The Great Southern Star - December 5, 2017

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017 - $1.50 www.thestar.com.au th h t

Christmas in Leongatha PAGES 17-21

Theatre groups reap awards PAGE 7

Summer rain delights farmers LEVI Privitera, mum Tanya and sister Ava of Mardan had their umbrellas out at their dairy farm on Saturday, and welcomed the early summer rain of 65mm that had fallen by Monday morning. South Gippsland escaped the brunt of the heavy rain and wind forecast for Victoria, with South Gippsland Shire Council staff attending to six callouts over the weekend, mostly for fallen trees. Leongatha State Emergency Service also attended to trees over public roads at Nerrena, Arawata, Poowong East and Korumburra, and reported no homes or businesses were flooded. Read more on page 41.

DAIRY BONANZA • $24.5m expansion at Burra Foods • 39 jobs • Milk price rise possible By Brad Lester A $24.5 million expansion of Burra Foods’ Korumburra factory will create up to 39 jobs and may result in a higher milk price for farmers.

• Burra Foods CEO Grant Crothers.

The announcement yesterday (Monday) came less than two weeks after rival Murray Goulburn announced 52 jobs would be shed from its Leongatha factory. Some of those staff could now be employed by Burra Foods. Burra Foods will develop an infant formula

canning and packing line, allowing the company to export tins of formula to China, removing the need to can and label offshore. The project will enable Burra Foods to shift production of milk powder in bulk (25kg bags) to consumer packs (400 gram and 800 gram cans) suitable for specific export markets such as China. Burra Foods will also increase production of other powdered milk products including adult, student and pregnancy powders and high protein skim and full cream milk, which will maximise the revenue from the Korumburra factory. Continued on page 3.

• Burra Foods’ Korumburra factory will expand to the tune of $24.5 million.

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PAGE 2 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 3

Dairy bonanza Continued from page 1. Burra Foods’ CEO Grant Crothers said, “We look forward to local government planning approval in the near future and anticipate that it will be possible to commence site works in the first quarter of 2018. Completion is scheduled for late 2019 and commissioning during 2020, subject to regulatory approvals.” The $24.5 million project comprises: • building, road and internal infrastructure; • canning line and repacking line; • plant and equipment for powder handling and blending; and • utility upgrades and external infrastructure. The expansion has received support from the State Government. Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaala Pulford said, “This is exactly the news our dairy industry in South Gippsland needs to hear. We welcome this huge investment from Burra Foods and are proud to play our part in helping create 39 new jobs. “This has been a difficult time for many people with the Murray Goulburn milk price shock and redundancies. It’s nice to share some positive news and have confidence about our dairy industry’s future.”

The extra profitability expected from the Korumburra factory could lead to better milk prices for dairy farmers. Burra Foods is the largest employer in Korumburra. The government said the new jobs at Burra Foods would be well suited to employees made redundant from Murray Goulburn. In a further boost to South Gippsland’s dairy industry, Burra Foods also recently announced a step-up in milk price for farmers. Mr Crothers said the second step-up of 10 cents, in addition to the previous 10 cents, was “a meaningful increase in milk price”. “The whole team has worked hard to confirm this step-up pre-Christmas to improve cash flow and price certainty for our milk supply partners for the first half of calendar year 2018,” he said. “We’ve been having a kind season – or until now made to order for some – which is certainly a bonus and will no doubt assist in rebuilding suppliers’ businesses after a period of low prices and less favourable seasonal conditions.”

Toora factory to double jobs By Sarah Vella AN EXTRA 40 jobs will be created at Toora’s ViPlus Dairy factory over the next 18 months.

This follows ViPlus Dairy saying it had become the first Australian manufacturer of milk powder to receive the coveted Chinese CFDA approval to keep selling infant formula products into the lucrative Chinese market. Gaining CFDA (China Food and Drug Administration) approval meant ViPlus Dairy could now plan for increased production at its Toora milk powder factory. ViPlus Dairy employs 40 people at Toora, with plans to double that number over the next 18 months as its reaches out to new export markets and grows its market share in China. ViPlus was also the first Australian company to achieve CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China) approval five years ago, which allowed it to re-open the Toora milk powder facility, and begin employing locals and supporting local dairy farmers.

Opera enchants Meeniyan MORE than 330 people enjoyed The HeartLand concert at Meeniyan Hall on Friday, when Opera Australia and the Meeniyan community joined to present a stunning operatic experience.

The audience was thrilled to have the opportunity to enjoy opera locally, and the artists also enjoyed their visit and may return

next year. From left, David Jones, event organiser, with Guy Noble, MC, accompanist and ABC ClassicFM presenter; tenor Simon Kim; soprano Olivia Cranwell; mezzo soprano Kristen Keich, baritone Christopher Tonkin; and Kate McMillan, associate producer touring, Opera Australia, on stage at Meeniyan. Photo: Ken Spence.

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Peter Cunningham, ViPlus Dairy managing director, said, “We can now move into a new growth phase for the company. “The fact we are the first Australian manufacturer to get the tick of approval by the Chinese Government shows Gippsland can lead the country in baby formula exports.” The new regulations announced by China in 2016 required foreign manufacturers of approved infant formulas into the China market to lodge the relevant specifications and components of each formulation to the CFDA for assessment. The new policy also seeks to place more controls on the brands entering the China market from manufacturers all over the world. The new global policy allows for a maximum of three brands to be registered by any approved facility, with these restrictions taking effect from January 1, 2018. In November, ViPlus also received organic certifications in Australia and China for selected milk powder products. Recently, ViPlus also began exporting to other countries including the Middle East.

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PAGE 4 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Teens back mate battling cancer MARY MacKillop College, Leongatha, hosted a huge head shaving event to support Year 11 student Jai Stefani who was diagnosed with cancer recently.

Around 19 teachers, students and past students shaved their heads on Friday and donated their hair to teen cancer support organisation, Canteen to make wigs for cancer patients who lose their hair during treatment. “We were a little bit nervous but it’s only hair though, so it

Brave support: back row, from left, Jarvis Pryor, Lucas Ion, Matthew McGannon, Jai Stefani, Sam McGannon and Harry McNeil and front, row from left, Sam Benra, Bailey Patterson, Josh McGannon and Jordan Hill shaved their heads to support Mary MacKil- By Brad Lester lop College Year 11 student Jai Stefani who and Sarah Vella was diagnosed with cancer recently.

will grow back,” student Harry McNeil said. He was one of the students to shave his hair. “So far we’ve raised $19,206 on the Go Fund Me page and we’ve had a little bit of cash come in. “It’s been crazy. We didn’t think it would get this big.” College principal David Leslie said the idea started with a few boys thinking of shaving their hair and the fundraising effort progressed from there. “It is a great example of the spirit amongst the students,” he said.

Help Leongatha, urges MP

GIPPSLAND South MLA Danny O’Brien has called for the State Government to help Leongatha and South Gippsland in the wake of Murray Goulburn • Gippsland South announcing it MLA Danny would shed 52 jobs O’Brien. recently.

In State Parliament last week, Mr O’Brien quizzed the Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll on the services and support available from the State Government for the workers who will lose their jobs. “I’ve asked the minister to ensure that all available State Government resources are applied to Leongatha and to the workers who will be out of a job,” he said. “The State Government regularly steps in when there are major manufacturing job losses around the state and Leongatha should be no different. “While I appreciate that Murray Goulburn itself will be offering redundancy packages, there may be a need

for retraining, skills counselling or other services that the State Government and its agencies can provide.” Mr O’Brien also said the government must provide support for the local region through this difficult time. “It’s not just the 52 jobs that will go from Murray Goulburn. This of course comes on the back of the 12 tanker driver jobs that were lost recently and the general down turn experienced by the dairy industry over the last couple of years,” he said. “There are plenty of local projects that the Labor Government could get on with to help stimulate the local economy, including an upgrade of the South Gippsland Highway, better public transport links, funding stage two of the Korumburra Secondary College redevelopment and many more.” Mr O’Brien told Parliament there was frustration in Gippsland at the millions being spent in the Latrobe Valley while the rest of Gippsland gets very little. “We appreciate that Latrobe Valley is going through a significant and protracted transition period, but the government needs to be aware there are other parts of Gippsland also doing it tough and ensure its attention is on places like South Gippsland as well,” he said. The Star contacted the government for comment. South Gippslanders are also concerned about the future of MG Trading stores. Riseley Transport, Leongatha, supplies cartage services for the MG Trading stores in Foster, Yarram, Wonthaggi, Dumbalk, Korumburra and Leongatha. Operations manager Wayne Lindsay said the Leongatha business has not yet been affected by Murray

Goulburn’s recent cost cutting measures. “If the MG Trading stores close down it will affect us,” he said. Earlier in November, MG general manager milk supply and field services Craig McRae said the MG Trading business was included in the Saputo transaction, unless sold prior to completion. “There is no formal sale process currently underway for MG Trading...the future of MG Trading will be a matter for Saputo to consider subject to completion of the transaction,” he said. A MG spokesperson last Friday said the redundancies would be concluded by late January. The redundancies will affect the UHT, cream and butter lines at Leongatha, with a five day a week operation now in place across all retail lines. The Leongatha factory makes UHT, cream, butter, milk powders and spreads. The spokesperson said, “MG is committed to ensuring that we provide any affected employees with appropriate levels of support during this period of transition. “We are providing outplacement and Employee Assistance Program services on site to support employees during this time. Leongatha is an important location for MG and, while regrettable, these changes are necessary to ensure the future competitiveness of MG,” he said. Saputo told The Star it was not part of the decision by Murray Goulburn to cut jobs at its processing facilities as part of the contract of sale to Saputo.

per” a sp ew n y it n u m m co r ou Y “

36 McCartin Street, Leongatha 3953 : PO Box 84 LEONGATHA 3953 Postal Telephone : 5662 2294 : 5662 4350 Fax Web : www.thestar.com.au Editor Brad Lester : news@thestar.com.au Advertising Manager Joy Morgan : advertising@thestar.com.au Find us on Facebook Produced and published by Giles Newspapers Pty Ltd and printed by Latrobe Valley Express, Morwell. Registered business. ACN 006507580 | ABN 61 318 952 541 Print Post 336735 10006 HOUSE1627

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 5

Amazing talent at Mirboo North Idol THE Mirboo North community lived by the mantra ‘the show must go on’ on Sunday. Despite not being able to use the swimming pool as the venue for the 13th Mirboo North Idol, the event was moved to the hall and was still successful. Excellent numbers of local talent entered the competition in the open, secondary and primary categories, and many turned out to see former X Factor star and special guest judge Nathaniel perform. Nathaniel said he was pleased to be in Mirboo

North. “It’s not every day we get to come and perform outside of Melbourne and we’ve had a good reception,” he said. “It’s a refreshing feeling, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Mirboo North has to offer. There’s always great talent in these sorts of competitions that really amaze you.” Mirboo North’s Isabelle and Neil Trease OAM officially opened the idol event. They were invited to do so to give the community the opportunity to congratulate them on their Order of Australia Medals

received in June, and to recognise their contributions to the community. December 3 was also the International Day of Disability, so the opening speech at the event included a link to the fact the Mirboo North pool’s new redevelopment will feature improved access for all abilities. These improvements will include a new ramp and access change rooms. At the end of the day, the following talented musicians were named the winners of Mirboo North Idol.

Goodies: Mirboo North performers Alyssa Snell and Alita Hosie enGuest star: Boolarra’s Abbey and Jenna Coolidge were excited to joyed all aspects of Mirboo North Idol on Sunday, and received an meet former X Factor star Nathaniel at Mirboo North Idol on Sunday. encouragement award for their act.

Pool facelift advances Lucky to be alive A LEONGATHA woman’s car was struck by lightning when she was travelling to Leongatha from Inverloch on Friday. Around 2pm, Margaret Holmes was travelling on the Bass Highway just five kilometres out of Inverloch when she heard a loud bang and saw a bright white flash before her car came to a halt on the highway. “The heavy rain had just started and I saw some lightning but didn’t take much notice. I didn’t feel like it was dangerous to drive,” Ms Holmes said. “The traffic was quite heavy. I was in a hazardous position on the side of the road and my car is also dark coloured so I called the police.” Ms Holmes said she managed to steer her car to the side of the highway, but it was still on the white line and the electrical system was blown out so she couldn’t move it any further. Police managed to get the car out of gear and push it down a nearby road off the highway. Fortunately, the woman was not injured and the car sustained minor damage. The antenna fin on the roof of her Volkswagen Polo was destroyed by the lightning bolt.

Lesson not learnt AFTER walking out of a defensive driver training course, a Wonthaggi man left the complex car park and did a lengthy burnout. The 22 year old Wonthaggi man had completed the course as a result of driving offences. The burnout was performed in front of several witnesses, leaving behind black tyre marks. Wonthaggi Police impounded his vehicle for a period of 30 days. This was the driver’s third impound. He will be charged on summons and police will apply for the destruction of his vehicle at court.

By Tayla Kershaw WITH plans for redevelopment on the way, the future is looking bright for the Mirboo North pool. Friends of the Mirboo North Swimming Pool’s Fred Couper said the plans for the redevelopment were progressing well, and South Gippsland Shire Council is in the throes of completing a detailed design to include a new splash pad play area for children, full disability access, new change rooms and kiosk, and upgrading of the concourse area around the pools Mr Couper said the committee expects to know what the design will look like in the next several weeks. The fundraising side of the project is going well, with the committee approaching its target of $500,000 through great events. The Mirboo and District Community Bank recently announced its $100,000 contribution, and the committee is awaiting to hear the outcome of council’s 2018-19 budget, to be announced around April. Though no total has been confirmed, it is anticipated the total project will be in the ball park of $3.5 million. Mr Couper said he anticipates the completion of the project will be in 2019. For now, the committee will continue its fundraising efforts with a movie night coming up on February 2 and a special fundraising launch event. The date is yet to be confirmed. “It’s going to take time but it’s progressing well and the community has been incredibly supportive,” committee president Tonya Wright said. The Mirboo North pool opened last Wednesday. “We had heaps of young people come down and it was such a great atmosphere,” Mr Couper said. “This is an exciting and historic time for us. It has brought on a real sense of community, and there are still donations being made by the public.” The YMCA is back on board to provide lifeguards to ensure everyone enjoys a safe swim. Korumburra and Poowong pools also opened last Wednesday, and the Foster pool will open on December 16.

Support the pool: from left, Friends of the Mirboo North Swimming Pool president Tonya Wright and member Fred Couper are thrilled with how the community has backed the pool, and they anticipate a positive result from upcoming redevelopments. The Toora pool began operating in September and has had good attendances already. Season passes are available for all South Gippsland outdoor pools for families, adults and children. South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Lorraine Brunt said, “Council is pleased to have our outdoor pools ready for their opening for the whole of South Gippsland to enjoy. “Our outdoor pools are much cherished assets by the community, so it will be fantastic to see all our residents and visitors making a splash.” For more information about South Gippsland’s outdoor pools and upcoming events, visit www.southgippslandpools.ymca.org.au or the South Gippsland Outdoor Pools Facebook page. ► More Mirboo North pool news on page 24.

Open: first, Deanne Battaglia; second, Matt McGrath; and third, South Gippsland Shire Councillor Meg Edwards. Secondary: first, Kaylah Thomas; second, Tayla Clavarino; and third, Gemma Brown. Encouragement award: Elizabeth Lynch-Berends. Primary: first, Pippa Mills; second, Violet Johnson; and third, Paige Thompson. Encouragement awards: Ruby Cannizzo, Elita Hosie and Alyssa Snell, and Zack Carey.

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“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 7

Chicago dominates theatre awards WONTHAGGI Theatrical Group’s production of Chicago won 10 awards at the Gippsland Associated Theatre’s 25th Annual Awards Night at Moe on Saturday.

The superb musical dominated on the evening and won the coveted title of most outstanding musical production. Wonthaggi’s production of Miss Saigon collected two awards, while Leongatha Lyric Theatre’s Hairspray was presented with three. The local winners were: • most outstanding costume design: Louise Adkins, Hairspray, Leongatha Lyric Theatre; • most outstanding male youth performance: Jaive McEwan, Seeweed J Stubbs, Hairspray, Leongatha Lyric Theatre; • most outstanding female youth performance: Olivia Winchcombe, Penny Pingleton, Hairspray, Leongatha Lyric Theatre; • most outstanding large ensemble performance: Merry Murderesses, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; • most outstanding set design: Colin Mitchell, Miss Saigon, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; • most outstanding lighting design: Mungo Trumble, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; • most outstanding sound design: Brett Van

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Hoorn, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding makeup and hair design: Kerrin Banker/Deb Firth, Miss Saigon, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; Alby Fisher Memorial Award: Leongatha Lyric Theatre, Our Country’s Good, for indigenous artwork; most outstanding choreographer – musical: Rose Wray-McCann, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding musical director – musical: Ben Stein, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding support actor musical – male: Jay Nelson, Amos Hart, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding support actor musical – female: Elly Poletti, Mama Morton, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding lead actor musical – male: Will Hanley, Billy Flynn, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; most outstanding director – musical: Karen Milkins-Hendry, Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group; and most outstanding production – musical: Chicago, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group.

Way to go: from left, the cast and crew of Leongatha Lyric Theatre’s Hairspray celebrate at the Gippsland Associated Theatre awards, Brad Boucher, Michelle Burgess, Louise Adkins, Rachel Adkins, Sophie Adkins, Ann Hemming, Katelyn Adkins, Amy Burgess, Bruce Grainger, Nick Jeremiah, John Molden, Shontelle O’Connor, Nicole Cooper, Lindy Waldron and Sophie Cuttriss.

Party time: from left, the cast and crew of Wonthaggi Theatrical Group’s Chicago reflect on the production’s success at the Gippsland Associated Theatre awards, Jay Nelson, Mungo Trumble, Mack Williams, Annabelle Clarkson, Wayne Moloney, Meghan Dal Masetto and Dale Donohue.

PAGE 8 - “THE STAR� Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Hospital on the right track By Tayla Kershaw BASS Coast Health (BCH) has pulled itself out of its debt and is on the right track to becoming a subregional hospital.

On paper, the hospital’s annual report announced a surplus of $5.045 million, which will be used to repay loans from the Department of Health and fund capital projects. The Department of Health supported the hospital with sustainability funding from 2012 to 2015, and now BCH has the ability to repay these contributions. To pay off the loans completely will require $6 million over the next three years. As a result, the hospital is working with a sub total of $2.554 million, which is still a significant turnaround on previous years. Great outcomes: from left, Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child, guest speaker Dr Catherine The net result for the year of $5.045 million Crock and board chairman Don Paproth were pleased to present positive information at the was also recorded before taking into account

hospital’s recent annual general meeting.

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significant capital projects like the Phillip Island Medical Hub. At the end of the day, BCH was one of three rural/regional health organisations to meets its budget target. CEO Jan Child attributed the additional revenue to the hospital’s growing capacity to treat more patients. “We are very happy and the Department of Health couldn’t be more supportive,� she said. “The Armitage House aged care move and our work in the emergency department has allowed us to treat more patients. We’ve invested the loans in bits and pieces and it’s fantastic to be able to start to pay them off.� In the emergency department, the hospital saw a seven percent increase in patients last year. A further seven percent increase was recorded this year. To manage this, the hospital invested in having highly skilled doctors in the emergency department 24/7. At Armitage House, the former nursing home was redeveloped into a vibrant subacute ward, which now has around 20 beds. This has helped the hospital to continue to treat patients locally and provide the quality of care patients expect. “It’s a great outcome. Next year we will be looking to expand our surgical service to help us bring in more revenue,� Ms Child said. “This will increase our capacity to perform more complex surgeries. We are on the right track to continue making our repayments and growing our service at the same time. It’s a steady, stable path and we are hoping to be self sufficient at the end of three years.� Other milestones in BCH’s year include the introduction of stroke telecommunications in the emergency department, operating theatre renovations, and an increased partnership with Miners Dispensary to include a maternity and children’s health facility on its site. It also kicked off the Hospital in the Home program, a solution to the growing demand of patients wanting contemporary care in the comfort of their homes. On top of the financial changes, Bass Coast Health has focused on creating a positive environment for its patients and staff. “We are on a mission to support one another, and the good news is that it has improved in the last 12 months. We still have a way to go, but we have become a self caring organisation,� Ms Child said. Guest speaker Dr Catherine Crock emphasised the importance of a kind organisation. Dr Crock is a paediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and believes the vibe needs to be just right for people to work in a challenging environment. “The next big step is about how the staff treat each other. We are told to put on a professional persona and staff may need extra training to be able to share their emotional journey with their colleagues, and better connect with their patients,� she said.

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“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 9

Health service looks forward By Jessica Anstice NEW projects and the treatment of more patients were highlights of Gippsland Southern Health Service’s 25th annual general meeting last Thursday.

Highlights on the agenda included the achievements made in 2017 such as the implementation of the Telehealth project and the start of construction of the Leongatha Integrated Primary Care Centre. The new Integrated Primary Care Centre provides medical and primary care health services. Inside are 12 consulting rooms, six used by general practitioners and practice nurses, and the other rooms occupied by allied health consultants. GSHS treasurer Peter Siggins reported a net surplus, before capital and specific items, of $1.187 million for 2016-17, which was a significant increase from the previous financial year’s $23,664. The organisation achieved a larger operating surplus than anticipated due to higher levels of inpatient activity increasing revenue. The additional patients were a result of the Telehealth project and primary care centre meaning patients can receive care locally, rather than travelling as they did previously. Aged care generated $1,811,000 and residential aged care made $271,000. Revenue from admitted patients was $342,000 and non-admitted patients, $84,000. Once depreciation and capital purpose income was taken into account, the net result for the year was $1.160 million. Acting CEO and executive director of nursing Vicki Farthing reported on the success of the Telehealth project. A Telehealth machine was implemented at Leongatha and Korumburra hospitals, and allows patients to be assessed by medical staff at Latrobe

Regional Hospital via a video link. “We’ve developed a successful link with Latrobe Regional Health for medical consultations and we’ve increased the skill level of nurses working in urgent care overnight,” Ms Farthing said. Board of management president Alex Aeschlimann said the board was excited by the achievements of the organisation in the past 12 months. “It’s been a very busy year for GSHS,” he said. “The Leongatha Integrated Primary Care Centre construction was recently completed on time and on budget. “GSHS has over 100 volunteers and it would not be possible for us to provide the level of care we do without those people.”

Successful year: from left, Department of Health and Human Services program coordinator John Worters, executive director of nursing and acting CEO of Gippsland Southern Health Service Vicki Farthing, and board of management president Alex Aeschlimann at the 25th GSHS annual general meeting on Thursday.

Great teamwork: from left, Gippsland Southern Health Services board of management, Ian Drysdale, Rajiv Dhar, senior vice president Susan Hanson, president Alex Aeschlimann, Tom McQualter, Athina Georgiou, Catherine Pickett, Sue Fleming, Jan Martin, treasurer Peter Siggins and junior vice president Nigel Boughton at the 25th Gippsland Southern Health Service annual general meeting held on Thursday.

PAGE 10 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

COLUMN 7

col7@thestar.com.au

Jess Anstice

Sarah Vella

Tayla T Tayl a Kershaw aw

Brad Lester

Talent and hard work pays off FOUR talented Year 8 and 9 Mirboo North Secondary College students entered the Kool Skools awards in Melbourne recently.

PJ excitement: from left, Loch Primary School students Tara, Indigo, Eliza, Mercedes wore their pyjamas to school to help raise awareness of Dyskeratosis Congenita.

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The students entered their electronic dance music track into the competition and won the best track in the electronic dance music category from six other groups from across Victoria. The awards night was held at Yarra Valley Grammar and the students were invited to perform their song. “It started with a few students wanting to start a music club at lunchtimes and eventually they decided to take part in the Kool Skools awards,” music teacher Rebecca Woodall said. “This is the second year we have entered but the first time we have won anything.”

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Young talent: Mirboo North Secondary College students, back, Chloe Palmer and Emre Cupples, and front, Mirabel McCreaddie and Amy Shervell received the Kool Skools song writing and recording project award in Melbourne recently.

Brave as a bear day LOCH Primary School students arrived at school in their pyjamas and with teddies to cuddle on Friday, November 24. The day was to help raise awareness for Dyskeratosis Congenita and to support Loch Primary School student Ashton Vanderland and his family. The school decided to invite everyone to wear pyjamas because Aston’s brother Elliot was diagnosed with Dyskeratosis Congentia almost 11 months ago and has been in hospital for most of the year, having to wear his pyjamas all the time. The Red Cross Blood Service visited to talk about giving blood and Ashton’s dad Ian came along to talk to everyone. Elliot is currently preparing for a second bone marrow transplant. FISH Creek Primary School received a state wide award recognising its school garden. Students visited the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens to receive the South East Regional Victorian State Garden Award on Thursday. TARWIN Lower Community Health Centre received a grant from the Bald Hills Wind Farm. The centre would like to kindly acknowledge receipt of a grant of $1927, as it has allowed it to refurbish blinds throughout the entire health centre building.

Christmas trees on sale THERE’S still time to take home the perfect Christmas tree.

Ruby CFA is selling real Christmas trees at the Leongatha CFA station this Saturday from 8.30am until sold out. The CFA was also out last weekend and – despite a troubling weather forecast – received plenty of interest from the public. The sale has been a part of the Leongatha community for the past few years, and it’s one of the only points in town to buy a real tree. The CFA was also selling lunch boxes as part of the fundraiser, which would make a terrific Christmas gift. The trees are sourced from Drouin and are transported to Leongatha by the truckload. Ruby CFA’s Iznaya Kennedy said the trees sold quickly last year and were selling at a similar rate this year. “It’s a good fundraiser for the CFA. It’s a chance for us to get into the Christmas spirit and connect with the community,” she said. It’s a great opportunity to take the children out to choose their favourite tree. Come along to the Leongatha CFA station with your trailer this Saturday and take a look at the great selection.

Christmas spirit: Ruby CFA’s Iznaya Kennedy showed Meeniyan’s Holly and Archie Martelli the Christmas trees and lunch boxes on sale at the Leongatha CFA station on Saturday.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 11

Rubbish act THE person who dumped rubbish at Powlett River last week could be prosecuted by Bass Coast Shire Council.

Christmas exhibition: from left, Berrys Creek’s Julie Curtis, Sandra Pearce and Mount Eccles South’s Sonia Holt enjoyed Gooseneck Pottery’s exhibition on Sunday at Kardella.

Christmas exhibition excites WITH hopes of better weather, Kardel- stunning pieces that could be refitted to become la potter Rob Barron will continue his water features. “It was a great firing, and there are some stunChristmas exhibition this weekend. ning rugged designs. There’s plenty to choose

Despite heavy rain forecasts, interested buyers still made their way to Gooseneck Pottery to check out the results of the latest firing on Saturday and Sunday. Rob said he was extremely pleased with his new pieces. With unique designs, sizes and shapes, some of the new pieces include deep dishes perfect for stews or spaghetti, tiles, plates – some of which will be sent off to a restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula - platters, baking dishes and

Hefty fine for illegal dumping

from,” Rob said. “Hopefully the weather will improve next weekend, and the rest of the pieces will be out of the kiln.” Head on down to Gooseneck Pottery and find the perfect Christmas gift this weekend. Wine and cheese will be on offer during on the day. Gooseneck Pottery will also be open right through the holiday season, with the exception of Christmas and Boxing Day. The next firing will be in May in time for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend exhibition.

SOUTH Gippsland residents received a timely reminder that illegal rubbish dumping isn’t only unsightly, harmful to the environment and a nuisance to others, but it can also be very costly.

