparingitspolicydirections.

15 years ago

July 1, 2008

It’s a cliche, but what goes around comes around. Diggers Rest residents Charlie Watson and John Rowe were members of the Diggers Rest Residents Association until they were stripped of their rights when the association changed its rules last year and restricted voting to residents living within the 3427 postcode.

YOURNEWCAREER ...startshere

PRINT AND PRINT AND PRINT AND ONLINE SALES ONLINE SALES ONLINE SALES

EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE

REQUIRED REQUIRED REQUIRED

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

Sunrise Social Groups

GenWest Sunrise Social Groups are currently seeking new members for their Melton, Brimbank and Wyndham programs. The free groups are organised by Genwest and provide a social space for women, gender diverse and non-binary people, who have a disability, chronic health issues and/or mental health challenges.

■ https://genwest.org.au/what-we-do/ health-wellbeing-programs/

Melton Ladies Probus

Meets from 10am on the second Wednesday of each month at Melton Country Club on Reserve Road, Melton. All visitors are welcome.

■ Dianne, 9743 7446

Botanic gardens group

Friends of the Melton Botanic Garden’s next meeting will be on Wednesday. July 12, from 7.30pm, at Bridge Road Children’s and Community Centre, 260-266 Bridge Road, Strathtulloh. Artist Craig Lidgerwood will discuss botanical art. There will be a raffle with tickets for sale for $1. Supper provided, BYO cup or mug.

■ John, 9743 3819

The Gap on Graham

The Gap provides a place for Melton youth to hang out, socialise, play games and learn new skills. The centre holds a night for girls aged 10 to 18 years at 5 Graham Street, Melton, on Wednesday evenings. There is also a drop-in night for anyone aged 12 to 25 years old.

■ Val, 0414 769 605

Melton Men’s Group

Melton Men’s Group meets every Thursday from 5pm to 8pm at Arnolds Creek Children’s and Community Centre, 19 Claret Ash Boulevard, Harkness. Focusing on Senior Men’s mental and physical wellbeing. Join the group for a cuppa and a chat, listen to guest speakers and participate in activities including carpet bowls, pool or table tennis.

■ meltonmensgroup.home.blog

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

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 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 on the second Tuesday of each month at 10am at Melton Country Club. New members welcome.

■ Ann, 0425 705 150

Melton South Knit & Natter

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

■ 9747 8576

Zonta club meets

Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support other women. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton.

■ Suzanne, 0417 512 420

U3A Melton

U3A Melton offers among its activities a book group, Australian history and a gentle exercise class for those 55 and older who are retired or semi-retired who wish to stay mentally and physically active.

■ 0419 563 016

Rose Carers Of Maddingley Park

The Rose Carers meet Wednesdays from 10am-noon at Maddingley Park, corner of Grant and Taverner streets, Bacchus Marsh, to maintain two beautiful rose gardens. New volunteers are always

welcome – with or without experience.

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

Melton Combined Probus Club

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

Melton Cycling Club

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

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, Melton.

■ meltonrotary@gmail.com

Melton Trauma Teddies

Melton Trauma Teddies are seeking volunteers to assist with knitting, stuffing, or stitching teddy-bears that go to children in their time of need.

■ Jean, 0412 931 498

Boomerang Bags Bacchus Marsh

Boomerang Bags Bacchus Marsh make reusable shopping bags from rescued fabric. They need people to cut, sew, iron and market our bags. The group meets on the first Sunday each month at Darley Neighbourhood House 2pm-5pm.

■ https://63ec55b8628d6.site123.me/

Garden Club

The Bacchus Marsh and District Garden Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month except January, from 7.30pm, at The Laurels, 229 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh. Guest speakers and supper provided. Yearly membership or $15. New members welcome.

■ Michelle, 0421 106 268

Community Band

Greater Western Community Band, (founded 1991) is based in Melton. Rehearsals are on Thursdays, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, at Blackwood Drive Hall, Melton South. The group welcomes musicians young and old to come along and join in with the band. Also available for performance at events and festivals.

■ Sally Hamond, 0401 474 582

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

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Keilor Downs College students of Ongegu (front), Lilly, Sachi, Kayla, Brianna, Mikki and Ruby, who are staring in Chicago the Musical. (Damjan Janevski) 343357_01

Grabacopyof your localnewspaper...

