Star Weekly - Wyndham - 15th May 2024

Intersection standoff

By Cade Lucas

The developer of Tarneit’s Creekstone estate says fixing a notorious intersection causing trafficchaosforresidentsistheresponsibility of Wyndham council.

Last week Wyndham council took the extraordinary step of limiting Macson Developments from releasing any further land parcels at the estate until it delivered a signalised traffic intersection and bridge.

Currently the only way in and out of Creekstone estate is via the Settlement Road and Dohertys Road intersection, described by residents as like running a gauntlet.

Macson Developments managing director Jason Smith conceded his company had failed to deliver a second entrance to the estate by connecting Edgewood Boulevard to Dohertys Road and building a bridge over Skeleton Creek, a delay he blamed on the

Department of Transport and Planning’s approval process.

ButhesaidtheSettlementRoadintersection causing so much angst for residents was the responsibility of council.

“Additionalinfrastructureworksassociated with the Dohertys Road duplication and Settlement Road intersection signalisation are currently the responsibility of Wyndham City Council and DTP to undertake as part of the approved precinct structure plan and development contributions plan,” said Mr Smith, adding that all relevant planning approvals were being followed and that he wanted to work with council to provide a solution.

“Westressthatwearedoingeverythingwe cantoengagewithauthoritiesandensurethe necessary road infrastructure is delivered as quickly as possible for the community.”

Wyndham council said it sought to place

temporary lights at the Settlement Road intersection but this was knocked back by DTP.

A council spokesperson said traffic congestion at that intersection was the result of Macson’s failure to deliver its own intersection and bridge as required in the contract.

“Under the section 173 agreement, Macson Developers are required to deliver a signalised intersection at Dohertys Road andEdgewoodBoulevard,”thespokesperson said.

“The lack of signals at Dohertys Road and Edgewood Boulevard that the developer agreed to deliver by the end of 2023 is creating a bottleneck at Settlement Road as there is no break in traffic for residents to turn onto Dohertys Road.”

Following pleas from residents about excessive delays at the Settlement Road

intersection and the danger it posed to motorists and pedestrians, Wyndham council used powers provided by the state’s planning and environment act to halt any further development at the estate.

Wyndham deputy mayor, Josh Gilligan said council made no apologies for doing so.

“Council’s position sends a clear message to developers: either you deliver on your promisesorWyndhamwillstopyouleeching money from our community,” Cr Gilligan said.

“Wyndham will stand up for local families against developers taking the profit of land sales and then failing to deliver promised infrastructure to make our communities liveable.”

The Department of Transport and Planning was contacted for comment.

Wyndham deputy mayor Josh Gilligan (centre) with Creekstone estate residents at the Settlement Road and Dohertys Road intersection. (supplied)

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Avalon is ready for airport rail

By Cade Lucas

A train line to Avalon Airport could be built in two years if funding is secured, its chief executive has declared.

Tony Brun said a rail connection to Victoria’s second international airport situated between Melbourne and Geelong, could be built much quicker and much cheaper than the train line to Melbourne Airport.

Mr Brun was responding to a suggestion from state treasurer Tim Pallas that a train to Avalon could be given priority if negotiations with Melbourne Airport about the location of an airport station, remained stalled.

The $14 billion project was delayed by another four years in last week’s state budget due to a dispute over whether the station be built above ground as the government prefers, or underground, the more expensive option favoured by airport management.

“I’m getting increasingly concerned about whether or not as a state, we shouldn’t be putting an each way bet around Avalon [Airport] and starting to think about what they can do in terms of provisioning for our transport needs going forward,” a frustrated treasurer told reporters on Wednesday.

“Either they [Melbourne Airport] sort out this problem and they make it a priority … or the government is going to have to look

at better provisioning for airport passenger transport than what is available from Melbourne Airport.”

Mr Brun said discussions with the state government about a possible rail link to Avalon had already taken place and they were ready to go.

“Our proposal is one per cent of the cost of a train to Tullamarine,” said Mr Brun of the plans which involve a replica of the recently built Hoppers Crossing train station being constructed at Avalon and connected to the nearby Geelong to Melbourne rail line.

“Stage one gets us to Southern Cross via Sunshine. Our second stage is then to extend the Werribee electrified line down to the

Olive oil production branches out

Westies are scouring their backyards, local parks and greenspaces to collect olives in the thousands ahead of the annual Olive to Oil event later this month.

Organised by CERES, the event brings the community together in a celebration of local produce.

Participants bring their olives to one of CERES’ drop-off sites, which are then delivered to Barfold Olives to become a fruity and unique blend of oil. On collection day, participants return home with the fruits (or oils) of their labour.

Altona North resident Laura Jenkins said her local area is a “Mecca” of olive trees, where many nature strips are dotted with goods.

“There are not many places you can walk withoutbeingfarfromanolivetree,”shesaid.

Ms Jenksins said the annual event brings out a special kind of community spirit.

“Last year we had a really beautiful experience where we were picking one of the olive trees and a neighbour came out and said ‘follow me’ and took us out the front of their house where they had two enormous trees laden with olives,” she said.

“They didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak their language. We had a huge communication barrier but it didn’t matter.

“They went and got ladders out of their sheds and helped us pick the olives … and we ended up with a really lovely interaction with our neighbours.”

This year, Ms Jenkins anticipates a bit more of a challenge due to it being an off year for olives, as olive trees typically produce fruit bi-annually. Nevertheless, she is looking forward to taking on the olive-picking adventure with her family and friends, relishing the opportunity to spend quality time outdoors.

Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Brimbank and Wyndham residents are invited to take part in the event, with the drop off date scheduled forMay26,atSunshinePlacecarpark,outside Visy Cares Hub.

The pick up day will take place on June 23 at Werribee Park Community Farm. Details: https://ceres.org.au/olives-to-oil/ Hannah Hammoud

English tutoring is as easy as A, B, C

With his sights set on becoming an English teacher, Wyndham volunteer tutor Jan Acavedo Reyes is getting valuable experience thanks to his role as a volunteer tutor with Learning for Employment.

Jan, 27, is one of Learning for Employment’s youngestvolunteerEnglishtutors.Hevolunteers as part of the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), which is funded by the Department of Home Affairs to provide free English language classes and training to eligible migrants and refugees. The AMEP Volunteer Tutor Scheme helps people to learn the English they need to settlesuccessfullyinAustralia.

Jan has both work and study in his life, and

he manages to combine them with being a volunteer tutor. Jan lives in Hoppers Crossing and because his student is in Geelong, he tutors her online over Zoom. Jan also helps out with a community based conversation group that Learning for Employment runs in Point Cook. HisstudentshavenothingbutpraiseforJanand their regular attendance shows that they enjoy comingtohissessions.

Jan said he volunteered because he “wanted experience in socially oriented work; to have thechancetocommunicatewithdifferentkinds of people, and to hopefully assist them in their acculturationtothiscountry”.

Jan is also interested in becoming an English

teacher in the future, so volunteering is giving himpracticalexperience.

Janexplainedthatheenjoysthefeelingwhena studentclearlygraspswhatisbeingtaught.

He also enjoys when they ask clarifying questions which show that they are paying attention and are really analysing the word or phraseathand.Heenjoysthestudents’openand curiousattitudes.

“I would strongly recommend being a volunteer tutor to just about anyone. You don’t have to consider yourself a teacher but you may find yourself becoming one by taking on this role,”Jansaid.

NationalVolunteerWeekisMay20-26.

new station and we would provide the land for free for the new stable yards,” he said, adding that with the Werribee line changing to the Frankston line at Flinders Street, huge swathes of the city would have direct rail access to the airport.

While the treasurer mentioned building a raillinetoAvalonasalternativetoMelbourne Airport rail, Mr Brun said it would benefit both airports as well as passengers.

“We don’t argue against the Tullamarine train, we need competition.

“A $14 billion project is going to take a long time to build and to fund and we can do this much quicker and much cheaper and fill the gap in the interim.”

Accused to fight Nazi salute charge

The first person charged with performing the Nazi salute in Victoria will face a two-day contested hearing where experts in Nazi ideology are expected to give evidence.

Jacob Hersant, 25, from Point Cook, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday morning when he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Heisaccusedofperformingthesalute outside the County Court in October, 2023, about six days after Victorian laws banning the gesture came into effect.

Hersant’s lawyer Timothy Smartt told the court they would argue the offence was constitutionally invalid as the Nazi salute was a legitimate form of political expression.

The police informant and the cameraman who captured Hersant allegedly performing the salute have already been listed as witnesses, prosecutor Julia Watson said.

But Magistrate Brett Sonnet said he also needed to hear from historians or academics who were experts in the Nazi regime.

The magistrate indicated there should be evidence about the Nazi ideology and political structures if he was required to rule on whether it was a legitimate form of political expression.

Victoria’s attorney-general will also beapartyinthecase,whichhasbeenset aside for a two-day contested hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court in September.

