The Great Southern Star - February 2, 2010

Published at Leongatha for South Gippsland

36 McCartin Street, Leongatha 3953 PHONE: (03) 5662 2294, FAX: (03) 5662 4350 ACN 006 507 580 ABN 61 318 952 541 PRINT POST 336735 10006 Email - news@thestar.com.au advertising@thestar.com.au

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PAGES 19-21

The Great Southern

Star

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010

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PUBLISHED TUESDAY 56 PAGES

Brumby’s visit Page 7.

Sport.

Tour de South Gippsland

Prepared for a big year INVERLOCH Primary School Preps Yarrah, Ruby, Jamieson and Angus were all smiles as they started their very first day at school on Monday.

There was no talk of Naplan results for these youngsters, who were more worried about finding their new teachers and getting a final cuddle from mum or dad.

See inside for The Star’s comprehensive coverage of the new school year.

Dairy lift Milk price step-up boosts dairy confidence

By Brad Lester MILK prices continue to rise, giving the local dairy industry a much needed boost to optimism.

Murray Goulburn last week announced its fourth step-up of the current year, lifting prices by 25 cents a kilogram for protein and 10 cents a kg for butterfat.

Bega Cheese announced a loyalty payment

of eight cents a kilogram butterfat and 20 cents protein.

Burra Foods is expected to announce a considerable step-up this week and Fonterra prices are likely to remain steady.

MG’s rise is higher than the last step-up of 20 cents for protein and eight cents for butterfat, announced late in November.

Farmers were expected to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars after opening dairy prices fell by an average of 12 per cent – the first re-

duction in opening prices since 1973.

That was a result of world milk powder prices falling 60 per cent and cheese and butter prices plummeting 50 per cent as a result of the unprecedented collapse in world financial markets.

Inverloch dairy farmer and MG supplier, John Murray, is looking forward to putting the extra funds towards catching up on maintenance, installing pipes and undertaking fencing.

Continued on page 9.

Remaining optimistic: while milk prices still remain relatively low, Ray Argento is in a better position than he was this time last year.

PAGE 2 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Teen crash mystery Kuhnell and a Yarram girl are expected to stay in the Royal Children’s Hospital for some time.

Both are in a stable condition. A third girl in the car, Karly Eades of Port Albert, was lucky to escape uninjured.

For families and friends of the trio, the days since the crash have been very difficult.

Angela’s grandfather, Bob Kuhnell, has called on young people to stop risking their own lives and those of others on the roads by driving illegally and recklessly.

Mr Kuhnell confirmed Angela was driving the car, with the two other girls on board when it hit a power pole on Foley Road at 7.25pm Saturday and burst into flames. Police said the car had reached speeds of up to 160km/h.

“There is a message in this for other youngsters. If a person has not got a licence, do not even enter a vehicle,” he said.

“I looked at the site and believe that if the power pole had not fallen to the right, these girls would have been dead for sure.”

Mr Kuhnell said he was unaware Angela could drive but has since learned she received a quick lesson during a recent camping trip.

“Young people should not get too confident in a car. They need lots of training,” he said.

Matt Dunn and Brad Lester POLICE could not say whether the car involved in a fiery crash last week at Yanakie was lent to the trio of 15-year-old girls or whether it was stolen.

That’s a grey area at the moment and we’re still looking into it,” Foster Police’s Sergeant Neil Coates said.

“It’s still under investigation, but it’s a bit of a tricky one. No one’s going to be sued over it, so we don’t really need to keep on flogging a dead horse.

“The girls are going to be in hospital for about three months. You won’t hear much more about it until they’ve been interviewed.”

The girls were following a car driven by a young man, but Sgt Coates said there was nothing to suggest he was doing anything wrong at the time of the crash.

“There was one boy in a car, there wasn’t a convoy. There was nothing to indicate they were drag racing or doing anything untoward,” he said.

Sgt Coates said he had received about 100 calls in the week following the accident, from members of the girls’ families, the media, the police and others.

“There’s nothing more to add at this stage. I’d be very doubtful anyone’s going to be charged at this stage, but it’s all up in the air,” he said.

The girls escaped from the January 23 accident with their lives, though Angela

Time to learn: Bob Kuhnell, at his business, Alberton Marine, holds a photo of his granddaughter Angela, now in a stable condition in hospital.

More beds needed ROSE Lodge in Wonthaggi is in desperate need of more beds.

The aged care facility accommodates 70 low care residents, with an additional 20 living in independent units.

CEO Trevor Godenzi said there are 30 people on the lodge’s waiting list.

The Federal Department of Health and Ageing has just opened the 2010 funding round for aged care beds and Rose Lodge is applying for 30.

Mr Godenzi said these would be high care and housed in a new building that would cost in the order of $4 to $4.5 million.

Rode Lodge has no high care beds, so when residents reach that stage, they have to be moved.

And that, he explained, was very stressful for residents, families

and staff.

“It’s disruptive and distressing.”

Mr Godenzi said it was important for the lodge to provide both levels of care so that residents could enjoy what is called “ageing in place”.

“There is a big need. The population is ageing and this area is a growth corridor.”

That aside, Rose Lodge already has a catchment of 90 people (70 low care, 20 independent living) who may eventually need a high care bed.

Mr Godenzi is working on an application to this year’s funding round and believes it has “a fairly good show” of success.

“It does depend on the quality of the application and the (government’s) target areas.

“We need an argument for high care on-site.”

Wonthaggi already has 60 high

care beds in Armitage House and the newer Kirrak House. The latter was built to accommodate a further 30 because Armitage House is old and its shared facilities are not popular.

“Armitage House has been quite a challenge over the past two years,” said Bass Coast Regional Health CEO Lea Pope. “It has shared bathrooms and bedrooms and is not an attractive option.”

Ms Pope said the health service is not about to apply for more aged care beds and she supported the move by Rose Lodge.

“Them having high care will be very attractive for the community and we’re keen to work with them to have ageing in place.”

Applications in the 2010 round have to be in by March 15 and the results are usually known by the end of the financial year.

Mardan Hall is nearly there A PROJECT costing $42,000 to refurbish the Mardan Hall is nearly finished.

The hall is nearly 100 years old.

The timber floor has been redone and the hall and foyer repainted.

South Gippsland Council building coordinator Alister Fixter, said two thirds of the work has been done.

He said council had budgeted for the $42,000, but had applied to the State Government for a grant under the Small Towns Development Fund.

The application was successful.

Matt Viney, MLC for Victoria’s Eastern Region, said the grant of $20,000 would help strengthen the community’s social and economic foundations.

“For a small town like Mardan it is

incredibly difficult to raise the funds for regular maintenance of the building and the State Government is granting $20,000 so Mardan can maintain this important local infrastructure.”

Mr Viney said the hall plays “a key role in encouraging older people to engage with their community after retirement and encourages young families to interact within the community”.

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“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 3

School reports mixed

By Jane Ross and Bert van Bedaf LOCAL schools have received mixed results from controversial NAPLAN tests published on the Federal Government’s My School website.

Inverloch Primary School, its annexe at Kongwak and Loch Primary have done very well.

Inverloch, for example, is very well ahead of the national average for Year 3 numeracy, as are Kongwak and Loch.

Those schools’ other scores put them well above or above the national average in Year 3 and 5 reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy.

Leongatha Secondary College: Year 7 writing has a score of 581, which is well above the all Australian schools’ average of 569 and the statistically similar (SIM) 565. Year 7 numeracy features well too, with a score of 551 compared with the all Australian average of 544 and SIM of 541. Year 7 and 9 reading are above, but Year 7 writing and spelling and Year 9 grammar and punctuation are below.

Principal Brett Windsor said LSC was “doing pretty well” and he’s reasonably happy with that. Nevertheless, efforts will be made for improvement.

Wonthaggi Secondary College: all Year 7 and 9 results are below both the SIM and national Australian average.

Mary MacKillop College: Year 7 writing and numeracy are below both averages, while Year 9 reading, writing, spelling and grammar and punctuation are well above both averages.

St Laurence’s Primary: Year 3 scores put the school well above both the SIM and all Australian averages in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy.

By Year 5 that trend has altered to spelling being below both, grammar and punctuation still well above, but reading

above the average and below the SIM. Principal Robyn Halliwell said she thought transparency in education was important but in her view, it is very hard to compare schools, based on the information available from the NAPLAN tests.

Leongatha Primary School: these results are interesting. Year 3 reading is well below the SIM but under the all Australian average by one point.

Writing is above both, with grammar and punctuation well above both. Other results such as Year 5 reading and writing show the school is below its SIM but above the average.

Principal Rob Higgins said there were no surprises because the school had had the NAPLAN results for six months.

“Our school is an average school. The results were good, we knew that. We are very happy with our kids all the time.”

Korumburra Primary: the school is well below in Year 5 writing, grammar and punctuation and spelling and above the all Australian average for Year 3 numeracy and spelling. It is above both averages in Year 3 grammar and punctuation.

Tarwin Valley Primary: the school is well above both the SIM and all Australian average in Year 3 reading, grammar and punctuation and numeracy, Year 5 reading and grammar and punctuation.

By contrast, Year 3 spelling and Year 5 numeracy are both below average.

St Joseph’s Primary Korumburra: results show the school is well above both the SIM and all Australian average in Year 3 reading, writing, spelling and punctuation. But Year 3 numeracy and all Year 5 categories are below both the SIM and all Australian average.

Mirboo North Primary: scores are well above in Year 5 numeracy and above both averages in Year 5 writing.

Year 3 spelling is well below both averages and that year’s reading, writing and grammar and punctuation are below both as well.

Inverloch Primary: scores show the

school is streets above both averages in Year 3 numeracy, with a result of 481 compared with the SIM of 402 and all Australian average of 394.

It is well above in all but Year 5 spelling, which is still above both averages.

Kongwak Primary: lists no results for Year 3, but its Year 5 scores are streets above both other averages, with the exception of writing which is below both the SIM and all Australian average.

The score for Year 5 reading is 564 compared with a SIM of 493 and numeracy is 553 compared with a SIM of 485.

Loch Primary is streets ahead in Year 3 reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy, as well as Year 5 reading. All other categories are well above or above both averages.

Tarwin Lower Primary: the school is above both averages in Year 5 writing, grammar and punctuation and numeracy and below both the SIM and all Australian average in all other categories.

St Joseph’s Primary School in Wonthaggi is the best of similar schools and all other schools in its category, topping the charts in Grades 3 and 5 across the five categories of reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy.

It rises above its counterparts with considerable margin, with the three Rs clear winners.

Wonthaggi North Primary School also scores highly in Grade 3, tipping the scales in such key categories as grammar and punctuation and numeracy.

Grade 5 doesn’t fare as well, with most categories lower than in similar and all schools.

At Wonthaggi Primary School, Grade 3 rates low across categories. Spelling in Grade 3 (373) falls behind similar (406) and all schools (405) with a large margin. Grade 5 rates high to average. It tops similar and other schools in reading and writing.

Fish Creek and District Primary School recorded the lowest score in the district and was in the bottom five of

Happy with results: As LPS principal Rob Higgins welcomed new Preps Ariella Francis (left) and Brianna McNaughton, he could happily reflect on the Naplan results. primary schools recording on the My School website. It only registered a higher score in numeracy (417) compared with similar (400) and all (394) schools and drew the shortest straw everywhere else. Grade 5 rated low in all categories.

School principal Robin Smith said he could not comment because of the small class number. The sample was 13 out of 14 students. One was absent at the time.

“I can’t say anything without identifying individuals. People will know who the individuals are. From a statistical point of doing comparisons with such a small sample it is not valid, I believe,” Mr Smith said.

The South Coast Christian College has rated poorly in Year 7 across all five categories. It failed to rise above the average scores of similar and all schools in all of them.

In contrast, Year 5 topped all but the writing category, with grammar and punctuation showing the highest score.

In Year 9 reading (608) rated higher

than similar (591) and all schools (580), while Year 3 also rated best in grammar and punctuation.

Korumburra Secondary College was marked on Years 7 and 9, earning an overall low score. Spelling and numeracy in Year 7 were particularly behind similar and all school scores.

Year 9 rated equal in writing compared with all schools and higher in grammar and punctuation and numeracy, but fell behind across the board compared with similar schools.

Mirboo North Year 7 rates low across all categories, while Year 9 tops the ratings in four of the sections, except in reading (604) compared with similar schools (595) and all schools (580).

Foster’s South Gippsland Secondary College rates low across Year 7 and average in Year 9. Spelling, grammar and punctuation rated particularly poorly in Year 7. Spelling is also the lowest (558) in Year 9, compared with similar (581) and 576 (all schools).

New school year, new faces

The Federal Government stimulus package has seen hard-hats descend on schools, building new libraries, classrooms and other facilities.

Leongatha Primary School has engaged one of Australia’s top experts on early learning, Kathy Walker.

Ms Walker was in South Gippsland before school started, speaking to 130 local teachers.

She will continue a relationship with Leongatha Primary, mentoring teachers and guiding them through “enquiring learning”, whereby children learn through questions and play. There will also be a session for parents.

School principal Rob Higgins said Ms Walker’s expertise had helped the school’s smooth first day for 2010.

“It’s wonderful to have someone so high up in the world of academia come to Leongatha.”

Leongatha Primary has 567 students this year, a

few more than in 2009.

This includes 75 Preps.

The school welcomes two new teachers, Ebony Best and Lucy Colahan and is looking forward to the construction of its new building on the site of the secondary college.

The Leongatha community will be able to see plans of the new primary school and draft plans for a new secondary college at a public meeting at 7.30pm on February 9 in Mesley Hall.

The new secondary college has not yet been funded but principal Brett Windsor said he was hoping that would change in this year’s State budget.

The steady decline in student numbers at the secondary college has continued, with 532 enrolments this year. Mr Windsor said the numbers had not yet had a negative impact on the variety of programs on offer, but that was becoming increasingly difficult.

A new leadership structure has been set up among staff. Mr Windsor said this is to provide leadership opportunities and fit in with the college’s strategic plan.

Seventeen new Preps are settling in well at St

Laurence’s Primary school said principal Robyn Halliwell.

“We had a large number of parents at morning tea in the library,” a firstday ritual put on by the parents and friends group.

Work continues apace on the new drama/music/ theatre and conference room which is due for completion mid-year.

Shade sails were due to be placed over the new playground equipment today.

Three new teachers have joined the staff, Fiona Dunning who will be with the Year 1s and 2s, Karen Ginnane Years 5 and 6 and Trish Saultry 3 and 4.

Korumburra Secondary College has eight new teachers starting this year and a science lab technician, said principal Lynne Hardy.

The college received $200,000 for the National Schools Pride Funding program, which enabled the refurbishment of the tennis courts, internal and external painting and construction of a new storage area. A new road has also been built in front of the school.

Student numbers are expected to be just over 500, slightly up from last year.

Karen Lanyon has been principal at Mirboo North Secondary College for 18 months, following the retirement of Val Jones. She said two new teachers had started: Sue Wearne (art) and Marjorie Ridenour (humanities and maths) as well as a computer technician, Adam Lawrence for 12 months.

“We will know more about a State Building Futures Program in coming weeks,” Ms Lanyon said.

She said a community break-out program would start in Year 9 and the Year 10 program was under review.

Enrolments (355) were slightly up from last year (349).

Foster’s South Gippsland Secondary College has 10 new staff

Quilt Hanging at Loch SUNDAY, Feb 7

10am - 4pm Come and see hundreds of quilts on display in our heritage village and enjoy all that the town has to offer ● Special quilt display from Japan (Sunday only). ● Suitcase show with Yoko Okomoto Friday night, Feb 5.

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THE start of the school year will see plenty of changes as schools bring in new teachers, students and even contruction crews.

members, including six for Term 1 and four support staff. Three teachers have returned after a year off.

Construction of shade structures around the school have been completed, said principal Cheryl Glowrey, including covering a play area the size of a basketball court.

Enrolments (365) are a little lower than last year (375).

South Coast Christian College in Leongatha has added two primary teachers and one secondary teacher to its educational staff, said principal Peter Russell.

He said it was anticipated that construction of the new sports and assembly hall would be completed by the end of term 1.

He said the figures had not

been finalised yet, but enrolments would be around the same as last year (162) in Leongatha.

It’s steady as she goes at Fish Creek, with the same number of students enrolled as last year (101) and the same faces back in the staff room.

At Inverloch/Kongwak a major rebuild is underway, with the final nail to be driven in within 18 months, with some buildings expected to be in use by later this year.

Principal Stan Jackson

said student numbers are up, from 265 to 290, partly because of an influx of desalination workers.

“It’s been a phenomenon over the last six years that we have had a steady climb,” he said.

“I personally put it down to sea-changers and, this year, families of desalination workers.

“We‘ve also got a new portable classroom to cope with the increased numbers.

Continued on page 4.

PAGE 4 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Gone and forgotten

By Matt Dunn WHILE the disappearance of Melbourne property tycoon Herman Rockefeller received intense media scrutiny, most missing persons stories are never told.

The reasons are simple. The missing people are not as high up the social pecking order and their lives are not as sexy as Mr Rockefeller’s.

Take the case of Lynette Nott, a woman who disappeared from Korumburra on December 24 last year.

Like Mr Rockefeller, she vanished without a trace. Like Mr Rockefeller, grave fears were (and are) held for her safety.

Unlike Mr Rockefeller, Lynette was a battler, who lived on the fringes of society. She suffered from schizophrenia and was “alcohol dependant”.

She was scared of hitchhiking and was estranged from her family in Adelaide, so unlikely to try to get back to her original home.

Lynette did not have a driver’s licence or access to a car. She was last seen wandering along a country road.

She had a boyfriend and a dog and she was devoted to both.

When the police put out an alert to the media, it said Lynette had left home “without her handbag, purse, ATM cards,

Herman Rockefeller and Lynette Nott. cigarettes and (false) teeth”.

Immediately a picture is painted. A woman who would disappear, a woman whose life would likely end by misadventure.

Sadly, for Lynette and her friends, the mainstream media and, indeed, mainstream society, will let her slip by without a trace – so much human detritus.

In recent days, police and emergency services workers conducted a line search which proved fruitless.

According to AFP statistics, 35,000 people are reported missing each year in Australia - equivalent to one person every 15 minutes. About 20,000 people under the age of 18.

Fortunately, 95 per cent are located, usually within a week. That still leaves, on average, 1750 missing each year. There are 30,288 people on the

long term missing list in Australia.

Wonthaggi CIU’s Detective Sergeant Ian Ricardo, who has been investigating the disappearance of Lynette, said the Melbourne media had shown no interest in the case.

“We’ve tried without success (to get the Melbourne media to report on the case). ABC Gippsland ran the story over the weekend, but the Melbourne media’s just not interested,” he said.

“We just don’t have the sobbing relative and all that stuff. And that’s probably what we need more than anything – a bit of coverage. But I don’t think we’re going to get it.”

Monash University Gippsland senior lecturer in journalism Bill Birnbaeur, said it was “largely the police and the amount of coverage they want to give a case” that deter-

mined media interest.

“In the case of Herman Rockefeller, they held a press conference, as I recall. They had his wife, his brother. There were tears and pleas, and, what in the first instance appeared to be suspicious circumstances,” he said.

“The fact that he was called Rockefeller added to the profile. He was wealthy, he travelled a lot. I think at first blush the police were thinking, maybe something suspicious or something bad had happened to him.

“The police had already established for him a certain profile. There’s also a measure of – you’ve got a fairly affluent family, they’re probably fairly educated, in comparison to someone who may be living in poverty and probably doesn’t have much of a profile.”

He said it was an unfortunate fact that “sometimes society doesn’t put

as much value on those people as others, which is really sad I think”.

Mr Birnbaeur said another distinction between the two cases was “metropolitan versus rural”.

“For the metropolitan media to pick it up there’d have to be some sort of twist. People do disappear and if they have a mental illness you tend to think, oh they’ve just gone walkabout or they’ve done some harm to themselves.

You don’t think there may have been some second party involved,” he said.

“Without that sense of mystery or intrigue, you can’t get the reading public interested in the story. If it’s too basic or explanatory, people don’t care. The criteria for news is that it be something a bit off beat to grab attention.”

A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said three groups were at particular risk of going missing: “Those living with a mental illness, young people and older people with dementia or memory loss.”

But, of course, it is not just the missing person who has suffered.

While the story of Herman Rockefeller’s disappearance has proven a tragic tale, the stories of many missing people never even make the news pages – gone and forgotten.

New school year, new faces Continued from page 3.

Three new teachers are on board at Inverloch/Kongwak. Tegan Kelly, Anna Wilson and Jesse Boyd have joined the staff.

At Loch PS, the little school has grown a bit bigger, with an extra ten students enrolling this year.

Around 65 students were expected for the first day, up from 55 last year.

Graduate teacher Amanda Lee will join the school and will take care of the grade ones. Her arrival means there will now be four classes instead of three.

On the building front, a new library and two new classrooms are being constructed, with another classroom to be built after that.

At St Josephs Korumburra, the hard hat crew are also on site.

“Were building a new Library ICT room, so bobcats are running around, holes are being dug and concrete is being poured,” principal Greg Synan.

Mr Synan said 2010 would be an exciting year, continuing the work done in 2009.

“It’s an exciting year, we spent close to $200,000 on improvements last year as well.”

Enrolments are steady at 73 students, with the new addition to the staff room being grade four/ five teacher Christy Devlin who has come from Echuca.

At Tarwin Lower Primary School, Principal Walter Birkenbeil is getting ready for the construction crews.

By the end of the school year, he is hoping to have three classrooms and a new “project space”.

While waiting for that, the school will get a new drama area, two new outdoor shaded areas and a new sandpit as well as refurbishment of two classrooms.

Staff and students numbers remain steady, with enrolments at around 58.

Tarwin Valley Primary School principal Brett Smith, said the Meeniyan school was looking forward to a big year, with the addition of two new teachers.

Gene Vander Zalm and Donna Russell will complement an already outstanding line up, Mr Smith said.

“They’re two really good teachers that we’ve picked up,” he said.

The school also has experienced a higher prep intake, with numbers up from 14 last year to 19 or 20 this year.

“It’s really good for our school.

It’s really exciting and there will be an exciting prep program running this year,” Mr Smith said.

Wonthaggi Primary School principal Wes Holloway said construction of four new classrooms and a computer technology centre is now in full swing “The brick walls are just going up at the moment … the end date is to the end of June, but it looks like it might be finsished before then,” he said.

A synthetic basketball court is another addition to the school’s facilities that will be appreciated by

the kids.

At Wonthaggi North Primary School, a new six classroom building and student work space should be completed by August.

Business Manager Lynn Birt said a new principal would guide the school into a new era.

Matt McKittrick is the new principal, replacing the much loved Paula Cross who has left after 14 years, nine of them as Principal.

Matt Baker, Kari McKenzie, Kristy Geyer, Cheryl Gilliland and former Bass Coast Mayor, John Duescher, have all joined the teaching ranks for 2010.

The 350 students will have a new school oval to play on, after the old one was swallowed up by the building works.

At Mirboo North, the primary school will soon have a new joint library and classroom, built with Federal Government funds.

Enrolments are down a bit on last year and are expected to be at around 244.

Natasha Lambie from Korumburra will join the school as the new grade 4/5 teacher.

At Korumburra Primary School, principal Bill Jeffs said he has got “more projects than you could poke a stick at”.

The major one is the building of a six classroom “learning neighbourhood” that has been funded under the Federal Government’s “Education Revolution” Mr Jeffs said his deputy was called to a meeting recentky and

told to get ready for construction to start.

“We were given a week to relocate portable classrooms …. We now have two classrooms in the gym, one in the library and one in the music room.”

The construction team has been given a 150 day deadline to finish the new building, meaning it will be ready for an official opening by mid year.

While the major project is set to get underway, there are plenty of other construction matters in the pipeline.

The heritage building roof’s tiles, which are 100 years old, are being replaced with Colorbon roofing. At the same time, internal works will be done to fix the damage caused by leaking from the old roof.

And the quadrangal will also have a new roof, with an all-weather sail providing year-round access to the area.

A set a bikes, a new shed to house them in and a trailer to transport them are all on the way, giving the school children a fun way to exercise and receive road safety education.

Even the old pony paddock will be given a spruce up, with shade roofing being built over the tiered seating area.

Two new teachers will join the school in 2010.

Craig Friebe and Jan Clark will help teach the 395 students, a total just down on last year.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 5

On your marks: South Coast Athletes from left Kristie Bryden, Angela Byrne, Eleanor Patterson, Alana Green, Russell Broadbent MHR, Sam Quirk, Michael, Mitchell and David Green (club president).

Athletes held back THE young members of the South Coast Athletics Club bring home swags of medals from regional and even national competitions.

But they’re hampered by a lack of training facilities and the constant need to be on the road.

One, Sam Quirk, has been selected in the Australian Junior Cross Country Team to compete in the World Junior Cross Country Championships in the Czech Republic in April. Pat-

rick Ryan has been the top hammer thrower for his age in Australia.

At the recent Australian All Schools and Youth Championships in Hobart, every club athlete made the final of their event and South Coast brought home five silver medals and one bronze.

More medals were won at the Victorian Country Championships at Newborough where South Coast came third overall.

McMillan MHR Russell Broadbent presented the club with $3000 under the Federal Local

Sporting Championships Program, to help with expenses.

Club president David Green was very pleased with the cheque.

He said the club was established in 2007 to serve the needs of athletes of all abilities in the South Gippsland Bass Coast districts.

There are 75 members, who come from the area between Mirboo North and Phillip Island.

They train every Tuesday night for two hours, but many travel far afield for specialist training.

CFA walkout

By Jane Ross MEMBERS of the 10 fire brigades in Bass Coast are threatening a mass walk out if the CFA goes ahead with plans to switch them to different regional headquarters.

They have fought such a move twice before and say this third attempt makes no sense.

The end result, they warn, could be catastrophic for the future viability of the CFA in Bass Coast Shire.

Members are angry too that the CFA hierarchy has not consulted with them. There are 337 volunteers in the brigade group.

The argy bargy has been going on since the end of last September.

Bass Coast Fire Brigades Group Officer Damien O’Connor, said the CFA is being pressured by the State Government to go ahead with the change, failing to appreciate the members, their volunteer status and need to be able to fit their volunteering into their already busy lives.

The 10 brigades have voted unanimously to reject the move.

It’s a bureaucratic decision, said Mr O’Connor, which would mean volunteers from Wonthaggi, Kernot, San Remo, Bass,

Kilcunda, Dalyston, Glen Alvie and French Island, would have to travel to Sale for training.

A letter signed by the captains of the affected brigades has been sent to CFA CEO Michael Bourke.

Bass MLA Ken Smith has pledged his support.

So have the councillors at Bass Coast Shire.

Mr O’Connor said the Bass Coast Group has “an excellent working relationship” with the shire council.

At their first meeting for the year, councillors passed unanimously an urgent motion moved by Cr John Duscher, backing the group’s stance.

“This is a most serious issue,” said Cr Duscher.

“The viability of our fire protection service is in question.

“Many of our valued, wonderful volunteers have reluctantly threatened to walk away from this crucial service if these changes occur and this is a risk that I’m not prepared to accept.

“Those making these decisions do not seem to understand – or want to understand – the position of our Bass Coast units.

“Its impact could be horrendous and the process has been outrageous.”

Cr Duscher pledged to “stand shoulder to shoulder with these brave, committed and highly skilled members of the community who protect us so well”.

Cr Gareth Barlow said the council was well placed to understand the sense of frustration felt by those who suffer under a State Government that neither consults nor listens.

“You’re not being considered and it’s your work. That can be soul-destroying.

“No one can be realistically expected to cross the Strzeleckis at night (for training).

That’s the kind of problem you get when you don’t consult people.

“We support our brigades and their work on the community’s behalf.”

Cr Veronica Dowman said the CFA was “trying to turn a very good volunteer service into a bureaucratic system”.

The CFA’s reason for the move is to align fire brigade group boundaries with municipal ones.

When this was proposed in 2005 and 2007, the Bass Coast brigades made their position clear: no way.

Mr O’Connor said then CFA CEO Neil Bibby, had reassured them that if the topic ever arose again, the CFA would come to Bass Coast for discussions “before any announcements were made”.

Patrick Ryan has to go to Melbourne because there is no concrete hammer ring in South Gippsland and Alana Green spends 20 hours a week travelling to Greensborough to train and compete in pole vaulting.

Mr Broadbent, who is facing a race of his own this year in the Federal election, congratulated the club on its success. He was something of a sprinter himself in his school days, but couldn’t recall any of his best times.

Anyone interested in joining the club should ring David on 5662 3637.

PAGE 6 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Back to school

CHILDREN from all over South Gippsland started the school year yesterday, with laughter mixing with tears as friendships were reborn and reluctant Preps separated from parents.

The Star was there to catch the excitement of the first day of the 2010 school year.

Newhaven College: fro Darien and Maddison m left : new Preps Michael, Alexander, enjoyed their first mo College on Phillip Isl rning at Newhaven and last Friday with their teacher Mrs Ca line Wilson and new roJunior School principa who welcomed the ne l Mr Rod McKinlay , w students to school.

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Above: Ready to go: Tarwin Valley primary School Preps Skye, Amy, Lucas, Tate, Jenny and Brody.

Bags pack ed one at St : arriving at school fo L Chelsea an aurence’s, Leongath r day d Hidi. a are Left: Play time: getting accustomed to the playground equipment at St Laurence’s, Leongatha are Preps, back, Chelsea and Hidi with front, Khye and Samuel.

Fun times: Tayissa, Bhavani, and Alexander get stuck into first day craft activities with teacher Julie Charles at St Laurence’s.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 7

Lives in limbo

By Matt Dunn ONE year on from the devastating Delburn complex fires, many are still trying to piece their broken lives back together.

The Gurney family lost their home in the Darlimurla fire and all this time later they seem no closer to rebuilding on the site, due to government red tape.

Simon, Laura and two-year-old Jasmine have lived in four different houses since the blaze that turned their lives upside down.

The family has now moved to central Queensland and Simon will try his hand at mining at Rio Tinto’s Clermont coal mine until the family can build again.

Simon said the family had essentially been “homeless” since the fires.

Laura is heavily pregnant and will soon bring another little person into the Gurney brood.

“We were hoping to build at the same site. But we still haven’t been able to put our building permit through.

Nobody knows what they’re doing,” an exasperated Simon said.

“I don’t know, I don’t know. We’ve had to put an appeal into the Building Commission to get answers on it. It’s ridiculous.

“When you go to get approved materials, nothing’s been approved yet.

You know how they say fire bunkers have to be built to regulations, but there’s no regulations yet – it sounds like the same sort of deal with my house.”

While he said a building permit had been quickly approved by council, the State Government was dragging its feet in approving aspects of the house’s design.

“We’re just over all the rigmarole.

We had to get the hell out of the area,” Simon said.

Approval to build their house was supposed to come through the Building Commission of Victoria before Christmas.

“Christmas next year we’re not going to be in, is my prediction. We’re getting close to just pulling the pin,” Simon said.

Like Simon and Laura, Boolarra’s Rick and Regina Teychenne are also trying to cobble their broken lives back together.

The Teychennes were among the 30 householders who lost their homes as deliberately lit fires swept through Boolarra, Mirboo North and Darlimurla.

Asked how about his own recovery from the effects of the fire, Rick acknowledged that it was a “tough” question to answer.

The building process has been slow.

Although he and Regina have plans to live in a house on the same site as the residence that was lost, it has been an arduous journey. So far, little more than a retaining wall has been built.

In the meantime, the couple continues to rent in its beloved community.

“That’s the question that’s asked every day, ‘How’s your house going?’

It’s pretty hard. The reason for that is it just takes so long to get things done,” he said.

“The house plans have been done, and we’ve built a retaining wall. It just takes a while to get your head around things.”

Rick said he was in contact with other people in similar circumstances – people coming to terms with the loss of their homes.

“We catch up with a lot of them, just to help out. That’s pretty important, I think,” he said.

“The town’s pretty positive itself.”

He finds it hard to recount the days of the fires, and the loss of the family home, a place that was cherished for 25 years.

The Teychennes knew the fire was coming. They fled their house on Piggery Road, knowing it would be impossible to defend.

Though their worlds had been turned upside down, the couple threw themselves into the task of helping to organise the Boolarra Folk Festival, which was scheduled just five weeks after the fires.

The festival proved a huge success, attracting a crowd of more than 9000.

“It was good to be involved. It won the Latrobe Valley Community Event of the Year for a second time. It’s been a great thing for the town,” he said.

For the Teychennes and the Gur-

neys the road to recovery has been a long one. Like many others who lost their homes, things will never be quite the same. But they carry on, with an eye to the future, desperate to forget their blackened past.

Slow progress: like these trees on Piggery Road, Boolarra, the scars of the bushfires are still fresh for many local residents.

Festival heals wounds

By Matt Dunn THEY say music soothes the savage beast, but what about a community that has been ravaged by fire?

All smiles: Mr Brumby exits the field. He was in a jovial mood, but he also had a serious message for those thinking of defending their homes on a code red day.

Brumby says go

By Matt Dunn

VICTORIAN Premier John Brumby proved himself a far better bowler than former Prime Minister John Howard, when he rolled the arm over on Sunday during a community cricket match at Yinnar.

The cricket match was less about the summer game than a good excuse for Boolarra and Yinnar residents to get together one year on from the devastating bushfires that claimed 30 homes in the region.

The Premier was a surprise visitor, along with former police boss and current chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Christine Nixon.

As Mr Brumby came off the ground, one wag called out: “Good on ya JB. You’re a better bowler than little Johnny!”

Mr Brumby acknowledged the compliment with a smile and a wave.

“He’s not a bad batsman, that bloke,” he said of the Jeeralang-Boolarra Cricket

Club opener who had made easy work of the Premier’s sedate bowling.

Mr Brumby chatted casually with those who had gathered at the club to watch the game. He enjoyed a soft drink in the shade, as the mercury headed toward 40 degrees.

The Premier was smiling, but he had a serious message to deliver.

Speaking to The Star, he said he was concerned about reports that some residents were still vowing to fight to defend their homes on “catastrophic” fire days.

“The (Bushfire Royal) commission couldn’t have been stronger in its recommendations. On a really bad day, like we had on Black Saturday or Ash Wednesday, and you’re in a high fire risk area, if you want to do the safest thing, go,” he said.

“At the end of the day, people have made their own judgement. Common sense is also important. If you’re in a high fire risk area, and the safety of your family’s paramount on a code red day the safest thing to do is go.”

He said the message to people in high risk areas was “leave, and leave early”.

Organisers of the Boolarra Folk Festival believe it certainly can.

Now in its eighth year, the festival played an important role in helping the region heal in the face of adversity.

Last year’s festival was held five weeks after the devastating fires that destroyed 30 homes around Boolarra, Mirboo North and Darlimurla.

Ray Stewart, who has been an integral part of the organising committee since the first festival in 2003, believes last year’s event helped people make sense of what happened.

“The folk festival, by chance, was perfectly timed after the fires. It was five weeks after the fires. It not only gave the people from Boolarra something, but also those who were affected by the Churchill fires,” he said.

“We ran a bus over to Traralgon South and Traralgon and brought a lot of people back to the festival. It was terrific for people to sit down – probably for the first time – and talk about their experiences. Or for other people to sit down and listen to those people.”

Part of the healing process was “just letting people talk about what had happened and what they were up to.

“There were so many people that were affected who were at the festival.

They were able to sit down and say, we lost this and we lost that – it was really good,” he said.

“It was good healing. There’s probably nothing better than sitting down in a relaxed sort of environment like the park in Boolarra and listening to music while sipping some wine, and talking all about this stuff.”

Ray said the festival had also “put a lot of confidence back into the community.

The 2010 festival will be held in Railway Park, Boolarra, on Saturday, February 27 from 10am, with music in Centenary Park from 11am onwards.

Acts will include The Go See, The Stillsons, Croquet Monsieur, Todd Cook and Blank Dummy.

More details are on the Boolarra Folk Festival website, boolarrafolkfestival.com.

PAGE 8 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Missing action

By Jane Ross

THE ongoing closure of the Koonwarra section of the Great Southern Rail Trail is having a negative impact on tourism.

It’s also creating a very dangerous situation for those who take the only option for traversing that three or so kilometres of the trail – the South Gippsland Highway.

That part of the highway is narrow and there have been two nasty truck accidents there in recent months. It’s known as the Koonwarra bends.

Bill Comans who lives near the Minns Road entrance to the rail trail is appalled at the thought of walkers or riders risking their lives, never mind parents with prams or pushers.

He is the area manager for Meeniyan and District Neighbourhood Watch and is trying to get South Gippsland Council to act.

He said he has been told it is not a council matter, but with a council logo on the trail map and guide notes leaflet, Mr Comans is wondering who is responsible.

The council promotes the rail trail as a tourist attraction and Mr Comans believes that creates a liability.

“We need a public outcry,” he said, adding he is worried someone will be killed before any action is taken.

Late last year, he said he saw a woman pushing a stroller containing a toddler, a woman walking with a youngster aged about four, a man riding a bike shepherding a girl of about 10 and other walkers going along the edge of the highway towards the Minns Road entrance of the rail trail.

