DECEMBER 1, 2015 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Train backdown: passengers win
Roos rescued Wildlife volunteers have been praised after rescuing four kangaroos trapped in an uncovered mineshaft near Trentham. The two-hour operation began after bushwalkers noticed the nose of a kangaroo appearing from a hole in Wombat State Forest about 6.30pm on November 22. A team from Five Freedoms Animal Rescue was called to help pull the native animals to safety. Operator Manfred Zabinskas said he was amazed that the kangaroo had been able to get up high enough to be seen. ‘‘It was really weird because that shaft was five to six metres deep,’’ he said. ‘‘Basically they were just walking through the forest and they saw this kangaroo’s nose poking up from the hole. “They went to investigate and found there were three other kangaroos down there.’’ Mr Zabinskas said the incident was made more unusual because the mineshaft was partially covered by a fallen tree. ‘‘It’s not really in an open position,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s almost like the kangaroos went
for shelter under this fallen tree and they’ve slipped in. How all four have slipped in is beyond me.’’ He said the roos’ condition indicated they had been down the shaft for at least 24 hours. ‘‘They were pretty beat up,” he said. “The biggest problem we had was that one of the kangaroos was really large, a male about 80 kilograms, and he was jumping to try and escape. It looks like he’s landed on top of the other kangaroos each time he did that.’’ One of the animals, a female, had to be euthanased due to serious injuries including a broken tail, exposed bone and damage to internal organs. ‘‘A joey’s got a few broken bits including wrists and ribs while the other male seemed to have mostly superficial injuries,” Mr Zabinskas said. “They’re now being taken care of and we’re reasonably confident they will do OK.’’ The rescue prompted an outpouring of support on social media, with animal lovers applauding the rescuers and the bushwalkers who found the kangaroos. Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network data shows 1292 kangaroos were rescued by volunteers last year, up from 1064 in 2013.
D-MAX 4X2 SX
SINGLE CAB CHASSIS MANUAL
A wildlife rescuer (top left) tends to one of the injured roos; other photos show the Trentham rescue scene. (Pictures: Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network)
Matt Crossman
1199766-CG38-15 100264541-19
n Macedo a re A s e Rang
MENTION THIS AD FOR FREE GIFT
25,990
$
DRIVEWAY*
EXCLUSIVE 3.0L ISUZU TURBO DIESEL • PREMIUM AUDIO w/ BLUETOOTH® & IPOD® CONNECTIVITY • HUGE 2,550mm LONG ALLOY TRAY • CRUISE CONTROL & POwER wINDOwS • FUEL EFFICIENT 8.0L/100KM • LIMITED STOCK
1206081-DJ46-15
By Matt Crossman
Sunbury and Diggers Rest commuters will be able to access 73 new Metro train services a week and continue to board most V/Line services after the state government backed down from hotly contested public transport changes. During a visit to Sunbury station on Friday, Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said that from January 1 passengers would be able to board all but two V/Line services – the packed 4.25pm and 5.04pm weekday trains. All Metro trains from 7pm will also be extended to Diggers Rest and Sunbury. The extra Metro services are in addition to 10 peak services added earlier this year. ‘‘In just over a month, locals will have more than 80 extra Metro services and access to almost every V/Line train that stops at Sunbury or Diggers Rest,’’ Ms Allan said. The latest changes follow a long-running saga in which commuters and community leaders slammed the government for ‘‘ripping’’ 200 V/Line services out of the town. Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn said the reversal of the changes was a major victory for Sunbury. ‘‘Together we have fought hard and together we have won,’’ he said. As reported by Star Weekly, a controversial timetable announced by Public Transport Victoria in May removed Sunbury as a pick-up station for Bendigo trains travelling to Melbourne in the morning peak. It also removed Sunbury as a drop-off station for evening peak trains going north. Both the Liberal and Labor parties had promised commuters continuity of services following electrification of the line to Sunbury in 2012. A major survey completed by the Sunbury Train Association, which was formed following an outpouring of complaints, found many commuters would be negatively affected by the planned restrictions. More than 200 people attended a public meeting in Sunbury involving Ms Allan in October. On Friday, she said the latest changes meant Sunbury passengers would have the best of both worlds. ‘‘It’s a big win for passengers and shows the importance of having a government that listens and invests in public transport,’’ she said.
158-166High Street,Melton Ph:8746 0380 *Program price subject to change. Metallic/mica/pearl paint $396 extra. For full terms & conditions and current pricing visit isuzuute.com.au
Sunbur y Area
• We assist you all the way from permit to completion • Engineered in accordance to Aust Standards for local conditions
150 High Street Melton www.aussiebuiltsheds.com.au Phone 9971 5257