The road to recovery for Mario Attard has been a long one.
The Melton resident lost his leg in a motorcycle accident on High Street in August 2023.
However, if you think that has stopped him from riding, think again.
Mr Attard only began walking properly three weeks ago, but was back on the bike a matter of hours after the operation to amputate his leg from below the knee last year
“Four hours after the operation a good friend of mine came up to see me and straight away I jumped on his bike and burnt all the bandages off my leg,” Mr Attard said.
“That’s how eager I was – it’s a passion.”
Although this has drawn mixed emotions from the people around him, Mr Attard has one thing to say.
“People say to me ‘you’re crazy’ but you only live once and if I’ve got a passion for riding, I’ll ride.”
“I’ve got a lot of support out there from riders … it’s a tight knit community.”
However, Mr Attard knows he isn’t invincible and still gets nervous when riding past the site of the incident.
“I go up and down High Street all the time nowbut…IflincheverytimeIcomenearthat corner,” he said.
“The mental effects of PTSD never go away.”
Psychologically, Mr Attard is “like a yo-yo” as he deals with physical therapy and the changeinlifestylethatcomeswithlosingaleg.
But there is always a silver lining. Mr Attard said the support he had received since the accident was nothing short of amazing.
“My friends are always around me and never let me down … and I’ve made more friends in different groups [at rehab] so that’s been really great.”
To make the best of a bad situation, Mr Attard has set up the group ‘Drivers Watch Riders’ – a group for motorcyclists to accompany each other on the roads.
Attendees will meet in Sunshine on Fridays to emphasise safety in numbers and reduce the risk of accidents.
“It’s easier for a car to see two or three bikes rather than just one,” said Mr Attard.
In the 12 months since the accident, Mr Attard has learnt two important lessons that now guide him through day-to-day life.
“Slow and steady, I’ve learnt, wins the race.”
“Don’t give up. Simple as that. As soon as you give up, you let it get to you mentally.”
Mr Attard said this manta strengthens his
resolve and helps him persevere.
“You’ll never be normal, but you have your new normal; you have to learn to live with it,” he said.
And as for any negative sentiment
toward the person who sent him off the bike, Mr Attard said it was their actions following the collision, including calling for help and apologising, that have led him to forgive them.
“I’ve never spoken to the driver that hit me, but I do want to thank him because I still remember what he said to me.”
“If it wasn’t for that guy I don’t think I’d be around today.”
Mario Attard (front), Tanya Handley and Nicholas Attard. (Damjan Janevski) 421096_02
Mayor’s message
Cr Kathy Majdlik
I’m thrilled to announce that the Mayoral Charity Fund is back for another year.
The Mayoral Charity Fund is for small community projects that help local activities continue to grow and thrive in the City of Melton.
Local, not-for-profit community organisations and groups can apply for up to $2,000 to support the development or implementation of projects that benefit the community.
It is a great example of how Council can support our highly valued community groups in the work they do to keep our city active, connected and make it a great place to live.
I encourage all local, not-for-profit community groups and clubs to apply. For information visit: melton. vic.gov.au/communityfunds
The Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre is Council’s largest capital investment, and it was pleasing to see this project take another step forward with the approval of the final masterplan.
The Centre on Beattys Road in Fraser Rise will meet the leisure and wellbeing needs of the community in one of Australia’s fastest growing Council areas. The masterplan was finalised following extensive consultation with the community and other stakeholders that saw more than 1000 overwhelmingly positive responses. After consulting the community, we have improved the layout and added of several extra features including a multipurpose/events space and rooftop deck, and a second program pool for learn to swim and aqua aerobics.
This will be a destination where people can spend time with family and friends enjoying a range of activities and feel connected to their local community.
You’re welcome to contact me regarding Council matters at Kathy.majdlik@melton.vic.gov.au or on 0412 584 058.
Cobblebank Community Services Hub
The building masterplan for the state-of-the-art Cobblebank Community Services Hub has been approved by Council.
The Hub, in the heart of the Cobblebank Metropolitan Activity Centre, will provide more than 8,000 square metres of tenancy space and dedicated carparking in a six-storey, 5-Star Green Rating building and deliver critical services for residents.
It will meet the needs of our growing community by delivering access to a wider range of services that will be both easier to access and closer to home. Construction work is expected to start in early 2025.
Melton Business Excellence finalists named
The finalists in the 2024 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards have been announced. Twenty-seven outstanding businesses from hospitality, trades, professional services, and industry are in the running to win a business excellence award in nine categories.
Fair Go 4 Youth Fund is back
Our Fair Go 4 Youth program created to make extra-curricular activities more affordable so children can grow and reach their full potential is back.
Coburn Ward with Cr Bob Turner
It was great to see the new Melton Hospital take another step forward this month.
This is an important project for the City of Melton and the wider region, so it was good to hear the State Government name its preferred consortium for delivering this landmark piece of infrastructure.
It was also good to hear the State Government’s revised timeline for completing the hospital on Ferris Rd, near Cobblebank Stadium by 2029. It will be Victoria’s first fully electric hospital and will feature 24-hour emergency care, more than 274 beds,
an intensive care unit, maternity and neonatal services, mental health services, radiology services, outpatient care and teaching, training and research spaces.
Getting this hospital would not have happened without the community’s strong support and assistance with Council’s campaign.
Council’s term in office comes to an end later this year, and I’d like to thank residents for their input and ideas over the past four years.
Your questions, feedback on issues and projects, and ideas are important
In its 17th year, the Melton Business Excellence Awards recognise and reward the fantastic contributions local businesses make to our diverse City. Businesses are vital to our community and Council is proud to showcase their innovation, resilience and strength.
This year, Council received more than 80 nominations from local businesses. Find out more at melton.vic.gov.au/ businessawards
The program covers up to $400 per year in registration costs for someone aged 8 to 16 to attend community activities that enrich their lives and education. An additional $200 per year will be available for people living with disability. Details are available at melton.vic.gov.au/ fairgo4youth
to Council and contribute to the community’s health and wellbeing. Thanks again and keep the questions and comments coming.
I’d also like to thank all the community and service groups who support our community week in week out, year in year out. You help binds our community together, helping it flourish.
I am available to meet residents most Saturday mornings from 9am, by appointment. Please contact Barb McKenzie on 9747 7200 to book a time, or contact me directly on 0412 584 224 or via email at bob.turner@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
Aquatic centre plan approved
By Eddie Russell
The planned Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre has had a major breakthrough, with Melton council approving the masterplan for the site. Councillors approved the final draft design report for the site during a council meeting on July 22.
Changes were made to the design of the centre, with the addition of a second floor meeting space, roof deck, two learn to swim pools, and increased car park spaces.
The number of 50-metre pool lanes will be reduced to eight lanes, down from 10 in the original plan.
Councillor Steve Abboushi said the project would not just “meet standards” for living in Melton but “set new ones”.
“This isn’t just about building, it’s about creating a vibrant community hub where everyone can come together, stay healthy, and have fun,” he said. “With features like the second floor meeting space and roof deck … It’s going to create more opportunities for
residents and local businesses.”
Community consultation was positive, with more than 1700 comments made by 1000 participants showing a high level of support for the centre.
Cr Abboushi said the feedback contributed to the planning of the centre, which will make Melton a better place for families to thrive.
“We’ve been listening to our residents gatheringfeedbacktoshapeeverycornerofour new development,” he said.
Thenextstepinthedevelopmentistoupdate
Moorabool welcomes new Aussies
Moorabool has welcomed more than 70 new Australians after a citizenship ceremony was held on July 20 in Bacchus Marsh.
Among the recipients were 56 adults and 16 children from countries such as India, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Albania, and Thailand among many others.
Maddingley local Chaitanya Talari moved to Australia in 2019 after her husband came here for work a year earlier.
Her husband and children, who gained citizenship last year, were cheering on from the crowd to celebrate the milestone.
“I feel good because I’ve been waiting to join my family as Australians. It’s important to me,” she said.
Ms Talari said they greatly enjoyed living in Moorabool.
“We love this place,” she said.
“We work remotely and if we need to travel to the city for work we can catch the V/Line. It is our choice to stay out here – it’s a great place to bring up your kids.”
Moorabool mayor Ally Munari congratulated the new citizens and said that living here came with both benefits and responsibilities.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to give a warm welcome to our newest citizens and acknowledge the importance of what it means to become a full member of the Australian community,” she said.
“There is no greater privilege than our citizenship. It’s a life-long commitment to Australia’s values of freedom, democracy, equality and respect.”
Eddie Russell
Moorabool local and recent Australian citizen
Chaitanya Talari. (Damjan Janevski) 421126_07
Gorton
MP set to step down
After 23 years in Parliament, Gorton MP
Brendan O’Connor has called time on a career full of exhaustive work to better the lives of the community.
Mr O’Connor will step down at the next federal election, due by May 2025.
He said it was time he spent more of it at home with his daughter Una, as he thanked colleagues and reflected on his time as a parliamentarian.
“If she wasn’t so resilient and remarkable, I would have left the place long ago,” he said. The decision was also to ensure he “could provideopportunitiesforcapableandenergetic members of our government that could step up“ ahead of the next election.
Mr O’Connor served as skills and training minister and was previously employment minister,immigrationminister,healthservices minister and home affairs minister.
He was elected as Burke MP in 2001 before being elected at the Gorton MP in 2004, following electoral redistribution. Mr O’Connor was re-elected in 2007 and 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022.
Australian council of trade unions (ACTU) secretary Sally McManus said Mr O’Connor should be very proud of his contributions and achievements.
“Brendan has dedicated his working life to improving the lives of Australian workers,” she said. “The union movement greatly respected his capacity and integrity. He always brought to any task his strong values, and sharp policy brain.
“He always kept his word and was willing to hittheroadandtalkdirectlytoworkingpeople in their communities and workplaces. We thank him for his great service to the country and to working people.”
the business case, which is estimated to be complete by August.