The Big Apple Cafe Bacchus Marsh

Foodworks Bacchus Marsh

Coles Supermarket Bacchus Marsh

Shell Coles Service Station Bacchus Marsh

APCO Service Station Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Marsh UFS Pharmacy Bacchus Marsh

7/11 Service Station Bacchus Marsh

Baccus Marsh Newsagency Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Mart Indian Grosery Store Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Marsh Village UFS Pharmacy Bacchus Marsh

Australia Post Bacchus Marsh

Milk Bar the Avenue Bacchus Marsh

Baccus Marsh Information Centre Bacchus Marsh

The Village Shopping Centre Bacchus Marsh

Laurels Education & Training Bacchus Marsh

Bellbrook Gardens Country Club Bacchus Marsh

Ballan Newsagency Ballan

IGA Plus Liquor Ballan

Moorabool Shire Ballan

Ingenia Gardens Village Brookfield

Pharmasave Darley Pharmacy Shop Darley

My Little Mates Convenience Store Darley

Champions IGA Darley

Moorabool Shire Darley

Bacchus Marsh Gold Club Darley

Vans Milk Bar Darley

Diggers Rest Pharmacy Diggers Rest

Foodworks Diggers Rest

Diggers Rest Post Office Diggers Rest

Gordon Post Office Gordon

Foodworks Harkness

Foodworks Hillside

United Petrolium Hillside

Kirkton Drive Milkbar Kurunjang

Kurunjang Village Store Kurunjang

Bacchus Marsh West Golf Club Maddingley

Champions IGA Maddingley

Melton Milkbar Melton

Melton Waves Leisure Centre Melton

TAB Corp Park Melton

Melton Shire Council Offices Melton

Australia Post Melton Central Melton

Advance Stationers Melton

Melton Lotto Melton

Freddy's Fruit & Veg Melton

Melton Toyota Melton

Amcal Pharmacy Melton

Morgans Supa IGA Melton

MGS Melton

Melton Pharmacy Superstore Melton

NQR Melton

FoodWorks Melton

Woodgrove Shopping Centre Melton

Woolworths - Woodgrove SC Melton

Woolworths - Coburn SC Melton

Coles Supermarket - Woodgrove SC Melton

Tatts Kiosk Melton

Melton Library Melton

Melton Country Club Melton

Melton Indoor Sports Centre Melton

Coles Supermarket - Melton Station Square Melton

Lee Merchants Melton

Woolworths Opalia Melton South

Yes Yes

Indian Supermarket Melton South

Hume Milk Bar Melton South

Shell Coles Epress Melton South

MGS Melton Melton South

Australia Post Melton South

Station Square Shopping Centre Melton South

Melton Indian Grocery Store Melton West

Your Chemist Shop Melton West

Australia Post Melton West

Plough Inn Hotel/Motel Myrniong

Rockbank Newsagency Rockbank

Sundowner Rockbank Caravan Park Rockbank

Toolern Vale General Store Toolern Vale

Real Estate Agents Everywhere

SPORTS QUIZ

1. Which team has already qualified to play in the 2023 Super Netball Grand Final?

2. Which Australian cricketer made a century in the first Test innings of the 2023 Ashes series?

3. Edgbaston Cricket

4. Which 1992 film features baseball teams including the Rockford Peaches, Racine Belles and Kenosha Comets?

5. Which Australian cricketer made an unbeaten century in the first Test innings of the 2023 Women’s Ashes series?

11. Former Olympians Sally Pearson and James Magnussen are competing in the 20th Australian season of which show?

12. Which former wrestler stars in the Jumanji franchise?

13. How many laps is the Indy 500?

14. In which city is the cricket stadium Old Trafford located?

The Thrilla In Manila contest between which two heavyweight boxers? Gavin Wanganeen played for which two AFL teams?

selected by the

15. In which year did tennis return to the Summer Olympics?

16. Which English women’s cricketer recently became the first to hit a double-century in international cricket?

17. What is the highest possible score for one

21. French basketballer Victor Wembanyama was recently drafted by which NBA team?

22. Who did the West Coast Fever defeat in their recent Super Netball minor semifinal?

26. Which Aussie cricketer scored 99 in the recent one-off Women’s Ashes Test?

27. Which Collingwood AFL player wears distinctive eyewear during matches?

28. How many premierships

Old Trafford

Giulia is designed to turn heads

By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring

Alfa Romeo Giulia is a stylish Italian sports sedan built on a rear-drive platform and designedtotacklethemarketsegmentcurrently dominated by the premium European brands.