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A 26 year old Grantville man was recently fined $1000 for illegally dumping rubbish and ordered to pay council’s costs of $596. On August 31, the man attended a property at Fish Creek to remove a trailer load of rubbish at the request of the property owner. The property owner paid the man for this service and also gave him money to cover the transfer station fees. However, council local laws officers later attended a call-out to Buffalo, where they found a substantial amount of rubbish dumped on the side of the road. Enquiries eventually led local laws officers to the Grantville man. Council’s coordinator of local laws, Bruce Gardiner told the presiding judicial registrar the accused and another man had dumped the materials beside the road. The accused denied any knowledge of or participation in the behaviour, stating that one of his workers must have been responsible. Mr Gardiner also stated this type of offending was “selfish and unfair on the public. They have to put up with looking at this mess and then their rates are used to clean it up and take it away. “People don’t realise when they dump this sort of rubbish, we have to send in trucks and people in to remove it safely so road users and the environment are not put at risk. “It’s also frustrating much of this waste could have been disposed of at a transfer station at no cost.” Residents are able to deposit many recyclable materials at council’s transfer stations free of charge including steel and other metals, glass bottles, plastic bottles, containers and drums, car bodies (drained of fluids and tyres removed), white goods, car batteries and used motor oil. A green waste amnesty period also applies during November and December each year to assist property owners with fire season preparation. Visit www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au for information about waste disposal.

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A mix of household and commercial waste was dumped in the Tea Tree Carpark and labels on the waste may have identified the owner. Parks Victoria ranger team leader Brian Martin was disappointed by the act. “This type of activity is very disheartening particularly given there are many local volunteer groups and individuals working with Parks Victoria on projects that aim to conserve and protect our Bass Coast parks and reserves,” he said. “The time and financial resources required to clean up the waste and dispose of it properly diverts funds away from providing other services and facilities in the parks and reserves.” Parks Victoria was to remove the rubbish and council is pursuing a lead in the investigation. Parks Victoria is appealing to all people to report this type of illegal activity to the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 131963, Police or Bass Coast Shire Council.

Disgusting sight: Parks Victoria staff are dismayed after learning of this rubbish being dumped at Powlett River carpark last week. Photo: Facebook.

PAGE 12 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

OPINIONS

Privatise care jobs

SURPRISED to see in The Star (November 28) the South Gippsland Shire Council is considering holding on to the Home and Community Care service (HACC) when others are moving to more efficient providers. Some years ago council admitted to spending $400,000 beyond the federal contribution to provide the service, whilst other providers make no additional contribution or indeed, some private companies do so at a profit. With our council claiming it needs more office space, surely the transfer of staff to these more efficient providers would free up office space and be a saving to ratepayers. Steve Finlay, South Gippsland Action Group.

Information, please council

A MAJOR sign of incompetence is avoidance of important issues. South Gippsland Shire Councillors affected by this incompetence ignore ever increasing staffing levels, sky high salaries, millions in caravan parks losses (disguised and misrepresented) big expenditure on Ansevata, Bald Hills Wind Farm problems, HACC, library expenditure and much more. Secrecy and non-transparency are rampant. Considering the blatant self-serving and self-absorptive behaviour of this council, the South Gippsland Action Group has asked important questions. We receive no answers. We are deeply concerned with the continued habit of the CEO to

E D I T O R I A L Leongatha still needs a hand IN A tumultuous year for the dairy industry in South Gippsland and broader Australia, there has finally been some good news for the industry this week.

Burra Foods yesterday (Monday) announced a $24.5 million expansion of its Korumburra factory to install an infant formula canning and packing line that will create up to 39 jobs. Toora’s ViPlus Dairy also revealed plans to create another 40 jobs within 18 months to increase production and exports to China. The news was particularly welcome soon after Murray Goulburn workers were delivered the news that 52 jobs would go at the Leongatha factory. It’s hoped some of these staff could eventually join the crew at Burra Foods and possibly ViPlus Dairy. The downside is that the expanded operations at the Korumburra and Toora factories will be not be underway for at least 18 months, and that’s why the State Government needs to heed a call by Gippsland South MLA Danny O’Brien for government support for the MG workers and their communities, sooner. His call comes on the back of extensive government support for the Latrobe Valley after the closure of the Hazelwood power station, to help ease the blow of job losses in that community. The State Government did help Burra Foods with its expansion, and that is well deserved and appreciated. But the help should not stop there, as there is a pressing need to ease the blow of the loss of the MG jobs, due to take effect by late January 2018. The State Government has said its assistance to Burra Foods should help offset the impact, but let’s hope further news of help for the Leongatha community is forthcoming.

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.

Letters to the Editor

rack up large legal bills. We also are concerned with the delay in answering questions by deferring them to the audit committee when many of the questions have nothing to do with the audit committee. Council states that councillors are elected to make strategic and policy decisions on behalf of the community. They tell us that SGAG incorrectly thinks we have the right to access information about council activities that goes above and beyond that available to the rest of the community. SGAG regards that attitude strange since council emphatically stated in the 2017 Council Plan that it was for open and transparent governance. It appears council only wants that when it suits and do not understand what the open and transparent statement means. Council also conveys to us that as an experienced professional, I would be well aware not all information can be made available to everyone. It releases as much information as is possible in accordance with statutory requirements and commercial considerations. No kidding! Council proclaims it is always happy to respond to basic information clarification requests but not detailed investigative type requests. It tells us it doesn’t believe the role of SGAG is one of a council auditor and as such it is not appropriate or within council’s resources to respond to all of our information requests.

We find that a poor excuse for an atrocious lack of transparency and as such totally unacceptable. SGAG represents a broad range of people and often has approaches from parties who do not feel they can directly approach council. We also receive a lot of encouragement from the community that not always has the resources or knowledge to do that themselves. Council does not have a policy for handling complaints as most well functioning councils do. We are appalled that council can continue wasting ratepayer money on the caravan parks and a number of other issues and not treat them with the required urgency - time is money - our money. We have sought to find out where millions of dollars are accounted for and we have no answers. We are gravely concerned that this council, since it is not disclosing public information, is attempting to hide mal-administration or worse. SGAG believes issues of governance, budgets, expenditure and control of the shire’s operations and finances are worse than ever. Governance is at an all time low and endless pictures, warm and fuzzy articles in the press, waffle and spin cannot remedy that. Leongatha is full of empty shops, the community is suffering, rates are one of the highest in the state and this council is wasting millions of our money. Gus Blaauw, treasurer, South Gippsland Action Group.

Email: letters@thestar.com.au Post: PO Box 84 Leongatha 3953 Fax: 03 5662 4350

Inverloch pathway progresses THE Surf Parade footpath is Inverloch’s Christmas present this year.

The current section – spanning from Ayr Creek to Veronica Street – is expected to be fully completed in early December, weather permitting. This section is a continuation from a recent installation of a footbridge and path extension from Abbott Street to Ayr Creek. Bass Coast Shire Council committed to completing this stage of the path after allocating $408,000 in the 2017-18 capital works program. “The developed path will provide a safe option for residents and visitors to enjoy the highlights of Inverloch’s foreshore in a safe and comfortable environment, where vehicle and pedestrian traffic are

separate,” council’s general manager infrastructure Felicity Sist said. “The pathway will promote and encourage connectivity and activity, providing a safe space for people to walk, run and cycle in a beautiful environment.” Ms Sist there had been no issues regarding vegetation removal, and feedback from the public towards council staff and contractors have been positive. The total cost of the complete pathway through to Cape Paterson Road will be in the vicinity of $1.2 million. Future stages will be constructed once funding is made available through future capital works budget allocations. A completion date will be determined one council has approved future capital works programs and associated budgets.

Safe option: from left, Leongatha’s Cam, Dakota and Liza Dowel used the new safe pedestrian pathway on Surf Parade on their way to the beach in Inverloch recently.

VOXPOP! VOX What do you like about Christmas shopping in Leongatha?

“I can usually find most things “I employ local people and if I “I like to shop in Leongatha bein Leongatha and I like to sup- and others don’t shop in Leon- cause there is easy parking and port locals.” gatha, people won’t have jobs.” it’s good to support locals.” Lina Chizzoniti, Mark Lafferty, Shirleyanne Wright, Leongatha. Leongatha. Leongatha.

THIS CHRISTMAS, YOUR DONATION CAN MAKE WISHES COME TRUE. For most, Christmas is a time for giving and celebrating with loved ones. But for around 105,000 Australians, including families and 17,000 children under 12, it’s a time when fulfilling even the simplest of wishes, like having food on the table or a place to call home, will be a struggle. Take Ollie and his mum, Sharon. All he wants for Christmas is to stop moving all the time and for his mum to finally be happy. When you donate to Vinnies, you’re making simple Christmas wishes like Ollie’s come true.

Your generous donation can be made at vinnies.org.au/christmasappeal or by calling 13 18 12. Images and names have been changed to protect the privacy of the people we assist.

“I shop here to support local businesses and food wise we buy it locally because it is convenient. Leongatha caters for pretty much every age.” Marlene Stockdale, Inverloch.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 13

Rubbish dumping hurts op shop BOXES full of polystyrene foam were dumped at St Peter’s Anglican Op Shop in Leongatha recently, along with goods in such poor condition they could not be sold.

Among the items dumped were three bags of shoes caked in mud. The op shop volunteers will have to pay for the rubbish to be dumped at the tip and that will waste funds raised to benefit Leongatha, broader South Gippsland and beyond. The volunteers spend about $1200 a year on rubbish skips full of poor goods dumped on the op shop’s doorstep, when the owners should be paying to dispose of the rubbish at the tip. The op shop fills about three skips every year and the cost robs the op shop’s bank account of months’ worth of savings. Store manager Kaye Littlejohn is furious with the people who dumped their garbage on the op shop’s door. “It’s constant but when you see a box of polystyrene like this, you think what do they think you’re going to do with that?” she said. “We get dirty, filthy, broken items. It’s tip stuff really. Having this rubbish dumped on us is such an eyesore, especially in the lead-up to Christmas.” The volunteers work hard to resell quality donations for not

Unwanted gift: St Peter’s Anglican Op Shop volunteer Andy Kazi, of Leongatha, among rubbish dumped on the op shop’s doorstep that the op shop will have to pay to dispose of. only the benefit of shoppers but also the community. The op shop recently gave $14,000 to charity, with benefactors being St Peter’s Parish, Bishop’s Christmas Appeal, Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Appeal, Alzheimer Research Foundation, Make-a-Wish Foundation and Helimed One air ambulance. These donations followed a disbursement of $20,000 in July.

PAGE 14 - “THE STAR� Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Silver award for Prom Country Regional Tourism PROM Country Regional Tourism (PCRT) was thrilled to be recognised with a silver trophy at this year’s RACV Victorian Tourism Awards. The association came second in the Destination Marketing category to Mount Hotham and its True Spirit of Alpine Australia campaign. PCRT’s executive officer Christine Legg was delighted with the result. “This was PCRT’s first year entering the awards. We were hoping we might reach the finalist stage but to be presented with the silver award in such a challenging category is very exciting,� she said. “We were particularly pleased with this achievement as our marketing activity was carried out with a rela-

Reason to smile: from left, Danielle Todaro of South Gippsland Shire Council and Christine Legg, executive officer of Prom Country Regional Tourism, celebrate Prom Country Regional Tourism’s success in the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards.

tively small budget.� PCRT’s award submission provided a summary of four marketing initiatives that were commenced during 2016-17. These included a seasonal photography competition, the inaugural Prom Country Local Dish food event, the Where’s Wilbur soft toy campaign and the development of town websites in conjunction with Mirboo North Development Inc. and Korumburra Business Association. “PCRT is fortunate to work with so many terrific local businesses and organisations that are happy to participate in our sometimes ‘out of the box’ marketing campaigns,� Ms Legg said. “We would like to thank all of our members and friends for their support. We look forward to introducing more innovative marketing activities in 2018.� The Prom Country region was well represented at this year’s RACV Victorian Tourism Awards. Campania of Meeniyan and Basia Mille were both entrants in

End of era sale STUDENTS at Newhaven College’s Boys Home Road Campus will walk out of the school gates at 3.09pm on Friday, December 8 for the final time. With 37 years of hearts and minds educated and nurtured at the college’s original campus, just how do you finally say goodbye? The answer is slowly, respectfully and lovingly. The college has been preparing both emotionally and physically for this day for several years now under the direction of principal Gea Lovell. “We have worked very hard to ensure Boys Home Road is remembered at the new campus, and we must balance this with a duty to be environmentally responsible,� Mrs Lovell said. “Of course all historical memorabilia and artifacts of significance were the first items to be carefully moved and preserved, but beyond this, the college, many visitors and organisations, have assessed the viability of moving buildings, sheds, large water tanks, the auditorium and many other chattels. “We have been determined to ensure we have moved everything we can to the new campus, or to offer what cannot be relocated for sale to the public.� To this aim, a final huge public garage sale will be held on Saturday, December 16 from 8.30am to 2.30pm at the Boys Home Road campus, Malcliff Road, Newhaven. Hundreds of items will be going for a song. The list is infinite with literally not one, not two, but more than 20 kitchen sinks, as well as the benches, ovens, cutlery and crockery to go with them. Everything from windows to washing machines, compactus storage to filing cabinets, an electronic scoreboard to light fittings, bricks and pavers, garden seating to shade sails, small tools to a multitude of building supplies, along with a vast array of classroom and office furniture, even an entire auditorium! Visitors will be able to wander through the school to view and purchase by cash or credit card. Bring your trailer and invite your friends so that everyone has the opportunity to snap up a bargain.

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the competitive Luxury Accommodation category and Coal Creek Community Park and Museum was in the Festivals and Events category with their popular Halloween event. It was also pleasing to see Wildlife Coast Cruises take out silver in the Tour and Transport Operators category and Big4 Inverloch Holiday Park successful with a gold trophy in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category.

Ladder fall sparks warning PARAMEDICS are warning people to take care on ladders after a dozen people were hospitalised in 12 hours due to ladder falls on Thursday.

Among those injured was a man in his forties, who sustained chest and pelvis injuries after he fell from a shed roof while cleaning gutters in Inverloch. He was flown by air ambulance helicopter to Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, in a serious condition. Many of 11 men and one woman who were injured told paramedics they had fallen while clearing gutters ahead of forecast storms. Ambulance Victoria director of emergency management Paul Holman said, “Unfortunately a fall from a ladder or the roof can easily cause death or result in lifechanging injuries. “We know older people are more prone to falls. Nine of the 12 injured were aged over 50. “It’s just not worth the risk climbing a ladder if you can avoid it. Consider getting a professional in to do the work.�

Antiques go up in flames WHITELAW Antiques burnt down in flames in Korumburra on Sunday around 2.45am. Damage was mainly caused to the front of the shop and continued for five metres from the front window. The shop was on Mine Road, opposite Korumburra Primary School. Korumburra CFA was called at 3am by Ambulance Victoria after an ambulance drove past and the driver noticed the flames. Ruby CFA also attended and both brigades were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to adjoining buildings. It took the brigades around 20 minutes to extinguish the fire. It is unknown how the fire started, however the owner of Whitelaw Antiques believed it was lit deliberately. Police are still investigating.

Shop destroyed: Whitelaw Antiques in Korumburra burnt down during the early hours of Sunday morning.

End of an Era Garage Sale Saturday 16 December 8.30am - 2.00pm

• • • • •

Newhaven College Boys Home Road Campus Malcliff Rd, Newhaven

electronic scoreboard

kitchen utensils

• • • • •

small tools

• • • • •

shade sails

All welcome - Cash, Credit or EFTPOS - BYO Trailer

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 15

PAGE 16 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Charity walker bares for dare By Brad Lester CRAIG Tanner never knew he looked so good in a green skirt. The Toora father donned the daring garment and went shirtless as he walked through Bairnsdale last week to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research and Ronald McDonald House. He is trekking from Eden in New South Wales to Melbourne and then home to Toora, to his wife Hannah, and sons Seth, Isaac, Eli and Aaron. Along the way, he is raising awareness and money for his causes. The feat is dear to him. Aaron, 11, is recovering after exhaustive treatment for brain cancer, and as a way of contributing to the medical field and Ronald McDonald House in Parkville where the Tanner family stayed, Craig has embarked on his epic walk. He aims to arrive at Ronald McDonald House on December 10 and be back at Toora on December 16. “It’s been exciting, exhilarating, exhausting. I’ve definitely had my ups and downs with emotions. I get to think a lot more about what life is about and why I’m doing this walk,” he said. “I’m looking at beautiful scenery but I would love nothing more than to have my family here with me. It’s definitely been an eye-opener and an experience for myself.” Craig aims to average 25km a day and after Brave man: Craig Tanner took up a dare to leaving Cann River, covered 72km in two days to wear a dashing costume through Bairnsdale allow him to have a rest day in Marlo. during his walk last week and did just that. The experience has been inspirational for Craig, as many strangers have helped along the way. A young man drove him from his accommo-

Council CEO passes test

dation to the starting point of his walk every day for 100km. A lady at Orbost gave him water, energy drinks and lollies, and another gave him bandaids. The Marlo hotel managers held a raffle to raise $250, and shouted him a meal and night’s accommodation, and a café in Cann River arranged accommodation for him. Apart from such generosity, Craig sleeps on the side of the highway in a tent he carries on his back during the day. It’s among the 20kg of equipment he carries, including a sleeping bag, cooker, water, clothes and vitamins. “I have met some wonderful people and seen more than I normally would get to see,” he said. “I’ve just been trudging along. I walk for two hours, then stop and have a drink and a snack, and then cruise on again.” As challenging as the walk is, Craig’s body is coping well with the physical demands of the task, no doubt due to the extensive training he undertook before he left for his original longer walk, from Tugun in Queensland, to Toora. That trip was cancelled due to personal circumstances arising within his support team and so he revised his itinerary to the shorter, but by no means short, walk from Eden. He had the fright of his life while texting Hannah. He looked down and nearly stood on a tiger snake. It reared and struck at him, but Craig kicked the snake into the air. It landed and took off into the bush. Aaron is now back doing half days at Toora Primary School to help manage his fatigue but according to Craig, his journey will be ongoing. “I’m doing this walk for the right reasons but if the cancer’s come back, I wonder if I’ve wasted

this time I could have had with my boy,” Craig said. “No parent wants to experience this in any shape or form, but unfortunately it gets thrown at you in life. “I’m just looking forward to that finish line and seeing my kids and my wife.” • To follow Craig’s walk, go to: https://www. facebook.com/CraigsKsForCancer/ • To donate, go to: http://rmhparkville.org. au/event/craigsksforcancer

Councillors’ expenses deadline looms

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council CEO Tim Tamlin passed his annual review reSOUTH Gippsland Shire Council may cently. Councillors met behind closed doors to discuss the place a deadline for councillors to lodge CEO’s performance. claims for travel expenses, in a bid to Mr Tamlin told The Star he was told councillors were satisfied he had achieved his targets and he was set new avoid longstanding expenses being claimed years after expenses were inkey performance indicators for the next 12 months. These relate to delivering capital works and the curred. council plan, monitoring finances and workforce engagement. “The council is now starting to look at how we are going to engage the community in the Community Vision,” he said. Mr Tamlin is now serving his second, five year contract, which will expire in June 2019.

Seaside stop: Craig Tanner takes a break to appreciate the iconic wooden sculptures on Lakes Entrance’s foreshore.

Mayor Cr Brunt told The Star council’s audit committee could assess the risk of having backdated claims for expenses from councillors. Now, there is no deadline for councillors to lodge claims for expenses after expenses were incurred. Councillor expenditure of $112,792 for July 1 to September 30 was ahead of budget by $7143, mainly due to pre-payment of councillor allowances for October, and offset by lower than budgeted travel reimbursements and training costs. Cr Maxine Kiel said the expenditure report was not an accurate record however, as councillors Meg Edwards and Don Hill were yet to submit their claims for expenses.

She said in coming months, council would review its councillor expenses policy. Cr Hill said he reduced his phone bill after cancelling his landline, used for council purposes, after a new mobile phone tower at Mount Eccles gave him mobile reception at his Wild Dog Valley home. Cr Andrew McEwen’s travel reimbursements were $2417, ahead of Cr Kiel ($1332) and Cr Ray Argento ($1297). Cr McEwen said, “I am on three committees - two in Melbourne and one in Trafalgar - with regular meetings. I also attend many meetings a month. “We are recompensed at 66 cents per kilometre. Over the last three years, my overall claims are lower than the costs if being provided with a council car. “We are entities under the Local Government Act for recompense of authorised travel. This only covers costs. The more you travel, the more you are doing your job of representing constituents.”

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 17

Children cheer for Christmas LEONGATHA Primary School Prep students have been researching how Christmas is celebrated around the world. “The students have been focusing on differ-

ent countries and what they do during the Christmas period,” Prep teacher Ebony Best said. “We have also been setting up Santa’s sleigh for photos, making Christmas ornaments, gingerbread men and we also have a Santa’s workshop set up.”

Christmas excites: Leongatha Primary School Prep students back row, Ruby, Darcy and Lucy, and front row, Blake and Hugo are excited about the school’s Christmas activities coming up this month.

Decked out hall: from left, Shirleyanne Wright of Shan’s Lingerie and Leisure, Mark Lafferty of Sports First Leongatha and Lina Chizzoniti of Mensland Panthers Leongatha teamed up for a sale to clear stock in Leongatha Memorial Hall last week.

Shoppers back local traders LEONGATHA Memorial Hall was the venue for a sale promoting local businesses Panthers Mensland, Shan’s Lingerie and Leisure and Sports First from Monday until Saturday last week. “It was really good. We had lots of people come through,” Shirleyanne Wright of Shan’s Lingerie and Leisure said. Customers had the opportunity to get their hands on massive savings on women’s undergarments, shoes and luggage as well as formal, casual, active and sleep wear.

Huge range: looking to purchase new Christmas decorations this season? Shop locally and drop into AW Smith and Sons Giftware, Leongatha, to pick out some beautiful modern Christmas ornaments. If you’re stuck on ideas, AW Smith and Sons has a wide range of gifts to suit people of all ages. Pictured are Trina Fidler and Sarah Riley of AW Smith and Sons Giftware in Leongatha in front of only a fraction of Christmas decor that’s in store.

PAGE 18 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Boofa, Roughy and life in Leongatha EXPECT to see Jarryd Roughead pouring beer at the front bar of McCartins, Darren Lehmann visiting some local cricket clubs and hotel improvements continue.

Stuart Wigney is the new licensee of McCartin’s Hotel in Leongatha. The Star asked Stuart to tell us about the new owners and the changes that have been made. Q. Can you tell me who the new owners of McCartin’s Hotel are? A. Stuart Wigney, Jarryd Roughead, Darren Lehmann, Dale Curtis (my solicitor and originally from Bairnsdale) and Darron Dehar (chef but not hands on). Q. What led to your group forming to buy the hotel? A. Boofa (Darren Lehmann) and I have been friends for 25 plus years and we have always talked about it. Pretty much the same with Roughy (Jarryd Roughead) but more recently, same with Dale and Darron (Dehar). I bought in to utilise his expertise and skillset. It’s one thing to produce a menu but it’s another level to make it profitable and not labour intensive. Darron is one of the best I’ve seen in my 20 years at the management side of the kitchen. Q. Apart from yourself, is there any chance we’ll see any of the new owners in Leongatha soon? A. Absolutely. I’ve just been staying with Boofa up in Queensland over the Test and he can’t wait to get down. When you are away for 300 days a year you have to be very selective. We usually have an annual family holiday on Moreton Island. We are thinking this year’s will be

Inverloch. If they win the Ashes we might see more what they think is missing in the hospitality sector than Boof in the town, but let’s see what happens of the town. My attitude is I want everyone to go well, the boys at Bairs continue on and the RSL on that one. Roughy and I are continually working on doing its thing, and hopefully we can offer somethe pub. He has been down on a few occasions thing different again and give the town and disand is keen to work behind the bar, particu- trict choice, which is vital for economic growth. Q. Do you see a big future for Leongatha and what larly post renovation of the front bar. Darron Dehar is in constant contact with our chefs and do you think are the best attributes of Leongatha? A. We have already and will over the journey occasionally fills in when necessary and Dale have many friends make the trip either drops in occasionally. from Melbourne or interstate. I Q. Will you be having a meet the think sometimes, those of us who new owners’ event? have grown up here probably A. Potentially. It’s difficult take for granted just how to do particularly with the beautiful the district is. boys’ busy schedules but The rolling green post renovation of the hills blow people away, front bar will be our as does the coast. I best opportunity. need to spend more Q. What changes time before forming have you made to the opinions on other hotel; renovations, community sectors new menu, new but I’m not aware staff? of much of it. I do A. We have see a big future for renovated the the town. kitchen with one My attitude is more to come. The about being posibistro has been givtive, glass half full. en a facelift includLet’s support peoing new furniture, ple in business and as has the gaming not just look for the room. We are in the negatives. Everyone is process of designing a trying and it’s not easy. sports bar that will be New chapter: McCartin’s As I said previously I ideal to watch sport but Hotel, Leongatha, licensee want everyone in our secnot in your face. Stuart Wigney is relishing tor to be successful and the You will feel just as being back in Leongatha. same for anyone else in the comfortable with a group of town who is in business. But your girlfriends having a glass this won’t happen without the of wine or bite to eat with some support of a positive community that, background music to tap your toes or where possible, supports local business. an acoustic act strumming away that might Q. Can we expect to see yourself or any of the be elevated after 11pm. The menu is very much Australian pub fare. owners attending or being involved in local sport? A. Sport and involvement is a big part of what Our new chef Jono Smith has a strong background in working with meat and seafood. For the we are and want to be. Through sport I met Boof and with Roughy, moment it’s about consistency and getting the balance of what people want and introducing some- whilst he’s been a long-time family friend, we have thing that’s not already been done in town, which re-connected more in recent years as we now share many mutual friends in the AFL community. I think is super important. Our company is Parrot Park 194 Pty Ltd; 19 We all have different palates. It’s about writing a menu that appeals to a variety of them. It’s is the guernsey my brother Brad and I wore, 4 is what Roughy and his dad wore. We have already a challenge. Q. Why did you think buying an investment in approached and begun helping the footy club. We want to help Mal Mackie and his team with makLeongatha was the way to go? A. It’s about a balance of opportunity and life- ing the club both financial and successful by usstyle. I’ve been on King Street at the Waterside for ing our partners and all our contacts. We are excited by the opportunity to partner 13 years and in the last six of those also looking after Hotel Brighton for my previous partner- with the Parrots in 2018 and beyond. We are sponship. I looked at many opportunities but this one soring Koonwarra Leongatha RSL Cricket Club appealed the most. I get to reconnect with many because my father Barry had a long successful people who I have known, but not seen for up to career there and also Town where again my dad, brother, nephews, brother in law and I played and 30 years. I have spoken to many people in the town about the same with Roughy.

Boofa has already organised signed bats for both the clubs to raffle and if he gets a window of opportunity, he will come down and visit both clubs. I unfortunately have another year of my obligation as senior assistant coach at Caulfield Grammarians next year but will still do my best to get down to any games that don’t clash. My kids love going to the local footy!! Q. What do you think are Leongatha’s best assets? A. I love the community spirit, the volunteers, the generosity of people who offer their time continually or through financial donations. It’s inspiring. We donated all our old furniture to the footy club. Darron Dehar (my partner) was shocked when a couple of trucks rolled up with 20 people and 15 minutes later 130-plus chairs and around 50 tables had gone. Q. What other facilities, services would you like see developed in the town? A. We may need to re-visit this question in 12 months. Q. What did you like about growing up in Leongatha? A. The safety, opportunities, sport, community spirit, beach. Whilst it’s unlikely I’ll shift my family back here, they will get to spend a lot of time in a beautiful part of the world. My two boys Charlie, 11 and Max, 9, (I also have a daughter Ruby, 6) come to my footy where I coach each week. It’s one of the reasons I agreed to do it. It reminds me of my childhood and following the Parrots around each week. Q. Do you still think Leongatha is a great place to live and bring up a family? A. I imagine it still is. I left here 30 years ago so again give me 12 months. I have seen some things early at my time in McCartins that I didn’t ever think I’d see in Leongatha. I’ve just come from King Street. If people think they can carry on and be disrespectful in my pub then think again because I’m not going to tolerate it! I like a good time like everyone else but I detest people who show no respect to property, staff and others. Q. Do you think growing up in the country helped you and your career? A. It did, because as a youngster my mates and I were so active. Footy, cricket, golf, surfing, basketball, tennis, you name it we played. My parents obviously had a huge influence. My holidays were helping dad to make some pocket money to go away at the end of the year, as well as hay carting for a few extra dollars. This taught me work ethic. Q. What advice would you have for the VCE country students finishing their education in Leongatha and surrounding district this year? A. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason: listen more than you talk. If you want to be successful in whatever you do, surround yourself with successful people who I guarantee will also be motivated people. If you decide to go travelling, then stay safe!

