Star Weekly - Melton Moorabool - 4th June 2024

Blackspot ‘emergency’ A spooky production

By Eddie Russell

Residents in Mt Atkinson are frustrated with the lack of mobile reception, which is limiting their ability to communicate.

Local mother Jaksha Shah is concerned this could result in something more serious.

“As a working mother, it’s particularly concerning as it affects my ability to stay connected with my family,” she said.

“It’s an emergency issue. If you can’t call triple-0, what are you going to do?”

Ms Shah said the knock-on effects were

compounding and were impeding on the day-to-day activities of locals.

“It compromises our safety, disrupts daily communication, and hinders productivity for residents who rely on mobile connectivity for work and education.”

Ms Shah said internet coverage in the area is also poor. “We don’t have proper internet. The network is quite inconsistent and that has already been raised a number of times.”

Ms Shah said there is no excuse for what is happening.

“We have so many new developments near

us and only ours has this issue,” she said.

“Idon’tknowiftheyhadissuesintheirearly days … but Mt Atkinson has been around for four or five years now.” “Someone needs to put more urgency on these issues because other areas are developing faster.”

StarWeekly understands Melton council wrote to telecommunications providers in March and met with them to discuss an intended roll-out of facilities in Mt Atkinson.

Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said council understood the difficulties faced by those impacted.“Poortelecommunicationscoverage

The Addams Family is coming to Caroline Springs this week.

Students from Southern Cross Grammar will present ‘The Addams Family’ in four shows in three days from June 6. The three-hour long school production will take place in the school’s auditorium, in the Centauri Centre.

Student Lexa, who is playing Morticia Addams, said she is particularly enthusiastic due to her special attachment to the character.

“I grew up watching the Addams Family and I always admired Morticia, so when I heard the school was doing it I got really excited at the opportunity to play her,” she said.

Meanwhile, cast member Sienna has a different relationship with her role as Mal saying “I thought Mal would be fun because he is male and because the production is American. It was a good chance to challenge myself in a carefree manner.”

She said the production is not just an opportunity to sing and dance, but form new bonds with like-minded others.

“Whenever the school conducts a production, the people become like a tight-knit family and you develop friendship groups you wouldn’t have established otherwise,” she said.

Tickets: https://tinyurl. com/32vf8d24

in growing areas can impact accessibility and connectivity,” she said.

“We will continue to advocate to providers forbettertelecommunicationscoverageacross the City of Melton.”

An Optus spokesperson said, “Optus is seeking to improve mobile connectivity in Mount Atkinson as part of the Victorian Government’s Connected Victoria Mobile Program”.

Telstra and Vodafone were all contacted for comment. Communications Minister Michell Rowland was also contacted for comment.

Rehearsals for The Addams Family at Southern Cross Grammar, Caroline Springs. (Damjan Janevski)

Mayor’s message

Cr Kathy Majdlik

Nominations are open for the 2024 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards.

Whether you are a sole trader, a big business or somewhere in between, the awards are a fantastic opportunity to highlight your success and what sets you apart.

Our businesses are part of the backbone of our local economy, and it is important we pay tribute to their contributions.

Businesses can nominate themselves, or other deserving local candidates.

Nominations can be submitted across nine categories and close at midnight on Friday, 12 July 2024. A judging panel will determine winners across all categories, including the prestigious Business of the Year Award.

Winners will be announced at an awards evening later this year.

More information about the program is available on council’s website.

In other good community news, Melton’s Men’s Shed and other local businesses will be profiled in an upcoming episode of Australian travel show, Postcards.

Presenter Shane Delia and his team visited the Melton Men’s Shed at the Willows Historical Park to catch up with participants, have a cuppa and learn about a great local program.

Our Men’s Sheds in both Melton and Taylors Hill are wonderful places for men to come together, experience mateship and participate in a wide range of activities.

Council is proud to fund and support both local Men’s Sheds, which make such a big difference in our community.

Postcards’ Melton episode will air on Sunday, 16 June at at 5.30pm on Channel 9.

You’re welcome to contact me regarding Council matters at kathy.majdlik@melton.vic.gov.au or on 0412 584 058.

Genealogy help

Researching your family history?

Get support and help from the Melton Family History group.

Whether you’re a genealogy expert or just starting out, there’s always something new to learn.

Sessions are held at the Melton Library and Learning Hub from

Melton Recreation Reserve upgrade nears completion

Upgrades to the Melton Recreation Reserve are well underway, with the new community sports pavilion nearing completion.

The hub will serve local football, netball and cricket clubs, and is

10am-12pm every Wednesday throughout June.

Bookings are not required.

This program is presented in partnership with the Melton Family History Group.

FIND OUT MORE: libraryevents.melton.vic.gov.au

positioned for optimal viewing of the sports ground.

New umpires rooms, female changerooms, community and social meeting spaces, a kitchen and kiosk are also included in the upgrade.

Construction on the new pavilion kicked off in October, and will be finished in July 2024, weather permitting.

Watts Ward with Cr Justine Farrugia

I was pleased to see the State Government has scrapped the GP payroll tax for doctors who provide bulk-billing services.

The City of Melton has approximately half the number of doctors per 100,000 people compared to Greater Melbourne.

In October, a motion I put forward asking Council to write to the Health Minister about the tax and its anticipated impact on our City was passed.

We were concerned about the impacts the tax would have on GPs and our community’s health services, so we welcome the move.

Council understands some residents

are under pressure from the rising cost of living. If you are facing financial hardships, you can apply for assistance in paying your rates. Visit melton.vic.gov.au for information.

Council is also delivering a project funded by the Melton Suburban Revitalisation Board that addresses food insecurity in our community.

The Melton Food System Collective connects local food relief organisations, community organisations and Council to increase people’s access to affordable, nutritious food.

The project aims to decrease food insecurity, increase access to affordable, culturally appropriate and

Stand for Council information sessions

In partnership with local councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria is holding a series of information sessions aimed at people considering standing for council and the wider community throughout June and July.

Sessions can be attended online, or in person and will provide information about the role of local government, responsibilities of councillors, the election process, councillor training and what to expect after an election.

The next local council election will take place in October 2024.

FIND OUT MORE: mav.asn.au/stand-for-council-2024

healthy food and create sustainable, connected food systems.

Thank you to everyone who had their say on the Lake Caroline draft Masterplan and Activation Strategy and the new Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre, which will be built on Beattys Road in Fraser Rise.

Your feedback will help guide how we develop these vitally important projects. Find out more about conversations.melton.vic.gov.au

Feel free to contact me about Watts Ward or Council related issues on 0475 907 616 or email at justine.farrugia@melton.vic.gov.au

Mayor Cr Kathy Majdlik

Deputy Mayor Cr Steve Abboushi

Cr Lara Carli Cr Justine Farrugia

Cr Goran Kesic

Cr Sophie Ramsey

Cr Julie Shannon Cr Bob Turner Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg

Council cooks up dining safety

By Eddie Russell

Melton council is looking into stronger safety measures for the return of outdoor dining spaces on Caroline Springs Boulevard.

A range of potential measures, such as the installation of safety bollards and the deploymentofadditionaltrafficandpedestrian safety infrastructure, are being explored.

This comes after a motion, raised by councillor Steve Abboushi, passed at the most recent Melton council meeting in May.

Cr Abboushi said the project will not only

bringafinancialboosttothestripbutreinforce the safety of the community.

“It helps facilitate more people spending locally,” he said.

“It’s going to bring more foot traffic, but more importantly it’s going to create safe access to local pedestrians, including the schoolkids from over the road to safely cross using the pedestrian access.”

The widening of footpaths is part of the CarolineSpringsBoulevardPedestrianSignals Project which aims to improve pedestrian connectivityandsafetywithinthetowncentre.

The works, which are set to commence in early June and take about three months, will take place between College Street and Lake Street.

Cr Abboushi said extending the pavement will allow businesses the space to have permanent outdoor dining.

“The boulevard has now become a destination in our municipality so we want to support our local businesses to continue to thrive,” he said.

“It creates further opportunity to look at beautifying [the area] … and work with

Mushroom chief named as finalist

A Diggers Rest mushroom farm chief executive has been named as a finalist in the Young Grower of the Year awards.

Bulla Mushrooms chief and owner Georgia Beattie was named as one of nine finalists in the 2024 Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year Award for her dedication to the business, which is Australia’s largest organic mushroom farm.

The farm supplies to Coles, Woolworths, Costco and independent grocers across Australia.

Ms Beattie said that she was glad to receive the nomination as there are not many opportunities outside of the farm for this

type of acknowledgement.

“For me, it’s a moment of reflection of the growth we’ve achieved on the farm, and a bit of a check-in moment,” she said.

Passionate about food sustainability,

Ms Beattie said she bought the farm as a way of having a direct impact on the environment by using her technology and entrepreneurial background to create an efficient, environmentally friendly, and modern operation.

For example, Ms Beattie uses AI and a robust database of factors such as relative humidity, air temperature, and compost temperature to determine the ideal growing

Items found in police search

Police have uncovered items of interest during a search in the investigation of missing mother Samantha Murphy.

Detectives from the Victoria Police Missing Persons Squad and a range of specialist police resources mounted the search on the morning of Wednesday, May 29.

Its location – initially kept secret – was later revealedtobesouthofBuninyong,withofficers finding what the ABC reported was a phone.

“Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have located some items of interest in Buninyong this morning during their search for Samantha Murphy,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said on Wednesday afternoon.

“The area has been cordoned off and those items will now be forensically tested.

“At this stage we are not providing further information about the items until that testing

has been completed.”

The search was described as targeted and also involved the Australian Federal Police.

The investigation is ongoing, the police spokeswoman said.

“Further information will be provided once we are in a position to do so,” she said.

“Policeaskthatmembersofthepublicdonot attend the search at this time.”

Ms Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street to go for a run in Canadian State Forest on the morning of 4 February. Her body has not been found.

Police in March charged 22-year-old tradesman Patrick Orren Stephenson with the murder of Ms Murphy at Mount Clear on the day she went missing.

He will return to court in August.

environment for mushrooms and increase efficiency.

The indoor farm is vertically integrated, meaning mushrooms are grown in stacked layers.

Ms Beattie is also a non-executive director of ACO Certification, Australian Mushroom Growing Association deputy chairperson andwasamemberoftheClimateChangeand Sustainability Committee of the National Farmers Federation from 2020-2023.

The winner will be announced at the annual Hort Connections Gala Dinner.

the traders to create a space that’s equally as vibrant as it was with the parklets.”

Temporary dining booths were installed at the front of restaurants in 2020 to help with COVID social distancing laws.

Enhancing the safety of outdoor dining areasinrelationtovehicletrafficisemphasised by the fact that more than 26,000 vehicles use Caroline Springs Boulevard every day.

Cr Abboushi said the investigation will conclude “very soon”, with the outcomes found to be presented at a future briefing of councillors.

Two lanes for bridges

Melton councillors want two road lanes in each direction to “future-proof” the bridges that will be built as part of two level crossing removals slated for construction later this year.

At their most recent meeting, councillors welcomed the release of designs for the road bridges that will be built over the rail line at Ferris Road in Melton and Hopkins Road in Truganina.

Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik welcomed the progress and said the project would benefit the whole region.

“Removal of levels crossings will reduce travel times, improve traffic flow and make the area safer for residents and road users,” she said.

“Melton City Council has advocated strongly for the removal of levels crossings, which are becoming more hazardous as our community grows.”

Population growth, which is projected to reach more than 440,000 people in the next three decades, is a major influence on the design.