Mayor Kathy Majdlik said it was gratifying to see a breakthrough on the initiative.
“This is a project that is near and dear to my heart, I’ve been advocating for many, many years and it’s great to see this vision finally come to fruition,” she said.
So far, the centre is on track to open in the beginning of 2028.
Council has allocated $9.7 million for the project this year’s budget.
Melton brings back FairGo 4 Youth Fund
Applications are now open for the summer activities of the FairGo 4 Youth Fund.
The program helps eligible young people aged eight to 16 years old take part in local extra-curricular activities and aims to enrich their lives.
The fund is part of Melton council’s new and improved community grants program.
Available for both winter and summer activities, the fund encourages community participation and social connection to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of young people.
Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said the program’s importance would deliver great outcomes for everyone in the community and encouraged families to apply.
“It’s important that we give young people a fair go at opportunities to keep active and improve their social connection,” she said.
Approved residents can submit one claim per financial year for a maximum of $400.
People living with disability can submit one claim for $600.
Families can apply to register with dozens of sports including football, netball, cricket and tennis, as well as activities such as dance, scouts, and fishing.
Those interested can make a claim for thewinterseasonorsummerseason,orif term-based, two consecutive terms.
Applications for winter activities open on December 1. Details: melton.vic.gov. au/communitygrants
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Senior Family Lawyer
Bachelor of Law with a focus on family law and dispute resolution. Member of the Law Institute of Victoria. Natasha is committed to delivering effective legal solutions, support, and advice with compassionate consideration of family law matters.
Inquiry tackles the stigma around menopause
More needs to be done to reduce the stigma aroundmenopause,asenateinquiryintoissues relating to menopause and perimenopause has heard.
The Senate Community Affairs References Committee is conducting the inquiry which is examining the economic consequences of menopause and perimenopause, their physical health impacts, the mental and emotional wellbeing of people experiencing menopause and perimenopause and the impact on caregiving responsibilities.
The inquiry is also considering medical professionals’ awareness of menopause and perimenopause symptoms and treatments and cultural and societal factors influencing perceptions and attitudes.
DuringaninquiryhearinginMelbournelast month, Women’s Health in the North sexual and reproductive health co-ordinator Tilly Mahoney said perimenopause and menopause are often not talked about within society, due in part to the pervasive stigma and taboo that surrounds reproductive health issues.
“Ongoing stigma can lead to isolation, ignorance, delays in seeking help for physical and mental health impacts, reduced workforce participation and discrimination,” she said.
“Normalising menopause and emphasising the positive or neutral aspects of this life stage can combat that narrative of loss or decline, which is tied to the intersection of sexism and ageism.”
Ms Mahoney said that while there has been
plenty of work done to explore the relationship between the experiences of menopause and workforce participation, there is little research on the impact of menopause on participation in arenas other than employment. She said key contributors to good mental health include social independence, feeling valued, physical activity, good nutrition and having faith and belief, adding that further understanding of whether these areas are impacted by menopausal symptoms could inform approaches to holistic, clinical and social support and the prevention of mental ill health among people experiencing menopause.
“While physical symptoms may contribute in part to this mental ill health for women and gender-diverse people who experience
menopause, we also need to consider the social determinants of mental ill health: social connectedness; freedom from discrimination and violence; and economic participation, which are all influenced by the broader context of gender inequality.
“Attributing mental ill health solely to the biology of the menopausal transition renders this social context irrelevant and risks further entrenching the views of women’s unsuitability for the workforce or lack of resilience due to ‘biological needs’. Interventions focused on improving the mental health of persons experiencing perimenopause and menopause need to be coupled with investment in broader strategies to address gender inequality.
The final report is due on September 17.
Raising awareness of stillbirth
By Casey Neill
Jacki O’Farrell had a cardiac arrest during her first birth and was unable to sit up for her first two weeks of motherhood. Her second baby was stillborn.
The Sunshine mum of three says there’s no silver lining to what she’s been through, but she’s determined to use her experience to support others.
Jacki fell pregnant with her daughter Charlie in2020.Afterfinallybeingadmittedtohospital after three days in labour, monitors meant to beclockingCharlie’sheartratekeptslippingoff her tight tummy.
Medical staff broke her waters, placed a monitoring clip on Charlie’s head, and told her Charlie’s heart rate had dropped.
An anaesthetist performed an epidural and Jacki settled in to get some rest, armed with a button to press every 15 minutes for drug delivery. The second time she pressed the button, her body felt drunk, but not her mind.
Jacki had suffered a dural puncture and was being inundated with drugs.
“My hand started going a bit numb. My mouth and tongue started to feel a bit similar,” she said. “The last thing I remember hearing was ‘she’s turning blue’.”
Medical staff performed CPR on Jacki for 12 minutes. “While that was happening I had an episiotomy and Charlie was forcepped out.
“Luke watched them do CPR for about a minute on her. Then he heard her crying, so his attention focused back on me.
“He was picturing a life without me. He was playing his life out, doing it by himself.”
Jacki woke up with “the worst headache”. “It felt like someone was crushing my skull,”
she said. “My optic nerve was impacted. Everything was really blurry. I thought I was blind.”
Jacki was in ICU while a healthy Charlie was in NICU for monitoring. Jacki was moved to high care and was finally able to hold Charlie –for about 10 minutes, laying horizontally.
“I was leaking spinal fluid from the epidural needle hole every time I sat up,” she said.
“The first two weeks of motherhood were spent laying flat on my back.
“I’m quite maternal. Not being able to care for your baby was a massive hurdle.”
About six months later she was diagnosed with PTSD and medicated.
JackifellpregnantwithOakleywhenCharlie was about 10 months old.
“I was excited but then also terrified at the exact same time,” she said. “I couldn’t have anythingcatastrophichappenagain.Iwouldn’t
have been able to mentally deal with it.”
But at 31 weeks, she noticed a change in Oakley’s movements.
“Wecalledhimthehurricanebaby,”shesaid. “Itwasreallyeasyformetoidentifywhenthe movements had reduced.”
Doctors confirmed there was no heartbeat.
“We just sat in the room wailing,” Jacki said.
“We couldn’t cry hard enough.
“It hit me like a shovel to the face, ‘I have to give birth, I still have to have the baby’.
“I was just screaming ‘I don’t want to do it’.
“I never thought that would happen to us, especially after what happened with Charlie.”
They had a night at home and returned for induction the following day, with wonderful support from the hospital.
A postmortem was inconclusive.
“He moved around so much, the cord was around his neck when he was born, and there
was a knot in the cord,” Jacki said. “It’s nothing that anyone could have prevented or changed.”
Their families met and held Charlie, and then they went home.
“Thatwasoneofthemostchallengingthings to experience. Saying goodbye,” Jacki said. “You never want to leave your child anywhere alone.
“I left my baby by himself.”
Having to show up for 18-month-old Charlie every day helped Jacki through her grief.
An urn containing Oakley’s ashes and a photo of their lost son are on display at home. They bought a baby oak tree to mark the first anniversary of his birth.
Four months after losing Oakley, she fell pregnant again.
“His due date was four days after Oakley’s first anniversary,” she said. “I just didn’t want tobepregnantonorafterOakley’sanniversary. I wanted them separate.”
She was booked for an induction the week before and was in active labour for three hours before welcoming Conor.
“Icouldnotbelievethedifferenceinrecovery from Charlie,” she said.
Jacki now dedicates her spare time to raising awareness and money for Stillbirth Foundation Australia and Still Aware through her small business BHOOMI Babe. She sells breastfeeding blankets and burp cloths and donates $5 from each purchase to the charities.
“You look for the silver lining and there is no silver lining, so what’s the next best thing I can do?”shesaid.“It’snotgoingtochangeanything for us, but it might help someone else.”
To others who’ve lost a baby, Jacki says “it’s more common than people realise” and “it’s OK to feel what you’re feeling”.
To their friends and family, Jacki says to avoid minimising their experience.
“We did have friends who just came and sat on our kitchen floor and said ‘what happened, howareyoudoing?’andjustbeingcomfortable sitting there watching us cry,” she said.
“Just asking ‘are you happy to talk about it?’ is a good place to start.”
Have your say on women’s health issues in the north-west
Star Weekly is aiming to bring the healthcare issues facing women in Melbourne’s west and north into the spotlight with its new health survey.
The online survey is part of the 12-month Women’s Health Matters campaign, which addresses the systemic obstacles and barriers women must overcome when managing their health.
Topics reported by Star Weekly include access to specialised and preventative healthcare, availability of culturally appropriate healthcare, and adequacy of mental health services.
Thesurvey,whichiscompletelyconfidential, has 16 questions and takes less than five minutes to fill out.
Participants will be asked about what theirtophealthconcernis,iftheyhavetravelled outside their suburb to access healthcare, and if they were happy with the care they have received, among other questions.
Star Weekly news editor Laura Michell said the opportunity to cover these issues was of significant importance to the paper.
“Star Weekly is proud to be able to champion women’s health in the western and northern suburbs over the next 12 months,” she said.
“It is our hope that the Women’s Health Matters campaign will raise awareness of the critical health issues affecting women and advocate for change.”
MrsMichellsaidhearingfromindividualsin
the region about their healthcare experiences would help enrich the reporting of these matters and increase their recognition.
“Results from the survey will better inform our campaign coverage,” she said.
“Star Weekly has created this women’s health survey to help us better understand the healthcare issues affecting women living in Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs.”
“We want to hear about your stories of success and resilience to help motivate and empower other women to seek help and support when needed,” she said.
“Women too often pay too little attention to their healthcare needs.”
Scan the QR code right to take the confidential survey.
Jacki and Luke with Conor, Charlie and a photo of baby Oakley. (Supplied)
Green light for Cobblebank hub
By Eddie Russell
TheCobblebankCommunityServicesHubhas been given the green light to go ahead.