“THE STAR� Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 19

Year 12s officially farewelled AFTER all their hard work and study, Leongatha Secondary College Year 12 students officially graduated secondary school with a formal held in the Leongatha Memorial Hall on Thursday, November 23.

Families, friends and teachers joined the celebration and enjoyed a three course meal, drinks and live music. College principal Wayne Chester congratulated the students on their success and wished them all the best with their future endeavours, after which senior school leaders gave some heartfelt speeches thanking their friends, staff and family members for supporting them throughout this year. Staff member Marty Box provided music for the evening and a fun night was had by all.

Saying goodbye: almost 60 Leongatha Secondary College Year 12 students farewelled their classmates and teachers at their formal held in the Leongatha Memorial Hall on Thursday, November 23.

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First market this Friday MEENIYAN will have its own weekly market offering the best in local produce.

The first market at Meeniyan Square will be held this Friday, December 8. The square is a part of the larger redevelopment of the Meeniyan ‘Art Gallery corner’, and will host a new, weekly regional market and other specialty markets, expos and related events. The weekly market will offer a variety of high quality, fresh, local produce, and a wide array of speciality foods from wonderful local producers, together with wine, beers and other interesting stalls. The market starts early afternoon on Fridays but as evening comes, it will offer an enticing choice of cuisines, an outdoor area where market-goers can enjoy a drink, eat, sit and talk and potentially, be entertained by music or other performers. It’s designed to function like markets in Melbourne and cater New event: from left, among the meeorganisers of the Meeniyan Square for not only the weekly shopping, but to also have a little something for everyone, locals and travellers alike. weekly market are Doug Merrett, In time, Meeniyan Square expects to offer an additional market keet et Kate Adkins and Brian Erving. day, as well as providing a large and highly flexible space forr ab range of other activities, exhibitions, club meets and other special iaal al events. The first market will feature beautiful designers, as well delicious food and wine, and gorgeous gift ideas for Christmas. The market will be held from 2pm to 8pm every Friday, apart from December 29. All enquires to hello@meeniyansquare.com.au or 0419 599 309. 9.

School hatches big ideas WHEN students return to Tarwin Valley Primary School in 2018, there will be a new addition in the playground to house the school’s littlest members.

A chicken pen will be built over the summer holidays, for some of the chickens hatched at the school this term. The chickens, which are hatched as part of Donna Russell’s Prep class, will be given names and a new home in time for term one next year. Principal Brett Smith said the chickens will tie in well with the already established kitchen garden and compost system at the school. “The students normally hatch chickens in class each year, but they usually go back to live on Ms Russell’s farm,” he said. Mr Smith said having the chickens at the school will help to maintain the garden in a sus-

tainable way. Their waste will be used on the kitchen garden, their eggs in the schools cooking program and the chickens will be given garden scraps to eat. The students hatched a mixture of different chicken breeds, including silkies.

The school’s senior stuu udents have been preparing and d presenting biographies in classs recently. Each student had to commmplete a presentation, dressed ed as the person they chose to rereesearch and then answer quesesstions as their character as well. l.

Little chickens: from left, Tarwin Valley Primary School students Hannah, Taylor, Sam and Amelia are excited to have pet poultry at the school.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 23

Celebrate with Moo: Moo’s at Meeniyan is celebrating its eighth birthday with Christmas drinks on Thursday, December 21 from 5.30pm. Moo’s is also a fantastic local venue for festive functions.

Gifts galore: Robyn Davison from Meeniyan Pharmacy said there is plenty of giftware perfect for Christmas on the shelves of the pharmacy right now. Everything from toys and trinkets to make up and beauty products can be found in the store. Pop in today for inspiration.

Hair now: if you are planning on seeing Cathy Waldron or Naz Hunt at Meeniyan’s Catherine’s Hair Techniques before the Christmas break, make sure you make an appointment soon to avoid missing out. There are also fabulous gift packs and gift vouchers available, which would make excellent gifts this Christmas.

Meeniyan makes Christmas fun MEENIYAN has Christmas covered this year, with many different shops to choose from for the perfect gift, as well as the best venues for Christmas parties and functions.

Fast becoming a destination for unique stores and fabulous shopping opportunities, it is unlikely you will be able to visit Meeniyan and leave empty handed. Everything you need for the festive season can be found in the town.

The street has been decorated by the traders association and the town’s community Christmas party, organised by the Meeniyan Dumbalk United Football Netball Club will be held at the recreation reserve this Friday afternoon.

Choose Meeniyan this Christmas STEPPING inside Meeniyan’s IGA supermarket is like stepping back in time, thanks to the renovations that will make shopping in the store much easier.

With a rustic feel, the store now has all of its registers in the same area, opening up more floor space, making it easier for customers to navigate the store. “We wanted to go back to Meeniyan’s roots, which is why the new area looks the way it does,” liquor manager Michael Shervell said.

“Everything else is essentially the same. There is still the same amount of registers. It is just more appealing to shoppers and flows better now.” There is also more room for floor displays and promotions. The renovations have also made room for a Bendigo Community Bank branch that will offer basic banking services. “We wanted to help out the community, because its bank branch was closed in 2015,” Mr Shervell said. With Christmas fast approaching, the super-

Christmas is coming: Ineke De Graaf, liquor manager Michael Shervell and Tracie Tomada from Meeniyan IGA are looking forward to the busy festive season.

market has stocked up on everything festive, from trees and table decorations, to specialty foods and gift ideas. The supermarket is also a newsagency, so has a great range of cards, wrapping paper and other stationary. “We have all the Christmas essentials, including food for family gatherings. People can get their orders in now for hams and hot chickens,” Mr Shervell said.

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Bank kicks off pool fundraising BE the change. That is the key message currently being advertised by the Bendigo Bank, and recently the Mirboo North and District Community Bank did just that.

What a treat: from left, Anne Marie Dieperink, executive officer of the Mirboo North and District Community Bank, presents a cheque for $100,000 to Tonya Wright, president of The Friends of Mirboo North Pool.

At the first of the fundraisers for the redevelopment of the Mirboo North Pool, the community bank’s executive officer Anne Marie Dieperink announced a $100,000 pledge towards the pool’s fundraising campaign. It was an announcement that sent a noticeable frisson of excitement through the room. Ms Dieperink said, “When we were approached by the Friends of the Mirboo North Pool about being a significant partner in the redevelopment, we were delighted to be able to kick start the campaign with a generous pledge. “We recognise how important the pool is to the community and we need to do what we can to ensure the

upgrade to this facility goes ahead. “This fundraising campaign is a great opportunity to show the change our customer’s banking can make since it’s their banking with us that enables money to flow back to the community.” The announcement was made at the Grand Ridge Brewery in Mirboo North, which also hosted Leongatha Lyric Theatre Boggs is Back fundraiser for the pool redevelopment. With more than 100 people attending, the local community came together just as it did more than 100 years ago to turn a creek into a pool, and start the journey of creating a place that is so highly regarded. The Friends of the Mirboo North Pool have set the goal of raising $500,000 towards the redevelopment by the end of 2018. The Friends group’s Jodie Pincini said, “It is an ambitious target but this announcement from the community bank shows it is achievable. It’s

the perfect kickstart to the campaign. With the official launch still to come in March next year, there is going to be plenty more opportunity for people and organisations to contribute, but this pledge from the community bank gives us great momentum and demonstrates how much the pool means to everyone.” Discussions are currently underway between the Friends of the Mirboo North Pool and South Gippsland Shire Council over final designs for the redevelopment. Included in the plans are a new splash pad play area for children, full disability access, new change rooms and kiosk, and upgrading of the concourse area around the pools. With council having allocated $3.8 million to the redevelopment in its 2018-19 forward estimates, and local organisations such as the bank being so generous in its support, the potential for change is real. Friends of Mirboo North Pool.

New pool on track THE Mirboo North outdoor swimming pool redevelopment proposal is now one step closer since current South Gippsland Shire Council officers have made it a priority to facilitate the transfer of the land ownership titles.

Fun evening: door prize winner and Southern Business Women’s Network life member and publicity Leading the way: from left, Fiona Lawson and Rebecca McKelvie, from the officer, Gillian Mertens with network membership Victorian Small Business Commission, Chels Taylor and Marjorie-Jane Scott officer Lynda Sainsbury, enjoyed the November presented at the Southern Business Women’s Network event at Inverloch. gathering of the group at Inverloch.

Women want wellbeing for better business WOULD you like to improve your wellbeing and in turn, your business? This was the question posed to 56 women who attended the Southern Business Women’s Network November event at the Inverloch Esplanade Hotel. The answer was a resounding yes! The evening kicked off with a presentation by Fiona Lawson and Rebecca McKelvie from the Victorian Small Business Commission, who shared details of the recently released Small Business Mental Health Strategic Plan. The plan provides a comprehensive framework that helps small business owners identify and implement workplace practices to support them and their staff on their business journey. It can be downloaded for free from: www.vsbc.vic. gov.au. Chels Taylor, a qualified life and wellness coach

and fermented (probiotic) food instructor, then shared her journey and key tips for wellbeing. She has more than 18 years of experience running her own consultancy business and specialises in self care for the career minded. Her key tips included “getting your gut health right” and “prioritising purposefully in order to minimise stress”. Finally, attendees were taught some practical stress relieving techniques by Marjorie-Jane Scott, Inverloch based meditation teacher and Japanese and Chinese massage therapist. Marjorie-Jane teaches a form of meditation known as The Bright Path, and regularly runs classes in Inverloch. She specilises in helping her clients bring calm into the everyday. The next Southern Business Women’s Network event will be a relaxed and informal Christmas gathering at Harman Wines, Wattle Bank on

Thursday, December 14 at 6.30pm. The event will include some networking activities and a brief presentation from 2016 Bass Coast Young Citizen of the Year and recovered ice addict, Rebecca Slavin. Rebecca will provide an update about the SBWN funded initiative that has seen her talk to more than 800 students and 25 staff members from six secondary schools in the South Gippsland and Bass Coast regions. The network’s Christmas fundraiser is in aid of local Youth Assist Clinics, and attendees are requested to bring donations of sanitary items, canned food or money to support this worthy cause. As always, there will be an array of door prizes on offer and delicious food and wine to enjoy. Bookings can be made via the network’s website: www.sbwn.com.au.

There is a small sign on Baths Road detailing the compulsory acquisition of the two blocks of land that lie between the road and the Mirboo North Pool. “The sign is a significant step towards the redevelopment of the pool,” Friends of Mirboo North Pool committee member Fred Couper said. “The two blocks of land were originally purchased approximately 70 years ago by the then Baths Committee. “At the time public committees were not legally able to own land, so instead the ownership of the titles was put in the hands of two members of the committee, Fitzjames Scott and Charles Shiels.” The titles of the land remained in the names of these gentlemen after they had passed on. One corner of the land will be incorporated into the pool redevelopment, but the majority will remain as is, but under the ownership of council. The recent erection of the compulsory acquisition sign is a significant step in this process and suggests that another hurdle to the pool redevelopment is about to be cleared. “We would like to thank the families of Mr Scott and Mr Shiels, and all those who over the last 15 years have put time into making this transfer of land happen,” Mr Couper said. “It’s a long list and for fear of missing someone we won’t try and name everyone, but your efforts have been massively appreciated.”

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 25

Help your pets beat the heat THE Christmas season is looking to bring hot temperatures, and pet owners are reminded to look after their furry friends throughout the summer.

RSPCA Victoria recommends plenty of shade and water to ensure every member of the family can safely battle the weather. On hot days, pet owners are asked to keep their pets in shady areas or brought inside. According to the RSPCA, birds, guinea pigs and rabbits are particularly susceptible to the hot weather and need to be kept indoors. Make sure all enclosures are not in direct sunlight. The RSPCA is full of useful tips to help keep your pet safe at home. A great Christmas gift

idea for your pet is a small clam shell pool in the backyard to allow them to dip their feet in the water and keep cool. Remember to supervise the pool where there are children involved. Even during the hot weather, dogs still need their exercise. It is recommended that dog walkers choose the early morning or evening to hit their favourite beaches, parks and walking track. This will help to avoid problems like dehydration and sunburn. If you are travelling a distance with your pet, it is important to remember not to leave them inside a hot car. It doesn’t take long for pets to succumb to the heat, and people are encouraged to immediately call the police if they see an animal locked in a hot car.

The hot summer period can be a dangerous time for pets with the threat of fire and snakes. This is where emergency planning is important. If your pet is bitten by a snake, it must be taken to a vet immediately. Early treatment increases the chances of recovery. You can help to protect your pet by keeping grass low and getting rid of any excess rubbish in your yard. In the case of a fire emergency, it is recommended pets are microchipped. If pets run away, the microchip makes it easier to reunite them with their owners. You may also consider relocation for your pet if you Summer ready: the weather is warming up, and a great Christmas gift for your pet would feel it may be at risk, which be to help them manage the heat. Ready for Christmas – and the hot weather that goes with would mean needing to be up to it – is West Creek’s Ben Thomas and his dog Hotch. date on all vaccinations.

Care for pets this Christmas IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas! A busy house full of guests and noise can be very stressful for animals, and all those tempting decorations and foods can pose significant risks. Help your pet have a healthy and happy Christmas by following these six tips from the RSPCA: 1. If you’re hosting celebrations, exercise pets before your guests arrive. This will help them destress and make them more likely to nap once the festivities are underway. 2. Create a safe, quiet place for your pet to relax away from the party. Even the most social creatures need a break sometimes. It may also help to play music or leave the TV on to mask the chatter of visitors. 3. Don’t give in to those puppy dog eyes. Christmas food includes some of the most dangerous foods for animals to consume. Festive foods can be fatal, so don’t give in to those pleading looks! Particularly, do not let your pets anywhere near alcohol, avocado, chocolate, Christmas pudding, coffee, cooked bones, currants, fruit cake, grapes, gravy, ham, lollies, macadamia nuts, marinades, onion, pork, raisins or sugarless gum. Of course, some pets can be very crafty when

it comes to plotting ways to obtain special treats, so keep an eye out for any changes in appearance or behaviour (including poor breathing, excessive panting, muscle twitching, vomiting and diarrhoea). If you think your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have, please take them to the local vet as soon as possible. 4. Keep Christmas decorations out of reach. A dog or cat may think the baubles hanging from the tree look conveniently like toys or tennis balls – but if a plastic or glass ornament breaks in their mouth, it could cause serious damage. Edible decorations like candy canes can also pose a risk. It’s best to hang anything risky near the top of the tree. If your feline friend is fascinated by the tinsel or tree lights, keep an eye on these too, to avoid the risk of choking or electric shock. 5. Clean up wrapping paper quickly after presents have been opened. If chewed, wrapping paper and ribbons can prove dangerous for a pet’s intestines. 6. Don’t forget to give your pet a special Christmas treat! Your pet needn’t miss out on all the festive cheer - you can have some fun with this one. You could create a treasure hunt of dry food or treats around the house or yard or take some time to play their favourite games with them.

Pets with a difference IT’S that time of the year when baby pen- plus a free family event held on Phillip Island. For more information, go to: www.penguins. guin chicks are seen and heard around org.au/attractions/penguin-parade/penguin-founPhillip Island as breeding season is in dation-redirector full swing. You can help give these little penguins their best chance of survival by adopting a little Penguin Pal into your family this Christmas. For a donation of just $50, you can help the Penguin Foundation protect the little penguins and other wildlife species on Phillip Island through its research, conservation and education programs. This great Christmas gift idea also includes an official adoption certificate, a penguin plush toy, free entry for one person to the Penguin Parade,

Make a difference: a donation to the Penguin Foundation is an ideal Christmas gift for an animal-lover this year.

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Cabaret raises $3000 A LEONGATHA fundraiser collected more than $3000 for women’s cancer recently.

The cabaret at the Daker Centre featured Traralgon band Gaffertap Picasso’s entertaining the crowd with covers of eighties and nineties songs. A local lady donated 10 beautiful handmade toys for a silent auction that raised more than $500. A great night was had by all.

Memorable evening: from left, enjoying the cancer cabaret in Leongatha were Brie Handcock, Maddie Kerr, Amy Watkins, Jackie Smith, Kim Hillberg, Hanna Bumbly and John McKuine.

Paving the way: from left, cabaret organisers Sue Fleming, Karena Kerr, Virginia Bolge and Leesa Hemming offered a fun event for the Leongatha community, all with a purpose: to raise funds for cancer research.

Right, Happy man: Rob Van Rooy won a tiger soft toy at the cancer cabaret in Leongatha.

Walkers adore forest THE Mirboo North forest tracks are a regular haunt for the Tuesday walkers of the South Gippsland Walking and Adventure Club.

Cultural day: Colombian dancer Catalina Gonzales demonstrates her moves to Inverloch Primary School student Amy.

Spanish fiesta fun SPANISH life came to Inverloch Primary School recently when the school held its Spanish Day Fiesta. The language is taught at the school and the fiesta day was the school’s third annual multi-age day held to promote positive mental health, and build

friendships and students’ sense of belonging to the school community. Children worked in groups of mixed ages and enjoyed Spanish activities celebrating culture, history and traditions of different Spanish speaking countries. Activities included soccer, trying Chilean

and Mexican food, craft, flamenco dancing, musical chairs and drawing. Children enjoyed an interactive workshop run by Colombian group Mosaik Experiences, and learnt about ‘cumbia’ rhythm and dance, and played instruments such as shakers, conga drums and guiros. Students enjoyed Colombian lunch orders of cheesy arepas similar to pancakes and a special chocolate coated cake bar. Staff were treated to traditional Panamanian food. Kongwak Primary School students travelled to Inverloch primary to take part.

Whether it’s one or all of the Lyrebird tracks, the Baths Road Reserve, the rail trail or the forestry tracks, the group enjoys walking in the bush, and appreciates all the work that has been done by local volunteers to build and improve these tracks. The variety of birds and wildflowers in the forest make it a special place to walk, as do the tree ferns and eucalypts, and the group would hate to see any clear-felling in the area. On a perfect day recently, the group

Out, about: members of the South Gippsland Walking and Adventure Club hope a logging proposal by VicForests does not proceed in the Mirboo North forest. combined the Baths Road Reserve, the Lyrebird Forest Walk and some of the forestry tracks, covering a distance of nine

kilometres. It was a most enjoyable walk and it is hoped the forest around Mirboo North can be preserved for

Mayor’s message Cr Lorraine Brunt THIS week you may have noticed touches of orange in shopfronts across South Gippsland in support of a future free of family violence. This is part of the Victoria Against Violence campaign 16 days of Activism where orange is the globally identified colour to end violence. The campaign began on November 25 on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and will continue through to International Human Rights Day on December 10. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact family violence has on the lives of so many people. I am proud to see our community involved in such an important project, as no change will occur unless

we continue to identify and challenge behaviours that lead to violence. Council is also seeking community feedback on the Port Welshpool Marine Precinct Plan that aims to both revitalise the region and township through foreshore enhancement and marina development. The plan works through some of the concerns that have affected development that will allow any interested developers to consider the region for investment by removing the additional need for further scoping. Plans like these ensure we have the opportunity to support development for our future and secure investments that will make our economy prosper. More information about the project and submission process is avail-

NDIS informs community A GENERAL information session was held introducing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to South Gippsland Shire at the council chambers in Leongatha recently.

Looking the part: Bonnie and Anabelle dressed for the occasion at Inverloch and Kongwak primary schools’ Spanish Day Fiesta recently.

the wildlife as well as for recreation. VicForests is proposing to log forest around Lyrebird Walk.

The session was designed to help people with disability, in particular people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as their families and carers, to get ready for the NDIS. Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) representatives spoke about what NDIS is and how it works, the kind of support available

through NDIS and how to access it. LCHS is responsible for implementing the NDIS in inner Gippsland.

Learning NDISL: Paul McRae from the Community Support Gippsland group in Wonthaggi and Ria Manuele from Thorpdale, representing the Clubmates Travel, an NDIS registered disability travel provider, at the general information session in South Gippsland Shire Council Chambers recently.

able on council’s website www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/pwmarina. I suggest everyone in the area makes sure to take a look at the plan that could create great change in the region. South Gippsland outdoor pools have begun to open in preparation for the beginning of summer. Korumburra, Mirboo North, Poowong and Toora are all ready for community members to enjoy with Foster expected to open next week. The opening of the outdoor pools is a brilliant start to summer, so I encourage our community members to take full advantage of these facilities, not only for recreational activities but for social interaction and enjoyment.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 27

Women inspired in Mirboo North SIXTY five women from Mirboo North and surrounding districts recently gathered for the Inspire. Empower. Grow event, which was run by Mirboo North Playgroup to celebrate all the unique and inspirational women living in the community. The idea to run this event came from an award won by the Mirboo North Playgroup at the 2016 Playgroup Victoria Awards. The Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence came with $1000 for professional development. After much debate it was decided to use this money to hold a women’s empowerment event for all the women of the community, on the basis playgroup is not just a space for children, but a place for women and families to grow and support each other. Hosted by Julia Keady, inspirational social change maker, the evening was one of laughter and even tears, of new ideas and inspiration, with local

wine and food to enjoy in the beautifully decorated Mirboo North Recreation Reserve rooms. It was also free to all those who attended due to the Playgroup Victoria award, and the generous financial help of the Mirboo North and District Community Foundation, South Gippsland Shire Council, and Mirboo North and District Community Bank. Julia Keady originally hailed from Sale and has lived a colourful life, full of love, trauma, hard work and adventure. She now runs The Xfactor Collective, and is passionate about creating social change, and working with women. After sharing her story with the audience, she asked the women to reflect on their own life stories, with a particular focus on the strengths they have developed as a result. The take home message was that with belief, confidence and courage, everyone can contrib- Empowering: Julia Keady, Ruth Rogan and Lorinda Campbell attended the Inspire. Emute to social change and make the world a better power. Grow event in Mirboo North. place.

Scholarship to benefit youth ONE Promontory district student will again benefit from the scholarship program run by the Toora and Foster Community Bank Branch. The scholarship will supplement a student’s study costs in their first year of higher education. Toora and Foster Community Bank Branch chairman Rob Liley said the Toora and Foster Community Bank Branch Scholarship Program, which opens in December, was launched because the branch believed local students deserved a fair chance to achieve their dreams. “We know an investment in their education

Made a difference: Sharni Cripps benefited from a Toora and Foster Community Bank Scholarship last year, which helped her with her Bachelor of Biomedical Science studies at Deakin University.

will help young people gain access to tertiary education and will yield great returns to the student, their families and the local community,” he said. “Ultimately, we want to be part of a system that transforms the lives of local students, so we’re committed to creating pathways to allow that opportunity. “Our young people are our future and we believe they need the best support possible to achieve their dreams.” Successful Toora and Foster Community Bank Scholarship applicants will initially receive funding for one year and depending on academic performance, the scholarship may be renewed to assist in the second year of their study. Applications are invited from eligible students, starting their studies in 2018, from December 1, 2017. Applications close on January 29, 2018 and will be assessed in early February 2018. Last year, the Toora and Foster Community Bank Branch Scholarship supported student Sharni Cripps with her Bachelor of Biomedical Science studies at Deakin University. Sharni said the scholarship gave her the necessary funds to find accommodation on campus, relieving the financial pressure of attending university. “The Bendigo scholarship has allowed me to have the freedom to focus on my degree and finding academic success within my field,” Sharni said The Toora and Foster Community Bank Scholarship is part of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Scholarship Program, which partners with Community Bank branches, Rural Bank and The University of Melbourne. The program has now supported more than 550 students, with $6.2 million in funding since its inception in 2007. For further information please contact Toora and District Community Bank Branch on 5686 2000, Foster Branch on 5682 2287 and the Welshpool Agency on 5688 1051 or visit www. bendigobank.com.au/scholarships.

Opportunities for tradies BASS Coast Shire Council is encouraging local contractors to take advantage of employment opportunities on the horizon and apply for prequalification online as major building projects are set to begin across the shire. Last month, Premier Daniel Andrews announced a combined funding of $33.3 million towards the construction of the new Wonthaggi Secondary College campus and education precinct, the Wonthaggi Regional Highball Stadium, and the Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club. In addition to these projects, the Cowes revitalisation projects are currently underway with construction happening throughout 2018, ensuring a massive boost in job opportunities for locals. Mayor Cr Pamela Rothfield urged local builders to stay informed and register. “These projects present an abundance of work

opportunities across the shire and it’s important local contractors get on board,” she said. It is a requirement of State Government funded projects that contractors and consultants register with the State Government’s Construction Supplier Register before they apply to work on these large construction projects. The register gives suppliers access to tender processes and supplier assessments to determine their eligibility. “At the moment there’s only a small number of Bass Coast builders prequalified through the scheme, so it’s important we get more local suppliers to register – it’s such a great opportunity,” Cr Rothfield said. Prequalification does not automatically guarantee suppliers will be chosen for projects – but businesses can be selected from the register to compete for contracts. Contractors and consultants can apply for prequalification online at dtf.vic.gov.au/csr.

Summer boosts for mobile network MOBILE phone service has been improved in South Gippsland head of the busy summer holiday period, with upgraded services or new coverage, Telstra announced last week. Locations with added 4G capacity are Inverloch, Venus Bay and Wilsons Promontory, with new 4GX coverage at Newhaven, Bass, Coronet Bay and Sandy Point. Telstra research shows technology is changing the way we travel, with Australians anxious about being out of range and unable to post their fabulous holiday snaps on social media. Telstra area general manager Loretta Willaton said the capacity and 4GX upgrades would relieve summer holiday anxiety and keep custom-

ers connected. “Social media plays a big role in how Victorian’s plan their holiday, with half of us researching our destination on social media and 41 percent choosing where to go based on an online photo or recommendation,” she said. “That connection with social media continues while we’re way, with 70 percent of us checking in to see what family and friends are up to and 42 percent sharing a photo in order to inspire some holiday jealousy. “Every year we see more and more demand for mobile services on beaches, national parks and camping spots around the country. This is driving our investment in new coverage and improving 3G and 4G capacity at holiday spots across Victoria.”

PAGE 28 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Collectable items: Cherie Richards and Amber Wooles from Stony Creek sold valuable antiques at the Dumbalk Antique and Collectable Fair recently.

More to love Kinder children in Dumbalk

Cross safely: Meeniyan Preschool students Eliza, Penny, Aymish, Raf and Chloe took the advice of Meeniyan school crossing supervisor Kathy Smith last Thursday, to learn how to safely cross the road when they start school next year.

ready for school MEENIYAN Preschool students were learning how to safely cross the road last Thursday, as the youngsters prepare for school in 2018. Meeniyan’s school crossing supervisor Kathy Smith attended the preschool to help teach the students how to use a crossing.

DUMBALK held its first ever Antique and Collectable Fair recently. Around 16 stallholders sold a variety of collectable antique items.

A delicious Devonshire tea and a sausage sizzle completed the fair. “It was a really good day considering the time of year and all of the other events that were on the same day,” organiser Anne Read said.

The session was held in conjunction with the preschool’s program to introduce its students to people within the community. As part of that program, students recently visited Meeniyan’s Pandesal Bakery and baked cheese rolls, and took a trip to the post office and posted their Christmas cards.

Teen gains media insight By Vincent Trease, Arawata ON November 19 and 20, with 34 other young people aged

between 10 and 15 years, I travelled to Sydney for the first ever MediaMe conference organised by Crinkling News

Reporting insight: Vincent Trease (right) of Arawata met Nathan Bazley of ABC show Behind the News at the MediaMe conference in Sydney, New South Wales.