“Investing in public transport infrastructure is more important than ever for our growing community,” said Cr Majdlik.

TheLevelCrossingRemovalAuthority is seeking community feedback to help refine the designs, which is due by Sunday, June 23.

Eddie Russell

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Bulla Mushroom chief executive Georgia Beattie. (Damjan Janevski) 281194_01

Oscar Parry

Artist impression of the new road bridge at Ferris Road, looking south at Cobblebank Village. (Supplied)

Moorabool misses growing cash

By Eddie Russell

Moorabool Shire Council has missed out on moneyfromthefederalgovernment’s‘Growing Regions Fund’ for two major projects.

Bacchus Marsh was deemed ineligible to receive the grant due to its reclassification as urban.

The council lamented the missed opportunity, writing on Facebook ‘With Bacchus Marsh reclassified as an urban area for federal funding, unfortunately our indoor

pool project was ineligible for this funding stream’.

However, mayor Ally Munari said the council vowed to bounce back and go through alternative avenues to secure the necessary funds.

“We’ll look to apply for a grant under the Thriving Suburbs Fund for the indoor pool project in Taverner Street, Bacchus Marsh,” she said.

She noted the desire of residents to have an indoor pool.

“The community has been wanting this funded for many years.”

Cr Moira Berry, who is vice-chair of the Peri Urban Councils Victoria, will lead the advocacy campaign for the pool project.

Cr Munari said the pool would not be possible to construct without Canberra’s help.

“Council and the Victorian government have contributed significantly, and we need $20 million from the federal government,” she said.

Moorabool Shire Council was also

Cricket club grant promotes change

Sydenham-Hillside Cricket Club will receive $3100 to put towards its women’s cricket academy.

The club is among 119 community sport and activerecreationorganisationsthatwillreceive the state government’s Change Our Game Community Activation Grant.

President Bob Kunesevic said the money would have a dual purpose.

“Having dedicated resources to focus on our female and girls program will further encourage them to develop their skills,” he said. “We are also looking to encourage participation around the area.”

Mr Kunesevic said the club will use the

opportunity to further invest in its women’s team and hope it attracts more aspiring cricketers.

“There’s obviously a contribution that we will look to kick in to ensure that all the participants, regardless of what level they are, come and enjoy their time,” he said.

The money allocated will allow for more direct concentration on the women’s teams, with professional coaches to be brought in for one-on-one and structured sessions with players.

Sydenham-Hillside has two senior women’s sides as well as under-12s under-14s under-16 girls teams. They also have seven men’s sides

and several boys junior teams.

“You can imagine how much traffic goes through training every week,” said Mr Kunesevic.

Mr Kunesevic said the club felt grateful to have people looking out for the club.

“We find a lot of support from our local government. We are very fortunate to have great leaders around … that really do support the local community.”

Two clubs in the Moorabool. Ballan Cricket Club and Bacchus Marsh Netball Club also received funding from the grant.

Eddie Russell

unsuccessful in gaining money for an outdoor plaza and courtyard seating component of the library and community hub project in Ballan.

Cr Munari said the result was bittersweet.

“We’re very disappointed to have missed out on funding for the plaza component of the Ballan library and hub project but are excited to start construction of the main part of this project soon,” she said.

Construction of the Ballan Library and Community Hub is planned for mid 2024 and isexpectedtofinishhalfwaythroughnextyear.

New pavilion almost done

The new community sports pavilion at Melton Recreation Reserve is due to be finished in July.

It will serve as a hub for local football, netball, and cricket clubs, including Melton South Football and Netball Club and Melton South Royals Cricket Club.

The new building will feature female friendly changerooms, umpires’ rooms, a community social and meeting space, a kitchen, and a kiosk.

It will be located along the northern wing of the oval in a more centralised location to provide optimal viewing of the sportsground.

Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said the upgrade was made with a modern society in mind and would foster the local population’s needs.

“The new pavilion has been designed to meet the needs of our growing community, and to provide a welcoming space for all people,” she said.

“Facilities like the Melton Recreation Reserve make a huge difference in providing opportunities for young athletes and community groups a space to meet and grow.”

Demolition of the old pavilion and construction of a new car park is also expected to finish before the end of the year, allowing community groups time totransitionfromtheoldpavilionbefore its demolition.

The project is being funded through Melton council and $3.3 million from the state government’s community sports infrastructure loans scheme.

The scheme allowed the council to fast track construction of the new pavilion.

Penning letters to new pals at Riddell Gardens Aged Care

Students from Diggers Rest Primary School have been busy perfecting their letter writing skills,throughanewpenpalinitiativewiththe Riddell Gardens Aged Care facility.

About 29 students from the year three and four class are taking part in the initiative, which is also helping to improve their writing outcomes and develop a strong sense of community connection.

Wellbeing leader Kelly Bugiera said Riddell Gardens got in touch with the school about organising the program, and the team thought itwouldbeagoodopportunityforthestudents.

“We got a [biography] on the residents interest and background… so we tried to matchthiswiththekids’interests,”MsBugiera said.

“They’re just finalising the first letters now which we’ll pass on… and it’s something I’ll be following for the rest of the year and may continue in the future.”

Ms Bugiera said she is really impressed with the students enthusiasm and the aim was to make them more aware of who is in the local community.

“[They’re] thinking about their audience and

finding ways to connect with a community member… not just doing a letter structure,” she said.

“I’ve really seen a nice side of them coming out with that thoughtfulness… [and] considering what their [pen pal] might be interested in.”

Ms Bugiera said they have tried to cater for the residents preferred communication style and are looking to include emails to the initiative.

Zoe Moffatt

Sydenham-Hillside’s premiership winning team. (Supplied)

Diggers Rest Primary School students Oliver, Abbey, Sage and Sophie. (Damjan Janevski) 406728_01

Melton South Football Club will benefit from the upgrades. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Pilot ‘made poor choice’ Moorabool growth soars

By Tara Cosoleto, AAP

Accused murderer Greg Lynn told police he wantedtomakethedeathsofmissingcampers

Russell Hill and Carol Clay “just go away” so he could get on with his life.

The Caroline Springs airline pilot’s interview with police was shown to a Supreme Court jury on Monday 3 June, as he stands trial accused of murdering the couple in March 2020.

It’s alleged Lynn killed Mr Hill and Mrs Clay at Victoria’s Wonnangatta Valley and then disposed their bodies in bushland before burning the remains months later.

Lynn has pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder.

In his November 2021 record of interview, Lynn outlined to police the week he spent camping and hunting deer in the High Country.

He first encountered Mr Hill and Mrs Clay on 19 March when the couple arrived at his campsite, noting they had been very cordial and pleasant.

Lynn told police Mr Hill acted less friendly thenextmorningashepreparedtogohunting, noting the older man pointedly mentioned a friend had been killed in a hunting accident.

Lynn said as he returned to the campsite hours later, he saw a drone hovering overhead and later realised it belonged to Mr Hill.

When he confronted Mr Hill about the drone, Lynn said Mr Hill threatened to send police the footage of him hunting close to the campsite.

Lynn told officers he removed himself from the conversation but decided to blast music from his car stereo in what was a “childish thing” to do.

Later that evening, Lynn said Mr Hill approached his car and took his shotgun and

ammunition from inside the vehicle.

Lynn told police he confronted Mr Hill and the older man shot a couple of rounds into the air.

A struggled then ensued over the gun, Lynn said, with another shot being discharged and striking Mrs Clay in the head.

Lynn maintained he did not have a hand on the trigger at any point and Mr Hill dropped the gun after Mrs Clay had been hit.

Lynn told police he returned the gun and ammunition back to his car and turned off the radio when Mr Hill came at him with a knife.

The airline pilot said he was defending himself in the struggle when the knife went into Mr Hill’s chest.

Lynn told police he then panicked and believed he was going to be blamed for the couple’s deaths, so he placed their bodies into his car and burnt their campsite.

He then drove the bodies to the Union Spur track and left them there.

Lynn told police he went back to the track in June 2020 once the Covid-19 lockdown lifted to check on the bodies.

He returned in November of that year to burn the remains.

“There’s not going to be much left for the families ... there’s not much to see,” Lynn told police in his interview.

Lynn said he had wanted the couple’s deaths to “just go away” and he tried to “keep his head down” but he knew he was on a police watchlist.

He told officers he knew their evidence was compelling but that it would align with the story he had told them.

“I made a poor choice … I just wanted it to go away,” Lynn told police.

The trial continues.

Moorabool Shire had the third highest growth rate of metro-leaving movers in the country over the last three months.

Statistics show of the LGAs (Local Government Areas) with the largest net inflows from capital cities, Moorabool recorded a 5.4 per cent share in the 12 months leading up to March 2024.

The area is only preceded by the Sunshine Coast, which topped the list for the fifth consecutive quarter, and the Gold Coast.

Moorabool boasted a 17.8 per cent annual growth rate, despite a dip of 8.9 per cent from the last quarter in December 2023.

Moorabool mayor Ally Munari said it was no surprise that the region placed so high on the list.

“There have been steady increases of Melbourne people moving to Moorabool for many years, which increased significantly post-pandemic, with greater work flexibility on offer,“ she said.

“Our shire is a fantastic place to live with friendly people, open space, commutable to Melbourne and other regionalcentresandaffordablehousing.

“We need to make sure, given these figures showing high internal migration, that Moorabool receives its fair share of funding.“

These figures are part of the Regional Movers Index, which is released by CommBank and Regional Australia Institute.

Free Kinder: Enrol for 2025.

Free Kinder is available for three- and four-year-old children in Victoria at participating services. Free Kinder is available in sessional (standalone) and long day care (childcare) settings, saving families up to $2,563 each year, per child.

At kindergarten, your child will:

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

• learn to express themself and make friends in a safe and caring environment

• build skills and confidence before primary school.

Contact your preferred kinder service or local council to learn about how to enrol for 2025. Visit vic.gov.au/kinder

A court sketch of Greg Lynn on Friday, 10 May, 2024. Picture: AAP Image/Paul Tyquin

Driving change among migrants

Victoria University’s (VU) Change Makers Melbourne’s West (CMMW) project is revolutionising the landscape of Melbourne’s west to uplift migrants and refugees in the community.

Teaming up with Volunteer West, Welcoming Australia, Brimbank council, and Wyndham Basketball, the project delivers a range of transformative initiatives to positively affect the lives of hundreds of migrants and refugees.

VU reports that Melbourne’s west has a high proportion of migrants and refugees who are under-represented in sport and physical activity. Community sporting clubs often express a desire to be more inclusive,

but change can be challenging due to barriers like racism, sexism, cost, and unwelcoming environments.

Former Volunteer West chief executive Thu-Trang Tran said her team benefited enormously from the collaboration.

“We were able to learn and incorporate inclusive practices and share knowledge between the partners. The partnerships we formed have endured and have positively impacted other ventures,” she said.

Led by VU’s professor Ramon Spaaij, professorBrentMcDonald,associateprofessor Fiona McLachlan, and Dr Carla Luguetti, the CMMW research team collaborated with 66 leaders from 38 clubs across 12 sports.

Holding out a helping paw

They are affectionately known as man’s best friend, but for some, it’s about more than companionship.

In Melton, Brigitte Herdel is helping the most vulnerable in the community to train their dogs to assist them in their day-to-day lives.

Ms Herdel founded Melton Assistance Dogs in 2019. Now, she runs it with Cathie Ashby and Prue Chamberlain, who started as instructors on the program.

It started with recognising the amount of people who require support with their physical and mental health.

“There’s a lot of people out there that need it,” Ms Herdel said.