In a motion moved by Melton council at its July 22 meeting, the approval of the six-storey development means residents in Cobblebank will have access to health services and community spaces.
The hub is designed to address the gap in accesstohealthservicesforresidentsinthearea and generate local employment opportunities to ensure continued economic growth in the area.
An update of the design included a five star green rating and 60 basement car park spaces for the future service hub.
Councillor Bob Turner said the centre was moving towards its 2026 opening and would meet the necessary needs of residents.
“I’m proud to say the state of the art Cobblebank Community Services Hub is one step closer following approval,“ he said.
“It will deliver the accessible and inclusive health and community services that residents deserve.”
The project, which costs more than $4.6 million, is paid for by the state government
Bid to save signal box
The Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society is on a mission to save a relic of a bygone era.
The state government has applied to Moorabool council to demolish the signal box located at Bacchus Marsh station.
However,thehistoricalsocietyhassubmitted a report to council opposing the proposal.
The report will be reviewed at council’s developer assessment committee meeting on August 21.
President John Spain said it was a “bad idea” to get rid of the signal box so haphazardly and without any thorough investigation.
“It has significant heritage quality for the town and at the very least we want a heritage assessment of the station,” he said.
MrSpainsaidremovingthesignalboxwould be removing a piece of the town’s soul.
“The bottom line is people come to places like Bacchus Marsh because they have a bit of
a history, not to look at brand new overpasses.”
“It’s nice if they can see some heritage buildings.”
Steamrail Victoria Tours still have locomotives pass through and stop in Bacchus Marsh. Mr Spain said the removal of the important traditional artefact would hurt the area’s point of difference.
“We believe the tourism experience will be significantly diminished by the removal of the signal box,” he said. “The community should be given the opportunity to have information provided by an assessment.”
The turntable, signal box, and goods shed at thestation,includingthestationbuildingitself, are all important historical features that give the town some colour, Mr Spain said.
“They provide value to the community as heritage assets and they have intrinsic value.”
Eddie Russell
Collaboration on intersection
Melton council has teamed up with developer 3L Alliance to create a new signalised intersection to a new estate in Rockbank.
Located at Greigs Road and Innovation Avenue, it provides direct access to the south entrance of the Bridgefield estate.
The project, which took nine months to complete, aimed to increase safety and make for a more efficient flow of traffic through the series of traffic lights and turning lanes.
There are 1000 homes in the estate, which is progressively being occupied and once full will add a further 3000 residents to the Rockbank area.
3L Alliance senior development manager Niki Brown said the collaboration with council was exemplary and helped to make the Bridgefield community more liveable.
“Through this approach, we’ve been able to accelerate the delivery of vital infrastructure, granting residents early access and demonstrating our ability to achieve tangible
through its Growing Suburbs Fund.
ThefundidentifiedCobblebankCommunity Services Hub as an important way to make health and wellbeing services more accessible to the local community as well as present office space for businesses.
Cr Turner said the booming population in the area meant the need for this infrastructure project was critical.
“Our city is one of the fastest growing municipalitiesinAustraliaandthiscouncilhas a long term vision to ensure our residents have a strong network of allied health and human services.”
The next step of the process is to get a planning permit and award a tender to a construction company for building.
Cr Turner said there was plenty of appeal in the space for a range of businesses and groups.
“Eighteen prominent organisations have expressed interest in the hub, with services spanning mental health, disability, allied health and refugee family support.”
The 6000 square metre centre will be located on the corner of Hollingsworth and Stadium drives, near the Western BACE and Cobblebank Stadium.
Construction is set to begin in 2025.
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results through effective partnership,” she said.
Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said this planning method supported residential and commercial growth and highlighted a new way forward on important road infrastructure.
“This project is a wonderful example of how the required road infrastructure can be delivered when it is most needed by our community,” she said.
“Council works hard to deliver the right infrastructure and at the right time, and as a growth area there is always more to be done.”
“Developers play an integral role ensuring ours is a liveable city by providing residential estates and creating jobs through commercial development.”
Innovation Avenue is an 850 metre long road that residents can use to go to Rockbank Station,wetlandwalkingtrails,sportsprecinct, and community centre.
Bacchus Marsh and District Historical Society members Barb McMillan and John Spain from the in front of the signal box at the train station. (Damjan Janevski) 419701_02
Jasmyne Cadman Wills and Estates Lawyer
Eddie Russell
3L Alliance chief executive Jieshu Li and senior development manager Niki Brown with Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik at the new intersection. (Damjan Janevski) 420386_02
Pigeon racing takes off
They say birds of a feather flock together, and this statement couldn’t be more true for the Melton Racing Pigeon Club, which started its 2024 season this month.
Members participate in the Western Pigeon Federation with 15 other clubs from Melbourne’s western suburbs.
The club has 17 members who race about 1500 birds in a variety of locations across Victoria and New South Wales.
Treasurer Paul Camilleri said the team was “hanging out” for the season to commence and got great enjoyment from participation.
“Ninety per cent of pigeon racers get a lot of personal satisfaction out of it,” he said.
Mr Camilleri said members develop a close bond with their birds and that many already had some level of experience with the sport during childhood.
“You get a very personal relationship with the birds… you breed them through the
summer period and then from Christmas to June you train them,” he said.
“Generally you grow up in it but you never havethetimeuntilyougetclosetoretirement.”
During World War I, pigeons were used to carry messages between the frontlines.
In the century since then, they have been specially bred for racing where they once flew above the trenches and attract buyers from around the world.
“We go buy the birds in Belgium and the Netherlandsfortheirstronghominginstinct,” said Mr Camilleri.
“It’s worth millions in China … you think you were racing thoroughbreds.”
Mr Camilleri said there is an air of mystery as to how the pigeons can locate their owners over such long distances.
“How do they do it? No one can actually tell you.”
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Suspicious activity
Police are encouraging Melton residents to report any suspicious behaviour in the community. This can be done by calling triple-0 and providing information like a description of the person, their clothing, behaviour, vehicle, and vehicle registration. If the behaviour is ongoing and you would like to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or online via hrimestoppersvic.com.au
Road upgrades in Melton Major works to upgrade the High Street and Coburns Road intersection will begin on August 11. This will close the eastern side of High Street between Coburns Road and High Street Service Road and southbound lanes on Coburns Road will be closed. Two-way traffic will remain as normal for the northbound lanes of Coburns Road.
FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au
Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Melton will be home to the Jehovah’s Witnesses community from now until the end of September, with the annual Jehovah’s Witnessesconventiontotakeplaceinthearea.
The free event series will feature 10 conventions which all run for three days each over the weekend at 624 Bulmans Road.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Australasia expect more than 13,000 people to make the pilgrimage to Melton from all over Victoria, including as far as Mildura and Wodonga.
Regional spokesperson Joshua Wilson said people will come from near and far to hear the delivery of “good news.”
“The convention is a highlight of the year for thousands of people, who now more than ever want to experience some positivity in
their lives,” he said.
gather
The theme for the 2024 convention is ‘Declare the Good News!’.
Mr Wilson said the events were aimed to provide practical guidance and comfort to attendees in light of confronting issues at home and across the globe.
“The program will include topics such as why we need good news, how we can use it to defeat bad news, and why we don’t need to fear bad news,” he said.
“The three-day event is designed to inspire confidence and build hope in the future.”
The convention will feature videos, interviews, talks, and the debut episode of ‘The Good News According to Jesus’, a new 18-part, 1000 minute series on
Jesus’ life.
Hundreds packed out the auditorium for the first weekend of the convention (Jehovah’s Witnesses Australia)
Members of the Melton Racing Pigeon Club. (Johanna Frost)
Business awards finalists named
The finalists in the 2024 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards have been announced, with 27 making it through out of 80 nominees.
The businesses range from hospitality, trades, professional services, and creative industries and are eligible to win from one of 11 categories.
Categories include new business or start up; visitation and hospitality; disability inclusion; professional services; health, wellness and care; equality diversity and inclusion; innovation and transformation; and sustainable produce or process.
Deniz Ahmet from No09 The Café, Elise Laguna from That Singing Studio, and Thi Duyen Anh Nguyen are up for Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
All businesses have the chance to win the Mayoral Achievement Award and Business of the Year.
The winners will be announced during the awards evening at the Windmill Gardens Reception on September 4.
In its 17th year, the Melton Business Excellence Awards recognise and reward the fantastic contributions local businesses make to Melton.
Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said the initiative celebrated the success of local businesses and would help them thrive moving forward.
“The diverse range of businesses in Melton are the lifeblood of our community and council is proud to showcase their innovation, resilience and strength,” she said.
“I would like to thank every business that took the time to nominate. The judges were impressed with the high calibre of all the submissions.”
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion •MeltonMusic •InsightClinicMentalHealthServices •KumonCarolineSpringsNorthEducation Centre
Basketballers go west
Melton local Maddy Brady is one of 12 girls from the Keilor Thunder Basketball under-18s team that will head to a national competition in Perth.
The Basketball Australia U18 Club Championships will feature 40 teams from across the country, including Keilor Thunder. However, they cannot get there alone.
The club has started a fundraiser to cover the cost of entry, accommodation, meals, team uniforms, and bus hire and is aiming to raise $50,000.
Ms Brady started playing at Melton when she was five and played for eight years before moving to play for representative team Keilor Thunder in her bottom age season of under 16s in 2022.
She said she was feeling a range of emotions about the potential trip.
“I’m nervous, excited, grateful, and proud.”
Having won her first title with Keilor, Ms Brady said she was aiming to keep winning as well as enjoy herself if she gets to go to Perth.
“I’m hoping to make great memories, gain experience, and win for Keilor,” she said.
Coach Megan Jarvis said that the opportunity to travel as a team would strengthen the relationships of the girls and make them better players.