– Australia’s only national newspaper for children. The aim of this event was to create a media literacy action plan for the young people of Australia. We were split into six working groups, focusing on a variety of topics. These included opinion and bias, social media and fake news, news and media at school, news in society, young voices in the media and access to the news media. Each group was guided by journalists, reporters, television and YouTube professionals, to develop ideas to contribute to the media literacy plan. This plan was provided to the Australian Parliament to consider. As well as brainstorming for the literacy action plan, we heard about young people’s experiences of being reporters for Crinkling News and the ABC show Behind

the News. Australia’s youngest winner of the National Poetry slam Solli Raphael performed his winning poem Breathe. A debate titled The News Is Not For Kids was held and streamed live. NSW Labor Senator Sam Dastyari and Megan Mitchell, the National Children Commissioner, moderated the debate. More than 13,000 people watched the event live. I really enjoyed the experience and hope as many Australian children my age and younger will get the opportunity to do something like MediaMe. I hope all the work put into the media literacy plan will provide benefits to all Australian kids. I would really love to be a part of something as special as the MediaMe conference again. To find out more about the event go to https://twitter.com/crinklingnewsau

Fire danger period in force THE Country Fire Authority (CFA) announced the fire danger period for South Gippsland and Bass Coast shires began yesterday (Monday, December 4). “The introduction of the fire danger period depends on the amount

of rain, grassfire risk rate and other local conditions. These restrictions will be in place until May 1, unless revoked or varied,” CFA group officer Damien O’Connor said. Community members are encouraged to look at the CFA information sheet, ‘Can I or Can’t I?’, available on the CFA website at www.cfa.vic.

gov.au for answers to commonly asked questions about lighting fire during the fire danger period of total fire ban days. For further information of the fire danger period or on bushfire preparation and planning, call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 or visit http://emergency.vic.gov.au/prepare/.

Fair fun: from left, Dumbalk Antique and Collectable Fair stallholders, Sandra Calvert from Korumburra, Julie Thomas from Nerrena and organiser Anne Read from Dumbalk.

Mayor’s message Cr Pamela Rothfield

WE are currently in the midst of the 16 days of activism, a global movement to unite us all in the campaign to end violence against women. The statistics continue to shock me: one in three women experience violence, and last year there were 637 reported incidents of domestic violence in Bass Coast. And these are only those cases which were reported, there would be hundreds more. We can all do our bit to help stop violence against women and I urge everyone to take the oath, to stop violence against women. Last week I attended the Coast Council Forum, a fantastic event where we discussed taking steps to protect our coastal environment and unique landscape. At the forum, I was fascinated to learn that in March 2019, the city of London will be deemed a National Park City! This is one way to ensure the protection of the iconic city, and has prompted me to think about protection of our beautiful environment closer to home! Talking about our precious environment, one group focussed on its protection is the Energy Innovation Co-Op. I was honoured to chair the co-op’s AGM recently and it was an opportunity to learn from my peers and hear about all of the wonderful achievements and goals of this community cooperative. The Energy Innovation Co-op is a great

example of a community supporting a community. Its commitment to our future and passion in finding innovative and cutting edge ways to make our community sustainable is amazing. Likewise its proactivity and attitude to getting projects off the ground and running is commendable. This group will leave a valuable legacy in all of the work it is doing towards sustainability and environment. Art is also something which can leave a meaningful legacy and help a community survive and thrive. I was fortunate to attend and speak at the opening of David Taylor’s art exhibition, Living the Dream. David’s artworks are simply masterpieces. His skill in watercolour is out of this world and we are extremely lucky to have David as a local to Phillip Island and resident of Bass Coast. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge with the community I would like to thank him for being such an active part in our thriving arts community. I am often attending arts and cultural events, and am always reminded that we are punching far above our weight in this area. The same weekend I attended David’s exhibition, I also had the pleasure of enjoying the live music of the Biyadin (formerly Shearwater) festival at Churchill Island. We have so much talent and passion for the arts in Bass Coast, and it is truly visible in the colour and vibrancy of our community.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 29

STAR Real

THE GREAT SOUTHERN STAR

Hillston 764 acres in four titles Page Page 33 33

Leongatha

PAGE 30 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

STAR Real

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Four bedrooms with the lot C

HECK out this spotless well built low maintenance home with stunning views of the rolling hills of South Gippsland.

LEONGATHA 2 Warralong Court

Stockdale and Leggo Leongatha E L O S NT Jason Harris AGE 0417 640 079

$370,000

4

2

4

The home consists of four generous sized bedrooms with the master having a walk in robe, reverse cycle air conditioning and a fully appointed ensuite and the other bedrooms all with built in robes and reverse cycle air conditioning in two of the bedrooms.

The kitchen, meals and good sized lounge is situated at the front of the home and takes full advantage of the views. The kitchen has been updated with stainless steel appliances including a double oven, gas hotplate and a dishwasher. New carpets and window furnishings have been replaced throughout the home with a new gas log fire added to the lounge room. Externally there is an outdoor area which takes full advantage of the rural views, a carport with a roller door and a separate work shed/garage which has direct access through the carport. Other features include a 4.5 kilowatt solar system and a new gas hot water service. Situated in a very quiet court, only a short walk to schools this property is priced to sell.

Get in early and make your choice C

ONSTRUCTION is under way!

There is an exciting new land release in the thriving township of Leongatha. Located on a gently undulating parcel of land on the eastern fringe of Leongatha, Mitchell’s Rise is uniquely located near the primary and secondary schools and provides a fantastic opportunity for a whole new way of living with a peaceful lifestyle. With a wide range of allotment sizes, this estate appeals to the entire market and will suit any buyer. Delightful rural views towards the rolling green hills of Nerrena, ideal for building your dream home with the con-

venience of town living and the benefits of a rural aspect and ambiance. With attractive grassed areas, reserve and adjacent to the school precinct, your children will be able to walk to school for their entire schooling years. How easy does that make life? House and land packages are available at our office. Inquire today and build your dream home. Stage two is now selling and prices start from $$130,000. ,

LEONGATHA Mitchell’s Rise Stockdale and Leggo Leongatha 5662 5800

from $130,000

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 31

PAGE 32 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

STAR Real

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Homestead on 1.5 acres

I

N a quiet court just three minutes from Mirboo North’s town centre, surrounded by mature trees and cottage gardens, you’ll find this substantial four bedroom home.

This home offers quality and practicality, designed to be full of natural light, with high ceilings, decorative cornices, multiple living spaces and period charm that you will not find in many other homes. This tradesman owned and quality built 28 square living home is period style featuring, recycled leadlight windows and doors, ornate cornices, 2.8 metres ceilings with quality fittings and fixtures throughout. It has a large informal family room with breakfast area and well fitted adjacent kitchen. Leading off the kitchen is the formal dining room, then on through to the formal living room. Both these rooms have large bow leadlight windows making them bright and cheery. With four generous bedrooms, all featuring built

in robes; this is a delightful family home with plenty of room to move both inside and out. The generous master bedroom has picture windows to bring the garden to you. At days end relax in the claw foot bath in complete privacy and admire your view to the garden The extremely functional kitchen has a gas/electric five burner twin oven Savior faire stove, a dishwasher and bench tops on the L shaped island bar. French doors lead out onto the verandah for alfresco dining and entertaining. French doors and two tall windows allow plenty of northern sunshine to stream into the room on winter days. Heating is an attractive and efficient wood heater, keeping the room at a comfortable temperature on the coldest of days. At one and a half acres, this property is a rare opportunity to have sustainable living within town boundaries. There is a shed with toilet and running water. There’s room for a few sheep, your own chooks an orchard and a vegetable garden.

MIRBOO NORTH 7 Jepson Court Alex Scott and Staff Leongatha 5662 0922

$599,000

4

2

4

Glen Alvie, VIC

EO

I

Beef/Dairy Property -“Windana”

LOT 4

200 ACRES

FOR SALE – BY EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CLOSING THURSDAY, 14TH DECEMBER 2017 AT 4:00PM

LOT 4

LOT 3

• To be offered as a whole or in 4 separate lots • Lot 1 - 5 acres with house • Lot 2 - 102 acres with house • Lot 3 - 43 acres • Lot 4 - 200 acres • Intensive beef breeding and finishing operation • Top quality improvements, water, fencing and pasture • Strong fertiliser program • Two homes, plus cattle yards, disused dairy and various shedding • Family ownership for 59 years • Owner retiring

Address: Contact:

LOT 4

LOT 1

Property ID:

485 Glen Alvie Road, Glen Alvie, VIC Damien Minogue 0427 507 369 dminogue@rodwells.com.au or Michael Everard 0408 653 161 meverard@ruralco.com.au 18168445

LOT 2

141.6 Hectares – 350 Acres L O C A L S E R V I C E, N A T I O N A L S T R E N G T H

13 11 14

www.ruralcoproperty.com.au

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 33

STAR Real

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The countryside dream T

HIS highly fertile genuine Blue Gum country is renowned for being heavy carrying with soils ideal for fattening beef cattle and crossbred lambs or ewes.

The country is mainly hilly and features a central laneway system, with well sheltered valleys and gully’s providing an ideal windbreak. There is also three kilome-

ters of creek frontage that genuinely flows all year. Consistent all year rainfall, ‘Hillston’ is situated 10 minutes north via a bitumen road consisting four titles and two road frontages. Subdivided into 20 paddocks, 20 dams, three heavy duty stockyards and three stand shearing shed plus four large fodder storage sheds. A charming Victorian weatherboard three bedroom

residence has been fully refurbished and renovated several years ago, featuring an open plan family friendly kitchen with formal style dining and formal family lounge. The manager’s brick residence has been fully renovated and features three bedrooms. It could be utilised for extra income through rental to a reliable tenant.

MOUNT ECCLES 235 Mt Eccles Road Landmark Harcourts Leongatha Barry Redmond 0477 622 292

$3750 p/a

3

2

4

PAGE 34 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

John Harris crowned CFA life member TARWIN Lower and District CFA’s John Harris was honoured with a life membership medallion recently in appreciation of outstanding service.

CFA captain Michael Moore presented Mr Harris with the medallion at a special crayfish dinner put on by the Tarwin CFA secretary Joy Hill and member Robyn Langford to mark the occasion. Mr Harris also received his 50 year CFA service medallion presented by operations manager Bill Johnstone recently,

at the Meeniyan annual group dinner. John joined the Pound Creek CFA in 1966 and transferred to Tarwin Lower in 1977, where he served as a lieutenant from 1988 until 1996. He was captain from 1996 until 2008 and is currently still serving as a lieutenant. The brigade is always looking for new members. Anyone wishing to join is welcome to call into the CFA station at 10am on Sundays. For more information contact Michael Moore on 0437 525 935.

Best foot forward: Nyora Primary School students won the Trail Blazer School award in South Gippsland Shire during the Walk to School campaign.

Nyora children lead by example NYORA Primary School students received the Trail Blazer School award for the annual Walk to School campaign.

Nyora students walked more than four kilometres during October. The Trail Blazers Competition challenged students of rural schools including Fish Creek, Mirboo North, Tarwin Lower and Poowong. Students were required to register the metres walked in personal passports, with students taking full advantage of walking tracks and rail trails within their local areas. Mirboo North’s students were

joined by their principal to walk more than 15 kilometres along the Grand Ridge Rail Trail collecting students from as far as Boolarra to walk their way to school for a healthy breakfast. Fish Creek Primary School had a different teacher take a different grade every lunchtime to walk the Great Southern Rail Trail for the month, marking the distance they walked with a large rock. Council’s social planning officer Vicki Bradley reported the program had been a success and congratulated the winners of the competition. “Many students are driven to school or take the bus so the Trail Blazers

competition has been a great way for rural schools to participate in Walk to School,” she said. “Students loved setting goals to walk further each day, with staff and family members joining in on the fun.” VicHealth funding for incentive prizes were supported with donations from local businesses Sports First, South Gippsland SPLASH, Glenn’s Sports and Voyage Fitness, to further encourage students to achieve their walking goals. Council would like to thank the local businesses for stepping up to bring Walk to School rewards to more students in 2017.

Have fun to help Emily HAVING a good time never felt this good.

A fundraising event will be held at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum in Korumburra on Saturday, January 6 to support the family of eight year old Emily Rainbow. The Gippslander needs surgery to remove a tumour from her face and looks like having the operation at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney, New South Wales. The tumour is spreading throughout Emily’s main facial nerve system and requires the skilled hands of qualified surgeons to remove to avoid permanent damage. The surgery will cost $15,000. Emily has named her tumour Bob and the event, BOB in the Burra (BOB stands for Bugger Off Bob) will include a scavenger hunt, children’s games and activities, music, food vans and more, from 10am to 4pm. The fundraiser will coincide with another fundraiser, a motorcycle ride from Melbourne to Coal Creek by the motorcycle community known as The Shepherds. Coal Creek staff has thrown its support behind the events, as have Subsound Entertainment and the Korumburra Car Club. Emily’s family was given the news of the tumour on December 19, 2016, after she had suffered severe headaches, vomiting after meals and pain in the left side of her jaw. A previous surgery was unable to remove the tumour due to it growing into her facial nerves.

Dedicated service: Tarwin Lower and District CFA’s John Harris was honoured with a life membership medallion from CFA captain Michael Moore recently.

HELLO from Rob Cosson, Korumburra Round Table vice chairperson). As chair Peewee Lewis was on another assignment I chaired the November meeting.

It was productive, with much discussion on the proposed Korumburra Community Hub. South Gippsland Shire Council held a successful community drop-in information session earlier in the month, which gave the community the opportunity to have a good look at the three proposed sites for the hub and ask questions. The community was encouraged to put their thoughts on the hub and their preferred site in writing to council. The deadline has now passed, so we hope you put forward your ideas. The Round Table members all agreed their preferred site should be the railway land. We felt this area is in the centre of town and has plenty of room to house a community hub. Having the hub built on the railway land would complement the soon to be refurbished railway station.

We felt the other proposed sites had too many negative impacts that would need to be overcome and therefore the railway land was our pick. The shire will now prepare a report on the information received by the community. The report will be up for discussion at the December council meeting. The new proposed IGA supermarket is progressing in the right direction. The shire has agreed to sell the land it owns to the developer at current valuation. There have been some objections to the land sale and these are being dealt with before the proposal can move forward any further. The contract of sale will include clauses to ensure the development is completed as proposed. Each community group was given the opportunity to update the Round Table on any points of interest or interesting information within their group. This is a great way of communicating to keep our community connected by hearing about the activities in our town.

Needing surgery: the community is invited to attend a fundraiser for Emily Rainbow at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum in Korumburra on Saturday, January 6. The eight year old has a tumour that is spreading throughout her face. The tumour has now encased her lymph node. To donate, go online to: www.gofundme.com/emilystumour-removal or search B.O.B in the Burra on Facebook.

Cleaning to ensure reliable sewers SOUTH Gippsland Water will is now cleaning sewers across the region.

Managing director Philippe du Plessis said the cleaning program marks a $70,000 investment into reliable sewerage services. “A number of technologies will be deployed including education to ‘vacuum’ heavy silts and sediments out of pipes, and a combination of cutter blades/pressure washers to remove potential blockages before problems occur,” he said. Leading up to Christmas, contractors GMA Environmental would clean

sewers across network ‘hotspots’ in Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Leongatha, Korumburra and Foster. The works involve high pressure cleaning equipment to dislodge partial sewer blockages usually caused as a result of cooking fats/oils, wet wipes being flushed or tree roots infiltrating the sewer pipes. In addition these trucks have the capability to suction up any heavy sediments or silts that have accumulated in the sewer pipes. The cleaning program should not interrupt services to the community. Every effort will be made to minimise any inconvenience to customers and

the general public. Properties identified as having a sewer manhole within their property boundary will receive separate notification and correspondence regarding access to the manholes. Customers with queries regarding the work are welcome to contact South Gippsland Water’s Customer Service and Faults line on 1300 851 636. Current information regarding the location of any works and any service interruptions will be available on South Gippsland Water’s website www.sgwater.com.au or follow us on Facebook ‘SouthGippslandWater’ and Twitter @sthgippswater.

EVERLEIGH Nicole Bain is the first child for Nicholas Bain and Amanda Williamson of Wonthaggi. She was born at Wonthaggi Hospital on November 3 and is a sister for Heidi, 2, and Nevaeh, 5.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 35

Award nominees: Bass Coast Shire Council’s strategic planning team, from left, Jodi Kennedy, Aman Mehta, Robyne Young, Bonnie Crowe, Stacey Skilton, Rewa Smith, Jasmine Butler and Chris Peckett. Jodi, Robyne, Stacey and Jasmine were involved in the work for implementing the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay into the Bass Coast Planning Scheme. Standout Scouts: Scouts to receive their Australian Scout Medallions were, front, from left, Riley Olden (Korumburra), Toby Marshall (Phillip Island), Ebony Cook (Yarram) and Chloe Simpson (Leongatha), and back, from left, Max Slinger (Korumburra), Aiden Pouw (Inverloch), Eamonn Toomey (Inverloch) and Michael Eastwood (Inverloch).

Lyrebird Awards to honour achievers

SOUTH Gippslanders are among the finalists in the West Gippsland Lyrebird Awards which honour and promote outstanding achievements in natural resource management.

The winners will be announced by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) in Inverloch on Friday, December 8. WGCMA chair Peter Jennings said the awards help raise the profile of natural resource management legends, as well as issues facing the region. “We have an impressive spread of nominees from across the WGCMA region,” he said. The nominees are: Angus Hume and David Sutton of Inverloch, Bass Coast Shire Council’s strategic planning team, David MacAulay of Staceys Bridge, Barbara Johnson of Traralgon, Gary Howard of Sale and Martin Potts of Lakes Entrance. Mr Jennings praised the nominees for their significant contribution to natural resource management within their communities. “All nominees have an impressive commitment

and passion for making a difference,” he said. “We as a community face very real environmental challenges, including how we manage the impacts of climate change, how we can support our farming community to provide enough food for our growing populations and how we can protect Gippsland’s unique natural environment now and in the future. “It’s people and groups like our nominees who are helping communities face these challenges.” Mr Hume has been involved in every aspect of the WGCMA, from board chair to CEO and director. He remains chair of the Victorian Catchment Management Council and is also on the board at Southern Rural Water. He advocates for partnerships with Traditional Owners in natural resource management. Mr Sutton is a long serving member of the WGCMA Community Advisory Group and the South Gippsland Conservation Society. His focus has been in the Bass Coast area, and also across south and central Gippsland. He has helped with local input into the Regional Catchment Strategy, led community education ac-

• Angus Hume of Inverloch.

Medal honours for top Scouts EIGHT impressive young people from South Gippsland and Bass Coast shires recently were presented with their Australian Scout Medallions at a ceremony in Melbourne.

• David Sutton of Inverloch. tivities and is involved in coastal conservation management. In 2016, Bass Coast Shire Council introduced a planning scheme control which maps the impact of sea level rise as a result of climate change. The mapping considers the impacts of coastal inundation now and out to 2100, which helps reduce the impacts of climate change to individuals and the overall cost to the community by ensuring appropriate development. This is believed to be the first time in Australia the impact of sea level rise out to 2100 has been mapped and included in the planning scheme via a Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO). Mr MacAulay has been nominated for his involvement in many natural resource management groups including the Yarram Yarram Landcare Network board, Jack and Albert River Restoration Project Committee, leader of Gippsland Riparian Action (GipRip) project and West Gippsland Advisory Committee Member. He has been an active member of the Albert River Landcare Group for more than 30 years and is a past Landcare award winner. He has hosted multiple field days at his property and offered activities for school children.

The culmination of three years of hikes, activities and growth in Scouting has seen each of the young people challenge themselves and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Working as a team with other young people from 11 to 14 years old, or on their own alongside trained volunteer leaders, they

have worked through the Scout program to develop themselves into good citizens. The Scout Medallion is the highest award achievable by a Scout and is not achieved by all Scouts. Scouting is open to youth from school age to 26 and equips young people with resilience and skill. The recipients were Riley Olden (Korumburra), Toby Marshall (Phillip Island), Ebony Cook (Yarram), Chloe Simpson (Leongatha), Max Slinger (Korumburra), Aiden Pouw (Inverloch), Eamonn Toomey (Inverloch) and Michael Eastwood (Inverloch).

Milpara Community House news THE last Tea Dance for this year is coming up this Friday, December 8. Relive the good old days or start a new interest with our old time Tea Dance. The evening is filled with dances including the Pride of Erin, Tangette, Maxina, Fox Trot, Palma Waltz, Swing Waltz and Charmaine. A lovely supper is also provided as part of the cover charge. You’re welcome to bring a plate to share too. The dance is held at the Korumburra Anglican Church hall on Bridge Street in the early evening. Please call for more details. Planning for 2018 is underway. Once again we are inviting anyone who would be interested in running workshops, information sessions or classes during term one to please get in contact with Belinda on 5655 2524. Neighbourhood Houses across the state are asking their communities to drop in to sign a postcard as part of the We Deliver Will You campaign. Every week 188,000 Victorians access over 10,000 different programs and opportunities through their neighbourhood houses. Neighbourhood Houses have not seen any substantial funding increase for years. The campaign is asking the Minister Jenny Mikakos to urgently deliver on the ALP 2014 Election Platform commitment to support neighbourhood houses by funding the 2018 Neighbourhood Houses Victoria Budget. Milpara is funded 30 hours a week to deliver 60 hours of activity; we currently are delivering closer to 200 hours. So please drop by and support us by filling in a postcard.

Creative aid: Dainy Sawatzky of Inverloch is selling dolls to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Dolls bring sick children hope INVERLOCH’S award winning doll maker, Dainy Sawatzky, designed The Wish Pixies dolls to make sick children’s wishes to come true. A portion of the profit from every doll sold will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children aged between three and 18 who have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness. Research has shown children who experienced a wish showed a significant reduction in distress, depression and anxiety symptoms. These feelings were replaced with a greater general sense of hope for their future and positive emotions. Ms Sawatzky has launched a crowdfund campaign. To buy pixies, go to the website: https://igg.me/at/wishpixies

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“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 37

The Good Life

Your LOCAL guide to Art and Entertainment

Carols in the Drome to shine this Saturday THE annual Carols in the Drome returns to Leongatha this Saturday, December 9, for a spectacular concert worthy of the event’s 10th anniversary.

A highlight of this year’s free concert will be a performance by impersonator Ben Price, who will offer carol parodies relating to the Christmas theme and a special Christmas message. Taking to the stage will be local solo singers Kerryn Lockhart, Jen Holm and Russell Hemming, who will also compere the show. Jen will also conduct the South Gippsland Singers in memorable renditions of festive favourites, and families will be besotted by performances by the mass children’s choir of students of Chairo Christian School, Leongatha Primary School and St Laurence Primary School, Leongatha. Leongatha’s music man Marty Box will entertain on guitar and the volunteer musicians of South Gippsland Shire Brass Band promise an extensive line-up of traditional tunes. Santa Claus will make an appearance to bring festive cheer to all. New to the event this year will be an LCD screen

showing carol lyrics to help the audience sing along. Guests can relax knowing food will be available from food trucks offered by Feast On Us (Brent Sinclair of Leongatha) and Street Eats (Trista Interlandi, also of Leongatha). Leongatha Lions Club will serve a sausage sizzle. Food will be served from 5.30pm, against the backdrop of music by regarded local group Beggs to Differ, along with children’s activities. Carols will start at 7.15pm, with fireworks at 9.30pm. Hosted by South Gippsland Shire Brass Band and The Combined Churches of Leongatha, the 10th annual Carols in the Drome will be a delightful evening out for all at Leongatha Recreation Reserve. “The carols are a great time to catch up with everyone as it’s a really relaxed event that’s family friendly,” said one of the organisers, Trudy Murphy of Dumbalk. “People should bring their chairs and picnic rugs, Merry time: Elsie Steenholdt from Leongatha North, Rebecca Lunn from Leongatha North and enjoy an evening of local talent.” Chairo Christian School is sponsoring the fire- and Samantha Morter from Dumbalk North were in the spirit of Christmas for Leongatha’s works that will bring the evening to a close in style. Carols in the Drome in 2016. The event returns this Saturday, December 9.

Lyric to take theatre to schools LEONGATHA Lyric Theatre is taking performances to schools in South Gippsland.

Lyric’s Kids’ Adventure Theatre (KAT) will be a travelling show arising from a concept developed by Sue Lindsay and Jo Street. The project was partly developed to enhance the skills of young actors who were winding up their academic studies for the year or on a GAP year. The young cast comprises Evy Nye, Lachlan Moore and Billy Wilson, supported by the more

experienced Jo Street and Laurie Martin. The project will give primary students the chance to enjoy live theatre. The team, ably directed by Sue Lindsay, has put together a wonderful play called Androcles and the Lion. It is a moving and humorous antislavery story about friendship and bravery, with costumes and masks that will delight the young audiences. The play will be seen by more than 1500 children in the area and is being offered free of

charge to schools. Schools which will see the performance include Leongatha, Inverloch, Kongwak, Fish Creek, Tarwin Lower, Tarwin Valley, and Yarram primary schools, and the Koonwarra Village School. The play opens on Wednesday, December 6, and concludes on Wednesday December 13.

On stage: Evy Nye as Androcles and Lachie Moore as the Lion are starring in Leongatha Lyric Theatre’s Kids’ Adventure Theatre, which will bring a live performance to primary schools.

Grant to bring the best of arts THE Bena Hall Committee and Bass Coast Shire Council are gearing up to bring the best of the arts to Bena and Grantville.

That’s thanks to grants of $6420 and $6000 respectively through the Victorian Government’s Small Regional Presenters program. Eastern Victoria Region MLC Harriet Shing congratulated the groups which have received this support. Ms Shing said, “Congratulations to the Bena Hall Committee and the Bass Coast Shire Council which have great track records for presenting dynamic shows in our region. The Andrews Labor Government is proud to support your work.” Bena Hall Committee will present the 2018 Café Culture Series at the Bena Hall. Shows will include: Pacific Belles, a musical celebration of songs from the 1940s; the cabaret performance Red Dress and the Sugar Man; Dr Crask and His Swingin’ Elixir Band; and Parvyn Singh’s A Night of Bollywood. Bass Coast Shire Council will present Serenade at Sunset, a musical theatre and opera event at the

Grantville Recreation Reserve coordinated by the Bass Valley Music Festival. Held in March 2018, the event will feature tenor David Hobson and four supporting acts as well as local performers. The event will also include voice and performance workshops, and mentoring opportunities for local talent. The Small Regional Presenters program is open to regionally-based arts presenters - including notfor-profit arts groups and societies, venues and local councils. Unlike a traditional touring model which provides support for artists to take their work on the road, the Small Regional Presenters program breaks new ground by supporting venues or presenters working ‘on the ground’, to attract shows to their area. Grants of between $1500 and $15,000 are available to support the presentation of a single show or live event, a series of shows or an annual program. The Small Regional Presenters program opens for applications three times each year. To find out more about the program, or the latest recipients, visit www.creative.vic.gov.au

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PAGE 38 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 39

PAGE 40 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Farming Insight Dairy inquiry interim results released THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) interim report into the dairy industry released last Thursday has been welcomed by the industry and government. Fonterra said it recognised change was required in the industry. “We have already taken positive steps in our business, many of which are in line with the various recommendations outlined in the report,” a Fonterra spokesperson said. “We’ve simplified our contracts, signed the voluntary Dairy Industry Code of Conduct, we’re providing greater transparency on the impacts of

market movements into milk price and our farm price risk management offer has been in place for the past four seasons.” Victorian Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said the importance of the interim report was demonstrated by the fact the dairy industry in Australia employs more than 42,000 people. “It was initiated by then Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce after a meeting with dairy industry leaders and followed retrospective cuts to farm gate milk prices in the 2015-16 season,” she said. “This Interim Inquiry into the Dairy Industry highlights problems that are not news especial-

ly for dairy farmers but it does set the scene for all interested parties to provide feedback to the ACCC.” Senator McKenzie said overly complex milk supply contracts and price offers, delayed loyalty payments and price announcements don’t give farmers enough time to compare alternative offers and switch for a better deal. “Reforming these practices would strengthen competition at the farm gate,” she said. “There are inherent bargaining power imbalances in the industry especially between processors and farmers.” Farmers and others in the industry can make a submission to the ACCC on its Interim Report Farmers first: Victorian Nationals Senator until the end of January. The dairy inquiry final report will be released Bridget McKenzie said farmers need more time to compare the contracts of milk companies. on April 30, 2018.