MrSmarttindicatedattorneys-general in all states and territories have been notified, as is required. NSW and the Commonwealth are the only other parties considering their position in the matter. - AAP

Englilsh tutor Jan Acavedo Reyes.

Laura Jenkins is gearing up for the Olive to Oil event. (Damjan Janevski) 404461_01

Elderly community connected

Just weeks after announcing its aged care services would end, Wyndham council is increasing its investment in the community connector program to advocate and support elderly residents.

The community connector program, which has been running since February, 2021, features a team of council staff who work with closely with residents and carers to find and connect them with local service options.

The program supports approximately 4000 residents per year to access the services and support they need to stay living at home, active and connected with their community.

Wyndham mayor Jennie Barrera said extra staff would be added to the program across 2024-25 as part of an improved service offering for Wyndham’s older population.

“We are proud of our efforts to ensure that Wyndham is a place where everyone can age well and be active in the community,” Cr Barerra said.

“The community connector program is an important service provides residents with access to the information, support and services that they need, when and where they need them, helping to ensure that no one falls through the gaps.”

Cr Barrera said stronger advocacy on behalf of elderly residents and ensuring their needs were considered during infrastructure planning, were other priorities for council.

She also confirmed that events such as the seniors festival, seniors directory and seniors expo would continue.

Late last month, Wyndham council announced that in response to the federal government’s proposed aged care reforms, it would be ending aged care services at the end of this year and transferring them to a mixture of community and private providers.

Council said these changes reflected

Walking students lead by example

Wyndham Vale Primary School students let their shoes do the talking on Friday morning when they participated in National Walk Safely to School Day.

Led by the school’s three junior active travel leaders, Anahat, Aiden, and Helen, students walked, cycled and scooted to school on May 10andwererewardedwithactivetraveltokens for doing so.

With the tokens, the students were able to choose from a pool of prizes consisting of colourful shoelaces, zipper pulls designed by students, badges, stickers and wrist bands. Anahat, Aiden and Helen were chosen last year to be junior active travel leaders

and since then have worked with the school and Wyndham council to encourage other students to actively travel to school each day through small incentives on special days such as National Walk Safely to School Day and Ride2School Day.

Helen said her favourite part of being an active travel leader was helping others get more active.

“Getting active each day is a good habit to have because it’s healthier, it makes you happier, it reduces traffic around the school area and, having clearly marked paths, makes it safer to walk to school,” she said.

Aiden said since taking on the role he’d

begun to notice a change in the way his classmates were getting to school.

“Lately I have seen a lot more kids riding their bikes around the school and also a declining number of cars. There are more parking spots around the school.”

Anahat said he loved demonstrating the benefits of active travel as well as experiencing them himself.

“Now everyday I ride my bike to school and home and on the weekends. Happiness is not ready-made. It comes from your actions.”

Cade Lucas

feedback they received during community consultation on the future of aged care in Wyndham conducted betweenNovember, 2023, and January, 2024.

Cr Barrera said this feedback also informed their decision to enhance the community connector program.

“The results showed that 29 per cent of respondents want council to prioritise helping older residents to understand the aged care system and connect them to services, and that is exactly what we’re doing,” she said.

Details: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ communityconnector

Station funds announced

While the recent announcement of Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) funds for Wyndham focussed on new and improvedbusservicesandinfrastructure projects, there were also benefits for rail commuters.

Those catching trains to and from Williams Landing will soon notice upgrades taking place thanks to $4.5 million in GAIC funds allocated to the station.

The upgrades will include the installation of a new lift providing disabled passengers with better access to and from the platforms.

Cyclists are also catered for, with the addition of a parkiteer on the Wallace Avenue side of the station, while minor amenity upgrades will be made throughout.

“Access and safe cyclists parking ensures more in our community can use our public transport system,” said Point Cook MP Mathew Hilakari in welcoming the upgrades.

“It’s good for congestion, and good for people.”

TheGAICfundisaone-offcontribution payable by landowners developing land that has been zoned for urban use and development in the Wyndham, Hume, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea, Cardinia and Casey local government areas.

More than $400 million was allocated to 37 infrastructure projects across Victoria in the latest round of GAIC funding, with Wyndham receiving in excess of $160 million alone.

Along with upgrades to Williams Landing station, $60 million was provided for new and upgraded bus routes in Tarneit and Laverton North and Wyndham Vale.

Details: planning.vic.gov.au.

No risk from Point Cook contamination fire chief assures residents

Point Cook residents are being assured that hazardous chemicals found in soil at the local fire station pose no risk to firefighters or to the public.

Routine testing at Point Cook Fire Station station in February found elevated levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS chemicals.

Once commonly used in firefighting foam, PFAS chemicals are now classed as a human carcinogenandhavebeenlinkedtonumerous cancer cases among ex-firefighters.

Fire Rescue Victoria and the Environment Protection Authority are currently testing for PFAS contamination at fire stations

across the state as part of remediation efforts.

After finding PFAS contamination above EPA recommended levels at Point Cook, further tests are now being planned for neighbouring properties to determine the extent of the contamination.

FRV’s PFAS remediation project head

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Mick Tisbury, said this was common practice and no cause for concern.

“Just because we do this testing doesn’t mean we have a problem” he said.

“This is about us doing our due diligence. If I thought there was any risk to those properties I’d make it a fire call and use the

powers under the FRV Act to address the issue immediately.”

United Firefighters Union president David Hamilton agreed.

“There’s no human health risk for our firefighters,” said Mr Hamilton who is also a member of the PFAS remediation project.

“If there was any risk to our firefighters that station would be closed.”

FRV and the EPA are currently seeking permission from the owners of properties bordering the fire station to perform tests on their land.

“If it does require remediation we will be remediating it,” Assistant Chief Fire Officer Tisbury declared.

“We’re trying to undo 30 years of damage and it’s going to take a while.”

Cade Lucas

Only when permission is granted will the testing of soil, water, concrete and vegetation on those properties begin, with any further action dependent on results.

Wyndham Vale Primary School active travel leaders Helen, Ayden and Anahat walk to school on Friday, May 10. (Damjan Janevski) 406267_01

Tarneit safety petition

By Cade Lucas

Fed up Tarneit residents have presented a petition to Wyndham council and Victoria Police demanding greater safety and security in the suburb.

Containing 500 signatures, the petition was presented to Wyndham council on Monday afternoon, with organisers then meeting with mayor Jennie Barrera and members of VictoriaPolicetodiscusstheirconcernsabout crime in the area.

The petition was the idea of Tarneit resident Aijaz Moinuddin, who said it was two violent incidents involving young people that convinced him to take action.

“Last year there was an incident involving Ryan Sing who was stabbed in Tarneit,” he said.

“In April there was a similar incident involving a young boy of the same age group (15) who was robbed and threatened with a knife on Butterfly Boulevard and after that I decided to start a petition and organise a rally.”

While he was denied permission to hold the rally, Mr Moinuddin’s petition demanding an increased police presence in Tarneit, with longer operating hours at Wyndham North Police Station and more police patrols in parks and public spaces, won him an audience with local authorities.

“Council was happy to facilitate a meeting to discuss the issues and we have committed to working with Police and the community on a positive way forward,” said Cr Barrera of the meeting.

In response to demands outlined in the petition, a spokesperson for Victoria Police saidstationoperatinghoursweren’tindicative of police presence.

“The temporary closure of Wyndham

North’s reception counter means police are outinthecommunitypreventingcrime,rather than sitting behind a desk,” the spokesperson said.

“The Tarneit community lives less than 10km away from one of the largest police stations in the state which is open 24-7. Not only do we prioritise patrols of new and emerging estates, but we also conduct bi-monthly meetings with them to address crime and provide crime prevention tips.

Wyndham police also conduct a regular nightly operation alongside a range of specialist police to target break-ins, car thefts and dangerous driving while the community sleeps.”

A spokesperson for the state government said building the Wyndham 24-hour police complex and funding new officers and patrols in Wyndham demonstrated the government’s commitment to community safety in the area.

The spokesperson also highlighted recent crime statistics showing Wyndham having a lower than average crime rate.

According to Mr Moinuddin, those statistics aren’t reflected on the ground.

“People have stopped going for the evening walks because they are too scared,” he said, addingthatifhehadhistimeagain,heandhis family wouldn’t have chosen to live in Tarneit.

“I would have moved to a safer area, a more established area.”

Ironbark name made official

It’s official. The regional football facility’s reserve and pavilion in Tarneit will now be known as Ironbark Fields and Ironbark Pavilion.

Geographic Names Victoria confirmed the new names for Western United’s home ground on Friday, May 10.

Wyndham mayor Jennie Barrera said it was wonderful that it was a community-named facility.

“We’resoproudofthisstate-of-the-art training facility that includes three pitches, a two-storey pavilion and capacity for 5,000 spectators,” she said.

The process to name the facility began in September last year and the name Ironbark was chosen during a public poll conducted from December to February.