“These girls are unwaveringly committed to improving their game and constantly strive for excellence,” she said.
“Their bond extends beyond the court, always supporting each other and sharing many laughs along the way.”
The tournament runs from September 1722 and takes place at HBF Arena.
Winners of the 2023 Melton Business Excellence Awards. (Melton Council) 2024 City of Melton Business Excellence Awards finalists
More Melton mentors wanted
By Cade Lucas
Dozens of vulnerable youth in Melton in need of adult mentors are going without due to an ongoing shortage.
Youth services social enterprise Sparkways run a mentoring program for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds across the western suburbs.
Yet despite repeated appeals over the last year, Melton, along with Brimbank and Wyndham, still face a shortage of adults willing to be mentors as the number of young people in need of them continues to grow.
“We have over 20 young people in Melton who need a mentor at moment,” said
Sparkways team leader Fletcher Curnow, addingthatthedemographicsofMeltonmake filling the shortfall particularly challenging.
“I think it’s a high need area and it’s a growing community as well.”
Sparkways currently have about four mentors matched in Melton with a young person, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, have experienced trauma, have a disability or come from broken homes.
He said that once young people in the program are matched with the right mentor, the benefits to them are obvious.
“They get the opportunity to build connections with positive adult role models,
which they are often lacking, and therefore they get to set and achieve goals that are important to them such as improved social skills, employment, confidence, self-esteem and important life skills,” Mr Curnow said.
According to Sparkways 100 per cent of youngpeoplereportfeelinghappier,andmore confident after being matched with a mentor for at least a year, while 82 per cent report being more aware of how to take care of their own needs and 78 per cent say they know more about how to support their friends.
Three-quarters say they know more about how to look after themselves, while 70 per cent report an interest in pursuing further education.
Works underway to build the temporary diversion road. (Supplied)
Level crossing work gets underway
Level crossing removal works on the Old Calder Highway in Diggers Rest have commenced.
Commuters can expect to see construction vehiclesandmachinerypreparingatemporary diversion road as major elements of the project, building of a road bridge over the rail line, get under way in the coming weeks.
A temporary service road will open in August to make way for a new roundabout, which will connect the road bridge to the Old Calder Highway.
Crews will also undertake rail signalling, service overhead wiring works, install signage and manage traffic in preparation for the construction.
Site establishment works at the nearby Watsons Road level crossing removal will start in a few months time.
TheremovalofthelevelcrossingsinDiggers Rest aims to improve safety and reduce congestion on important arterial roads, the state government said. It is expected to be completed by 2025.
Residents can apply for the stakeholder liaison group to represent the views, opinions, and concerns of the community.
Nominations close 11.59pm on Sunday, August 4.
Each morning, more than 8000 vehicles must travel over the level crossings in Diggers Rest and wait for the 27 services that run before 9.30am, the government said.
Details: engage.vic.gov.au/lxrp-diggers-rest
Eddie Russell
In order for this to happen though, appropriate mentors need to be found, with Mr Curnow saying finding men willing to become mentors was especially difficult, with most of their applicants being women.
The program is open to adults of all ages and Mr Curnow said eligibility requirements weren’t stringent.
“We provide lots of training and support and really the main thing we need is people who are willing to give back, have lots of empathy and a willingness to learn.”
Mentorships involve fortnightly catch-ups over a 12 months period.
Melton council will receive $156,000 from the state government for a new mobile library van.
The money comes from the latest round of funding from the living libraries infrastructure program.
Local Government Minister Melissa Horne said the grants were a sign of the government’scommitmenttoeducation and information.
“Whether it’s through improved technology, after-hours access or outreach services, we are supporting our libraries to meet the needs of communities across Victoria,” she said.
“We love our public libraries, and through our Living Libraries Infrastructure Program we are building high-quality facilities so that more Victorians can access library services.”
Public Libraries Victoria president Vanessa Schernickau welcomed the investment and it was particularly beneficial for the personal growth of the community.
“This essential funding benefits all local communities through resourcing their valued public libraries that contribute to a prosperous and healthy Victoria,” she said.
The program builds on the more than $48.2 million put into the 283 public libraries across Victoria by the state government in Victoria’s 283 public libraries this year.
Itwillhelpensuretheycancontinueto deliver vital services to the community. Details: localgovernment.vic.gov.au/ grants.
Eddie Russell
PUZZLES
To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.
ACROSS
1 Immune system organ (6)
4 Clearly demonstrate; prove (6)
10 Was (5)
11 Gaseous fuel (9)
12 Binding agreements (9)
13 Port city in Belgium (5)
14 A counting number (6)
15 Cicatrix (4)
19 Greeting (Ital) (4)
20 Overseas (6)
24 Dollars (coll) (5)
25 The common people (3,6)
27 Training (9)
28 Sharp protrusion (5)
29 Restraint (6)
30 Commands (6) DOWN
1 Chosen (8)
2 Plant yielding fragrant oil (8)
3 Declare one’s approval (7)
5 Traveller (7)
6 Family members (6)
7 Forces out (6)
8 Fashion designer, – Jacobs (4)
9 Ill from ocean movement (7)
16 Northern Indian state, Jammu and – (7)
17 Fuel pit (8)
18 Consultants (8)
19 Gush (7)
21 Software (7)
22 The best at (6)
23 Discharge (6)
26 Scottish island (4)
Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.
9 words: Good 13 words: Very good 18 words: Excellent Today’s Aim:
3 LETTERS
1 What was the name of the boat in the movie Jaws?
2 Dan Brown’s 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code opens with a murder in which museum?
3 What type of reptiles are leatherbacks and ridleys?
4 Janus is the ancient Roman god of what?
5 In which city are the Spanish Steps located?
6 Who, alongside Jordan Peele (pictured), created the sketch comedy series Key&Peele?
7 The Palace of Versailles was built in which 17th-century architectural style? 8 In carpentry, what is a plumb bob used for? 9 Lydia Deetz, Barbara Maitland and Otho are characters in which Tim Burton film? 10 Goulash is the national dish of which European country?
No. 196
No. 196
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Dessert making workshop
Create your own classic desserts in the Delicious Desserts workshop, 10am-2pm, Sunday, August 4, at Melton South Community Centre. Master the legendary crème brulee, soufflés and lemon chiffon cupcakes so you can whip them up at home. All class materials provided, but bring an apron and container as well as lunch as there will be a break.
Cost: $60/$55 concession.
■ 9747 8576
Decluttering workshop
Learn how you can free up space in your home and mind with the new decluttering workshop, 10.30am-noon, Saturday, August 10, at Melton South Community Centre. Discover how you can transform your life using tips and tricks from a professional for $35/$30 concession.
■ 9747 8576
Bacchus Marsh Ladies Probus Club
Meets on the first Thursday of every month from, 10am- noon, at the Avenue Bowling Club on 254 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh
■ Krystyna, bacchusmarshladiesprobus@ gmail.com
Community band
The Greater Western Community Band meets Thursdays from 7.30-9.30pm. Rehearsal venue is the Bridge Road Community Centre, Strathtulloh (Melton South). The band is available for events. Brass, woodwind and percussion players are always welcome.
■ Sally Hamond, 0401 474 582
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
Fishing club
Didyabringyarodalong Angling Club of Melton and Bacchus Marsh is a fishing club that welcomes and encourages people of all ages, genders and fishing abilities to partake in enjoying the outdoors in a relaxing and friendly environment. The club holds monthly fishing competitions at various locations, fresh and saltwater. New members are most welcome. Upcoming events will be listed on this page.
■ Andrew, 0407 303 438, or Wayne, 0414 785 366
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. 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
Crafting, baking, day trips, local dining, market stalls, fundraising and supporting NFP organisations are just some of the things that the ladies do within the branch.
This week’s photographer’s choice is of actress Katrina Gauci from the Wyndham Theatre Company. (Damjan Janevski) 420441_01
From time to time we host guest speakers, scone drives, raffles, themed morning/ afternoon teas and special occasions. Jams, preserves, toys, handmade and wearable items are available for sale, as well as the CWA’s famous cookbooks. It is open to the public Monday - Wednesday 9am to noon. Stop in to enjoy morning tea, a Devonshire Tea, or a bowl of hot soup (during Winter). It is based at the Darley Community & Civic Hub, Halletts Way (next to childcare centre). Catering for private events is available by request. Branch meetings are held every second Thursday of the month and Craft day is every fourth Thursday of the month at the Hub, both from 10am-noon. New members and visitors are welcome. Meetings and craft days are also open to the public for $2 per person.
■ bacchus.cwa@gmail.com
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.
■ 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
■ 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 Valley Ladies Probus Club
The Melton Valley Ladies Probus Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10am at Melton Country Club. New members welcome.
■ Ann, 0425 705 150
Melton South Knit & Natter
All are welcome to join this social crafting group, running at the Melton South Community Centre each Monday from 10am-noon. Bring along any knitting or crochet projects and work on them while sharing tips, learning skills and catching up over a cuppa.
■ 9747 8576
Zonta club meets
Zonta is an international organisation bringing women together to support other women. The Zonta Club of Melton meets on the first Monday of each month at Melton Country Club, Reserve Road, Melton.
■ Janet, 0421 080 923 or info@zontaclubofmelton.org.au
Display four years in the making
By Eddie Russell
Artist Britt Salt loves that her latest exhibition has found its home in the “community hub thoroughfare” that is the CS Gallery.
She said seeing kids, adults and staff interact with SpatialMurmuration, which is now available to view at the Caroline Springs Library, is awesome.
Viewers can enjoy five tapestries and eight drawings of Salt’s, who spent the last four years working on the display.
Salt said the pieces, a variety of large scale public artwork and small intricate ink
(Pictures: Supplied)
drawings, are often compared to ‘op art’ – the use of black and white geometrical shapes to create images of optical illusions.