Although the name Giulia (pronounced Julia)wasaroundinthe1960sandearly1970sit didn’tre-emergeuntil2015when,tothedelight of Alfistis everywhere, the company broke away from using the bland numeric names 156 and 159 and returned to such a distinctively Italian one.

There are five models in the Giulia range: Ti, Veloce, Quadrifoglio, GTA and GTAm.

There’s a huge difference in price, starting fromaround$70,000fortheTiandVeloce,then doubling once to the $143,000 Quadrifoglio anddoublingagaintothetrack-readyGTAand GTAm.

Our test car was the Quadrifoglio, which is Italian for four-leaf clover and has been the symbol for Alfa racing cars for close to 100 years. In modern times Quadrifoglio, often abbreviated to QV, indicates high-performance road cars.

Styling

Giulia Quadrifoglio is a real stunner. It’s very svelte and Italian in its shape and drew plenty of attention wherever we went due in no small partbytherichMontrealGreenversionthatwe tested.

Indeed, one Irish colleague was so smitten by the combination of the colour and the shamrock/clover badges (there is a difference apparently) on the sides that only my mention of the price tag stopped him from rushing off to buy one.

The exterior is highlighted by the traditional triangular shield grille flanked by two lower-mountedgrillesintheapron.Thebonnet has two cooling outlets for the engine bay

There’s a carbon-fibre splitter and large air intakes for the intercoolers as well as the brakes. The side skirts also feature carbon-fibre inserts and there are gill-style outlets either side at the front to allow air to escape from the wheel housings.

The “angry-eyes” headlights, narrow on the inside and swept-back over the front fenders, add to its striking appearance.

Unlike some of its competitors, there is no wagon variant for the Giulia although the recently-released Stelvio SUV Quadrifoglio is there if a more functional interior is needed.

Interior

Giuliaisbuiltclosetothegroundmakingentry and exit difficult for less supple occupants. Consequently, the driving position is lower than we normally like but Giulia is a sports sedan so that’s to be expected.

The dashboard tilts slightly towards the driver.

Our test QV came with optional black leather with Alcantara inserts and green/ white stitching. The front seats have tall rigid bolsters which will challenge ample-buttocked occupants but do provide excellent support.

Cabin storage is adequate, with dual cup holders and a sizeable smartphone-sized alcove at the base of the dashboard and an adjacent USB socket. There are two more USB ports in a smallcentreconsolestorageboxwithawireless phone charging pad next to them.

There’s also a useful small slot in the centre console to fit the keyfob.

The rear does have three seatbelts but the centre seat is not only narrow but it sits on top of a very high transmission tunnel that makes seating, even for children, all but impossible. Perhaps a child seat might just be squeezed in but not much else. Otherwise the fold down armrest, with twin cupholders, will be in place all the time.

On the plus-side the two useable rear seats are large and supportive as well as heated. As with the front seats they are finished in leather and Alcantara. Head and legroom are reasonable and there are twin air vents and a pair of USB ports.

Boot size is a decent 480 litres although access through the narrow opening can be a squeeze. The latest upgrade added a powered tailgate.

Engines / transmissions

Both the Ti and Veloce are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with outputs of 206 kW and 400 Nm at 2250 rpm.

The 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 in the Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) is something special with its Ferrari-inspired 500 horsepower (375 kW) twin-turbocharged engine. That peak power comes in at 6500 rpm with the redline set at 7000 revs. There’s an impressive 600 Nm all the way from 2500 to 5500 rpm.

All engines are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox with large aluminium manual gearshift paddles.

Safety

Although the Quadrifoglio hasn’t been tested by ANCAP the lower spec Veloce achieved a five-star rating including an adult occupation protection rating of 98 per cent.

Standard safety features in the Giulia QV include six airbags, active cruise control, rear cross traffic alert, intelligent speed control, driverinattentionalert,trafficsignrecognition, automatic high beam system, lane departure warning and lane keep assist and, forward collision warning.