After council first approved the Ironbark name at a meeting February 24, it was then subject to a 30-day public notice period before being submitted to Geographic Names Victoria.

Wyndham councillor Peter Maynard said the end result was a name that would become synonymous with Tarneit and Wyndham.

“It’s exciting to name this incredible sporting asset that will be enjoyed now and for generations to come,” he said.

IronbarkFieldsandIronbarkPavilion will serve as a match-day venue for both Western United’s men’s and women’s A-League teams until the 15,000 capacity Wyndham Stadium is built next door.

Tarneit residents Mohammed Irzan Ahmed, Ritai A. Raheem and Aijaz Moinuddin present a petition calling for greater safety and security in Tarneit, to Wyndham council.

(Damjan Janevski) 406443_01

Platypus river survey

Central Werribee is home to many restaurants, retail and entertainment venues and now, according to new research, platypus populations too.

The recent results of platypus surveys conducted in the Werribee River indicate a moderately healthy population of platypus living in the urbanised waterways near the Werribee city centre.

While the Werribee River is a well known platypus habitat, the species are more commonly associated with rural and suburban stretches of the river.

To find out the size and health of platypus populations in urbanised stretches of the river, Ecology Australia, the Werribee River Association and Werribee Riverkeeper John Forrester, conducted a survey on the night of Thursday, May 2.

The survey involved the live trapping of platypus, recording their measurements, conducting health assessments and electronic tagging.

During the May 2 survey, two healthy juvenile male platypus, aged approximately six months and weighing around 900gms – 1100gms, along with a healthy adult female, were trapped and then released after processing.

Unfortunately one of the juvenile males had looped litter entangled around its body.

Loop litter is a leading cause of injury, disease and death in platypus, and highlights the importance of cutting looped items such as hair ties, rubber bands and bottle rings at disposal.

Werribee, riverkeeper John Forrester said it was an example of why the species was still under threat.

“The Werribee River Association’s latest reports tell the story of how we

need to protect platypusintothefuture–with environmentalflows,wideningandimproving the riparian strip of vegetation, education of communities and engineered solutions to stormwater pollution, to support the water bugs, the food source of the platypus.”

Cade Lucas

Briefs

Shop fire

The cause of a fire which damaged a number of shops in Hoppers Crossing on Wednesday morning is being investigated. Firefighters arrived at the Hogans Corner shopping centre in Bronson Circuit about 3am on May 9 and found the fire engulfing one shop and spreading to two others, with thick smoke blanketing the area. The blaze was brought under control by 4.30am and no one was injured. Specialist investigators from Fire Rescue Victoria and Victoria Police are working to determine how the fire started.

Carjacking

Police have charged three males following an alleged carjacking in Tarneit on Saturday night. It is alleged a group of teens were picked up by a rideshare driver on Cloverdale Road about 11pm on May 11. They were driven to Wilandra Drive when it’s alleged they attacked the driver, pulled him out of the car and stole the vehicle. The driver, a 62-year-old Point Cook man, was taken to hospital with minor injuries. An 18-year-old and 16 year old from Point Cook and a 15-year-old from Hoppers Crossing were later arrested and charged with theft of a motor vehicle. Two teenage girls were also arrested and released and two others are still at large.

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Free Kinder: Enrol for 2025.

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• learn language, literacy and numeracy skills through play, art, music and dance

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Contact your preferred kinder service or local council to learn about how to enrol for 2025.

Visit vic.gov.au/kinder

Specialists from Ecology Australia surveying platypus in urban areas of the Werribee River on May 2. (supplied) 406552_01

Dancing funds delayed

By Cade Lucas

Several Wyndham charities and community groups have finally received funding for mental health initiatives, nearly two years after it was first raised at a gala event.

In April, successful applicants for the Werribee Mazda Dance Stars on the Floor Small Grants Program 2022, including Wyndham Community & Education Centre, FLIP – Flexible Learning Intervention Program, and the Corazon Centre, were awarded $5000 each, some 20 months after the fundraising event took place.

A dispute between Dance Stars on the Floor organisers and their main charity partner, Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA), caused the delay, with the 2023 event being held and funds paid out long before it was resolved.

“We have no idea why they held onto that money for 20 months and would not release it to these organisations,” said event organiser and Wyndham councillor Heather Marcus, who accused the Mental Health Foundation ofholdingonto$30,000ofthe$50,000raised.

Ms Marcus believes it was it was her threat to take the story to the media that finally forced the MHFA to pay up, but despite the delay, it was better late than never.

“We are delighted that we have finally been able to receive the $30,000 from Mental Health Foundation Australia who were holding onto that money. Finally we’ve now had it distributed to the the last six successful mental health organisations in our city.”

MHFA chief executive Vasan Srinivasan disputes this version of events and said he informed organisers that the process of allocating funding would take time.

“We made it very clear that it would take some time because of national mental health

month activities and Christmas coming, it would be after March, 2023 before the funding allocation process could begin,” said Mr Srinivasan, who added that other events, including major surgery, dragged out the process even longer.

“There was a bit of misunderstanding from the committee. They wanted to allocate funding to general mental health and we had advertised that it would go youth mental health,” he said.

“Then I went through major bypass surgery. It was absolutely unintentional.”

Mr Srinivasan said it wasn’t the prospect of media exposure that caused the funds to

finally be released, saying he did so once he returned from extended leave following heart surgery.

He said he had no hard feelings towards Cr Marcus, saying he’d love to work with her again.

“Heather is such a wonderful lady. I was a referee for her Order of Australia Medal.”

Renovations at the Wyndham Cultural Centre mean Dance Stars on the Floor won’t happen in 2024, but Cr Marcus declared 2025 a certainty.

“We will be back bigger and better than ever next year.”

Download a digital licence

Victorians now have the option to carry their driver’s licence on their phone.

The state government said more than 4.5 million Victorians who are fully licenceddrivers,motorcyclists,orheavy vehicle operators are the first eligible to download digital driver’s licences.

Eligible Victorians will be able to access their digital driver’s licences after setting up their profile via the myVicRoads and Service Victoria apps.

The roll-out follows consultation across organisations that rely on photo identification including bars, restaurants, supermarkets, retailers, Victoria Police, and Australia Post.

Digital driver’s licences have undergone rigorous privacy and security testing, boasting features like a dynamic hologram and a timed QR code so businesses and authorities can scan to verify authenticity and prevent fraudulent use.

The licences can also be updated in real-time if there are changes to licence conditions or personal information like home addresses.

Learners and probationary licence holders will be able to access their digital licence by 2025.

Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne said, “Our digital driver licences will make it easier for Victorians when they go about their day-to-day lives , whether that’s driving around, renting a car, collecting a parcel, or visiting a licensed venue”.

Tyre & Auto Service

Cr Heather Marcus (front) with Chris Lacey, Aaron Sellick, Maree Cee, John Sheen, John Taekama and Justin Abrams celebrating funds from the 2022 Werribee Mazda Dance Stars on the Floor being released after a lengthy dispute. (Damjan Janevski) 403469_01

Aurora australis lights night sky

The aurora australis made for spectacular viewing at the weekend, with Wyndham providingoneofthebestvantagepointsinthe country to see the sky light up.

Also known as the ‘southern lights’ the aurora australis is a geomagnetic storm that occurs when particles from the sun interact with atoms and molecules in the earths upper atmosphere.

Thanks to particularly strong ‘solar winds’ emitted by the sun in recent days, both the aurora australis and its northern hemisphere cousin, aurora borealis, have been putting on their best light shows in a decade.

With fine weather and a lack of light pollution, Wyndham was one of the best places to view the phenomenon as it turned the sky fluorescent yellow and green, hot pink and blood orange on Saturday and Sunday night.

The beaches of Werribee South and WyndhamHarbourprovedespeciallypopular viewing points for locals, many of whom were happy to share their photos with StarWeekly

The view from Red Cliffs lookout at Werribee South. (Beth Geronimo)

The aurora filtered through gumtrees. (Beth Geronimo)

Werribee South beach on May 11. (Janine Culph) Above palm trees in a Werribee backyard. (Jacinta Cooper)

The view from Campbell Cove, Werribee South. (Terry Holyoak)

Captured at Wyndham Harbour early on the morning of May 12. (Muhammad Umer)

Wyndham Harbour on Saturday May 11. (Sushma Raj)

New principal announced at Bacchus Marsh Grammar

Bacchus Marsh Grammar is pleased to announce the appointment of its fourth and new principal from 2025, Mrs Debra Ogston. This is an exciting appointment for the school and wider community as Mrs Ogston, having served the school in various positions over the past 23 years, provides current and future families continuity, confidence, a strong direction and seamless transition into her new role.