“Across all the work there’s a bit of a trick of the eye happening … people say it looks like [prominent op art trailblazer] Bridget Riley,” she said.
“People say at first glance it looks computer generated but I have to say it’s all by hand.”
However, Salt said her work differs from this style because of her fascination with order.
“Unlike modernism and other historical, 60s-based art movements … I tend to use
Show combines culture and music
Preparetobesweptawayonaculturaljourney as the Altona Theatre hosts an extraordinary performance featuring composer and multi-instrumentalist Lamine Sonko and Ngiyampaa singer-songwriter Pirritu on August 16.
This event will feature music that combines traditional cultural knowledge and contemporary styles, creating a rich and diverse musical experience.
Sonko said he’s looking forward to sharing his music and culture.
“Both of us come from a very rich cultural background, so the evening will be full of storytelling,” Sonko said.
“From my said, I’ll be sharing music from
Senegal, from my heritage.”
He said his performances are deeply rooted in his heritage as a guewel (cultural role) of the Sing Sing clan and Korings of Kaabu, and a member of the Serer, Wolof and Mandinko cultural communities of Senegal.
With his distinctive traditional vocal style, alongside kora, sabar percussion, and guitar, he defines new ways to re-imagine traditional African, contemporary synthesis in music.
“it’s going to be an evening, a combination of Senegalese music infusion with Western classical music,” he said.
Pirritu, meaning ’Brett’ in the Ngiyampaa language,offersadeeplypersonalandmelodic journey through his music.
Adopted by a non-Aboriginal couple as a newborn, Pirritu was raised to be proud of his Aboriginality and began his cultural journey at the age of 14.
His music is driven by his love for his daughter and his passion for reconnecting with his heritage.
With two albums to his name, Pirritu’s work weaves folk instrumentation with his unique vocals, echoing the gentle winds and waters of his ancestral lands.
This captivating show is set to take place at Altona Theatre on Friday, August 16, from 7.30pm.
Anne Parisianne
geometry and architecture as foundations to explore that,” she said.
However, Salt loves that human nature triumphs over order – something that is evident in both the process and end result.
“The fact these are by hand and take long stretches of time to make means you inevitably get these slippages or glitches were you see the human and the hand behind the process,” she said.
“I don’t call them mistakes because I see themaspositivethings– Ireallyrelishthem.”
SpatialMurmurationsis available in the CS Gallery until October 14.
Drag Bingo at the castle
Keilor’s Overnewton Castle is set to host its famous dinner show once again, n with the return of the Drag Queen Bingo Night.
The event, back by popular demand, promises an evening filled with laughter and unforgettable performances by Melbourne’s boldest drag queens, Lady Lou Bricant and Spencer Street.
On Friday, August 9, from 7pm to 11pm, guests can indulge in a night of comedy and entertainment.
A ticket includes six exciting rounds of bingo, complete with bingo pads and pens, alongside seven dazzling live drag performances.
The drag queens will bring their signature style and humor, keeping attendees on the edge of their seats.
Attendees will also have the chance to snap photos with the performers and win prizes throughout the night.
Drinks will be available at bar prices after the initial cocktail.
Don’t miss out on this night full of entertainment at Overnewton Castle, 51 Overnewton Road, Keilor.
Tickets: shorturl.at/iMcth
Explore Werribee’s public art on self-guided walking tour
Explore Werribee’s most iconic street art murals with a self-guided trail and free audio tour.
Starting at the Wyndham Cultural Centre andfinishingatKellyPark,thekilometre-long walking tour through the city centre will take about an hour to complete.
The trail takes in works by artists including Ash Keating, Tom Gerard, Ghost Patrol, Minna Leunig and Makatron.
ThetourbeginsinthecarparkofWyndham Cultural Centre where a large-scale mural was created by Keating using paint-filled fire extinguishers in 2006. From there, participants move on to the opposite side of
the centre to view an abstract mural by Drez, painted in 2022. Head along Watton Street to the Coles wall toview Ghost Patrol’s creation, before making your way to the Coffee Pot laneway on Watton Street to view a piece created by Tom Gerrard in 2018.
Other stops include David Lee Pereira’s 110-metre floral mural in the Station Place laneway, created in 2022, Makatron’s 2018 artwork on the laneway beside the Twigg Family Law building, Minna Leunig’s 2019 piece on the Kelly Park toilet block, Hayden Dewar’s mural on the Werribee Water Tank – which can be seen from Kelly
represented by MAMAM – a 41-metre-tall mural.
At each stop, you can listen to the artist talk about their work – no apps required. All you need is your mobile phone and headphones to listen to the audio recordings.
At each site, you’ll also find a QR code and website link to the audio recording.
The tour is suitable for all ages and each bite-sized interview includes a conversation with the artist who created the work – it’s like having your own personal guide.
Details: shorturl.at/c6Dua
Drag Bingo has become an Overnewton Castle staple. (Supplied)
David Lee Pereira painting his mural in Station Place in 2022. (Damjan Janevski) 278761_02
Park – and Mooroop Yarkeen by Tommy Day / Jirri Jirri,
Brett Lee aka Pirritu, and right, Lamine Sonko.
Artist Britt Salt. (Janelle Low).
Taking the chess world by storm
Point Cook’s Sasirekha Reddy can recall the moment she knew her youngest son Rheyansh was no ordinary boy.
“When he was around four and half one day he came to me and asked how a knight moves on the chess board, ” said Ms Reddy, who wasn’t aware that Rheyansh even knew what chess was let alone had any interest in it.
“I was surprised and asked him ‘do you know you know the other pieces on the chess board ?’ and he showed me all the other pieces and how they moved. I was shocked.”
Chess was hardly foreign in the Reddy household.
Ms Reddy plays herself and her elder son, Druthin, had recently taken it up too, something Rheyansh, unbeknownst to her, had been keeping a close eye on.
Proving he could put theory into practice, in the space of three months Rheyansh went from never having played before to easily beating his older brother.
It was rapid progress that only continued when his mother took him to his first competition in 2018.
“Before he turned five took him to a small tournament at the Wyndham chess club and he won four rounds in the under-16 category in the first tournament in his life. We took him to another tournament he played so confidently and he beat more experienced kids. I could see his confidence and joy when he was playing. He was not thinking ‘I’m going to win this game’, he was enjoying it. Even now he just enjoys the game.”
Now Rheyansh is nine years old and firmly entrenched as one of global chess’ great young prodigy’s, the type of generational talent that has him bestowed with titles like ‘CandidateMaster’andhaspeopleinthechess
community referring to him as a ‘superstar’ and ‘Queens Gambit’ after the Netflix show about an orphaned chess prodigy. They might need to come up with even grander monikers later this year after Rheyansh competes at the world age group championships in Italy in November.
In order to help get him there, the Hobsons Bay Chess Club is holding fundraising event on August 6, where Rheyansh will play a simultaneous exhibition match or ‘simul’
Mr Goh has witnessed Rheyansh’s ability on chess board up close and said he’s every bit as good as advertised.
“Rheyansh started playing in our club when was about five years old and he actually beat me when he was six so that was very impressive,” he said.
“He is very very good. Very, very good.”
against multiple players at once.
Far from showing off, simul’s are a popular way for chess masters to demonstrate their skills and for amateur players to gain valuable experience by playing against a higher-level opponent.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our juniors to challenge themselves and play against our own junior master,” said Hobsons Bay Chess Club instructor Casey Goh of the fundraising event.
November’s world cadet championships in Montisalvano won’t be Rheyansh’s first time on the world stage.
Last year he became the first Australian in 35 years to win an Asian age group title when he took out the under-8’s category at a tournament in Bali.
Earlier in 2023 he competed in his first world championships in Batumi, Georgia, finishing 10th.
To register for the exhibition or donate, visit: https://shorturl.at/W1L8Q
Rheyansh Reddy is a chess champion.
Above: Rheyansh with some of his trophies. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 420043
Pricey, but hot hatch drives well
By Chris Riley, Marque Motoring
Honda’s hot hatch is a car that never seems to lose its appeal.
It’s probably the closest thing we mere mortals will ever get to a Ferrari-like driving experience.
The Type-R goes hard, stops hard and is engineered to thrill, but is not a car that will appeal to everyone.
And at $73K price creep threatens to put it beyond the reach of the very group of drivers at which it is targeted.
Styling
Priced from $73,600 driveway, the Type R has gone up $1000 since we last tested it.
Not a huge increase but that’s on top of the $12,000 or so over the previous model.
That’sanational,haggle-freedriveawayprice and as such Honda says no negotiations will be entered into.
There are four colours to choose from: Sonic Grey, Rally Red, Crystal Black and Championship White.
The list of competitors with indicative pricing continues to grow, starting with the Hyundai i30 N at just $46,200.
Thenthere’stheSubaruWRX($47,490),Mini Cooper JCW ($61,050), Renault Megane RS ($63,000), Toyota Corolla GR Sport ($64,190), VW Golf R ($70,590), Audi S3 Quattro ($75,400), BMW M135i xDrive ($76,600) and the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ ($119,900).
Missing in action is the fondly-remembered Ford Focus RS which has disappeared along with the rest of the Focus lineup to make way for SUVs and electric vehicles.
At 4606mm new Type-R is 37mm longer, 15mm wider and 13mm lower than the car its predecessor, with a wheelbase that is 35mm longer.
At a kerb weight of 1429kg weight-saving devices include an aluminium bonnet, resin boot lid and smaller wheels which help to reduce unsprung mass by 2.8kg at each corner.
At first sight the latest Type-R looks similar yet different, with seating for four, a good-sized boot and tyre repair kit in lieu of a spare tyre.
A couple of cupholders are built into the centre of the back seat and while it is quite roomy, rear seat passengers could find it somewhat claustrophobic, especially with no air vents.