• VLE Leongatha

Mixed prices across the yarding

MARKET REPORT Brought to you by...

THERE were approximately 1600 export and 300 young cattle penned representing an increase of 500 head week on week.

The usual buying group were present and operating in a generally firm market. Quality improved in all prime categories while dairy lots made up the majority of the cows. The limited selection of vealers suited to butchers eased a few cents. Yearling trade cattle sold from firm to a few cents dearer. Grown steers and bullocks sold from firm to 3c/kg easier. Cows sold from firm to 4c/kg dearer for most. Heavy weight bulls improved 6c to 9c/kg. Vealers suited to butchers sold from 283c to 315c/kg. Yearling trade steers made between 270c to 290c/kg. Yearling heifers to the trade sold mostly between 250c and 275c after a top of 294c/kg. Grown steers made from 265c to 272c/kg. Bullocks sold from 264c to 278c/kg. Heavy weight grown heifers made between 239c and 269c after a top of 281c/kg. Heavy weight Friesian manufacturing steers sold between 230c and

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241c with the crossbred portion between 225c and 267c/kg. Most light and medium weight cows made from 175c to 222c/kg. Heavy weight cows sold from 205c to 242c/kg. The better shaped heavy weight bulls made between 245c and 290c with the dairy lots between 225c and 265c/kg.

Prime Sale - Wednesday, November 29 BULLOCKS 9 Wilkur Nominees, Koorooman 691.7kg 20 N. Roberts, Mirboo North 628.0kg 18 U. Cummings, Warragul South 705.8kg 1 D.M. & P.J.B Williams, Dalyston 810.0kg 5 I. McNabb, Hazelwood 672.0kg 3 N.J. & S.K. Geary, Leongatha 563.3kg STEERS 1 F.S. Wilson, Nerrena 305.0kg 1 M. Triantafyllou, Woodside 395.0kg 7 J. & M. Arestia, Krowera 401.4kg 1 A. S. P. & K. Aitken, Korumburra 335.0kg 1 Adval P/L, Anderson 385.0kg 1 Z. Redpath, Waratah 385.0kg HEIFERS 1 A. S. P. & K. Aitken, Korumburra 315.0kg 1 J. & M. Arestia, Krowera 360.0kg 2 R. Hopkins, Yinnar 322.5kg 1 J. Dean, Rosedale 445.0kg 2 S. Hogarth, Kardella South 317.5kg 8 M. Triantafyllou, Woodside 326.3kg COWS 1 G. & J. Sandbach, Welshpool 630.0kg 1 P. Aldrick, Toora 775.0kg 12 Blackwood Grazing, Trafalgar 627.5kg 1 D. Pilkington & F. Toohey, Waratah North 635.0kg 1 M, K. & S. Breen, Buffalo 755.0kg 3 S. & B. McLaren, Woodleigh Vale 755.0kg BULLS 1 Treevalley Hold. P/L, Koonwarra 465.0kg 1 N.B. & L.J. Smith, Pound Creek 995.0kg 1 S. J. D. & C. McNaughton, Korumburra 1010.0kg 1 G.W. & S.L. Hosking, Mirboo 1030.0kg 1 Maxray Nominees P/L, Buffalo 885.0kg 1 W. Atkins, Willung South 935.0kg

278.2 273.2 273.2 271.6 270.6 270.6

$1924.22 $1715.70 $1928.34 $2199.96 $1818.43 $1524.38

313.6 311.0 300.0 298.6 288.6 288.6

$956.48 $1228.45 $1204.29 $1000.31 $1111.11 $1111.11

314.6 299.6 298.6 293.6 291.6 290.6

$990.99 $1078.56 $962.99 $1306.52 $925.83 $948.08

250.0 $1575.00 242.0 $1875.50 240.6 $1509.77 240.0 $1524.00 238.6 $1801.43 238.6 $1801.43 328.0 $1525.20 290.0 $2885.50 280.6 280.0 275.0 275.0

$2834.06 $2884.00 $2433.75 $2571.25

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 41

Farming Insight Weekend of rain perfect for local dairy farmers SOUTH Gippsland farmers braced themselves for an onslaught of rain over the weekend.

When The Star spoke to Mardan farmer Tanya Privitera on Saturday morning, her rain gauge had recorded one inch (25.4mm). By Monday morning, she had recorded about 65mm; a perfect amount heading into summer. “It wasn’t as bad as predicted. If we had got the storm,

we would have been asking for trouble,” she said. “Farmers need good rain going into summer. It’s been hard with the Murray Goulburn price issue, so good rain at the start of season can help get us through to January. We are very happy.” Mrs Privitera said grass growth tends to peter out in December, leaving farmers to rely on crops. However, the early December rain would help the grass grow while the soil was warm. “Some farmers have had problems with caterpillars,

so the rain will help get rid of those before they affect the hay,” she said. Mrs Privitera is the fourth generation on her property, and currently milks 100 cows with her father Barrie Allan. The Allan family settled in Mardan in the 1870s under the name Inverlair Heights Jersey Stud, and has been long serving suppliers of Murray Goulburn. They farm on 235 acres and have continuously developed the property over the years.

Organic farming comes naturally By Sarah Vella AFTER considering it for a long time, two years ago Arawata dairy farmers Campbell and Lacrezia Greig decided to transition their farm into an organic enterprise.

It will be another 12 months before their farm is certified organic, but Campbell and Lacrezia said their herd was already benefitting from the change. They said since deciding to become organic, herd health had improved remarkably with fewer incidences of lameness and mastitis. “The cattle are far more content and they aren’t drifting in the paddocks as much,” Campbell said. “Production has decreased, but our components have improved and we have stopped feeding as much grain as we were.” Because they farm on steep country, several paddocks aren’t accessible with a tractor and the Griegs noticed their cattle were happier and more productive when on unimproved pasture. Lacrezia said when they were first considering whether to go organic, she wasn’t as keen as Campbell to make the transition. “We went to visit another organic farm in Mardan and we asked a lot of questions. We were blown away by the farm. It looked better than most conventional farms,” she said. “If I hadn’t seen that farm I would have been dubious.” Campbell said going organic was more about finding something that worked for them on their farm and returning to the way things used to be done. “With all the new technology coming out in the dairy industry, to make better silage, grow more grass, it is all to counteract the problems we created,” he said. Last year, Campbell decided to make silage the old fashioned way. It simply meant cutting the grass, piling it up and putting a cover on it. “I got it tested and it came back average for Gippsland silage, but it cost virtually nothing to make. When we fed it out, the cattle ate it all and held production. That was all I needed to know,” he said. “We have never been afraid to try different things on

Splash: Mardan’s Ava and Levi Privitera enjoyed jumping in the puddles after the rain broke on Saturday morning.

All natural: Campbell and Lacrezia Greig and their children Taylor and Addison from Arawata are transitioning their dairy farm to an organic enterprise, which is a three year process. the farm and it was good to save money.” Originally from New Zealand, Lacrezia grew up on a dairy farm, while Campbell had a sheep, beef and contracting background. They moved to Orbost in 2003 to manage a dairy farm and then to Buchan a few years later before planning on moving back to New Zealand. Instead, they decided to purchase their own farm in Arawata. The Greigs have been on their farm for 11 years and currently milk around 180 cows off 400 acres and produce around 90,000 kilograms of milk solids per year. Once certified organic, Campbell said they will aim to produce around 70,000 kilograms of solids. Campbell said the reduction in production was easily covered by the price paid for organic milk. Weed control is one of the big challenges of organic farming, because herbicides are off limits. “For the last couple of years, we have had back-

packers come in to hoe out the thistles and ragwort, and we go around and dig them out as well,” Lacrezia said. “Ragwort can be difficult to keep on top of.” Farming organically also means the Griegs are limited in their choices when it comes to putting nitrogen on their pasture. However, since they haven’t been applying urea to their paddocks, they have noticed clover growing in places they had never seen it growing before. Campbell and Lacrezia said since having children, their views on how food is produced have changed. “We think more about what we are eating and the children are really into it in a big way as well, which is cool,” Lacrezia said. Campbell said he wished they had made the decision to transition to organic sooner. “I am confident in the dairy industry now, only because we are going organic. If we weren’t, we would leave the industry all together,” he said.

Armyworms on the march ARMYWORM infestations are devastating late spring pasture across large parts of Gippsland.

Murray Goulburn agronomist Scott Travers said the area from Buffalo to Woodside was under heavy attack from the caterpillars. There have also been reports of infestations in West Gippsland. “They are as bad as I’ve seen them. There are lines of them squashed along the South Gippsland Highway,” he said. “People who were getting around on 25 day rotations all of sudden have nothing in front of them.” Mr Travers said the infestations were so intense that every farmer in affected districts should be searching for the insect larvae. “If you think you haven’t got them, then you aren’t looking hard enough,” he said. AgVic pasture and conversation specialist Frank Mickan advised farmers to check longer pasture first, where younger caterpillars chew the leaves and may leave scalloped edges. “In some cases when the food supply (pastures/cereals) becomes severely depleted, the caterpillars start to gather together and they will ‘march’ out of crops and pastures in search of food – hence the name armyworm,” Mr Mickan said. Armyworm caterpillars are smooth-bodied and have three white or creamy-coloured stripes running down their back and sides. Caterpillars can grow to about 30 to 40mm in length. During the day, look under dead leaf litter at the base of the crop or pasture sward. At dusk or night, a torch should show them up on the leaves. Early detection is essential, particularly when pasture

seed or hay crops are at the late ripening stage. Chemical treatments are available, so speak to your agronomist or advisor on how best to tackle the problem. Early detection is essential, particularly when cereals and pasture seed or hay crops are at the late ripening stage. To get an accurate estimates of caterpillar numbers, considerable effort is required but the potential cost saving is worthwhile. Sample by using a sweep-net or a bucket, or visually ground or crop searching for caterpillars. The sweep-net/bucket method gives a quick and approximate estimate of problem size. Sweep several times across the crop in 180 degree arcs, preferably about 100 times, at different sites within the crop to give an indication of density and spread. Armyworms are most active at night so sweeping at dusk will be the most effective time. If average catch is more than five to 10 per 100 sweeps then hop onto your knees to do some ground counts to determine approximate densities. For ground sampling, do at least 10 ‘spot checks’ in the crop and count the number of caterpillars within one square metre. Young caterpillars (up to eight millimetres) cause very little damage and are hard to find. This why many dairy and cropping farmers fail to detect armyworms activity until they are nearly fully grown and damage may be as high as 10 to 20 percent by then they are on the march, so the earlier you can detect them, the less the damage. There are a number of chemicals registered for control of armyworms. For spring outbreaks (during crop ripening), spraying is recommended when the density of larvae exceeds one to three larvae per square metre and for dairy pastures/standing hay crops, if damage is obvious, then consider hitting them. However, also consider the following points: • timing of harvest;

On the move: armyworms are now devastating pasture in South Gippsland. • • •

green matter available in the crop; expected return on the crop; and caterpillar development stage (if most are greater than 35 to 40 mm or pupating, it may not be worth spraying). If spraying is necessary, it is recommended this be carried out in late afternoon or early evening for maximum effect, as armyworms are nocturnal feeders. Be aware of the chemical being used as some are quite potent and stick to the recommended with-holding periods. Diamondback moths, Lucerne flea and earth-mites have also been reported as damaging pastures. Dairy Australia is currently supporting research to pinpoint the insects damaging dairy pastures across all of Victoria, southern NSW, South Australia and Tasmania, which will lead to more accurate methods to combat the pests. For more information go to www.dairyaustralia.com. au and search pests.

PAGE 42 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Marriotts MPE is currently seeking a suitably qualified full time person to join our busy Parts Department The successful applicant must have knowledge of the Motorcycle and Power Equipment products. Experience with inventory control, invoicing, electronic parts programs and customer service are mandatory. Above award wages and conditions apply. Please address applications to: Business Operations Manager Jenny King PO Box 78, Leongatha 3953 Or email: jenny@marriottsmpe.com.au Applications close Friday 16th December 2017

ADMINISTRATION OFFICER We are looking for an energetic, highly organised admin officer with good computing skills to support our education programme, shop and office located in Inverloch. This is a part-time position of 6 hrs/wk and an additional 6 hrs/wk during school holidays for 12 months in the first instance. Email info@sgcs.org.au to get a copy of the position description or ring Annette on 0437 433 365 Closing 5pm Friday 8 December

Opening doors: South Gippsland Shire Council’s people and culture advisor Melinda McLennan discusses job tips with Leongatha Secondary College student Tate Moodie.

Council boosts teens’ job hopes Mary MacKillop College South Gippsland

Learning Support Officer 2018 APPRENTICE & QUALIFIED GREENKEEPER

Learning Support Officers work in the Learning Support Program to assist students and teachers in the classroom to access quality learning.

The Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, invites applications for a Full Time Qualified Greenkeeper and an Apprentice to join their golf course maintenance team. Applicants must have a very keen interest in fine turf management, horticulture, machinery and be able to play and understand the game of golf. The successful applicants will have the unique opportunity to be a part of the redevelopment of the North and South Courses with aspirations of presenting the courses at industry leading standards. Personal qualities such as a strong work ethic, team orientated, highly motivated, courteous nature, and an eye for detail along with a strong desire to build your career to become a Course Superintendent, will be highly considered. The successful Qualified Greenkeeper will have: • Certificate III in Horticulture qualification (green keeping) • Chemical Spray certification • Previous experience operating ground maintenance machinery • Understanding of OH&S and environmental requirements of a Golf Course • Excellent communication skills • Current Australian drivers licence The successful Apprentice will have personal qualities of: • Strong work ethic • Team orientated • Highly motivated • Courteous nature • Eye for detail • Desire to succeed • Interest in golf and understand the game. The successful applicants will be trained in all aspects of golf course management and have the necessary interest and personal qualities required of the role. Written applications including references should be addressed to The Director of Courses, Glenn Stuart, The Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, Skye Road, Frankston, Vic, AUSTRALIA 3199 or email: admin@peninsulakingswood.com.au CLOSING DATE: FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER, 2017 Only successful applicants will be contacted.

Suitably qualified and experienced applicants are required. Part time possible by negotiation. All Staff must demonstrate an active commitment to the ethos of a Catholic school. Mary MacKillop College is a Child-Safe school.

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council recently participated in a program that aimed to encourage employment skills for Year 10 students at Leongatha Secondary College. Council staff acted as mock interviewers alongside other representatives from local businesses across South Gippsland.

The interviews provide students with opportunities to practice for real interviews in the future and receive constructive feedback. Students who participated gained valuable insights into

employment preparation and interview processes. Council’s people and culture advisor Melinda McLennan said the experience was rewarding. “I enjoyed the opportunity to help build students’ confidence and guide them on how to apply for jobs. The program is a fantastic experience for students and is a worthwhile opportunity for us to share our experience,” she said. Council staff also assisted with the Passport to Employment program, which

aimed to develop job readiness in young people with disabilities. The eight week program included sessions on teamwork, communication and technology, self-management, planning and organising. A series of mock interviews were then held to conclude the program. Council officers again participated and offered their insights and encouragement to job seekers, with a view of building the capacity of local jobseekers for a disability.

Please contact the Principal’s Personal Assistant, Carly Kitchingman ckitchingman@mmcrc.catholic.edu.au. Applications close 9am, Monday 11 December 2017.

TRADE MANAGER

TRADE MANAGER

Reporting to the Store Manager, the Trade Manager will deliver and lead, through a loyal and dedicated trade team, excellent customer service in the provision of trade and timber products. You will have extensive trade sales experience, strong communication skills, and proven leadership skills with experience in a similar role. Key responsibilities include: • Provide exemplary customer service and satisfaction • Plan and prepare staff rosters ensuring adequate coverage • Offer problem solving skills • Manage inventory to company expectations • Comply with, and adhere to, O,H&S standards • Provide effective leadership, coaching and direction to your team • Demonstrably high administration skills are required in this role • Proficiency in computerised point of sale systems You will ideally have some experience managing staff in a retail and trade / DIY environment. You are invited to apply in writing, inclusive of your resumé, by Friday 8th December 2017 to: The Store Manager Capeview Mitre 10, Lot 2 Cusack Road, Leongatha Vic 3953 or by email to craig.marinus@cv-m10.com.au Only applicants successful in making it through to the next recruitment stage will be contacted.

Reporting to the Store Manager, the Trade Manager will deliver and lead, through a loyal and dedicated trade team, excellent customer service in the provision of trade and timber products. You will have extensive trade sales experience, strong communication skills, and proven leadership skills with experience in a similar role. Key responsibilities include: • Provide exemplary customer service and satisfaction • Plan and prepare staff rosters ensuring adequate coverage • Offer problem solving skills • Manage inventory to company expectations • Comply with, and adhere to, O,H&S standards • Provide effective leadership, coaching and direction to your team • Demonstrably high administration skills are required in this role • Proficiency in computerised point of sale systems You will ideally have some experience managing staff in a retail and trade / DIY environment. You are invited to apply in writing, inclusive of your resumé, by Friday 8th December 2017 to: The Store Manager Capeview Mitre 10, Cape Paterson Road, Wonthaggi Vic 3995 or by email to edwin.vandenberg@cv-m10.com.au Only applicants successful in making it through to the next recruitment stage will be contacted.

Capeview - Mitre 10 Leongatha

Gippsland Region Intake/Partner Contact Facilitator Men’s Behaviour Change Program Part time The aim of the program is to promote the safety of women and children, whilst holding men accountable for their use of violence and challenging their beliefs and attitudes.

Case Manager/Intake Family Violence Outreach Service Full time – fixed term This Service provides support and assistance to women and children affected by Family Violence who are leaving violent and abusive relationships.

Case Manager – Housing Support Program Homelessness and Support Services Full time The Program assists single adults and families with a holistic, case managed response to access housing and to address the issues that have contributed to their situation Please visit www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/ About-Us/Work-With-Us/ for further information

Capeview - Mitre 10 Wonthaggi

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 43

public notice

There is a position at one of Gippsland’s Award Winning Bakeries Paul The Pieman Bakery in Inverloch for a

FULL TIME APPRENTICE PASTRY COOK For an immediate start The person we are looking for must be self-motivated and vibrant. Must be a team player and willing to learn all aspects of pastry, Cake Making, Presentation and Decorating. Must be able to work weekends Please apply in writing to: The Manager, Paul The Pieman Bakery 5 A’Beckett Street, Inverloch Vic 3996 Or email: paul@paulthepieman.com

Position Vacancies Bass Coast Health Bass Coast Health is seeking applications for the following positions:

Support Services Chef – Permanent Full-Time and Casual The successful applicant will have Trade Cook Qualifications, substantial experience in the Health industry and Current Food Safety Accreditation.

Operating Suite Registered Nurse Fixed-Term Part-Time 64 hours per fortnight An opportunity exists to join our busy Operating Suite team under the direction of the Unit Manager.

Drug & Alcohol & Family Case Worker Permanent Part-Time 45.6 hours per fortnight (with the possibility of additional hours) Applications are called from self-motivated workers to take up this position within the Bass Coast Health Community Support Services.

Physiotherapists Permanent Full-Time Positions x 2 to commence as soon as possible We are seeking enthusiastic and experienced Physiotherapists to join our supportive Physiotherapy team to fill these full-time positions.

Health Service Coordinator Permanent Part-Time (0.42 EFT) We are inviting applications from Registered Nurses with relevant experience for this ongoing HSC role. For full position details including position descriptions and how to apply please visit the employment section on our website: www.basscoasthealth.org.au

South Coast Joinery in Fish Creek is seeking a

QUALIFIED CABINET MAKER Successful applicant must have: • Driver’s licence • Installing experience For enquiries call Jason 0429 832 693

TRACTOR OPERATOR Required EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Must be able to work unsupervised Based Tarwin Lower Contact Dave 0438 056 987

situations vacant CASUAL weekend relief milker required, 5 mins from Leongatha. Some week days possible. Herringbone, 200 cows. Ph: 5668-9292.

DELIVERY DRIVER

Coleman’s Ice and Spring Water Supplies Must be reliable and fit, and able to work over the summer period. WEEKEND AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS MR Licence Forklift Licence A MUST start asap Contact Anthony 0409 533 640

WOORAYL LODGE INC. POSITION VACANT

Registered Nurse (Division 1) (0.8 to 1.0 FTE) (Job Sharing will be considered)

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced Registered Nurses to join our team here at Woorayl Lodge, Leongatha. The ideal applicant(s) must have: • the aptitude and attitude that is caring and empathetic to our residents (and their family), and supportive and encouraging to our staff. • the ability to balance being a team player and mentor. • willingness to undertake shared on call duties both overnight and weekends. Experience in Aged Care and with ACFI / Accreditation preferred but not essential. Applications must be received by COB Monday 11th December, 2017 and include: cover letter, resume with copies of current registration and valid police checks. Applications can be forwarded either via email enquiries@woorayllodge.com.au or by post to: Shane Jenkins Facility Manager Woorayl Lodge Inc. 71 McCartin Street Leongatha VIC 3953

Situation Vacant Security Doors, Screens & Robes Installer

PART TIME ACCOUNTS POSITION Leongatha Healthcare is looking for an experienced accounts person to join our team. Only those with a genuine desire and ability to work in a busy healthcare environment should apply. Position pre-requisites: • Recent bookkeeping experience, including accounts payable and receivable • Proficient with Reckon accounting software (preferred), including Payroll • Team player Please forward your current resumé with a short covering letter motivating your interest to: The Practice Manager Private Bag 10 LEONGATHA 3953 Or email to: jrobb@leongathamedical.com.au Applications close: Friday 15th December, 2017

Capeview Building Products are a leading manufacturer operating from a large facility in Wonthaggi. We are looking for a fulltime installer of Shower Screens, Security Doors, Sliding Robe Doors and Glass Splash Backs. The successful applicant will have the following attributes/skill set. • Physically fit and well co-ordinated • Practical building awareness • Ability to accurately measure • Strong work ethics • Reliable • Ability to work unsupervised • Exceptional attention to detail • Work in a clean and tidy manner The candidate must have a current and valid manual driver’s licence and Construction Industry Induction Card. Experience preferred but training can be provided for the right applicant. Applications must be in writing and include a cover letter and CV and sent attention to: Peter Sheerin PO Box 115, Wonthaggi 3995 Or Email: peter.sheerin@cv-bp.com.au Closing date Wednesday 13th December 2017

FIREWORKS DISPLAY NOTICE TO ALL ANIMAL OWNERS IN AND AROUND LEONGATHA AREA

A fireworks display will be held on 9th DECEMBER 2017 Approx. 9.15pm Please ensure your animals are secure at this time thank you Further info contact 0430 021 100

MARINE LICENCE COURSE Vic. Boat Licence with Jetski endorsement

INVERLOCH

for sale EXOTIC and native kiln dried timber suitable for furniture and hobby. Ph: 5681-2261. FIREWOOD, redgum & local wood, Ph 0408980-711, A/H 56625175. MINI TREADMILL fold away with counter, as new, $150. Ph: 0488105451. SLEEPERS, treated pine, 200 x 50 x 2.4 $12.10 each, 200 x 75 x 2.4 $16.75 each, 200 x 75 x 3.0 $ 20.90 each. Free delivery for pack lots. Phone Joe 0417530662. SQUARE hay bales, shedded, $7 per bale. Ph: 0401-603525.

SHED

Saturday, December 16 9am - 1pm BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL Phone Bob: 0417 524 005 Approved TSV course www.abcboating.com ABN 43080057923

meetings MEENIYAN GOLF CLUB INC.

Annual General Meeting WEDNESDAY December 13 7.30pm at the

CLUBHOUSE All members welcome

for rent BAY OF FIRES beach house, Binalong Bay, Tasmania, sleeps 8, minimum 3 nights. Available February onwards. Ph: 0408938645.

for sale

MOWERS We stock the largest range of New push and ride-on mowers in South Gippsland, including - Honda,Victa, Greenfield, Deutscher, Cub Cadet, MTD, Masport, Toro, Yard Machines & Rover from $149. Professional repairs and service for ALL mower makes and models. Also stocking a large range of parts and accessories. We also have a large range of secondhand mowers available.

MOTORCYCLES & POWER EQUIPMENT

Cnr Allison & South Gippsland Hwy, Leongatha. L.M.C.T. 2714

Ph: 5662 2028

www.marriottsmpe.com.au

for sale ASTRA billiard table. Beautiful carved legs x 6, cues, balls, hidden drawer. As new. Cost $2,700, sell $1,100. Ph: 0437-510108. BAR B Q Bonanza, stainless steel, 4 burner, hooded, used once, on wheels, $200. Ph: 56623278.

9m x 15m x 4.5m (30’ x 50’ x 15’) Open front shed in large 5m bays for better storage. $13,150 PH: 0413 104 820

livestock BORDER Leicester, Southdown and Poll Dorset rams, flock registered, OB accredited. Well grown and bred. Can deliver. 0428-356376. BULLS for hire or for sale. Friesian, Angus, Hereford, Limo or Jersey. All sound young bulls. Hire or sale. Phone 0447-331762.

used vehicles FORD FOCUS LX, 2010, (XNX149) 79,000km, excellent condition, RWC, $8,250. Ph: 0407-403457. FORD Ranger ute, 2008, with canopy. GC, RWC, diesel, 165,000kms, Rego 1AY1AZ, $13,500. Ph: 0418-343013. HOLDEN Commodore Omega, 2008, silver, auto, with the lot, 140,000km, top condition, book, $9,000 with RWC. Reg No. WHF159. Ph: 56640037. MERCEDES BENZ 2004 C180 Kompressor with all Mercedes Benz extras, book, 12 months reg. Lovely car $9,000. Reg No. YIK248 with RWC. Ph: 5664-0037.

wanted to buy ANY OLD farm four wheelers, good or bad, 4WDs or trucks. Will pay cash. Phone Matt 0401194601. DATSUN SKYLINE wanted, 1973-1985, 240K, C210, MR30, any condition. Pay cash. 0422-076298.

Classified advertising closes 12 noon Mondays

PAGE 44 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

garage sales

bereavement thanks

GARAGE SALE SUNDAY December 10 6 Shingler Street LEONGATHA

8am - 1pm

GARAGE SALE The “STAR” can help you promote your event with our

$27.50

GARAGE SALE KIT

KIT INCLUDES 5cm x S/C advert (valued at $33.00) • 2 x A4 Garage Sale Signs • Garage Sale Tips (dos and don’ts) • Sheet of Price Stickers • Star Carry Bag

Total package valued at $41 ADVERTISE by calling 5662 5555 or emailing classifieds@thestar.com.au or call in to 36 McCartin Street LEONGATHA to pick up your kit when you place your advertisement

GARAGE SALE SATURDAY DECEMBER 9 13 Bond Court Leongatha

COOK - Shirley. Ross, Wayne, Susan and families would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all who sent cards, messages, flowers and kind thoughts on the passing of Shirl. A special thanks to her carers and staff, and Seahaven for their wonderful support over the last 6 months. “Shirl and The Captain” reunited. xx FAULL - The family of the late Graeme Faull take great comfort in the expressions of sympathy and the kindness conveyed to us in so many ways. We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and thank you most sincerely. Time endears, and cannot fade, ‘The memories that Love has made. WEARNE - Samantha (Sam). 30.6.65 - 30.10.17 The Wearne, Stephens, Battersby and Walsh families sincerely wish to thank everybody who supported them with thoughts, phone calls, floral tributes, cards, food and prayers, with the loss of Sam. Thank you to Fr Aju and Fr Janeesh and St Laurence’s Parish, hospital staff, Catholic Women’s League for catering and to Handleys for your expertise in making the day a celebration of her life. Please accept this as our personal thanks.

Live a better life book launch FORMER Kardella resident, Norma Brown, wife of well known local dairy farmer, Robert Brown, launched her book entitled Deeper, Stronger, Wiser on Saturday, December 2.