There’s also active blind spot assist, autonomous emergency braking, tyre pressure monitoring, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and rear-view mirror auto-dimming, and Isofix child seat anchors in the outer rear seats.

Infotainment

Displayisthroughasmall8.8-inchtouchscreen embedded in the top centre of the dashboard that can, and should be, operated by a new rotary dial on the centre console.

Traditionalists will be happy with the two large analogue instrument dials for the driver with a digital speedometer in between.

As is the norm nowadays there’s a lot of learning needed to operate what is quite a complex infotainment system including a triplesplitscreen.Asalways,giventhatweonly have most vehicles for a week, we try to avoid being too critical of features that owners will

quickly adapt to.

There’s built-in satellite navigation, DAB+ digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay but wired Android Auto as well as an impressive 14-speaker Harman/Kardon system called Sound Theatre.

Driving

As good as the Giulia Quadrifoglio looks it’s also a brilliant car to drive. It’s a true sports model, with an all-new rear-wheel drive

architecturegivingit50:50weightdistribution. It’s the first Alfa sedan to be driven by its rear wheels since the early 1990s. Weight is kept down through the use of lightweight steel and composite materials such as carbon fibre.

Like an increasing number of new vehicles Giulia comes with a start/stop button, many of which are annoyingly tucked away out of sight behind the steering wheel. Determined to be different, the Alfa designers have cleverly positioned the button at the bottom of the steering wheel itself. At least it’s at the bottom oncethedrivergetsintothehabitofparking,as we all should, with the wheels pointing straight ahead.

Once pressed the fun starts with the 2.9-litre twin-turbo engine sending out a lovely V6 burble through the four tailpipes.

Around town the Giulia QV is a little awkward with ground clearance of just 100mm needing a fair bit of caution and angled approach around driveways and the like.

The Alfa DNA Driving Mode Selector offers four main drive modes: Advanced Efficiency (for poor traction conditions), Normal, Dynamic and Race. Each of these changes the settings for the dampers, torque limiter, steering, gear shifts, all-wheel drive system, exhaust valve, throttle sensitivity and torque vectoring.

Most drivers, as we did, will spend most of thetimeinDynamicratherthanNormalmode as it provided everything we required.

Extra-large piece aluminium paddle shifters are fixed to the steering column encouraging their use – just for the fun of it.

Fuel consumption is listed at 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres kept down by the combination of auto engine stop-start and cylinder deactivation which shutting down three of the six cylinders when not required. We averaged a touch over 10 L/100km during our test, still pretty good for such a sporty car.

Summing up

Alfa Romeo Giulia QV is a car with the character that you expect from Italy in that combines stunning looks with outstanding performance.

Anyone who is in the market for a mid-sized sports sedan should forget all their pre-conceptions about Alfa and at least take it for a test drive before rushing in and buying one of its mostly German competitors.

The beautiful lines together with the stunning green body is a real head-turner. (Pictures: Supplied)

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2.9-litre four-door sports sedan Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Alfa Romeo dealer for drive-away prices.

City West Falcons building nicely

The City West Falcons built nicely to come away with another win in the Victorian Netball League championship division.

Having played on Sunday, the Falcons had a short turnaround to Wednesday night’s match against the North East Blaze.

The short break didn’t do anything to hold the Falcons momentum, winning 71-54.

Falcons coach Marg Lind walked away pretty happy with the win against the fourth placed Blaze, which has a couple of teams in hot pursuit.

“We built across the course of the game,” she said.” We had a few errors here and there and gave them the opportunity to stay in the game longer.

“It as a pretty good performance over all.”

Lind said the short break meant they didn’t have the opportunity to work on anything that they wanted to in between games.”

The Falcons looked to use their options again with all 10 players getting on court.

Jane Cook was again the star in goals

with 47 goals.

The match up of the night was the battle between sisters, Sienna and Nyah Allen.

Lind said they weren’t anticipating that match up.

“I think Sienna would have got on top, it was a really good game by her,” she said.

“We didn’t expect that we thought they would go with their other goaling option or Nyah in goal attack, we were a bit worried and didn’t think it was ideal

“It was played in such good spirit and Sienna was awesome and had the upper hand as the older sister.”