“What is council doing about this danger?”

An alternative “bush” track for rail trail users has been rejected by the landowners involved, including Mr Comans, who said that is not safe either.

Glenda Pitkethly of the Friends of The Great Southern Rail Trail who is the go to person for queries about the attraction, said she doesn’t recommend the bush alternative to prospective users.

She, too, is worried about the Koonwarra

missing link and urged those in the community to write to politicians “to get a bomb under VicRoads”.

For it is that institution that is holding up progress.

Mr Comans said nothing can be done about seeking funding to correct the missing rail trail link until VicRoads goes ahead with plans to eliminate the “Koonwarra bends”.

He’s not holding his breath. Those who have lived in the area longer than he, have told him correcting the bends has been mooted for 20 years.

A comment from VicRoads’ Gippsland regional director Patricia Liew, doesn’t inspire confidence either.

She said, “VicRoads is still considering the large-scale project to realign and straighten out the Koonwarra bends. We have early stage designs and plans for this project, but it has to be compared and assessed against other projects right across the State to obtain funding.

“We are also currently considering other safety treatments to tackle run-off-road type crashes along the entire stretch of South Gippsland Highway between Leongatha and Meeniyan.”

Cr David Lewis of South Gippsland Shire, has advised Mr Comans to mount a public campaign and suggested the State is the responsible authority for both the highway and the trail.

He has offered to meet with Mr Comans and rail trail representatives to try to find a way forward.

Warning: this sign near the Minns Road entrance warns Great Southern Rail Trail users of the dangers of walking along the South Gippsland Highway to Koonwarra, but there is no such warning at the Koonwarra township section of the trail.

Danger: Bill Comans is alarmed by the prospect of rail trail users coming to grief on the South Gippsland Highway at Koonwarra.

Ruby Rd revisited

By Bert van Bedaf

MUCH like not mentioning the war, the return of Ruby Rd to the council agenda is becoming a touch Fawlty-esque.

Nevertheless, the hot issue will be the subject of a rescission motion by Cr Warren Raabe and a community presentation at South Gippsland shire council’s first meeting of the year on Wednesday, February 3, 2pm.

Cr Raabe will ask council to rescind a resolution of October 15, 2008, and replace it with his new recommendation.

The October motion said that council does not close “the eastern arm of Ruby Rd” (which in effect is Ruby Rd) until VicRoads carries works on “the eastern arm of Ruby Rd” (which is in reality Ruby Arawata Rd) and the South Gippsland highway.

It called for widening Ruby Arawata Rd to 6.2 metres between the highway and the railway line “excluding the single lane bridge”; widening of the bridge to two lanes; better visibility by clearing vegetation, improvements to drainage, signage and driveway accessibility; and large on the community wish list “construction of a protected right turn lane on the approach from Leongatha to the western arm of Ruby Rd”, similar to the one leading to Koonwarra to ensure traffic safety.

Cr Raabe proposes widening Ruby Arawata Rd from 5.4m to 5.8m (down from 6.2m) as well as improvement works; retention of the single lane on the bridge and prevision of a ’Give Way’ layover area; and improvement works proposed by VicRoads to Ruby Arawata Rd before Ruby road will be closed.

A report on the outcome of public consultations has finally made it on the council website.

A local delegation will again address council on Wednesday, including Ruby CFA captain Darren Hardacre.

“Before council closes Ruby Rd, we want VicRoads to seal the shoulder on the highway and extend to the turn. We need a dedicated, right-hand turn, similar to the one in Koonwarra,” Capt Hardacre said.

Supporting Haiti victims

ALWAYS quick to embrace a good cause, South Gippsland Shire Council’s Lee-Anne McLean took part in the recent San Remo Channel Challenge to raise funds for the people of Haiti.

“I would give anything to be over in Haiti helping with the first aid effort, so I thought this would be a great way of supporting them from here,” Lee-Anne said.

She is well known for organising the first Relay for Life in South Gippsland three years ago and as a nominee for the South Gippsland Citizen of the Year Award in 2008.

She recently won $18,000 on Channel Seven’s Deal or No Deal game show and plans to use the money to study to be a paramedic.

Married with three children to council’s risk management co-ordinator Bret Mclean, Lee-Anne is council’s acting immunisation co-ordinator, while Tim De Vere is on extended leave.

Council officers have also joined in the effort, donating the funds raised from this month’s Casual Friday collection to the Haiti cause.

“We usually donate to a different South Gippsland community group each month, but this tragic incident and Lee-Anne’s unflagging enthusiasm have prompted us to depart from the norm this time and support the Haiti Earthquake Appeal,” council’s communications co-ordinator Jeannie Hicks.

Good cause: South Gippsland Shire Council officers Virginia Hall, Lee-Anne McLean and Alisha McDonald support the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 9

Economy on the rise

By Brad Lester

Milk price step-up

BUSINESSES servicing dairy farmers expect trade to remain slow for some time to come, as milk prices recover.

But while dairying is a major driver of South Gippsland’s economy, the diversity of other farming, industry and services in the region has helped businesses generally continue steadily.

That was reflected by most Leongatha businesses experiencing strong sales recently, especially over Christmas, said Leongatha Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Darryl McGannon.

The dealer principal of Edney’s Leongatha Pty Ltd vehicle dealership has seen more interest from farmers in new and used motor vehicles.

“The general feeling among local businesses is still confident and that our region will continue to grow,” he said.

“From a business view we are very fortunate that the South Gippsland area is generally stable and we do not have the highs and lows of other regions.

Our local area is now much more diverse.

“With milk prices on the rise, I would expect our economy to continue to improve as farmers will have the confidence to spend. Farmers certainly play an important role in our local economy and businesses. I would expect we will see a flow on from increasing milk prices.”

Mark Chapman of Chapman Machinery Service in Leongatha said few “big ticket items” such as tractors are selling, as farmers watch their budget.

“Dairy farmers have been pretty resourceful in the way they have reigned in their costs over this period and have made only absolutely necessary pur-

Long term focus: Mark Chapman and Kingsley Stewart of Chapman Machinery Service discuss the impacts of low dairy prices. chases, which is having an effect on what we do,” he said.

“But things are improving. They have not bought a lot of things like tractors, but implement sales have still been good and sales improved over the hay season.

“Our turnover has not been as high as last year but as milk prices improve, we expect that things will improve.”

Mr Chapman anticipates sales of feeding equipment in coming months but is not optimistic about moving large volumes.

“We won’t see most sales until the autumn break. Things will be pretty conservative until milk prices pick up again,” he said.

“But it’s not as bad as it could have

been. Most properties are reliant on equipment because they’re automated and machinery eventually wears out, so some time farmers need to renew.”

Repair work has remained steady, although not as busy as this time last year.

“Quite a number of people that we would service for are servicing their own gear. People are really trying to rein their costs in so they do not put themselves under more pressure than what they have been under,” Mr Chapman said.

“I admire the farmers for keeping their businesses viable. They really have worked their way through it. We have got good farmers in this area and our accounts are no worse than they

have been.

“It would have been pretty easy for them to book stuff up and then suddenly realise they have not got the cash flow to pay for it.”

Custom from dairy farmers has clearly slowed at Leongatha rural supplies store, AGMART. But manager Sally Hulls said fortunately business from other agricultural sectors has remained consistent.

“Dairy farmers usually buy a whole range of things but at the minute, they are sticking to the essentials. They are just not fixing fencing and just buying feed and drenches. With things they do not need, they are holding off on for a while,” she said.

Ambo anger at “black hole”

By Matt Dunn HEALTH Minister Daniel Andrews has rejected claims of an ambulance service black hole in the Bass Coast region.

The Grantville Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is under increasing pressure, with patients forced to wait longer and longer periods for ambulance intervention, Cowes ambulance station master Mal McCann said.

CERT is a volunteer group that is despatched concurrently along with ambulance crews.

“Last year that crew at Grantville did in the order of 340-odd jobs. These are volunteers, in their own time, responding to calls,” he said.

“That’s a job a day where volunteers are offering front line care. Over this last summer the resourcing has been less than ideal, shall we say.

“Sometimes these CERTs are waiting for a long time for a car to back them up. There’s been a few times where they’ve waited 20 to 30 minutes. The whole area is under pressure for resources.”

Mr McCann said the average time the CERTs waited was 11 to 12 minutes.

“Of course, if you’re an unconscious patient, that time is critical,” he said.

“They might despatch the car from Wonthaggi, but they might get another job. So they go to the next nearest car, which might be Cowes. They fire

Cowes off, but that might be 10 minutes into the job.”

He said the CERT team did a “tremendously good job” but “they can be swinging on the branch for ages waiting for an ambulance to come”.

Mr McCann said the CERT team was set up to address the service shortfall in the region, and there was always an understanding that an ambulance crew would be eventually stationed there.

Member for Bass Ken Smith, who has been campaigning on the issue, was angered by a letter sent to him by Health Minister Daniel Andrews denying the problem.

“The Minister is underestimating how valuable this group of dedicated volunteers is to the community. Ambulance services in the area are coping because of them, not despite them,” he said.

“The core team of 12 responds to more than 500 cases each year, and they are exhausted.”

Mr Smith said the State Government had taken “advantage of the Grantville CERT’s professionalism and commitment to ignore the problem.”

CERT chairman David Blum said he would be part of a group meeting Mr Andrews in Melbourne on Thursday to talk about the issues facing the group.

“We find it difficult to get volunteers. We’ve only got seven live volunteers at the moment to fill

the shift for seven days a week 24 hours a day,” he said.

“We’re training another half dozen or so in the next couple of months. If you train six you might net four, or something like that and a few others drop out.”

While there had been 12 who put their hands up to be on call around the clock, numbers had dwindled.

The stresses of the volunteer role are extreme, Mr Blum said.

“Some guys are doing continuous night shifts.

You can’t find someone else to do it. You might get some people who do six night shifts in a row,” he said.

“They can’t have any alcohol, they have to be at home.”

Mr Blum is hopeful that the meeting with Mr Andrews will produce a commitment to build an ambulance station at Grantville.

Ken Smith is not holding his breath.

“Ambulance Victoria has refused to support the new Grantville and District Ambulance Auxiliary in their quest for the new 24-hour station, saying it only supports auxiliaries connected to existing ambulance stations,” he said.

“Mr Andrews has agreed to meet the auxiliary, but it is difficult to see the point in doing so. He has already dismissed the issue by saying any decision on the ambulance station will be made following the completion of Ambulance Victoria’s plan for rural service delivery.”

Continued from page 1.

“It will certainly help make a difference because we’ve had to cut back on a lot of things and now it means that we will be able to get ahead and do them,” he said.

“Anything is better than nothing. The way things are going, we will probably get another one or two rises.

“It’s been pretty tight all the way through. We have to keep up the fertiliser because if you don’t, you don’t have any feed but now we won’t have to worry about that.”

MG supplier Ray Argento of Toora said farmers had accumulated debt to cope and would now focus on paying that off.

“By no means is the step-up going to enable us to go out and spend at this stage,” he said.

“A lot of farmers had major purchases locked in because they thought it was going to be a good season and so now they’ve had to lock down.

“Farmers have got some way to go before they are at the level they were at previously. It will take several months to pay off the debt they have accumulated in the last couple of months.”

The Argentos have coped on minimal income by ruling out capital purchases and covering existing debt.

“We will just maintain the farm to the level where we are just running the farm on a maintenance budget,” Mr Argento said.

“The drop in grain prices assisted us to cushion the blow but in saying that, all our other costs have remained high.”

MG managing director Stephen O’Rourke said continued market returns had enabled higher prices to be passed on to farmers.

“We will continue to consider investments that will improve the farmgate milk price for the co-operative’s suppliershareholders. This is important as we aim to improve farm profitability and reduce volatility,” he said.

“The co-operative remains in good health post the global financial crisis and is well placed to consider projects that provide immediate as well as longer-term benefits to suppliers, including processing efficiency gains and increasing sales of value-added products.”

Bega Cheese chairman Barry Irvin said the positive outlook for dairy and the improvement in overall global economic conditions permitted the payment to be made. Fonterra spokesperson James Molan said there was “nothing to report at this stage”.

“We are running our own race and will pass on the market returns to our suppliers as quickly and equitably as we can responsibly do so,” he said.

According to GippsDairy, the regional development program for Gippsland’s dairy industry, milk price reductions have forced 63 per cent of dairy farmers to change their long term plans and 39 per cent to reduce supplementary feeding levels.

Wonthaggi real estate booming in 2010

By Jane Ross BASS Coast is no longer a poor man’s paradise.

The base price of land is steadily increasing, housing prices are running parallel with the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire and Wonthaggi has been named as a Victorian real estate “hot spot”.

Presenting the first stage of an Affordable Housing Study to Bass Coast Council at its January meeting, community and economic development direc-

tor Patti Wenn said, “This is quickly becoming an unaffordable shire.”

The study shows there is a lack of appropriate affordable housing options in the shire. The median house price has risen from $273,928 in 2006, to $279,964 in 2008.

Vacant land prices are now equivalent to the Melbourne averages for 2006.

Rental costs have escalated and Inverloch and Phillip Island are becoming gentrified; that is, they are towns of higher advantage than the average for the whole of Bass Coast Shire and regional

Victoria.

The study will continue until mid 2012, because its aim is to determine the impacts of construction of the Wonthaggi desalination plant on local housing affordability.

Cr Veronica Dowman noted a critical lack of appropriate affordable housing, while Cr Jane Daly made the comment about poor man’s paradise.

Michael McLeod of Res Com’s Wonthaggi office confirmed the trend for The Star. He said there had been a huge upswell of interest in Wonthaggi.

He suggested that if more land was opened up, it

would be more affordable.

He said he and his colleagues are “flat out”.

“The market has changed. A lot more people from Melbourne are looking to buy here. Wonthaggi is no longer the sleepy hollow it used to be.

Leongatha and Foster aren’t either.”

He said buyers are looking for lifestyle properties and residential homes.

Cr Ross Smith told his colleagues that if the council does not open up more land, “the government will step in and that terrifies me.

“We can’t put our heads in the sand.”

PAGE 10 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

WALKERVILLE residents and holidaymakers were recently treated to free films in the beachside North Walkerville hall. Films by the Sea, a marine-themed documentary program, ran from January 16 - 28. An initiative of a Walkerville resident and supported with funding from Councillor Mohya Davies, quality documentaries from around the world were screened on alternate evenings and communicated issues relating to the marine environment.

Issues included ocean acidification, pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices of illegal operatives. The evenings

LEONGATHA Retravision owner Kelvin Smith brought out a cake for Diane Thiele’s birthday last week. Diane looked more than a little surprised when The Star captured this photo.

directed at surfers and children proved to be the most popular. Pictured is local CFA volunteer Michael Moore cooking up a storm for filmgoers.

THIS year will be the eighth Annual Dumbalk Village Market. The market started life as the Dumbalk car boot sale, and only took up the car park in front of Dumbalk Hall. Each year after that more and more stallholders with craft appeared, so it became the Dumbalk Car Boot and Craft Market. The amount and variety of stallholders has had a life of its own over the years,

AUSTRALIA Day wouldn’t be the same without the South Gippsland Shire Brass Band. Drum Major Peter Mayo led the way at last week’s celebrations, keeping the bad in time and heading along the correct route. from a ute loaded with spuds out the front, to exquisite craft and cooking inside, the new name of Dumbalk Village Market seems to cover it all.

Run by the Dumbalk and District Progress Association (DDPA), the annual market has raised many dollars for the community. The local CFA, the recreation committee, the back-to committee, historical photo display and the wall mural are a few of the groups and projects benefiting from work of the DDPA. So let us make the eighth year a big one and get those garages and back rooms cleaned out.

Stalls are available for $15 inside and $10 outside. Trestle tables are available for a minimal charge on request. To book a stall, contact Bev

Hanley on 5664 4344 or Kay Cook on 5664 4288.

See you there, Saturday, February 27, 8am.

YOU still have until Sunday February 7 to visit the ‘Making a Mark’ exhibition/installation of wooden bookmarks by forty local artists and writers at Ride The Wild Goat gallery in Fish Creek. While over 150 bookmarks have been sold since the opening, there are still many beautiful, unique pieces by wellknown and emerging artists available for purchase at $20 each. The gallery is situated at 5 Falls Rd, and is open Friday to Monday 10.30 – 4.30. Enquiries 5683 2661, 5687 1370.

MICHAEL Baden Powell, the grandson of Lord Baden Powell who was the founder of the Scout and Guide movements

has accepted an invitation to attend the local Girl Guides’ 100 years celebration and reunion to be held on Sunday February 21 at Coal Creek Community Park.

Organiser of this event, Linda Harvey is excited that a close relative of Lord Baden Powell will be their official guest and she says that there has been a lot of interest shown by past members who were Brownies, Guides or Leaders from all local districts and many have indicated that they are coming.

Anyone who has been involved with the local Brownies or Guide units from all districts within Woorayl region is welcome to attend.

This event is also open to the public to come along and enjoy a carnival of activities, memorabilia, photo and uniform displays. The day starts at 10am, an official short segment at 11am followed by a sausage

MARJ and Ross Pearson (pictured below) recently celebrated 40 years of marriage. They were married on January 24, 1970 at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Leongatha

by Rev John Symington. They have two children, Tim and Angela, and seven grandchildren. sizzle lunch. Enquiries to Linda Harvey ph 5659 2244.

CORNER Inlet Disability Alliance (C.In.D.A.) support group for parents, carers and family members of children with additional needs meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The next meeting will be held on February 17 at 12noon until 2pm at the Toora Pub. Enquiries:

Helen 5688 1267, Christina on 5688 1229 or Yvonne 1800 010 453 or 5135 3131.

THE Anderson toilet block at the Anderson roundabout and bus stop opened late last week.

The toilets will be open daily from 6am to 11pm.

The toilets were built and funded by the Department of Transport.

POLICE BRIEFS Beach streaker caught after nude dash INVERLOCH Police apprehended a nude beach streaker on Friday, January 29, after a spate of similar incidents on Inverloch and Cape Paterson beaches.

Inverloch Police’s Leading Senior Constable Liza Burrows said the Ferntree Gully man, who is believed to own a holiday house in Inverloch, had been charged with wilful and obscene exposure after the naked dash.

“He was near the Surf Lifesaving Club tower near the main surf beach in Inverloch.

He ran along the beach completely nude,” she said.

L/S/C Burrows said the man was not affected by alcohol at the time of the incident.

“He’s known for this type of behaviour. He hid in the scrub and was eventually arrested by police after he was tracked down,” she said.

“We believe this man’s been doing this sort of thing for most of the summer. We’ve had numerous reports from Inverloch and Cape Paterson since Christmas time about a male exposing himself. We think this is the bloke.

“He’s got a bit of a history of this type of behaviour.”

Vandalism spree KORUMBURRA was under siege in the early hours of Sunday morning, with windows broken, pot plants thrown on business roofs and bins overturned in the main shopping strip.

“There’s been some damage happen throughout the town, including a broken

window at Korumburra Marine. There was also some other vandalism throughout the Commercial Road and Mine Road area,” Korumburra Police’s Leading Senior Constable Carl Baido said.

“There was vandalism at Alex Scott, near the Top Pub. Damage was mostly likely to have happened after 2 on Sunday morning.

They made a bit of a mess in the main street by tipping over bins.”

L/S/C Baido said CCTV footage would be analysed from cameras in the town to gain clues as to who might have committed the offences.

Korumburra Marine owner Mark Stedman said he was “gutted” by the latest window breakage.

In September last year Mr Stedman had his windows damaged by a projectile that police believe was fired from a slingshot.

Rooftop alarm A 25-year-old Inverloch man, who was ejected from McCartin’s Hotel in Leongatha on Saturday night, inadvertently set off an alarm at the Amcal Pharmacy.

“He wanted to get back in so he thought he might climb up on the roof the pharmacy and climb back into the pub that way,” Leongatha Police’s Leading Senior Constable Andy Boldiston said.

The man found his way into the pharmacy, setting off an alarm in the process.

“When we found him he was on the roof.

We got him down and he’s been charged with trespass. He’ll appear at Korumburra Magistrates Court some time in the future,”

L/S/C Bolidston said.

Safeway theft LEONGATHA Police are asking the public for assistance after a Ruby woman was robbed of about $1000 in cash and goods in the car park of Safeway Leongatha.

“The woman inadvertently left her handbag on a trolley at Safeway. She was only gone two minutes when she realised. She came back and it was already gone,” Leongatha Police’s Leading Senior Constable Andy Boldiston said.

“There was a number of items in the bag and the total value of the theft was about $1000.

That hurts.

“She had a chat to a few people, but no one saw anything. It happened in a very short space of time.”

Underage drinkers LEONGATHA Police have noted a spike in underage drinking in the town.

“There were a number of young and underage people walking around town on Saturday night with open alcohol. There were a few penalty notices issued for underage drinking and having open alcohol,” Leongatha Police’s Leading Senior Constable Andy Boldiston said.

“They’re walking from a party to a party.

The fines can range from $58 to $117. If they’re underage and they’ve got alcohol, they can cop both.”

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 11

Celebrating Oz Australia day ceremonies were held across South Gippsland last week. From the pomp and ceremony of marching bands in Leongatha to a quiet barbecue at a local fire station, there was no shortage of flag-waving and overt patriotism.

Proud Aussie: SES’ Neil Warren was proud to carry the flag in Leongatha.

Proud day: Ruby Mackie enjoys the day with her dad, Stu at Meeniyan.

Above: Little Aussies: Zara, 5, and Jerym, 3 ½ , were happy to fly the flag at the Leongatha celebrations.

Below: No doubt: Leongatha’s Celine Chandrasegaran, 14 months, is Aussie through and through.

Young Aussies: from left: the Emery children of Wonthaggi Hayden, Chad, Georgina and Angelica and friend Callum Bugbird of Cape Paterson proudly wore their Aussie gear at the special Australia Day breakfast in Wonthaggi last week.

Aussie spirit: Emily Shand and Tim Evans, of the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, show their patriotic colours.

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Ambassador: from left: Bass Coast Shire CEO Allan Bawden enjoyed Wonthaggi’s Aussie Day breakfast on January 26 with MC Jan Bourne, four time premiership coach David Parkin who acted as the Bass Coast Australia Day Ambassador and Bass Coast Mayor Peter Paul.

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PAGE 12 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Tarwin’s rich history School reports AS most children returned to school this week, the talk among parents was of the new ranking system for academic achievement.

The Federal Government has released a score card for schools on its My School website.

The site purportedly reveals the strengths and weaknesses of schools, comparing them to the overall average and to similar schools in size and demographics.

While The Star believes that holding schools accountable is a fine aim, there are concerns that the My School rankings will do more harm than good.

Will schools now “teach to the test”, making sure that their highest priority is having students who score highly during these Federal Government exams?

Will schools which rate poorly move into a cycle of lower achievement as parents who can afford it and who care enough try to move their children to “better” schools.

We want school children who can read, write, add, subtract and plenty more as well.

But with primary school students, especially, it is about more than report cards. It is about helping children become confident, socially adept and in love with learning.

They might not make the grade with Julia Gillard, but let us hope there are still school principals who recognise that the quality of the people they help produce is just as important as the numbers on their report cards.

A year on LAST weekend marked the first anniversary of the Delburn Complex fires, which were a terrible prelude to the even worse events of Black Saturday.

While communities usually have the resources and support to fight back after the fires have passed, many individuals continue to suffer for a long time afterwards.

Perhaps the biggest support they can receive is from government authorities who can help or hinder as they try to rebuild their lives. It seems there is still red tape tying up some people’s efforts to re-establish their homes and properties.

Get the scissors out, Mr Brumby, and cut right through it.

Letters guidelines ALL letters should be kept to 400 words or less.

The Star reserves the right to edit all letters for length and style.

Writer’s details, including full name, address and phone number (not for publication), must be included.

The Great Southern Star Address: 36 McCartin St Leongatha, 3953 Ph: (03) 5662 2294 Fax: (03) 5662 4350 Editor: Danny Buttler Email: news@thestar.com.au

Advertising Manager: Joy Morgan Email: advertising@thestar.com.au ACN 006507580 ABN 61 318 952 541 Print Post 336735 10006

Re: Article on Fish Creek/Tarwin cricket reunion.

It was stated in The Star article that Tarwin Lower cricket team had never won a premiership in A Grade.

As a proud member of the Tarwin Lower community and an ex-cricketer, I would like to set the record straight.

As Tarwin won three consecutive premierships in the Stony Creek and District Cricket Association from 1949 to 1952, I reckon we can claim to have been champions more than once.

In those years, they defeated Stony Creek once and Fish Creek twice to prove themselves the best team in South Gippsland during that era.

Prominent cricketers of that era included captain Alan Buckley, his brother John, Ray Cashin, Jim Cashin, Ted Fisher, Frank Davies, Harold Webster, Goff Jongebloed, Owen McMicking and Lyn Ollington.

We are delighted be part of a great partnership with Fish Creek these days, but have a rich history of our own that deserves to be recognised.

I was at the Fish Creek/Tarwin/Yanakie

Mad times THE launch of MADS “PantoGames In The Parks” at Meeniyan Tanderra Park was undoubtedly a success, with 20 or so people who came to support or take part.

It was good to see the children having so much fun with the challenge games that were part of the narrated story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with a touch of Paul Hendry’s twisted sense of humour thrown in to create additional characters.

Hats off to the local adults who willingly donned funny hats and costumes to join in with the children to make up the number of characters needed.

The Fish Creek, Foster and Toora events were equally successful and there was an interest shown by quite a few new people in joining us in future events or performances as a result of this project.

They must all be completely MAD! We will be making a donation to the CFA in each town from the donated proceeds at

Premier’s past: Tarwin Lower’s grand final winning team from 1950. reunion and wish to congratulate the organisers on a fantastic event that will be remembered for long time.

And thanks to The Star for their

each event as we advertised on the flyer, as they do such good work in each area.

Pat Hendry President MADS Inc.

The USSA PRINCE William made a flying visit to Australia and his presence here has re-opened the debate about us becoming a republic. One would have thought that this matter would have been laid to rest after the 1999 referendum on the subject.

However, it looks like the topic is going to be revisited every generation or less. Those promoting the “grand” idea aren’t going to give up easily.

The electorate needs to stop and consider a few facts before they rush to change the present system to that of a republic.

Many think that all that is necessary is to replace the Governor General with a President and things will continue as before.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

We hold so many things dear in this country as a result of the monarchial system of government. All lands are held in pri-

VOXPOP! VOX ONE year on from the devastating bushfires that destroyed 30 homes in and around Mirboo North, The Star travelled out to the region to ask locals: Has enough been done to help fireaffected communities recover?

coverage – you seemed to get most things right.

David Webster Middle Tarwin

vate ownership as a result of the crown. Abolish the crown and land ownership will revert to the state. Also, the ancient laws and customs, though in many cases ignored by the courts, will go out the door and international “law” from the United Nations will be substituted.

Instead of Australia going ignorantly into a republic we should be fighting hard to learn, understand and protect what we have.

Pause and think if we will be better off under a republic organised and led by our present crop of politicians. This will affect everyone, young and old.

Let us not remove the ancient land marks for light and trivial reasons.

Can you see it now, “The Soviet Socialist Republic of Australia”? Hmm. Eddie Nowak Gormandale

Seasonal problem In answer to Nancy of Cohuna, we welcome pleasant friendly law abiding visitors to our town, but so many seem to leave their good manners behind, along with their road sense.

These dog problems seem to arrive with the visitors.

As residents we have to put up with yapping visiting animals who never leave their properties for exercise.

Many residents also collect all the rubbish, on their morning walks, that is left around after these visitors have spent their day on the beach.

This so-called problem is certainly a seasonal one.

J. Allen Inverloch

Frustrated farmer

“Yes. I think there’s been a lot of support.”

Helen Heesom, Yinnar

“Yes, I would say so. Everyone seems to be waited on hand and foot.”

Winifred Morris, Yinnar

“I think mainly there has.

Twelve months down the track people have got more of an idea of what they really want. So now is an easier time to spend some of the money that’s been collected on their behalf.

Julia Allen (with baby daughter Olivia), Yinnar

“Absolutely. Look at all the activities that have been going on. We’ve been funded very well.”

Paul McGrath Boolarra

Just like Mt Eccles farmer Ian Campbell, I wasn’t too happy about the licensing of dam water for dairy shed use either.

When I first got the paperwork in regards to this, I did the rounds with the phone to every department involved with not much joy.

I eventually called Southern Rural Water and the young woman at the other end of the line was a great help.

She took my details and

then she found out we already had a licence for dam water use which was issued back in July 2005, which we were never notified about.

After I did my own calculations I found this licence to be adequate for our needs at the moment.

If ever it comes to farmers having to pay for further costs then I have the intent to send a yearly account for water storage and maintenance costs to all the dams that supply water for dairy shed use. Some people might think this is a joke on my part, well it’s not.

Unlike the costs that will be forced onto dairy farmers for a water licence if they don’t get one before the deadline and any other costs that can be added in the future.

In the last couple of years, dairy farmers have been dealing with much lower than average milk prices, increased operating costs and now we have to add licensing fees as well.

Where will it end ? I always thought it was encouraged to keep prime farming land for the express use of dairying.

How can this added licence with any other possible costs be an incentive to keep farmers on the land?

I also feel sorry for all those people who took advantage of the Government’s rebate on water tanks when we had that drought a few years ago.

They had to return details of their water tank with appropriate installation details which in turn has given the Government all the ammunition they need to send out notices in the future to charge people for a licence to have water tanks on their property.

What’s next? A fee for having a roof over your head or for running a business? Oh wait, we already have that, it’s called shire rates. Where will it end?

Regards from a dried up and frustrated dairy farmer.

Tony Gasperini

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 13

PAGE 14 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

• OBITUARY

Allen’s final call-out

Farewell friend: CFA operations manager Gary Weir (above) salutes the captain of the Inverloch Fire Brigade and long-time mate Allen Miles.

Right, pallbearers carry Allen Miles from the Inverloch Anglican Church on Friday. Large numbers of CFA members and representatives of the Inverloch community attended to pay tribute to a man with an outstanding record of service.

FIRE fighters around South Gippsland and beyond are mourning the death of their colleague Allen Miles.

Allen, who served the Inverloch community in many ways, was farewelled on Friday at a big funeral at the Anglican Church in Inverloch.

The brigade’s fire truck escorted the hearse from the church, through a guard of honour of fellow CFA members.

Allen’s CFA mate Alan Price delivered the following tribute: “I feel very honoured to give an account of my friend Allen Joseph Miles’ life and his involvement with the CFA here at Inverloch and in the Leongatha Korumburra Group of Brigades.

“I admit before l start that it will only be a snapshot because Milesy as he was known, would need a book to be written about him to cover everything that this man did. Each of us here have our own particular memories of Milesy that we can bring to mind at this moment and l can only bring my memories of the man to this tribute and reflection.

“My first sighting of Milesy was in the early 1980s when l came to Pound Creek and went to the Inverloch Primary School fete and l saw this bloke, who l later found out was the president of School Council, holding a huge crowd of people back at the gates and saying, ‘no one gets in till 9am and anyone who tries to sneak in will be evicted.’

“Milesy honed his skill at crowd control in those days and they came in useful when the brigade had its yearly Easter garage sales and he would say, ‘No one gets in before 9am and anyone not in CFA uniform will be evicted’.

“From that early beginning, we went on to become mates. We were neighbouring captains, he was group secretary and encouraged me to stand for deputy group officer and l would bet he had the vote worked out long before election night.

“About 16 years ago Milesy, Don Allan who was group officer then and myself began to meet for lunch on Thursdays at the Inverloch Fire Station, or Milesy’s office as it was known. This has been a ritual until a few weeks ago when he sometimes could not make it.

“Over those years my family called it a pow wow. Allan Williamson (Milsey’s son-in-law) called it the meeting of the three wise monkeys, with a definite lack of respect showing as he said it.

“Rodney Buchanan and any others present heard us solve every problem the CFA has had - will have - or might be going to have. I like to think we were the CFA Thursday Lunchtime Think Tank because over the years much of what we discussed has happened.

“Milesy loved the CFA. He had a great heart for the volunteers and what the organisation stands for at community level. He always went in to bat for his brigade and community and l sometimes

thought he could be very pigheaded with his point of view, but he told me he was just strong willed.

“Who am l to argue with a man who over 38 years trained countless firefighters and who gave over 38 years’ service to this community?

“He also probably for 38 years, drove some regional officers batty with his requests for equipment and then he went on to tell them he could source those same torches they purchased for $38 for just $8.

“Milesy and l did a CFA logistics course at Fiskville years ago and l don’t know why they sent him because he already knew how to hit the phone and source CFA torches, jackets, boots, hoses, trucks, utes, computers, data screens, data projectors, GPS units.

“He even got a ride-on mower for a bloke he didn’t know from Kilcunda.

But his pride and joy in all that time was organising the brigade to raise the money to design and construct Milesy’s Office, the Inverloch Fire Station, which has served this community for many years.

“He did not want or expect that building to stay as a monument and in the last few years he and the brigade have been working hard to have the station upgraded and he was able to see his office pulled down last week.

“Sadly Milesy won’t sit in the new station, but we can thank him for a lot of what will be incorporated in that building, as he has been poring over the plans for the last few years and has the office furniture already in storage for when the keys are handed over.

“I said at the beginning this will only be a snapshot of Milesy and that is all it is.

I haven’t even mentioned his outstanding record as captain for 34 years, group delegate 34 years, group secretary 34 years, received the National Medal 1990, Inverloch School Council president for 10 years and my daughters remember Milesy driving the bus and helping supervise the school camps over those years.

“He even got to play Santa, and each year in the lead-up to Christmas the station would be Santa’s logistics centre, with presents aligned by street number and name. Vehicles rolled out at the right time with a correctly attired Santa and his helpers.

“Allen Miles was generous to anyone who needed a hand up, he was an encourager.

“Milesy, l hope l have conveyed something of your character. You have left a legacy that the brigade can use as a model to follow.

“As a person you mentored me, and as your friend l can say with confidence you were a credit to yourself, a credit to your family and your community. You will be missed.”

Allen Miles is survived by his wife Joyce, daughter Kim, son John and two grandchildren.

At attention: the Inverloch CFA truck leads the cortege through a CFA guard of honour.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 15

Inlet intrigues THE full beauty of Corner Inlet captivates visitors as they drive over the hills of Foster North.

The water extends from the rolling hills and meets the wilderness of Wilsons Promontory.

Fishing, swimming, boating and diving are popular human pursuits.

The inlet also supports industry: commercial fishing and acting as a servicing base for the Bass Strait oil and gas fields, located at Barry Beach.

But perhaps the true wonder of the inlet is in its natural form.

The Corner Inlet Marine National Park spans 1550 hectares, covering mudflats, mangroves and lush seagrass meadows.

The attributes of the inlet have resulted in a listing as a Ramsar wetland of international significance, protecting the inlet environment to support the many birds that live and visit here.

In and around, the inlet has its se-

crets. Here are 10 things you may not know: 1. The inlet is home to the most southerly white mangroves in the world.

2. The inlet supports more than 20,000 waterbirds, including species such as the Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Pied Oystercatcher and Mongolian Plover.

3. Fifteen per cent of the world population of Eastern Curlew may live in the inlet.

4. The inlet supports more than 20 per cent of all wader birds in Victoria and about 50 per cent of migratory waders in Victoria over winter.

Research indicates about 10 per cent of Victoria’s breeding population of Little Tern and Pied Oystercatcher inhabit the inlet.

5. Throughout the inlet live many plant species listed as threatened in Victoria, including the Rare Bitter-

Fascinating creature: a diver inspects a leatherjacket amongst strapweed.

Surprise, surprise: a hermit crab is curious about the camera.

bush, Shore Spleenwort, Coast Fescue and Crimson Berry.

6. Birds listed as a nationally threatened species, the Swift Parrot, Orange-bellied Parrot and Little Tern, call the inlet home.

7. SCUBA divers flock to the inlet to explore the many shipwrecks.

8. The Corner Inlet catchment occupies about 600 square kilometres of the central section of the South Gippsland drainage basin. That catchment includes the Bruthen Creek in the east and the Franklin River in the west, as well as part of Wilsons Promontory, north-east of Mount Latrobe.

9. Water quality has been degraded by extensive land clearing in the catchment for farming and urban development.

10. The only vast beds of Poisidonia seagrass in Victoria are in the inlet.

Soothing setting: it’s easy to see why migratory birds rest at Corner Inlet.

Stunning scenery: a pair of swans glide across the inlet near the Toora boat ramp.

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PAGE 16 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 17

Fish Creek student wins boat THE winner of the Inverloch Rotary Club’s annual boat raffle was Rhys Chalmers, an 18-year-old student from Fish Creek.

Modern man: Father Jacob Thadathil prefers casual clothes to a priest’s garb.

He’s also on Facebook.

The first prize included the boat, motor and trailer package.

A Year 12 student at Scotch College, Rhys is a keen sea and freshwater angler, and is very happy with his win.