In a recent speech given to staff, Mrs Ogston said, “Change can often bring feelings of uncertainty and apprehension and continuity is what binds us together as a school community. Our values, our traditions and our shared commitment to excellence remains the same. As we, as a school, navigate the changes and transitions that inevitably come with a new principal, it is essential that we remain steadfast in our commitment to that which has got us to this place. This school has been built on a culture of significance, values and high expectations, particularly with academic results. This will remain the same. Continuity and confidence in what we as a school are delivering and our continued expectations will help us move forward in our pursuit of excellence.”

It is with great confidence that the Bacchus Marsh Grammar community can count on our new principal. Mrs Ogston’s ambition and success in her leading roles to this point have been entwined with her commitment to excellence in education, and her passion to create well-rounded individuals. She leads by example as she balances parenthood and has strong community ties while involved in local sport through both coaching and playing roles at Sunbury Basketball Association since 1997 and more recently Darley Football and Netball Club.

Mrs Ogston’s beliefs are that the “future of

oursocietyisbaseduponourabilitytochange and grow. The skills and knowledge required inthefuturemustenablepeopletotakechange in their stride. Students leaving secondary school must be problem-solvers, listeners and good communicators. Students need to keep upwiththeever-changingpaceintechnology, work effectively in group situations and be responsible citizens. In order for students to be prepared for life beyond the four walls of school, we must teach these skills.”

Current principal Mr Andrew Neal said, “I cannot be more delighted with this appointment. Mrs Debra Ogston has the

capacity and desire to continue the growth and development of the school in a way that is true to our values and is respectful to all members of our community.”

On behalf of the School Board, Cathy Jeffkins wishes to thank the entire school community for its respectful engagement and interest in the new principal selection process. The board is delighted to have made the appointment of Mrs Ogston to position of principal with effect from 1 January 2025.

The board also reiterates its grateful and heartfelt thanks to current principal, Mr Andrew Neal, for his enormous contribution

to our school over the past 26 years, and looks forward to Mr Neal undertaking the new role of the School’s Chief Executive Officer from 1 January 2025.

Bacchus Marsh Grammar is a vibrant independent school, boasting a rich depth of programs that foster confidence, self-awareness, resilience, and gives students the ability to contribute to their personal growth. It has three campuses Maddingley P-12 campus, Woodlea P-10 campus (expanding to Year 12 by 2026) and Staughton Vale Rural Campus. For more email school@ bmg.vic.edu.au or contact 5366 4800.

Bacchus Marsh Grammar

Bacchus Marsh Grammar is a vibrant Independent school, boasting a rich depth of programs that foster confidence, self-awareness, resilience, and gives students the ability to contribute to their personal growth.

Maddingley Campus P-12

Woodlea Campus P-10 (Expanding to Year 12 by 2026) Staughton Vale Rural Campus school@bmg.vic.edu.au | 53664800

New principal Debra Ogston.

FEATURING ... EDUCATION

Cash for education and training in the state budget

Last week’s state budget included millions of dollars for education, including a one-off $400 bonusforeverystudentatagovernmentschool.

The once-off $400 School Saving Bonus can be used by families to cover the cost of uniforms, camps, excursions and other extracurricular activities through the year and also applies to eligible concession card holders in non-government schools.

The budget also tripled the Glasses for Kids program, benefitting an extra 74,000 young Victorians – providing free vision testing and prescription glasses to prep to Year 3 students, with an extra $6.8 million.

The government claims that the budget builds on the more than $700 million already invested in healthcare support in schools – adding to the doctors, nurses and mental health practitioners who support our kids. The government will invest a further $21.8 million for psychologists, speech pathologists and social workers, $6.3 million for the Primary School Nursing Program and $13.9 million to deliver mental healthcare in schools.

Thegovernmentsaysitiscontinuingtoback teachers and support staff with an extra $17.9 million to boost the workforce, attracting more teachers from overseas and enabling school leaders to work more flexibly around their lives.

An investment of $63.8 million will also give school staff more mental health and wellbeing support, helping to bolster recruitment, increase retention and support those returning to the workforce.

The government is also investing $10.7 million to reduce the admin burden on school staff – with initiatives that give principals more time to support staff and students, as well as extra support for teachers in their curriculum and assessment planning.

An investment of almost $17 million will

extendtheStudentExcellenceProgram,which helps support high achieving students across all government schools – from excursions to extra classroom resources and extension programs.

The government will also continue the Primary Mathematics and Science Specialist Program, training an extra 100 teachers as STEM specialists to make sure students are getting the skills they need for the future, and will invest $8.2 million to lift outcomes by supporting the English Online Interview, supporting learning literacy through phonics.

There is also $4.8 million for new programs that will give students in Year 9 and 10 the opportunity to experience vocational courses

and studying at TAFE. This includes support for vulnerable kids to stay in education and break the cycle of disadvantage, with $71 million to support them to finish Year 12 and secure a post-school pathway. A further $28.4 million is invested for a suite of initiatives to support students in the justice system. The government will also invest $8.4 million to better support students in out-of-home care and strengthen the LOOKOUT program in schools and kinders.

Community Language Schools are supporting more than 40,000 kids to learn or maintain nearly 50 mother and heritage languages this year alone. The government will invest $10.5 million, as well as delivering

2025 CRICKET ACADEMY INFORMATION NIGHT

FOR YEARS 7-11

WEDNESDAY JUNE 5 - 6:00 PM

LARA SECONDARY COLLEGE

an extra $41.5 million for the English as an Additional Language program.

The budget makes a new $51 million investment to improve education and wellbeing outcomes for Victoria’s First Nations students. It includes more than $32 milliontosupporttheAboriginalcommunitycontrolled sector, and measures to strengthen self-determination and ensure cultural safety in schools.

After a summer of too many tragic, preventable drownings on Victorian beaches and waterways, the government will invest $115.8 million in the Active Schools program – including more than $73 million for swimming and water safety education.

College cricket academy

Lara Secondary College is excited to be workingwithCricketVictoria,TheMelbourne Renegades and Academy Movement to provide the Lara Secondary College Cricket Academy.

The Cricket Academy will begin in 2025 and will be available to both male and female students in Years 7-11, with the academy being extended to Year 12 in 2026. Time for cricket training and high-level coaching will be integrated into student’s curriculum, supporting students to achieve success on the cricket field for their club and Lara Secondary College and academically.

Specialist coaching sessions and student use of the state’s best cricketing facilities, such as Junction Oval, will be integrated into students’ programs.

On Wednesday June 5, Lara Secondary College will host an information session for prospective students and their families from 6pm.

The information evening will provide an opportunity for students and their families to hearabouthowtheacademywillbeintegrated into student’s schooling, the cricket and academic credentials required for entry into the academy and the application process. The 2025 Cricket Academy teachers and coaches will also be present to answer any further questions.

Students and families interested in the cricket academy can register for the information evening though this link: https:// forms.gle/6DVcdLi9UAGwkDG56

Opportunities abound at Hoppers Crossing Secondary

Hoppers Crossing Secondary College is a dynamic school where students are presented with boundless opportunities throughout their schooling journey.

We place great emphasis on developing innovative and challenging educational programs for students of all abilities and we are totally committed to continuing to improve the life and education of each student enrolled at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College.

Our goal is to see each student become a happy, self-confident, and knowledgeable lifelong learner who can demonstrate independence and a sense of career direction. Ultimately we want to see each growing student as a worthy, contributing member of our community.

At the college we develop students who are competing at the highest levels possible in the stateacrossarangeofareas.Weofferarangeof programscateringtostudentslookingtoexcel academically and foster a growth mindset focused on continuous improvement. We are proud to acknowledge our year 12 graduates, who consistently achieve study scores of 40-plus and ATAR scores over 90, giving them access to a range of career pathways and tertiary education options. In addition to this, each year the college has a number of students whochoosetoaccessauniversitycoursewhile completing their year 12 studies.

Outside the classroom, students are offered a range of opportunities including, but not limitedto,performingartswhereourstudents havebeennationallypraisedfortheirskilland professionalism. Winning countless awards at the Wakakirri Performing Arts event is testament to the dedication and talent of our staff and students.

Leadership qualities evident in Hoppers Crossing Secondary College students are

cultivated with successful contributions to many events, from local youth forums and public speaking programs to interschool debating and State Youth Parliament events. The vibrant sporting program offers the chance for students to compete in a wide range of sports, with individuals and teams representingthecollegeandachievingsuccess at regional and state levels.

InNovember2020,wereceivedconfirmation from Laverton MP Sarah Connolly that the school would be receiving $10 million in funding in the state budget to assist with the re-modernisation of the college. We have developed a school master plan and stage one of those works – a new competition-grade gymnasium with retractable seating for 300 as well as a retractable stage – this will be

completed this year. This wonderful news is recognition of the great work that has been achieved at the college over the past few years and we are so pleased that our students will benefit from this injection of funding.

To find out more about our college, parents are invited to attend one of our open days or view our virtual open day tour on our website.

A singing star in the making

By Afraa Kori

Singer-songwriter Urlik Mageza from Wyndham Vale is taking his music to another level and leaving a lasting impact on the local music scene.