“I had no idea what PTSD was until I did some volunteer work for Young Diggers in Melton for a couple of years and got to talk to veterans.”

Ms Herdel says financial accessibility is a major influence on the program.

“If you want to go and get a dog that’s already been trained it costs about $40,000 for one dog and there’s a lot of transition involved in that,” she said.

“We charge $500 a year for a person to bring their own dog and we help them train it.”

The broader Melton community is very accommodating to the training, says Ms Herdel.

“We’ve got a lot of the local community helping us out,“ she said. “We take them [the dogs] to shopping centres, bunnings, and on trains and buses.”

And once the dogs get their ‘full jacket’ –completion of training – they can go almost anywhere they need to.

Eddie Russell

These leaders engaged directly with their communities to rethink problems, develop positive practices, and transform their environments.

The outcomes of this collaboration are significant and have included the implementation of strategies and institutional changes towards greater inclusivity, such as hosting ‘come and try’ days in collaboration with community groups and producing club information in a range of languages.

The project has already seen tangible success stories including the Footscray Hockey Club which set up a youth advisory committee and instituted a gender equity policy which led to 50 per cent of members

being women and girls and 40 per cent of their board and coaches being female. As well as the Broadmeadows Basketball Association, which developed a diversity and inclusion action plan, which includes commitments to increase cultural and ethnic diversity among staff, coaches, players, and volunteers, and enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards racism.

“With the support of our partners, Volunteer West, Welcoming Australia, Brimbank council, Wyndham Basketball, local clubs, VU students, and community sport members, we have created tangible strategies that are already affecting positive change,” Professor Spaaij said.

SES pleads with government for funding lifeline

Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers have been left disappointed with the recent state budget, which delivered less money for the volunteer organisation than expected.

Fawkner unit deputy controller Michael Casha said although each unit receives a small subsidy from the state government, it always falls “drastically” short and is felt across the organisation, especially in the north-west.

“Within Melbourne’s north-west, there are units with no state government-provided vehicles meaning they simply wouldn’t be able to get out on the road if it weren’t for volunteers chasing donations and funding their vehicles,” he said.

In addition to receiving second-hand uniforms for new members and not having enough money for required truck licences and training, Mr Casha said the VICSES Hobsons Bay Unit in Altona is not fit for purpose.

“The Altona unit is within a shared council facility, they do not have dedicated parking for volunteers who sometimes have to park minutes down the road when responding to emergencies,” he said.

“Their building is not fit-for-purpose and even sustained storm damage while responding to the community.”

Although $7 million in funding for the SES was announced in the budget, Mr Casha said once broken down the funding is not what it seems.

“Nearly $5 million of this is simply a reallocation of existing funds within the SES budget,” he said.

“And an additional half-million is spread over four years for an existing training program.”

Mr Casha said this leaves a little over $1 million in new funding for VICSES in 2024-2025.

“While we appreciate any support, this

falls short of what’s needed to address the ongoing strain on our volunteers and our infrastructure,” he said.

“Whilst our volunteers are the heart of VICSES, they shouldn’t have to be the wallet too.”

Mr Casha said the 4956 volunteers are coming off the biggest three years they have ever had and cannot rely on current fundraising methods.

“We are not asking for a handout, we are asking for a sustainable funding model that will immediately see a redirection of hours currently spent chasing donations, into more

training and increased operational response,” he said.

“VICSES relies heavily on volunteer-led fundraising to maintain equipment, facilities, and source and replace vehicles, something which is unsustainable.

“The forecasts show no signs of slowing, we need a sustainable funding model.”

Worried that the lack of funding will drive volunteers away, Mr Casha said hours which should be spent rescuing are being used for fundraising.

“Every volunteer has a set amount of hours that they are able to give to VICSES,” he said.

“But what we’re seeing more and more, is those hours being consumed by volunteers having to fundraise.

“We want volunteers to be able to hold chainsaws and rescue tools, not chase donations.”

A state government spokesperson said that the VICSES has been given $111 million in the last three years in terms of vital funding. The state government disputed the claim that only $1 million of the $7 million was new funding, but did not provide any further clarification.

Jennifer Pittorino

SES volunteers from the Hobsons Bay Unit. (Damjan Janevski) 409249_03

Melton Assistance Dogs working with CFA. (Supplied)

Melton turns pink to help breast cancer

The Melton Basketball Association decided to take the Big V’s pink round to another level on Saturday, May 25.

Each year, the Big V competition celebrates all things pink to raise funds and awareness for the Breast Cancer Network of Australia.

Many clubs wore pink jerseys for the round, including Melton.

Melton president Matthew Brooks said this yeartheylookedtogetthejuniorclubsinvolved as well.

“It was a whole day thing as we got the domesticcompetitioninvolvedaswell,”hesaid.

“The Big V does it and we decided to do it a little bit wider and went a bit nuts this year.

“We put together a community engagement committee about how we can get involved with the community more and not just be a basketball club.”

The association had pink balloons everywhere on the day that were donated by one of the major sponsors, Celebrations Done Right.

The association raised $2567 for the Jane McGrath Foundation on the day.

“ThedaybeganduringourSaturdayWestern Ford junior domestic competition, with balloon arches, colouring in tables for kids and pink hair colouring,” Brooks said.

“Our referees wore pink bandanas and café (staff) were equally bright in pink. Players and spectators also wore pink. The day culminated in a double header with our Western Ford Big V teams supporting the cause wearing pink ribbon uniforms.”

Brooks said the club was already planning next year’s event.

Melton’s men and youth league men’s sides.

Melton committee and supporters didn’t disappoint on Saturday with all the pink. (Pictures: Supplied)

The canteen became pink.

There was plenty of pink at Melton on Saturday.

KARI caring for Melton

Melton is home to Melbourne’s second-best performing container deposit scheme site, with residents returning 14.7 million cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles in just over six months.

But did you know it is operated by a completely First Nations staff?

KARI, an Indigenous not-for-profit organisation, runs the Melton CDS Depot in partnership with Clean Vibes, a sustainable event waste management company.

A mix of 14 permanent and casual Indigenous employees work here.

KARI chief commercial officer Cain Slater said the operation, which began in the last six months, presented a great opportunity for the organisation to be self-sustainable.

“For us, it’s [about] not being reliant on government money, so we wanted to make sure that we had the ability to do something and be able to reinvest back into the local community,” he said.

“To get involved in CDS is something that felt really right for the organisation.”

Mr Slater said the initiative was a way for KARI to establish a presence in Victoria.

“WearequitelargeinNewSouthWalesand growing in Queensland, and we’re looking to expand into Victoria and support First Nations communities there,” he said.

“In the next six months and onwards we’re looking to start introducing a lot of our community programs and connecting with local community groups to make sure that the stuff that we do in New South Wales and Queensland can be replicated and supported down there.”

Acquiring the contract for the depot has opened the door to collaboration with other local institutions.

“We’re having some initial conversations with council about how we can do more together in the area,” Mr Slater said.

Eddie Russell

Briefs

Uniform policy to cut costs

The state government’s plan to change the government uniform policy in order to drive down costs for families across the state is under way. Education Minister Ben Carroll recently announced that the state government is consulting on ways the statewide school uniform policy can keep uniforms affordable for families. The consultation process will speak to stakeholders like schools, parents, students, principal peak bodies and social and community sector organisations – making sure efforts to reduce costs considers the needs and various perspectives of different school communities.

Fire safety

With the official start to winter tomorrow, Victoria’s fire services are warning the community not to be complacent when heating the home as it is the peak time for heater fires. In the last five years, CFA responded to 640 house fires caused by a heater. These types of fires mainly start either due to a mechanical fault, or because the heater is located too close to flammable materials in a lounge room or sleeping area. Home heating systems vary and can include fixed electrical or gas-powered appliances, portable electrical, gas or kerosene heaters, as well as open fires and wood heaters.

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

Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly

KARI team at the Melton depot. (Supplied).

Get vaccinated to beat shingles

By Christopher Carter, chief executive, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network

Here’s a bit of free health advice for older readers: you don’t want to develop shingles if you can avoid it.

Shinglesisthereactivationofthechickenpox virus. If you had chickenpox when you were young, the virus that caused it has been sitting in your system, asleep, ever since.

For about one in three of us that virus will wake up and make merry hell. Severity varies from person to person but even at its mildest shingles is decidedly unpleasant.

The disease can occur at any age, but it happens most commonly in older folk.

Thankfully,thereisatriedandtestedvaccine available which stops shingles developing. Called Shingrix, it is available free to anyone 65 or over, First Nations people 50 or over, and people 18 or over with some types of compromised immune system.

The vaccine is administered by your doctor in two doses, a couple of months apart.

Younger people can have the vaccine too, of course, but there are costs involved. It’s a good idea to talk to a GP about this.

The name of the vaccine – Shingrix – is important. A couple of years ago, this brand replaced a previous vaccine, called Zostavax. The old vaccine was safe and effective, but the newonecanbegiventoawiderrangeofpeople without making them feel a bit poorly.

The thing is, though, you can’t get a Shingrix vaccination for at least a year after receiving a Zostavax one – and you can’t get a free one for five. Your GP will be able to check this.

So, if you haven’t been vaccinated and you come down with shingles, how will you know and what should you do?

last for several weeks. It’s a good idea to go and see your doctor, though, just to make sure.

Very mild shingles can happen, too –although that has nothing to do with how good or bad your chickenpox was.

Mild shingles will produce a slight itching or tingling sensation but nothing more, but it can

You can only develop the condition if you’ve previously had chickenpox, of course, but there’s always a chance that you had that and didn’t notice. Very mild chickenpox can happen, even in vaccinated people.

Club hits ace at awards

Bacchus Marsh Lawn Tennis Club has won Most Outstanding Inclusion Initiative at the 2024 Victorian Community Awards.

The club’s event, A Gay Day on the Green, whichtookplaceinFebruarythisyear,received the award for providing ‘a safe and welcoming tennis event for all residents of Bacchus Marsh, especiallythoseoftheLGBTQIA+community’.

Bacchus Marsh Lawn Tennis Club president Ben White said the result was not anticipated but it was welcomed.

“It was overwhelming and unexpected, but it’s … fantastic. Everyone’s really happy about it and proud of their club,” he said.

It was following the lifting of COVID restrictions that Mr White had a lightbulb moment.

“IhadinthebackofmyheadthatIwouldlike

to start a tournament and I thought there was a need for more inclusive tournaments,” he said.

“I’ve been to quite a few inclusive tournaments for gay and lesbian players and I thought, why not[BacchusMarsh]?SoIaskedthecommittee and they backed me all the way.”

Mr White says inclusive events, such as the LGBTIQ+ Championships in Castlemaine, Daylesford, and Ballarat, are becoming more popular.

“There are a couple in country Victoria, but… it would be great if there were more,” he said. “I was talking to one of the other winners on Thursday night … and they wanted to talk about how to do it. A lot of clubs are interested because everyone wants to be inclusive.”

With more serious cases, the initial tingling anditchingwillbeaccompaniedbyfatigueand headache, followed a couple of days later by a painful rash. In turn, the rash can blister and scab, which can lead to other infections.

The worst of it will be over in about 10 days, but it can take weeks to properly go away. It’s important to see your GP as soon as symptoms develop, to discuss treatments that vary from antiviral medications to over-the-counter painkillers, depending on severity.

At pretty much any level, though, shingles is unpleasantBeforeyouhavetosufferthroughit, talk to your GP – especially if you can get the vaccine free!

YOUR NEW CAREER ... starts here

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.