“It’s just what I need,” was one of his first comments following the raffle draw on Sunday.

Rhys is the son of Carol and Ian Chalmers, who are dairy farmers at Fish Creek.

Besides fishing, Rhys’ other interests are horse riding, surfing, tennis and the Carlton footy club.

He has his fishing licence, but will now need to study for his power boat licence.

Second prize, a mountain bike, was won by Phil Sparnon, of Brunswick

West.

Phil, a stallholder at the Inverloch Farmers Market, is yet to collect his prize.

The raffle raised an outstanding $16,000,

boosting the Rotary Club’s coffers by $11,000 after costs.

The club thanks all of the ticket buyers who supported the raffle.

Fr Jacob Eight years young journeys on

By Jane Ross THE church has to leave its institutional eyrie and find where the people are on Struggle Street.

It’s time to come down to earth.

That’s the view of Father Jacob Thadathil, who leaves the Korumburra/ Leongatha Catholic Parish today for a new role in Foster and Yarram. He has already been booked for a wedding in the latter and, as The Star was interviewing him, agreed to conduct a funeral in the former tomorrow, his first day.

“When people see I am with them, there is a commonality and, as we struggle together, the journey becomes sweeter,” he said.

“I live my thoughts. I give input to the minds of people, otherwise we’re stale.

“If God has given me that spark of thinking without fear or favour, I must use it.

“Somebody should be daring; the church is becoming irrelevant. I can’t drag people to church but they can come to my heart.”

Asked if he was a bit radical, this personable priest replied, “I’m just a disciple of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was a radical, then so am I!” Father Jacob came to Australia – on Australia Day seven years ago, taking the journey from his native India, via an eight-year stint in South Africa. He took out citizenship last August.

His early parishes of Narre Warren, Cranbourne and Wonthaggi brought him in contact with displaced Sudanese communities. Because he spoke an African language, he joined them on their particular Struggle Street and helped them find work and settle in.

They have gravitated to the inner suburbs of the city and Father Jacob is thrilled that the Archdiocese of Melbourne has taken up their cause.

He himself remains chaplain to migrants and refugees in the diocese of

Gippsland, a role he relishes.

“We’re all migrants or descended from migrants, apart from the Aboriginals.”

Which makes racism ridiculous. Nevertheless it exists, but in every society.

He is bemused by the outcry in the Indian media about racist attacks in Australia because he said, India has a strong caste system.

“They betray themselves,” said their countryman.

“I have a great association with the Indian community in Melbourne. I write regular columns for three different newspapers and I research and script a half hour program all about Australia for one of the Indian channels.

“I have moderated a debate on racism.

“Australia cannot be branded as racist because the country has welcomed 200 nationalities. It’s multi cultural.

“Indians who come here get a quality of life India cannot provide.”

Father Jacob is involved in organising a mass celebration on August 29 in Pakenham, when the migrants of Gippsland will converge on Pakenham in ethnic dress. He hopes many nationalities will be represented.

He’s also looking forward to another big gathering in October; a concert for young people that will probably be held in Leongatha.

That is resulting from what Father Jacob describes as “a lot of amity” between the various churches in Leongatha and Korumburra.

He has been impressed by that, as he has enjoyed the very friendly nature of people in this area, including the young with whom he has shared deep respect and affection.

“Young people see me as their friend.

“They’re all on my Facebook!

“They find the church where it is in the community, rather than in the institution.

“I greatly feel that that is a way forward for the church.”

Leongatha and Korumburra’s loss is Foster and Yarram’s gain.

Inverloch’s art hub THE new community hub at Inverloch will display the work of local artists.

Exhibitions will run for one calendar month and can be viewed free when the hub is open between 9am and 5pm.

Many artists have said

they want to take part, so Bass Coast Shire is calling for expressions of interest. These close on February 19. Application forms can be found on council’s website.

“To make this process fair to everyone, we have put together an expression of interest

form, which will help us manage the requests and create a process by which to approve exhibitions,” said community hub facilitator Cathy Giliam.

The hub has been set up with hanging rails, track lighting, open design and neutral colours.

Lucky lad: Rhys Chalmers with his new boat.

THIS year will be the eighth Annual Dumbalk Village Market.

The market started life as the Dumbalk car boot sale, and only took up the car park in front of Dumbalk hall. Each year after that more and more stallholders with craft appeared, so it became the Dumbalk Car Boot and Craft Market.

The amount and variety of stallholders has had a life of its own over the years, from a ute loaded with

spuds out the front, to exquisite craft and cooking inside, the new name of Dumbalk Village Market seems to cover it all.

Run by the Dumbalk and District Progress Association (DDPA), the annual market has raised many dollars for the community.

The local CFA, the recreation committee, the back-to committee, historical photo display and the wall mural are a few of the groups and projects benefiting from work of the

DDPA. So let us make the eighth year a big one and get those garages and back rooms cleaned out. Stalls are available for $15 inside and $10 outside.

Trestle tables are available for a minimal charge on request. To book a stall, contact Bev Hanley on 5664 4344 or Kay Cook on 5664 4288.

See you there, Saturday, February 27, 8am.

PAGE 18 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Natural worries over ramp

By Brad Lester ENVIRONMENTAL concerns are delaying dredging of the channel to the Toora boat ramp.

The channel is silting and limiting mariners’ use of the ramp to a short timeframe either side of high tide.

A ramp accessible 24 hours a day would increase maritime safety and most likely lead to more people using the ramp, possibly creating extra business for

the Toora community.

South Gippsland Shire Council engineering officers are now considering options for action but dredging is the most likely path to be taken, said engineering manager, Tony Price.

“Our options are still under review. The ramp is not closed,” he said.

“The channel is silting up each year and we will have to dredge in the future. Dredging appears to be the only option for that channel.”

The ramp is located

in the Ramsar wetland of Corner Inlet, noted for its international significance as habitat for migratory birds.

That listing poses challenges as to where authorities can dispose of dredge spoil.

“We will need to find out where we can dispose of the dredged material and consider the native flora and fauna in that,” Mr Price said.

Once engineering staff have reached a conclusion, they will prepare a report for council to consider and

could then possibly seek government funding to undertake the works.

Council may receive a report within the first six months of this year, or a briefing paper at least.

“One way or the other, a decision will be made eventually,” Mr Price said.

“We seem to jump a fence and then there is another hurdle in front of us.

It’s not straightforward.

“It’s a project that involves different authorities and we have to draw on the expertise of different authorities.”

From pages past Historical snippets from The Star One year ago, February 3, 2009 Members of the Salvation Army had every reason to celebrate the Leongatha branch of the army’s 21st birthday. Music, face painting and a Country Fire Authority display made the party complete. **** Waratah Beach surf life saver Andrew Wynd is cooling off in Europe, competing in the cross country skiing world championships.

He will contest the 15km section at the event, to be held in the Czech Republic.

Five years ago, February 1, 2005 Sir David Attenborough was in Korumburra last week to film the

Giant Gippsland Earthworm as part of his next television documentary series. The worm is the largest of its kind in the world, spanning 80100cm and with a diameter of two centimetres. **** A former Allambee South man has won the national and Victorian Speedboat Championships. Darren Penington reaches speeds of up to 160km/h in his boat and starred in both events at Lake Glenmaggie near Heyfield.

10 years ago, February 1, 2005 Fish Creek firefighter Neville Pulham has been recognised for his distinguished service to the Country Fire Authority for more than 44

years. The award is the most prestigious within Australian firefighting circles. **** Tauri Litchfield of Inverloch and Garry Reeves of Venus Bay have won the Tarwin River Marathon. The South Gippsland Yacht Club members starred in a race contested by 18 boats.

30 years ago, February 5, 1980 Two Canadian bowlers were guests at the Inverloch Bowls Club.

Visitors Madge Anthony and Myrtle McCauley enjoyed having their photo taken with Linda Jongebloed and Cass Caughey.

Work underway: South Gippsland Shire Council is considering dredging options for the Toora boat ramp.

Giant sale raises funds THE giant garage sale held recently by the Inverloch and

District Lions Club survived the early morning rain and

Member Lions: from left standing, are Inverloch Lions members Geoff Cole, Lionel Wood, Steve McHugh, Heather Carroll and Alan Landers, while sitting are Michael Morgan, Jill Hill and Dennis Turner, who volunteered their time for the garage sale.

wind to achieve a near sell-out.

The advantage of having a sale on a long weekend is that so many visitors stay in Inverloch and are in the mood for browsing and buying.

When there are watches for sale at $5, going down to $3 by late afternoon, there was a bargain available for everyone.

All leftovers were given to local opportunity shops and other charities for further fund raising.

AS the holiday season draws to a close, the family focus has shifted over the past week to preparing for the return to school.

I’d lost my best mate and then he called After two years, he was back.

He’d made the call, got help and his gambling hasn’t interfered with his life since.

Whether it’s one-on-one counselling, financial advice, group support or online counselling, two-thirds of people that contact Gambler’s Help end up gambling a lot less.

It’s working for my mate. Why not you?

There is excitement, fears and tears for many starting school, and it’s often equally as stressful for their parents.

The excellent road education program conducted at all local kindergartens in November by Council’s School Crossing Supervisors will at least bring some familiarity and security to those walking to school.

Please take extra care on the roads, particularly near our schools, remembering the 40km/h speed zones will once again be activated and that there may be some congestion as new students and parents learn the ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ routine.

It’s back to decision-making for the Councillors too, with our first Council meeting for the year this week.

We‘d like to see more residents attend Council meetings to better understand the machinations of Council, and with Budget preparations coming up, it is worthwhile thinking of the improvements you would like to see in the community, and telling us now so that they can be given due consideration in the budgetary process.

The last opportunity for you to take advantage of Council’s subsidised micro-chipping program will be this Sunday (February 7) at the Korumburra Recreation Reserve from 9.30 – 1.30pm for the moderate cost of $25.

Council cannot register or renew the registration of a dog or cat after March 1 unless the dog or cat has been implanted with a microchip.

Responsible pet ownership sessions will also be held next week for residents in the outlying areas of Kongwak, Poowong, Mt Best and Mirboo (not Mirboo North), details of which are in the Noticeboard ad in this issue.

Renewal Notices for pet registration are expected to be distributed in early March.

Along with a large crowd, I attended the Kongwak Market for the first time last week and was pleasantly surprised with the diversity of interests represented there, and the fact that it draws a good crowd all year round on a weekly basis.

It has even added some mid week twilight markets over the summer.

The entrepreneurial spirit is certainly alive and well in our small towns and adds greatly to our lifestyle options.

We have had word that the Minister for Planning will receive a delegation from Council shortly regarding C48 and hardship issues raised in the 84 submissions that we forwarded to him in November. This meeting is an essential part of the ongoing process to achieve an acceptable resolution to farm zone planning issues.

Cr Jim Fawcett Mayor

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 19

Just cruising CRUISING on a lluxury li liner iis all ll the rage at the moment, keeping travel agents on their toes.

Jill Carmody, of Jetset in Leongatha, said the demand for leisure cruises was high, especially on Australian and Pacific routes.

P&O, one of the biggest cruise companies in the world, is conducting a huge cruise sale on board its latest superliner Pacific Jewel.

Offering a range of itineries, on board passengers can enjoy a unique dining experience at the Salt Grill and watch amazing high wire circus acts at night on top of the deck trapeze.

Itineraries range from two to 16 nights to a host of idyllic destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand, along Queensland’s tropical north coast or Tasmania.

“With savings of up to 50 per cent off P&O’s selected cruises during its sale, Jill believes this is the right time to book a cruise.

Prices range from as low as $729 for seven nights to Noumea and Isle of Pines in New Caledonia, from Sydney and back, to 16 nights on a Bounty Adventure, visiting New Caledonia and Fiji.

The New Zealand cruise takes 13 nights, while 10 nights on the Queensland coast takes in Cairns and Port Douglas.

Princess Cruises is also offering a range of journeys that can either take passengers to familiar and well-visited shores or take them on new itineraries that include Bali or longer voyages to Asia, China, Japan or Tahiti.

At sea, the days can be as busy or re-

llaxing i as people l want. t There Th are so many activities on board that passengers won’t be bored.

Some like a morning jog around the deck, or work out at the gym, but others might prefer to relax with a good book, or laze at the pool or in the spa.

Anyone preferring to be a spectator can watch satellite television in the sports bar or try his or her hand at digital golf.

A wide range of workshops can be entertaining for people interested in learning something new or different. Lectures and classes include cooking, computers, scrap booking, ceramics, photography and much more.

And there’s always the opportunity of tax-free and duty-free shopping in the many boutiques.

Evenings can be spent sharing a drink in one of the intimate lounges, being entertained by a variety of artists or dancing the night away at the night club.

The cruises also incorporate exciting shore visits, which can easily become life time experiences.

At every destination there will be access to historically significant sites in diverse cultures, watching lava flows on Hawaii or exploring bustling Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam.

With such a huge range and variety to choose from, Jill recommends a visit to Jetset in Leongatha to discuss options, itineraries and prices, with its experienced travel staff to ensure a pleasurable cruise.

For inquiries, call Jetset on 5662 3601.

PAGE 20 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

FOR a special body treatment Koonwarra Day Spa is the place to indulge.

Email your stories editorial@thestar.com.au

You’ll look good and feel great after been pampered by one of its beauty therapists, who can provide a range of treatments.

Advanced facial treatment includes microdermabrasion, a dynamic lift, which is safer and a more relaxing alternative to Botox, and a skin renewal treatment to give a firmer skin.

Body contouring treatments include an inch-loss body wrap and dynamic body toning.

Day spa treatments include an infrared sauna, which is a soothing, dry heat that gently penetrates the body.

Microdermabrasion is much gentler and less risky than a facelift, said Koonwarra Day Spa owner and beauty therapist Linda Dunlop.

“It is more effective than a glycolic peel and there are no irritating side effects, such as redness.”

The treatment removes dead and damaged layers of skin and is painless. Regular treatment offers outstanding results with wrinkles and fine lines, sun damaged skin, scars and acne scars and clogged and coarse skin.

The dynamic face lift system can “turn back the clock in just one hour,” Linda said.

“An hour is all it takes to put you on the road back to a vibrant youthful skin that glows with health and beauty.

“Amazing results are now available without the need for surgery, thanks to leading edge technology, created by international experts.”

Linda said the system is often referred to as “the non-surgical facelift”.

“But perhaps an even better term would be a ‘full facial workout’ without any hard work.”

Age, stress and fatigue affect the facial muscles, which can lead to sagging skin. The dynamic system firms the facial muscles to create a smooth and younger looking skin.

The dynamic lift system provides great benefits.

“By treating your face to an invigorating workout, you can see the benefits every time you look in the mirror,” Linda said.

“It smoothes stress lines and wrinkles for a fresher looking complexion. It tones facial muscles and gives firmer skin contours. There’s improved skin texture and moisture retention. Finer pores promote elasticity.”

In addition, the dynamic body tone treatment can complete a comprehensive beauty make-over.

The treatment uses specially designed pads that are placed on the body, according to individual needs to maximise body tone and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Results are achieved by the stimulating pulse of the treatment’s currents that deeply penetrate through the fatty surface tissue and exercise the underlying muscles.

“The results can be quite remarkable. There will be signs of a much healthier looking skin, improved muscle tone, reduced sponginess

and appearance of dimpled skin, which will become smoother and take on a more youthful glow.”

Koonwarra Day Spa is privately owned and set in peaceful bushland in the eco-friendly tourist village of Koonwarra.

Other treatments available include pamper packages, massage therapy, relaxation (including pregnancy), spas and saunas, body wraps, facials, hand and foot treatments, waxing, tinting and spray tans.

For inquiries, call the day spa on 5664 2332 or visit the website www. koonwarraspa.com.au.

Bush setting: Koonwarra Day Spa is privately owned and set in peaceful bushland in the eco-friendly tourist village of Koonwarra.

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Only available at: Koonwarra Day Spa. Ph:56642332

Expert hands: At Koonwarra Day Spa you are in the expert hands of beauty therapist Emma Cope, Stacey Levey, Amy and Linda Dunlop and receptionist Judy Stockdale.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 21

Be careful out there SOME exercises are best avoided because they can cause damage to bones, muscles and surrounding tissues (musculoskeletal injury).

They may make it more likely that you will injure yourself or worsen a pre-existing injury or medical condition. You can avoid or modify potentially harmful exercises to make sure you are exercising safely.

Bouncing while stretching It is mistakenly believed that bouncing helps muscles to stretch further, but sudden overstretching causes muscle fibres to contract in an attempt to prevent injury. Bouncing is not only counterproductive but can cause small tears to the muscle tissue, which are experienced as muscle soreness or tenderness.

Standing toe-touches It’s not true that toe-touches strengthen the abdominal muscles or the lower back muscles and hamstrings. Bending down to touch the toes can unnecessarily overstretch the lower back muscles and hamstrings and stress the vertebrae, discs and muscles of the lower back and hamstrings. Adding a twisting movement to the toe-touch can, over time, cause damage to the joints.

Full squats Full squats push the knee joint past 90°, whether they are done with or without a barbell or a weight held across the shoulders or in the hands.

This may strain the ligaments, cartilage and muscle of the knee joint and/or lower back, and could create problems with the tracking (movement) of the kneecap.

Sit-ups Two common but potentially harmful variations include anchoring the feet or keeping the legs straight along the floor. The hands are then cupped behind the head or neck, and the upper body lifted.

These types of sit-ups strain the lower back and tend to target the muscles of the hips and thighs rather than the abdomen.

Double leg raises This exercise involves lying on your back and raising both legs at the same time. This places enormous stress on the lower back. Another potentially harmful variation is to lie on your stomach and lift both legs at the same time.

Shoulder problems Lat pulldown behind the neck and behind the neck press should be avoided, especially if you have been told you have instability in the front of your shoulder.

General cautions Suggestions include: • When performing side bends, slide your hand down your leg to support your torso.

• Avoid exercises that involve holding the arms above shoulder height for long periods of time, as this can injure the shoulder joints and associated neck muscles.

• Don’t perform rapid head circles. Slow the movement down and concentrate on sustained stretching of the neck muscles.

• Perform waist circles in a slow and controlled manner.

• Be guided by a qualified exercise physiologist or physiotherapist and only perform prescribed exercises if you have a disc bulge or prolapse.

• Star jumps should be avoided during pregnancy due to forces on the pelvic floor muscles.

• Increasing the speed of any exercise can increase the risk of injury.

• Avoid or modify any exercise that causes you pain or discomfort.

Where to get help • Your doctor • Physiotherapist • Exercise physiologist • ‘Go for your life’ Infoline Tel. 1300 739 899 Things to remember • Some exercises are best avoided because they can cause damage to bones and muscles (musculoskeletal injury).

• Potentially harmful exercises include bouncing while stretching, standing toe-touches, full squats, straight-legged sit-ups and double leg raises.

• Avoid or modify any exercise that causes you pain or discomfort.

Get it right: doing excercises the wrong way can lead to injury.

PAGE 22 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Feeding the nation STATE Government predictions of population growth might be too conservative and the impacts on state resources underestimated, a Gippsland agribusiness leader has warned.

Agribusiness Gippsland Inc chairman Alex Arbuthnot said the State Government’s White Paper Securing our Natural Future needed to face the looming challenge of food security.

The White Paper predicts a Victorian population increase of two to three million in 30 years, concurrent with a 0.8metres sea rise by 2100.

“I suspect the population projection is an underestimation,” Mr Arbuthnot said.

“Coupled with the loss of valuable land through sea inundation – the situation could be worse than they think.

“Land, water, labour, capital – those are the things that we must safeguard if Victoria, and especially Gippsland, is to continue to grow food and fibre.”

Mr Arbuthnot said that for example, the White Paper examines the outer-urban and green wedge area, but farmers have little faith in this plan as policy appears to be compromised continually.

Prime Gippsland farmland is still being snatched up for housing development.

Mr Arbuthnot praised the paper’s practical proposals, such as stronger support for volunteers.

Consolidating several groups into a Gippsland Natural Resource and Catchment Authority (NRCA) was another positive, he said.

“This is good for Gippsland as it links coastal sustainability with regional development and means fewer organisations,” Mr Arbuthnot said.

Developing a statewide natural resources management plan would see new planning referral powers for NRCAs – these also cover land use change, but will be restricted to major developments.

“That should bring a sigh of relief for farmers,” Mr Arbuthnot said. “The last thing we need is more regulation.”

What farmers do need is for the government to meet the same standards as other landowners, he said.

And the White Paper agrees, stating that public land should be managed as a ‘core resilient ecosystem’.

“If the Government could deliver on this

it would be an outstanding achievement,” Mr Arbuthnot said.

“One-third of Victoria is public land and if the state could manage this to a high standard, our biodiversity would be protected and sustained. This means a quality standard of fire management, pest management and people management.”

Throughout the document, there is a call for increased payments for biodiversity and ecoservices.

Mr Arbuthnot said this is a very important tool to have in the mix, but if the community wants farmers to retain biodiversity at the cost of using land for production, then someone has to compensate.

“A Landcare grants program might be still the best investment tool. Carbon payment is a new consideration, but landowners will have to be wary,” he said.

The White Paper refers to the need for research.

“This is to be applauded,” Mr Arbuthnot said.

“Climate adaptation will see us working even more closely with nature, and research will deliver the information we need to know.”

Alex Arbuthnot: chairman.

Agribusiness

Gippsland

• OBITUARY

Man of steel ALAN Smith was a well known identity in South Gippsland through his business dealings and community involvement, particularly with the Pound Creek Fire Brigade.

He was born in Springvale on February 16 1936, the second child of Norman and Dorothea Smith and grew up in Noble Park, where the family home was surrounded by market gardens and paddocks.

He attended the Noble Park Primary and Caulfield Technical schools.

Alan’s mother died when he was 12 and his elder sister Ruth took over a lot of the domestic duties in the family home. At the age of 13, he left school and began working in market gardens before moving in 1950 to the cattle stations in Queensland.

After three years, he moved to South Gippsland to take up a position on the property owned by the Buckley family at Buffalo. Not long afterwards, he was involved in the search for their neighbour Miss Margaret Clement, the Lady of the Swamp. The search proved fruitless.

Alan was employed on a few properties in the area and was working at Tarwin, where he met Lorraine Rudd, his future wife, at one of the many dances in the Tarwin Lower Hall.

They married in 1956 at the Tarwin Lower Church, only the second couple to have married in that church.

The couple set up house at Hidden Springs where Alan had to teach Lorraine how to drive a car so she could take the weekly trip by herself to Leongatha to get the groceries. They worked at a number of properties in the district, always aiming to own their own one day.

Their first child, Daryl was born in 1958, followed by Neil in 1961. In 1963, to their great surprise, they had twin girls, Jennifer and Marion. Shortly afterwards, the Smiths bought

Pound Creek identity: Alan Smith will be remembered in South Gippsland for his farming, steel business and extensive involvement with the Pound Creek CFA. their first property in Pound Creek, which remained their home for the next 45 years.

Times were tough on a dairy farm in those days without electricity; everything was done by hand. The milking machines were run by a

generator and the milk sent to the factory in old milk cans. Most of their food was grown on the farm and an old combustion stove was used for cooking and heating.

When electricity arrived, the district celebrated with a “turning on the lights ceremony” at the McCaughan’s woolshed.

The year 1974 brought drought and times were quite tough on the farm. Alan decided to diversify into the retailing of steel products and Smiths Steel Merchants was born. It flourished due to Alan’s business acumen, with clients from all over Gippsland purchasing their steel from the business situated in Pound Creek.

Although the farm and Smiths Steel Merchants took up a great deal of Alan’s time and effort, he still served the Pound Creek community.

He was a founding member of the Pound Creek Fire Brigade in 1965 and became captain in 1984, holding the position for four years.

Along with other members of the brigade, Alan fought the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983.

He was extremely instrumental in the building of the new fire station at its present location next to Pound Creek. Alan’s generosity, which was well known throughout the district, was exemplified in the fire station, to which he donated a great deal of time, effort and material.

He was made a life member of the Pound Creek CFA in recognition of his many years of active service.

Despite failing health over the last few years, he still managed to work at the steel shed most days and liked nothing better than talking to the many customers he dealt with.

Alan died at the Leongatha hospital on December 12.

He is survived by Lorraine, four children and 12 grandchildren.

Meals Fire meeting roster THERE will be a fire plan meeting at the (Leongatha) Mary MacKillop College, Leongatha Secondary College and Reformed Church Ladies will be responsible for the delivery of meals on wheels, the week beginning February 8, 2010.

Koonwarra fire station on Wednesday, February 3, at 7.30 pm.

This has been arranged by Robyn Rankin from the CFA community education department and is open to any who have attended a meeting at some time in the past.

So far, about 10 people will be attending, but anyone is welcome to join, if they wish. For inquiries, call Adrian Ward, manager Koonwarra Sustainable Communities Centre, on 5664 2461.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 23

Ken to stay put

By Jane Ross “I’M not going anywhere.”

Bass MLA Ken Smith said that in response to a reported push by Liberal Party heavyweight Michael Kroger to get rid of “older” parliamentarians.

Ken turned 65 at Christmas.

Mr Kroger was reported as saying, “It is time for some of our senior shadows to do the right thing and hand their seats to some younger members.”

He’s being ageist declared Ken, who increased his majority from 400 to 4000 at the last election.

“This is a seat I’ve worked for and I’ve loved it.”

Ken would have happily faced a challenge at the time of pre-selection, but no one stood against him.

He is questioning Mr Kroger’s credibility.

“He’s a former president of the party – I worked to get him there!

“He should be doing something to support us.”

Ken agreed the party needed

young people, but also those with experience.

“We represent everybody,” and the party needs to reflect that in Parliament.

Ken said he had had a full medical before pre-selection and reported, “I’m all in working order.” He believes he will know when it is time for him to go.

“If you don’t like it or you’re not performing, it’s time to give it away.”

Ken’s electoral office is in Wonthaggi.

“This is considered to be a Labor town, but we don’t get anyone coming in saying you’re not doing a good job.”

He believes the Coalition is capable of winning this year’s State election because he can see issues such as public transport, housing and health “coming home to roost”.

Locally, Ken said it is 18 months since Health Minister Daniel Andrews “said he was going to do something” about the pressures on Wonthaggi Hospital.

JACKSON Kale Glen was born at Bass Coast Regional Health on January 19, a first child for Katie and Kale Glen of Dalyston.

Ryan George Wyhoon was born on January 21 at the Leongatha Memorial Hospital. He is the first child for Terry and Dana of Korumburra.

“We’re being fobbed off.

“We’ve had a review that has cost $200,000 and now there’s another one. To tell us what? We need a better health service, we all know that.

“I’ll be asking about the review when Parliament goes back. Will there be $20 or $30 million in this (State) budget for the Wonthaggi Hospital?

“No, there won’t be.”

He is concerned too that the Wonthaggi desalination plant won’t be the golden egg for the town that he initially thought would be the case.

Local people are unlikely to get the construction jobs because, said Ken, they will go to workers experienced on other big construction sites.

He is also alarmed at the amount of chemicals the plant will use to “take the gunk” out of the sea water, that will go back out to the ocean in brine resulting from the desalination process.

Ken pledged to continue his habit of always trying to work hard.

“I get out as much as I can.”

Not quitting: Ken Smith is looking forward to fighting this year’s State election, which he believes the Coalition can win.

CLAIRE June Hansson was born on January 22 at the Leongatha Memorial Hospital to Luke and Christine of Leongatha. Claire has a big sister, Amber.

Dylan Graham Henderson was born on January 25 at the Leongatha Memorial Hospital. Dylan is the second son for Ben and Dani of Poowong, he is also a new little brother for Joshua.

Lincoln Michael Hancock was born on January 16 at the Leongatha Memorial Hospital. He is the first child for Michael and Desirae of Buffalo.

Left: ANGUS Ross McLure was born at Bass Coast Regional Health on January 18, a fisrt child of Lisa and Tim McLure of Cowes.

PAGE 24 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Late letter on its way

By Bert van Bedaf

ALTHOUGH Kongwak has not been identified as a “town at risk”, the local CFA branch wants to conduct a controlled burn at a nearby reserve to reduce any potential fire danger.

Kongwak and District fire brigade captain Ray Holloway, said he had sent a letter to the South Gippsland Shire Council last November, requesting a controlled burn, but he had not yet heard back from council staff.

“We haven’t been named a town at risk. We’re only about 20-odd houses at the most and there’s no real need for a fire plan,” Capt Holloway said.

“But we have the Kongwak bush in Pioneer Reserve and we asked council to do something about it. We asked for a controlled burn.

“We sent a letter last November, but they haven’t had the decency to send us a reply, which is rather poor.

“We recently assessed the fuel load as extreme, and of roughly 20 houses

Controlled burn: Kongwak CFA wants to conduct a controlled burn at Pioneer Reserve to reduce the fire risk to the town. in Kongwak, more than half would be under direct threat, plus the primary school, the public hall and two commercial businesses.

“It would seem that the shire does not regard the lives or property of their residents and ratepayers very highly as we have been trying to arrange a fuel reduction burning program for a number of years but with no success.

“It would be much easier if shire councils were taken out of the equation and the Country Fire Authority given the power to asses and do fuel reduction burns where necessary.

“The problem is that shire officers who have no qualifications to judge fuel loads and fire risks often have their own agenda and beliefs and are in a position to obstruct the process.”

Council’s sustainability director Andrew McEwen, said “a response to the Kongwak CFA letter is now being prepared and the burn will be approved subject to resourcing and other priorities in the autumn.

“The burn won’t take place until autumn, but our customers certainly deserve timely replies to their enquiries,” Mr McEwen said.

“We pride ourselves on our customer service and regret that Mr Holloway’s letter was not answered.

“As an explanation, and not as an excuse, the unprecedented increase in fire management plans and issues, plus limited resources, has forced us to prioritise the huge workload to ensure we are as ready as we can be for a fire emergency.

“The reason the CFA needs permission is that the proposed burn would be on council land.”

The Pioneer Reserve, on Williams St, consists of around 50 acres of bushland beside the Foster Creek on the edge of Kongwak. A volunteer weed clean-up was conducted last year.

During a bushfire safety meeting at the Kongwak fire station last November Capt Holloway was surprised by the high attendance, signifying the importance attached to fire safety by people living in the area.

“We didn’t expect any more than about 30 people to turn up. It was a big surprise when around 80 people attended.”

Wonthaggi Rotary’s Australia Day honours WONTHAGGI legend Lou Storti has received a special Australia Day centenary award.

And he’s only 80! Mr Storti was one of a number of people recognised by the Rotary Club of Wonthaggi in their annual awards.

This is the year of Wonthaggi’s centenary and Mr Storti has been honoured for his significant contribution to the preservation and fostering of the town’s rich mining heritage. He started working in

the mine in 1949, was a tour guide there for years and a staunch advocate for its re-opening.

Another centenary award went to the Wonthaggi and District Historical Society for its dedication to maintaining, preserving and enhancing the town’s history. And a third to Lyn Chambers, historian, past secretary of the historical society and co-author with her husband Joe of three local history books.

Tom and Margaret Eurell were named Rotary

citizens of the year for their community work with young people, organising of concerts, teaching of dancing, Wonthaggi Citizens Band, theatrical group, secondary school, life saving, lawn bowls and other involvements.

Tabro Meat Pty Ltd gained the business excellence award. The company employs up to 200 people and contributes more than $10 million to the local economy. A further 100 work at the Tabro Moe plant. Underprivileged youth from Cape

Church Times ARIES - March 21 - April 20

Favourable this week are new business ventures and opportunities for part time employment. Matchmaking and other romance related projects may backfire. Your partner tends toward exaggeration.

TAURUS - April 21 - May 22

A direct approach brings results in mending relationships. A short term goal is within reach, but co-operation is all important. Don’t buy bargains without checking the quality and guarantee.

GEMINI - May 23 - June 21

Do not impose your taste on others, especially if travelling this week.

A communication breakthrough gets projects rolling by Thursday.

Brighter financial news arrives by the weekend.

CANCER - June 22 - July 22

Educational activities are spotlighted, but moderation should be your keyword. A reluctant friend becomes more interested in your ideas but don’t expect an endorsement just yet.

LEO - July 23 - August 22

Business negotiations and legal affairs are positive through the week.

Challenge accusations before they begin to circulate. Romance accents the lighter side of love.

VIRGO - August 23 - September 22

Offers issued now will be taken to heart. Don’t promise more than you really want to. Watch the tendency to tackle minor chores before facing the really important tasks.

LIBRA - September 23 - October 22

Programs - work, recreational, cultural, can be more strenuous and more costly than expected. A loved one is in a playful mood, and serious decisions should not be postponed.

SCORPIO - October 23 - November 21

The week favours tying up those loose ends and not launching grandiose schemes. A new business acquaintance may be less trustworthy than you imagine. The weekend may find you lucky in love.

SAGITTARIUS - November 22 - December 22

A small financial bonus perks up the week, but your workload remains heavy. Older and younger relatives benefit from your special brand of encouragement - don’t wait to be asked.

CAPRICORN - December 23 - January 20

Play by the rules in dealing with personnel. In money matters, be fanatical about bookkeeping and budgeting. Your thoroughness here should pay off.

AQUARIUS - January 21 - February 19

With determination, you raise your standards a couple of notches.

Travel and education blend nicely this week. Expect a romantic understanding on the weekend.

PISCES - February 20 - March 20

Healthy competition makes the week a success. Your partner’s ego can use a boost. Possible friction with neighbours is offset by professional reconciliation. Your salesmanship shines.

BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK

You are famous for your wit, your thirst for knowledge, your leadership abilities and your quick bursts of temper - which subside as fast as they flare up. Some small personal sacrifices may lead to a steady series of financial gains over the next few months.

ANGLICAN: Wednesday, February 3: 9.30am Woorayl Lodge HC; 10.15am Koorooman House HC; 11am St Peter’s Mid-Week HC. Friday, February 5: 7.30pm St Andrew’s, Dumbalk HC. Sunday, February 7: 8am St Peter’s HC; 10am St Peter’s Contemporary Family Service with HC; 10.30am Union Church, Tarwin Lower Uniting Service.

Tuesday, February 9: 7pm St Andrew’s, Dumbalk / St David’s, Meeniyan Fellowship.

ST MARY’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Mirboo North. Phone 5668 1346. Holy Communion 8.30am: Worship and Sunday School 10am.

ST PAUL’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Korumburra: Sunday 9.30am and Wednesday 11.30am. Poowong: Second and fourth Sundays, 11am.

ST GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Wonthaggi. Sunday, 10.30am: Holy Communion & Sunday School; Monday, 7.30pm: Holy Communion; Wednesday, 8.45am: Christian prayer & meditation, 10am: Holy Communion.

CHURCH OF ASCENSION: Inverloch, Sunday, 9am: Holy Communion & Sunday School; Tuesday, 9am: Christian prayer & meditation; 10am: Holy Communion; Thursday 7.30pm: Holy Communion. 5th Sunday services, alternating at Wonthaggi & Inverloch, contact Rev Bruce Charles for details, 5672 3984.

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD: Prom Coast Community Church Inc. - Foster Community House, Station Street, 10am: Sunday. Sunday School and Creche operates. Pastor Bill Watson 5686 2248.

A.O.G. Inverloch - Cnr Bear and McIntosh Street, Inverloch. Sunday Service 10am; Imagine Christmas Day Service 9am. Contact: Jeff Robertson, 0418 125 832 or Imagine Burwood 9888 7466.

Korumburra Southern Hills A.O.G. - 4 Mine Rd, 10am and 6pm: Sunday. Also Children’s Church and Creche. Contact: Pastor Vic Butera 5655 2478. Youth: Neville Stuart ph.

0407 343 219.

Leongatha South Gippsland Liberty Fellowship - 17 Michael Place, Leongatha.

Sunday services: 11 am and 7pm.

All enquiries contact Pastor David Stegmann 5662 2785. Office: 5662 3100.

Wonthaggi A.O.G. - Billson Street, 10am: Sunday. Contact: Pastor Barry Smith 5672 3984.

CHRISTIAN REVIVAL CRUSADE: 40 Hughes Street, Leongatha.

Sunday, Morning Service 10.30 am: Inspirational Service, 6.30pm: Children’s Church 10.30am: Home cells weekly; Kids Club Thursdays

4pm Guide Hall. For all enquiries contact 5664 5455.

THE CHURCH AT ARCHIES CREEK: Meeting every Sunday at Archies Creek. Morning Communion Service 11 am: Evening Holy Spirit Revival 6pm: Phone: Ps. Chris Chetland 5674 3867 or 5672 4660.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST: Saturdays, Church service 10am., Leongatha Sabbath School - 11.30am.

CATHOLIC: St Laurence’s Parish Leongatha: 5 pm Mass Saturday, 11am Mass Sunday.

Tarwin Lower: In St Andrew’s Union Church, 5pm winter, 6pm summer Mass Saturday.

Meeniyan: 9.30am Mass, 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays and 11am, 2nd and 4th Sundays.

Mirboo North: 11am Mass, 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays and 9.30am Mass, 2nd and 4th Sundays.

St. Joseph’s Parish Korumburra: 9.30am Sunday Mass.