The front the fascia is similar but different, while the air intake has moved further forward on the bonnet.
The tail lights have been changed to reflect the styling of the latest Civic and while the signature, triple exhaust outlets remain, the rear spoiler is smaller and less impressive.
The black wheels look pretty much the same, but the pinstripe has gone and if you look closely you’ll see they are now 19s instead of 20s, but they wear wider rubber.
Michelin Pilot Sports 265 x 30s are fitted, increasing the car’s footprint and presumably grip.
The brakes are from Brembo, ventilated at front and solid at the rear. The 350mm front discsareequippedwithfour-pistonaluminium callipers. The rears are 305mm in size. Moving inside, the deep sports buckets are finished in bright vermilion red, with red seatbelts and foot well trim along with other red highlights, including red ambient lighting.
The chunky steering wheel has lost some of its red, but is now trimmed in suede leather. It needs a 12 o’clock marker to keep track of the wheels, especially on a circuit.
Ametalshifterandfootpedalsroundoutthe picture.
A touchscreen now perches atop the dash, with a digital display replacing the previous analogue instrument cluster.
Standard equipment includes ‘suede-style’ fabric, two-zone climate air, manual seat adjustment, LED head and tail lights, auto
lights and wipers, auto dimming mirror, front and rear parking sensors, radar cruise control, adaptive suspension and a limited slip front diff.
There’s also a comprehensive data logging system for tracking the car, with expanded capability that displays all sorts of info like cornering G-force.
Civic Type-R is covered by a five-year warranty, five-year roadside assistance and five-year capped price servicing, with free map updates for five years and a five-year subscription to on-line services.
Service is due every 12 months or 10,000km.
Infotainment
A 9.0-inch Advanced Display Audio touchscreen has been designed to minimise driver distraction, with hard buttons and customisable shortcuts for functions used often.
The system features Bluetooth, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, wireless phone charger, plus 12 volt and 2 x USB-A ports.
Audio comes from an eight-speaker system, butthere’snomentionofabrand,poweroutput or whether it includes a subwoofer.
Safety
The current Civic has still not been tested for safetybyANCAPandthatincludestheTypeR.
The previous five-star rating expired way back in October, 2021.
The safety fit out is extensive, however, with 10 airbags, a 360 degree reverse camera, two child seat anchor points and a body structure that has been optimised for safety.
Honda Sensing includes Blind Spot Monitor, Drive Attention Monitor, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), High Beam Support System (HBSS) and Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR).
Engines/transmissions
The previous model produced 228kW of power at 6500 rpm and 400Nm of torque from 2500 rpm. Itacceleratedfrom0-100km/hin5.7seconds and uses 8.8L/100km.
Changes to the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine see an increase to 235kW of power and 420Nm of torque, the latter at a slightly higher 2600 revs.
Thedashfrom0-100km/hhasbeentrimmed to just 5.2 seconds and it uses a fraction more fuel at 8.9L/100km.
The turbocharged engine is paired with a smooth, easy-to-use, quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission with automatic rev-matching.
Driving
Remember the Type R is focused on performance rather than comfort.
But it comes with all the trimmings to make you feel more comfortable with the price.
This includes suede-trimmed sports buckets in an attention-seeking red trim that add to the excitement.
The latest Civic Type-R offers a little more power and torque, but this is the preface to a much longer story.
The body is significantly more rigid, delivering improved dynamics and more refinement.
Topped with a solid aluminium shift knob (freezing in winter), the transmission has been engineered to deliver a crisp change action with very low internal friction.
Drive is to the front wheels through a helical-type limited-slip diff minimises wheel spin, allowing the vehicle to accelerate harder on surfaces with uneven traction.
There are four drive modes as well as adjustable suspension: Comfort, Sport, +R and a new Individual mode.
An active exhaust valve changes the pitch of the engine depending on mode, but needs to be louder.
The digital instrument cluster reflects the drive mode you chose, with a race style look in +R that prioritises revs and the current
gear, with a string of LEDs allowing the driver to time the change up as you near the 7000 redline.
Talk about torque!
In most sports models you spend the time changing from second to third and back again in corner to corner driving, but in the Type-R the zone moves up to third and fourth, even reaching fifth on longer straights.
An upgraded Electric Power Steering (EPS) system delivers pin-sharp steering, with a stiffer torsion bar and improved software control resolution to enhance steering feel and control.
Steering weight is adjustable in settings.
The trick for getting the most comfortable, satisfying result out of the car is to put it in the new Individual mode, tick all the +R settings then switch the suspension to Comfort which stops the car from crashing through potholes. And here’s the good bit, the car remembers and retains the drive mode settings between starts.
Grip is phenomenal and the car remains remarkably settled over undulations.
Onthedownsidetyrenoiserampsupquickly when moving from smooth to coarse bitumen. The Brembos are exceptional and will stand the car on its front wheels if asked to.
AllinalltheType-Risafantasticcartodrive. Although premium 95 unleaded is recommended, it will happily take standard unleaded, but probably with a small decrease in power.
Rated at 8.9L/100km, we were getting a conservative 8.0L/100km after almost 660km.
Summing up
The car is great, but the price is a worry. Having said that, there’s plenty of cheaper and more expensive options.
But remember this is the car that holds the lap record for a front-wheel drive vehicle at the Nurburgring,oritwasthelasttimewechecked. TheTypeRisacrackertodrive,justashappy to go shopping or for a blast around the race track. It’s a genuinely thrilling car to drive, even if my wife doesn’t like it (don’t tell her I said that).
Honda’s hot hatch is probably the closest thing we mere mortals will ever get to a Ferrari-like driving experience. (Pictures: Supplied)
Local results at Olympics so far
By Tara Murray
Here’s a quick look at how athletes from Melbourne’s north-west have gone in the first two days of competition.
Cycling
It was heartbreak for Lucas Plapp in the men’s cycling time trial. After Grace Brown won gold for the Aussies, Plapp was hoping to make it an even better day one. Plapp was sitting in fourth spot at the first check point, but fell in the wet and tricky conditions. Plapp reportedly slid under a barrier fence shortly after passing the first checkpoint.
He was taken to hospital and was waiting on scans. Australian Cycling later released a statement saying Plapp underwent abdominal surgery in a Paris hospital.
His parents and an Australian team doctor wereatthehospitalwithhim.Furthermedical detailsarenotavailableatthistime.Plappwas set to be part of the Australian road team later in the competition.
Basketball
The Australian Boomers got off to the perfect start with a win against Spain. The Boomers led for much of the night and were able to fightbackafterSpaintooktheleadinthethird quarter.
It would be a 92-80 win for the Boomers. Josh Giddy scored 17 points and had eight rebounds. Dante Exum didn’t play as he recovers from a dislocated finger. The Australian team was back in action on Tuesday against Canada.
South Sudan won its first ever Olympic basketball game. The side beat Puerto Rico on Sunday night, Australian time, 90-79. Keilor Thunder’s Kuany Kuany didn’t take to the court.
SPORTS QUIZ
1. In ice hockey, each team has how many positions?
2. Who was the captain of Manchester United in 2015?
3. In 1999, which team won the AFL grand final?
Sunshine College student Alan Uhi made his Olympics debut on Sunday night Australian time in the 100 metres backstroke. Representing Tonga, the year 12 student finished sixth in his heat with a time of 1:00.62. He finished in 46th place overall.
5. Mike Tyson experienced his first loss to which boxer?
6. In NBA history, how many games have been played on Christmas Eve?
7. In baseball, how many feet are between each
What is the maximum amount of points you can score in curling?
Which ball in snooker is worth seven points?
What are Baltimore known as in the NFL?
Who was appointed caretaker coach of West Coast for the remainder of the 2024 AFL season after Adam Simpson’s sacking?
What colour is associated with the West Coast Fever netball team?
Japanese Paralympian Shingo Kunieda has won three gold medals and dozens of titles in which racquet sport?
Archery
Laura Paeglis was in action before the Games kickedoffproperlyonSaturday.Competingin theindividualrankinground,Paeglisfinished in 44th spot after shooting the highest individual ranking round by an Australian since the current 72 arrow ranking. She will
14. Which country not usually associated with the sport won the first women’s rugby union World Cup in 1991?
15. How many Test wickets did James Anderson finish up with after his recently-ended long cricketing career?
16. And which English fast bowler took 12 wickets on debut against the West Indies, which was Anderson’s final Test?
17. Which nation enters the stadium first during Olympic opening ceremonies?
19. AFL player Lance Collard was banned from playing for how many weeks for using homophobic language?
20. Which Sydney Roosters second-rower was named player of the series in the 2024 edition of State of Origin?
face Caroline Lopez in the 1-32 knockout round. Australia won’t feature in the knockout rounds of the teams event with the combined score between Paeglis and Peter Boukouvalas nothighenough.Paegliswillbebackinaction on Wednesday in the knockout competition.
21. Robert Murphy was the captain of which AFL team from 2015–2017?
22. In snooker, how much is the pink ball worth?
23. Kelvin Kiptum won which 2023 marathon with a time of 2:01:25?
24. Which is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament to use a clay court?
25. In golf, how many strokes under par on an individual hole is a condor?
26. How long is Canberra’s current premiership drought, the secondlongest active in the NRL
27. Which well-known AFL umpire announced he will be retiring at the end of the season?
28. And which team holds the longest active drought?
29. Which national women's team is known as the Australian Jillaroos?
30. Former Olympian Shane Heal captained which team at his last game at 2004 Athens?
Swimming
Barbora Krejcikova
Laura Paeglis. (Supplied)
Alan Uhi. (Supplied)
Georgies rue a ‘wasted opportunity’ says coach
Caroline Springs George Cross may have done enough to seal its fate in the Victorian Premier League 1 competition, but coach Eric Vassiliadis is thinking what might have been.
After two straight promotions, the Georgies faced a stiff challenge early in the season and for much of the year was in the relegation battle.