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

Shingrix stops shingles developing. (iStock/Sladic)

Eddie Russell

Loretta Kelly and Ben White with the award for ‘Most Outstanding Inclusion Initiative’. (Supplied)

More funds for champion project

By Hannah Hammoud

GenWest will share in a pool of $1.2 million funding from the state government to help in promoting a culture that prevents violence against women and families.

Serving Melbounre’s western suburbs, GenWest provides services that help victim-survivors of family violence in Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Moonee Valley and Wyndham.

For the past two years, GenWest has been partnering with the Western Bulldogs CommunityFoundationandWomen’sHealth Grampians to run a community awareness

campaign that champions respectful relationships and prevention of violence against women.

The recent funding boost will allow GenWest to continue with their ‘Champions of the West’ program for another year.

ChampionsoftheWestco-ordinatorTheresa Stewart-Moore said the program is all about harnessing the power of footy communities in the west to prevent gender-based violence.

“In the prevention of gender-based violence sector for a long time we’ve recognised the massive influence sports plays in our culture,” she said.

“Sportingclubsarecommittedtoultimately contributing to happier and healthier

communities and when you do that you are also preventing gender-based violence. The more equal and respectful the spaces can be then we can create culture as a community and work together to prevent gender-based violence.

“It has been a really tragic start to the year – 31 women have been murdered this year so far. It’s a tragic situation and one we know if we work together as a community we can work to prevent this.”

Ms Stewart-Moore said sporting clubs carry a social responsibility to tackle issues like this.

“We need to recognise the power sporting clubshaveincommunitiestopromoteapositive

Cancer survivor running for her life

Not many people attempt to run four half marathons in a year, however breast cancer survivor Michelle Rickett is defying the odds and smashing her goals to raise funds for the organisations which have helped cure her cancer.

It has been eight years since the resident of Melbourne’s west was diagnosed with stage three triple-negative breast cancer.

Unlike other cancers, Michelle’s does not allow her to take hormone replacements which means she must produce her own natural hormones.

To keep the cancer away following her radiation and chemotherapy treatments, Michelle’s oncologist told her the best way to stay healthy is through exercise.

“If I exercise I produce the natural hormone that helps stop my cancer from recurring,” she explained.

“So it is basically down to me to stop mine from coming back, and unfortunately triple-negative is one of the highest recurring cancers.”

Backed by research, Michelle’s oncologist said exercise is a highly effective way to prevent the cancer from returning.

However, given how rare Michelle’s cancer is, the research is limited, which is why she is on a mission to do as much charity fundraising asshecanbetweenthetwoorganisationswhich have helped her the most, Cancer Council and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Triple-negative breast cancer is a ultra rare form of breast cancer which is typically hereditary. Thankfully, Michelle hasn’t passed thegeneontoherdaughtersAntoniaandJodie.

“Stage three is as pretty bad as it gets apart from death,” she said.

“So four days after I finished chemo I went for a four kilometre walk with my kids, then I did a couple of five kilometre walks and then I did my first 10 kilometre exactly a year after finishing my treatments.”

Michelle slowly worked her way up to a half marathon and is now on a mission to run four this year.

“I just did my first along the Great Ocean Road and my next will be the Run Melbourne half-marathon,” she said.

“Each time I get to the end and I just think, ’bloody hell how did I do this?’

“But my motto is if cancer can’t kill me, then this isn’t going to kill me. Running has got nothing on cancer, so I just keep running.”

With each half marathon she completes, Michelle has decided to split her fundraising efforts to donate to all the charities which have helped her with her cancer.

“For my Run Melbourne marathon in July I will be donating to Cancer Council and then for the last two I will be donating to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre,” she said.

“I wanted to split my efforts across the two charities which have really helped me through my treatment.

“I like to make sure that I’m giving back because they rely a lot on people’s generosity.”

OriginallyfromCornwall,England,Michelle and husband Andrew moved to Melbourne 12

years ago, which she said saved her life.

“If it wasn’t for the amazing medical services here, I would actually be dead,” she said.

“Everything happens so quickly here. I was diagnosed with cancer on a Monday and I was being operated on the Friday.

“I don’t take anything for granted. I always think I am really privileged and lucky to be here.

“And if I lived in England I unfortunately don’t think I would have got the service I did here.”

With her next half marathon less than two months away, Michelle is ready to smash her own time goal.

“I am feeling really good. I have a goal I am aiming for which is what I have been training for,” she said.

“My husband says it’s an obsession, a lot of people can be addicted to some really bad things, all I am addicted to is running.”

Details: https://runmelbourne24.grassrootz. com/cancer-council-victoria/michellerickett?tab=donations

culture. We do this through workshopping issues such as the impact of rigid gender stereotypes in driving gender-based violence, how to harness the influence of football to share these messages, and just making sure sporting clubs are welcoming and safe spaces and asking different people to contribute to what it looks like.”

“For us as a prevention of gender-based violence organisation, being funded for this work and in particular in the sports sector in thisgrassrootsway,it’sthefirsttimewe’vehad funding for this specific work and that means we can enter into spaces that we haven’t previously had those links and connections made.”

Teachers get service awards

Two Melton teachers have been recognised for their four decades of service to education in Victoria.

KarenAmbrosefromExfordPrimary School and Benjamin Bykersma from Melton South Primary School have been recognised for 40 years’ of teaching.

Recognition of Service awards celebrate the dedication of teachers to schools, students and families.

Education Minister Ben Carroll said the community was better off for the dedicated service of both Ms Ambrose and Mr Bykersma.

“I know everyone in Melton join us in offering their congratulations to these dedicated professionals, who have spent decades tirelessly supporting our children and young people,” he said.

“Long-serving teachers and support staff are the backbone of our education system and I congratulate those being honoured this year on their well-deserved recognition.”

The duo were among 166 educators being honoured for 40 years of service.

Melton MP Steve McGhie said the acknowledgement was a testament to the efforts of Ms Ambrose and Mr Bykersma.

“The teachers being honoured for their service have helped deliver a world class education to countless students in Melton,” he said.

“We thank them for their hard work and dedication to our schools and the local community.“

Eddie Russell

Jennifer Pittorino

Michelle Rickett. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 407348_01

Police out in force over King’s Birthday long weekend

Operation Regal 2024 is a state-wide Road Policing Operation over the Monarch’s birthday long weekend period. It aims to increase driver awareness and journey planning, while reducing road trauma during this high risk time on our roads.

This 4-day Road Policing Enforcement Campaign will run from Friday 7 June to Monday 10 June 2024.

Road Policing Advisor Senior Sergeant Fletcher Pearson from Westgate Highway Patrol said the operation will be conducted throughout all operational Police Regions and Police Service Areas during the four days, using all available personnel from local road policing units, general duties, and other regional resources.

Police will be targeting the main causes of fatalities and serious injuries in crashes which are:

• Excessive speed

• Driverdistraction,&VulnerableRoadUsers (cyclists, solos & pedestrians)

• Restraint & seat belt non-compliance

• Fatigue

• Impaired driving (Alcohol and/or Drug) Police will be out in force both to educate drivers and to enforce road rules, with a view to preventing lives lost and serious injuries.

We’re watching your speed. Are you? Motorists are requested to stay within the speed limit, don’t drink alcohol or take drugs and drive, leave your mobile phone out of reach, wear your seatbelt and make sure you are well rested.

Fatigue is one of the biggest killers and is a major cause of the loss of life on Victorian roads. Drivers are requested to plan their trip, be patient and ensure that you take at least a 15 minutes break at least every two hours and don’t drive if you are tired.

Drivers planning to travel during this period can expect to see an increase in vehicles travelling on major freeways and highways throughout the state. Road trauma isn’t just about the lives that are lost – it’s about the enormous impact on

the community, from the family members, to the emergency services workers who have to deal with these tragedies on a daily basis, to the police who have to deliver the devastating news to loved ones.

All the community has a responsibility and

a role to play in reducing road trauma.

RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council chairman Jim Giddings said it has been demonstrated time after time that speed is a contributing factor in most road crashes. Therefore stay within the speed limit and drive to suit the conditions you face.

Speeding affects both the risk of a crash happening and the severity of injuries sustained when a crash does happen.

Mr Giddings said to make sure you’re not putting yourself or others at risk on the roads, put your phone away where you can’t be tempted to use it, for example in the glove box or in the boot to avoid being distracted. He also said the work of his group along with initiatives like the Operation Regal during the 2024 Monarch’s Birthday long weekend wouldhopefullyreducethenumberofserious road crashes on our roads.

Heaskedthecommunitytoreportspeeding drivers to Crime stoppers number 1800 333 000.

“Holiday driving has its challenges and drivers should drive in the hours they are normally awake, take regular breaks to reduce fatigue and allow extra space between vehicles. Drivers need to adapt to the conditions of the road. The onus is always on the driver to suit the conditions they are facing, and that includes the quality of the road,” he said.

“If you plan to have a drink then plan not to drive, taking a big risk like drink and driving is just not worth endangering your live or the lives of other road users.”

Before embarking on any driving trips drivers should check their tyres, windscreen washers, brakes and lights.

Remember, travel so that you arrive at your destination safely and enjoy your King’s Birthday Holiday weekend.

DRIVING IS NOT A GAME!

Senior Sergeant Fletcher Pearson and Sergeant Justin Holland will be keeping an eye on motorists this long weekend. (Damjan Janevski) 407642_06

What happened to Alana Cecil?

Almost 28 years ago, 16-year-old Alana Cecil was found dead in Melton. Her death was ruled to be the result of a drug overdose, but that finding has never sat right with her family. Now a new podcast series is taking a closer look at what might have happened to Alana, as Tara Murray reports.

Peter Cecil has been living a parent’s worst nightmare, every day, for nearly the last 28 years.

On November 10, 1996, his 16-year-old daughter Alana Cecil was found dead from an apparent drug overdose.

Police at the time said they didn’t think the death was suspicious, but that didn’t sit well with Peter.

Since the day Peter lost his beloved daughter, he has dedicated his life to find out what happened to his girl.

“I haven’t had a chance to grieve,” he said. “I go to the cemetery and talk to Alana.

“It’s been difficult and I’ve had to hold it in all of this time. I’ve missed out on a lot of things with Alana … To live with that and not share things that normal fathers do with their daughters.

“I was robbed of that and also the fact the worst part about it was that she was treated like an animal, dumped like an animal.”

Alana was found at a vacant house on the corner of Barrys and Stations roads in Melton. She had been out the night before with friends. Some reports said she was last seen in Brimbank, other people say they saw her at the Djerriwarrh Bonfire Festival.

‘‘ Hopefully I finally get a chance to grieve and have peace, I’ve never had peace ’’ - Peter Cecil

There were drugs in Alana’s system and needle marks in both arms.

The autopsy report showed she hadn’t had drugs for three months beforehand, having successfully been through rehab.

Peter claims the initial investigation was botched. He said evidence was missed and statements from key people weren’t taken until years later and some never at all.

DNAfoundinandonAlanawasn’tmatched to two men for six years and Peter said the autopsy report proved that she was raped.

One of those people, who was much older, was known to police and gave a no comment interview.Theothersaidtherewasconsensual interaction between the two.

Her belongings that were with her were never found and she was found near the house of one of her friends.

There were two coroner’s inquests and others delayed and postponed, which left the family with no answers and feeling that the systemhadfailedthemagain.Thefirstinquest gave an open finding which remains today.

AVictoriapolicespokespersonsaidareport was prepared for the coroner who determined the cause of death was heroin toxicity in a young girl with acute asthma.