Loch: 5pm/6pm Daylight saving Sunday Mass.

Wonthaggi: Saturday evening 6.30pm: Evening Mass; Sunday, 10.30am: Mass. Inverloch: Sunday 9 am: Mass.

KORUMBURRA’S WOMEN’S AGLOW: First Monday every month at Korumburra Day Centre, Korumburra Hospital, Bridge St., Korumburra at 7.45pm. Inquiries phone 5657 2214.

GIPPSLAND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: Strongly family oriented church meets at the Senior Citizens Centre, Mirboo North, Sundays: 4-5.10pm Communion, 5.15-6pm Bible Studies for Adults, Youth and Children. Friday evenings: Home Fellowships 7.30pm; Youth Activities. Enquiries: 5668 2226 Bob Stevens.

SALVATION ARMY LEONGATHA COMMUNITY CHURCH meets at 52 Anderson Street (South Gippsland Highway) - Sunday: Family Worship at 10am: Kid’s Club - Tuesday, 4 - 5pm; mainly music, Thursday 10am. All welcome. Please contact Captain Martyn and Heather Scrimshaw, ph. 5662 5122.

SALVATION ARMY WONTHAGGI COMMUNITY CHURCH meets at 149 McKenzie Street every Sunday at 11am for Family Worship.

Kids' Club - every Tuesday at 4 pm, Women's Group - Wednesday at 1.30pm, and Playgroup - Friday 9.30am. Evening Ladies' Fellowship - First Monday each month and Youth Groups held monthly. All welcome. Please contact Lt. Robyn and Max Lean. Ph. 5672 1228.

PRESBYTERIAN: Weekly Worship Service 10am Sunday, corner Bent and Turner Streets,

Leongatha. Phone Rev. Dr D. Clarnette 0409 236 981 or elder Col Rump 5662-2107.

CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH: Reformed Church meeting at the corner of Peart and Brown Streets. Sunday family service at 10.30am.

(10am daylight saving time), creche and Sunday School available. Teaching service at 7.30pm.

Fortnightly youth activities. Home Bible Fellowship groups. Contact 5662 2762. Minister: Rev. Ron Nauta.

UNITING CHURCH: Leongatha: Sunday, February 7, Combined 10am. Tarwin Lower: 10.30am (HC). Mirboo North: 9.30am.

Meeniyan: 10am. Wonthaggi: Sunday 9.30am, Family Service, all welcome. Inverloch: Sunday 11am: Korumburra: Sunday, 9.30am: Rev. Geoff Smith and Rev. Jim Foley, 5655 1997.

BAPTIST CHURCH KORUMBURRA: 39 Mine Rd, Korumburra. Service and Sunday School 10.30am. Pastor Ian Wilkinson.

Phone 5658 1366.

BAPTIST CHURCH WONTHAGGI: Cnr McBride & Broome Crescent, Wonthaggi. Morning Service & Children’s Activities, Sunday 10am. Weekly activities see www.wonbaptist.org.au, Pastor Geoff Pegler 5672 4769.

MEENIYAN CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: Sunday, 10am: Meeniyan Youth Club Hall.

COMBINED CHURCHES WONTHAGGI / INVERLOCH: 4th Sunday each month at 7pm.

SCOTS PIONEER CHURCH: Mardan South. Pleasant Sunday Afternoons on the last Sunday of each month at 2pm. See occasional ad in this paper for details. For enquiries phone 9853 6627.

FISH CREEK UNION CHURCH: 1st & 3rd Sundays, 9am; 2nd & 4th Sundays, 7pm. Contacts: Fran Grimes 5683 2650, Sue Poletti 5663 6325.

York and workers from Africa and South America are employed there. Owners Ted and Lisa Brorsen support many fund raising efforts in Wonthaggi.

Dennis Donohue, who recently retired after 40 years with Coldon, and Daryl Lindsay who spent 49 years with Wonthaggi Motors, shared the employee excellence award.

Community gem Sandra Ware’s long commitment to sport, particularly in Glen Alvie, gained her the community service honour.

QUICK PUZZLE NO. 8207

6.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

16.

20.

22.

23.

24.

25.

ACROSS Commit (10) Wood (4) Insect (4) Decorate (5) Tale (4) Translate (9) Boatman (9) Ooze (4) Out of condition (5) Style (4) Cleanser (4) Convincing (10)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

7.

13.

14.

15.

17.

18.

19.

21.

DOWN Streamer (6) Description (7) Increase (4,2) Easy (6) Pier (5) Hirsute (5) Hasten (3) Imperfection (7) Singer (5) University (England) (6) Bypass (6) Vegetable (6) Animal (5)

CRYPTIC PUZZLE NO. 8207 ACROSS 6. “No” to “Is that your apartment?” (4,6). 8. You see a man of note in him (4). 9. The man has trapped one wild animal (4). 10. What-d’ you call it is an obsession! (5). 11.

Indication that you find the contract acceptable (4). 12. Is said to have composed a duet in answer to it (9). 16. Is he a native of a country where people all drink? (9). 20. An advantage and more (4). 22. Practise on, which is something you really enjoy (5). 23. Top man, now (4). 24. She returned when I left (4). 25. How George Washington signed himself? (5,5).

DOWN 1. Pose, say, with fish (6). 2. Like the fight you have when you don’t take things lying down? (5-2). 3. Ready, stand by the seat (6). 4. If worried at all, I get worried for the child (6). 5. Sells whips (5). 7. She was brought up, for instance, by mother (5). 13. The day before, I had a quiet swim (3). 14. Briefly, where your electrical trouble lies (2,5). 15. Intend to shield one: that’s clear (5). 17. Straightening out even a bend in the road (6). 18. The most recent man to stand trial (6). 19. Allow the girl to start bleating (6). 21. Doesn’t go to get the struts (5).

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 25

Combining town comforts with a spacious country setting, this magnificent Darlimurla home is sure to attract plenty of interest. See page 29 for more details

Prom Country N AY PE D O SUN IS TH

Selling Properties FISH CREEK ~ 4 acre farmlet

MEENIYAN ~ possibilities plus!

KORUMBURRA STH~ 23 acres

Private, country residence in the village of Fish Creek. 24sq, low maintenance, 4 bedroom plus study, immaculate open plan home. Large shed, rail trail access, wetland ponds, habitat for platypus, koalas and bird life. Stunning natural environment.

I seriously need renovating, but I’m on a big block (1300sqm approx) with subdivision potential (STCA) & rear lane access. I’m your 1st home or your next project: call my agent today for all the possibilities - they’ll be endless, once sewer arrives!

Stunning views toward Wilsons Prom & the coast, Idyllic and private country laneway position yet a short drive into Mirboo North. 4 bedrooms, 3 dwellings including substantial main residence with “great hall”, RAL home with elevated views, rumpus, large lounge, light & bright kitchen and and 2 room bungalow. Ideal lifestyle property with 2 bathrooms with WIR to main bedroom. 2 bay income potential: plentiful water, orchards, privacy... steel shed, double carport & double garage!

INSPECT By appointment Address 40 Falls Road, Fish Creek $430,000 - $460,000

INSPECT By appointment Address 25 Whitelaw Street, Meeniyan $125,000 - $145,000

INSPECT By appointment 275 Korumburra South Road, Korumburra South $580,000 - $640,000

N AY PE D O SUN IS TH

New Price Range!!!

MIRBOO ~ family value: 1 acre!

OPEN TO INSPECT Sunday, 12.30 - 1.00pm Address 34 Walkers Road, Mirboo $275,000 - $295,000

24/7

allen bartlett 0417 274 624

N AY PE D O SUN IS TH

kaz hughes 0417 516 998

$425,000 - $475,000 LEONGATHA

retire in style - or know that you’ve “arrived!”

KARDELLA ~ (76 acres)

600,000 600 60 0 00 000 0 - $650,000 $650 $6 50 000

Significant, beautiful town property featuring gracious living rooms, 2 bathrooms, large “indoor/outdoor rumpus, 3 big bedrooms, timber kitchen, double carport. Architectural features include 11’ ceilings, hardwood floors, double brick construction, extensive leadlight. Ducted heating, open fire, alarm, tessellated tiling, luxurious carpets and opulent window furnishings. Private rear garden. Perfectly positioned to schools, and shops. Without question, one of Leongatha’s most prestigious offerings.

In picturesque Kardella, this very attractive 76 acre (approx) property will suit a variety of farming lifestyles. The 3 bedroom cottage is set well back from the road amidst a stunning Grevillea walk of over 200 species. There is a garden shed and greenhouse, plus a separate steel-clad hobby studio.

Predominantly flat to gently undulating – in fact the local footy team played here in days gone by the land comprises 10 paddocks (electric-fenced) watered by 6 dams. Productive and pretty!

OPEN TO INSPECT Sunday, 1.00 - 1.30pm

OPEN TO INSPECT Sunday, 2.00-2.30pm

Address: 26 Ogilvy Street, Leongatha

93 Whitelaw St, Meeniyan

promcountryrealestate.com.au

Address: 340 One Chain Rd, Kardella

5664 0224

lisa williams 0438 133 385

PAGE 26 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Iconic location T

HIS rare gem is set on 548 square metres of land only 100 metres from the beach.

The three bedroom residence has been renovated and freshly painted inside and out.

It is a gorgeous east-west running block which captures the morning sun.

An open plan, kitchen, living and dining area, which is bathed in sunlight, makes this a perfect place to relax.

All three bedrooms are of a good size and timber floors throughout complement the residence.

If you are looking for an investment property or holiday home then look no further.

Inverloch has been “on fire” with sales and enquiries over the holiday period, and this is your chance to secure your beach pad now, and either rent out or use for your holidays, with the view to extend out or up at a later date.

Located only across the road from the beach, this is the perfect location to invest in today.

Pleasure to the Maximus S

ET in the picturesque hills of Kardella, approximately 5km from Korumburra, and approximately 1.5 hours from Melbourne, you’ll find this very attractive property suited to a variety of farming lifestyles.

At a glance Situated: 3 Grandview Grove, Inverloch Price: $523,000 Contact: Alex Scott and Staff, Inverloch on 5674 1111

Totalling approximately 76 acres, the clean pastures are mainly flat to gently undulating – in fact, so flat that the local footy team called this home in days gone by.

As you approach the three bedroom cottage along the long, well-formed driveway you will pass the shedding that was the footy changing rooms.

In a private setting, not visible from the road, the compact and cosy home comprises three bedrooms and an open kitchen, meals and living room, which is heated and cooled by a split system air conditioner.

Adjoining the living room is a glazed sun room, perfect for enjoying a cuppa whilst admiring the native garden outlook.

The current owners propagate grevil-

leas and surrounding the home they have created a very impressive botanical garden, complete with winding paths and a picnic area, showcasing over 200 grevillea species.

Also in the garden is a 6m x 6m art/ music retreat, currently used as a patchwork studio, and a garden shed and greenhouse. A double lock-up garage provides for vehicle storage or workshop projects.

The pastures are nurtured by chocolate soils and are divided into 10 paddocks, watered by six dams, with electric fencing for stock.

Being mainly flat to gently undulating, with only a small section of hill, and large remnant shade trees, the land is also perfect for horses with obvious sites for developing a dressage arena and equestrian infrastructure.

Equally, the acreage is also suitable for alternative livestock breeds or for the development of a horticultural pursuit.

Within close proximity of Korumburra and Leongatha’s schools, shops and services, “Grevilleas Maximus” presents an enviable combination of lifestyle plus income from a farming enterprise.

At a Glance Location: 340 One Chain Road, Kardella Price: $600,000 - $650,000 Contact: First National Prom Country Real Estate on 5664 0224

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 27

A touch of luxury W

ITH captivating and stunning water views over Anderson Inlet and towards Inverloch, this luxurious 30 sq home is undoubtedly the most prestigious home in Venus Bay. Properties of this calibre are a rarity in the Venus Bay market.

It has three double bedrooms, all with built-in robes.

The master also boasts a large en suite and breakfast deck.

An impressive open kitchen/dining area with large open plan living is one of the house’s natural highlights.

The home boasts two huge living areas with polished floors and direct access to private outdoor entertaining areas.

Automatic front gates and garage roller doors make coming and going a breeze.

Nothing has been spared to make this home the most luxurious in Venus Bay.

At a glance Location: 51 Lewis Road,Venus Bay Price: $645,000 Sole agent: Alex Scott & Staff,Venus Bay. Contact: Rob Lawrie 5663 7111.

PAGE 28 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 29

Town comfort, country setting T

HIS stylish three-bedroom residence is combining town comforts with a spacious country setting, offering the new owners the best of both worlds.

Off Darlimurla Rd, it is a short drive from bustling Mirboo North, with its variety of shops, supermarket, hotel, schools, churches, library, public hall and park land.

Seven years old, this wonderful sandstone brick home covers about 18 squares in a family farm setting of 4.97 acres.

A feature of its open plan living space is the bright and light outlook. The windows in the living area and bedrooms overlook the luscious grounds, while the property nestles in a natural tree setting with views of the Strzelecki Ranges.

The long-shaped galley kitchen has CaesarStone bench tops and stainless steel appliances, including a dishwasher, as well as an electric oven, gas hot plates and a pantry.

It overlooks the dining area, family room and lounge. A study is located off the open plan living area.

The lounge has a wood fire heater and

a reverse-cycle air-conditioning unit.

The main bedroom has a full en suite and walk-in robes. It is at one end of the house. The two other bedrooms are at the other end of the home. Central to the two bedrooms are a bathroom and separate toilet.

A large laundry has access to the rear yard. There is an electric hot water service, boosted by solar power.

Outside is a 30x20metre, three-bay garage with room for a workshop. There are two water tanks capable of holding 5000 gallons each.

Two fully-fenced paddocks can hold a variety of stock, family farm yard animals, including sheep.

For further details or inspection call SEJ on 5662 4033 or the agents on their mobile numbers.

At a glance Location: 3 Gilfedder Terrace, Darlimurla.

Price: $405,000 Sole agent: SEJ Real Estate, Leongatha.

Contact: Barry Redmond 0418 515 666 or Lyle Miller 0408 515 665.

PAGE 30 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Look at me: the modern but stylish exterior makes the Tarago 28 a popular choice for many people wanting to build a new home.

Display home buzz M

ACALISTER Prestige Homes marketing coordinator Hamish McDougall couldn’t be happier.

Last Saturday the company opened up one of its display homes at Inverloch to the public and was overwhelmed by the level of interest, with about 300 people rushing through the doors to take a peak.

It’s little wonder. The Tarago 28 is quite a house.

With four bedrooms and an al fresco dining area, this spacious architectural marvel is perfect for the growing family that likes to entertain.

“All the bedrooms are at the back of the house, including the master bedroom, while all the living area is at the front. All the entertaining areas are at the front of the house. It’s a traditional design, in that respect,” Hamish said.

“It’s got a separate lounge room and a lounge/dining area.”

With 31 squares of living, the Tarago 28 is a place where everyone can find their own bit of space.

But of course, the Tarago 28 is not

the only house made by Macalister.

The range is massive and there’s a house to suit everyone.

If a client has their own ideas about what they want, they can also be incorporated into the design.

Hamish described the display home opening as “a resounding success”.

“The day was a great success and really showcased why we won both the 2007 and 2009 South East Regional Residential Builder of the Year awards,” he said.

Of the 240-odd adults who attended, about 30 gave their names and addresses to talk about quotes.

With 531-3GG giving a live broadcast from 10am to 1pm, and the Lions Club providing a barbecue from midday to 2pm, face painting and a jumping castle for the kids, the day had a carnival atmosphere.

A door prize of a four burner RedRock barbecue donated by Dahlsens and a $50 Harvey Norman Voucher went to two lucky people.

Carpet Country attended to discuss flooring options with clients, and Macalister’s design coordinator, Abbie Blay was in attendance to

discuss colour options, brick choices and the like.

The Inverloch display is open from 12pm to 5pm, Saturday to Wednesday, with sales representative Jonathan Dade on hand to offer advice.

Macalister Prestige Homes was established in 1999 with the view of creating functional homes with dynamic designs at an affordable price.

The business founders and owners still work in the business to this day.

The company’s award-winning home designs have stayed ahead of the pack, and its passion for excellence and providing customers with a home they can be proud of still remains.

Since 2006 the company has been building more than 100 homes per year and in 2009 Macalister Prestige Homes, on the strength of its reputation and quality workmanship, expanded to open an office in Berwick.

The Tarago 28 display home is at 3 Headland Way (off Ullathornes Road), Inverloch. More information can be found on www.macalisterhomes.com. au or by calling 1800 443 116.

Master’s retreat: the main bedroom boasts plenty of room.

Entertainer’s delight: with plenty of light and open space, the Tarago 28 is a wonderful place to entertain family and friends.

Big day out: Last Saturday’s opening was huge, with about 300 people dropping in to take a look.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 31

One with the lot T

HIS home has it all - even a pool!

Situated in Elaine Court, off Chamberlain Drive, this four bedroom home was built with a family in mind. Features are open plan living with modern interiors, painted feature walls, tiled flooring, timber venetians, solid fuel heater and two reverse cycle air conditioners.

Kitchen includes electric hotplates and under bench oven, dishwasher, beech coloured laminated cupboards with dark speckled bench tops and breakfast bar.

The master bedroom has an en-suite and walk-in-robe, with built-in robes to the remaining three, and a bathroom with both a bath and shower.

Outside features an undercover entertaining area accessed from the dining/family room and overlooking the above ground swimming pool (6ft at one end).

Landscaped gardens are surrounded by a secure rear yard, and a double garage completes the picture.

Situated on a level block close to Leongatha Secondary College, this home has been beautifully maintained.

Inspection is a must - and is strictly by appointment.

At a glance Situated at: 2 Elaine Court, Leongatha Price: $380,000 Contact: Alex Scott & Staff on 5662 0922

Spring into subdivision A

NEW land subdivision is underway in Leongatha.

Now pegged out and ready for sale, these Tarwin Ridge Boulevard lots, in the first stage of the Springs Estate subdivision, will fill a need for larger allotments in the local market.

Mick Hanily, from selling agents Stockdale & Leggo, stressed that for some time now, Leongatha has been short on blocks of one acre in size, or bigger.

Ranging in size from 4001m2 up to 5889m2, (or 1.47 acres) these ‘first stage’ blocks will suit those requiring space for extensive landscaping and for sheds and equipment, whilst still being located in close proximity to town.

It is envisaged that there will be three stages in the development of the ‘Springs Estate’, which is located off Boags Road, just to the south of town.

The blocks will be fully serviced, and the boulevard will be curbed and channeled.

Early buyers will have the pick of the more elevated blocks which have

views over Nerrena to the East, or Leongatha South/Koonwarra to the South West.

Although the land is gently undulating, the views are quite surprising.

Others wanting to avoid the barren starkness of blocks in most new subdivisions may choose Lots 36 and 41, to take advantage of the tall gums that have been established on the neighbour’s boundary to the east.

These trees would provide shade for pets or vehicles, and form the backdrop for any new planting.

Families will have the convenience of a school-bus stop on the highway at Boags Road, thus alleviating the problem of transporting children to and from school.

By the third stage, the subdivision will eventually connect up with the Carr Avenue subdivision, at which point another access route will be available.

The lots now released in the first stage range in price from $195,950 to $237,350.

At a glance Situated at: Off Boags Rd, Leongatha Price: $195,950 to $237,350 Contact: Stockdale & Leggo on 5662 5800

PAGE 32 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 33

Participating artists: include, from left, Robert Barron, Pat Dale, Patricia Hill, Margaret McPherson, Geraldine Phelan, Angela Newberry, Bob Hickman and John Mutsaers.

Garden of sculptures ARTISTS were busy setting up on Friday for the Sculpture in the Garden exhibition at the property of Angela Newberry in Berrys Creek.

Participating artists are Robert Barron, Pat Dale, Margaret McPherson, John Abery, John Mutsaers, Anthea Williams, Nicola Hoyle, Helen Bristol, Geraldine Phelan, Bob Hickman, Sian Adnam, Trish Hill, Andrew Kasper, and Angela herself.

The exhibition at 46 Berrys Creek Rd opened last Saturday and will stay until February 28. It will be open weekdays from 11am to 5pm and by appointment at other times.

Entry is free and school and community groups are welcome to visit. For inquiries, call 5668 8213.

Buffalo artist: Geraldine Phelan made these two giant babushkas by putting two matching terracotta flower pots together for each one.

They are decorated with glass mosaic and are the first two items of a large installation of 20 babushkas Geraldine is working on. “Making them is very time consuming,” Geraldine said.

Tracing brooding skies KORUMBURRA artist Tracy Lewis is busy painting in her studio at home, while riding a wave of sales and success.

Several of her paintings were bought during the Australia Day weekend at Moo’s Restaurant in Meeniyan and this month, she’ll be showing about a dozen new works at the Coal Creek Community Gallery.

Her show will run until February 28.

Born in Melbourne but a long-time resident of Korumburra, Tracy qualified as a graphic designer and illustrator and gained her Bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1989.

Since then she’s been producing regularly and exhibiting in Melbourne as well as regional galleries in Mornington, Korumburra Rotary Gallery, in Meeniyan and now Coal Creek. Her work is in public and private collections in Australia and overseas.

Local fine art dealer and curator of the Coal Creek gallery, Doug Kane has a number of Tracy’s works on offer on his website.

Tracy paints mainly with oils but has also worked in other mediums. Because she likes to paint on larger rather than small canvases, the Coal Creek space, which also serves as the village’s auditorium, suits her.

“It is a good space for bigger works, which I like,” Tracy said. “Working on bigger canvases, you can be freer on them. You can push the paint around a bit more.

“But I’ll need to do smaller works as well.

Not everyone has the wall space or can afford large paintings, although I believe my prices are reasonable.

Brooding sky: Korumburra artist Tracy Lewis likes brooding landscapes. Her exhibition at Coal Creek will run this month.

Tracy loves the landscape theme, “especially around here; the hills and the sky, the mad Cypress trees. The way a scene can change with the light in time. It has become an underlying element in my work. I might do the same landscape at different times of the day.”

She has also taken to walking around the Korumburra streets at night and taking pictures. “It’s interesting. The sites look a bit spooky at night.”

Tracy likes works by Impressionists Pissarro and Monet, German expressionist painter Kiefer and Australian contemporary artist Rick Amor, whose brooding work has sinister overtones.

This is why many of Tracy’s paintings often look like they bear dark secrets, which provide intrigue for the viewer. For exhibition inquiries, ring Doug on 0412 284 534.

PAGE 34 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 35

PAGE 36 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Grab the Relay baton in 2010 IF your new year’s resolutions included: getting more exercise, giving up smoking or getting involved in your local community, you can put your resolutions into practice by joining the South Gippsland Relay For Life on April 10 and 11.

“The South Gippsland Relay For Life is a unique opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against cancer.

With 156 locals being diagnosed with cancer in South Gippsland Shire each year, it’s an important event to get behind. This locally organised event will see teams of locals take turns to walk through the night to raise funds and awareness to help fight cancer,” Mr Aich, a committee member said.

Cancer Council Victoria is urging

South Gippsland residents to support the event by: joining the committee, entering a team of friends and family members or volunteering to help out on the day to make this Relay For Life event, the first to be held in Dumbalk, an outstanding success.

Registrations are now open for 2010. Participants are encouraged to register early to receive their Relay For Life polo shirt and event kit.

Funds raised at Relay For Life help the Cancer Council provide support services and resources for local cancer patients and their families. Funds also support critical cancer research and community education programs designed to teach people how to reduce their risk of developing cancer.

South Gippsland Relay For Life Where: Dumbalk Recreation Reserve When: April 10 and 11.

For more information about getting involved in South Gippsland Relay For Life, visit www.relayforlife.org. au, Call 1300 65 65 85 or email southgippsland@relayfor life.org.au

Hard yakka: Michelle McDougall and Walter Aich are working hard to organise the event.

Relay team: the committee of the South Gippsland Relay for Life.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 37

Simple life at Amberley Park THE Amberley Park beef breeding operation at Hallston, just north of Leongatha, has had to give its breeding program the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle.

Stud principal Malcolm Cock said Galloways have always been the mainstay of the Cock’s beef operation, with Victoria’s first herd started by Malcolm’s father Hainsworth T. Cock in 1962 in the Yarra Valley, just 14km from Melbourne’s GPO. The Galloway herd expanded to 450 stud females at Buchan and became well known for producing the Blueroans (Shorthorn X Galloway) that topped the markets most years at the East Gippsland calf sales.

One of the stud’s Galloway heifers last year won the champion carcass at the Gippsland Beef Challenge competition held in conjunction with the Sale show.

Exhibited by Malcolm Cock, Amberley Park Galloways, Hallston, the heifer had the highest scoring carcass (grass fed) where the points are awarded for muscle (yield), the right fat cover and eating quality characteristics.

Mr Cock said the Beef Challenge

Malcolm Cock was one of the few competitions where you can enter heifers.

“When one considers that all heifers are sold for meat at some stage, it is important to know how well they perform in the carcass characteristics,” he said.

“The disappointing thing is that the meat works discounted the heifers even though my heifers yielded better than all the steers except one”.

Mr Cock said he sells heifers and

steers to Gippsland Natural over the hooks and is paid the same cents per kilogram.

“What counts is carcass quality (MSA) and yield, not the sex,” he said.

Asked why Galloways, Mr Cock said: “They are very easy care, low maintenance cattle that have proven to produce a top quality and yielding carcass. They have also shown to cross very well with most breeds, even with Brahmans.”

Once again change came into play at Amberley Park with the introduction of Angus into a cross breeding program to produce what is now called the Buchan Blacks.

This was after testing a number of different breeds crossed with the Galloway cows.

The resulting progeny were performance tested, including in the Gippsland Grazing Trials.

The performance was very similar with Amberley Park steers having the first and second highest weight gain in the GG Trials.

Angus was decided on because of the better marketability and versatility of breeding programs that Buchan Blacks can be used in.

Numbers up for Beef Week ENTRIES have increased for the 2010 Stock & Land Beef Week with 229 studs opening their gates from January 31 to February 7.

These studs represent an increase of 12 on the 2009 Autumn Beef Week, with 33 breeds represented.

Beef Week has traditionally covered Victoria and the Riverina, but this year 13 studs from the south-east of South Australia will provide a combined day at the Mt Gambier showgrounds on Day 3, Tuesday February 2.

The 13 studs representing 10 breeds, go under

the name of the Limestone Coast Combined Beef Week group after deciding they were not quite ready, numbers wise, to have individual on-property displays.

Many seedstock producers rely on Beef Week as their major marketing activity for the year, offering bulls and females for private sale, while those with autumn on-property sales take the opportunity to display the lots available over the coming weeks, according to Beef Week director Geoff Phillips.

“The fact that we have been able to attract one of our biggest entries ever in the 19 year history of the event, clearly indicates the importance seedstock pro-

ducers place on the event”.

“Beef Week is a low cost high value event and serves to showcase south-east Australia’s seedstock industry,” said Mr Phillips.

In the Beef Weeks since the first in 1992, there have been a total of 3943 stud openings in an outstanding showcase of what seedstock producers in south-east Australia have to offer the commercial industry.

Thirty-three different breeds will be on display, the greatest number ever displayed during Beef Week, demonstrating the growing diversity of genetics available in south-east Australia.

Cattle producers from all states are expected to

50 years of breeding THE Tarwin Poll Hereford herd at Meeniyan, has been breeding Poll Hereford cattle for well over 50 years and three generations of the Meikle family.

It is a practical herd, which produces cattle able to perform on grass. The stud follows a strict policy of insisting that each cow produce a calf each year and only minimal supervision is given at calving.

Stud principal, David Meikle said “this policy has produced a low maintenance herd and when coupled with the poll Hereford easy temperament, produces an easy herd to manage.”

The cattle themselves are medium sized and well fleshed, with an ability to fatten on grass. Sale bulls are generally fed hay and grass only.

This is seen as a way to contain costs and allow the cattle to show their true ability to perform under typical grazing conditions.

Of particular interest are the first Tarwin sons of Studbrook D’Artagnion - an unusually high performance bull.

The Meikles are regular competitors in carcass competitions, this year

winning best heavy grass fed steer in the Gippsland Beef Challenge.

The family have also been regular competitors at the Lardner Park field days (this year’s team are looking very promising).

They generally finish in the top 25 per cent, with the occasional win.

The Leongatha Secondary College achieved a very creditable result at last year’s Royal Melbourne show with a Tarwin steer.

This herd is worth a look by the discerning cattleman. Sires used are often drawn from some of the leading genetics available through their artificial breeding program.

David and his father Neville enjoy explaining their breeding program to visitors and gaining their feedback.

Sires currently in use include Studbrook D’Artagnion, Ebbex Calgary, Heatherdale Kansas and Riloh Park King Air plus their own homebred sires Tarwin Beecham (by Mount Difficult Unsworth) and Tarwin Ziggerman (by Heatherdale Caretaker).

visit properties during Beef Week and indications are they’ll be back again to inspect cattle and discuss breeding programs with southern stud masters.

Amberley Park Moonbeam: A4 dam of the Galloway heifer that won champion carcass at the Sale show.

$1000 hereford beef week prize VISITORS to participating Hereford and Poll Hereford properties in Gippsland during Stock and Land Beef Week can win a $1000 credit on the purchase of a bull or registered female by recording their details at any or all of the 10 participating properties.

The winner will be drawn soon after this year’s Beef Week and notified by telephone.

The credit can be deducted from purchases made at Beef Week 2010 or at any time during the next 12 months to the conclusion of Beef Week 2011. It can be used in a private or auction sale.

The participating studs are: 707 Basford, Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 140 Glen Goulburn Day 1 – Sunday January 31, 737 Mawarra Day 7 Saturday February 6, 740 Mundook Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 744 Newcomen Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 745 Nunniong Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 751 River Perry Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 763 Tarwin Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 790 Warringa Day 7 - Saturday February 6, 792 Willack Day 7 - Saturday February 6.

More information, including contact numbers, stud profiles and location maps can be found on www.beefweek.com.au or in the Beef Week book available from all studs in Beef Week.

PAGE 38 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

High performance genetics THE basic and simple objective at Yancowinna Angus, Cape Paterson is to breed high performance seedstock cattle that improve the profitability of their commercial producer clients’ herds.

KMK Alliance: is a sire of the Yancowinna Angus bulls on display at Beef Week and will be sold on April 16.

Export potential in Asia THE health benefit of red meat is crucial to MLA’s promotional efforts as it strives to maintain and grow healthy sales of Australian beef and lamb into Japan.

tonnes of chilled and frozen product to Japan, worth more than $2 billion.

Having helped to open-up the rapidly growing Korean market for Australian beef, Glen Feist was recently appointed as MLA’s regional manager in Japan.

He said although Australia had been able to fill the supply gap caused by the absence of US beef in Japan in recent years, the BSE health scare had caused a big drop in beef sales nationally.

Japan is the most valuable market for the Australian beef industry and Australia is the largest imported beef supplier to Japan, delivering approximately half of Japan’s total beef requirements.

In 2008, Australia exported 364,300

Mildura

NEW SOUTH WALES

Balranald

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Narrandera

Goulburn Wagga Wagga

Ouyen

Warracknabeal

Echuca

Charlton

Shepparton

DAY

Wangaratta

3

DAY

Mansfield

Ballarat

DAY

2

Mt Gambier

Geelong

Warrnambool Portland

Cooma

Corryong

Bega Omeo

Mt Buller

Eildon

1

DAY Bairnsdale

DAY

Warragul

7

DAY 3 Tuesday February 2 2010

8

DAY 4 Wednesday February 3 2010

Over 200 of the nation’s leading seedstock producers display their genetics

Orbost

Morwell At the cutting edge...

0

DAY 2 Monday February 1 2010

At the cutting edge...

Canberra

6

Melbourne

Colac

DAY 1 Sunday January 31 2010

The Willmott family has dairy farmed in Glen Alvie, South Gippsland for 80 years.

They know the country and practice the highest standards of animal health and husbandry. Pam and Colin have also been producing vealers for over 30 years.

They began cross breeding Limousins 10 years ago to capitalise on premium prices that are synonymous with the breed.

Tarraleaha Limousin Stud was established in 2005, with an initial group of females sourced from Keystone Genetics, Tuerong Park, Ingleside and Tullagoota.

The Tarraleaha business objective is to produce cattle with sound structure, softness, good-doing ability and quiet temperament. ET, AI and the best French Genetics are applied to achieve that goal.

The Stud is a member of the Limousin Assurance Program.

On February 26 2010 commencing at 12 noon an Australia-wide group of Limousin breeders known as the Limousin Muscle Alliance is holding their inaugural ‘Muscle Sale’, which will be conducted by Auction Plus (on-line only).

All lots are F94L muscle gene verified and can be viewed at www.limousinmusclealliance.com.au.

The Limousin Muscle Alliance is committed to breeding true-to-type Limousin seed-stock for stud and commercial producers. The members apply only real basics (truth in data) of cattle breeding to the production of Muscle Gene bulls and females with two copies of the F94L gene.

Tarraleaha is proud to be a member of the Limousin Muscle Alliance. The stud has four lots in the ‘Muscle Sale’.

Star lot is a back polled bull, Tarraleaha Domino RB001 from Le Martres Black Rainbird by Sympa.

This calf was 685kg at 400 days.

The other lots are half-sisters from Tullagoota Pearl by Ionesco and Ramses respectively and a bull from Tuerong Park, Wonderful by Malibu.

Everyone is welcome to attend Tarraleaha’s ‘Open Day’ and view the four lots reserved for the ‘Muscle Sale’ and a number of other bulls and females that will be for sale by private treaty on the day.

Colin and Pam always look forward to a coffee and chat.

Seymour

Avoca

Ararat

Hamilton

DAY

Benalla Bendigo

Stawell

COLIN and Pam Willmott’s Tarraleaha Limousin Stud has its ‘Annual Open Day’ set down this year for February 7, during Beef Week.

Wodonga

St Arnaud Horsham

Tumut

Tarraleaha’s open day

5

Finley

4 4

Kerang

Yass

DAY

DAY DAY

Swan Hill

Big boy: Tarraleaha Big Fella is a fine specimen.

THE TOP 200

VISIT www.beefweek.com.au Hay

Therefore, they must be highly fertile, structurally sound, quiet temperament, easy calving and thrive under all conditions.

All Yancowinna Angus bulls possess these traits, but at the same time there is a strict adherence and concentration on muscling, fleshing ability and high quality carcass traits.

As an ongoing commitment to ensuring they deliver on expectations, Yancowinna provide a two year working guarantee and free delivery on all bulls sold into Gippsland.

To ensure a quality assured working age Angus bull, Yancowinna weigh all calves at birth, 200 and 400 days of age, all animals are scanned for rib and rump fat, eye muscle area, plus intramuscular fat, as well as being measured for scrotal size.

Young bulls are then veterinary checked for structure and natural service capacity by local independent vets.

All animals are run in large contemporary groups of more than 100 head to obtain high accuracies.

The majority of cattle are bred via a large scale AI/ ET program, and all cattle to be offered for sale have been tested free of Arthrongryposis Multiplex (AM), commonly referred to as Curly Calf Syndrome.

Many of the Yancowinna commercial client’s cattle are livestock sale price leaders, with the recent Elders 26th Annual Feature Store sale held at VLE Leongatha, Koonwarra no exception.

An open invitation is extended to all cattle producers to inspect a selection of young working age bulls during Beef Week, with the ninth Annual Bull Sale to be held at Yancowinna on Friday April 16.

Contact Dennis Ginn on 0412 317 360 or through your preferred livestock agent.

DAY 5 Thursday February 4 2010

DAY 6 Friday February 5 2010

SCALE OF KILOMETRES 20 40 60 80

DAY 7 Saturday February 6 2010

100

DAY 8 Sunday February 7 2010

PLAN NOW TO VISIT

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 39

Breeding for top quality THE Baleze stud is very proud to be breeding this exceptional breed of cattle, the Bazadaise.

Bazadaise cattle arrived in Australia in 1991, Baleze had their first Bazadaise cross calves on the ground in 1992, thus were in the forefront of their development in Australia.

Through careful breeding programs, which include flushing and importing embryos and semen from France, Baleze has established itself as a premier Bazadaise stud in Australia.

Bazadaise are an ancient breed of cattle, dating back to at least the middle ages in the southern part of France, near the old walled city of Bazas, south of Bordeaux, close to the Pyrenees, where for centuries they have been exposed to all extremes of weather.

Until the early 20th century, they were used as draught working animals, then, at around seven years of age, were fattened and used for beef.

The coming of tractors curtailed their working days and the French realised their value for premium vealer meat production.

They are excellent foragers and food converters, thriving in the extreme heat of northern Australia as well as in

Big boy: Cassius is one of the top breeders at Baleze Stud.

Tasmania and all states in between.

Bazadaise are easy calving with muscle development starting at about three weeks. Calves are born a wheaten colour, changing to grey from three to nine months.

Generally, bulls are a darker colour, even to charcoal.

They have an orange pigment around the eyes, pink mucous membranes and dark hardened hooves. Due to their short coat and thick hide, they

have been found to be tick and fly resistant in Northern Australia.