Lind said the pleasing thing it was another strong cross court performance from the group, which has had just one loss for the season.

She said they again tried to get plenty of court time into Soli Ropati in her return from injury as they make sure she is qualified for finals.

“Soli fits like a glove,” she said. “The

defensive end really consolidated while the offensive end is high scoring and are working really hard on the centre pass and overall linking up really nicely.”

Lind said now with a full week between gamestheywouldlooktoworkonmorethings to have more tricks up their bags for finals.

She said they would also be working hard to make sure Ropati and Kim Borger in championship division and Olivia Cameron, in division 1, got qualified for finals.

The Falcons division 1 team suffered a two goal loss to the Blaze after a poor shooting performance, which will harm the side’s chance of a top two spot.

The under-19s won by the same margin and are now in the box seat for a top two spot.

The Falcons this week face Melbourne University, with the club’s championships side coming off four straight wins.

Lind said it would be a challenging game.

Young stars on centre stage

A record number of Caroline Springs players featured in the Hockey Victoria Junior State Championships last week. The club had eight players featured in the competition, five with the North West Metro Tigers and three for South West Eagles.

TheSpringershadsixplayerrepresent the club last year.

Royal Mann and Bailey Wright have been selected for the Tigers under-12 boys hockey5 competition.

Aaymaan Deol and Ky Lake were selected for the under-14 Tigers boys team, while Luca Sinnott has been named in the under-14 Tigers girls team.

Charlotte Wright, Luca Sinnott are in the under-14 Eagles team, while Alex Arsenoulis is an under-16 player for the Eagles.

The under-14 boys were playing to defend the title the North West Tigers won the championship last year when it was the under-13 age group.

Stephanie Thompson (Jacob Pattison)328702_01

Lakers starting to click

By Tara Murray

For the second time in as many weeks, Caroline Springs was able to account for the Yarraville Seddon Eagles in the Western Region Football League women’s division 1.

After having their match moved to the bye weekend due to a function earlier in the season, the Lakers faced the Eagles two weeks in row.

Lakers coach Alex O’Shea said it was a differentsituationplayingtheminconsecutive weeks.

She said the matches showed how far the group had come this season.

“We’ve started to play good footy together,” she said. “We’ve started to play some games together and have some consistency in who is playing in the team.

“Yarraville Seddon are a good team and they have come a long way since they come into the competition,

“They are physical and tall and can be challenging to play against. We adjusted our game style a bit and to come away with two wins in a row, we’re very happy.”

Saturday’s game was decided in the first quarter. The Lakers led 3.3 (21)-(0) at quarter time.

Neither side would get a goal after quarter time with the Lakers winning, 3.7 (25)-0.2 (2).

O’Shea said it was a hard game.

“We started off really well with lots of players linking up and leading for the ball,” she said.

“Credit to Yarraville Seddon and they will think they won the game after quarter time with us only scoring four points.

“The conditions didn’t help, but we didn’t make the most of our opportunities and we’ll have to work on ahead of playing Parkside.”

Charlize Sindoni kicked two goals for the Lakers with Jordin Williamson and and Kyah Tessari named their best.

The Lakers sit in third spot, three games behind the top two teams and then two games clear of fourth placed Parkside Spurs.

O’Shea, who was part of last season’s premiership side, said the competition had gotten strong which is only a good thing. She said they still planned to figure late in the season.

“Don’t rule us out just yet, anything it possible,” she said.

“We believe that we can get to the last game of the year. Credit to Spotswood they are a great club and Werribee Centrals are obviously having their best season.

“It’s good for the competition. I wouldn’t be ruling us out just yet.”

The Lakers’ division 2 side also had a win on Saturday, beating Point Cook, 3.4 (22)-2.7 (19).

O’Shea said it was a really good win.

“They played in some tough conditions and fought it out to the end,” she said. “The younger girls stood up.

“It’s really good to see the development program working, With players coming from under-18s into the senior women’s program.”

The Lakers division 2 side sits in sixth spot.

In the men’s division 1 competition, the Lakers lost to Point Cook, 17.7 (109)-11.7 (73).

Brian Lake and Rylan Williams kicked three goals each for the Lakers, with Keenan O’Shea named their best.

The Lakers remain in fourth spot but are now only percentage ahead of Spotswood.