Peter said there’s never been a criminal investigation and police said at the last coronial inquest that they didn’t think they would find anything 13 years down the track.

Peter said he missed the chance to seek and appeal, as he sought help for his mental health, which had deteriorated.

“Once I saw what was in the autopsy and toxicology report I needed to know what happened to her pretty quickly,” he said.

“I ended up chasing a lot of people and doing the investigation [for the police] which I shouldn’t have been doing.

“I put myself in a lot of jeopardy. The system has failed the family and Alana.

“As a father and a normal person in the community,thecommunication[frompolice] was shocking.”

A Victoria Police spokesperson said the matterhasbeeninvestigatedbydetectivesand reviews of the investigation have found it was thorough. Theysaidallegationsofwrongdoing

by the detectives were unsubstantiated.

Peter has spent the past 28 years searching for answers, most of that alone.

But not anymore.

Earlier this year, podcaster Ryan Wolf was looking for a top for his next series of Guilt, which looks at unsolved crimes.

He received an email about Alana’s story and it stuck with him.

“I was struggling to find a case to pick up, for me personally I emotionally invest so much into a case,” Ryan said.

“People had sent through tons of cases to lookatandIknewIwantedtodoanAustralian case, for some reason this particular case … it just connected with me.

“It was such a young girl and clearly something wasn’t right here.”

Ryan quickly made the trip to Australia from New Zealand and headed to Melton, a place he had never heard before.

He said there was a lot that had surprised him as he started to investigate the case.

Ryan, like Peter, has found there are “definitely” holes in the work that the police have done.

He said that Peter has taken this all on his shoulders until now.

“He’s been amazing really, in a way it has ruined his life. He’s lost his daughter, he has just dedicated his life to trying to find out what happened.”

He said the podcast was an ongoing thing and dependent on what new information comes available, but at this stage expects it to be about 20 episodes.

“I want Australians and locals to have the podcast make their blood boil,” he said. “Think what if that was my daughter?”

For Peter, he’s hoping this podcast will finally give him the answers that he has been after.

And, he doesn’t want any other family to go through what he has.

“Hopefully I finally get a chance to grieve and have peace, I’ve never had peace,” an emotional Peter said. “It’s also for Alana getting her justice for that they did to her.

“Talking about it like this, is pretty hard for me. This is what has happened to me an my family, I don’t want it to happen to another family.

“How we’ve been treated by the system ... It’s been unfair, it should have been solved by now.”

Episodes of the podcast are released weekly, with the eighth episode becoming available for free on June 3.

Speaking after the first three episodes had been released, Ryan said there had been people come forward with new information.

He has spoken with friends, family and those who spent time with Alana growing up. Some have never spoken before.

“It’s to give it a chance that there could be some justice for her after all these years,” he said. “It’s always good when people start coming forward, that is what I do this for, to make a difference, try and get a resolution.

“I have a new witness that they’ve never had before and it could change this entire case.

“It’s not just about making content for me, it’s about the investigation first, podcast second. There are some big revelations to come in this case and I hope more people come forward.

“I know there’s more people out there that know more of what happened.”

Ryan said he feels like he’s getting to know Alana even though he has never met her. He saw some video for the first time recently and it was incredible to put a voice to her.

He said he wants to be able to do her justice and get the truth whatever that truth is.

Ryan started the podcast in February and said Peter’s research had made it a lot easier for him.

The police spokesperson said if new evidence,orwitnesseswerelocated,detectives would make an assessment as to their value before considering next steps.

Tolistentothepodcast:https://open.spotify. com/show/3LxK0NL9Dz4wuW5xp4SMRa

Podcaster Ryan Wolf.

Alana Cecil, and inset, Alana as a child. (Pictures: Supplied)

Downsize to a bigger life at Lifestyle Communities

Lifestyle Communities is a world where downsizing your home means upgrading to a more vibrant life filled with unlimited possibilities.

The Lifestyle Communities team are leaders in community living. They’re not just builders; they’re architects of unforgettable experiences, creators of lifelong connections, and designers of homes filled with an undeniable sense of belonging. They cater to the young at heart in their 50s and above, whether still working, retiring to reinvent, or just ready for a change. Lifestyle Communities is a place where neighbours become lifelong friends and where warmth, laughter, and fun never get old.

Twenty years of enriching lives

Two decades of passion, innovation, and commitment have shaped Lifestyle Communities into a haven for those seeking a purposeful and joyful way of living.

Managing director and co-founder James Kelly shares, “Our homeowners are the

heartbeat of our community. From day one, our mission has been clear: to be a ’business for purpose’ that enriches lives and fosters meaningful connections”.

“We set out to create a different experience for downsizers, to offer a space that strikes the perfect balance between connection and privacy, independence, and activity. With a clearly defined purpose and a steadfast commitment to this goal, 20 years later, we’re proud to say that we still lead the market in our product offering.”

Elevate your lifestyle

Enter a world of beautifully designed, low-maintenance homes surrounded by state-of-the-art amenities. The Clubhouse is the pulsation hub of the communities and will become your home away from home. It’s a sophisticated arena of leisure, social mingling, and wellness designed to make every moment a cherished memory. Communityfacilitiesincludeafullyequipped gym, croquet or pickleball court, a dog wash,

games room, private cinema, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a workshop, shared electric cars and a fishing boat available at coastal communities. You can join friends for a delightful lunch, break a sweat in the gym, or unwind by the pool.

Timeless excellence

With over 25 communities across Victoria, Lifestyle Communities sets itself apart with its unwavering long-term commitment to looking after its communities. They’re not just building communities; they’re nurturing them for the long haul.

“We reimagine, revitalise, and reinvent, ensuring that each community is aligned withour pursuit of excellence. Lifestyle Brookfield, our inaugural community, stands tall as a testament to our enduring dedication,” Mr Kelly said.

Holiday your way

Fuelled by passion, the dedicated Lifestyle team are constantly striving to exceed

expectations and create unforgettable experiences for their homeowners. They were proud to recently launch Club Lifestyle at Lifestyle Bellarine, which offers free seaside escapes to all Lifestyle Communities homeowners across Victoria. Homeowners can choose to stay in a cosy villa, bring their caravan down and enjoy one of the premium-powered caravan sites, or embark on a road trip in a fully equipped Lifestyle Motorhome.

It’s a Lifestyle revolution

For those yearning for a lifestyle that screams ‘cool’, a home that wraps you in luxury, recreation, and conscientious living, then Lifestyle Communities is calling your name. It’s not just a community, it’s a vibe where ‘unlimited’ is so much more than just a word – it’s a lifestyle!

For more information, visit lifestylecommunities.com.au

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication

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

Didyabringyarodalong Angling Club

A not for profit, community based fishing club promoting fishing as an inclusive, healthy, outdoor pursuit that can be enjoyed by all, regardless of age or gender. The club has approximately 60 members, male and female, ranging in age from 6 through to members in their 70s. They have held monthly fishing competitions as well as fishing clinics for juniors, and taken groups of disabled community members on supervised fishing outings in the past.

■ Andrew Levett, 0407303438, andrewlevett3@gmail.com

First Aid course

Enrolments are now open for Melton South Community Centre’s next round of first aid courses, scheduled for Saturday, June 29. Available courses include HLTAID009 (Perform CPR), HLTAID011 (Provide First Aid) and HLTAID012 (First Aid in an Education & Care Setting).

■ 9747 8576

Lights of Wisdom

The Bahá’ís of Moorabool invite you to Lights of Wisdom, a tranquil space to share the insights from the great spiritual traditions of mankind. Sessions will be held at the Lerderderg Library, Bacchus Marsh, every first Friday of the month. Starting time 7.30pm. Next session on June 7 will be devoted to the theme of Gratitude. Entry is free.

■ mgilsant9@gmail.com

Seniors’ lunch

Deer Park Branch of National Seniors Australia hosts a lunch on the third Friday of each month at different venues. The group also arranges activities each month, sometimes to the theatre, morning melodies, train or bus trip. The group also holds a general meeting at The Club in Caroline Springs on the first Wednesday of every month at 1.30pm. Locals are invited to join in for lunch or just attend the meeting and make new friends.

■ Pamela, pcostello46@hotmail.com

Bacchus Marsh CWA

Baking, crafting, day trips, local dining, market stalls and fundraising are just some of the things that the ladies do within the branch. From time to time it hosts guest speakers, morning and afternoon teas and special occasions. Catering is available by request. Jams, pickles,toys, handmade items and wearables are available for sale, as well as the CWA’s famous cookbooks. Open Monday-Wednesday, 9am-noon for morning or Devonshire Tea ($5-$8) at Darley Community and Civic Hub, Halletts Way (enter from Wittick Street). New members and visitors are welcome. Branch meetings are held the second Thursday of the month and craft day is the fourth Thursday of the month. ■ bacchus.cwa@gmail.com

Horticulturist chat

Horticulturist, author and presenter Craig Castree will speak at the June Friends of the Melton Botanic Garden meeting on June 12.. Those at the meeting will learn about soil microbiome, which is about learning how to improve your soil. Castree’s talks are down to earth, informative and entertaining.The June meeting starts at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend the monthly meetings,

at the Botanica Springs Community Centre, 249 Clarkes Road, Brookfield.

Cancer Support Group

MelMarsh Prostate Cancer Support Group is for prostate cancer patients and their carers and meets on the first Thursday of the month from 12.30-2pm at Melton South Community Centre. Attendees are encouraged as members share their journeys through what could be a very traumatic time of their lives. Explanations of medical terminology used in the treatment of this cancer are given in this group.

■ Grenville, 0412 741 865

Chatty Cafe Melton

Are you feeling lonely, isolated or just wanting to make some new friends? If so, Chatty Cafe is for you. The group meets on Friday mornings at 10am for delicious free coffee from Latin foods and wines at 10 Wallace Square, Melton.

■ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/352071857283331

Women’s Support Group

Women’s Support Group Melton is for any women who feel they would like to attend a peer support group which is relaxed, friendly and non-judgemental. The group meets weekly at 1pm on Mondays (except for public holidays) at Djerriwarrh Neighbourhood House, 239 Station Road, Melton. The group can discuss most subjects that may be of help

■ https://ow.ly/QVwJ50Q5g42

Caroline Springs Rotary

The Rotary Club of Caroline Springs is inviting new guests to join its meetings in person or via Zoom. Meetings are held every Wednesday at the Western Emergency Relief Network in Ravenhall from 7pm.

■ rotarycarolinesprings@gmail.com

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 5-8pm, 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 are welcome.

■ Helen, 0409 186 576

Melton Bridge Club

The Melton Bridge Club has 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

An over-55’s singles friendship group for social engagements, fun outings, dinners, movies, dancing chats and walks. Enrich your life, no more loneliness or isolation. Nothing but fun and friendships.

■ 0406 493 734

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

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

This week’s photographer’s choice picture is of St Monica’s College students Daniel, Seth, Natasha, Drew, Emilia and Isabella preparing for their Hairspray Musical. (Damjan Janevski) 409678_01

Two journeys explored on stage

The Bowery Theatre is set to host a thought-provoking performance this June withOuterUrbanProjects’criticallyacclaimed theatre work, The Audition.

This compelling production, inspired by the journeys of two young Iranian immigrant artists, Milad Norouzi and Sahra Davoudi, offers a unique and intimate look at the parallels between the audition process and seeking asylum in Australia.

Directed by Outer Urban Projects’ artistic director Irine Vela, The Audition delves into the uncertainties faced by both actors and asylum seekers.