Baleze have had a number of cattle tested with Gene-Star for genetic markers for tenderness, marbling and feed efficiency, with outstanding results.

About 120 Bazadaise have been tested so far, and all have shown extremely high markers for both tenderness and marbling.

This confirms the testing done earlier at the Department of Agriculture Research Station in Rutherglen in 1998, prior to the advent of these genetic markers, on Bazadaise/Angus cross 12 month old cattle showed excellent score for marbling, tenderness and taste.

Testing by DNRE in 2002 for cholesterol levels showed full blood Bazadaise beef 51, Bazadaise/Angus beef 53, while the average cholesterol for beef is 77.

Obviously, the lower cholesterol level is better for human health.

In finished crossbred cattle, dressing out is around 60 per cent or better.

Even more outstanding is the saleable meat yield of around 80 per cent.

Butchers remark on the extra length of eye muscle which normally extends from the 12th rib to the 7th rib, but in Bazadaise, it extends to past the 4th rib.

Local Herefords on show BILL and Minnie Kee will open their Hereford stud to visitors on Saturday, February 6 as part of Victoria’s annual Beef Week The Kees established their Warringa Hereford Stud at Yarram in 1991.

Foundation females were from Widgiewa and St. Gabriels. Initially sires and semen were from Widgiewa but subsequently from South Boorook, Racovolis, Courallie and Bowmont.

Home bred bulls are also used.

“We calve approximately 30 cows in March and April which are managed under commercial conditions. We cull heavily, striving for functional productive cattle,” Bill said.

“Particular emphasis is placed on temperament, moderate birth weight, growth and carcass.

“To achieve our goals we use superior genetics through artificial insemination,” he said.

“This allows us to

have a short calving period.”

“We also join selected cows naturally and we are particularly pleased with the progeny of our recent stud sire, Racovolis Tom Thumb Y555 who boasts breed leading Breedplan figures and Selection Index Values.

“We now have the first drop of calves by our new stud sire, Bowmont Storm B720, who was purchased at the Wodonga National Show and Sale in May, 2008.

“His calves were recently weaned and are outstanding,” he said.

“Last year we used semen from Banemore North End A014(AI) over our heifers.”

According to Bill these calves are very attractive and show a lot of promise.

“We are very pleased with the progress made by our rising two year old bull, Warringa Dominator D3 (AI).

“We have commenced his preparation for show and sale at the Wodonga National Show and Sale in May, 2010.

“He is sired by Ironbark 603 Home Builder Z531(AI).”

At 22 months Ironbark 603 weighs in at 950 kilograms and has outstanding Breedplan EBVs and has the potential to become an outstanding stud sire, according to Bill.

Heifers are joined to calve at two years. Notwithstanding tough seasonal conditions, which occur in this area regularly, The Kees believe heifers should calve at two years. “Hereford cattle are very fertile, which allows us to achieve this goal and also enables us to introduce our new genetics at an earlier age to advance genetic gain in our herd,” Bill said.

“Our cattle are all dehorned.

“All animals are Breedplan recorded as we are strong believers in Breedplan and performance recording.

“It provides us with the benefit of selecting superior genetics and assists clients in their selection process.”

The Warringa herd

enjoys MN3 status under the BJD Market Assurance Program.

Bulls are sold privately and also at the Hereford National Show and Sale at Wodonga in May each year.

“We decided to breed Herefords because of their temperament and also for the ability of Hereford cattle to perform under harsh conditions, produce a calf annually and their exceptional carcass quality and growth for age and their consistency in meeting market demands.”

All their cattle will be on display including cows and first calving heifers, yearling heifers kept to breed, stud sire, rising two year old sale bull and yearling bulls.

The couple are very proud of their herd’s achievements and look forward to welcoming visitors onto their property which is on the South Gippsland Highway, Yarram on Saturday February 6, 2010 (day seven of the Beef Week Field Days).

Open: Bill Kee is looking forward to showing off his latest line of Warringa Herefords during Beef Week.

Backing up these findings to show what a Bazadaise bull can do in a cross breeding program, Baleze Bazadaise has won both Champion and Reserve Champion Carcass at several carcass competitions over the last several years and, in fact, over a number of years has always scored extremely well in every carcass competition entered.

This year Bazadaise/Angus heifers, sired by a Baleze bull, won the Grand Champion Pen of Three Breeding Females at the Alexandra Show, competing against well established cattle studs in the area.

During the past year, they have seen a number of bulls sold to Queensland, stud bulls and females to NSW and to northern and western Victoria, as well as supplying to local farmers, including several repeat buyers.

Baleze take pride in breeding quality cattle with quiet temperament.

The Stud has bulls, females, embryos and semen available for sale. For further information or to discuss any of your proposed breeding programs contact Faye Tuchtan on 5678 8366 mob 0411 732 987, fax 5678 8247, email fmt@dcsi.net.au, website balezebazadaise.com.au.

PAGE 40 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Elders 26th Annual Store Cattle Sale

Numbers fall away

A YARDING of 1800 head was presented to buyers at the annual premier sale.

GROWN cattle numbers fell away to assist in a smaller yarding overall, which saw 310 young cattle, 330 bullocks and 320 cows penned, with the larger percentage of the cattle in good to very good condition at VLE Koonwarra.

An outstanding line up of quality cattle was sold to local fatteners and feedlot buyers.

Prices were strong with averages being in line with Western District and North East Victorian sales held this year.

In cents per kilogram, prices were, grown beef bred steers $1.56-$1.65, yearling steers $1.62-$1.70, steer weaners $1.70-$1.90, heifers $1.40-$1.50.

Details G. & N. Belcher: 17 Hfd steers rising 2 yrs, $858; Adval: 56 Angus steers 2 yrs to $834, av. $805; P. & J. Toole: 15 Angus steers 2 yrs, $814; Malabar Farms: 44 Hfd & Angus steers 15-16 mths to $730, av. $699; A. & S. Ritchie: 69 Hfd & Hfd/ SH x steers 18-20 mths to $740, av. $696; White Creek: 40 Angus & Hfd steers 16-17 mths to $706, av. $680; Lorstan Nom: 79 Hfd & Angus steers 18 mths to $710, av. $672; The Firs P/L: 115 Hfd & Angus steers 18 mths to $678, av. $668; Burradoo: 21 Angus steers 17 mths, $685; Cameron’s Agribiz: 18 Angus steers 17 mths, $675; Green Mile: 9 Ang/ Fries x steers 2½ yrs, $800; I. & J. Purbrick: 13 Ang/ Fries x steers 2½ yrs, $796; Bullock Island: 20 Ang/ Fries x steers 2 yrs to $725, av. $703; M. & C. Beavis: 15 Ang/Fries x steers 2 yrs, $678.

M. & C. Stone: 46 Angus steers weaned to $678, av. $648; Greenwald Past Co: 133 Angus steer weaners to $668, av. $643; M. & C. Russell: 43 Hfd steer weaners to $670, av. $647; D. & S. Jelbart: 37 Angus steer weaners to $635, av. $627; R. & C. Donat: 31 Angus steer weaners to $650, av. $624; Uren Bros: 22 Angus steer weaners, $624; F. & C. Cameron: 15 Angus steer weaners, $580; McLeod Part: 51 Angus steer weaners to $628, av. $582; K. & L. Heggen: 73 Red Angus steer weaners to $615, av. $571; G. May: 97 Angus steer weaners to $578, av. $520.

M. & C. Russell: 11 Hfd heifers, $454; McLeod Part: 52 Angus heifers to $462, av. $424; D. Kelly: 86 Angus heifers to $444, av. $394.

All of the regular processors were represented, and with and odd higher price for some vealers, and cheaper prices for lighter and poor condition cows, the prices were unchanged.

There was a penning of 190 vealers in reasonable to good condition.

With demand being stronger for some of these, prices were up to 4c/kg dearer, which saw a top price of 177c paid, with

most making between 142c to 168c/kg. Most of the yearlings penned were heifers, which made from 120c to 154c/kg, and this was equal to the previous week after allowing for a slight fall in quality. Feeders and restockers purchased a number of steers and heifers between 137c and 169c/kg.

Competition was unchanged, and demand was steady for the grown steers and bullocks sold.

Most of these cattle were heavier weighted steers, some weighing up to 820kgs liveweight. The best quality C3 and C4 bullocks made from 148c to 157c with heavy steers to 158c/kg. Manufactur-

ing bullocks also sold at equal rates, with prices mostly between 131c and 149c/kg. Once again these were heavy and of good to very good quality.

A small number of grown heifers and younger cows saw a top price of 140c/kg paid, however most of the good quality beef cows made between 124c and 128c/kg. While these prices were unchanged, there was weaker demand for plainer condition cows, with lighter weights mostly affected by a fall of up to 4c/kg in price. Heavier weighted 1 and 2 score cows made between 101c and 124c, with lighter weights anywhere between 72c and 110c/kg.

Wednesday, January 27 BULLOCKS 11 L. & M. Dempsey, Stony Creek 3 G.C. & M.A. Moore, Hedley 1 D. Olden, Korumburra

712 157.0 1117.00 578 156.6 905.67 550 155.6 855.80

VLE Leongatha store sale Thursday, January 28 Total yarding: Bull vealer - 1 at $372. Cows 9 at $718.89. Cow and calf - 52 av. $723.27. Heifers - 443 av. $396.63. Steers 638 av. $537.43.

Bull vealer: R. Cowell, Korumburra, 1 x $372.

Cows: A. & N. Pisa, 8 x $750; Elams Park, 1 x $470.

Cow and calf: W.V. McInerney, Wonthaggi, 1 x $990; Highfield, 1 x $940, 8 x $760, 6 x $760, 6 x $730, 8 x $725, 1 x $710, 7 x $695, 7 x $695; S.J. & C.A. Carbone, Mirboo North, 1 x $730.

Heifers: B. Taylor, 2 x $555; F. & E. Daalder, Kernot, 12 x $525, 14 x $514; Golden Gully Farms, Morwell, 9 x $502; R. & W. Davey, 2 x $500; A.J. Bell, 15 x $495; D. &

P. Whiteley, Mirboo, 11 x $494, 10 x $484; P. & G. Johnston, Leongatha South, 1 x $490; A.J. Bell, 8 x $490.

Steers: D.I. & I.M. Wright, Rosedale, 2 x $800, 5 x $786; B. Taylor, 2 x $770; P. & G. Johnston, Leongatha South, 7 x $740; W. & A. Hefter, Korumburra, 6 x $708; D. & J. Moon, 1 x $708; V. Love, 1 x $700; S.J. & C.A. Carbone, Mirboo North, 11 x $694, 1 x $694; M. Oldham, Poowong, 5 x $692.

3 J. & D. Meikle, Meeniyan 22 G. & A. Henry, West Creek 14 G. Jones, Almurta

597 155.6 928.00 778 155.6 1210.00 742 155.6 1155.00

STEERS 1 G. Peters, Foster 8 K.J. & M.L. Fisher, Tarwin South 2 Mabu P/L,Mirboo 2 W. Ollington & M. Hanks, Leongatha 1 M.E. Pretty, Binginwarri 2 G.I. & C.A. Campbell, Mardan

405 352 455 405 385 328

170.0 168.0 166.2 160.0 159.0 158.0

688.50 593.26 756.21 648.00 612.15 517.45

COWS 1 M. & N. Bracecamp, Berrys Creek 2 N.R. & S.S. Constantine, Buffalo 1 G.A. & K.L. Dorling, Jumbunna East 6 S. & K. Hogan, Woodside 8 R.H. & M. Greaves, Tarwin Lower 1 Reiter & Willmott, Dalyston

560 585 565 578 586 710

132.0 132.0 132.0 130.0 129.0 128.6

739.20 772.20 745.80 751.83 755.46 913.06

HEIFERS 1 D. Perczyk, Leongatha 3 G. Peters, Foster 1 K.J. & M.L. Fisher, Tarwin South 3 G. Vagg, Leongatha 9 W.G. & F.M. Pratt, Inverloch 1 W. Ollington & M. Hanks, Leongatha

325 377 280 300 397 420

176.6 170.6 165.0 154.6 154.0 153.2

573.95 642.59 462.00 463.80 611.72 643.44

144.0 141.2 140.0 139.2 138.0 135.0

1274.40 1397.88 1351.00 1197.12 1207.50 1201.50

BULLS 1 S. Throckmorton, Agnes 1 N. Belcher, Woodside 1 M.R. & K.M. Hall, Budgeree 1 R. Pocklington, Stony Creek 1 Mabu P/L, Mirboo 1 B.G. Whittaker & J.L. Staton, Waratah Sth

885 990 965 860 875 890

Keep cool EXTREME heat causes significant stress for all animals and there are a few simple guidelines livestock managers should follow to reduce the impact of hot weather on their stock.

The Bureau of Animal Welfare advises that provision of a plentiful supply of clean, cool water and shade is essential.

Water troughs or containers should be large enough and designed in such a way that all animals have easy access.

VLE LEONGATHA KOONWARRA

Sale Draw February 3 & 4 1. SEJ 2. Landmark 3. Rodwells 4. David Phelan & Co 5. Elders 6. Alex Scott

The number of watering points, or water flow, should be increased if large numbers of animals are kept together and troughs or containers should be firmly fixed so they cannot overturn.

They also need access to shelter during periods of extreme temperatures, especially very young or old animals or those that are in poor condition or sick.

Kennels, aviaries, rabbit hutches, cat runs and the like should have an area in the shade for the whole day. The best type of shelter during extreme heat protects the animals from the sun and allows for the cooling effect of wind.

It is also essential that shelter is available to all animals at the same time.

Outdoor poultry houses should be positioned in an area that is shaded from the sun and has good airflow.

It is best not to handle animals in hot weather unless absolutely necessary and if it is, make sure it is done in the cooler parts of the day.

If transport is necessary, it should also be done in the cooler parts of the day. If stops are needed, identify suitable locations with places of shade in which to park the vehicle and, perhaps, water.

Animals must never be left unattended in an enclosed vehicle in hot weather, it only takes a short time, even on a mild day, for the interior to heat up sufficiently to cause heat stress or even kill animals.

It is important to be well informed on the heat stress signs of any species you own and watch closely during days of extreme heat.

The Department of Primary Industries has published a wide range of advice for specific animals including horses, dairy cattle, pigs, birds (including poultry), intensively housed chickens, working dogs and cats, dogs and other pets.

For more information or copies of the information sheets visit www.dpi.vic.gov. au/animalwelfare (look under animals and heat).

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 41

Wonthaggi little Taking a athletics farm break IT has been a tough season, with a low opening milk price, changeable weather and just finishing the fodder conservation period.

After a while, it can be can be quite wearing and take its toll at a range of levels.

One way this can be alleviated is to plan for some time away from the farm and to allow time to re-charge the batteries.

Ideas for taking a break include: • Pick a time for a holiday that allows you and your family to get away from the farm without needing to be worried about stock management issues. It could be when you have a constant feeding routine that can be easily picked up by your employees or people you may bring in to farm sit.

• If you employ staff, having a roster where others can clearly see when you are intending to take holidays as well as the timing for your staff to take them is very beneficial.

• Lock the time in and commit to taking them as planned.

Purchase the tickets or book the motel, etc, and don’t cancel them.

• Make sure you have clear and easy to follow instructions for most of your equipment use and for the feed management of your stock. A list of emergency contacts would also be good backup.

• Book your relief milker and/or farm sitter, if needed, in plenty of time and lock them in with an adequate payment package.

• Have you thought of working in with a neighbour to enable you to be able to afford to take a holiday? You could offer to look after the neighbour’s farm when they take holidays and vice versa.

Most importantly, take your holiday, turn off your mobile phone and enjoy a break away from the demands of the farm.

For more detailed information, visit the People in Dairy website at www.thepeopleindairy.com to look at how to develop rosters and to see what some farmers have to say about lifestyle and planning breaks away from the farm.

PROJECT 3030 The Gippsland Dairy Extension Centre is organising a series of days to discuss the key findings to come out of Project 3030.

Key areas to be covered include: • How did the 3030 Ryegrass Max and Complementary Forage farmlets at DemoDairy make such good profits.

• Do alternative forages have a place on your farm?

• Integrating 3030 messages into farming systems.

• Balancing risk and resources in a variable climate.

Dates and venues: • Poowong: February 8, at 1515 Drouin-Korumburra Road from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

• Alberton: February 9, at 199 Meadows Road from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

To register or for more information, please contact Jason McAinch at DPI Maffra on 5147 0839 or Frank Mickan at DPI Ellinbank on 5624 2259 or 0427 317 471.

AFTER a seven week break for the school holidays, Little Athletics recommenced on Saturday with 65 athletes achieving 110 PBs between them.

The break must have recharged the batteries of the Under 6s in particular, with one record being broken and another equalled in this age group.

Congratulations to Jacob Timmermans for breaking the Under 6 boys 400 metre record and Brodie Mabilia who equalled the Under 6 boys high jump record. The other star of the day was Kate Maxwell (U11 girls) who achieved 4 PBs out of her five events. 12 other athletes achieved three PBs. The closeness of the competition was again a feature this week as it has been all season. many events are being decided by centimetres or hundredths of a second. Count backs and dead heats are also common.

Results Under 6 girls: 70m: M Luz 15.60, J Epson 18.32.

400m: M Luz 2.00.69, J Epson 2.22.11. High jump: J Epson 0.60 on countback, M. Luz 0.60. shot put: M. Luz 2.55, J. Epson 1.86. Triple jump: J Epson 2.55, M. Luz 2.28. Boys: 70m: K. Yann 13.92, B. Mabilia 14.13, Jacob Timmermans 15.79. 400m: Jacob Timmermans 1.51.05 (record), K. Yann 1.59.37, B. Mabilia 1.59.54.

High jump: B. Mabilia 0.80 (equal record), K. Yann 0.75, Jacob Timmermans 0.65. shot put: K. Yann 4.34, B. Mabilia 4.31, Jacob Timmermans 3.44.

Triple jump: B. Mabilia 3.54, K. Yann 2.33, L Bramley 2.31.

Under 7 girls: 100m: N. Slade 22.83, Mikaela Notley 23.15, A. Inglis 23.39. 200m: N Slade 50.29, Mikaela Notley 53.09, A. Inglis 53.79.

High jump: N. Slade 0.80, Mikaela Notley 0.65, A. Inglis 0.60. Long jump: N. Slade 2.34, Mikaela Notley 1.54, A. Inglis 0.92. Discus: N. Slade 6.02, Mikaela Notley 5.73, A Inglis 4.43. Boys: 100m: E. Spaull 18.34, S. Tessari 19.78, A. Maxwell 20.94. 200m: E. Spaull 43.47, A. Maxwell 47.20, S. Tessari 47.83. High jump: S. Tessari 0.80, A. Max-

well 0.70, B. Harvey 0.65.

Long jump: A. Maxwell 2.58 c/b, E. Spaull 2.58, P. Fitzgerald 2.14. Discus: E. Spaull 9.94, B. Harvey 9.89, S. Tessari 9.51.

Under 8 girls: C. Bramley 70m: 13.64. 200m: 47.29. Shot put: 4.32. Long jump: 1.87.

Triple jump: 4.17. Boys: 70m: D. Kirkpatrick 12.67, B. Wingfield 12.89, R. Slade and L. Inglis 13.36eq. 200m: D. Kirkpatrick 43.65, P. Ryan 43.82, B. Wingfield 44.08. shot put: L. Inglis 4.84, D. Kirkpatrick 4.75, W Speed 4.38. long jump: R. Slade 2.56, D. Kirkpatrick 2.51, L. Inglis 2.46. triple jump: D. Kirkpatrick 4.74, R. Slade 4.70, B. Wingfield 4.69.

Under 9 girls: 70m: T. Cook 12.36, Melody Notley 12.72, E. Turton 14.05. 800m: T. Cook 3.34.50, Melody Notley 4.12.33, T. Dell 4.23.99.

High jump: T. Cook 0.90, T. Dell 0.80. Triple jump: T. Cook 4.92, Melody Notley 4.71. discus: Melody Notley 12.79, T. Cook 8.41, E. Turton 6.91. Boys: 70m: R. Sparkes 11.75, B. Yann 12.09, Jackson Timmermans 13.38.

800m: R. Sparkes 3.17.49, B Yann 3.39.91, Jackson Timmermans 3.59.42. High jump: R Sparkes 1.15, B. Yann 0.90.

Triple jump: B. Yann 5.11, R. Sparkes 3.37. discus: R. Sparkes 14.29, B. Yann 10.01, Jackson Timmermans 5.60.

Under 10 girls: 200m: C. Ryan, B. Lowe and E. Wingfield 41.76 eq. 800m: C. Ryan 3.19.00, B. Lowe 3.50.00.

Long jump: C. Ryan 2.91, B. Lowe 2.38. Shot put: B. Lowe 3.92, C. Ryan 3.16, E. Wingfield 2.71. Discus: C. Ryan 7.87, B. Lowe 7.61, E. Wingfield 7.37. Boys: 200m: B. Anderson 36.38, C. Thompson 40.16, N. Foote 41.02. 800m: B. Anderson 3.06.00, T. Taylor-Eagles 3.26.00, C. Thompson 3.38.00. Long jump: T. Taylor-Eagles 3.45, M. Fallow 3.35, B. Anderson 2.89. shot put: M. Fallow 5.39, N. Foote 4.95, B. Anderson 4.37. Discus: N. Foote 18.97, M. Fallow 13.96, B. Anderson 12.98.

Under 11 girls: 200m: K. Smith 41.13, A Utano 42.10, G. Fillipi 44.00. 400m: K. Smith 1.39.73, A. Utano 1.41.27, K. Maxwell 1.42.82.

High jump: A. Utano 1.01, K. Maxwell 0.97, K. Smith 0.90.

Triple jump: K. Smith 6.14, A. Utano 5.57, K. Maxwell

5.51. Discus: K. Smith 11.19, A. Utano 8.81, G. Fillipi 8.71.

Boys: C. Epifano: 200m: 48.89. 400m: 2.11.18. Triple jump: 4.49. Discus: 13.45.

Under 12 girls: 100m: J. Dalton 16.01, B. Neal 16.54, T. Lowe 16.95. 400m: T. Lowe 1.23.60, J. Dalton 1.29.07, L. Geyle 1.34.86. High jump: J. Dalton 1.20 on countback, T. .Lowe 1.20, B. Neal 1.00. Shot put: J. Dalton 6.93, T Lowe 6.38, B. Neal 6.36. Discus: L. Geyle 12.34, B Neal 12.22, J Dalton 11.92. Boys: 100m: L. Arnold 15.52, D. Ryan 16.79.

400m: D. Ryan 1.18.65, L. Arnold 1.22.51. High jump: D. Ryan 1.32, L .Arnold 1.15. Shot put: D Ryan 6.20, L. Arnold 4.91. Discus: D. Ryan 15.77, L. Arnold 14.36.

Under 13 girls: 100m: D. Parker 15.48, E. BlakelyBurns 15.87, A. Blackney 17.12. 400m: D. Parker 1.26.71, A. Blackney 1.32.26, E. Blakely-Burns 1.33.72.

1500m Walk: A. Blackney 11.54.23, E. Blakely-Burns 12.24.44, P. Epifano 13.08.27.

Long jump: D. Parker 3.41, A. Blackney 3.16, E. Blakely-Burns 3.07. Javelin: A. Blackney 13.72, E. BlakelyBurns 13.56, D. Parker 12.25.

Under 14 girls: 100m: Sandra Plumb 14.74, Sadie Plumb 14.92, K. Franssen 15.24.

400m: Sadie Plumb 1.10.52, Sandra Plumb 1.13.68, K. Franssen 1.47.52. 1500m Walk: Sandra Plumb 12.16.33. long jump: K. Franssen 3.82, Sandra Plumb 3.72c/b, Sadie Plumb 3.72. javelin: Sadie Plumb 17.34, Sandra Plumb 12.95, K. Franssen 11.45.

Boys: N. Huigsloot: 100m: 14.82. 400m: 1.14.20. Long jump: 4.18. Javelin: 20.03.

Under 15 boys: P. Ryan: 100m: 13.67. 400m: 1.10.20.

Long jump: 4.37. Javelin: 30.13.

Next Saturday is an athletes choice day. Events on the program are: 70m, 100m, 800m, 1500m, 80m/90m/100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 1100m walk, 1500m walk, long jump, triple jump, discus, javelin.

Athletes must select five events from this list. Just a reminder that training is conducted at Billson Street from 6pm every Thursday night.

Leongatha Cycling AFTER a long break over the holiday period track season finally resumed on Friday night.

Conditions were good for racing even though they were getting a bit fresh for the officials and spectators.

Several of the regular pre holiday riders were still missing and we have lost Tom Dudley to Switzerland on a student exchange. However, those who did race had a pretty good session.

Some were a little rusty whilst others were moving really well.

First event for the night was a one lap time trial and Elliott Gin was in scintillating form going under 32sec for the lap for the first time (31.79sec). This is as good a time as previous top juniors of the club have recorded and Elliott should try his luck at some major meets. Second place went to Matt Dudley (35.47) and Thomas McFarlane picked up third in 36.90 sec.

Following a short break it was back onto the track for a six lap scratch race. The riders were busy swapping turns until just after two laps to go when Mitch Gin stepped up the tempo and quickly had a gap. Elliott quickly closed the gap and then tried to give his younger brother a lead out and try for the quinella. However, a strong chase by Matt Dudley saw him just catch Mitch before the line to claim second.

The riders did not have long to recover before they were out for a one lap handicap.

Steve Wilson stepped up to push the limit rider

for the start and declared his rider (Kaj Patterson , 70m) would be the winner. The positive thinking worked a treat as Kaj worked hard and just held off the fast finishing bunch to claim the win. Second went to Tom McFarlane (45) whilst the scratch rider, Elliott, flew home to take third.

The handicapper reworked the marks for a 2 lap handicap and this time the backmarker took out the race from Matt Dudley (50) and Kaj finishing strongly (140) claimed third.

By this stage of the night riders were getting tired and looking for a break. However, they were soon out for two lap sprint events. In the first, Mitch Gin held of a challenge from Tom and Kaj to take the win. In the other heat, Elliott made the jump on the bank with 280m to go and Matt Dudley could not quite pick up the wheel and hence saw Elliott claim another win.

The last race of the night was an elimination event. Whilst some of the early eliminations were close run affairs the final three placegetters were not seriously challenged. The end result was another win to Elliott followed by Matt and Tom. Riders are advised that racing on Friday, Feb 12 will be at the Warragul track 7.30pm race start, for a local clubs combine. Junior riders from Warragul, Latrobe Valley and CaseyCardinia will join with the Leongatha riders for a joint night. Training is back on at 6pm on Wednesday nights.

PAGE 42 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Classifieds for sale

PHONE 5662 5555 P FAX 5662 4350

situations vacant

Sell it in the "Star"

for sale

for sale

for sale

for sale

for sale

for sale

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

UNEMPLOYED? Why not start your own business?

Free business training Free business mentoring Income support for up to 52 weeks

Indigenous Facilitator (Re-advertised) Part time 0.6 FTE 12 month position* Traralgon or Leongatha

Are you are on Centrelink payments?

Then you could be eligible.

Heard of NEIS? www.chisholm.edu.au

Here’s that foot-in-the-door opportunity you’ve been waiting for…

Customer Service Officer – Leongatha Campus Part time (22.8 hours per week) Contract position to December 2010

Maths / Numeracy Trainer (2 days p.w.) Tues and Thurs Applications are invited for a matchs / numeracy trainer to teach VCAL numeracy in an alternative education setting based at ECG’s Leongatha campus.

Formal qualifications are essential and candidates must show a willingness to work with ‘at risk’ young people to improve their educational outcomes and re-engage them with education and training.

For a position description, please visit www.ecg.vic.edu.au, contact our office on 5662 6700 or email sgadmin@ecg.vic.edu.au Applications in writing close February 9, 2010

If you love dealing with people and want to work in a friendly environment then read on… In this position you will get the chance to demonstrate your high level customer service, administration and I.T. skills. Your helpful and welcoming persona will see you well placed as part of the administration/reception team at the Leongatha campus, and your ability to prioritise and use your initiative will establish you as a valuable staff member.

A three month probationary period applies to this position.

This appointment is subject to obtaining a satisfactory National Police Record Check.

• For further job details on the above vacancy, please visit our website www.gippstafe.vic.edu.au • Applicants must apply online via our website (Job Reference No. 0610) • No late or hard copy applications will be accepted.

• For further enquiries or assistance, please contact Human Resources on 5120 4570.

Closing date for both of the above positions is no later than 9.00 am on Monday 8 February 2010.

ZO020153

This position will also contribute to the successful coordination of ongoing Cultural Heritage Training for WGCMA staff and to the organisation’s Community Engagement Framework..

The remuneration range is $49,850 - $63,644 and includes 9% superannuation, use of a mobile phone and laptop.

•Conditions of employment for this position will be negotiated with the successful candidate, with the option of part time for 12 months or full time for six months.

Ongoing employment in this role will be subject to funding.

Please note that this position is being re-advertised.

A Position Description can be obtained via our website or by emailing kellyr@wgcma.vic.gov.au For further information contact Mikaela Power, Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator.

Applications addressing Key Selection Criteria should be marked; ‘Indigenous Facilitator’ c/ HR/Payroll Officer, and must be received by 4pm on Friday 12th February. Email applications may be sent to kellyr@wgcma.vic.gov.au Geoff Hocking Chief Executive Officer

Correspondence PO Box 1374, Traralgon VIC 3844 Telephone 1300 094 262 Facsimile (03) 5175 7899 Email westgippy@wgcma.vic.gov.au Web www.wgcma.vic.gov.au

Email your adverts to “The Star” ads@thestar.com.au

Fast Art 104020-v1

For further information and application forms: email neis@chisholm.edu.au or phone: 1300 CHISHOLM/1300 24474656

This role will be responsible for facilitating activities which contribute to West Gippsland CMA’s ongoing commitment to engage and develop partnerships with Traditional Owners and Indigenous organisations.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 43

South Gippsland Shire Council you’ll come for the beauty and stay for the lifestyle

Aged & Disability Coordinator $74k package including super and vehicle

Classifieds PHONE 5662 5555 P FAX 5662 4350

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

situations vacant

Permanent Full Time We are seeking a suitably experienced Aged & Disability Coordinator to work within the Family Services team. You will be responsible for coordinating the areas of Home and Community Care, Disability and related projects.

You will have a qualification in the field of health or community services and demonstrated experience in the health or community services field.

You must be experienced in supervising and motivating a specialised workforce and have the ability to negotiate and liaise with a wide range of individuals. You will also be able to manage resources and budgets to meet plans and objectives.

This is a rewarding position that offers an enthusiastic person the chance to make a difference in service delivery.

This position is subject to a satisfactory police check and a current driver’s licence is essential.

We also welcome direct discussion with Linda Jamieson regarding this role.

Communications Officer

Early Childhood Teacher Bass Coast Children's Centre Inc requires an Early Childhood Teacher to lead our 4-year-old Kindergarten program. The program operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and is integrated into our LDC service structure.

An Early Childhood qualification is mandatory. The successful applicant will require a National Police Certificate and WWC Check. Appropriate First Aid qualifications are also mandatory.

Please note that the DEECD is currently offering incentives of up to $12,000 for Early Childhood Teachers employed in LDC. Dina McMaster (03) 5672 5151 bass.coast.cc@kindergarten.vic.gov.au

Temporary Full time We are seeking a suitably experienced communications professional to join our Organisational Development team for a temporary period until January 2011.

The position requires a well organised self starter with excellent interpersonal skills.

Ideally you will have a tertiary qualification in PR or Journalism, demonstrated relevant experience and excellent written and verbal communication skills. You will also have strong graphic design (Adobe Creative Suite) and web (Aussoft) skills and a working knowledge of social media.

We also welcome direct discussion with Jeannie Hicks regarding this role.

Intake and Assessment Officer Temporary Full time A temporary full time position exists until January 2011 within Council in the Intake and Assessment Team. This position will play an instrumental role in the implementation of the Active Service Model and Living at Home assessment across the South Gippsland Shire.

Your responsibilities will include: • Assessing and reviewing services for older persons, people with disabilities and their carers, ensuring services are co-ordinated, planned and equitable • Providing referral and linkages to appropriate services for clients with complex and changing needs • Liaising and networking with agencies; and • Contributing to policies and procedures This is a great opportunity to display your talents in a work environment that offers great employment benefit, professional development and job satisfaction. There is also the opportunity to act in a higher capacity.

This position is subject to a satisfactory pre-employment medical along with a satisfactory Police and Working with Children Check (WWC), a current drivers licence is also essential.

We also welcome direct discussion with Louise Brydon regarding this role.

Supported Playgroup Facilitator Temporary Part Time - 15.2 hours per week A temporary part time position exists until June 2012 within Council to develop and implement Supported Playgroups programs within the Shire.

Tertiary qualified in Early Childhood Development, you will demonstrate experience in the development of appropriate play experiences for children, have an ability to work with a diverse range of stakeholders and local community members, and have a high level of interpersonal and communication skills.

This is a great opportunity to display your talents in a work environment that offers great employment benefit, professional development and job satisfaction.

This position is subject to a satisfactory Police and Working with Children Check (WWC).

We also welcome direct discussion with Linda Jamieson regarding this role.

Applications addressing the selection criteria for the above positions are to be submitted by 5pm Friday 12th February 2010 addressed to: Human Resources, South Gippsland Shire Council, Private Bag 4, Leongatha 3953 or emailed to council@southgippsland.vic.gov.au Further information and position descriptions for the above positions are available from Human Resources on or visit www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au

www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au

South Gippsland Shire Council Private Bag 4, Leongatha Vic 3953 e-mail - council@southgippsland.vic.gov.au Phone (03) 56629200

Turf Maintenance Team Member • $42,000 to $46,000 plus super • Permanent full time • Career opportunities Bass Coast is one of the fastest growing regional areas in Victoria. The parks, gardens, reserves and open spaces complement the beautiful beaches and surrounds.

As part of the Infrastructure Maintenance Team you will be responsible for turf preparation, maintenance of sporting ovals and the quality upkeep of parks and gardens.

Knowledge and skills in turf maintenance as well as a trade certi cate or relevant experience will bene t you greatly in this position.

For a position speci cation go to the employment section on our webiste www. basscoast.vic.gov.au or contact Human Resources on 1300 BCOAST (226 278).

Applications close 5.00pm on Friday, 12 February.

Bass Coast Shire Council, 76 McBride Avenue, Wonthaggi VIC 3995 | DX 34903 Wonthaggi | PO Box 118, Wonthaggi VIC 3995 | 1300 BCOAST (226 278) for standard call cost | basscoast@basscoast.vic.gov.au | www.basscoast.vic.gov.au

Customer Service Traineeship Full Time - 12 months Applications are invited for an enthusiastic trainee to work and learn in a busy Customer Service role based at ECG’s Leongatha campus.

A strong willingness to learn administration and customer service is essential and applicants must also demonstrate an outgoing, pleasant nature.

For a position description, please visit www.ecg.vic.edu.au, contact our office on 5662 6700 or email sgadmin@ecg.vic.edu.au Applications in writing close February 12, 2010

Position Vacant

South East Services Network GippsCare Leongatha The Salvation Army South East Services Network, GippsCare Service seeks the following position:

Family Violence Outreach Worker (Full Time 38 hrs per week) (Consideration will be given to applicants wishing to job share 2.5 days per week) GippsCare assists individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within the Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires.

An exciting opportunity exists for an enthusiastic and highly motivated professional to join our Family Violence Service.

GippsCare provides support to women and children in the community who are experiencing or escaping family violence.

Applicants must have relevant qualifications and/or experience in risk management, report writing, case planning, advocacy and have sound written and verbal communication skills. The successful applicant will have an ability to develop ways of engaging women at risk.

The position is based at our Leongatha office.

The above position advertised will be required to meet the following criteria: • Applicants must be willing to work within the mission and values of The Salvation Army.

• A driver’s licence is essential.

• A satisfactory police check is essential.

• A Working With Children Check is essential.

• Proof of eligibility to work in Australia is essential.

• All applicants are required to cite the name of three (3) referees.

• Applications for the above position are to be received no later than close of business, Monday, February 15, 2010.

A Position Description can be obtained by contacting Reception on 5662 4502 or email

debbie.gillin@aus.salvationarmy.org South East Services Network is a Child Safe Organisation

RETAIL AREA MANAGER Evans Petroleum Gippsland is a locally owned and operated Fuel Distributorship servicing both retail and wholesale customers in the South Gippsland area for the past 39 years. We currently have a position available within our company for a Retail Area Manager to oversee our 11 retail sites.

Successful applicant will be required to: • maintain a team environment • have proficient people management skills • Good computer literacy • Be self motivated • Have good analytical skills • Negotiating with suppliers Retail experience would be an advantage.

Renumeration negotiable depending on experience.

Please forward handwritten application and resumé to: Mr Stuart D. Evans Managing Director Evans Petroleum Gippsland Pty Ltd PO Box 588 Leongatha Vic. 3953 Applications close Monday, February 15

Classified advertising closes 12 noon Mondays public notices

public notices

WHAT WOULD YOU DO if you were a millionaire in 7 years?