Springers coach Melissa Lake said it was pretty exciting to have that many athletes picked for the competition which features the best players in the state.

“As a club we are very proud of all our juniors and how they are developing their skills,” she said.

“Now that the club is in its seventh year we can really see the juniors coming through the club. So many are now playing seniors and also coaching the younger players.

“We are really proud of all our JSC playersparticipatinginthecompetition and honoured that they chose Caroline Springs Hockey Club to be their club.”

Tara Murray

Tara Murray Sienna Allen gets the rebound. (Robbab Photography)

Back: Ky Lake, Aayman Deol, Alex Arsenoulis, Laila Ward, Charlotte Wright.

Front: Bailey Wright, Royal Mann, Luca Sinnott. (Supplied)

Gusman smiling again after Angel’s Melton win

A win at Victorian harness racing headquarters with her much-loved gelding Hes Charlies Angel was just the tonic for injured trainer-driver Charlene Gusman on Saturday night.

Gusman is currently recovering from broken ribs sustained in a serious race fall at Shepparton on June 11, and watched on as her partner David Miles guided the four-year-old pacer to a long-awaited victory in the Alabar Vicbred Pace.

The win was the sixth of his career and first since a Vicbred Super Series semi-final late last year.

MilesusedTrotsVisiontoprovideanupdate on Gusman’s condition in the moments after the triumph.

“We didn’t get off the track until an hour and a half after the race,” Miles said.

“She’s doing remarkably well. She’s got four broken ribs and as we all know with ribs, you don’t want to sneeze, cough or laugh. And I don’t know how much cheering she would have been doing then.

“Trying to keep her away from the horses

and not do anymore damage is probably the hardest part.”

Miles sent Hes Charlies Angel to the front when the dust settled on the early speed battle and was able to control Saturday night’s race from the head of proceedings.

He looked under siege in the straight, but dug deep in the shadows of the post to hold off Ozzie Playboy and Rocknroll Walla in a three-way photo.

“He was very good tonight,” Miles said.

“He’s probably not quite as good in front. He knocks off, he wants to zig-zag a little bit, he sort of run away from them at the top of the straight and it wasn’t until right near the line where he saw those horses inside his dolly vardens that he actually stuck his head back out again in the last 10 strides and came again.”

Gusman bred and owns the horse, who is named after her late father Charlie.

Miles said the son of Sweet Lou was set to depart for the Queensland winter carnival on Monday.

“He’s headed for The Rising Sun, whether

he gets a run or not because he’s been out of the winner’s circle for so long... but there’s a $50,000 consolation on and I think there’s a J C McMullen Memorial after that, so he’s got a couple of races up there that aren’t worth sneezing at,” he said.

Emma Stewart and Mark Pitt enjoyed a night out at Melton with Loco Diablo, Mach

Bears aim for top spot

By Tara Murray

Burnside Heights has shown it is not a one horse race in the Essendon District Football League women’s division 1 competition, knocking off Greenvale.

The top of the table clash between the Bears and Jets at Greenvale Recreation Reserve lived up to expectation with nothing between the two sides all day.

The Jets led by one point at quarter time and the margin was still the same at the main break.

The Bears kicked two goals to one in the third quarter to open up an eight point lead heading into the final quarter.

The Bears were able to hold on in the final quarter, winning 5.8 (38)-4.7 (31).

Bears president Justin Peagram said the group was really excited and video chatted him right after the game to share the news.

“The girls were really excited,” he said. “It was a really good contest and both teams played some really good footy.

“It was played in good spirits. A top of the table contest that lived up to the hype, the girls were fortunate to be in front at the end.”

Peagram said both teams had their opportunities during the game, with the margin getting out to 10-13 points before it was brought back in.

Peagram said it was their leaders that really stood up in Krissy Trang, Kayla Ravenello, Holly McGregor and Ebony Stevens.

Most pleasing was the performances of some of other girls who haven’t played as much senior football.

“They are starting to come through,” he said. “Abbey O’Mara had a good game as did Ally Salpingidis and Holly Taylor.

“Kiara Asani-Davis is another who played well after coming across from Taylors Lakes.

“It’s good to have the youth in the team and they provide plenty of energy.”

The Bears remain in second spot, but are now eight points behind the Jets.