“Inbothcases,applicantswaitwhilesomeone more powerful determines their future, often

basedoffasingleencounter.Theasylumseeker, just like the actor, is an expert at being patient with a force that keeps them waiting without having their hopes dashed,” Vela said.

When The Audition premiered in 2019, Norouzi and Davoudi were doubly displaced within Australia and on its stages. They now have permanent Australian residency and are enjoying their artistic pursuits.

Outer Urban Projects aims to connect new and established artists based in the northern Melbourne fringes. It provides an open door forcollaboration,whereartistlivedexperiences shape the content of the stories that it shares.

Norouzi and Davoudi didn’t have to audition. Instead, they were invited to create

The Audition in collaboration with Irine Vela and writers Christos Tsiolkas, Patricia Cornelius, Melissa Reeves, Tes Lyssiotis and Wahibe Moussa.

Vela said the Melbourne-metro tour of The Audition ends during Refugee Week, which this year has the theme of ’Finding Freedom through Family.’

“The Audition offers a sharp and insightful perspective into the protocols and powers that permit or veto entry into our country and onto our stages,” said Vela.

The Audition will be on at the Bowery Theatre on June 21. Tickets are priced between $18 and $30. Details: outerurbanprojects.org/ works/theaudition

Woodend’s Winter Arts weekend

Music, discussions, and fireworks will fill the streets of Woodend for the 19th Winter Arts FestivalovertheKing’sBirthdaylongweekend.

Running from Friday, June 7 to Monday, June 10, the festival program features a diverse rangeofmusicalperformancesanddiscussions at multiple Woodend venues.

Over 100 musicians will perform during the festival, which will showcase both local and international artists across several genres.

The program includes Southern Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Lara and dancer Deya Miranda Giner, Australian jazz great Paul Grabowsky, and twice ARIA-nominated Nat Bartsch.

For the piano enthusiasts, London-based pianist Piers Lane will perform a recital, and Woodend’s own Jacqueline Ogeil will lead

Accademia Arcadia’s ‘Early Solo Concertos’ on the Cristofori piano.

Ogeil is also the executive and artistic director of the festival, and said she is excited about this year’s line up.

“The quality and diversity of the program is evident in how well ticket sales have gone … withseveraleventsexpectedtoselloutoverthe next week,“ she said.

“Personally,Iamverymuchlookingforward to the performance of Bach’s St John Passion, which celebrates the 300 year anniversary of this great masterpiece.”

The‘Words&Ideas’programincludesaseries ofdebatesanddiscussionsfromaneclecticmix of speakers, such as immunologist and Nobel laureate Peter Doherty; journalists Gideon Haigh, Elizabeth Finkel, George Megalogenis;

and author0screenwriter Don Watson. Andrew Ford will reveal his latest book, and ABCRadiopresenterRobynWilliamswilllead a discussion on ‘Sex, Science and Singing’ with geneticist Jenny Graves.

“We’ve … included a feature on science as well as several talks which cover music in our Words & Ideas program – all of which promise to be entertaining and engaging discussions,” Ogeil said.

Fireworks will light up the sky at 6.30pm on the festival’s opening night, at a free and all-ages event at the Woodend Buffalo Sports Stadium.

Details: https://woodendwinterartsfestival. org.au/

Oscar Parry

Williamstown Literary Festival is set to turn

The Williamstown Literary Festival is returning for another year to bring readers together for a weekend of literary celebrations.

President Hugh Jones said the festival aims to bring together readers, writers and book creatives of all sorts for a wide range of activities.

“We are aiming to have a big, wide breadth of sessions so that we can appeal to as many people as possible,” he said

Now in its 21st year, the annual celebration will host a range of activities through story-telling, author talks, panel discussions and writing workshops, all across two days.

into the school holidays

Victorian kids can go to the zoo for free over the July school holidays and embark on an unforgettable journey back in time aszoosacrossthestatebecomeprehistoric playgrounds.

At Melbourne Zoo, visitors can venture along paths not normally open to visitors to discover 16 huge dinosaurs, their nests, and newly hatched young. For budding palaeontologists, there’s the chance to uncover a fossil in the sandpits, watched over by the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.

In an Australian first, Dinos at the Zoo will also provide unprecedented access to the deaf and hard of hearing community, withExpressionAustraliacreatingaseries of videos in Australian Sign Language (Auslan) to provide information on every exhibit, which is instantly accessible by scanning a QR code.

At Werribee Open Range Zoo, expect the unexpected as you encounter 14 awe-inspiring dinosaurs, smoking volcanoes, bubbling swamps, dino footprints, and unearth life-like dino fossils.

Within the Yarra Valley, step back in time along Healesville Sanctuary’s bushlandNatureTrailwhere16dinosaurs roam,orforthosewhopreferaguide,join a free walking tour with a ranger.

Entry to all zoos is free for children under 16 years on weekends, school holidays,andpublicholidays.Dinosatthe Zoo will be free with zoo admission and will run until July 14.

another page

For her second festival, program director Emily Westmoreland said she has included several specialist writing workshops and increased the number of children’s sessions among the usual trove of author talks and panel discussions.

“Willy Lit Fest is different from other Victorian literary festivals in that we acknowledge our unique seaside setting and create a program to celebrate that,” she said.

“The amazing Jawbone Reserve will feature inasession,aswilltheYarraandMaribyrnong rivers, the local botanic gardens for bird watching and forest therapy, and Willy beach

itself for our now famous early morning swimming salon.”

Hoping to keep the festival as local as possible, Mr Jones said they have many local authors coming to speak.

“It was really important for us to have locally represented authors from the west come in,” he said.“ThebeautyabouttheWillyLitFestisthat its local, and it is one of the things that really guide us in the promotion of the program.“

Morethan60individualsessionswillbeheld at the Williamstown Town Hall from June 14 to June 16. Details:https://www.willylitfest.org. au/weekend-pass/

Southern Spanish flamenco duo Paco Lara and Deya Miranda Giner. (Supplied)

Williamstown Literary Festival vice president Lis Grove and program director Emily Westmoreland. (Damjan Janevski) 406538_01

Roar

(Zoos Victoria)

The Audition will hit the stage at the Bowery Theatre in St Albans on June 21. (Darren Gill)

SPORTS QUIZ

1. Which two teams competed in the 2024 A-League Men Grand Final?

2. Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk recently defeated which previously undefeated world heavyweight champion?

3. Brad Arthur most recently coached which NRL team?

4. Rival drivers Ricky

5. Which two teams competed in the 2024 NBA Western Conference finals?

6. Which two teams competed in the 2024 NBA Eastern Conference finals?

7. Which Australian swimmer is sometimes nicknamed The Big Tuna?

8. Which English soccer team

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE

EXISTING MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT BALLAN WITH 4G/5G TECHNOLOGY

Telstra plans to upgrade an existing telecommunications facility at 125 A Inglis Street Ballan VIC 3342 (RFNSA No. 3342001).

1. The upgrade consists of

•Replacement of the existing turret with the new headframe

•Replacement of six (6) existing panel antennas with six (6) new panel antennas (each is no more than 2.8m long)

•Replacement of six (6) existing Tower Mounted Amplifiers (TMAs) with six (6) new TMAs

• Replacement of six (6) existing Remote Radio Units (RRUs) with three (3) new RRUs.

•Ancillary works including feeders, cable trays, fibre, and electrical cabling.

•Internal work in the existing equipment building.

2.Telstra regards the proposed works as Low-impact Facilities under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“the Determination”) based on the description above.

3.In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Further information and/ or comments should be directed to: Wannan Bao, 0459 449 531, Telstra.submissions@ugllimited.com / Level 6, 12 Help Street, Chatswood NSW 2067 by 5pm, Thursday 20 June 2024.

4. Further information can also be obtained from https://www.rfnsa.com.au/3342001

14. Which city is reportedly in talks with the NFL about hosting a regular game in Australia?

15. Australian golfer Min Woo Lee earned his nickname The Chef through his use of what three-word catchphrase?

16. Which two Premier League teams recently played a friendly match in Melbourne?

17. Which Australian NBA player led the league in blocks during the 2010–11 season?

18. What was the Super Rugby competition originally called when it first started in 1996?

19. Which 17-year-old recently became the youngest Premier League Darts champion?

20. What sport is the focus of the 2011 film Moneyball?

21. Three players from which A-League club were suspended after being charged over an alleged betting scandal?

22. Which Australian batsman was named man of the match in both the ODI World Cup final and World Test Championship final in 2023?

CLASSIFIEDS EARLY DEADLINES KING’S BIRTHDAY

Classified deadlines for Tuesday, 11th June issue as follows: Friday, 7th June at 1.30pm

23. The famous motor racing venue Circuit de la Sarthe is known for which annual long-distance event?

24. Which Olympics were the last games to host artistic categories?

25. Which state won the first game of the Women’s State of Origin series?

26. What name was given to the infamous Ashes cricket series in 1932–33?

27. The King Charles III Stakes, a Group 1 thoroughbred horse race, is held in September each year at which venue?

28. In which year was the AFL Grand Final held at Waverley Park?

29. Which country has won the most gold medals in Olympic history behind the US and Russia?

30. Recently announcing her retirement from international soccer, Lydia Williams plays for which A-League Women club?

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

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”.

12 words: Good 18 words: Very good 24 words: Excellent

Vitelotte, Laura and King Edward are all types of what? 2 Which metal are Olympic gold medals predominantly made from? 3 Es is the symbol for which element of the periodic table? 4 1930s Melbourne saw the invention of which famous chocolate treat?

5 The smallest bone in the human body is called the what? 6 Usain Bolt (pictured) holds the record for which two Olympic categories?

7 Banjo Paterson wrote what poem in 1895, which later became a well-known song?

8 Digitalis is derived from which plant?

9 The Benko Gambit is used in which game?

10 The character Don Quixote is known for attacking which object?

Hybrid powering up down under

By Derek Ogden, Marque Motoring

With a dim start to electrification of the automobile down under, due considerably to the snail-pace roll-out of charging infrastructure to keep up, many car manufacturers have doubled down on petrol/ electric hybrid models.

Latest switch-on is Hyundai with its new Kona SUV range consisting initially of internal combustion engine vehicles and totally electric powered variants.

The small sports utility hybrid vehicle makes use of a 1.6 litre petrol engine and six-speed dual clutch transmission with a 1.32 kwh battery pack and electric motor, designed to deliver a driving experience similar to a conventional ICE vehicle.

With an exceptional 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres fuel consumption (91 RON) on the combined cycle claimed by the maker, the full 38 litre petrol tankshould give a careful driver almost 1000 kilometres of range.

As well as standard features such as AM/FM/DAB+, wireless Apple CarPlay/ AndroidAutoconnectivity,HyundaiBluelink with calendar integration, Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, USB-C input and Google Fast Pair Service for Android across the Kona range, the test car was specced up to Premium level.

ThisleveladdedBluelinkconnectedsatellite navigation, Bluelink live traffic updates, voice control, SMS playback capability, split-screen function and voice memo function. Options on Premium include wide-glass sunroof at $1500, metallic mica paint $595 and Light Shale Grey/Sage Green interior $295.

The Kona N Line Hybrid is covered by Hyundai’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with battery warranty of eight years or 160,000 kilometres.

Styling

The Kona hybrid follows on the futuristic design chops of the all-electric variant. Standout features of the Neoteric (aka modern) Yellow test car included light strip front and back, twin alloy tipped exhaust pipes, N Line body-coloured cladding, N Line front bumper with gloss black front bumper insert, N Line side skirts and N Line-exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels.