In Part One of her book, based on the words of Solomon in Proverbs 9:1, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars”, Norma explores what these seven pillars are, and how building them into everyday life can help us live deeper, stronger and wiser. She also takes a look at Solomon himself, who is reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived, yet ended his life in a less than wise condition. Part Two consists of fictional stories, poems and reflections written by Norma, illustrating how this might play out, when put into practice, and also when they are not. During her residence in the district, Norma was active in community and church life, and was instrumental in establishing The Salvation Army in Leongatha from 1981 to 1988. She also served on several local committees in Korumburra and Leongatha, and helped oversee the commencement of the Korumburra Access Centre. Since retiring from dairy farming seven years ago, Robert and Norma have made their home in

Rekindled friendships: John and Doreen Western of Leongatha, Robert Brown (Norma’s husband), Maryann Aston of Dumbalk, Carol Zuidema of Berrys Creek and Maggie Spinks of Korumburra, were pleased to support author Norma Brown (centre) at her first book launch at the Leongatha Uniting Church Hall on Saturday. Nicholson. At the book launch, Norma said it was fantastic to come back to Leongatha and catch up with old friends. “It’s amazing how well you can reconnect with people. Friendship is one of the chapters in my book, and to see how well it can last is a wonderful thing,” she said.

Market braves the weather THE wet weather didn’t put a dampener on the monthly Koonwarra Farmers’ Market, held on Saturday. With stalls set up outside and in the hall, market goers had the opportunity to stay dry and pick up some fantastic local produce. As well as produce, delicious homemade goodies, beautiful plants and live music were provided at the market.

Festive: Julie Pinkerton of Julie’s Classic Cakes in Thorpdale was ready for the holiday season as she sold her cakes and slices at the Koonwarra Farmers’ Market on Saturday.

Singers inspire in the lead up to Christmas

8am - 12pm Books, hardware and lots of cheap items

THE South Gippsland Singers had its audience looking forward to the festive season following its Peaceful Christmas concert on Sunday afternoon.

No early birds

Garage Sale SOMETHING FOR MOST PEOPLE: Building materials, tradespeople, handymen, household wares, gardening tools, old records, man cave wood heater and redgum firewood.

Held at the Leongatha Dakers Centre, the choir performed songs that inspired feelings of fun and peace as the community prepares for Christmas. In fact, the concert was enjoyed so much by those in attendance, the audience called for an encore to finish off the afternoon. An extra special life membership was presented on the day. Accompanist Dorothy Warren was awarded life membership for her 36 years of service to the South Gippsland Singers.

Don’t miss out

SATURDAY & SUNDAY December 9 & 10 8am start both days

355 Gardeners Road FOSTER

marriage celebrant

Ms Warren has been a member since the choir’s inception and received her life membership with appreciation. Singers have enjoyed learning and preparing songs under the guidance of conductor Jennifer Holm, who brings a new level of expertise. The South Gippsland Singers have enjoyed a wonderful 2017 with its membership continuing to grow, and the group looks forward to bringing people more joy in the coming year. It has been a busy year for the South Gippsland Singers, having performed a midyear showcase and a recent concert in conjunction with the South Gippsland Brass Band at the Leongatha RSL. The choir will also perform at Carols at the Drome this weekend.

Jenny Milkins All areas - 5672 3123 jenny_milkins@hotmail.com

PAM HERRALD 5662 2553 0438 097 181

Wendy Rutjens

Weddings ~ Funerals ~ Namings

0429 688 123 e: rutjenswendy@gmail.com

Email your adverts to The Star ads@thestar.com.au

Scott and Sharon Anderson With care & dignity we serve South Gippsland and Phillip Island Main Office: WONTHAGGI / INVERLOCH 5672 1074 176-178 Graham Street, Wonthaggi 3995 Fax: 5672 1747 email: randm33@bigpond.net.au

Pre-paid & pre-arranged funeral plans available

MEMBER OF AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

Crowd pleaser: Brad Beach, director of FAMDA’s The Vagina Monologues, with the comedy’s honours won at the Victorian Drama League awards.

FAMDA stands out at state awards GIPPSLAND theatre seems alive and well judging by its showing at the Victorian Drama League awards presentation which took place in Melbourne on Sunday night.

With 35 companies from across the state entering their plays and nominations limited to only five nominations in each category, it was amazing to see each of the Gippsland companies earning recognition. FAMDA’s The Vagina Monologues was lauded, with Laura Muranty awarded the trophy for the best supporting actress in a comedy, while Hadassah Wanstall also earned a nomination in the same category. Brad Beach, director of The Vagina Monologues, was delighted to see FAMDA’s production nominated in the best comedy category. Caravan, staged by MoArtz, was also nominated for best comedy while Mike Pullar took home the prestigious silver award for the production’s amazing set and Julie Strini earned a best supporting actress in a comedy nomination, meaning that three of the five nominations in that category went to Gippsland performers. Off the Leash Theatre also earned recognition with Amy Moss nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, and both Todd Miller and Kyle Wright nominated in the male category for their performances in Checklist for an Armed Robber, and Mandy Waters received a nomination for best properties design in a comedy or a drama. A delighted Sue Lindsay was thrilled to accept Laura Bradley’s judge’s certificate awarded for the indigenous artwork featured in Leongatha Lyric Theatre’s Our Country’s Good. The best comedy accolade went to Mordialloc Theatre for Outside Mullingar and the trophy for best drama was presented to Eltham Little Theatre that staged It’s a Wonderful Life.

Prom burns

PHILLIP ISLAND 5952 5171 15 Warley Avenue, Cowes 3922 (by appointment only)

CARING & PERSONAL 24 HOUR SERVICE www.handleyandandersonfunerals.com.au

This was Norma’s first book, which took her around 12 months to get to print once she made her decision to write down her research. She is self published, and found a helpful support system along the way. For those who missed the launch, books are now available at New Beginnings Bookshop, Bair Street, Leongatha.

Life membership: members of the South Gippsland Singers, Lyn Drury, Lyn Jamieson, Carol Hurst, Elaine Taylor, Betty Knight, Joan Harris, Jennifer Holm, Jackie Van Dillen, Sarah Phillips and Peter Gilbert congratulated Dorothy Warren (far left) on her life membership.

BUSHFIRES continue to burn at Wilsons Promontory National Park, with three fires in the northern reaches of the park as of yesterday (Monday).

A small fire was reported near the roadside at Darby River, and two others near Mount Vereker. Aircraft and ground crews attended to the blazes, which do not threaten public safety.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 45

Local women achieve By Jessica Anstice FOUR inspiring South Gippsland women won at the 2017 Shine Awards, a national award recognising and celebrating rural women who make a difference.

Founders of Prom Coast Food Collective Sally Ruljancich of Dollar and Amelia Bright of Fish Creek received an award in the Belief category. Both women are farmers who volunteer their time bringing local producers together to create a healthier food system for all. Prom Coast Food Collective is a collaboration between small family farms, ethical producers and makers, and consumers passionate about good, local food.

“We were nominated for the award a number of times and this is the first year for the Belief award category,” Ms Ruljancich said. The women launched Prom Coast Food Collective in April this year. “We’ve had great success with the Prom Coast Food Collective in this short amount of time with around 20 producers on the website,” she said. “That number is pretty amazing.” The Prom Coast Food Collective is open for online business on the first day of each month. Customers browse through a list of producers, order produce and pick up their order from the Blue Tree Honey Farm in Dumbalk on the third Sunday of each month. Meeniyan Garlic Festival creators Kirsten and Felicity Jones received the Grace award. “We were quite surprised.We didn’t even know we were nominated,” Women shine: from left, founders of Prom Coast Food Collective Sally Raljancich and Kirsten’s daughter Amelia Bright, with daughter Hazel, won the Belief award at the 2017 Shine Awards reFelicity said. cently. “Everyone else seemed to know so it was a nice surprise. “Our passion is to bring people into South Gippsland to experience the amazing food culture we have here and the success of the Meeniyan Garlic Festival brought so many people here.”

Proud founders: Felicity and Kirsten Jones of Meeniyan received the Grace award at the 2017 Shine Awards for creating the Meeniyan Garlic Festival.

Seaside town: floodwaters engulfed Inverloch’s A’Beckett Street after heavy rain on Friday, as this photo by Inverloch’s Donna Lancaster showed. Roads were closed while authorities sought to unblock drains, Ms Lancaster said, and noted the town had received 57mm by 3.30pm.

| SPORT

thestar.com.au

Allambee Mirboo & District tennis KORUMBURRA played Leongatha and although the weather was not the brightest the teams had a close match. Kleevo thought because it was his birthday his place was safe. Who

are the selectors. Poor Frank could be nearly in the vets section. The weather was kind for the Phillip Island versus Koonwarra match and it was an enjoyable day’s tennis. The Island was the winner. The Inverloch versus

Leongatha North match was washed out before a result. In Section 2 all matches were washed out. Green had forfeited to Berrys Creek, with all other matches a wash out. Berrys Creek get the wash out count, Green sorry no

score. In Section 3 the Mardan versus Baromi match washed out. The Leongatha Nadal and Federer match no score was sent. Please be sure to have results in by 8pm.

Results Section 1: Phillip Island 6.60 d Koonwarra 3.44, Korumburra 5.54 d Leongatha 4.48, Leongatha North v Inverloch (wash out). Section 2: All matches washed out. Section 3: Mardan v Baromi (wash out), Feder-

er v Nadal (no score).

Ladders Section 1 Phillip Island........................67.0 Inverloch ..............................66.5 Korumburra ........................65.0 Leongatha North .................44.5 Leongatha..............................35.0 Koonwarra.............................33.0 Section 2 Berrys Creek........................68.0

Baromi ..................................63.5 Koonwarra ...........................52.0 Outtrim ................................52.5 Hallston .................................51.0 Korumburra ...........................37.5 Leongatha Green ...................31.0 Leongatha Gold.....................29.5 Section 3 Nadal ....................................45.0 Federer .................................40.0 Baromi ..................................19.0 Mardan.................................17.0

PAGE 46 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

SPORT | BOWLS Leongatha MIDWEEK pennant saw Division 1 ladies away to the Island and lost overall 61 to 73 shots. J. Miller’s team lost 26 to 30 shots, L. Beale’s team lost 14 to 26 shots and R. James’ team won 21 to 17 shots. Division 3 were home to Fish Creek and won the day 77 to 66 shots: S. Crouch’s

thestar.com.au

team won 36 to 17 shots, A. Lye’s team lost 20 to 27 shots and L. Hanks’ team lost 21 to 22 shots. December 5 round six sees Division 1 at home to San Remo and Division 3 away to Loch and District. Midweek social bowls on November 29 saw all the proceeds for the day donated to the Cancer Council and the only results received

Well done: Trish McCormack (right) won the club singles championship final against Marj Pearson 25-17.

Great bowling: John Hall played Graeme Drury in Leongatha’s club singles championship finals and won 25-18.

Inverloch LAST Wednesday, November 29, was the fifth Wednesday in the month so Inverloch hosted an extra Triples event which was sponsored by Retire

and Wealth Planners Pty Ltd. John Murdica was welcomed as a representative of the company. Forty eight players formed 16 teams to play

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 Point Lonsdale

DECEMBER Time

height (metres)

Add one hour for daylight saving

6 WED

7 THUR

8 FRI

9 SAT

10 SUN

11 MON

12 TUE

0238 0806 1424 2015

1.75 0.62 1.48 0.08

0328 0857 1515 2107

1.79 0.56 1.51 0.08

0415 0945 1604 2158

1.79 0.50 1.52 0.12

0502 1034 1654 2247

1.75 0.46 1.50 0.19

0548 1124 1745 2336

1.69 0.44 1.45 0.29

0635 1215 1845

1.61 0.43 1.39

0024 0723 1306 1955

0.40 1.53 0.43 1.34

All times shown in 24 hour clock 0001 - 1200..................AM 1201 - 2400..................PM

was that Bill Fisher’s team won the day. Saturday pennant saw Division 1 teams away to Fish Creek and lost overall by one shot, 58 to 59 shots: R. Trotman’s team lost 18 to 20 shots, W. Walker’s team lost 14 to 29 shots and J. Hall’s team won 26 to 10 shots. Division 3 were home to Loch and won overall 82 to 61 shots: J. Turner’s team won 25 to 20 shots, J. Pendergast’s team won 29 to 17 shots and G. Drury’s team won 28 to 24 shots. Division 4 travelled to Wonthaggi and lost overall to Wonthaggi Blues, 58 to 97 shots: M. Carnell’s team lost 22 to 32 shots, L. Lancaster’s team lost 14 to 36 shots and G. Vansinderen’s team lost 22 to 29 shots. Round seven sees Division 1 at home to Inverloch Blue, Division 3 away to Inverloch and Division 4 at home to Inverloch. On Sunday the club’s singles champions finals were played and in the ladies final Trish McCormack played Marg Pearson, the final result was Trish defeated Marg 25-17 shots. In the men’s final John Hall played Graeme Drury and the final result was John defeated Graeme 25-18 shots. Until the next report, good bowling - ‘Jackhigh’.

two games of 12 ends and two games of 10 ends of two bowl triples on a very warm afternoon. Only one team managed to win all four games to become the undisputed winners on the day with 66 points. They were Wayne Parks, Guilio Marcolongo and Ron Lawson. Runners up with three games won and 54 points were Gary Hardy, Rick Brevitt and Mal Scott. First game winners with 23 shots up were Jack Miller, Doug Muir and Gavan Butler. Second game winners with 20 shots up were John Sutcliffe, Arthur Moule and John Turner. Third game winners with nine shots up were Doug Archer, Michael Raman and Fred Martin. Fourth game winners with 16 shots up were Mick Yates, Steve Snelling and John Hallas. Friday was the final day of the introduction to bowling program for the local primary school children. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to be in their favour. Due to the approaching end of school year, the club was not able to reschedule their appearance. The club would like to thank Carol Thorn, Terry Seaward and Rob Dowling who championed this program along with many club members who assisted. The program was a success for all involved and the primary school is looking to returning next

Fish Creek WITH a wet and soggy Saturday, the results for Fish Creek Bowls Club were slightly disappointing this week, with Division 1 slipping home by one shot, and Division 5 going down by only two shots. Teams for next week are as follows:Division 1 play Philip Island away - meet at 10.30am for 10.45am bus departure. B. Cooper (S), R. Grylls (TM), Malcolm Heywood, A. Kerr R. Mortlock (S), R. Knight, Milton Heywood, C. McGannon D. Christie (S), N. McKenzie, R Poletti, B O’Keefe Division 5 play Inverloch at Inverloch –meet at 11am. A. Atwell (S), C. Bell, G. Hoskin, J. Laurence J. Lindeman (S), R. Constantine, W. Symmons, M. Angwin R. Barham (S) (Man), P. Dean, P. Poletti, A. Masson Reminders; organised practice for all members is held regularly on Wednesday and Friday afternoons between 4pm and 5pm. Members are invited to hold private pracyear. Last Thursday Social bowls succumbed to the weather. On Thursday, December 7, the club welcomed the South West Gippsland Mid Week Bowl group to Inverloch. If you are interested in bowling, please be at the club no later than 10.30am or put your name on the sheet provided. Play will start at 11am. Saturday Pennant, Round 6, December 2 results: Division 1: Inverloch Blue 66 lost to Phillip Island White 69; Inverloch White 47 lost to Phillip Island Blue 94. Division 3: Inverloch 69 to Foster 45 in a game that was not completed due to weather. Division 4: Inverloch 67 lost to Phillip Island 72. Division 5: Inverloch Blue 61 lost to Meeniyan 87; Inverloch White played Toora. It was washed out after six ends so the points were shared. The Friday night meals Christmas party to be held on December 8 is sold out. The end of the year Christmas party will be held on Sunday, December 17. It will be a sit down catered affair with easy listening entertainment provided. The cost is $22 per person. Start arriving at 6pm for a 6.30pm dinner. It has been decided full payment is required no later than 5pm on Wednes-

In form: Mel Heywood impressed on the bowling green.

In action: Kelvin Flanders takes his shot. tice at any time suitable to them. The ladies monthly meeting to be held at the clubrooms on Wednesday, December 13, if you are planning to attend. This will allow the catering director to provide exact numbers to the caterers. Please write your name(s) on an envelope, enclose your money and place it down the office chute. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, this event is a great way to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. The club wishes to congratulate Frank Seaton and Wayne Park on their achievement in reaching the last 16 of the Over 60’s Men’s Pairs Championship Finals. The finals will be held at Sebastopol Bowls Club on Wednesday, December 13, and Thursday, December 14. It is a 15 end knockout format. They will represent Strzelecki and play Sandbelt against Russell Lawton and Tony Nelson from Burden Park. Good bowling Frank and Wayne.

day, December 3, at 10am and the general committee will meet on Tuesday, December 12, at 7pm. On Sunday, December

Buffalo indoor

changing several times it was a drawn game between Ian Hasty, Joyce Occhipinti, Denyse Menzies and Lyana Ryan and the other team Joe Occhipinti, Glenys Pilkington, Mary Tumino and Carolyn Benson (12 all). Game two saw Ian’s team score a good win over Charlie’s team 155. Joe skippered his team well and scored a win over Toni’s team 13-5. The night’s overall winners were Joe, Glenys, Mary and Carolyn (DW) 12 ends; second Ian, Joyce, Denyse and Lyana (WD) 11 ends; third Toni, Danah, Peter and Stephen (WL) nine ends; and fourth Charlie, Bill and Illene (LL) seven ends. A reminder that Buffalo has its Christmas breakup night on Wednesday, December 13. Anyone wishing to bowl on this night please ring Toni Heldens 5663 6224 or Carolyn Benson 5663 6270 by Tuesday, December 12. Social bowls Wednesday, 7.30pm at the Buffalo hall. All welcome.

ON Wednesday, November 29 bowling at Buffalo this week saw 15 bowlers including Lyana Ryan, a new bowler who did well and enjoyed the night. After sorting out the teams two games of 10 ends were played. In the first game Toni Heldens, Danah Suckling, Peter Tiziani and Stephen Suckling combined well to outbowl Charlie Tumino, Bill Wolswinkel and Illene Tiziani and won 15-6. On the other mat after the 10 ends and the lead

THE mid-November Invitation Fours was sponsored by the green installer Tiger Turf. Winners were locals Max Brown, Russ Thorson and Dudley Harrison with Graham Bradshaw (Korumburra). Runners up were locals Les Godkin, Daryl Sinclair and Peter Williams with Roger Bailment (Korumburra). Best last game went to Peter Shaw’s team. Last Tuesday, midweek

Meeniyan

15, Christmas dinner will be held at the clubrooms – please put you names on the list to facilitate catering. Division 2 was home to San Remo, winning 89 shots to 59 with two rinks up. This week they were away to Lang Lang. This week Saturday pennant was an away game to San Remo for Division 3. Two rinks were up but they went down overall by 14 shots. The week before it was a loss to Korumburra by three shots; so close. Division 5 was away to Inverloch blue winning 87 shots to 61 with two rinks winning and one drawn. The previous week was a home win against Lang 81 shots to 61. Next week both teams are home playing Port Welshpool and Phillip Island. Sunday, December 3, was the final of the men’s novice single played at Meeniyan. From a field of 12, Ben Mattock (Wonthaggi) defeated Rod Olds (San Remo) in a high standard game 21 shots to 13. Wednesday, December 6, is the first day of the ladies State Singles with Thursday, December 7, being the regular monthly triples. Past winners and runners up for the corporate bowls pairs have been K.B. and Linda- Animals and GandT- Mudslides. Coming events include Farmers’ Day on Monday, December 11, and the Christmas break up on Thursday, December 14 –names for catering please. Upshot 2.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 47

| SPORT

thestar.com.au South Gippsland Midweek Bowls Group THIS week, midweek bowls was held at Corinella, under very warm conditions. Winners: Elaine Fitt, Ray Dickie and Geoff Ryan. Runners up: Pauline McWilliams, Peter Sproule Carroll and Charlie Wright. Best one game winners: Sue Wright, Margaret McConville and Phil Wright. A good day was had by all, in spite of the warm conditions. Thank you Carol for providing drinks from the bar. Next week, bowlers will play at Inverloch. If you want good company and a happy day’s bowling, come and join in; everyone is welcome.

South Gippsland Bowls Division Midweek Pennant RESULTS: Round five – November 28. Division 1: San Remo 16/79 (22 shots) defeated Corinella -/57; Port Welshpool.14/66 (7 shots) defeated Foster 2/59; Phillip Island 14/73 (13 shots) defeated Leongatha 2/60; Inverloch 14/81 (26 shots) defeated Wonthaggi 2/55.

Foster............................20-34 Port Welshpool ........... 18-111

• Inverloch parkrun

Division 2: Tarwin Lower 15/72 (18 shots) defeated Toora 1/54; Meeniyan 14/89 (30 shots) defeated San Remo 2/59; Korumburra 16/86 (43shots) defeated Lang Lang -/43; Wonthaggi 14/74(22 shots) defeated Mirboo North 2/52.

Why choose parkrun?

Ladder Korumburra ............64+145 Tarwin Lower ............49+67 Mirboo North ............ 46+11 San Remo ...................44+19 Wonthaggi ....................40-75 Meeniyan......................33-23 Toora ............................22-52 Lang Lang ....................22-92

Division 3: Korumburra 14/61 (5 shots) defeated Loch 2/56; Leongatha 12/77 (11 shots) defeated Fish Creek 4/66; Inverloch (1)16/83(31shots) defeated Inverloch (2)-/52; Phillip Island had the bye (16/-).

Ladder Inverloch (1 ................74+97 Phillip Island............64+104 Korumburra ................45+8 Inverloch (2 ................44 -36 Fish Creek ....................41-34 Leongatha.....................30-45 Loch ............................22-94

Division 4: Phillip Island (White) 14/54 (17 shots) defeated Tarwin Lower -/37; Phillip Island (Blue) 12/59 (28 shots) defeated Inverloch 2/31; Wonthaggi 14/60 (22 shots) defeated Foster -/38.

Ladder

Ladder

Phillip Island..............58+45 Leongatha ..................50+57 Wonthaggi ..................50+24 Inverloch ....................47+37 San Remo ....................45+20 Corinella.......................32-38

Phillip Island (W .......69+62 Phillip Island (B.........44+27 Tarwin Lower ............42+45 Wonthaggi ...................29-20 Inverloch ......................12-68 Foster............................14-46

Goannas play part in Victorian win THE Gippsland Goannas participated at the National Over-60 Championships, held in ACT last week.

The format was that 32 teams from the states, territories and New Zealand were divided into four divisions. Each division was separated into two groups of four and each team in each group played each other during the first three days. The leading team in each group played off for the Division Championship; the other teams played for places three to eight on day four. The Goannas were represented by Ian Southall in the Vic1 team, while Ray Smith was in the Vic2 team, which were both in Division 1. Ian Gibson was the captain of Vic3 in Division 2, and he was joined by Gordon Cowling. Vic1 defeated Tas1, ACT1 and WA1 to win their group, while Vic2 lost narrowly to Qld1, beat NSW1 and SA1, and had the best percentage, to qualify for the final. In the final, Vic1 batted first and made six for 162 from their 45 overs, while Vic2 replied with eight for 160 in a nail biting finish. Southall bowled 26 overs and took three for 63 over the four games, while Smith made a score of 50, and a total of 131 runs for the week, bowled occasionally and took two for 29 against New South Wales and

held four catches. In Division 2, Vic3 won its three group games, scoring a total of 486 runs while losing 21 wickets, then took 30 wickets for 186 runs. NZ1 won the other group and the two played off in the division final. Winning the toss four times, Gibson always chose to bat first. In the final, Vic2 scored eight for 161 against a New Zealand attack led by former test player Ewan Chatfield and first class player Andrew Nuttall. After 15 overs, New Zealand had lost five for 15, but batted out the 45 overs to finish at 7/91. During the week, Gibson, the wicketkeeper, made four stumpings and two run outs but only faced one ball but was number one. Cowling bowled 25 overs and took five for 43, and batted four times for 33 runs. Victorian teams had thus won the Division1 and 2 titles. To complete the week, the Vic4 team drew with the Qld3 team in Division 3 and Vic7 drew with NSW5 in Division 4, as thunder storms washed out their matches. These teams shared the division titles. Add these triumphs to the two titles won in the National Over-70 Championships held in Adelaide three weeks ago, and it might be said that Veterans cricket in this state is in a good place.

By Glenn Sullivan SATURDAY morning is parkrun morning.

I get up nice and early and, this week, check the rainfall radar. It is raining all around but missing the local area. However, the threat of rain kept a lot of people away this week. This week, Neil Green ran his 50th and was presented with the special “50” cape to wear on the course. Steve Forrest was presented with his 50 shirt for running his 50th run last week. This week, there were five runners on the Inverloch course for the first time and all new to parkrun; Suan Adorni, Carol Divey, Chris Jensen as well as John and JJ Bowring. The volunteers were Brooke Jones and Steve Forrest on timing, Megan Hawking on barcodes, Libby Haynes handing out finish tokens, Rebecca King taking photos and Linda Hams as the tail runner. Michelle Harris set herself to break her personal best of 20:19. The beauty of the Inverloch course is that there are three turns so you get to see most other runners three times. It is a great

Off and running: parkrunners took on the Inverloch course on Saturday. social run. Dan Poynton flew along the course with a pram. This was a new personal best for Dan at the end. With the end in sight, Luke Ransom and Trent Hamilton both pushed towards that magical 20 minutes and Michelle was right on track. Trent put in a sprint to the line and equalled his personal best of 20:07. Luke O’Connor got over in 20:10, the fifth

time he has run that time or better in the past two months, and yet the magical 20 eludes him still. Michelle pushed hard for the line and got across in 20:15; a four second personal best. At the front, Shane Buxton had run a nice cruisy 19:12. For the women, Janine Wynen just pipped Fiona Richardson for second place and a six second personal best.

Other personal best runners were Judith Jubb, a four second personal best, Tom Ingamells with a four minute personal best and Riley Harris knocking 19 seconds off his previous run at Inverloch. At 8:58 am, the final walkers crossed the line and then the volunteers and stragglers help to pack up. So what is parkrun all about and why do we get up every Saturday morn-

ing to do it? I can’t speak for everyone but, for me, it is all about catching up with my extended parkrun family; a chat, a run, more chatting and then a treat at the bakery while we chat some more. On that note, there will be more opportunity to catch up with the parkrun family at the Christmas barbecue at the stump on December 17. See you all next Saturday at the stump.

• Koonwarra parkrun

Tough conditions for parkrun WHEN the going gets tough, the tough get going.

The threat of significant rainfall may have kept many hiding under their bedcovers, but for those who attended Koonwarra parkrun on Saturday the rewards were plentiful. In spite of dire warnings, the event proceeded rain free. Excellent conditions for a personal best were the silver lining and sure enough, more than half the participants achieved a personal best; that’s 25 personal bests from 49 participants. This week, the first six finishers were all female. Congratulations to front runner Jemima Geitz (20:17, a new personal best and this week’s top age grade score) followed by Sarah Lewis (21:22), Georgia Burns (22:15, a new course personal best), Jane Harrison (23:33), Jodie Arnup (26:31, a new personal best) and Tess Sweeney (26:50). The first two male finishers were Peter Rose (28:01) and Leo Argento (28:03) also achieved a personal best followed

First: Jemma Geitz was the first parkrunner over the line in Koonwarra on Saturday, achieving a personal best and the week’s top age grade score. shortly after by Stephen Hannon (28:26). Congratulations also to the following who achieved a personal best: Sue Dutton, Lisa Riley, Fiona Dalgleish, Ebony Knox, Alisha Hemming, Sarah Knox, Bob Hickman, Deb Gannon, Jan Leslie, Helen Wyhoon, Garry Knox, Yvonne Evans, Karen Argento, Penny Johnson, Lynette McCarthy, Heidi Greenwood,

Kylie Burns, Helen Mills, Keren Hannon and Charli Burns. Two first timers were welcomed this week also. Kudos to Jolyon Dutton and Emma Grabham for giving parkrun a go during such a woeful weather forecast. The people who make this event happen, the volunteers, deserve a special note of gratitude this week. Had the rain fallen,

they would have been standing in it for over an hour and yet they all showed up with cheery faces, undaunted. Thanks to Bill Barry (timer), Paige Barry (finish tokens), James Barry (timer), Lynden Costin (run director), Sharon Reid (photographer), Cindy Smith (barcode scanner), Amy White (tail walker) and also to Lisa Riley who surveyed the course

pre-event for hazards and the esteemed event director Ebony Knox who cancelled her plans to respond if weather conditions worsened. Thanks also goes to Sophie Dixon and Penni Ellicot of South Gippsland Shire Council for their risk assessment guidance. Full event results are available on our webpage www.parkrun.com.au/ koonwarra.