They started to find form in the back part of the season to move into the middle part of the ladder.
Vassiliadis says he has mixed thoughts on the season, which has two rounds remaining.
“I think as an organisation looking back at this year we see it as a wasted opportunity,” he said.
“We took the wrong approach at the start of the year as a group.
It coincided with some difficulties with injuries and suspension.
“We could not pick up points early, as soon as we got the team where we needed it to be, it’s been a good way to finish the season.”
Vassiliadis said they had a good formula the last couple of years and they had gone
away from that. He said as a coaching group it’s been the hardest they’ve had to work to try and find the solutions needed.
“It’s not easy to turn things around when you’re in a rut,” he said. “We’ve been able to do that.
“I’m proud of the group.”
On Saturday, the Georgies faced the Eastern Lions. Riki Hosoai and Joseph Ridley were the goal scorers for the Georgies.
Vassiliadis said it was a really strong win.
“We were understrength and we used the opportunity to play some younger players,” he said.
“We had five 15,16,17 and 18 year olds that got an opportunity to come up and they know with that comes responsibility as we still want to win.
I think they were all on the pitch when we got the win”
Vassiliadis said he would have some tough selection decisions this week with a number of senior players set to return.
He said having all those players, most who havecomethroughtheclub’sprogram,shows
the pathway they have set up is working for them.
The Georgies face the North Geelong Warriors this Saturday in the second last round,
Vassiliadis said they want to consolidate the last couple of rounds,
“From fifth to 10th it is really tight,” he said. “We want to finish as high as we can. It’s a better platform for next year.”
Joining the Georgies in VPL1 next season will be North Sunshine Eagles,
The Eagles secured their promotion with two rounds remaining with a 4-3 win against the Boroondara-Carey Eagles on Saturday.
Tara Murray
Cleveland has big goals
By Peter Howe
It was a Thursday night in March and the last Victorian Milers Club meet for the season.
Organisers have put up a $2000 Olympic qualifying bonus to any athlete that can win the race and hit the Olympic qualification standard.
In the women’s A 1500 metres race, fifteen-year-old Lucy Cleveland, lined up on the start line with then Australian record holder Linden Hall, Australian 800 metre record holder Catriona Bisset and world championship representative among others. Cleveland knew the race would be fast and she ensured she remained in control.
Holding her form, Cleveland finished strongly for fourth place, in a time of 4.24.83, a qualifying standard for the World under-20 Track and Field Championships.
It was a coming of age for Cleveland, who now knew she could hold her own.
“Standing on the starting line of that event I realised how incredible that opportunity was, I was one of the youngest in the field,” she said.
“Running against Olympic athletes gave me the confidence to know I can compete at that level and be successful.”
Cleveland has displayed a resilience beyond her years and just loves to run.
She tried many sports, but nothing was like the thrill and the challenge that running did. Cleveland joined little athletics as an under-six athlete.
“You’ve got to give every event a go. I loved the social aspect and I didn’t care where I finished,“ she said. “When I first started out, I wanted to be a hurdler, much to my coach’s dismay.”
Cleveland is coached by Stu Macaulay and competes with Western Athletics.
Her first Victorian Track and Field Championship was as an under-14 athlete and she surprised herself.
It was here that she achieved both the 800 metres and 1500 metres qualifying standards for the Australian Track and Field championships, winning silver in both events.
In achieving the 800m national qualifying standard, Cleveland also broke former Australian Olympian, Morgan Mitchell’s Western Athletics under-14 800 metres club record which she had been chasing all season.
Cleveland is now the holder of more than 30 Western Athletics club records.
She then competed at the national championships.
“In my first nationals, I finished 15th in the 1500metres. Iwastherefortheexperienceand I learnt what was required to compete at the
level.”
Cleveland has a rigorous training regime that sees her running up to 50 kilometres per week along with srength and conditioning sessions,andpilatesaspartofherrehabilitation following a sacral stress fracture that stopped her from competing in her under-15 season.
Being injured and not being able to do what she loved became a light bulb moment for Cleveland,
“When you have something taken away from you, you realise how much you love it and it makes you even more determined,“ she said. “I really learnt the importance of the one percenters which has made a huge difference to my running now.”
Cleveland’s return to the track in under-16s was a sign of things to come, winning gold in the 800 metres and silver in the 1500 metres at the 2023 Victorian Track and Field Championships.
She again represented Victoria at the Australian championships, finishing sixth in the under-16 1500 metre and had a strong cross country season, winning silver at state and national level.
Her first national medal wasn’t without its challenges for Cleveland, who battled significant mental health issues. Her running played a pivotal role in her recovery.
Earlier this year, Cleveland won gold at the Victorian championships in the 3000 metres, 1500 metres and 800 metres in the under-17 age group.
She followed it up at the national championships finishing with a personal best and silver medal in the 800 metres and a bronze medal in the 1500 metres.
Cleveland said her heroes are Jess Hull, Abbey Caldwell and Amy Cashin.
Cleveland is in year 10 at Emmanuel College in Point Coo and wants to become a physiotherapist.
On the track she has big goals.
“My athletics dream is to represent Australia at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics,” she said. “Maybe, even at the 2028 Olympic Games; I will only be 19, but who knows? My first goal, however, is to wear the green and gold at the 2026 under20 World Athletics Championships or the World Cross Country Championships.”
The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club, Ascot Vale Sports and Trophies and StarWeekly
If you would like to nominate a monthly winner or attend a dinner, contact swrsportsclub@gmail.com or 0408 556 631.
RDFL
Melton has had one of its best results in the Riddell District Football League women’s competition, holding Kyneton to a draw. The Tigers kicked the only goal of the first half before the Bloods reduced the margin to one point at three quarter time. The Bloods kicked the only point of the final quarter to level the scores, 1.4 (10) apiece. The Tigers finish the regular season in second and the Bloods in fourth. Kyneton will face Macedon for a spot in the grand final this week, with Melton facing Woodend-Hesket in a knockout semi final.
CBL
Bacchus Marsh Lions have announced a new coach for the Country Basketball League women’s season. Monique Caparelllo joins the club and will coach the Lions. Caparello is currently the Big V women’s coach with the Sunbury Jets having had a successful playing career previously. Rob Tomczyk has been reappointed as the men’s coach.
Western Football League
Caroline Springs returned to the winners list in the Western Football League women’s competition on Saturday. After a tough match the week before, the Lakers accounted for Parkside Spurs, 5.6 (36)-2.7 (19). Hannah Herring and Dijana Vasilevska were named the Lakers best. With two rounds remaining, the Lakers sit in third spot, percentage behind the top two teams. The Lakers division 1 team had a bye.
Western Football League
The Western Rams fell just short of a third win in the Western Football League division 2 season. The Rams led at three quarter time before the Dragons came home strong with four goals to one in the final quarter to seal a 12.11 (83)-11.8 (74) win. Tyler Lewis and Jarryd Underwood kicked four goals each for the Rams. The Rams slip to 13th with the loss.
FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au
Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly @starweeklynews @star_weekly
Lucy Cleveland. (Supplied)
Sports shorts
Tyler James. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 416141_23
Tough decisions on the future of Aldebaran Vera
ItseemsimpeccablybredracemareAldebaran Vera’s value in the breeding barn may prevent her racing on at the end of the year.
The daughter of Trixton enhanced her status as one of Victoria’s best trotting mares whensheledallthewaytoscoreacomfortable win in the Hygain Lightfoot Laurels at Melton on Saturday night.
Sentoutfavourite,AldebaranVerabounded away from the tapes to lead while her main danger Virginia Clowers landed in the one out one back trail.
Glen Craven appeared to have plenty in reserve on Aldebaran Vera on straightening and the five-year-old merely cruised down the home stretch to score from the Chris Svanosio trained pair Aldebaran Miley and Sacred Mountain.
Trainer Marg Lee has the feature trotting mares’ races in her sights.
“Hopefully she will be heading to the good
Aldebaran Vera. (Stuart McCormick)
mares races later in the year,” Lee said.
Aldebaran Vera has returned to the racetrack in stellar fashion this season posting three wins and two placings from six starts
“She galloped in a race at Bendigo so we spelled her and she has really strengthened up and has been more consistent this time in,” she said.
“She is getting better with each run.”
Aldebaran Vera is owned by Boko Stables who lease the mare to the Craven family.
“I think the lease expires at the end of the year and it looks like they will want to breed from her,” she said.
Aldebaran Vera is a daughter of Kyvalley Aldebaran who is a sister to multiple Group 1 winner Allegro Agitato and a half-sister to the Group 1 winning successful stallion Skyvalley.
Meanwhile, Jack Laugher admits he was fighting it out for second prizemoney on Clear Left as the field turned for home in the Catanach’s Jewellers Pace.
Jackie Barker’s daring tactics looked like being successful when Layden dashed from
Devils slog it out to win
By Tara Murray
An undermanned Darley fought hard to come away with the points against Sebastopol in the Ballarat Football League.
The Devils entered Saturday’s match missing nine or 10 of their best 22 and coming off a loss the previous week.
In tricky conditions, the Devils were able to get the job done, winning 7.10 (52)-6.11 (47).
Devils coach Dan Jordan said it was a really good win in the end.
“I’m proud of the boys,” he said. “We had a fairly young group as we are undermanned at the moment and we were still able to get the points.
“It’s really good for some of the younger guysandourdepthguystoplay.It’simportant to expose those people to senior spots and it keepspressureonforspotswhenweeventually have a full list.”
Jordan said while the Burras ladder position showed it had been a tough season, they had really started to find their feet in the second half of the season.
The Devils led at every break but were never able to break away from the Burras.
“It was a real slog,” he said. “They lost a couple of prime movers early and that’s been us the last few weeks.
“It was good to have a bit of good fortune go our way in that respect. We stuck at the task.
