JANUARY 24, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
(Shawn Smits)
A big night in Sunbury Lachlan was the perfect New Year gift for the Gray-Gazzola family. The Sunbury boy was born at 3.23pm on January 1 at the Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospital – the hospital’s first baby for the year. Mum Jessica Gray and dad Pete Gazzola generally spend New Years eve at Yendon, where their families live, but decided to have a “quiet one in” to welcome 2017. It was a good thing they did – Ms Gray’s waters broke just before midnight and she was rushed to hospital as the fireworks were being lit. Her contractions started at 10am on January 1 and the “perfect little boy” was born that afternoon. “I was only pushing for 30 minutes so it was very quick,” the first-time mum said. “It was quite a magical moment.” Ms Gray says she’s already looking forward to a second child, but Pete is “a bit traumatised” by it all. But Mr Gazzola says he’s been handling fatherhood well. “I think we’re very lucky – everything is going by the book,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jess. “I went straight into changing the nappies and doing everything I can to look after the house. I’m not sure if I’m much help yet, but I’m good for the cuddles.” Sumeyya Ilanbey
LACHLAN WITH DAD PETE GAZZOLA AND MUM JESSICA GRAY
Corella cull challenged By Esther Lauaki Wildlife campaigners are banding together in an attempt to stop the cull of 100 corellas at the nearby Kilmore Golf Club. Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network spokesman Marcus Ward rallied members to contact the club, which was permitted to begin shooting the birds last week, to ask them to consider more humane options. “Kilmore Golf Club has sadly got a permit to kill 100 corellas for damaging the greens, and shooting began [last week],” Mr Ward said. “We are asking (people) to please take the time to ring them and ask them to stop … to
use non lethal methods like many other places, which have proven highly effective. “At the moment, these birds have dependent young, so there is a very high chance of orphaning,” Mr Ward said. “Alternatives are a number of bird-scaring devices, ground sprays and sound guns.” The environment, land, water and planning department has issued two permits to the club since 2015 to help get corellas under control. Acting environment and natural resources manager Jane Roots said DELWP had been working with Kilmore Golf Club since 2015 on ways to minimise damage the birds cause. “A combination of tactics are being used,
including a (cull) permit issued by authorised officers,” Ms Roots said. “During summer, corellas love to feed on the ground on lush kikuyu grass and also frequent River Red gum environments where nest tree hollows are common. “However, their numbers fluctuate depending on conditions, food availability and the season,” she said. “It is recognised that occasionally, when other deterrents become ineffective, shooting of some birds may be necessary.” Wildlife advocate Elise Lehmann-Kay started an online petition on Change.org and believes the department should be encouraging more
non-lethal methods of wildlife management. “The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act of 1988 is supposed to protect our native animals from inhumane killing such as this, yet DWELP have issued the Kilmore Golf Club with a permit to kill corellas on their golf course, for the second year in a row” Ms Lehmann-Kay said. “If the Kilmore Golf Club are allowed to annually apply for permits to kill these native corellas, and annually have these permits granted, and are allowed to continue to shoot at flocks, during a time when there are dependent young present, disregarding common laws … this opens the door for corellas and other native animals to be killed (by) humankind.”