With a talent and passion that sets him apart, the 19-year-old African Australian has been selected in a highly competitive and professional music program.

“The Boite is a program that is made to prepare artists ready for the entertainment industry. I was chosen with six other artists to be mentored by people who have navigated the same journey that we are on and now they are passing on their knowledge to us,” Mageza said.

Launched in 2022, the program empowers emerging musicians and provides access to resources, skills, assets, and opportunities for networking.

TheBoite’sPortfolioProjecthasalsocurated a music performance series titled Suitcase 2, featuring Urlik Mageza, Chantelle Beale and Sanaz Saadatfar.

Locals and visitors are invited to witness a night of creativity held at Open Studio in Northcote on May 16, 7.30pm-9.30pm.

Mageza said the program has transformed his life and he’s excited to give his audience a life-changing experience at the show.

“My supporters should expect to see growth in my vocal abilities, stage performance and good vibes. It’s an intimate show so I want to connect with everyone that’s coming to watch the show and make some I spread the joy of music,” he said.

“Ihavesomuchnewmusictosharewiththe audience and Australia in general. Last year I spent six months in Africa (Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda etc) creating my next project, which is different from what I have done before as an

artist. Even though the music is different for me, it’s also familiar to me because it’s what I grew up listening to. This is why I am excited about the performance, it’s the first time I perform most of the track (old and new).

“I want my audience to leave the show feeling refreshed, inspired, and happier than how they came. I have been blessed with a very supportive and authentic community.

YOUR NEW CAREER ... starts here

They always motivate me to work harder and strive for more and always want new music.”

The Boite’s project manager and marketing officer, Ellen Chan said identifying talent is just the beginning but breaking down barriers is the real game changer.

“Apartoftheprogramiswehaveworkshops aimed at developing the skills of the artists, particularly because they’re independent

artists so we don’t all have access and the luck of having managers doing all the admin work for us. The workshops include writing your own press release, booking a gig and what kind of organisations can artists reach out to if they need help.

“Also putting together your electronic press kit so in order to do that, we take studio quality photos. The electronic press kit includes doing a live session video and once we put all of that together, it’ll be a good package to send to music venues and festivals.”

Ms Chan said inclusivity and diversity are essential values that have enriched the program, organisation and community.

“This is the first program in Melbourne that I know of that caters only to the culturally and linguistically diverse community. I haven’t really seen organisations focus on just the CALD community and First Nations community.

“This year, we have seven artists, including Urlik himself. These artists come from a range of genres and backgrounds, including folk-pop, Latin, R&B, soul, neo-soul, and Persian. It’s a really diverse cohort and we’re excited to be supporting them on their music journey.

“The Boite is a non-profit organisation and we’ve been around since 1979. This is our 45th yearandourwholemissionistogiveaplatform to our artists from all kinds of ethnic, cultural and language backgrounds. It gives them a platform to play their music, but not only that, a big part of what we do is connecting artists from all sorts of backgrounds to each other and kind of challenging the traditional understanding of assumptions of boundaries of genre, culture and tradition.”

To book a ticket: https://www.trybooking. com/events/landing/1202230

Sunday sport event for all

Disabled athletes from across Wyndham will converge on Eagle Stadium in Werribee this weekend for an inclusive multi-sport event.

TakingplacethisSunday,May19,from1pm to 3pm, the multi-sport afternoon is open to anyone with a disability aged five years and above, with family members, carers and friends also welcome to take part.

Athletics, Werribee Little Athletics, Iramoo Basketball Club, St Andrews Basketball Club, Flames Basketball Club, Werribee All Abilities Basketball Club, Werribee Table Tennis, Beatfreakz fitness, Circus Fit Studio, Wyndham Warriors LaCrosse and Wyndham Eagles Pickleball.

Star Weekly seeks an enthusiastic Full or Part Time 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.

The event is part of the Sport4All Disability Inclusion program which has been running for the past 14 months, providing people with a disability with the chance to play and try a wide range of sports.

Sixteen different sports will be on offer on Sunday afternoon, ranging from basketball, athletics and table tennis, through to pickleball, lacross and fitness classes.

All sports and activities will be administered by local sporting clubs involved in the Sport4All program, including Western

After the event all participants will come together for a debrief session to share positive stories and lessons around developing their clubs and creating opportunities for people with a disability.

Registrations are essential and can be done beforehand or from 12.45pm on the day, with the first events beginning at 1pm.

Public transport, wheelchair accessible parking, stepless entry and unisex accessible toilets will be available.

Details: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/ inclusivesport

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: Advertising Sales Manager, Mandy Clark mandy.clark@starnewsgroup.com.au

Independent artist Urlik Mageza. (Africa Day Australia)

New park opens on Mother’s Day

Nearly 100 Tarneit residents celebrated the opening of a new park with the Mother’s Day picnic.

The park, which is Mantis Circuit along Davis Creek in Stockland’s Grand Central estate, has a playground, open green space, seating and undercover areas.

Mums were gifted free picnic packs including rugs, snacks and fresh coffee, and took part in a series of fun lawn games with their families.

Stockland development director Jackie Kent

said it was fitting to open the park on Mother’s Day.

“Parks are important place for families and communitymemberstoconnect,andweknow the parks in our Stockland communities are a destination for families, especially parents, carers and grandparents to come together and enjoy the outdoors,” Ms Kent said.

“The Mother’s Day picnic was a wonderful opportunity for our residents and the community to say thanks to the women in our lives.”

See what the others don’t

Our superior map-based search gives you the complete view of the property market. With heritage, zoning and property overlays, you get the complete view of millions of properties across Australia, even if they’re not for sale yet.

When it comes to property, with view.com.au you see all.

Situated in a highly sought-after pocket of Tarneit, this spacious block of land is close to shopping centres, lovely parks and reserves, quality zoned schools and everything else Tarneit and its surrounding suburbs have to offer.

• 375m2 (approx.) block of land

• Convenient rectangular shape

• Situated in the sought-after suburb of Tarneit

• Short drive to Tarneit Station

• Convenient access to Tarneit Central Shopping Centre

• Princes Freeway easily accessible through Leaks Road

• Melbourne CBD, beaches, medical facilities, dining, and entertainment opportunities all close at hand

The growing suburb of Tarneit offers a range of amenities and facilities, with easy access to beaches and waterways, lovely lifestyle perks, fantastic opportunities for professionals and students, as well as not being located too far from Melbourne City itself. This block is quite close to everything this welcoming suburb and surrounding areas have to offer, providing a peaceful and convenient lifestyle for potential residents. Public

and

(Opening

Mums were gifted picnic packs, (Pictures: Supplied)

Families enjoyed lawn games.

A coffee cart provided hot beverages to attendees.

The event was one of seven held by Stockland across Melbourne to mark Mother’s Day,

The event celebrated Mother’s Day and the opening of the new park.

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

Drumming classes

Community adult drumming class. If you ever wanted to try out your rhythmic skills, the first class is free and concessions apply for other classes. All hand drums supplied or BYO. No experience required, just bring an open heart and mind and enjoy making some great rhythms together. The class is friendly and welcoming to everyone. Thursdays, 7.30pm to 8.30pm during school terms, at Saltwarter Community Centre, 153 Saltwater Parade, Point Cook.

■ 0411 028 077 or bfmusic15@gmail.com

Wyndham Ladies Probus

Retired or semi-retired ladies are invited to join this very active social group. Enjoy impressive monthly guest speakers, interesting monthly outings and many lunches where the development of friendships is encouraged. The Ladies Probus Club of Wyndham meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Hotel 520, Sayers Road, Tarneit at 10am.

■ Pat 0411 316 795

Laverton Community Choir

The choir is currently welcoming new members - especially male voices. If you love singing and would like to be part of a choir - come along and try out your vocal cords. There are no auditions and you don’t need to be able to read music. The group meets on Thursday evenings during school terms at Laverton P12 College, 91 Bladin Street, Laverton, from 7-9pm.

■ Sue, 0418 386 147 or lavertoncommunitychoir@gmail.com

Live Well for Life

Live Well for Life is a free five-week program that provides support and information to Wyndham residents 18 and older, on a number of issues including how to make healthy behaviour changes, heart disease, diabetes and stroke, healthy eating, physical activity and sleep. The program will run at IPC Health, 117-129 Warringa Court, Hoppers Crossing in April and May. Registration is essential and participants must be able to attend all sessions.

■ livingwell@ipchealth.com.au or 1300 472 432

Point Cook VIEW

The Point Cook Day VIEW Club (for ladies) meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Point Cook Library 1-21 Cheetham Street, Point Cook. Members enjoy afternoon teas and outings. New members welcome. VIEW Is part of the Smith Family.

■ Catherine, 0407 726 852.

Watton Group

A support group providing a social space for carers to get together in a safe and compassionate environment. Gives carers an opportunity to connect, share their experiences and offers emotional and practical support. The group meets at the Eco-Living Centre at 10am every fourth Tuesday of the month.