PAGE 48 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

SPORT | GOLF Leongatha SATURDAY turned out to be a beautiful day for golf after the heavy rains of Friday.

The course had absorbed the rain well and was in great condition with the greens, although slow, recovering well from the recent coring.

Winners: Lianne Adamson won B Grade, Else Gedye had a win in C Grade and A Grade went to Trish Owen at the Leongatha Golf Club.

Leongatha ladies IT was a busy day last week with the annual presentations to the high achievers following the 18 hole Stableford event. Marg Raynor generously

sponsored all three grade prizes while the raffle was provided by Debbie Miller. The refreshments provided by Colleen Touzel and the women’s committee, after the presentation day proceedings,

thestar.com.au Best score of the day was produced by Ray Burton with a net 65 to win the Monthly Medal, the Overall and B Grade events. A Grade was won by were welcomed by the players. There were mixed results; some players enjoying the sandy and slightly furry greens while others experiencing difficulty. It will only be a short time before the greens are back into pristine condition after the recent coring. Recently appointed vice captain Sue Bowler capably announced the winners in their respective grades. A Grade was won by Trish Owen with 36 points on a count back from Joc Howson. Lianne Adamson had an excellent 40 points to take out B Grade and another great score from Else Gedye this week gave her a win in C Grade with 37 points.. Down the line balls were awarded to the following: Libby Seebeck 38, Marg Griffiths 37, Joc Howson and

Well done: runners up Sue Hoskin and Di O’Connor with winners Inge Giliam and Janet Thompson.

Woorayl ladies IT was a warm welcome in more ways than one for the ladies of Meeniyan Golf club on Wednesday, November 29, as they arrived for the annual Social Day at Woorayl. The warm morning alluded to a very hot day that reached well over the 30 degree mark. The format of play was

Korumburra ladies THE week saw extremes in weather conditions; from a very hot day on Wednesday to wet weather putting a ‘dampener’ on the rest of the Summer Tournament. Last Wednesday, 24 women played in the Stableford round and it was wonderful to have a visitor from Morwell enter the event. Thanks to the greenkeepers and the volunteers who worked hard to have the course in immaculate condition. Chris Rickard (24) was the A Grade (0-30) winner with 37 points and Lynette McIvor (22) was a close second, with 36 points.

4BBB Stableford with drawn partners. Woorayl Club captain Heather Sullivan welcomed the 24 ladies and advised that carts had been arranged enabling all players to ‘ride’ due to the weather conditions – this was very much appreciated and thanks goes to all those who helped out with carts. The greens had been light-

ly mowed after having been sanded last week so putting still required allowances for a slower surface. The dry conditions have certainly helped with the return of plenty of ‘run’ on the course. Highlights of the day included a number of gobblers and of note was the five ‘pointer’ on the eighth by Lois

B Grade (31-45) was won by Jenny Blackmore, with a very nice 39 points, with Betty Thomson (38) the runnerup, with 36 points. NTP winners were Betty Thomson first and Joan Wardle, on the 13th. BDL went to Pam Eyers, 35 points, Heather Grist and Corrie George, 34 points, Marg Harper, 33 points, Joan Peters, Betty Yann and Jan Hewitt, all with 31 points. Lucky card draws were won by Heather Grist and Kath Welsh. A timesheet is located in the clubhouse for people to add their names for next Wednesday’s Stableford competition. Presentations for the year’s minor trophies will take place after golf, with

committee members providing afternoon tea. The wet weather caused Friday’s Shirley Johnson Memorial 4BBB to be cancelled. Many visitors and locals were very disappointed to miss this special event, especially when the course was in top condition, but it was the right decision given the warnings by authorities. The club appreciates the many people who patronised Sunday’s Mixed Canadian Stableford/Stroke event. It appeared the weather was going to be fine but the showers were intermittent and the wind cold at times. Of course, it all cleared up near the end of play. The club extends much appreciation to Djinta

Achievement: Jenny Blackmore and Chris Rickard were very happy to receive the trophies donated by PharmaSave, Korumburra Pharmacy, and Natio, when they were the grade winners last Wednesday.

Young and Heather Poletti chipping in from 40 metres out on the 6th for a birdie. It was congratulations to the pairing of Janet Thompson and Inge Giliam as winners with a fabulous score of 49 points coming in as runners up with 44 points were Sue Hoskin and Di O’Connor on a countback from Marg Tuckett and Susan Straw. DTL balls: Marg Tuckett and Susan Straw 44 points, and Tanya Thorson and Lois Young 43 points. NTP: eighth Alice Campbell, 11th Anne Grist and 17th Gail Browne. The day was fun, bright and an enjoyable one of golf and friendship and a shared lunch followed play. A reminder the Christmas counter teas (from 6pm) and lucky draws are on this Thursday, December 7, at the club – all welcome. This week: Monthly Medal.

Murchie, Aaron Rigby, Grant McRitchie, Bryan McCorkell, Bryan Roylance, Craig Hams, Chris Leaver, Jon Smith, Peter Hartigan, John Payne and Alexander Hill. NTPs were Bruce Cathie on the 14th hole and Steve Fisher on the 16th, whilst Bryan McCorkell received 12 balls for a great eagle two on the par four third hole. On Tuesday, November 29, a small field of 13 teams contested a Four Person Gentsomes Stableford event with the team of Bert Borg, Ken Smirk, Bill Warren and John Thornton amassing 107 points to take the honours, by count back, ahead of the team of Peter Horman, Neale Gillin, Brian Fennessy and Doug Clemann, who each received a ball. Other ball winners were the teams of Col Martin, Peter Waters, Will Norden and Bob Smith, Fred de Bondt, Ted Bruinewoud, Neil Mackenzie and Chris Leaver and Jon Smith, Colin Bear, Jim Arnott and Joe Lowell. NTP’s were Peter Buttinger on the 14th hole and Neil Mackenzie on the 16th. Thursday was a very hot day as was the golf produced by Andrew Smith. Andrew had a scorching round of 76 off the stick which off his handicap of 15, meant a net 61, or a remarkable round of 45 stableford points to win the A Grade and Overall by four points. Andrew almost topped the day off with a near ace on the 16th to finish only 79cm away and be NTP there. Ron Findlay took the other nearest the pin on the 14th hole. B Grade was taken out by John Moor with 40 points and Bob Smith took C Grade with 41 points by count back from Brian Fennessy who received a ball. Other ball winners were Peter Horman, George Misson, Ron Findlay, Joe Lowell, Greg Ellt, Neale Gillin, Barry Day, Keith Finney, Peter Walsh, Mick Oliver, Ian Nunn, Geoff Marsh, Geoff McDonald, Doug Clemann, Wayne Keen, Alan Sperling, Ron Griffett, Grant McRitchie and Bryan McCorkell.

Djinta Winery and the Korumburra Newsagency for their support in sponsoring the day’s event. Well done to Chris and Lee Clements, who, with 80 shots, were the Scratch score winners. Bill Hessels and Heather Grist won the A Grade handicap trophy on a c/b, with 35 points. Steve Rose and Marg Harper were the B Grade handicap winners, with 36 points. Best nine holes in A Grade, on a c/b, were Mat and Deb Wrigley and Laurie and Sandra Webster won the best nine in B Grade. The visitor’s trophy went to Phil Wilshire and Marg Morgan from Morwell, who

had a Scratch score of 81. NTPs went to Barb Twite and Peter Cosson on the first, Nathan Wardle on the seventh and Heather Grist and Tim O’Neill on the 13th. BDL winners were Shane McKierman/Toni West, Pat Tranter/Betty Thomson, Peter Van Agtmaal/ Lynette McIvor and Peter/Merrissa Cosson. There are many ‘behind the scenes’ tasks to enable each day to run smoothly and much gratitude is extended to all who assisted through the tournament. Thirty eight people enjoyed twilight golf last Thursday evening. It is fantastic to have the regular players and newcomers coming along each week.

Jarrod Brusamarello with net 66 and Stuart Wigney took out C Grade in a countback with net 68. Balls were awarded to Ian Vicki Milner 36, Sue Bowler, Louise Schache, Wendy Parker and Glenyce McRobert 35 and Marea Maher and Anne Gibson 34 points. The nearest to the pins on the 14th and 16th were Joc Howson and Colleen Touzel. Second shot nearest the pins on the same holes were Pat West and Karen Orford. Chris Lay amassed 24 points in the nine hole competition and was well clear of the down the line ball winners of Karen Murchie 18 and event sponsor for the day, Marg Raynor 17 points. Don’t forget the Christmas lunch on December 13. All past members and wives of members are more than welcome to come along. The theme is “Baubles”. Contact the club or Colleen Touzel for further information.

Great team: Lee and Chris Clements were the Mixed Canadian Scratch score winners on Sunday, at Korumburra, and are pictured with their Djinta Djinta Winery trophies.

Sunday nine hole competition: The weather was not the best for the December round but the stalwarts played and there some very good scores. Lianne Adamson, with a gross score of 51, won the ladies best gross and Karen Murchie with 56 – 22 – 34 won the best net. Ian Murchie with 40 strokes won the men’s best gross and Frank Smedley won the best net with 42- 13- 29. Ted Bruinewoud was the NTP winner. Today’s winning teams were: 1. 7-UP; 2. Rule 35; 3. Rule 35-1; =3. The Grasshoppers. The trophy winner for this round was the Rule 35 team. The next round will be played on Sunday, January 7. Thank you to sponsors Kevin and Deborah Scott of The South Gippsland Kennels and Cattery.

Woorayl THE weather forecast scared many players away on Saturday, so a smaller than usual field took to the course to try their luck. The rain stayed away and some good scores were recorded. Trophies for the event were generously provided by Leongatha Car Detailing that went above and beyond expectations to lay out a table full of prizes for the lucky winners. The A Grade winner was the ever consistent and reigning Senior Club Champion, Rob Gourlay who compiled a steady 40 points. Peter Rayson claimed the runnerup prize with a slightly less spectacular score of 33 points. Ed Poole took out B Grade with the score of the day, 41 points, edging out the unlucky Geoff McKinnon who put together a solid 40 points. Alistair Hillis picked up the trophy in C Grade with a great 40 points with John Hassett in second place, just two points back with 38. Balls down the line were generously provided by the sponsor to everyone in the field. Nearest the pin on the eighth was the super accurate Michael New Korumburra residents Alison and Doug Grewcock had a good win, with 19 points for the seven holes. Runners up were Jean White and Greg Jones, with 18 points on a c/b from Pam and Bill Eyers. NTPs went to Trudy Olden and Geoff Nelson on the 13th. Please note Twilight golf will be held on Wednesday, December 6, this week, as there is a function in the clubrooms on Thursday, December 7. The Trade Golf Day is Friday, December 22, and can be an ideal end of year activity for groups. Please contact David on 0408 515 622 for more information.

B Grade duo: the Mixed Canadian B Grade Handicap event at Korumburra was won by Steve Rose and Marg Harper.

Grist and on the 17th club veteran Ivor McLennan fired in a ripper to take the prize. The encouragement award went to Brian Hogan with 25 points. Craig Hall’s syndicate” won the ball raffle. Next week is a fourball aggregate stableford event, so grab a partner and come down for a hit. Don’t forget the Christmas raffles are on with lots of hams for prizes on offer this Thursday and next Thursday nights. Come one and all and bring a friend. Everyone is welcome, bar opens at 5pm, meals are available and draws start at 7pm.

Korumburra Tournament results Saturday, December 2 Men’s stroke: 27 holes scratch Tim O’Neill 75-38, 113; 27 holes h’cap Brian Clasby 6834, 102. 18 holes h’cap Jake Wrigley 70, 18 holes only Peter Hornibrook 66. 9 holes A h’cap Neil Spargo 33½. Nearest the pin: 1st D. Van Rooye, 7th I. Balfour, 10th J. Stein, 13th J. Wrigley. Balls: D. Hislop 69, J. Stein 69, C. Clements 71, D. Van Rooye 71, I. Cash 72, I. Balfour 72, G. Wilson 72, M. Garnham 72. Sunday, December 3 Mixed Canadian stroke/ stableford: 18 holes scratch C. Clements, L. Clements 80. 18 holes A h’cap B. Hessels, H. Grist 35 pts countback; 18 holes B h’cap S. Rose, M. Harper 36 pts. 9 holes A h’cap M. Wrigley, D. Wrigley countback S. McKierman, T. West 19 pts; 9 holes B L. Webster, S. Webster 18 pts. 18 holes visitors P. Wilshire, M. Morgan 33 pts. Nearest the pin: 1st (m) P. Cosson, (w) B. Twite, 7th (m) N. Wardle, 13th (m) T. O’Neill, (w) H. Grist. Balls: S. McKierman, T. West 33; R. Vanagtmaal, L. McIvor 34; P. Tranta, B. Thompson; P. Cosson, M. Cosson 29.

Mirboo North ladies RESULTS from November 29: Sponsor: Walter and Eliza Hall. Winner: Freda Nair plus 6. Runner up: Chris Gunn plus 4. DTL: Maree Thompson plus 3; Wendy Gervasi plus 2; Lynne Winderlick minus 1. NTP: sixth Wendy Gervasi and 13th Maree Thompson. Nine hole competition: Leanne Pennycuick 18 points.

Foster WEEKLY golf results: Tuesday: November 28 – par. Winner: T. Johnson +4. NTP: sixth N. Thompson and 13th P. Dight. DTL: D. Hutchinson +2, F. Tyers Sq, and R. Smith Sq. Wednesday, November 29 – par. June Eddy Trophy: Winner: A: B. Warren +2. B: D. Berryman Sq. NTP: sixth F. McGlead and 17th B. Warren. DTL: M. Barham -1and M. Symmons -2. Nine hole: M. Symmons +1. Thursday, November 30 – Stableford Winner: R. Fulton. NTP: sixth F. Tyers and 17th J. Mathers. DTL: J. Mathers. Friday, December 1 –Chook Run. No play. Saturday, December 2 –Stableford. No play. The club would like to thank this week’s sponsor June Eddy. The course is playing well after the big wet.

“THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - PAGE 49

| SPORT

thestar.com.au

Tuesday winner: Peter Gornall won the Single Stableford event at Meeniyan Golf Club.

Meeniyan THERE was perfect weather on Tuesday and a good field came out to play, with Peter Gornall backing up from last weeks’ good scoring and carding an excellent 41 points to take the win clearly by three shots to Frank Peile. Thursday and Saturday were Daryle Gregg’s days

with Daryle scoring 39 points on a very warm Thursday to win, and then backing up on Saturday’s heavier course following the rain, to take the B Grade win and monthly medal with a magnificent 68 net score, three shots clear of Bob McLeay, and back to his better game Bruce Betts, both with 71 net. Neil Park and Col Graeme were not far from the mark with 72 and 73 net respectively. Congratulations to Daryle on a good week of golf. With all board events now completed, presentations will take place next Saturday at the clubhouse following the Saturday’s competition. On Sunday, December 10, the four person Ambrose will take place with players welcome from all clubs. Please ring the clubhouse to put in your names or a team. Members and the general public are invited to come along to the club on Friday, December 15, for the annual Meeniyan Golf Club Christmas party with Santa coming for the children.

Normal twilight will start from 3.30pm and meals from Kara’s kitchen from 6pm. Week’s results: Tuesday, November 28: Single Stableford. Winner: Peter Gornall (23) 41 points. Runner up: Frank Peile (35) 38 points. Nearest the pin: second Lloyd Redpath and 11th Rob Gourlay. Best nine: Bo Fiek, 21 points. Thursday, November 30: Single Stableford. Winner: Daryle Gregg (22) 39 points. Runner up: Bob McGeary (12) 37 points. Nearest the pin: 14th Bob McGeary. Saturday, December 2: Stroke, Monthly Medal. Sponsor: Col Olden and the club thanks Col sincerely for his generosity and support. Winners: A Grade: Bob McGeary (12) 71 net. B Grade and Medal: Daryle Gregg (22) 68 net.

Great week: the most consistent golfer and Monthly Medal winner was Daryle Gregg. Down the line: Bruce Betts (27) 71 net; Neil Park (23) 72 net, and Col Graeme (14) 73 net. Putting: Bob McGeary27 puts. Pro pin: Mat Vanboven. Nearest the pin: 14th Daryle Gregg. Members draw: Alex Caincross, jackpot to next week.

Hamiltons take home awards

Enjoyable day: the Woorayl/Meeniyan Invitational Day was a resounding success.

Meeniyan ladies THE Meeniyan ladies received a warm welcome from Woorayl ladies at their annual ‘Invitational Day’. Carts were able to be used by everyone and were most welcome in the extra warm conditions.

They played a four ball event with a Meeniyan lady paired with a Woorayl lady whenever possible. The winner was a pair of Woorayl girls who had a great day scoring 49 points to blitz the field. Inge Gilliam and Janet Thompson received

the major prize. Runners up were Sue Hoskin and Di O’Connor with a good score of 44 points. Nearest the pins included Ann Grist and Gail Brown. A lovely day was had by all.

RESULTS of South Gippsland Field and Game Christmas shoot held on Sunday, December 3, at Korumburra Gun Club’s ground.

The weather was wet. Forty four shooters enjoyed a 50 Target Novelty event consisting of a medley of 25 targets on the skeet ground and 25 targets continental points, which are disciplines which are somewhat different to simulated field. It was great to catch up with other club members as this is the first event held since leaving the ground at Hallston. The Leith Johnson Memorial Junior Trophy for 2017 was won by Hayden Hamilton and the South Gippsland Field and Game Junior encouragement award was presented to Lilly Hamilton. High gun for the day was A. McDonald with a score of 63. The other place getters are as follows. AA: R. Passarin 61. A: A. McDonald 63, J. Stockdale 59, S. Grattan

Fantastic round: the winner of A Grade was Dianne Grimmond, B Grade was won by Marg Ryan, C Grade went to Susan Jagoe, and the Star Medallist was Anne Tschiderer.

Wonthaggi ladies Young guns: Hayden Hamilton was the winner of the Leith Johnson Memorial Junior trophy and Lilly Hamilton was the winner of the encouragement award. 57. B: R. Hemphill 53, D. Hemming 50, G. Cooper 50. C: T. Stockdale 47, A. Thomas 39, R. Chadwick 38. Vets: J. Spinks 47, G. Hart 46, J. Robbins 44.

Ladies: K. Matthies 48, L. Hamilton 41, B. Hart 31. Juniors: J. Movchan 54, J. Lieshout 50, R. Bradley 49. The club is still looking for a ground to relocate to; if you have any ideas

please contact Paul Knox 0428 592 248. The next committee meeting is at 7.30 pm on January 9 at the Apex shed, Watson Road, Leongatha. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe new year.

THERE were two events played on Wednesday by the 27 players as the stroke round incorporated the fight for the Medallist of Medals between seven players present who had won the monthly medals in the preceding months in 2017. An early start helped the field to be finished before the heat became unbearable

but at presentations the “hot hot” round of the day was applauded by all as Di Grimmond’s 82 (16) 65 round was announced as the A Grade winner. Another sizzling round was played by Margie Ryan 92 (24) 68. C Grade was won by Susan Jagoe with 109 (35) 74. The Medallist of Medals was won by Anne Tschiderer 90 (17) 73.

Birdies were made by Di Grimmond (fifth), Anne Tschiderer (first) and Anne Walker (first). Pro pin on eighth was Delores Harvey. BDL was awarded to Jan Jeeves 71, Anne Tschiderer 73, Jan Beaumont 73, Robyn Wilkinson 75, Irene Walsh 75, Sev Piasente 76, Geraldine Prentice 76, Marg Johnson 77, and Delores Harvey 77.

• Wonthaggi Table Tennis

South Gippsland Bridge Club Veterans

RESULTS from last week:

The club held its new Summer Championships at Meeniyan on Monday, November 27. This was an evening event held over two weeks with the scores amalgamated. The two very experienced and well travelled players in Jean Barbour and Greg Nicholson came home with the outstanding combined score of 65.63 percent, well ahead of all other contenders. Second with a very strong 53.39 percent was the steady pair of Faye Rowlands and Frank Arndt. Third with a very sound 52.72 percent were Margaret

Munro and Margaret Smith. The club looks forward to seeing this event grow in the future. Tuesday, November 28, at Tarwin Lower – pairs’ event. North/South First with the excellent score of 56.85 percent was the well established and skilled pair of Wendy and David Saleeba. They were closely followed with less than one point behind with 56.55 percent were Kathryn Smith and Colin Cameron. Viv Westaway and Philip Chapman came home in third with 52.68 percent. East/West First with the outstanding score of 61.90 percent was the increasingly strong pair

of Hannah Martin and Maureen Stiles. Equal second with a solid 55.06 percent were Margaret Smith and Margaret Munro, and June Metcalf and John Cocking. Friday, December 1, at Inverloch – pairs’ competition. North/South First with the outstanding score of 70.14 percent were Anne and Bruce Gibson; two of the most talented players. Second with a very sound 60.42 percent were the well established pair of Kathy Geyer and Mary McCaughan. Third with 52.43 percent were Deb Anglim and Jack Kuiper. East/West First with a strong 57.44 percent was the up and com-

ing pair of Marie Sands and Ken McKenzie. Second with a close 56.55 percent were the very experienced pair of John Sutton and Alan Johnston. Third with 55.36 percent was the ever consistent pair of Dawn Jolly and Ruth Stevenson. The club welcomed back the successful GNOT representative for the Eastern Region. Dina Drury, Richard Moss, Jack Kuiper, Clive Hope and Susan Ruffin acquitted themselves well in the fierce National Field in Tweed Heads. Please check the website for coming events. Visitors are always welcome.

head to states

WONTHAGGI Table Tennis Association veterans were in the top four for state team points. With the latest allocation of state team points in qualifying tournaments for Nationals selection, five Wonthaggi table tennis veterans are prominent. Mick Wright, Michael Ede and Dirk Holwerda are in the top four Over 65. Mick and Michael are

the top two for Over 70. Averil Roberts and Patricia Denier are in the top four Over 65 ladies. The 2018 Australian Veteran Championships will be held in Bendigo and state selection will be very competitive for Victorian players. Locally: Monday night round robin results; Group one was won outright by Leanne Costello with four wins.

Group two was a tie between three players, Tanja Kahl, Levi Clarke and Mitch Stivic. Jack Duff won his group with four wins and no losses. Everyone is welcome to join in on Monday nights, 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Thursday 11am to 1pm social table tennis has been getting a good turn up of players.

PAGE 50 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

SPORT |

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thestar.com.au

An exciting finish for p b p p

B Men: back, Mrs Carter’s Old Boys Tim Pedlow, Ben Croatto, Josh Gowers, Glenn Markley, Nathan Johnston, Josh Allen, Brad Allen, Adam Johnston and Travis Bruce defeated the Honey Badgers, front, Josh McGannon, Joel Norton, Tyler Bentick, Adrian Ballagh and Harrison Marshall. The most valuable player was Nathan Johnston.

A Men: back, the Rollers Joel Langstaff, Morgan Fisher, Stewart Bentley, Cody Hulshof, Dexter Rodwell, Clint Hulshof, Ben Kay and Brock Thomson were runners up to Flint Michigan Tropics, front, Dylan Muir, Ash Zuidema, Luke Zuidema, Locke Degaris, Harrison Smith and Nathan Foote. The most valuable player was Dylan Muir.

U17 boys: back, Blue won the grand final featuring Haihan Zheng, Corey Dunn, Ryan Giliam, Adrian Ballagh, Jacob Friend, Charlie Adkins and coach Geof Forrester. The runner up was White with coach Melissa Hume, Campbell Riseley, Rhys Lindsey, Jack Hume, Haidyn Kewming and Liam Johnston. The most valuable player was Jack Hume.

U14 girls: back, the premiers were Silver with coach Brett McKenzie, Zara McKenzie, Ayla Lafferty, Ashlee Jones, Georgia Challis, Chloe Pollard, Mia Bellingham and Yasmin Duursma. Front, the runner up was Yellow including Alannah Reid, Madeline Herbert, Felicity Fox, Lily Hume, Katelyn Harris, Jade Kenny, Jennifer Moss and coach Melissa Hume. The most valuable player was Yasmin Duursma.

b

U12 girls: back, the premiers were the Black team including Ruby Mackie, Bella Mackie, Hannah Hogarth, Chloe Challis, Ashlyn Mathison and Sophie Kreutzberger and coach Marcus Kreutzberger. Front, Light Blue was the runner up including coach Brad Heber, Alice Hutchinson, Remy Jans, Molly Heber, Lucy Heber, Eleanor Pedlow and Lily Francis. The most valuable player was Molly Heber.

U10 girls: back, premiers were the Green team featuring Neka McKenzie, Shari Harris, Rhianna Gray, Alana Donchi, Georgia Hutchinson, Daisy Soumalis and coach Lily Hume. Front, Yellow was the runner up with coach Zac Chalmers, Asha Chalmers, Evie Cocksedge, Lily Gowers, Gemma Meadley, Anna Hutchinson, Emily Webb and Lara Landry. p

U14 boys: White team Jack Wightman, Tyson Bolam, Mitchell McGannon, Ben Hanrahan, Will Croatto, Tyler Richards, Eddie Colwill and coach Linda Richards were the runners up. The premiers were Red, featuring coach Noah Clark (filling in for Jack Dunn), Aaron Duckworth, Angus Kemper, Finn Dunn, Jake Matheson, Zane Duursma, Cooper Rickard and Josh Smith. Angus Kemper was the most valuable players.

Great program: Mini 8s had 30 children attend a six week of intensive skills and matchb play simulation on a Friday night. It was organised by Joel Langstaff, and assisted by junior coaches. Pictured are some of the children who attended and Joel Langstaff.

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Leongatha basketball LEONGATHA Basketball Association produced some nail biters in the grand finals played recently. The U12 girls’ final was particularly thrilling with the Black team winning the premiership by a point on the siren. Other games saw similar results. It was a great season for the association, with more numbers registering. The association is now looking forward to the next season, which will kick off around February.

Honoured: Senior Referee of the Year 2017 Cathy Govers with Junior Referee of the Year Matt Moss.

U17 girls: the winners were Black, back, Jessica Geary, Charli Fixter, Jasmin Mackie, Ella Lyons, Belle GrabhamAndrews, Kiarra Walsh and coach Ben Grabham. The runners up were coach Mandy Giliam (back left) and, front from left, Samantha Schnoor, Brooke Johnstone, BriennaLee Lavis, Stacey Giliam, Katie Calder, and Mikayla Pedley. The most valuable player was Ella Lyons.

Happy winners: Brendan and Klayton McGrath took home the grand final raffle full of goodies.

U12 boys: back from the left, the premiers were the Black team including coach Bree Littlejohn, Cameron Bruce, Liam Nielsen, Connor Richards, Rem DalPozzo, Kyle Littlejohn, Harrison Ferguson, and Indie Cameron. Front from left, runner up Green coach Troy Williams with his team Archie Fixter, Ethan Smith, Aydan Williams, Klayton McGrath, Julian Callaghan, Hugh Livingstone, and Connor O’Loughlin. The most valuable player was Green’s Aydan Williams.

Opportunity: Lily Hume is heading to Albury in January with the Vic Country state team to compete in the Australian Junior Country Basketball Cup (AJCBC). They will play teams from all other states of Australia and New Zealand. Leongatha Basketball Association is very proud of Lily’s achievements and wishes her the best of luck.

U10 boys: back from left, the premiers were the Maroon team Aaron Bruce, Will Campbell, Sam Johnson, Jack McNaughton, Josh Popple, Hamish Gill and coach Amanda Campbell. Front from left, the runner up was the Gold team featuring coach Matt Holt, Beau Elkin, Indie Cameron, Bede Challis, Cohen Harrison, Judd Holt, Jacoa Cameron, Noah Cameron.