The Investors Club Real wealth through property investing

Tuesday, February 9 @ 7.30pm Leongatha RSL, Cnr Smith St & Michael Place For more information phone 5182 6757 No charge Investors helping investors

PAGE 44 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

public notices

Rock n Roll DANCE LESSONS

Every Thursday night 7.30pm Masonic Hall - Leongatha No partner necessary Cost $5 (New Beginners Class starts each new school term) Starting again February 4 Enquiries to: John and Judy Kerville 5662 4004 (AH) Diane 5662 2136 (BH) Neil Olsen 0428 552 284

public notices

CHIROPRACTOR Garry Harrison 19 Moonah Street Cape Paterson This practice will be closed until further notice due to family illness

FREE CAR

CHIROPRACTOR NORMAN G. VRADENBURG

REMOVAL

28 Reilly Street, INVERLOCH

Trucks, tractors & farm machinery ALL AREAS 5658 1577 Complete vehicles

REGENT CARAVAN

“NON-FORCE PRACTITIONER” HOURS - Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday by appointment Phone and fax 5674 3666 South Gippsland Chiropratic Services & Adjunctive Therapies P/L

On display at LEONGATHA BOWLS CLUB

KONGWAK MARKET

Sunday, February 14

Sunday10am

Sales staff in attendance

Come early if it's hot!

Collectables, vintage, retro, plants, books, produce, trash, curry, coffee, live music and more...

It's fun, come!

Call 0417 142 478 for more info

QUIT SMOKING WEIGHT LOSS Achieve Success in 60 Mins

John Simmons

Clinical Hypnotherapist

Wonthaggi - February 11 Leongatha - February 12 Bookings: 5333 1565 or 1800 110 660 simmonshypnotherapy.com.au

THE ORGANIC HAIR & BEAUTY SALON: 150 Bald Hills Road, Tarwin Lower, Deanne Dakers. Ph. 5663-5439, website: www. theorganicbeautysalon. com

Inside and out

agistment

for sale

HORSE agistment, small paddocks available close to town. Ph: 5662-3270.

business opportunities BE PART OF THE NEW EBAY Dubli is growing 10 x faster than Ebay.

Just launched in Australia and New Zealand.

Enormous income potential!

Act now and share in the profits of DUBLI global success.

Phone: 0417 572 782 Work as many hours as you want! www.dublinetwork.com/ 9945 856

for rent VENUS BAY - house, short stroll to beach and shops, sleeps 7. Contact: 0408320001.

wanted to rent SMALL cottage on a few acres. Non cropping area.

Ph: (03)9736-1189.

free

FREE Pick-up and delivery in Leongatha/Meeniyan areas for MOTOR MOWERS,

CHAINSAWS AND STATIONARY ENGINES ETC. Repairs and services

Phone JOHN GOULD 5664 0012

Kongwak Market is a smoke free event

for sale

YOGA CLASSES Back February 1 MEENIYAN TIBETAN YOGA Mondays and evenings Shantima 5664 4252 0428 320 571 www.dharmaheart.com.au

NEWHAVEN COLLEGE In Quietness and Confidence Shall Be Your Strength

A co-educational, independent school, Prep to Year 12, beautifully situated on Phillip Island, proudly celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2010.

REUNION FOR STUDENTS OF THE EARLY 1980s 2.30 – 5.00pm Saturday 6 February 2010 Newhaven College Auditorium Malcliff Road, Newhaven Light refreshments will be available.

For more information, please contact Felicity Hillier on 0438 785 663.

To register your interest in attending, please contact Reception at Newhaven College Ph: 5956 7505 Fax: 5956 7131 email: info@newhavencol.vic.edu.au www.newhavencol.vic.edu.au

VACUUM CLEANER Repairs DUST BAGS

Sales

FREE

QUOTES

WONTHAGGI SEWING CENTRE 167 Graham Street, Wonthaggi (opp. Ritchies IGA)

5672 3127

training

for sale

AC/DC TICKETS for sale.

4 seat tickets available for Thursday, February 11, Etihad Stadium Melbourne. $155 each. Phone Michael 0427-623453.

TRUCK TRAY, 22ft beaver tail, near new condition, ironbark timber floor, $3,800. Ph: 0407-258305.

CARAVAN, off-road Royal Flair Discovery, Dec. 2007, 20ft, as new, C&S susp., Q-bed, air con, gas/elec HW, combo ensuite, TV, DVD, m/wave, battery pack, solar T Box, awning and sides, $56,500. 0408832243.

GENERATOR, 8KVA, 15hp, ditigal GX420, 30lt tank, remote control/ electric key start/ pull start, inc. battery, hour meter, wheels. Ideal for blackouts or farm. Still in box, under warranty. Worth $3,500, sell $1,890. Can deliver. 0402-551678.

CARAVAN, Franklin, 1980, 18’ long, 6 berth with annexe, $5,500. Ph: 0407258305.

SAM 3 tonne trailing spreader - $7,000 neg.

Vertikator seeder, 3 metre with roller - $11,000 neg.

Berends 3 metre cultivator with roller - $1,000. All good condition. Ph: 0437519534, Serena.

DISHWASHER, Mezzo, immaculate cond. $120.

Venus Bay. Ph: 5663-5557.

DREAM-POT thermal cooker, 6 litre, brand new.

Cost $295, sell $235. Great for caravans and camping.

Ph: 5664-7333.

used machinery

used vehicles

FIREWOOD, redgum & local wood, Ph 0408-980711, A/H 5662-5175

FREE CAR REMOVAL

HAY - 5x4 good quality shedded round bales, $55.

0418-640026.

Will pay up to $300 for complete car Buyers of scrap metal

HEATCHARM combustion wood heater unit, heats 35sq. As new condition, $750 ONO. Ph: 0400542700.

HEN HOUSES, fox proof, good quality, 6-8 chooks.

The perfect henhouse. Ph: 5664-2443.

MOBILITY SCOOTER, 1 y.o., red, rear carry bag, cover, flag, EC, $2,000. Ph: 0408-335948.

POOL TABLE, 3/4 size, slate based, from Astra Billiards, EC, inc. all access, $900. 5657-7384.

PUPPIES Cavalier King Charles spaniels, pure bred, Blenheim and Tricolour. With papers $700 - $850, without papers $200 - $500. Ph: 5189-1331.

QUALITY HAY, 100 round bales, Nerrena area. This season’s, excellent quality, $50 per roll. 0428-515103.

REFRIGERATOR / freezer, Kelvinator 2 door, plus tumble dryer. $240 the lot.

Surplus, property sold. Ph: 5664-6588.

SILAGE - good heavy bales, large quantity available.

Leongatha North. $75 plus GST. 0418-640030.

SLEEPERS, treated pine, 200x50x2.4 $12.10 each, 200x75x2.4 $16.75 each.

Free delivery for pack lots.

Phone Joe 0417-530662.

SOUTHDOWN Poll Dorset and Border Leicester rams, 1½ years, flock registered, brucellosis accredited. Can deliver. $295 each. 56862699, 0428-356376.

TERRACOTTA roof tiles, approx. 650, $1 each. Ph: 0429-887652.

TIMBER - kiln dried blackwood, clear pine, silver wattle. Most sizes for furniture and craft. Also builder’s graded structural pine. Phone 5681-2261.

All machinery Bins provided

Bass Coast Metal Recyclers 5672 2946 0417 556 593 HOLDEN VX Commodore, 2002, silver, lowered, 18’ mags, LSD, sports exhaust, RPG755, $7,200. Ph: 0401194601.

MERCEDES, 1977, 250 petrol, reg. DSG583. VG order, $4,200 ONO. Ph: 5678-0479.

garage sales

GARAGE SALE 6 A’Beckett Street LEONGATHA

Saturday, February 6 7.30am on Quality household items, computer desk, kitchenware, clothing, electrical

Invites caring people to become VOLUNTEER TELEPHONE COUNSELLORS • Training provided • Make a real difference • Increase your skills INFORMATION NIGHT 7-9pm Thursday, February 4 GARNHAM HOUSE Wonthaggi Hospital, Wonthaggi Contact Sandra Luxford on 5136 3500 lifelinegipps@llg.org.au for further details

work wanted FULLY Qualified Painter.

No job too small. Good rates. Call Drew on 56624238 or 0418-517443.

thanks CHARLIE and Frankie Johnson would like to sincerely thank Bill and Barry and everyone else at SEJ for the wonderful help and all the work they did before and at our sale.

Also the Mt Eccles ladies for their catering, Col Littlejohn with his front-end loader, and anyone else who helped. It was all very much appreciated.

births THORSON (Crofts) - Jo, Cheetah, Ky and Arkie of Noosa, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their beautiful girl, Indi May. Born January 6, 2010. All well.

marriage celebrant

Jenny Milkins All areas - 5672 3123 jenny_milkins@hotmail.com

CAM ABOOD Leongatha 5662 4191

MERLENE STRATTON Leongatha 5662 2574

wanted to buy FURNITURE: Parker, Noblett, Tessa, Chiswell, Moran, or any quality brand name used furniture. Phone Wendy on 0409-234482.

meetings Leongatha Football/Netball Club LADIES COMMITTEE

AGM

Tuesday, February 9 7.30pm at the

FOOTBALL CLUBROOMS All positions vacant Encourage all interested in helping to attend

in memoriam In loving memory BEYER - Corry.

17/8/1930 - 30/01/2006 NICHOLAS - Gwen.

28/8/1934 - 30/01/2009 Two beautiful ladies, Gone but not forgotten.

Love Marilyn, Ronnie, Alex and Jake X X X. In God’s care.

message of hope FOR in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.

Colossians 2:10.

bereavement thanks

JAMES COYLE’s family extend grateful thanks to all who supported us in our time of need. Messages of condolence, offered masses, flowers, foods, visits, professional services, and time, were kindly and freely given, and greatly appreciated. Our thanks to Fr Jacob Thadathil, Fr Peter Kooloos, Dr Joy Linton, the wonderful domestic, administrative and nursing staff of Leongatha Hospital and District Nursing staff, the palliative care team, Paul and Margaret Beck, the ‘Star’ and Jane Ross who helped us in their special ways, and to the Latrobe Valley Football League and Leongatha Football Club, Keith Kuhne, and the guard of honour, you were great. Our deep gratitude to the good people of St Laurence parish and the town of Leongatha, you showed what humanity is.

MAXWELL - Audrey.

Doug, Lynne, Vicki, Geoff and families would like to thank everyone for their cards, flowers and condolences on the occasion of the passing of our dear wife, mother and nan, Audrey. We would also like to thank the staff at the Mirboo North Aged Care and Southern Cross Care for all their help and support. Please accept this as our personal thank you.

deaths

BROOKS - Eva. No words seem enough to say how we feel. We will miss you Little Nana.

Butch, Jodie, Tye, Josh and Sam McGannon.

ELLIOTT - Stan.

The melody started the moment we knew you, And what a song it has been.

The music of life is a wondrous thing, We are so glad we shared it with thee.

Much loved brother-in-law of Pam and Jeff Coulston, dearest uncle of Mark and Heather, Carolyn and Paul, Chris and Joy, and their families.

‘So many happy memories’.

ELLIOTT - Stan.

Jean Stewart’s Band has reformed to play heavenly music.

Sympathy to Eileen and family from the Stewart family.

Marching on to the beat of the music.

HARRIS - Lynette Hazel.

27/01/40 - 1/02/2010.

Passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by her family.

Much loved wife of John, loving mother of Gary and Kim, and Craig and Susan.

Devoted Nana of Aden, Troy, Ryan and Regan.

Rest peacefully.

Always in our hearts.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 45

Classifieds PHONE 5662 5555 P FAX 5662 4350

deaths HAYWARD - Robyn.

Loving memories of a dear and wonderful friend. Sleep peacefully Rob. Deepest sympathy to Garry, Bo and the Lawson and Hayward families.

Love Sue, Sam, Ryan, Tom and Abby.

HAYWARD - Robyn.

We will all treasure the memories of the fun and special times Ky and Arkie had in family day care with Robyn. A beautiful, caring person, who will be sadly missed.

Our deepest sympathy to Garry and Bo. Jo, Cheetah, Ky, Arkie and Indi.

JOSEPHS Stanley Derek.

Passed away at the South Gippsland Hospital, Foster on Wednesday, January 27, 2010.

Much loved husband of Terry.

Loved father of Keren and Charlie; Lesley; David (dec.), Susan and Jeffrey; Trevor (dec.), Christine; Alan and Rebecca; Tracey and Mick.

Pa to Karla and David, Sandy, Lisa, Dominic and Tayla. Great grandpa to Evelyn.

Always remembered with love.

KINNISH - William John (Bill).

Passed away 31/1/10.

Respected cousin and good mate of Ian and Mary Ann, and family.

KINNISH - William John.

6/9/1939 - 31/1/2010.

Passed away suddenly.

Son of William and Florence (dec.).

Brother of Neil.

R.I.P. KINNISH - William John (Bill).

Loved cousin of Joan and Jeff, Kristy, Russell and Chelsea.

Sadly missed.

KINNISH - Bill.

We are greatly saddened at the death of our loyal friend Bill, he was a true gentleman and will not be forgotten.

Our thoughts are with Neil at this sad time.

The Curtis family.

LEITCH Campbell Fletcher (Cam).

Passed away peacefully at Koorooman House, Leongatha on January 25, 2010 aged 85 years, late of Leongatha.

Beloved husband of Shirley (dec.).

Loved father and father-inlaw of Murray and Chris, Toni and Ray. Loved Pa of Geoffrey, Peta, Renee and Ross; Paul and David.

Great Pa of Abbie; Adam; Emma and Liam.

A great Dad and Pa. Reunited with Shirley.

deaths

MILES - Allen.

The Inverloch Primary School community regret the passing of Allen, past School Council President, friend and supporter of Inverloch Primary School over many years.

Our sympathy to Joyce and all the Miles family.

MILES - Allen.

Officers and members of the Leongatha Korumburra CFA Group are saddened at the loss of former Group Secretary and Inverloch Captain, Allen Miles.

Deepest sympathy to Joyce and his family.

RICHARDSON - Ronald.

Treasured memories of a special uncle. Forever in our hearts.

Resting peacefully.

Lov, Alf, Yvonne and Graham.

Race underway: racers in the female event head into the water.

Locals win at swim classic

LOCAL swimmers starred in the annual Anderson Inlet Swim Classic on Australia Day.

funerals HARRIS - The Funeral Service for the late Mrs Lynette Hazel Harris will be held at the Korumburra Showgrounds Amenities (South Gippsland Hwy) on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 2pm.

Private cremation.

Paul & Margaret Beck HANDLEY FUNERAL SERVICES Leongatha / Korumburra 5662-2717 AFDA

Local crew: Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club members Ryan Van Agtmaal, Ben Ellis, Beau Van Agtmaal, Nick Leman and Luke Foster competed.

JOSEPHS - Family and friends are warmly invited to attend light refreshments at the RSL Hall, Toora on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 12 noon to remember and celebrate the life of Stanley Derek Josephs.

A private family burial will precede the above gathering.

Paul & Margaret Beck HANDLEY FUNERAL SERVICES Leongatha / Korumburra 5662-2717 AFDA

Email your adverts to “The Star” ads@thestar.com.au

Top performers: members of the Bass Coast Barracudas triathlon club, Brian Martin, Phil Hanley and Debbie Rielly prepare.

Right All set: Waratah Beach Surf Life Saving Club members Francine Moss, Bertrand Honore, Lisa Shaw and Rose Carn took part.

Milo cricket THE MILO in 2 CRICKET program continues on for its final two weeks on Friday, February 5 and 12 from 4:15 at Leongatha PS.

crossword solutions CRYPTIC PUZZLE NO. 8207 - SOLUTIONS Across - 6, Flat denial. 8, O-la-f. 9, L-I-on. 10, Thing. 11, Sign. 12, Rep-uted-ly. 16, Lap-lander. 20, Plus. 22, Treat.

23, He-AD. 24, L-I-sa (rev.) 25, Yours truly.

Down - 1, Plaice (place). 2, Stand-up. 3, Set-tee. 4, Filial. 5, Flogs. 7, Mad-ge (rev.). 13, D-I-p. 14, In short. 15, Pla-I-n. 17, Aven-U-e. 18, LA-test. 19, Ena-ble(ating). 21, Stays.

QUICK PUZZLE NO. 8207 - SOLUTIONS Across - 6, Perpetrate. 8, Teak. 9, Gnat. 10, Paint. 11, Yarn.

12, Interpret. 16, Gondolier. 20, Seep. 22, Unfit. 23, Mode.

24, Soap. 25, Persuasive.

Down - 1, Pennon. 2, Epithet. 3, Step up. 4, Facile. 5, Jetty. 7, Hairy. 13, Run. 14, Blemish. 15, Tenor. 17, Oxford 18, Detour. 19, Endive. 21, Puppy.

Family occasion: Kate Love of Inverloch took part in the event with her father Daryl Love, also of Inverloch, and grandfather Peter Love of Carrum Downs.

Right On focus: organiser George Misson makes the instructions clear.

Hosted by the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, the 1.2km swim was contested by 133 competitors.

Matt Sterrenburg of Inverloch won the Under 16 boys class in a time of 17 minutes and two seconds and Wonthaggi’s Phil Hanley was first over the line in the Over 35 men category in 20:43.

Michael Dehaini, competing in the Under 19 men’s event, was the first man to finish, in 16 minutes and 28 seconds.

Abbey Cleland was the star lady, finishing in 19 minutes and 50 seconds to also win the over 35 female division.

Event organiser George Misson said the event was supported by swimmers from far and wide, with a mix of locals and visitors picking up trophies.

“There were swimmers from the elite to the once a year swimmer competing. One such family was the Dehaini Family from Glen Waverley, who picked up trophies and then proceeded to turn around and drive to Mt Martha Life Saving Club’s Ocean Swim that was being held later that day,” he said.

Mr Misson said swimmers faced calm waters with the aroma of a typical Australian BarbeCue in the background.

“What better way to start celebrating Australia Day, than by having a swim in one of the most beautiful inlets around the coast and then finishing off by partaking in a real Aussie barbie at the completion of the event,” he said.

Swimmers have encouraged the club to retain the event for Australia Day. “So if tides are suitable, it looks as if it is now going to be a permanent fixture in Inverloch on Australia Day,” Mr Misson said.

Next year’s event will form part of the Bass Coast Summer Series in conjunction with Woolamai and Cape Paterson surf life saving clubs.

Other results were: Open Men: Naish Chapman, Bria Hill, 18:29. Open Women: Jodie Finn, Wonga Park, 22:04. U/19 Women: Cloie Butt, San Remo, 19:54. U/16 Boys: Matt Sterrenburg, Inverloch, 17:02 U/16 Girls: Kasey Stephenson, Croydon,, 23:06 O/35 Men: Phil Hanley, Wonthaggi, 20:43 O/50 Men: Peter Wrighton, Langwarrin, 19:20 O/50 Women: Belinda Cipa, Park Orchids, 29:37.

PAGE 46 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

• RACING

Warning wins again STONY Creek’s Erika Eldred is enjoying a terrific run with her middle distance galloper, Special Warning.

After he finished second at Stony Creek on January 2, he won at Kilmore on January 17 and then stepped out at Ballarat on Thursday for a second successive win.

“Yes, he is going very well and I think the big change has been getting the blinkers on and racing him up on the pace.

He seems to have a high cruising speed and then have a bit of a kick at the end as well,” said Eldred.

“There is a nice race for him back at Kilmore on their cup day (February

14). It’s a 0-68 over 1600 metres worth $27,000, so it will be a good test for him.

“He is a shocking horse to handle, but he’s racing well and that certainly makes it worthwhile,” she said.

Special Warning is the first foal of the former Max Lees trained seven time winning mare, Klaxon.

Winning run: Special Warning, seen here finishing second at Stony Creek, has followed up with two successive victories.

• VICTORIAN COUNTRY TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

South Coast finishes third THE South Coast Athletics Club achieved their best ever result, taking third place at the State Country Athletics Championship in Newborough over the Australia Day long weekend.

John Ryan: Men’s 40+ receives his medal after breaking the record in hammer.

TIDES Here is an easy guide to tides in your area.

To determine tides for a particular area, add or subtract periods of times as shown below.

Earlier Minutes Apollo Bay ...........................25 King Island (Grassy) ...........10 King Island (Surprise Bay)....40 King Island (Franklin) ...........40 Lakes Entrance .................... 170 Lorne ...................................... 20 Mallacoota Inlet.................... 158 Rip Bank ................................ 15 Snowy River Entrance ......... 170 _______________________ Cape Schanck, Flinders, Mornington Ocean Beaches, Seal Rocks, Venus Bay, Waratah Bay, Woolamai ....... nil _________________________ Later Minutes Altona ................................... 195 Barwon Heads Bridge ........... 15 Carrum ................................. 195 Corinella ................................. 68 Cowes Pier............................. 50 Dromana .............................. 195 Frankston ............................. 195 Geelong ............................... 210 Hastings ................................. 66 Hovell Pile ............................ 195 Inverloch Pier ......................... 15 Melbourne ............................ 200 Mornington ........................... 195 Newhaven Jetty ..................... 30 No. 1 West Channel (Annulus)........................... 50 No. 2 South Channel Light .... 70 No. 8 South Channel Light .. 150 Port Albert Pier ...................... 90 Portarlington Pier ................. 190 Portsea Pier ........................... 80 Port Welshpool (Rabbit Island .................... 10 Queenscliffe Pier ................... 30 Rhyll ....................................... 60 Rosebud............................... 195 Rye Pier ............................... 170 St. Leonards Pier ................. 190 Sandringham ....................... 195 Sorrento Pier........................ 130 Stony Point ............................. 40 South Channel Pile Light ..... 190 Swan Island Dock ................ 120 Tooradin ............................... 105 Warneet.................................. 84 Williamstown ........................ 200 Welshpool Pier....................... 90

At Port Phillip Heads

FEBRUARY Time

height (metres)

Add one hour for daylight saving

3 WED

4 THUR

5 FRI

6 SAT

7 SUN

8 MON

9 TUE

0246 0834 1505 2047

1.61 0.27 1.55 0.25

0328 0923 1559 2133

1.62 0.16 1.57 0.31

0406 1008 1651 2216

1.61 0.11 1.56 0.39

0445 1052 1743 2258

1.57 0.09 1.51 0.47

0522 1133 1835 2339

1.51 0.12 1.45 0.55

0601 1215 1929

1.43 0.18 1.37

0020 0644 1259 2024

0.64 1.34 0.25 1.30

All times shown in 24 hour clock 0001 - 1200..................AM 1201 - 2400..................PM

The club was only formed in August 2007 and announced itself immediately by finishing fifth in its first Country Championships in 2008, fourth last year and last weekend stepped up to take third.

The Country Championships are held annually and are open to all Victorian athletes who are members of country athletic clubs. Over 500 athletes from 19 country athletic clubs competed at the titles.

South Coast collected 78 medals over the weekend: 29 gold 29 silver and 20 bronze.

Forty of the 47 South Coasters who competed managed to make an appearance on the victory dais, a terrific strike rate in anyone’s language.

There were a number of highlights, starting with three athletes who broke Victorian country records: Veteran middle distance superstar Steve Quirk from Mirboo North capped off a great 12 months for him in which he won the State Cross Country and Road Racing Series in September and took a bronze medal in the men’s 45+ 5000 metres at the World Masters games in October and on the weekend he lowered the Victorian country record in the 50+ Men’s 1500 metres by some four seconds.

Inverloch-based athlete John Ryan smashed the 40+ Men’s hammer throw record by over 10 metres and 17-yearold Leongatha student, Alana Green broke her own Women’s U/18, 20 & Open Country Pole Vault record by some 20 centimetres.

Other star performers were 12-year-old Lauren Matthews from Bruthen who collected eight medals from her eight events: Four gold, three silver and a bronze. Korumburra student Angela Byrne confirmed the big raps on her by taking the Under 18 Girls Sprint double (100 and 200 metres) in emphatic style and 13-year-old Leongatha athlete Eleanor Patterson confirmed her class by winning gold in all three of her individual

events.

Hard luck story has to go to young Mirboo North athlete Wes Graeme. Wes won three individual silver medals.

He was beaten on a countback for gold in the U14 Boys high jump, was beaten by one centimetre in the U14 Boys long jump where he led right up to the second last jump of the event, and he was beaten by a centimetre in the U14 Boys triple jump where he also led right up to the second last jump of the event.

Club management were also very pleased with the relay results. South Coast won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the relays.

A sure sign that the club’s running stocks are starting to deepen.

Medal winners Gold: Christine Byrne, U12 girls 100m, U12 girls long jump.

Steve Quirk 50+ mens 1500m (record), 50+ mens 3000m. Lauren Matthews, U14 girls high jump, U14 girls 100m, U14 girls triple jump. Eleanor Patterson, U16 girls high jump, U16 girls 90m hurdles, U16 girls triple jump.

Kristie Bryden, U18 girls shotput Patrick Ryan U16 boys hammer throw, U16 boys discus. Angela Byrne,U18girls100m,U18girls 200m. Alana Green U20 girls pole vault (record), Open Women pole vault, U20 girls 100m. Lucas Taylor, U16 boys 3000m walk. Russell Dickenson, 50+ mens 3000m walk. Jasmine Irshad, U14 girls 1500m walk. Nicole Davis, U14 girls shotput. Samantha Davis,U16 girls discus. Ben Green, U14 boys pole vault (U/13 record), U14 boys discus. Leki Asa Leausa, U16 boys javelin. John Ryan, 40+ mens hammer throw (record). Under 14 girls 4 x 100m relay Nicole Davis, Ciara Ryan, Christine Byrne, Lauren Matthews. Under 20 girls 4 x 100 m relay Hayley Matthews,

Steve Quirk: leading the pack in the men’s 50+ 1500m

Alana Green, Megan Ryan, Angela Byrne.

Silver: Christine Byrne, U14 girls triple jump. Steve Quirk, 50+ mens high jump, 50+ mens 800m.

Lauren Matthews U14 girls 200m hurdles, U14 girls long jump, U14 girls 200m. Kristie Bryden U18 girls discus. Patrick Ryan U16 boys shotput. Alana Green U20 girls long jump. Lucas Taylor U16 100m hurdles. Russell Dickenson Open mens 5000m walk. Nicole Davis U14 girls discus. John Ryan 40+ mens shotput. Ciara Ryan U12 girls 400m. Wesley Graham U14 boys high jump, U14 boys long jump, U14 boys triple jump.

David Green 40+ mens 100m.

Sandra Plumb U16 girls 2000m steeplechase. Ben Quirk U18 boys 3000m. Leo Byrne U16 boys long jump. Kyla Green U12 girls shot.

U16 girls 4 x 100m relay Rachael O’Loughlin, Stephanie George, Sadie Plumb, Robyn Byrne. U16 boys 4 x 100m relay Mitchell Green, Leki Asa Leausa, Leo Byrne, Patrick Ryan. 40+ mens 4 x 100m relay Steve Quirk, David Green, Graham George, Tim Crosbie .

Strong win: 11-year-old Christine Byrne was a comfortable winner of the U/12 100m.

Biggest ever Channel Challenge SAN Remo’s 25th annual Channel Challenge attracted a record 639 competitors who raced in possibly the best conditions ever.

Competitors came from Phillip Island, San Remo, Wonthaggi, Cape Paterson, Inverloch Latrobe Valley, Sale, Bendigo and many from Melbourne.

Event co-ordinator Ron Nicholson said this year’s event would have to be one of the best ever.

“The water was glassy and the water temperature perfect for the swim,” Mr Nicholson said.

Sponsored by San Remo’s Ben-

digo Community Bank, the silver anniversary challenge saw elite Melbourne athletes Jamie Rowe and Holly Aitken the 2010 winners.

Winners of last year’s local sections Mark Rowe and Chloe Butt claimed the line honours again and special commemorative medallions were presented to the overall winners and to winner of the first ever Challenge, and Age reporter Michael Gordon, Challenge “Golden Girl” Penny Reid, a 14 time event winner, who this year was the quickest woman out of the water, and local competitors Brian Dallinger and Geoff Daff, the only two in the world to have competed in

the 25 consecutive events.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 47

Leongatha little athletics AFTER the summer recess, an enthusiastic field of more than 120 athletes competed in the first meeting of 2010 for the Leongatha Little Athletics Club last Saturday, January 30.

In hot and gusty conditions at the velodrome oval, no fewer than eight records were broken across a range of events.

In the sandpit, Christine Byrne broke the Under 11 girls’ long jump record she set earlier in the season, extending the mark to 3.92m with a fantastic leap.

In the triple jump, Ruby Martin hit 7.0 metres to set a new record for the Under 9 girls, passing the 6.85m mark Chelsea Moscript set back in 2004/05.

Across the park at the vortex circle, Ruby and Amber Hansson both threw the missile – which, along with the plastic turbo javelin, is a precursor to traditional throwing events such as javelin – past the previous benchmark, although Ruby took the record with a 16.26m throw.

Shannon Kennedy was in excellent form with the turbo javelin, hurling it

19.95m to smash the previous record for the Under 9 boys by almost seven metres.

Cobie Standfield also set a centre record for the turbo javelin for the Under 8 girls with a beaut 8.70m throw.

There was no less action on the track, with Kodie Spokes setting two new records in the Under 15 boys section.

Kodie shaved two tenths from Mark Coulter’s six-year-old record in the 70m sprint with a 9.08-second burst, and took more than five seconds off the 400m record with an impressive run completed in just 1:00.24.

Also in the 400m, Shannon Mellings broke a long-standing record set by Lisa Calder in 2003/04, taking the centre’s best time for the Under 10 girls down to 1:19.94.

Congratulations to all athletes who competed with great gusto and enthusiasm in the difficult conditions.

Please note that training is held on Mondays at the velodrome oval, from 4.15pm to 5pm. All athletes are encouraged to attend practice events prior to competition on Saturdays.

Up and over: Ella Roberts negotiates this hurdle.

Junior cricket approaches finals WITH finals just around the corner, Under 16 cricketers are giving it their best to advance their respective teams.

Right: Power bowl: Michael White delivers for Korumburra as Imperials’ Mitch Elliott prepares to run in the Under 16 match.

Team effort: Jason Stewart and Brock Davidson await their turn to bat with Imperials’ Under 16 team-mates Zac Price, Dylan Westaway, supporter Kevin McGavin, Jess Hickey, Patrick McCaughan, Alex Pellin and Ryan Higgins.

Aths resumes: enjoying the resumption of Leongatha Little Aths on a fine Saturday morning are, from left, Chloe Adkins, Kaitlyn Casbolt, Ellie Holmes, Shannon Mellings, Sara Riseley, and Amber Standfield.

Line ball: Emma Trease (left) and Tiffany Matheson hit the line together in the Under 6 girls’ 400m.

Sprint finish: Lachlan Murrell hurries through his sprint and enjoys every second of it!

• ALLAMBEE MIRBOO & DISTRICT TENNIS

Hallston, Baromi in tie on games HALLSTON had won five sets, but the last mixed was the decider to see if enough games were won to win the match.

To Baromi’s credit they won the set and levelled the games.

Koony and Leongatha North had a close game, Koony had the better of the mixed to win the match.

Korrine played well, three 7/5s to their team which kept them in reach. Berrys Creek had the games to win by eight games.

Koony travelled to Foster. Daryl, Karsten and Justin won the men’s sets. The ladies were closer but Koonwarra won well on the day. Marge, Angie and Emily won well.

The four is fairly settled now.

Top team Gold only lost a tie-breaker to Leongatha.

Our thoughts are with Adrian Kerr, we hope all goes well for you.

Korumburra had their first win for the season, well done.

Blue won a tie-breaker and a 7/5. Set scores were close all day.

Red were big winners against Baromi. A 7/5 ladies set the only set for Baromi.

Koony had to win the mixed sets to win the match against Hallston. A good match, two tie-breakers Hallston’s way, a 7/5 to Koony.

A Reserve and B Grade ladders are settled, with four rounds to go. Lower teams will still be striving to beat

teams above them. A Grade teams are still vying for second spot for that second chance.

Country week is coming up, good luck to the players.

Results A Grade: Koonwarra 5.62, Leongatha North 4.56; Hallston 5.50, Baromi 4.50; Leongatha - bye.

A Reserve: Koonwarra 8.52, Foster 1.32; Leongatha 7.47, Baromi 2.27; Berrys Creek 5.47, Korrine 4.39; Leongatha North - bye.

B Grade: Koonwarra 5.47, Hallston 4.38; Korumburra 7.55, Mardan Blue 2.42; Outtrim Gold 8.55, Leongatha 1.19; Mardan Red 8.54, Baromi 1.30; Outtrim Maroon - bye.

South Gippsland Bridge Results Meeniyan – Monday evening: 1st Susan Ruffin. Clive Hope. 2nd Colin Cameron. Kathleen Dowd. 3rd Frank Arndt. Faye Rowlands. 4th Betty and Frank Murphy. 5th.

Margaret Munro. Ellie McIntyre.

Great to have the Murphies back again after Betty’s long illness.

Tarwin Lower – Tuesday afternoon: 1st Jack Kuiper. Alan Johnston. 2nd Anne Gibson. Althea Drew. 3rd Faye Rowlands.

Pat West. 4th Dawn Jolly. Frank Arndt. 5th Marj Freeman. Ann Dujela. 6th.John Sutton.

John Sullivan.

Inverloch – Friday afternoon: North/ South: 1st John Farr. Anne Williams. 2nd Anne and Bruce Gibson. 3rd Barbara Axten.

Margaret Munro. 4th Phillip Chapman. Hilton Jupp.

East/West: 1st Elen and Colin Withey.

2nd Colin Manley. Althea Drew. 3rdWendy and David Saleeba. 4th Alan Johnston. John Sullivan.

Note: Subs are now due. AGM - Friday February 19 at 11.30am.

Ladders A Grade Koonwarra ...........................99.5 Baromi ..................................76.5 Leongatha North .................76.5 Hallston ................................75.0 Leongatha..............................54.5 A Reserve Berrys Creek...................... 112.0 Leongatha ..........................101.5 Korrine .................................79.5 Koonwarra ...........................77.0 Leongatha North ...................67.0 Baromi...................................55.0 Foster.....................................45.0 B Grade Outtrim Gold ..................... 117.5 Mardan Red.......................107.5 Koonwarra ...........................95.5 Baromi ..................................94.0 Outtrim Maroon ....................75.0 Leongatha..............................62.0 Hallston .................................55.0 Korumburra ...........................42.0 Mardan Blue..........................41.5

• WONTHAGGI TABLE TENNIS

Junior coaching

JUNIOR coaching commences at the Wonthaggi Table Tennis Centre on Thursday this week, 6pm-7pm.

New players are welcome, ages 7 to 14. For further information ring Bruce on 5672 2130 or Nancy on 5674 4628.

PAGE 48 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Golf reports

Bowls reports

Leongatha Golf

LOOKING at our club’s performances overall after last Saturday’s pennant round, it was not a very good result. We only had four winners from our 14 rinks and just one division won on the day.

The four winning rinks did have comfortable wins, but there were a few bad losses in vital games, with the finals only two weeks away.

Division 1 White travelled to Phillip Island and the Island boys bounced back from their three rink loss to Leongatha last week to inflict a 25 shot loss on our team, despite a 13 shot win by Ron Burge’s rink, who continue their good form.

In our other Division 1 game the Blues were home to the final four side of Korumburra and put in another creditable performance, with George Scott’s rink taking their game by 10 shots while the other two rinks went down after good battles.

Division 2 played at Tarwin Lower which was a must win match for them, and they were able to take the points with a five-shot margin to keep their final four hopes alive. This win was made possible by a great rebound by Kevin McIntosh and his team, after their big 23 shot loss last week, to become the heroes of this match with an excellent 25-7 win. The other two rinks each lost by 10 shots.

Division 4 played Korumburra Maroon on their green. Our three rinks all got off to good starts, particularly Jack Miller’s rink who quickly established a handy lead. Overall we took a 16 shot lead to the tea break.

On resumption of play, John Madden’s and Nic VanGrunsven’s rinks faced a strong challenge from their opponents and could not stop their charge, and each lost their lead and went on to lose by nine and 14 shots respectively, while Jack’s rink were able to withstand their opponent’s fightback and went on to win by 14 shots.

To win this game the Korumburra boys staged a 25 shot turnaround after the break.

Division 6, facing the top team Phillip Island, could not produce their early season good form and were unable to stop the Islanders scoring a 19 shot win, with both rinks losing. Now they must win the last game to have a chance of a semi final berth.

Match results Division 1: Inverloch White 57 lt Phillip Island 82. N. Hughes ld, C. Buccilli 2nd, R. Lawson 3rd, R. Burge sk d J. Newcombe 30-17; M. Raman ld, P. Shaw 2nd, A. Easterbrook 3rd, M. Coram sk lt to K. Wagner 18-31.