■ Patricia, 0434 487 360, or wattongroup131@gmail.com.

All Abilities Netball

All Abilities Netball for 10-to-25-year-olds is run by Wyndham Netball Association every Saturday morning during school terms from 10.30am on outside court 14 at Eagle Stadium, Ballan Road, Werribee. Intellectual, physical and social disabilities are catered for in a fun and supported group. Come and try your first session for free, with stadium entry $2.

■ Phil, 0437 078 739

Walking Netball

Walking Netball is a low impact, no running, no jumping version for those that love the fun, friendship and activity of a weekly game of netball. Sessions are run every Thursday during school terms from 8pm at Eagle Stadium, Ballan Road, Werribee. Come and try your first session for free, with stadium entry $2.

■ Phil, 0437 078 739

Wyndham Rotary

Wyndham Rotary welcomes people interested in helping people in need in the community. Interested in finding out more, come to the Italian Sports Club each Wednesday at 6.30pm for a meal, to share ideas and to work for a common cause.

■ Julie, 0406 196 630

With One Voice Wyndham Choir

With One Voice Wyndham Choir is a community choir open to all. The community choir welcomes all ages, abilities, faiths, cultures and genders and is directed by a very experienced and friendly professional conductor. Fun weekly rehearsals and amazing performance opportunities are provided. They sing for an hour and then have a cuppa. The first two visits are free; and then payment is by tax-deductible donation. Tuesday evenings 7-8:30pm at Wayaperri House ,106 Duncans Road, Werribee.

■ wyndham@withonevoice.org.au

Adult community garden group

The group meets on the first Tuesday of the month 10-11.30am at Iramoo Community Centre, 84 Honour Ave, Wyndham Vale. Head down and join them as we maintain their rejuvenated community garden. Planting and harvesting produce that they grow.

■ 8742 3688

Seniors House of Fun

The Grange Community Centre invites seniors of Wyndham to its weekly Seniors House of Fun. This is a free program running every Friday 11am-12.30pm, at The Grange Community Centre, 260-280 Hogans Road, Hoppers Crossing.

■ Vanessa, 8742 8000, or enquires@ grangecommunity.org.au

Seniors club

The Werribee Senior Citizens Club meets at 80 Lonsdale Circuit, Hoppers Crossing. The group is open to all people 55-plus and it runs on Wednesdays, 10am-noon. Entry: $2, includes morning tea.

■ 0403 041 499

Diabetes Support Group

The Werribee Diabetes support provides an opportunity to hear from experts on how to manage your diabetes, to share information on diabetes and to engage with other diabetics Meetings are at the old council shire buildings at 10am every second Friday of the month.

■ Bob, 0409 252872.

Hoppers Crossing Ladies Probus

The friendly and vibrant group meet at Hotel 520 on the second Wednesday of each month from 10am. They have a guest speaker each month as well as social lunches, outings and theatre trips.

■ 0408 123 669

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 nonbinary people, who have a disability, chronic health issues and/or mental health challenges.

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

U3A Werribee

The group is a not-for-profit community organisation for semi-retired and retired Wyndham residents. They hold a variety of classes-activities specifically designed for seniors, including, light physical and mental wellbeing sessions, arts, games and craft, and general classes such as current affairs, history and lunch groups. Most classes-activities are held at Wyndham community centres.

■ Rick, 0402 299 220.

Lions Club

Lions Club of Werribee meets at the RSL

Club, 2a Synnot Street, Werribee on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm.

■ Jorge, 0433 566 575

Bingo for all

The Werribee RSL hosts Bingo every Monday between 12.30-2.30pm.

■ 9741 5525

Western Budgerigar Club

The Western Suburbs Budgerigar Club meets at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of each month at Masonic Hall, 223 Watton Street, Werribee. Meet other members who are also passionate about breeding Budgerigars.

■ Don, 0414 975 862

Wyn FM

Wyn FM is Wyndham’s community radio station, broadcasting on 88.9 and online from its studios at the Victoria University campus in Werribee. It offers a wide range of programming including music, sport, news and lifestyle shows as well as broadcasts in languages other than English. New broadcasters, volunteers, members and sponsors are always welcome.

■ 9919 8089 wynfm.org.au

Wyndham Combined Probus Club

Wyndham Combined Probus Club has been providing friendship and fun for retired people for 22 years. They have recently moved to a new home at Iramoo Community Centre in Wyndham Vale and offer speakers, lunches, brunches, shows, trips and tours. Newcomers are welcome on the second Tuesday of the month at 1.30pm.

■ Judy, 0411 034 311

Werribee River Association

New volunteers to support Landcare work along the Werribee River. A great way to give back, get outdoors and work at your own pace.

■ Lisa Field, 0433 559 530, admin@ werribeeriver.org.au, www.werribeeriver. org.au

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of Star Wars characters visiting sick children, including six-year-old Tiana, at Sunshine Hospital to help brighten their day. (Damjan Janevski) 405369_01

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the

ACROSS

1 Underground railway (6)

4 Water-surrounded land (6)

10 Chickens, pigeons etc. (5)

11 Social exclusion (9)

12 Provider of information (9)

13 Rainforest vine (5)

14 Of Troy (6)

15 Over (4)

19 Currency unit (4)

20 Antelope with lyre-shaped horns (6)

24 Happen (5)

25 Encouraging (9)

27 Male name (9)

28 Proclaimer (5)

29 Proof-corrector (6)

30 Fruit (6) DOWN 1 Temperance (8) 2 Shoeless (8)

3 German-speaking country (7) 5 Mollusc (7) 6 Shoe brand (6) 7 Humiliate (6)

8 Scottish island (4) 9 Law (7)

16 Bed-bound person (7) 17 Italian church (8)

18 Large marsupial (8) 19 Procession (7)

21 North African country (7)

22 Deadbeat (6)

23 Outline (6)

26 Sham (4)

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 nouns ending in “s”.

3

Riley Keough (pictured)

And which music icon is she the granddaughter of?

The quetzal is the official currency of which country?

Futuristic Staria is a head-turner

By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring

The Hyundai Staria people mover and Staria Loadcommercialvanarrivedhereinmid-2021 toreplacethepreviousiMaxandiLoadvehicles.

Both come with a strikingly futuristic look with a steeply sloping front with a wide body-colouredradiatorgrilleflankedbylow-set LED headlights and a full-width horizontal LED strip above comprising a centre lamp and daytime running lights.

Comparisons have been drawn to the now-defunct Space Shuttle.

Both Staria models are engineered from the grounduponadedicatedplatformsharedwith the Santa Fe.

We’ll focus on the people mover here.

Styling

While it may polarise opinions, the Staria certainly has the most imaginative design we’ve ever seen in either a people mover or commercial van. During our week behind the wheeloftheStariapeoplemoveritdrewalmost exclusively positive comments.

The same body colour is used for all the Staria’s frontal parts. It has a low belt line and large side windows. The rear has vertical tail lights and a wide rear window. It’s not all about style – the rear bumper is low to help make it easier to load and unload.

Three equipment levels are available, each withthechoiceof3.5-litreV6petrolor2.2-litre diesel power: Staria, Elite and Highlander – starting at $49,900, plus on road costs, for the Staria petrol and rising to $67,000 for the Highlander 2.2-litre diesel.

The three petrol variants are front-wheel drive, the diesels are driven by all four wheels.

Interior

As with the previous iMax, the Staria is an eight-seaterThelowerbelt-linesandpanoramic side windows provide excellent all-round visibilityandcreateafeelingofopennessinthe large cabin. The Highlander lets in even more light via a front and rear sunroof.

Ifthat’stoomuchlight,secondandthirdrow sunshades can be used to reduce glare and heat of the sun. Sliding second-row seats have long runners for easy access and a step and ‘walk-in’ device sliding function for the second row creates extra foot clearance for easy third row access.

Two USB-A charging ports for each rear row, along with 10 cup/bottle holders and second-row seatback storage pockets make for happy families on the road.

With all seats occupied, there is 831 litres of cargo space in the rear, while this can be expanded to a massive 1303 litres with the second and third row folded. Access is via power side sliding doors or ‘smart’ power tailgate, the latter that closes automatically when the smart key is no longer detected.

Engines/transmissions

The all-wheel drive 2.2-litre CRDI diesel generates 130 kW of power and 430 Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is listed at 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine gets 200 kW and 330 Nm.

On test was the range topping Staria Highlander 2.2-litre petrol diesel.

Infotainment

Entry level Staria comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Elite and Highlander a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Likewise, only the two higher-spec models get satellite navigation with live traffic updates digital radio.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia unit is integrated into the top of the dash and provides a clear view of navigation, audio and other info, including wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity.