Peagram said they were keen to lock in a top two spot in the last few rounds.

The Bears play the Sunbury Lions this Saturday.

“We want to finish top two as it gives us a good opportunity come finals,” he said.

“The double chance is good. We face Greenvale in the last round and we could play them in the first week of finals too.

“The Doutta Stars are still there and Gisborne is still there too.

“There’s not much between the four teams on their day.”

In premier division, Hillside gave its hopes ofavoidingrelegationaboost,gettingasecond win for the season.

Facing Strathmore, which also entered the match with one win, the Sharks had no issues, winning 5.11 (41)-1.3 (9).

Yara Taylor and Abony Wilkie kicked two goals each for the Sharks. The Wilkie sisters, Annalise and Ebony, were named their best.

The Sharks remain in seventh position.

They have a bye this week as part of the split round.

Dan (pictured above) and Tempting Tigress all prevailing in their respective races.

Young reinsman James Herbertson was the other multiple winner at Melton, stunning punters with a long-odds running double to kick-off the night’s action.

Interleague win for Ballarat

It was a winning return to interleague for the Ballarat Football League coming away with the trophy against the Hampden Football League.

The best under-23 players from each competition faced off at Mars Stadium, coached by former AFL players Anthony Koutoufides (Ballarat FL) and Jonathan Brown (Hampden FL).

The Sunbury Lions had the most representatives for the BFL, with six players making the final 22 in the first interleague game since COVID-19.

It was a slow start to the game with it taking12minutesforeithersidetogeton the board.

The Hampden side was able to get the ascendency once they started scoring, leading 29-18 at the first break.

The Ballarat team got going in the second quarter and were able to kick five goals to one in the term to lead by 15 points at the main break.

TheBallaratteamwasslightlywasteful in the third quarter as the Hampden side kept themselves in the game.

Cody Brand had a shot after the siren to give his side a 17 point lead heading into the final quarter but it went to the right. The Ballarat side again had plenty of opportunities in the final quarter but weren’t able to make the most of them.

The final quarter finished with three goals apiece as the Ballarat side won, 13.13 (91)-11.9 (75).

Melton’s Kyle Borg kicked three goals for the BFL, with the Sunbury Lions Jake Sutton and East Point’s Liam Canny kicking two goals apiece.

Sebastopol’s Riley O’Keefe was named best on ground.

Earlier in the day, the Hampden side won the under-17 match up, winning 9.11 (65)-4.6 (30).

It was a winning return to interleague for the Ballarat FL. (Supplied)

Tim O’Connor

Hes Charlies Angel (Stuart McCormick)

Brodie Stevens (Jacob Pattison) 337294_10

Bloods back on track with youth coming through

Melton may have had a bit of a different year from what it would have liked in the Ballarat Football League, but the team is still the team to beat.

Having played all but one team so far, the Bloods are on top of the ladder with one loss for the season and are a game clear of three different teams.

Coach Aaron Tymms said they had been happy for the most part of the season.

“Obviously we had a bit of a blunder a couple of weeks ago against Darley, but it is good to be back on track,” he said.

“We know that we aren’t playing our best footy and Darley was too good on the day. We’ve had a little bit of a different year with injuries and what not.”

Tymms said they had struggled to get

continuity in their side with players in and out of the side.

He said if they could get that right, they

were confident that they would again be in the mix.

“Our depth is really good and we have lots of kids,” he said. “When they are coming up they are not out of place.”

Two players who won’t feature any time soon are Brett McIntyre and Liam Carter.

McIntyre is out for 10 weeks and they hope to have him back in the back end of the year, while Carter might be available for finals, but Tymms said it was highly doubtful.

The Bloods had the weekend off due to interleague, but the timing was less than ideal according to Tymms.

“We had two weeks off, one week and then off again,” he said.

“We play one game in five weeks.

“We’ve been training on Saturdays and stuff

to keep fit and body ready. I don’t like the byes to be honest, but with a few injuries it’s nice to freshen a few guys up.”

The Bloods this week face Lake Wendouree, which sits second bottom.

Tymms said they would likely welcome back three players and is hopeful that they can get the others back as the season goes on and stay fit.

Jack Watkins, who played his first game for the club in the last round, will be out with North Melbourne back in action in the Victorian Football League.