There’sablackNLinewing-typespoilerand mirror caps, N Line rear bumper, plus N Line aluminium badging. Dual projector beam headlights combine with LED indicators, black beltline moulding and ‘seamless horizon’ centre LED positioning light.

Interior

With wider-opening doors, back seat space – 77mm more leg room and 11 mm extra headroom – is well ahead of the previous Kona. Second-row shoulder room (1402mm) is also among the largest in class.

Buttons and dials dominate the climate and drive mode controls, so it’s simple to hop into Sport, or adjust the climate. Stacks of storage space is partly the result of the lack of a transmission tunnel with its old-style T-bar gear lever, leaving room for an open centre console.

All-new Kona’s optional N Line pack interior offers leather appointed seating with Alcantara inserts, along with red highlights and N logos. There’s an N Line steering wheel, dark metal door handles, plus leather dashboard tray and highlights. Black headlining and pillar trims may seem a bit too gloomy for some.

The boot has room for 470 litres of cargo with the rear seat backs raised, blowing out to 1421 litres with the backs folded (almost) flat. A temporary spare wheel can be found under the boot base, which is height adjustable.

Infotainment

The Kona follows its Hyundai cousins with a version of the 12.3-inch dual-screen high-resolution full digital set-up. Pleasingly, climate control air-con is via a series of buttons and knobs on the centre stack, not the

touchscreen.

Over The Air software updates lets users perform remote software and firmware updates for key systems, without the need to visit a service centre.

Engines/transmissions

NewforAustralia,theKonahybridpowertrain combines a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with an electric motor plugged into a 1.32 kWh battery pack. The electric motor produces 32 kW of power and 172 Nm of torque, the combined system putting out 104 kW and 265 Nm. The package is mated with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Safety

This is where the Hyundai SmartSense safety system comes into the picture with functions including autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian and cyclist detection), as well as AEB rear.

Also included are driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring and assist, lane keep assist, safe exit warning, plus parking sensors. And to help further in pedestrian safety,

the Kona Hybrid, with its almost silent powertrain, features a Virtual Engine Sound System which generates a futuristic sound for pedestrians to hear through a speaker at the frontofthevehicle.Afurtherchimeis‘played’ when the car is reversing.

There are seven airbags in Kona, including a front centre side airbag. Mounted in the left of the driver’s seat backrest, it can prevent or reduce the severity of injuries caused by coming together of front occupants, or collisions between occupants and the interior during a side impact.

Driving

The dash-mounted push-button start fires up theall-butsilentelectricmotor,tobejoinedby the 1.6-litre petrol engine, in an ultra-smooth transition at around 20 to 30 km/h when needed for optimum performance – a great help in town traffic.

It’s not the most powerful vehicle but a heavy-footed take-off can have the Kona’s front wheels spinning in the wet, trust me. Paddles behind the steering wheel allow the driver to get in on the action of the six-speed double-clutch tranny. Oh, and can deliver

different levels of regenerative braking. Claimed fuel economy is a miserly 3.9 litres per 100km on the combined urban/ highway cycle. On test the Kona accrued a fuel consumption figure of 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres over a week’s work on a range of road conditions.

Traffic sign recognition and warning sounds like a good idea but the Kona goes a step too far for my liking, not only issuing a visual warning but beeping too. Frequent changes of speed limit can come up with an incessant ‘one-note’ samba. More annoying than helpful.

Also, the system is inclined to pick up the speed limit of an on or off-ramp while still on the motorway and on test was wont to hold on to a car park 10km/h speed limit when the car was well on its way down the road.

Summary

With skinflint fuel usage without the worry of running out of ‘juice’ it’s a win/win situation with the Kona N Line petrol/electric hybrid SUV. Good looks, space and heaps of high-tech tackle add to the appeal, as does the $40K-plus sales price.

The full 38 litre petrol tank should give a careful driver almost 1000 kilometres of range. (Pictures: Supplied)

It was footy, footy and more footy for Star Weekly photographer Ljubica Vrankovic on Saturday. Here’s some of the action that she shot.

Winter football action kicks off

1/ Altona got a hard fought win against Parkside. 410694_16

Altona got a hard fought win against Parkside.

Emily Kalos and Brooke Hards. 410706_16

Laverton’s Ruth Walker. 410700_12

Michael Luxford. 410695_10

Parkside Spurs had a big win on

Thomas Stelluto.

Werribee Districts got a strong win against Spotswood. (Ljubica Vrankovic)_410695_03

West Footscray fought hard against Sunshine. 410696_13

Clubs could die: Senior coach warns the WFL

Clubs could face death if something doesn’t change in the Western Football League, says one division 2 senior coach.

One coach has expressed that serious discontent is rife among its senior playing group,andsaidthe14-teamdivision2structure is causing former division 3 clubs to lose more than just games on Saturdays. He is the second coach to speak out about concerns for clubs and the competition.

“What the league doesn’t look at as well, no one wants to train before games against these top sides, so when Thursday comes along, you do team selection and are lucky to get half a dozen staying back, so you’re losing money behind the bar, you’re losing money with dinners,” they said.

“Then on Saturdays, after the game everyone goes home because when you lose by 200, who

wants to stay back and talk?

“We’ve got functions during the year, but morale’s dead so there’s no money coming in then as well, it’s killing clubs.”

Thecoach,whodidn’twanttobenamed,said it has been hard to keep fronting up to training nights and game days, as it feels as though nothing they can do or say will change the fate when coming up against top tier division 2 clubs.

“I woke up on Saturday, I’ve got my bag, I’ve got my coaching stuff, and I just thought what am I doing?“ they said. “Like what am I even going to do as a coach?”

They said the merging of divisions has killed the league as being an option for top division club’s junior players seeking more senior football, as well as older players looking for a lower league to play in rather than retiring or

movingintoasuperrulesorthirdscompetition.

In division 2 this season, the average margin per game is 102 points.

In matches between a side that would have featured in division 3 if the league didn’t restructure this season against a side that would have been in division 2, the average margin is 165 points.

Last year, the average margins in division 2 and3were54pointsand71pointsrespectively.

As per a report sent to clubs late last year, the league said it understood that 2024 may be a teething period as clubs settle into the new structure.

“Following the club transfers of Deer Park andStAlbanstotheEssendonDistrictFootball League (EDFL) at the end of the 2022 season, the league engaged an independent consultant to complete a thorough review of the current

Warriors working hard

By Tara Murray

TheWesternWarriorsshowedplentyofmental resolve to get a second win on the trot in the Victorian Netball League championship.

Coming off their best win for the season against the Geelong Cougars, the Warriors faced the winless Peninsula Waves on Wednesday night.

The Waves tested the Warriors early before they were able to steady and come away with a 70-53 win.

Warriors coach Kim Bailey said the Waves really pushed them early on.

“Two in a row is great,” she said. “That is the best I’ve seen them [Waves] play.

“They really shut us down in the first half, I’m just really happy in the second half we were able to go back to our structures to our plan and just Accelerate from there and get a nice win in the end.”

One of the pleasing aspects for Bailey was seeing the side being able to mentally work through what they needed to do.

Times earlier in the season they haven’t

been able to do that.

“It’s something that we’ve really concentrated on and we spoke about in depth at training and before the game that they’re really chasing a win and you know they’ve got a great target underneath the post,” she said.

“But we need to be alert and ready to play and not think, yeah we won a game last week and we’re gonna win it.

“No game went you walk onto the court will be an instant win. You have to work really really hard in VNL and we did that.”

Bailey said she thought Georgia Berry had a really strong game in defence.

She also highlighted the performance of Julia Woolley, who stepped up in goals, with Kim Borger not feeling 100 per cent.

“Juls was on fire again,” Bailey said. “It took a little while, but she is such a leader on the court too.

“It’s just what she teaches the other young kids around her. I think Simmy [Simona Di Filippo] has really come into her game since she’s been playing with Juls.”

The Warriors sit in seventh spot after 14

WFNL football competition structure,” the report said. “This review was also instigated by a number of clubs who were adamant that significant changes were required to the divisional structure model. There was a large amount of feedback through both workshops and surveys that supported a move to a two division model of football with 80 per cent of the clubs indicating that this would be the preferred model for 2024.

“Furthermore, 70 per cent of clubs also indicated that the ideal number of teams per division is 10 and then the next highest response was 12 teams.

“We will also be able to reassess division 2 and potentially a Division 3 beyond 2024 upon further movement of clubs or teams.”

Gerald Lynch

Briefs

GDCA

Gisborne and District Cricket Association secretary Rob McIntyre is stepping down as secretary at the upcoming annual general meeting. McIntyre has been the association president or secretary for 16 years and has also filled the competitions manager role more recently. The association announced that McIntyre was standing to focus on treatment for cancer. “It is fair to say he has had a significant impact on cricket at association, regional and state levels for many years,” the association said. “His is a position that will be a very difficult one to fill.”

Ballarat NL

Melton South and Darley both had big wins on Saturday in the Ballarat Netball League, while Melton fell just short and Bacchus Marsh had a big loss. Melton South accounted for Ballarat, 61-42, while Darley beat Sebastopol, 50-40. Melton fell just short against Lake Wendouree, 48-45 and Bacchus Marsh lost to North Ballarat, 91-22. Darley and Melton South remain the top two teams.

WFL

rounds. The closeness of the competition has fourth placed Hawks on 28 points and 10th placed Casey Demons are on 20 points.

“It can go anyway at the moment,” Bailey said.

“You look at your losses and your wins. We dropped a game we most probably should havewonagainstMUandwewouldhavebeen within two points or maybe even in the four.

“It’s such an amazing season and it just shows the evenness of the competition.”

The Warriors under-23s had another loss, losing 51-43.

Bailey said it was the same sort of thing as the previous round where they were great for three quarters and they then lost focus in the last quarter.

It’s something she said they will work on at training.

The Warriors championship side has a bye this week, with the under-23 side facing the Gippsland Stars.

Bailey said the bye came at a good time after having played a lot on the road in the last six weeks.

Caroline Springs bounced back in a big way against Point Cook Centrals in the Western Football League division 1 competition. After trailing at quarter time, the Lakers kicked nine second quarter goals to none to lead by 41 points at half time. After the Sharks kicked the only goal of the third quarter, the Lakers ran away with it in the last, winning 15.13 (103)-5.4 (34). In division 2, the Western Rams lost 18.10 (118)-12.6 (78).

WFL

Caroline Springs had a day out against North Sunshine in the Western Football League women’s competition. It was a strong four quarter performance with the Lakers winning, 29.11 (185)-0.0 (0). Angeline Petaia was named the Lakers best with Jacinta Kondis kicking 11 goals. The Lakers sit in third spot after eight rounds with a 5-2 record.

FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT

Web:

Western Warriors in their First Nations dress. (Supplied)

Pitt on a roll taking lead in drivers premiership

Multiple group 1 winning reinsman Mark Pitt bounded to the lead in the Metropolitan Drivers Premiership courtesy of a Clayton Tonkin trained treble at Melton on Saturday night.

Impeccably bred filly Let Her Roll rounded off Pitt’s successful evening with an effortless win in the Alabar Sapling Stakes (2YO Fillies).

Let Her Roll led from start to finish reeling off a 27.3 last 400 metres to score from I’ll Be Gone and Golden Shooz in a mile rate of 1:54.9 for the 1720 metre journey.

A daughter of Sweet Lou, Let Her Roll is out of the Group 1 winning mare Rocknroll Magic.

Pitt said Let Her Roll handled the rise in class admirably.