All models have a 10.25-inch colour LCD screen in front of the driver but partially blocked by the steering wheel when we were driving. It displays a digital speedo, trip

RATINGS

Looks: 9/10

Performance: 7/10

Safety: 8/10

Thirst: 5/10

Practicality: 8/10

Comfort: 7/10

Tech: 9/10

Value: 6/10

information, tachometer and visual warnings and system status updates from Hyundai SmartSense and other safety systems.

Engines/transmissions

Staria is offered with the choice of petrol and turbo-diesel engines, mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and front or all-wheel drive.

The 3.5-litre V6 produces 200 kW and 331 Nm and drives the front wheels, while the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel dishes up 130 kW and 430 Nm through an all-wheel drive system.

Both engines are mated with an eight-speed torque convertor automatic transmission and can tow up to 2500kg with a braked trailer.

Safety

In addition to seven airbags – front, front-side, front-centre plus curtain bags on the A- and B-pillars – standard active safety across the range features include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction assist, blind-spot assist, lane-keep assist and lane following assist.

There’s also multi-collision braking, driver inattention monitor, safe exit warning, rear cross-traffic assist and surround view monitor. The Elite adds safe exit assist and 3-D view surround-view camera.

The range-topping Highlander incorporates a blind spot view monitor, which projects a live feed of what’s in the blind spot to the instrument cluster.

There are IsoFix child seat anchors on the outboard second-row seats, plus top-tether anchors. There are no anchors in the third row.

Driving

With such a difference in load characteristics over eight seats, fuel consumption could be expected to have ranged wildly around the maker’s claim of 8.2 litres per 100km on the combined urban/highway cycle. Our test vehicle used a combined 9.8 L/100 km.

There’s a choice of four drive modes: Normal, Eco, Sport and Smart – offers a range of powertrain responses to suit driving conditions. Annoyingly they are selected by tapping a number of times on a lower screen thus diverting attention from the road.

Eco and Sport are at either end of the performance spectrum, with Normal the balance between the two.

Smart mode works with a driver profile system to tailor Staria’s performance to their preferences. That’s clever.

Despite its size Satria doesn’t feel it and it’s smooth and comfortable drive experience with ride and handling that’s up to class-leading standards.

Summary

All-new Staria is a head-turning eight-seater people mover alternative to the perennial class-leading Kia Carnival. It comes with all the safety, comfort and convenience technology customers expect in a modern passenger vehicle.

All models come with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, complimentary roadside assist for 12 months, 1500km complimentary first service, a dedicated customer care centre and an exclusive owner website.

Owners servicing with Hyundai also receive a 10-year satellite navigation update plan, plus roadside support for up to 10 years or more.

All-new Staria is a head-turning eight-seater people mover alternative to the perennial class-leading Kia Carnival. (Pictures: Supplied)

There was plenty of sporting action on the weekend and StarWeeklyphotographer Ljubica Vrankovic was out and about shooting some of the great grabs, kicks and handballs.

Action from around the grounds

1/ Kain Hall. 406469_19

Payton-Ani Ozols.

Kaitlyn Portelli.

Nathan Parkes and Sam Gilmore. 406464_11

Charlie Goodwin. 406467_08

Harry Butterworth and Sam Green. 06463_10 8/ Tye Hall. 406469_18 9/ Erin Robinson. 406471_18 10/ Bundoora against Heidelberg. 406463_14

Warriors are on the board scoring their first win

The monkey is off the back for Hoppers Crossing in the Western Football League division 1 competition.

The Warriors broke through for their first win of the season on Saturday, knocking off Point Cook Centrals with a strong four quarter performance.

The Warriors set the win up in the first quarter with eight goals and were able to hold on after that, winning 13.10 (88)-8.14 (62).

Warriors president John Semertzidis said it was a relief to walk away with the four points.

“Last weekend was our worst game we had played, before that we had been in every game,” he said.

“Against Werribee Districts we should have won that game, we have got one now. We’ve played the top three or four sides and hopefully we’ll have a few easier games now.”

Semertzidis said in the first quarter they were able to blow the Sharks out of the water

saying they played out of their skins.

He said not surprisingly, the Sharks then responded.

“We slowed down a little bit and Point Cook Centrals got into the game,” he said. “One of the things we’ve done well in games was fight really hard and we did that again.”

Mitchell Kunigiskis kicked six goals and was one of the Warriors best.

Jed Anderson and Josh Pickess were other standouts with both returning the side on the weekend.

Semertzidis said they were hoping the win would help launch their season.

“It’d been a very long time between drinks, with only two wins last season,” he said.

“Hopefully we can get on a bit of a roll.

“We’ve got Altona this week at home.”

The Warriors remain bottom, but are only one game behind Spotswood in fourth spot after five rounds.

Semertzidis said they had made a lot of improvement on last season.

“The losses we’ve had this year, they were 10 to 12 goal losses,” he said. “We’ve improved five or six goals this season.

“It’s made a big difference. The young guys have bought into the coach’s philosophy and we’re finding our feet.”

For the Sharks, Zac Banch, Kwar Ater and Nathan Williams were named their best.

In other matches, Werribee Districts remain undefeated after beating Altona, 19.11 (125)-10.10 (70).

The Tigers trailed by 10 points at half time before kicking 14 goals to three in the second half.

Lucas Rocci was named their best.

Point Cook bounced back after a loss last week and beat Spotswood, 11.13 (79)-10.12 (72).

Tara Murray

Suns hang on for win

By Tara Murray

Notforthefirsttimeinrecentyears,notmuch split the Suns and Albanvale in the Western Football League on Saturday.

This time the division 3 grand finalists from last season were playing off in a division 2 clash, with four points on the line. Both sides had their chances to come away with the win but on this occasion it was the Suns that snuck home, 13.10 (88)-10.16 (76).

Suns coach Dean Cachia said he wasn’t surprised to see the two sides have another close one.

“It’s always close,” he said. “We’ve not executinghowwewanttobe,we’renotplaying our best football.

“We keep scrapping through and keeping our season on track. We’re training hard but we’ve had a few injuries early in the season so we’ve had different players in and out of the team.”

On Saturday, the Suns led by 13 points at quarter time before scores were level at half time.

The Suns managed to kick five goals to one in the third quarter to open up an 18 point lead heading into the final quarter.

The Cobras came hard in the last quarter but the Suns were able to hold on to win, 13.10 (88)-10.16 (76).

Cachia said he felt like there were a couple of differences late in the game for them.

“We lost to West Footscray by one point and some things went wrong,” he said. “We executed a lot better late in games.

“We won after the siren last week. We’re not panicking under pressure.

“Also they had a lot of opportunities that they missed. They would kick two or three behinds and we would kick forward and get a goal.

“It was the only difference between the sides.”

Cachia was the key forward on the ground kicking five goals in his side’s win.

He said Daniel O’Leary was clearly their best.

Twin wins of Wyndham

Wyndham rebounded in a big way, claiming two wins in the Big V men’s state championship division on the weekend.

After suffering its first loss of the season the week before Wyndham faced the Camberwell Dragons and Pakenham Warriors.

Wyndham took an early lead in the first quarter and were able to extend it to six points at half time.

The damage was done in the third quarter, with Wyndham winning it 32-16 to take the lead out to 22 points. Wyndham continued on in the last quarter to win 111-75.

Oskar Jones top scored with 30 points for Wyndham.

On Sunday, Wyndham was at home against the Warriors.

Wyndham started the better of the two teams and led by six points at quarter time. The Warriors were able to reduce the margin to two points at half time.

It was all Wyndham in the second half as it ran away to an 89-73 win.

Adetomi Ayilara top scored with 24 points as three players scored more than 20 points.

Wyndham remains on top of the ladder with seven wins from its eight matches.

In the women’s state championship, Wyndham had a night out against the Camberwell Dragons.

“He was one of our recruits,” he said. “He wentoffinthefirstgamewithacalfinjuryand this was his first game back.

“It was his first four quarter performance.”

The win moves the Suns to 3-2 and sixth on the ladder.

Cachia said now that they were getting some guys back from injury it was about getting games under their belts so they can build some consistency, which will hopefully result in more wins.

“We have the Western Rams this week and we’ll look for another big week on the track,” he said.

“The week after we have Braybrook which is a massive game and they are around us on the ladder.”

In other results, Wyndhamvale remains undefeated after beating the Western Rams, 24.16 (160)-3.5 (23).

Nathan Griffiths kicked six goals for the Falcons.

Tarneit’s tough season continued with a 19.18 (132)-4.4 (28) loss to North Footscray.

Wyndham jumped out of the blocks and led by 13 points at quarter time and the margin was out to 28 points at half time.

Withthegameallbutover,Wyndham shared the minutes around as its come away with a 102-66 win.

Amanda Paschal top scored with 35 points.

Wyndham sits second on the ladder.

Adetomi Ayilara. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 403557_27

Ashlin Brown, (Joe Mastroianni). 283078_03

Nathan Halapio (Jacob Pattison) 360910_28

Penha, Logarzo scoop Western United awards

Daniel Penha and Chloe Logarzo dominated the Western United gala night, picking up six awards between last Wednesday.