“It was a funny day weather wise and we stuck at it with 22 contributors on the day.”
Harley Inglis was the only multiple goal kicker with two goals for the Devils.
Jordan said he felt it was a fairly even team performance.
“We didn’t have one or two standouts which is pleasing as a coach,” he said. “Adam Azzopardi and Matthew Brett competed all day.
“There were a number of moments where the young guys with only a few matches under their belts, stood up when it mattered.”
The win moves the Devils to third spot. They have a bye this week which Jordan said comes at a good time with their injury list.
“We’ll likely have a selection dilemma after the break,” he said.
“We have four or five players to come back. It’s a good position to be in, possibly leaving players out who are stiff.
“We’ll have to get a few boxes ticked this week and then the following week with a full week of training.”
In other matches, Melton won the local derby with Melton South.
In the battle between top and bottom, the Bloods won 22.13 (145)-1.5 (11).
Jordan Kight kicked six goals in a best on ground performance while Liam Carter kicked four.
mid-field in the back straight to straightening more than 10 metres ahead of his rivals.
The effort ultimately took its toll on Layden and the Julie Douglas trained Clear Left kept coming and grabbed the lead to score by a metre on the line from Layden and Big Boy Mel.
“I thought Layden may have gone a bit far from home but he was still 10 metres in front at the top of the straight, so I kept driving my horse for second,” Laugher said.
“My horse lacks a bit of high speed but he keeps trying and he kept going when the leader started to get tired,” he said.
Later in the night Laugher completed a stable double when he partnered Kosimo to a minor upset victory in the Nevele R Stud Pace. Kosimo settled two horses back in the runninglineinthesmallsixhorsefieldtrailing favourite Petracca who joined Yambukian in the lead around the home turn.
Thoroughbreds
out of Big V
A final round loss ended the Melton Thoroughbreds’ Big V men’s division 2 season on Saturday.
The Thoroughbreds needed everything to go their way in the final round to secure a finals spot, after a tough back half of the season.
The Thoroughbreds would be left to rue another close loss on Saturday night, this time against the Surf Coast Chargers.
Scores were level at quarter time and it was two points in the favour of the Chargers at half time.
The Chargers blew it out to a 14 point lead heading into the final quarter.
The Thoroughbreds threw everything at the Chargers in the last quarter but fell short, losing 93-88.
Milan Savic continued his good season, finishing with 28 points. The other players finished with 11 points each.
Savic, who returned to the club this season, finished with the sixth best points per game in the division, finishing with a season average of 23.65.
Import Darian Peterson finished in seventh spot, having averaged 23.14 points per game.
The Thoroughbreds finish the season insixthspot,finishingwitha9-9record. They had four losses by nine points of less in the back half of the season which proved costly in making finals.
Michael Thompson. (Jacob Pattison)
Broden Collins was the Panthers best. Bacchus Marsh was unable to match it with North Ballarat, losing 17.14 (116)-5.9 (39).
Leo Nixon and Dennis Armfield were the Cobras best. The Cobras sit in eighth spot.
Darcy Matricardi. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 403538_02
Bloods pull off upset against Panthers
Melton has been aiming to take a scalp all season and finally got it on Saturday against cross town rival Melton South in the Ballarat Netball League.
TheBloods,whohaven’tbeatenthePanthers in a few seasons in the A-grade competition, led at every break on Saturday.
The game was on the line at three quarter time with the Bloods leading by one goal heading into the final quarter.
With about two minutes the Bloods knew they had done enough and eventually won, 46-40.
Bloods coach Nichole Gleeson was thrilled with the result
“We were pretty stoked,” she said. “They beat us at the start of the season by 21 goals.
“It’s a testament to the way we’ve been progressing over the season, we were finally able to convert on the scoreboard.
“It’s been later than we would have liked but we’ve finally got there.”
Gleeson said the playing group had massive inroads this season and had decreased the gap on the top sides.
ThePanthersenteredthematchinthirdspot while the Bloods were in 10th spot with two wins for the season.
Gleesonsaidtheyplayedintoughconditions for a second straight week.
“It was wet,” she said. “The rain held off for us but it was still a wet court.
“It was a slow but fast game but it was much better than the week before. We played with a heavy ball.”
Gleeson said she asked for how long was left on the clock there was two minutes left. She realised then they’d done enough to get the win and did a little happy dance.
Kimberly Philipps shot 41 goals for the Bloods.
Akira McCormack put up 31 goals for the Panthers.
The Bloods have moved up to ninth on the
ladder and the Panthers have now slipped to fourth on the ladder.
Gleeson said they were hoping they could maybe get another scalp on the run home.
“We’ve been playing top five teams the last few weeks,” she said. “We have another two strong teams to come.
“It would be great to get another win and I know that the girls can do it.
“You only have to look at the scoreboard to see how good they are going. We are definitely on the right track.”
Elsewhere, Darley had a 62-33 win against Sebastopol.
The three Devils goalers shared the goals around with Olivia Cawthray putting up 26 goals.
It was a tough day for Bacchus Marsh losing to North Ballarat, 72-22.
Tara Murray
Vrankovic) 406471_11
Bears primed for finals
By Tara Murray
Burnside Heights is primed for a big Essendon District Football League women’s division 1 finals series.
Having been knocked out in straight sets 12 months ago, the Bears are determined not to allow it to happen again.
The Bears enter the finals as the team to beat, with just one loss for the regular season.
Coach Michael Davis said the season had been better than what he had been expecting.
“I’mstokedwiththewayithascometogether,” he said. “I thought we would be up there but I didn’t think we would be as dominant as we have been in parts of the season.
“Everyone has come together as one team and one voice.
“Our leaders have stood up.”
The Bears finished the regular season on Saturday with a big win against Airport West. Davis said they were wary of the Eagles, who recently shocked everyone and knocked off Greenvale.
The scoreboard showed the Bears had control all game, but Davis said it didn’t feel like that on the ground.
“It looked like it would be us and Greenvale that would be thereabouts,” he said. “Airport West threw a spanner in the works.
“It was tough for three quarters. It was physically tough but we had a little bit of class and were able to kick away.”
Bella Negri and Kayla Ravanello kicked three goals each for the Bears.
Davis said Jorgia Redmond, Krissy Trang and Brodie Stevens were the standouts in the win.
The Bears will face Greenvale for a spot in the grand final this week, with both sides having the double chance.
The two teams have known for a number of weeks they would face each other in the first week of finals.
Davis said the playing group had been driving the motivation to keep everyone switched on. The Jets won the corresponding match 12 months ago with a goal in the dying
The Essendon District Football League senior grand finals will again be played at Windy Hill and Coburg City Oval.
The league last week announced its days and locations for its men’s and women’s finals, which will kick off on August 3 with the men’s premier division grand final on September 21 to end the season..
Finalsactionwillstartwiththewomen’s division 1 and 2 finals on August 3
The semi finals will be held at John McMahon Reserve, Sunbury and Lakeside Reserve in Roxburgh Park before the preliminary finals will be held at Buckley Park, Essendon.
Coburg City Oval will host the grand finals on on August 17.
The women’s premier division finals will start a week later with John McMahon Reserve and Lionheart Reserve, Taylors Lakes.
The preliminary final will be held at Lakeside Reserve, with the grand final to be held on August 24 at Windy Hill.
Men’s finals will kick off on August 24 for both division 1 and 2.
The division 1 qualifying final will be held on August 24 at Greenvale Recreation Reserve and the elimination final the following day at Coburg City Oval.
The semi finals will be held at Joe Brown Oval, Keilor on August 31 and September 1.
Preliminary final weekend will be held at Greenvale Recreation Reserve with the grand final to be September 14 at Coburg City Oval.
seconds.
“They are driving the standards,” Davis said. “They are into each other and making sure they’re working hard and everyone has brought into the standards.
“They’ve coached themselves the last two weeks. We don’t want to go down the same patch as last year.
“It was horrendous to go out in straight sets. The point has been made that we want to finish the job this year.”
In women’s premier division, Hillside suffered its first loss of the season.
The match was a thriller with Aberfeldie kicking a goal in the last minute to get the 3.3 (21)-2.5 (17) win.
Annie Gray was the Sharks best.
The Sharks will remain on top no matter the result in the final round.
In division 1 men’s Hillside came from behind to beat Tullamarine, 11.23 (89)-10.5 (65), while in division 2 men’s, Burnside Heights beat East Sunbury, 19.14 (128)-1.4 (10).
Division 2 men’s finals series will be a three week series.
The semi finals will be held at Rupertswood’s Salesian College and GreenvaleRecreationReserveonAugust 24 and 25.
The preliminary final will be held at Salesian College for a second straight year while the grand final will be on September 7 at Windy Hill.
Men’spremierdivisionfinalsserieswill kick off on August 31. This year there will be a top five instead of the usual top four.
The qualifying final is set down for Greenvale Recreation as long as Greenvale isn’t playing.
The elimination final on the same weekend, the two semi finals and the preliminary final the following two weekends will all be held at Coburg City Oval.
The grand final will be held at Windy Hill on September 21.
Holly Keating. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 418824_13
Kayla Ravanello. (Ljubica
The wet weather was back on Saturday and with it came some cracker football and soccer matches. StarWeeklyphotographer Ljubica Vrankovic was out shooting some of the action.
Weekend of wet weather sport
Peter Modafferi. (421579_04)
Thom Jonkerman. (421570_02)
Newport’s Mohamed Fofana and Braybrook’s Patrick Farrelly. (421550_12)
Yarraville Seddon upset Werribee Centrals. (421569_04) Paige Cook. (421569_10)Albion’s Brandyn Di Sisto takes down Sunshine’s Stuart Purves. (418791_05)
Rin Takagi. (421570_16)
Albion’s Joshua Michetti and Sunshine’s Declan Moloney. (418791_01)