• Meeniyan Junior Basketball

Junior basketballers enjoy thrilling finals MEENIYAN Junior Basketball concluded on Friday, November 24, with some exciting grand finals being played.

A big thank you goes to all coaches, scorers, players and committee throughout the season. Section 2: It started off with a fun round of games against each team. In what was a warm night, all players showed they have learnt so

much throughout the season and have shown great improvement. Big thanks go to the coaches. All children were presented with a medallion for their efforts throughout the season. Section 3: Silver 21 defeated Red 12 (MVP Juan Lacanaria). This game was exciting from the start. In what was a low scoring first half the teams played great defence and were desperate, causing many turnovers.

Fun day: back, Section 2 players Sienna, Farrah, Tahlia, Angus, Jai, Sienna, Anthony, Angel, Charlie, front, Teagan, Caitlyn, Conor, Nathan, Archer, Macen, Lenny, Kelsey and Olivia enjoyed the last day of junior basketball in Meeniyan.

At half time, Silver was only up by two points but both teams had even contributors with Burke, Ava and Brayden scoring for Red, and Juan, Harry, Chelsea and Lachlan scoring for Silver. In the second half it was still even until the nine minute mark, when Lachlan (Silver) was able to score some valuable shots. Red never gave up but it was Silver that had some great steals from Juan to get over the line. A well played grand final by all players showing great determination and

sportsmanship. Section 4 Yellow 39 defeated Tan 36 (MVP Stuart Bright). Yellow got off to a great start in this grand final with some great team play from Stuart Bright and Harry Vanderzalm. Yellow was up by as much as 17 in the first half and Tan had no answers. Tan seemed to be struggling to score but hung in there and never looked totally out of the game.

Section 4: back, runners up Aaron Farrell, John Phillips, Adrian Ballagh, Riley Drysdale, Elly Jones, Gemma Drysdale, and Lee Ballagh (coach) with premiers, front, Gene Vanderzalm (coach), Flynn Moore, Will Hibberson, Harry Vanderzalm, Stuart Bright and Angus Wright. Absent: Ben Mackie (Yellow) and Leasa Allcorn (joint coach Tan).

The second half looked like Yellow was going to run away as easy winner but after Tan had a time out it regathered focus and things started to go its way. With some catch up basketball to be had John Phillips and Elly Jones led the charge and started to hit the scoreboard and hit the lead within the last minute. With a great intercept by Stuart Bright and a couple of quick goals Yellow held on to win in an exciting game of basketball.

Section 3: back, runners up Gene Vanderzalm (coach), Brayden Sellings, Brody McNaughton, Sharni Campbell, Burke Vanderzalm, Ava Lord, Erik Webster and Mack Gorman with premiers, front, Harry Vanderzalm, Ben Hibberson, Lachlan Hibberson, Juan Lacanaria, Charlie Robertson, Chelsea Elliott, and Leo Lacanaria (stand in coach). Absent: Colleen Herbert (coach).

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Wonthaggi competes in human powered vehicle event WONTHAGGI Secondary College’s human powered vehicle took part in an exciting weekend at the RACV Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough recently.

Throughout the year, the team contributed to building the bike, with 95 percent of the bike assembled from scratch. This was an activity in engineering, and included an element of practical skill to the science, technol-

ogy, engineering and math skills taught in the classroom. The team travelled up in convoy, accompanied by volunteer cooks and medical assistant Deb, Emily and Louise Parkes. There was no fancy accommodation once the team arrived and the weekend involved four nights of camping. On Friday, November 24, the team presented the vehicle for scrutineering, where the team was quizzed on the technical and safety aspects of the vehicle. This was then followed by the group presentation

on all aspects of racing including the vehicle, rider and racing protocols. The race itself was a 24 hour event from Saturday 1pm until Sunday 1pm. Riders were to ride and rest throughout. Maryborough showed it could provide four seasons in one day; it was hot in the morning, but luckily the heat broke before the race started, and then the skies opened with rain overnight before clearing in the morning to a sunny day. The team raced well, placing seventh in its category.

Team effort: the Wonthaggi Secondary College human powered vehicle team presented its vehicle at the RACV Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough recently. The team included Tyson Elmore, Nate Bateman, Thomas Fokkens, Alex Dunbar, Lauren Sullivan, Amy Bowler, Race on: Wonthaggi Secondary College participated in the RACV Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough recently. Helen Parkes and Jaidyn Battista.

New president, coach at Tigerland STEVEN Rogers, Mirboo North’s long serving footballer, committeeman and life member, was elected president of Mirboo North Football Netball Club at its annual general meeting on November 27. The triple Mirboo North premiership representative and current 478 club game player replaces Paul Pratt, who didn’t seek reelection after five successful years at the helm of the mighty Tigers. Mr Pratt began his outgoing presidential address by highlighting Mirboo North’s heroic Senior premiership victory over arch rival Yinnar in this season’s Mid Gippsland grand final. Mr Pratt saluted playing coach Clancy Bennett for his inspiring leadership, loyalty to the playing group and vision, where he never gave up, believing the Tigers could win the 2017 flag. Mr Pratt also acknowledged the excellent work of his committee and all volunteers at the club, which he

Leongatha District Cricket Association

Umpire Appointments EVANS PETROLEUM Round 7 - December 2 & 9 Home team

Away Team

Ground

Umpire

v v v v

Town Korumburra Won Club Phillip Island

Bass 1 Glen Alvie OMK Inv Turf

A. Stride G. Laird T. Rogers G. Goss

Grade A2 Won Miners Koon L/RSL Poowong Loch Nerrena

v v v v

Foster MDU Imperials Bye

WFG Leon Turf Loch

L. White C. Salmon M. Heenan

Grade B1 Town MDU Won Club Phillip Island

v v v v

Kilcunda Bass Koon L/RSL OMK Nerrena

SP 1 Meeniyan McMahon Cowes

A. Jordan I. Richards J. Schelling N. Grabham

Grade B2 Imperials Glen Alvie Korumburra Foster

v v v v

Poowong Loch Inverloch Won Miners Bye

E Campus K. Scrimshaw Dalyston N. Barnes Kor Rec I. Thomas

Grade C1 MDU Nerrena Inverloch Korumburra

v v v v

Town Won Club OMK Phillip Island

Dumbalk Nerrena IFG KSC

TBA G. Wyatt B. Bek V. Baskerville

Grade C2 OMK Phillip Island Koon L/RSL Kilcunda Bass

v v v v

Korumburra Glen Alvie Won Club Poowong Loch

Digger Pk Rhyll Koonwarra Bass 2

L. O’Brien TBA TBA TBA

Grade A1 Kilcunda Bass Glen Alvie OMK Inverloch

If any player from teams having the bye would like to umpire this round call Geoff Wyatt on 0413 081 136 * All grounds subject to availability of turf pitches

described as welcoming, friendly, inclusive and respectful. Not only did Mr Pratt leave office with Mirboo North Football Netball Club the privileged owner of Mid Gippsland’s Senior football title, but it also won Central Gippsland Junior Football League’s U14s football premiership cup. In all, Mirboo North collected 12 premierships – seven football and five netball – during Mr Pratt’s tenure in the top job at Tigerland. Already, a smooth, transparent and seamless transition from the immediate past president to the incumbent ensures Mirboo North’s innovative and traditional optimised operational functionalities will continue on an upward plane. Known for his competitive spirit, capacity for hard work and sound organisational skills, Steven Rogers comes to the presidency well qualified and enthusiastically prepared to carry out those duties and meet all responsibilities entrusted to him. In other election results, Katrina Palmer was returned unopposed as netball president, Angie Rogers

continues as club secretary and 2017 club person of the year Janine Alexander remains business manager. With Dean Linforth unanimously reelected Senior football operations manager, Mirboo North has all its building blocks in place for a hectic 2018 season. Blond bombshell Josh Taylor succeeds Clancy Bennett, who has stood down as playing coach but will continue with the Tigers as a player. Since 1993, Bennett has played in nine football premierships – seven (three Senior and four Junior) with Mirboo North, plus others at Dimboola and Goodwood Saints SA. When the Tigers defeated Yinnar by two points in this year’s grand final, Bennett joined Gordon Abbott (1956, 58) Dave Snell (1957) Vin Kennedy (1966) Troy Hamilton (2006, 13, 14) and Peter Mongta (2007) as a Mirboo North Senior premiership coach. Taylor, a vital member in Mirboo North’s last three senior premiership victories, also coached the club’s Thirds to flags in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Other appointments see Daniel Taylor, Brayden

Wilson and Cam Le Page respectively replace Brent Harriage, Josh Taylor and Jack Oddy as coaches of the Tigers’ Reserves, Thirds and Fourths teams. In netball news, Jess Holland is the Tigers’ head coach for 2018. Other coaches are Danielle Hilliar A Grade, Lexi Andrews B Grade, Karlie Densley C Grade, Donna Eaves D Grade and Shona Clark U17s. Mirboo North hosts Yinnar at Tigerland in round one of Mid Gippsland football and netball on Saturday, April 7, 2018. Vale Brian McCartin: Mirboo North Football Netball Club extends its deepest sympathy to the family of 1966 premiership defender Brian (Dub) McCartin, who died on October 31. There has never been a steadier back pocket on the last line for Mirboo North than McCartin. Dub McCartin and his late cousin Barry McCartin were part of Mirboo North’s team that easily defeated Wonthaggi 12 – 13 – 85 to 4 – 9 – 33, on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Leongatha 51 years ago.

Athletes enjoy success SOUTH Coast Athletics is continuing to have a very successful season. There were some strong performances at round five of Athletics Victoria Shield, where high jumper Eleanor Patterson cleared a Commonwealth Games B qualifier, and round six at Ballam Park also saw some excellent results, including Georgia Burns breaking her own club record in the 3000m. Another successful and fun filled local meet was held at Leongatha on November 28, with seven local meet records broken on the night. The next meet on December 12 will also incorporate the 10 year celebrations. It will be held at Wonthaggi Secondary College Dudley Campus oval at 6pm. There will be some fun sprints and relays followed by a barbecue. All past and present members and families are welcome; everyone would love to see you all there.

Athletics Victoria round six results (November 26) - Ballam Park U14B: Harrison Clark 200m 36.13, 800m 3:15.2, Triple Jump 7.39m. U14G: Tevuro Ihomana Montgomery - 200m Hurdles 35.98; Charli Burns - 200m 32.33, Triple Jump 8.54m; Georgia Burns - 3000m 11:56.6(club record), 800m 2:37.1, High Jump 1.45m. U16G: Rachel Aitken 200m 32.24, High Jump 1.55m, Triple Jump 8.42m. U18G: Aliesha Wrigley 800m 2:41.9; Naomi Merrilees - 800m 3:30.2, 200m 38.61, Shot Put 5.37m. U20G: Courtney Clark 800m 3:21.6, 200m 36.09, Shot Put 5.86m. U20G 4x400m relay (Aliesha Wrigley, Naomi Merrilees, Rachel Aitken, Georgia Burns) 4:53.7. U20B 4x400m relay (Harrison Clark, Courtney Clark, Naomi Merrilees, Aliesha Wrigley) 5:34.06. Local meet seven - Leongatha (November 28) Shot Put U12B: Ben Merrilees 3.36m(club record), Beau Ransom 3.31m U14B: Harrison Clark 5.15m. U14G: Georgia Burns

7.65m(club record), Charli Burns 4.83m, Mollie Ransom 4.11m. U16G: Nicola Slade 7.78m. U18B: Matthew Nannos 7.69m. U18G: Naomi Merrilees 5.65m. U20G: Courtney Clark 6.10m. Open Men: Brenton Taber 7.57m, Mark Coulter 7.45m. Open Women: Sarah Lewis 4.94m. Masters Men: Colin Gibson-Williamson 8.73m, Luke Ransom 7.89m, Bob Robinson 7.40m, Robert Gray 6.05m(70+ club record). Masters Women: Janine Wynen 5.05m. 60m U12B: Beau Ransom 10.07(club record), Ben Merrilees 12.11. U14B: Harrison Clark 11.30. U14G: Georgia Burns 9.05, Charli Burns 10.40, Mollie Ransom 10.93. U16G: Nicola Slade 8.89 U18B: Matthew Nannos 8.20. U18G: Naomi Merrilees 11.90. U20G: Courtney Clark 10.54. Open Men: Brenton Taber 7.87, Mark Coulter 8.21.

Masters Men: Luke Ransom 8.68, Robert Gray 13.08. Masters Women: Janine Wynen 11.64. Javelin U12B: Beau Ransom 7.43m, Ben Merrilees 6.12m. U14G: Georgia Burns 20.54m, Mollie Ransom. 10.72m, Charli Burns 8.96m U16G: Nicola Slade 16.03m. U18B: Matthew Nannos 18.31m. U18G: Naomi Merrilees 9.25m. U20G: Courtney Clark 12.82m. Open Men: Brenton Taber 24.83m, Mark Coulter 22.74m. Open Women: Sarah Lewis 12.00m. Masters Men: Luke Ransom 28.82m, Colin GibsonWilliamson 25.84m, Bob Robinson 19.57m, Robert Gray 12.79m(70+ club record). Masters Women: Janine Wynen 10.21m. 1500m U12B: Beau Ransom 6:26.45 (club record). U14B: Harrison Clark 6:44.40. U14G: Georgia Burns 5:55.80, Mollie Ransom 6:53.40, Charli Burns 11:29.10. U18B: Matthew Nannos

7:07.47. U18G: Naomi Merrilees 7:43.49. U20G: Courtney Clark 7:53.30. Open Men: Mark Coulter 5:07.17, Brenton Taber 11.33.48. Open Women: Sarah Lewis 11:32.99. Masters Men: Luke Ransom 5:27.76 (club record). Masters Women: Janine Wynen 6:32.33.

Good pace: South Coast athlete Harrison Clark competed in the 800m.

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Premiership win lingers on L E O N G AT H A’ S premiership victory celebrations linger on with a reunion of sorts at the clubrooms last Thursday night.

It was not just a meet and greet with the new 2018 senior coach Paul Carbis but a gathering to take official photographs of the senior football team and the C Grade premier

Welcome aboard: new Leongatha senior coach Paul Carbis is welcomed to the club by president Mal Mackie last Thursday night.

netball team. It was a testament to what the senior premiership meant to the players that there was not one absentee despite the fact some have moved on to other clubs. New coach of Phillip Island and 2017 Leongatha premiership coach Beau Vernon made the trip over for the photograph. The Parrots are already buoyed by the fact they have a new coach in tow ready to start training for next season as well as having appointed the six players in the leadership group. They are Ben Willis, Tom Marriott, Sean Westaway, Chris Verboon, Hayden Browne and Cade Maskell. Despite the heat the Parrots had a light run and skills sessions before moving into the clubrooms for

Key players: Leongatha’s 2018 leadership group, from left, Hayden Browne, Sean Westaway, Cade Maskell, Chris Verboon, Ben Willis and Tom Marriott, with coach Paul Carbis (centre). dinner and official photographs. Carbis is raring to go and will make the trip down to Leongatha for training sessions from his

Melbourne base. “I have heard great reports about Leongatha and its culture, this is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here,” Carbis told

The Star. Carbis enjoyed his playing career with VFA teams Prahran and Box Hill before turning to coaching; guiding the

Casey Demons development team to the flag this year. Training will continue every Monday and Wednesday night.

Giant season for Korumburra Bena BEN McGee will be back to lead the Korumburra Bena Seniors for a second season in 2018.

He will be coaching alongside Aaron Hillberg, who will also be playing in the Senior side. Family connections to Korumburra Bena have brought Hillberg back to the club. He was a premiership player in this year’s Leongatha Parrots team, and has been playing at Parrot Park for the past five years. He also had a stint in the Casey team, but has come back to his roots. He played juniors with Korumburra Bena, and is happy to be back. Playing in the inaugural year of the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition, the Giants struggled to put wins on the board. However, McGee is confident the team will continue to develop and become a formidable force in the league. “I think the league is great, and will only get better as the population grows.

The merger has built interest from Dandenong right through to Inverloch, and I think it’s going to be a challenge for clubs to remain successful as that interest continues,” he said. “For us, it really was a year to put down the pegs and now it’s time to concentrate on getting better. We made a lot of noise to be here, and we achieved what we wanted. We now have a stable team of coaches, so it’s about putting the hard work in and getting our training models in place. “What makes this new league even more special are the great people who lead the organisation. It’s very well administered.” As well as Hillberg, Matt Edwards from Kilcunda Bass and Chris Urie from the Ellinbank League will join the Giants in 2018. McGee said the Giants are still speaking to potential new recruits at this stage. “We will be a hybrid club made up of locals and people coming from out-

side the community who want to play. It’s pleasing to have blokes like Hillberg and Urie who will promote our training culture,” he said. “We will be working hard to tilt our win-loss ratio to get us through 2018.” The Giants also have a number of younger players looking to secure their place in the Senior sides. For the Giants, preseason began last Friday, and will continue to run the traditional sessions in the lead up to Christmas. Training will kick off again in January. There will be two sessions held a week, with a third session self administered by the players. McGee said the club would also be looking to have another players’ retreat next year. “Last season we had our players’ retreat at the Tarwin River. We are hoping to run a similar event this year, giving our players the chance to get to know each other before the season starts.”

Coaching panel: Aaron Hillberg and Ben McGee will coach Korumburra Bena’s Seniors in 2018.

Power at full strength WONTHAGGI Power is pumped for the new season ahead after retaining 100 per cent of its Senior side.

Coaching panel: for the 2018 season, Dave Cengia is the assistant U18 and Senior coach, Ross Bramley is the U18s coach, Lee Rowe is the director of coaching, Stuart Gilmour is the Seniors coach, Darren Brown is the U16s coach and Tom Wells is the Reserves coach.

Stuart Gilmour is back for his third season as Senior coach, and training is already well underway. Although the team is made up of local players, Power has arranged trainings to take place in both Wonthaggi and Melbourne to accommodate players who travel for work. “Training has always been bit of a challenge, and we can’t expect the boys to travel back to Wonthaggi twice a week. They’ve all grown up together, so they get on and know each other pretty well though,” Gilmour said. Although it appeared the side had a poor 2017 season, it was a development year for the club to build its U16s and

U18s. Power now has several top age 18s who will be great assets in the Seniors and Reserves. Gilmour said Power will continue to bolster the U18s in 2018, and it is looking to be a lot more competitive this season. On top of the 100 per cent retention, Power also welcomes new recruits. Will Lenahan is travelling from interstate and will be part of the 2017 team. Power has also picked up Steven and Lochie Scott, who played for DWWWW and Leongatha respectively. Lochie was Leongatha’s U18s best and fairest. Aloysio Ferreira, who has been playing in the Victorian Football League, will be back to play with Power, and Jack Blair will once again play for the side. Toma Huther will return after recovering from an ACL injury for the past

12 months, and Lochie Dumont is also making a return. Dumont broke his ankle in the first game of the 2017 season. Former St Kilda player Arryn Siposs was set to join the Power side, but received an excellent opportunity to play NFL Power wishes him all the best in America. Until he leaves in August, Siposs will be staying on at Power to help out whatever capacity he can. Taking over from former president – and current Bass Coast Shire Council deputy mayor – Brett Tessari, is Peter Liddle. During preseason, Power will be training three nights a week. The trainings will take place right up until Christmas, and start again on January 21. Gilmour said the season will be about building momentum and developing strengths moving forward

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Newhaven riding high THE sixth i h annuall Newhaven N h College C ll Show Jumping Championships was held at the Ayr Hill Equestrian Centre in Clyde recently.

The day was a huge success with 120 riders representing 52 schools who travelled to compete from as far away as Bendigo and Camperdown. Newhaven’s young equestrians were champing at the bit and ready for the commencement of the competition at 7.30am with many enduring a long, hot day as the final rounds of the Grand Prix were ridden at 5pm. The college entered 12 riders representing the Junior, Middle and Senior schools. Eli Gregory in Year 3 rode three terrific rounds

and his pony, G George, they d was very pleased l d with i h hi h have both shown huge improvement during their first year of competing for Newhaven. Jaelina Kiley in Year 5 had a terrific day and rode a beautiful four rounds to win the Championship in her level. Sianan Price in Year 11 also rode a very quick round in the Grand Prix and came third from a huge class of 31 riders. Hillcrest Christian College was the winning school on the day with Beaconhills College in second place and Mercy Regional College from Camperdown finishing third. Newhaven finished in fifth place, which was an excellent result for the Equestrian Team considering the number and quality of competitors and schools involved.

Top three: Newhaven College Year 11 student Sianan Price took third place in the Grand Prix from a huge class of 31 riders at the 6th annual Newhaven College Show THE Leongatha District Cricket AssociaJumping Championships held recently. tion decided to cancel all cricket matches

Cricket cancelled

that were due to be played on Saturday, December 2, because of the weekend’s Left, Impressive: Eli Gregory’s riding and rainfall. confidence have improved significantly this expected This means the round seven Senior games in all

year and he flew through the course on his grades will be played as one day games this Saturday. pony George. Also for the Junior round four games, the second day’s play will be cancelled. Please ensure you still put results on MyCricket. The association took this step to save clubs having to make decisions about whether to play or not and teams travelling to then find games not going ahead. The umpires were notified by their emails by the umpire association.

Outdoor Pool FUN! Opens

Opens

Mirboo Norolth Outdoor Po Mirboo North Idol Summer Safety Day Stroke & Stride Australia Day Party Dive In Movie

2 Dec

3 Dec 2017 17 Dec 2017 7 Jan 2018 26 Jan 2018 2 Feb 2018

Swim Meet Carnival 4 Mar 2018

a Korumburr ol Outdoor Po

Summer Safety Day

9 Dec 2017

Friday Night Dippers Hawaiian Luau Friday Night Dippers Stroke & Stride Friday Night Dippers

15 Dec 2017 13 Jan 2018 19 Jan 2018 21 Jan 2018 16 Feb 2018

Opens

Foster

Outdoor Pool

Summer Safety Day

16 Dec 16 Dec 2017

Twilight Opening Party 17 Dec 2017 Schools Out Party 22 Dec 2017 Sunday Inflatable 21 Jan 2018 Stroke & Stride 18 Feb 2018 Sunday Inflatable 18 Feb 2018

Hawaiian Luau

land South Gipps ools Outdoor P

27 Jan 2018

Pools open when forecast temperature is above 25 degrees. Please like us on facebook for daily updates: facebook.com/southgippslandpools or visit: www.southgippslandpools.ymca.org.au

2 Dec

Opens

Poowong

Outdoor Pool

2 Dec

Summer Safety Day

10 Dec 2017

Santa’s pool party Stroke & Stride Australia Day Party Summer Splash Party

17 Dec 2017 14 Jan 2018 26 Jan 2018 23 Feb 2018

Closing party

12 Mar 2018

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Focus: Meeniyan Pony Club’s Fleur Timmins competed in the West Gippsland Zone of Pony Clubs Show Jumping Championships series on her horse Legally Blonde.

Jump: C Grade champion Jamie Chilla and Phoenix in action at the West Gippsland Zone of Pony Clubs Show Jumping ChamA Grade champion: Elli Clavarino received pionships series. top honours at the West Gippsland Zone of Pony Clubs Show Jumping Championships series with her horse Money Muncher.

Meeniyan Pony Club hosts championship ON Sunday, November 12, Meeniyan Pony Club hosted the third round of the West Gippsland Zone of Pony Clubs Show Jumping Championships series.

Zone riders vying for series points supported the Show Jumping Champs well, and were rewarded with some fantastic tracks set by course builder Paul Williams and excellent judging by Ellen Wilson and Georgina Hocking. It is a privilege to have such wonderful professionals assist the club, and also to see Georgina continue her judging education. The club was appreciative of Berrys Creek Pony Club for providing additional equipment. There was a great range of riders and horses, experienced in A Grade down to new young riders and also inexperienced horses starting on their showjumping journeys in F Grade. The competition ran with great spirit, and was a really successful day. Champion prize rugs donated by BJS Insurance Brokers and Tarwin Veterinary Group were awarded to the pony club rider with the most points after three types competitions-Two Phase, Competition over Two

Rounds and an AM7. Consistency was the key. A large raffle supported by BrownWigg, Meeniyan, provided many with a prize to take home. This was the first of the pony club’s annual showjumping events to be held on the new grass arena. The grass surface was in excellent condition. The culmination of many volunteer hours over the last 18 months has resulted in the Meeniyan Pony Club and Stony Creek Riding Club now having a safe and large, approx 100 x 80m, arena for training and competitions. This along with a great cross country course has really lifted the facility. Secretary Kate Caldwell said, “It was fantastic to have recently completed the surrounding fence with thanks to assistance from the South Gippsland Shire Council, Jack Thorson Contracting and our hard working volunteers”. Future events at the club are the Meeniyan Pony Club Horse Trials on February 18, and the Stony Creek Riding Club has its Annual SJ Competition on December 10 and a Dressage competition in early 2018. Showjumping results: BJS Insurance Brokers A/B Grade; PC Champion, Elli Clavarino on Money Muncher, Corner Inlet, Re-

serve Champion, Charlie Cilla on CJ, Mirboo North. B Grade; Open Champion, Corrine Hoddinott on Max. BJS Insurance Brokers C Grade; PC Champion, Jamie Chilla on Phoenix, Mirboo North. Reserve Champion, Emily Bekker on Rockin-to-Success, Upper Beaconsfield. Open Champion, Maree Young on Moonsine Bandit. BJS Insurance Brokers D Grade; PC Champion, Ebony Beecroft on Raenback Farm Flicker, Loch-Nyora. Reserve Champion, Louis Fulkerson on Mithril Riccadonna, Corner Inlet. Open Champion, Jessica Bolding on Rakti Raga, Wonthaggi. Open Res. Champion, Kaity-Lee Taylor on Lil Miss Audrey. Tarwin Veterinary Group E Grade; PC Champion, Ella Berry on Chief, Wonthaggi. Reserve Champion, Haley Dalton on Blonde Ambition, Cockatoo and District. Open Champion, Holly Chilla on Spook. Open res. Champion, Sally Bastone on Hunter. Tarwin Veterinary Group F Grade; PC Champion, Ellen Thirkell on Brosha Park Ferrero, Warragul. Reserve Champion, Lily Pursell on Silver Leigh ima Babe, Pakenham. Open Champion, Lucy Dell on Casino. Open Res. Champion, Fleur Timmins on Balblair Eclipse.

Guest judge: Meeniyan Pony Club’s Sue Johnson with West Gippsland Zone of Pony Clubs Show Jumping Championships series judge Georgina Hocking.

PAGE 56 - “THE STAR” Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Netballer aims for Victorian squad SHAE Kyle’s passion for netball may take her all the way to the U19 Victorian netball squad. The Korumburra Bena Football Netball Club defender has been playing the game since she was 13, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to improve her skills. Kyle was invited to try out for the squad after playing in the Victorian Netball League. The team selection included four weeks of trainings, and the announcement of final squad is anticipated soon. Twelve netballers will be selected, and will compete against other Australian teams. The remaining 20 will form a development squad, which Kyle said would be a fantastic opportunity. “The development squad will train with the state team, and could be selected into the squad if someone is injured,” she said. “It’s been nerve wracking, but really exciting. Having this opportunity is so beneficial to my

game, and has been a massive learning curve. At 17 years of age, Kyle would be a bottom age player in the squad. In the 2017 season, Kyle played U17s and A Grade for Korumburra Bena. She was named the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition league best and fairest in U17s. She has also had experience playing in the U15 Gippsland Storm squad, and U19 Monash University Storm. Kyle said her interest in the sport developed after watching her sister play. She has played basketball before, but is now fully committed to netball. Kyle said the squad trainings had been intense, but she was looking forward to playing at her highest potential and taking the sport further. She would like to one day play in a championship side for the Australian Netball League. Kyle would like to thank Kelsey Buxton from Xcel Performance, and Dana Andrews, Jude Reynolds and Mel Meade from Voyage Fitness for supporting her.

Star netballer: Shae Kyle of Leongatha is one of the top 32 netballers in the state, and will either be selected into the U19 Victorian netball squad or the development squad.

sgdental.com.au | 5662 5000 | 32-34 Bair St, Leongatha

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