Tymms said it was nice for him to get the opportunity to play with his brother, but they didn’t think they would see him again this season.

Tara Murray

Sports shorts

Cricket

Melton has announced the re-signings of two of its most important players for the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association season. Ben MacRae, who was named captain of the team of the year returns and will be hoping to continue to make plenty of runs. Veteran Ben Jones, who was the side’s leading wicket taker this season, is also back for another season.

RDNL

The Western Rams did their finals hopes no harm with a big win against the Melton Centrals on Saturday in the Riddell District Netball League. The Rams led at every break and were able to build the margin, winning 57-40. Malia Seumanutafa shot 25 goals for the Rams, while Emma Winzar shot 17 for Centrals. Meanwhile, Diggers Rest got its second win of the season, beating Lancefield in a thriller, 53-51. Centrals remain in sixth spot, with the Rams in seventh and Diggers Rest in eighth.

Football

Melton Thoroughbreds hosted their first First Nations Round. (Supplied)

Melton secure third win

By Tara Murray

Melton Thoroughbreds are finally back on the winners list in the Big V men’s division 2 competition.

Having last won on April 1, it has been a tough run for the Thoroughbreds falling just short on a number of occasions of getting their third win of the season.

On Saturday night that changed, with the Thoroughbreds getting the win against the Craigieburn Eagles in the bottom of the table clash.

It was a close first quarter with the Thoroughbreds leading by one point at the first break.

They were able to extend that margin in the second quarter leading by nine points at the main break.

While in other games this season the Thoroughbreds have struggled to put together four quarters, the Thoroughbreds continued to have control of the game in the second half.

They won the third quarter 23-17 to lead by 15 points at the final break, before finishing

the game with a 16-13 final quarter to seal the 86-68 win.

Blake Allison top scored with 24 points whole Liam Allison scored 13 points and Koby Skenderis scored 11 points.

In a good sign for the Thoroughbreds the whole squad took to the court in the game.

The win, the Thoroughbreds third of the season, lifts them above the Eagles on the ladder.

TheThoroughbredshaveabyethisweekend.

The match was also a big occasion with the club holding its first First Nations Round event.

Ben Moodie played the Digeridoo throughout the night, while Cameron Morrall shared the story behind the First Nations jersey he designed.

An Acknowledgement To Country was held before both the senior men’s and youth league men’s matches.

The club’s under-10 boys put on a great half time show during the youth yeague match while half time during the men’s match there was a dance off for the younger kids and a free

throw opportunity for the older ones.

Thoroughbreds coach Mick McCallum said before the game that it was massive for the club to hold an event like this. A number of people from the league and local dignitaries attended the night.

“Previouslytheleaguetheyruniteveryyear, but this is the first time we’ve been involved,” he said.

“The jersey was made up after a competition being run by a local Indigenous group and been locally designed.”

The Thoroughbreds youth league side had a mixed weekend.

On Saturday night they accounted for Southern Peninsula Sharks, 98-89.

The Thoroughbreds took the lead early and were able to hold it throughout on the way to the win.

The Thoroughbreds were back in action on Sunday against the Pakenham Warriors.

It was a tough day for the Thoroughbreds, losing 125-80, after being blown out of the game in the first quarter, 34-16.

TheThoroughbredssitseventhintheirpool.

Several Western Jets players from Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds featured in a Victorian Diversity All-Stars game on Wednesday. Werribee Centrals’ Giselle Lambley, Maribyrnong Park’s Jade Cilla and Caroline Springs Mira Diab represented the Western Jets in the girls match. Sam Esokni (Altona) Alex Tsia (Hillside), Noah Eldebs (Keilor), Edwin Nyembo (Werribee Centrals), Isaac Abbay (Hillside) were the boys Jets representatives.

EDFL

Hillside suffered a second straight loss in the Essendon District Football League division 1 competition. Facing ladder leaders, West Coburg, the Sharks never looked likely in the 18.16 (124)-5.5 (35) result trailing all day. It was all single goal kickers for the Sharks. with Jacob Hayes named their best. The Sharks slip to fifth on the ladder with the loss. In division 2, Burnside Heights lost a thriller to Coburg Districts.

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Conrad Farrugia (Ljubica Vrankovic) 338083_25