“I drove her pretty confidently and tonight was the strongest field she’s met I would have thought, so it was great to see her dominate,” Pitt said.

Let Her Roll has just returned from a sojourn to Adelaide where she took out the $50,000 BOTRA Southern Stars Series Final at Globe Derby.

Captaintreacherousthrewa54.8last800metres at his rivals to score from Jillibyjacksparrow and Yambukian in a mile rate of 1:54.7.

PittwashappywiththeeffortasitwasPerfect Class’ first outing since March.

“SimilartoTheLostStormlastweek,hecame into this race without a trial and sometime it can be a little bit hard on them but he had a little bit of an edge on them tonight and I thought he went super,” he said.

Lightly raced four-year-old Gawn ($1.20 fav) provided the middle pin of the treble when he too found the lead from an outside front row draw.

The son of Captaintreacherous raced away from his rivals in a slick 26.7 last 400 metres to chalk up his fifth win from 13 race track outings.

“He’s taken a little bit of time to finally work out what it’s all about,” he said.

“He’s got the ability it just depends which Gawn turns up but the right one turned up tonight.”

Earlier in the night talented four-year-old

“When you take one away from home they usually come back a little bit better, the trip away from home is something different and get then them out of routine a little bit,” he said.

Perfect Class made a successful debut in open class racing when he staved off the home straight challenges in the Allied Express Pace. Sent out a $1.60 favourite, the son of

Devils rebound

By Tara Murray

Darley showed some final quarter resolve to overcome Sebastopol in the Ballarat Football League on Saturday.

Having dropped their last two games against the top two sides, the Devils needed to work hard to get back on the winners list in round eight.

The Devils led at every break but they weren’t able to break the Burras.

The margin was less than a goal early in the last quarter, before the Devils steadied to win, 10.9 (69)-7.8 (50).

Devils coach Dan Jordan said they had to work hard to come away with the four points.

“It was pretty hard fought and a bit of an arm wrestle, we were happy to get the points,” he said.

“Our last quarters haven’t been great for over a month.

“We found ourselves challenged at three quarter time.”

Jordan said the message at three quarter time was simple, asking his leaders to step up

in the final quarter.

He said the last couple of weeks against the Sunbury Lions and Melton, that the response needed hadn’t quite been there when they asked for it.

“They kicked the first goal, but we lifted the pressure and got the game back on our terms,” Jordan said.

“It was a really good quarter and there were some really good signs.”

Will Johnson and Brady Wright kicked three goals each for the Devils.

Defender Matthew Brett was the Devils best.

Jordan said Wright and Johnson looked dangerous in attack in the one-on-ones, with Adam Azzopardi, Brett Bewley and Luther Baker were among the other really good contributors.

After eight rounds, the Devils sit in fifth spot with a 5-3 record.

Jordan said they were fairly happy with that.

“We’re not playing our best football yet,” he said. “Bar the Melton game we’ve been in

every game.

“There’s been some that have been a flip of the coin which would have liked to win. There’s a lot of improvement.”

The Devils get a much needed break the next two weeks.

There’s a competition wide bye this weekend due to the King’s Birthday, before the Devils have a bye the following week.

Jordan said they would give the group some time off this week to allow them to refresh knowing they face a lot of the top teams again in the back half of the season.

“We’re confident our best footy is still ahead of us.”

Elsewhere, Melton is back on top of the ladder after it beat Lake Wendouree and the Sunbury Lions suffered their first loss.

The Bloods had a 23.9 (147)-4.6 (30) win against the Lakers with Braedan Kight kicking seven goals.

Bacchus Marsh lost to North Ballarat, 11.13 (79)-9.6 (60), while Melton South lost to Ballarat, 22.16 (148)-2.8 (20).

The30-year-oldPittcurrentlyboastsa40per cent winning strike rate at Melton and is one win clear of Greg Sugars in the Metropolitan Drivers Premiership.

Burras sneak home

Diggers Rest did just enough to get over the line against Kyneton, while Melton Centrals fell short against Woodend-Hesket in the Riddell District Football League on Saturday.

The Burras and Tigers faced off at the Kyneton Showgrounds for the first time since Kyneton returned to the competition this season.

The Tigers led by eight points at quarter time with the margin just two points at the main break.

Still nothing separated the two teams in the third quarter, with the Tigers taking a three point lead into the final break, despite the Burras having eight scoring shots to four for the quarter.

The Burras kicked five goals in the final quarter to come away with an 11.11 (77)-10.5 (65) win.

Mitch Jensen and Brodie Meyers kicked three goals each for the Burras.

Ryan Mullen and Chris Lawton were their best.

The Burras remain atop the ladder, percentage ahead of Riddell and Romsey.

Melton Centrals are still searching for their second win of the season.

On Saturday, Centrals stuck with Woodend-Hesket throughout the match, but were able to come away with the points.

The Hawks led by 11 points at quarter time and nine points at half time.

The margin increased to 20 points at the final break.

The Hawks would be able to sustain the margin and add to it, winning 12.4 (76)-7.7 (49).

SamuelApineruwastheonlymultiple goal kicker for Centrals with two. JonnyFerriandJacobThornton-Gielen were named Centrals’ best.

Centrals sit second bottom heading in the King’s Birthday long weekend.

In other results, Romsey beat Macedon and Wallan was too strong for Lancefield.

In the netball, Melton Centrals lost to Woodend-Hesket, 52-41, and Diggers Rest lost to Kyneton, 52-38.

Centralssitinfifthspot,whileDiggers Rest sits in eighth spot.

There are no matches this weekend.

John Dunne

Let Her Roll (Stuart McCormick)

Brady Wright. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 403538_10

Georgies through in Aust Cup, just

Caroline Springs George Cross is through to the next round of the Australia Cup, but it wasn’t without making work harder than it should have been.

The Georgies overcame Victorian Premier League 2 side Altona City on Wednesday night, 2-1 but needed extra time to get the result.

Scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of regular time before the Georgies scored in extra time to get the win.

Nicholas Sette and Jack Wardle were the goal scorers for the Georgies.

Georgies coach Eric Vassiliadis said they will take the win and move on.

“I mentioned after the game, the important thing in these games is to get the win,” he said. “We didn’t play well.

“We don’t look in isolation. We still need to improve in some areas and there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Vassiliadis said while their numbers were

off the charts in terms of GPS data indicating the effort was there, they struggled with their execution in the front third of the ground.

He said they could have won the game a lot earlier.

“Wemadehardworkofit.”hesaid.“Wehad 27 shots to five and we kept them in the game.

“Had we been a little bit more clinical we would have killed the game off sooner. Going to extra time we didn’t need that in a midweek game.

“We have to be better”

Vassiliadis said many of those attempts in front of goal failed to make the goalkeeper work hard to stop most of them.

The Georgies have drawn National Premier League side Hume City in the seventh round. The winner will go onto the national stage of the competition as well as the final five of the Dockerty Cup.

Vassiliadis said it could have been an easier or hard draw, but for now he wasn’t looking at

that match just yet.

The Georgies were back in action on Friday night against Brunswick City.

Vassiliadis said it’s a crucial match for both sides.

The Georgies are currently in 11th spot.

“We’vehadaninterruptedyearwithinjuries andsuspension.We’vebeengettingsomeguys back,” Vassiliadis said before the game.

“We went and watched them last week when they lost to [bottom side] North Geelong [Warriors], but they will get a few players back.

“The two clubs are on the same points and have it as a must win.”

The Georgies though weren’t able to come away with the points, losing 3-1.

Scores had been locked at 3-0 at half time.

The Georgies this week face Langwarrin on Friday night.

Phoenix in contention

By Tara Murray

Melton Phoenix is set for a big couple of weeks in the FV state league 4 west season.

Having had a strong season with just one loss so far, the Phoenix face ladder leaders Surf Coast on Saturday before facing Moonee Ponds United in a catch up match the following week.

Coach Darren Traynor said speaking before the weekend’s match with the Truganina Hornets they had been pretty happy with how it was all tracking.

“It’s going really well the first couple of months,” he said.

“We lost our first game against Keilor Wolves. We scored to take the score to 2-2 and had all the momentum, but the goal was overruled.

“It changed momentum… They scored a couple of goals late. They’re not a 4-1 better side than us and I don’t think the scoreline reflected our game.”

The Wolves sit in second spot, now five points ahead of the Phoenix, but having played one extra game.

Traynor said it was a really strong competition this season.

“The Surf Coast look like they are strong and way out in front,” he said. ‘There’s a lot of decent teams.

“We feel we’re in that next bracket with the Wolves, Moonee Ponds. Melbourne City is coming along strongly and Westside Strikers are another.”

The Phoenix on Saturday faced the Hornets, who have struggled this season.

Traynor said before the match that they couldn’ttakeanysideeasilyortheyriskdefeat.

The Phoenix got back on the winners list with a 3-0 win.

The Phoenix had led 1-0 at half time. Kieren Farrugia, Bo Williamson and Matthew Farrugia were the goal scorers for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix will get a true indication of where it sits the next few weeks.

It faces top side, the Surf Coast, before facing Moonee Ponds United twice in a three week period.

The first of those matches is a catch up game afterthelightswentoutintheirfirstclash.The score was 0-0 at the time.

Traynor said they were looking forward to the challenge.

In other matches, Westside Strikers had a tough night out against Keilor Wolves on Friday night.

The Wolves jumped out of the blocks to lead

3-0 at half time.

With the game over, both teams added to the scoreboard in the second half, with the Wolves winning 4-1.

David Torres Suarez was the goal scorer for the Strikers.

The Strikers sit in sixth spot with a 4-2-4 record.

In state league 5 west, Spring Hills suffered

New United goalkeeper

Western United has secured one of Australia’s hottest young talents, but say goodbye to two inaugural players for the A-League Women’s 2024-25 season. United announced that Australian under-23 international goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln has signed with the club.

The 19-year-old made her senior debut at 17 and has been a regular in the Australian national team pathway, recently winning a bronze medal with theYoungMatildasattheAFCunder-20 women’s Asian Cup and currently competing in Sweden with the under-23 national team.

“I am thrilled to be joining Western United next season. It is an amazing club that has had extraordinary success in such a short period of time,” she said.

“I absolutely loved the opportunity to tour the facility recently and was in awe of the vision of the management team and the inclusive way that the men’s and women’s teams are treated as professionals.”

Meanwhile, Hannah Keane and Stacey Papadopoulos will depart after securing overseas opportunities.

Keane scored 24 goals across 40 appearances, winning an A-League golden boot and setting a number of Western United records.

Papadopoulos racked up 35 appearances for United and featured in all 22 matches this season, being one of only three players to do so.

She said the last two seasons had been amazing.

“I want to say thank you to everybody at Western United – from the fans, to thestafo,toallofmyteammates–thank you so much.

“I can’t wait to watch the girls smash it, they’ll always have my support. I’ll always be a green and black fan.”

a 3-0 loss to Lara United on Saturday night. All three goals came in the second half despite Lara going a man down after a red card.

Spring Hills sits in eighth spot with three wins and four losses.

All state league men’s competitions will be in action this weekend despite the King’s Birthday holiday.

Keane added, “Out of all the teams I’ve ever played on, Western by far has been the biggest family and probably the biggest emotional tie to a team I’ve had.

“I’m so grateful to have been a part of everything here. The kindness that everyone has shown me has been amazing and I feel like I’ve grown so much as a person because of everyone around me.”

Tara Murray Ko Sawada. (Ljubica Vrankovic)

Matthew Farrugia scored on Saturday. (Joe Mastroianni). 319139_09