Penha was awarded the A-League Men’s player of the season for his outstanding campaign and also won the golden boot, fans’ goal of the season and club person of the season honours.

Penha was sensational from start to finish, leading the vote strongly ahead of Angus ThurgateinsecondandBenGarucciointhird.

Tomoki Imai and Matthew Grimaldi rounded out the top five.

Logarzo was the clear front-runner among both the coaches and the fans, claiming the top gong of A-League Women’s player of the season as well as the fans’ player of the season.

Both Penha (seven goals, three assists) and Logarzo (nine goals, three assists) were incredible on the pitch and also left their mark

off the pitch over the course of the season, makingthemworthywinnersandrolemodels at Western United.

Elsewhere, Western United’s next generation was recognised with Alana Cerne and Matthew Grimaldi claiming the young playeroftheseasonsilverwareforthewomen’s and men’s sides, respectively.

Cerne furthered her development after winning the same award last season, playing every single minute of the 2023-24 campaign at the back, while Grimaldi shone in his first ever professional campaign with five goals, becoming an instant fan-favourite.

Tom Heward-Belle endeared himself to the Western United supporters in his first season at the club and took out the fans’ player of the season award.

Hannah Keane became the first Western United player to score double figures and win

the golden boot in consecutive seasons with 10 goals to add to her 14 from last season.

After joining Western United in the off-season, Grace Maher made an instant impact in her new home and was recognised by her peers, coaches and club staff as the club person of the season in the A-League Women’s side.

It’s been a big week for United’s men’s side with the club revealing the departures of several player.

Captain Josh Risdon was the biggest name.

“My time here has been great. I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve been here from the very start and to see where this club has come in such a short space of time is incredible,” he said.

StevenLustica,JacobTratt,ConnorO’Toole and Nikita Rukavytsya are the others on the move.

Falcons score solid win

By Tara Murray

City West Falcons came away with a solid win against the Wilson Storage Southern Saints in theVictorianNetballLeaguechampionshipon Wednesday night.

Facing one of their bogey sides, the Falcons were able to come away with a 61-51 win while managing minutes for some players and looking at different combinations.

Falcons coach Marg Lind was pretty happy with the win.

“Ithoughtwerotatedprettycleverlytonight,” she said. “I thought we used our bench really well and rotated at the right times.

“The Saints are always a bit of a nemesis for us.

“They’re very physical, you know they’re there and they catch the body a lot. So I think 10goalsisaprettygoodresult.I’mprettyhappy with that actually.”

Lind said captain Maggie Lind was still sore inhercalfwhichlimitedhertheweekbeforeso they didn’t want to overuse her and rotated her and Chelsea Imanisani for most of the night.

The Falcons bought in Olivia Cameron, who played in their division 1 side last year, as some cover in the goaling circle.

Uneeq Palavi was only restricted to a half by the Melbourne Mavericks, where she is a training partner.

“I think using Genna [Ogier] and Olivia Cameron worked well too. Uneeq was only allowed the two quarters and Cookie [Jane Cook] wasn’t actually feeling well, I think she stood up well.”

“We know Olivia is experienced and handy and we thought moving forward if we miss any of our Tongans or Samoans, which we potentially could for Pacific Games, she would be really good cover.

“She fits in well. The first moment we didn’t use her well when we bought her on the second time, she was impactful moving forward.”

Lind said it was defender Sophie Hanrahan wasthestandoutonthenight,gettingthemout of jail on several occasions.

She liked the move of Soli Ropati late in the game to wing attack, while Sussu Liai worked well in wing defence later on.

Cook finished with 42 goals for the Falcons. The win keeps them second on the ladder. The under-23s made it two in a row, beating the Saints, 50-46.

Lind said they had a good performance but needed to look at their rolling subs and being a bit more considered with changes.

“I think once Holly Adams-Alcock just settleddownandtookthefrontholdthatmade a big difference, Still a little bit wasteful there, they are still

young. I thought Maddison Mckiernan was goodandleadthetimeprettywellandMikayla [Minns] had some good patches too.

“I think when Molly Kennedy gets more involved in the long court, we are better.”

The match was the first time Minns has playedbigcourtminuteshavingbeensicksince

Sports shorts

Athletics

Western Athletics’ Amy Cashin and Aliyah Canepa have been named in the Australian team for the Oceania Athletics Championships. Cashin, the Australian champion in the 3000 metres steeplechase, is seeking to make the Australian Olympic team. Canepa has been named to represent Australia in the hammerthrow event. Meanwhile, Franklin Newah-Jarfoi has been named in the Australian team for the World under-20 athletics championships.

VTCA

Point Cook’s Josh Van Zyl was named wicketkeeper in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 3 team of the year. The teams of the year were announced at the recent awards night along with the medal winners for each division. In division 4, Bellbridge’s Daniel Spencer and Andrew Wilks and Point Cook Centrals were named in the team of the year.

GDFL

Werribee Centrals continued its winning ways in the Geelong and District Football League on Saturday. Facing Bannockburn, the Centurions took the led early before Bannockburn came back at them in the second quarter. The second half was all the Centurions on the way to an 18.13 (121)-9.7 (61). Carmelo Saliba kicked five goals in the win, while Michael Culliver was named their best. The Centurions sit in third spot after six rounds.

VPL

returning from under-19 nationals. She’s trained just once since.

The Falcons sit third on the ladder. The championship side has a bye this week, whiletheunder-23sfacetheGippslandStrikers.

Lind said it was good chance for the championship side to freshen up.

Werribee City got a second straight draw under new coach Craig Moore in the Victorian Premier League 1 competition. Playing the Eastern Lions, scores were locked at 0-0 at half time before each team scored once in the second half to come away with a 1-1 draw. The draw was the Bees fifth and moves them onto eight points after 13 rounds. They face North Geelong Warriors on Saturday night. FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Wyndham Star Weekly @starweeklynews

Sophie Hanarahan had a really strong game. (Robbab Photography)

Daniel Penha (Supplied)

Hicks relishing new challenge

By Tara Murray

Angus Hicks was ready for a change heading into this year’s Victorian Football League season.

A vice-captain at Richmond’s VFL program, he had been there for a number of years and was quite comfortable.

There had been interest about him making a move elsewhere previously, but this year was different.

With his work life changing as well as he finishedstudying,hefeltitwastheperfecttime for him to make the switch to Werribee.

“So far, so good,” he said. “I’d been talking to [former coach] Mick [Barlow] a few times in previous years,” he said.

“I’d also chatted with Mark Micallef [former Werribee football manager]. Being a vice-captain at Richmond I was a bit reluctant to make the move.

“Having been there six to seven years I decided I was keen for a change and decided to make the move down the highway to Werribee.”

Hicks played with the Murray Bushrangers before joining Richmond. He spent a couple of seasons on the side lines with a badly broken leg, before returning and playing nine games in 2021.

He built up and played 18 last season.

While he’s still playing in the same competition, Hicks said it was very different at Werribee.

“It’s such a relaxed environment,” he said.” It’s more like a country club that is really good at what they do.

“They take it up to AFL clubs each week and beat them or get close. Stepping away from AFL level it isn’t as professional, it’s more relaxed.

“You’re with like minded people and 22 blokes on the weekend who are working class fellas.”

When Hicks made the decision to switch to Werribee, there was a lot of uncertainty with its list due to retirements and players possibly picked up in the draft.

While several of the leaders departed it opened up opportunities for younger players to step up and fill roles in a side that made the grand final last year.

For Hicks, his teammates voted him straight into the leadership group.

“That was pretty humbling,” Hicks said. “I was in the leadership group at Richmond but I wasn’t expecting that.

“It’s pretty humbling that everyone decided they wanted me in the group. There are so many great leaders.

“I’m proud and humbled.”

Hicks’ start to life at Avalon Airport Oval has been a mixed one. He missed most of pre-season due to hamstring injuries.

It meant a delayed start to the season.

“I missed round one and I had to get some match fitness,” he said. “Being a new side and new systems, I didn’t set the world alight straight away.

“I’m getting into it now and I’ve been able to get a few snags the last couple of weeks.”

Werribee had a bye at the weekend, which Hicks said came at a good time for him with a bit of a sore body.

They now have a four-week period before

their next break.

Werribee sits in sixth spot after seven rounds, with four wins and two losses.

Hicks said they were happy with how they had started the year.

“It was fantastic to go into the bye on the

back of a win, it beats losing,” he said. “We’ve lost a couple of games but in my eyes, it’s a good thing.

“You learn a lot more than if you keep winning games you shouldn’t win. Lessons learned already holding us in good stead to go

forward in the back half of the year.

“We want to keep improving week on week.”’

Werribee faces Collingwood on Saturday at 11.05am at Victoria Park.

Angus Hicks (Belinda Vitacca Photography)

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