Inverloch Blue lt Korumburra 57-75. J. Turner ld, D. Muir 2nd, R. Barlow 3rd, G. Scott sk d K. Button 2717; D. Watt ld, B. Phillipson 2nd, J. Sutcliffe 3rd, J. Hedley sk lt R. Snooks 19-31; B. Growse ld, L. Goss 2nd, R. Gostling 3rd, H. Rybalka sk lt R. Gosson 21-27.

ALAN Monahan is returning from a time out of golf and has quickly discovered super form. His 42 points on Saturday won A Grade, and was the day’s best score.

Graham Burt had a good day to secure B Grade with 40 points, while Bob Jamieson won C Grade for the second time this week, scoring 39 points on both occasions. G. O’Halloran and Shaun Connors won nearest the pin and pro-pin respectively.

Ball winners: B. Matthews, M. Kavanagh, B. Hutton 37; P. Browne, G. Morrison, P. Rayson 36; A. Edney, K. Wardle, J. Smith, J. Duscher 35; R. Thurston, K. Castwood, C. Watson, J. Taviea 34.

Tuesday

Ken Wardle had a moment of brilliance when he scored an eagle three on the par five sixth hole. Well done Ken. A couple of new names in the winner’s list, with Rod Hayes having an excellent 43 points to overcome a couple on 42. Matt Hunter had a very solid 40 point round to take out B Grade, but the score of the day belonged to Noel Smith who blitzed the field with his 43 points. Congratulations Noel.

Geoff McDonald won nearest the pin on the 14th and Joe Lowell on the 16th.

Ball winners: P. Waters, R. Burton 42; J. Lowell 40, S. Fisher, J. Arnott 39; K. Macfarlane, R. Hoskin, I. Murchie, G. McRitchie 37; J. Curtis, B. Attwood, B. Hutton, A. Monahan 36.

Thursday

Scoring is very competitive with 36 points needed just to win a ball. Watch out if the prediction that the new handicapping system will raise our handicaps comes true.

Jack Cummins had a top round of 42 points to win A Grade. John Stewart remembered the course well and produced a good round of 41 points to win B, and ever-reliable Bob Jamieson won C Grade as mentioned earlier in the report. Nearest the pin winners were Les Newton on 14 and Geoff McDonald on 16.

Ball winners: D. Clemann, J. Renwick, J. Curtis, M. Street 39; F. Smedley 38, G. Sharrock, A. Nilsson, A. Monahan, T. Marotti 37; K. Castwood, J. Smith, G. McDonald 36.

Saturday’s event is monthly medal and on Sunday, round five of the Gordon West nine hole comp will be played. Next Tuesday’s event is an ambrose pairs with a minimum combined handicap of 27.

The H.S. Roberts foursomes is earlier this year and will be played on Saturday, February 27.

Foster SATURDAY January 30 stableford, second round Stig Nelander trophy.

Winner A Grade: Paul Robertson (9) 42 points Winner B Grade: Henk de Graaf (19) 39 points.

Down the line balls: John Mathers (14) 40 points, Peter Dight (5) 38 points, Scott Rathjen (11) 38 points, Rob-

Inverloch

Woorayl Golf Club WE started our week on Australia Day when Graham and Lois Young again sponsored our mixed and members’ fourball.

The mixed winners, with 47 points were Bo Fiek and Marg Harris from M. and R. Higgins.

The members’ event was won by the team of Mark Carruthers and Caine Salmon from the father and son team of Glen and Ben Fitzpatrick.

Balls went to M. Carruthers / O. Van Der Vorm, J. and K. Riseley, B. and G. Fitzpatrick and V. Haasjes / T. Jackson.

Men’s nearest the pins went to G. McKinnon and M. Carruthers and the ladies nearest the pins went to C. Perrett and S. Thomas.

On Saturday we held our monthly medal sponsored by Autobarn, with the men’s CCR at 72.

The A grade winner was B. Hogan whilst B Grade and the medal went to A. Peters with a net 69.

C Grade was won by B. Thomas.

Balls went to G. Maisey, P. Burgess, C. Hall, B. Fitzpatrick, B. Stubbs, R. Hughes, G. Fitzpatrick, G. Johnson and I. Atcheson.

The men’s nearest the pins went to C. James and C. Hall.

The ladies stableford event went to Marg Harris on a countback from Sue Wakefield, both with 41 points.

Balls went to S. Wakefield and S. Thomas.

The ball raffle was won by Early Birds.

The Thursday bar voucher went to Bo Fiek with 41 points, with balls going to E. Poole, V. Haasjes and N. McKenzie. Ben Fitzpatrick made sure he got a mention by winning the nearest the pin on the 17th.

The chicken run saw D. Clemann win a chook with balls going to C. James and B. Johnson.

Our stableford event next week will be sponsored by Bairs Hotel and it is also the tenth and final round of our summer trophies. ert Fulton (15) 38 points, Jim Parry (9) 37 points on countback.

Nearest the pins: 4th Garry Clavarino, 15th Greg Dean. Eagle 18th Paul Robertson. Money hole: Norm Cooper.

Ladies Saturday January 30 - stableford. Running competition winners: Marlene Ellis (28)37 points on countback. Down the line balls: Ineke de Graaf (18) 37 points, Merle Barham (29) 34 points. Nearest the pins: 17th Merle Barham.

Friday January 29 Twilight stableford winner: Ross McKenzie (25) 24 points on countback.

Down the line balls: Geoff Nott (30) 24 points, Henk de Graaf (19) 20 points, Pam Witheridge (25) 20 points, Greg Dean (12) 20 points. Nearest the pins: 15th Noel Black, 17th Bill Fuller.

Thursday January 28 – stableford winner: Neil Chandler (21) 41 points.

Down the line balls: Kevin Flett (8) 39 points, Murdock Menzies (17) 38 points, Bernd Amesreiter (21) 38 points.

Nearest the pins: 13th Murdock Menzies.

Tuesday January 26 stableford winner: Jim Parry (10) 41 points.

Down the line balls: Noel Black (6) 39 points, Brenton McKenzie (13) 37 points on countback. Nearest the pins: 4th John Mathers Eagle 10th: Peter Dight.

Coming events Tuesday February 2 – par. Wednesday February 3 - medal - Delphine Alston trophy.

Thursday February 4 stableford. Friday February 5 - twilight stableford. Saturday February 6 – medal

Switched on: Robert Hughes hit the ball well and entertained fellow golfers with his wit

Hitting well: Robert Beilby used his height to his advantage at Woorayl.

day - Bruce and Rae Knee trophy.

Ladies What an exciting week of golf. The best was, of course, the hole in one by Di Williams on the 16th on Saturday, January 30.

She joins a famous band of golfers, (including her mother, Dot Stubbs) who have achieved this feat.

Then there was our young champ, Reanna Matthews’ eagle on the 9th the very same day. In all, nine players broke or reduced handicaps.

On Wednesday January 27, Toni West won A Grade and a new handicap with 39 stableford points. Marea Maher scored 40 to win B Grade after a countback from Carol Sowden. Marg Danks scorched around with 40 points to win C Grade, and also a handicap break.

Carol Sowden, 40, Maria Bell 39, Marg Berry 38, Kit Boag and Marg Griffiths, both 37, all won balls and a handicap reduction.

Balls also went to Gwen Chapman, Loris Clark and Jan Bissett, 36, plus Maxine Eabry 35.

Marea Maher and Isobel Sutherland were nearest the pins.

On Saturday Di Williams (who else?) scored 39 points to win.

Pat Moore, Anna de Bondt, Marg Griffiths all 36, won balls down the line.

Mirboo North THERE were 50 starters for the mixed Canadian foursomes stableford overflow event on Tuesday, January 26. The event was sponsored by South Gippsland Shire and the CCR was 70.

A Grade winners were Shayne Stimson (5) and Barb Stimson (26) 115/8 - 663/8. Runners-up were

Rod Williams (17) and Alix Williams (21) 14¼ - 66¾.

Overflow: Adrian Williams (21) 42, runner-up Peter Draper (9) 41.

Down the line: Ron Magill (7), Judy Marriott (25) 12-68 net; Glen Laity (10), Karen McGregor (19) 107/8 - 681/8 net.

Nearest the pin: 4th Glen Laity, Amanda Norton; 6th Connor Williams, Di Larsen; 13th David Boyd, Barb Stimson; 16th Gordon Graeme, Jan Beuthin.

Thursday, January 28 A stableford event was played, CCR was 69, with 40 starters.

A Grade winner was Clint Randall (13) 46. B Grade, Phil Garlick (20) 43 countback.

Down the line: Maree Thompson (15) 44, Jeanne St Ellen (29) 43, Sue Traill (19) 43, John Woodall (7) 41, Tony Tomada (18) 41.

Birdies: 4th Sue Traill, 6th Phil Garlick, 4th Jeff Hughes, 6th Mike Higgenbottom, 6th Maree Thompson, 6th Ron Anderson, 6th Andy Van Zuylen, 6th Ian Peppeller.

Saturday, January 30 There were 35 starters for the stableford event on Saturday. CCR was 69.

A Grade winner was Tom Whitelaw (6) 42 pts. B Grade Jeff Hughes (17) 43 pts. Down the line: Ritchie Robbins 41 pts, Peter Chapman 38, Terry Donnison 37, Gordon Graeme 36, John Blunsden 36. Nearest the pin: 2nd shot 1st hold Kyle Williams, 4th Tony Tomada, 6th Ron Funnell, 13th Ron Funnell, 16th Peter Chapman. Pro pin Ron Funnell.

Birdies: 6th Ron Funnell, Tom Trail, Tony Tomada; 13th Tom Whitelaw, M. Payne.

Division 2: Inverloch 69 d Tarwin Lower 64. M. Yates ld, R. Howard 2nd, C. Coram 3rd, K. McIntosh sk d B. Dacey 32-7; B. McGirr ld, T. Hancock 2nd, J. Scott 3rd, N. Everitt sk lt A. Newsome 20-30; R. Kee ld, R. Brevitt 2nd, R. Paynting 3rd, T. Scott sk lt M. Bowman 17-27.

Division 4: Inverloch 70 lt Korumburra Maroon 70-79. E. Treadwell ld, M. Cargill 2nd, J. Arnold 3rd, N. Van Grunsven sk lt B. McLaren 20-34; J. Hutton ld, B. Bain 2nd, K. Perrett 3rd, J. Miller sk d D. Goodridge 31-17; N. Davis ld, R. Rees 2nd, B. Hensley 3rd, J. Madden sk lt R. Saunders 19-28.

Division 6: Inverloch 38 lt Phillip Island 57. B. Griffin ld, G. Brook 2nd, R. Delahoy 3rd, M. Scott sk lt R. Rogers 21-28; R. Pritchard ld, M. Griffin 2nd, S. Drew 3rd, J. Gilfillan sk lt G. Dixon 17-29.

Last Thursday’s social bowls saw 26 players play two games of 12 ends of pairs. At the end of play there were only two twogame winners and taking first prize with the score of 27 shots was Kevin McIntosh sk. Runners-up with only three shots up were Ernie Treadwell ld and Rob Howard sk.

We were all sorry to hear that Norm West was admitted to the Korumburra hospital after becoming quite unwell while playing bowls at Korumburra on Australia Day. Our men’s section extends to our popular ladies president, Veronica Muir and her husband Doug, our deepest sympathy following the death of her father Ross McDermott last week.

Ladies The week started off in a quiet way with no Pennant being played.

Some of the ladies made use of Tuesday to play club pairs. Wednesday, January 27, was ladies social bowls and it was a bit disappointing that only 22 bowlers came to do battle on the greens.

The day was very pleasant and it was nice to welcome back into the fold Pat Hancock, who is now retired and nicely ensconced in a new home. The winners for the day were the team of Maureen Paynting, Peg Brook and Sue Nation (got it right this time Sue). Runners-up were Marg Flett, Lois Luby, Joan Hitchen and Pat Hancock. Well done to all, then into the club house for our little social chit chat, drinks and Raffle draw, which was kindly donated by Joy Brown, the winner was Dorothy McIntosh. Friday, January 29, was our ladies fours tournament, it was with regret that we had to announce the passing of Veronica’s Father. We do all send you our condolences Veronica and wish to let you know that you were in our thoughts on this big tournament day.

There were 104 ladies using 13 rinks and our greens met up to the challenge of all players. I would also like to thank Joyce Arnold our vice-president who filled in for Veronica very aptly . There were three

games of 10 ends played. At days end, there were four, three game winners. Coming in fourth place was the team of Carole Baines from Inverloch on 46 points, third place went to Kathy Simpsons team from Wonthaggi on 48 points. The runnerup for the day was the team of Dulcie Mortlock from Foster on 49 points, and the winners were the team of Louise Mashado from Pakenham on 51 points.

The best last game went to Debbie Williams team from Korumburra. The winners of the raffle, cent boxes, and money board were all received with big smiles from the recipients. Thanks again to all who supplied prizes and helped make the day the success it was.

Next Saturday, February 6, there will be room for bankers to play so you can put your names down for this social game.

Tarwin Lower BAREFOOT bowls continued on Australia Day with all rinks filled.

The raffle was won by organiser Mick.

The men’s turkey triples saw Meeniyan players Max Brown, Russ Thorson and Mick Scott win first prize.

Runners-up were Tarwin’s Dream team of Arthur Newsome, Fred Martin and Paul Griffith.

Best last game went to another Tarwin team of Peter Emmet, Peter Henwood and Gordon Burke.

The day was sponsored

by Venus Bay General Store. It was good to see a ladies team of Wilma Coleman, Bev Martin and Roby Griffith fill in, giving a good account of themselves only going down to the runnersup Dream Team by one shot.

Maybe it has something to do with spouses playing each other?

Twilight bowls had a good turn out, the winners being a team of Heather Marshal and Klaus Sandkuhl, runners-up were new bowlers Wendy Watts and Dale. A barbecue tea followed.

Men’s pennant saw both Division 2 and Division 5 playing at home. Division 2 playing Inverloch went down by 5 shots, and Division 5 lost by 34 shots, bad luck men. Next week is crunch time for Division 2 in their final game against Meeniyan. Let’s hope they come through.

Buffalo indoor

WEDNESDAY, January 27 we had 14 players with four teams. Very close scoring all night, well done.

In fourth (LLL) nine ends, skipper Rob Armstrong, Carolyn Benson, Jim Atkins and Gemma Poletti. Third (WLL) 11 ends, skipper Toni Heldens, Lee Armstrong, Sebastian Terranova and Tim Wolswinkle.

Second (LWW) 14 ends, skipper Bill Wolswinkle, Joyce Occhipinti and Ian Benson. First (WWW) 14 ends, skipper Rod McConchie, Andrew Hanks and Joe Occhipinti.

The best first game was Toni 7-4, second Rod 13-6, third Bill 11-8.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 49

Meeniyan

Leongatha Bowling Club THIS week’s report opens on a rather sad note as the club mourns the passing on January 23 of one of our great stalwarts, Stanley Rayford Elliott, or perhaps better known as ‘Stan the man’.

A thanksgiving service was held at the Uniting Church in Leongatha on Friday, January 29 conducted

by Captain Martin Scrimshaw of the Salvation Army, followed by interment at the Leongatha Lawn Cemetery.

A very large number of family friends and representatives of various organisations to which Stan had been associated with during his lifetime, such as the South Gippsland Shire Brass Band, Leongatha Bowls Club, RSL Leongatha Sub Branch and the Masonic Lodge, just to name a few, were in attendance.

The Leongatha Bowls Club again extends to Eileen and family their sincere sympathy and kind thoughts as we mourn the passing of a great friend, gentleman and colleague who will be greatly missed. R.I.P. Stan.

Wednesday, January 27 saw from around the South Gippsland area, 84 players / 28 teams take part in a two bowls triples x 12 ends x four games, in a trial run by the club, and according to the feedback was greeted with full support from all.

The winner on the day was the Leongatha team of F. Sauvarin, F. Filomeno and M. Blackburn, with four wins plus 26 shots. The runner-up on three wins plus 30 shots was the Inverloch team led by R. Howard.

Best last game winner was the Phillip Island team led by K. Wagner, while the winner of the John O’Connor wines was the

Mirboo North team led by Don Bourke.

Sponsors for the day were Larkins Printers of Leongatha, and the club thanks them for their valued support.

Saturday, January 30 saw Division 1 at home to Foster, with a two wins plus a draw, winners by 25 shots.

Division 2 travelled to Toora but were unable to come home again with the spoils, even though two rinks won and one rink lost, leaving Leongatha the losing side by only eight shots.

Division 3 travelled to Foster and again could not taste victory, going down by 12 shots on the day.

This week in pennant sees the last round of the ladies’ home and away games, with Division 1 at home to Inverloch and Division 3 away to Foster.

In the men’s pennant, also the last round with Division 1 on Saturday, February 6 away to Inverloch White, Division 2 teams at home to San Remo, and Division 3 also at home to Loch.

Reminders: Kitty Club tea night will be held at 6pm Friday night, February 5 and the Leongatha club’s vote count night on Saturday, February 6 at 6.30pm. For catering purposes please ensure your names are placed on the lists in the clubroom if you will be attending.

Also Regent Caravans’ ladies triples tournament will be held on Sunday, February 14.

Until the next report, good bowling - Jackhigh.

Ready, set: Foster’s Marco Giaccherini, Sam Bruzzese, Dino Vignocchi and skipper Rob Mortlock prepare to take on Leongatha.

Final touches: Leongatha’s John Turner and Allan Rayson shine their weapons ahead of the Division One pennant match.

Kitty watch: Leongatha’s Ray McGannon gets into position.

South Gippsland pennant bowls ROUND 13, the second last for the current season before the finals, was played in hot and windy conditions.

A north to north-easterly wind made bowling very difficult, due to the wind being somewhat ‘fluky’.

Division 1 saw no great surprises, with all the expected favourites winning.

The top four in Division 1 has now been finalised.

It is not expected that even next week’s round will see any changes in positions. Inverloch Blue (home) succumbed to Korumburra by a mere eight shots. Leongatha (home) had an easy 25 shots win over Foster. Mirboo North (home) won two of the three rinks and just failed to get the overall points against Wonthaggi, whilst Phillip Island (home) had an easy 25 shot victory over Inverloch White. In Division 2, San Remo (home) bounced back with a solid 14 shots win over Lang Lang, Toora (home) won only one of the three rinks but still managed to topple top of the table Leongatha by eight shots,

Wonthaggi (home) climbed off the bottom of the ladder with an 11 shot victory over Meeniyan claiming 15 of the 16 points on offer, whilst Tarwin Lower (home) won two of the three rinks but failed to get the overall points, going down by five shots overall. It will be an interesting tussle at the bottom end of the ladder, with Wonthaggi a mere three points in front of Tarwin Lower. Both teams play away games next week, so neither club will have an advantage.

Results Div 1: Inverloch Blue 2-67 lt Korumburra 14-75; Leongatha 15-79 d Foster 1-54: Mirboo North 4-69 lt Wonthaggi 12-71: Phillip Island 14-82 d Inverloch White 2-57.

Div 2: San Remo 1468 d Lang Lang 2-54: Toora 12-80 d Leongatha 4-72: Wonthaggi 15-76 d Meeniyan 1-65: Tarwin Lower 4-64 lt Inverloch 12-69.

Div 3: Loch 0-58 lt Phillip Island White 1677: Foster 16-71 d Leongatha 0-59; Corinella 14-75 d Wonthaggi 2-57: Phillip Island Blue 16-86 d Fish Creek 0-62.

Div 4: Port Welshpool 2-55 lt Korumburra Gold 14-63: Korumburra Maroon 14-79 d Inverloch 2-70: Phillip Island 16-100 d Mirboo North 0-58.

Div 5: Meeniyan 1376 d Loch 3-58: Tarwin Lower 0-47 lt San Remo 16-81; Fish Creek 14-76 d Wonthaggi 2-64.

Div 6: Inverloch 0-38 lt Phillip Island 14-57: Meeniyan 14-54 d Foster 0-39; San Remo 12-42 d Lang Lang 2-41; Wonthaggi 14-45 d Toora 0-40.

My ‘kiss of death’ tips for Round 14 in Division 1 are Foster (home) to finish the season on a winning note over Inverloch Blue by 21 shots; Korumburra (home) will have too much strength and defeat Mirboo North by nine shots; Wonthaggi (home) may struggle a little but still manage to get the points over Phillip Island; whilst Inverloch White (home) will do what no other team has done this season, and take the points against Leongatha. Once again, good bowling to all and may your ‘kisses’ and ‘rubs’ always go in your favour.

Ladders Division 1 Leongatha ......................289 192

Inverloch White ............206 Phillip Island.................191 Korumburra ................... 14 Wonthaggi ........................13 Foster.............................-204 Mirboo North ................-229 Inverloch .......................-280

150 129 117 95 55 53 41

Division 2 Leongatha ......................-37 San Remo ........................36 Lang Lang ....................... 20 Inverloch ...........................9 Meeniyan..........................56 Toora ...............................-31 Wonthaggi ......................120 Tarwin Lower ...................87

130 122 116 107 101 97 81 78

Division 3 Phillip Island Blue ........382 193 Foster...............................46 135 Wonthaggi .......................45 124 Fish Creek ....................... 56 111 Phillip Island White ...........2 102 Corinella...........................-73 81 Loch .................................-26 76 Leongatha.......................-432 10

Division 4 Inverloch .......................172 150 Korumburra Gold..........91 145 Korumburra Maroon .....-8 118 Mirboo North .................-97 93 Phillip Island...................-26 92 Port Welshpool .............-132 74

Division 6 Phillip Island ................138 Lang Lang .......................67 Wonthaggi .......................36 Inverloch ..........................-9 Meeniyan..........................72 Foster...............................-24 Toora .................................-3 San Remo ......................-133

121 103 103 94 90 88 83 46

LADIES pennant completed its season on Tuesday with Division 1 at home to Lang Lang and Division 3 away to Wonthaggi. Though not figuring in the finals, both teams have been very competitive.

Week five of corporate bowls resulted in a win for Meeniyan, Mafia and Bombers taking the runnerup award on Tuesday. Prom Country were the winners, with The Dees runners-up on Wednesday.

Nineteen people played social bowls on Wednesday.

The winners were Dave Gillett, Avril Van Wamel and her 11-year-old granddaughter Meaghan dal Masetto.

The lucky draw went to Annie Maruzza.

Saturday’s pennant was the penultimate game for the season, with all bowlers experiencing difficult windy conditions. Away to Wonthaggi, Division 2 could not consolidate their fourth place, scoring a point for a drawn rink and probably missing a chance at the finals.

Division 5 at home to Loch, had a win, a draw and a close loss with the score 76 to 58, thus keeping second spot secure.

Division 6, also at home, had a very satisfying win against Foster with both rinks getting the points with the scoreline 54 to 39.

This Saturday twos are home to Tarwin Lower, fives are away to San Remo and sixes are away to Phillip Island.

Coming events include married couples day on Sunday, February 7 with two fills, 9am and 11.45am, and farmers day invitation triples on Monday, February 15.

Upshot 2.

Korumburra WITH Australia Day being on a Tuesday, our ladies missed out on pennant last week.

Our Division 3 ladies haven’t had a very ‘hit and miss’ period since Christmas, with one game, then a bye and the compulsory day off. The game this week was only the second game since Christmas, but all our five pennant sides, ladies and men, are in the top four in their sections. Well done.

Good bowling over the next three weeks.

Tuesday January 26 was the final day of the men’s tournament. Our thanks to Ross and Gwen Chapman of Ross Chapman Cartage, who sponsored the day in memory of Jessie and Les Chapman, most respected former members of the club.

After three games, the winners were BLG the Mirboo North team of P. Williams, Greg Lewis, Kevin Quale and Mike Dillan with 20 shots. Runners-up with 2½ wins and 10 shots up, were the Foster team of Les Wagstaff, Phil Facey, George Kirk and John Croft.

The winners were a combo team of Chas Blogg and Keith March (Korumburra) and Milton Heywood and Ray Barham (Foster) with three wins plus 20 shots.

Our thanks to Nick and Kaylene Chapman who presented the prizes on behalf of the family. Also thank you to the ladies who pre-

pared the meals - Marg G., Natalie March, Joan, Marg B, Caroline and Brenda, and to the ladies who worked in the kitchen in the afternoon, the bar staff, tournament committee, the ground staff.

To all a big thank you for all your help in making this annual event such a success.

The ladies were on the greens on Wednesday with 26 members having a most enjoyable time. After two games, the winners with 16 ends were Bev Button, Beryl Waycott, Marg Hams and Grace Seabrook.

The only other two games, Esma, Phyl and Natalie, didn’t have enough ends. The raffle winners were Shirley Martin, Bev Button and Margaret Clancy.

Men’s pairs on Thursday was another well supported afternoon. After three games, the winners with 12 shots up were Ben Peachey and Wild O’Flaherty, with the drawn card going to Alan Cherrett and John Halliday.

After last weekend’s very busy pennant event, three sides home this weekend, there was only one side home.

With 10 bankers on the greens, after two games the winners with 14 shots Bey Seikman, Emanual Sgarioto and Maurie Reilly. The Korumburra men all had wins at pennant on Saturday.

The Division 1 team went to Inverloch to play the Inverloch Blues and had an eight shot win. Our best card was Rob Snooks team of Ross Besley, Allan Jordan and Bill Dilg’s 12 shot win against John Hedley’s team.

Division 4 Gold team played at Port Welshpool and had an eight shot win against Port. Our best result was Graham Brown’s team of Ross P. Lomagno, Alan Cherrett and Kane Pepperell’s eight shot win against Geoff Crowley’s team our best card.

The Division 4 Maroons were home to Inverloch with the Maroon team gaining revenge for the Gold team’s loss to Inverloch last week.

With a nine shot win, the Maroon team’s best card was Bruce McLaren’s team of Jeff Coulston, Chas Blogg and Bill Thomp’s 14 shot against Nick Van Grunsven’s team our best result.

Next Saturday the men will play their last home and home match for the season.

Division 1 will be home to Mirboo North, Division 4 Gold will be home to Phillip Island and the Maroons will play at Mirboo North.

Good bowling to both the ladies and men for the finals over the next three weeks. Mixed fours February 10.

Korumburra Parlor The Club`s popular teams competition commenced last Thursday night and seven teams have again entered this year, including a change of names for Keith Marshall`s Outtrim team which is now known as Kookaburras.

Results of round one are as follows: Sicilians 22 defeated Battlers 17; Kardella 22 defeated The Burra 21; VRI 32 defeated Kookaburras

15; Pretenders - bye.

The Club`s bias bowls group has played the first two weeks of its new season as guests of the Dumbalk Club, prior to its hoped for move to new bowling premises early in February.

Members Joanna Lomagno and Val Rudd, with Joanna as skipper, won the night last week at Dumbalk, with two from two wins and a massive 30 shots up overall.

Also undefeated was a team skippered by Lee Armstrong which secured second placing, while Charlie Tumino`s team took third place and was also undefeated.

Loch and District

MEN’s pennant last Saturday saw a game of fluctuations played at home by Division 3, but Phillip Island went home with all the points.

At Meeniyan, the Division 5 match was also hard fought, but the points stayed with the home team.

Wednesday night’s winners were Taylor Twite and Max Crawford and there was no social bowls on Thursday. Instead the annual Bendigo Bank sponsored gala day was run by the ladies.

Fourteen teams had a happy day, and Mary Ingley (Pakenham) won the ditch to ditch and Bet Tumney (Main Ridge), Bev Button (Korumburra) and Jean Kirk (Loch) took home the goodies from the lucky number draw. Many others received cent auction prizes.

The best last game went to the Phillip Island ladies skipped by Wendy Braun, the runners-up were Joan Dowson, Vivienne Harris, Essie Hughes and Margaret Anderson (Lang Lang).

The winners, who received congratulations from the Bendigo Bank’s Louise, were the composite Inverloch / San Remo team of Joy Brown, Shirley Cavesso, Jaye Allen Dayle and Robin Dennis. Congratulations to all who worked so hard to make the day a success, and many thanks to all the clubs that supported the day.

On Friday the greens were again almost full for the men’s triples event.

Third place went to Finlay, Charlie and Jenny all from Loch, who were just edged out for runners-up by Tucky, Col and Ron, also all from Loch.

The Koo Wee Rup men took home the birds; Peter Stevens, John Gray and Col Masters.

Members are reminded there will be a social evening this Saturday starting at 7.30pm. Supper provided, bring your own nibbles.

Some tickets will be available at the door, and the entertainer will be Andy Dennis, so we are in for a great night.

Dumbalk Indoor

ON Monday, January 25, 31 bowlers competed in two games of eleven ends.

The winners were Joanna Lomagno (skipper), Connie Occhipinti, Kay Cook and Val Rudd with two wins and plus 30 shots. The runners-up were Lee Armstrong (skipper), Robert Burden and Glen Cant with two wins and plus 13 shots.

PAGE 50 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Cricketers praised for service

Action men

By Brad Lester

TWO stalwarts of South Gippsland cricket have been honoured in the current round of the LDCA competition, for contributing the better part of their sporting lives to the game.

The Leongatha and District Cricket Association’s annual Recognition Round pays tribute to Brian Rayson of Leongatha and Noel “Butch” West of Wonthaggi.

Both men have played and volunteered at club level and beyond, mentored younger cricketers and remain connected with the sport.

West even represented Gippsland when a local side played England at Leongatha in 1978, an achievement that led him to share a cricketing feat with the late Australian batting great, Sir Donald Bradman.

“We both made a duck in our last innings against England,” he quipped.

Rayson was chuffed by the association’s acknowledgement of his cricketing efforts, on and off the field.

“I just enjoyed playing the game.

Playing was the main emphasis for me. I just wanted to help out where I could. I just love the LDCA and the game,” he said.

West, speaking after rolling the Wonthaggi turf on Saturday morning, was equally humble.

“I’m just here to do my job now.

I’ve had my day,” he said.

Rayson first pulled on the pads as a 10-year-old, joining Fire Brigade Cricket Club and continued when that club became the Imperials. His earlier years were inspired by the likes of Mal Yates and Rayson is still friends with

Yates’ son Garry.

In 1979, he joined Fish Creek/ Yanakie and made 193 to take the club to an A Grade premiership.

Returning to the Imps, he was part of an Under 16 flag and four A Grade titles, and also played in the LDCA’s victorious Junior Country Week team. He juggled playing with roles as junior and senior coaches (winning a senior flag), committee member, and secretary and treasurer.

“I’ve played with both of my sons, Brad and Scott, which was quite special,” he said.

Continuing to advance in the sport, Rayson was part of the Gippsland side to win an Under 21 Harvester Cup and he also played interzone matches, enjoying meeting other cricketers.

“I’ve found that cricket is a really good test of one’s character. It’s a real mental challenge because there are not too many games that have the deathknock. If you are a batsman, there is no hiding,” he said.

Ivan McLennan and the Fennell brothers, Rob and Greg, are among the best sportspeople he has met in local cricketing circles.

The LDCA enjoyed Rayson’s services as secretary for seven years and assistant at Junior Country Week.

Business interests took Rayson to Moama in southern New South Wales for four years and there he was part of Moama Cricket Club’s hat-trick of senior premierships.

A talented batsman, Rayson was also handy in the outfield and once won a distance throwing competition with a throw of more than 100m.

His last game was with the Imperials’ D Grade side last year.

“I’m not saying that I’m totally

finished but I want the variety now, to be able to go fishing,” Rayson said.

West was renowned for teaching his charges the old school way.

“Cricket is the only game in the world where you are completely on your own. If you come out to bat and get bowled out straightaway, you have done nothing for the week,” he said.

In a playing career that spanned from age 14 to 48, West played with Wonthaggi Workmen’s, Black Forest, Wonthaggi Colts and Glen Alvie.

He helped establish Workmen’s A Grade team and was part of five premierships, including stints as captain and coach. The club helped Ian Harvey on his way to an international cricketing career, and Blair Hunter and Tim Hooper into District cricket.

West, a talented batsman and wicket-keeper, was instrumental in reviving Glen Alvie and oversaw the former Wonthaggi and District Cricket Association as president for many terms.

The father of five is one of few life members of that association, and holds numerous club batting averages and cricketer of the year trophies.

“Everywhere I have been, the clubs have flourished. It’s been a matter of fostering the juniors and giving them every opportunity to play. I used to have this saying for the boys: ‘I do the thinking and you do the playing’,” West said.

He continues to maintain the Wonthaggi turf wicket with the help of Aldo and Ashley Sartori.

One of the founders of the sporting field, he would devote hours to driving around the ground, smoothing the playing surface. Thirty years later, West spends 12 hours a week

mowing and rolling the surface.

“My family and I used to eat fish’n’chips here on a Friday night while I was rolling the turf,” he said.

The ground is named Noel “Butch” West Oval in recognition of his volunteer work. His passion for grass has inspired his sons Stephen and Scott to become professional curators.

“I saw there was a need for a turf wicket in Wonthaggi. When I was playing cricket, we would go away to Country Week to play at a turf wicket and we did not know what we were doing,” West said.

Reflecting on his cricketing career, West is proud of the growth of the sport in the area. When he played, Workmen’s had just one team with 11 men and now, like many other clubs, there are multiple sides with up to 60 players.

With his batting days long gone, West now keeps his team-mates entertained on the bowling rinks of Wonthaggi.

Above: Deserving praise: Noel “Butch” West tends to his beloved turf wicket at Wonthaggi.

Many hats: Brian Rayson still holds a passion for the Imperials Cricket Club and the LDCA.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 51

Korumburra basketball

KORUMBURRA basketball held its domestic grand finals, after a very successful season.

The big crowd was entertained all day with some fantastic basketball being played. Most games were close and went down to the wire. The Korumburra Basketball Committee would like to thank all of the parents and volunteers that coached, scored and generally helped out the over the season. They would also like to thank the referees for the fantastic job they do week in week out.

Under 12 girls. Fitzgerald 26 def Dowel 24. Season MVP Shannon Heylen.

Under 12 boys. Hawks 35 def Dragons 28. Season MVP Jasper

16 Girls Season MVP: Loni Jeffs.

Macri.

Under 14 Girls. Jackson 32 def Snell 19. Season MVP Chloe Rodda.

Under 14 Boys. Rockets 40 def Lakers 38. Season MVP Cjae Hansen.

Under 16 Girls. Spirit 29 def Capitals 25. Season MVP Loni Jeffs.

Under 16 Boys. Celtics 58 def Spurs 19. Season MVP Dylan Heylen.

Under 18 Boys. Olden 50 def Rodwell 44. Season MVP James Rippingale and Justin Smith.

B Women. Miami 32 def Shamrocks 23. Season MVP Kerryn Gow. Masters. Traveling Gilmores 31 def Burra Sports and Cycles 14 Season MVP Gavin Gillian.

A Women. Miners 60 def Mozzies 28. Season MVP Christie Hillberg and Kate Govers.

A Men. Amberfluids 34 def Bird 30. Season MVP Matt Malloy.

Congratulations must go to Korumburra Basketball Committee who did a fantastic job, not only on grand final day, but for the whole domestic season. Our next season starts on February 22. Registration day for Under 10,12,14,16 and 18 Boys and Girls will be held on February 5 at 5pm at the Korumburra Recreation Center. All senior teams, A and B men and women and masters’ entries need to be in by February 13. For entry forms or any enquiries please contact Korumburra basketball on 56552112 or at the Korumburra Indoor Recreation Centre.

18 Boys Premiers: Rob Mulvahil, Glen Halliday, Brock Dorling, Cody Spokes, Tom Sorrell, Mat Edwards, coach Sam Edwards.

Masters Premiers: Peter Brydon, Gerard Higgins, Trevor Riseley, Peter Hanily, Terry Ginnane, Greg Bolge, Daryl Lyons, Billy Clarke.

16 Boys Premiers: Lauchie Auddino, Brock Dorling, Josh Hopkins, Ryan Johnson, Jayden Boyd, Blake Johnson, Ryan Nestorwisky.

A men Premiers: Izzak Brydon, Jay Withers, Jason Kennedy, Lucas Byrnes, Matt Malloy, Stu Bentley, Adrian Good.

14 Boys MVP: Cjae Hansen.

A men Season MVP: Matt Malloy.

16 Girls Premiers: Maddie Lumby, Ash Laith, Rachel Harper, Tayla Smith, Chloe Rodda, Kelly Hanks, Abbie Moriarty.

14 Girls Premiers: Tenae Dixon, Phobe Lamb-Hale, Maddie Dixon, Sairead Donohue, Shannon Heylen, Marcelle Brailsford.

A Women. Premiers: Christie Hillberg, Loni Jeffs, Kim Hillberg, Alanah Williams, Jamie Lee Jeffs, Bree Allen, Ellen Sorrell, Ash Harper.

14 Boys Premiers: Dylan Baido, Jasper Macri, Mitch Fievez, Jesse Harris, Dylan Wilson, Jesse Patullo, coach Andrew Wilson.

PAGE 52 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Town cricketers open ‘best’ rooms LEONGATHA Town Cricket Club stalwart Brian Davies officially opened the club’s new rooms last Tuesday.

Leongatha and District Cricket Association president Russell Matthews was there for the event, along with former greats of both the Town and Leongatha High School cricket clubs.

All spoke glowingly of the facility which was built out of necessity after the club’s former home was bulldozed to make way for the South Gippsland Specialist School in 2007, and was not replaced.

Mr Matthews said the club has shown immense character to emerge from the saga with such a top class facility.

“A lot of clubs would have just given up, but it’s great to see a club get off their backside and do some-

thing about it.

“You now have the best facility in the league, a great committee and a great club,” he said to all present at the opening.

Leongatha Town president John Schelling said there were too many people to thank individually for the work that went into the building of the rooms.

“It was terrific that so many put their hands up while we were in strife, and it’s a great result.”

He did make special mention of the Smith family from AW Smith and Sons.

Matt Smith was the project coordinator and the business helped finance the work.

The club received $20,000 in compensation from the education department to build new rooms which cost around $120,000.

A grant of $5000 came from the

South Gippsland Shire’s Community Grants program, and the LDCA loaned $5000.

The balance has come from the club’s fundraising efforts including a successful goods and services auction last year where close to $30,000 was raised.

Another auction Another auction is planned for Saturday, February 13 at the Dakers Centre where a similar amount would put a large dent in the club’s outstanding debt.

Among the items that will be up for grabs on the night will be a rideon lawn-mower from JSL Light Engine Repairs, a big screen television from Retravision, and much more from dressed lambs, to loads of firewood and digital photo frames, and even a kitchen sink.

New home: current Leongatha Town players Nathan Johnston, left, Brett Moore, centre, and ex-player Rod Draper are part of the Leongatha High School Cricket Club connection.

Above: Legends all: Leongatha Town A Grade skipper Ash Hickey, centre, with club great Daryl Pease, left, and Graham Fixter at the opening of the rooms.

Opening honour: Leongatha Town Cricket Club life member and ‘complex manager’ Brian Davies had the honour of officially opening the club’s new rooms last week.

Time to relax: Vicki, Gary, Macy and Bob Young at the opening of the new Leongatha Town rooms on Australia Day. • A GRADE DIVISION 2

Thornby blasts Miners with double ton INVERLOCH’S Tim Thornby has helped his team to a first innings total of 439 in its game against Wonthaggi Miners on the weekend.

The Inverloch champion scored a massive 209 runs in one of the best batting performances in recent memory. Thornby was untouchable from the start, hitting 27 boundaries and three over the fence.

But he was not alone in his batting prowess, with opening partner Brayley scoring an impressive and aggressive 86. Phillips hit 63 runs.

The best bowler for Miners was Armstrong, with 3/85.

POOWONG Loch notched up a solid 236 run first innings total against Phillip Island, with Dyer (48) and Mitchell (50) helping to kick the score along.

The team’s tail continued to wag until the end.

Poowong Loch would undoubtedly have done better if not for the sensational bowling efforts of Wilson who took 6/49.

A poor batting performance by Town in its game against Fish Creek has left the team floundering.

Town was all out for just 112 runs, with many of its best scoring single figure totals.

Dankert (3/30) and Wilkins (5/20) did the damage for Fish Creek, bowling up a storm.

Fortunately for Town, the Fish Creek boys did not excel with the bat either.

Town’s Ellicot finished play with 2/28.

AN impressive knock of 101 not out by captain Steve Arnup has put MDU in a solid position against Koonwarra Leongatha RSL. MDU ended its first innings with 255 runs, giving the Koony boys something to chase next week.

Koonwarra Leongatha RSL bowling sensation Sam Sperling did best with the ball, claiming 6/79.

Details WONTHAGGI MINERS v INVERLOCH 1st Innings Inverloch S. Brayley c. L. Jones b. J. Armstrong ......................86 T. Thornby c. P. Cornelis b. P. Hammer .......................209 D. Houston c. J. Piasente

b. D. Atherton........................18 A. Brayley c. P. Cornelis b. J. Armstrong ......................12 J. Courtenay b. J. Armstrong......0 B. Phillips c. M. Wright b. P. Hammer .........................63 N. Desantis n.o. ........................21 R. Tegg n.o. ................................6 Extras .......................................24 Total ....................................6/439 Bowling: P. Cornelis 0/83, J. Armstrong 3/85, P. Hammer 2/46, R. Jones 0/75, D. Atherton 1/77, T. Walker 0/31, J. Piasente 0/18, B. Andrighetto 0/6.

POOWONG/LOCH v PHILLIP ISLAND 1st Innings Poowong/Loch M. Adderley b. A. Dimech .........6 B. Hancock c&b. T. Hornsby ..31 P. Dyer c. E. Richards b. C. Wilson...........................48 K. Nestor r.o. M. Price ...............0 R. Greaves lbw. b. C. Wilson ...24 C. McCurdy b. C. Wilson.........10 C. Knox lbw. b. C. Wilson .......16 B. Mitchell c. O. Santalucia b. C. Wilson...........................50 S. Jenkins c. L. Keating b. M. Price ...............................3 A. Jenkins b. C. Wilson ............15 D. Brain n.o. ...............................3 Extras .......................................30 Total .......................................236 Bowling: A. Dimech 1/32, A. Matthews 0/33, M. Price 1/55, E. Richards 0/13, O. Santalucia 0/19, C. Wilson 6/49, T. Hornsby 1/26.

MDU v KOONWARRA RSL 1st Innings MDU J. Sinclir b. ..............................22 B. Spokes c. .............................21 A. Baillie r.o. C. Wise ................6 M. Le Page b. ..........................14 C. Hoober c&b. S. Sperling .....22 W. Prosser c. B. Moscript b. S. Sperling .........................10 S. Arnup n.o. ..........................101 C. Le Page c. C. Wise

b. S. Sperling ...........................6 M. Dower lbw. b. S. Sperling...21 S. Browne c. B. Moscript b. S. Sperling .........................16 T. Gordon r.o. J. Peters ...............0 Extras .......................................16 Total .......................................255 Bowling: J. Peters 0/24, J. Kennedy 1/41, C. Wise 0/22, S. Sperling 6/79, B. Moscript 1/75.

TOWN v FISH CREEK/TARWIN 1st Innings Town R. Templeton b. J. Danckert .....24 M. Borschman c. M. Lynch b. S. Rabbitt.............................4 L. Bowman c. B. Anderson b. J. Danckert ........................20 M. Smith b. N. Wilkins ..............7 M. Davies c. S. Rabbitt b. N. Wilkins ............................7 C. Bruce b. N. Wilkins ...............4 A. Hickey c. S. Rabbitt b. J. Danckert ........................ 11 N. Johnston c. G. Webster b. N. Wilkins ...........................0 G. Paine n.o. .............................16 M. O’Mallay c. M. Danckert b. M. Watkins ..........................0 S. Ellicott b. N. Wilkins .............1 Extras .......................................18 Total ....................................... 112 Bowling: S. Rabbitt 1/18, M. Danckert 0/19, J. Danckert 3/30, B. Anderson 0/8, N. Wilkins 5/20, M.Watkins 1/8.

1st Innings Fish Creek/Tarwin G. Watkins b. L. Bowman .......25 J. Danckert lbw. b. S. Ellicott.....6 J. Law b. A. Hickey....................8 M. Watkins lbw. b. S. Ellicott ....2 J. Shaw n.o. ..............................24 G. Webster lbw. b. N. Johnston ..5 N. Wilkins n.o. ...........................8 Extras .......................................12 Total ......................................5/90 Bowling: N. Johnston 1/29, S. Ellicott 2/28, A. Hickey 1/4, C. Bruce 0/5, L. Bowman 1/12.

• CRICKET

Under 21s go close LEONGATHA had three representatives in the team for the final of the Victorian Under 21 VCCL Regional game; Adam Eddy Imperials, Sam Sperling Koonwarra RSL and Barry Wyatt Outtrim Moyarra Kongwak.

Ballarat batted first and made 187.

LDCA players took eight wickets; Barry Wyatt 5/41 off 10 overs, Adam

Eddy (opened bowling) two and Sam Sperling one.

Gippsland made 178 after being 2/131 (four run outs in last eight wickets).

Great effort by Gippsland to finish so close, probably a final that they could have won from their position as there were still 8 overs remaining.

Barry Wyatt won Man of the Match.

• CRICKET

Country week team announced THE LDCA has named its squad for country week cricket starting from Monday, February 15.

The squad is: Kristian Gray manager 0439 825 168, Scott Boyack scorer, Jason Wilson (capt), Tim Wightman (vice capt), Troy Williams, Gary Sauvarin, Damien Symmons, Udara Weerasinghe, Peter Dell, Luke Rogers, Mark Lafferty, Kyle Dorman, Alan Jenkins, Clint Wilson, Matt Donohue, Ryan

B. Thomas, Nathan Johnston, Matt Johnson, Alex Simpson, Dylan Clark, Xavier Davis.

The draw is: Monday 15th - LDCA v Bairnsdale at Casey Fields in Cranbourne.

Tuesday 16th - LDCA v Traralgon at Noble Park Cricket Ground.

Wednesday 17th LDCA v Ferntree Gully at Jubilee Park, Frankston.

Thursday 18th LDCA v Warragul at Monash University Clayton.

LDCA ladders Under 16 East Imperials ................... 123.62 Korumburra ............ 106.20 Koonwarra RSL ......... 76.43 Leongatha Town ......... 74.30 Foster............................ 48.22 MDU ............................ 35.17 Fish Creek/Tarwin ........ 33.46

Under 16 West Phillip Island............. 131.27 Won Workmens ........ 109.17 Won Miners ................ 90.94 Poowong/Loch ............ 82.89 OMK ............................ 47.07 Glen Alvie .................... 43.15 Inverloch ........................ 9.66

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 53

Basketball champs net prize THREE South Gippsland girls ventured up the Hume Highway to Albury/Wodonga for the 24th Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup, from January 17 to 23.

Kelsey Angwin (Foster), Kaila Bentvelzen (Leongatha) and Gemma Dixon (Korumburra) were picked to represent the Victorian Goldminers, which won the Under 14 girls final.

The girls met up with their teammates, coach and manageress on the Sunday at Scots College, where they stayed for the duration of the competition. On the Monday the team was transported by bus to the Wodonga Sports and Leisure Centre for the opening ceremony before heading to Albury in the afternoon. In their first game the girls came up against the South Australia Sharks, with the Goldminers winning 75 to 50.

On the Tuesday the girls played two games, with their first against NSW Waratahs. The girls went down by seven points, 51 to 44. In the second game the Goldminers played NZ Kea and won a close one by four points, 70 to 66.

On Wednesday the girls came up against another NZ side, Koru and came from behind in the last quarter to win by seven points, 53 to 46.

In their last game on the Thursday before finals, the Goldminers took on Albury/Wodonga and had an easy victory, winning 80 to 38. In the afternoon the quarter finals started with the Goldminers taking on NZ Korus, and after having a hard game against them the day before, the girls came out fired up and led from start to finish, winning 63 to 38 to move into the semi final.

On the Friday, the Victorian Goldminers came up against the

South Australia Sharks who were on a high after knocking off the undefeated Victorian Bushrangers a day earlier in their quarter final. In this game the Goldminers came out on top in a hard fought game to win 56 to 50 to advance to the final.

The final on Saturday was all set up for a great game, with the Victorian Goldminers taking on the NSW Waratahs, the team who beat them earlier in the week. The first half was a very tight affair, but in the third quarter the Goldminers made their move and ran out to an 11 point lead at the last change. In the last quarter the NSW Waratahs tried hard but the Victorian Goldminers dug deep and ran out winners 57 to 45 to be crowned Under 14 Australian Country Junior Champions for 2010.

Congratulations and well done to all girls.

Winning team: Victorian Goldminers, back from left, Emily McLaren (manageress), Gemma Dixon, Kelsey Angwin, Kayla Mallett, Madeline Fratin, Claire Outtram, Lidina Constable (coach). Front, from left, Kaila Bentvelzen, Darcy Wilson, Morgan Alvino, Elly Keating and Mikayla McAuliffe.

Local stars: Kelsey Angwin (Foster), Gemma Dixon (Korumburra) and Kaila Bentvelzen (Leongatha) hold the cup after winning the Australian Junior Basketball Cup in the Under 14 girls competition, representing the Victorian Goldminers.

Gippsland basketball THE last round of the Gippsland Basketball League was played on the weekend.

On Saturday. Korumburra Women defeated Maffra 62 to 59.

In a highly spirited and physical game the Wildcats were too good for the Eagles.

In the men’s, Sale beat the Wildcats 74 to 64.

The Wildcats had their chances but Sale were too good in the end.

On Sunday the Wildcats women were far too good for the Bairnsdale Bullets, winning136 to 42.

That leaves the Wildcats in second place with a home final this Saturday Night at the Korumburra

Jamie Lee Jeffs: drives to the hoop to score for the Wildcats.

Recreation Centre. If they win their semi final they will be playing in the grand final at the Korumburra Recreation Centre on February 13, going for their sixth title in a row.

The Wildcats men defeated the Bullets 88 to 76. The Wildcats outscored

the Bullets three quarters to one. It was a great win for the Wildcats and a great way to finish off the season.

Semi final this Saturday night at the Korumburra Indoor Recreation Centre.

Wildcats women going

for six in a row.

Celebrations: the girls and supporters were in celebration mode after their win.

Gippsland girls take out State U/14 cricket title THE Gippsland Pride girls travelled to Trinity Grammar, Bulleen last Monday, January 25 to play against the South East Country Sharks in the grand final of the State U/14 CBA Championships.

Gippsland batted first, compiling 89 from their allotted 20 overs, with Warragul’s Cassie Pollock top scoring with 31 not out.

Tight bowling from KLRSL’s Cindalynn Reed and Chelsea Moscript along with Fish Creek’s Shannon Danckert had the Sharks struggling with the run rate.

Longwarry’s Beth Serong continued to tie the opposition bats down coupled with the team’s aggressive fielding and a

very competent display from Trafalgar’s Georgie Fisher behind the stumps.

The Sharks, with two overs remaining, were still in need of 20 runs which was always going to be a tall order against this very tight-knit Gippsland unit.

South Gippsland was very well represented with Chelsea Moscript (C), Cindalynn Reed, Sam Dooney (K-LRSL CC), Holly

Monaghan and Mikaela Witherow (Mary MacKillop CRC), Shannon Danckert (Fish Creek), Emma Sprunt (Cowes) and top run scorer for the tournament and VC Louise Dower (Foster CC).

Ray Dower (Foster CC) and Cam LePage (MDU CC) were the successful coaches.

Top player: the Under 14 player of the final, representing Gippsland, receives her cheque.

PAGE 54 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

• LDCA A GRADE DIVISION ONE

Finals push is on BOTH Korumburra and Nerrena have pushed their finals claims with strong batting performances on the weekend.

Korumburra scored 9/277 with Udara Weerasinghe top scoring with 95 despite Gavin Boldings 6/84 for Wonthaggi Workmens.

The Workers will need to bat better than they have done in recent weeks to win this one.

Nerrena is in a commanding position, scoring 270 against Glen Alvie, mainly due to a fine 126 from opener and captain Craig Friebe. Friebe scored runs very quickly with he and Gerard Murphy 30, sharing in a 127 run partnership.

Kelvin Simpson 5/76 and Alex Simpson 4/76 were the best of the bowlers.

OMK and Imperials are set for a close finish with OMK scoring 9/234, Alex Rose top scoring with 53.

In the final game to be decided, Inverloch will need to bowl well after finishing with just 183, against Miners.

Ryan Thomas was in scintillating form, claiming 5/22 while Jake Trevisi took 3/40.

Details IMPERIALS v OMK 1st Innings Imperials D. Creed c&b. X. Davis ..........38 N. Creed b. X. Davis ................45 A. Rose r.o. M. Malloy, X. Davis ................................53 J. Wilson c. J. Pellicano b. X. Davis ..............................3 K. Rothier c. N. Eddy b. X. Davis ..............................6 T. Miller c. A. Eddy b. L. Rogers ...........................22 M. Walker c. T. Williams b. L. Rogers .............................8 B. Wyatt c. A. Meyer b. N. Eddy .............................15 T. Wyatt n.o. .............................18 P. Dell c. A. Eddy b. L. Rogers ...........................17 L. Van Rooye n.o........................0 Extras .........................................9

LDCA cricket scoreboard Round 12 - Day One C Grade OMK 233 (W. Dowell 35, G. Adams 39, G. Knox 34, C. Paterson n.o. 31; J. Poynton 4/38, N. Hancock 3/26) d Poowong/Loch 0/22 (C. Fraser n.o.

13).

Town 174 (J. Schelling 34, B. Moore 60, M. Warren r.o. 34; C. Honeysett 5/42, N. Johnson 2/11) d Wonthaggi Miners 4/52 (N. Johnson n.o. 21; B. Moore 3/19).

Koonwarra RSL 5/279 (G. Logan r.o. 45, N. Grimes 108, D. Pearce n.o. 34, C. Dooney n.o.

20) v Wonthaggi Workmens.

MDU 128 (S. McRae 26) v Fish Creek/Tarwin.

D Grade Town 148 (G. Young 50, J. Dalmau 2/17; W. Williams 3/32, W. Holmes 4/33) v Inverloch.

Phillip Island 115 (P. Francis 24, G. Excell n.o. 17; T. Burgess 4/34) d Imperials 3/23 (P. Francis 2/1).

Koonwarra RSL 9/164 (L. Hughes n.o. 30, G. Matthies 38; H. James 3/32) v Korumburra.

Glen Alvie 127 (E. Sheerin 65, R. Matthews n.o. 16; K. Clark 7/23) d Nerrena 1/16 (G. McGrath n.o. 10).

E Grade Foster 159 (S. Westaway 49, P. Tilley n.o. 32, A. Angwin 31; N. Brosnan 3/30) d Wonthaggi Miners 0/14.

OMK 244 (R. Paterson 88; L. Mercer 4/47, K. Brown 4/42) v MDU. Town 9/246 (J. Schelling 91, P. Hulshof n.o. 67) v

Phillip Island.

Wonthaggi Workmens 133 (S. Osborne 36, G. Scholz 45; J. Cochrane 4/26, R. McKenzie 6/22) d Poowong/Loch 2/16 (G. Frandsen n.o. 8, S. Mitchelson 2/10).

Under 16 East Town 7/96 (N. Moore 26; A. Manteit 3/5) lt. Phillip Island 4/167 (M. Manteit ret. n.o.

40, A. Manteit ret. n.o. 40, S. Docherty ret. n.o. 40).

Korumburra 136 (N. Allen 31; D. Westaway 3/16) lt. Imperials 7/233 (M. Elliott ret. n.o.

53, J.Hickey n.o. 12; R. Stewart 3/26).

MDU 100 (C. Harris 32, B. Thomas n.o. 14; B. Moscript 4/12, C. Moscript 3/21) lt. Koonwarra RSL 7/213 (B. Tomada 52, E. Charles 58).

Foster 40 lt. Fish CreekTarwin 9/92 (D. Britton 2/2, J. Flanders 2/0, S. Emmanuel n.o.

25; D. Clearihan-Jervies 3/14, S. Chaseling 3/13) & 2nd innings 7/145 (D. Clearihan-Jervies n.o.

65).

Under 16 West Glen Alvie 6/95 (A. Hamilton 34) and 2nd innings 7/99 (J. Tiziani 30, D. Williams r.o.

13) lt. Poowong/Loch 2/55 (T. Lancaster n.o. 22) and 2nd innings 4/199.

Wonthaggi Miners 8/272 (S. Schneider 4/28) and 2nd innings 4/107 d Inverloch 42.

Wonthaggi Workmens Gold 9/247 (A. Harrison 3/43) d OMK 7/204 (T. Wyatt n.o.

129).

Phillip Island - bye.

Consistent form: Tristan Creed was an asset for OMK, limiting Imperials’ run rate.

• B GRADE

Workmens in top shape WONTHAGGI Workmens’ batting specialist David Britt has helped his team to an enviable first innings total of 349 against arch rivals Korumburra, hitting a big 127.

Britt was in fine form, smashing 15 fours and three sixes on his way. He was backed well by Sawyer, who finished the day with 72 runs and McLean, who came away with 56 runs.

Ashley Meade was the best bowler on the day, with 3/37.

Phillip Island’s John Johnston had a blistering bowling innings of 6/33, leaving Foster in disarray.

Foster posted just 155 runs. Comben (49) and Wagstaff (35) were the standout batsmen for Foster, but few others seriously troubled the scorer.

Phillip Island was 1/12 at stumps on the first day.

With the early retirement of opener Brent Casbolt on zero, Imperials was left in a spin in its first innings against OMK on the weekend.

The team would post a disappointing 117 run total, with few batsmen able to hit into double figures.

OMK’s McMeekin was devastating with the ball, bowling an impressive 5/27.

Creed was economical and effective too, with 3/16.

OMK openers Harper (93 not out) and Kerr (77) were there to make a score, helping their team to a total of 177 on the first day.

Glen Alvie is in a solid position against Nerrena after a first innings that saw it score 274 runs.

Opener Smith was good

with the bat, scoring 58 runs.

Lowe was even better, with 84 runs, 64 of them from boundaries.

Nerrena’s Brandon (3/58) and Trease (3/64) were good with the ball.

Details OMK v IMPERIALS 1st Innings Imperials B. Casbolt ret. hurt .....................0 K. Gray c. T. Creed b. D. McMeekin ......................6 R. Mullens c. L. Wilson b. D. Jeffries ..........................32 D. Langstaff lbw. b. D. McMeekin ......................0 D. Connelly b. D. McMeekin.....1 S. McLennan c. M. Grabham b. T. Creed .............................32 N. Slater b. T. Creed .................19 M. Collins c. D. Jeffries b. T. Creed ...............................6 A. DeGennaro lbw. b. T. D. McMeekin ..................5 J. Fiddelaers b. D. McMeekin ....0 C. Roughead n.o.........................1 Extras .......................................15 Total ....................................... 117 Bowling: T. Creed 3/16, D. McMeekin 5/27, B. Nation 0/29, D. Jeffries 1/24, R. White 0/16.

1st Innings OMK P. Harper n.o.............................93 K. Kerr c. J. Fiddelaers b. M. Collins .........................77 R. White n.o. ..............................1 Extras .........................................6 Total ....................................1/177 Bowling: M. Collins 1/23, N. Slater 0/30, D. Connelly 0/20, C. Roughead 0/23, A. DeGennaro 0/18, J. Fiddelaers 0/25, S. McLennan 0/20, D. Langstaff 0/5, K. Gray 0/10.

PHILLIP ISLAND v FOSTER 1st Innings Foster P. Dower c. M. Cleary b. J. Kleverkamp .....................5 M. Comben b. J. Kleverkamp ..49 G. Wagstaff c. R. Velardi b. J. Johnston .........................35 T. Garvey b. J. Johnston .............7 W. Davy c. L. Neubauer b. J. Johnston ......................... 11 B. Coates r.o. R. Velardi .............0 J. Gurnett c&b. J. Johnston ........2 D. Clearihan-Jervies c. W. Paterson b. J. Johnston ...0 P. Jervies b. R. Cleeland ...........23 B. Tilley c. B. Pewtress b. J. Johnston ...........................2 J. Staley n.o. ...............................0

Extras .......................................21 Total .......................................155 Bowling: R. Cleeland 1/18, J. Kleverkamp 2/15, S. Kirton 0/29, R. Velardi 0/18, D. Johnston 0/31, J. Johnston 6/33.

1st Innings Phillip Island R. Cleeland n.o...........................4 R. Velardi n.o. ............................1 L. Neubauer c&b. B. Coates ......1 Extras .........................................6 Total ......................................1/12 Bowling: B. Coates 1/3, P. Jervies 0/7, P. Dower 0/1, D. Clearihan 0/0.

WONTHAGGI WORKMENS v KORUMBURRA 1st Innings Wonthaggi Workmens S. Huitema c. A. Mead b. P. Green .............................22 M. Turton ret. hurt......................0 D. Britt c&b. M. Loader.........127 L. Sawyer b. A. Meade.............72 J. Bolding c. H. Wyhoon b. M. Loader...........................9 A. McLean c. C. Bailey b. B. Hayes ............................56 M. McCall c. S. Hall b. P. Green .............................28 J. Liddle n.o................................9 S. Coldabella c. C. Bailey b. A. Meade .............................2 S. Roche b. A. Meade.................0 A. Sartori c. C. Bailey b. A. Meade .............................0 Extras .......................................23 Total .......................................349 Bowling: A. Meade 3/37, L. Williams 0/61, M. Loader 2/74, B. Hayes 1/41, P. Green 2/46, M. Wight 0/29, J. Meade 1/20, H. Wyhoon 0/25.

NERRENA v GLEN ALVIE 1st Innings Glen Alvie S. Smith lbw. B. Croatto ..........58 S. Edwards c&b. L. Brandon .....0 M. Hull c. V. Sasikumar b. Z. Trease............................17 W. Luke c. T. Trotman b. L. Brandon ..........................0 S. Lowe b. V. Sasikumar ..........84 J. Hales c. S. Checkley b. Z. Trease............................24 M. Huitson b. L. Brandon ........33 M. Rosendale lbw. b. Z. Trease..............................0 S. Nippers n.o...........................16 Extras .......................................39 Total ....................................8/274 Bowling: L. Brandon 3/58, Z. Trease 3/64, B. Croatto 1/42, V. Sasikumar 1/36, J. Holloway 0/27, W. Telfer 0/19.

Total ....................................9/234 Bowling: Not available.

INVERLOCH v WONTHAGGI MINERS 1st Innings Inverloch W. Taberner c. C. Thomas b. R. Thomas ...........................0 D. Ruffin c&b. R. Thomas .........7 J. Smith c. J. O’Reilly b. J. Trevisi ..............................1 B. Debono c. J. Andrighetto b. R. Birkett ...........................60 D. Clark c. C. Thomas b. R. Thomas ......................... 11 W. Rankin c. C. Thomas b. J. Trevisi ............................67 N. Cant c. J. Trevisi b. M. Johnson ..........................8 A. Ware c. C. Thomas b. J. Trevisi ............................10 C. Mollison c. J. Andrighetto b. R. Thomas ...........................8 L. Rankin b. R. Thomas .............0 A. Hall n.o. .................................0 Extras ....................................... 11 Total .......................................183 Bowling: R. Thomas 5/22, J. Trevisi 3/40, R. Birkett 1/24, M. Johnson 1/60, J. Helman 0/28.

KORUMBURRA v WONTHAGGI WORKMENS 1st Innings Korumburra D. Salmon lbw. b. R. Thomas ..16 I. Osman b. C. Harvey .............22 U. Weerasinghe c. R. Geyer b. G. Bolding .........................95 K. Dorman c. R. Geyer b. G. Bolding .........................37 T. Allen c&b. G. Bolding ........16

K. Rigby c&b. G. Bolding .........9 D. Wyhoon c. R. Geyer b. G. Bolding ...........................0 M. Olden lbw. b. G. Bolding ....18 D. Scott b. R. Thomas ..............50 A. Balfour n.o. ...........................2 M. Patching n.o. .........................0 Extras .......................................12 Total ....................................9/277 Bowling: R. Thomas 2/68, L. McGuirk 0/14, M. Thomas 0/20, C. Harvey 1/26, G. Bolding 6/84, J. Sherrin 0/58.

GLEN ALVIE v NERRENA 1st Innings Nerrena M. Clark b. A. Simpson .............7 C. Friebe c. J. Beasley b. A. Simpson ......................126 G. Murphy r.o. K. Simpson ......30 D. Symmons c. B. Tiley b. K. Simpson........................13 T. Wightman b. A. Simpson ..... 11 D. Trotman b. A. Simpson .......27 J. Renden c. D. Tiziani b. K. Simpson..........................8 T. West c. A. Donohue b. K. Simpson........................20 B. Castles c. P. Jordan b. K. Simpson..........................2 C. Rump c. J. Beasley b. K. Simpson..........................1 R. Clark n.o. .............................24 Extras .........................................1 Total .......................................270 Bowling: A. Simpson 4/76, P. Roberts 0/39, J. Beasley 0/25, A. Donohue 0/48, K. Simpson 5/76, C. Tait 0/5.

GCL Under 16s reach final LEONGATHA reached the GCL Under 16 final by defeating Central Gippsland at Yallourn North in very warm conditions on Sunday.

On an excellent pitch Leongatha’s captain Mark McCall won the toss and batted. Mitch Elliott, back from illness, batted beautifully for 64 with eight fours (finished with most runs and average for GCL) was supported by Nathan Allen 24 and Thomas Wyatt 21 to be all out for 157 off 47 overs.

With Central Gippsland also needing a win to make the final, the game was in a very interesting position but with some very disciplined bowling and excellent fielding the boys rallied to dismiss Central Gippsland for 120.

Mark McCall opened the bowling with Tim Harris. Both bowled well, Mark picking up two wickets early. Jordan Poynton, Eli Richards and Thomas Wyatt all bowled very well, keeping the pressure on. Central slumped to 5/45 but recovered to be 5/76 as the spinners found the pitch not to their liking. But a couple of quick wickets and suddenly central was 8/86. To their credit they hung in there, taking the score to 120 before an excellent catch by Mark McCall off Eli Richards ended the match.

Alex Pellin took two good catches in the gully during the game. Main bowling figures Mark McCall 10 overs 4 maidens 3/17, (equal most wickets for GCL 10 average 8.90) Tim Harris 10 overs 2 maidens 0/28, Jordan Poynton 7 overs 1 maiden 1/12 and the two misers Eli Richards 7.3 overs 2 maidens 3/11 and Thomas Wyatt 6 overs 3 maidens 2/4, Eamon Charles 3 overs 1/22.

A great win in very hot conditions and the boys deserve their place in the final against Bairnsdale next Sunday after finishing on top of the Under 16s table. Mark McCall has captained the side for the last two games in the absence of Alex Manteit (unavailable) and has led by example in both games, resulting in two great wins.

The team is to be congratulated on the five games they played, winning four on their excellent disciplined batting, bowling and fielding. We have had excellent reports from all the umpires in every game on the acceptance of decisions and behaviour on the field, which is a credit to the boys. Well done to every player who has been involved and congratulations to every player on your commitment and support over the games, one more game to go so best of luck in final.

Congratulations to Central Gippsland and Yallourn North Club for providing excellent facilities and support in the heat and to all players on an excellent game which was very well umpired.

• GIPPSLAND GCL UNDER 16

Representative side for final

CONGRATULATIONS to the following players on being selected to represent the LDCA for the GCL Under 16s final, Sunday, February 7 10.15 start, LDCA v Bairnsdale at Lucknow.

Players to be at ground by 9.30 am. (Due to early start required Sunday, some players are taking the option of travelling down Saturday night. At the present there will be no bus). Any one requiring transport please contact Geoff Wyatt.

Alex Manteit (capt), Mark McCall (vice capt), Mitchell Elliott, Nathan Allen, Tim Harris, Sam Huitema, Jordon Poynton, Alex Pellin, Eamon Charles, Cam Harris, Eli Richards, Thomas Wyatt.

Emergencies: Joel Liddle, Brendan Tomada, Jake Cochrane.

Contact Geoff Wyatt (Home) 5659 8225 or Mobile 0413 081 136 by Thursday if unavailable.

“THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - PAGE 55

Flags finale: Waratah Bay SLSC finished its season with a nipper’s carnival on Friday, January 22. This competitor sets herself to grab one of the ‘flags’.

Gippy win: Gippsland girls took out the State U/14 cricket title.

First carnival: scorching conditions greeted swimmers for the first South Gippsland swimming carnival for the season at Toora. Leongatha Swimming Club was well represented, including these boys, from left, Tom Barker, Jack Dunn, Tom Evans, and Tom Brew.

Little aths: summer sports were back with a vengeance on the weekend. Pictured warming up for the start of the season are members of the Leongatha Little Athletics Club.

Biggest: Saturday’s 25th milestone San Remo Channel Challenge attracted a record number of entries that saw some 620 competitors.

Winner: Holly Aitken was the first woman across the line in San Remo’s 25th annual Channel Challenge on Saturday.

Line honors: in an impressive time of 11 minutes Jamie Rowe was the first across the line in Saturday’s San Remo Channel Challenge.

Left: Challenging: juggling many roles busy Phillip Island mum Rachel Stafford was thrilled to take a break from her work at Spice Island accommodation and Cooking School at Sunderland Bay to compete in Saturdays San Remo Channel Challenge.

PAGE 56 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Ready to ride

By Matt Dunn

Demons exercise talent

By Matt Dunn THE MDU footy club is keeping quiet about its plans for season 2010, with no one willing to say the “P” word out loud.

But it would be fair to say that more than a few dyed-in-the-wool Demons are going to bed at night and having dreams of emulating the success of neighbour Stony Creek, a club that last year broke a decades-long drought when it beat Wonthaggi in the grand final.

MDU has been careful to recruit what may yet prove a premiership spine, with a new ruckman, centre half back and centre half forward on the way.

The Star got its first glimpse of the new footy talent at a training session last Friday night, with players from Melbourne and local lads showing slick skills.

But rumours of a wealthy band of MDU-supporting farmers buying up some

of the state’s best football talent, was quashed by president Wayne Cook.

“That’s blah, blah, blah. Don’t always believe what you’re told,” he said.

But the president did confirm that the club had welcomed some new additions to its ranks.

“We’ve recruited some players, and we’re definitely hoping our season is better than it’s been the past few years. We haven’t won a lot of games in the past few years,” he said.

“If we could make the finals that would be a big bonus for us. We’ve recruited quite well.”

Among the new recruits was Donny Epa, who was a star ruckmen in multiple premiership sides in the Mornington league.

Big Donny looked the goods at training and should add much needed presence and skill around the ground for the Demons.

Six of the best: new players include (from left) Ryan Damkjaer, Tremaine Tohiariki, Donny Epa, Dean Aldridge, new coach Lee Wilson and Nick Johnson.

THE organiser of the Tour of Gippsland cycling event is pitching the race to the Bass Coast Shire Council and South Gippsland Shire Council.

If negotiations prove fruitful the event will begin in Wonthaggi, on July 28, and will be wound into the town’s 100 year celebrations.

Day two would see the tour wind its way through Leongatha.

But both councils have reservations about the cost to rate payers, which would be upward of $30,000.

The event is broadcast on SBS. Bass Coast Council events co-ordinator Frank Angarane said there was “a bit of money involved”.

“It’s not cut and dried, but we’re certainly keen to go with it,” he said.

“It’s probably a $15,000 investment for us to get them here to stay. We’ll get a reasonable return on that, and obviously it brings some people into the area.

“We’re mainly interested in doing it for Wonthaggi’s centenary. Wonthaggi had a pretty strong cycling history. That’s why we’ve tried to get a cycling event to match up with that. We want to make it another way of celebrating the centenary.”

PBE real estate founder John Evans has already put his hand in

his pocket, offering up $5000 in prize money for a cycling event in the town to coincide with the centenary.

The 85-year-old is a former champion cyclist, who remembers the town’s golden era of cycling well.

“We had bike riders every Sunday. We used to ride to Korumburra, to Leongatha and back. We went to San Remo, round and back. Dalyston, out in the hills – Archies Creek,” he said.

“We had the bike track at the rec reserve, where we used to race. Then we used to ride to Oakleigh for the road races there.”

Mr Evans said he remembers a time when it seemed the entire population of Wonthaggi was riding bikes. He won four cycling cups at the age of 16, during a 12 month period.

“Everybody rode bikes in them days. You were somebody in them days. It was better than football or anything,” he said.

Tour of Gippsland director John Craven said the “impetus for the whole thing” had come from Mr Evans.

“That’s how it all started. Out of that has come this concept of starting the Tour of Gippsland in and around the town of Wonthaggi,” he said.

“This is the sixth Tour of Gippsland. The tour itself is going through the roof as far as popularity goes. Gippsland’s got sensational terrain for cycling.”

Former Leongatha Cycling

Club president Rob Aitken is another who has jumped on board.

“The time of the year, at the end of July, is a time when no one is down here. It’s going to showcase the area. There’s a package that goes on SBS,” he said.

“You’ll also have about 500 people coming into the area at a time when nothing much is going on. It’s great for the kids too, because they’re seeing some of the best cyclists in Australia.”

South Gippsland Shire Council recreation officer Fred Boreham said it would need to be considered whether Leongatha’s 15 minutes of fame was worth the outlay.

“There’s two schools of thought on this. The council’s been involved with it before and it is expensive. The question is what are we going to get for our money?” Mr Boreham said.

Mr Boreham said the initial proposal did not “outline a business case, in my mind”.

“You’re looking at $15,000 to sponsor the event. It’s a lot of money without seeing a business case,” he said.

“Fifteen thousand dollars is a lot of money. They way I’ve read the proposal is, the bike riders ride through the town, and you go and find the sponsors.

“It’s not council’s job to go out and promote someone else’s business.”

Mr Boreham said the matter would be referred to council’s tourism department for consideration.

Ready to ride: PBE’s John Evans has donated $5000 toward a cycling event for Wonthaggi to help celebrate its centenary. Mr Evans is pictured in the town with a photo of himself at the age of 16, when he won four local cycling cups. He is flanked by mates Billy Hutchingson and John Richard Mullins.